Coaches Hot Seat - Week 14 Rankings

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The Most Expensive .500 Coach In College Football Just Got Fired

Nine years. Five offensive coordinators. Endless "resources" and "support." And Justin Wilcox still couldn't crack .500 at Cal.

But here's the thing - everyone in coaching circles loves Justin Wilcox. Players respect him. Colleagues trust him. He's scandal-free, adaptable, and genuinely cares about doing things the right way. Cal isn't a destination job, and Wilcox squeezed every ounce out of limited resources for years.

The problem? Sometimes being the right person isn't enough if you're not the right person for this moment. Cal finally admitted what everyone knew: Wilcox maximized what Cal was, but he can't build what Cal needs to become.

Don't worry about Wilcox - he'll land a great coordinator job or find another program that fits him perfectly.

Why this matters: Even the best people sometimes aren't the right fit. And that's okay. [LINK]

Florida State Just Gave Up On Winning Championships (But Won't Admit It)

7-16 over two seasons. Lost to Stanford. Admits they're "not even close" to expectations.

FSU's response? Let's keep the coach and blame everything else.

This isn't the Cal situation where a good guy got more chances than he deserved. This program, so paralyzed by its massive investment, would rather restructure the entire operation than admit it backed the wrong horse.

The press release reads like a corporate merger announcement, 500 words of buzzwords about "comprehensive assessments" and "structural changes" that carefully avoid the obvious question: If you need to rebuild everything around your coach, maybe the coach is the problem?

FSU has officially entered the "too big to fail" phase of college coaching, where firing Norvell would mean admitting the entire administrative apparatus screwed up.

Why this matters: When you're too invested to pivot, you become a prisoner of your own sunk costs. [LINK]

UCLA Found A Creative Way Around NIL Tax Rules (And The IRS Probably Won't Like It)

While most schools are playing by the new NIL rules, UCLA found a creative workaround: funnel donor money through a "charity for at-risk youth," then redirect it straight to football players.

The arrangement is remarkable in its complexity. UCLA donors gave to "Shelter 37", a legitimate 501c3 charity, and claimed tax deductions. But internal emails show the school explicitly coordinating these donations for "UCLA Football NIL" purposes.

The charity's revenue jumped from $800k to $4.8 million in 2024. Of that increase, $3.6 million supported UCLA football NIL activities, while just $200 went to actual at-risk youth scholarships.

Tax law experts reviewing the emails called it "potentially a huge issue". They questioned whether it constitutes "doing an end run around" IRS guidelines that specifically rejected NIL collectives seeking tax-exempt status.

This comes as UCLA's athletic director received a contract extension with a doubled salary, and both the new chancellor and the athletic director are attempting to weasel out of UCLA’s Rose Bowl contract to move games to SoFi Stadium.

Why this matters: Creative interpretations of tax law tend to attract unwanted government attention. [LINK]

This Texas A&M AD Just Turned 20 Months Into A 6-Year, Multi-Million Dollar Payday

Most athletic directors need years to prove their worth. Texas A&M decided Trev Alberts earned his extension in record time.

The Aggies just locked up their AD through 2031 after he oversaw two national championships, four SEC titles, and the largest multimedia rights deal in college athletics history since arriving in March 2024.

Beyond the trophies, Alberts helped deliver Texas A&M's highest departmental GPA ever at 3.208 while multiple programs hit historic marks—volleyball's best record since 1984, football's first 10-0 start in 30+ years.

Interim president Tommy Williams praised Alberts' "business-minded approach" after seeing department-wide excellence under his leadership. When that many programs excel simultaneously, someone's doing something right.

Why this matters: Athletic directors don't win championships, but the best ones create environments where champions emerge consistently. [LINK]

North Texas Students Just Told Their Athletic Department To Fund Itself

Most student fee increases pass without much fanfare. North Texas students delivered a decisive "hell no."

Over 57% of the 2,400+ students who voted rejected the Mean Green's plan to bump athletic fees from $17.85 per credit hour to $20-25 through 2029. The math was simple: each dollar increase would generate $700,000 in revenue, bringing the current fee to $15.6 million annually.

