After calling out Mississippi State pregame following what he said were two break-ins of his team's locker room inside Davis Wade Stadium, Lane Kiffin took direct aim at State Athletics Director Zac Selmon in his halftime interview Friday.
It came after less than four minutes of game-time that saw a wild melee on the field between the two fierce 'Egg Bowl' rivals in which two Ole Miss players, Deuce Alexander and Delano Townsend, as well as Bulldogs defender Malick Sylla, who broke up the Trinidad Chambliss pass and also was involved in the altercation.
With his Rebels on top 21-10 heading into the break, Kiffin was stopped by the ABC crew for a customary on-field interview.
"We're just trying to play clean football, man," Kiffin told the broadcast. "We're trying to execute and play really good football. For a whole sideline to try to fight and leave their own sideline, including their athletic director, I've never seen anything like it. We're trying to play football here. We're not trying to start a fight so our university can get credit for fighting people."
Asked what message he would have for his players about fighting and keeping their composure in the second half, Kiffin again pointed the finger at the host Bulldogs.
"We're good. Our guys stayed on the sideline like they're supposed to," said Kiffin. "We've got to execute better in the red zone on offense and we did there at the end. On defense, we've calmed down after the beginning. We need to sustain some drives here and put this game away."
Ole Miss took a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game, pushed back ahead 14-10 and then got a second touchdown pass from Chambliss just 12 seconds before halftime for the 21-10 lead.