College Football Stock Report: Buy, Sell or Hold Rating on Every FBS Head Coach

Craig Barritt/Getty Images

College football is a lot like the stock exchange. There are analysts, experts and penny traders everywhere you look.

There are people who will tell you that certain things will happen and other things will definitely not happen.

Of course, at the end of the day, there's always an Iowa State Cyclones team waiting to prove to us all that the experts really aren't all that expert after all.

Who's stock is likely to rise in 2012? Whose stock is likely to fall? Presented in alphabetical order (by team), here is the rating for each and every head coach in charge of an FBS team in 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Coaching records and schedule information from ESPN.com

Air Force Falcons

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Coach: Troy Calhoun

School record: 41-24

Lifetime record: 41-24

Stock rating: Hold. Calhoun is consistent, and unlikely to do anything in 2012 that would dramatically change his value.

Akron Zips

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Coach: Terry Bowden

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 140-62-2

Stock rating: Buy. Bowden carries with him an overall winning record, and Akron may be well on the way to being a household name. Not on the level of an Alabama or LSU, but a household name nonetheless.

Buy now while he's still in the initial public offering stage of his career.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Coach: Nick Saban

School record: 55-12

Lifetime record: 146-54-1

Stock rating: Buy. There is virtually no way that Saban's stock will go down, so forget about waiting for a better price. However, with the opportunity to do what no one else has done during the BCS era. (Win three national titles with one school or repeat as national champion.)

This means that there is still a way for Saban to turn your $40/share investment into a $50-60/share payday.

Arizona Wildcats

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Coach: Rich Rodriguez

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 120-84-2

Stock rating: Buy. Rodriguez may be on the verge of a Krispy Kreme situation here. He's got a lot to bring to the table, and his stock won't rise until he proves something. That means his stock is cheap and you could turn a huge profit.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coach: Todd Graham

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 49-29

Stock rating: Sell. The Sun Devils return a measly nine starters from a 2011 team that finished the season on a five-game losing streak.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Coach: John L. Smith

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 132-86

Stock rating: Hold. Smith is the interim head coach at Arkansas between Bobby Petrino and whoever comes next as a permanent fixture.

Arkansas itself is in a holding pattern, your investments should follow suit.

Arkansas State Red Wolves

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Coach: Gus Malzahn

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Buy. Malzahn is a first-year head coach. There is no real value to him as of yet. Buy because he's essentially a penny stock.

If he succeeds, your investment can grow dramatically. If he fails, you're only out a few bucks. He won the Broyles award (given to the nation's best assistant coach) in 2010 as Offensive Coordinator of the Cam Newton-led Auburn Tigers.

He's got enough good points to merit a few investment dollars.

Army Black Knights

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: Rich Ellerson

School record: 15-22

Lifetime record: 75-63

Stock rating: Buy. This is Ellerson's fourth year, and the schedule lists seven home games. The scales seem tipped in his favor for 2012, and you should take advantage.

Auburn Tigers

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Coach: Gene Chizik

School record: 30-10

Lifetime record: 35-29

Stock rating: Buy. Chizik is doing something special in Auburn, and his price has lowered since the 2010 season. You may not reap rewards in 2012, but take advantage of his relatively low price and hold for two to three years.

Chizik is a good bet in the long run for repeated bowl appearances and wins.

Ball State Cardinals

Brett Deering/Getty Images

Coach: Pete Lembo

School record: 6-6

Lifetime record: 85-42

Stock rating: Buy. Though the Cardinals have the toughest schedule in the MAC, Lembo has a whopping 17 returning starters.

This is a high-risk, high-reward proposition. He's finally got an experienced team, and a prime opportunity to earn some serious recognition in the MAC.

Baylor Bears

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Coach: Art Briles

School record: 25-25

Lifetime record: 59-53

Stock rating: Sell. Robert Griffin III is shown here in a Redskins uniform. It is highly unlikely that there's another Heisman-winning quarterback waiting in the wings at Baylor.

In the future, the Bears could have a shot at being a Big 12 power, but it will take a few recruiting classes. Take advantage of the value Griffin brought to the brand and sell while the price is high.

Boise State Broncos

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coach: Chris Petersen

School record: 73-6

Lifetime record: 73-6

Stock rating: Buy. The price is lower now that Kellen Moore is gone, but we've seen what Petersen does when he replaces his quarterback. He simply keeps on winning. year after year, Boise is up there ready and willing to go to another BCS bowl.

Buy during the temporary lull in market price.

