Recently fired college football coach named prime candidate for Pac-12 job

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox calls the team to sideline for a timeout during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Oregon State fired head coach Trent Bray after an 0-7 start to the college football season.

Bray, who played linebacker at Oregon State (2002-05) and was a two-time all-Pac-10 conference selection, ended his two-year tenure as head coach of the program with a 5-14 record.

Robb Akey served as interim for the remainder of the season, with the team sitting at 2-9 entering Week 14, and the Beavers launched a national search that quickly narrowed to a small group of candidates.

On Tuesday, On3’s Pete Nakos specifically listed former California coach Justin Wilcox as being a name to watch for the OSU job amid a broader carousel of nine power‑conference openings.

Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox before the game at Lane Stadium. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Wilcox played defensive back at Oregon and rose through coordinator roles at Boise State, Tennessee, Washington, USC, and Wisconsin before becoming Cal’s head coach in 2017. 

His head coaching record stands at 48-55, with bowl appearances in 2018, 2019, 2023, and 2024 and a Redbox Bowl win in 2019. 

However, after seeing all of his running backs and now Heisman-contending QB Fernando Mendoza transfer in the offseason, Wilcox was fired by Cal on Sunday after the team dropped to 6-5 on the season.

Still, Wilcox has a long track record as a defensive coordinator at Power Five programs and a reputation for scheming and player development.

He's also a renowned program builder, having led Cal to multiple bowl seasons after a long drought and stabilized recruiting in key classes.

Most importantly, however, his Oregon roots and years of coaching on the West Coast give him strong recruiting ties in the area.

These are all important factors that give Wilcox the edge for a school like Oregon State. 

Oregon State’s search has been active since the firing, and reporting indicates the Beavers are moving deliberately but expect to make a hire in the coming weeks, not months, to secure recruiting momentum and staff hires for the 2026 cycle.

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