Patience for underperformance is scarce in college football, with eight Power Four coaches losing their jobs before November in 2025 and a record 15 Bowl Subdivision coaches being fired throughout the season, incurring approximately $270 million in buyout packages. As the 2026 season approaches, several prominent coaches find themselves under significant pressure to deliver immediate results.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell is entering his seventh year with a .500 record (38-34) and faces mounting pressure after the Seminoles won only seven games in the two seasons following their 2023 playoff appearance. The team has finished in the bottom five of the ACC for consecutive years.
At North Carolina, first-year coach Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots, experienced a challenging debut. The Tar Heels finished 4-8, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2018, and were plagued by roster turnover and off-field issues. Belichick enters 2026 with 60 new players and a team picked to finish 15th in the 17-team ACC. The team also faced an internal investigation involving general manager Michael Lombardi before preseason camp.
South Carolina’s Shane Beamer is also on the hot seat after a 4-8 finish in 2025, placing the Gamecocks 15th in the SEC. The team’s brief appearance in the AP Top 25 ended after a Week 3 loss to Vanderbilt, and they lost six of their final eight games. Beamer will look to quarterback LaNorris Sellers, edge rusher Dylan Stewart, and receiver Nyck Harbor to help turn the team around.
Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell acknowledged his own precarious position. The Badgers’ 4-8 record in 2025 marked their second consecutive losing season, a streak not seen since the early 1990s. Fickell has a 17-21 record at Wisconsin, failing to replicate his success from his time at Cincinnati. The Badgers open the season against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
Boston College’s Jeff Hafley faces pressure in his third year after a significant regression in 2025. After a 7-6 record and Pinstripe Bowl appearance in his first season, the Eagles finished 2-10, with their only wins coming against Fordham and Syracuse. This sharp decline leaves little room for error in the upcoming season.
Maryland coach Mike Locksley remains under scrutiny following identical 4-8 records in 2024 and 2025. In eight seasons, Locksley has a 37-49 record with the Terps. While the team achieved consecutive 8-5 seasons in 2022 and 2023, winning three bowl games in as many years, Locksley expressed optimism at Big Ten media days, describing the current roster as one of the most talented during his tenure.
AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in North Carolina contributed to this report.