Just hours before the Egg Bowl, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Lane Kiffin wouldn’t leave Ole Miss to become the next head coach of the Florida Gators.
“Florida has shifted focus from Lane Kiffin in the school’s coaching search, as the school has sensed through irregular communication that he’s interested in other options. Florida has interviewed roughly a dozen candidates and is optimistic about the process,” he said.
24 hours later, a “clear favorite” has emerged for the job as Kiffin makes his final decision between Ole Miss and LSU – a decision that’s expected to be made on Saturday, Nov. 29.
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During “College GameDay” ahead of the Michigan-Ohio State game, Thamel offered an update on the Florida job while naming Sumrall the “clear favorite” to replace Billy Napier.
“He’s had significant interest from Auburn and significant interest from Florida,’ Thamel said. “He could end up in the Ole Miss, LSU mix just depending on what Lane does. Sources told me last night and reiterated this morning that Sumrall is the clear favorite to be the next head coach at the University of Florida. Sumrall is not going to make an official decision until tomorrow.”
Immediately after the 2024 college football season, Sumrall and Tulane agreed to a contract extension through 2029 with an annual salary of $3 million, per ESPN.
Thamel previously reported Sumrall is expected to make a decision on his coaching future on Sunday, Nov. 30 as he decides between staying at Tulane or leaving for a handful of other jobs like Florida – or potentially LSU or Ole Miss depending on Lane Kiffin’s final decision.
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