A QB masterclass and an epic close to Bedlam, Week 10 featured CFB’s best
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David Hale, ESPN Staff Writer
Two games featuring four top-20 teams kicked off at roughly the same time Saturday night, and for the better part of the next three-and-a-half hours, the four quarterbacks involved put on a master class of how the game should be played.
In Tuscaloosa, Jayden Daniels was a magician, but it was Jalen Milroe who delivered the most astonishing trick, completing his transformation from benchwarmer in Week 3 to utterly dominant in Week 10.
In Los Angeles, last year’s Heisman winner worked his own magic, but it was this year’s favorite to take home that hardware who delivered the win.
0:39
USC’s flea-flicker pays off for a 41-yard TD
Caleb Williams snags the pitch from Zachariah Branch and launches a beauty to Tahj Washington for a Trojans touchdown.
Never mind that Daniels’ day was cut short by a brutal hit from Dallas Turner. Never mind that Washington’s explosiveness came at the expense of USC’s abysmal defense. Never mind that the Tide and Huskies ultimately pulled away enough to erase any chance for late drama.
Like all great magic tricks, Saturday’s performances weren’t worth dissecting to figure out how they’re done. The enjoyment comes from simply sitting back and being amazed.
Milroe’s progress has been nothing short of astounding. He lost to Texas, was benched against USF, and for most of September, Alabama‘s title hopes seemed all but extinguished thanks to an offense without an answer at QB. And on Saturday, Milroe tallied 374 yards of offense and four touchdowns in a 42-28 win over rival LSU. How was this the same player?
Years from now, psychologists will study Nick Saban’s decision to bench Milroe after that early loss. It was an act of sheer brilliance, a move that allowed Milroe to both see he need not worry about looking over his shoulder while also forcing him to embrace his role as leader, pushing his team from the bench and earning the respect of every player on the field in the process. What other coach in the country would’ve had the guts to make that move? Saban is playing chess. Everyone else is playing Connect Four.
Michael Penix Jr. wasn’t even the centerpiece of Washington‘s offensive attack Saturday against USC. He threw for 256 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, but the mere threat of Penix’s arm made life a breeze for tailback Dillon Johnson, who rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns in the 52-42 win.
1:40
Dillon Johnson cooks USC for 256 yards and 4 TDs
Dillon Johnson runs circles around USC’s defense and scores four touchdowns to lead the Huskies to a 52-42 win.
How easy was it for Johnson? According to ESPN Stats & Information, he ran for 199 yards before first contact. We’d say it would be hard for a back to do that against 11 traffic cones, but that comparison might be giving USC’s defense too much credit.
In his loss, Daniels showed he belongs in the Heisman discussion — and perhaps should be at the forefront of it — but his late injury hurts the cause, and LSU’s third loss makes the case a long shot.
In his loss, Caleb Williams saw yet another brilliant performance undercut by Alex Grinch’s defense. Grinch has become Bizzaro Brian Ferentz, and it’s hard to envision a scenario in which he escapes a similar fate. (Though we’d give anything to see the movable force of USC’s D take on the stoppable object of Iowa‘s offense before the two ride off into the sunset.)
In all, Milroe, Penix, Williams and Daniels combined to complete 70% of their throws, tallied more than 1,300 yards and accounted for 14 touchdowns. It was like watching Michelangelo, DaVinci, Picasso and the woman who made that Tom Brady courtroom sketch all take to the canvas together.
It’s certainly possible the 2023 season will deliver another game or two that inspire such awe, but the odds are slim. Saturday’s fireworks were something special, something some fans (cough, cough … we’re looking at you, Big Ten) go decades without experiencing.
There were clear playoff implications involved here, and there were genuine questions raised about whether Alabama or Washington could weather the storm that remains on their schedules. But all of that is conversation for another day.
On Saturday, there was only the sheer exhilaration of four men doing their job just about as well as it can be done.
An epic close to Bedlam
A Heisman contender put on a show. A man named Stoops was everywhere. Both QBs threw for more than 300 yards. Mike Gundy slicked back his hair and donned a pair of sunglasses to look like a grizzled old fighter pilot called out of retirement for one last mission.
This was Bedlam: Endgame.
1:20
Oklahoma State storms the field after upsetting Oklahoma
Oklahoma State fans storm the field after upsetting Oklahoma 27-24.
There have been better, bigger showdowns in the rivalry, of course, but none that came with quite the stakes of Saturday’s final installment. Yes, both teams were ranked in the top 25 and both had conference title aspirations. And on both sides, there were genuine star turns. But what really mattered, more than the records or the rankings or the championship repercussions was this: The winner stays the winner — now, next year and for the foreseeable future.
On Saturday, Oklahoma State — long cast as the little brother — sent big brother off with a swift kick in the rear.
So of course Cowboys fans charged the field as Drake Stoops was wrangled short of the line to gain on fourth down. It was his 12th catch of the game, and it wasn’t enough. “Happy Trails to You” echoed over the sound system, and Oklahoma slinked off into a future in the SEC with a loss to the Pokes etched eternally on their souls.
And of course Alan Bowman hugged every offensive lineman he could find when Oklahoma State’s 27-24 win was secured. He was part of a QB carousel that included Garret Rangel, Gunnar Gundy and possibly a few guys Mike Gundy found asleep outside Eskimo Joe’s, but he emerged as the clear starter after an embarrassing loss to South Alabama and helped turn the Pokes’ season around.
And without question, the Heisman conversation must now include Ollie Gordon, who carried the ball 33 times for 137 yards, scoring twice. Gordon got three carries in that loss to South Alabama. Since then, he has had 120 yards or more in every game. Saturday was actually a step back for him, as he battled an injury and a ferocious Oklahoma front but willed himself down the field, carry after carry. It wasn’t pretty. It was just emphatic.
Earlier this week, Gundy lamented a time when the Bedlam rivalry was ugly and brutal on the field, when he and Brian Bosworth took turns spitting in each other’s faces — which, in fairness, was considered a formal greeting throughout much of the mid-1980s in Oklahoma.
Mike Gundy said Bedlam used to be more a rivalry, back before social media.
“It was a rivalry then. Bosworth spit in my face and I spit in his.” pic.twitter.com/aQh7VUZkQz
— The REF (@KREFsports) October 30, 2023
This time around, the trash talk was done in the media, with former Oklahoma State D-lineman Trace Ford, who transferred to Oklahoma, trashing Gundy, the Cowboys, and Oklahoma State fans, whom he said were “bandwagoners for sure.”
Well, the bandwagon is bursting at the seams now, while Oklahoma’s seems to have broken down somewhere on the side of I-40.
In Norman, they’ll talk about the frustrating penalties — including a 15-yarder on Brent Venables, who might have invented several new epithets to call the officials on what proved to be the winning touchdown drive for Oklahoma State. They’ll talk, too, about the non-call on what looked like a textbook pass interference against Stoops in the end zone on a drive that ended with a field goal. They’ll talk about the final throw, that Stoops corralled well short of a first down. They’ll talk about what might’ve been if Oklahoma hadn’t melted down in each of the past two weeks to watch championship aspirations disappear into the ether.
And then they’ll never speak of this again.
Mike Gundy said he goes home after games and drinks a Diet Coke and watches other teams with a Big Chief notebook and a crayon. When asked what his favorite flavor of Diet Coke was, he said, “Well, I love whiskey.”
— Dave Wilson (@dwil) November 5, 2023
In Stillwater, however, Saturday’s Bedlam finale is destined to become legend, a story passed from generation to generation until, at least, another installment comes to fruition. Because it doesn’t matter that Oklahoma won 91 of the 117 previous meetings. The Cowboys won this one, the last one, the one that will remain as sweet as an Ollie Gordon jump cut until the college football gods — or Oklahoma’s AD — breathes life into the rivalry once more.
Texas, Ohio State tested
Oh, what chaos might’ve been in Saturday’s early slate. Ohio State spent much of Saturday afternoon flummoxed by Rutgers‘ defense and unable to corral Kyle Monangai. Texas jumped out to a big lead, then handed Kansas State one chance after another after another.
The No. 1 team was on the ropes.
The No. 7 team saw its playoff hopes flickering.
And in the end, the favorites clung to victory like so many loose opossums.
thinking about the legend pic.twitter.com/UwIswipWJj
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) November 3, 2023
The committee rewarded the Buckeyes by placing them atop the first playoff rankings last week, in spite of their repeated offensive hiccups. The obvious counterargument was that Ohio State had played quality opponents and still won. On Saturday, however, Kyle McCord looked lost for long stretches, relying almost exclusively on Marvin Harrison Jr. in the red zone, and the Buckeyes finished with fewer than 400 yards of offense for the fifth time this season — something they’d done just four times total in the previous four seasons.
