A timeout turned into a milestone moment when head coach Lane Kiffin photobombed a pair of supporters after their on-field proposal.
Former Ole Miss pole vaulter Drew O’Connor used an on-field promotion to propose to his girlfriend, Madison Barnette, during the Rebels’ 49–0 win over The Citadel at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS.
Barnette said yes and moments later, head coach Lane Kiffin stepped onto the field to pose for a photo with the newly engaged couple, adding a memorable sideline snapshot to a lopsided Saturday afternoon.
The sequence came about in the third quarter during a scheduled timeout, when O’Connor walked onto the turf under the guise of attempting the promotional kick. Barnette accompanied him as the designated holder, setting up as if the pair were about to try for three points. Instead, O’Connor pivoted from the mock attempt, reached into a ring box, and dropped to a knee, turning a routine in-game feature into an engagement.
With Barnette’s “yes,” the couple stood arm-in-arm as Kiffin joined them for a celebratory photo on the grass.
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On the scoreboard, the afternoon belonged to Ole Miss. The Rebels jumped to a 35–0 halftime advantage and never looked back, finishing off a shutout against The Citadel. Between the decisive score line and the on-field proposal, the third-quarter timeout provided a scene the couple – and anyone watching inside Vaught-Hemingway – won’t soon forget.
