After one of the wildest college football coaching carousels on record, an eye-popping 33 FBS programs will debut a new head coach when the 2026 season kicks off in the Fall. That includes 17 programs within the Power Four ranks.

Given the widespread turnover, CBS Sports decided to evaluate the patience level surrounding each of the 17 first-year Power Four head coaches ahead of the 2026 season. Of course, patience is a subjective concept, which CBS Sports evaluated based on the program’s “roster quality, NIL investment, transfer portal activity and institutional urgency” to win now.

To do that, CBS Sports assigned a numerical projection based on the program’s perceived patience level on a 1-5 scale, and it works as follows:
1. Understandable multi-year rebuild
2. Plenty of runway for future progress
3. Commence bowl eligibility after roster overhaul
4. Expectations are high and potentially unrealistic
5. Win big now, given the resource allocation

With all that in mind, let’s check out how CBS Sports graded each of the 17 first-year Power Four head coaches, who are ranked from least to most patient situations, with all ties listed in alphabetical order based on the coach’s last name:

Despite efforts from Kiffin to lower the temperature and Year 1 expectations in Baton Rouge, it should be no surprise the new LSU head coach tops this particular list. LSU blew up its piggy bank to land the most coveted coach in the carousel and then effectively gave him a blank check to overhaul the Tigers’ roster with 40 new transfer portal additions, highlighted by star QB Sam Leavitt, On3’s No. 1 overall transfer. Given all those factors, Kiffin and LSU are already in Playoffs-or-bust mode after four years of failing to make the CFP field under now-former coach Brian Kelly.

CBS Sports: “Kiffin leaving Oxford for Baton Rouge this offseason raises the pressure to a level that borders on transactional, given the vast resources invested: one of the most expensive portal-built rosters in college football. This isn’t a slow-burn rebuild or a developmental season loading. It’s win-now, and everyone knows it.”

Whittingham went from the frying pan to the fire when he accepted the Michigan job following a forced breakup at Utah, a program he built into a national contender over the past two decades as head coach. The 66-year-old Whittingham is a competitor and has already embraced the elevated expectations in Ann Arbor, where the Wolverines are always measured in comparison to fellow Big Ten power/rival Ohio State. And given how the Michigan brand has been dragged through the mud after multiple scandals the past few years, the fan base is desperate for a narrative change, which only comes with wins.

CBS Sports: “Whittingham walks into one of college football’s most pressurized jobs in 2026 with expectations far different than the ones he faced at Utah. … Consistent playoff contention is the standard, and anything short of competing with Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon near the top of the Big Ten will leave fans restless.”

Campbell finally made the jump to the big time after several years as one of the most coveted coaching candidates, having transformed Iowa State into an annual Big 12 contender. But he also steps into a situation at State College where expectations couldn’t be higher after parting ways with James Franklin following a decade of close but no cigar. While it’s not quite CFP-or-bust just yet, Campbell doesn’t have a very long leash, especially after adding some elite Cyclones talent like star QB Rocco Becht.

CBS Sports: “Penn State didn’t make this move for a rebuild. The Nittany Lions made it, expecting Campbell to elevate the program into the national-title conversation right away — at least in the next few seasons. The Nittany Lions hired him to provide stability and close the gap nationally against some of the Big Ten’s better-equipped competition.”

Next up is the man Campbell replaced in Happy Valley — Franklin. The former Penn State coach hit the ground running in Blacksburg and has elevated the expectations around him already. Hokies fans want a return to national prominence not seen since the days of Frank Beamer, and Franklin’s history shows he’s more than capable of achieving that level of consistent success. And while the Playoffs aren’t expected immediately, it’s clear that’s the direction Franklin needs to prove capable of achieving with regularity.

CBS Sports: “After years of uneven results and ACC frustration, this is a win-now hire in every sense. Franklin’s track record at Penn State sets the expectation bar immediately: double-digit win potential, physical recruiting wins and a program that can realistically chase a College Football Playoff berth.”

Golding undoubtedly elevated the expectations around him by leading Ole Miss to the CFP national semifinals last season after being promoted to the top job following Kiffin’s departure to LSU. And now that Rebels fans have a taste for Playoff success, anything less will be viewed as a drop-off. Still, the Ole Miss administration understands the reality in Oxford and will give Golding some leeway over the next few years. So, while double-digit wins are the new expectation, Golding has some time to deliver on it.

