5 CFB coaches on hot seat who desperately need a winning season to save their jobs ft. Billy Napier 

Head coaching jobs in college football are highly volatile, and some coaches are only a bad season away from being fired. It not only applies to newcomers but also veterans who, despite having past success, may be out of a job if they are not able to produce expected results.

Several high-profile coaches entering the 2025 season may be at the end of the firing line and need a 10-plus win season to avoid just that.

Here's a closer look at five such coaches.

5 CFB coaches who badly need a 10-plus winning season

#1. Billy Napier (Florida Gators)

Syndication: Gainesville Sun - Source: Imagn

After back-to-back losing seasons, including a 6-7 record in 2022 and a 5-7 finish in 2023, Billy Napier was able to put out a winning season with the Florida Gators, finishing 2024 with an 8-5 record overall while going 4-4 SEC play.

However, the pressure is still mounting as Napier may still need to do even better, like winning 10 games and making the College Football Playoff. It helps that the committee has decided to switch back to ranking-based qualification rather than giving conference champions a spot in the 12-team field.

#2. Brent Venables (Oklahoma Sooners)

Syndication: The Oklahoman - Source: Imagn

Oklahoma changed conferences in 2024, shifting from the Big 12 to the SEC but they couldn't sustain the momentum in the process. Venables led the team to a 10-3 in 2024 but dropped to a 6-7 record while going 2-6 in SEC play.

While this was bound to happen, given the SEC is a much more competitive conference than Big 12, Venables will still have a sword to his neck if he's not able to do well in 2025.

#3. Dave Aranda (Baylor Bears)

NCAA Football: Baylor at Houston - Source: Imagn

Aranda saw early success with the Bears, registering a 12-2 season in 2021, but since then the program has yet to register a double-digit win season again.

In the last three seasons, Baylor has gone 6-7 (2022), 3-9 (2023) and 8-5 (2024). While 2024 was an improvement, the program wants Aranda to reprive his past success and get them to at least conference championship contenders next season.

#4. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin Badgers)

Syndication: Journal Sentinel - Source: Imagn

Wisconsin registered a losing season in 2024 (5-7) after going 7-6 with a bowl game appearance the season before. Last season marked the program's first missed bowl appearance in over two decades. What makes it even worse is that the program has not been able to maximize its fruitful recruiting returns.

As such, Fickell won't have job security if he manages just another losing season.

#5. Clark Lea (Vanderbilt Commodores)

NCAA Football: Birmingham Bowl-Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt - Source: Imagn

Lea may have already removed the target off his back after posting a 7-6 2024 finish one year after registering a 2-10 season the year before.

However, that doesn't mean the program won't fire him if he gets back and records a losing season. Lea will need to show last season wasn't just a fluke and produce another winning season.