College football’s coaching carousel always comes down to two things: wins and money. And as the 2026 season approaches, the price of a bad hire is staring schools right in the face.
The next couple of months will shape how busy the annual coaching shuffle gets, and just how expensive it becomes for programs to clean up after themselves. After a 2025 cycle that saw nearly three dozen jobs change hands and big names like Brian Kelly and James Franklin lose theirs, there’s no guarantee 2026 gets that wild. But for the coaches sitting on the hottest seats, the buyout number matters as much as the record.
At the top of that financial pile is Florida State’s Mike Norvell, whose seat got very real last offseason after a 5-7 finish. The Seminoles only kept him because separating would have reportedly cost $45-50 million, on top of a recent nine-figure investment in football facilities.
That decision bought Norvell another year, but it did not erase the bigger picture. Just two seasons ago, he had Florida State sitting at 13-1 with an undefeated regular season and an ACC title, then watched the Seminoles get left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of one-loss SEC champion Alabama. Since then, Florida State has fallen hard, winning seven total games and losing 17, with only three ACC wins in that span.
The schedule ahead doesn’t offer much comfort either. Alabama and Miami both come to the table as road tests, and improving on that recent run will not be simple.
Luke Fickell is another coach whose future comes with a hefty price tag. He arrived at Wisconsin with the kind of buzz that follows a rising star, after leading Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff and earning a pair of top ten AP rankings. But things have gone sideways in Madison.
The Badgers are 17-21 overall under Fickell, and last season was his worst yet: a 4-8 finish, a personal-worst 2-7 mark in Big Ten play, and offenses that ranked second-worst nationally in total offense and scoring. Wisconsin reportedly could have paid $20-22 million to move on, but instead chose a different route, using that money to bring in better players, including quarterback Colton Joseph and running back Abu Sama. Whether that gamble pays off in 2026 is the question.
Then there’s USC and Lincoln Riley, a partnership that started with major promise and has drifted far from it. The Trojans invested heavily in Riley to restore the program, and for one year it looked like money well spent: 11 wins and a Heisman Trophy for Caleb Williams.
Since then, the results have slid to 8-5, 7-6, and 9-4, with 12 Big Ten losses, shaky defense, and two unranked finishes. That is nowhere near the standard USC expects, especially now that there are 12 playoff spots on the table.
Riley’s third defensive coordinator now has the job of getting this thing pointed toward a national title race. If that doesn’t happen, USC may be forced into a decision that would reportedly cost $60 million, the largest buyout figure in college football.
In Other News...
USC Gets An Early Shot In A Recruiting Fight Fans Will Watch
USC is getting an early look at one of the most coveted defensive backs in the 2028 class, as four-star safety Jalen Flowers is set to be on campus for the season opener against San Jos State. Flowers, one of the top California talents in his class, already has a profile that has made him a priority for major programs across the country, and the Trojans will have one of their first chances to make a strong impression in person.
The visit schedule could only sharpen the competition. Flowers is also expected back for USCs game against Ohio State, giving the Trojans another shot at showing what their program has to offer while he continues to sort through nearly 40 scholarship offers. For USC, landing a player with that kind of national attention will take more than a game-day atmosphere, but getting him on campus this early is a meaningful first step. [Read more 🡒]
USC May Have Found A New Defensive Strength Under Gary Patterson
Lincoln Riley sounded noticeably more confident about USCs linebacker room during a recent media appearance, and it is not hard to see why the group has become one of the more intriguing parts of the defense. The Trojans have spent plenty of time trying to stabilize that side of the ball, and linebacker play has long been a key indicator of whether the unit can hold up against better Pac-12 offenses. Riley pointed to the groups physicality and athleticism, while Desman Stephens II, who led the team in tackles last season, has been working through a new defensive system under coordinator Gary Patterson.
For Stephens, the adjustment has come with some clear buy-in, and that matters for a position group that is expected to carry a heavier load this fall. Transfers and younger linebackers are also in line to factor in, giving USC a mix of experience and upside as Patterson continues shaping the scheme. The bigger question now is whether the Trojans can turn that confidence into a real edge on Saturdays, because if this group settles in quickly, it could quietly become one of the most useful pieces on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshmen Are Making An Early Offensive Statement In Camp
Fall camp has quickly turned into a showcase for USCs newest offensive pieces, with several freshmen already forcing their way into the conversation for real roles this season. Deshonne Redeaux has drawn attention at running back, while Ethan Boobie Feaster and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt have both flashed as receivers in a room that always benefits from fresh speed and separation.
Trent Mosley has also emerged as more than just another young wideout, with the staff viewing him as a potential playmaker who can help on special teams right away. On the line and at tight end, Mark Bowman is trending toward the starting job and Keenyi Pepe looks like a useful backup tackle, giving the Trojans a first-year group that could end up shaping the offense sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]