OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will announce his next move — likely Florida or LSU — after the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.
Athletic director Keith Carter released a statement Friday saying a decision on Kiffin’s future is expected Nov. 29, the day after the fifth-ranked Rebels play their in-state rival.
It could be an agonizing wait for the Tigers, the Gators and the Rebels, although most outsiders believe Kiffin staying in Oxford for a seventh season is a long shot.
“Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss, including meeting (Friday) with Chancellor (Glenn) Boyce,” Carter said. “While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important — our … team is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.”
Carter said Kiffin remains focused, and the announcement timeline ensures the Rebels’ players and coaches “can concentrate fully on next Friday’s game.”
“This team is on the cusp of an unprecedented season, and it’s imperative they feel the support of the Ole Miss family in the week ahead,” he said.
Behind Kiffin’s next landing spot, the second-biggest question is whether Kiffin would stick around — or be allowed to stay — to coach Ole Miss through a potential College Football Playoff berth.
The Rebels’ current standing in the CFP rankings has them poised to host a first-round game if they beat the Bulldogs. The selection committee, however, would be working within its guidelines if it factored the disruption of a coaching change into a team’s final seeding.
Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 6 CFP) does not play this weekend. The bye allowed Kiffin to meet with Florida and LSU officials.
The Gators fired Billy Napier in mid-October and set their sights on Kiffin. LSU fired Brian Kelly a week later, creating a tug-of-war over a 50-year-old coach who is considered one of the top offensive minds in the game.
Kiffin’s family members took scouting trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge, and he met with administrators and fundraisers on several occasions. He even reportedly sat down with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who publicly slammed former LSU athletic director Scott Woodward for giving Kelly a 10-year contract worth about $100 million in 2022.
Will he stay at the place he called “utopia” and turned into a perennial winner with his ex-wife and kids nearby? Will he move back to Florida, where his father became one of the most respected defensive coordinators in NFL history? Or will he land at LSU, where three of its last four coaches won national championships.
Kiffin politely declined to talk about job openings this week. He sidestepped several questions about ongoing overtures from Florida, LSU and Ole Miss.
“I’m going to stay on what I’ve done for six years, which isn’t talking about other jobs and that situation,” said Kiffin, who denied reports Tuesday that Ole Miss had given him an ultimatum. “I love it here, and it’s been amazing. And we’re in the season — the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this point (and) having never been at this point.
“So I think it’s really exciting. … I’m just living in the moment — it’s amazing — and our players are, too. I see their joy about practice, season, where they’re at and have so much on the line. It’s just awesome to be a part of.”
The Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day took care of business in their second to last game of the regular season against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. When all was said and done, Ohio State won the game by a final score of 42-9 to improve to 11-0 on the season.
Even without star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, the Buckeyes’ offense looked lethal. Once again, the defense was dominant under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
Next up for Ohio State will be the matchup that all fans have been waiting for all season long. The Buckeyes will face off against the arch-rival Michigan Wolverines next weekend.
Following the win over Rutgers, Day spoke out with a very short and sweet message about next week’s game.
As shared by FOX College Football on X, Day is ready to play for hardware against Michigan.
“We’re playing for hardware now,” Day said.
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After playing the Wolverines, Ohio State will turn its attention to the postseason. Most anticipate to see the Buckeyes facing off against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.
Then, comes the College Football Playoff.
Of course, Ohio State needs to get its losing streak against Michigan out of the way. The Wolverines have won each of the last four contests between the two schools. Last season, the Buckeyes suffered a shocking loss to Michigan as the No. 2 seed in the nation in Columbus, while the Wolverines were unranked.
Despite losing to Michigan last season, Ohio State was able to pull together and go on to win the national championship. Day is looking to replicate the playoff success with a second straight title, but adding a win over the Wolverines is extremely important.
All of that being said, all eyes will be on the Buckeyes and Michigan throughout the upcoming week. The two teams will kick off the latest installment of their bitter rivalry at 12:00 p.m. ET next Saturday.
For Day and Ohio State, this game is what they have been working towards all season long. Having a chance to get revenge for the last four years of disappointment is now waiting right at their doorstep.
For more on the Ohio State Buckeyes and college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.
The Wyoming Cowboys (4-6) look to stop a two-game skid on Saturday when they host the Nevada Wolf Pack (2-8) in a Mountain West Conference clash in Laramie.
Wyoming fell to 2-4 in the Mountain West last week and put itself in a position to have to win its final two games to reach bowl eligibility, with its rainy 24-3 loss at Fresno State. Samuel Harris ran for 102 yards on 12 carries, but the rest of the offense struggled, with Kaden Anderson getting benched after going 6-of-23 for 64 yards and an interception. The Cowboys managed just nine first downs and 184 yards of total offense in the loss.
Nevada snapped a seven-game losing streak and got its first Mountain West victory in style last week, smashing visiting San Jose State 55-10. The Wolf Pack led 31-0 at halftime, with Caleb Ramseur finishing with 128 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries while Chubba Purdy and Dominic Kelly also scored on the ground. Carter Jones finished 16-of-19 for 195 yards and two TDs, one to Ramseur and the other to Purdy. Murvin Kenion III had two of the defense’s four interceptions, with Nakian Jackson and Bryson Snelling also recording picks.
Wyoming hosts Nevada for the first time since 2019 and won the teams’ last meeting in Reno, taking a 42-6 victory on Nov. 25, 2023. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 6-4.
This is a great college football matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DeSean Bishop ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns, including one that ended with a flip into the end zone, and No. 20 Tennessee overwhelmed rival Florida 31-11 on Saturday night to win in the Swamp for the first time since 2003.
