Things were calm all year then suddenly it exploded. Starting with the two fired for off the field reasons.
Northwestern-Fired Pat Fitzgerald on July 7 due to a hazing scandal. He was 110-101 and 65-76 in the Big Ten in 17 seasons. David Braun is the interim coach.
Braun named permanent coach on November 15.
Michigan State-Fired Mel Tucker on September 10 for NSFW reasons after a 2-0 start. He was 20-14 and 12-13 in his fourth season and 25-21 as a college coach overall. Harlon Bennett is interim coach.
Hired Oregon State HC Jonathan Smith on November 26.
Texas A&M-Fired Jimbo Fisher on November 12. He was 45-25 and 27-21 in the SEC in six seasons. He was 6-4 and 4-3 this year. Career record is 128-48. Elijah Robinson is the interim coach.
Hired Duke HC Mike Elko on November 26.
Mississippi State-Fired Zach Arnett on November 13. He was 4-6 and 1-6 in his only season. He is 5-6 overall after winning the bowl game last season after the death of Mike Leach. Interim coach is Greg Knox, who was 1-0 as an interim in 2017 after Dan Mullen left and 1-1 at Florida in 2021 after Mullen was fired.
Hired Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby on November 26.
San Diego State-Brady Hoke to retire at the end of the season. He is 3-7 this year and 1-5 in the Mountain West. In his career (including a previous stint at SDSU, Michigan, and interim at Tennessee) he is 104-91.
Hired Colorado OC Sean Lewis on November 28.
Boise State-Fired Andy Avalos on September 12. He was 5-5 and 4-2 in the MWC this year and 22-14 and 17-6 in three seasons. Spencer Danielson is the interim coach.
Danielson named official HC on December 3.
Syracuse-Fired Dino Babers on November 19. He was 5-6 this year and 1-6 in the ACC. In eight seasons he was 41-55 and 20-45. He has a career record of 78-71. Nunzio Campenile will coach the final game of the season.
Georgia DB Coach Fran Brown hired on November 28.
Indiana-Fired Tom Allen on November 26. He was 3-9 this year and 1-8 in the Big Ten. In seven seasons he was 33-49 and 18-43.
Hired James Madison HC Curt Cignetti on November 30
Houston-Fired Dana Holgorsen on November 26. He was 4-8 this year and 2-7 in the Big XII. In five seasons he was 31-28 and 20-19 in conference play. His career record is 92-69.
Hired Tulane HC Willie Fritz on December 3.
UTEP-Fired Dana Dimel on November 26. He was 3-9 this year and 2-6 in CUSA. In six years he was 20-49 and 10-34. His career record is 50-88.
Hired UTEP HC on December 4.
New Mexico-Fired Danny Gonzales on November 26. He was 4-8 and 2-6 in the MWC this year. In four seasons he was 11-32 and 5-26.
Former BYU and Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall hired on December 5.
Louisiana-Monroe-Fired Terry Bowden on November 26. He was 2-10 and 0-8 in the Sun Belt. In three years he was 10-26 and 5-19. His career record is 185-140-2.
Hired former UAB coach Bryant Vincent on December 5.
Duke-Mike Elko resigns to take head coach job at Texas A&M. He was 7-5 this year and 4-4 in the ACC. In two years he was 16-9 and 9-7.
Hires former Miami HC Manny Diaz on December 7.
Oregon State-Jonathan Smith resigns to take the head coach position at Michigan State. He was 8-4 this year and 5-4 in the PAC-12. In six years he was 34-35 and 23-29.
DC Trent Bray promoted to head coach on November 28.
MTSU-Fired Rick Stockstill on November 27. He was 4-8 this year and 3-5 in CUSA. In 18 seasons he was 113-111 and 82-58.
Hires former Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason on December 5.
James Madison-Curt Cignetti resigns to take Indiana HC job on November 30. He was 11-1 this year and 7-1 in the Sun Belt. In five years he was 52-9 and 31-4. His career record is 119-35.
Hired Holy Cross HC Bob Cheney on December 7.
Nevada-Fired Ken Wilson on December 1. He was 2-10 this year and 2-6 in the MWC. In two seasons he was 4-20 and 2-14.
Hires Texas DC Jeff Choate on December 4.
Tulane-Willie Fritz resigns on December 3 to take HC job at Houston. He was 11-2 this year and 8-0 in the AAC. In eight years he was 54-47 and 31-33. His career record is 247-121.
Hired Troy HC on December 8
Wyoming-Craig Bohl retires on December 6. He was 8-4 this year and 5-3 in the MWC. In ten years he was 60-60 and 37-41. His career record is 163-92, including three FCS national championships at NDSU.
DC Jay Sawvel named head coach immediately afterwards.
Troy-John Sumrall resigns on December 8 to become HC at Tulane.
Hired Notre Dame OC Gerard Parker on December 18
Alabama-Nick Saban retires on January 10. He was 12-2 this year and 8-0 in the SEC. In 17 years he was 206-29 and 120-18. In 28 seasons overall he was 297-71-1.
Hired Washington HC Kalen DeBoer on January 12.
Washington- Kalen DeBoer resigned on January 12 to be the HC at Alabama. He was 14-1 this year and 9-0 in the Pac-12. In two seasons he was 25-3 and 16-2. His career record is 109-12.
