LSU coach Brian Kelly seems to jab Ole Miss head man Lane Kiffin

A part of pretty much every coach's compensation package a public college or university comes, in part, from a respective school's corporate sponsors.

Coca-Cola, the global titan in the soft drink world headquartered in the heart of SEC Country in Atlanta, pays to be an official corporate sponsor of numerous institutions.

Including both Ole Miss and LSU.

Earlier this week, Ole Miss's wily coach Lane Kiffin took a moment in his press conference to read aloud, rather incredulously, the nutritional label on the back of an 20-ounce Coca-Cola bottle.

"Does anybody drink Coke," Kiffin asked. "Do you realize 130-percent of your (recommended) sugar (intake) for the entire day is in this one bottle. ... Sixty-five grams of sugar."

Kiffin said it had been "a long time" since he last had a Coke.

On Wednesday, LSU coach Brian Kelly -- underrated for his dry sense of humor -- stirred the drink.

"Just a shoutout to our sponsor, Coke," Kelly said as he arrived at the podium and gestured to the prop Coca-Cola bottle, seemingly as ubiquitous a fixture as a microphone now in these settings. "You know, Smart Water, a great Coke product. Minerals, vitamins, it's just great for you.

"It's refreshing, healthy; Coke provides you all the products that you need, depending on what you like. And, I love Smart Water."

Reminded "there's no sugar in Smart Water," Kelly had one last line.

"Mm, you caught on," he said.

Kiffin's Ole Miss program has won two of its last three meetings against LSU, though he and Kelly have split their two head-to-head meetings the previous two seasons.

The Tigers shredded Ole Miss in 2022 as Kelly guided LSU to a surprising appearance in the SEC Championship; the Rebels scored 21 fourth-quarter points for an 55-49 win last season.

The two teams, both preseason top-15 programs considered College Football Playoff contenders, can compare beverage notes in person in just a few weeks.

Ole Miss visits Death Valley Oct. 12.