🏈 College Football
10 Coaches Feeling the Heat in 2025
Some are chasing legacy. Some are chasing their last paycheck. In 2025, the pressure’s brutal, the margin’s razor-thin, and one slow start could blow it all up. From Belichick in Chapel Hill to Venables in Norman — it’s put up or pack up season.

One Bad Month, and It’s Curtains.
1. Mike Gundy – Oklahoma State
The Mullet’s Magic Might’ve Run Out
- 2024: 3–9, winless in the Big 12
- Gave up 36 a game, defense in shambles
- Fanbase ready to hit eject after 18 straight winning seasons ended with a crash
OSU quietly restructured Gundy’s deal — his buyout is now $15M, which isn’t unthinkable. If he can’t turn it quick with two new coordinators? It might be exit stage left.
2. Billy Napier – Florida
Hot Finish or Just a Mirage?
Finished 2024 with a four-game heater and wins over LSU and Ole Miss.
But Florida expects Playoff runs, not “nice efforts.”
DJ Lagway is the truth, and the defense finished strong.
But a step backward this year?
The boosters will be asking questions…again.
3. Luke Fickell – Wisconsin
No More Excuses in Madison
Fickell arrived with Playoff buzz. Two years later?
- 2023: 7–6
- 2024: 5–7
- 2025 schedule: Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan
It’s about to get real.
New OC. New QB.
And if Wisconsin loses big at home this year? The whispers get louder.
4. Brent Venables – Oklahoma
This Is It. Win Now or Be Gone by Halloween
Two losing seasons in three years.
New OC? ✅
New QB? ✅
Elite expectations? Always.
The Sooners could start 5–0…
Or they could get steamrolled by Michigan, Texas, Bama, LSU, and Tennessee.
There’s no more learning curve.
5. Lincoln Riley – USC
Offense Slipped. Defense Improved. Result: Still Mid.
- 2022: 11–3
- 2023: 8–5
- 2024: 7–6
Not trending the right way.
Jayden Maiava is back, but the offense has holes and the Big Ten road trips are brutal.
USC had one road win in 2024 — at UCLA.
If this team doesn’t win at Oregon or Notre Dame? The shine wears off fast.
6. Kalen DeBoer – Alabama
Tuscaloosa Don’t Do Patience
9–4 is solid… unless you’re following Nick Saban.
Penalties were out of control, the offense stalled late, and Bama missed the Playoff.
DeBoer brings in Ryan Grubb to settle things down, but there’s no grace period.
If the Tide don’t hit double-digit wins again, expect heat — and noise.
7. Mike Norvell – Florida State
From Unbeaten to Unwatchable
2023: Left out of the CFP after a perfect season.
2024: 2–10 meltdown.
They’ve added weapons.
New OC (Gus Malzahn), new QB (Thomas Castellanos), and some SEC firepower.
But 6–6 won’t cut it. Norvell needs to deliver immediately, or the whispers become shouts.
8. Sam Pittman – Arkansas
The Honesty’s Real. The Pressure is Too.
Pittman doesn’t sugarcoat it:
“You want off the hot seat? Win more games.”
He’s 7–6 after a 4–8 year — but Arkansas fans want more than bowl eligibility.
Recruiting gets tougher every time his name’s on a “hot seat” list. And in the SEC, momentum is everything.
9. Bill Belichick – North Carolina
The Legend Steps Into the Chaos
This isn’t a grace-period year.
Belichick took the job to win now — and UNC fired Mack Brown to chase that very thing.
He’s never coached college ball. The program hasn’t won an ACC title since 1980.
He’s got NIL. He’s got attention.
Now let’s see if the GOAT can handle Wake Forest on a Thursday.
10. Hugh Freeze – Auburn
Rebuilding or Regressing?
- 2023: 6–7
- 2024: 5–7
Now comes Jackson Arnold to fix the QB spot.
Freeze has never had two losing years in a row until now.
If 2025 doesn’t pop — especially with LSU, Georgia, and Texas lurking — Auburn fans may move on fast.
🔥 Final Word from Unc:
Coaches don’t get fired for losing one game.
They get fired for killing momentum, for burning buzz, for losing locker rooms.
Some of these guys just need 8–4 to breathe.
Others? If they don’t make the Playoff, they’re gone.
Week 1 ain’t warm-up season anymore. The clock’s already ticking.
🏈 College Football
College Football ATS Standings – Week 4 Snapshot

