The college football coaching carousel is spinning out of control in 2025. Five Power Four coaches have already been fired before November. The narrative has shifted dramatically. Penn State joined the fray last week, and today, we have Florida doing the same. Billy Napier has left Gainesville. The head coaches looking for a change of scenery to fulfill their ambitions now have two bluebloods to choose from. And if you’re a Tier 2 SEC coach who wants to go big, what should be your preferred destination? Well, Paul Finebaum has the answer.

Lane Kiffin isn’t unhappy at Ole Miss. In fact, he is being considered for the top jobs only because of the kind of turnaround he brought in at the program. They are no longer surprised when they beat top teams. Just this season, the Rebels took down LSU, and even against Georgia in Week 8, they had the game in their hands until the last quarter. Naturally, Kiffin’s stock is high. Probably the highest if he’s willing to make a move. In his appearance on the Matt Barrie show, the host asked Paul Finebaum about a better destination for Kiffin among the Gators and the Nittany Lions.

“I like Florida, Matt, and it’s not because of the region of the country I’m from. It’s just that I have seen the development there. It’s not even the recruiting base anymore because that’s a misnomer. But I think the commitment there, maybe not dollar for dollar, because Penn State is very mighty, but you’re just playing in a better area of the country to me,” Finebaum said. 

There are two things at play here. Legacy and current state of the program. Even his worst critics will argue that James Franklin left Penn State in better hands than the time he took over the program. They’ve had multiple 10+ win seasons; the Lions were in the top 4 of the playoffs last year, and their recruitment classes stood out every year. The same can’t be said about the Gators. But recruiting in the South is relatively easier than in the B1G.

You don’t know for sure if the NIL has bridged that gap. Penn State was in the top 10 of roster spending this season, and the Gators were nowhere near the top. Another factor that can come into play is the easier schedule Kiffin may have in the B1G. The SEC is a juggernaut. They keep eating each other every year, and Week 8 was just the latest example.

Meanwhile, Ole Miss pays $9 million to keep Lane Kiffin in Mississippi. His contract runs till 2030 with a hefty $36.6 million buyout. Discussions are currently underway to extend his stay with the Rebels.

The Gators have parted ways with Billy Napier

Florida fired HC Billy Napier on Sunday, following a 3-4 start to the 2025 season. It ends a disappointing tenure with a 22-23 record. Athletic Director Scott Stricklin released a statement talking about the decision. He said, “Today I met with Coach Napier and informed him that a change in leadership of our football program would best serve the interests of the University of Florida,” Stricklin said.

The AD added, “As Coach Napier has often said, this is a results-driven business, and while his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field.” Napier finishes with a poor .489 winning percentage. His record was 5-17 against ranked opponents, which included a 0-14 record against Top-25 teams. In some way, Napier anticipated that this was going to happen. Even though the Gators won their last game.

After the game yesterday, Napier told the media, “I’m gonna enjoy this one tonight. That’s what I’m gonna do.” His message about family time sounded like a Florida football farewell. “I’ll prop my feet up at the house, hug on them kids and Miss Ally, and then tomorrow, we’ll wake up and think about the next one.” Then he wrapped it up simply, saying, “So yeah, I’m gonna go take a deep breath and get something good to eat.” It summarized his emotional state, as he seemed to be avoiding the question of his getting fired. But it’s not just Lane Kiffin who can replace him. There are two more names on the list.