Where Ole Miss' win over LSU ranks among college football's most satisfying of the past decade

From snapping brutal losing streaks against Nick Saban to settling bitter realignment feuds, these unforgettable wins delivered pure catharsis for college football fanbases

Sep 20, 2026 at 3:06 pm ET • 4 min read

The scene that unfolded at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and throughout the town of Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday night is what makes college football so unique. Lane Kiffin's return as the head coach of border rival LSU created one of the most-anticipated games in program history for the Rebels, who secured a dramatic 32-24 win over their former coach.

It will go down as one of the all-time most satisfying wins in college football history for any fanbase. Ole Miss stuck it to the man who left them for a bitterly hated SEC enemy. In the process, they proved they may be built to last.

The victory meant more than a "normal" win over a conference rival might, because it was so personal and a top-10 battle with huge stakes. Identifying exactly what makes a college football victory satisfying is an inexact science, and there are a number of different ways to look at it. 

Ole Miss spent 10 months awaiting Lane Kiffin's return, and the payoff was worth it

John Talty

In light of the Ole Miss win over LSU and Kiffin, we sought to rank the most satisfying victories in the sport from the past decade. Here is a rundown of those outcomes that most clearly fit the bill.

1. Ole Miss over LSU (2026)

Kiffin previously returned to Tennessee as Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2016. Later, he returned to Knoxville in 2021 as the Ole Miss coach and was famously targeted by a mustard bottle and a golf ball during the Rebels' controversial 31-26 win. His return to Ole Miss came with even more passion, partially due to the timeline. Less than a year had passed since he left the Rebels for LSU in an ugly divorce. The Ole Miss victory was satisfying for the Rebels for many reasons. Chief among them is how it illustrated that the program Kiffin helped build is strong enough to last without him.

2. Oklahoma State over Oklahoma (2023)

With Oklahoma departing for the SEC after the 2023 season, Oklahoma State got one last crack at the Sooners in the storied Bedlam series. The Cowboys took advantage by issuing No. 10 OU a 27-24 defeat. It was Oklahoma's second loss, which knocked the Sooners out of the CFP conversation and added to the Cowboys' satisfaction. The teams haven't played since, and there are no firm plans to resume the series. Maybe one day we'll get the 119th meeting of these in-state rivals. For now, Oklahoma State can look back on the last edition of the series and know it got the last laugh.

3. Michigan over Ohio State (2023)

The stakes couldn't have been higher as the arch-rivals -- each sporting 11-0 records -- met with spots in the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff hanging in the balance. As if that wasn't enough, Michigan arrived as college football's preeminent villain amid a sign-stealing scandal that captured the nation's collective attention. Against that backdrop, the Wolverines extended their winning streak in the rivalry to three games with a 30-24 win that zapped Ohio State's dreams and sent Buckeyes coach Ryan Day into the 2024 season under immense pressure.

4. Washington State over Washington (2024)

 In the first Apple Cup game since Washington's departure for the Big Ten, the program that "got left behind" went on the road and earned a cathartic 24-19 victory. Washington State was in the midst of an independent schedule, and Washington was one season removed from the national title game. But even as the tides of college sports shifted them, the Cougars came up with a late goal-line stand to secure one of the most meaningful victories in a rivalry with well over 100 chapters. 

5. LSU over Alabama (2019)

 No. 1 LSU traveled to No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 9 for a season-defining showdown and left as 46-41 victors. It snapped an eight-game losing streak in the series and momentarily interrupted Nick Saban's dominance of the sport. It was the final major regular-season hurdle for the Tigers to clear on their march to a perfect 15-0 season, and it was a big one. A road win over an Alabama team during Saban's prime left no doubt that LSU -- led by Joe Burrow -- was capable of becoming an all-time great team.

6. Tennessee over Alabama (2022)

Tennessee ended 15 years of misery in the "Third Saturday in October" rivalry by knocking off No. 3 Alabama with a 40-yard field goal from Chase McGrath as time expired. The kick lifted Tennessee to a 52-49 victory that signified the Volunteers' arrival on the national scene under second-year coach Josh Heupel. It was the Vols' only victory over the Crimson Tide during Saban's 17-year tenure. Up until that point, his average margin of victory against Tennessee was 25.87 points. No wonder the fans dumped the goalposts in the Tennessee River.

7. Texas over Texas A&M (2024) 

Conference realignment interrupted the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry for over a decade when the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012. When the Longhorns joined in 2024, it brought a long-awaited renewal of the bitterly contested in-state series. The stakes were high, as Texas needed to win in order to reach the SEC Championship Game and solidify its credentials for a CFP bid. Against that backdrop, the Longhorns handled the hostility of Kyle Field and escaped with a 17-7 victory. It wasn't a pretty game, but it was a significant and satisfying victory for Texas.