UCLA's Devastating Ranking Among P4 College Football Coaching Vacancies

Bruins fans may have to temper their expectations for their next head coach.

Sep 14, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; The Big Ten (B1G) Conference logo on the field at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins, despite a dreadful start to the season, are slowly turning into a destination for names on the coaching carousel. At least that's what the Bruins brass is hoping for.

The sentiment isn't the same from the outside looking in, though. ESPN ranked all of the Power Four job openings and placed UCLA's gig last out of the seven. The full rankings are below:

1. Penn State
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma State
4. Virginia Tech
5. Arkansas
6. Stanford
7. UCLA

ESPN college football reporter Adam Rittenberg, who made the rankings, broke down many aspects of each opening, including the program's on-field performance, access to the College Football Playoff, roster-building, university leadership and financial support.

UCLA's assistant head coach Jerry Neuheisel adjusts his headset during the third quarter in the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Here's what Rittenbern said about why he ranks the position where it is:

• "UCLA hasn't been consistently good for a long time and now plays on the Western flank of a conference with more top-tier programs that have fewer problems acquiring talent and filling their stadiums."

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster following the loss against the Utah Utes at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Despite the buzz around the gig after DeShaun Foster was dismissed over a month ago, the seismic changes around the carousel, including openings like Penn State and Florida, really pushed UCLA down the ranks of appealing destinations.

After all, the Bruins may be better off settling with Tim Skipper, who has completely turned Westwood around since being named interim head coach.

Skip is Ready

UCLA's interim head coach Tim Skipper celebrates after a Bruins touchdown against Michigan State during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Soon after Skipper was named Westwood's interim head coach, he expressed his desire to be a head coach in the future.

• "I'm one of those people [where], if I'm doing something, I want to get to the top," he said in his first media availability as UCLA's interim. "So, if that's the top of the mountain in this profession, I want to do that. Whatever job it is, I'm going full speed ahead. That's just my nature.

Jul 29, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A detailed view of UCLA Bruins helmet during Pac-12 Media Day at Novo Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

• "I actually experienced this last year, a full season. I enjoyed it. Wish you win some more games and things like that, but when you become a head coach, it's a lot less about the ball and more about the off-the-field stuff. So you either like it or you don't, and I rather enjoyed it. We're going to keep on building from that."

Oct 11, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; UCLA Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper looks up at the video board in the fourth quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

Despite coaching just 18 games overall as an interim coach over the last three seasons -- which is 18 more than DeShaun Foster had before being hired -- Skipper's resume speaks for itself. He has an 10-8 overall record; his first being a bowl game win and some of his latest coming against the likes of No. 7 Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland.

The culture and belief system he's built in such a short time at UCLA is undeniable. Skipper will almost certainly be a head coach sometime in the near future.

UCLA's Nico Iamaleava celebrates after Jaivian Thomas' touchdown against Michigan State during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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