The Volunteers (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) had dropped 10 in a row at Florida Field, one of the longest skids in series history. Although there were plenty of lopsided meetings over the years, this one could go down as the most stunning — even with the Gators (3-8, 2-6) spiraling and waiting to find out the future of Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
With retired coach Urban Meyer watching from the Florida sideline, the Vols scored touchdowns on their first four drives and led 31-0 at halftime. It was easily their most dominant 30 minutes of football against Florida since 1990. They outgained the Gators 323-110 in the opening half and had 19 first downs.
Florida put up little fight on defense and couldn’t seem to get out of its own way on offense.
A holding penalty negated a 42-yard completion, DJ Lagway was stuffed for no gain on a fourth-down run and Trey Smack missed a 38-yard field goal.
The Gators tried to regroup at halftime. But Jadan Baugh inadvertently signaled for a fair catch on the second-half kickoff and let the ball bounce, resulting in Florida starting at the 2-yard line.
Roughly half the home crowd left early, and no one could blame them. It was Florida’s worst home showing since trailing Missouri 42-0 in 2014.
Tennessee spent the second half in safe mode, milking the clock and trying not to give up any big plays. The Vols still finished with 248 yards rushing.
About the only late drama was whether Florida would extend the longest scoring streak in NCAA history. Smack hit a 46-yarder with 2:04 remaining in the third quarter that extended the record to 472 consecutive games.
Joey Aguilar, who reportedly has joined a lawsuit that challenges NCAA rules in hopes of gaining another year of eligibility, was effective and efficient. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 204 yards, with a touchdown to Ethan Davis on the opening drive.
The takeaway
Tennessee: The Volunteers have a chance to win their final three games and make a decent bowl. But they’ll surely be haunted by those one-score losses to Georgia and Oklahoma.
Florida: Meyer was recognized in advance of his upcoming induction into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and will be added to Florida’s ring of honor in 2026. He was in the locker room before the game and spoke to the team. It had little effect on how the Gators played.
Up next
Tennessee closes the regular season at home against No. 12 Vanderbilt next Saturday.
Florida ends its season back in the Swamp against rival Florida State next Saturday.
The Bulls (8-3, 5-2 American Athletic Conference), who had already clinched a program-record third consecutive bowl appearance, trailed 10-7 after the first quarter but they scored the next 27 points to lead 34-10 heading to the fourth quarter.
The highlight of Brown’s day was a 60-yard touchdown pass to Mudia Ruben that gave USF a 24-10 lead on the first play of the third quarter. Brown had a 1-yard run for the Bulls’ first touchdown and a 2-yard run for their final score to go with three TD passes. His five total touchdowns match his career high.
Nykahi Davenport added 117 yards rushing and had a short touchdown run for USF. The Bulls had 191 yards rushing and a total offense of 544 yards. Reuben, a senior who had never had a 100-yard receiving game, had 174 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.
Jalen Kitna had 230 yards passing for the Blazers (3-8, 1-6) but he threw three interceptions. Iverson Hooks caught 10 passes for 146 yards.
There’s something to be said about hard work winning games. A little luck never hurt anybody.
N.C. State’s defense put on a great performance, certainly — its best of the season — but it got a lot of help to beat Florida State, 21-11, on Friday night at Carter-Finley Stadium and become bowl eligible for the 11th time overall, and sixth consecutive season, under head coach Dave Doeren. “Can’t say enough about these kids. Eleven bowl opportunities now in 13 years, six out of seven against Florida State. Pretty damn good,” Doeren said. “Proud of these guys, proud of the staff look forward to celebrating it and getting ready for the next.”
NC State cornerback Jackson Vick tackled Lawayne McCoy in the first half to stop the receiver from adding yards after a catch. Vick was originally called for targeting, but the ruling was overturned on replay.
Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey nearly fumbled the football twice in the game. His first mistake also came in the first half and was ruled a fumble recovered by Florida State. After review, it was determined Bailey’s knee was down prior to the ball being stripped. Later in the game, a similar situation took place. He was called down prior to FSU knocking the football away.
Don’t worry, special team shenanigans took place, too. Fifth-year punter Caden Noonkester booted a punt that had little hang time and distance and barely crossed midfield. The ball bounced back into N.C. State territory after hitting FSU’s KJ Kirkland. Noonkester raced to the football and recovered it, regaining possession.
“I cannot say that I’ve ever done that before,” Noonkester said. “I’ve watched my fair share of fumble recoveries, so I tried my best to imitate that on the play. It’s a result-driven business, so I got the result done. I’m sure a lot of people could criticize my technique, but I got the job done.”
N.C. State punter Caden Noonkester (98) celebrates after recovering a punt that hit a Florida State player during the second half of N.C. State’s 21-11 victory over Florida State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State (6-5, 3-4ACC) was unable to capitalize on the opportunity but that didn’t matter. FSU’s Squirrel White signaled for a fair catch, but he fumbled the punt. N.C. State linebacker Tra Thomas recovered the ball at the Florida State 14-yard line.
The Wolfpack turned the mistake into a touchdown that extended its lead from three points to 10 with 1:47 to play when Bailey found tight end Justin Joly in the end zone on a tough fourth-down play.
Bailey ended the game 18 of 25 passing for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Doeren doesn’t necessarily consider the reviewed plays lucky as much as he believes those are correct decisions. He pointed to a missed facemask penalty, which didn’t go in the Pack’s favor. Doeren is still glad Vick wasn’t ejected, because the depth is so shallow there didn’t have a substitute. Who knows what the staff would’ve done.
But he agrees the team got some breaks in the win. Noonkester, for example, said he acted on pure instinct.
