From a devastating late-game fumble to a winless start in the Big Ten, here’s who needs to turn things around fast.

The college football coaching carousel never sleeps, and three coaches are staring down increasingly dire situations as Week 4 approaches. Between embarrassing losses, dysfunctional late-game collapses, and brutal schedules ahead, the hot seat is burning for this trio.

Dave Doeren, NC State

If you watched the games last week, you know exactly why we’re opening with Dave Doeren

Doeren started the season on the wrong foot already. The Wolfpack got waxed by Virginia. They were out-physicaled and were dominated in every phase of the game. They looked lifeless. NC State had a chance to respond, though, and it looked like they’d beat Vanderbilt in Week 3, which would have helped Doeren’s case.

Then came one of the most inexplicable late-game mistakes of the season. CJ Bailey fumbled while trying to run out the clock in the end zone on fourth and 7, and just like that, the game slipped away.

It now seems like Doeren could be on the way out. He desperately needed that win, and to lose in such a dysfunctional manner only highlights how much this NC State team is struggling. He’s got a tough schedule ahead, and his buyout is only $9 million, making it likely he won’t keep his job despite a 119-76 overall record.

Greg Schiano, Rutgers

Schiano has been at the top of this list since the beginning of the season. Getting dominated by UMass in Week 1 set the tone for a disastrous start. The Scarlet Knights followed that with a loss to Boston College, and this past week, although they gave USC a challenge, they still couldn’t win.

Without a single win and Big Ten play starting to ramp up, it seems like Schiano is going to have an abysmal 2026 season. Brian Kelly already appears to have some interest in taking over this job, with some LSU ties to the administration. If Kelly is available, it makes more sense to go with him than to try and rebuild things with Schiano. His buyout is around $17 million, making it relatively cheap to move on.

Luke Fickell, Wisconsin

Many people might be expecting Mike Norvell here, but his buyout makes that situation complicated and cloudy. Instead, the focus turns to Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, who didn’t take advantage of the Badgers’ Week 1 opportunity against Notre Dame. All they needed was to show some fight. Despite the Fighting Irish playing sloppily, Wisconsin was dominated.

This week presents a unique opportunity for Fickell to remove himself from the hot seat. Penn State has become one of the rising teams at the start of this season. While the Nittany Lions haven’t played anybody of note, a lot of people are hyping them up. If Wisconsin can stun Penn State or at least play them close, it should help Fickell’s case. One thing is for sure: he needs a signature moment, and this could be his chance to provide one.