College Football Archives - Saturday Down South

Mizzou QB Beau Pribula could return vs. Oklahoma

Derek Peterson — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:39:15 +0000

Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula is questionable to play on Saturday when the 22nd-ranked Tigers travel to Norman to face the eighth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

Pribula has not played since injuring his ankle on Oct. 25 in the loss to Vanderbilt, but he has been trending in the right direction in recent weeks. Pribula not being immediately ruled out suggests there’s at least a chance he can return to the field.

According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Pribula has been medically cleared to play. A final decision on his status will be made on Friday.

In Pribula’s absence, Mizzou has started true freshman Matt Zollers in each of the last 2 games. He’d draw a third straight start if Pribula is ultimately ruled out.

Zollers threw for 138 yards and a touchdown in relief of Pribula against Vanderbilt. In his first start against Texas A&M on Nov. 8, he struggled, completing only 7 of his 22 passes for 77 yards.

He found a bit more rhythm in the 49-27 win over Mississippi State last weekend, though he had plenty of help from the Tigers’ ground game. Zollers threw for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns with an interception.

Pribula has 1,685 passing yards, 220 rushing yards, and 16 total touchdowns this season. He has a Total QBR of 72.1. Zollers has a 50.8 QBR on the season.

Kickoff on Saturday against the Sooners is set for noon ET on ABC.

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Kentucky defensive back recruit flips commitment to Florida State

Derek Peterson — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:01:39 +0000

Florida State has landed a commitment from Vero Beach (Fla.) High defensive back Jordan Crutchfield.

The 6-foot-3 safety prospect announced his decision on Thursday night, flipping his pledge from Kentucky to Florida State. Crutchfield had been part of the Wildcats’ 2026 class since June, but he took an official visit to Florida State last weekend and was convinced to join the Seminoles’ class.

BREAKING: Class of 2026 DB Jordan Crutchfield has Flipped his Commitment from Kentucky to Florida State, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’4 210 DB had been Committed to the Wildcats since June

“Curated through Christ, Blessed to be blessed.”https://t.co/oC4FOWQlC8 pic.twitter.com/pZ073vzutN
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 20, 2025

Crutchfield is listed as a safety in the industry-generated 247 Composite, but he has some versatility to play several spots across the secondary. He also gets snaps as a receiver for his high school.

In the Composite, Crutchfield is a 3-star recruit. He’s the 58th-ranked prospect from the state of Florida and the 39th-ranked safety in the class. Overall, he sits at No. 461 in the national player rankings.

So far this season, Crutchfield has been credited with 27 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and an interception for Vero Beach. He also has 2 touchdown receptions on offense.

Kentucky’s class is down to just 13 known commitments. With the Early Signing Period a month away, Mark Stoops and his staff have some serious work to do.

The Florida State class, which ranks 14th nationally, is up to 28 known pledges.

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LSU settles Week 13 status for QB Garrett Nussmeier

Derek Peterson — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:41:37 +0000

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will not play on Saturday when the Tigers host Western Kentucky.

Interim LSU coach Frank Wilson announced the decision Thursday night when he met with reporters. Wilson said Nussmeier “wants to play” but is simply unable to do so. Nussmeier aggravated an abdominal injury recently. He did not play in last week’s 23-22 win over Arkansas.

With Nussmeier eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, it’s possible he has played his final game at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers play at Oklahoma to close out the regular season on Nov. 29. It’s unclear if Nussmeier will be available for that game.

“I think there’s a want to for him,” Wilson said when asked if Nussmeier would try to play again this season. “But I also think there’s a consciousness of care and not to tear up scar tissues or make a matter worse than what it needs to be. There’s certainly a want. He wants to play. He’s just not able to at the moment.”

Michael Van Buren Jr. will make his second straight start at quarterback.

Last week, Van Buren completed 21 of his 31 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 10 times for 36 yards.

Wilson also said linebacker Whit Weeks is “probable” to play on Saturday. Weeks has missed each of the Tigers’ last 4 games while dealing with an ankle injury.

“He’s had a good week of practice ushering in and out and popping around,” Wilson said. “I thought he showed tremendous progress. He’s talking and feeling the right way. In what capacity and how much, I’m not sure, but right now, I would say he’s probable.”

Saturday’s game against Western Kentucky is slated to kick off at 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. LSU is a 21.5-point favorite, per BetMGM.

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LSU open to hiring Ed Orgeron as assistant, per report

Derek Peterson — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:11:03 +0000

Ed Orgeron has gone on record saying he’s open to a return to LSU, regardless of the capacity.

The feeling seems to be mutual.

According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, LSU is “open” to bringing Orgeron back as an assistant coach if the Tigers were to hire Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss. Zenitz’s reporting uses the phrasing “if/when” as it relates to a potential Kiffin hire. Kiffin is said to be considering the Tigers, though he has said throughout the week he is focused on the Rebels’ regular-season finale.

Orgeron and Kiffin have a history of working together. They worked on the same staff at USC from 2001-04. When Kiffin was the head coach for a season at Tennessee, Orgeron was his associate head coach.

In 2015, Orgeron joined the Tigers as a defensive line coach. In 2016, he took over the program as its head coach. Orgeron went 51-20 in 6 years with the Tigers, winning the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2019.

He has been out of coaching since parting ways with LSU after the 2021 season.

“Yeah, I’d consider it,” Orgeron said last month when asked if he’d be open to a reunion. “I love LSU. I still got my home in Baton Rouge. I loved when I was coaching for Coach (Les) Miles, being the defensive line coach. I love the Tigers, and if I’m getting back into coaching, for sure I’d consider it. No doubt.”

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Chris Doering shares his updated SEC power ranking ahead of Week 13

Jake Faigus — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 22:25:00 +0000

With just two weeks left in the regular season, the SEC has an opportunity to be the craziest conference in the country down the stretch. After last week, the top of the conference started to solidify, but there are still opportunities for teams to trip up. Now, the entire SEC Network cast of panelists listed out their SEC Power Rankings for Week 13.

The Week 13 SEC Football Power Rankings @ChrisDoering @BenjaminSWatson @AlyssaLang @ESPNDari https://t.co/gpajz2KAzQ pic.twitter.com/Urq2o2pnsy
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 20, 2025

Former Florida wide receiver Chris Doering released his rankings, listing Texas A&M as the top team in the conference and Arkansas as the last. Some other noticeable differences Doering had compared to the other panelists were that he had Tennessee lower than everyone else, and he and Alyssa Lang had Florida and Mississippi State higher than the others.

Dari Nowkah, Alyssa Lang, Benjamin Watson, and Chris Doering all agreed on the top five in the conference as well. Those unanimous rankings are Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Alabama.

The larger point that these rankings show is that the middle of the SEC is a mess. There is not much separating any of these teams, and with only 2 weeks left, nothing is set in stone. Four teams are alive for the SEC title game: Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Alabama. None of those spots will be cemented until next week, during the last week of the regular season.

Doering and the rest of the SEC Network’s panelists do these rankings weekly, so obviously, things change, and there is likely to be even more that changes next week.

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Michigan clarifies stance on Big Ten future amid capital investment dispute

Derek Peterson — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 22:00:20 +0000

Following comments made earlier in the week by the school’s board of regents, a dispute between Michigan and the Big Ten over a capital investment proposal that would flush the league with cash but, in Michigan’s view, be detrimental to the league’s future seemed to threaten the future of the partnership.

On Thursday, the board released a statement saying, in part, it is “committed” to the Big Ten going forward.

Earlier this week, a report from the Detroit Free Press stated that Michigan could consider going independent in 2036 if the Big Ten agreed to receive private capital investment without unanimous consent. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti had been in discussions with a private equity firm about a multi-billion-dollar investment. Michigan opposed the move.

University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker told the Free Press this week that U-M “would consider” leaving the Big Ten over the deal.

On Thursday, the board met to discuss the proposal and released a statement shortly after clarifying their stance.

“We remain opposed to this deal. Importantly, we are committed to the Big Ten Conference and will continue to explore opportunities that address the pressing financial challenges facing Big Ten athletic departments,” said Mark Bernstein, chair for Michigan’s Board of Regents.

The capital deal is reportedly on hold.

Michigan is one of the founding members of the Big Ten, college athletics’ oldest league. The Wolverines have been in the league since 1896, though they spent a decade as an independent from 1907-16 after being voted out.

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Tennessee reveals uniform combo for Saturday’s game at Florida

Jake Faigus — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:15:34 +0000

The Tennessee Volunteers travel to The Swamp on Saturday night to face off against Florida in the latest edition of the rivalry between these two teams. This rivalry is usually played in September, but was flipped this season. These 2 teams have also had very different seasons heading into this game, but Florida has had a history of getting up for this game and should be ready for the Volunteers at home.

Tennessee is wearing its all-white uniforms as it travels to The Swamp to meet the Gators. It is the Volunteers’ standard away look, but it also means they will not wear their white-on-orange road look.

road trip ready

@DICKS | #GBO pic.twitter.com/0j70aZ9X4z
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 20, 2025

The Volunteers wore all-white in road games against Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida, and all-orange in a road game against Mississippi State.

This is a lost season for Florida. At 3-7, the Gators are already out of bowl contention, but they can still cause a bit of havoc for the Vols.

And doing so wouldn’t necessarily be out of the norm. Tennessee has struggled in the Swamp this century, making it a house of horrors for the Volunteers. Florida won the last meeting in Gainesville, a 29-16 upset of a Tennessee team that was ranked No. 11 in the country at that point.

Florida has won 10 straight over Tennessee at home, dating back to the 2005 season. Tennessee’s only 2 wins this century at Florida came in 2001 and 2003.

Kickoff on Saturday is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

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College GameDay announces celebrity guest picker for Week 13 show at Oregon

Andrew Olson — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:33:03 +0000

An Oregon football great is returning to his alma mater for Saturday’s showdown in Eugene. College GameDay announced on Thursday that Marcus Mariota will be the celebrity guest picker for the Week 13 show.

Mariota happens to be free this Saturday as the Washington Commanders are on a bye.

We have Oregon legend and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota joining us as this week's guest picker pic.twitter.com/VzUDOGEbrn
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 20, 2025

Mariota was an Oregon Duck from 2011-14. He redshirted his first year on campus and then made an instant impact, winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2012.

The 2014 campaign was a season to remember for Mariota and the Ducks. Leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff National Championship, Mariota set single-season records with 4,454 passing yards and 42 passing touchdowns. He collected numerous conference and national individual honors, headlined by the Heisman Trophy.

After 4 years in Eugene, Mariota departed Oregon with program records for career total offensive yards (13,089), career passing yards (10,796) and career passing touchdowns (105). He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

Mariota continues to play professionally. After the Titans, he made stops with Las Vegas, Atlanta and Philadelphia before joining Washington in 2024.

Saturday, Mariota will be asked to pick the biggest college football games of Week 13, joining host Rece Davis and analysts Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit. The show is in Eugene for the Big Ten showdown between No. 7 Oregon and No. 15 USC.

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SDS Podcast: Can Oklahoma and Vandy keep CFP hopes alive? Shehan Jeyarajah on coaching carousel & Texas Tech

Connor O'Gara — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:39:28 +0000

On the latest episode of The Saturday Down South Podcast … somehow it’s the 4th Saturday of November. The guys have a loaded pod ahead of Cupcake Week in the SEC. They discuss the 4 Power Conference matchups (Mizzou-Oklahoma, Arkansas-Texas, Vandy-Kentucky and Tennessee-Florida), plus, Lock of the Week.

CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah joined the show to discuss the weird developments on the College Football Playoff, the coaching carousel and Texas Tech’s rise.

The guys close with Lad of the Week!

Watch the full episode here:

Subscribe to The Saturday Down South Podcast here, and subscribe to Saturday Down South on YouTube for all the latest video content!

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Lane Kiffin leaving would impact Ole Miss’ CFP seeding, per CFB insider

Braden Ramsey — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:38:28 +0000

The long-term future of the Ole Miss football program is in flux. And until Lane Kiffin either leaves — presumably for Florida or LSU — or signs an extension, it will remain in flux. Unfortunately for the Rebels, the timing of Kiffin’s decision could also impact the program in the very short term.

According to On3 Sports’ Chris Low, Ole Miss’ College Football Playoff seeding would likely take a hit if Kiffin departed Oxford prior to Selection Sunday.

NEW: Lane Kiffin’s future could affect Ole Miss’ playoff seeding, sources tell @clowfb

“If you’re suddenly without your head coach when they do the final seeding, the coach who’s gotten you to that point, then they could definitely drop you in the seeding order and put you… pic.twitter.com/BPE8oBgxu6
— On3 (@On3sports) November 20, 2025

Rebel fans would not be happy if this transpired, but there is precedent. In 2023, the Florida State Seminoles started 11-0 with quarterback Jordan Travis before he suffered a season-ending leg injury. The Seminoles overcame that setback and won the ACC Championship with a 13-0 record, but were passed in the CFP rankings by 12-1 Alabama, who captured the SEC Championship and had a healthy starting quarterback (Jalen Milroe).

Ole Miss’ situation is different from Florida State’s in that this CFP features 12 teams instead of 4. If the Rebels win the Egg Bowl and finish 11-1, they probably would not be left out of the CFP if Kiffin is gone. However, falling from their current No. 6 ranking — which would grant them a home playoff game — to No. 9 or lower — making them the road team in a first round playoff matchup — is a real possibility without Kiffin.

Last year, home teams went 4-0 in the first round of the CFP. Their average margin of victory was 19.3 points. So that drop, if it occurred, would potentially doom Ole Miss’ title chances. The Rebels face Mississippi State next Friday (11/28) at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on ABC).

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Greg McElroy shares prediction for Arkansas at Texas

Braden Ramsey — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:16:59 +0000

Entering Week 12, it looked like the Texas Longhorns had a chance to reach the College Football playoff with a 9-3 record. Oklahoma’s victory over Alabama may have thrown a wrench in those plans. Regardless, the Longhorns will have no shot at the CFP if they go 8-4, meaning this weekend’s game with Arkansas is a de facto playoff contest.

The Razorbacks (2-8, 0-6 SEC) have not beaten a Power 4 foe this season. Their offense, behind offensive coordinator/interim head coach Bobby Petrino and quarterback Taylen Green, has the firepower to put up points if the Longhorns’ defense overlooks them. Greg McElroy believes Texas will win this game, though, on the back of Arch Manning’s unit.

“I think this could be a game where the offense really gets going for the Longhorns,” McElroy said on the Always College Football podcast. “They could hit their stride. I’ll take the ‘Horns at home in a bounce-back situation, but I would not be surprised that this game is a bit uncomfortable through the first 2… [to] 3 quarters.”

Steve Sarkisian and Co. have the 22nd-best CFP odds (7.1%) in the country, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Longhorns will need help in order to sneak into the bracket, but they must help themselves first by winning if they want to do so. Saturday’s kickoff between Arkansas and Texas is set for 3:30 p.m. E.T. on ABC.

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Mark Ingram makes his pick for Oklahoma vs. Mizzou

Braden Ramsey — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:58:48 +0000

Mark Ingram knew the Oklahoma Sooners would present a challenge to his Alabama Crimson Tide in Week 12. But he didn’t expect them to win on the road in Tuscaloosa. Now that they have, he’s jumping on their bandwagon.

Ingram was tasked with picking the winner of the Missouri-Oklahoma matchup during the latest episode of The Triple Option podcast. He believes the Sooners, playing at home, will beat the Tigers.

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“I kind of like the under [42.5] in this one, and I like Oklahoma to cover [-7.5]” Ingram said. “Coming off a huge win in Tuscaloosa, their defense, their special teams… now you got Missouri, who has struggled against top-25 opponents. They’re 0-3 against ranked opponents… I see this being a defensive struggle. I feel like Oklahoma will control the game.”

Missouri’s tremendous running back duo of Ahmad Hardy (1,346 yards, 15 touchdowns) and Jamal Roberts (583 yards, 4 touchdowns) has the ability to keep the Tigers in any contest. Quarterback Matt Zollers has to prove he can do enough to keep Oklahoma’s defense from honing in on their ground attack, though, to give Missouri a real chance at victory.

The Tigers and Sooners will kick off on Saturday at noon ET (ABC).

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Auburn expected to start 5-star freshman QB in Week 13, per report

Andrew Olson — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:20:15 +0000

Auburn will reportedly turn to freshman QB Deuce Knight in Week 13 against Mercer. Tom Loy of 247Sports, citing a source, reported the news on Thursday. Knight would be the third quarterback to start for Auburn in 2025.

Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold began the season as QB1. Ashton Daniels has since made multiple starts, helping jump-start the struggling Tiger offense. Before Thursday’s news, interim head coach DJ Drukin had already stated Arnold and Knight would both play in the Mercer game.

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Sitting Daniels on Saturday helps preserve the quarterback’s redshirt. Daniels has already played in 3 games this season. NCAA rules allow athletes to participate in 4 regular-season games of the college football season and still take a redshirt. By sitting against Mercer, Daniels will be available to play in the Iron Bowl game against Alabama and still redshirt for 2025.

