Thursday, August 27, 2026
The FOS App Launches September 1 Pre-save on the App Store Today

Les Miles Loses Hall of Fame Eligibility After LSU Vacates Wins

  • LSU has vacated all 37 football wins from 2012-2015 as part of NCAA penalties.
  • Miles’ career win percentage now drops below the College Football Hall of Fame’s requirement.
Miles' win percentage no longer meets the College Football Hall of Fame's requirement.
Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

Former LSU football coach Les Miles is no longer eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame after the school had to vacate 37 wins due to NCAA infractions. 

The NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Panel (IARP) conducted a review that led LSU to self-impose the vacating of all 37 of its football wins from 2012 to 2015. Miles, who coached LSU from 2005-2016, now sees his career record drop from 145-73 (.665) to 108-73 (.597) — meaning he no longer meets the .600 winning percentage needed to qualify for the College Football Hall of Fame.

The penalties stem from impermissible payments paid by booster John Paul Funes, former head of the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, to the father of former Tigers offensive lineman Vadal Alexander. The payments were a recruiting violation that thus made Alexander ineligible for his entire college career, causing LSU to lose its wins from 2012 to 2015.

Miles won a national championship at LSU in 2007. He was head coach at Oklahoma State from 2001 to 2004 and at Kansas from 2019-20. The 69-year-old has not coached since he parted ways with Kansas in March 2021 amid accusations of inappropriate behavior toward female students during his head-coaching tenure at LSU. 

Former LSU basketball coach Will Wade, who now coaches at McNeese State, also received a 10-game suspension as a result of the NCAA’s independent investigation into improper payments made by LSU’s basketball and football programs. 

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Gov. Landry: SEC ‘Creating a Legal Mess’ Over Athlete Eligibility

“Don’t hate the player,” the Louisiana governor said. “Hate the game.”
Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; ESPN cast, from left, Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit sit on the set of College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in Columbus at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images via the USA Today Network

ESPN Replaces Lead ‘College GameDay’ Producer in Shakeup

Matthew Garrett takes over as the show’s new EP.

LSU, Players Gearing Up for Potential Battle With SEC

The SEC wants to block players who went pro from returning.
ESPN College Football Broadcast
Exclusive

ESPN Removing BottomLine Ticker on College Football Games

ESPN has previously removed the ticker from College Football Playoff games.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation about Unrivaled’s $650M Valuation with Co-Founder Alex Bazzell

0:00

Featured Today

Deshaun Watson Has Done the Impossible: Unite Browns Fans

Watson was named the starter after complaining boos were “personal.”
August 23, 2026

Dan Snyder ‘Invisible’ in NFL Three Years After Commanders Sale

Snyder has had little to no contact with former NFL associates.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Burnley - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 18, 2026 Arsenal's Kai Havertz scores their first goal past Burnley's Max Weiss
August 21, 2026

Why the Premier League’s Star-Power Shortage Doesn’t Matter

The world’s richest soccer league doesn’t rely on big stars to dominate.
August 12, 2026

Trendy Golf Hat Divide Is More Than a Fashion Fight

As golf has gotten trendier, so has the sport’s style.
Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes
August 6, 2026

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”

Ukrainian Player Leaves LSU After Kim Mulkey Signs Russian

LSU says Koval is withdrawing as a student, but transferring is tricky.
August 21, 2026

Appeals Court Pauses Fifth Year of Eligibility Order

An appeals court has yet to make a final decision.
Dec 20, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels tight end Dae'Quan Wright (8) runs after a catch as Tulane Green Wave linebacker Sam Howard (15) makes the tackle during the third quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
August 25, 2026

Big Ten, SEC Ban NFL Players From Returning

Other power conferences and the American are considering the same move.
Sponsored

Kerri Walsh Jennings’s Playbook for the Future of Volleyball

The former gold medalist talks NCAA, the Olympics, & investing in volleyball.
Nov 6, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama guard Kai Spears (32) a walk on guard, takes a three late in the game at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
August 21, 2026

New York Times Loses $9.25M Defamation Verdict to Ex-Alabama Player

The outlet called the inaccurate report “an honest mistake.”
LSU Tigers head football coach Lane Kiffin talking with Quarterback Husan Longstreet 8 at LSU Football practice. August 18, 2026.
August 21, 2026

College Football Landscape Fueled by New Off-Field Drama

Five major storylines are shaping college football’s new business landscape.
August 20, 2026

Judge: Players Can Go From NFL Training Camp Back to College

The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s new eligibility model.
Emory Eagles guard Ben Pearce (10) passes around Mary Washington Eagles forward Jay Randall (11) on Sunday, April 5, 2026, during the NCAA DIII men's basketball championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
August 20, 2026

Division III Basketball Star Sues NCAA for 5th Year of Eligibility

If the case is successful, thousands more NCAA athletes could receive eligibility.