College football coaching changes slow down amid rising roster costs

As of mid-October 2026, no college football coaches have been fired yet, defying expectations for the season. Traditionally, by this point, schools like Maryland and Florida State might have an open coaching market. However, increasing roster costs, with reports of $40 to $50 million teams, have administrators reconsidering coaching changes and their potential benefits. This season follows a previous year where over $200 million was spent in buyouts. Schools like Baylor and Wisconsin are observing improvements after retaining their coaches, while programs like USC are in solid positions as Lincoln Riley leads the Trojans to a 6-1 record.

• 7:15 PMYahoo Sports — College football's new reality: Schools can't fire their way out of trouble anymore