$54 million star college football coach surges as a favorite to be named Penn State HC

While LSU and Florida have taken over the college football news as the SEC programs battle to land Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, Penn State continues to search for the Nittany Lions' next coach. On Tuesday, a surprise name surged in the odds to be the next Penn State coach.

James Madison's Bob Chesney is the favorite to be the new Penn State coach, but another person is nearby in second. Chesney has a 39% chance to land the Penn State job, per Kalshi.

Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman is surging in the betting odds to second place with a 26% chance to be named the new Penn State coach. Let's explore the latest college football rumors on the top candidates to be the next Penn State coach.

Penn State was initially rumored to take a 'big swing' to land Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman

Fans may remember that after Penn State fired James Franklin, the program was reportedly aiming to take a "big swing" by attempting to poach a top college football coach. On3's Pete Nakos reported on Oct. 14 that Freeman was among the targets at Penn State.

“Either you stick together and attack it and you just work at it and trust each other and believe in each other or you do what outsiders would do and point the finger at one person,” Marcus Freeman

Team accountability is the the foundation of a winning culture. pic.twitter.com/33FgA6r6C3
— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) November 23, 2025

"Sources have told On3 that Alabama’sand Ohio State’sare not serious candidates, but Kraft plans to take a couple of big swings during the hiring process," Nakos wrote shortly after Franklin was fired. "One name that Kraft may make a run at is Notre Dame’s, sources have told On3.

"The 39-year-old head coach is 37-11 in three seasons in South Bend and took the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff national title game last season."

Could Penn State poach Marcus Freeman away from Notre Dame?

Betting odds can sometimes feature wild swings as new information surfaces amid coaching searches. It is unclear why Freeman is gaining momentum in the odds.

Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman spoke to me about his message to the team ahead of #OhioState game: “You have now.” 😤#GoIrish #GoBucks #NotreDame pic.twitter.com/pXBiUVtGXq
— Jonathan Adams (@JonDAdams) January 18, 2025

Penn State still faces a tall task to pry Freeman away from Notre Dame. The Irish are on the verge of potentially making the program's second straight appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Back in Dec. 2024, Freeman signed a new contract extension which is slated to run through 2030, per ESPN's Heather Dinich. According to 247Sports, Freeman earned a raise of $9 million annually, a jump from his previous $7 million salary.

At the moment, Freeman is not expected to leave Notre Dame, but the sudden jump in the Penn State odds means the situation at South Bend is at least worth monitoring

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.