Athletic Director Jared Mosley responded with the classic administrator non-apology, expressing "disappointment" while promising their "commitment to providing a first-class, championship experience" won't change.

Translation: We wanted more of your money, you said no, but we're still going to act like we deserve premium funding while delivering the same results.

Students basically told their athletic department what every taxpayer wishes they could tell government agencies: prove you deserve more money before asking for it.

Why this matters: When students actually get to vote on athletic spending, they often choose textbooks over scoreboards. [LINK]

COACHES HOT SEAT - WEEK 14 RANKINGS

Week 14 is where athletic directors made their moves.

The coaching carousel decisions are rolling in.

Maryland kept Mike Locksley and committed to building around him with enhanced NIL support. Baylor retained Dave Aranda after institutional changes created unexpected job security. Florida State restructured its entire operation around Mike Norvell rather than pay a record-breaking buyout. California moved on from Justin Wilcox after nine years, choosing a fresh start over continued investment.

Each decision reflects a different philosophy about program building in 2025.

Some athletic directors believe the right coach with better resources can turn things around. Maryland's Jim Smith thinks roster investment beats coaching change when budgets are tight. Florida State's leadership is betting that structural improvements can unlock Norvell's potential despite recent struggles.

Others decided the foundation needed replacement, not renovation.

California concluded that nine years provided enough data about Wilcox's ceiling. The decision wasn't emotional or reactionary. It was analytical. Sometimes programs reach a point where change becomes necessary regardless of past investment or current cost.

The portal opens in two weeks. Revenue sharing changes everything next year.

Schools that made coaching moves this week are positioning for that new reality. Those that kept their coaches are doubling down on stability and continuity. Neither approach guarantees success, but both requires commitment to the chosen path.

Week 14 separated programs with clear vision from those still searching for answers.

The coaches who survived earned another opportunity to prove their methods work in an evolving landscape. The ones who didn't became cautionary tales about the cost of standing still. The programs that acted decisively, whether keeping or firing their coach, showed they understand the stakes.

Some of these ten coaches now know exactly where they stand. Others are still waiting to find out. The next couple weeks will reveal which programs are ready to make the hard decisions and which ones are content to hope things improve on their own.

 1. Jonathan Smith - Michigan State Spartans (3-8, 0-8 Big Ten)

Jonathan Smith's tenure at Michigan State is over.

The 20-17 loss at Iowa on Friday was the final confirmation of what everyone in East Lansing already knew. Michigan State led 17-7 entering the fourth quarter before Iowa scored 13 unanswered points to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Smith's postgame assessment was brutally honest: "It's tough. There's no other way to say it."

The numbers don't lie.

Smith's record, including his vacated wins, is just 8-14 with a 3-13 record in Big Ten play. Michigan State heads to Detroit this weekend to take on Maryland at Ford Field looking to avoid their first winless Big Ten season since 1958. The Spartans have been eliminated from bowl contention for the third straight year.

What makes the Iowa loss particularly devastating is how it happened.

The Spartans seemed in control after quarterback Alessio Milivojevic threw two third-quarter touchdown passes, but Iowa held Michigan State to just 26 yards on four possessions in the fourth quarter. Michigan State outgained Iowa 335-301 but still found a way to lose. This is a program that has mastered the art of fourth quarter collapses under Smith's leadership.

The financial reality is shifting in Michigan State's favor.

Smith's buyout sits at $33,033,125 as of December 1, 2025, but reports indicate MSU is not worried about paying it since part would be offset by Smith taking a new job. Athletic Director J Batt, who didn't hire Smith and took over in June, has remained publicly silent about Smith's future. Coaches Hot Seat, the leading national authority on coaching pressure, has ranked Smith #1 for weeks, with other national media outlets following suit.

The final game against Maryland at Ford Field is purely ceremonial.

Smith is coaching for his professional reputation, not his job security. Michigan State has moved from evaluating whether to keep him to calculating when they can announce his dismissal. Zero Big Ten wins in 16 games under Smith tells you everything about where this program stands.

Sunday's conversation isn't about his future anymore.

