Lane Kiffin on the clock, Penn State pays Franklin and the latest in college football’s coaching carousel

The coaching carousel is heating up as the end of the regular season approaches. Decisions are imminent, Zoom interviews are frequent and everyone is waiting for Lane Kiffin — for now.

Why Lane Kiffin has to make up his mind soon

It was only a matter of time before Kiffin’s balancing act spilled into the public and became a mess for everyone involved. From the moment South Florida upset Florida and made clear the Gators would move on from Billy Napier, this was always going to be the result. After all the work done to rehabilitate his image, Kiffin is now stringing people along and upsetting almost everyone in the process.

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Kiffin’s family visited Gainesville, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La., over the weekend, while Ole Miss made clear to the coach this week that he has to make a decision soon. Politicians are expressing their frustration, too.

Couldn’t agree more. At some point, it’d be nice for our current coach (@Lane_Kiffin) to reciprocate the love and gratitude shown by our administration, players, fan base, and collective. It just shouldn’t be this hard. https://t.co/HHmBOxvaCP — Secretary Michael Watson (@MichaelWatsonMS) November 16, 2025

Kiffin has done this dance before. Three years ago, he flirted with Auburn ahead of the season-ending Egg Bowl. Kiffin ultimately stayed, and Ole Miss boosters upped their name, image and likeness spending to help him, but the Rebels lost to Mississippi State to cap a stretch-run collapse.

The difference this time is that Ole Miss is nearing the end of one of the best seasons in school history, and Kiffin’s impending decision has put a shadow on that celebration. The Rebels’ Playoff odds sit at 96 percent per The Athletic’s model, yet Kiffin may cross the coaching carousel Rubicon of leaving a national championship contender for another job before the season ends.

“If a team wanted a Playoff coach, this was bound to happen,” Kiffin s