6 college football coaches under the most pressure entering the 2026 season

6 college football coaches under the most pressure entering the 2026 season 1 of 6 | South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer watches a replay during the first half of an NCAA college football game against the Coastal Carolina, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Scott Kinser, File) 2 of 6 | North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Duke, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File) 3 of 6 | Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell watches during the second half of an NCAA college football game against the Illinois Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis,File) 4 of 6 | Maryland head coach Mike Locksley reacts during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File) 5 of 6 | Florida State head coach Mike Norvell, center, reacts during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) 6 of 6 | Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien reacts during the second half of an NCAA football game against California on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Chestnut Hill, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper) By MAURA CAREY Updated 3:34 PM MESZ, August 10, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Patience for poor performance is a rarity in college football and that’s only become more clear in recent years. Eight power four coaches were jobless by November in 2025, and fifteen Bowl Subdivision coaches were fired throughout the season, totaling a record $270 million in buyout packages. As the 2026 season arrives, here are six coaches entering the fall under the most pressure for instant results: Florida State peaked too early last season with a 31-17 Week 1 upset of Alabama and two blowouts against East Texas A&M and Kent State, cruising to a 3-0 start. And then things got shaky for the Seminoles, winning just two of their final nine games. Coach Mike Norvell is just above .500 in his six years at FSU (38-34). Thirteen of those wins came during the Noles’ playoff run in 2023. Since then, FSU has landed in the win column just seven times and finished bottom five in the ACC in back-to-back years — leaving Norvell in the win now bucket. Bill Belichick arrived at UNC as a first-time college coach who had won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, but the hyped hiring fell flat in Year 1. The Tar Heels had 70 new players while ending up with more double-digit losses (five) than total wins (four) and missing a bowl for the first time since 2018, and there were multiple helpings of unwanted off-field headlines, too. Julian Sayin returns bigger and stronger as Ohio State’s QB, chasing an even better Year 2 Ryan Day: Offensive line still a key concern after Ohio State’s first 2026 practice Cyclones’ new coach believes they can reach Big 12 title game. ‘We’re not signing up for 2nd place’ Belichick enters this year with 60 new players in another roster overhaul. The Tar Heels are picked to finish 15th in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference and have a tougher schedule in Year 2, including home games against Notre Dame and preseason ACC favorite Miami. Another off-field issue hit before camp: General manager Michael Lombardi is on leave as the subject of a school investigation. Belichick originally signed a five-year, $50 million contract paying him $10 million in base and supplemental pay each year, though only the first three years were guaranteed. That means the school would owe the 74-year-old Belichick roughly one year’s pay if it decided to move on after the season. Shane Beamer ’s fifth year at South Carolina didn’t quite go to plan, with the Gamecocks finishing 4-8 and 15th (1-7) in the SEC. South Carolina’s stint in the AP Top 25 was short-lived, entering the season at No. 13 in the preseason poll and falling out of the rankings entirely after a Week 3 loss to Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks lost six of their final eight games. Beamer returns with something to prove and he has quarterback LaNorris Sellers, standout edge rusher Dylan Stewart and receiver Nyck Harbor to help. It’s no secret Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell is back on the hot seat — he acknowledged it himself at Big Ten media days. A 4-8 record in 2025 was Wisconsin’s second straight losing season for the first time since the early 1990s. The Badgers reached lows they hadn’t seen since the 70’s this past season with shutout losses against Iowa and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks. Fickell hasn’t been able to replicate the level of success he had in Cincinnati yet, with a 17-21 record. Wisconsin opens against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. After leading Boston College to a 7-6 record and Pinstripe Bowl appearance his first season, the Eagles regressed in 2025, finishing with a 2-10 record and ahead of only Syracuse in the ACC. Boston College’s two wins came in the first and last weeks of the season against Fordham and Syracuse, sandwiching 10 straight losses. The sharp decline after an encouraging first season has left little margin for error heading into Year 3. Maryland’s Mike Locksley remains squarely on the hot seat after nearly identical seasons in 2024 and 2025, finishing 4-8 overall and 1-8 in Big Ten play. In eight seasons, Locksley is 37-49 for the Terps and the best years in the stretch were back to back 8-5 seasons in 2022 and again in 2023, where Maryland won its third bowl game in as many years. Locksley said the tough days are behind the program at Big Ten media days, looking forward to ramping up this season with what he described as one of the most talented rosters during his time at Maryland. This story has been corrected to show that last season was Shane Beamer’s fifth, not first, coaching South Carolina. AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report. MAURA CAREY Carey runs the live blog for AP’s Top 25 college football poll every week. She is an Associated Press sports writer based in Atlanta. twitter instagram mailto