The first third of the 2026 college football season has already separated the comfortable from the vulnerable, and a handful of coaches are feeling the heat hard as Week 5 approaches. A few rough Saturdays, a few ugly numbers, and now the pressure is real.
Mike Locksley might be staring at the sharpest edge of that pressure in College Park. Maryland’s 54-3 loss to UCLA last weekend only poured gasoline on an already tense situation.
Locksley has been in charge since 2019 and is 39-51 overall with the Terrapins. In Big Ten play, Maryland is 17-49 under his watch, and the program has gone 4-8 in each of the last two seasons.
If the school makes a move, Locksley would be due a $9.2 million buyout. But the schedule is not offering much relief, with Nebraska and No.
5 Ohio State up next.
Deion Sanders is in a different kind of spotlight, but the results have cooled fast. When Sanders arrived at Colorado in 2023, he was the center of the sport’s attention, bringing with him Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and a flood of national buzz.
The Buffaloes went just 4-8 that first year, but there was still optimism because of the portal activity and the star power in Boulder. Then came the breakthrough: a 9-4 season in 2024 and a Heisman Trophy for Hunter.
Since Sanders and Hunter moved on to the NFL Draft in 2025, though, Colorado has slipped badly. The Buffaloes are 5-11 since 2025 and just 1-9 in Big 12 play.
Their latest setback was a 41-7 loss to Northwestern, a game that also featured the benching of starting quarterback Julian Lewis. Next up are No.
12 Texas Tech and No. 13 Utah.
Rutgers is also in a rough spot, and Greg Schiano’s return has not produced the kind of stability the program hoped for. The Scarlet Knights opened the season with a stunning home loss to UMass, a team that was nearly a 30-point underdog.
That result fit into a broader slide: Rutgers has dropped 10 of its last 13 games, and since Schiano came back in 2020, the program has managed only two winning seasons. The Scarlet Knights did show some fight against USC a few weeks ago, but now they have the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers coming to town this weekend.
Lincoln Riley’s situation at USC comes with a different flavor, but the questions are just as loud. Since taking over in 2022, the offensive-minded coach has not produced much in the way of payoff.
USC opened the 2023 season 6-0, but since then the Trojans are 22-16. Riley still has not taken USC to the College Football Playoff, even with NFL-level talent on the roster, including 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
After a home loss to Oregon and player antics that have raised concerns about leadership and morale, the Trojans are heading into a brutal run with Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA all looming.
In Other News...
Colorado Just Turned Baylor's QB Problem Into A Bigger Big 12 Story
Julian Lewis spent part of the Baylor game on the sideline after Colorado went to Isaac Wilson at quarterback, a move that instantly turned the Buffs most watched position into the biggest question hanging over the week. Wilson finished 12-of-25 for 156 yards and a touchdown, while Deion Sanders made clear afterward that Lewis is still very much in the mix and that the room has stayed supportive through the change.
Now Colorado is heading toward a bigger decision before Texas Tech, with Wilson, Lewis and Kaneal Sweetwyne all still in play. For a team trying to find its best offensive rhythm in the Big 12, the quarterback conversation is no longer just about one game or one player. It has become the kind of week-to-week choice that can shape how the rest of the season looks. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Fans Face A Tougher Price To See Texas Tech
The next big home date at Folsom Field is also turning into one of the pricier ones for Colorado fans. When Texas Tech comes to Boulder for a Big 12 matchup, the secondary market is already showing tickets starting around $100, while official prices run from $100 to $303, a reflection of how much attention this game is drawing well before kickoff.
A ranked opponent tends to do that, and Texas Techs No. 11 status is a big part of the equation. Add in the games tie-in to Colorados Homecoming and Stripe Out events, and this one carries a little extra buzz for a late-season home crowd, even if the cost of getting in makes the walk up the hill a tougher sell. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Tried An Unusual Fix For Colorados Cornerback Problem
Deion Sanders has been looking for answers on Colorados back end, and one of them has come in a form you do not see every day. Sanders said cornerback Cree Thomas was told to practice without gloves and wear mittens instead, a simple-sounding tweak meant to cut down on the grabbing penalties that have dogged him. Thomas has been one of the Buffaloes more frequently flagged players, but Sanders still pointed to his attitude and the way he has competed despite the issues.
The timing matters because Colorado is heading into its Big 12 home opener against Texas Tech, a program built around throwing the ball. With the Red Raiders bringing a passing attack that can stress a secondary, the Buffaloes are trying to clean up the kind of mistakes that can turn a close game fast. Sanders unusual approach underscores how much attention Colorado is putting on discipline at cornerback, where every extra tug can become a costly first down. [Read more 🡒]