Paul Finebaum Lists Lane Kiffin As Possible Replacement for Brian Kelly, LSU Football

The LSU Tigers (5-3, 2-3 SEC) remain in headlines for all the wrong reasons after falling to the Texas A&M Aggies 49-25 on Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

On a night where Brian Kelly and the Bayou Bengals looked to keep the program's College Football Playoff hopes alive, it all came crashing down in Death Valley for the Tigers.

After suffering the program's third loss of the season, LSU's postseason goals have seemingly deteriorated with social media swirling surrounding the trajectory of the program.

From former LSU Tigers to the fanbase in Baton Rouge, there's a desire for change in the Bayou State from the top down.

If the LSU administration elected to move on from Kelly in the future, who could replace the program's decision-maker?

LSU Tigers Football: Brian Kelly. — Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum believes Lane Kiffin should be a name to consider.

Kiffin has been in headlines with the Florida Gators gig open as he becomes a potential candidate for the job, but Finebaum is shifting his focus to LSU if the program made a head coaching change.

“I’ll just make it simple, LSU is a better job than Florida. Florida has been devalued. I talked to (Tim) Tebow about that yesterday, and most of what you talk about with Florida is in the past. I mean, they have fired four straight coaches,” Finebaum said Sunday morning on The Matt Barrie Show podcast.

“And LSU is a lot different than that. Yeah, they fire a few coaches now and then, but they usually pay it off, and they’re capable of doing that. It’s just a completely different world. Kiffin’s quirky, and would he fit LSU? Probably would. He maybe fits that mindset a little better. Florida is a collection of a lot of different interests and politics, where LSU, if you win, you’re going to be OK at LSU.”

Ole Miss is coming off of a massive victory on Saturday against Oklahoma with Kiffin earning his first SEC win on the road against a ranked opponent during his time in Oxford.

Ole Miss Rebels Football. — Oct 25, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Despite the win, Finebaum believes Ole Miss' shot-caller could listen to outside offers.

“Listen, winning at Oklahoma is a big deal. … That’s one of the biggest wins he’s had. Now last year at home against Georgia probably meant a little more and then he threw it away. (But Kiffin is) in really good shape. I think he’s in the Playoff now, it’s just a matter of how he negotiates the rest of the season,” Finebaum said.

“And … not to start more speculation, but Lane Kiffin to LSU, that resonates equal or even more than the (Florida opening). The good news for Ole Miss fans, (in addition to) the fact that Ole Miss is in the Playoff, but the portal window is late this year, which makes it palatable that you can get two games in before the window opens, and that’s a big, big deal.”

The LSU Tigers fell out of the AP Top-25 Poll on Sunday with coaching changes expected in Baton Rouge during the open date prior to a Nov. 8 matchup at Alabama.

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