Paul Finebaum Predicts Leader For Lane Kiffin Amid LSU Football, Florida Gators Buzz

The LSU Tigers remain in headlines this fall, navigating a national coaching search after parting ways with Brian Kelly.

Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin stands with his players before a game against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The race for Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin continues stealing headlines this fall with the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators looking to lure him out of Oxford.

Kiffin and the No. 5 ranked Rebels are firing on all cylinders in 2025 with the program sitting at 10-1 following a win over Florida as the program gears up for a season finale against Mississippi State on Nov. 28.

The LSU administration is making a run at Kiffin with multiple reports stating that the Rebels' shot-caller is the program's top target.

This week, Fox Sports' Joel Klatt revealed the LSU Tigers are willing to offer Kiffin a "blank check" in order to secure his services - if needed.

“There’s an old coaching adage out there that the quickest way to be defeated is to be distracted,” Klatt said. “I think that the biggest threat to Ole Miss down the stretch is distraction. And that distraction in the form of their future head coach.

Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts to a play against the Florida Gators during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"I don’t know where Lane Kiffin is going to end up. I know that Ole Miss is basically telling him, ‘Hey, it’s a blank check. You tell us what you need to stay here, and we will do it.’ I have that on good authority.

“I also have, on pretty good authority, that LSU is prepared to do the same thing for Lane Kiffin. They’ll basically tell him, ‘The keys are yours.’ Florida is a job that I think Lane would prefer over the other two, from what I’ve been told, and they are not quite in the same boat as Ole Miss and LSU in terms of ‘here, the sky is yours and name your price.’ There are more strings.”

But ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum believes it's the Florida Gators that have the edge in the "Kiffin Sweepstakes" this fall.

“Everybody seems to know something, and he is going to have a difficult time these next couple of weeks dealing with it. Because everything seems to be pointing toward Florida,” Finebaum said on The Matt Barrie Show.

Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin embraces linebacker Suntarine Perkins (4) during the second half against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"Lane Kiffin is the story right now, and as the week unfolded last week, the Kiffin rumors started going crazy. We’re not here to discuss rumors, but you could not avoid it," Finebaum added.

For the Bayou Bengals, all eyes remain on the coaching search in Baton Rouge with the vetting process set to turn into interviews for the next phase this month.

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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