Nov 24, 2015 12:59 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Even if LSU administrators have made up their mind to fire head football coach Les Miles, there will not be a formal announcement until the team's regular season is over.

LSU's loss to Ole Miss was the team's third in a row, a slide that eliminated them from competing for the SEC West and the College Football Playoff. The Tigers will play in a bowl game, but it may be under an interim head football coach.

Citing unnamed sources, ESPN and Yahoo Sports learned LSU's football boosters agreed on paying the $15 million buyout in Miles' contract in order to fire him from his post. The Advocate initially learned of the growing movement within LSU to remove their longtime football coach.

But on Monday, when these rumors seemed likely to materialize, ESPN cited a "high-ranking source" that indicated no formal decision would be made until LSU's season finale with Texas A&M concludes. If it is Miles' last game with LSU, it will be played in front of a home crowd.

Miles led the Tigers to a National Championship in 2007 and two SEC titles, one that year and then again in 2011. However, if LSU finishes the season unranked (as they are now), it will be the second consecutive season doing so.

If LSU is ready to pay Miles' hefty buyout, then they can be expected to spring for a big-name replacement, as The New Orleans Times-Picayune listed Jimbo Fisher, Gary Patterson, Dabo Swinney, and Jon Gruden as desired targets.

Miles reportedly held a team meeting Monday to discuss the rumors of his impending termination, though players who spoke with The Advocate said the talk was fairly straightforward.

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