If you predicted in August that Penn State'sJames Franklin would be the next Big Ten coach firedafter UCLA's DeShaun Foster, I suggest you contact the feds and offer them your psychic services to help solve a few crimes.
Franklin beatLuke Fickellto the buyout bag, opening one of the Big Ten's top jobs.
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As the season hits its midpoint,the coaching carouselis already shifted into high gear. Give it a few more weeks, and it'll be twirling at warp speed.
Here are some questions left on my mind after a seismic Week 7:
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
Auburn fired coach Hugh Freeze on Nov. 2 following a home loss to Kentucky. Freeze was 15-19 in two-plus seasons on the Plains.
(John Reed, John Reed-Imagn Images)
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 after an embarrassing home loss to Texas A&M the night before.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)
Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19 during his fourth season as Gators coach. UF was 22-23 during Napier's tenure.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)
Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a third straight loss. The Nittany Lions were 104-45 in 11-plus seasons under Franklin.
(Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12 after a 2-4 start to the 2025 season. Dilfer was in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.
(Randy Sartin, Imagn Images)
Sam Pittman was fired by Arkansas on Sept. 25, a day after the Razorbacks were blown out by Notre Dame, 56-13. Pittman was 32-34 in his five-plus seasons as Hogs coach.
(Nelson Chenault, Imagn Images)
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after the Hokies started the season 0-3. Virginia Tech was 16-24 overall in Pry's three-plus seasons.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14 after the Bruins fell to 0-3 following a home loss to New Mexico. The Bruins were 5-10 in Foster's one-plus season in charge.
(Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
Mike Gundy was in his 21st season as Oklahoma State coach when he was fired on Sept. 23. Gundy was 170-90 as Cowboys coach, but started 1-2 this season after going 3-9 in 2024.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
Oregon State fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12 after the Beavers started the season 0-7. The Beavers were 5-14 in Bray's season-plus in Corvallis.
(Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)
Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was 18-26 in his four seasons in Fort Collins.
(Logan Newell/The Coloradoan)
Stanford coach Troy Taylor was fired prior to the 2025 season following allegations of mistreating staff. He was 6-18 in two seasons with the Cardinal and was replaced by interim coach Frank Reich.
(Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
Kent State coach fired coach Kenni Burns on April 15 after he posted a 1-23 record of and was placed on administrative leave by the school in March. Mark Carney is serving as interim coach.
(Matthew O'Haren, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Auburn fired coach Hugh Freeze on Nov. 2 following a home loss to Kentucky. Freeze was 15-19 in two-plus seasons on the Plains.
(John Reed, John Reed-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 after an embarrassing home loss to Texas A&M the night before.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)
4/14
College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19 during his fourth season as Gators coach. UF was 22-23 during Napier's tenure.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a third straight loss. The Nittany Lions were 104-45 in 11-plus seasons under Franklin.
(Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
6/14
College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12 after a 2-4 start to the 2025 season. Dilfer was in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.
(Randy Sartin, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Sam Pittman was fired by Arkansas on Sept. 25, a day after the Razorbacks were blown out by Notre Dame, 56-13. Pittman was 32-34 in his five-plus seasons as Hogs coach.
(Nelson Chenault, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after the Hokies started the season 0-3. Virginia Tech was 16-24 overall in Pry's three-plus seasons.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
9/14
College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14 after the Bruins fell to 0-3 following a home loss to New Mexico. The Bruins were 5-10 in Foster's one-plus season in charge.
(Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
10/14
College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Mike Gundy was in his 21st season as Oklahoma State coach when he was fired on Sept. 23. Gundy was 170-90 as Cowboys coach, but started 1-2 this season after going 3-9 in 2024.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Oregon State fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12 after the Beavers started the season 0-7. The Beavers were 5-14 in Bray's season-plus in Corvallis.
(Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was 18-26 in his four seasons in Fort Collins.
(Logan Newell/The Coloradoan)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Stanford coach Troy Taylor was fired prior to the 2025 season following allegations of mistreating staff. He was 6-18 in two seasons with the Cardinal and was replaced by interim coach Frank Reich.
(Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Kent State coach fired coach Kenni Burns on April 15 after he posted a 1-23 record of and was placed on administrative leave by the school in March. Mark Carney is serving as interim coach.
(Matthew O'Haren, Imagn Images)
Where did Penn State go wrong with James Franklin?
Franklin's losses to UCLA and Northwestern earned him a trip to buyout beach, where the drinks are paid for and the sun always shines.
Penn Stateowes Franklin a buyout topping $49 million, according to his term sheet, good for the second-largest severance pay day in college football history. That's a sweet reward for losing to two unranked teams that were big underdogs in consecutive weeks, but that's what happens when a school awards a coach a fully guaranteed contract.
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Not accounting for bonuses, fully guaranteed contracts award a coach the same compensation whether he sizzles or fizzles.