The committee considered Texas the second-best of the one-loss teams, providing the Longhorns with a pretty clear path to the playoff if they won out. And they had Saturday’s game against Kansas State well in hand, leading 27-7 in the final seconds of the third quarter. But Will Howard responded with three second-half TD passes, and Chris Tennant drilled a 45-yard field goal with 1 second left to send the game to overtime.
And yet, both survived, almost in spite of themselves.
Ohio State scored on a pick-six off a tipped ball and got 208 of its 328 yards from TreVeyon Henderson, including a 65-yard catch-and-run that was the dagger for Rutgers.
Texas overcame two Maalik Murphy interceptions largely because Kansas State botched two late kicks — one a PAT that would’ve given the Wildcats the lead and the other a short field goal.
And yet both remain contenders for a playoff berth because a win is a win.
Still, it’s hard not to have watched both games unfold, almost simultaneously, like college football’s version of a Jardiance commercial — confounding plot lines, sudden shifts in perspective, weirdly captivating. Was this good football? High drama? An important data point in an otherwise still mystifying season?
This is perhaps the real beauty of this season thus far. The flaws all seem so evident in the nation’s top teams — from QB concerns to marginal run games to ex-military operatives who may or may not have been wearing night vision goggles outside Ryan Day’s house earlier this year. But those flaws all seem to evaporate when the game is on the line, and chalk prevails.
The hope for Ohio State and Texas is that those battle wounds heal over, and the scars serve only as a reminder of how narrow the margins can be; that the tough wins make them stronger because every grueling, ugly victory is better than a loss.
Or perhaps the 2023 season is just saving its biggest moments for the very end, a twist buried deep into the final chapters when it’s revealed this whole song-and-dance was actually just a commercial shoot and the wardrobe people step in and — man, that Jardiance commercial is catchy.
Dabo Swinney spent 18 months selling commercial real estate before landing on Tommy Bowden’s staff at Clemson 20 years ago. He took time last week to reminisce about that time in his life, noting in the wake of Clemson’s 4-4 start and a revolt by fans — or, at least one of them in Spartanburg — that sometimes the lowest moments set the table for the greatest victories.
After Saturday’s 31-23 win over No. 15 Notre Dame, Swinney wasn’t talking about his old career. He was headlong into his new one as a financial adviser.
“If Clemson’s a stock,” Swinney shouted after the game, “you better buy all you freakin’ can buy!”
“If Clemson’s a stock, you better buy all you freakin’ can buy right now!”
Dabo was FIRED UP after taking down No. 15 Notre Dame ? pic.twitter.com/chfM7Oo66V
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2023
It was a mammoth win after a brutal two months to start the 2023 season.
The past week felt like either a turning point or an ending point for Swinney after he first ripped a caller into his radio show with “an Old Testament answer” then doubled down during his weekly media session saying he wouldn’t allow critics to “steal my joy.” Indeed, this was essentially Swinney’s “Eras Tour,” as he took fans through more than a decade of his greatest hits, from confounding analogies (“even healthy trees need pruning”) to vague threats (“you can apply for the job, and good luck to you”) to lamentations of the downfall of American culture (“our society today…”), and even sprinkled in a few grievance deep cuts along the way (“I worked my ass off every single day.”) Heck, he might have quoted “Shake It Off” a few times, too.
More than anything, however, Swinney referred back to his latest banger: It’s all about the turnovers. And Saturday proved he was right.
Clemson recovered a muffed punt and turned that into a touchdown, then saw Jeremiah Trotter Jr. return a pick-six that buried Notre Dame. With a half-dozen starters out for the game, Phil Mafah carried 36 times for 186 yards and two touchdowns, and Swinney won for the 166th time as Clemson’s head coach, moving him past Frank Howard for the most victories in program history.
For Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman, it was another brutal afternoon against his archnemesis. Hartman completed just 13 of 30 passes with two interceptions, finishing his college career with an 0-5 record against the Tigers. He’ll carry that burden the rest of his life, with only his NIL money, his Wake Forest degree, his awesome rib necklace, his amazing head of hair and his numerous ACC records to provide solace. He has our deepest sympathies.
But if the game was a brutal ending for Hartman against Clemson, it felt like a new beginning for the Tigers. Eight years ago, Clemson beat Notre Dame at home and it was the spark in a season that ended with Swinney throwing a pizza party for the entire fan base. Saturday’s win was a big one, too, and it could end with Swinney ordering a dozen pizzas to be delivered to Tyler in Spartanburg’s house at 3 a.m.
Top teams keep rolling
A quick recap of Michigan‘s week:
Jim Harbaugh insulted house plants because he was once offended by a fern wearing an Ohio State hat.
Connor Stalions resigned his post as director of covert oper– ah, graduate assistant. Yeah, that’s it.
Big Ten athletic directors pressured commissioner Tony Petitti to deliver some righteous fury as punishment for the thing for which Michigan has yet to be formally convicted.
A Michigan fan site suggested the spying allegations are all a result of a top-secret investigation by Ryan Day’s brother, who might also just have been Ryan Day wearing a top hat and sunglasses.
Michigan’s president sent a letter to Petitti asking how many Ts are supposed to be in his name and also not to jump to any conclusions about the spying.
From inside his lair hidden deep inside Mt. Rushmore, Harbaugh inched ever closer to acquiring yet another Infinity Stone.
And the Wolverines beat Purdue 41-13 because the Boilermakers are awful and definitely not because Hudson Card is actually a deep-state plant who has actually been working for the Wolverines for the past nine years.
Anyway, we hope Mr. Stalions enjoyed the New Mexico game Saturday.
Lmao New Mexico ?? pic.twitter.com/1wi6Uwjk56
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 5, 2023
Jordan Travis‘ 360 yards passing and two touchdowns helped secure a 24-7 Florida State win over Pitt that secured an ACC championship game berth for the Seminoles — their first since 2014. The win did come with a bit of controversy as Pitt tight end Gavin Bartholomew was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct while on the sideline as the Panthers were driving deep into FSU territory in the third quarter, trailing by just 3. What Bartholomew said to warrant the flag remained a mystery, but we’re assuming he told the refs that putting French fries on a turkey club was a completely normal thing to do. Regardless, FSU did snap a 14-game streak of scoring at least 30 points, which, given that the committee seems to find the Seminoles interesting only if they win by 100, seems like a real red flag.
Big man Nazir Stackhouse showed off his speed on a game-clinching interception, and the tandem of Carson Beck and Ladd McConkey helped fend off a strong effort from Missouri to keep Georgia undefeated with a 30-21 win. Then the law firm of Beck and McConkey helped several people with a structured settlement get cash immediately.
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Big man intercepts Mizzou late in the 4th to give Georgia the ball back
Nazir Stackhouse intercepts Brady Cook and returns it inside Georgia territory short of a touchdown.
Oregon demolished Cal 63-19 behind a six-touchdown performance from Bo Nix. Of course, there’s no way the Ducks QB can keep up this pace moving forward … and, no, sorry we’re being told he plays USC’s defense next week. He might hang 100 on it.
Louisville took a big step toward an appearance in the ACC title game with a dominant 34-3 win over Virginia Tech. The Cardinals’ D was tremendous, holding the Hokies to just 140 total yards — 2.7 yards per play — and 2-of-12 on third- and fourth-down tries. Meanwhile, Wisconsin transfer Isaac Guerendo rushed 11 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Louisville is now 5-1 in ACC play, putting it a game up on six different teams with two league losses. It owns head-to-head wins over five of them. Louisville can clinch next week with a win over Virginia and a North Carolina loss to Duke.
Heisman Five
Trying to sort out the Heisman race before November has usually been a fool’s errand, but we’ve reached November and this year’s race remains arguably as chaotic as any in recent memory. There are at least seven or eight players with genuine cases, and Saturday’s games only bolstered those cases across the board. So, who do we have? Please burn these after reading. We don’t want to be accountable for this when we change our mind later.
1. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Saturday’s game wasn’t Harrison’s most prolific. He had just 25 yards receiving against an impressive Rutgers secondary. But two of his catches went for touchdowns, which were absolutely critical for a Buckeyes offense that looked flummoxed at times.
2. Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon II
After three straight games topping 250 yards of offense, Bedlam was bound to be a step back for Gordon, who ran for only 137 yards and two touchdowns. We’re choosing to overlook this embarrassing performance because he has bragging rights in the state for the rest of his life.
3. Florida State QB Jordan Travis
Travis racked up 360 yards through the air and accounted for two touchdowns against Pitt, despite FSU missing both of its top two receivers, Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman. Instead, Travis found 5-foot-9 Ja’Khi Douglas, who had just 36 yards on the season entering play, six times for 115 yards. It was more offense than the city of Pittsburgh had seen all fall.
4. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
Since his win over Oregon, Penix’s passing numbers have been a tad pedestrian: 64% completions, six TDs, four interceptions. And yet, he has made plays when he needed to, helping keep the Huskies undefeated, and defenses have clearly adjusted, opening holes for a Washington ground game that has rushed for nearly 600 yards and nine touchdowns in that span.
