ON3’s Andy Staple’s Ranks NC State’s Dave Doeren on his Top-10 Hot Seat Rankings

ON3’s Andy Staples shared his Top-10 College Football Hot Seat Rankings yesterday, and NC State’s Dave Doeren ranked 5th.

Doeren wasn’t the only ACC coach in the Top 10. FSU’s Mike Norvell ranked 3rd, and UNC’s Bill Belichick ranked 6th.

Joe Giglio believes this will be Doeren’s final year as the Wolfpack’s head football coach. According to Giglio, Doeren had intended to retire after last season but was asked to coach one more year.

Doeren is NC State’s all-time winningest coach, with an overall record of 91–69. After going 3–9 in his first season in 2013 with an 0–8 conference record, the Wolfpack has steadily risen under his leadership. Since 2014, NC State ranks 4th in overall wins and 5th in conference wins.

NC State has recorded four 9-win seasons during Doeren’s first 12 complete seasons—the only coach in program history to accomplish that. The Wolfpack posted 8 or more wins in four consecutive seasons (2020–23), marking the first time in school history that feat has been achieved. NC State also has the 2nd-most conference wins since 2020.

On the other hand, the Wolfpack finished with a losing record last season (6–7) and appears to be on track for another this year, which would mark the first time in Doeren’s tenure that NC State has had back-to-back losing seasons. The Wolfpack holds a 7–25 record against ranked opponents under Doeren, ranking 8th in the ACC. NC State has never reached the ACC Championship Game under his leadership, while 13 other schools in the conference have done so. The Wolfpack has finished ranked in the Top 25 three times in 12 seasons.