Boston College Eagles

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Coach: Frank Spaziani

School record: 20-19

Lifetime record: 20-19

Stock rating: Sell. Montel Harris (the school's all-time leading rusher) is gone. The Eagles will have a rough season in 2012. Their stock will fall as the season wears on. Get out now, and come back again later for a piece of the Eagles.

Bowling Green Falcons

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Coach: Dave Clawson

School record: 14-23

Lifetime record: 72-72

Stock rating: Buy. Clawson had two wins in 2010 and five in 2011. The stock price of a MAC team is already relatively low. Buy in while he's on the way up and sell after a bowl win.

Buffalo Bulls

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Coach: Jeff Quinn

School record: 5-19

Lifetime record: 6-20

Stock rating: Sell. It's unreasonable to expect a huge change in team performance in just one full season. This year will be another year of program building. The time is not yet right to buy into Buffalo.

BYU Cougars

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coach: Bronco Mendenhall

School record: 66-24

Lifetime record: 66-24

Stock rating: Hold. Mendenhall has seven straight bowl appearances. Here is a good place to invest money that you'll need in the long run. It may fluctuate a little from year to year, but it'll be there when you need it for retirement.

California Golden Bears

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Coach: Jeff Tedford

School record: 79-48

Lifetime record: 79-48

Stock rating: Sell. With Ohio State, USC, Stanford, Utah, Washington and Oregon on the 2012 schedule, the Bears are basically starting with six losses out of the gate.

This is way too much of a gamble, considering that the potential payoff here is a spot in the Fanta Nobody Cares Bowl. (No, that's not a real bowl...yet.)

Central Michigan Chippewas

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Coach: Dan Enos

School record: 6-18

Lifetime record: 6-18

Stock rating: Sell. The year before Enos took over, the Chippewas had 12 wins. In 2010 and 2011 they earned a total of six wins. Sell based on zero improvement. (Hold if you want to give him a couple more years.)

Cincinnati Bearcats

Tyler Barrick/Getty Images

Coach: Butch Jones

School record: 14-11

Lifetime record: 41-24

Stock rating: Buy. The Bearcats lost a quarterback and a tailback during the offseason, and that drove the stock value down. Buy because nobody is picking the Bearcats to win the conference, and they have a very good shot at it. Underdogs have a way of ballooning in value as the season wears on. (See 2011's Clemson Tigers, they were highly overvalued until Georgia Tech handed them their first loss.)

Clemson Tigers

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: Dabo Swinney

School record: 29-19

Lifetime record: 29-19

Stock rating: Buy. The year should start off 1-1 for the Tigers with Sammy Watkins suspended for the first two games. After that, the 2012 season should go better than 2011 did. Buy into the ACC champion early on and reap the benefits in January.

Colorado Buffaloes

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Coach: Jon Embree

School record: 3-10

Lifetime record: 3-10

Stock rating: Sell. Cut your losses here. The Pac-12 is a tough conference, and there is little hope for the Buffaloes in 2012. In the long run, there may be a time when investing makes sense, but invest in better options for 2012. Embree is still building a program and that will take at least another year.

Colorado State Rams

Getty Images/Getty Images

Coach: Jim McElwain

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Buy. After being the offensive coordinator at Alabama (During his tenure, the offense improved every single year), McElwain takes over at Colorado State. The Rams have 18 returning starters and finished 1-6 in conference play last year.

Between the low price on the Rams and the low price on the rookie coach, this is a clear-cut buy. Even if they only win two conference games, that's a huge improvement over last year.

Connecticut Huskies

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Coach: Paul Pasqualoni

School record: 5-7

Lifetime record: 146-83-1

Stock rating: Buy. West Virginia isn't in the Big East or on the Huskies' schedule this year. That could easily translate to one more win, which would mean a bowl appearance for Connecticut. This program should be on the way up, and early is the time to get on board.

Duke Blue Devils

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: David Cutcliffe

School record: 15-33

Lifetime record: 59-62

Stock rating: Sell. Duke has four top-25 opponents in 2012, and coach K doesn't work for the football program. The ACC is on the rise, and Duke is not riding the wave.

East Carolina Pirates

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: Ruffin McNeill

School record: 11-14

Lifetime record: 12-14

Stock rating: Sell. ECU put together a nine-win season in '09 that ended in an overtime bowl loss to Arkansas. That was a pretty good season. In 2010, the Pirates ended the season with six wins and getting blown out by Maryland in the postseason. In 2011, the Pirates failed to make a bowl. Don't go down with the ship, get out.

