By Skeeter Smith
Editor’s note – David Braun’s interim tag was taken off since publication, and the article has been edited to account for it.
6. Northwestern
The new coach in Evanston has a massive task in front of him. The Wildcats have had some really bad seasons as of late, which is saying a lot, given that they are in one of the worst divisions in football. With the conference doing away with divisions and some Pac-12 powerhouses on the way, this job opening may just have the toughest road ahead. David Braun has now been promoted to head coach after an impressive season as the interim coach.
5. San Diego State
Since Brady Hoke announced that he’s retiring at the end of the season, San Diego State is on the hunt for a successor to take his place. After lackluster back-to-back seasons, the Aztecs are looking for a spark to ignite a program that has had a history of success in the Mountain West Conference. This opening presents a great opportunity for a young and upcoming coach to put himself on the map.
4. Boise State
Boise State has been one of the more consistent programs in the country for over two decades now. The Broncos have not had a losing season since 1997 and, more impressively, have only had six seasons where they didn’t eclipse 10 wins (not including their 7-game season during COVID). While Boise State may not be nationally seen as a premier title contender, it’s still a very respected program that values winning and has a history of vaulting coaches into Power 5 programs.
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3. Mississippi State
After Zach Arnett pretty much tore down what Mike Leach was building up, the Mississippi State job is probably less desirable than it was a year ago. Whoever Mississippi State decides to go with is going to have to start from square 1 and rebuild this thing from the ground up. The issue is that the Bulldogs play in a loaded conference that’s only getting tougher with the arrival of Oklahoma and Texas. Starkville isn’t an easy place to win at, but we’ve seen it be done before; the key will be patience.
2. Michigan State
Yes, Michigan State is a mess right now, but it’s a program that could easily be turned around with the right coach at the helm. East Lansing has always been a place that could bring in talent; they have just failed to keep or develop that talent during the Mel Tucker era. The best thing that could’ve happened to Sparty is the dissolving of divisions in the Big 10, as it makes it so MSU doesn’t have to play Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan on a yearly basis. The rebuild for the Spartans may not be as instant as some other openings, but it’s one with a lot higher ceiling than most.
1. Texas A&M
The right coach could walk into College Station today and immediately make A&M title contenders. They already have one of the most talented rosters in the country, with a top 5 recruiting class coming in. Even with the likely transfer departures and decommits due to coaching change, any coach would still be inheriting a goldmine with the Aggies. A&M has it all: great NIL, an electric atmosphere, a solid foundation of talent, and a recruiting machine. The only thing that kept this program from a championship was the coach.