5. LSU QB Jayden Daniels
Here’s hoping he’s healthy enough to get back on the field next week against Florida, in part because we want to see his Heisman case live on and in part because we want to see what happens if Florida has to beat Florida State in Week 13 to get bowl eligible.
Aggies’ road woes continue
For much of Saturday, Texas A&M seemed destined to pull off a shocker against No. 10 Ole Miss.
The Rebels were on the precipice of a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter when Jacoby Mathews returned a blocked field goal try 75 yards for a touchdown. Ole Miss still was up 14 midway through the third quarter when the Aggies went on a run behind Max Johnson, who threw one TD pass to brother Jake and ran for another. But Quinshon Judkins‘ 1-yard run with 1:40 to go proved the difference, and the Rebels won 38-35.
The loss adds more fuel under Jimbo Fisher’s increasingly hot seat. Setting aside the COVID-impacted 2020 season, he’s now 22-23 against Power 5 foes since taking over at A&M in 2018, including a disastrous 3-15 mark on the road.
So, if you’re in the College Station area and looking to save on a Christmas tree, now would be the time to start doing a few laps past Fisher’s house.
Battling for bowls
South Carolina finished 4-of-16 on third and fourth down, committed 10 penalties (for 100 yards), and managed just 89 yards on 38 rushes Saturday, trailing Jacksonville State by seven late in the third quarter, but finished the game on a 17-0 run — the last 10 of which came after Jacksonville State turnovers — to win the battle of the Gamecocks 38-28.
Spencer Rattler‘s 399 passing yards and four takeaways by the defense proved the difference in a win that narrowly keeps South Carolina’s bowl hopes alive and kept coach Shane Beamer from either injuring another foot kicking a Gatorade cooler or perhaps busting through the locker room wall like the Kool-Aid man.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Gamecocks, and South Carolina now has home games against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Clemson — and needs to win out to get bowl eligible.
Meanwhile, Nebraska had a chance to secure win No. 6 against woeful Michigan State on Saturday, but the Huskers couldn’t get any offense going in a 20-17 loss to the Spartans.
Florida, too, whiffed on a chance to get bowl eligible. The Gators fell behind Arkansas 14-0, fought back to tie at the end of the first quarter, then traded scores for the rest of the way — swinging from all-out surrender gator to Trevor Etienne‘s brilliance. Ultimately, Arkansas booted a 49-yard field goal to send the game to overtime, and KJ Jefferson‘s TD pass then clinched the 39-36 Hogs win.
Surrender Gator. pic.twitter.com/aJaSQuQmbX
— ??️♈️? (@ADavidHaleJoint) November 4, 2023
And somewhere, Dan Enos is firing up his burner account to send some incredibly pointed emails to new Arkansas playcaller Kenny Guiton.
In Week Zero, New Mexico State lost at home by 11 to UMass. In some countries, that is punishable by up to three years in prison. But credit to the Aggies, who have rebounded beautifully to win seven of their next eight games, including Saturday’s 13-7 victory over Middle Tennessee. New Mexico State’s D has held seven straight opponents to 24 points or fewer, and the Aggies’ ground game has been terrific, racking up 182 yards against the Blue Raiders. They’ve now topped 170 yards rushing in 13 straight games, the longest active streak in the country. More importantly, because the Aggies will play 13 regular-season games this season, they needed Saturday’s seventh victory to assure bowl eligibility.
West Virginia was picked to finish last in the Big 12, which riled up the locals about as much as anything since the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 and, we should add, also seems like a serious overestimation of how good Cincinnati would be. Regardless, CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White both topped 100 yards on the ground as West Virginia ran for 336 in a 37-7 route of BYU that ensures a far better finish than last place in conference play and a bowl bid.
Iowa wins, paint dries
Iowa announced offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz would depart at year’s end, which means we have only a few more weeks left to enjoy — is that the right word? — a performance like the Hawkeyes gave us Saturday against Northwestern.
The over/under for the game was 32.5, and there was never a chance the game would hit that total. The biggest drama was wondering just how low the score would be. In fact, here are Iowa officials digging through rock bottom looking for the Hawkeyes’ passing game.
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) November 4, 2023
Iowa held the ball for nearly 20 minutes in the first half, and it still had just 89 yards. NASA scientists are still trying to figure out how that’s possible.
Northwestern, meanwhile, largely played offense like a newborn deer taking its first steps.
Neither team averaged better than 5 yards per pass. Neither threw for more than 100 yards. Neither topped 170 yards of total offense. Both required wellness checks after the third quarter to make sure everyone was still conscious.
Northwestern’s first eight drives ended with punts before a huge breakthrough midway through the fourth quarter when the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs. It was thrilling. Then things got really interesting. After an Iowa punt — usually an optimal play call for the Hawkeyes — Northwestern drove a whopping 22 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 7 with just 1:50 to play.
Fans around the world were terrified that the game would go to overtime, where the two teams would then play indefinitely until either someone scored again or the sun burned itself out and the world ended. Apocalypse was +240 in the Las Vegas live odds.
But miraculously, Deacon Hill completed two passes — a new Iowa record for a single drive — and the Hawkeyes drilled a 52-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining to win 10-7.
Iowa is now 7-2 and poised to make the Big Ten title game despite warnings from the FDA that consuming Hawkeyes offense can cause delusions, nausea and night terrors.
An ugly loss, a wild win
The last winless team in the FBS finally got a W.
One of the final remaining undefeated teams took a loss in horrifying fashion.
It was as if Sam Houston and Air Force swapped personnel in some sort of “Freaky Friday” situation in Week 10, with one team getting its first taste of victory and the other fumbling away a rivalry game and a shot at a New Year’s Six bowl.
In what might be the most embarrassing Air Force effort since “Iron Eagle 3,” the Falcons lost 23-3 to Army in a game in which the Falcons couldn’t get out of their own way. Air Force had 12 possessions in the game. Two ended with interceptions, four in fumbles, two in failed fourth-down tries, two in punts and one in a missed field goal. After the game, they also left the keys to an F-15 Eagle at the Dippin’ Dots concession stand.
For Sam Houston, however, Saturday offered a small bit of bliss after an utterly demoralizing season. The Bearkats — the “K” is for “kan’t win” — came in 0-8, having lost four of their past five games by a TD or less. In fact, they lost three weeks ago after an FIU field goal with 5 seconds left sent the game to overtime, and last week on a field goal by UTEP with 1 second to play.
So what happened Saturday?
Sam Houston fell behind FCS Kennesaw State 21-7 at the half but fought its way back to tie with 3:49 to play. Three plays later, Da’Marcus Crosby picked off a pass, setting up a nine-play drive that ended with — you guessed it — a field goal as time expired.
0:15
Colby Sessums kicks 35-yard made field goal vs. Kennesaw State
Colby Sessums kicks 35-yard made field goal vs. Kennesaw State
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Sam Houston is now the first team in at least the past 20 years to play in three straight games in which there was a tying or winning field goal in the final 5 seconds.
The win was the first for Sam Houston since moving up to the FBS level, meaning its official membership card (which comes with 10% off any fines for field storming) and complimentary FBS windbreaker will arrive in the mail in the next four to six weeks.
Under-the-radar play of the week
Memphis moved to 7-2 on the season and 4-1 in ACC play with a win over South Florida in a game in which the two teams combined for 109 points — or, as it’s called in the Big Ten, a nice month.
Seth Hennigan and Byrum Brown combined for 706 passing yards and nine touchdowns through the air, but neither produced the game’s biggest pass play.
0:42
Tevin Carter connects for 85-yard TD pass
Tevin Carter connects for 85-yard TD pass
That honor belongs to Memphis backup QB Tevin Carter, who hit Roc Taylor (which seems like the name of a character in the old “Mike Tyson’s Punch Out” game), who sprinted down the sideline for an 85-yard touchdown.
To sum up:
Iowa threw 15 passes Saturday and had 65 yards.
Northwestern threw 19 passes and had 81 yards.
Carter had 85 on one throw.
Under-the-radar game of the week
Illinois looked cooked when it got the ball back, down 5 points to Minnesota, with 2:47 to play and its QB injured on the sideline.
Then Jake Paddock came out of the phone booth wearing a Superman outfit. (Metaphorically. It’s hard to avoid the pass rush when wearing a cape.)
Paddock completed all three of his throws on a six-play, 84-yard drive, including a 46-yard TD pass to Isaiah Williams to go up 27-26.
Illinois is 4-5 on the season with wins by 2, 6, 3 and 1.
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Adam Rittenberg
The wildest college football coaching cycle — perhaps ever — has reached the hiring phase.
Schools around the Power 4 that fired their coaches in the first two months of the season — or, in Stanford’s case, way back in late March — are targeting candidates and finalizing deals. Interestingly enough, one of the first major coaches to lose his job, Penn State’s James Franklin, was the first noninterim coach to be hired, as he is headed to Virginia Tech.
