College Football HQ

Major college football contender loses top coach to rising CFB program: Report

Another projected College Football Playoff team is dealing with a major coaching change as the carousel continues to spin.
Jonathan Adams|
Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline works with wide receivers during the first football practice of the season at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on July 31, 2025.
Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline works with wide receivers during the first football practice of the season at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on July 31, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Ohio State BuckeyesSouth Florida Bulls

The ramifications of the SEC filling their coaching vacancies continues to be felt across college football. A major college football contender is losing one of the team's top assistant coaches just weeks before the postseason begins.

Auburn hired USF coach Alex Golesh creating an opening at one of the top Group of Six programs. South Florida is now plucking from the Big Ten as the Bulls are turning to Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline as their next head coach, per CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.

"USF is expected to hire Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline as its new head coach, sources tell me and @chris_hummer for @CBSSports," Zenitz detailed in a series of X messages on Wednesday. "A big-time hire for USF to land Hartline, who has been a key part of Ohio State’s success in recent years and one of the nation’s most highly regarded assistant coaches."

Here's a look at the latest coaching carousel news.

USF was in contention to make the College Football Playoff

South Florida has plenty of appeal as the Bulls were a potential College Football Playoff contender this season. Golesh led the Bulls to early wins over Florida and Boise State, but late stumbles kept USF from making the postseason.

Now, it will be interesting to see if Hartline can keep USF in contention as the Group of Six representitive in the College Football Playoff next season. Hartline made a name for himself by developing top NFL wide receivers at Ohio State and was later promoted to offensive coordinator following Chip Kelly's exit for the NFL last offseason.

It remains to be seen if Hartline will continue to call plays for the Buckeyes during the postseason after accepting the USF job.

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Jonathan Adams
JONATHAN ADAMS

Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports writer who has written for notable outlets and interviewed some of the top athletes for more than 10 years. Since 2015, his sports coverage has been read by tens of millions and has been prominently featured on Heavy, NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and more. Jonathan is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a voter for the Maxwell Award and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. He has interviewed many of the biggest stars in sports — Bryce Harper, Jayden Daniels, Justin Jefferson, Bijan Robinson and Micah Parsons to name a few — and has traveled the country to cover the College Football Playoff, NFL draft, Masters, March Madness, Senior Bowl, McDonald’s All-American Game and beyond. Jonathan Adams studied at the University of Central Florida and The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. He holds master degrees in sport business management, business administration and theology & culture.

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