“That’s God’s blessing, is what that is,” Doeren said. “It’s good to get some of those. We’ve had many that didn’t go our way. Football is that way. There’s bounces in games. There’s all kinds of bounces in games, and sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don’t. That’s football, and sometimes it’s frustrating, because you just feel like it’s always against you. It’s good to finally get a couple bounces.”
Florida State (5-6, 2-6 ACC) has not won a true road game since Nov. 25, 2023, when it defeated rival Florida.
With 1:47 left in the game, N.C. State’s Justin Joly (7) pulls in a 12-yard touchdown reception as Florida State’s Shamar Arnoux (15) defends during the second half of N.C. State’s 21-11 victory over Florida State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Here’s what we learned from N.C. State’s fourth straight win over Florida State.
Stalwart defense leads NC State to victory
N.C. State’s defensive injuries have been well documented this season. Nine of the team’s top 22 defensive players have missed at least one game this fall.
A shorthanded Wolfpack, however, put together its best performance of the season.
N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren hugs Caden Fordham (1) after N.C. State’s 21-11 victory over Florida State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State ranked second-to-last in the ACC for scoring defense (31.6 points per game allowed) and was among the bottom 30% of the nation. Florida State’s offense, on the other hand, ranked No. 17 in the nation and No. 2 in the conference for scoring (36.4 points per game). The Wolfpack defense was also giving up 440.4 yards per game to its opponents, while the Seminoles offense racked up 487.5 yards.
A desperate Wolfpack defense looked nothing like it has at earlier points this season — complimentary — and played with a kind of urgency it’s sought all season. It held the Seminoles to three points in the first half and eight in the second. FSU recorded 383 yards of total offense and 180 rushing yards. It was the second-fewest points scored by Florida State this season, only one more than the Seminoles scored against Clemson. On the opposite side, it was the fewest points allowed by N.C. State against an FBS opponent in 2025.
“I’m so proud of our defensive kids and defensive staff,” Doeren said, “For putting together that game plan, for executing that game plan, playing the way that they did, believing coming off a really opposite-type of game the week before, I thought our guys played outstanding defensive football tonight.”
Cornerback Devon Marshall led the defensive attack, recording three pass breakups and one interception in the first 15 minutes and 43 seconds of game time. The Wolfpack turned Marshall’s interception and 17-yard return into a 23-yard touchdown. It was his first interception of the season and third of his career.
N.C. State’s Caden Fordham (1) and Cian Slone (8) tackle Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos (1) during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Florida State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
The senior recorded his third pass breakup in the end zone, Cian Slone contributing pressure on Castellanos in the backfield. He had a fourth with just under two minutes remaining in the first half. Marshall deflected his fifth and sixth passes in the second half and intercepted a second pass on the final play of the game.
He is the first player to record five pass breakups and two interceptions since David Amerson achieved the feat on Sept. 3, 2011, against Liberty.
Marshall said at the end of October that he enjoys being on an island by himself deep down field and calls his position “Marshall Island.”
“I was just having fun out there, making plays for my team, my teammates coming up to me, celebrating with me,” Marshall said Friday. “I made plays early in the game, so I was just trying to remain focused throughout the game to keep making more plays.”
Doeren complimented Marshall’s toughness, competitive drive and coachability. The staff decided earlier in the week to match him with FSU’s leading receiver, Duce Robinson, and Marshall “rose to the occasion.
“That kid’s 6-6, 225 pounds, at least, and Devon played his butt off, man,” Doeren said. “If he’s not Player of the Week in the ACC, they got blinders on, because that was a hell of a performance by him.”
N.C. State put together a full defensive performance, though, gaining positive contributions all through the rotation.
Linebacker Kenny Soares added a pass breakup in the first half, while defensive ends Sabastian Harsh, Slone and Chase Bond put pressure on Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos and forced mistakes.
On an equally important note, nickelback Asaad Brown and linebacker Caden Fordham led all players with 12 and 15 tackles, respectively.
Florida State finished with 10 explosive plays, but the N.C. State defense limited the big opportunities and yards after contact. It also held the Seminoles scoreless on seven of its nine drives.
Fordham, whose father played at FSU and whose brother is committed to play in Tallahassee, said he’s happy to have family bragging rights. More than that, the team captain is excited about his team finally getting the results it knew it could have.
“We felt like we haven’t put a full game together as a defense, and I feel like we did that tonight,” Fordham said. “They were on us all week about doing what we need to do; just doing your job, playing fast, like we always say. It showed tonight. We finally put a full game together, and it was awesome to play out there with those guys tonight.”
N.C. State quarterback Will Wilson (10) scores on a 1-yard run in the second half of N.C. State’s 21-11 victory over Florida State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Continue to get Will Wilson, Duke Scott more touches
Hollywood Smothers is the ACC’s leading rusher, and he’s certainly worthy of plenty of touches, but he hasn’t been nearly as efficient in the last two weeks.
Smothers had seven carries for -2 yards against Miami. The running back had 58 rushing yards on 11 attempts in the first half against Florida State. He finished with 84 yards on 21 carries. On paper, Smothers’ numbers were good. He struggled at times against the Seminoles’ defensive front. Smothers’ greatest strength is arguably his evasiveness, but FSU’s speed stifled runs and chased him off of edges that would’ve been successful against other defenses.
N.C. State defensive back Devon Marshall (6) breaks up the pass intended for Florida State wide receiver Duce Robinson (0) during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Florida State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Duke Scott, the redshirt freshman running back, finished with 10 yards on two carries in the first half. Against Miami, he recorded 14 yards on seven attempts. He entered the game with 445 yards on the season, including a career-high 196 yards against Georgia Tech. The young back earned the start against the Yellow Jackets due to Smothers’ injury. Scott is a strong downhill runner and, listed at 215 pounds, provides more physicality than Smothers.
