Lane Kiffin: 'Stupid' Paul Finebaum quote gives Nick Saban 'GOAT fuel' — opposite of rat poison

OXFORD — Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin sent ESPN personality Paul Finebaum a text on his way to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for his regular Monday press conference.

With the Rebels next on Alabama's schedule, Kiffin believes Finebaum provided Saban with the opposite of rat poison: "GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) fuel," as the Ole Miss coach called it. And now Kiffin's team is in the sights of a coach who has repeatedly responded emphatically to being doubted over the course of his career.

"It just seems like, for starters, the window on the Saban dynasty is closing," Finebaum said on ESPN following Alabama's loss to LSU last week.

It's a statement that Kiffin, an offensive coordinator under Saban previously, likely would have taken issue with regardless of the schedule. But with the Crimson Tide bound for Oxford on Saturday (2:30 p.m., CBS) he now has to deal with the ramifications.

"Every time he says this, which I tell him, all he does is GOAT fuel, the opposite of rat poison," Kiffin said. "You just give him the GOAT fuel, for him that works, and he goes and proves it every time. I really appreciate Paul saying that after the game. I'm sure that was on (Saban's) desk Sunday morning."

The Rebels (8-1, 4-1 SEC) are 0-2 against the Crimson Tide (7-2, 4-2) since Kiffin took over in Oxford, losing both games by multiple scores.

Highlighting returning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young at quarterback and outstanding pass-rushing linebacker Will Anderson Jr., Kiffin emphasized that the Crimson Tide will bring two of the best players in the most important positions on the field to Oxford.

Alabama will bring the man he views as the best head coach, too.

"They've lost two games by two plays," Kiffin said. "... This is a great team, and the best coach to ever do it."

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss football's Lane Kiffin expects a fired up Nick Saban