BEST LINKS

Urban Meyer Interviews, Gets Turned Down for Penn State Job

Urban Meyer's name has been floating around the Penn State coaching search, and for good reason. The three-time national champion and one of college football's most decorated coaches reportedly had "strong interest" in the job. But here's where it gets interesting: according to sources on the Zach Gelb show, talks broke down over one critical issue, NIL. Meyer, who last coached in college before the NIL era exploded, apparently couldn't provide satisfactory answers on how he'd navigate the modern landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness deals. Athletic Director Pat Kraft is laser-focused on finding someone who can maximize Penn State's resources and dominate the transfer portal, and Meyer's pitch didn't hit the mark. Instead, Meyer is throwing his support behind Ohio State OC Brian Hartline, who remains a top candidate as the search continues. Full Story Here

Big-Name Coaches Are Turning Down "Dream Jobs" Like Those at Penn State and LSU. Here's Why The Pressure Cookers Aren't Worth The Money Anymore

The college football coaching carousel isn't spinning the way it used to. Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken dropped a fascinating piece breaking down why the "big jobs" everyone assumes are home runs—Penn State, LSU, Florida, Auburn—are actually becoming harder to fill. The logic is simple: why would a successful coach leave a comfortable situation where they can make $8-10 million, compete for playoffs, and enjoy job security, just to walk into a pressure cooker where losing three games gets you fired? As one industry veteran put it: "A lot of good coaches talk a big game, but they don't actually want to go into the fire like that." The money's essentially equal across top-tier programs now, the transfer portal has created more parity, and suddenly the "dream jobs" don't look so dreamy anymore. Translation: expect a lot of fan bases to hear a name at their press conference and collectively ask, "Who?" Full Story Here

Indiana's Head Coach Has A $15 Million Buyout That Drops To $0 If The School Doesn't Pay Him Enough. Here's Why College Football Contracts Are Getting Weird (And Smart)

College football contracts are getting creative—and a little wild. The Athletic's Chris Vannini delved into some fascinating contract clauses that reveal how schools are attempting to protect themselves (and incentivize winning) in the transfer portal era. Indiana's Curt Cignetti has a nuclear option built into his deal: if he makes a CFP semifinal and Indiana doesn't make him a top-three paid coach in the country within 120 days, his $15 million buyout drops to zero. Translation: win big, get paid big, or he walks for free. Meanwhile, Kent State included a clause prohibiting head coach Mark Carney from recruiting his own players if he leaves—a move that might not even be enforceable, but shows how desperate schools are becoming to stop the "take your roster with you" trend that has become the norm. The wild west of college football contracts is here, and it's only getting weirder. Full Story Here

HOT SEAT GAME PREVIEW

Dabo Swinney Is Coaching for His Legacy and to Prove Clemson Still Matters.

Game: Florida State @ Clemson

Game Time: Saturday @7:00 PM ET

Network: ACC Network

Here's what nobody wants to talk about:

The two coaches stepping onto the field Saturday night at Death Valley aren't just coaching a football game.

They're coaching for their careers.

And one of them, maybe both, won't survive the season.

Let me tell you a story about how dynasties die.

Three years ago, Dabo Swinney was untouchable.

National championships. College Football Playoff appearances. A pipeline of NFL talent that made Death Valley the most intimidating venue in college football. Clemson wasn't just good—they were inevitable.

Today?

Clemson is 3-5.

They've lost five games, FIVE, before Thanksgiving. They've given up 46 points to Duke. 35 to SMU. At home. In Death Valley. The place that used to make opposing teams quit before kickoff.

The Tigers are allowing 40.5 points per game over their last two weeks. Their defense, once the standard for excellence in the ACC, has become a turnstile. Their recruiting has fallen behind. Their roster is thin. Their coach is clinging to philosophies that worked in 2016 but now seem outdated in 2025.

And the whispers have started.

"Is Dabo done?"

"Has the game passed him by?"

"Can Clemson afford $11.5 million for this?"

Here's the uncomfortable truth nobody in Clemson wants to admit:

Dabo Swinney is on the hot seat.

Not warm. Not toasty.

El. Fuego.

Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, Mike Norvell is fighting for his life.

FSU is 4-4.

On paper, that doesn't sound terrible. Middle of the pack. Bowl eligible. Room to grow.

But here's what the stat sheet won't tell you:

Those four wins? Two of them came against East Texas A&M and Kent State, teams FSU beat by a combined score of 143-13. Cupcakes. Padding. The kind of wins that look great on paper but mean absolutely nothing when you're evaluating a coach's job security.

Strip away the cupcakes, and here's FSU's real record against legitimate competition:

2-4.

Two wins (Alabama, Wake Forest). Four losses (Virginia, Miami, Pitt, Stanford).

The Alabama win was supposed to be the signature moment that validated Norvell's tenure. The proof that FSU was back. The statement that said, "We belong at the top of college football again."

Instead, it looks more and more like an outlier.

A fluke.

A one-hit wonder.

Because the same team that beat Alabama couldn't beat Stanford. The same team that scored 31 on a top-10 defense scored 13 in a road loss to a bad ACC team.

And FSU boosters aren't stupid.

They see a coach whose team can't win on the road (0-2). They see red zone inefficiency that costs them multiple games. They see a roster loaded with talent that somehow can't execute when it matters.

They see a coach whose seat is getting hotter.

Fast.

Here's the matchup that will decide everything:

Saturday night. Death Valley. National television.

Two desperate coaches. Two struggling programs. Two fanbases that are one loss away from demanding change.

And here's what makes this game so fascinating:

• Both offenses are explosive.

• Both defenses are collapsing.

This isn't going to be a defensive slugfest. This is going to be a shootout. A track meet. A game where the first team to 35 might still lose.

FSU's offense (adjusted for opponent quality): 27.0 points per game, 431.8 yards per game.

Clemson's offense: 28.4 points per game, 420.6 yards per game.

FSU's defense: Allowing 327.3 yards per game.

Clemson's defense: Allowing 350.3 yards per game (and 40.5 points per game over the last two weeks).

Translation: Whoever has the ball last wins.

Here's why Clemson wins this game (even though they shouldn't):

1. Cade Klubnik is playing out of his mind.

67.2% completion rate. 273.6 passing yards per game. 13 touchdowns. He's efficient. He's accurate. He's making plays.

And he's going up against an FSU secondary that allows 208.7 passing yards per game.

Do the math.

Klubnik throws for 296.9 yards per game. FSU allows 208.7. That's an 88.2-yard-per-game advantage for Clemson.

In a close game, that's massive.

2. Clemson's run defense is elite.

105.8 rushing yards allowed per game. That's top-tier nationally.

FSU's adjusted rushing offense: 184.2 yards per game.

Clemson's game plan is simple: Stack the box. Dare Thomas Castellanos (60.2% completion rate) to beat you with his arm. Force FSU to be one-dimensional.

And if FSU can't run the ball, they're in trouble.

3. Death Valley.

Home field matters. Especially when your back is against the wall.

Clemson fans are desperate. They've watched their program crumble. They've endured two straight losses. They've seen their coach's seat get hotter by the week.

Saturday night, Death Valley is going to be LOUD. FSU is going to struggle with communication. And Clemson is going to feed off that energy.

4. FSU's road struggles are real.

0-2 away from Tallahassee this season.

Lost at Virginia. Lost at Stanford.

FSU doesn't travel well. And Saturday night, they're walking into the most hostile environment in the ACC.

5. Red zone efficiency.

FSU has scored 13 points at Stanford despite gaining 444 yards.

Let me say that again: 444 yards. 13 points.

That's not a typo. That's a red zone problem.

Clemson, meanwhile, has scored 69 points in their last two games. When they get inside the 20, they finish.

In a close game, that's the difference.

Here's why FSU could pull the upset (even though they probably won't):

1. Clemson's defense is in freefall.

40.5 points per game over the last two weeks.

81 total points allowed to SMU and Duke.

This isn't a defense. This is a liability.

And FSU has a dual-threat QB in Thomas Castellanos who can exploit broken plays, extend drives, and make something out of nothing.

If Clemson's defense continues to collapse, FSU could score 35+ points against them.

