For many, becoming the head coach of a major college football program is a lifelong dream. However, the “win now” culture of the sport can easily turn that dream into a nightmare.
Many coaches find themselves in a must-win situation before the season has even begun. So let’s take a look at four college football head coaches who must win in 2025 to save their jobs.
Hugh Freeze – Auburn
Hugh Freese (photo, ESPN)
Hugh Freeze is entering his third season as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers. His past head coaching stints at Ole Miss and Liberty University made Hugh Freeze’s arrival in Auburn an exciting prospect for the struggling Tigers program. However, things have not gone as planned over the last two seasons. Coach Freeze enters this season with an 11-14 record during his time at Auburn, with a mortifying 5-11 record in SEC conference play. He has a four-game losing streak in each of his first two seasons at Auburn. The Tigers are also 0-5 against their three biggest rivals ( Alabama, LSU, and Georgia) under Coach Freeze. Mix all of that with shocking non-conference losses to Cal, Maryland, and, most surprisingly of all, New Mexico State, and you have a coach that needs to turn things around and fast! But it won’t be easy. Auburn opens the 2025 season on the road at Baylor, and ends it hosting Alabama in the annual Iron Bowl match-up. And in the middle, they have a stretch where they play Oklahoma in Norman, Texas A&M in College Station, and host Georgia in back-to-back-to-back games. Coach Freeze must lead Auburn to pull off some major upsets if he wants to keep his job. His last name may be Freeze, but his seat is extremely hot.
Brent Pry – Virginia Tech
Brent Pry (photo courtesy On3)
Coach Pry is entering year number four as the head coach of the Hokies. He has a record of 16-21 in the previous three seasons and a record of 10-13 in ACC conference play. And so far, he has only had one season where the Hokies finished with a winning record. Those kinds of statistics will only be tolerated for so long. The good news is the schedule for Virginia Tech this season looks relatively easy, at least from a distance. They open the season against South Carolina in a neutral-site game in Atlanta, and then in November, they will host Louisville on November 1, and then have a bye week before playing at Florida State and hosting Miami in back-to-back games. Those are the only major obstacles I see for Virginia Tech this year, but I would be careful of trap games at NC State on September 27 and at Georgia Tech on October 11.
Sam Pittman – Arkansas
Sam Pittman (photo courtesy KNWA)
Sam Pittman has an interesting story, being hired as a head coach at the highest level of college football when his only previous head coaching experience was at the junior college level, and that was over thirty years ago. But in 2019, he was named the head coach at Arkansas. Now he enters his sixth season with a record of 30-31 overall, and 14-28 in SEC conference play. He had moderate success in the 2021 season, leading the Razorbacks to a 9-4 record and a victory in the Outback Bowl. But the Hogs haven’t been able to maintain that level of success since then, leaving many wondering how much longer Coach Pitman should be allowed to stay at Arkansas. The Razorbacks must step up this year if they want to stay. But it’s going to be very difficult. They play at Ole Miss on September 13 and will later host Notre Dame, play at Tennessee, and host Texas A&M in back-to-back games. A few weeks later, they will have another stretch, playing at LSU and at Texas in back-to-back games. The Razorbacks must shock the world more than once this season, or else Sam Pittman may be enjoying his “ole cold beer” from the unemployment line.
Mike Norvell – Florida State
Mike Norvell (photo courtesy WTXL)
Mike Norvell will be entering his sixth season as the head coach of the Seminoles. He has a 33-27 record overall and a 20-20 record in ACC conference play. He is also only two years removed from an undefeated regular season and an ACC championship. But it’s what happened last year that landed him on this list. FSU went from 13-1 in 2023 to 2-10 in 2024. Perhaps the only reason he wasn’t fired after last season was because of goodwill from the success of the 2023 season, but that goodwill will only last so long. As such, he must right the ship this year. I’m not saying he has to win the national championship or anything like that, but there must be significant improvement from last season. The four toughest games for FSU this season are hosting Alabama, hosting Miami, playing at Clemson, and playing at Florida. Other than that, this should be an easy schedule for the Noles to navigate this year. I would, however, be wary of a tarp game at NC State on November 21.
Reflections
These are not the only coaches that enter the 2025 season already on the hot seat. During my research for this article, I came across enough coaches who have fallen out of favor to make at least two of these lists, if not more.
Yes, being the head coach of a major college football program is a dream for many who enter the profession, but it is a dream with high expectations and a low margin for error. For the four men listed above, the dream is becoming a nightmare.
–Will the Hugh Freeze experiment at Auburn live to see another day?
–Will Brent Pry still run on the field to “Enter Sandman” in 2026?
–Will the “old cold beer” continue to flow in Arkansas?
–Will the Seminoles continue the C.L.I.M.B.?
Only time will tell.