New hires always come with hope and optimism, grand proclamations and the chance to get programs on the right track. But not all hiring processes are the same. The financial component with jobs is essential — what schools are willing to spend not just on their head coach, but the assistants and support staff and, perhaps most important, the team roster.
We will be reviewing all of the major coaching hires in the 2025-26 cycle, evaluating how each coach fits in the job, their major challenges and what it will take to be successful. We will also assign an initial letter grade for each hire.
Jump to: LSU | Ole Miss | Florida | Arkansas | Auburn
Stanford | Oklahoma State | Virginia Tech
LSU hires Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin
Why is this a good fit?
LSU got the coach it wanted ahead of other suitors, further confirming that its coaching job, despite the drama and dysfunction, remains one of the best in college football. Kiffin left a great situation at the height of his powers because he knows that LSU can consistently compete for national titles in ways that other programs simply cannot. In Kiffin, LSU gains a coach accustomed to the bright lights and the big stadiums, who can attract and develop talent and potentially restore the program to national powerhouse status. LSU can offer the big stage Kiffin lacked at Ole Miss, and wanted again.
Kiffin hasn’t worked at LSU but knows the SEC well after stops at Ole Miss, Alabama and Tennessee. Like Kiffin did at Ole Miss, he should put together an excellent staff that can scour Louisiana, Texas and the surrounding areas for top talent. He certainly will try to bring some of Ole Miss’ top players with him. Kiffin brings the offensive chops that LSU lacked at the end of Kelly’s tenure. He’s one of the nation’s best at identifying and developing quarterbacks, and the emergence of running back Kewan Lacy and others underscores that the Kiffin plan works on offense. — Adam Rittenberg
Biggest challenges Kiffin will face
LSU has a reputation as a place where it is possible to win championships, and that expectation will be placed on Kiffin immediately – especially with the money he is being paid. The Tigers pride themselves on this fact as Nick Saban, Les Miles, then Ed Orgeron all won national titles. Brian Kelly was an awkward fit from the start and never truly got the vibe down on the Bayou. Kiffin has his own unique way of running a program, but he has to find a way to work with all the different “cooks in the kitchen” so to speak. The entire state is heavily invested in LSU football, and though Kiffin has an extremely high profile, he is moving to an even bigger spotlight in Baton Rouge — the only Power 4 school in the state. Kiffin must embrace that, and everything that comes with it. As coveted as he was in this cycle, Kiffin has never won a conference title and finding a way to get over the hump at a school like LSU has to happen. This will be his best shot to get it done, and the clock will start ticking as soon as his first press conference ends. — Andrea Adelson
Grade: A-
The fixation around Kiffin the past few weeks would normally be attached to a multi-time national championship winner, or at least a coach who has won a Power 4 conference title. Kiffin did tremendous work at Ole Miss but still needs to show he can win the biggest games consistently. LSU is a national championship-or-bust type of program, and Kiffin will be judged at the very highest level, which he craves. He brings the right ingredients to get it done in Baton Rouge, especially his work with quarterbacks. — Rittenberg
Ole Miss makes DC Pete Golding new head coach
Why is this a good fit?
Under normal circumstances, Ole Miss could run a complete coaching search, thoroughly assess candidates currently in head-coaching roles, and others who might help build on the historic success under Lane Kiffin. But these are the strangest of times in Oxford, as Kiffin exits for LSU, a College Football Playoff first-round game looms for the Rebels, and emotions are running extremely high. Kiffin certainly will try to poach the roster for top pieces, and Ole Miss must do what it can to protect as many players as possible. Golding was the lead recruiter for many of them. He’s well-liked by players and won’t need to familiarize himself with Oxford, the administration and how Ole Miss is set up to compete.
Golding, 41, might not have been on the wish list for other SEC jobs just yet, but Ole Miss found itself in a unique situation. He’s a Louisiana native who has spent his entire career in the region, first at his alma mater Delta State and other smaller programs, and then Southern Miss and UTSA before getting his big break with Nick Saban at Alabama in 2018. Golding spent five seasons as a coordinator under Saban, and helped the Crimson Tide to a national title in 2020, before joining Kiffin at Ole Miss. He gives Ole Miss a chance not only for success in this year’s CFP, but can minimize disruptions during a very bumpy coaching transition.
What will be Golding’s biggest challenge?
Golding should be able to handle the next few weeks, but his true readiness for the enormity of the job is unclear. Again, he didn’t emerge as a candidate for the other SEC openings in this cycle, which suggests some external concern about his ability to handle such a role. Any first-time coaching job brings its challenges and even though Golding knows Ole Miss, he hasn’t been the face of the program. He’s also replacing a coach who put together the team’s most successful run since John Vaught in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Although Golding has shown his talents in recruiting and with schematics, how will he handle the media? How does he do in front of donors and other key stakeholders with the university? Perhaps he just needed the chance, which he now has, but assistant coaches that are shielded from the media often take some time to get fully comfortable.
Grade: B
Coaching hires can’t be evaluated in a vacuum, and Golding’s ultimate success or failure at Ole Miss will be judged by what he accomplishes beyond the 2025 season. But what happens in Ole Miss’ first CFP appearance, after losing Kiffin to a rival SEC school, absolutely does matter, too, and Golding gives Ole Miss a chance to prolong a really special season. There’s little doubt he will continue to compile strong rosters. He will need a strong supporting staff, especially a talented offensive coordinator hire, to ultimately sustain and even elevate the program. The key question here is whether other SEC programs missed out on a great candidate in Golding, or will Ole Miss suffer for making an in-the-moment decision that could backfire long-term? — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Florida fans: Sumrall isn’t Billy Napier. Yes, he’s another promising Group of 5 coach from a program in Louisiana, just as Napier was when he came to Gainesville. But Sumrall is a different personality who comes from the opposite side of the ball and has more ties to the SEC, where he both played (Kentucky) and coached (Ole Miss, Kentucky). He’s more comfortable than Napier was in being the face of a major program and will delegate to his coordinators while compiling a strong staff. Although Auburn seemed like a more natural spot for Sumrall because of his connections to the state, Florida gives him an even bigger platform at the lone SEC program in one of the nation’s top talent-producing states.
The other thing Sumrall brings is wins. He won Sun Belt titles in both of his seasons at Troy and went to the American Conference title game in his first year at Tulane. Sumrall has succeeded in different ways and with different types of quarterbacks. He hasn’t won in the Power 4 or at a program like Florida, which is an understandable concern. But Sumrall is ready for the opportunity and should be able to foster the consistency Florida has lacked for far too long. Florida didn’t have a talent problem under Napier, and Sumrall should continue to excel in personnel while translating it better on the field. — Rittenberg
Biggest challenges Sumrall will face
Where do we start? First and foremost, Sumrall has to find a way to win over a fan base that thought it had a shot at landing Lane Kiffin. Whether that was a reality or not, Gators fans had their hopes up that Kiffin would choose them. With that, Sumrall has to convince fans he is not another version of Napier. Once Sumrall has done that, he has to find a way to win at what has proved to be one of the hardest jobs to crack in the SEC. Florida has not won an SEC title since 2008, and while there remains a belief it is one of the best jobs in the country, Florida goes through coaches at a fairly frequent clip. If past is precedent, Sumrall will be given a year or two to find success before the fan base starts to turn on him; four years max to compete for a championship. Expectations are sky high, and Sumrall will be given no leeway to learn on the job. — Adelson
Grade: B+
Sumrall has the ingredients to become the next great SEC coach. He’s an excellent communicator who connects with a range of people and should get Florida fans excited about the future, even if they might be skeptical at first because of his background. Florida isn’t where I initially saw him ending up in a wild coaching cycle, but if the school gives him some time, he should stabilize and elevate the Gators’ on-field performance and start getting more out of very talented rosters there. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Silverfield has quietly become a really successful coach in the region, and certainly seems ready for a Power 4 opportunity like Arkansas. Although he hasn’t generated as much buzz as Tulane’s Jon Sumrall and other American Conference coaches, he has beaten many of them in head-to-head matchups and boasts a 29-9 record since the start of the 2023 season, including an AP Top 25 finish last fall. Silverfield led Memphis to a win against Arkansas earlier this season and has beaten four consecutive Power 4 opponents, including West Virginia and Iowa State in bowl games the past two seasons.
He has led Memphis since late 2019 but been at the program since 2016, so he understands the recruiting landscape and where Arkansas must look for players. Arkansas’ location can be a challenge for acquiring talent, but Silverfield shouldn’t be intimidated by it. He also brings a strong background on offense to Fayetteville and should compile a staff that has similar knowledge to the area and possibly the SEC.
What are the biggest challenges for Silverfield?
The SEC is only getting tougher with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, the emergence of Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, and the pressure on a traditional heavyweight like Florida to start making the CFP. Where does Arkansas really fit in the SEC pecking order? Silverfield likely will have to do more with less initially and win games against programs that have been on steadier footing. His real challenge will be trying to energize and unite the financial hubs around the Arkansas program, which give the program a chance to accelerate but haven’t always been harnessed.
