Mike Norvell, Florida State
No coach in America is under more pressure than Mike Norvell. After a triumphant 13-0 season and ACC Championship in 2023, Florida State has fallen off a cliff. The Seminoles have won just seven games over the last two seasons combined, finishing 2025
with a disappointing 5-7 record. The program's rapid decline since its playoff snub has been staggering, and patience in Tallahassee has worn thin. While Norvell is protected by a massive contract buyout, another losing season is likely untenable for a blue-blood program that expects to compete for national titles, not just bowl eligibility. The goodwill from 2023 has all but evaporated, making 2026 a must-win year in every sense of the word.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
When Wisconsin hired Luke Fickell away from Cincinnati, it was seen as a home-run move to elevate the program. Instead, the Badgers have regressed, suffering back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the early 1990s. Fickell's record in Madison sits at a disappointing 16-21 after three years. The team's 4-8 finish in 2025 included embarrassing shutout losses that were unheard of for a program built on physical dominance. Fickell himself acknowledged he is on the hot seat at Big Ten media days. A significant buyout may have saved his job last season, but another year of failing to meet Wisconsin's established standard of winning will almost certainly lead to a change in leadership.
Dave Aranda, Baylor
The memory of Dave Aranda's 2021 Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl victory is fading fast in Waco. In the four seasons since that magical run, Baylor has a record of just 22-28 and has missed a bowl game twice. The program has struggled with consistency, following an 8-5 season in 2024 with a 5-7 record in 2025. Aranda, once lauded as a defensive genius, has presided over a team that has been unable to recapture its championship form. The seat is so hot that he was included on a "win or be fired" list by multiple media outlets. With a new athletic director set to evaluate the program, Aranda needs a significant turnaround to prove that 2021 wasn't a fluke.
Bill Belichick, North Carolina
The high-profile experiment of bringing six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick to Chapel Hill has, so far, been a failure. His first season in 2025 was a disaster, with the Tar Heels finishing 4-8 and missing a bowl game for the first time since 2018. The team overhauled its roster with 70 new players but produced more double-digit losses than total wins. Now entering year two with another 60 new players, the pressure is on. While his legendary NFL career affords him more patience than most, a $10 million salary comes with high expectations. The Tar Heels are projected to finish near the bottom of the ACC, and another losing season would test the university's commitment to the NFL icon.
Mike Locksley, Maryland
After showing promise with back-to-back eight-win seasons in 2022 and 2023, Mike Locksley's Maryland program has taken a significant step backward. The Terrapins are coming off consecutive 4-8 seasons where they won just a single conference game each year. In the increasingly tough Big Ten, which has produced three straight national champions, Maryland has failed to even be competitive. Locksley has been at the helm for eight seasons, and the recent downturn has placed him squarely on the hot seat. He has described his 2026 roster as one of his most talented, which only raises the stakes. If that talent doesn't translate to wins, his tenure in College Park is likely over.
