Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz emphatically denied rumors linking him to the Florida State vacancy during his Tuesday press conference, stating he is "not a candidate at Florida State" as his No. 19 Tigers prepare to face No. 10 Texas on Saturday.
Drinkwitz addressed the speculation unprompted in his opening statement, saying, "I want to clear that up. Let's focus on the main thing, which is Texas, and let's eliminate all the distractions and clear the clutter from that standpoint for my team and for everybody out there."
The 43-year-old coach signed a contract extension last November that runs through the 2031 season and raised his average annual salary above $10.7 million, making him the 11th-highest paid coach in college football according to USA Today's database. Drinkwitz has compiled a 52-31 overall record (29-26 in SEC play) in seven seasons at Missouri, including a 35-12 mark over the past four years.
Missouri (6-2, 3-2 SEC) enters Saturday's game at Texas as a 2.5-point underdog. A victory would give the Tigers a 15.9% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff per the CBS Sports CFP Forecaster. The schedule remains brutal: after Texas, Missouri travels to No. 2 Georgia, hosts No. 8 Kentucky, and closes the regular season against Oklahoma.
Drinkwitz's name has surfaced in connection with other openings in recent years, including the Penn State vacancy last fall, but his long-term extension and high salary make a move unlikely. Florida State parted ways with Mike Norvell on Sunday after he posted a 41-39 record over multiple seasons.