Freshman quarterback Will Wilson entered the game in the second half and converted on three short-yardage plays to start the Pack’s first drive after halftime. Like Scott, Wilson provides more muscle in the run game. Wilson is now 5 of 5 on fourth down opportunities and 7 of 10 third-down plays. The freshman is 19 of 27 on all conversion opportunities.
N.C. State needs all three players, and Smothers should in no way be removed from the lineup, but it was clear the offense was more dynamic when it utilized the downhill runners.
Castellanos runs on Pack defense
The N.C. State scouting report had Castellanos circled on the scouting report — for his legs.
“The quarterback, obviously, he’s a guy that’s been in the ACC. I’ve seen him a lot on film,” Doeren said on Monday. “Haven’t played against him, but he’s a dynamic player, strong arm, looks like a running back when he runs a football.”
Castellanos entered the game with 2,317 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, with a 59% completion rate. He ranked second on the team with 404 rushing yards and eight scores.
The Pack had success slowing down the Boston College transfer’s passing game. He finished 16-32 for 203 passing yards and one touchdown. It couldn’t quite get him on the ground game.
Castellanos, despite being under pressure multiple times, successfully found gaps to run. He finished 76 yards on 11 rushes, including with four rushing plays of at least 10 yards.
N.C. State’s defensive effort in other areas gave the team leeway for a few solid rushing plays. Its rushing defense remains an issue at times, but the team is OK with how it performed.
“I thought the secondary played lights out. That’s a good group of wideouts; they’re fast,” Doeren said. “Their most successful plays were quarterback scrambles and, you know, [that] kid’s fast. We knew that that would happen.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 11:55 PM.
Western Michigan (7-4) at Eastern Michigan (4-7), Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. EST.
How to watch: ESPN2
Key stats
Eastern Michigan Offense
Overall: 369.6 yards per game (81st in FBS)
Passing: 226.4 yards per game (72nd)
Rushing: 143.3 yards per game (85th)
Scoring: 24.4 points per game (88th)
Eastern Michigan Defense
Overall: 416.8 yards per game (115th in FBS)
Passing: 190.9 yards per game (31st)
Rushing: 225.9 yards per game (136th)
Scoring: 29.6 points per game (101st)
Western Michigan Offense
Overall: 327.3 yards per game (114th in FBS)
Passing: 146.2 yards per game (128th)
Rushing: 181.1 yards per game (40th)
Scoring: 23.0 points per game (103rd)
Western Michigan Defense
Overall: 287.8 yards per game (12th in FBS)
Passing: 162.2 yards per game (10th)
Rushing: 125.6 yards per game (33rd)
Scoring: 18.5 points per game (18th)
Eastern Michigan is 130th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 46.4% of the time. Western Michigan ranks 57th on offense, converting on 41.4% of third downs.
Western Michigan is 10th in the FBS averaging 33.5 penalty yards per game.
Both teams have strong red zone defenses. Eastern Michigan is 22nd in FBS, with opponents scoring on 78.0% of trips. Western Michigan’s red zone defense ranks 24th at 78.4%.
Eastern Michigan ranks 117th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 28:06, compared to Western Michigan’s 17th-ranked average of 32:12.
Receiving: Tailique Williams, 478 yards on 35 catches, 2 TDs
Last game
Eastern Michigan won 24-9 over Ball State on Saturday, Nov. 15. Kim passed for 229 yards on 18-of-29 attempts (62.1%) with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also carried the ball seven times for 21 yards and one rushing touchdown. McMillan had 80 rushing yards on 21 carries, adding two receptions for 13 yards. Jamarien Wheeler had six receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown.
Western Michigan won 35-19 over Northern Illinois on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Lowry led Western Michigan with 32 yards on 5-of-9 passing (55.6%) for no touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball 13 times for 100 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Jalen Buckley had 133 rushing yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Christian Leary had two receptions for 17 yards.
An arraignment hearing was held for Cedric Irving Jr., who was charged with murder with a gun enhancement by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. The 27-year-old did not enter a plea.
Cedric Irving Jr., who has been charged with murder in the killing of Laney College athletic director John Beam, made his initial court appearance on Nov. 18, 2025.
CBS
Public defender Sydney Levin asked the judge to delay the plea until the next court hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 16.
Irving is accused of shooting Beam at the Laney Fieldhouse on campus Nov. 13. Beam died from his injuries the following day.
Authorities located Irving at the San Leandro BART station following a manhunt. District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said on Monday that a gun found in Irving’s possession at the time of his arrest was registered to him.
Over a four-decade coaching career, Beam was beloved in Oakland and throughout the Bay Area for coaching thousands of student-athletes. He was the longtime football coach at Skyline High School, where he led the Titans to 15 league championships and four undefeated seasons.
Beam went on to coach football at Laney College, where he gained national recognition in the Netflix docuseries “Last Chance U”. His program at Laney was noted for having more than 90% of his players graduating or transferring to four-year schools, and several of his players have gone on to play in the National Football League.
On Monday, Stewart Mandel of The Athletic reported that Ole Miss gave Lane Kiffin an ultimatum to give the program an answer about his coaching future before the Rebels play Mississippi State in the “Egg Bowl” on Nov. 28.
Kiffin’s family has reportedly visited Gainesville and Baton Rouge in the last week. The clear implication is that Kiffin is interested in the open jobs at Florida and LSU.
The Rebels defeated Florida 34-24 on Saturday. During his postgame news conference, Kiffin sidestepped a question about his future in Oxford, saying it would be disrespectful to his players to talk about his situation after defeating the Gators.