Knight is in his first season on The Plains. As a Class of 2025 recruit, Knight was rated 5-stars, the No. 1 player in Mississippi, No. 5 quarterback and No. 28 prospect overall on the 247Sports Composite. He was a big win on the recruiting trail for former head coach Hugh Freeze, signing with Auburn over 24 other scholarship offers.

Auburn vs. Mercer is set for a 2 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, with the game streaming via SEC Network+.

SOURCE: Auburn is expected to start freshman quarterback Deuce Knight this weekend against Mercer.

Huge opportunity for the freshman signal-caller, who was considered one of the nation's best coming out of high school.

Story: https://t.co/dlIaQSbmwX @247Sports pic.twitter.com/fAcqExylxN
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) November 20, 2025

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Fearless Prediction: Tennessee vs. Florida

Mark Nagi — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:00:00 +0000

The Fearless Prediction typically does hours and hours of painstaking research, bringing in the world’s most well-respected mathematicians to assist in the selection of these games. It’s a process… and one we have never taken lightly. That said, we have known who we were going to pick in the Tennessee-Florida game well before the 2025 season even began.

Yes. We’ve seen this movie before.

In both 1995 and 1997, Tennessee featured one of the greatest QBs in the history of the sport… and lost at Florida.

In 1999, Tennessee was coming off 2 straight SEC titles and a national championship… and lost at Florida.

In 2005, Tennessee saw its punter go rogue… and lost at Florida.

In both 2015 and 2017, Tennessee gave up go-ahead 63-yard TDs in the waning moments… and lost at Florida.

Since 1977, the Vols have played against Florida in Gainesville 19 times… and won twice. Only the 2001 and 2003 Tennessee teams could break through, thanks to a QB who never seemed to get rattled in Casey Clausen, and a roster filled to the brim with NFL talent. This test in futility is now at 10 straight losses for the Vols.

Tennessee has finally gotten on a level playing surface when these teams meet in Knoxville, winning 3 of the last 5 at Neyland Stadium. But even those games are close, with the last 2 wins decided on the final play each time. It doesn’t matter if it’s Phillip Fulmer or Lane “Sing Rocky Top all night long at Florida” Kiffin or Derek Dooley or Butch Jones or Jeremy Pruitt or Josh Heupel as head coach, Tennessee just doesn’t win down there.

In fact, the Vols rarely play close to their potential, while Florida goes to another level. When these teams play in Gainesville, the Vols look like 2021 UMass while Florida looks like 2001 Miami.

But why is that the case? Yes, Florida had some really good squads under Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, but quite often Tennessee has had as much talent, if not more than its (former) SEC East rivals. For whatever reason, Tennessee plays tight at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Some of those games, especially the 2015 and 2017 matchups, should have been won by the Vols, but Butch Jones panicked time and time again. Remember “The Chart?” Tennessee fans certainly remember “The Chart.”

It doesn’t matter if most of Tennessee’s roster wasn’t even born yet the last time the Vols won in Gainesville. That history hangs over the program, especially with #VolTwitter. Last weekend, when Florida nearly pulled the upset in Oxford, social media was loud with Tennessee lamenting how Florida finally looks decent just in time for Tennessee to come to town. This game haunts the soul of Vols fans.

Tennessee is 7-3 and out of the Playoff hunt (even if SEC commissioner Greg Sankey thinks the Vols are 1 of 8 SEC teams that should get into the field of 12). You can make a case that if a couple of bounces go their way, this is a 9-1 Vols team. On the other hand, Florida is 3-7, fired its head coach a few weeks ago, and got destroyed by Kentucky 38-7 in Lexington, only 2 weeks after Tennessee destroyed Kentucky 56-34 in Lexington.

The Vols are coming off a fairly lackluster 42-9 win over New Mexico State. QB Joey Aguilar is putting up historic numbers, completing 66% of his passes for 2,941 yards and 22 TDs, although the 10 INTs are troubling. Tennessee has the 2nd-ranked offense in the nation in both scoring, at 43.4 points per game, and total offense, at 495 yards per game. WR Chris Brazzell is a matchup nightmare with 873 receiving yards and 8 scores this season. DeSean Bishop has been solid, rushing for 770 yards and 10 TDs.

Florida’s offense? Not good. Tied for 111th in scoring with 20.8 points per game and ranked 106th in total offense at 339.5 yards per game. Sophomore QB D.J. Lagway has not lived to expectations, throwing more INTs (13) than TD passes (12), while averaging less than 200 passing yards per game. Sophomore Jadan Baugh has made a jump this season, with nearly 81 rushing yards per game to go with 6 scores, but overall this isn’t an offense which should strike fear into UT DC Tim Banks.

The problem? Tennessee’s defense is also not good. The Vols are giving up 28.9 points per game (95th nationally) and 390.3 yards per game (85th nationally). They can still get to the opposing QB, averaging 3.3 sacks per game, tied for 4th best in the country. But overall this isn’t a defense which should strike fear into UF OC Russ Callaway.

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The Gators’ defense is led by LB Myles Graham, who has 60 tackles this season. They are allowing 366.3 yards per game (63rd in the FBS) and 23.6 points per game (tied for 62nd in the FBS).

Florida isn’t going to play in a bowl game. The Gators’ fans are tracking planes, hoping that Lane Kiffin decides to show up and save their program. Tennessee still has a shot at winning 10 games for the third time in 4 years, something that hasn’t been done since 2004. On paper, it’s Tennessee’s time to snap this losing streak.

Back in 2022, with Tennessee suffering a 15-game losing streak to Alabama, the Fearless Prediction said that we needed to see Tennessee beat Alabama before we’d ever pick Tennessee to beat Alabama. Well, Tennessee beat Alabama. So picking the Vols to win that game isn’t a weird thought these days.

But when it comes to Tennessee-Florida games in Gainesville… we need to see Tennessee leading Florida on the scoreboard when the clock strikes zero and the teams, the refs, and fans and maybe even the cleaning crews have left the stadium. Until then, we just can’t live with ourselves if we make the call for the Vols. We have decades of research telling us what’s going to happen Saturday night.

Fearless Prediction: Florida 25, Tennessee 23

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Josh Pate reacts to new CFP rankings for Alabama, Notre Dame

Luke Greco — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:21:35 +0000

Josh Pate joined the Get Up crew Thursday morning to discuss the new rankings for Alabama and Notre Dame.

Alabama lost this past week to Oklahoma and dropped down to No. 10 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. The Tide are one spot behind Notre Dame, which is ranked No. 9. There has been a lot of talk this week about Alabama’s resume versus Notre Dame’s and their respective rankings. Pate responded to these new rankings, saying he was “pretty surprised if we’re just going on protocol.”

“Anyone can find a group of stats to throw in your face out there. Like, I got a group of my Notre Dame buddies right now, who I respect, who are making an argument for this, who I know would be on the other side if the logos were flipped,” Pate said. “So, really, if we’re just sticking to principle here, it didn’t make that much sense to me that Alabama dropped that far.”

Pate goes on to theorize that the committee only placed Notre Dame as high as they did so that they could avoid the comparisons between Miami and Notre Dame, two teams that faced each other earlier this year. Much of the talk surrounding the latest CFP rankings was about how much the committee valued head-to-head matchups and outcomes.

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Chaos Theory is in full effect again with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin

David Wasson — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Upon careful observation, a casual glance at history and frequent attempts at tea-leaf reading from Oxford, Gainesville and Baton Rouge, the current, ever-shifting-and-reforming situation revolving around Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is strikingly similar to what mathematicians call “chaos theory.”

What, you ask? After double-checking to shore up a hazy college memory, chaos theory states that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, interconnection, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals and self-organization.

If that doesn’t describe the current insanity revolving around Kiffin, we aren’t sure what to tell you. Because Kiffin – the chaos master himself throughout pretty much his entire employed adult life – is creating yet another seemingly self-immolating pattern.

In case you lost track trying to keep score, Kiffin is the most sought-after person on Saban’s green earth at the moment. Entire athletic departments and fanbases at Ole Miss, Florida and LSU are simultaneously hyperventilating at their perceived chances of landing the 50-year-old hot yogi/social media influencer who also dabbles in college football coaching.

The problem, we fear, that will result in the combined effect of all this hysteria – either drummed up by the nimble fingers of uber-agent Jimmy Sexton or a more organic groundswell of pent-up glee – is that this will end badly for all but 1 of the involved parties.

Why, again you ask?

Again, chaos theory. Why else would the Family Kiffin be jet-setting on scouting visits to Baton Rouge and Gainesville while the glow of getting to 10-1 by beating the Gators was still fresh?

This has happened before, and over and over again. We saw the result of Kiffin-a-palooza first in Knoxville way back in 2009 – when the recently-deposed Oakland Raiders coach took Tennessee by storm by way of taking wild verbal swipes at Urban Meyer and South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery. Predictably, the whirlwind that Kiffin kicked up only resulted in a 7-6 record that spectacularly backfired when he bolted Tennessee for USC after just a single season… leaving chaos in his wake.

The same trend happened in Los Angeles, as Kiffin went 8-5 and 10-2 in his first 2 seasons at the helm of the Trojans but then mustered only a 7-6 mark in 2012 after being the preseason No. 1 and was then fired on the tarmac in the middle of the night by USC athletic director Pat Haden just 5 games into the 2013 season.

Chaos, redux.

Kiffin became the most prominent enrollee in the Nick Saban Reclamation Project, getting hired to coordinate Alabama’s offense out of the 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust era it had lived in starting in 2014. And while Kiffin and Saban got along about as often as the Tide lost games, it didn’t take the Alabama boss long to show Kiffin the door in 2017 after he got the FAU head coaching job – and was too busy recruiting future Owls to work on the Crimson Tide’s offensive game plan for the national championship game.

Now that’s chaos at its finest, somehow figuring out a way to screw up a shot at coaching for a second-straight national title ring simply by not properly working out your 2-week notice.

Mercifully, Kiffin’s tenure at FAU came and went without a ton of hullabaloo – which probably led to Ole Miss figuring that Kiffin had matured enough for another shot in the SEC. Not quite… as his dalliance with Auburn in 2022 might have self-destructed the Rebels down the stretch to the tune of 4 losses in their final 5 games.

Which all leads up to 2025 – and peak Kiffin Chaos Theory unfolding in real time. First, Florida shows Billy Napier the door. Next, LSU bids Brian Kelly an abrupt goodbye. And finally, Kiffin’s Rebels are 10-1 with a very real shot at earning a first-round College Football Playoff bye.

That 3-pronged nexus of unlikelihood is swirling around the Mouth of the South himself like an F-5 tornado, all the while the impresario of it all is busily tweeting out daily affirmations and gleefully giving softball “interviews” to Pat McAfee this week while the SEC explodes around him.

This is a pattern, y’all. It doesn’t take multiple upper-level psychology level classes to determine that Kiffin wants this to happen – needs this to happen – to somehow feel appreciated and loved. Once? Maybe. Even twice in a career? OK, perhaps. But over and over and over again?

This will end badly in Baton Rouge and Oxford when Kiffin takes the Florida job. Or it will end badly in Gainesville and Oxford when Kiffin takes the LSU job. Or it will end badly in Baton Rouge and Gainesville when Kiffin stays at Ole Miss.

No matter what happens in the ensuing days and weeks, the only predictable outcome is that Kiffin will make 1 fanbase gleefully happy while simultaneously setting match to gasoline in 2 other football-mad locales.

Voila. Chaos theory.

Who says you can’t learn about deep topics while enjoying college football, right?

The post Chaos Theory is in full effect again with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Rick Neuheisel suggests potential ‘double-bye’ for Georgia in postseason

Luke Greco — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:52:31 +0000

CBS Sports analyst Rick Neuheisel pointed out that with the latest rankings, Georgia has a chance for a “double bye” of sorts heading into the postseason.

In the latest College Football Playoff rankings, the Georgia Bulldogs came in at No. 4. What this means is that Georgia would be slated for a first-round bye when the postseason starts. However, Georgia is not guaranteed to play in the SEC Championship game, so the Bulldogs could get two weeks off and the “double-bye” that Neuheisel is pointing out.

It all comes down to Week 14. There will be plenty of scoreboard watching. An Alabama loss to Auburn would put UGA ahead of the Tide. A Texas A&M loss to Texas could create a 4-way tie scenario that puts Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs may get in based on strength of schedule in a tiebreaker scenario.

Could Georgia be in the driver's seat if they end up 4th in the CFP and MISS the SEC championship game?@CoachNeuheisel thinks they may end up with a "double-bye" pic.twitter.com/kyit48z7Vv
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) November 19, 2025

If you are Georgia, the idea of having a double bye sounds nice. After losing Carson Beck last year in the SEC Championship Game, the Bulldogs don’t need to run a similar risk for a game that ultimately means nothing in the CFP.

There isn’t a team in the country that wants to face Kirby Smart with two weeks to prepare.

The post Rick Neuheisel suggests potential ‘double-bye’ for Georgia in postseason appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Dusty Dvoracek names Oklahoma’s Kip Lewis his Dominant Defender of Week 12

Luke Greco — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:10:59 +0000

Dusty Dvoracek gave out his awards for his top 5 dominant defenders of week 12, and at the top of the list is Oklahoma‘s Kip Lewis.

“The junior is sideline to sideline, and in this game he was blitzing like a wild man…,” Dvoracek said. “He was fabulous against Alabama.”

He went on to describe the play in which Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson threw a pick-six and credited Lewis for causing the interception with his pressure. Claiming he followed the motion and timed it up perfectly, allowing him to get home.

Lewis finished the game with 7 total tackles and 2 sacks. He helped lead Oklahoma to a 23-21 win over the Crimson Tide.

Former @OU_Football LegendCurrent @OU_Football Legend.@DustyDvoracek names @KipLewis9 the most dominant defender of the week after OU's enormous win over Alabama. pic.twitter.com/9aArTRIwzG
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) November 19, 2025

Lewis has had a great season for the Sooners so far. He’s totaled 60 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 passes defended. He’s on track to record his highest number of tackles ever in a season, passing his 2023 season, where he totaled 66 tackles.

Oklahoma will finish its season with two home games against No. 22 Missouri and LSU. After their win against Alabama, the Sooners have solidified themselves as a College Football Playoff team. Winning out is a must, though, if the Sooners want to remain in the bracket.

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CBS Sports analysts predict where Lane Kiffin will be coaching in 2026

Luke Greco — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:50:05 +0000

The CBS Sports crew is the latest group of analysts to submit their picks for where they believe Lane Kiffin will be coaching next year, and the majority don’t believe it will be Ole Miss.

Since the LSU and Florida jobs became available, there has been much talk about whether Kiffin would leave to become the head coach of one of those programs. Well, it seems that Aaron Taylor and Rick Nehueisel believe it is more than speculation, as both of them believe he will be the head coach at the University of Florida next year.

Brian Jones wasn’t sure which spot Kiffin would land at, but he’s sure it is “not Ole Miss.” Randy Cross stands alone as the lone CBS Sports analyst who believes he will return to the Rebels as their head coach in 2026.

"I think he's going to be in Gainesville."@AaronTaylorCFB and @CoachNeuheisel think Lane Kiffin will be the head coach of Florida next season. pic.twitter.com/bkPkTrAXLl
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) November 19, 2025

Kiffin has been the head coach at Ole Miss since 2020. In 6 years, Kiffin has led the Rebels to a 54-19 record and consecutive bowl wins in their last two seasons. Ole Miss reached their highest AP ranking under Kiffin this year at No. 4.

Ole Miss has been a great home for Kiffin, but will it be enough to keep him in Oxford?

The post CBS Sports analysts predict where Lane Kiffin will be coaching in 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

College football’s Top 25 résumé ranking entering Week 13

Derek Peterson — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Another change at the top. Another shuffle at the bottom. You can find last week’s rankings here.

Ranking the Top 25 résumés in college football

This is not a power ranking of the best teams in college football. This is not a ranking of how I think these teams will look at the end of the season or a prediction of who will make the College Football Playoff. This ranking aims to compare who has accomplished what, who has beaten whom, and who has lost where. While some might treat the non-power conferences as second-rate, I’m more inclined to give those teams love. If Tulane is above Texas, does that mean I think Tulane would beat Texas on a neutral field if they played tomorrow? It does not.

Let’s get to it.

Dropped from the ranking: 18 South Florida, 21 Louisville, 24 Cincinnati, 25 Iowa

25. North Texas (9-1, 5-1 AAC)

BEST WIN: 59-10 vs. Washington State
LAST WEEK: NR

The Mean Green keep thumping teams. The 29-point win over UAB was the fifth time this season North Texas has beaten an opponent by at least 3 touchdowns.