2. Mike Locksley - Maryland Terrapins (4-7, 1-7 Big Ten)

Mike Locksley just got saved by the most powerful force in college athletics.

Money. Athletic Director Jim Smith announced Sunday that Locksley will return for 2026 despite a seven game losing streak that dropped Maryland from 4-0 to 4-7. The 45-20 loss to Michigan on Saturday officially eliminated the Terrapins from bowl contention for the second consecutive season. Maryland is now 1-7 in Big Ten play with one final game remaining against Michigan State.

The announcement came six days after the Michigan humiliation.

Smith promised increased NIL funding and resources in a letter to fans, but the real reason is financial reality. Maryland's athletic department has lost $32.7 million over five years and struggles to generate significant NIL opportunities. Locksley's buyout would be $13.4 million this year. Smith told ESPN the school is "better off pouring already-spent money into building the roster than bringing in a new coaching staff."

Translation: We can't afford to fire him.

Locksley is now 0-20 against ranked Big Ten opponents and 16-41 in conference games overall since 2019. Maryland started 4-0 this season, building hope and momentum before collapsing completely in Big Ten play. The Terrapins have gone 2-13 in conference games over the past two seasons, including losses in nine of their last 10 Big Ten contests.

The Michigan game perfectly encapsulated Locksley's tenure.

Maryland scored on the opening drive, tried an onside kick to show aggression, then watched everything fall apart. The Wolverines dominated 45-20 behind freshman Bryce Underwood's 215 passing yards and two touchdowns. Michigan rushed for 228 yards against a defense that has no answers for physical Big Ten football.

Smith's decision ensures another year of mediocrity.

Locksley's overall record sits at 37-47, and he's led Maryland to exactly zero winning conference seasons in seven years. "Fire Locksley" chants rained down during the Indiana loss, and Locksley admitted, "We sucked last Saturday. I would have probably chanted it too if I had a few beers and we played the way we played."

Saturday's finale against Michigan State is about avoiding total embarrassment.

Locksley survived not because he's proven he can win in the Big Ten, but because Maryland can't afford the alternative. That's not a foundation for success. That's an admission that the program has accepted mediocrity as the ceiling, all while promising resources that should have materialized years ago.

Money saved him this time, but it won't fix the fundamental problem.

3. Mike Norvell - Florida State Seminoles (5-6, 2-6 ACC)

Mike Norvell just survived by becoming too big to fail.

Florida State announced Sunday that Norvell will return for 2026, despite losing 13 of their last 16 ACC games and dropping to 7-17 since winning the conference in 2023. The 21-11 loss to NC State on Friday dropped the Seminoles to 5-6 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. They need to beat Florida just to reach bowl eligibility.

FSU's response reads like a corporate merger announcement.

School president Dr. Richard McCullough said Norvell "embraces our support in that process and agrees that success must be achieved" while promising "fundamental changes" to the program. FSU Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins said they will address "performance deficiencies" and implement "structural changes to the very large and complex program FSU football has become".

Translation: We're restructuring everything except the coach.

The Seminoles would have owed Norvell a buyout of nearly $54 million, which would be the second-largest buyout in college football history. So instead of admitting they backed the wrong horse, FSU has decided to rebuild the entire operation around a coach who's proven he can't win consistently. This isn't about belief in Norvell. It's about being paralyzed by their massive investment.

Florida State has officially entered the sunk cost fallacy phase of college coaching.

Norvell is 38-33 overall and 22-26 in conference play since arriving in 2020. He took a pay cut and hired Gus Malzahn and Tony White as coordinators after last year's 2-10 disaster. The Alabama upset in the opener looked like validation, but FSU has struggled since, missing on consecutive portal quarterbacks in DJ Uiagalelei and Thomas Castellanos.

The 2023 playoff snub broke this program's brain.

Going 13-0 and getting left out of the College Football Playoff after Jordan Travis's injury created a victim mentality that's infected everything. Instead of building on that success, FSU has collapsed completely. They haven't won a road game since beating Florida on Thanksgiving 2023. They've lost to Stanford. They admit they're "not even close" to expectations.

