Major development emerges on Brian Kelly's future at LSU

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Sunday that LSU power brokers are holding internal discussions about the future of head football coach Brian Kelly. Thamel did not specify a timeline for a decision or detail potential outcomes, but it marked the clearest public signal yet that Kelly's job status is under active review in Baton Rouge.

Sources: LSU is in discussions about Brian Kelly’s future, and that includes outreach to Kelly about his potential departure. The situation is in flux. Kelly is owed $54 million in buyout money. pic.twitter.com/koxfRjSXfu
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 26, 2025

The scrutiny follows a two-game slide that has pushed LSU to 5-3 and 2-3 in the SEC. The Tigers fell 31-24 at then-No. 17 Vanderbilt on Oct. 18 and were routed 49-25 at home by No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday, a defeat that knocked LSU from the Top 25. Kelly's team opened 4–0 with a road win at Clemson but has dropped three of its last four.

Any move on Kelly would be among the most expensive decisions in college football. He signed a 10-year contract in 2021; with six years remaining, his buyout is structured at 90% of the salary owed over the life of the deal. If LSU were to dismiss him after this season, the school would owe roughly $52.38 million. The figure would be higher for an in-season termination.

The 2025 college football season has set up a hyperactive coaching carousel. There has already been 11 FBS head-coaching changes (nine mid-season), including seven at power-conference programs. That is an unusually aggressive pace that has reshaped the candidate pool and buyout math across the sport. That market makes the offseason search more competitive while also opening the door for teams to evaluate their own head coach.

LSU Tigers Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LSU's remaining schedule presents a difficult stretch for Kelly to change the narrative. The Tigers visit No. 4 Alabama on Nov. 8 before closing with Arkansas, Western Kentucky and a trip to No. 18 Oklahoma. Kelly is 34-14 in his fourth season at LSU, with at least three losses in each campaign to date, and the latest defeat left the Tigers effectively out of realistic College Football Playoff contention. Results down the stretch will shape both the internal conversations and the school's calculus on whether to absorb a massive buyout in a cycle with heavy competition for top candidates.

Kelly has been outspoken this year about the escalating costs and shifting incentives of the modern game, including NIL and roster management, while attempting to steer LSU back toward national-title contention. But in a season where the SEC race feels more open than in recent years, it appears as though some people around the LSU program have been disappointed with how this season has played out.

This story will evolve as LSU leadership weighs options in the days ahead, but for now, Kelly's tenure as head coach for the Tigers is in serious question. LSU is on a bye this week.

LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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