The inevitable happened this past weekend, as the Penn State Nittany Lions football team fired head coach James Franklin. After being widely considered as a team that could potentially play and win the national championship this season, the Nittany Lions have fallen to 3-3, losing three straight games and no longer being ranked.
The fire ends an 11-year tenure for Franklin, who was under contract until the 2031 season. Penn State will pay him $50 million following the firing.
Firings happen each season, with some surprise firings happening during the season. One thing is for certain- Franklin won’t be the last coach fired this season.
5 College Football Coaches on The Hot Seat
There have already been a handful of firings this season (Trent Dilfer, Sam Pittman, Mike Gundy, Trent Bray). There are other coaches currently on the hot seat, and more will arise as the season continues.
Here are five current coaches who could get the boot if things don’t change quickly:
Bill Belichick, North Carolina
The Bill Belichick-North Carolina era isn’t off to its best start. The Tar Heels are currently 2-3 (0-2 ACC), and there’s been nothing but distractions regarding Belichick and the program this season. There was even a rumor of a potential buyout between the two.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Luke Fickell’s Wisconsin Badgers are off to a 2-4 start and are 0-3 in the conference. The Badgers are currently on a four-game losing streak and have lost each game by double digits.
Mike Norvell, Florida State
The Florida State Seminoles opened the 2025 season with a big 31-17 statement win against Alabama. The Seminoles went on to win their next two games before suffering three-straight losses and sitting at 3-3. After a 2-10 season a year ago, Novell could be on the hot seat if Florida State continues to lose.
Hugh Freeze, Auburn
Hugh Freeze’s Auburn Tigers sit at 3-3, with three-straight losses. Yes, Auburn has lost to tough opponents in Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Georgia, but Freeze’s career record as Auburn’s head coach is 14-17 following Saturday’s loss to Georgia.
Billy Napier, Florida
The Florida Gators currently sit at 2-4 with two losses coming to Florida teams. Napier is 21-23 in his first four years as Florida’s head coach, and must produce winning results if he wants a chance at keeping his job. The only problem is, his team faces a tough challenge, facing three top-25 ranked opponents in the second half of the season.
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