Big 12 Head Coach Hot Seat Index: The Gus Bus is Starting to Overheat

One notable head coach's seat is warming up after another rough loss.

Sep 7, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights head coach Gus Malzahn motions to the field during the second half against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Welcome back to the Big 12 Head Coach Hot Seat Index. 

After Week 7, there have been a few changes. Some coaches in the most danger had a bye week, but that did not cool their seats down. Meanwhile, some other coaches got big wins that could see them move down the index to a cooler location.

Here is a look at the Hot Seat Index for the Big 12 head coaches after Week 7.

Big 12 Head Coach Hot Seat Index - Week 7

Scorching: Dave Aranda (Baylor)

Baylor did not play a game this week, so Aranda's situation did not get any worse. However, it also did not improve in any way. The Bears face Texas Tech this week as road underdogs. A win here could improve things temporarily, but would not save Aranda's job.

Hot: Lance Leipold (Kansas), Sonny Dykes (TCU), Gus Malzahn (UCF)

Both Leipold and Dykes were on much-needed byes this past week. Both head coaches face near-must-win scenarios in Week 8. TCU faces Utah on the road, a game which they will not be expected to win. However, the Utes are coming off a loss to Arizona State. Maybe the Frogs can surprise them.

No one needs a win more than Kansas does. The Jayhawks face Houston and must win to avoid being 1-6. Leipold has done a lot for the Jawhawks' program, but that level of losing can not be tolerated.

UCF dropped their third straight game, which has to move Malzahn into the "Hot" section. The Knights feel like a lost team right now and one not sure of its own identity. Malzahn benched starting quarterback KJ Jefferson in favor of Jacurri Brown, which yielded poor results. UCF only scored 13 points for the second straight week. After starting 3-0, the Gus Bus now seems to have a broken air conditioner. Things are quickly heating up in Orlando for Malzahn.

Warming up: Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Willie Fritz (Houston), Scott Satterfield (Cincinnati)

Gundy was on a bye this week as well and avoided any more damage to his record, but the pressure is still on to win this week. The Cowboys face undefeated BYU on Friday night in what could be a signature win for Gundy if he can pull it off. Fritz was also on a bye week. His Cougars face off next against Kansas, a team that needs a win more than anyone else.

Satterfield had to move down and switch places with Malzahn after beating him on Saturday. Cincinnati is now 4-2 with the win and is quietly starting to gain some momentum. His Bearcats face Arizona State this week, coming off a big win over Utah. This could be a season-changing win for Cincinnati if the Bearcats can pull it off.

Room temperature: Deion Sanders (Colorado), Neal Brown (West Virginia), Joey McGuire (Texas Tech), Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State), Brent Brennan (Arizona)

Sanders nearly got the best win of his head coaching career on Saturday when his Buffaloes came up three points shy of knocking off Kansas State. They face Arizona on the road this week in another tough matchup. The injury to Travis Hunter is a cloud of uncertainty hanging over this team that could hurt their chances to win.

McGuire and the Red Raiders also did not play this week. They next face the reeling Baylor Bears with an opportunity to improve to 6-1. Dillingham's Sun Devils just knocked off Utah at home for their best win of the season. They also have the chance to improve to 6-1 by winning a road game at Cincinnati this week. Brennan and Arizona were beaten soundly by BYU. He moved up one slot in the Heat Index this week, but his job is not in any real danger.

Ice cold: Kalani Sitake (BYU), Matt Campbell (Iowa State), Kyle Whittingham (Utah), Chris Klieman (Kansas State)

There is not much to be said about any of these head coaches. They are the best in the conference. All of them except for Whittingham have their teams in prime playoff contention. Even Utah could still make the 12-team field if they win out and get some help from other teams losing ahead of them. BYU, Iowa State, and Kansas State all look primed to make a run at the Big 12 championship.

The Big 12 Head Coach Hot Seat Index will continue to change as the season continues. Some seats will get hotter, while some seats may cool down. Stay tuned. We will update the index next week. 

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