🔥 Best ATS Performers (Undefeated Against the Spread)
- Florida State (2-0 ATS) – covering by wide margins early.
- Old Dominion (3-0 ATS) – flying under the radar, perfect vs the number.
- East Carolina (3-0 ATS) – strong start for bettors backing the Pirates.
- Vanderbilt (3-0 ATS) – cashing tickets, market may adjust soon.
- Georgia Tech (3-0 ATS) – sneaky value early.
- BYU (3-0 ATS) – Cougars keeping games close, good dog value.
- LSU (3-0 ATS) – chalk or not, Tigers are covering.
- Utah State (3-0 ATS) – Mountain West moneymaker.
- Indiana (3-0 ATS) – another underdog turning profits.
- Mississippi State (3-0 ATS) – Bulldogs rolling with consistency.
- James Madison (3-0 ATS) – Dukes keep cashing.
- Texas Tech (3-0 ATS) – strong vs market expectations.
🚨 Struggling ATS Teams
- Oregon (0-3 ATS) – winning, but not covering big numbers.
- Temple (0-3 ATS) – market fades proving correct so far.
- Nebraska (0-3 ATS) – 3-0 straight up but no covers.
- UTEP (0-3 ATS) – Miners are burning bettors.
- Saint Francis (0-3 ATS) – no traction early.
- USC (0-3 ATS) – public darling, but not paying out.
- Indiana State (0-3 ATS) – completely ice cold.
- Northwestern State (0-3 ATS) – fade-worthy.
- Bowling Green (0-3 ATS) – market overrating them.
- Cal (0-3 ATS) – Bears lagging vs expectations.
- Miami (OH) (0-3 ATS) – winless vs the number.
- Florida Atlantic (0-3 ATS) – struggling to meet lines.
- Wisconsin (0-3 ATS) – Badgers failing to cover.
- Arkansas State (0-3 ATS) – winless against the spread.
📌 Betting Tips
- Underdog Gold: Teams like Vanderbilt, Indiana, and James Madison are perfect ATS thanks to being undervalued by books.
- Overvalued Chalk: USC, Oregon, and Wisconsin are classic “public teams” that win straight up but fail to cover inflated spreads.
- Mid-major value: UTEP, Temple, and FAU remain fade material, while Old Dominion and East Carolina are early-season profit machines.
⚡ Key Takeaway: Don’t just bet records, bet perception. Teams like USC and Oregon are winning but bleeding ATS backers, while under-the-radar squads like James Madison and Old Dominion are quietly minting tickets.
🏈 College Football
Weather Watch: NCAA Football Week 4 Betting Impact

As we roll into Week 4, Mother Nature is lining up to play defense in several key matchups. Wind and rain can be as impactful as injuries, forcing coaches to lean on the ground game, change tempo, and turn high-scoring shootouts into grind-it-out slugfests. Here’s where the forecast matters most:
💨 Wind Trouble Spots
- Army vs North Texas – Gusts of 12–14 mph expected. That is right in Army’s comfort zone, their ground-heavy style will not blink while NT’s pass game could sputter.
- Nebraska vs #21 Michigan – Winds 12–15 mph in Lincoln. Passing efficiency takes a hit, and this total already had Under money.
- Wisconsin vs Maryland – Breezes 10–12 mph with cooler temps. Wisconsin’s run-first approach fits the script.
- Kansas vs West Virginia – Forecast calling for 15+ mph winds. Passing and kicking could get ugly, making this one a prime Under candidate.
- Notre Dame vs Purdue – About 12 mph in South Bend. Irish offense already searching, wind may cap explosive plays.
- BYU vs East Carolina – Steady 10–12 mph in Provo. Slight lean Under, especially with two inconsistent passing attacks.
🌧️ Rain on the Radar
- Florida vs #4 Miami (FL) – Humid with scattered showers. Slick conditions could dampen Miami’s vertical passing and keep this closer than the line suggests.
- #13 Ole Miss vs Tulane – Light showers possible in New Orleans. Nothing severe, but could slow tempo and affect footing.
- Arkansas vs Memphis – Spotty rain with wind. If it lingers, Memphis’ balanced attack could lean heavier on the run.
🌙 Late-Night Chill
- #6 Oregon vs Oregon State – Clear skies, temps dipping into the low 50s. Advantage Ducks with depth, but expect some slower starts.
- #25 USC vs Michigan State – Mid-50s and breezy. Ball control might play a bigger role than expected.
- Colorado vs Wyoming – Cool, around 50°, with altitude in play. Passing may get tested late in the game.
📌 Takeaways
- Unders are in play across the Midwest: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Kansas/WVU all project as wind-impacted totals.
- Rain threats in Florida, Ole Miss/Tulane, and Arkansas/Memphis games could mute explosive plays and favor underdogs.
- Late-night edges point to tempo dips in the Pac-12 and Big Ten matchups, with USC, Oregon, and Colorado games all leaning cooler and slower.
⚡ Bottom line: Weather is a hidden line mover. Pay attention before you fire. Today’s board has multiple matchups where wind and rain might dictate the pace more than the oddsmakers.
🏈 College Football
Biggest Line Movers – NCAA Football Week 4