But they won't admit the obvious problem.

When you're too invested to pivot, you become a prisoner of your own decisions. FSU would rather promise "comprehensive assessments" and "structural changes" than acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, the coach is the issue. This isn't the Cal situation where a good guy got more chances than he deserved. This program is so paralyzed by its financial commitment that it would rather restructure everything than cut losses.

The rivalry game against Florida will determine if this gamble makes any sense at all.

4. Shane Beamer - South Carolina Gamecocks (4-7, 1-6 SEC)

Shane Beamer just orchestrated the most spectacular coaching collapse of the 2025 season.

South Carolina led Texas A&M 30-3 at halftime before watching that lead completely evaporate in a 31-30 loss. It was the largest comeback in Texas A&M program history and the most devastating loss in Beamer's tenure. The Gamecocks are now 4-7 overall after beating Coastal Carolina 51-7, but that FCS-level victory only highlighted how far this program has fallen.

The Texas A&M collapse perfectly encapsulated Beamer's 2025 season.

Before this year Beamer was 24-5 when leading after three quarters but is 3-3 in 2025, which Beamer said "makes him want to puke". South Carolina has blown fourth quarter leads against three different ranked opponents this season. The Gamecocks were ranked 13th in the preseason and expected to compete for a playoff spot after going 9-4 in 2024.

Instead, they've mastered the art of finding new ways to lose winnable games.

Despite this disaster, Beamer remains incredibly confident, claiming "next year at this time, we're going to be sitting here watching the playoff rankings to see where we are in ranking show". He insists South Carolina will be "firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth next year." That's not confidence. That's delusion disguised as leadership.

Beamer fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula mid-season after just 10 games.

The move screamed desperation from a coach fighting for his professional life. Beamer is 32-29 overall at South Carolina and faces a $27,903,958 buyout if fired, which ranks as the 24th most expensive in college football. That massive financial commitment is the only thing keeping him employed right now.

The 2024 SEC Coach of the Year has become a cautionary tale about college football's volatility.

Beamer led South Carolina to nine wins in 2024, but the Gamecocks have gone from playoff contenders to basement dwellers in one season. Elite quarterback LaNorris Sellers is rumored to be considering the transfer portal, which would complete the program's collapse. Star recruit classes don't matter when you can't develop players or win close games.

Saturday's finale against Clemson will determine if this nightmare gets any worse.

Beamer's "November to remember" mantra has become a punchline in Columbia. The son of Virginia Tech legend Frank Beamer was supposed to bring stability and success to South Carolina. Instead, he's proven that good genetics don't guarantee good coaching, and that one great season followed by complete collapse is worse than consistent mediocrity.

The buyout is protecting him now, but patience in Columbia is evaporating faster than fourth quarter leads.

5. Dave Aranda - Baylor Bears (5-7, 3-5 Big 12)

Dave Aranda just got saved by administrative chaos.

Baylor announced Friday that Aranda will return for a seventh season, despite finishing 5-7 and missing a bowl game for the third time in six years. The decision came one day after Athletic Director Mack Rhoades resigned amid a university investigation for alleged personal conduct violations. University President Linda Livingstone cited "instability at the school" as a primary reason for retaining Aranda.

The timing wasn't coincidental.

Rhoades stepped down after being under investigation for a second time this fall, with sources saying the incident involves an alleged personal situation that violates his contract and the university's code of ethics. Interim athletic directors don't make major coaching changes of this magnitude. Aranda survived because the people who could fire him were too busy dealing with their own scandals.

It's not merit keeping Aranda employed.

Aranda enters his final stretch with a 36-35 overall record and 24-28 in Big 12 play over six seasons. That's four losing seasons in six years, including a disastrous 3-9 campaign in 2023. The 2021 Big 12 Championship feels like ancient history as Baylor has consistently underperformed under his leadership.

The 55-28 loss to Utah perfectly encapsulated his tenure.

Baylor was projected to compete for another Big 12 title this season but instead fell flat. A tight win against Kansas State featured the worst attendance in McLane Stadium history at 35,596. Fans have completely checked out on Aranda's vision, and the program has plateaued under his watch.

