Three SEC coaches on the hot seat ahead of the 2025 college football season

The SEC has for several years established itself as the gold standard of college football. However, the conference has witnessed some struggles in the last two seasons on the national stage, failing to make it to the national title game in both seasons.

Nonetheless, teams are regrouping in the conference to have a better 2025 season. However, there are a couple of coaches that are under pressure to deliver in the upcoming season. A host of them have their jobs under threat if they put out another underwhelming season.

Here's a look at three SEC coaches whose jobs are under threat heading into the 2025 season.

Three SEC coaches on the hot seat in 2025

#1, Brent Venables, Oklahoma

It's make or break for Brent Venables in the 2025 college football season. The coach has failed to live up to expectations in his tenure so far at Oklahoma after arriving from Clemson.

Venables was brought in as a replacement for Lincoln Riley, who departed Norman for USC after a five-year tenure with significant success. However, the former Clemson defensive coordinator only delivered the Sooners' first losing season of the century in his first year.

While he was able to turn the tides around in his second season with a 10-3 record, Oklahoma was underwhelming in its first season in the SEC with a 6-7 (2-6) finish. With two losing seasons in three years, Venables has his job on the line as he enters the 2025 season.

#2, Chip Kelly, LSU

Chip Kelly will enter the 2025 college football season out of favor after a below-standard performance in 2024. There was a widespread call for his firing last season after the Tigers failed to make it to the inaugural edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Without a doubt, Kelly was brought to Baton Rouge to make the Tigers a perennial national championship contender. However, the coach hasn't lived up to the expectations of the program, igniting the fury of the fans across the city.

The 2025 season comes as an important one for the coach in the bid to retain his job. LSU has to contend for the SEC title and seal a place in the playoffs to avoid another series of fan outrage.

#3, Hugh Freeze, Auburn

Hugh Freeze enters his third season in charge of Auburn in 2025. The coach was hired by the program following the unsuccessful tenure of Bryan Harsin. However, Freeze has yet to outperform his predecessor.

It's been losing seasons so far for Freeze in his two years with the Tigers, finishing 6-7 in 2023 and 5-7 in 2024. Another underwhelming season in 2025 will definitely put the coach's job at the program at significant risk.

Furthermore, Auburn has made significant investments in both high school recruiting and transfer portal this offseason this cycle. The result of that now definitely has to show on the field.