Athletic director Hunter Yurachek was blunt earlier this year about the increased resources needed to better compete in the SEC. Arkansas seemingly could access those individuals and corporations with the right coach and vision. That’s where Silverfield comes in, as Arkansas can use those relationships to overcome some of its baked-in obstacles. Silverfield will need a strong introductory period, as Arkansas fans might not know him that well and need to embrace his personality and leadership style. The first offseason will be critical to make sure the program doesn’t fall further behind.
Grade: B
Silverfield’s consistency and success tended to go under the radar at a program like Memphis, where people have grown accustomed to really strong seasons. But his steady leadership style, shown in 2023, 2024 and most of this year, should help an Arkansas program that needs clear direction. He hasn’t coached in the SEC, and there could be a learning curve, but he shouldn’t be surprised walking in the door at Arkansas after spending so much time with Memphis. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Every SEC school asks its head coaches to be engaged in recruiting, and Auburn is no exception. Although Auburn never got the results it wanted with Hugh Freeze, the school’s approach toward NIL and acquiring talent — a major draw when it tried to lure Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss — showed up on the roster. Golesh is the type of head coach who could harness Auburn’s established personnel apparatus and really maximize things going forward. He’s about as hands-on in the recruiting space as head coaches get. When Golesh was offensive coordinator at Tennessee, I remember sitting in his office and seeing him monitor all the recruiting transactions from social media on a giant screen. Golesh will get after it to upgrade Auburn’s roster and use all the resources available to him. He won’t be intimidated by the SEC recruiting scene and has ties to multiple states, including Florida and Ohio.
Golesh also brings an offensive background that should energize Auburn fans, especially after how poorly things went on that side of the ball under Freeze. He spent time with Matt Campbell early in his career, and then with Josh Heuepel at both UCF and Tennessee. South Florida ranks in the top five nationally in both scoring and total offense this season, and its defense shined in wins against Boise State and Florida.
What will be Golesh’s biggest challenge?
The challenge at Auburn is almost always the same. Can the head coach truly capitalize on the best parts of the place — an advantageous recruiting location, strong financial resources and a large and extremely devoted fan base — while navigating the big donors and other significant forces that have clashed too often over time and ultimately held back the program’s progress? Golesh is a strong communicator and brings a good mix of experience to the Plains, most notably his two seasons as an SEC coordinator at Tennessee.
He hasn’t been an SEC head coach, though, and he will need to show he won’t be pushed around or swayed by the forces that have doomed Auburn in the past. Golesh’s staff hires at Auburn will be especially important on defense, as South Florida made strides on that side this season but also struggled in key losses to Memphis and Navy. The other element worth watching is how Golesh balances the personnel element, undoubtedly his passion, with some of the other key responsibilities that come with managing an exciting but complicated program like Auburn.
Grade: B+
Despite no Power 4 head-coaching experience, Golesh checks a lot of boxes with his background, having worked in the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, and in the Midwest, South and Southeast. His time at Tennessee should really help him at a program like Auburn, which has a chance to move up in the SEC pecking order but will need a smart, aggressive approach. Golesh’s record of 23-15 doesn’t really jump off the page, and he hasn’t been part of a conference championship just yet. But his assertive vision as a recruiter gives Auburn a chance to quickly improve its roster and win more in an increasingly difficult SEC. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Pritchard understands Stanford — its advantages, limitations and possibilities — better than most. He played quarterback for the Cardinal from 2006 to 2009, ahead of Andrew Luck’s run, and then spent the first 13 years of his coaching career with his alma mater, until joining the Washington Commanders‘ staff in 2023. He won’t be blindsided by what he’s walking into at Stanford. He also has a very close relationship with Luck, who is truly directing the program. There will be no feeling-out period between head coach and general manager.
Pritchard, 38, was part of Stanford’s seismic shift under Jim Harbaugh, quarterbacking the team to a signature win against USC in 2007. He then witnessed Stanford’s rise to a consistent contender and, more importantly, saw how things went downhill so quickly after COVID and in the portal/NIL era. His ability to learn from those difficult times and ensure Stanford avoids them will be important. But again, he’s not doing this alone, as he comes in immediately aligned with Luck. — Rittenberg
What will be Pritchard’s biggest challenge?
Generating momentum. Few people share as close an association with some of the biggest moments in Stanford history as Pritchard, but during those heights, the Cardinal never truly resonated broadly within a competitive San Francisco Bay Area sports market. With the collapse of the Pac-12 and six losing seasons in the past seven years, Stanford football has essentially become irrelevant locally. Building a program under those circumstances is difficult.
The academic side of things will always be a draw and should, in theory, help the program limit excessive outgoing transfers, but there also needs to be a robust NIL program. At Stanford that doesn’t have to be a problem. The university’s alumni base is notably wealthy, but it also has not proved to be a group eager to part with large sums of money to help field a better football team. That’s perhaps more of an issue that Luck will be responsible for dealing with, but it is very much part of the hand Pritchard has been dealt.
Beyond the structural challenges, this is just a team that needs a talent upgrade. They don’t have the players right now to compete at a high level. — Kyle Bonagura
Grade: C+
Luck didn’t make the most imaginative hire here. He went with a close friend who needs no introduction to Stanford and the vision for success there. But Pritchard hasn’t been a head coach before and wasn’t mentioned as being on the radar for many other college or NFL jobs. Stanford is really betting on potential here. He only really knows Stanford, which might work out in this case, but he also must learn from what happened toward the end of David Shaw’s tenure and chart out a new path. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Oklahoma State needed a coach who knew the Big 12 and the region, and someone who could bring a clear vision, especially on offense. Quarterback play was central to Oklahoma State’s identity under Mike Gundy, and Morris has become one of the best talent identifiers in recent years. Oklahoma State needs to accelerate its recruiting, but likely won’t have the first choice for players, and Morris has repeatedly shown the ability to find and develop under-the-radar players. Ideally, he can bring quarterback Drew Mestemaker and others to Stillwater, and perhaps more importantly, make Oklahoma State an attractive destination for top offensive performers again.
Morris played and coached in the Big 12 at Texas Tech and spent time at Houston early in his career, so he won’t be unfamiliar with the key characteristics of a program like Oklahoma State. He’s not a Gundy disciple, but he can respect what Gundy did to elevate the program, while implementing his own vision, which worked both at Incarnate Word and at North Texas. — Rittenberg
What will be Morris’ biggest challenge?
The answer here is twofold: 1) Morris must live up to the unprecedented levels of consistent success his predecessor brought Oklahoma State; 2) Morris will also have to figure out exactly how to take the Cowboys’ football program to the future.
On the first point, whomever Oklahoma State chose to hire this cycle was going to be replacing a coach who won more — and more consistently — than any other figure in program history. Before 2023, the Cowboys made 18 consecutive bowl appearances under Gundy, winning eight or more games in 13 of those seasons. Past leading Oklahoma State to the very top of the sport and turning the program into a national brand, Gundy’s greatest achievement was transforming a school that had registered back-to-back 10-win seasons only once before he took over in 2005 into a perennial winner. Morris, who made two playoff appearances at Incarnate Word and has North Texas contending for the American this fall, has a history of producing quick turnarounds. Getting Oklahoma State upright — which will likely require a massive roster and staff overhaul — should be his first objective. From there, Morris will be judged on the expectations set by Gundy before him.
How does Morris take Oklahoma State into the future? Gundy’s initial, outspoken reluctance, then too-little, too-late embrace of college football’s NIL/transfer portal era hurt the Cowboys on the field and laid the groundwork for his unceremonious departure earlier this fall. Oklahoma State has fallen behind in terms of roster budgeting compared to its Big 12 counterparts, and industry sources suggested that the Cowboys’ ability to present improved resources would be a key piece of the hiring process. Morris has built a career on making more out of less, and that will serve him well in Stillwater. He has also proven capable of navigating the transfer portal and the current complexities of the sport. With help from Oklahoma State (and its boosters), Morris must take steps to modernize the program. If he can, a Big 12 conference landscape that remains wide open outside of Texas Tech could once again be Oklahoma State’s for the taking. — Eli Lederman
Grade: A-
Morris is only 40 (cue the Gundy memes), hasn’t been a Power 4 head coach, and before this season had only middling results with North Texas. His quarterback track record is his superpower, though, and Oklahoma State needs a renaissance at the position after things fell off too sharply. Morris can recruit Texas and build up the roster. Time will tell if he has the expertise to win one-score games in a league where programs are extremely similar. — Rittenberg
0:32
Paul Finebaum: Is Virginia Tech an upgrade for James Franklin?
Paul Finebaum weighs in on James Franklin reportedly being hired as Virginia Tech’s next coach.
Why is this a good fit?