Ole Miss is ranked No. 7 and is competing for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff before the program finishes the regular season against Mississippi State.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Kiffin was asked by McAfee if the ultimatum report was true. Kiffin responded that he received no ultimatum from Ole Miss.
“Yeah, that’s absolutely not true. There’s been no ultimatum, anything like that at all,” Kiffin said. “And so I don’t know where that came from–like a lot of stuff that comes out there. Like I said, man, we’re having a blast. I love it here… And it just couldn’t be better.
“Like I said, you pray for things. Our fans prayed for this type of thing, and now we’re in the middle of it, so enjoy it.”
Kiffin claimed he took a yoga class earlier in the morning on Tuesday and that Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter was present.
Kiffin said he’s keeping the Rebels focused on Mississippi State amid outside noise about his job.
“You’re 10-1 getting ready,” Kiffin said. “You got a bye week. Getting to watch half the country lose, and there’s no way we can lose Saturday. And then you play the Egg Bowl and go dominate that and keep that Egg Bowl trophy home where it’s been for a long time.”
Until Kiffin signs a contract extension with Ole Miss, rumors will not go away about his future with the program. Still, Kiffin is focused on trying to complete an incredible season with the Rebels.
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Georgia moved up one spot to No. 4 in The Associated Press poll Sunday, Oklahoma returned to the top 10 and North Texas, ranked for the first time since 1959, is among three Group of Five teams in the Top 25.
Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M were the top three teams for the fifth straight week. Georgia earned its highest ranking since the first week of September and Mississippi was back in the top five after spending three weeks there at midseason.
Oregon and Texas Tech were tied for No. 6, and Oklahoma rose three spots to No. 8 following its win at Alabama. The Sooners were last in the top 10, at No. 6, the second week of October.
Notre Dame remained No. 9 after a 22-point win at Pittsburgh and Alabama dropped six spots to No. 10 after the Sooners ended its eight-game win streak.
Georgia’s 35-10 win over Texas was its sixth straight and second over a top-10 opponent. Mississippi, which lost at Georgia a month ago, defeated Florida and is more than 100 points behind the Bulldogs at No. 5.
The Group of Five hadn’t had three teams in the Top 25 since four appeared in last season’s final poll.
The Sun Belt Conference’s James Madison blew out Appalachian State and moved up three spots to No. 21. North Texas is next at No. 22. The Mean Green of the American Conference clobbered UAB 53-24 on the road and have matched their best start in program history.
The last time UNT was 9-1 was in 1959, when the team then known as the Eagles was ranked two straight weeks in November, reaching No. 16. That team lost to New Mexico State in the Sun Bowl to finish 9-2. This year’s UNT team already is eligible for a second straight bowl game and is in the thick of the race for the Group of Five’s automatic CFP bid.
Mississippi running back Kewan Lacy (5) evades a tackle attempt by Florida cornerback Cormani McClain and safety Jordan Castell during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi running back Kewan Lacy (5) evades a tackle attempt by Florida cornerback Cormani McClain and safety Jordan Castell during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
In and out
— No. 22 North Texas’ first appearance in the poll in 66 years ends the longest drought by a Bowl Subdivision team.
— No. 23 Missouri returned after a one-week absence following a win over Mississippi State in which Ahmad Hardy became the first player since 2022 to rush for 300 yards.
— No. 24 Tulane has won two straight since losing to UTSA and is ranked for the first time this season.
— No. 25 Houston, fifth among teams also receiving votes last week and idle, were ranked for one week in October.
Louisville (19), Cincinnati (22), Pittsburgh (23) and South Florida (25) dropped out.
Poll points
— Voters did what the CFP selection committee did last week, jumping Miami over Georgia Tech to make the Hurricanes the highest-ranked Atlantic Coast Conference team. Miami easily beat North Carolina State and moved up two spots to No. 14. Georgia Tech, which needed a field goal in the final seconds to edge one-win Boston College, slipped a spot to No. 15.
— No. 13 Utah has outscored three opponents by a combined 153-49 since losing at BYU and has its highest ranking of the season.
— No. 17 Texas took the biggest plunge, dropping seven spots.
Conference call
SEC (9): Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17, 20, 23.
Big Ten (5): Nos. 1, 2, T-6, 16, 18.
Big 12 (4): Nos. T-6, 11, 13, 25.
ACC (3): Nos. 14, 15, 19.
American (2): Nos. 22, 24.
Sun Belt (1): No. 21.
Independent (1): No. 9.
North Texas offensive lineman Tay Yanta II (70) and North Texas linebacker Shane Whitter (7) lead the team onto the field before an NCAA college football game against South Florida Oct. 10, 2025, in Denton, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)
North Texas offensive lineman Tay Yanta II (70) and North Texas linebacker Shane Whitter (7) lead the team onto the field before an NCAA college football game against South Florida Oct. 10, 2025, in Denton, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)
Ranked vs. ranked
No. 16 Southern California (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten, No. 17 CFP) at No. 6 Oregon (9-1, 6-1, No. 8 CFP): Winner strengthens its position for a CFP at-large bid and keeps alive slim hopes of sneaking into the Big Ten championship game.
No. 23 Missouri (7-3, 3-3 SEC) at No. 8 Oklahoma (8-2, 4-2, No. 11 CFP): Sooners did wonders for their playoff resume by knocking off Alabama on the road and now go for a fifth win over a Top 25 opponent.
Today’s live updates have ended, but there’s still plenty to catch up on. Read what you missed below, and join us for the next poll drop on Nov. 23.
The latest AP Top 25 poll showcases new teams in top spots: Georgia inched up to No. 4, Ole Miss cracked the top five and Oklahoma slid into the top 10 at No. 8.
Georgia’s move comes thanks to its win overTexas, which dropped to No. 17, and to Oklahoma beating Alabama, which pushed the Crimson Tide down to No. 10.
