Is it better to let your work speak for itself, or should you get loud when the stakes are high? For Ole Miss Rebels’ head coach, Lane Kiffin, it’s clearly the latter. As of now, it might be his only way of getting into the playoffs. With just one playoff spot left and Alabama standing in his way, Kiffin has taken to X to argue why his Rebels deserve the nod. But not everyone’s buying Lane Kiffin’s cry for justice, certainly not this college football insider. Meanwhile, Alabama’s quieter confidence and legacy might just seal their ticket. So, who really deserves it: the Rebels or the Tide?

On Dec 3, Joel Klatt, the straight-shooting analyst, joined The Next Round podcast and threw some shade at Kiffin’s ‘politicking.’ Joel Klatt didn’t hold back at all when asked about the playoff race between these two SEC heavy-hitters. “Between you know Alabama and Old Miss, but I guess I could be wrong, I think Alabama is going to get the nod as long as SMU [Mustangs] wins. Who do I think should go? I don’t know, I guess Alabama because I hate the politicking from Lane Kiffin.” Ouch! For Klatt, Alabama’s resume speaks louder than any tweet thread. Sure, the Tide isn’t perfect—far from it—since Nick Saban retired. But if we are going reputation-wise, sure they should lock in.

Klatt also pointed out a critical factor: The No. 9 ranked SMU Mustangs handle business against No. 12 ranked Clemson in the ACC title game this weekend. Then Clemson would be out of the playoff picture, and Dabo Swinney would find himself in the hot seat. That would simplify things and make the playoff door wide open for either Alabama or Ole Miss. But as Klatt hinted, Alabama’s name recognition and postseason pedigree will probably be the deciding factors. Lane Kiffin’s tweets? Not so much.

Bama or Ole Miss: who deserves it more?

At the core of this debate lies the old-age question: is the playoff about meritocracy or brand power? Lane Kiffin made his case on X, posting, “Clearly Ole Miss should be in the playoff over Alabama, but Bama is the bigger brand and more than likely will get in over Ole Miss.” And he’s not entirely wrong. Statistically speaking, Ole Miss has been more impressive in key areas. Better point differentials—13 to Alabama’s -33 on common ops. If we compare the Georgia game, Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss won by 18 points, whereas Bama won by 7 points. And they got a 27-3 win over the Oklahoma Sooners, which Alabama can’t brag about.

But Bama’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer, has his own argument. “Everyone’s aware of our schedule. I know we beat four top-25 teams. And I don’t know how many, if anybody’s, done that,” DeBoer noted. Ole Miss only has 2 wins against ranked teams, while the Roll Tide got 4 W’s over Top 25s. While the Tide has shown cracks this season, their high-profile wins and the culture still resonate. Add in the SEC’s tendency to favor the heavyweights, and it’s clear why Bama has the edge.

If it were purely about the numbers, Ole Miss might have a stronger case in the court of football. But college football has never been just about stats—it’s a mix of narrative, legacy, and yes, a little politics. Alabama’s playoff reputation and history might outweigh Ole Miss’ statistical dominance. Lane Kiffin can campaign all he wants, but the Tide might still roll into the playoffs. For Ole Miss, the lesson is clear: sometimes the louder you shout, the less people listen.