When Franklin was fired and almost immediately announced his intentions to coach in 2026, Virginia Tech emerged as a natural landing spot for the 53-year-old. He has spent most of his career near the mid-Atlantic region, twice serving as a Maryland assistant, leading programs in Vanderbilt and Penn State and even working within the state at James Madison in 1997.
He understands the key recruiting areas extremely well. Franklin ultimately was fired for not winning the biggest games at Penn State, but he still won a lot of them (104) and understands how to build a consistently successful program. Virginia Tech ultimately had to do more of the selling here and convince a veteran coach that it was financially serious enough to contend in the ACC. Franklin isn’t shy about asking for what he needs, and he wouldn’t take the job if he didn’t feel that Virginia Tech’s investments are sufficient to compete for ACC championships. — Rittenberg
What will be Franklin’s biggest challenge?
This hire would not have happened without the financial investment Virginia Tech is about to make in football. The Hokies have languished behind their ACC counterparts in nearly every area — from staffing to salaries to NIL — and some of that has to do with an outdated way of thinking. The one through line has been the thought that the Hokies could win the way Frank Beamer won. That is a big reason why they hired Brent Pry, who served as Franklin’s defensive coordinator, as head coach in November 2021. That clearly did not work, as Pry never won more than seven games in a season. Virginia Tech pledged to add $229 million to its overall athletics budget over the next four years — a huge concession that the old model no longer works in this new era of college football.
But Franklin has to get the entire athletic department to believe the old Beamer days truly are over and things must be done his way. That is challenge No. 1. The second challenge is to restore Virginia Tech’s prowess in recruiting its home state. Franklin had success taking players out of Virginia Tech’s backyard and turning them into stars at Penn State. Will he be able to do the same now at Virginia Tech, which has lost an enormous amount of ground to powers outside the state? The high school players being recruited now were toddlers the last time Virginia Tech was a nationally respected program playing in BCS games. They don’t remember the Hokies being elite. Convincing players to stay in state will be a challenge, but one that Franklin can achieve given his track record. — Adelson
Grade: A
Virginia Tech’s two post-Frank Beamer hires were a coach who had not led a Power 4 program (Justin Fuente) and a first-time head coach (Brent Pry). In Franklin, Virginia Tech gets a proven winner from the Big Ten and SEC, who knows the region extremely well and will be extremely motivated to compete for league titles and CFP appearances.
Franklin’s big-stage shortcomings are a concern but perhaps not as much for a program like Virginia Tech, which is seeking to become a consistent conference title contender again. — Rittenberg
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Adam Rittenberg
The wildest college football coaching cycle — perhaps ever — has reached the hiring phase.
Schools around the Power 4 that fired their coaches in the first two months of the season — or, in Stanford’s case, way back in late March — are targeting candidates and finalizing deals. Interestingly enough, one of the first major coaches to lose his job, Penn State’s James Franklin, was the first noninterim coach to be hired, as he is headed to Virginia Tech.
New hires always come with hope and optimism, grand proclamations and the chance to get programs on the right track. But not all hiring processes are the same. The financial component with jobs is essential — what schools are willing to spend not just on their head coach, but the assistants and support staff and, perhaps most important, the team roster.
We will be reviewing all of the major coaching hires in the 2025-26 cycle, evaluating how each coach fits in the job, their major challenges and what it will take to be successful. We will also assign an initial letter grade for each hire.
Jump to: LSU | Ole Miss | Florida | Arkansas | Auburn
Stanford | Oklahoma State | Virginia Tech
LSU hires Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin
Why is this a good fit?
LSU got the coach it wanted ahead of other suitors, further confirming that its coaching job, despite the drama and dysfunction, remains one of the best in college football. Kiffin left a great situation at the height of his powers because he knows that LSU can consistently compete for national titles in ways that other programs simply cannot. In Kiffin, LSU gains a coach accustomed to the bright lights and the big stadiums, who can attract and develop talent and potentially restore the program to national powerhouse status. LSU can offer the big stage Kiffin lacked at Ole Miss, and wanted again.
Kiffin hasn’t worked at LSU but knows the SEC well after stops at Ole Miss, Alabama and Tennessee. Like Kiffin did at Ole Miss, he should put together an excellent staff that can scour Louisiana, Texas and the surrounding areas for top talent. He certainly will try to bring some of Ole Miss’ top players with him. Kiffin brings the offensive chops that LSU lacked at the end of Kelly’s tenure. He’s one of the nation’s best at identifying and developing quarterbacks, and the emergence of running back Kewan Lacy and others underscores that the Kiffin plan works on offense. — Adam Rittenberg
Biggest challenges Kiffin will face
LSU has a reputation as a place where it is possible to win championships, and that expectation will be placed on Kiffin immediately – especially with the money he is being paid. The Tigers pride themselves on this fact as Nick Saban, Les Miles, then Ed Orgeron all won national titles. Brian Kelly was an awkward fit from the start and never truly got the vibe down on the Bayou. Kiffin has his own unique way of running a program, but he has to find a way to work with all the different “cooks in the kitchen” so to speak. The entire state is heavily invested in LSU football, and though Kiffin has an extremely high profile, he is moving to an even bigger spotlight in Baton Rouge — the only Power 4 school in the state. Kiffin must embrace that, and everything that comes with it. As coveted as he was in this cycle, Kiffin has never won a conference title and finding a way to get over the hump at a school like LSU has to happen. This will be his best shot to get it done, and the clock will start ticking as soon as his first press conference ends. — Andrea Adelson
Grade: A-
The fixation around Kiffin the past few weeks would normally be attached to a multi-time national championship winner, or at least a coach who has won a Power 4 conference title. Kiffin did tremendous work at Ole Miss but still needs to show he can win the biggest games consistently. LSU is a national championship-or-bust type of program, and Kiffin will be judged at the very highest level, which he craves. He brings the right ingredients to get it done in Baton Rouge, especially his work with quarterbacks. — Rittenberg
Ole Miss makes DC Pete Golding new head coach
Why is this a good fit?
Under normal circumstances, Ole Miss could run a complete coaching search, thoroughly assess candidates currently in head-coaching roles, and others who might help build on the historic success under Lane Kiffin. But these are the strangest of times in Oxford, as Kiffin exits for LSU, a College Football Playoff first-round game looms for the Rebels, and emotions are running extremely high. Kiffin certainly will try to poach the roster for top pieces, and Ole Miss must do what it can to protect as many players as possible. Golding was the lead recruiter for many of them. He’s well-liked by players and won’t need to familiarize himself with Oxford, the administration and how Ole Miss is set up to compete.
Golding, 41, might not have been on the wish list for other SEC jobs just yet, but Ole Miss found itself in a unique situation. He’s a Louisiana native who has spent his entire career in the region, first at his alma mater Delta State and other smaller programs, and then Southern Miss and UTSA before getting his big break with Nick Saban at Alabama in 2018. Golding spent five seasons as a coordinator under Saban, and helped the Crimson Tide to a national title in 2022, before joining Kiffin at Ole Miss. He gives Ole Miss a chance not only for success in this year’s CFP, but can minimize disruptions during a very bumpy coaching transition.
What will be Golding’s biggest challenge?
Golding should be able to handle the next few weeks, but his true readiness for the enormity of the job is unclear. Again, he didn’t emerge as a candidate for the other SEC openings in this cycle, which suggests some external concern about his ability to handle such a role. Any first-time coaching job brings its challenges and even though Golding knows Ole Miss, he hasn’t been the face of the program. He’s also replacing a coach who put together the team’s most successful run since John Vaught in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Although Golding has shown his talents in recruiting and with schematics, how will he handle the media? How does he do in front of donors and other key stakeholders with the university? Perhaps he just needed the chance, which he now has, but assistant coaches that are shielded from the media often take some time to get fully comfortable.
Grade: B
Coaching hires can’t be evaluated in a vacuum, and Golding’s ultimate success or failure at Ole Miss will be judged by what he accomplishes beyond the 2025 season. But what happens in Ole Miss’ first CFP appearance, after losing Kiffin to a rival SEC school, absolutely does matter, too, and Golding gives Ole Miss a chance to prolong a really special season. There’s little doubt he will continue to compile strong rosters. He will need a strong supporting staff, especially a talented offensive coordinator hire, to ultimately sustain and even elevate the program. The key question here is whether other SEC programs missed out on a great candidate in Golding, or will Ole Miss suffer for making an in-the-moment decision that could backfire long-term? — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Florida fans: Sumrall isn’t Billy Napier. Yes, he’s another promising Group of 5 coach from a program in Louisiana, just as Napier was when he came to Gainesville. But Sumrall is a different personality who comes from the opposite side of the ball and has more ties to the SEC, where he both played (Kentucky) and coached (Ole Miss, Kentucky). He’s more comfortable than Napier was in being the face of a major program and will delegate to his coordinators while compiling a strong staff. Although Auburn seemed like a more natural spot for Sumrall because of his connections to the state, Florida gives him an even bigger platform at the lone SEC program in one of the nation’s top talent-producing states.
