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The college football coaching carousel has gone absolutely INSANE.

Over the past 24 months, we've witnessed the most chaotic period in coaching history. Sixty-one programs have changed head coaches.

That's not a typo.

61.

To put this in perspective: Nearly half of all FBS teams (44.9% to be exact) have switched leadership in less than two calendar years. The most recent 2024-25 cycle alone saw 30 programs make moves.

This isn't just turnover.

This is complete upheaval.

And it's reshaping the entire landscape of college football as we know it.

NCAA President Charlie Baker appeared unconcerned by speculation about the SEC potentially leaving the association, remarking during the Big 12’s spring meetings that “I tend to believe what I hear from people when I speak to them directly.”

DEEP DIVE

The $500 Million Gamble, The Resurrection Project, and Rock Bottom's Silver Lining: Big Ten's Most Desperate Programs Face Make-or-Break 2025

Welcome back to our third week of Big Ten previews, where we're diving into three programs at vastly different stages of their rebuilding journeys.

USC Trojans: The $500 Million Question Mark

The Trojans enter 2025 with unprecedented resources but diminishing patience for Lincoln Riley's championship promises.

• The Notre Dame Heist: USC poached general manager Chad Bowden for $1 million annually, immediately securing the #1 recruiting class for 2026 and shifting toward a California-first strategy that could finally keep elite in-state talent home.

• Defensive Revolution: D'Anton Lynn's unit improved by over 10 points per game in 2024, transforming USC from a national embarrassment (34.4 PPG allowed) to a respectable Big Ten defense (24.1 PPG allowed) in just one season.

• The Maiava Gamble: Quarterback Jayden Maiava went 3-1 in his final four starts after replacing Miller Moss, including a clutch game-winning touchdown against UCLA that showcased the dual-threat ability Riley's offense desperately needed.

• Schedule Reality: USC avoids Ohio State and Penn State but faces a brutal gauntlet including Oregon at Autzen, Notre Dame in South Bend, and Michigan at home—games that will determine whether this is a breakthrough or breakdown season.

• Investment vs. Returns: With over half a billion dollars invested in football infrastructure and Riley's $80-90 million buyout providing job security, 2025 represents the ultimate test of whether unlimited resources can overcome strategic missteps.

The Trojans' 7.5-win projection reflects cautious optimism about a program that's closer to breakthrough success than its recent record suggests. Still, time is running out for Riley to justify USC's massive investment.

Northwestern Wildcats: The Preston Stone Resurrection Project

David Braun's honeymoon officially ended after last season's 4-8 regression, making 2025 a make-or-break year for his vision in Evanston.

• The Transfer Portal Savior: SMU quarterback Preston Stone (13-3 as a starter, 3,197 yards, 28 TDs in 2023) represents Northwestern's best hope for offensive relevance after ranking 111th nationally in passing with just seven touchdown passes all season.

• Offensive Line Overhaul: The Wildcats completely rebuilt their disaster of an offensive line through the portal, adding 6-8, 340-pound tackle Xavior Gray from Liberty and multiple experienced pieces to protect Stone from the 23-sack nightmare of 2024.

• Defensive Concerns: While pass rusher Aidan Hubbard returns with 6.0 sacks, Northwestern lost their top two interception leaders and still allowed 222.8 passing yards per game in a Big Ten loaded with elite aerial attacks.

• Schedule Brutality: Road games at Penn State, Nebraska, USC, and Illinois, while hosting Oregon, UCLA, Michigan, and Minnesota, create a gauntlet where bowl eligibility requires multiple upsets and zero bad losses.

• Braun's Crossroads: The interim-turned-permanent coach needs to prove 2023's 8-5 Las Vegas Bowl season wasn't a fluke, as Northwestern's volatile pattern of alternating between success and disaster continues to define the program.

Northwestern is undoubtedly better than last year's debacle, but "better" might only mean 5-7 instead of 4-8 given the unforgiving conference slate ahead.

Purdue Boilermakers: Rock Bottom's Silver Lining

Barry Odom inherits the aftermath of one of college football's most catastrophic seasons, but sometimes hitting rock bottom provides the clearest path forward.

• Historic Disaster: The 2024 nightmare included a 66-7 home massacre by Notre Dame (the worst in program history), a season-ending 66-0 shutout by Indiana, and three total shutouts, while averaging just 15.8 points per game.

• The Turnaround Artist: Odom transformed UNLV from perennial doormat to Mountain West powerhouse (19-8 in two seasons), bringing proven experience in building programs with limited resources and a bold promise to reflect "Purdue's character, intensity, and no-excuses winning attitude."

• Total Roster Revolution: Over 50 transfer additions and 15 freshmen create an almost entirely new team, with the biggest win being the retention of star running back Devin Mockobee (2,466 career rushing yards, 21 TDs) as the lone offensive constant.

• Schedule Reality Check: Nine of 12 opponents played in bowl games last year, with the schedule ranking 11th nationally in strength and third in the Big Ten, making the realistic win total just Ball State, Southern Illinois, and maybe 1-2 conference surprises.

• Redefining Success: With sportsbooks setting the win total at 3.5, success will be measured not just in victories but in competitiveness, avoiding blowouts, and building the cultural foundation necessary for future recruiting and development.

For Boilermaker fans, 2025 represents the beginning of a multi-year project where every step forward feels like progress when you're starting from the absolute bottom.

The beauty of these three programs lies in their vastly different expectations—USC gambling everything on immediate championship returns, Northwestern fighting for bowl relevance, and Purdue simply trying to prove rock bottom was actually the bottom.

THAT’S A WRAP

Next week, we shift our focus to the conference's elite tier and established powers. Penn State enters with legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations, Ohio State continues reloading rather than rebuilding, Minnesota looks to build on P.J. Fleck's steady progress, and Iowa remains the defensive stalwart that no one wants to face in November. These four programs represent the Big Ten's institutional strength—the teams that set the standard for what sustained success looks like in college football's most competitive conference.