There’s precedent for Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin-less Playoff run. Michigan hoops watches

Terry Mills, a former Michigan basketball player, is closely observing the Ole Miss football team's journey, drawing parallels to his own experience with the 1988-89 Michigan basketball team. Ole Miss, led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, faces a similar situation as Michigan did when their head coach, Lane Kiffin, left for another job just as Michigan's coach, Bill Frieder, did years ago. In both cases, the athletic directors replaced the departing coaches with an interim leader, with Pete Golding currently guiding Ole Miss. The Michigan team famously won the NCAA Tournament under interim coach Steve Fisher.

Ole Miss is set to play Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals, with players motivated to prove their capabilities without Kiffin. The Michigan team, despite being a strong No. 3 seed, had been underestimated following Frieder's departure. They went on to win the national championship, inspired by Fisher and driven by a desire to prove themselves. Similarly, Ole Miss, a