USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer answered your college football questions in a live AMA ahead of Week 10. Who’s next on the hot seat? What are the best fits for Lane Kiffin and Brian Kelly? Are there glimmers of hope for Bill Belichick?
Check out Blake’s answers below:
Lane Kiffin predictions: Where is he coaching in 2026?
BT: Predicting Kiffin’s movements are a fool’s errand, but I’ll bite and break it down by my best-guess percentages:
- He returns to Mississippi: 40%
- He’s hired by LSU: 37%
- He’s hired by Florida: 23%
If you tweak the question to Ole Miss or the field, I’d take the field. The longer the Rebels’ season goes, though, the more complicated an exit becomes.
Someone is going to hire Brian Kelly. Where is his best fit?
BT: Kelly might sit out this cycle, collect some buyout checks and then pop his head up and see what’s out there next year. As for jobs that might open this cycle…
What if Missouri loses Eli Drinkwitz? Hear me out on this. Kelly’s a consistent winner, he’s spent most of his career in the Midwest, and his biggest LSU issues became his continued big-game woes, his lack of fit and his inability to meet national championship expectations. Well, he’d fit better in Columbia, Missouri, than he ever did in Baton Rouge. And, Drinkwitz also has a big-game problem, so what’s the difference? Also, Missouri wouldn’t have the same national championship demands.
Elsewhere, Kelly would be an upgrade for Wisconsin if it fires sunken coach Luke Fickell. I could make an elevator pitch for James Franklin at either Missouri or Wisconsin, too.
Who is next to coach to get fired? Seems like there’s at least one every week now.
BT: Auburn hosts Kentucky this weekend before hitting the road against Vanderbilt on Nov. 8. Losing to Vanderbilt for the second straight season could be just the recipe to earn Auburn’s embattled coach Hugh Freeze some more free time to work on his golf game.
Or, perhaps Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith could cut Freeze in line by losing a sixth straight Big Ten game at Minnesota this weekend. Smith is only in Year 2, but he’s working for an athletic director and university president who did not hire him. That’s a bad position for a coach on the hot seat.
Is Group of Five CFP entrant guaranteed to be an AAC team?
BT: Every indicator points to the American producing the Group of Five qualifier.
The Mountain West absorbed damage by Boise State getting blown out by South Florida of the American, then losing to Notre Dame. Boise later beat previously undefeated UNLV, further hurting the Mountain West’s playoff picture.
The American’s got quite a tussle brewing between Navy, Tulane, Memphis, USF and North Texas. Whichever team emerges as the conference champ seems like a near lock for the playoff.
Forced to pick a sleeper outside of the American, I’d take James Madison of the Sun Belt. Its only loss came against Louisville, a playoff contender.
I know it’s fun to pile on Bill Belichick, but UNC was right there the past two games. Is there hope all isn’t lost yet?
BT: Almost-wins is a stat that’s only tracked by losing teams. That said, you’re right that UNC doesn’t look as bad as it did in September. The Tar Heels (2-5) probably can find a win or two in November. That still would amount to a pitiful debut. If there’s hope on the horizon, it’s rooted in a recruiting class that ranks fourth in the ACC. Belichick’s staff will need to do a better job of nabbing some high-impact transfers, too.
If Matt Caldwell plays well Saturday (assuming Arch Manning won’t play), is there any chance Sark sits Arch?
BT: If Manning is healthy for Texas’ Nov. 15 game against Georgia, I think he’ll play. Would that be the right choice? Not necessarily.
If Caldwell thrives against Vanderbilt and Texas wins, then Sarkisian should use the upcoming open date to evaluate all options. That includes riding with Caldwell, the veteran transfer from Troy.
CFP sleeper: Gerogia Tech or BYU?
BT: Why not both? I’d lean Georgia Tech, though.
I think the Yellow Jackets will stay undefeated in ACC play. Then, if it beats Georgia on Black Friday, Georgia Tech is in the playoff no matter what happens in the ACC championship. Or, if it loses to Georgia, it can still make the playoff by winning the ACC championship.
In other words, if Georgia Tech beats NC State, Boston College and Pittsburgh (it’ll be favored in each game), then it needs to only win either the Georgia game or the ACC championship and it’s in the playoff. Two bites at the apple.
Georgia Tech to the playoff. Haynes King to New York City. Brent Key to …?
