College football hot seat rankings: Mike Norvell, Bill Belichick and more coaches on the edge

We are back after another weekend of crazy results in the college football world. Vanderbilt won by doing something only one other school has done in 20 years, and Kentucky pulled off a major upset over Texas A&M at Kule Field. But how did this affect the hot seat rankings? 

Here are the five coaches dealing with the most heat right now.

1. Mike Norvell, Florida State

Of course he is still here at the top of the list. Where else is he going to be after giving up a 14-point lead before halftime and going on to lose 50-36 to Alabama?

This was one of many games on Saturday to be affected by weather. After a two-hour delay before kickoff, another delay came later in the afternoon causing this game to go on far longer than anyone wanted it to.

The most surprising part of this game was that the Seminoles scored 36 points. Much of this came due to the amazing Duce Robinson having 6 receptions for 135 yards and 1 touchdown, and sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah, who finished with 17 carries for 80 yards and 1 rushing touchdown.  

Norvell is not long for the program. But not even Florida State is evil enough to fire him this week, especially with the Seminoles' next opponent being Central Arkansas — he alma mater of Norvell. It would be smarter if they waited a few weeks and pulled the cord on the bye week after the Louisville and Miami games, and before the Clemson matchup.

2. Greg Schiano, Rutgers

Schiano still does not have a win this season after losing a heartbreaker on Saturday to USC on a 100-yard interception return for the winning touchdown.

Rutgers is not good and it is only going to get worse as the Scarlet Knights head into conference play. If you want to give him until the end of the season so he can hopefully get one win to get to 100 wins with the school, I can understand that. But all it is doing in the meantime is alienating the athletes on the team and pushing them toward the transfer portal.

Rutgers players have given up. It's long past time the administration gave up on the return of Schiano to the sideline in Parsippany.  

3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson:

Despite the win, Swinney is still high on this list, right where he deserves to be until he is let go.

Clemson is giving Swinney far too much rope and it will eventually take down a once-proud program who had a major resurgence under the two-time national championship-winning coach. 

While no one wants to forget the past and what he brought, it is the future that Athletic Director Graham Neff must concern himself with. If they do not want to fire him, they can allow him to resign and give him a consultancy role, much the way Alabama and others have done when their coaches left the sideline after so much success.

Swinney is not made to compete or live in this environment. His thoughts and beliefs about the sport are archaic and his attitude towards anyone who disagrees, respectfully or not, is ignorance and complete dismissal. 

There are going to be a few coaches who the Tigers can go to after this off season, rom former offensive coordinator Tony Elliott to Memphis coach Charlie Huff. But to do so, they have to first get rid of the anchor who is still dragging them down.

4. Ryan Silverfield, Arkansas:

It was a weird decision when Arkansas went after Ryan Silverfield. It was an even weirder decision when Silverfield agreed to take the role to replace Sam Pittman and interim Bobby Petrino.

Silverfield belonged with the Memphis Tigers. Sure, Memphis is extremely happy with what Charlie Huff has been doing at the program, but he should still be at Southern Miss and Silverfield at Memphis. 

Unfortunately, the lure of the money and prestige of the SEC drew Silverfield, much like it drew Bryan Harson from Boise State to Auburn. No one wanted him there, he refused to recruit the way you need to in the SEC, and he was out in less than two years with a $17 million buyout. 

The same may be happening to Silverfield after a dreadful showing against Georgia, losing 45-17. And the game was not even that close. It got so bad that Georgia offensive lineman were on the field during commercial breaks in the fourth quarter practicing because, as Kirby Smart put it — no one had been physical enough to give them a challenge. Extra practice is good and all. But, in the middle of a game? That is harsh.

Fans, at least the few who showed up, were happy to show their appreciation with brown paper bags, and the state is setting a meeting on Tuesday Sept. 22, to discuss NIL, team funding, and just perhaps, if they want to cut a check already for $24.3 million and start over next season. Maybe even with another Memphis coach in Huff.

5. Bill Belichick, North Carolina:

Weather played a major factor in a few games this week and this was another one in which the entire tide turned when the lightning delay happened.

After being up 17-3 and seeing Clemson fans streaming out of the stadium with seven minutes left in the second quarter, there was a long, two-hour rain delay and Clemson came back with renewed vigor. I am not sure if they took out their frustrations on their miniature golf course or if something else was a foot, either way, Clemson came out in the second half and out scored the Tar Heels. Winning the game 28-20, saving the job of Swinney for another week and angering all the bettors who had UNC +3.5.

 Or so I’ve heard.

With Michael Lombardi and Steve Belichick out, the administration is running out of people to pin any blame on for the program failures. This was another bad showing in a long line of them and it is about time that Belichick heads home to his family.

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