On Lincoln Riley and LSU

Update> See what Lincoln had to say at bottom. 

Original article> 

This evening LSU hosts Texas A&M in what will be Ed Orgeron's final regular season game as LSU's head coach. Kickoff is set for 6pm CT.

Several states to the West, Oklahoma plays Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Bedlam kicks off at 6:30. 

There is a lot of speculation that after tonight, LSU AD Scott Woodward is planning to formally offer the head coaching position at LSU to Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley.  

Riley would check all of the boxes Woodward set out to hire and would check nearly all of them his administration was hoping he would find as well. 

A few weeks back when this was first in the wind, we checked with sources close to this one and the feedback was consistent, "Lincoln is very loyal. He wouldn't leave if his team still had a championship game (or the playoffs) to go." Thus, if Oklahoma were to win tonight (and thus they would play next weekend in the Big 12 Championship game) this one might not play out quickly. 

Will Riley turn out to be the guy? That we don't know; but it is clear that several folks don't expect this to happen including local Oklahoman Dean Blevins who covers the Sooners and Bruce Feldman who covers college football for the Athletic. 

In writing this piece we think back to this day 5 years ago, as LSU finished their regular season vs Texas A&M Thanksgiving Thursday, Houston finished up vs Memphis Friday night -- amid countless reports LSU was planning to hire Tom Herman, a source closely connected to that theoretical transaction told FootballScoop that night that Herman would not be coming to Baton Rouge. That Saturday morning we shared the news that Ed Orgeron would be the Tigers' new head coach.   

If Oklahoma loses tonight, it could be a wild next 36 hours for a lot of folks. 

Never a dull moment in Baton Rouge, or in college football my friends. 

Now, let's all enjoy a great day of ball while all this sorts itself out. And, as always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest coaching news. 

Update> After tonight's loss at Oklahoma State, Lincoln Riley flat out said he's not going to LSU.