24. Missouri (7-3, 3-3 SEC)

BEST WIN: 23-17 at Auburn
LAST WEEK: NR

A warm welcome back to Missouri, which ran roughshod over Mississippi State last week for a 49-27 victory. The Tigers are firmly in the top 20 of most power ratings, and 2 of the 3 losses have come to Sagarin-rated top-10 teams. The lack of a strong win keeps them from climbing much higher, but the overall quality of the season, given the context and the schedule, warrants inclusion here.

23. Virginia (9-2, 6-1 ACC)

BEST WIN: 30-27 at Louisville
LAST WEEK: NR

The Cavaliers picked up a solid win at Duke. They led 31-3 going into the fourth quarter, so the final margin was a little less indicative of the type of game it was.

22. SMU (7-3, 5-1 ACC)

BEST WIN: 26-20 vs. Miami
LAST WEEK: NR

The Mustangs have 2 fewer wins than Virginia and an extra loss, but they are above Virginia. Why? SMU is 1-0 against Sagarin-rated top-10 teams, and it is 2-0 against top-30 teams. Virginia has yet to play a top-10 team, and it has faced only 1 top-30 team.

21. Tennessee (7-3, 3-3 SEC)

BEST WIN: 41-34 at Mississippi State
LAST WEEK: 23

Tennessee did what it was supposed to against New Mexico State. I’m curious how the defense will look against Florida.

20. Texas (7-3, 4-2 SEC)

BEST WIN: 23-6 vs. Oklahoma
LAST WEEK: 10

Texas is an interesting team. It feels like the Longhorns have done a lot while simultaneously doing very little. Texas has 2 wins over Sagarin top-30 teams, but it is 0-2 in games against top-10 teams. And neither of those games was particularly pretty for the Longhorns.

19. Georgia Tech (9-1, 6-1 ACC)

BEST WIN: 24-21 vs. Clemson
LAST WEEK: 22

There still isn’t a clearly defined elite victory on the résumé. They still play in a bad conference. They still have a bad loss, and they almost suffered another one in Week 12. But the Yellow Jackets are 9-1.

18. James Madison (9-1, 7-0 Sun Belt)

BEST WIN: 63-27 vs. Old Dominion
LAST WEEK: 20

The Dukes beat Appalachian State 58-10 over the weekend. It was their fourth win this season by 30-plus points. James Madison is up to seventh nationally in adjusted net EPA per play. The team is legit good.

17. Tulane (8-2, 5-1 AAC)

BEST WIN: 38-32 at Memphis
LAST WEEK: 19

Tulane avoided the post-big win hangover and beat FAU 35-24 to move one step closer to the American title game and, by extension, the CFP. The Green Wave have 2 wins over power conference teams and a massive road win at Memphis in a “have to have it” spot.

16. Michigan (8-2, 6-1 B1G)

BEST WIN: 24-7 vs. Washington
LAST WEEK: 17

In the 16-19 range, I was constantly left asking myself, “Well, who else are you going to go with?” Michigan has flirted with disaster in back-to-back games. The bottom of the Big Ten — which the Michigan Men have been beating up on of late — is pretty bad, but not as bad as the ACC or the Sun Belt.

15. Vanderbilt (8-2, 4-2 SEC)

BEST WIN: 31-24 vs. LSU
LAST WEEK: 16

Seven programs have at least 4 wins over Sagarin top-30 teams so far this season. Six of them are in my top 9 this week. Vanderbilt is the seventh.

14. BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12)

BEST WIN: 24-21 vs. Utah
LAST WEEK: 15

BYU’s 9-1 record deserves acclaim, but the only thing of substance on the résumé is the 3-point home win over Utah, and I can’t forget the shellacking at Texas Tech that quickly. The head-to-head with Vanderbilt here comes down to the best win. Vandy has quantity. Utah is better than any of the teams Vandy has beaten.

13. USC (8-2, 6-1 B1G)

BEST WIN: 31-13 vs. Michigan
LAST WEEK: 14

Gutsy win over Iowa by the Trojans, who have won 3 straight since the loss to Notre Dame. The Playoff beckons if USC can pull an upset this weekend. The Trojans are in a block with my 11 and 12 teams, and head-to-head is the differentiator.

12. Notre Dame (8-2)

BEST WIN: 34-24 vs. USC
LAST WEEK: 13

Notre Dame caused a raucous this week over its ranking in the CFP Top 25, which technically didn’t change from the previous week. I think the committee is being intentionally obtuse with Notre Dame. Good team, but there’s zero reason for the Irish to be above Alabama or Miami. Notre Dame is 0-2 against Sagarin top-10 teams. Alabama and Miami are a combined 2-0. The Irish aren’t anywhere close to Alabama in my view. Miami beat Notre Dame on the field. This is a good spot.

11. Miami (8-2, 4-2 ACC)

BEST WIN: 27-24 vs. Notre Dame
LAST WEEK: 12

Miami smoked NC State, which only made me more annoyed about the loss to Louisville. The Hurricanes are getting a bit of a raw deal this season, but they can’t really absolve themselves of blame. Great wins, avoidable losses.

10. Utah (8-2, 5-2 Big 12)

BEST WIN: 45-14 vs. Cincinnati
LAST WEEK: 9

Utah has done exactly what a team needs to do when it doesn’t get a ton of opportunities to beat elite teams — obliterate the rest. The Utes lost the only 2 games they’ve played against a Sagarin-rated top-30 team. The other 8 games have been decided by an average of 35.3 points per game. Even if you remove the Cal Poly result, the Utes still have an average margin of victory of 32.6 points. While they don’t have the kinds of résumé-building wins Miami has, they don’t have the head-scratching losses and they’ve passed the eye test every week.

9. Alabama (8-2, 6-1 SEC)

BEST WIN: 24-21 at Georgia
LAST WEEK: 4

Alabama lost in a bad way to a good team. I’m not going to hammer the Crimson Tide for that, but they do drop a bit. Ty Simpson needs to figure out how to take better care of the football; the offensive problems have officially caught up to Alabama. And, for weeks, we could say “yeah, but…” with the Florida State loss because Alabama kept beating good teams. Now that the Tide have suffered another loss — at home, no less — it’s harder to deflect from that Week 1 eyesore.

8. Oregon (9-1, 6-1 B1G)

BEST WIN: 18-16 at Iowa
LAST WEEK: 7

It has been interesting to see folks play the “who have they beaten” game with Oregon after the Ducks thoroughly dismantled Minnesota on a short week with a depleted roster. Oregon has become the team your buddy loves to hate. The Ducks are 2-1 against Sagarin-rated top-30 teams. They have the fifth-best résumé when judged by SP+. They have the seventh-best strength of record, according to FPI. The Ducks are a worthy top-10 team, and I have no qualms about having them ahead of Alabama. Upset about that decision? Take it up with Mike Norvell.

7. Oklahoma (8-2, 4-2 SEC)

BEST WIN: 33-27 at Tennessee
LAST WEEK: 11

Oklahoma won another game on the road against a ranked opponent that it really didn’t have any business winning. Teams that outgain their opponent on a per-play basis win the vast majority of the time. Oklahoma lost the per-play efficiency battle against Tennessee (minus-0.2 yards per play) and won by 6 in Knoxville. Then it lost the efficiency battle again at Alabama (minus-1.2) and won by 2. A defense that forced 4 turnovers through the first 8 games of the season has come up with 6 in the last 2 games. Is that sustainable? Probably not, but it’s still darned impressive.

6. Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 SEC)

BEST WIN: 34-26 at Oklahoma
LAST WEEK: 8

While the entire sports media landscape debates what Lane Kiffin should or should not do, I’m left lamenting the fact a special season is being drowned out by the noise. Ole Miss beat Florida to move to 10-1 and seemingly lock up a spot in the CFP. And I don’t think this year’s team is as talented as last year’s group. Given all the noise surrounding it, the locker room deserves a ton of appreciation for going out and taking care of business.

5. Texas Tech (10-1, 7-1 Big 12)

BEST WIN: 29-7 vs. BYU
LAST WEEK: 5

Tech has a Sagarin-rated top-10 win. It is 2-0 in games against top-30 teams. It is top-5 in résumé SP+. It is top-5 in ESPN’s game control metric. It has a top-10 strength of record, according to FEI. It has a top-10 résumé, according to KFord’s ratings. The only loss was on the road with a backup quarterback, and it came in the final minute. The 4 consecutive wins since that loss have all been by at least 22 points. I will not be entertaining any arguments that suggest this is anything other than a top-5 team.

4. Georgia (9-1, 7-1 SEC)

BEST WIN: 43-35 vs. Ole Miss
LAST WEEK: 6

Kirby Smart owns Steve Sarkisian. That budding “rivalry” isn’t a rivalry. Smart has outmaneuvered Sarkisian in 3 consecutive matchups. Georgia flat dominated Texas in what was a “stop doubting us” kind of statement game. I won’t walk back any of the comments about Georgia’s friendly whistle this season, but I won’t doubt the Dawgs any longer. They just keep answering the moment.

3. Ohio State (10-0, 7-0 B1G)

BEST WIN: 14-7 vs. Texas
LAST WEEK: 3

The Buckeyes obliterated UCLA. A no-nonsense team in Columbus.

2. Texas A&M (10-0, 7-0 SEC)

BEST WIN: 41-40 at Notre Dame
LAST WEEK: 1

Texas A&M did everything wrong in the first half against a bad South Carolina team. Then it woke up in the second half and took it to the Gamecocks. I didn’t drop Indiana after it needed to come from behind to beat Penn State, but I’m dropping Texas A&M for needing to come from behind to beat South Carolina. The Hoosiers were on the road, and they didn’t trail until the fourth. The Aggies were at home, and they looked horrendous in the first half to fall into a 27-point hole. Texas A&M is 5-0 against Sagarin-rated top-30 teams while Indiana is 4-0. A&M still has a case to be No. 1, but the margins at the top are that thin. If I weren’t reactive to the results as they happen, there wouldn’t be any point to weekly updates for this ranking.

1. Indiana (11-0, 8-0 B1G)

BEST WIN: 30-20 at Oregon
LAST WEEK: 2

Indiana smashed Wisconsin. It was “only” a 24-point win at home, but the Hoosiers never trailed and out-gained Wisconsin 6.3 yards per play to 3.7. The Hoosiers sit atop KFord’s “most deserving” ranking this week, and they hold the top spot in SP+’s résumé ranking.

The post College football’s Top 25 résumé ranking entering Week 13 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Predicting the next head coach at Penn State

Spenser Davis — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:30:00 +0000

Penn State will hire its next head coach in the coming weeks after parting ways with James Franklin earlier this season.

Along with Florida, LSU and Auburn, Penn State is one of the best open jobs on the market and figures to be of significant interest to numerous top coaches.

Penn State head coach candidates

Kalshi, a predictions market that is legal in all 50 states, has posted markets for more than a dozen potential candidates to be the next Penn State head coach.

Let’s break down some of the leading candidates before making a prediction on Penn State’s coaching search.

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri head coach

Current Kalshi price: 42 cents per contract

Eli Drinkwitz is the clear favorite to be the next Penn State head coach if you believe in Kalshi’s market prices. He’s set to wrap up his 6th season at Mizzou in a couple of weeks and led the program to back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2023 and 2024. The Tigers have taken a small step back this year, but Drinkwitz is still expected to be a candidate at all the top open jobs this cycle. One potential negative for Drinkwitz at Penn State is he’s never coached at a Big Ten institution and has spent almost all of his career in the South.

Brent Key, Georgia Tech head coach

Current Kalshi price: 21 cents per contract

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key has turned things around at his alma mater in relatively short order. The Yellow Jackets are contending for the ACC title this season. In the 3+ years prior to Key taking over as interim head coach in 2022, Georgia Tech won a total of 10 games. However, Key has made some pretty convincing statements about remaining at his alma mater beyond this season. “Slice me open and see what colors I bleed,” Key said earlier this month. Like Drinkwitz, Key has spent most of his career in the South and has never worked at a Big Ten program.

RELATED: Interested in signing up with Kalshi? Here’s a Kalshi promo code to help new users earn a sign-up bonus when they join!

Brian Hartline, Ohio State offensive coordinator

Current Kalshi price: 15 cents per contract

Brian Hartline is regarded as one of the top offensive coaches in the country. The former NFL wideout has had a big hand in turning Ohio State into the nation’s premier wide receiver factory. Hartline, 38, does have some potential marks against him, though. He’s an Ohio State alum who has never coached anywhere but in Columbus. He’s been on staff since 2017 in various capacities and is Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2025. Hartline is the team’s primary play caller in 2025, which should be a boost for his candidacy. The Buckeyes are thriving with first-year quarterback Julian Sayin and are averaging 6.95 yards per play this season (12th nationally entering Week 13).

Bob Chesney, James Madison head coach

Current Kalshi price: 11 cents per contract

Bob Chesney is less established than the coaches above him on this list, but he could be a candidate at any number of top jobs this offseason. Chesney is in his second season at James Madison and already has the Dukes competing for a College Football Playoff berth. Chesney is a Pennsylvania native who played at Dickinson College, a Division III program located less than 100 miles from Happy Valley. Chesney’s career has brought him to several schools in the northeast, including Holy Cross, Assumption and Johns Hopkins.

Here’s a look at the live market on Kalshi for Penn State’s next head coach:

Penn State head coach prediction

Given the options above, I like backing Bob Chesney to be the choice in State College. He has deep ties to the area and is a proven winner at multiple levels. I’m skeptical about the fit for Drinkwitz or Key given their lack of Big Ten experience and their well-documented affinity for their current jobs. Hartline is intriguing, but being an Ohio State lifer may be enough of a red flag to keep his name further down the list. Chesney checks more boxes than any of these other candidates.

How does Kalshi work?

Kalshi is one of the top prediction markets available and is legal in all 50 US states. Markets posted on Kalshi could include everything from sports to politics to weather.

Here’s how it works: Users purchase contracts for a certain prediction in a given market. Those contracts will then pay out at a rate of $1 per contract if graded as accurate. For example a $10 prediction on Bob Chesney to be the next head coach at Penn State would pay out approximately $85 if Chesney is the next permanent head coach in Happy Valley.

Kalshi users can also adjust their position before the market is settled. So if new information about a Penn State coaching candidate becomes available, users can adjust accordingly.

The post Predicting the next head coach at Penn State appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For a coach who says everything is fine, Steve Sarkisian is giving off some weird vibes

Connor O'Gara — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

If you listen to someone assure you repeatedly that “everything is fine,” over time, you start to believe the opposite might be true. The more you hear those words, the more hollow they become. It can instead sound like a person is trying to convince themselves that everything is fine when in reality, maybe they’re not.

Steve Sarkisian would like you, me and Joe Blow to know that everything is fine with him at Texas and he’s not going anywhere. The Year 5 Longhorns coach made that point emphatically on the SEC Teleconference on Wednesday, wherein he addressed outside speculation about his future … unprompted:

Here was the full quote:

Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian responds to ESPN's @DesmondHoward social media post on Monday that stated the coach might leave Austin after the end of the season pic.twitter.com/5GfNrmMJmN
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) November 19, 2025

Sure, that’s fine.

That could’ve stemmed from what came out before the game at Mississippi State when Sarkisian’s name was at the center of a report from The Athletic’s Diana Russini that his representatives, “have let NFL decision-makers know that he’d be interested in potential head coaching openings, including the Titans’.”

There’s some careful wording in there that certainly makes it safe for Sarkisian to offer up an emphatic denial that he’s got 1 foot out the door. Whether he waited to address that until Texas suffered loss No. 3 and saw it’s name next to the No. 17 spot in the Playoff Poll heading into the penultimate weekend of the regular season, well, that’s in the eye of the beholder.

It’s also apparently in the eye of the beholder whether or not Texas has underachieved this year. As in, the program who earned its first preseason AP No. 1 ranking in its rich history.

Ask Sarkisian about that, and he’ll remind you that “underachieving” is a subjective term.

When asked by @kbohls about why Texas has underachieved, Steve Sarkisian responded with "according to who?"

Sark went on to talk about how he's proud of the team's resiliency and the expectations for the remainder of the season…

"By the end of the season we'll play of our 12… pic.twitter.com/hD4fsEpuT8
— Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) November 17, 2025

If Sarkisian had just cut off that first part of his response to longtime Texas columnist Kirk Bohls, that response doesn’t get all of that social media engagement. If everything is fine, why is it so hard for Sarkisian to just say “I’m proud of how we handled adversity, but we haven’t achieved our goals this season.” Forget the preseason ranking. Truth serum Sarkisian would never tell you that 7-3 is an acceptable place to be for a program who has been to consecutive semifinals. Do you think Sarkisian has approached his team after these 3 losses and told his team, “you guys met my expectations today.” No chance.

But instead, that reasonable question was turned into an icy exchange by Sarkisian. Why? Nobody expects Sarkisian to pretend that everything is fine.

Sarkisian presented that front repeatedly when asked about Arch Manning this season. The “I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the bathroom” response to early-season speculation about Manning wincing after throws was weird, and if you’ve observed Sarkisian in a local media setting, it’s been noticeably weird how little insight he provides on Manning.

