Florida Gators Head Coach Hot Board: Lane Kiffin Emerges As Favorite To Watch

Kiffin remains firmly in the race for the Florida Gators, multiple names to know in the mix this month.

Nov 1, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin remains the talk of the town this fall with the program's decision-maker linked to multiple programs in search of a coach.

The Southeastern Conference has seen the LSU Tigers, Florida Gators, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Auburn Tigers part ways with their head coaches amid challenging 2025 seasons.

Now, Kiffin has become the name to watch in both the LSU and Florida coaching searches with ESPN's Pete Thamel calling it "The Lane Kiffin Show" this fall.

“Well, it’s going to be The Lane Kiffin Show from here on in until a decision is made,” 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.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

“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.

But other candidates have emerged for the Florida Gators job. This hasn't simply become the "Kiffin or bust" search.

Florida Gators Hot Board:

No. 1: Lane Kiffin [Ole Miss]

Ole Miss' decision-maker remains a name to watch in the Florida Gators coaching search following Billy Napier's dismissal.

He's the hottest name on the market with schools across America looking to poach him, and with family ties to the Gators, it makes the job that much more enticing.

Will Kiffin remain in Oxford? Will he depart for a gig in Gainesville or Baton Rouge? This remains the talk of the town.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

No. 2: Eli Drinkwitz [Missouri]

Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz is the betting favorite to become the next head coach of the Florida Gators after Napier's dismissal.

"Nothing has worked at Florida since Urban Meyer’s reign, and it’s tried every model: the successful G5 coach (Napier, Jim McElwain), the established P4 coach (Dan Mullen), the hot assistant (Will Muschamp)," The Athletic's Joe Rexrode wrote on Wednesday. "After Napier, it’s time to look a level higher and pluck a guy who has done tremendous things at Missouri.

"If you’re Drinkwitz, you’re looking at a place that finally seems to have figured out what a coach needs to return to winning national championships. This won’t thrill Florida fans, but they’ll already be mad about losing Kiffin to LSU anyway."

No. 3: James Franklin [Penn State]

After being dismissed from the Penn State Nittany Lions this fall, James Franklin has emerged as a name to watch across the coaching carousel this fall.

Florida, Virginia Tech, and Arkansas, among others, have been linked to Franklin where he comes in with the third-best odds to get the gig in Gainesville.

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Florida Gators Next Head Coach Odds:

1. Eli Drinkwitz (-110)
2. Lane Kiffin (+300)
3. James Franklin (+400)
4. Jedd Fisch (+600)
5. Clark Lea (+900)

Kiffin remains the name to watch with the odds fluctuating across the last three weeks since Napier's departure in the Sunshine State.

More Ole Miss News:

National Analyst Believes Miami Dolphins Should Hire Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss Football Great Doubles Down on Lane Kiffin to Florida Gators 'Not Happening'

Tony Vitello Pokes Fun at Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin in Goodbye to Tennessee

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