$63 million college football HC surging as favorite to be named next Florida coach

Florida's season has not gone as planned, but Gators fans are hoping the program's next coach can help jumpstart things in Gainesville. One coach continues to be linked to Florida in the ongoing college football rumors.

An intense battle is potentially brewing between three SEC teams for Lane Kiffin. Both LSU and Florida have been linked to Kiffin. Ole Miss is a potential College Football Playoff team giving Kiffin plenty to think about before bolting for perceived greener pastures.

"Right now it's hard to imagine Lane Kiffin coaching at Ole Miss next year. The opportunity that looms at either LSU or Florida is too big." 👀 @PeteThamel gives insight into the tension between Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, LSU, and Florida as the season ramps up ✍️ pic.twitter.com/WhlTPmrCfR
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 28, 2025

Kiffin is listed as a heavy favorite to be named Florida's new coach. Kalshi, a predictive odds market, gives Kiffin a 56% chance to be named the next Florida coach. Kiffin's odds continue to increase with Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz a distant second at 20% in the Florida odds.

Here's what you need to know about the latest Florida rumors.

Lane Kiffin is the favorite in the college football odds at both Florida and LSU

Kiffin may be the favorite, but this does not necessarily mean that the coveted coach will leave Ole Miss. If Kiffin does bolt Ole Miss, the SEC coach could also take the LSU job over Florida. USA Today's Paul Myerberg predicted that Kiffin will eventually take the Florida gig.

"The best odds at this moment have Kiffin either staying put or replacing Billy Napier with the Gators," Myerberg wrote on Nov. 6.

"One thing that can’t be overlooked but has been largely ignored during the will-he-or-won’t-he debate: Kiffin has established a consistent contender and might be drawn to finish what he’s started after leading an itinerant coaching career before his arrival in Oxford."

Florida may not be able to hire Lane Kiffin until January

Ole Miss is very much in the College Football Playoff picture which complicates Florida's pursuit of the Rebels coach. If Ole Miss makes a run in the postseason, Kiffin may be coaching the Rebels through the middle of Jan.

.@CoachDanMullen revealed to me that when he got fired from Florida, he told Scott Stricklin to hire Lane Kiffin. @InfSportsNet @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/RxUaHhOMjA
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) September 19, 2024

Will Florida or other programs be willing to wait on hiring Kiffin? The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2 and ideally programs like Florida and LSU will have a coach in place.

If Florida's top candidate is indeed Kiffin, the Gators may need to punt on the transfer portal window in order to wait on hiring the coach. There may be plenty of Gators fans rooting for Ole Miss to lose in the coming weeks.

Kiffin just earned an additional year on his deal thanks to reaching seven wins in 2025 and is now under contract at Ole Miss through 2031. The Ole Miss coach is estimated to be earning $9 million annually, per USA Today's Steve Berkowitz.

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