College football hot seat watch: 5 coaches facing a must-win game in Week 13

The final college football weekend in the month of November has arrived. Bowl season and the College Football Playoff will dominate the discussion as December rolls around. For coaches that are on the hot seat, their fate will soon be determined.

The time to turn things around is coming to a close and we know at this point who is on the way out and who is going to carry a fire along their backside heading into next season. The hot seat isn’t just an indicator for the here and now but also the future as well.

Week 13 of the college football season typically has fates cemented in stone at this juncture, but this season is like none other. Therefore, a window of opportunity may be there for some that might not normally be afforded such an occurrence. Here’s who needs to win in Week 13.

College football coaches hot seat entering Week 13

Jim Harbaugh – Michigan

Needing triple-overtime to topple Rutgers is almost like a loss, right? Anyways, Michigan’s disaster season was further put on display last week when they needed every last play to go their way to escape Piscataway with a win against a program that’s now 1-4. Jim Harbaugh’s tenure at Michigan was pretty much set in stone before that game, but it just further highlighted that it’s time for a change and a fresh voice within. This week Harbaugh’s program is taking on winless Penn State. Both coaches are in need of a win and yet the winner probably won’t feel any better afterward. What a sad state of affairs.

James Franklin – Penn State

The other side of the coin in Michigan and Penn State is Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin. Never in his wildest imagination could he have possibly expected Penn State to open the season 0-5. Well, here the Nittany Lions are with their worst start in program history. That history dates all the way back to 1887. So, yeah Franklin needs to snap that losing streak to begin the year and not add another loss that’s going to create an even bigger hole for him to climb out of. His buyout is what probably saves him this year as he just signed a brand new extension. Still, Franklin would like this disaster streak to finally come to an end and this might be Penn State’s best opportunity.

Scott Frost – Nebraska

Don’t look now but Nebraska is in last place in the Big Ten West in their most pivotal season under Scott Frost. So, yeah Nebraska isn’t going anywhere under his watch and there has to be an end of the line soon for the head coach. It seems excuses are in abundance for Frost in his tenure and that’s fine, the home fans love their program as they should. There will come a point when they’re even tired of making them for their head coach. Regardless, the program might choose the pull the plug before it gets to that point. The Cornhuskers are at Iowa on Friday, which has to be a win. If it isn’t, we’re one step closer to a new head coach in Lincoln.

Tom Herman – Texas

Good isn’t enough in Austin. A program starved for playing under the biggest lights and biggest stage isn’t going to be content with a perennial eight-to-nine game winner. Tom Herman hasn’t been able to quite leave that bubble during his time in Austin. However, in a season where the Big-12 isn’t going to likely have a playoff representative, Texas can still find its way toward a conference title potentially. The path starts week with a trip to Iowa State, which leads the conference. Herman’s program has been off for nearly three weeks. They have a golden opportunity here but it remains to be seen how much rust they have. A loss here would further the stigma of some ups and downs in big games for the Longhorns under their head coach.

Ed Orgeron – LSU

LSU was able to pull out a big win on the road at Arkansas last week. Ed Orgeron needed that win in a year where his program has fallen off the cliff after being National Champions the season prior. Orgeron is one of those coaches that absolutely isn’t getting fired, but a year like this should make him feel a little heat and push to come back with his program’s best efforts in 2021. Rounding out the season on a high note could go a long way toward LSU turning the corner and shaking off what’s been a strange season. They have a big opportunity at No. 5 Texas A&M Saturday. Beating the Aggies would give Orgeron’s current group something to build off.

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