College Football Coach Firing Odds: Who Will Be the Next to Go?

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The 2025 college coach firing season is upon us. Already, UCLA coach DeShaun Foster and Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry have been let go after disappointing starts to the season. On average, each year, 16 college football coaches are fired.

It has pundits and fans alike asking, “Who is next?” Other fans are begging for their team’s underperforming coach to be canned early in the season. RotoGrinders evaluated SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big 10, and Independent conference football teams to find the odds of each college football coach being fired. These odds take into consideration team performance, program expectations, and known pressures, including fan sentiment.

Unsurprisingly, Billy Napier tops the list with a 4/1 chance of being fired. The Gator’s coach heard “Fire Billy” chants from his fans after the painful loss to LSU. It will take a steep $19.38 million buyout for Florida to replace Napier. The odds say the college may be willing to take the hit.

Similarly, odds aren’t looking encouraging for Marcus Freeman. While Freeman is believed to have six more years on his contract, Fighting Irish fans are furious about the team’s start to the season. Mike Gundy faces odds that match Freeman’s bleak ones.

College Football Coaches Most Likely To Be Fired
Coach Team Conference Fraction American Odds Implied Probability
Billy Napier Florida SEC 4/1 +400 20.0%
Marcus Freeman Notre Dame Independent 6/1 +600 14.3%
Mike Gundy Oklahoma State Big 12 6/1 +600 14.3%
Dabo Swinney Clemson ACC 10/1 +1000 9.1%
Justin Wilcox California ACC 10/1 +1000 9.1%
Sam Pittman Arkansas SEC 10/1 +1000 9.1%
Bill O’Brien Boston College ACC 12/1 +1200 7.7%
Fran Brown Syracuse ACC 12/1 +1200 7.7%
Rich Rodriguez West Virginia Big 12 12/1 +1200 7.7%
Jeff Lebby Mississippi State SEC 12/1 +1200 7.7%

Odds above are for entertainment purposes only. These do not reflect odds that may be available on betting apps.

If you see these coaches sweating on the sidelines Saturday, it’s not the weather they are feeling; it’s their performance. Undeniably, it hasn’t been a promising start for these coaches.

Yet, sometimes teams and players turn around and surprise you. Sleeper picks exist for a reason; initial performance does not always spell out the season’s performance. If you’re interested in spicing up your fantasy college football team with undervalued players, consider checking out the Underdog promo code and Sleeper promo code when getting started.

Ultimately, on an individual level, there is a high chance many of these coaches will not be fired, and even poor-performing coaches often scrape by to the end of the season. However, collectively as a group, this is the bunch most likely to get dismissed.

Image Credit: Imagn

About the Author

kathymorris
(kathymorris)

Kathy is Digital PR Specialist and creates fun, data based content. Her research has been featured by the WSJ, FastCompany, Cornell, the LATimes, and more. She lives in St. Louis, MO, home of the worst pizza and the best baseball team. She spends her free time building data visualizations, reading, and hoping this year the Cards make it far enough she gets to wear her Cardinals’ sweatshirt.