Three Big Ten coaches who could find themselves on the hot seat

Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Three Big Ten coaches who could find themselves on the hot seat

By Daniel Morrison | Last updated May 19, 2026 10:17 AM ET

In each of the last three seasons, a Big Ten school has won the national championship. Several others have been knocking on the door, too.

As such, expectations have never been higher in the Big Ten. For coaches, that means there's more pressure, putting them on the hot seat.

Just a season ago, the Big Ten saw four coaches lose their jobs in the coaching carousel. That included James Franklin at Penn State, who, a season prior, had been in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff. In other words, just about nobody is completely safe.

As the College Football Playoff has continued to expand, there are more opportunities to be in the field. Add to that paying for rosters, and expectations are higher than ever for fans around the country.

Keeping that in mind, there is no reason to doubt that the Big Ten is going to see its share of coaching changes this upcoming season. Here are a few coaches to keep an eye on for the hot seat in 2026.

Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans

Lincoln Riley is in an interesting position at USC. There is no doubt that he's an excellent coach, but the results haven't been there on the field just yet. In four seasons, he has a 35-18 record, with just one double-digit-win season. He's also just 11-7 in Big Ten play, having yet to make the College Football Playoff.

The exact size of his contract isn't known, given that USC is a private school. However, it was reported to be in the range of $110 million. That's before a roster that the Trojans have been pouring money into. So, it's not a surprise that Heritage Hall might be demanding results.

Luke Fickell, Wisconsin Badgers

When the Wisconsin Badgers hired Luke Fickell away from the Cincinnati Bearcats, the move got universal praise. After all, he had taken what was then a Group of Five team to the four-team College Football Playoff. He should replicate that success with Big Ten resources. Except he hasn't, going 17-21 in three seasons, missing bowls two years in a row.

Wisconsin did an interesting thing, though. Instead of paying a buyout for Fickell at the end of last season, it committed to investing that money into the roster through NIL and revenue sharing. However, if results don't improve, Fickell could still be in trouble.

Mike Locksley, Maryland Terrapins

Maryland head coach Mike Locksley has become a kind of institution in the Big Ten. However, in seven seasons at Maryland, he's only been to a bowl game three times. Worse, Maryland is coming off back-to-back 4-8 seasons. This comes at a school that has had a major tug of war for resources with the basketball program.

Some thought Locksley would be gone following 2025. That wasn't the case, though. Instead, the school announced it would try to strengthen its support for NIL to retain talent the team had been recruiting. Still, it's hard to imagine Locksley isn't already on the hot seat if things don't turn around quickly.

Daniel Morrison

Dan Morrison is a writer originally from Massachusetts, now residing in Florida. He spent four years at On3, working on the National News Desk there. Prior to that, he’s also contributed at Underdog Dynasty.

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