Every year, FBS college football programs pay tens of millions of dollars to coaches who are no longer employed.
That’s because firings and buyouts have become the norm in college football, as disappointed boosters pony up tens of millions to pay their coaches not to coach anymore.
That cycle has now begun for the 2026 season, with the first coach being dismissed in late October. Once the hot-seat carousel starts moving, it typically doesn’t stop until the season ends.
Which College Football Coaches Have Been Fired in 2026?
As of Oct. 29, four head coaches have been fired during the 2026 season: Maryland coach Mike Locksley, NC State coach Dave Doeren, Baylor coach Dave Aranda, and Sam Houston coach Phil Longo.
Mike Locksley Fired by Maryland
Mike Locksley helped rebuild Maryland after the program was in shambles in the late 2010s, but the Terps have been pretty dreadful the last couple of years.
Locksley’s firing was a formality. Even Locksley himself said he’s a bit relieved the saga has come to an end.
Dave Doeren Fired by NC State
NC State entered the year as a bona fide ACC sleeper with CJ Bailey at quarterback and the very consistent Dave Doeren at the helm.
Instead, NC State football has been a house of horrors this year, starting with a Week 0 loss to UVA and cemented by a legendarily bad last-second loss to Vanderbilt.
NC State dropped to 3-4 after a loss to Stanford, and that was enough for the administration to move on from Doeren. Before Oct. 24, he was one of the longest-tenured college football coaches in the country.
Dave Aranda Fired by Baylor
Dave Aranda was on the hot seat at the end of last season, but the administration chose to keep him for 2026. That looked like a pretty good decision after a near-upset of Auburn in Week 1 and a 2-0 start to Big 12 conference play.
It all came apart in the second half of October. Aranda’s team exited their Week 6 bye with consecutive losses to TCU and Kansas. Neither team had won a conference game this season.
That was enough to eject Aranda out of Waco.
Phil Longo Fired by Sam Houston
The Sam Houston administration sent Phil Longo packing one day after losing 24-3 to Missouri State.
Sam Houston looked like a tough out in early September, but the Bearkats seemed to fall apart in the middle of the season. At the time Longo was fired, they had yet to beat an FBS team.
College Football Hot Seat Tracker
| Head Coach | Team | 2026 Record |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Moorhead | Akron | 1-7 |
| Tim Albin | Charlotte | 1-6 |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | 4-3 |
| Deion Sanders | Colorado | 2-5 |
| Mike Norvell | Florida State | 3-4 |
| Greg Schiano | Rutgers | 2-5 |
| Sonny Dykes | TCU | 3-4 |
| Scotty Walden | UTEP | 1-6 |
Who Will Be the Next College Football Coach Fired?
Tim Albin doesn’t have an easy job, as Charlotte has never been much of anything at the FBS level. But after going 1-11 last year and opening his second year with a loss to an FCS team (The Citadel), it seems likely that Charlotte could make a decision soon.
The fact that the 49ers finally got on the board with a win in Week 7 might not mean much at this point.
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