Eastern Michigan Eagles

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Coach: Ron English

School record: 8-28

Lifetime record: 8-28

Stock rating: Buy. After winning zero, two and six games over the last three years, there is hope that the Eagles can make it to the postseason in 2012. The overall record may not look that great, but the trend says to buy.

Florida Gators

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Coach: Will Muschamp

School record: 7-5

Lifetime record: 7-5

Stock rating: Buy. The guy went to a bowl game in his first year heading a shell of a major football power. If he can pull a bowl out of the Gators, imagine what he can do after he rebuilds the aftermath of the Urban Meyer era.

Getting stock in the Gators now is like buying Alabama stock in 2007. (It's not the same, because Muschamp isn't Saban, but it's similar.)

Florida Atlantic Owls

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Coach: Carl Pelini

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Buy. The guy is a blank slate, as is the program. After a one-win season in 2011, there's no way Pelini can lose that much of your money.

Florida International Golden Panthers

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Coach: Mario Cristobal

School record: 24-38

Lifetime record: 24-38

Stock rating: Hold. This is Cristobal's seventh season. You know what you're getting, and the price is stable.

Florida State Seminoles

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Coach: Jimbo Fisher

School record: 19-8

Lifetime record: 19-8

Stock rating: Buy. After reeling in one of the top recruiting classes in the nation in 2012, Fisher's squad is poised to make a run for the ACC crown in 2013. This season will be an improvement on last year, but the opportunity to buy stock is right now.

Fresno State Bulldogs

Eric Francis/Getty Images

Coach: Tim DeRuyter

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 1-0

Stock rating: Hold. It's Fresno State with a new coach. Nothing points to the need to bail out, but nothing looks so good as to go all-in, either.

Georgia Bulldogs

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Coach: Mark Richt

School record: 106-38

Lifetime record: 106-38

Stock rating: Buy. Georgia capitalized on the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M to the SEC. The Bulldogs canceled the Alabama game to make room for the new kid. This means that Georgia can lose to South Carolina and make it to the SEC Championship Game just like in 2011.

An all-but-guaranteed spot in a conference championship game is a rare event. Buy now and sell right before kickoff in Atlanta in December. (When the Dawgs will likely fall to the power of the SEC West.)

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Coach: Paul Johnson

School record: 34-19

Lifetime record: 141-58

Stock rating: Hold. Georgia Tech is on the rise, but so are other ACC powers. Tech will not make anything out of this year that's worth buying into. (They won't do anything to make you wish you'd sold, either.

Hawaii Warriors

Getty Images/Getty Images

Coach: Norm Chow

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Buy. With all the fresh faces (from quarterback to head coach), this is a penny stock. Buy a little and see what happens. It could be special.

Houston Cougars

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Coach: Tony Levine

School record: 1-0

Lifetime record: 1-0

Stock rating: Sell. There are a lot of question marks surrounding Houston in 2012. After a normal season, holding would have made sense. However, due to the inflation of Houston's value by quarterback Case Keenum, selling is the better option.

Idaho Vandals

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Coach: Robb Akey

School record: 19-43

Lifetime record: 19-43

Stock rating: Sell. Coming off a two-win season screams sell. There is probably one more rebuilding year before a modicum of success returns to Idaho.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Coach: Tim Beckman

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 21-16

Stock rating: Sell. There is no reason to believe that the Illini are going to contend for the Big Ten title in 2012. Furthermore, there is every reason to believe that real success is at least two years away from Illinois.

You can buy next year at a comparable price, don't waste your money in 2012.

Indiana Hoosiers

Mark A. Cunningham/Getty Images

Coach: Kevin Wilson

School record: 1-11

Lifetime record: 1-11

Stock rating: Sell. The coach and the team are all still figuring stuff out. A reasonable return on investment is still a half-decade away. Look to start buying when the recruiting trail starts to lead to Indiana. Until then, buy some sno-cones.

Iowa Hawkeyes

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Coach: Kirk Ferentz

School record: 96-66

Lifetime record: 108-87

Stock rating: Buy. The Big Ten is rebuilding. Iowa should be able to sneak into a bowl and win in the 2012 postseason.

Iowa State Cyclones

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Coach: Paul Rhoads

School record: 18-20

Lifetime record: 18-20

Stock rating: Sell. After what the Cyclones did to Oklahoma State in 2011, everyone will be watching out for them in 2012. Iowa State is worth much more now than it will be in December.

Kansas Jayhawks

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Coach: Charlie Weis

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 35-27

Stock rating: Sell. Weis has not lived up to expectations in places like Notre Dame. If he cannot succeed where recruiting is easy, there is little hope that will change at Kansas.

