Both Florida and Penn State have Lane Kiffin circled in red ink on their coaching wish lists. The Gators are desperate for a splash after Billy Napier’s exit, while the Nittany Lions see the Ole Miss HC’s offensive spark as the missing link to dethrone the Big Ten elite. But just when it looked like a two-horse race for college football’s most polarizing play-caller, another heavyweight quietly entered the ring. And maybe, this one could blow both contenders out of the water.

On Sunday, LSU made the call. Brian Kelly was out after a pedestrian 5–3 start. And wouldn’t you know it, one of those losses came courtesy of Lane Kiffin’s Rebels. That’s when Kirk Herbstreit posed the question in his latest Instagram reel on October 28. “Which job is more intriguing – LSU or Penn State?” His answer is hands down LSU. “I would pick LSU over Penn State only because there are a lot of people in talking to the coaching fraternity, they look at LSU and Ohio State in the same way,” he said. And just like that, the plot thickened in Baton Rouge.

Kirk Herbstreit cited the pros of going to LSU. “You’re the only team in that state. You control recruiting in that state,” he said. “If you can control New Orleans and Baton Rouge and that entire Lafayette, all that area, you’re going to get some great players. Penn State, I mean, you’re splitting hairs, both those but the expectations are scary.” 

Even Paul Finebaum added to the chorus on ESPN’s Get Up, making it clear who he’d bet on. “It’s a close call, but in my mind, LSU is a better job,” he said. “It just has a great infrastructure down there. As I say that, I realize they’ve fired the last three or four coaches, but I think Lane Kiffin fits that culture pretty well. He’s familiar with it.” That culture feels tailor-made for Lane Kiffin, who’s built Ole Miss into a 7–1 juggernaut with their only loss coming against Georgia. The Rebels then bounced back with a road win over No. 13 Oklahoma for three top-11 finishes in four years. Lane Kiffin’s name is already orbiting LSU radar. But they’re not the only ones chasing him. Florida and Penn State still want him. Ole Miss wants to keep him.

Can Lane Kiffin’s contract keep him at Oxford?

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported that Lane Kiffin sits “near or at the very top of LSU’s wish list.” That could spell trouble for Florida and Penn State, which has made little secret of its interest. The Rebels HC’s success makes him hard to pry away. His latest win triggered a one-year contract extension, bumping his deal to 2031 and about $9 million annually. 

USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz noted the Rebels’ seventh win automatically extended his contract, with $7.2 million guaranteed and a $150,000 bonus this season. Still, money’s never been the thing that moves Lane Kiffin. It’s the challenge. It’s the chaos. And Baton Rouge has both. Also, his daughter Landry has brought forward one reason why he should consider LSU. 

Because as Kirk Herbstreit and Paul Finebaum both hinted, the real question isn’t if Lane Kiffin could handle LSU. It’s how fast he would turn the Tigers into a title threat again.