3 college football coaches on the hot seat after Week 10 ft. Lincoln Riley

Week 10 of college football action was full of thrilling games as the postseason picture began to take shape. The college football playoff committee will start to release rankings for the expanded version of the CFP next Tuesday making the last round of games crucial — and it did not disappoint.

There are a few coaches who are firmly on the hot seat following the latest round of games as the season enters its final stretch.

#3. James Franklin

The Penn State Nittany Lions, under coach James Franklin, were involved in the marquee game of college football in Week 10. The Nittany Lions fell to an agonizing 20-13 loss to coach Ryan Day's Ohio State Buckeyes.

Franklin's big game failings were once again on display, with Penn State unable to convert while camped on Ohio State's 5-yard line. While he has a 28-6 record over the past three years, Franklin's record against AP Top 10-ranked teams now stands at 1-12 and 1-15 overall, putting him in the hot seat after a favorable schedule that avoided games against Indiana and Oregon.

#2. Sam Pittman

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman started the season on the hot seat after a disappointing 4-8 season in 2023. The pressure somewhat eased after a thrilling 19-14 win against the Tennessee Volunteers in Week 7.

The 63-31 blowout loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in Week 10 erased any recent momentum Pittman had gained. The loss dropped the Razorbacks to 5-4, with three games left for Pittman to fight for his position.

#1. Lincoln Riley is on college football's hottest seat

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley entered the season already under pressure to deliver results this season after a lackluster 2023, even with a former Heisman Trophy winner on his roster.

This season has proven even worse than last season with the Trojans' 26-21 loss to the Washington Huskies in Week 10 of college football action dropping USC to 4-5 for the season.

During his postgame news conference, Riley remained resolute despite the mounting chaos surrounding USC’s season.

“I don’t handle losing very well. It hasn’t happened very much in my career. That part of it is unacceptable. It’s not like we’re getting our ass kicked. It’s not like I go back to the drawing board like gah, we’re doing this terrible, and people are wearing us out on this or that. It’s not that,” Riley said.

As the college football season heads into its final stretch, coaches are beginning to feel the weight of disappointing performances, with fans shifting their focus toward the postseason.