“Dismissive” might be the best word to describe Sarkisian’s 2025. After that Florida loss, Sarkisian seemed to dismiss the idea that Texas’s Playoff chances were in significant danger even though it was a 2-loss team heading into the midway point of the season. With 3 losses, Sarkisian dismissed the idea that his team has underachieved.

Speaking of getting to 3 losses, Sarkisian apparently has some strong thoughts about that dreaded total.

As Lane Kiffin said on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, he, Kirby Smart and Sarkisian have a group text, wherein they discuss things like what a loss means. Here was the index that they came up with after watching Brian Kelly get fired at LSU, according to Kiffin:

Lane Kiffin says on @PatMcAfeeShow he's in a groupchat with Steve Sarkisian and Kirby Smart where they say:

1 loss = out of top-10
2 losses = out of top-25
3 losses = out of your job

"We just saw it after Brian Kelly. That's exactly the scenario that just happened."
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) November 18, 2025

One small, tiny issue with that.

Smart is the coach of a 1-loss team who is very much in the top 10, as is Kiffin. In fact, all but 2 (No. 11 BYU and No. 16 Georgia Tech) of the remaining 1-loss teams are in the top 10.

Another small, tiny issue with that is Sarkisian is coaching a 3-loss team who is ranked No. 17. According to their own index, not only does that mean the Longhorns are out of the top 25 — every 2-loss Power Conference team is currently inside the top 25 of the Playoff Poll — but it means that Sarkisian should be fired.

Mind you, Sarkisian’s squad lost 3 games last year. So did Smart’s and Kiffin’s. Not only are all of them are still employed, but they’re all on 8-figure contracts.

(OK, Kiffin technically isn’t there yet. He’s only making $9 million annually, but if he’s not making $10 million annually after all of this drama for his services, knock me over with a feather.)

In fact, Sarkisian got both a raise and an extension after a 3-loss season in 2024. It made him one of the 5 highest-paid coaches in the sport.

Everything should be fine in Austin, even in the likely event that Texas ends its season playing in the Citrus Bowl instead of another College Football Playoff. After all, Texas was the only program in America who entered 2025 having reached the semifinal in consecutive years. Hence, why it earned that preseason No. 1 ranking. It’s also why it earned the right to say that 3 regular-season losses isn’t fine. Whether he admits it or not, Sarkisian has felt a bit off all year.

According to who, you ask? You, me and Joe Blow.

The post For a coach who says everything is fine, Steve Sarkisian is giving off some weird vibes appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kalen DeBoer reveals how he reacted to Alabama’s new CFP ranking

Parker Gillam — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 03:03:40 +0000

Alabama now finds itself on the proverbial bubble of the College Football Playoff, as the Crimson Tide were ranked No. 10 by the selection committee when Tuesday’s rankings were revealed.

Right behind fellow two-loss squad Notre Dame, this puts Kalen DeBoer‘s team in a precarious spot, as the No. 11 and No. 12 teams figure to be nudged out in favor of the ACC and GO5 representatives.

DeBoer was asked about his reaction to the Tide’s drop in the ranking following his team’s loss to Oklahoma, and he explained that he paid it little mind.

“Took a quick look at it, went back to work, didn’t read into anything. I just know that we have a ton of quality wins. I know they really look strongly at the losses,” DeBoer said during the SEC’s weekly coaches teleconference. “Last week was against a very good football team. I think we’ve played a lot of really good football. We’ve shown consistency and improvement throughout the year. A lot of improvement.”

Reading between the lines leaves one to infer that DeBoer believes his team’s plethora of quality wins should trump its two head-scratching defeats, with him frequently emphasizing his squad’s noted improvement since Week One.

One-loss BYU sits right behind Alabama at No. 11, with the Cougars’ lone defeat coming at the hands of the committee’s No. 5 team, Texas Tech.

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Paul Finebaum rips Lane Kiffin’s ‘absurd’ appearance on Pat McAfee Show

Parker Gillam — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 02:47:16 +0000

Many are attempting and failing to get a read on the future for Lane Kiffin, and the Ole Miss coach is doing little to clear the air.

Despite his insistent pleas that he loves where he’s at, Kiffin has done nothing to deny that he is entertaining the notion of taking over as the head coach at Florida or LSU.

The Rebels’ head coach took to The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday to talk with the cast of characters, but all Kiffin did was dispel the notion that Ole Miss had given him an Egg-Bowl deadline to make a decision on his future.

Of course, this infuriated ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, who took to First Take to vent his frustrations.

“That was not exactly a denial yesterday. What was all that about? Was he trying out for Shakespeare?” Finebaum said. “That was absurd…Lane, it’s up to you, if you want to end the speculation, end it right now.”

"That was not exactly a denial yesterday. What was all that about? Was he trying out for Shakespeare? That was absurd…Lane, it’s up to you, if you want to end the speculation, end it right now." – Paul Finebaum on Lane Kiffin pic.twitter.com/nMCM34ulhM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 19, 2025

Amidst a potential College Football Playoff run, Kiffin appears to be trying to balance the need to block out exterior noise while also planning for his future. That has prompted many in Oxford, Gainesville and everywhere in between to question his loyalties and how is handling the whole situation.

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Jon Sumrall playfully addresses report of meeting with Florida

Parker Gillam — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 02:15:04 +0000

With the current college football season having not even concluded yet, the saga surrounding Florida‘s head-coaching search has already been hectic.

The storylines surrounding Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin are abundant, but reports emerged earlier Wednesday that Jon Sumrall would be meeting with representatives from Florida later in the night.

Of course, that report was later refuted, and with On3’s Florida beat writer being the one to break the news before the outlet’s national insider said the meeting had been called off. NOLA.com’s Tulane source disputed that there was ever a meeting in the first place.

So amidst it all, Sumrall decided to have some fun. He posted an image to X/Twitter with the caption: “Most important meeting I have all week…Wednesday Night with QB’s! ⁦@On3sports⁩”

Sumrall appears to be locked in to potentially guiding two-loss Tulane to a College Football Playoff appearance…at least for this evening.

Most important meeting I have all week…Wednesday Night with QB’s! ⁦@On3sports⁩ pic.twitter.com/QIxn51XRt0
— Jon Sumrall (@CoachJonSumrall) November 19, 2025

Sumrall’s name has swirled around the openings at Auburn and Florida, and for good reason. He boasts a 40-11 overall record in his four years as a head coach, including a pair of 10-win campaigns at Troy.

Between his stints with the Trojans and Green Wave as well as various roles at SEC programs in the past, the former Kentucky linebacker has been well-indoctrinated into the Southeast and seems primed for a step up.

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Mike Elko reveals veteran Texas A&M DB will take redshirt for 2025

Parker Gillam — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:32:44 +0000

Texas A&M has just two games left in its quest to complete an undefeated regular season, but it was confirmed Wednesday that the Aggies will have to do so without the services of a veteran defensive presence.

Senior safety Bryce Anderson was carted off the field after suffering a head injury during the team’s game against Notre Dame on Sept. 13, and although he returned to play against Florida just three weeks later, he has not seen the field since.

And during his weekly media availability, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko revealed that Anderson will likely redshirt for the remainder of this season, considering he has only appeared in four games in 2025.

“I think at this point, he’s [Anderson] still not completely back,” Elko said. “I think he’s getting really close. I certainly don’t think it would be in Bryce’s best interest for him to go out and play in one of these remaining two games.”

“I think [redshirting] would potentially present an opportunity for him as we move forward beyond these next two,” Elko added.

Anderson began the season as a starter in the secondary and has been a productive member of the Aggies’ back end for years. He’s racked up 116 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions in his career thus far.

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Missouri flips 4-star safety amid Eli Drinkwitz rumors

Parker Gillam — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:54:34 +0000

It’s been an up-and-down season in Columbia, with the Tigers having reached great peaks and frustrating lows during the 2025 campaign.

Yet despite the team already being all-but-eliminated from the College Football Playoff, Missouri still has a shot at clinching the program’s third straight 10-win season down the stretch, and recruits are taking notice.

The haphazard rumors swirling around Eli Drinkwitz‘s potential move to another SEC school have done little to dampen Mizzou’s momentum on the recruiting trail, and the sixth-year head coach received some good news Wednesday.

RELATED: Looking for a Fanatics Sportsbook Missouri promo! SDS is your go-to source!

Jayden McGregory, a 4-star safety out of Des Moines, Iowa as rated by 247Sports, announced that he would be flipping his commitment from Louisville to join Drinkwitz & Co. in COMO.

The 6-foot-2 prospect shared a message stating: “AGTG Columbia I’m home,” and he becomes the 22nd commit in Missouri’s 2026 class.

https://twitter.com/Jay_McGregory/status/1991235284986429928

McGregory committed to Louisville on July 7 following a visit in late June. He made the trip to Columbia on June 6 and also took a visit to Minnesota in late May.

The two-way player also held offers from the likes of Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee and Nebraska.

The Tigers’ 2026 class now ranks 23rd overall in the nation according to 247Sports.

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Greg McElroy weighs in on whether CFP selection committee would penalize Ole Miss for a Lane Kiffin departure

Cory Nightingale — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:29:50 +0000

Greg McElroy has seen the rumors swirl in recent weeks about Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for somewhere else, maybe even another SEC locale.

The former Alabama star quarterback is close with SEC circles and now as an ESPN college football analyst and podcast host, he has a unique perspective on the madness that typically develops within the SEC. That’s what has happened with Kiffin, even as he coaches the Rebels to a 10-1 record and a No. 6 spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Ole Miss is on a bye this week, but that hasn’t stopped the Kiffin saga from churning. His possible departure is mentioned seemingly everywhere, and on Wednesday it was McElroy’s turn to speculate on whether Kiffin leaving Oxford would hurt Ole Miss’s standing — that is, assuming the Rebels do make the Playoff next month.

Would the CFP selection committee dare penalize Ole Miss should Kiffin leave? McElroy tried to answer that delicate question on his Always College Football podcast.

“Yes. I think they could. I think you treat Lane Kiffin’s absence like you treat a quarterback,” McElroy said. “I do think that he does provide an advantage with his acumen, his ability to tweak plays right before the snap. I think that could have an impact on how they are evaluated (by the selection committee).”

McElroy also knows how messy of a situation it would create for the Rebels if Kiffin did leave before the Playoff.

“I think that cooler heads need to prevail in the event that Lane Kiffin decides to leave Ole Miss,” McElroy said. “This is still the best opportunity that Ole Miss has had to go win a championship. Give your team the best chance. The best way you give your team a chance is by allowing Lane Kiffin to be on the sidelines.”

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Ranking the top 10 players in the SEC through Week 12

Neil Blackmon — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In the year where we know nothing, SEC Saturdays continue to deliver anything and everything.

Kirby Smart’s Georgia is beatable and vulnerable, playing with fire consistently and asking to be beat, you say? That was so October. It’s November now. Georgia is playing its best football, and Kirby Smart is starting to feel this team and is getting a little loud about it. A week after bulldozing an improved Mississippi State in Starkville, the Dawgs decimated Texas 35-10 on Saturday, scoring the game’s final 21 points and putting the preseason No. 1 Longhorns out of their Playoff hope misery.

Gunner Stockton isn’t quite “List” worthy, but it’s time to acknowledge that, like Stetson Bennett IV before him, Stockton is an asset for Georgia, not just a game manager. The Dawgs are good enough to win Kirby Smart’s third national championship, and as the defense continues to improve, they are sneaking into “favorite” territory.

Speaking of favorites, it was a week of near-failure for other SEC Playoff “favorites.” Then again, the name of the game in the 12-team Playoff era is “Survive and Advance.”

That’s exactly Oklahoma did in its win at Alabama.

That’s also what Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss did on Saturday against Florida. The Gators, released from the fires of Bily Napier’s 2-year long battle with a hot seat, played excellent football for the second time in 3 weeks. It was nearly enough for Florida to fell the less-talented Rebels in Oxford. Then DJ Lagway made a crucial mistake — as he’s done so often this year — and Ole Miss escaped with a 10-point win (thanks to a Kewan Lacy TD run in garbage time that made the final margin much wider than the game itself).

Was that Lane Kiffin’s last game as the Ole Miss coach at Vaught Hemingway? We’ll know soon, I reckon, but even if Kiffin is on another sideline next autumn, is Keith Carter truly Machiavellian enough to dismiss Lane before Ole Miss plays in the College Football Playoff? In an era where the end goal for every SEC program (even Clark Lea and Vanderbilt!) is to play for championships, will Ole Miss cut off its nose to spite its face? Perhaps Lane will stay in Oxford. If he doesn’t, I don’t envy the diabolical decision Keith Carter must make.

Speaking of diabolical, should we discuss South Carolina’s collapse in College Station?

How in the world is Shane Beamer 3-7 with a team that has at least 2 future first-round draft picks (Dylan Stewart, LaNorris Sellers), the fastest receiver (Nyck Harbor) and probably the SEC’s best special teams player (Vicari Swain)? Has a SEC coach ever won SEC Coach of the Year one season and done his worst coaching job the following season? If not, Shane Beamer is first. A woeful coaching job in Columbia, punctuated by the Gamecocks blowing a 27-point halftime lead last weekend at Texas A&M.

Meanwhile, the Aggies feel like a team of destiny.

Not every champion is 2019 LSU or even 2022 Georgia. You usually need luck to win a championship, even in the rugged SEC. Coming back from 27 points down after the worst half of Marcel Reed’s career felt like a stroke of destiny, even if it wasn’t just “luck.” Reed’s bounce back from half 1 to half 2? That felt like great coaching, which we’ve come to expect from Mike Elko and this A&M staff.

And yes, Elko is a great lesson for fanbases teetering on the edge of the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes.

If you don’t land your first choice, you aren’t necessarily doomed.

The grass is often greener on the other side of a big buyout. Trust the process.

The process for crowning a “List” champion will go deep into November and probably December this season.

It’s a 3-horse race (for now), but probably the most competitive “List” battle we’ve had since we started the most important “List” in college football in 2019. The decisions at the top get tougher and tougher, and this week’s new No. 1 is the 7th player to top the list this season — a record. Which player will close strong and wear the crown as the best football player in America’s best conference? Stay tuned.

Last week’s “List” is here.

As always, we begin with Honorable Mentions, limited to 2 per school.

Honorable Mention: Alabama: Parker Brailsford, C; Ty Simpson, QB. Auburn: Xavier Atkins, LB; Keyron Crawford, DE. Arkansas: Mike Washington, RB. Florida: Myles Graham, LB; Jake Slaughter, C. Georgia: Drew Bobo, C; Gunner Stockton, QB. Kentucky: Jalen Farmer, OL; Daveren Raynor, LB. LSU: AJ Haulcy, S; Harold Perkins Jr., LB. Mississippi State: Nic Mitchell, LB; Brenen Thompson, WR. Missouri: Connor Tollison, C; Keagan Trost, OT. Oklahoma: Febechi Nwaiwu, OG; R Mason Thomas, DE. Ole Miss: Suntarine Perkins, LB; Diego Pounds, OT. South Carolina: Dylan Stewart, Edge. Tennessee: Chris Brazzell II, WR; Wendell Moe Jr., OG. Texas: Anthony Hill Jr., LB; Colin Simmons, Edge. Texas A&M: KC Concepcion, WR; Trey Zuhn III, OL. Vanderbilt: Eli Stowers, TE; Jordan White, C.

10. Vicari Swain, DB/Return (South Carolina)

Swain’s 3 punt returns for touchdowns this season lead the nation. He’s also been outstanding in coverage, with 4 pass breakups to his name and a completion percentage against under 50%.

MARCEL REED IS PICKED OFF BY VICARI SWAIN AGAIN#Gamecocks #GigEM pic.twitter.com/QS50rhIQrd
— carter ✦ cfb+cbb highlights (@carterncaa) November 15, 2025

On Saturday, his 2 interceptions helped the Gamecocks storm to a 27-point halftime lead. There was a second half, of course, but Swain, as he has all season, did his part to make the Gamecocks a winner.

9. Kadyn Proctor, OT (Alabama)

Proctor grades out as Alabama’s best offensive linemen in 2025, and he allowed just 1 pressure on a night when the rest of Alabama’s offensive line was shaky against an outstanding Oklahoma defense. In 400 drop-backs this season, Proctor has allowed just 1 sack. Throw in his versatility as a short yardage piece and his excellent run blocking, and you have one of the best offensive linemen in America.

8. Kip Lewis, LB (Oklahoma)

With R Mason Thomas out with a quad injury, Lewis had 7 tackles and 2 sacks to lead the outstanding Oklahoma defense in a 23-21 upset of Alabama. Lewis has 60 tackles this season for a Sooners defense that ranks 11th nationally in stop rate and 5th in SP+ efficiency. Oklahoma produced 3 turnovers in Saturday’s win, tormenting Ty Simpson for 4 quarters to come out of Tuscaloosa with its Playoff dreams very much intact.

