Chaos. Chaos everywhere.
This year’s college football coaching carousel is insane, and it’s only getting more frantic by the minute. Here’s the latest on what’s happening around college football:
New Ole Miss HC Pete Golding Introduced After Kiffin Departure
In the aftermath of LSU hiring Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss, new Rebels head coach and former defensive coordinator Pete Golding made his first appearance before the team following his promotion. And it didn’t take long for him to make an impression.
“We ain’t playing scared,” Golding said after a rousing round of applause. “We ain’t coaching scared, that ain’t what you’re used to, that ain’t what you want. This is not reinventing the wheel, right? You got us in a great spot. Let’s just fine tune that thing, let’s go make our run. We straight? But I appreciate you, I love ya, I thank ya, and I’m excited.”
Kentucky reportedly plans to fire Mark Stoops
Kentucky is set to move on from Stoops likely as soon as Monday, per ESPN. Stoops has coached the Wildcats for the last 13 seasons, going 62-80 (25-68 in SEC play) with four bowl game wins.
Stoop will be owed more than $37 million, which is set to be paid out within 60 days, per the report.
Lane Kiffin boards flight for Baton Rouge
Earlier on Sunday, Lane Kiffin posted on his X account that he is going to leave Ole Miss to become the LSU head coach. It was reported on Saturday night that Kiffin would fly to Baton Rouge on Sunday, and a group of Ole Miss fans were at the airport to send him off.
Michigan State plans to hire Fitzgerald as its next head football coach, per multiple reports, after firing Jonathan Smith. In his two years as the Spartans’ head coach, Smith finished with a 9-15 record. Smith, who’s set to be owed $33 million, went 4-8 overall and 1-8 in the Big Ten this season.
Florida is hiring Sumrall as its next head coach, per ESPN. Sumrall is signing a six-year deal with a roughly $7.5 million annual salary. Tulane is 10-2 overall and ranked No. 24 in the country this season and went a combined 19-7 under Sumrall over the past two seasons. Sumrall was previously the head coach at Troy, with the Trojans going 23-4 from 2022-23. The Gators went 4-8 this season and fired head coach Billy Napier in October.
Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for LSU
Kiffin announced Sunday afternoon that he’s leaving the Rebels to become the Tiger’s next head coach. Ole Miss is promoting defensive coordinator Pete Golding to its permanent head coach, according to On3.
Kiffin was “essentially demanding to finish the season [at Ole Miss] while simultaneously threatening to poach” the Rebels’ coaching staff and roster, per On3. Ole Miss is ranked No. 7 in the country and finished the regular season 11-1, with the 11 wins tied for a program record (2023). LSU finished unranked at 7-5 (3-5 in SEC play).
Auburn is hiring Golesh as its new head coach, per ESPN. The two sides have agreed to a six-year deal. USF is in the midst of a 9-3 season that has seen it ranked for the bulk of the campaign. Over Golesh’s three seasons as the Bulls’ head coach (2023-25), USF went a combined 23-15. Auburn went 5-7 this season and fired head coach Hugh Freeze earlier this month in what was his third season on the job. The Tigers haven’t appeared in a bowl game since 2023.
Arkansas is hiring Silverfield as its new head coach, according to multiple reports. Silverfield went a combined 50-24 at Memphis from 2020-25, including double-digit-winning seasons in 2023 and 2024. Arkansas went 2-10 overall (0-8 in SEC) this season and fired head coach Sam Pittman after a 2-3 start, ending a five-plus-year stint.
Wolverines fullback/tight end Max Bredeson (foot) and running back Jordan Marshall (shoulder) will be active vs. Ohio State. Marshall, who missed Week 13, has rushed for 871 yards and 10 touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry this season.
OSU star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate will play against Michigan, per ESPN. Smith and Tate were each limited in practice this week due to lower-body injuries, with Smith missing Week 13 and Tate having not played in four weeks. The two receivers have combined for 108 receptions for 1,613 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
The Beavers have hired Alabama assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as their new head coach, ESPN reported. Shephard and Oregon State agreed to a five-year deal. Shephard, 42, has been at Alabama since 2024, following head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama after the 2023 season. Oregon State (2-9) fired head coach Trent Bray after starting 0-7. Bray went a combined 5-14 as the Beavers’ head coach.
Stanford hires head coach
The Cardinal reportedly hired Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard as their next head coach, per ESPN. Pritchard previously played quarterback at Stanford from 2006-09. He then went on to serve in various roles as an assistant coach and coordinator with the school from 2010-22. Pritchard will take over after Stanford parted ways with Troy Taylor, who was fired in March after being investigated twice for allegedly mistreating staffers.
Vanderbilt extends HC Clark Lea
The Commodores extended their head coach on a six-year deal, per ESPN, which reportedly includes a noteworthy salary increase for Lea and added resources to the football program. Lea, who was a fullback at Vanderbilt from 2002-04, is in his fifth season as the Commodores’ head coach, with the school a combined 25-35 but coming off a 7-6 season that saw Lea win 2024 SEC Coach of the Year honors. This season, Vanderbilt is 9-2 overall, 5-2 in SEC play and ranked No. 14 in the country. With one more win, Vanderbilt would have a program-record 10 wins for a single season. Vanderbilt closes out its regular season on the road against No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday.
Mora is leaving UConn for Colorado State, per ESPN. The Huskies are in the midst of a second consecutive nine-win season and were a combined 27-23 under Mora from 2022-25. Offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis will serve as UConn’s interim head coach. Mora was the head coach of the UCLA Bruins from 2012-17, preceded by several NFL assistant coaching stints and two head-coaching ones (Atlanta from 2004-06 and Seattle in 2009). He takes over a Colorado State team that’s 2-9 and fired head coach Jay Norvell after three-plus seasons earlier this year.
The Cowboys announced on Oct. 25 that they’ve hired North Texas head coach Eric Morris as their new coach. Morris’ Mean Green is in the midst of a 10-1 season, with the program 21-15 under him since 2023. He was also the head coach at Incarnate Word from 2018-21, followed by being the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Washington State in 2022. Morris is expected to finish the 2025 season at North Texas. Oklahoma State fired head coach Mike Gundy after a 1-2 start and 20-plus seasons on the job, with the Cowboys now 1-10 on the season.
Notre Dame loses two players to season-ending injuries
ND will be without linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (knee) and cornerback Chance Tucker (leg) for the rest of the season after they were both hurt in Saturday’s blowout win over Syracuse. Neither were starters, but Viliamu-Asa was third on the team with 48 tackles, along with 3.0 sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. The Fighting Irish finish their regular season Saturday at Stanford as they chase a second consecutie Colleg Football Playoff berth.
Arrested Georgia lineman cut from team
Bulldogs offensive lineman Nyier Daniels has been dismissed from the team following his weekend arrest on multiple charges resulting from a high-speed police chase in the city of Commerce, Georgia. According to the Jackson County, Georgia jail log, Daniels was booked at 10 a.m. Sunday on three felony charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and 10 misdemeanor charges. The other felony charges were two counts of cruelty to children because Daniels’ two younger siblings were in his BMW. The misdemeanor charges included reckless driving and speeding. According to the police report, Daniels reached speeds of 100 mph in a 25 mph zone in Commerce and 150 mph when the chase continued on Interstate 85. According to the incident report, officers gave up the chase when the pursuing officer lost contact with Daniels’ vehicle on the interstate. The arrest was made when the officers learned he was a Georgia player and contacted team coaches, who provided assistance, according to the report.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Monday that Daniels was no longer on the team. “I have not had a chance to talk to him or his family, but obviously he’ll no longer be with us,” Smart said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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