Northwestern-Fired Pat Fitzgerald on July 7 due to a hazing scandal. He was 110-101 and 65-76 in the Big Ten in 17 seasons. David Braun is the interim coach.
Braun named permanent coach on November 15.
Michigan State-Fired Mel Tucker on September 10 for NSFW reasons after a 2-0 start. He was 20-14 and 12-13 in his fourth season and 25-21 as a college coach overall. Harlon Bennett is interim coach.
Hired Oregon State HC Jonathan Smith on November 26.
Texas A&M-Fired Jimbo Fisher on November 12. He was 45-25 and 27-21 in the SEC in six seasons. He was 6-4 and 4-3 this year. Career record is 128-48. Elijah Robinson is the interim coach.
Hired Duke HC Mike Elko on November 26.
Mississippi State-Fired Zach Arnett on November 13. He was 4-6 and 1-6 in his only season. He is 5-6 overall after winning the bowl game last season after the death of Mike Leach. Interim coach is Greg Knox, who was 1-0 as an interim in 2017 after Dan Mullen left and 1-1 at Florida in 2021 after Mullen was fired.
Hired Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby on November 26.
San Diego State-Brady Hoke to retire at the end of the season. He is 3-7 this year and 1-5 in the Mountain West. In his career (including a previous stint at SDSU, Michigan, and interim at Tennessee) he is 104-91.
Hired Colorado OC Sean Lewis on November 28.
Boise State-Fired Andy Avalos on September 12. He was 5-5 and 4-2 in the MWC this year and 22-14 and 17-6 in three seasons. Spencer Danielson is the interim coach.
Danielson named official HC on December 3.
Syracuse-Fired Dino Babers on November 19. He was 5-6 this year and 1-6 in the ACC. In eight seasons he was 41-55 and 20-45. He has a career record of 78-71. Nunzio Campenile will coach the final game of the season.
Georgia DB Coach Fran Brown hired on November 28.
Indiana-Fired Tom Allen on November 26. He was 3-9 this year and 1-8 in the Big Ten. In seven seasons he was 33-49 and 18-43.
Hired James Madison HC Curt Cignetti on November 30
Houston-Fired Dana Holgorsen on November 26. He was 4-8 this year and 2-7 in the Big XII. In five seasons he was 31-28 and 20-19 in conference play. His career record is 92-69.
Hired Tulane HC Willie Fritz on December 3.
UTEP-Fired Dana Dimel on November 26. He was 3-9 this year and 2-6 in CUSA. In six years he was 20-49 and 10-34. His career record is 50-88.
Hired UTEP HC on December 4.
New Mexico-Fired Danny Gonzales on November 26. He was 4-8 and 2-6 in the MWC this year. In four seasons he was 11-32 and 5-26.
Former BYU and Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall hired on December 5.
Louisiana-Monroe-Fired Terry Bowden on November 26. He was 2-10 and 0-8 in the Sun Belt. In three years he was 10-26 and 5-19. His career record is 185-140-2.
Hired former UAB coach Bryant Vincent on December 5.
Duke-Mike Elko resigns to take head coach job at Texas A&M. He was 7-5 this year and 4-4 in the ACC. In two years he was 16-9 and 9-7.
Hires former Miami HC Manny Diaz on December 7.
Oregon State-Jonathan Smith resigns to take the head coach position at Michigan State. He was 8-4 this year and 5-4 in the PAC-12. In six years he was 34-35 and 23-29.
DC Trent Bray promoted to head coach on November 28.
MTSU-Fired Rick Stockstill on November 27. He was 4-8 this year and 3-5 in CUSA. In 18 seasons he was 113-111 and 82-58.
Hires former Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason on December 5.
James Madison-Curt Cignetti resigns to take Indiana HC job on November 30. He was 11-1 this year and 7-1 in the Sun Belt. In five years he was 52-9 and 31-4. His career record is 119-35.
Hired Holy Cross HC Bob Cheney on December 7.
Nevada-Fired Ken Wilson on December 1. He was 2-10 this year and 2-6 in the MWC. In two seasons he was 4-20 and 2-14.
Hires Texas DC Jeff Choate on December 4.
Tulane-Willie Fritz resigns on December 3 to take HC job at Houston. He was 11-2 this year and 8-0 in the AAC. In eight years he was 54-47 and 31-33. His career record is 247-121.
Hired Troy HC on December 8
Wyoming-Craig Bohl retires on December 6. He was 8-4 this year and 5-3 in the MWC. In ten years he was 60-60 and 37-41. His career record is 163-92, including three FCS national championships at NDSU.
DC Jay Sawvel named head coach immediately afterwards.
Troy-John Sumrall resigns on December 8 to become HC at Tulane.
Hired Notre Dame OC Gerard Parker on December 18
Alabama-Nick Saban retires on January 10. He was 12-2 this year and 8-0 in the SEC. In 17 years he was 206-29 and 120-18. In 28 seasons overall he was 297-71-1.
Hired Washington HC Kalen DeBoer on January 12.
Washington- Kalen DeBoer resigned on January 12 to be the HC at Alabama. He was 14-1 this year and 9-0 in the Pac-12. In two seasons he was 25-3 and 16-2. His career record is 109-12.
Last edited:
