The rumors of Lane Kiffin going to Florida were already at a fever pitch; Billy Napier's getting fired mid-season made them reach new heights. The program announced Sunday that they will be parting ways with Napier following a 3-4 start to the season.
The Gator nation was already lobbying Kiffin since 2024 to take on the head coaching role at Gainesville, and now they are on tiptoes for the front office to give the Ole Miss head coach a call.
Florida legend Steve Spurrier was positive in Kiffin having a bright future in the Swamp -- National Championship-level future.
"Lane Kiffin would win a national championship at the University of Florida, or at minimum, consistently be a contender every year," Spurrier said last week.
Steve Spurrier thought’s on potential coaching job opening up at the University of Florida
— ESPM College Football (@ESPMCFB) October 15, 2025
What are your thought’s?🤨 pic.twitter.com/mSV0n4ANRC
Surprisingly, SEC mouthpiece Paul Finebaum shared an identical thought about Kiffin's national championship hope at Florida were he to accept the role.
"I think … Lane Kiffin at Florida would win a national championship,” Finebaum said Sunday morning on the Matt Barrie Show.
But the ESPN analyst had a peculiar reason to believe that Kiffin would be after a national championship at Florida, especially when he is in a decent position to be a natty contender this season with Ole Miss.
Finebaum's wild take on Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin
Per Finebaum, Kiffin's move to Florida would be prompted if he thinks Ole Miss might not be good enough for him.
“I think it’s getting more difficult (to win a championship at Ole Miss). And Lane Kiffin has been on the precipice of leaving (Oxford for the last few years) – not to revisit ancient history – but he was headed to Auburn a couple of years ago. That is not in debate, and then his daughter got in the way. That story has been confirmed."
"He was looking at Florida last year. It’s a tug of war with him right now, because I think he really does love where he is. But Lane Kiffin is a fierce competitor and he has to wonder: can he do much better than what he did last year (at Ole Miss)?”
The explanation doesn't seem too wild, and Kiffin has consistently been a top name in the Florida coaching carousel, not to mention a huge fan favorite in Florida.
If Kiffin does consider the job, the least he would have is an insanely crowded stadium, unlike at Vaught-Hemingway. National Championship could always follow afterwards.