UCLA Beats Virginia Tech

[silverscreenselect]

... in the race to be the first college team to fire its coach this season. UCLA, 0-3 after a loss to New Mexico, fired head coach DeShaun Foster a few minutes before Virginia Tech, also 0-3 after a loss to Old Dominion, fired head coach Brent Pry.

For those interested, Georgia Tech hosts Virginia Tech on October 11. I'll be there.

[Bob78164]

Given how the Bruins have been playing, I was surprised to see that they'd beaten anyone. Thanks for clarifying. --Bob

[silverscreenselect]

Oklahoma State joined the coachless club four games into the season when they fired head coach Mike Gundy after a 1-2 start (they had an offweek earlier this season) that followed a 3-9 season last year. The two losses this year were a 69-3 loss to Oregon and their first loss to Tulsa in 50 years.

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Arkansas joins the club, as coach Sam Pittman was fired after the team's third straight loss, a 56-13 home blowout by Notre Dame.

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Going out west this time to the now-Pac 2, as Oregon State fired head coach Trent Bray after an 0-7 start, whose most recent showing was a 39-14 home loss to Wake Forest yesterday.

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When it rains, it pours. Penn State has fired coach James Franklin following the team's third straight loss, this time to Northwestern (their second straight loss as a 20-point favorite). Last year, Penn State made the national semi-finals, but they weren't going back to the CFP this year with an 0-3 conference record and losing QB Drew Allar for the season with an injury.

[silverscreenselect]

A very busy Sunday. UAB fired head coach (and former NFL quarterback) Trent Dilfer today as well. The team was 2-4 this season and on a three game losing streak.

[BackInTex]

When it rains, it pours. Penn State has fired coach James Franklin following the team's third straight loss, this time to Northwestern (their second straight loss as a 20-point favorite). Last year, Penn State made the national semi-finals, but they weren't going back to the CFP this year with an 0-3 conference record and losing QB Drew Allar for the season with an injury.

We're still #1 (Texas A&M) in the fired coach buyout game.

Penn State owes James Franklin $45-$50 million.
Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher $76 million because he was terrible at his job.

I'm still looking for a job, not necessarily on this scale, that pays huge bonuses and retirement packages for failure. I think I'd be good at that.

[silverscreenselect]

We're still #1 (Texas A&M) in the fired coach buyout game.

Not on point but quite interesting. Sports Illustrated has the following projection model this week for the 2025 CFP Playoff:

College Football Playoff projected rankings after Week 7

Ohio State
Miami
Alabama
Texas Tech
Indiana
Georgia
Texas A&M
Oregon
Ole Miss
Georgia Tech
Notre Dame
USF

First Round

No. 12 USF at No. 5 Indiana
No. 11 Notre Dame at No. 6 Georgia
No. 10 Georgia Tech at No. 7 Texas A&M
No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 Oregon

No. 10 Georgia Tech at No. 7 Texas A&M

There’s no shortage of storylines around a potential Haynes King bowl between his current team and his former one. A trip to Duke might just be the biggest game for the Yellow Jackets until the regular-season finale against Georgia—and that’s much more of a toss-up than previously expected.

https://www.si.com/college-football/col ... ech-big-12

For what it's worth, the CFP committee doesn't go by a predetermined formula to select/seed teams like professional sports do. I have a feeling they can and would play with the seedings enough to get attractive first-round matchups. Last year, Indiana played Notre Dame in the first round, a natural matchup to attract media and fan attention (but a pretty mediocre game).Georgia Tech-Texas A&M would get a lot of viewers.

[silverscreenselect]

Billy Napier is out at Florida after 3 1/2 seasons. Like Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, Napier was actually fired after winning a game against traditional SEC doormat Mississippi State. This means there will be at least two prime coaching vacancies this season (Penn State the other) with a possible third if Auburn fires its head coach Hugh Freeze, as expected. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key will be a prime target for these jobs, but I'm hoping Tech does right by him after this season. He's a perfect fit at Tech with his gameday apparel of a shortsleeve GT sweatshirt and Tech cap and his habit of ending every interview by saying "Go Jackets." I don't see that vibe playing well at other schools, especially after a loss.

FWIW, Tech is in all the CFP projections this week as either the #7 or #8 seed, which would mean hosting a game at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Among the teams I've seen mentioned as possible Tech opponents in the first round were Miami and Notre Dame, either of which would make a highly entertaining matchup.

Also, Colorado State fired its head coach, Jay Norvell, yesterday as well. That will not be a prime coaching vacancy.

[BackInTex]

Billy Napier is out at Florida after 3 1/2 seasons. Like Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, Napier was actually fired after winning a game against traditional SEC doormat Mississippi State. This means there will be at least two prime coaching vacancies this season (Penn State the other) with a possible third if Auburn fires its head coach Hugh Freeze, as expected. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key will be a prime target for these jobs, but I'm hoping Tech does right by him after this season. He's a perfect fit at Tech with his gameday apparel of a shortsleeve GT sweatshirt and Tech cap and his habit of ending every interview by saying "Go Jackets." I don't see that vibe playing well at other schools, especially after a loss.

FWIW, Tech is in all the CFP projections this week as either the #7 or #8 seed, which would mean hosting a game at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Among the teams I've seen mentioned as possible Tech opponents in the first round were Miami and Notre Dame, either of which would make a highly entertaining matchup.

Also, Colorado State fired its head coach, Jay Norvell, yesterday as well. That will not be a prime coaching vacancy.

I think Brian Kelley at LSU could also be in trouble.

[silverscreenselect]

I think Brian Kelley at LSU could also be in trouble.

LSU has fired Brian Kelly after they blew a halftime lead at home to Texas A&M for their third loss of the season. The team will owe Kelly $54 million on his buyout.

I wish someone would pay me $54 million not to coach their team.

On the flip side, congrats to BiT, whose Texas A&M team is now 8-0, the only unbeaten SEC team left and one of six unbeaten teams in the country (along with Georgia Tech). A&M has a very good chance to finish the regular season 12-0, if they can get past Texas on the road in the season finale.

[BackInTex]

I think Brian Kelley at LSU could also be in trouble.

LSU has fired Brian Kelly after they blew a halftime lead at home to Texas A&M for their third loss of the season. The team will owe Kelly $54 million on his buyout.

I wish someone would pay me $54 million not to coach their team.

On the flip side, congrats to BiT, whose Texas A&M team is now 8-0, the only unbeaten SEC team left and one of six unbeaten teams in the country (along with Georgia Tech). A&M has a very good chance to finish the regular season 12-0, if they can get past Texas on the road in the season finale.

We have Missouri on the road in two weeks. That will be tough coming off the big win in Baton Rouge. I'm glad we have a bye in between. Hopefully Elko can keep the team focused one game at a time. Because we ARE Texas A&M, Samford has me concerned playing them the week before Texas.