7. Trinidad Chambliss, QB (Ole Miss)

Chambliss shook off an early interception to help rally Ole Miss past Florida on Saturday night, throwing for 301 yards and a touchdown in the victory. On the season, the Ferris State transfer has 2,657 yards passing and 14 touchdowns and he’s added 444 yards rushing and 6 scores on the ground. Kewan Lacy is the bell cow and red-zone machine that makes this offense consistently lethal — but Chambliss gives it an extra gear.

6. Mansoor Delane, CB (LSU)

Delane was marvelous in LSU’s 23-22 win over Arkansas, breaking up 2 passes and intercepting another in a performance that should cement his All-American candidacy.

Mansoor Delane vs. Arkansas:

– 34 receiving yards allowed (5 targets)
– 4 tackles
– 2 PBUs
– 1 INT
– 27.5 passer rating allowed

The best corner in the country resides in Baton Rouge. pic.twitter.com/jihrFB8evz
— The Brand (@TheBrandLSU) November 16, 2025

Delane has played through an undisclosed injury over the past few weeks, an ode to the toughness of a player who has allowed just 13 receptions on 34 targets against in 2025.

5. CJ Allen, LB (Georgia)

By his lofty standards, Allen had a quiet evening against Texas, collecting just 3 tackles (1 takcle for loss) in Georgia’s 35-10 win over the Longhorns before he exited with an injury. That said, Allen’s starting to get more help around him, and under his on-field leadership, the Dawgs have risen from the 30s in SP+ defense in early October to 11th in mid-November. Georgia has allowed 21 points or fewer in 5 of its last 6 games, with the lone exception being a 43-35 win over Ole Miss.

4. Ahmad Hardy, RB (Missouri)

Hardy seized the national lead in rushing yardage again with 300 yards on the ground in Mizzou‘s 49-27 rout of Mississippi State. Hardy’s 3 touchdowns give him 15 on the season, which ranks third in the country. The Tigers are 7-1 when Hardy rushes for 100 yards or more. Another huge opportunity and tough defense looms Saturday when the Tigers visit Norman and former Big 12 rival Oklahoma.

3. Diego Pavia, QB (Vanderbilt)

The Vanderbilt quarterback had a bye ahead of a 2-game close that will define the Playoff future of the Commodores. Pavia ranks in the top 6 in the SEC in passing yards, touchdown passes, and completion percentage and continues to be the lone player in the SEC to lead his team in passing and rushing.

2. Cashius Howell, Edge (Texas A&M)

The Aggies’ best player had a strange Saturday afternoon. He was active early in the first half, creating 3 pass breakups. He then went quiet for a quarter-plus, only to reemerge to create havoc as Texas A&M rallied to win late. Howell was targeted repeatedly by South Carolina in the run game Saturday, and graded out a season-low 47.4 (very poor) against the run. But Howell still managed a sack, adding to his SEC-high total of 11.5, and he remains the SEC’s leader in pressures and hurries as well to key one of the nation’s most disruptive defenses.

1. Kewan Lacy, RB (Ole Miss)

The Ole Miss sophomore powered his way for 224 tough yards on 31 carries on Saturday night, adding 3 touchdowns to his nation-leading total of 19 on the season. Lacy’s first touchdown Saturday night broke a single-season Ole Miss record.

HISTORY: Kewan Lacy breaks the Ole Miss single-season rushing TD record pic.twitter.com/Gi5XiHSVKC
— Not Ole Miss Problems (@OleMissNoProb) November 16, 2025

Florida’s played solid run defense all season, but Lacy continues to challenge even stacked fronts. An astounding 809 of his 1,136 yards this season have come after contact, and he’s forced 84 missed tackles, the most in America. Not bad for a kid who is only 19 years old.

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Joel Klatt makes prediction on where Lane Kiffin will be coaching in 2026

Cory Nightingale — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:46:07 +0000

Joel Klatt made a bold statement on Wednesday about Lane Kiffin and where he believes the Ole Miss head coach will be patrolling the sidelines next season.

The Fox Sports host was discussing the Kiffin topic with fellow FOX host Colin Cowherd, and while Cowherd had a few suggestions for where Kiffin should wind up in 2026, for Klatt the choice was obvious.

“I think he’s going to Florida. I really do,” Klatt said. “I think he’s going to Florida, and I think he’s going to be the next coach of the Gators.”

Klatt acknowledged the Kiffin issue has been hard for him to wrap his arms around.

“I have been all over the map on this, but Lane is a unique cat,” Klatt said. “Now, I don’t know if he can come back to Ole Miss.

“You can’t lead them on for this long. And now there’s going to start to be animus. Like, why aren’t you signing an extension? What’s the problem?”

Not only does Klatt believe Kiffin is heading to Gainesville, he also thinks the move is going to create chaos and soon.

“I think that we’re going to have one of the biggest messes in college football history go down before the Playoff when Lane Kiffin steps away from a College Football Playoff team and goes to coach another team,” Klatt said.

Time will tell what happens with Kiffin and when. For now, his Rebels are rolling with a No. 6 spot in the latest CFP rankings that were revealed on Tuesday night.

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Colin Cowherd says Lane Kiffin should consider 2 options but not Florida or LSU

Cory Nightingale — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:14:47 +0000

Colin Cowherd has a unique suggestion for Lane Kiffin as rumors swirl about the Ole Miss head coach being linked to the vacant coaching jobs at Florida and LSU.

The longtime Fox Sports talk show host doesn’t think Kiffin should even entertain those possible offers from the 2 SEC rival schools. Instead, Cowherd has a message for Kiffin — stay put or go pro.

“I think he should stay at Ole Miss or go pro. I don’t want to bounce into LSU or Florida,” said Cowherd on Wednesday while discussing the topic on his show with fellow Fox Sports host Joel Klatt. “Either stay at Ole Miss. They’ve got NIL money. I made a call on that 2 days ago. They’ve got NIL money. That’s not an issue.”

Cowherd said he simply doesn’t believe going to Gainesville or Baton Rouge would be a significant step up from where he is right now.

“I think the SEC jobs outside of maybe Georgia are all kind of the same,” Cowherd said. “They’re all dysfunctional, a bit delusional. Georgia, maybe (Alabama), but Bama doesn’t have Georgia’s high school football talent within a hundred feet of the campus. So, I, to me, if you have an SEC job and you’re winning, stay in that job.”

Right now, Kiffin is winning at Ole Miss. The Rebels are 10-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC, and they were placed at No. 6 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night.

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Jon Sumrall not interviewing with Florida as conflicting reports emerge about planned meeting

Cory Nightingale — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:03:31 +0000

Jon Sumrall won’t be interviewing for the vacant head coaching job at Florida on Thursday and there never was an interview scheduled with the current Tulane head coach, according to a report late Wednesday afternoon by Guerry Smith of NOLA.com.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, there were conflicting reports on Sumrall’s apparent scheduled meeting with UF to discuss its head coaching position. First, a report by On3’s Zach Abolverdi suggested that Florida was set to meet with the 43-year-old Sumrall about bringing him in to replace the fired Billy Napier.

Source: #Tulane coach will not interview with Florida on Thursday and no interview was ever scheduled. https://t.co/UmLiqqTnCR
— Guerry Smith (@Guersmith) November 19, 2025

But just a few hours later, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that the meeting had been called off and that Sumrall was removing his name from the list of candidates in Gainesville.

The meeting on the books has been called off.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) November 19, 2025

Sumrall is in his 2nd season at Tulane, and right now he has the Green Wave riding high with an 8-2 record and the No. 24 spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings that were revealed on Tuesday night. Tulane is poised right now to make the Playoff, but amid all of that success Sumrall is also being mentioned for a lot of the current Power 4 coaching vacancies.

Florida appeared to be 1 of those positions that Sumrall was in the mix for, but Wednesday’s latest reported developments now suggest otherwise.

Before he got to Tulane, Sumrall was the head coach at Troy for 2 seasons, winning the Sun Belt Conference title in both of those years.

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Virginia Tech HC James Franklin on new job: ‘We’re going to be aggressive’

Cory Nightingale — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:33:24 +0000

Virginia Tech has a new head coach now, hiring James Franklin on Monday to lead a program that was once elite but has fallen on hard times in the past decade or so.

Franklin just suffered through hard times amid his firing as head coach at Penn State a little over a month ago. So, Franklin is very familiar with grinding through challenges, and he knows there will be plenty of those in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech is a 3-7 football team in mid-November and just 2-4 in the ACC, records that Hokies fans would never have imagined during the glory years under Frank Beamer.

Brent Pry, who was Franklin’s former defensive coordinator at Penn State, was fired by Virginia Tech a few months ago after the Hokies stumbled to an 0-3 start. So, Franklin will get a shot to do what Pry couldn’t in Blacksburg, and Franklin talked about what awaits during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday.

“I need to evaluate the current roster. I need to see how recruiting is going to go, what is available in the transfer portal,” Franklin said. “The reality is, we’re going to be aggressive from Day 1. We’re going to wake up every single morning and give Virginia Tech everything we got.”

Franklin knows there will be a ton to take on, because that’s today’s reality.

“The investment level is what it’s all about. College football has changed,” he said.

Here are Franklin’s full comments on those big challenges ahead:

"We're gonna wake up every single morning and give Virginia Tech everything we got..

College Football has changed and this place made some decisions before I got here that are really helpful" ~ @coachjfranklin #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/hiRL2qWY4X
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 19, 2025

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Florida coaching search: UF reportedly set to meet with Tulane’s Jon Sumrall

Andrew Olson — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:58:01 +0000

UPDATE: Jon Sumrall will not meet with Florida. Reports are conflicting as to whether the meeting was scheduled.

Original post:

Florida will reportedly meet with Jon Sumrall as the program searches for its new full-time head coach. The news comes via a report from On3’s Zach Abolverdi on Wednesday.

Sumrall, 43, is in his second season as Tulane’s head coach. He has frequently been mentioned as a potential candidate for Power 4 jobs as numerous high-profile positions have become part of this year’s coaching carousel.

BREAKING: Florida to meet with Tulane coach Jon Sumrall about the Gators job.

DETAILS: https://t.co/iqwnEtP7Lu pic.twitter.com/1NOuc7F991
— Zach Abolverdi (@ZachAbolverdi) November 19, 2025

This season, Sumrall’s Tulane squad has an 8-2 record entering Week 13. He’s 17-7 with the Green Wave, leading the program to a 9-5 record last season with an appearance in the AAC Championship Game and a Gasparilla Bowl berth against Florida.

Prior to Tulane, Sumrall was Troy’s head coach for 2 seasons, going 23-4 overall and 14-2 in conference play. The Trojans won the Sun Belt both seasons, and Sumrall was the conference’s Coach of the Year for 2022.

Sumrall has SEC roots as a former Kentucky linebacker from 2002-04. He then got into coaching in 2005, serving as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. Sumrall had assistant stops at San Diego, Tulane and Troy before returning to the SEC as Ole Miss’s linebackers coach in the 2018 season.

Kentucky added Sumrall to the staff as inside linebackers coach in 2019. He added co-defensive coordinator responsibilities for the 2021 season.

Want to make some money on the Florida coaching hire? Check out the wagering options at prediction market Kalshi!

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Frank Wilson updates Week 13 status for LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

Derek Hryn — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:28:53 +0000

LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson didn’t sound overly optimistic about quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s availability heading into Week 13.

During Wednesday’s SEC teleconference, Wilson said Nussmeier remains in essentially the same spot he was a week ago — battling the same issues and trending toward missing another game.

“Garrett’s situation hasn’t changed much since last week. Those same issues are there for him,” Wilson said. “He’s probably doubtful. He was around yesterday, did some things in individual (drills), but I would say he’s doubtful.”

Nussmeier’s injury, which started leaving his status uncertain after a 20-9 loss to Alabama on Nov. 8, has forced LSU to lean more heavily on its depth at the position as the Tigers look to close out the regular season. While he was able to participate in limited individual work, Wilson’s comments make it clear the staff isn’t expecting a sudden turnaround before the weekend.

And if Nussmeier can’t go again this week, LSU has at least seen what life with Michael Van Buren Jr. looks like.

The sophomore QB stepped into his first start for LSU last weekend and helped the Tigers grind out a 23–22 win at Arkansas — throwing for 221 yards, hitting 8 different receivers, and leading the 92-yard go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, he is expected to draw the start again this weekend against Western Kentucky.

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Steve Sarkisian on Texas future: ‘I am not going anywhere’

Derek Hryn — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 19:46:01 +0000

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian took a firm stand on Wednesday amid swirling speculation about his future, declaring clearly and forcefully that he’s staying put at Texas. Any report to the contrary is “absolutely false and untrue.”

Sarkisian opened his time on the SEC coaches teleconference call with a prepared statement about reports linking him to other jobs. He said he usually does not comment on speculation because he doesn’t want to be a distraction, but said recent reports have been “bothering” him for several weeks.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Sarkisian said. “I’ve had no discussions — not with my agent, not with the university, not with any other school, not with any NFL team — about ever going anywhere else. I came here to win championships.”

Sarkisian went on to mention he has 2 children enrolled at UT, a third he hopes will enroll at the school next fall, and called Austin his home.

He also listed off an assortment of accomplishments and accolades his program has enjoyed during his 5 years at the school.

“We’ve built a damn good football program over the 5 years that we’ve been here,” Sarkisian said. “Can we please stop putting things out there that you have absolutely zero evidence on? And then can we please stop retweeting, putting it back out there as if it’s true, as if it’s the gospel? It is not true.”

His comments on Wednesday come after weeks of outside chatter tying Sarkisian to everything from NFL interest to other major college jobs. He already dismissed those reports as “absolutely ridiculous” earlier this season, and doubled down again on Wednesday. With Texas fighting through an up-and-down stretch and expectations still sky-high, Sarkisian made it clear he’s locked into the program — not entertaining any detours.

Sarkisian and the Longhorns return home this week to face Arkansas (2–8). Texas continues to lean on a defense ranked top-25 nationally in scoring (18.3 ppg allowed) and top-10 against the run (83.2 ypg). That unit will be tested by an Arkansas offense averaging 470 yards per game — one of the most productive attacks in the country.

The Longhorns still have major games ahead — including a Black Friday showdown with No. 3 Texas A&M — but Sarkisian’s message was unmistakable: he’s not looking elsewhere, not exploring options, and not wavering.

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BCS model for Week 13 highlights differences with CFP Top 25

Derek Hryn — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 19:24:29 +0000

The Week 13 simulated BCS rankings paint a very different picture from what the College Football Playoff committee put out on Tuesday night — and fans immediately noticed where the biggest friction points sit.

At the top, the two systems actually agree: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia make up the same top 4 in both rankings. But everything after that starts drifting fast, especially when it comes to who gets rewarded and who gets punished.

One of the biggest surprises? Notre Dame‘s placement relative to Alabama. The two models match each other exactly — Notre Dame at No. 9 and Alabama right behind it at No. 10. That mirrors the CFP’s stance, which had been met with plenty of frustration from Alabama fans and neutral observers alike.

There’s also a clear divide in which teams the formula values compared to the folks in that committee room. The BCS model includes James Madison (No. 22) and North Texas (No. 23) — neither of which appears in the CFP’s Top 25. Meanwhile, the committee inserted Illinois (No. 21) and Arizona State (No. 25), two teams the computers didn’t rank at all.

The split at No. 5 and No. 6 is also telling.

The simulated BCS has Ole Miss at No. 5, while the CFP puts the Rebels sixth and elevates Texas Tech to No. 5 — a sign the committee is rewarding résumé wins more heavily than the BCS formulas, which still lean on polls and computer efficiency metrics.

The BCS simulation for Week 13 shows that if the old system still existed today, the playoff debate likely wouldn’t be any quieter. In fact, the Alabama–Notre Dame argument might be even louder — and teams like North Texas and James Madison would have far more to stand on than the current committee seems willing to give them.

For ease of comparison: Tonight’s latest @CFBPlayoff rankings against our most up-to-date simulated BCS: pic.twitter.com/McSuEcm5iB
— BCSKnowHow.com (@BCSKnowHow) November 19, 2025

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Lane Kiffin responds to speculation he could leave Ole Miss

Derek Peterson — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 19:11:04 +0000

Lane Kiffin was asked about quite a bit on Wednesday when he made his weekly appearance on the SEC coaches teleconference call. Very little had to do with football.

Kiffin, reportedly the primary target in both the LSU and Florida head coaching searches, repeatedly stated that he was not commenting on other jobs. His Ole Miss program is on a bye week this week as it readies for the Egg Bowl, which meant Lane Kiffin was peppered with questions about his future as the Rebels’ coach.

“I love it here. We are in the greatest run that this school has ever had,” Kiffin said. “It’s amazing. I’m living in the moment. The players are, too. It’s awesome to be a part of.”

The Rebels are 10-1 and ranked No. 6 in the latest College Football Playoff Top 25. They seem like a near lock to make the CFP. Should Kiffin be offered and accept the Tigers’ job or the Gators’ job, though, he wouldn’t be around for that run.

