Auburn almost pulled off an upset victory over No. 16 Vanderbilt in DJ Durkin's debut as the Tigers' interim head coach, falling to the Commodores 45-38 in overtime.
If Durkin was auditioning for the full-time job, the defense didn't help its case as it was the most points and yards (544) that the Tigers had given up all season.
There were other coaches likely trying to make their case to Auburn athletic director John Cohen, including Tulane's Jon Sumrall and SMU's Rhett Lashlee, who both led their teams to wins this past weekend.
After Week 11, let's take a look at the coaches who have shown they deserve a shot at leading the Tigers.
Off the board due to extension:
• Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Not likely to leave for Auburn:
• Mike Elko, Texas A&M
1. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss head coach
Ok, let me finish before you laugh at the thought of Kiffin coaching at Auburn. While he might be happy in Oxford, the Tigers could throw the entire sink at him as far as salary and NIL money. Plus, historically, Auburn is a much better job than Ole Miss, and it's not as if a move from Oxford to Athens ever occurred before for a head coach.
He has the Rebels humming at 9-1 and, barring a collapse, a spot in the College Football Playoff. Twitter antics or no Twitter antics, Cohen must at least reach out to him and gauge Kiffin's interest. The worst he can say is no.
2. Jon Sumrall, Tulane head coach
The odds-on favorite to become the next head coach, Sumrall has SEC ties and has proven to be a winner at Tulane. His next head coaching job will most likely come in the conference, so the Tigers might as well scoop him up when they have the chance.
3. Alex Golesh, USF head coach
Golesh has the Bulls at 7-2, with their only losses coming against Miami (FL) and Memphis, both of which were on the road. And while the win in the Swamp against Florida isn't as impressive now as it was back then, that is still a significant victory for USF. With matchups against Navy, UAB and Rice to close the season, Golseh has the Bulls in position for a 10-win season.
4. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri head coach
If there is one slight against Drinkwitz, it is that he hasn't been able to win the big game this season, losing all three matchups against teams in the top 10, with two of those coming at Faurot Field. Still, he has Auburn ties, having served on the 2010 national championship staff as a quality control assistant, and he has made Mizzou a formidable opponent in the SEC.
5. DJ Durkin, Auburn interim head coach
Two things can be true at the same time: Vanderbilt's offense might be the best Auburn has seen all season, and Durkin spending the week putting together the pieces left by Hugh Freeze's firing took time away from game-planning.
Auburn fought with more fire than in recent weeks, and Durkin has said all the right things. A good performance in three weeks against Alabama would go a long way in gathering momentum for the full-time position.
6. Brent Key, Georgia Tech
The loss last week to NC State still stings, and Key has come out and said that he bleeds black and gold, but a 90-minute move down I-85 might be appealing to the 47-year-old coach. He has the Yellow Jackets three wins from a spot in the College Football Playoff, although two of those come against ranked teams in No. 24 Pittsburgh and No. 5 Georgia. Win all three, and his name will be right at the top of many lists for the next head coach.