The other thing Sumrall brings is wins. He won Sun Belt titles in both of his seasons at Troy and went to the American Conference title game in his first year at Tulane. Sumrall has succeeded in different ways and with different types of quarterbacks. He hasn’t won in the Power 4 or at a program like Florida, which is an understandable concern. But Sumrall is ready for the opportunity and should be able to foster the consistency Florida has lacked for far too long. Florida didn’t have a talent problem under Napier, and Sumrall should continue to excel in personnel while translating it better on the field. — Rittenberg
Biggest challenges Sumrall will face
Where do we start? First and foremost, Sumrall has to find a way to win over a fan base that thought it had a shot at landing Lane Kiffin. Whether that was a reality or not, Gators fans had their hopes up that Kiffin would choose them. With that, Sumrall has to convince fans he is not another version of Napier. Once Sumrall has done that, he has to find a way to win at what has proved to be one of the hardest jobs to crack in the SEC. Florida has not won an SEC title since 2008, and while there remains a belief it is one of the best jobs in the country, Florida goes through coaches at a fairly frequent clip. If past is precedent, Sumrall will be given a year or two to find success before the fan base starts to turn on him; four years max to compete for a championship. Expectations are sky high, and Sumrall will be given no leeway to learn on the job. — Adelson
Grade: B+
Sumrall has the ingredients to become the next great SEC coach. He’s an excellent communicator who connects with a range of people and should get Florida fans excited about the future, even if they might be skeptical at first because of his background. Florida isn’t where I initially saw him ending up in a wild coaching cycle, but if the school gives him some time, he should stabilize and elevate the Gators’ on-field performance and start getting more out of very talented rosters there. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Silverfield has quietly become a really successful coach in the region, and certainly seems ready for a Power 4 opportunity like Arkansas. Although he hasn’t generated as much buzz as Tulane’s Jon Sumrall and other American Conference coaches, he has beaten many of them in head-to-head matchups and boasts a 29-9 record since the start of the 2023 season, including an AP Top 25 finish last fall. Silverfield led Memphis to a win against Arkansas earlier this season and has beaten four consecutive Power 4 opponents, including West Virginia and Iowa State in bowl games the past two seasons.
He has led Memphis since late 2019 but been at the program since 2016, so he understands the recruiting landscape and where Arkansas must look for players. Arkansas’ location can be a challenge for acquiring talent, but Silverfield shouldn’t be intimidated by it. He also brings a strong background on offense to Fayetteville and should compile a staff that has similar knowledge to the area and possibly the SEC.
What are the biggest challenges for Silverfield?
The SEC is only getting tougher with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, the emergence of Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, and the pressure on a traditional heavyweight like Florida to start making the CFP. Where does Arkansas really fit in the SEC pecking order? Silverfield likely will have to do more with less initially and win games against programs that have been on steadier footing. His real challenge will be trying to energize and unite the financial hubs around the Arkansas program, which give the program a chance to accelerate but haven’t always been harnessed.
Athletic director Hunter Yurachek was blunt earlier this year about the increased resources needed to better compete in the SEC. Arkansas seemingly could access those individuals and corporations with the right coach and vision. That’s where Silverfield comes in, as Arkansas can use those relationships to overcome some of its baked-in obstacles. Silverfield will need a strong introductory period, as Arkansas fans might not know him that well and need to embrace his personality and leadership style. The first offseason will be critical to make sure the program doesn’t fall further behind.
Grade: B
Silverfield’s consistency and success tended to go under the radar at a program like Memphis, where people have grown accustomed to really strong seasons. But his steady leadership style, shown in 2023, 2024 and most of this year, should help an Arkansas program that needs clear direction. He hasn’t coached in the SEC, and there could be a learning curve, but he shouldn’t be surprised walking in the door at Arkansas after spending so much time with Memphis. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Every SEC school asks its head coaches to be engaged in recruiting, and Auburn is no exception. Although Auburn never got the results it wanted with Hugh Freeze, the school’s approach toward NIL and acquiring talent — a major draw when it tried to lure Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss — showed up on the roster. Golesh is the type of head coach who could harness Auburn’s established personnel apparatus and really maximize things going forward. He’s about as hands-on in the recruiting space as head coaches get. When Golesh was offensive coordinator at Tennessee, I remember sitting in his office and seeing him monitor all the recruiting transactions from social media on a giant screen. Golesh will get after it to upgrade Auburn’s roster and use all the resources available to him. He won’t be intimidated by the SEC recruiting scene and has ties to multiple states, including Florida and Ohio.
Golesh also brings an offensive background that should energize Auburn fans, especially after how poorly things went on that side of the ball under Freeze. He spent time with Matt Campbell early in his career, and then with Josh Heuepel at both UCF and Tennessee. South Florida ranks in the top five nationally in both scoring and total offense this season, and its defense shined in wins against Boise State and Florida.
What will be Golesh’s biggest challenge?
The challenge at Auburn is almost always the same. Can the head coach truly capitalize on the best parts of the place — an advantageous recruiting location, strong financial resources and a large and extremely devoted fan base — while navigating the big donors and other significant forces that have clashed too often over time and ultimately held back the program’s progress? Golesh is a strong communicator and brings a good mix of experience to the Plains, most notably his two seasons as an SEC coordinator at Tennessee.
He hasn’t been an SEC head coach, though, and he will need to show he won’t be pushed around or swayed by the forces that have doomed Auburn in the past. Golesh’s staff hires at Auburn will be especially important on defense, as South Florida made strides on that side this season but also struggled in key losses to Memphis and Navy. The other element worth watching is how Golesh balances the personnel element, undoubtedly his passion, with some of the other key responsibilities that come with managing an exciting but complicated program like Auburn.
Grade: B+
Despite no Power 4 head-coaching experience, Golesh checks a lot of boxes with his background, having worked in the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, and in the Midwest, South and Southeast. His time at Tennessee should really help him at a program like Auburn, which has a chance to move up in the SEC pecking order but will need a smart, aggressive approach. Golesh’s record of 23-15 doesn’t really jump off the page, and he hasn’t been part of a conference championship just yet. But his assertive vision as a recruiter gives Auburn a chance to quickly improve its roster and win more in an increasingly difficult SEC. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Pritchard understands Stanford — its advantages, limitations and possibilities — better than most. He played quarterback for the Cardinal from 2006 to 2009, ahead of Andrew Luck’s run, and then spent the first 13 years of his coaching career with his alma mater, until joining the Washington Commanders‘ staff in 2023. He won’t be blindsided by what he’s walking into at Stanford. He also has a very close relationship with Luck, who is truly directing the program. There will be no feeling-out period between head coach and general manager.
Pritchard, 38, was part of Stanford’s seismic shift under Jim Harbaugh, quarterbacking the team to a signature win against USC in 2007. He then witnessed Stanford’s rise to a consistent contender and, more importantly, saw how things went downhill so quickly after COVID and in the portal/NIL era. His ability to learn from those difficult times and ensure Stanford avoids them will be important. But again, he’s not doing this alone, as he comes in immediately aligned with Luck. — Rittenberg
What will be Pritchard’s biggest challenge?
Generating momentum. Few people share as close an association with some of the biggest moments in Stanford history as Pritchard, but during those heights, the Cardinal never truly resonated broadly within a competitive San Francisco Bay Area sports market. With the collapse of the Pac-12 and six losing seasons in the past seven years, Stanford football has essentially become irrelevant locally. Building a program under those circumstances is difficult.
The academic side of things will always be a draw and should, in theory, help the program limit excessive outgoing transfers, but there also needs to be a robust NIL program. At Stanford that doesn’t have to be a problem. The university’s alumni base is notably wealthy, but it also has not proved to be a group eager to part with large sums of money to help field a better football team. That’s perhaps more of an issue that Luck will be responsible for dealing with, but it is very much part of the hand Pritchard has been dealt.
Beyond the structural challenges, this is just a team that needs a talent upgrade. They don’t have the players right now to compete at a high level. — Kyle Bonagura
Grade: C+
Luck didn’t make the most imaginative hire here. He went with a close friend who needs no introduction to Stanford and the vision for success there. But Pritchard hasn’t been a head coach before and wasn’t mentioned as being on the radar for many other college or NFL jobs. Stanford is really betting on potential here. He only really knows Stanford, which might work out in this case, but he also must learn from what happened toward the end of David Shaw’s tenure and chart out a new path. — Rittenberg
Why is this a good fit?
Oklahoma State needed a coach who knew the Big 12 and the region, and someone who could bring a clear vision, especially on offense. Quarterback play was central to Oklahoma State’s identity under Mike Gundy, and Morris has become one of the best talent identifiers in recent years. Oklahoma State needs to accelerate its recruiting, but likely won’t have the first choice for players, and Morris has repeatedly shown the ability to find and develop under-the-radar players. Ideally, he can bring quarterback Drew Mestemaker and others to Stillwater, and perhaps more importantly, make Oklahoma State an attractive destination for top offensive performers again.
