Lane Kiffin picks LSU to highlight college football coaching carousel chaos

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Happy December, sports fans! Carter Bahns here to flip the calendar to the final month of 2025. What a year it has been in the sports universe, and there are 31 more days to add memorable moments to the history books. This weekend alone brought a few unforgettable developments, like the coaching carousel saga surrounding Lane Kiffin, some rivalry week drama in college football and a slew of NFL upsets.

Let's kick off this holly jolly month with everything you need to know from Thanksgiving weekend.

🎠 Five things to know Monday

1. Lane Kiffin is one of seven coaches on the move after a hectic weekend on the carousel. Okay everybody … Exhale … The Kiffin Watch is finally over. The now-former Ole Miss coach is officially off to LSU, ending a saga in which he sought to remain with the Rebels for the duration of their College Football Playoff run. Kiffin's move was one of seven on the coaching carousel over the weekend, counting Ole Miss' decision to elevate Pete Golding to head coach in the wake of his exit. Elsewhere, Florida signed Jon Sumrall away from Tulane, Auburn tabbed USF's Alex Golesh as its next leader and Arkansas hired Ryan Silverfield from Memphis. Another vacancy also popped up when Michigan State fired Jonathan Smith just two years into a disappointing tenure, but there won't be a long replacement search for the Spartans as they already zeroed in on Pat Fitzgerald. Kentucky is also likely to be on the hunt as it's expected to fire Mark Stoops.
2. Rivalry week threw a couple of wrenches in the College Football Playoff race. There was no drama for Ohio State as Ryan Day (finally) snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with Michigan. But in other Week 14 action, some results had significant impacts on the postseason picture. Alabama, for one, narrowly avoided Iron Bowl disaster and in turn clinched a spot in the SEC Championship Game. If the AP Top 25 is any indication of how the CFP selection committee will react to the rivalry games, next weekend's conference championships will likely determine which teams survive the bubble.
3. An upset-heavy week in the NFL continued on Sunday. On the heels of the surprising Thanksgiving and Black Friday results, the NFL saw even more upsets over the weekend. None were bigger than the Panthers' 31-28 shocker over the Rams, which not only kept Carolina in the playoff hunt but also launched the Bears into the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Texans' 20-16 win over the Colts and the Jets' walk-off win against the Falcons also raised eyebrows.
4. The MLS Cup final matchup is set, and Lionel Messi will be there. It is Inter Miami CF against Vancouver Whitecaps FC for league glory. Messi scored or assisted on every Inter Miami goal this postseason until Tadeo Allende notched the first goal of his hat trick in the 5-1 semifinal win over New York City FC. The Argentine duo guided the club to its first MLS Cup final, where the Western Conference champion Whitecaps await on the heels of their 3-1 win over San Diego FC.
5. Feast Week is complete, setting the stage for major college basketball rankings movement. The biggest week of the season thus far featured a bevy of top 25 matchups, most of which came at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Michigan flat-out dominated the marquee Feast Week event as it defeated San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga by no fewer than 30 points apiece. The Wolverines are projected risers in this week's AP Top 25 as a result. Ranked wins should also spark upward movement for Duke, UConn, Michigan State, and it could lead TCU and Kansas into the top 25.

😵‍💫 Do not miss this: How Lane Kiffin kept college football waiting and upended the SEC coaching carousel

The decision in Oxford, Mississippi, gripped college football all weekend and kept everyone waiting longer than anticipated. Lane Kiffin was the target of coaching searches across the SEC for much of the season and was set to decide Saturday between Ole Miss and his other suitors. But the clock struck midnight without an announcement, and it was not until Sunday that LSU officially named Kiffin its new coach.

What was with the holdup? Kiffin made it clear to Ole Miss that he wanted to stick with the team for its CFP run, but the university's brass wasn't having it. That begs the question: Why should they? Kiffin, with one foot out the door, wanted to have his cake and eat it, too. And judging by Rebels fans' sour reactions to his departure, it would have been nothing but awkward for him to keep coaching while actively trying to build a rival program. It would not have been fair to LSU, either, to focus on anything but constructing a staff and hitting the recruiting trail hard.

And then there's the fallout of it all at Ole Miss. The Rebels are left with a staff in flux — albeit with a permanent head coach in Pete Golding — and will task that crew with keeping the ship afloat in preparation for the CFP. Chris Hummer writes how the whole situation is a “slap in the face” to the Rebels.

🏆 Conference championship game lookaheads, CFP stakes

Conference championship games are set across college football. The headliner? It's a pair of unbeatens in the Big Ten as Ohio State and Indiana battle for a 13th win and the No. 1 seed in the CFP that comes with it. The other leagues have CFP implications aplenty in their title games, too. Let's sort through them.

