The first college football coaching domino has fallen. Maryland fired Mike Locksley on Wednesday, ending an eight-year tenure that failed to establish the Terrapins as a consistent contender in the Big Ten Conference.
The move came four days after the Terrapins suffered their fifth loss in a row, a 37-30 home setback against an equally struggling Rutgers team, making Maryland the first Power Four program to make a coaching change this season.
Locksley had a 39-54 record during his time in College Park, including a 16-47 mark in conference play.
Now the question shifts from when the coaching carousel will begin to who’s next.
Several prominent coaches entered 2026 under mounting pressure, and the first month and a half of the season did little to quiet those concerns.
Here are five coaches whose jobs could become the next major storyline of the 2026 season:
Mike Norvell, Florida State
Norvell arguably has the clearest case for being on the brink due to a multi-year program decline, an increasingly frustrated fan base and the firing of Athletic Director Michael Alford.
Since winning the ACC title in 2023, the Seminoles are 10-22 (3-4 this season with wins over New Mexico State, Central Arkansas and Virginia), though the double-overtime loss at now-No. 1 Miami last week showed the Noles haven’t quit on Norvell.
The biggest thing working in Norvell’s favor may be the price of making a change, as FSU would reportedly owe him more than $50 million in a buyout if it fired him during the 2026 season.
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Shane Beamer, South Carolina
The Gamecocks (3-3 with wins over Kent State, Towson and Florida) had lost eight consecutive SEC games dating to last season before routing the Gators 38-19 on Oct. 10 in Gainesville.
The win over then-No. 16 UF quieted the critics for the time being, with No. 11 Tennessee coming to Williams-Brice Stadium this weekend.
According to The State, Beamer’s buyout would be approximately $28 million if he’s fired before the end of the season, then decreases to about $22 million starting on Jan. 1.
READ MORE: 5 things every South Carolina college football fan needs to experience at least once
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights (2-4 with wins over FCS Howard and Maryland) have dropped 11 of their past 15 games dating to last season, including a stunning 37-21 blowout loss to UMass in their 2026 opener.
Since returning to Rutgers for his second stint at head coach in 2020, Schiano has led the Knights to two winning seasons (7-6 in 2023 and 2024) and his team is 16-41 against Big Ten competition, with a high-water mark of 4-5 in 2024.
The Rutgers athletic department accumulated a staggering $516.9 million deficit since joining the Big Ten in 2014. According to financial estimates, Schiano’s buyout would be approximately $18.5 million if he is fired without cause during the 2026 season.
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Lincoln Riley, USC
Riley is facing mounting scrutiny in Los Angeles due to an inability to win high-stakes games, ongoing defensive deficiencies despite staff changes and growing disillusionment over unmet championship expectations — USC failed to make the College Football Playoff in each of his first four seasons.
Despite a 6-1 record, including a 31-23 victory over Penn State during the Nittany Lions’ annual White Out game, pressure is mounting on Riley. And it probably doesn’t help that first-year coach Bob Chesney has rival UCLA off to a 5-0 start.
The massive investment likely keeping him safe is his contract, as national insiders report that USC would owe Riley a staggering buyout in the $60 million to $72 million range if it parted ways with him during the 2026 season.
READ MORE: The story behind how a white horse became a USC football icon
Deion Sanders, Colorado
Sanders’ job-security argument should center on the gap between the expectations he brought to Colorado and the results the program has delivered.
The pressure has intensified after a 3-9 finish in 2025 and a 2-4 start this season, including four consecutive losses. The program also faces questions about quarterback development, roster stability and whether it is moving in the right direction.
Another losing season could turn his future in Boulder into a much bigger conversation. The financial cost of a potential buyout, reportedly about $26 million, could complicate any decision.
READ MORE: Leading from the front: How one Colorado senior made Ralphie’s Run history
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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.