Ranking the top five coaches on the hot seat after college football Week 1

Week 1 of the college football season is in the books and some big name coaches are already on the ropes. There aren't any surprises on this list, but these are the coaches whose seats are hottest right now.

1. Mike Norvell, Florida State

Norvell has gone from 13-0 in 2023 to 2-10 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025. His recruiting out of high school has been nearly non-existent and he has not hit on a transfer class since before the 2023 season. Starting the season with a blackout loss to SMU certainly didn't help.

Even with his $51 million buy-out and the financial struggles of Florida State, Norvell is here ... for now.

The Seminoles, in a mistake made by schools all over the country, decided to give Norvell a major contract extension following his undefeated season. The school felt that he was a major contender for the Alabama position recently relinquished by Nick Saban and they did not want to lose him. This was not going to happen. But the illusion of competition made Florida State blink. The school will now pay for it with the $51 million payment to Norvell and an additional $75 million or more for their next head coach.

2. Greg Schiano, Rutgers

We never thought it would get to this point for Rutgers. Schiano has been the best coach in Rutgers history and led the team to their highest levels before leaving for the NFL and Tampa Bay.

After years of upheaval, Schiano returned to Rutgers, bringing the school back to middling — which was better than where the school had been since joining the Big Ten for a paycheck. 

This week was supposed to be a celebration of Schiano. The school set up a fireworks display, paid UMass $1.5 million to show up and be the victim, and Schiano was supposed to get his 100th victory at the State University of New Jersey. Then it all went wrong.

UMass not only kept the game close as a 30.5-point underdog, but they also were more physical, and stomped the Scarlet Knights in a game which was not as close as the 37-21 score would suggest.  

No 100th win. The first win for UMass in 677 days. But there were still fireworks. Both figurative and literally. 

Now, Rutgers take on Boston College on Friday. The worst team in the ACC and another coach, Bill O’Brien, who is also on the hot seat. 

If Schiano does not win this game, he may not get to 100 wins at Rutgers.

3. Dave Aranda, Baylor

It has been almost seven years for Aranda at Baylor. He has had many ups and downs. He has saved his job with decent seasons and almost lost his job the following year. After being on the hot seat exiting 2025, it looks like 2026 is finally the season to end the tenure of Aranda in Waco.

Aranda was an amazing defensive coordinator with LSU. This got him the Baylor job. His best position will always be as a defensive coordinator, a position where he can use his mind to draw up the plays rather than going out to shop for the ingredients.

Aranda, never a major recruiter, was unable to bring the talent needed to Baylor and this is where he has failed the most. Bringing in DJ Lagway this season, for a reported $2 million NIL package, was the final stand of a desperate coach. After seeing Lagway being helped off the field at the end of the Bears 'loss to Auburn on Saturday, it seems like an allegory for the way the rest of Baylor’s season is going to go. 

Baylor has the money to make the move whenever they decide. It is just a matter of when they want to pull the ripcord. 

4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

Swinney is not higher on this list because the loyalty he has had to the school deserves the same loyalty for him. But this loyalty is quickly running out as Swinney just led Clemson to an embarrassment in Baton Rouge, with a 51-10 result.

After telling everyone at media days that his team sucked in 2025, it was expected that he would get more from this group of players. Instead, the realization that Swinney has lost his fastball and must now use the knuckleball is evident for all to see.

If Clemson fires Swinney before the end of the season, it will cost $57 million — the second highest buy-out ever after the $77 million paid by Texas A&M to Jimbo Fisher. If they wait until after the season, it will cost $60 million. 

Clemson wants to maintain their reputation as one of the top schools and teams in the country. To do so, they will have to get Swinney out before more damage is done and spend a lot of money on their next head coach. The $3 million gap between firing him now or firing him later shouldn't make a difference. But it could be the deciding factor to do it now.

5. Bill Belichick, North Carolina

Despite the impressive win in Dublin, Belichick is still firmly on the hot seat. 

Of course, the school is excited to be 1-0. But, with Michael Lombardi first being suspended, then resigning from being the highest paid general ,anger in the country, things are taking a dip in Chapel Hill. On top of this, there are now discussions about whether Belichick’s son Steve Belichick was both using drugs and providing them to players.

This looks like just the tip of the iceberg as even more scandalous accusations are coming out showing an institutional oversight issue, as the NCAA would call it.

While the on-field product is bad enough, it is the reputation of the university which looks to be taking the hit currently. If a few losses start to mount, so will the pressure on the Board of Regents to replace Belichick, even if it is with Bobby Petrino for the rest of the season.

UNC is a top-20 job. It can have most coaches in the country. So, go get the one who is right, rather than the one who was trendy. 

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