2. FSU had two weeks to prepare.

Bye week before the Wake Forest game. Then the Wake Forest game. Then this game.

That's two weeks to study Clemson's tendencies. Two weeks to game plan. Two weeks to rest, recover, and prepare.

Mike Norvell is coaching for his job. He's going to throw everything at Clemson.

3. Momentum matters.

FSU just broke a four-game losing streak. They're riding high. They have confidence.

Clemson just lost two straight. They're reeling. Their confidence is shattered.

Momentum is a real thing in sports. And right now, FSU has it.

4. Castellanos' legs.

45.6 rushing yards per game. 5 rushing touchdowns.

When the pocket breaks down, Castellanos can run. And Clemson's defense, struggling to contain anyone, is vulnerable to QB scrambles.

If Castellanos has a big game with his legs, FSU wins.

Here's my prediction:

Clemson 34, Florida State 30.

It's ugly. It's close. It's higher-scoring than anyone expects.

Both defenses get shredded. Both offenses move the ball at will. The game comes down to red-zone efficiency, and Clemson's ability to finish drives proves to be the decisive factor.

Cade Klubnik throws for 340+ yards and 3 touchdowns. Antonio Williams (Clemson's top receiver) has a monster game: 150+ yards, 2 touchdowns.

Thomas Castellanos puts up a valiant effort—247 passing yards, 62 rushing yards, 2 total touchdowns—but FSU settles for field goals in the red zone three times, and it costs them the game.

Final stat line that tells the story: FSU converts 2 of 5 red zone trips into touchdowns. Clemson converts 3 of 4.

That's a 12-point swing. That's the game.

Here's what happens next:

If Clemson wins:

Dabo Swinney survives. For now.

At 4-5, Clemson is still alive for a bowl game. The seat cools from "el fuego" to "very hot." He's bought himself time—but not much.

The narrative shifts from "Is Dabo done?" to "Can Dabo turn this around?"

He gets the rest of the season. Maybe one more year. But the margin for error is gone.

One more disastrous season, and even Dabo Swinney—National Championship winner, Clemson legend—won't be safe.

If FSU wins:

Mike Norvell gets his signature win.

At 5-4, FSU has momentum. They've beaten Alabama. They've beaten Clemson on the road. Norvell proves he can coach in big games, against quality opponents, in hostile environments.

The seat cools. Maybe not all the way. But enough.

He gets another year. Probably two. FSU fans start believing again.

And in Tallahassee, hope returns.

But if Clemson loses:

Dabo Swinney's seat goes from "el fuego" to "volcanic eruption."

3-6. Three straight losses. Home losses to Syracuse and Duke. A complete defensive collapse. A season in ruins.

At that point, it's not a question of if Clemson moves on from Dabo.

It's a question of when.

The whispers turn into shouts. The boosters start making calls. The athletic director starts planning.

And the unthinkable becomes reality:

Dabo Swinney might not survive the season.

Here's the truth nobody wants to say out loud:

This isn't just a football game.

This is a referendum on two coaching legacies.

For Dabo, it's about proving his dynasty isn't dead—just wounded.

For Norvell, it's about proving the Alabama win wasn't a fluke.

One of them walks off the field Saturday night with relief.

The other walks off with a pink slip waiting in his future.

Two coaches. Two hot seats. One must-win game.

Kickoff: Saturday, 7:00 PM ET.

THAT’S A WRAP

That's all for this week's edition.

Saturday night's showdown between Clemson and Florida State isn't just another ACC matchup—it's a coaching survival game. Two programs that dominated headlines for all the right reasons just a few years ago are now making news for all the wrong reasons. One coach walks away with breathing room. The other? The clock starts ticking even louder.

The college football landscape is shifting in ways we've never seen before. Coaching legends can't answer NIL questions. Dream jobs are becoming nightmares. Contracts are getting more creative and more desperate. And programs that used to print money are now scrambling to stay relevant.

Tuesday brings new rankings. The CFP picture gets clearer (or muddier, depending on who you ask), and we'll break down what it all means for the playoff race, the bubble teams, and the coaches fighting to keep their jobs.

Until then, enjoy the chaos.

See you next week.