CBS Sports: “Saddled under a spotlight that rarely comes with an interim-to-permanent transition, expectations in Oxford have officially shifted from survival to sustained contention. The roster is built to win big after retaining quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and tailback Kewan Lacy, with the new standard being a playoff appearance.”

After the Utes administration effectively forced out Whittingham to hand the keys to Scalley, the standard of excellence at Utah is expected to continue under new leadership. Scalley takes over after more than two decades with Whittingham in charge, and takes over with some elite talent already in Salt Lake City, including star QB Devon Dampier. Given what’s already in place, Scalley enters Year 1 with heightened expectations from a fan base used to winning year-in and year-out.

CBS Sports: “Continuity helps with the return of quarterback Devon Dampier and other playmakers, but replicating Kyle Whittingham’s sustained success is no automatic task for a program most expect to be an immediate Big 12 contender under its new regime.”

In a state where rival Alabama has dominated the SEC for the better part of the last quarter-century, Auburn’s highly competitive fan base is frothing at the mouth to get back to national relevancy. Still, after five straight losing seasons, Golesh enters the fray with a longer leash than some of his predecessors. That said, Golesh needs to show the Tigers can be competitive on the national stage, something that’s been missing since Gus Malzahn left town in 2020.

CBS Sports: “Realistically, playoff contention is the ceiling, not a championship run. Still, early competitiveness against Georgia and Alabama will define whether belief in the new era takes hold quickly, especially once this roster is flushed of former South Florida players after this season.”

Klein returns to the Little Apple as the program’s prodigal son, eager to return the Wildcats to a position of power within the Big 12. Given that reality, the former Kansas State quarterback will have plenty of pressure to turn things around after a disappointing 6-6 campaign in 2025. Klein also benefits from working with dual-threat returning QB1 Avery Johnson and a roster built to win now. With that in mind, a return to double-digit wins in Year 1 seems more than possible in Manhattan.

CBS Sports: “Kansas State’s new coach inherits a roster built to compete immediately — not to develop over time — and the Wildcats’ expectations reflect that reality. … The Wildcats don’t need patience — they need production, balance and execution right away in Manhattan.”

Lupoi is another first-time head coach returning to his alma mater looking to flip the script after two decades of mediocrity at Cal. Given that history, the 44-year-old Lupoi will be afforded plenty of grace and time from Cal fans as he rebuilds the once-proud program. Still, after three straight bowl appearances, achieving bowl eligibility seems like the floor for Lupoi in Year 1. And with star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele coming back, that shouldn’t be much of an issue in 2026.

CBS Sports: “Improvements in fundamentals, recruiting momentum in the Bay Area and competitive showings against upper-tier conference opponents will define the early perception of the new-look Cal.”

For the first time in more than two decades, Oklahoma State has a new head football coach after firing alumnus Mike Gundy midway through last season and landing Morris from North Texas. The 40-year-old Morris comes to Stillwater after an 11-win season in Denton and brought several key playmakers with him, including star QB Drew Mestemaker, who threw for nearly 4,400 yards last year at UNT. Add in one of college football’s largest offseason overhauls and Morris will have his hands full in Year 1.

CBS Sports: “The portal reinforcements should help the Cowboys avoid a full reset, and if the defense holds at a serviceable level, Oklahoma State will have the scoring punch to potentially upset the hierarchy and push into the league’s upper tier sooner than expected.”

Sumrall lands in a rare situation in Gainesville, where the ultimate goal is returning the Gators to national prominence, but the former Tulane head coach is under no pressure to do it immediately in Year 1. Three of Florida’s last four coaches were given four seasons before being cut loose, and Sumrall will undoubtedly have a similar window, plenty of time to right the ship in The Swamp.

CBS Sports: “There’s a sense of urgency and volatility at Florida since the decision-makers aren’t heavy on patience. Any slip in home games will amplify pressure fast. Progress must be visible early, not theoretical in The Swamp.”

CBS Sports ranks the first-year P4 head coaches with the most patient situations:

2 — Bob Chesney, UCLA Bruins
2 — Jimmy Rogers, Iowa State Cyclones
2 — Ryan Silverfield, Arkansas Razorbacks
2 — Will Stein, Kentucky Wildcats
1 — Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State Spartans
1 — Tavita Pritchard, Stanford Cardinal