Auburn University is expected to name its next head football coach in the coming days, and Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall remains the betting favorite.
According to Bet Online, Sumrall is listed at -300 odds to replace Hugh Freeze, while James Madison coach Bob Chesney is at +400, current Auburn interim coach and defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is at +500, Georgia Tech coach Brent Key is at +700, USC coach Lincoln Riley is at +900 and Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham is at +1000.
Sumrall, a Huntsville native, posted a 23-4 record in two seasons at Troy before taking his current job at Tulane in 2023. He led the Trojans to two Sun Belt Conference championships and was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year. Now, with the Green Wave, Sumrall posted a 9-3 record during his first regular season and took them to the American Conference championship game. He currently has Tulane sitting at 9-2 and playing for the Group of 5 automatic bid in the College Football Playoff.
Chesney has James Madison fighting for the Group of 5 automatic bid in the College Football Playoff with a 10-1 record. His name has been linked to the Penn State and UCLA openings over the last month as his stock has skyrocketed.
Already at Auburn, Durkin has been auditioning for the head coaching job since taking over for the fired Freeze. Durkin and company immediately unlocked the offense, which had been struggling under its former offensive-minded head coach. Durkin has split his first two games as interim coach at Auburn, losing 45-38 in overtime to ranked Vanderbilt and beating Mercer 62-17. Could a win in the Iron Bowl to knock Alabama out of the College Football Playoff could seal the deal for Durkin?
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every day.
