Not a normal week. Maryland fired Mike Locksley on Wednesday, NC State fired Dave Doeren on Saturday, and Baylor pulled the plug on Dave Aranda on Sunday, one day after a 25-24 loss at Kansas. Three head coaches in five days.
Locksley and Aranda were both on this list, so they’re off it now. Norvell moves to the top, and I added Deion Sanders and Greg Schiano to fill the spots.
Next College Football Coach Fired Odds (Post-Week 8)
| Coach | Team | Week 8 Result | New Odds | Implied Probability | Week 7 Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Norvell | Florida State | Bye week | +175 | 36.4% | +250 |
| Deion Sanders | Colorado | L, 24-57 at Oklahoma State | +350 | 22.2% | New |
| Greg Schiano | Rutgers | L, 14-42 at Northwestern | +600 | 14.3% | New |
| Bill Belichick | North Carolina | L, 30-31 (OT) vs. Syracuse | +1200 | 7.7% | +1500 |
| Shane Beamer | South Carolina | W, 27-24 vs. Tennessee | +1500 | 6.3% | +600 |
| Lance Leipold | Kansas | W, 25-24 vs. Baylor | +2500 | 3.8% | +900 |
| Bill O’Brien | Boston College | W, 49-27 at Georgia Tech | +4000 | 2.4% | +2500 |
| Luke Fickell | Wisconsin | W, 24-7 vs. USC | +8000 | 1.2% | +3500 |
Quick note: these are my own numbers, not live sportsbook lines. Check a licensed book before you bet any of it.
Norvell (+175)
Florida State didn’t even play and he’s still the favorite, which tells you how the week went. They’re 3-4 with Clemson on the 31st. The buyout is the whole argument for keeping him, about $48 million, and reportedly closer to $36.5 million if he gets through another year. I don’t think a school waits on that math forever. I also wouldn’t tell you it happens this month.
Sanders (+350) and Schiano (+600)
These two are new to the list, and neither had a good Saturday.
Colorado was up 24-20 at Oklahoma State and then gave up 37 in a row. It ended 57-24. That’s five straight losses, 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12, and Sanders is 5-15 in his last 20. The money is ugly too, something like $34 million left after this season. Kansas State is next.
Rutgers lost 42-14 at Northwestern, down 28-6 at the half, a week after beating Maryland. They’re 2-5. Schiano’s buyout is around $19 million, which is the only reason I’ve got him at +600 and not shorter. Michigan on the 31st.
Belichick (+1200)
The Heels had Syracuse 20-10 in the third quarter and still lost 31-30 in overtime. Syracuse went for two and got it. Belichick’s postgame was basically “they made a couple more plays than we did.” Miami, the No. 1 team in the country, comes to town next, so 4-4 is probably coming.
Beamer (+1500)
Quick turnaround here. A couple weeks ago he was the favorite. Now South Carolina has beaten Florida and No. 11 Tennessee (27-24, with a sold-out Williams-Brice), and it’s 4-3. He’s not safe, but he’s nowhere near where he was. That’s why he went from +600 to +1500.
Everybody else
Leipold’s Kansas beat Baylor 25-24 after Baylor’s 49-yard field goal try got blocked at the end. That’s the loss Baylor fired Aranda over the next day. Boston College ran for 399 yards in a 49-27 win at Georgia Tech, with Mason McKenzie getting 170 of them, and O’Brien is 4-3 and two wins from a bowl. Fickell’s Wisconsin beat No. 16 USC 24-7 and held the Trojans to minus-17 rushing yards, the first time the Badgers have beaten USC in the regular season. All three slide down the board.
Who got fired
Locksley (Wednesday): 2-5 this year, 39-54 overall, owed almost $10 million. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim is the interim.
Doeren (Saturday): 3-4 in year 14, after losing to Stanford. Todd Goebbel is the interim. He wasn’t on our list.
Aranda (Sunday): 4-3 this year and 40-40 in seven seasons. Joe Klanderman is the interim.
Odds and implied probabilities are for informational purposes only. Confirm current lines with a licensed sportsbook before betting, and gamble responsibly.
