The college football season is approaching quickly. While there are coaches who have some stability, there are others with some pressure heading into the 2025 season. Here are the college football coaches on the hot seat for 2026.
ACC
Bill Belichick, North Carolina Tar Heels
Belichick is the most successful coach in NFL history, but went just 4-8 in his first season with UNC. Things don’t seem like they will improve based on roster construction, so it will have to be very good tactical coaching for Belichick to improve a lot this season. Mack Brown was pushed out the door for doing more than Belichick has done so there is some pressure this season.
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
Bill O’Brien, Boston College Eagles
After going bowling in year one in a roster crafted by Jeff Hafley, Boston College fell to just two wins last season. O’Brien hasn’t been given a ton of resources to succeed, but he will want to avoid having so few wins this season or things could get dicey.
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
Mike Norvell, Florida State Seminoles
Over six seasons at Florida State, Norvell has a 38-34 record. The highs have been high, but the lows have been low. In 2023, Florida State went 13-0 before losing the Orange Bowl, but then won just two games in 2024. The 2025 season saw some progression, as they won five games, but Norvell will need to win a few more than that this season to save his job.
Hot Seat Rating: Scorching
Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers
Swinney is Clemson’s best coach ever with a 187-53 record and two national championships. In the last three seasons, here are Clemson’s records: 9-4, 10-4 and 7-6. Another season of less than nine wins could make things interesting. Will Clemson get rid of Swinney? Maybe not. But could he step down with the new era of college football impacting his ability to win?
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
Big 12
Dave Aranda, Baylor Bears
Baylor won eight games in 2024, which seemed to keep Aranda safe after the team won three games in 2023. Last season, though, the Bears failed to reach a bowl game with just five wins. Another season of not making a bowl game could get Baylor to make a move. He’s under .500 for his career and his 12-win season was back in 2021.
Hot Seat Rating: Hot
Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati Bearcats
Satterfield gets some credit for helping Cincinnati transition to the Big 12. The Bearcats made a bowl game at 7-6 last season, but over his time, the team is still 15-22 overall. There are fair criticisms about the Bearcats failing down the stretch of seasons. The Brendan Sorsby situation could play a factor, but quite simply, Satterfield will need to make sure Cincinnati doesn’t fall back to being bowl-ineligible regularly.
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
Big Ten
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin Badgers
A 17-21 record over four seasons at Wisconsin isn’t good enough. There have been quarterback injuries and a lack of NIL funding, but Wisconsin has a chance to correct it this season. Although Fickell was successful at Cincinnati, he will need to turn things around quickly for the Badgers to save his job.
Hot Seat Rating: Scorching
Mike Locksley, Maryland Terrapins
A 37-49 record and two straight four-win seasons won’t instill much confidence, but Maryland decided to give Locksley another year. The Terrapins will need to take a step forward and make a bowl game, which could be possible with some young talent on the roster developing. Quarterback Malik Washington’s growth could really improve Locksley’s chances of sticking around.
Hot Seat Rating: Scorching
Matt Rhule, Nebraska Cornhuskers
After a five-win season, Rhule has back-to-back seven-win years under his belt at Nebraska. The results have been decent so far, but Nebraska won’t be patient for him to continue to turn things around. Marked improvement will be expected; otherwise, they may make a move.
Hot Seat Rating: Hot
Lincoln Riley,
USC Trojans
A 35-18 record is solid for most programs, but USC fans have been dying for more. Riley has an early 11-win season under his belt, but since then has hovered between seven and nine wins. With some talent returning and the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, USC will want the Trojans to make a push for the CFP.
Hot Seat Rating: Hot
Greg Schiano, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Schiano has had some success in both stints at Rutgers. After making two straight bowl games in 2023 and 2024, the Scarlet Knights missed a bowl game last year. His job is probably safe overall, but missing another bowl game could put things on a slippery slope.
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
SEC
Shane Beamer, South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks had a lot of hype after winning nine games in 2024. They followed that up with just four wins in 2025, despite having some polarizing talent in quarterback LaNorris Sellers and edge rusher Dylan Stewart. Beamer should be able to rebound well and make South Carolina more competitive, but if he can’t fans won’t be happy.
Hot Seat Rating: Hot
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide
DeBoer has a 20-8 record at Alabama, but is being compared to the former coach, Nick Saban. He has done a solid job, but there is some meat left on the bone. The Crimson Tide look like a potential CFP team, which can help DeBoer’s status.
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Lebby did a good job of getting Mississippi State from two wins in 2024 to five in 2025. He has yet to make a bowl game, but he has some really good players to build around as the Bulldogs look to take the next step. If they don’t make the step, there may be some discussions about his future.
Hot Seat Rating: Warm
Group of Six
Major Applewhite, South Alabama Jaguars
Applewhite went 7-6 in year one, then regressed to 4-8 in year two. He’s probably safe, but will want to avoid winning less than last season.
Jeff Choate, Nevada Wolf Pack
Two straight three-win seasons to start his tenure as the Nevada head coach won’t inspire much confidence, so improvement is needed.
Joe Harasymiak, UMass Minutemen
There hasn’t been too much success after Harasymiak came up from Maine at the FCS level. He went 0-12 in his first season and will need to get in the win column to keep his job.
Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Mason, the former Vanderbilt head coach, has won just three games in each of his first two seasons at Middle Tennessee.
Dell McGee, Georgia State Panthers
After winning three games in his first season, McGee won just one in 2025.
Joe Moorhead, Akron Zips
Although he has been a good offensive mind before, the success hasn’t been there at Akron. The Zips haven’t made a bowl game in Moorhead’s four seasons as head coach.
Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State Lobos
Sanchez didn’t see success at UNLV, but got a second chance at New Mexico. Over two seasons, he has just seven total wins, so something will need to change soon.
Jay Sawvel, Wyoming Cowboys
Sawvel had to follow up a great coach in Craig Bohl, but things haven’t been smooth. He has won just three and then four games in the first two seasons at the helm.
Scotty Walden, UTEP Miners
Winning three games in 2024 and then two in 2025 shows a little regression. Walden will need a better year to instill confidence.
Bryant Vincent, UL Monroe Warhawks
Vincent won five games in 2024, which gave some hope. Unfortunately, the Warhawks won just three games in 2025, so a rebound will need to happen.
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