The Auburn Tigers are one of several SEC squads in the hunt for a replacement this hiring cycle after firing Hugh Freeze following a 10-3 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 10. Most Tiger fans would say hiring Jon Sumrall would be a win this offseason.
A to Z Sports' Zach Ragan shared a prediction where Sumrall on the Plains becomes a reality. Ragan's prediction is quite the tease, though, because the Florida Gators would land USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.
"Jon Sumrall played college football at Kentucky, but his wife Ginny went to school at Auburn. The Tigers may take some big swings, but Sumrall, for now, feels like the most likely hire," Ragan wrote.
"I don’t think the USC experiment is going quite as Lincoln Riley thought it would when he left Oklahoma a few years ago. Riley, though, could do well at Florida. I think he’s a better coach than Billy Napier — he’s certainly a better quarterback developer. If the Gators can’t land Lane Kiffin, Riley wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize," Ragan wrote.
Ragan did note that it would be crazy for Riley to leave USC. The Trojans are a two-loss team that could win out and find themselves in the College Football Playoff. If things hold, USC will end up with the No. 1 2026 recruiting class. That sounds like someone dug in on the West Coast, not looking to join the SEC. He left the Oklahoma Sooners before the program even left the Big 12.
With that said, it doesn't speak well to AU that they're not predicted to land a coach who is seen as worth throwing the bag at by its former players.
The Tigers have been losing for so long that landing a proven QB whisperer like Riley would bring more certainty than another Group of Five success story, even if he's one with Auburn ties. The sting of Bryan Harsin is a scary proposition for any prospective G5 hire.
Florida is seen as the more likely spender, though. Tough scene.