Further down in the poll, No. 22 North Texas is ranked for the first time since 1959. That brings the number of Group of Five teams in the Top 25 to three, a first this season. The SEC has nine teams in the rankings, with five in the top 10.
Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M held onto the top three spots for a fifth straight week.
Oregon and Texas Tech both moved up to tie at No. 6.
No. 6 Oregon (9-1) vs. No. 16 USC (8-2): A loss here is a real blow to the CFP hopes of either team; for USC, it would eliminate any chance at all. The winner boosts its resume for an at-large playoff bid.
No. 8 Oklahoma (8-2) vs. No. 23 Missouri (7-3): This is another significant SEC matchup. The Sooners have already won four games against Top 25 opponents and have at-large playoff hopes. Still, they’ll need to guard against a letdown after their victory at Alabama. Mizzou hasn’t yet won a game against a team with a winning record.
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A bust because the team will not meet the expectations set by athletic director Mike Buddie. There will be no appearance in the Big 12 title game, or the playoff.
TCU’s 44-13 defeat Saturday night at No. 12 BYU was a nail gun to the needs of the program, and university. Barring a season-ending three-game winning streak, the finale being the Stale Milk Bowl, TCU will not equal its win total from 2024. It will also not finish in the Top 25 for the third straight year, during which it has been a ranked program for two weeks.
The momentum created by TCU’s run to the national title game in 2022 has evaporated, and is overwhelmed by a current madness of firing coaches while worshiping the SEC, Big Ten and Notre Dame.
The development has put TCU in a difficult spot with coach Sonny Dykes. After starting the season with a 4-1 record, the weaknesses of the team have been fleshed out in defeats to Kansas State, Iowa State and BYU.
TCU is a decent team that has no margin for error, or mistakes. And the team doesn’t belong on the same field as BYU or Texas Tech, the top programs in the Big 12.
The reality for Dykes is that the program has not developed the type of talent that carried this team to the national title game; there has not been a new set of quality offensive linemen to the level of Steve Avila, Brandon Coleman and Andrew Coker.
There have been no new players to create the type of production on the defensive side, such as linebacker Dee Winters, defensive end Dylan Horton, or cornerbacks Tre Hodges-Tomlinson and Josh Newton.
(The easy shot here is that those players were recruited by Gary Patterson. Other than Newton, this is true. Also true, that group of talent was not winning games.)
Most damning of all for Dykes and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is their high-priced quarterback, Josh Hoover, has regressed in a season where in the first month he deserved to be in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy.
Too much is asked of Hoover, who needs help that he hasn’t received.
The state of the team has left angry fans to parcel together a slate of unflattering statistics that make Dykes look like a terrible coach who should be fired today. Stats that begin with the sentence, “Starting with the 65-7 loss to Georgia in the 2022 national title game … TCU is 0-7 against coaches who own Cockapoos, and are out-scored by an average margin of 24.5 points in games that start at 9:05 p.m. Hawaiian time.”
This is not a good place to be for a head coach, and worse for his school. A place where fans and alums want their team to lose, just accelerate the firing process. Once the momentum starts in this direction, it’s hard to convince the masses to be patient.
They have been able to do it at Oklahoma. And USC.
They couldn’t at Penn State. Or LSU. Auburn. Florida. The list grows by the week of coaches who are fired, despite their achievements, or the size of their buyouts.
Dykes was never the most popular hire to replace Patterson. There are circles and pockets of TCU supporters that regard any positive achievement by Dykes as dumb luck, while every defeat is the true indicator of his coaching acumen.
All of this is compounded exponentially by a culture that remembers nothing, whose impatience is satiated by a phone that says life is better elsewhere. If you’re not winning, and the game isn’t “big,” they’re not coming.
This puts TCU in a hard spot. Because it’s not in TheBIGSEC10, most schools in the ACC and Big 12 operate with the fear that those conferences will soon grab a few more schools, which will in effect turn the remainders of the lesser two leagues into glorified Group of Five universities.
This may not be an actual reality, but the prospect of it strikes the fear of 5,000 Greek Gods into schools. Without a winning football team that’s in the conversation of the playoff, their chance at national relevance, and leverage, is nearly disabled.
It’s why winning coaches are easily fired, and millions of dollars in buyout cash falls from the sky in states that are broke.
TCU is not apt to join the national trend of firing its coach this season, but more likely to “encourage” Dykes to make staff changes in hopes of improvement, because Year 1 of the most important time in the history of its football program has gone bust.
This story was originally published November 16, 2025 at 3:21 PM.
Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered sports since the dawn of man; Cowboys, TCU, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, etc. Olympics. Movies. Concerts. Books. He combines dry wit with 1st-person reporting to complement an annoying personality. Support my work with a digital subscription
The top five of The Associated Press poll is in for a change Sunday after staying the same for three weeks.
No. 4 Alabama’s eight-game winning streak ended Saturday with its 23-21 loss to No. 11 Oklahoma, and voters undoubtedly will drop the Crimson Tide. More important, Alabama’s margin for error to make the Southeastern Conference championship game and College Football Playoff has narrowed.
No. 3 Texas A&M nearly had the same fate as the Tide. The Aggies had to make their biggest comeback in program history to beat South Carolina 31-30 and stay on track to play in the SEC title game.
The situation in the Group of Five is scrambled again after No. 25 South Florida lost 41-38 to Navy. The Bulls came into the weekend as the front-runner for the G5’s automatic CFP bid. The Bulls’ loss bolstered the hopes of fellow American Conference teams North Texas and Tulane and No. 24 James Madison of the Sun Belt Conference.
