Today: Ranking the hot seats, Gov. Jeff Landry wades into the LSU search, transfer portal standouts, and Tennessee-Oklahoma implications.

~7.5 minute read (1,818 words)

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NCAA FOOTBALL

Andy Staples ranks the head coaches feeling the most pressure

The college football coaching carousel kicked into overdrive Sunday when LSU fired Brian Kelly, and it may spin even faster before the season ends. With 11 FBS jobs already open, athletic directors are under pressure from fans and donors to provide hope, no matter the buyout cost. That means more changes are coming, even as the pool of proven candidates remains thin.

1. Mark Stoops, Kentucky

Kentucky Sports Radio founder Matt Jones, the most connected voice around the Wildcats, said there is an "85 to 90 percent chance" Kentucky will have a new coach next season. That is notable because Stoops' buyout is among the most school-unfriendly in the nation, about $37 million, due within 60 days.

After years of stability, the Wildcats have looked flat since Stoops flirted with Texas A&M, and fan apathy has set in. The empty seats during last week's loss to Tennessee told the story. A loss to Auburn might not immediately end his tenure, but it feels like the beginning of the end.

2. Hugh Freeze, Auburn

Freeze's situation is different, but his margin for error may be even thinner. Auburn is 4-4 with a roster capable of contending for a playoff spot. His $15 million buyout is manageable, and his handling of the quarterback position has frustrated fans. Freeze's late-season decisions will determine whether he gets another year or whether Auburn's leadership moves quickly to hit reset.

3. Mike Norvell, Florida State

Florida State's administration would prefer not to make a $54 million decision, but the pressure is mounting. The Seminoles are 3-4 overall and (0-4 ACC) and haven't won since September 20. A home loss to Wake Forest could force the issue, especially with first-year coach Jake Dickert winning more with less at Wake. The juxtaposition of the two programs would be devastating for Norvell.

4. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State

Smith simply hasn't been able to import the bully-ball style that made his Oregon State teams so good, and the Spartans seem to be regressing in year two. The Spartans are winless in conference play, and new athletic director J Batt is not accustomed to losing. His patience may be short. Plus, he's already lost MSU alum Magic Johnson, which is a bad sign.

5. Dave Doeren, N.C. State

Doeren's long, steady tenure has turned stagnant, and the Wolfpack seem to be sliding toward unacceptable. The Pack have dropped four of their last five, and risk missing a bowl. N.C. State once aimed higher, and it may be time for a reset in Raleigh.

See the full Top 10 from Andy Staples.

COACHING CAROUSEL

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry: Scott Woodward is not picking next LSU head coach

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry remains heavily involved in the situation at LSU. He made it clear on Wednesday that LSU athletics director Scott Woodward will not be the one selecting the Tigers' next football coach. Speaking with reporters, Landry said the university's Board of Supervisors will instead form a committee to find Brian Kelly's replacement.

LSU announced Kelly's firing earlier this week and owes him a $53 million buyout. Woodward said in a statement that the two sides are working to negotiate the terms of the separation, but Landry pointed to Woodward's history of writing massive contracts, including Jimbo Fisher's record-breaking deal at Texas A&M, as a reason for concern.

"I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not selecting the next coach. Hell, I would let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it. The Board of Supervisors is going to come up with a committee, and they're going to find us a coach." —Landry

However, not everyone seemed to know that would be the case. After Landry's remarks, LSU Board of Supervisors chair Scott Ballard said he was unaware the board would be leading the search. "No, I didn't know that," Ballard said, adding that LSU's focus remains on finding "the best coach for Louisiana State University."

Landry was involved in conversations about Kelly's future last weekend, according to On3's Pete Nakos. It is also notable that LSU currently does not have a university president, giving Landry and the Board of Supervisors a larger role in the process.

When asked whether he would ensure the next coaching contract is not "ridiculous," Landry again criticized Woodward's track record, pointing to the large buyouts that followed his previous hires.

"This is a pattern. The guy that's here now wrote that contract that cost Texas A&M $70-something million. Right now, we've got a $53 million liability. We are not doing that again," Landry said. "Maybe we'll let President Trump pick it. He loves winners."

Landry said LSU will take a more disciplined and results-based approach with its next hire. "We're going to make sure that coach is successful, that he's compensated properly, and that we put metrics on it," he said. "I'm tired of rewarding failure and leaving taxpayers to foot the bill."