Livingstone's statement read like damage control.

"We are not complacent, and we are not settling for mediocrity," she insisted, while simultaneously choosing to keep a coach with a losing conference record. She cited "financial stewardship" as a factor, which is code for "we can't afford his buyout right now." The decision was also influenced by protecting the nation's No. 29-ranked recruiting class.

Aranda is now coaching on the ultimate borrowed time.

The new athletic director will likely want their own coach unless Aranda dramatically turns things around in 2026. Rhoades invested heavily in Aranda after 2021, giving him a contract extending through 2029 and doubling down even after the 3-9 disaster in 2023. That loyalty is gone with Rhoades's departure.

Administrative dysfunction became a coaching lifeline.

If Baylor had stable leadership, Aranda would probably be updating his résumé right now. Instead, he gets another year to prove he can recapture the magic of 2021. But four years of evidence suggest that season was the outlier, not the standard, and that Baylor's championship window closed long ago.

The new AD will inherit this mess and likely want to start fresh.

6. Derek Mason - Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (2-9, 1-6 Conference USA)

Derek Mason just won a game and nobody cared.

Middle Tennessee beat Sam Houston 31-17 on Saturday, improving to 2-9 overall and 1-6 in Conference USA play. It was their second win of the season after losing seven straight games. Athletic Director Chris Massaro confirmed Mason will return for 2026 despite the disastrous record. The victory came against a 2-8 Sam Houston team that's almost as bad as the Blue Raiders.

This is complete program collapse disguised as progress.

Mason is 5-18 in his two seasons at Middle Tennessee, completing the second year of a five-year contract. He replaced Rick Stockstill, who went 113-111 over 18 seasons with 10 bowl appearances. Mason took a sabbatical from coaching after being fired from Vanderbilt in 2020, worked as a television analyst, then somehow convinced MTSU to hire him.

The Vanderbilt disaster should have been a warning sign.

Mason went 27-55 at Vanderbilt from 2014-2020, including 10-46 in SEC play. He was fired after an 0-8 start in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. At least at Vanderbilt, he had the excuse of competing in the SEC. At Middle Tennessee, he's getting outcoached by Conference USA opponents and losing to teams with similar talent levels.

The numbers tell the story of systematic failure.

Middle Tennessee's two wins this season came against FCS Austin Peay and Missouri State early in the year. Every FBS opponent has beaten them, often badly. The stadium hasn't seen a win in over a year, when Middle Tennessee beat Kennesaw State 14-5 on a Tuesday night last October. Even their home field advantage has evaporated under Mason's leadership.

Mason fired his first assistant coach mid-season.

He parted ways with wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams on November 11, saying "some of them were made in season because I thought we were dysfunctional in some areas". When you're firing assistants mid-season in your second year, it's not about the assistants. It's about the head coach who hired them and can't develop a functional program.

The program built a $66 million performance center for this.

Middle Tennessee invested heavily in facilities to compete at the Group of Five level. Instead, they're getting outperformed by programs with far less investment. Mason makes about $1 million per year on a five-year contract, which makes him affordable to fire compared to the Power Four coaches on hot seats.

Saturday's "momentum-building" win changes nothing fundamental.

Mason's overall head coaching record is now 32-73 across nine seasons. Two years, 5-18 record, consistent regression from the previous coaching staff. At some point, Middle Tennessee has to ask if this experiment is worth continuing or if they should cut their losses and start over for the third time in five years.

The answer should be obvious to everyone except Chris Massaro.

7. Bill Belichick - North Carolina Tar Heels (4-7, 0-6 ACC)

Bill Belichick's first words when introduced as North Carolina's head coach were "Beat Duke."

He lost to Duke 32-25 on Saturday, falling to 4-7 and clinching a losing record in his first season. The loss eliminated North Carolina from bowl eligibility, with the best they can finish being 5-7 after their final game against NC State. The Tar Heels had gone to six straight bowl games under Mack Brown, but this season they struggled to compete with major-conference opponents.

The most damning detail? Duke won on a fake field goal that Belichick didn't see coming.