He was asked directly on Wednesday if he still expected to be the head coach when Ole Miss kicks off against Mississippi State on Nov. 28.

“Why would I not expect to coach next week?” he responded. “We’re gameplanning, we just practiced. I don’t even understand how that would happen.”

A report (which was later refuted) on Tuesday claimed that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry spoke directly with Kiffin about the LSU job. Kiffin was asked about that as well on Wednesday.

“I wouldn’t comment on that either way,” he said.

When asked if it was possible he could accept another job before the start of the postseason, Kiffin said, “I’m not speaking on other jobs.”

The noise surrounding a potential departure is at an all-time high. Earlier this week, it was reported that Ole Miss had given Kiffin a deadline to decide on his future with the school, but he publicly denied any such ultimatum had been given just a day later.

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SEC QB Rankings, Week 13: Gunner Stockton is the quintessential Kirby Smart quarterback

Matt Hinton — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:45:00 +0000

1. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

This weekend’s visit from Kentucky will be Pavia’s swan song in Nashville, where he has presided over a remarkable 11-3 home record over the past 2 years. For some context, a win on Saturday (the Commodores are 9.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook) would leave him in 2nd place on Vandy’s all-time list for home wins behind only the immortal Kyle Shurmur, who was the starting QB in 13 home wins over a 4-year period from 2015-18. It’s a short list of Vanderbilt quarterbacks who have a dozen career wins to their credit, period. Beating Kentucky would also complete the ‘Dores’ first perfect season at home since 1982, ensure a winning record in SEC play for just the 3rd time since World War II, and keep their dwindling Playoff hopes alive heading into the season finale at Tennessee. If they went ahead and retired Pavia’s number at halftime, who would object?

Last week: 1⬌

2. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

If you averaged every Georgia performance of the Kirby Smart era, the result would look a lot like Saturday’s 35-10 romp over Texas. And if you combined every Georgia quarterback in that span into one guy, the result would look a lot like Stockton, whose resemblance to his predecessors could not be more on the nose if he’d been cast to play Generic Kirby Smart Quarterback in a movie. (You couldn’t script a much better name than “Gunner Stockton” for that role, either.) Imagine a version of Jake Fromm with Stetson Bennett IV’s mobility operating the same scheme as Carson Beck, and you’ve conjured Stockton. Average their production through the first 10 games of their respective seasons as QB1, and you’re effectively left with Stockton’s output so far in 2025:

The most notable evolution in Georgia’s offense under Smart is the uptick in screen passes since Mike Bobo’s arrival as offensive coordinator in 2023. More than 30% of Stockton’s attempts this season have been behind the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus, the highest rate in the SEC and roughly twice the rate that Fromm threw behind the line from 2017-19. That accounts for the improved completion percentage and decline in yards per attempt. Otherwise, in terms of total yards, touchdown percentage and efficiency, Stockton is almost eerily par for the course.

If Stockton brings anything new to the table, it’s a week-in, week-out presence as a runner. Already, he’s run more times (79, excluding sacks) for more yards (377) and more first downs (26) than Fromm, Bennett or Beck did in an entire season, and his 8 rushing touchdowns are 2nd only to Bennett’s 10 rushing TDs in 2022 in 15 games. Compared to the rest of the SEC, though, those numbers are squarely in the middle of the pack. As far as opposing defenses are concerned, Stockton might as well be just the latest model of the same guy they’ve been defending for the better part of a decade.

Last week: 3

3. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

There are bigger comebacks on record, but I defy anyone to verify a more dramatic u-turn in the annals of college football history than the one Reed pulled off in the Aggies’ wild, 31-30 win over South Carolina.

The first half could not have gone much worse. After completing his first 2 passes of the afternoon, Reed proceeded to melt down, missing on 13 of his next 17 attempts; that included 2 interceptions — both costly — and a series of coulda-been picks that repeatedly forced his own receivers to turn into defenders. Meanwhile, there was also the slapstick fumble on which Reed, attempting to salvage an instantly doomed play while in the grasp of elite Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart, instead lost control of the ball in a moment of panic; it skittered free, and eventually into the mitts of A&M defensive linemen who returned the loose ball for a touchdown. The Aggies limped into the locker room down 30-3 while Reed’s Heisman stock abruptly plummeted in real time.

In the second half, he was unstoppable, flipping the switch to lead 4 touchdown drives in as many possessions to erase the deficit less than 5 minutes into the 4th quarter. Those drives covered 75, 70, 80 and 98 yards, respectively, on a combined 27 plays. Four of those plays were completions of 25+ yards, 3 of which went for touchdowns; the 4th set up a short TD run on the ensuing play. Incredibly, Reed’s resurgent Heisman odds were slightly better at the end of the day than they’d been at the beginning.

That’s quite the journey just to balance the ledger against a 20-point underdog. I wonder what the reaction would have been if Reed had delivered the exact same performance, but in reverse — shock-and-awe in the first half, followed by a stunning collapse in the second — or in a more random order, generating a series of back-and-forth swings in momentum rather than a couple of sustained waves with an obvious turning point. Or if, say, South Carolina’s offense had taken advantage of the botched trick play Texas A&M ran on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line on its last full possession, which resulted in another slapstick fumble and, briefly, a game-winning opportunity for the Gamecocks. (That play is the sudden spike you see in Carolina’s win probability near the end.) Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m of the mind that the only thing more impressive than the drama of rallying from a seemingly insurmountable deficit is never putting yourself in the position of facing one in the first place.

Last week: 4

4. Ty Simpson, Alabama

Last week, I praised Simpson’s steady hand and allergy to turnovers for a team that seemed to thrive the thinner the margin for error. Right on cue, he served up the costliest mistake of his season, a pick-6 INT with a free rusher in his lap that set off the upset siren in an eventual 23-21 loss to Oklahoma.

That was the first of 2 uncharacteristic giveaways against the Sooners, both of which came under pressure. The 2nd was the result of a blindsid e sack that jarred the ball loose at the end of the 3rd quarter; Oklahoma recovered the fumble inside the Bama 30-yard line, setting up a go-ahead field goal that proved to be the winning points. Simpson was hardly the biggest goat on an afternoon when an inconsistent o-line, anemic ground game and shambolic special teams all conspired to blow a game in which Alabama ran up a nearly 200-yard advantage in total offense. But to the extent that Simpson’s Heisman case rested on his reputation for transcending the Tide’s shortcomings — or at least not making them worse — it’s safe to say that case is officially closed until further notice.

Last week: 2

5. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

By all rights this should have been one of the chillest weeks in the history of Ole Miss football, with an open date on deck to bask in the 10-1 Rebels’ success before wrapping up the regular season in the Egg Bowl. Instead, they’ve spent their week off embroiled in the ongoing saga of Lane Kiffin‘s courtship by LSU and Florida. The prospect of any coach potentially bailing on a top-5 outfit in the midst of a Playoff run seems like a textbook case of galaxy brain run amok – to fulfill your ultimate goal of winning a championship, you have no choice but to consider abandoning a team currently competing for a championship? But, you know, look around. If you expect decision-making at the executive level in college football or, like, America at large to align with common sense in the year 2025, I don’t know what to tell you. All I know is that, regardless of where he’s ultimately employed in 2026, if Kiffin doesn’t feel obligated to do everything he can to give the best Ole Miss team in living memory the best possible chance to max out what might be the best opportunity the program going to get at national relevance, what a sorry state of affairs for the sport.

Last week: 5⬌

6. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee

Interceptions ranked at the top of the list of preseason concerns over Aguilar’s game, based on his an FBS-worst 14 INTs in 2024 at Appalachian State. He hasn’t been quite as interception-prone as a Vol, but it’s close: With 2 picks Saturday in a 42-9 win over New Mexico State, Aguilar has now thrown 10 INTs this year in 320 attempts, a rate of 3.1%; that’s only slightly off last year’s pace of 3.6% at App. State. Half of those picks have come in Tennessee’s 3 losses against Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, including the season-defining, coast-to-coast pick-6 at Bama that’s going to haunt the offseason in Knoxville if Tennessee goes on to finish 9-3. Still, given the dramatic uptick in big plays this season compared to last year’s defensively-driven, 10-2 CFP run, here’s guessing Vols fans will still take him over Nico Iamaleava in a heartbeat.

Last week: 6⬌

7. Taylen Green, Arkansas

Arkansas’ 23-22 loss at LSU was familiar in many ways, marking the Razorbacks’ 7th loss by single digits and the 4th in which they led in the 4th quarter. For once, though, Green can’t lay a close loss at the feet of the defense. The offense botched opportunity after opportunity in Baton Rouge, committing 2 turnovers inside the LSU 25-yard line and failing to punch it in the end zone on a crucial goal-line sequence in the the 3rd quarter. Between those 3 possessions and what turned out to be their last one, which ended on a missed go-ahead field goal attempt in the 4th, the Hogs racked up 242 yards on drives that yielded no points.

Last week: 7⬌

8. John Mateer, Oklahoma

Mateer was mostly along for the ride in the Sooners’ 23-21 upset at Alabama, finishing with a season-low 161 scrimmage yards and declining to even attempt a pass of 20+ air yards, per PFF. Oklahoma’s 4 scoring drives in Tuscaloosa covered 23 yards (for a field goal set up by a big punt return); 31 yards (a short-field touchdown following a muffed punt); 41 yards (another field goal, this one from 52 yards to open the 3rd quarter); and 22 yards (yet another field goal, set up by a strip sack by the defense). Altogether, OU’s 212 total yards for the game represented its fewest in a win since a 2001 victory over Texas, which not coincidentally also featured a memorable defensive touchdown.

Still, Mateer made key plays with both his arm and legs to advance the effort, didn’t do anything to hurt it. The upshot is that the Sooners remain improbably but squarely on the Playoff track at 8-2. They will be favored in their last 2 games against Missouri and LSU, both of which will likely be starting backup quarterbacks. (See below.) Looking ahead to the postseason, the outlook for winning a hypothetical road Playoff game with an attack that currently ranks next-to-last in the SEC in total offense vs. Power 4 opponents is not very encouraging. But given how distant the possibility of crashing the field seemed just a couple weeks ago, Sooners fans will be more than happy to cross that bridge when they come to it.

Last week: 9

9. Arch Manning, Texas

Texas still has a chance to salvage a modicum of self-respect and/or momentum heading into the offseason against Arkansas and (especially) Texas A&M in Austin. But the story of Manning’s underwhelming debut as QB1 can be largely told by his struggles on the road. Saturday’s loss at Georgia dropped the Longhorns to 2-3 in true road games on the year, with both wins coming in overtime escapes against a couple of basement dwellers, Kentucky and Mississippi State. It didn’t help, either, that Manning spent so much of his time in those games stuck in comeback mode. Of the 11 regulation touchdowns Texas scored on the road, 8 came with the ‘Horns already trailing by double digits, including all 5 TDs in their 3 losses.

Last week: 8

10. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Sellers reliably makes a play or two per game that remind you what he’s capable of when it all comes together. Against Texas A&M, it was a flawless, 51-yard dime to Vandrevius Jacobs for the opening strike in what would quickly escalate into a major upset in progress.

Welcome to the endzone pic.twitter.com/iVW1SaGLQj
— South Carolina Football (@GamecockFB) November 15, 2025

Otherwise, as usual, it was just kinda meh. The Gamecocks’ other big play of the first half, an 80-yard touchdown pass to Nyck Harbor, was a routine throw just past the sticks that Harbor turned into a viral highlight via YAC. After halftime, the offense did nothing whatsoever to alter the momentum of A&M’s furious 2nd-half comeback, and Carolina’s final possession with a chance to salvage a game-winning field-goal attempt ended with Sellers taking back-to-back sacks on 2nd and 3rd down and scrambling futilely out of bounds 10 yards short of the line to gain on 4th — the story of his sophomore campaign, in 3 plays.

Last week: 10⬌

11. Cutter Boley, Kentucky

Boley’s first start, a 35-13 loss to South Carolina in Week 4, was a disaster. Since, he’s been cromulent almost every time out, turning a QBR rating of 78.0 or better in 5 of the past 6 games. (The exception: A 10-3 win at Auburn in Week 10.) A 3-game November winning streak has 5-5 Kentucky a win away from bowl eligibility with Vanderbilt and Louisville on deck. That might or might not be enough to save Mark Stoops‘ job, but considering the state of affairs a month ago, the fact that it’s still in doubt at this late hour should be all the endorsement Boley needs to remain QB1 for the foreseeable future.

Last week: 12

12. Garrett Nussmeier or Michael Van Buren Jr., LSU

Van Buren went the distance Saturday in his first start as a Tiger, a come-from-behind, 23-22 win over Arkansas that was forgotten the second the clock hit triple zeroes. He’s in line to start again this weekend in an even more ephemeral date against Western Kentucky, pending Nussmeier’s status after he aggravated an abdominal injury that had reportedly bothered him all season prior to his benching in the Tigers’ Week 11 loss at Alabama. More important at this point, Van Buren followed up the win by expressing his love for Baton Rouge and pledging to stay to compete for the full-time job under the next head coach.

Last week: 11

13. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State

Defying calls to bench his 6th-year starter in favor of dynamic freshman Kamario Taylor, Jeff Lebby preserved the the status quo for a must-win game at Missouri to reach bowl eligibility. He was rewarded with one of Shapen’s worst outings as a Bulldog in a deflating, 49-27 loss. Looking exhausted and possibly hurt, Shapen came in at or near season lows for completion percentage (57.6), yards per attempt (6.0), passer rating (96.1) and QBR (36.3) while serving up 2 pick-6 INTs in the 2nd half that turned a competitive game into a laugher.

Afterwards, Lebby attributed the decision to stick with the vet to Shapen’s “decision-making and having the ability to not waste a play” in a tough road environment. Fair enough. With 2 weeks to prepare for the Egg Bowl and little hope of earning that elusive 6th win either way, the question at this point is pretty much academic.

Last week: 13⬌

14. DJ Lagway, Florida

Like most Florida fans, Lagway sounded well past ready to be done with the 2025 season following a 34-24 loss at Ole Miss, describing the past 3 months as “emotionally draining” in what a local reporter described as “a monotone voice, (while) staring at the bricks on the back of the wall.” After an encouraging opening half in Oxford, the Gators did nothing in the 2nd, when their only trip into Rebels territory ended on a tip-drill interception.

At 3-7, bowl eligibility is off the table, leaving only desultory rivalry dates against Tennessee and Florida State to endure before the big decision about Lagway’s future becomes the first order of business for the new head coach. Maybe that decision has already been made, on one end or the other. If not, a strong finish against the Vols and Noles – however unlikely – could still give both sides something to consider.

Last week: 15

15. Matt Zollers, Missouri

Mizzou fans are still holding out hope that they have not seen the last of Beau Pribula this season. But despite “early optimism” that Pribula has made enough progress rehabbing the ankle injury that’s sidelined him the past few game to potentially start this weekend against Oklahoma, Eli Drinkwitz tapped the brakes, telling reporters he expects Zollers to get the nod for the 3rd Saturday in a row. Either way, after leaning heavily on a resurgent ground game in Week 12 against the SEC’s worst rushing defense, Mississippi State, the Tigers will need more from whomever is behind center against the Sooners to make up the difference opposite the SEC’s best rushing defense in Norman.

Last week: 16

16. Deuce Knight, Auburn

What a journey it’s been at this position. Jackson Arnold‘s doomed tenure as QB1 officially ended with the end of Hugh Freeze‘s doomed tenure as head coach. The next man up, Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, looked like a keeper his last time out, when he led the Tigers to a season-high 38 points in a shootout loss at Vanderbilt in Week 11. Under NCAA rules, however, keeping him means sitting him: The trip to Nashville was Daniels’ 3rd appearance of the season, leaving only 1 more before he burns his redshirt and, with it, his final year of eligibility. (He did not redshirt in any of his 3 seasons at Stanford, where he started 20 games.) Wisely, coaches have opted not to waste that appearance on a glorified scrimmage against an FCS patsy. Instead, Daniels will skip this weekend’s game against Mercer and return to the lineup for the Iron Bowl, thereby preserving another year on campus (and the paycheck that comes with it) in 2026.

That leaves Knight, 5-star gem of the Tigers’ 2025 recruiting class, who’s due for the first meaningful action of his career against the Bears. His debut will also serve as an audition – if not for the chance to start against Alabama, then to get a leg up on the competition for QB1 next year under a new head coach. Whether that competition will involve Daniels or an incoming transfer, or both, will be up to the next administration. For now, all he can do is look the part against the No. 6 team in the latest FCS rankings.

Last week: n/a

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Steve Sarkisian hits back at narrative Texas has underachieved

Derek Hryn — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:09:24 +0000

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t hesitate when asked Monday why some believe the Longhorns have “underachieved” this season. He immediately pushed back.

“According to who?” Sarkisian replied. “I guess that’s for who voted us No. 1.”

