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.
