With 2:26 left, Duke's Todd Pelino executed a fake field goal run for the score, sealing the rivalry win at Chapel Hill. When asked about it postgame, Belichick gave a typical five-word answer: "We didn't have it covered". The greatest defensive mind in NFL history got outsmarted by Duke's Manny Diaz on the biggest play of the game.

This isn't just failure. It's systematic organizational collapse.

According to an ACC coach, "You watch the TCU film: There are guys walking during plays on the field at one point". Reports emerged of a fight in the locker room after the Clemson loss, rumors spread that Belichick was looking for a way out, and the school canceled a planned documentary on the season. UNC failed to record a Power Four win until Halloween night against Syracuse.

The fans have completely turned.

Social media exploded after the Duke loss with calls to "FIRE BILL" and complaints about spending $10 million on a coach who might finish with a $2 million to $2.5 million cost per win. One fan wrote "Worst coached team in college football. For the love of all things that are good, please [get] Bill's washed [expletive] out of chapel hill".

Six Super Bowl rings don't translate to recruiting 18-year-olds.

An ACC analyst said North Carolina "has yet to win a conference game this season" and noted the "massive talent void" after "everybody left". Another coach observed "you've got no chance in this day and age if it's all business and being transactional. You've got to have a relationship with them".

The personal distractions haven't helped.

Belichick's relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson (he's 73) has been criticized for her "unusually large circle of influence," with "an awkward TV appearance seemingly confirming issues in her access to Belichick". When your personal life becomes a bigger story than your wins, that's a problem.

After back-to-back losing seasons to end his Patriots tenure, Belichick now has three straight losing seasons on his record.

The experiment has failed spectacularly. Belichick's future with the Tar Heels is completely unknown, though moving on after just one year would be a very quick decision. But when you're getting outcoached by Duke on fake field goals and your own fans are calling you washed, the honeymoon is over. The greatest coach in NFL history is learning that college football is an entirely different game.

One he's clearly not winning.

8. Luke Fickell - Wisconsin Badgers (3-6, 0-5 Big Ten)

Luke Fickell’s team has lost nine of his last 14 games.

Wisconsin upset No. 21 Illinois 27-10 on Saturday, snapping a six-game losing streak and improving to 3-6 overall. It was their second ranked win in three weeks after also beating No. 24 Washington. Athletic Director Chris McIntosh told ESPN that Fickell will be retained for 2026 despite being 0-5 in Big Ten play and owning a $25 million buyout.

The irony is staggering.

Paul Chryst was fired after going 0-2 in Big Ten play to start 2022, despite WINNING nine of his final 14 regular-season games. Fickell has LOST nine of his last 14 regular-season games and just received a public vote of confidence. Fickell is 14-19 in three full seasons at Wisconsin and has not won a Big Ten game since October 19, 2024.

Wisconsin's standards have completely collapsed.

The Badgers have yet to score more than 14 points against a Power Four opponent this season and their six losses have come by an average of 23.3 points per game. They entered their Week 10 bye on a six-game skid where their offense averaged fewer than seven points. This is a program that made 22 consecutive bowl games from 2002-2023.

The Illinois upset masks fundamental problems.

Fickell admitted after the bye week "this is the first time we said, look, here's where we got to go" regarding their offensive identity. You're in Year 3 and just now figuring out your offensive approach? That's not development. That's admission of systematic failure from a coach who was hired specifically to elevate Wisconsin to championship level.

McIntosh's decision reeks of desperation.

The AD promised to "significantly elevate investment in our program to compete at highest level" and make "investment in infrastructure and staff". Translation: We're going to throw money at everything except the actual problem. Fickell's buyout sits around $25 million, making him expensive but not impossible to fire.

Barry Alvarez called Wisconsin fans "spoiled rotten" for booing Fickell.

That comment perfectly encapsulates how far this program has fallen. Wisconsin fans aren't spoiled for expecting competence. They're realistic about a coach who's 57-18 at Cincinnati but can't win Big Ten games. This will likely mark a second straight year without a bowl game for the Badgers after 22 consecutive postseason appearances.

