LSU Football Next Head Coach Odds: Lane Kiffin's Odds Slip As New Favorite Emerges

The LSU Tigers continue navigating a coaching search in Baton Rouge following the news of Brian Kelly being relieved of his duties on Oct. 26.

After a chaotic week in the Bayou State where both Kelly and athletics director Scott Woodward parted ways with LSU, there's a new shot-caller leading the charge.

The national coaching search will have a myriad of candidates coming in for interviews where interim athletic director Verge Ausberry will spearhead the push after putting together a committee.

"We're going to hire the best football coach there is," Ausberry said on Friday. "That's our job. We are not going to let this program fail. LSU has to be in the playoffs every year in football. There's 12 teams that make it.

"It's going to expand here. We have to be one of those teams at LSU. No substitute."

LSU Tigers Football: Frank Wilson. — Courtesy of LSU Football.

Now, according to BetOnline, there is a new betting favorite emerging in LSU's search for a new head coach.

LSU Tigers Next Head Coach Odds:

Joe Brady (+200)
Jon Sumrall (+250)
Lane Kiffin (+400)
James Franklin (+500)
Eli Drinkwitz (+900)
Clark Lea (+1000)
Brent Key (+1400)
Jimbo Fisher (+1800)
Jeff Brohm (+2000)
Marcus Freeman (+2800)

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady has quickly surged as the top betting favorite to become the next head coach in Baton Rouge, according to BetOnline. He passed Sumrall for the top spot after the odds were updated on Monday.

For Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin, he remains hovering in the top-five at the No. 3 slot (+400) where he opened last week once the odds went public, but many believe he'll come in as the top target - most notable ESPN's Pete Thamel.

“Well, it’s going to be The Lane Kiffin Show from here on in until a decision is made,” ESPN's Pete Thamel said. “He’s a target at LSU. He’s a target at Florida. And, the competition between those two athletic departments for Lane Kiffin is going to be one of the things that hangs over the rest of this season.”

“A fascinating wrinkle to all this, of course, is that Ole Miss is headed to the playoff. They have a high percentage chance of going there, especially after beating Oklahoma on Saturday on the road like they did,” added Thamel.

“The regular season in college football ends in late November. The playoff starts on December 19th. It is going to be a high-wire act. It is possible, but, if you are a playoff coach and you are going to take a job? It is going to be a high-wire act to do that, especially if you win games in the playoff and it extends.

"How that unfolds will be a fascinating facet of this playoff, for coaches like Lane Kiffin, maybe Brent Key, maybe Jon Sumrall or Alex Golesh. The timing does not line up for an easy transition.”

LSU will begin a national search with interim athletics director Verge Ausberry leading the charge for the program's next decision-maker after being given full authority last week.

"This place is not broken; the athletic department is not broken. We win. I’ve been part of 18 national championships at LSU — six of them recently. I’ve been part of four national championship games, won three national championships," Ausberry said.

"I’ve been part of seven SEC championships, two as a player. I know what it takes to win. We know what it takes to win. And that’s our job — that’s our mission."

More LSU News:

Elite LSU Football Commit Reaffirms Pledge Despite Ohio State, Ole Miss Pushing

Five Players LSU Football Must Keep After Brian Kelly's Firing, Including DJ Pickett

ESPN Insider Labels Lane Kiffin 'Top Target' for LSU Football, Florida Gators

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