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LSU Football Next Head Coach Odds: New Favorite Emerges for Tigers' Job Opening

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 6:26 PM ET

The LSU Tigers are shaking things up in Baton Rouge with the program undergoing significant change in the athletic department.

Following the news of head football coach Brian Kelly being relieved of his duties last Sunday, LSU parted ways with athletic director Scott Woodward just days later.

Now, the Bayou Bengals have taken social media by storm with a new era of LSU athletics set to get underway in 2026.

But the piece that is generating the most buzz surrounds the coaching vacancy in Baton Rouge with Kelly out of the equation.

Once LSU's decision-maker was relieved of his duties, analysts across America began tossing out potential candidates left and right to land the gig, but there are a few names to watch.

The "national search" will have a myriad of candidates come in for interviews with interim athletic director Verge Ausberry spearheading the push after putting together a committee.

"We're going to hire the best football coach there is," Ausberry said on Friday. "That's our job. We are not going to let this program fail. LSU has to be in the playoffs every year in football. There's 12 teams that make it.

"It's going to expand here. We have to be one of those teams at LSU. No substitute."

Now, according to multiple platforms, there is a betting favorite emerging in LSU's search for a new head coach.

Current betting favorite for every P4 opening via @Kalshi

LSU: Jon Sumrall (Tulane HC)

Florida: Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss HC)

Penn State: Brian Hartline (Ohio State OC)

Virginia Tech: James Franklin (Former Penn State HC)

Arkansas: Tie between Rhett Lashlee & Ryan Silverfield…
— Max Chadwick (@CFBMaxChadwick) October 30, 2025

Sumrall, the Tulane Green Wave's head coach, has become a name that social media has run with in the program's search for a new shot-caller.

The other name that has emerged as a true target is Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin as he becomes the hottest name on the market.

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

“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.

"How that unfolds will be a fascinating facet of this playoff, for coaches like Lane Kiffin, maybe Brent Key, maybe Jon Sumrall or Alex Golesh. The timing does not line up for an easy transition.”

Now, as the LSU Tigers begin their search for a new coach, all eyes will be on the candidates that emerge across the next few weeks.

This article first appeared on LSU Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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