Sark isn’t operating off preseason narratives or outside expectations. Instead, he pointed to what Texas has actually accomplished — and what’s still in front of it in mid-November. The Longhorns sit at 7–3, own wins over two top-10 opponents, and face current No. 3 Texas A&M on Nov. 28.

And Sarkisian didn’t mince words about what that opportunity means.

“We have an opportunity at the end of the regular season to do something that nobody’s done since 2019… and that’s beat three top-10 teams.”

That line summed it up. Despite a demoralizing 35-10 loss to Georgia, the Longhorns aren’t backing down. Instead of buying into the idea that Texas hasn’t matched someone else’s preseason bar, they’re continuing to push forward.

So if anyone thinks Texas has fallen short, Sarkisian clearly isn’t one of them. He views this group as battle-tested, capable, and still with a chance to finish the regular season with something no other team in the country can claim — and he wasn’t shy about making that known.

"According to who?"

Steve Sarkisian when asked the main reasons Texas has 'underachieved' this season pic.twitter.com/3TEWlhrymQ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 17, 2025

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Paul Finebaum shreds CFP committee over ‘totally ridiculous’ ranking of Notre Dame

Braden Ramsey — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:34:45 +0000

There are always things to nitpick when the College Football Playoff committee releases its weekly rankings. However, there is heavy criticism being thrown the committee’s way on Wednesday following its placement of Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish were No. 9 in the CFP rankings a week ago. They remained at No. 9 this week after trouncing Pitt — which was ranked No. 22 last week — 37-15 in Week 12. They certainly didn’t deserve to drop for their performance, but seeing them ranked ahead of Alabama — which is 8-2 following a home loss to Oklahoma — has many people, including Paul Finebaum, up in arms.

“In terms of where [Notre Dame is] ranked, it’s totally ridiculous,” Finebaum said Wednesday morning on Get Up. “We love the college football season, but I don’t know why we waste time with it, considering Notre Dame is already in the Playoff in August.”

Finebaum’s ire toward the Fighting Irish doesn’t solely center on their ranking above the Crimson Tide. He’s also bothered by them being slotted so clearly above Miami, which beat Notre Dame 27-24 to kick off the season. He suggested the Fighting Irish’s strong national brand leads them to receive favorable treatment from the committee.

“Notre Dame lost its first 2 games of the year. They lost to Miami and now they’re ranked ahead of Miami,” he continued. “It rubs me beyond the wrong way. I’ve been hearing… that Notre Dame, there’s a bias. There is a bias. Let’s just go ahead and admit it.”

Barring a 2-bid Big 12, Alabama should be in the CFP as long as it wins out. Miami, on the other hand, needs help on both the ACC Championship and at-large fronts. Notre Dame hosts Syracuse (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) in Week 13.

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Heather Dinich reacts to Alabama falling behind Notre Dame in latest CFP ranking

Braden Ramsey — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:17:46 +0000

Everyone knew the Crimson Tide were going to fall in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings following their loss to Oklahoma. It was the height of the drop that caught most by surprise.

Alabama wound up at No. 10 in this week’s CFP rankings, sliding 6 spots from a week ago. The Crimson Tide are now looking up at the “Big 4” 1-loss teams (Georgia, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, and Oregon) and Oklahoma. But they’re also behind Notre Dame, which leads ESPN’s Heather Dinich to believe the Fighting Irish have all but sealed their CFP berth.

“The fact that Notre Dame is ranked ahead of Alabama leads me to believe that if they run the table, they are the closest thing to a lock,” Dinich said Wednesday morning on Get Up. “And that’s because the committee rewarded the Irish because they have better losses than Alabama.”

Marcus Freeman and Co. have lost to Texas A&M (No. 3) and Miami (No. 13). Kalen DeBoer and his bunch lost to Oklahoma and unranked Florida State, so there’s no dispute about who has the “better losses.”

But as Dinich pointed out, the Fighting Irish’s victories simply don’t compare with the Crimson Tide’s. She mentioned that Alabama has “4 wins over CFP top-20 teams, including the committee’s No. 4 team in Georgia.” Notre Dame’s lone win over a currently ranked CFP team is No. 15 USC.

The Crimson Tide’s placement leaves them vulnerable to being bounced if BYU — or another team — knocks off Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game. But Alabama can’t fret about what could be. It simply has to handle business against Eastern Illinois and Auburn. Otherwise, the Crimson Tide will miss the CFP altogether. Kickoff for this weekend’s game versus the Panthers is 2:00 p.m. ET (SEC Network+).

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Predicting 5 upsets for Week 13 of the 2025 college football season

Spenser Davis — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000

The end of the 2025 college football season is near.

It’s time for Week 13, which means Thanksgiving and numerous rivalry games are right around the corner. As always, this story will seek to predict 5 underdogs who will win outright this weekend.

Last week was a solid one for upset predictions. We went 2-3 as Oklahoma (+180) and Virginia (+195) both won outright, leading to a bottom line of +0.57 units for the week.

5 upset predictions

Below you’ll find 5 upset picks for this week. Included is the best market price from a variety of sports betting apps based on the latest college football odds:

Florida over Tennessee

I’m still not sure the market has caught up to just how bad Tennessee’s defense is this season. Some models like SP+ still have some preseason priors baked in, so the Vols rank 56th in defensive SP+ this year entering Week 13. But metrics that are limited to this season paint a much darker picture. Per Game on Paper, Tennessee’s defense ranks 113th in EPA-per-play allowed and 124th in defensive success rate.

I saw enough out of Florida last week to believe that the Gators haven’t quit quite yet. This Florida offense is certainly capable of making big plays, as we saw in Oxford last week. The Florida defense should get a nice boost with Caleb Banks set to return this week, too. I think Florida will be ready to go for this home game and Tennessee could be in trouble in The Swamp.

Pick: Florida +165 (via BetMGM)

USC over Oregon

This pick is a product of me being lower on Oregon than the consensus. The Ducks are the better overall team and they’re at home, but I do think USC can cause some problems in this matchup. I think USC has the quarterback advantage and the Trojans will be highly motivated — a win would put them in serious contention to earn a College Football Playoff berth for the first time under Lincoln Riley. I think this game could end up being significantly closer than the markets currently suggest.

Pick: USC +305 (via Fanatics)

Pittsburgh over Georgia Tech

Give me Pitt in a bounce-back spot after getting crushed by Notre Dame this past week. The Panthers have a good team, but playing the Fighting Irish was a bit too much to ask of true freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel. Georgia Tech’s defense has been horrendous for most of this season and the Yellow Jackets have a rivalry game against Georgia on deck. It’s not a true look-ahead spot because GT has no path to the Playoff if it doesn’t beat Pittsburgh. But I’m more optimistic about Pitt heading into late November than I am about Georgia Tech.

Pick: Pittsburgh +120 (via bet365)

Cincinnati over BYU

The Bearcats are coming off of back-to-back losses to Utah and Arizona. The latter of those defeats came at home and was bitterly disappointing, as it knocked Cincy out of the top 25. Cincinnati does still have a path to the Big 12 Championship Game, though, and I do think we get a better effort from the Bearcats this week against a BYU team that has struggled at times on the road this season. I think BYU is a bit overrated by the polls — it comes into this game ranked 11th in the AP Poll but 22nd in SP+. I think Cincy has a good chance to win outright.

Pick: Cincinnati +115 (via BetMGM)

Stanford over Cal

Both Stanford and Cal are off a bye this week. The Cardinal have been consistently competitive in the face of adversity this season. There’s a long way to go, but I like what Andrew Luck seems to be building out there from a culture standpoint. Cal beat Louisville in overtime last time out and will certainly have the QB advantage in this game, but the Golden Bears have been pretty volatile this season game-to-game. I Stanford’s prospects are being underrated here.

Pick: Stanford +130 (via bet365)

Spenser Davis

Saturday Down South • November 18, 2025 at 10:07pm

Pick

Odds

AwayTeam

Moneyline

CFB • USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks

305 on Fanatics

SCHEDULED • 11/22/2025

Betslip #1763503669698-16bd-293

The post Predicting 5 upsets for Week 13 of the 2025 college football season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

CFP chair gives befuddling reason for ranking Notre Dame over Miami

Derek Peterson — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 15:09:38 +0000

In the latest College Football Playoff Top 25, released Tuesday night by the CFP selection committee, Notre Dame is ranked 4 spots ahead of Miami.

The Irish are 8-2 on the season, sitting at No. 9 in the ranking. If the regular season ended today, the Irish would be in the field. The Hurricanes are also 8-2, though they sit back at No. 13.

“I think when you look at Notre Dame and Miami, we really compare the losses of those 2 teams,” selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek said to ESPN Tuesday night. “Miami has lost to 2 unranked teams. Notre Dame has lost to 2 teams that are ranked in our top 13.”

There’s only one small problem with that logic.

One of those 2 Notre Dame losses? That was to Miami.

“We really haven’t compared those 2 teams,” Yurachek said. “They haven’t been in similar comparative pools to date.”

What?

Yurachek, who is also the Arkansas athletic director, suggested that Notre Dame and Miami are so far apart from each other in the committee’s estimation that a head-to-head result doesn’t even come into play.

The selection committee ranks teams in voting blocks, looking at pods of teams at a time. Miami isn’t in Notre Dame’s orbit, so there’s no reason for the committee to compare the 2 teams, according to the committee.

“But Miami is creeping up into that range where they will be compared to Notre Dame if something happens above them,” Yurachek said.

Miami is still in the field based on the current batch of rankings. The Hurricanes would land the No. 11 seed. But, with a very slim chance to make the ACC title game, the Hurricanes would be in real danger if a bid thief emerged during conference championship weekend. They aren’t a lock; Notre Dame seems to be.

And, based on Yurachek’s statements Tuesday night on ESPN, Miami can’t really change that unless teams in front of it trip up.

The post CFP chair gives befuddling reason for ranking Notre Dame over Miami appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Betting Stuff: Best bets for Week 13 of the 2025 college football season

Derek Peterson — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0000

As always, fade accordingly.

The best price at the time of publication is listed in parentheses, but shop around at any of your preferred sports betting apps.

Last week: 1-2
2025 season: 12-25-1
2024 season: 33-37

Week 13 schedule, odds

SDS is your one-stop shop this season, with live, up-to-date college football odds. You can find point spreads, game totals, and money line odds for every Week 13 game below.

SMU -2.5 vs. Louisville (-122 via FanDuel)

Louisville has lost back-to-back games to drop out of the ACC title race. The offense hasn’t looked right for weeks. Plus, you have to consider who comes to town next week. SMU, meanwhile, has surged to 5 wins in 6 games. They need help, but the Mustangs can force their way back to Charlotte for a second consecutive season if they win out and receive a couple of breaks.

SMU is equipped to keep the tires of the Cardinals’ offense spinning. While the Mustangs give up a ton of chunk gains that lead to red-zone opportunities for the opposition, they don’t usually break after bending. Only Ohio State and Indiana allow a lower touchdown rate on red-zone trips than SMU (36.8%), and those 2 have combined to face fewer red-zone trips (35) than the SMU defense has (38). A third of the red-zone possessions teams have had against SMU end without points. The Mustangs lead the nation in takeaways (26) and passes defended (72). They also rank in the top 25 for tackles for loss (67).

That is a big red flag for Louisville. Quarterback Miller Moss has 7 interceptions on the season — at least 1 in 5 of his last 7 games. He has 16 turnover-worthy plays. And he made some not-so-savory comments about the Louisville locker room after the Cards’ loss to Clemson last week. Look for SMU, off a bye, to push some buttons and further exacerbate the Louisville offensive woes.

Georgia Tech-Pitt total over 61.5 points (-115 via DraftKings)

Situationally, this feels like a good spot for both teams to figure things out on offense. Pitt was a disaster last week against Notre Dame — its first bad showing on the side of the ball since turning to Mason Heintschel at quarterback. Now, the Panthers go against a Tech defense that gave up 48 points to NC State in its first loss of the season and followed that stunner up by allowing 34 points to Boston College. The Yellow Jackets generate stops on less than 60% of the drives they face in part because they are constantly hit with huge gainers. In 10 games, opposing offenses have hit 29 plays of at least 30 yards. Only 4 FBS defenses have allowed more.

Because of the offense, the Yellow Jackets are still very much in the thick of the ACC Championship discussion, though. Tech is 6-1 in league play. Beating Pitt in this spot would send the Yellow Jackets to Charlotte for the title game, thus putting them on the doorstep of the College Football Playoff. Given the state of the ACC and the résumé for Tech, this game matters more than the regular-season finale against Georgia, and I’d look for Tech to leave it all on the field against the Panthers.

Pitt’s defense has given up at least 30 in 5 of the last 8 games. Good teams have given the Panthers fits. This could be a 34-31, last-team-with-the-ball-wins kind of game.

Notre Dame -13.5 second-half spread vs. Syracuse (-120 via DraftKings)

The Fighting Irish need style points to strengthen their CFP case in the eyes of the committee. That means rolling a Syracuse team that has lost 6 straight games. The Orange have one of the poorer defenses in all of college football (6.2 yards per play allowed, 118th nationally), and that has led to their undoing in the second halves of games.

In the 38-10 loss to Miami the last time out, Syracuse gave up 24 points in the second half. During the losing streak, Syracuse has allowed an average of 16.7 second-half points and been outscored in 5 of 6 overall. Part of Notre Dame’s charm is that it chokes the life out of teams. Over their last 8 games, the Irish are plus-119 in the second half, including plus-41 in the fourth quarter. They average close to 20 second-half points, and they’ve only given up 2 fourth-quarter touchdowns.

With 7 losses already on the season, Syracuse is out of the bowl picture. The run defense has been leaky all year. If Notre Dame doesn’t put the game away in the first half, it should sprint away from Syracuse in the second half.

Derek Peterson

Saturday Down South • November 18, 2025 at 4:34pm

Pick

Odds

Over +61.5

Over/Under

CFB • Pittsburgh Panthers @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

-115 on DraftKings

SCHEDULED • 11/23/2025

Betslip #1763483682786-a44e-277

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Mississippi State lands 2026 pledge from Louisiana lineman

Derek Peterson — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:41:04 +0000

Mississippi State landed a commitment on Wednesday from New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr offensive lineman Leon Noil Jr.

A 3-star prospect from the 2026 class, Noil announced his decision on social media Wednesday morning. Noil had previously committed to Nebraska back in June, but he backed off that pledge on Sunday and reopened his recruitment. Mississippi State, which hosted him for a visit earlier in the summer, wasted little time getting him into its class.

What can i say…HAILSTATE #HOME pic.twitter.com/Db9d2OoQEh
— Leon Noil Jr (@leonnoiljr) November 19, 2025

Noil is a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman with some scheme versatility to move around along a team’s front. He played left tackle for Edna Karr’s state championship squad as a junior, but could move inside at the next level.

In the industry-generated 247 Composite, Noil ranks as the No. 29 prospect from the state of Louisiana. 247Sports lists him among the 2026 class’s interior offensive linemen; he’s ranked No. 73 at the position. Overall, he sits at No. 926 in the class.

His pledge brings Mississippi State up to 23 known commits for the 2026 cycle. The class ranks 46th in the country. The Bulldogs will be looking to make a push over the final month leading into the early signing period. Though they’ve shown progress on the field in Year 2 under Jeff Lebby, their second signing class is tracking slightly behind last year’s group. The 2025 high school signing class for MSU ranked in the top 30 nationally.

You can see Noil’s highlight tape below, via Hudl:

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If you’re among the fanbases who’ll miss out on Lane Kiffin, here are 5 stats to help you cope

Connor O'Gara — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I’ve got some breaking news on Lane Kiffin. It’s the type of news that will upset plenty of people, and it’ll be considered the type of development that’ll make it hard to be optimistic about 2026.

Kiffin is about to upset 2 SEC fanbases.

Well, we’re assuming Kiffin doesn’t go rogue and take the Penn State job, or decide that he’s taking his talents to the moon (I hear the boosters are even crazier there than the ones we’ve got on earth). In the likely event that Kiffin can’t coach at Florida, LSU and Ole Miss, at least 2 SEC fanbases are about to get their hearts broken. And hey, let’s throw Auburn in there for fun. After all, that’s the job that Kiffin nearly took until his daughter, Landry, put together the sentimental slideshow that changed history.

Ultimately, someone will come up short in their pitch of Kiffin, who reportedly has until the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28 to decide if he’s staying at Ole Miss (he’s since denied that he is on a deadline). They’ll be wondering how he turned down their ideal situation where he could’ve been a legend. Apply that jaded sentiment to any of those aforementioned SEC teams.

But as Kiffin steers directly into a recruitment unlike any in recent memory, I thought I’d help with the inevitable coping that’ll be needed to stomach such a loss.

