Since firing Jimbo Fisher two weeks ago, Texas A&M officials have been conducting interviews for Fisher's replacement throughout college football.
Indeed, A&M dispatched their search envoy to the West Coast, throughout Kansas and other areas of the Midwest, as well as into PAC-12 territory during this process.
But, Saturday night, all signs in the Aggies' search pointed to the Bluegrass State.
Mark Stoops, the second-longest tenured head coach in the Southeastern Conference, has emerged as "an extremely serious" figure in the search, Texas A&M's "leading candidate" and the candidate who "has all the momentum," numerous sources told FootballScoop throughout the day Saturday and late into Saturday night.
Per sources with knowledge, Stoops has just a $4 million buyout to exit the University of Kentucky for another job.
In the annual Commonwealth Cup rivalry game Saturday at Louisville, Kentucky was guided to an upset-win against the top-10 Cardinals -- the fifth-straight win for Stoops in the in-state rivalry.
A former University of Iowa player and the brother of noted coaches Bob and Mike Stoops, Mark Stoops had served as a top-tier defensive coordinator at both Arizona and Florida State before he landed the Kentucky job prior to the 2013 season.
The Wildcats are poised for their eighth bowl berth under Stoops and their two 10-win seasons under Stoops since 2018 mark the program's most success in decades.
Kentucky has never won the SEC's Eastern Division since the league expanded and split in 1992, but its three No. 2 finishes in the division have all come under the work of Stoops.
A&M fired Fisher earlier this month, despite a buyout of more than $77 million owed to the former national championship-winning Florida State head coach.
Stoops had served as Fisher's defensive coordinator at Florida State.
The Aggies talked to more than 10 potential candidates, sources told FootballScoop, and they particularly vetted UTSA coach Jeff Traylor and Arizona coach Jedd Fisch, among a select group of others. They also interviewed multiple sitting head coaches of current top-20 programs.
Late Saturday night update> Sources confirm to FootballScoop, as Matt Jones of KY Sports Radio has shared, Mark Stoops has decided to remain at Kentucky. A&M's search continues....
Stoops issued a statement on social media:
I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days. It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t…
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) November 26, 2023