ESPN insider weighs in on Matt McMahon’s hot seat at LSU
By Adam Spencer
Published:
LSU has been disappointing the past few seasons under head coach Matt McMahon.
Despite feasting on lackluster nonconference foes in recent years, McMahon’s LSU squads have faltered during SEC play. With a 2-12 mark through 14 league games this season so far, McMahon’s overall record in 3+ seasons in Baton Rouge is 59-66, with an abysmal 16-52 mark in SEC action.
Will LSU make a coaching change this offseason? ESPN insider Jeff Borzello put together a very interesting piece discussing hot-seat situations around the men’s college basketball world. Here’s what he had to say about the current vibe at LSU:
Athletic director Verge Ausberry raised the temperature on Matt McMahon last month, telling the Baton Rouge Advocate he’d made it clear to McMahon that the Tigers needed to make the NCAA tournament, or he would be forced to “reevaluate.” After a 12-1 start to the season, the Tigers are just 2-12 in SEC play, struggling mightily with star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. sitting out most of conference play because of a foot injury. McMahon hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament in four years since arriving at LSU, and he’s just 16-52 in the SEC during that time. He would be owed about $8 million if fired — which, along with the injury issues, could ultimately play a role in McMahon trending toward returning for another season.
Sure, an $8 million buyout may pale in comparison to some big-name college football coaches’ buyouts, but with how much LSU has invested in its football program with Lane Kiffin and company, would boosters have the desire to write another hefty check? We’ll see what happens as the 2025-26 regular season comes to an end.
Kalshi has LSU as a slight underdog for Wednesday night’s road trip to Ole Miss. The Tigers currently have a 44% chance to win, per the popular prediction market:
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