No. 1 Ohio State was in control all the way in a 48-10 victory over UCLA. No. 2 Indiana, 11-0 for the first time, defeated Wisconsin 31-7 and should keep its spot behind the Buckeyes in the AP poll and the CFP rankings.
Saturday’s results will give AP voters good reason to move No. 16 Miami ahead of No. 14 Georgia Tech, just as the CFP committee jumped the Hurricanes over the Yellow Jackets in its rankings earlier this week.
Look for them to move up
— No. 5 Georgia should be No. 4 after its dominant win over Texas.
— No. 7 Oregon had no problem against Minnesota on Friday in a 42-13 win. The Ducks were three poll points behind No. 6 Mississippi last week, slipping a spot despite beating Iowa on the road. It would make just as much sense if voters put Oregon back at No. 6 after the Rebels tussled with three-win Florida deep into the fourth quarter before winning 34-24.
— No. 20 Virginia got quarterback Chandler Morris back from a concussion and bounced back from a bad loss to Wake Forest to win 34-17 at Duke.
— No. 24 James Madison, which entered the rankings last week for the first time in two years, routed Appalachian State 58-10.
Look for them to drop
— No. 4 Alabama will fall. The question is how far? The Tide and Oklahoma have two losses, but the Sooners won the head-to-head meeting and deserve to be ahead of ‘Bama.
— No. 10 Texas’ 25-point loss to Georgia put the kibosh on its hopes of going to a third straight CFP.
— No. 14 Georgia Tech must drop. The Yellow Jackets had to come from behind to get past an opponent that has not beaten an FBS team, and in their previous game they lost to an N.C. State team that got clobbered by Miami.
— No. 19 Louisville should drop out after losing 20-19 to Clemson. It was the Cardinals’ second straight loss at home. They lost to California last week.
— No. 23 Pittsburgh probably will fall out after losing by 22 to the Irish, but the Panthers still have a path to the ACC championship game.
— No. 25 South Florida had been in the driver’s seat for the G5 bid in the CFP after bouncing back from its loss to Memphis with a convincing win over UTSA last week. That bid is wide open now after the Bulls’ loss to Navy.
Wild cards
— No. 6 Ole Miss dominated the stat sheet and Kewan Lacy was spectacular, but it was a three-point game until the final two minutes.
— No. 17 Southern California got all it could handle from Iowa before winning 26-21.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — A Texas trooper who had an altercation with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after his touchdown on Saturday was sent home from the game, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
Harbor scored on an 80-yard reception in the second quarter and ran into the tunnel limping following the score. As he and three other players were walking back to the field, the trooper walked in between Harbor and another player and bumped into them as they passed each other.
The trooper and Harbor turned around and the trooper pointed at Harbor with both hands and said something to him. Harbor was quickly pushed away by his teammate and they continued to the field.
The public safety department issued a statement saying the trooper was sent home.
“Our Office of Inspector General (OIG) is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time,” the statement reads.
The video was widely shared on social media with many commenting on it, including Lakers star LeBron James.
John Beam, the legendary football coach from Netflix’s “Last Chance U” series, died one day after being shot on the Laney College campus in Oakland, California, officials said Friday.
The Ole Miss student section was vocal about their wishes for head coach Lane Kiffin after the No. 7 Rebels defeated Florida 34-24 in front of 68,138 fans at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday night.
The crowd chanted “we want Lane” as the Rebels headed into the locker room after improving their record to 10-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC. Ole Miss appears to be destined to make the College Football Playoff, as its final challenge in the regular season will come against 5-5 Mississippi State on Nov. 28.
Whether Kiffin is coaching Ole Miss in the CFP remains to be seen. The 50-year-old head coach has been heavily linked to Florida. His name has also been tied to LSU and a few NFL teams in recent weeks.
Kiffin has done nothing to shut down those rumors, choosing not to sign a contract extension with Ole Miss.
During his postgame news conference, Kiffin was asked about his future with the Rebels. He sidestepped the question, saying that talking about the situation would be unfair to his players.
“I love what we’re doing here,” said Kiffin, via Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel. “Today was awesome. To even talk about it right now would be so disrespectful to our players and what they did today.”
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Gators and Rebels fans on social media thought Kiffin’s answer pointed to him leaving Oxford.
“Oh, he’s definitely gone. So easy to say ‘I’m not leaving,'” wrote a fan.
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(CNN) — A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper was “sent home” after having a run-in with South Carolina player Nyck Harbor during Saturday’s game against No. 3 Texas A&M.
In the second quarter, the junior wide receiver scored an 80-yard touchdown and his momentum took him up a tunnel at Kyle Field while hobbling with a slight limp.
Harbor’s score gave South Carolina a 27-3 lead over the heavily favored Aggies.
As Harbor and his teammates came back down the tunnel, walking 4-wide, a Texas DPS trooper was walking up the tunnel and the trooper bumped in Harbor and Gamecocks RB Oscar Adaway III, with the trooper appearing to give the players a shove.
The trooper then turned and pointed at Harbor and appeared to yell at him.
Texas A&M campus police later announced “We are aware of the incident in the NE tunnel involving a DPS trooper. He has been relieved of his game day assignment.”
The 20-year-old was then ushered away by Adaway, and they headed back to the field.
The DPS also issued a statement saying the trooper was “sent home.”
“Our Office of Inspector General (OIG) is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time,” DPS said.
CNN has reached out to Texas A&M athletics for comment but did not immediately hear back.
The Gamecocks, who led 30-3 at halftime, fell to the Aggies 31-30 behind the biggest comeback in Texas A&M history.
Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed threw for a career-high 439 yards and three touchdowns to improve the team’s record to a perfect 10-0 on the season.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said he wasn’t aware of the incident with Harbor and the Trooper but added “it was good to know” when told the officer got sent home.
