The 2026 college football season kicks off with a few Big 12 coaches needing to make their cases for another year on the job.
Arizona State will play three of the four teams with coaches on the list.
In no particular order, here are coaches we think are on the hot seat.
Dave Aranda, Baylor, seventh year (36-27)
The Bears were one of the most disappointing teams in the Big 12 a year ago, going just 5-7 overall and 3-6 in conference play and placing 11th out of 16 teams. That was despite returning 18 starters, including quarterback Sawyer Robertson, and having five conference home games. The biggest disappointment was the defense — and that is Aranda's supposed strength.
He won a conference title in 2021, but has had losing seasons in three of four since. Folks in Waco are starting to lose
interest, as the gameday atmosphere there is lacking. McLane Stadium was just 88% capacity. Only three other Big 12 schools were worse.
His recruiting class was ranked 11th in the Big 12 by 247Sports.
Deion Sanders, Colorado, fourth year (16-21)
Yes, Sanders' star is fading. The Buffalos are coming off a 3-9 showing and a 1-8 mark in conference play; the only school being worse was Oklahoma State. Take away the 9-4 in 2024 — a year in which he had both his sons starring for the program — and his mark is 7-17. Sanders was slowed by health issues a year ago, and that had an effect on the program.
Colorado's 2026 recruiting class was just 15th in the Big 12, with Oklahoma State the lone team ranked lower. Its overall composite ranking according to 247Sports was 67th. The saving grace is that Sanders has always been able to get quality transfer portal acquisitions.
Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati, fourth year (15-22)
The Bearcats looked like one of the biggest surprises in the conference a year ago, but it all proved to be false hype as the team benefited from an easy schedule up front. Cincinnati was 7-6 overall, but lost its last five games and only defeated one team with a winning record.
Cincinnati's recruiting class was ranked 12th in the Big 12.
Satterfield inherited a 9-4 team and has had just one winning season, that being last year, and it was just barely a winning season.
Lance Leipold, Kansas, sixth year (27-35)
Kansas has had only one winning season in Leipold's tenure (9-4 in 2023). That 2023 finish was the school's first winning record since 2007, but folks in Lawrence love their school, and now that they have had a taste of success, they don't want to go back.
Kansas will have just three true conference home games this season, giving one away to play Arizona State in London. It has a handful of returning starters and will be breaking in a new quarterback. The Kansas recruiting class ranks 13th in the Big 12, so there likely isn't a lot of help coming from there right away.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 4 Big 12 football coaches enter 2026 on hot seat
