One month into the 2026 college football season, and the job security landscape for coaches across the nation is already looking wild. Some guys are breathing a little easier, but for others, the heat is absolutely cranking, especially after some brutal losses. While we haven’t seen a head coach firing yet, industry chatter says that’s about to change.
Mike Locksley’s Seat Just Hit Max Temp
Okay, let’s just rip the band-aid off and talk about Mike Locksley at Maryland. Man, you know it’s rough when the whisper around college football isn’t *if* he’s getting fired, but *when*. After two straight 4-8 seasons, he started 2026 on one of the hottest seats out there. And that 2-2 start? Not exactly cooling things down. But the absolute kicker was last weekend: an embarrassing 54-3 loss to UCLA. Yikes. Maryland even stepped up financially to boost the program, trying to get out of the Big Ten’s roster spend cellar, but that kind of performance just screams trouble. Locksley’s 39-51 record in eight seasons doesn’t help his case either. Industry sources are basically saying it’s a done deal. His only shot at survival? A miracle turnaround, which feels impossible with Nebraska and No. 5 Ohio State up next. They’d owe him nearly $10 million if they cut him loose, but sometimes you just gotta make the tough call.
Norvell’s Florida State Roller Coaster
Over in Tallahassee, Mike Norvell is definitely feeling the pressure cooker. Florida State’s season has been a whirlwind: their AD got fired, they had a bizarre power outage during their home opener, and now they’re sitting at a 2-2 record. There’s a path for Norvell to stick around, but it’s narrow. He’s gotta hit that 7-win mark, and with Louisville, Miami, and Florida still on the schedule, that’s not gonna be easy. He needs to win two of the next three against UVA, Louisville, and Miami before the bye to even have a viable shot at survival. The biggest thing working in his favor? That massive $46.7 million buyout. With an athletic department in transition, that’s a huge sum. Could a few more wins make them think twice about cutting that check?
Dave Doeren’s NC State Wobble
Then we got Dave Doeren at NC State. Before the season, there were whispers he might even retire after this year. He’s had a ton of success over his 14 seasons, but 2026 is shaping up to be a real disappointment for the Wolfpack. They took what’s being called the most inexcusable loss of the season against Vanderbilt. Plus, they just haven’t been able to capitalize on quarterback CJ Bailey’s potential. When things are going this sideways a month in, you gotta wonder what’s next.
So there you have it, a quick check-in on the coaching hot seats. With no head coaches fired yet, we’re definitely watching for that first shoe to drop. Will Norvell claw his way to seven wins and make that buyout hurt too much? Can Doeren turn things around in Raleigh? Or will Locksley’s time at Maryland truly be up after those massive games against Nebraska and Ohio State? We’ll be watching every snap, because college football is never boring!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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