• Big Ten (Ohio State vs. Indiana): The first matchup between 12-0 teams in Big Ten Championship Game history will determine which squad gets the top seed in the CFP. But the loser will be in good shape too, likely still receiving a first-round bye. See why Tom Fornelli thinks Ohio State will win.
• SEC (Alabama vs. Georgia): The Bulldogs simply cannot seem to shake the Crimson Tide in conference title games. Kalen DeBoer's squad needs to win to get into the playoff, so Kirby Smart can play spoiler if he gets this monkey off his back. Here's Will Backus on why Alabama has the edge.
• Big 12 (Texas Tech vs. BYU): The regular-season matchup was a one-sided affair in the Red Raiders' favor. A repeat of that result will make the Big 12 a one-bid league in the CFP. A BYU victory could lock both teams into the bracket. Shehan Jeyarajah foresees a Texas Tech triumph.
• ACC (Virginia vs. Duke): The ACC's nightmare scenario remains alive as it is not impossible for five-loss Duke to miss the playoff even with a conference title. Virginia would be a virtual lock to get an automatic bid with a win, though. Chip Patterson explained why Duke will come away with the crown.

Playoff hopefuls watching the conference championship games from home no longer have control of their own destinies. That is no problem for some squads, but those on the bubble will be tuned in anxiously to the title bouts and ensuing CFP selection show.

🏈 Bryce Young leads Panthers to top upset in Sunday's Week 13 action

The Texans are the team to beat in the AFC South, the Panthers are the biggest surprise team of 2025 and J.J. McCarthy‘s job as the Vikings‘ starting quarterback is safe. Those are three of Tyler Sullivan's major takeaways from Sunday's NFL action. Here's a rundown of all the other key developments from this holiday weekend slate:

• Winners: Bryce Young willed the Panthers to an upset win with a string of clutch fourth-down conversions and three touchdowns, proving the upside that made him a former No. 1 overall pick and making him one of the biggest winners of the week. DeMeco Ryans and Mike Macdonald flexed their defensive coaching prowess with a masterclass against the Colts and a shutout of the Vikings, respectively. The 49ers took advantage of the opportunity to climb the NFC West ladder with a decisive win over the Browns.
• Losers: The Steelers received a “D” grade for totaling just 166 yards in a putrid offensive effort against the Bills. Shane Steichen is among this week's losers after the Colts dropped their third game in four outings, and Raheem Morris‘ stock is down after the Falcons blew a lead to lose to the Jets.
• Milestones: Josh Allen scored his 76th career rushing touchdown, good for the most in NFL history by a quarterback. Cam Newton previously held the record. The Vikings reached a not-so-positive landmark when they snapped a 294-game scoring streak with a 26-0 shutout loss to the Seahawks.
• Injuries: Sauce Gardner sustained a calf injury on the first drive of the Colts‘ loss to the Texans and did not return as he sported a boot on the sideline. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert broke a bone in his non-throwing hand and will have surgery on Monday, but he played through the injury and could attempt to play next week. Aaron Rodgers briefly exited the Steelers' loss to the Bills after a strip sack left him bloodied.
• Clinchers: The Cardinals, Saints, Titans and Raiders were eliminated from playoff contention.

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• The WNBA and its players' union extended the current CBA by 40 days in an attempt to avoid the league's first labor stoppage.
• It appears the Orioles have their closer for 2026 with the reported signing of Ryan Helsley on a two-year, $28 million contract.
• The neck injury Broderick Jones sustained last week is reportedly expected to keep the Steelers‘ starting left tackle out for the remainder of the season.
• The reunion is off. Frank Ragnow planned to come out of retirement to rejoin the Lions, but the Pro Bowl center failed his physical and will not give Detroit a pre-playoffs boost after all.
• A mystery, masked man aided Bron Breakker to a win at WWE Survivor Series: War Games. A title also changed hands at the event as Liv Morgan helped Dominik Mysterio defeat John Cena to regain the Intercontinental Championship. Cena's final match will be Dec. 13 against the winner of a multi-week tournament.
• The U.S. women's national team will close out 2025 on Monday with a friendly against Italy. The Americans defeated Italy, 3-0, on Friday. Here's what you need to know ahead of the rematch.
• More defensive help is on the way for the surging Cowboys, who designated cornerback Trevon Diggs to return from injured reserve.
• The Browns will stick with Shedeur Sanders as their starting quarterback for Week 14, setting up a rookie-versus-rookie clash with Cam Ward and the Titans.
• The Curry brothers are reunited again. Seth Curry will reportedly sign with the Warriors to a one-year deal for the rest of the season, setting him up to play alongside Stephen Curry.
• Tom Aspinall still awaits medical clearance after Ciryl Gane eyepoked him at UFC 321 in October.
• Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to record at least 35 points, surpassing LeBron James by five days.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo said he wants to break LeBron James' NBA scoring record before he retires. The math indicates it is possible, albeit highly challenging.

📺 What we're watching Monday

🏒 Penguins at Flyers, 7 p.m. on NHL Network
⚽ Women's international friendly: United States vs. Italy, 7 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Bulls at Magic, 7:30 p.m. on Peacock
🏈 Giants at Patriots, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Suns at Lakers, 10 p.m. on Peacock