Lane Kiffin, one of the brightest and sometimes most polarizing figures in college football, will not be the next head coach at the University of Florida. And maybe that's okay.

Kiffin reportedly will choose between staying at Ole Miss or going to LSU.

After the Rebels beat intrastate rival Mississippi State 38-19 on Friday, Kiffin said he has "a lot of praying to do." He is expected to make a decision about his coaching future on Saturday.

LSU has allegedly offered Kiffin a king's ransom: reportedly $98 million for seven years that would make Kiffin the highest-paid coach in college football.

ESPN reporter Pete Thamel posted on X that "Florida has shifted focus from Lane Kiffin in the school’s coaching search, as the school has sensed through irregular communication that he’s interested in other options. Florida has interviewed roughly a dozen candidates and is optimistic about the process."

The Gainesville Sun has reported that "sources familiar with the UF coaching search process have confirmed ... that Tulane's Jon Sumrall and Washington's Jedd Fisch are on the short list of candidates to become UF's next coach."

Whoever it is will be charged with reviving the reputation of Florida football, which in the past 15 years has slowly slid into irrelevance. Once upon a time, Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer delivered eight SEC titles and three national championships to Gainesville.

Four coaches have come and gone. The next leader will succeed Billy Napier, who was fired on Oct. 19 and became the first non-interim Florida football coach with a losing record in almost 80 years.

The hiring market is competitive — eight Power 4 job openings that also include SEC rivals Auburn and Arkansas. As it stands, Florida will pay Napier around $21 million to buy out his contract.

Coaching Hot Board: The Potential Hires for Florida Football to Replace Billy Napier After firing Billy Napier, the Florida Gators football program is in need of a new head coach. These are candidates likely to make an appearance on UF's list.

The Kiffin courtship

Kiffin, now 50, has been a hot coaching commodity for 20 years, often appearing like a comet and moving on almost as quickly:

• At 31, youngest head coach in Oakland Raiders history. Fired for cause four games into his second season.
• At 33, head coach at Tennessee. Signed a six-year contract but bolted after Year One to take the same job at Southern Cal.
• At USC, Kiffin produced one top 10 team. Fired in the middle of his fourth season.
• Won a national title in three seasons as offensive coordinator for Alabama.
• At Florida Atlantic, 10 wins and bowl-game appearances in two of three seasons. Left for Ole Miss.

In Oxford, Miss., Kiffin settled down — personally and professionally. He embraced sobriety and a healthier, happy lifestyle. On the field, Kiffin has assembled three top-15 teams in five-plus seasons at Ole Miss. With a victory Friday, the 7th-ranked Rebels likely will qualify for their first college football playoffs.