So, why not fizzle, collect the failure money and head to a cush job with the ACC Network? That'swhat Jimbo Fisher did. He owns the record for biggest buyout in college football history, topping $76 million.
What did Fisher and Franklin have in common?
Couple of things: They had Jimmy Sexton as their agent. Their contracts were fully guaranteed, meaning they're owed their full compensation through the end of their contract term, so long as they're not fired for cause.
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The Aggies won no conference championships and made no playoff appearances with Fisher. Penn State won one conference title and made the playoff once in 12 seasons with Franklin.
After Franklin switched agents to Sexton, he received a 10-year contract extension in 2021 with his compensation fully guaranteed. Sandy Barbour was Penn State's athletic director at the time. Interestingly, that deal came at a rocky point of Franklin's tenure. He went 4-5 in 2020 and 7-6 in 2021 but nonetheless cashed in.
Penn State never released Franklin's full contract. The term sheet it released does not address whether he has a duty to mitigate the damages.
Fisher's first contract with Texas A&M was fully guaranteed. He left Florida State for the offer. He maintained a fully guaranteed deal after receiving a contract extension before the 2021 season that upped his salary and buyout. A little more than two years later, Texas A&M fired him.
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Fisher did not have a duty to mitigate the damages, meaning he could collect his buyout and also cash checks from the ACC Network.
Awarding a coach a fully guaranteed contract with no duty to mitigate amounts to negotiation lunacy.
"Essentially, a coach could be owed $77 million, get fired not for cause, and the next day double dip and get another (lucrative) contract," expert sports lawyer Martin Greenberg said to me recently, while discussing the phenomenon of fully guaranteed contracts, "which I find unbelievable and amazing and not something that colleges are going to be able to handle in the new era of revenue sharing and essentially pay-for-play."
We'll see about that last part. If revenue sharing with athletes and pay-for-play ends the practice of fully guaranteed contracts, that's a worthy outcome.
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Does Oregon need to win out to make College Football Playoff?
Maybe.
Think about it, Oregon's best win came at Penn State, which subsequently lost to UCLA and Northwestern. TheDuckssubsequently lost at home toIndiana, 30-20.
Oregon will be in fine shape with one loss. If the committee admitted one-loss Indiana last season, then it's also going to admit one-loss Oregon.
But, what about if Oregon finishes 10-2, devoid of signature victories? That could leave the Ducks vulnerable, especially if Texas Tech and Miami each suffered a first loss in their respective conference championship game and nabbed at-large bids, turning the ACC and Big 12 into two-bid leagues.
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Oregon's remaining schedule features just one game against a ranked opponent, and are we sure Southern California is going to be ranked when that game is played on Nov. 22 in Eugene?
If the Ducks want to leave no doubt, they need to rip off six straight victories. The road begins this week at Rutgers.
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Roman Hemby #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates with Fernando Mendoza #15 after a touchdown during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Indiana Curt Cignetti expresses his anger after a pass interference no call against Oregon during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium October 11, 2025.
(Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard, Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Kellan Wyatt #13 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after a sack during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs out of the pocket during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Indiana Hoosiers mascot Hoosier The Bison poses for a photo before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Jamari Johnson #9 of the Oregon Ducks is hit by Aiden Fisher #4 of the Indiana Hoosiers after making a catch during the first half at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt hauls in a pass under cover from Oregon defensive back Sione Laulea as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Oct. 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard, Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase pressures Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Oct. 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard, Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers enters the field before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
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Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Roman Hemby #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates with Fernando Mendoza #15 after a touchdown during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
1/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Roman Hemby #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates with Fernando Mendoza #15 after a touchdown during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
2/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
Indiana Curt Cignetti expresses his anger after a pass interference no call against Oregon during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium October 11, 2025.
(Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard, Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
3/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Kellan Wyatt #13 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after a sack during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
4/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs out of the pocket during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
5/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Indiana Hoosiers mascot Hoosier The Bison poses for a photo before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
6/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Jamari Johnson #9 of the Oregon Ducks is hit by Aiden Fisher #4 of the Indiana Hoosiers after making a catch during the first half at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
7/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
8/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt hauls in a pass under cover from Oregon defensive back Sione Laulea as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Oct. 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard, Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
9/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase pressures Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Oct. 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard, Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
10/10
Indiana football, yes, Indiana football ends Oregon home win streak in top-10 showdown
EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 11: Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers enters the field before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Could Indiana earn a No. 1 playoff seed?
Yes. Why not?
The Hoosiers look legit, and their next six games are against unranked opponents. Take care of business, roll into the Big Ten championship undefeated, upset Ohio State and seize that No. 1 seed.
Crazier things have happened. Heck, a coach got fired nine months after coaching in a CFP semifinal.
