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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Penn State Nittany Lions are still on the hunt for the football program's next head coach as vacancies are filled around the country.
Top college football programs like LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss and Florida all secured their new head coaches this past weekend. And despite firing now-former program leader James Franklin early in the 2025 season, the Nittany Lions remain as one of the last teams still looking for a replacement.
On Sunday, Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel emerged as one of the leading favorites to take over the Penn State job.
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But just one day later, college football insider Chris Low strongly shut down those coaching rumors.
"I’ve not heard Josh’s name at Penn State among anybody that I believe or trust. I think it’s a popular name to throw out there. Penn State is probably in a position now where they got to have somebody that’s had some success, who is established," Low said. "... I do think that there are going to be names like his that are out there for a job like Penn State. I was really surprised we didn’t hear his name in some of the other ones. But no, I do not believe that to be the case at this point that he’s a real candidate at Penn State."
More Football: Penn State Coaching Search Faces New Concern After Latest Hires
Heupel just finished his fifth season as Tennessee's head coach, notching an 8-4 regular-season record. The Volunteers were eliminated from College Football Playoff contention with a 45-24 loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores this past Saturday.
Heupel, former head coach of the UCF Knights, is 45-19 over his five seasons in Knoxville.
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BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, USC head coach Lincoln Riley and former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll are also rumored candidates for the Penn State job. JMU's Bob Chesney, another top candidate for the Nittany Lions, is expected to sign a contract with the UCLA Bruins.
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