Morris played and coached in the Big 12 at Texas Tech and spent time at Houston early in his career, so he won’t be unfamiliar with the key characteristics of a program like Oklahoma State. He’s not a Gundy disciple, but he can respect what Gundy did to elevate the program, while implementing his own vision, which worked both at Incarnate Word and at North Texas. — Rittenberg
What will be Morris’ biggest challenge?
The answer here is twofold: 1) Morris must live up to the unprecedented levels of consistent success his predecessor brought Oklahoma State; 2) Morris will also have to figure out exactly how to take the Cowboys’ football program to the future.
On the first point, whomever Oklahoma State chose to hire this cycle was going to be replacing a coach who won more — and more consistently — than any other figure in program history. Before 2023, the Cowboys made 18 consecutive bowl appearances under Gundy, winning eight or more games in 13 of those seasons. Past leading Oklahoma State to the very top of the sport and turning the program into a national brand, Gundy’s greatest achievement was transforming a school that had registered back-to-back 10-win seasons only once before he took over in 2005 into a perennial winner. Morris, who made two playoff appearances at Incarnate Word and has North Texas contending for the American this fall, has a history of producing quick turnarounds. Getting Oklahoma State upright — which will likely require a massive roster and staff overhaul — should be his first objective. From there, Morris will be judged on the expectations set by Gundy before him.
How does Morris take Oklahoma State into the future? Gundy’s initial, outspoken reluctance, then too-little, too-late embrace of college football’s NIL/transfer portal era hurt the Cowboys on the field and laid the groundwork for his unceremonious departure earlier this fall. Oklahoma State has fallen behind in terms of roster budgeting compared to its Big 12 counterparts, and industry sources suggested that the Cowboys’ ability to present improved resources would be a key piece of the hiring process. Morris has built a career on making more out of less, and that will serve him well in Stillwater. He has also proven capable of navigating the transfer portal and the current complexities of the sport. With help from Oklahoma State (and its boosters), Morris must take steps to modernize the program. If he can, a Big 12 conference landscape that remains wide open outside of Texas Tech could once again be Oklahoma State’s for the taking. — Eli Lederman
Grade: A-
Morris is only 40 (cue the Gundy memes), hasn’t been a Power 4 head coach, and before this season had only middling results with North Texas. His quarterback track record is his superpower, though, and Oklahoma State needs a renaissance at the position after things fell off too sharply. Morris can recruit Texas and build up the roster. Time will tell if he has the expertise to win one-score games in a league where programs are extremely similar. — Rittenberg
0:32
Paul Finebaum: Is Virginia Tech an upgrade for James Franklin?
Paul Finebaum weighs in on James Franklin reportedly being hired as Virginia Tech’s next coach.
Why is this a good fit?
When Franklin was fired and almost immediately announced his intentions to coach in 2026, Virginia Tech emerged as a natural landing spot for the 53-year-old. He has spent most of his career near the mid-Atlantic region, twice serving as a Maryland assistant, leading programs in Vanderbilt and Penn State and even working within the state at James Madison in 1997.
He understands the key recruiting areas extremely well. Franklin ultimately was fired for not winning the biggest games at Penn State, but he still won a lot of them (104) and understands how to build a consistently successful program. Virginia Tech ultimately had to do more of the selling here and convince a veteran coach that it was financially serious enough to contend in the ACC. Franklin isn’t shy about asking for what he needs, and he wouldn’t take the job if he didn’t feel that Virginia Tech’s investments are sufficient to compete for ACC championships. — Rittenberg
What will be Franklin’s biggest challenge?
This hire would not have happened without the financial investment Virginia Tech is about to make in football. The Hokies have languished behind their ACC counterparts in nearly every area — from staffing to salaries to NIL — and some of that has to do with an outdated way of thinking. The one through line has been the thought that the Hokies could win the way Frank Beamer won. That is a big reason why they hired Brent Pry, who served as Franklin’s defensive coordinator, as head coach in November 2021. That clearly did not work, as Pry never won more than seven games in a season. Virginia Tech pledged to add $229 million to its overall athletics budget over the next four years — a huge concession that the old model no longer works in this new era of college football.
But Franklin has to get the entire athletic department to believe the old Beamer days truly are over and things must be done his way. That is challenge No. 1. The second challenge is to restore Virginia Tech’s prowess in recruiting its home state. Franklin had success taking players out of Virginia Tech’s backyard and turning them into stars at Penn State. Will he be able to do the same now at Virginia Tech, which has lost an enormous amount of ground to powers outside the state? The high school players being recruited now were toddlers the last time Virginia Tech was a nationally respected program playing in BCS games. They don’t remember the Hokies being elite. Convincing players to stay in state will be a challenge, but one that Franklin can achieve given his track record. — Adelson
Grade: A
Virginia Tech’s two post-Frank Beamer hires were a coach who had not led a Power 4 program (Justin Fuente) and a first-time head coach (Brent Pry). In Franklin, Virginia Tech gets a proven winner from the Big Ten and SEC, who knows the region extremely well and will be extremely motivated to compete for league titles and CFP appearances.
Franklin’s big-stage shortcomings are a concern but perhaps not as much for a program like Virginia Tech, which is seeking to become a consistent conference title contender again. — Rittenberg
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Mark Schlabach
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Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Writer
- Senior college football writer
- Author of seven books on college football
- Graduate of the University of Georgia
LSU‘s courtship of Lane Kiffin has come to an end, as he’s leaving the school to take the job in Baton Rouge and will not coach Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff.
He announced both things Sunday afternoon, the culmination of a weeks-long saga that hung over the sport, prompted viscous debate and puts Kiffin in the unprecedented position of a head coach leaving his team and not coaching them in the College Football Playoff.
“After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” Kiffin said in a statement Sunday.
His deal with LSU is for seven years and is worth approximately $12 million annually, with the potential for bonuses, a source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel. That would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport.
Kiffin, 50, and the Rebels just wrapped up an 11-1 regular season with a 38-19 win over rival Mississippi State, all but assuring them a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
After saying he would decide Saturday whether he’ll coach at Ole Miss or LSU in 2026, Kiffin met with Rebels athletics director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce for a couple of hours at the chancellor’s home in Oxford.
He also sought the advice of former Alabama coach Nick Saban and Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll, his former boss at USC, over the past few weeks.
Kiffin expressed his appreciation for his time at Ole Miss in a statement released on social media. He also took issue with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter, who Kiffin said “denied” his request to coach in the College Football Playoff.
“I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” Kiffin said in his statement.
“My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”
Ole Miss responded quickly, as sources told ESPN that they’d promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to the school’s full-time coach soon after Kiffin left the football building for LSU.
Kiffin’s decision was supposed to come Saturday, and there was a delay in part because the result of the Iron Bowl late Saturday impacted whether or not Ole Miss would have played this week. He met with Rebels athletics director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce for a couple of hours at the chancellor’s home in Oxford on Saturday.
Kiffin also met with some players in the football building on Sunday, and he pointed out in his statement that the players wanted him to coach in the CFP.
Part of the drama unfolding Saturday revolved around Ole Miss staff members and who would end up going with Kiffin. The Rebels’ brass wanted to protect their staff to keep things as normal as possible for the postseason. Kiffin would obviously take some of his staff with him, and the timing of those departures came into focus as discussions went on during the day.
Ole Miss officials are being aggressive with staff salaries, as there’s a high focus on retention, sources told ESPN.
On the offensive side for Ole Miss, quarterback coach Joe Judge, a longtime NFL coordinator and head coach, has agreed to stay on staff, sources told ESPN. Judge’s role hasn’t been formalized yet, but Ole Miss officials and Golding made clear early on he was a priority staff member to stay in Oxford. He coached Trinidad Chambliss and Jaxson Dart while in Oxford.
The naming of Golding as the head coach will lead to continuity at Ole Miss in 2026 and beyond, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
A former Ole Miss player himself, Golding is in his third season on the Rebels’ staff after serving five years as a top defensive assistant at Alabama under Saban.
Kiffin’s decision included an only-in-the-SEC drama that ensnared three prominent schools, as Florida had expressed interest in Kiffin earlier in their search. When that wasn’t reciprocated, they hired Tulane coach Jon Sumrall.
Kiffin has guided the Rebels to a 55-19 record in his six seasons — only Alabama (67-12) and Georgia (71-8) have more wins in the SEC since the start of the 2020 season. The Rebels have the eighth-most wins among power-conference teams during that stretch.
LSU has a championship brand in multiple sports; state-of-the-art facilities; a rabid, regional fan following; and a legendary, historic home football venue in Tiger Stadium (nicknamed Death Valley), which towers over the banks of the Mississippi River and holds 102,000 spectators — 38,000 more than Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
The lone football coach of LSU’s past four who did not win a national championship was Kelly. He was fired in late October during his fourth season — a seismic development that also led then-athletic director Scott Woodward to resign under pressure from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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