There are three jobs viewed as top 10 gigs in college football that are open. We know about the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators. The USC Trojans have been looking for their next head coach basically all season long. As coaches decide to sign an extension or just stay put, the list of candidates seems to dwindle by the day.
Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports highlighted the three jobs and the buzz around each of them. Depending on who you ask, the candidates differ. We will look at Dodd’s list for all three vacancies. Are any of them focusing on the same guy or could all three conceivably get their target?
USC Trojans: Luke Fickell or Matt Campbell
We start with the job that has been on the market the longest, after two games the Trojans fired Clay Helton opening up the job. Early on we heard the names of James Franklin, Luke Fickell, Dave Aranda, and Matt Campbell. With Franklin off the table and Aranda trending that way, where does that leave USC?
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What Dodd Says…
Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell has been considered the favorite at USC, but it is not certain whether he will make a move at the conclusion of the Bearcats’ season. A wait for Fickell might extend well into January if Cincinnati makes the College Football Playoff, and even then, he may decide to stay. Iowa State’s Matt Campbell is also considered a player for the USC vacancy and may be available right away with Iowa State, 6-5, playing 5-6 TCU on Saturday.
Next, we have Florida