The Week 4 slate is already buzzing, with oddsmakers making heavy adjustments from the openers. Here’s a breakdown of where the biggest shifts have landed:
🚨 Major Swings & Flips
- Army vs North Texas – Opener NT -1.5, now Army -2.5. A full 4-point swing and outright flip to Army.
- Nebraska vs Michigan (#21) – Wolverines opened -3.5, now around -1/PK. Strong early backing on the home Huskers.
- Notre Dame (#24) vs Purdue – Irish fell from -27.5 → -24.5/-25.5. Bettors fading ND’s heavy chalk after a slow start.
- Miami (FL) (#4) vs Florida – Canes trimmed from -9.5 → -7/-7.5. Big move toward the Gators.
- Ole Miss (#13) vs Tulane – Rebels dropped from -12.5 → -10.5/-11. Tulane earning sharp respect.
📉 Money Against the Favorites
- Texas vs Sam Houston St – Longhorns -41.5 → -39. Few bettors eager to lay over 40.
- Western Kentucky vs Nevada – Hilltoppers -11.5 → -9.5. Market grabbing Nevada.
- Missouri (#23) vs South Carolina – Tigers cut from -11.5 → -9.5/-10. SC backers piling in.
📈 Steam on the Favorites
- Wisconsin vs Maryland – Badgers opened -7.5, now -9.5/-10. Early Wisconsin money showing.
- Boise State @ Air Force – Broncos -9.5 → -11/-12. Market siding with Boise.
- Oklahoma (#11) vs Auburn (#22) – Sooners -5.5 → -6.5. Sharps laying the number.
- Kansas vs West Virginia – KU -11.5 → -12.5/-13.5. Confidence in Jayhawks’ offense.
📝 Takeaways
- Two outright flips (Army, Nebraska) define this week’s action.
- Public darlings fading: Notre Dame, Miami, and Ole Miss all seeing resistance.
- Sharps boosting Big Ten power: Wisconsin money is strong.
- Underdog bites: Nevada, Sam Houston, and South Carolina all drawing buy-back.
🏈 College Football
Kentucky’s Last-Second FG: The Cover Nobody Asked For

Ole Miss fans should’ve left Kroger Field celebrating a hard-fought SEC road win. Instead, anyone holding a betting slip was either popping champagne or throwing it across the room after Kentucky pulled one of the strangest late-game moves in recent memory: a field goal with 10 seconds left to cut the score to 30–23.
Rebels Get Their Revenge
No. 20 Ole Miss (2–0) avenged last year’s 20–17 home loss to Kentucky by doing what Lane Kiffin teams do best—piling up yards and explosive plays.
- Kewan Lacy: 138 rushing yards and a touchdown, carrying the load and chewing clock.
- Austin Simmons: 235 passing yards, overcoming two early interceptions that had the Rebels in a 10–0 hole.
- Harrison Wallace III: 117 receiving yards, including a 55-yard bomb that flipped the game’s momentum.
Ole Miss finished with 457 yards of offense and four plays of 20+ yards. They’re averaging 575 yards per game through two weeks. That’s PlayStation numbers.
Kentucky Fights, But…
The Wildcats (1–1, 0–1 SEC) extended their losing streak in league play to eight games. Zach Calzada threw for 149 yards before leaving with a shoulder injury, while Seth McGowan provided the punch with 88 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensive back Ty Bryant was a first-half star, snagging two interceptions in back-to-back possessions that Kentucky turned into touchdowns. The Wildcats led early, but Ole Miss’ offense eventually wore them down.
Then Came the Kick
Down 10 points with seconds left, Kentucky lined up for a field goal. Not a Hail Mary, not a desperate end-zone shot, a field goal. The snap, the hold, the kick—good. Final score: 30–23.
On the field, it meant nothing. For bettors, it meant everything. Kentucky was a 9.5-point underdog. That kick? The ultimate backdoor cover.
- Ole Miss -9.5 bettors: “We hate this team forever.”
- Kentucky +9.5 bettors: “Mark Stoops is a genius.”
- Everyone else: “Wait… why are they kicking?”
The Bigger Picture
For Ole Miss, it’s a résumé win and proof this offense can travel. Lane Kiffin’s crew is 2–0, averaging over 1,100 yards across their first two games, and set to keep climbing in the polls.
For Kentucky, the effort was there, the execution wasn’t. Eight straight SEC losses is a nasty stat, but Stoops praised the fight of his team: “I like the way they fight and scrap. They’ll improve.” Maybe so. But in the meantime, the Wildcats will be remembered for kicking a field goal that mattered only in Vegas.
Up Next
- Ole Miss: Hosts Arkansas next Saturday.
- Kentucky: Hosts Eastern Michigan in a game that’s unlikely to cause quite as much chaos—unless Stoops lines up another last-second field goal for the spread.