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The 2025 College Football Playoff is right around the corner, and news surrounding the tournament is nonstop.
Here’s the latest on what’s happening around the league with the regular season in the books and bowl season on the horizon:
Ole Miss gets coaching boost
Five Ole Miss coaches who are joining Lane Kiffin’s coaching staff at LSU will be staying in Oxford through the College Football Playoff. Those coaches are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., assistant quarterbacks coach Dane Stevens, tight ends coach Joe Cox, wide receivers coach George McDonald and slot wide receivers coach Sawyer Jordan, according to ESPN. Kiffin announced his intention to leave Ole Miss for LSU on Nov. 30, with the Rebels not allowing their head coach of six seasons to coach them in the College Football Playoff.
The 11-1 Rebels are the No. 6 seed in the College Football Playoff and host No. 11 seed Tulane on Dec. 20.
Tulane names Hall next head coach
Tulane has decided to make passing game coordinator and receivers coach Will Hall its next head coach after this season ends in the CFP under the outgoing Jon Sumrall, who recently accepted an offer to take over at Florida but has been permitted to continue coaching the Green Wave through their postseason run.
“I’m truly honored,” Hall said. “Tulane has been a special place for me. I’ve felt the unique spirit of Tulane and the strength of its culture. I’m excited to lead this program with a deep respect for its history, its people, and the city of New Orleans.”
The 45-year-old Hall will become the third Tulane coach since Willie Fritz left for Houston of the Big 12 after the 2023 season. Fritz’s tenure included a conference title game victory in 2022, followed by a landmark Cotton Bowl victory over USC and another league championship game appearance in 2023.
“(Hall’s) character, integrity, and leadership qualities are evident both on and off the field,” Tulane athletic director David Harris said. “With extensive head coaching experience and a proven track record of success at every level, Will embodies the qualities we value in our program. We believe he is the right person to lead Tulane Football into its next chapter.”
Tennessee fires defensive coordinator before bowl game
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks on Dec. 8, a year after the assistant was a finalist for the Broyles Award. Banks had been with Heupel all five seasons at Tennessee after being hired away from Penn State in Feb. 2021. With Banks, the Vols reached the 2024 CFP and ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to 13.9 points per game; Tennessee lost in the opening round to eventual champion Ohio State.
This season, the Vols dropped to 91st in the country, giving up 28.7 points a game. They gave up at least 33 points in each of their losses, the last a 45-25 loss to Vanderbilt that dropped Tennessee out of the AP Top 25 poll.
“These are tough decisions but one I ultimately felt was necessary for the future of our program,’ Heupel said in a statement. “We are fully committed to identifying our next defensive coordinator who will uphold the standard that Tennessee has historically been known for.”
Linebackers coach William Inge will be the interim defensive coordinator for Tennessee in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 against Illinois in Nashville. Inge was co-defensive coordinator at Washington from 2022-23 and was defensive coordinator at Fresno State from 2020-21.
Baylor names new athletic director
Baylor athletics administrator and graduate Doug McNamee was named the school’s athletic director on Dec. 8. He replaces Mack Rhoades, who stepped down for personal reasons last month after nine years; Rhoades had also been chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee.
McNamee was the senior associate athletic director for external affairs at Baylor in 2018, when he was responsible for all major revenue-generating and brand-facing units, including fundraising, marketing, communications and premium ticketing. He played a key role in the fundraising, planning and opening of McLane Stadium over a decade ago.
“My connection to Baylor University runs deep, and its culture, history, and expectations have profoundly shaped my life,’ McNamee said in a statement. “I believe the breadth of my experiences has prepared me for this moment at Baylor and within the evolving landscape of college athletics. Stepping into corporate leadership allowed me to cultivate the entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, hunger, and financial discipline required to thrive in today’s environment and the one ahead.
“Returning to my alma mater in this capacity is a profound honor and responsibility. I do not take it lightly.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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