Coaching buzz - Ranking college football's best open jobs - ESPN

One of the quieter coaching cycles in recent years has started to stir.

Texas A&M's firing of Jimbo Fisher on Sunday marked the first performance-related dismissal this season. On Monday, Mississippi State fired Zach Arnett, whom Fisher and the Aggies had defeated just two days earlier. The move doubled the power conference vacancies in a 24-hour span, as A&M and Mississippi State joined Northwestern and Michigan State. On Wednesday, Northwestern became the first program to fill its vacancy, promoting interim coach/defensive coordinator David Braun into the permanent role.

More openings likely are on the horizon, perhaps as early as this weekend. But this is a good time to take stock of the four power conference jobs that have opened since the summer and break down the pros and cons of each job as well as the top candidates. Coaches and their agents are studying the jobs to determine whether it's worth throwing their hats (or visors) in the ring.

Schools will intensify their searches in the coming weeks, wanting to fill vacancies before the transfer portal opens on Dec. 4.

Below is a ranking of the Power 5 jobs that have opened since the summer. It's based on the quality of the job through the eyes of coaches.

There's also a look at the latest coaching buzz in a rapidly accelerating cycle.

Jump to: Job rank | Coaching buzz

Former coach: Jimbo Fisher | Record: 45-25 (6-4 in 2023)
Fired: Nov. 12

Job pros: Few programs have a better combination of location and financial clout than Texas A&M. Even the historic $76 million buyout Fisher received underscored just how much the school wants to win. Texas A&M has top-notch facilities, one of the country's most powerful NIL operations and a location near Houston and other talent