The Lane Kiffin sweepstakes is down to two teams. And one of them is a bit of surprise based on how things have transpired in recent days.
Per Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken, the Ole Miss Rebels still have a chance to retain Kiffin, but the LSU Tigers are now the primary poach threat. The Florida Gators, long thought to be a shoo-in to land Kiffin, has fallen out of contention.
Wolken also revealed that Jimmy Sexton is the one pushing for a resolution as soon as possible, so his other clients could get scooped up sooner than later.
"Here’s where things stand as of Thursday afternoon, according to sources, with the very large caveat that we are dealing with one of the most mercurial personalities in sports: Around college football, the feeling is that Kiffin will either be the coach at Ole Miss or LSU next year, with Florida fading to third. Jimmy Sexton, Kiffin’s longtime agent, has relayed to Kiffin that it’s time to show some urgency given all the factors involved here — including for some of his other clients, whose own decisions are frozen until Kiffin’s future becomes clear," Wolken wrote.
As recently as Wednesday, Kiffin was a betting favorite for both the LSU and Florida jobs. Obviously, something had to give, and it looks like the thing that was given was a Gators exit from the conversation.
Where UF goes next is anyone's guess. The Gators were looking to interview Jon Sumrall, but that never materialized and some say it was never scheduled after it was reportedly "cancelled," per On3. It's looking like Florida's market is more similar to the Auburn Tigers' than the Bayou Bengals'.
If/when Kiffin leaves Ole Miss, since there are even odds out on various sportsbooks indicating he'll take the LSU job right now, the Rebels will be, like UF and AU, in the Kiffin Plan B market.
There is the potential for a higher-ceiling coach in that market, but fans and boosters won't have as much belief in whoever that is as they would've with Kiffin.