Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin showed up to the Outback Bowl wearing an autographed DK Metcalf jersey
The Ole Miss Rebels looked to end their 2020 season on a high note, as they faced the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers in the Outback Bowl on Saturday. They did just that, as the Rebels defeated the Hoosiers 26-20 to win the bowl game in Lane Kiffin’s first season as head coach. It’s quite possible that Kiffin’s pregame fit gave him some good luck.
As Ole Miss arrived to Raymond James Stadium for the contest, Kiffin emerged from the team bus wearing an autographed jersey of former wide receiver DK Metcalf, currently of the Seattle Seahawks.
Kiffin’s first season ends in success
Did the jersey really give the Rebels good luck? Probably not. But still, it’s the gesture that counts.
Before he became the undisputed top pass catcher on the Seahawks, Metcalf played wideout for Ole Miss. Metcalf didn’t really light up the stat sheets with Ole Miss due to being sidelined with foot and neck injuries. In his three seasons at Oxford, Metcalf caught 67 passes for 1,228 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Metcalf turned into an internet sensation once he declared for the 2019 NFL Draft due to his buff physique and insane 40-yard dash time at the Scouting Combine. With concerns about his injury history, Metcalf fell to the second-round and the Seahawks gleefully took him off the board with the 64th overall pick. And now, he’s on the verge of breaking Seattle’s single-season receiving record.
Kiffin was already feeling confident heading into the Outback Bowl, as the university gave him a multi-year contract extension. Ole Miss would pull off the upset over Indiana thanks to the play of quarterback Matt Corral, who completed 30-of-44 pass attempts for 342 yards and two touchdowns.
Metcalf, as well as Ole Miss alum and fans have a lot to be happy about in 2021, as Kiffin helped lead the program to their first bowl victory in five years.