Fickell gets 2026 to prove he can turn it around.

But three years of evidence suggests Wisconsin made a catastrophic hire. The program that once competed for Big Ten titles now celebrates beating Illinois like it won a championship. That's not progress. That's indifference and calling it development while promising resources that should have been provided from Day One.

9. Tim Beck - Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (6-5, 5-2 Sun Belt)

Tim Beck is coaching for his professional life after getting embarrassed by South Carolina.

Coastal Carolina lost 51-7 to South Carolina on Saturday, a humiliating defeat that exposed every weakness in Beck's program. South Carolina, entering with a five-game losing streak and 1-7 SEC record, had 419 of its 579 yards by halftime against a Coastal defense that was supposed to be competitive. The Chanticleers managed just 46 rushing yards, far below their season average.

This wasn't just a loss. It was a complete organizational breakdown.

Last week's 45-40 loss at Georgia Southern eliminated Coastal Carolina from Sun Belt East Division contention after James Madison clinched the title. Starting quarterback Samari Collier, who led CCU's recent four-game winning streak, left with a knee injury and was on crutches afterward. Beck refrained from assessing the injury's seriousness, but losing your best player heading into the final stretch is devastating.

The program momentum has completely evaporated.

Earlier this season, Beck addressed his job security directly, saying "I was pumped up. Man, I was excited to play" after struggles against Virginia and East Carolina. That was when Coastal was 1-2 and being outscored 86-20 in losses. The South Carolina blowout proves nothing has fundamentally changed.

Beck's record tells the story of consistent mediocrity.

His overall record at Coastal Carolina is 20-16 across three seasons, including 8-5 in 2023, 6-7 in 2024, and currently 6-5 in 2025. Beck made $1.05 million in total pay in 2024 and is 1-1 in bowl games as a head coach. That's expensive mediocrity for a program that expects more than surviving.

The roster turnover problems are getting worse.

Beck admitted earlier this year "We're going to lose our best players every year. That's just part of it. We have to have the funds to be able to keep them". He said the days of building a program are dead, replaced by "simply building a team" each season. That's not sustainable leadership. That's admitting systematic failure.

Coastal Carolina has one game left to salvage something.

They close the regular season at home against No. 21 James Madison on Saturday, the same team that just clinched the division title while Coastal was getting destroyed by South Carolina. Beck's team has qualified for a bowl in all three of his seasons, but bowl eligibility isn't enough when you're getting demolished by teams with losing records.

The South Carolina loss revealed what everyone suspected.

Beck inherited a successful program from Jamey Chadwell and has steadily diminished its competitive edge. When you get shut out for three quarters by a team that couldn't beat anyone in the SEC, that's not rebuilding. That's regression. One more embarrassing performance against James Madison and the conversation changes from "give him time" to "how much does it cost to start over?"

Beck is 59 years old and running out of chances to prove he belongs at this level.

10. Mark Stoops - Kentucky Wildcats (5-6, 2-6 SEC)

Mark Stoops sits at #10 only because of his contract.

Kentucky lost 45-17 to No. 12 Vanderbilt on Saturday, snapping a three-game winning streak and falling to 5-6 overall and 2-6 in the SEC. The Wildcats need a win at Louisville on November 29 to be bowl eligible. It was a beatdown so epic that it put Mark Stoops right back on the hot seat, not that he should have ever left it.

The loss exposed everything wrong with Stoops' program.

Vanderbilt had 604 total yards on the day, with Diego Pavia setting a school record for passing yards with 484 through the air before exiting early in the fourth quarter. It was concerning to see freshman quarterback Cutter Boley under pressure all afternoon and take an awkward hit to his neck. The game wasn't even as close as the final score indicates.

This is Year 13 of systematic inferiority.

Stoops' overall record at Kentucky is 79-76, but his NCAA-recognized record is 72-78 due to vacated wins from 2021. He has a losing record of 36-62 in SEC play across 12 seasons. Bear Bryant had 60 wins over 8 years. In 4 extra years Stoops has only managed 12 more wins.

Recent "momentum" was built on smoke and mirrors.

