Another college football program fired its head coach on Sunday

The University of California has dismissed head football coach Justin Wilcox after nine seasons, following a 31-10 loss to Stanford. The decision comes as Cal looks to revitalize its program amidst a rapidly moving coaching market. Wilcox ends his tenure with a 48-55 record, including a 6-5 season that has the team bowl-eligible. Despite reaching a bowl in three consecutive years, Cal has not achieved a winning season since 2019.

The team’s performance against Stanford, marked by 13 penalties and three lost fumbles, exacerbated frustrations with the program's stagnation. Wilcox's era was notable for strong defensive performances, consistently sending defensive backs to the NFL, but the offense lagged, with no offensive players drafted during his tenure.

Wilcox attempted to address offensive struggles by hiring former Auburn and Boise State coach Bryan Harsin as offensive coordinator and adding Nick Rolovich as a senior assistant. Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele showed