These 5 anti-Kiffin stats will help with that:

1. Kiffin has 1 true road win vs. a Power Conference AP Top 25 team since the SEC expanded to 14 teams

That’s right. I said 14 teams, not 16. Since the start of 2012, Kiffin’s lone true road win vs. a Power Conference AP Top 25 team came a few weeks ago at No. 13 Oklahoma. Yes, he also beat a ranked Tulane team on the road in Sept. 2023, though that was with the Green Wave playing a backup quarterback. In the last 14 seasons (including this one), Kiffin is 2-12 vs. AP Top 25 teams in true road games.

In that stretch, Billy Napier was 1-14 in those matchups as an FBS head coach, and Sam Pittman was 1-13. That’s extremely similar to Kiffin, though with a different price tag. Just for a little perspective, even Steve Sarkisian is 7-10 in those spots since 2012, and Josh Heupel, who always gets reminded about his road issues, is 4-8 in those spots. Shoot, even Kalen DeBoer is 8-2 lifetime vs. AP Top 25 teams in true road games.

If you’re getting paid 8 figures on an annual basis like Kiffin figures to with this inevitable new contract that he’ll sign — he’s currently making $9 million annually — your legacy is defined by whether you can win those types of games. There are 25 active FBS coaches with at least 3 wins vs. AP Top 25 teams in true road games, and Kiffin isn’t one of them.

That’ll be a major trend for him to flip wherever he coaches in 2026.

2. Kiffin has never started and finished as an AP Top 10 team

Two times, Kiffin led a team that started in the top 10. The 2012 USC squad infamously went from preseason No. 1 to falling to 7-6 after a loss in the Sun Bowl, while the 2024 Ole Miss squad started No. 6 and posted top-3 finishes in scoring offense and scoring defense, but lost 3 games by a combined 13 points and missed the 12-team Playoff.

Kiffin had 3 teams start as top-15 teams, and they went a combined 25-14 with 2 unranked finishes. Sure, 2 of those were at USC, who had more roster limitations post-NCAA sanctions than the casual fan (or even USC decision makers) might care to acknowledge, but this is perhaps the most important question to ask if and when Kiffin makes his decision for 2026.

How will he handle massive expectations?

That’s what’ll follow him wherever he goes. To this point in his career, he’s been better at exceeding a low bar than meeting a high one, which is perhaps why he’s been such a godsend at Ole Miss, where he became the first coach in program history to deliver 3 consecutive 10-win seasons. He’s got 4 such seasons in Oxford, and 3 of them were with teams who didn’t even start in the top 20 of the AP Poll.

Kirby Smart has 7 consecutive seasons of starting and finishing as an AP Top 10 team, while Ryan Day has done that 6 times (he’ll make it 7 this year). Dabo Swinney did it 6 times at Clemson, and fellow top-dollar coaches like Dan Lanning, Marcus Freeman and Sarkisian have each done it once. It’s the type of thing that next-tier coaches like Mario Cristobal and Heupel haven’t quite been able to do yet. Brian Kelly couldn’t do it at LSU, which is ultimately why that job is vacant. Sometimes, that’s still not enough. James Franklin has done it twice, and he got the boot.

Kiffin’s ability (or inability) to do this will define the next chapter of his career.

3. In 14 seasons as a head coach, Jaxson Dart leads Kiffin-produced quarterbacks with 17 career NFL touchdowns

Also of note, Dart is a rookie who wasn’t QB1 to start the season, and he’s also injured. It took less than half a season for Dart to best previous NFL touchdowns leader among Kiffin-produced quarterbacks, Matt Barkley, who had 12 career scores as a journeyman backup. In other words, Dart is already the best NFL QB that Kiffin produced in 14 years as a head coach.

What does it matter if Kiffin just cranks out elite offenses, you ask? It’s a fair question. After all, if Kiffin can take a Division II transfer like Trinidad Chambliss and turn him into a Heisman Trophy candidate, who cares if he isn’t lining up NFL quarterbacks like Lincoln Riley? Plus, if Dart succeeds in the NFL, doesn’t that push back against the notion that Kiffin’s scheme is too college-centric for a quarterback to make that transition at the next level?

Yep, that’s totally fair. But ask yourself this — wouldn’t Kiffin be more attractive to decorated high school and portal quarterbacks if there wasn’t any discourse about that?

Kiffin’s last 5-star quarterback he signed was Max Browne in 2013. He inherited Matt Corral and he signed Dart from USC out of the portal after he flashed as a true freshman, albeit for a Trojans squad who had a lame duck coaching staff. At Ole Miss, Kiffin hasn’t really both signed and developed a high school quarterback recruit. Once, that was supposed to be Marcel Reed, then he flipped to Texas A&M just before National Signing Day in 2023. Then, it was supposed to be Austin Simmons, but when he got his shot earlier this season as a redshirt sophomore, multiple first-quarter interceptions in his first 2 starts and an ankle injury opened the door for Chambliss.

Again, Kiffin’s quarterbacks all produce. That’s not the knock. The knock is that he can’t really sit with a decorated high school quarterback recruit and sell that NFL path.

4. At Ole Miss, he’s 4-12 when his teams are held to 25 points or less

Even Riley is 5-8 when his teams have been held to 25 points or less in the 2020s. It’s essentially the same mark as offensive-minded coaches like Heupel (4-13) and Kenny Dillingham (5-13). It makes sense given their background that there’s a certain style of game that Kiffin would prefer to win that would differ from the defensive-minded Smart, who is 9-6 when his team has been held to 25 or less in the 2020s. That’s obvious.

(It’ll come as no surprise that Kirk Ferentz leads FBS with 18 wins when held to 25 points or less in the 2020s.)

And yes, it’s a positive that Kiffin’s Ole Miss teams are 50-7 when they score at least 26 points. You’ll take that all day, every day. That’s what you’re signing up for if you hire an elite offensive mind like Kiffin.

But to win at an elite level, you’d like to be able to win in a variety of ways. Ole Miss watched its Playoff dreams die in 2024 because it was stuck on 17 points in 2 of those losses, and when the Rebels were held to 26 in the overtime loss at LSU, that was after failing to score a second-half touchdown. It’s unrealistic to expect Kiffin to win 2/3 of his games without hitting 26 points like Nick Saban did in 17 seasons at Alabama, or like Day has since he took over at Ohio State in 2019. It is, however, realistic to expect Kiffin to get that number closer to .500, which is where the offensive-minded Jeff Brohm is (10-11 in those games in the 2020s).

Kiffin appears to have righted the defensive issues that plagued his first few seasons at Ole Miss. Now, he just has to be better at winning games when the offense isn’t humming.

5. He’s never coached in a Power Conference championship or a Playoff game, and every other 8-figure coach has done both

Well, with the exception of Bill Belichick. The whole “9 Super Bowl appearances as a head coach” sort of covers that.

Here’s the list of the other 8 coaches who made at least $10 million in 2025 (via USA Today):

Kirby Smart
Ryan Day
Lincoln Riley
Dabo Swinney
Steve Sarkisian
Dan Lanning
Kalen DeBoer
Brian Kelly

And yes, we need to mention that Kiffin’s 2011 USC squad would’ve accomplished that feat if not for the postseason ban from the Pete Carroll era NCAA sanctions. That needs to be mentioned here because it was indeed the preamble for the aforementioned 2012 USC squad that earned a preseason No. 1 ranking. We also need to mention that Kiffin’s current squad is also on the brink of a Playoff berth, and it still will have an outside (but unlikely) shot at reaching the SEC Championship Game, which is something Ole Miss has never done in the 33-year history of the event.

But it’s a stat worth referencing because Kiffin is likely going to have to make that destination decision before we ever see him on that stage. Being on that stage as an assistant, like he was at USC and Alabama, is entirely different than competing for a conference title or in the Playoff. It’s not that Kiffin is destined to shrink in those moments. It’s that there’s not even a sample size to project that. He’s coached in 2 BCS/New Year’s 6 Bowls, 1 of which saw Corral suffer a game-ending injury in the 1st quarter, and the other was a blowout win vs. Penn State in the 2023 Peach Bowl.

If Kiffin leaves Ole Miss, he’ll be judged on whether he can win a title. Period. If he stays at Ole Miss, he’ll still be defined by reaching new heights like reaching the Playoff and perhaps advancing to the semifinals.

Whatever Kiffin chooses will be seen as a massive victory for that fanbase, and understandably so. He’s earned that right after reestablishing himself as one of the top coaches in the sport.

But maybe not all is lost for the fanbase(s) who misses out on the top prize.

The post If you’re among the fanbases who’ll miss out on Lane Kiffin, here are 5 stats to help you cope appeared first on Saturday Down South.

CFP chair slams Alabama’s rushing offense as reason for big fall in rankings

Sydney Hunte — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:03:55 +0000

College Football Playoff selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek oversaw his first Top 25 rankings reveal on Tuesday, days after Mack Rhoades stepped aside from the role after taking a leave of absence as Baylor’s AD.

One of the matters discussed by the committee was where Alabama should be placed after its Week 12 loss at home to Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide was ranked No. 4 in the first two rankings. In Tuesday’s rankings, they fell to No. 10, still projected to get in as an at-large team if they run the table — including a road Iron Bowl against Auburn.

Part of the Tide’s drop was an inability to get the running game going, Yurachek said in the post-rankings reveal teleconference. They ran the ball 33 times for just 80 yards, with Daniel Hill finishing with 15 carries for 60 yards. Take his longest run (28 yards) out of the equation, though, and that’s 14 attempts for 32 yards.

That’s been consistent theme for the Tide this season, as Yurachek noted.

“You go back and look at Alabama’s game at South Carolina, where they scored two touchdowns late to win that game (and) the next game against LSU … They won both of those but didn’t rush the ball for 100 yards,” Yurachek said, according to AL.com’s Mike Rodak. “Again, against Oklahoma, (Alabama) was not able to move the ball on the ground.”

Yurachek, continued on Alabama: "You go back and look at Alabama’s game at South Carolina where they scored two touchdowns late to win that game. The next game against LSU where they won both of those but didn’t rush the ball for 100 yards. Again, against Oklahoma, was not able… https://t.co/0fZNtG4T8U
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) November 19, 2025

Alabama, at 108.7 yards per game, has the third-worst rushing offense in the SEC. Only 13 teams in FBS have averaged a lower total. Should the Tide make the College Football Playoff, their inability to consistently run the football could equal a short stay.

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LSU quarterback Michael Van Buren comments on future plans: ‘I love it here’

Cory Nightingale — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:01:36 +0000

LSU quarterback Michael Van Buren is getting the chance to play down the stretch in 2025 as Garrett Nussmeier recovers from an injury.

Van Buren made his first career collegiate start in Nussmeier’s place last Saturday against Arkansas, and he got to do it in front of those crazy fans at Death Valley. It wasn’t pretty, but Van Buren got it done in his first shot in the spotlight, helping LSU rally for a 23-22 victory that snapped a 3-game losing streak. Amid the firing of head coach Brian Kelly and the injury woes of Nussmeier, who began the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate, Van Buren is just trying to make the most of his unlikely chance.

And, by the way, he made clear on Tuesday that he wants to stay exactly where he’s at right now. Van Buren completed passes to 8 different receivers on Saturday and went 21 of 31 for 221 yards passing, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions. He also ran it 10 times for 36 yards, and by Tuesday’s comments to Cory Diaz, who covers LSU for the USA Today Sports Network, he’s looking forward to many more Saturdays wearing the LSU uniform.

When Van Buren was asked if he felt like he had a future in Baton Rouge, his answer was emphatic.

“Most definitely,” he told Diaz.

When a follow-up question asked Van Buren why he felt that way, he showered LSU with praise.

“I love it here in Baton Rouge,” Van Buren said. “I love the place, Tiger Stadium. Everything about this place. That’s why I want to continue my career here.”

Visiting w/ Michael Van Buren now.

After this video, I asked him if he felt like there’s a future for him at #LSU.

“Most definitely.

Why?

“I love it here in Baton Rouge. I love the place, Tiger Stadium. Everything about this place. That’s why I want to continue my career here pic.twitter.com/sIQeaJurrT
— Cory Diaz (@ByCoryDiaz) November 19, 2025

With Nussmeier’s status going forward in question, Van Buren could get another opportunity to shine in front of the Tiger Stadium faithful this Saturday night against Western Kentucky. Kickoff is at 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network, and Van Buren just might be under center again when the Week 13 matchup begins.

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Alabama falling behind Notre Dame in the Playoff Poll? That’s a joke

Connor O'Gara — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:00:40 +0000

The College Football Playoff selection committee did the same thing on Tuesday that the Associated Press voters inexplicably did on Sunday. That is, rank Notre Dame at No. 9 ahead of Alabama at No. 10.

Both 2-loss teams would still make the Playoff if the season ended today. Inevitably, both fanbases will tell you “ignore the rankings and just win.” Sure. Teams can do that. Coaches can sell that.

As for the rest of us, well, we’re free to break down a significant development on Tuesday night.

Alabama losing to Oklahoma was inevitably going to drop the Tide below the Sooners within the top 10. Dropping Alabama below Notre Dame, who got a nice road win at 7-win Pitt in Week 12, made as much sense as whatever Pat Narduzzi said about the significance of facing the Irish with College GameDay in the house.

Don’t believe that? OK, here’s the not-so-blind résumé:

Wins vs. current Playoff 25: Alabama 4, Notre Dame 1
Wins vs. Power Conference bowl teams: Alabama 5, Notre Dame 2
Wins vs. current Playoff Top 10: Alabama 1, Notre Dame 0

Ah, but now is the part where Notre Dame fans jump in and tell me that Alabama got smashed at Florida State in Week 1, and that’s a much worse loss than anything on Notre Dame’s résumé. It’s definitely worse. We’ve also had multiple weeks of the selection committee treating Alabama as the top 1-loss team. It wasn’t as if the loss in Tallahassee was wiped off the slate, but there was some grace because of what the Tide did to make up for it since Week 1.

You know, like beat 4 consecutive AP Top 25 teams without any bye or rest. No team in SEC history had ever done that. Never mind the fact that those teams entered those matchups with 0-1 losses.

How have those historic 4 wins aged, you asked?

Well, Georgia is up to No. 4 with still just that lone home loss to Alabama, Vanderbilt is still in the hunt as a 2-loss team at No. 14 and Tennessee and Mizzou are 3-loss teams who are both still in the Playoff Poll at No. 20 and No. 22, respectively, heading into the 4th Saturday of November.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s best win is at home against 2-loss USC, who is still a spot behind Vanderbilt.

Ah, but now is there part where Notre Dame fans jump in and tell me about this unbelievable 8-game winning streak. As in, the one that finally included winning a road game against a Power Conference team who had … beaten another conference team. That one.

Even after wins over USC and mighty Pitt, the Power Conferences foes that Notre Dame beat are a combined 13-27 in conference play. In a not-so-stunning development, the Irish’s 2 losses came to the 2 highest-ranked teams it faced this year. Funny how that works. It’s almost as if playing favorable opponents and getting 5 weeks to lick your wounds after an 0-2 start helps. It’s a bit different than how Alabama was tasked with responding.

Oh, but the Tide lost to Oklahoma! That’s a sign of weakness!

Or, perhaps, it’s a sign that Alabama lost in a down-to-the-wire game that could’ve been flipped with a well-executed kick. Notre Dame can relate to that. We all watched how that Texas A&M game played out. Does the selection committee remember those 2 Notre Dame losses? Or is this just all about beating up on a bunch of teams outside the Top 25?

Remember that this weekend when Notre Dame fans and the anti-SEC crowd will post screen shots of Alabama’s matchup with Eastern Illinois. It’ll conveniently ignore that the Tide’s path to loss No. 2 was still far more daunting that the Notre Dame one the selection committee just gave the benefit of the doubt to.

But hey, it’ll all sort itself out, right? Alabama currently sits at No. 10, which would be the last spot in the field if the Playoff started tomorrow (the ACC champ and Group of 5 champ would be put into the final top 12). There’s a chance that Alabama’s résumé doesn’t add anything more than a win against lowly Auburn, and tiebreakers could leave the Tide out of the SEC Championship Game. If 10-2 Alabama is idle during conference championship weekend like we know the Irish will be, those 2 teams are likely staying locked in. That could be Notre Dame getting to No. 8 and Alabama missing out on a home Playoff game at No. 9.

That would be backwards logic. The Irish have been living off it during these first 3 rankings.

It was bad enough that Notre Dame clocked in 8 spots ahead of Miami in the first Playoff ranking. The Irish have already been told by the selection committee that the head-to-head advantage wasn’t enough to block off Notre Dame’s path, even though the selection committee applied that logic to a variety of teams with the same number of losses, including Alabama and No. 8 Oklahoma.

This, however, was another sign that key metrics are being ignored by the selection committee, and it could have a significant impact on how this all shakes out.

Nobody will ever cry foul for Alabama after the unprecedented levels of success the Tide had. And yes, teams like 2017 and 2023 might’ve gotten the benefit of the doubt to make the 4-team field.

But this Alabama squad got its first raw deal of 2025 thanks to the luck of the Irish.

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