Luke Fickell – Liquid Hot Magma
Going into year four, Luke Fickell has a 17-21 record at Wisconsin. The Badgers aren’t considered a “blue blood” by any stretch, but it’s a program that’s used to winning a lot of football games and being in the race to win the conference. In Paul Chryst’s eight seasons (2015-2022), he went 67-26 with four 10-win seasons and won the division 3 times. Fickell needs to show that Wisconsin could get back to that level, because just a winning record isn’t going to save his job.
Mike Locksley – Hot
There was a point when Maryland looked pretty good under Locksley. Back-to-back 8-win seasons and 3 bowl victories can keep Terp fans content. Unfortunately, the last two years included 4 wins apiece. It looks like Maryland might be trending down, and another disappointing year will be the end of the Locksley era in College Park.
Barry Odom – Warming Up Fast
Odom’s first year as the head coach of Purdue didn’t go as planned. The Boilermakers went 2-10 without a single win against a Power 4 team. He is definitely going to get some slack, but another awful season could have the Purdue brass looking to cut and run.
Matt Rhule – Not Hot Due to Contract
I’ll keep this short since he isn’t in danger of being fired. Matt Rhule hasn’t been living up to Nebraska’s expectations, and the fanbase is getting anxious, making his seat uncomfortable. However, the program is showing signs of stability, which couldn’t have been said over the last decade. His contract is also colossal. He isn’t going anywhere, unless there is some sort of scandal.
