Ranking The Top Five Head Coaching Jobs In College Football That Are Currently Available

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While there’s still one month remaining in the college football regular season and a full two months before a champion is crowned, one thing is certain: we’re in for a wild offseason.

Several of the nation’s top programs have already fired their head coaches, creating a bevy of big-time vacancies. Meanwhile, a number of other programs are sitting in limbo, waiting to see if they’ll have to find a new man to lead their teams in 2026.

Top College Football Head Coaching Jobs Available

While there will be several jobs open in Power 4 conferences, some are more appealing than others. Whether it’s location, conference affiliation, or financial might, the haves and have-nots have definitely become separated in the college football world.

While every school on this list could be considered a “have,” there are still levels to this game. So we’re ranking the top five available jobs in college football today.

Honorable Mention: UCLA, Arkansas, Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Lane Stadium

All three of these programs have their selling points. At its peak, Frank Beamer had Virginia Tech contending for national championships at a fairly regular rate. But that was more than two decades ago. These days, the Hokies don’t have the budget to compete with the elite of the elite, and everyone recruits the talent-rich Hampton Roads area. But it’s still potentially a top job in the ACC.

Arkansas, meanwhile, has endless money at its disposal (as we saw when the basketball program went out and hired John Calipari) and competes in the SEC, which many consider the premier conference in college football. On the flipside, you have compete in the SEC, which many consider the premier conference college football, and the Razorbacks’ status in that conference will always be in the bottom half.

And finally you have UCLA. In theory, the Bruins are a sleeping giant. They have a national brand that sits right in the heart of one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country. In practice, UCLA hasn’t been a national player for nearly three decades and the current administration seems to be an absolute mess.

5) Oklahoma State Oklahoma State Quarterback Wide Receiver Sam Jackson

Mike Gundy’s 20-year run at the helm of his alma mater came to a shocking end earlier this season and, in the process, he left the Cowboys in shambles.

However, even after the passing of T. Boone Pickens, the Cowboys’ athletic department isn’t exactly shy on funds, and the next head coach will have the advantage of recruiting the talent-rich state of Texas.

Additionally, while some may see Oklahoma State playing in the Big 12 as a negative, others may see a clearer path to a regular College Football Playoff spot. I tend to fall on the latter side of that argument, which is why Okie State gets the nod at No. 5 on our list.

4) Auburn

Yes, the Tigers won a national championship not all that long ago under Gene Chizik and played for one shortly thereafter under Gus Malzahn.

But Cam Newton ain’t walking through that door, and right now the Auburn athletic department is an absolute disaster. The Tigers haven’t just missed on their last two coaching hires; they have whiffed in comical fashion, which raises questions about the department leadership, despite it having changed in that time frame.

On one hand, you can win a national championship at Auburn. That is probably only true at about 20-25 programs in the country. On the other hand, whoever they hire is going to have a lot of work to do to dig the Tigers out of the hole they’re currently in.

3) Florida

Like Auburn, Florida has incredible upside.

It’s one of, if not the deepest recruiting state in the country. Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier both led the Gators to national championships, and should he choose to remain in Gainesville, the new head coach may well inherit quarterback DJ Lagway, who is still a significant work in progress, but possesses huge upside

However, like Auburn, the Gators have also missed big on basically every hire since Meyer left. Each of Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, Dan Mullen, and Billy Napier last four years or fewer, and probably could’ve been gone sooner.

Florida also needs to compete with an absolutely loaded SEC, and the expectation is to win early and often.

2) Penn State Beaver Stadium during Penn State white out

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Hear me out.

No, Penn State has not reached the heights of Auburn or Florida in the 21st century. However, the Nittany Lions has won consistently for more or less six decades.

Joe Paterno turned Penn State into a regular power from 1960-2000, and even in his late years, the program made a pair of Rose Bowl appearances. Bill O’Brien then came i,n facing crippling sanctions, and still somehow found a way to go 7-5 and 8-4 in his two seasons.

Finally, James Franklin stepped in and turned the Nittany Lions back into a perennial top-10 program.

Now, the Penn State job comes open with exceedingly deep pockets, an athletic director who is all-in on football, and a foundation that is as sturdy as any across the country. Yes, you’ll be expected to win. But any coach worth his salt will want that pressure, and the path to doing so is a bit clearer in Happy Valley than it is in Auburn or Gainesville.

1) LSU

This one was easy.

LSU is widely considered one of the five best jobs in the entire country. The Tigers have been perennial title contenders throughout the 21st century, and the state of Louisiana is incredibly deep with high school talent.

LSU boasts a dedicated fanbase and admin, deep pockets, fertile recruiting ground, and an easy pitch to players who want to come in and compete for national championships.

The Brian Kelly Era didn’t turn out the way many expected or hoped. But the LSU job is wildly appealing to just about any coach in the country, and the Tigers will have their pick of several top candidates.