“Got a ton of respect for the people here in College Station,” Beamer told reporters. “They’re just a first-class operation, everybody. From a game operation standpoint, they really do a great job. They’re first-class people, so appreciate them handling that the right way, sending (the trooper) home.”
The incident drew the ire of many on social media including NBA superstar LeBron James, who called for the trooper to be suspended.
Harbor left the game in the fourth quarter with a separate injury after making an 18-yard catch and was later seen walking back to the locker room with trainers after some time in the medical tent.
Beamer added that Harbor was being taken to the hospital.
“As I walked in here, the plan was to take him to the hospital,” Beamer said. “Just saw him in the training room with his dad. He landed on the sideline, and the guy came down on his chest. So I think they just want to, from a precautionary standpoint, make sure everything’s OK. So keep him in your prayers.”
The Gamecocks fall to 3-7 on the season and host Coastal Carolina next week before closing out the season against in-state rivals Clemson on November 29 in Columbia, South Carolina.
LOS ANGELES — No. 17 USC overcame an 11-point first-half deficit and its defense pitched a shutout in the second half to complete a 26-21 comeback win over Iowa on a rainy Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and stay in contention for its first bid to the College Football Playoff.
Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava went 23 of 32 for 254 yards and a touchdown and King Miller was USC’s leading rusher with 83 yards on 19 carries. Running back Bryan Jackson scored two short-yardage touchdowns. Makai Lemon had a game-high 153 receiving yards and a touchdown off 10 receptions.
The Trojans, who gave up 212 yards in the first half, limited the Hawkeyes to 108 yards in the second half, with only 25 yards coming through the air.
Iowa, known for a rushing attack that slowly wears down opposing defenses, leaned into its passing game to score 21 points with only one punt in the opening half.
Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski had a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown all in the first half. He finished 12 of 19 for 132 yards. Kamari Moulton led Iowa with 90 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Gronowski completed a 14-yard pass to tight end DJ Vonnahme on the first play of the game to start a 69-yard touchdown drive. Iowa capped it by lining up at the 2-yard line, with Gronowski dropping back for a quick scoring pass to Dayton Howard with 11:26 remaining in the first quarter.
Gronowski put Iowa up by two touchdowns with his second score of the game on a 1-yard run 48 seconds into the second quarter. USC cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson appeared to have broken up a pass to stall the drive at the 28-yard line, but a defensive pass interference call kept the Hawkeyes chugging along.
USC got on the scoreboard with 9:15 remaining in the first quarter when Jackson took a direct snap and ran up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown to trim Iowa’s lead to 14-7.
Late in the secondd quarter, Gronowski handed the ball off to receiver Kaden Wetjen, who then pitched it to receiver Reece Vander Zee. The touchdown play was fully executed when Vander Zee, who played quarterback in high school, hit Gronowski with a 5-yard pass 3:24 before halftime.
USC’s Ryon Sayeri made a 40-yard field goal with 39 seconds left for a 21-10 halftime deficit. Two miscues prevented USC from potentially turning that drive into a trip to the end zone. Maiava connected on third down with Ja’Kobi Lane for a 14-yard gain, but center Kilian O’Connor’s movement downfield nullified the play. Miller dropped Maiava’s next pass and USC settled for a field goal.
Maiava came out firing on the other side of halftime. After Sayeri made a 29-yard field goal, the quarterback hit Lane with a 12-yard pass on the Trojans’ second drive of the half and followed up with another 12-yard pass – this one to Lemon in double coverage for Maiava’s first passing touchdown of the day. The 2-point conversion attempt failed, but the touchdown cut Iowa’s lead to 21-19.
USC’s defense was depleted by the second half, especially in the secondary. Defensive tackle Keeshawn Silver, safeties Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald and cornerback Marcellus Williams all left the game with apparent injuries.
True freshman defensive tackle Jakeem Stewart stepped up in their place, grabbing a deflected pass for the USC’s first interception of the day.
The Trojans were able to capitalize on the pick and went 40 yards in six plays for a touchdown. Jackson took the ball up the middle into the end zone from one yard out for USC’s first lead of the day at 26-21 with 13:37 remaining.
Iowa had one last chance to reclaim the lead. The Hawkeyes returned to the rushing attack and were able to drive down to the Trojans’ 29-yard line. But on 4th-and-6, USC safety Kennedy Urlacher leaped for a pass breakup that all but ended Iowa’s comeback with 1:59 to play.
The Missouri Tigers (6-3) look to snap a two-game losing streak and get back to .500 in the Southeastern Conference when they host the Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-5), who can become bowl eligible with a victory on Saturday night.
Missouri took its second straight loss and fell to 2-3 in SEC play last week when No. 3 Texas A&M came to Columbia and delivered a 38-17 thumping. The Tigers dug a 21-0 hole that they couldn’t recover from, never getting closer than 14 the rest of the way. Jamal Roberts gained 110 yards and scored a touchdown on 17 carries, while Ahmad Hardy finished with 109 yards and a score on 13 attempts, but Matt Zollers struggled, going 7-of-22 for 77 yards.
Mississippi State fell behind in the second quarter in a 41-21 loss to visiting No. 5 Georgia last week to fall to 1-5 in conference play. Kamario Taylor ran for three touchdowns and threw for 87 yards after replacing an injured Blake Shapen, gaining 53 yards on 12 carries. The Bulldog defense surrendered 567 yards in the loss, including 303 on the ground. Brenen Thompson finished with four catches for 92 yards.
The Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the all-time series with a 39-20 win at home on Nov. 23, their first win over Mississippi State since joining the SEC in 2012.
This is a great college football matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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