Kansas State Wildcats

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Coach: Bill Snyder

School record: 159-83-1

Lifetime record: 159-83-1

Stock rating: Hold. Kansas State fetches a high price right now, and the Wildcats finished the 2011 season in the Cotton Bowl. Buying is too risky, as they could easily fall. However, the Big 12 is in a down year. The Wildcats should land either in the same spot of a little better in 2012.

Kent State Golden Flashes

Greg McWilliams/Getty Images

Coach: Darrell Hazell

School record: 5-7

Lifetime record: 5-7

Stock rating: Hold. While 5-7 was a good start for the Flashes under Hazell, there are still too many unknowns entering 2012. Use this year to evaluate your interest in the Golden Flashes.

Kentucky Wildcats

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Coach: Joker Phillips

School record: 11-14

Lifetime record: 11-14

Stock rating: Sell. It's Kentucky. Sell your football stock and buy basketball stock. Tennessee will likely beat Kentucky this year. This will make Kentucky the bottom of the SEC again.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Sonny Dykes

School record: 13-12

Lifetime record: 13-12

Stock rating: Hold. There won't be enough improvement in 2012 to justify buying. However, there is little reason to believe that it's time to jump ship. Hang on to what you've got, Bulldogs.

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Mark Hudspeth

School record: 9-4

Lifetime record: 75-25

Stock rating: Hold. A repeat of the 9-4 season from last year is reasonable to expect. Much more is not.

Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Todd Berry

School record: 9-15

Lifetime record: 38-75

Stock rating: Sell. Between his school and overall records, there is little to justify holding or buying. Process of elimination gives us sell. Buy some beef jerky or something. (The highest point of ULM's recent history was taking down Alabama in Nick Saban's first year. The real selling point was at the end of that game.)

Louisville Cardinals

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Coach: Charlie Strong

School record: 14-12

Lifetime record: 14-13

Stock rating: Buy. Louisville has a strong shot at the conference title this year, and Strong looks like he's trying for something special with the Cardinals.

LSU Tigers

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Les Miles

School record: 75-18

Lifetime record: 103-39

Stock rating: Hold. The LSU Tigers are a top-five team again in 2012. Les Miles is one of the best coaches in college football right now. Wait a couple of games to see how Tyrann Mathieu's absence affects the Tigers before buying. in the meantime, hold what you've got. A title may come sooner rather than later.

Marshall Thundering Herd

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Coach: Doc Holliday

School record: 12-13

Lifetime record: 12-13

Stock rating: Buy. After a five-win season in 2010, the Herd scored big with a seven-win season. If this trend continues into 2012 and yields eight or nine wins, you would regret not buying.

Maryland Terrapins

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Coach: Randy Edsall

School record: 2-10

Lifetime record: 76-80

Stock rating: Sell. The coach is still building a program at Maryland, and the offense would have to vastly improve to justify even holding onto stock. Cash out and invest elsewhere in 2012.

Memphis Tigers

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Justin Fuente

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Hold. Don't get rid of stocks, as this may be a new era for the Tigers. However, even if Fuente is a great coach, the talent in Memphis isn't exactly national championship material. Give Fuente a couple of years of analysis before buying in too much.

Miami Hurricanes

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Coach: Al Golden

School record: 6-6

Lifetime record: 33-40

Stock rating: Buy. Al Golden may be ushering in the golden years of Miami football again. Give him a couple of years before going all-in, but a few shares each year could set you up nicely for a cushy retirement.

Miami Redhawks

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Coach: Don Treadwell

School record: 4-8

Lifetime record: 4-8

Stock rating: Hold. Coach is building a team here, but they will not likely be national contenders. Evaluate in 2012 and kick me in the pants if they manage to make a bowl game.

Michigan State Spartans

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Coach: Mark Dantonio

School record: 44-22

Lifetime record: 62-39

Stock rating: Hold. The Spartans are likely to have a down year, but they'll be back in no time. Its not worth cashing out just to buy in again in the near future.

Michigan Wolverines

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Coach: Brady Hoke

School record: 11-2

Lifetime record: 58-52

Stock rating: Hold. Michigan is unlikely to repeat the season that they had in 2011. However, when Denard Robinson is replaced by a more Michigan-style quarterback, the Wolverines will be back near the top of the conference.

(If Alabama beats Michigan, take the opportunity to buy a few Michigan shares during the funk.)

