SEC coach firings take a pause. That doesn't mean they're finished
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And on the second Sunday in November, the buyout gods rested.
The coaching carousel still twirls like a child hopped up on sugar, but nobody new joined the fray last weekend. Wisconsin says it’s not firing Luke Fickell. Anyway, he beat Washington. Inside the volatile SEC, embattled Kentucky coach Mark Stoops scored his most impressive victory in some time, with his Wildcats trouncing Florida.
Are the firings finished for this season? Well, about that …
On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from USA TODAY Co., hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss a few SEC coaches who might not be out of the woods yet.
Stoops and Oklahoma’s Brent Venables are OK for now, but there’s work left to do. Also, Shane Beamer has pledged his loyalty to South Carolina, but with the Gamecocks imploding, should Beamer consider an exit for Virginia Tech, if he has that as an option out of town?
Will any more SEC football coaches be fired?
Adams: Stoops’ victory against Florida greases the runway for him to return. Kentucky probably has two words on its mind. They’re not buyout money. They are: Contract extension. Why pay Stoops to not coach when buyout money could otherwise be spent on another basketball player?
I maintain Venables is not out of the woods yet, although he’s trending in the right direction. Lose to Alabama if you must. Just don’t lose to Missouri or LSU.
As for Beamer, if he’s got a road out of town that leads to Virginia Tech, he should start driving. If not, he’ll be on the hot seat by 2026.
Toppmeyer: Does Kentucky, a basketball school, really want to spend more than $37 million to fire a coach who just beat Auburn and Florida? I think not. Stoops beating Auburn and Florida helps his job security. Even better: Basketball season is underway. Stoops can hang out in the shadows and keep his job. Just don’t blow it by losing to Tennessee Tech. Kentucky’s upcoming FCS opponent is 10-0.
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I also expect Venables to be back in 2026, so long as Oklahoma doesn’t totally implode. Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione is retiring. Retain Venables, and let the next athletic director decide whether to take up this matter in 2026. That seems like the proper play.
Beamer must ask himself: Does he want to try to restart his clock somewhere else, or would he rather have a buyout check from South Carolina in 2026? Those are his options.
Later in this episode
∎ What to make of Toppmeyer’s idea that Tennessee’s Josh Heupel turn his eye toward Penn State? Adams weighs in.
∎ The hosts disagree on how many SEC teams are national championship contenders. Is it two, or three?
Sec football Week 12 picks against the spread!
Toppmeyer’s five-pack of picks (picks in bold):
∎ Texas at Georgia (-6.5)
∎ Arkansas at LSU (-5.5)
∎ Oklahoma at Alabama (-6.5)
∎ Mississippi State at Missouri (-7.5)
∎ Air Force at UConn (-7.5)
Season record: 25-30 (2-3 last week)
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Adams’ five-pack of picks (picks in bold):
∎ Arkansas at LSU (-5.5)
∎ Florida at Ole Miss (-15.5)
∎ New Mexico State at Tennessee (-39.5)
∎ Texas at Georgia (-6.5)
∎ Kent State at Akron (-6.5)
Season record: 29-26 (4-1 last week)
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football hot seat check Mark Stoops, Brent Venables, Shane Beamer
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