With kickoff less than three weeks away in the Big 12 - outside of TCU - the league is finally close to turning the page from months without football. And with every school carrying its own version of pressure, the same truth hangs over the conference: winning keeps a coach safe.
That reality makes the 2026 season a big one for a few head coaches, and three names stand out above the rest.
Dave Aranda at Baylor sits near the top of any hot-seat conversation, and that includes national lists that have him among the five hottest seats in the country. Aranda does have a Big 12 title on his résumé, but Baylor’s recent slide has put him under real strain.
Since the Bears won the conference championship in 2021, the program has gone downhill, and over his last four seasons in Waco, Aranda is 22-28 overall and 15-21 in league play. He has managed only one winning season in that stretch, which simply isn’t enough for a coach in a power four conference.
If not for the money owed to him, the argument could be made that Baylor would have moved on already. Another stumble in 2026 could finally push the school to part ways.
Scott Satterfield is another coach entering a critical year, and his fourth season at Cincinnati comes with plenty of skepticism. The Bearcats have improved their win totals in each of his first three seasons, but the overall picture still isn’t strong enough.
Satterfield is 15-22 at Cincinnati and 9-18 in conference play. Those are the kinds of numbers that usually lead to a firing, but the Bearcats gave him another season.
The concern gets even louder when November rolls around: Satterfield is 1-11 in that month, and his teams have repeatedly faded late. With a roster full of new faces, he faces what could be his toughest test yet.
Deion Sanders rounds out the list at Colorado, and while other coaches could have been mentioned, he feels like the right choice here. In three seasons in Boulder, Sanders is 16-21 overall and 9-18 in conference games between the Big 12 and Pac-12 (R.I.P.).
His 2024 season looked like a breakthrough, but last year was a sharp step backward, ending at 3-9. That raised the question of how much Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter were masking during their time in Boulder.
Between constant roster turnover and staff changes, the program has felt different every year, for better or worse. The buzz around Colorado may have cooled some since Sanders arrived, but with a $10 million salary in 2026, the standard is clear: the Buffaloes have to be better.
Another season like the last one would make things very interesting in Boulder.
In Other News...
Bearcats Still Chasing A Final Backcourt Piece For Calhouns First Roster
Jerrod Calhoun is still piecing together his first Cincinnati roster, and the final backcourt spot appears to be one of the biggest remaining items on the board. The Bearcats are among several programs showing interest in a veteran guard with experience at both Michigan State and NC State, a player valued for his defense and steady play as Calhoun continues building mostly through the transfer portal with an eye on getting back to the NCAA Tournament.
The timing makes the pursuit tricky, since the player is waiting on an NCAA eligibility decision before his next move becomes clear. For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious: a proven, experienced guard could help stabilize a new-look group, but the staff may have to wait a little longer before knowing whether this last backcourt piece can actually be added. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Are Counting On Two Early Signs As Camp Nears The End
Fall camp is winding down for the Bearcats, and the final scrimmage is set to give Scott Satterfield one last long look before the focus shifts to the opener. The head coach has liked what he has seen from a defense that has taken noticeable steps forward, especially up front, where the defensive line has drawn his praise and several players have stood out in the process.
One of the early markers of progress is on the back end, where starting safety MJ Cannon has put a clear target on the groups shoulders by talking about a turnover-minded defense. On offense, JC French IV is working through a different kind of adjustment as he takes on new responsibilities, and the staff has been testing him in ways that come with the territory for a young quarterback learning on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Looks Like An Early Big 12 Test For Cincinnati
Arizona is shaping up as one of the more revealing early roadblocks on Cincinnatis Big 12 schedule, even before the Bearcats have settled into the rhythm of league play. The Wildcats bring back quarterback Noah Fifita and running back Kedrick Reescano, a tandem that gives their offense a familiar foundation and a chance to hit the ground running.
For Cincinnati, that makes the matchup more than just another conference game in a new era. Arizonas mix of returning experience and unanswered questions on both sides of the ball gives the Bearcats an early measuring stick, one that could say plenty about where they stand in the Big 12 race once the season starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]