Predicting Lane Kiffin's next move: Can LSU football beat Florida for star coach?

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The Lane Kiffin drama is reaching a fever pitch.

A day after members of the Kiffin camp visited Gainesville, they were spotted in Baton Rouge. Rumors began on message boards and were later confirmed by LSU beat reporters and national outlets like On3 and The Athletic.

LSU and Florida both need a football coach — and Kiffin is the primary target in both searches. After leading Ole Miss to three-straight double-digit win seasons for the first time in school history, Kiffin’s services are in demand.

But this process isn’t without the typical college football spectacle. Ole Miss is nearly a lock for the College Football Playoff and Kiffin’s flirtations with LSU and Florida have raised questions within the Ole Miss community. With an extension unsigned, Ole Miss has reportedly given Kiffin a deadline. It wants to know Kiffin’s plans before the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28.

That means we’re likely approaching a decision. Nobody knows what Kiffin is going to do is Kiffin, and even he seems to be back and forth. Anyway, let’s take a shot at predicting how this all plays out.

Where will Lane Kiffin be coaching in 2026?

Florida fans are convinced Kiffin will be in Gainesville. LSU fans are convinced he’s heading to Baton Rouge. Ole Miss fans are all over the place, just wanting some type of resolution.

For now, my gut feeling tells me Kiffin ultimately accepts the Florida job.

Kiffin has been Florida’s clear-cut No. 1 pick for the entirety of the search. He has plenty of connections to the state of Florida, including a head coaching stint at FAU in Boca Raton. Layla Kiffin, Lane’s ex-wife, seems to be playing a role in the decision, too, and social media speculators think Gainesville is Layla’s preferred destination.

On Monday, CBSSports reported that the Kiffin party has some questions about the political dynamic at LSU, given the governor’s public involvement in Brian Kelly’s firing and the ensuing mess related to Kelly’s buyout.

Do I think LSU has a chance at Kiffin? Yes. The family doesn’t take a trip there unless LSU is earning real consideration. If this were just about wanting a raise for Ole Miss or creating leverage for negotiations with Florida, it wouldn’t reach this point with LSU.

Still, for now, I think Scott Stricklin and Florida have the slight edge.

Prediction: Lane Kiffin will be Florida’s head coach in 2026

Why is Lane Kiffin LSU and Florida’s No. 1 pick?

Lane Kiffin has led Ole Miss to unprecedented success. Since the SEC integrated, Ole Miss has won double-digit games just seven times. Kiffin is responsible for four of those seasons. Ole Miss finished 2023 and 2024 ranked in the top-15 of the final CFP poll and looks to be primed to do it again in 2025.

Kiffin has won 31 games in the last three years and this season isn’t even over yet.

Kiffin’s career has been a long one. Over 10 years ago, he was fired from USC. He’s since rebounded, finding success as Alabama’s OC before launching another head coaching career. Ole Miss is going to do its best to keep Kiffin, but it may not be enough.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Predicting Lane Kiffin’s next move: Can LSU beat Florida?

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