Latest coaching intel: Lane Kiffin's decision a true soap opera, Auburn search focuses on four names

With two weeks left in the regular season, the 2025 college football coaching carousel has intensified as schools with open jobs get more serious about their options. 

Lists are being trimmed and interviews are happening throughout the sport. Some searches are relatively easy to get a handle on. Others are mysteries to many within college football.

CBS Sports has surveyed sources throughout the sport to bring you the latest intel on coaching search season. 

All eyes on Lane Kiffin's decision 

Hours after Ole Miss authored a come-from-behind second half win over Florida, Kiffin spent the early morning tweeting up a storm. Among the posts were phrases like, 'What if you're in the 'good ole days' right now!!" Ole Miss, at 10-1, is on the cusp of the first playoff berth in program history. 

The Rebels may also be on the cusp of losing their head coach. 

It's not lost on anyone in college football that Ole Miss just played Florida, a place where Kiffin could be employed next year. The Gators have Kiffin as a top target. So does LSU. The question is whether Kiffin, amid the best season in Ole Miss history, will decide to jump to either.  

Ole Miss survived Florida scare, but Lane Kiffin's uncertainty still casts shadow over potential CFP run

Brad Crawford

A few weeks ago those around Oxford were confident Kiffin would return. Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents Kiffin, was engaging the Rebels in extension talks. The College Football Playoff not beginning until Dec. 19 seemed to work in the program's favor (the Rebels are almost assuredly in). 

The tenor has shifted in recent weeks. There's considerably less confidence now that Kiffin will stay in Oxford as several sources CBS Sports talked to believe it is more likely he'll leave. Meanwhile, others in the last 24 hours have expressed optimism he'll stay. Frankly, Kiffin is someone whose mind can change from day to day. 

There are questions in his camp about the political infrastructure in Baton Rouge. There are also concerns for Kiffin about his potential alignment with the Florida administration. 

In Oxford, Kiffin gets to do whatever he wants. Would the same be true elsewhere? 

If that feels like a whiplash of thought, it's because Kiffin is considered by those in this space (and some close to him) as maybe the most difficult person to predict what he thinks on a daily basis. 

Nobody will control the direction of the carousel like Kiffin, who could command an annual salary nearing the top of the sport; Kirby Smart is the highest paid coach at $13.2 million a year. 

As Ole Miss enters an open week ahead of the Egg Bowl, it'll be fascinating how Kiffin navigates a looming decision while leading a potential playoff team.

An emerging favorite at UCLA 

James Madison often gets lost in the Group of Five playoff discussion among the juggernauts of the American. But the Dukes are crushing people with a 15.8-point average margin of victory during a 9-1 campaign. 

Coach Bob Chesney, 48, is considered to be in the Curt Cignetti mold of coaches. He's 129-51 overall as a head coach in stops from Division III to the FBS. He's won everywhere. 

The Bruins are enamored with Chesney's track record, and sources have indicated Chesney has strong interest in UCLA as well. Chesney has spent most of his career on the East Coast and seems open to a change. 

Among the other coaches who have been of interest for UCLA include San Diego State's Sean Lewis, who is 8-2 in his second season with the Aztecs. Lewis has gotten interest from multiple Power Four teams with head coaching openings.

Auburn's search -- not weird?

Dare we say it: Auburn's search is rather normal so far. 

The Tigers have cast a reasonably wide net and there is great interest in the job. Four names come up the most per multiple sources: Tulane's Jon Sumrall, interim head coach DJ Durkin, Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Vanderbilt's Clark Lea.

Sumrall, an Alabama native who coached at Troy before Tulane, has deep ties in Alabama and is a popular choice among the high school coaches of the state. He's clearly among the top early contenders.

Drinkwitz has been mentioned with multiple jobs this cycle. Drinkwitz, whose first college job was as a quality control assistant at Auburn in 2010, has posted a 28-8 record at Missouri the last three years.

Lea is a name that's flown under the radar with Auburn. Vanderbilt has been trying to get an extension done with Lea for a while, attempting to keep him in Nashville for the considerable future. But Lea, a Vanderbilt alumnus, has been of interest for multiple Power Four openings including Auburn and Penn State.

Don't discount Durkin in this race. He's got strong support from the Auburn booster base and he could generate real momentum for the job down the stretch, especially if he can upset Alabama. 

Pat Fitzgerald wants back in

A name that keeps popping up this cycle is former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The most successful coach in Wildcats history, Several schools have interviewed Fitzgerald now that his lawsuit against Northwestern is settled including Arkansas.

If Michigan State were to open this cycle -- which many industry sources consider increasingly likely even with a hefty buyout for Jonathan Smith -- Fitzgerald would be a name that would make sense as a candidate.

Penn State is up in the air

A lot of names have been connected with Penn State, and it's a search that those in the industry don't have a good read on at this point. The Nittany Lions seem to be turning up rocks all over the place, from having interest in sitting coaches like Mike Elko — who has now agreed to a contract with Texas A&M -- to conversations with others such as recently-fired New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Names to watch at Oklahoma State 

Two popular names are associated with the Oklahoma State search. One is Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein. The Aggies have one of the most explosive offenses in the country, and Klein is very familiar with Cowboys athletic director Chad Weiberg given the pair were at Kansas State for several years together. In addition to Oklahoma State, Klein's also been of interest at places like Colorado State. 

The other top name coming up is North Texas head coach Eric Morris. The Mean Green are making a championship push in the American, which could impact Oklahoma State's timing. Sources have heavily linked Morris to the Cowboys in recent weeks. Morris also comes up with Arkansas and could be an option if Baylor were to open.

Others like South Florida's Alex Golesh have also come up with the search. 

Quick hitters on Group of Six ranks 

• At Oregon State, former Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, Montana State coach Brent Vigen and Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard are among the names that have come up in the search. 
• Colorado State has seemingly trimmed its list of consideration after looking at a combination of those with head coaching experience (former Auburn coach Bryan Harsin) and rising assistants such as the aforementioned Shephard, Washington offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty and Georgia defensive backs coach Donte Williams. 
• The Blazers are focused on someone with head coaching experience, per sources. Several FCS head coaches have come up in connection with UAB including Mercer's Mike Jacobs and Presbyterian head coach Steve Englehart. Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic, himself a former head coach at Mercer, is also a factor. 

Editor's Note: An early version of this story reported on James Franklin closing in on taking the Virginia Tech job. That move came to fruition Monday afternoon.