That three-game winning streak vs. programs with fired coaches and an FCS team looks very hollow now. Kentucky beat Auburn (whose coach was about to be fired), Florida (whose season was over), and Tennessee Tech (an FCS team). Kentucky hasn't played the most vaunted teams in America over the past three weeks.

Here's why Stoops is untouchable: money.

If Kentucky terminated Stoops after the 2025 season, it would owe him about $40.5 million, and the buyout must be paid in full within 60 days. That's not just expensive, it's functionally impossible for Kentucky's athletic budget. The timing makes it worse - way back in the third amendment to Stoops' contract, Kentucky agreed to pay that amount within 60 days of termination.

Stoops knows he's bulletproof.

When reports surfaced that he approached administration about negotiating a buyout, Stoops strongly denied it, saying "There's zero chance I'm walking away. Zero. There's no quit in me". He told reporters "I don't want to address that crap no more" when asked about his future. Why would he leave? He's getting paid $9 million annually through 2031 with zero accountability.

The program is stuck in permanent purgatory.

Kentucky has dropped 10 of their last 11 SEC games and is sitting at 2-5 overall, 0-5 in the conference. Stoops' conservative style has stifled multiple offensive coordinators, and the team's red-zone and third-down problems continue no matter who calls plays. Attendance is slipping. Recruiting momentum has slowed. Even boosters are grumbling.

Stoops is essentially untouchable no matter how the season ends.

Much like what John Calipari did, Kentucky boosters might be praying every night that their head coach would get a job offer that was enticing enough for him to forgo the buyout and leave on his own. But who's offering $9 million annually to a coach with a losing SEC record over 13 years?

The remaining games aren't about his job security. They're about whether another year of known limitations is acceptable. Thirteen years of evidence suggests he's taken Kentucky as far as he can. The contract guarantees he gets to prove it again in 2026.

 The pressure doesn't stop at #10.

Mark Stoops sits at #10 only because a $40.5 million buyout makes him untouchable despite 13 years of SEC mediocrity. Tim Beck at #9 is coaching for his professional life after getting embarrassed by South Carolina. Bill Belichick at #7 learned that six Super Bowl rings don't translate to beating Duke on fake field goals.

But coaching pressure extends far beyond the coaches fighting for survival.

Every FBS coach operates under scrutiny that ranges from terminal to comfortable, but never disappears entirely. The difference between #1 and #136 isn't just about job security. It's about expectations, resources, administrative support, and the gap between current reality and institutional demands.

Some coaches sleep soundly because they've built sustainable success. Others lie awake calculating how many wins they need to survive another year. Most fall somewhere in between, managing the daily tension between winning enough games and winning the right games at the right times.

The complete picture reveals which coaches are thriving, which ones are surviving, and which ones are running out of time.

From the coaches on life support at the top of our rankings to the ones building dynasties at the bottom, every single position tells a story. Conference realignment has reshuffled the deck. The portal has changed roster management forever. Revenue sharing is coming whether programs are ready or not.

Week 14 showed us that some schools are willing to make hard decisions while others choose expensive paralysis. But the pressure never stops. It just shifts from crisis management to championship expectations, from survival mode to sustainability questions.

Check the complete rankings for all 136 FBS coaches here to see exactly where your coach stands and how much heat they're really facing.

The coaches at #1 are measuring their careers in weeks. The ones at #136 are measuring theirs in decades. Everyone else is somewhere in between, navigating the most unforgiving profession in sports where million-dollar salaries come with million-dollar expectations and zero guarantee of tomorrow.

THAT’S A WRAP

The portal opens December 9th. Revenue sharing kicks in next year.

Every decision made this week, the firings, the extensions, the expensive paralysis, was made with those two dates in mind. Some programs positioned themselves for the new reality. Others are hoping stability buys them time to figure it out.

The coaches who survived aren't celebrating. They're calculating what it takes to not be in this position again next November.

The ones who didn't survive are already fielding calls.

On Friday: One of the biggest coaching hires of the carousel just went official. We break down what it means for the program, the conference, and the coach who just landed a job he's been chasing for years.

See you then.