Read the full story.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Top transfer portal impact players of Week 9

Bear Bachmeier, KC Concepcion and Princewill Umanmielen

In the new era of college football, the transfer portal has become a significant component of roster construction. Throughout the college football season, On3 is breaking down the top 10 transfer portal impact players based on weekly performances. Here are the most impactful transfer portal players from Week 9.

1. BYU QB Bear Bachmeier

BYU true freshman quarterback and Stanford transfer Bear Bachmeier continues to impress. He threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another in the win over Iowa State. Bachmeier led the Cougars in rushing with 12 carries for 49 yards. BYU is now 8-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.

2. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Cal transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza was 15 of 22 for 168 yards, passing for three touchdowns and an interception, all before exiting in the late third quarter. As he exited the game, he was greeted with chants of "Heismendoza" from the student section. His brother, Alberto, rushed for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

3. Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar

Former App State and UCLA transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-34 blowout win over Kentucky. Aguilar was 20 of 26 with touchdown passes of 35, 13 and 62 yards. He's thrown for 2,344 yards this season.

4. Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion

NC State transfer wide receiver KC Concepcion had one of his top performances of the season against LSU. Concepcion had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. He also returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown, giving the Aggies a lead they never lost.

5. Virginia Tech RB Marcellous Hawkins

Central Missouri transfer Marcellous Hawkins rushed 21 times for 167 yards in a double overtime win over Cal for Virginia Tech. Hawkins averaged eight yards per carry as the Hokies racked up 476 total yards of offense.

See Pete Nakos' full rankings.

🚨Headlines

NCAA FOOTBALL

Oklahoma and Tennessee meet in a College Football Playoff elimination game on Saturday

Tennessee unveiled its black "Dark Mode" uniforms this week with a hype video on social media, promoting Saturday's Halloween-themed showdown at Neyland Stadium. The school reserves those kinds of videos for its biggest games, designed to fire up one of college football's loudest fan bases. This time, it is not Alabama or Georgia coming to Knoxville. It is Oklahoma. And for both teams, the stakes feel just as high.

Whoever loses Saturday will fall out of College Football Playoff contention, effectively ending seasons that once carried championship expectations. Both teams enter at 6-2, but their paths to that record look far different.

For Tennessee, the two losses came against Alabama and Georgia. Those defeats sting, but do not derail a program still climbing under Josh Heupel. The Volunteers rank No. 3 nationally in total offense at 510.1 yards per game, led by quarterback Joey Aguilar and a dynamic receiver trio of Mike Matthews, Chris Brazzell II, and Braylon Staley. Coming off a 56-34 win at Kentucky, confidence is high in Knoxville.

Oklahoma's mood is not as upbeat. The Sooners dropped a crucial home game to Ole Miss last week and saw their once-dominant defense exposed. Coach Brent Venables told reporters he thought Oklahoma was the better team, a comment that quickly found its way to Lane Kiffin, who mocked it as a "hot take." The Sooners, once 5-0 with early-season Heisman buzz for quarterback John Mateer, have now lost two of their last three and watched their playoff hopes slip away.

Saturday's matchup feels like a crossroads. The new 12-team playoff format gives both programs something real to play for, a chance to salvage their seasons instead of fading into irrelevance.

For Tennessee, a win over Oklahoma would set up a clear path to 10-2 and another potential playoff run. The Volunteers close with New Mexico, Florida, and Vanderbilt, giving them a manageable finish and adding to speculation that Heupel could draw attention in this year's coaching carousel.

For Oklahoma, the goal is survival. The Sooners face one of the toughest closing schedules in the nation, and Venables may need to reach 8-4 to quiet the heat that has returned to his seat.

Drama. Stakes. Narrative. Saturday in Knoxville has it all.

Read the full column from Ari Wasserman.

TRIVIA

Now here's a guy...

Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go.

I was a four-star recruit, ranked by Rivals as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2016 class, before deciding to stay with the home-state Texas Longhorns.
As a true freshman, I became only the second player in school history to start at quarterback in the season opener, leading Texas to a double-overtime upset of No. 10 Notre Dame.
I later transferred to SMU, throwing for more than 3,900 yards and 34 touchdowns in one season while guiding the Mustangs to one of their best years in decades.

Answer at the bottom.

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