3 Big Ten coaches on the hot seat ahead of 2024 college football season ft. Ryan Day

The 2024 college football season is just under a month away, kicking off on August 24. While none of the Big Ten's 18 teams are amongst the group of eight teams that will play on the opening weekend, 14 of their programs will begin their season the following week.

The conference will have a new look this year, as the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans and Washington Huskies made the move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. With things expected to get more difficult, take a look at three Big Ten coaches who are on the hot seat entering this season:

3 Big Ten coaches on the hot seat ahead of 2024 college football season

1. Ryan Day, Ohio State University

Ryan Day has spent the past five seasons leading the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he compiled a 56-8 record. While they have consistently been among the best teams in college football, losing no more than two games in any season of his tenure and reaching the College Football Playoff twice are simply not enough.

The Buckeyes have failed to win a national title and are just 1-3 against their rival Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State has not won the rivalry matchup since 2019—the two sides did not meet during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season—and if they lose to Michigan for a fourth straight year, with another failed title run, there could be a change at the coaching helm.

2. Lincoln Riley, University of Southern California

Lincoln Riley had a dominant five-year stretch leading the Oklahoma Sooners to a 55-10 mark and three College Football Playoff appearances. Following the 2021 season, he made the shocking move to join the USC Trojans. While he has found some success, he is just 19-8 throughout his two-year stint with the program.

Similar to Ohio State, USC has made it clear that competing for national titles is the goal. After losing Caleb Williams to the NFL and making the move to the Big Ten, things will be tough this year. If they take another step back, after finishing 8-5 last season, there could be calls for Riley's job.

3. P.J. Fleck, University of Minnesota

P.J. Fleck has spent the past seven seasons leading the Minnesota Golden Gophers to a 50-34 mark. While things appeared to be heading in the right direction following back-to-back 9-4 seasons, the program regressed in 2023—finishing 6-7. If Minnesota falls behind in what is expected to be an even tougher Big Ten, Fleck's job security could decline tremendously.