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Rick Stockstill

School record: 35-40

Lifetime record: 35-40

Stock rating: Hold. Come on, the guy's name is Stockstill. No, seriously, sell. There seem to be no more than four wins on the Raiders' schedule in 2012. Come back another year to buy some of the sweet blueness. There is one more rebuilding year to get through in Middle Tennessee.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Coach: Jerry Kill

School record: 3-9

Lifetime record: 130-82

Stock rating: Buy. The Gophers were just shy of two more wins in 2011, and should be the Big Ten's version of Iowa State in 2012. There's no telling who they'll upset, but it'll be someone.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Coach: Dan Mullen

School record: 21-17

Lifetime record: 21-17

Stock rating: Hold. Mississippi State always has a stout defense, and that's a great reason that they are on upset watch almost every time they play a higher-ranked team. Hold for now, but buy all the shares you can afford the instant Mullen pulls in an offense-loaded recruiting class.

Missouri Tigers

Brett Deering/Getty Images

Coach: Gary Pinkel

School record: 85-54

Lifetime record: 158-91-3

Stock rating: Hold. See where the Tigers land in the SEC pecking order before buying more. (There's no reason to bail out, they will be fine in the SEC. They just won't start out at the top.)

Navy Midshipmen

Hunter Martin/Getty Images

Coach: Ken Niumatalolo

School record: 32-21

Lifetime record: 32-21

Stock rating: Buy. Navy has an easier schedule in 2012 than in 2011. It will be marginal gains, but there should be gains nonetheless.

NC State Wolfpack

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: Tom O'Brien

School record: 33-30

Lifetime record: 108-75

Stock rating: Hold. NC State has a great shot at repeating the number of wins from 2011.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Eric Francis/Getty Images

Coach: Bo Pelini

School record: 39-16

Lifetime record: 39-16

Stock rating: Buy. Nebraska can represent the Big Ten Legends in the conference championship game if things don't get wacky.

Nevada Wolf Pack

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coach: Chris Ault

School record: 226-103-1

Lifetime record: 226-103-1

Stock rating: Buy. Nevada has an easier 2012 schedule than it did in 2011, and has a great chance at being the MWC champion.

New Mexico Lobos

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Coach: Bob Davie

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 35-25

Stock rating: Sell. The Lobos only had one win in 2011, and it will take time to pull a losing team out of the resulting depression. (You become accustomed to losing and it takes time to expect victory from yourself.)

Watch them closely and buy stock after their first four-win season under Davie.

New Mexico State Aggies

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coach: DeWayne Walker

School record: 9-29

Lifetime record: 9-30

Stock rating: Sell. Unless those nine wins come in one year, move on to other investments with your money.

North Texas Mean Green

Butch Dill/Getty Images

Coach: Dan McCarney

School record: 5-7

Lifetime record: 61-92

Stock rating: Sell. With an overall record of 61-92, it's hard to justify buying in here. (Regardless of a 5-7 season, we will need more proof that he's the real deal first.)

Northern Illinois Huskies

Mark A. Cunningham/Getty Images

Coach: Dave Doeren

School record: 11-3

Lifetime record: 11-3

Stock rating: Hold. It's really hard to improve on an 11-3 season ending with a bowl win. It's also difficult to sell when the value is so high, because that was Doeren's first year. What if he's just this good?

Northwestern Wildcats

Eric Francis/Getty Images

Coach: Pat Fitzgerald

School record: 40-36

Lifetime record: 40-36

Stock rating: Buy. The Wildcats have an easier schedule in 2012, and an eight-win season is quite possible.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Coach: Brian Kelly

School record: 16-10

Lifetime record: 187-67-2

Stock rating: Sell. Despite the appearance of Notre Dame in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, a top-25 finish by the Irish is unlikely. The schedule they play is simply one of the roughest in the nation. On the bright side, selling while the price is unjustifiably high is the perfect scenario for a seller.

Ohio Bobcats

Mark A. Cunningham/Getty Images

Coach: Frank Salich

School record: 50-40

Lifetime record: 108-59

Stock rating: Hold. Tettleton (quarterback) comes back for another go at a 10-win season. If all goes well, the rest of the Bobcats will be happy to oblige.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Coach: Urban Meyer

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 104-23

Stock rating: Buy. Since the buckeyes can't make the postseason, the price is low. Now, a word for Ohio State fans:

Do you remember the Florida Gators under Urban Meyer? Do you remember how dominant they were? Now, imagine how much harder he'll work at his dream job than he did for the Gators.

Oklahoma Sooners

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Coach: Bob Stoops

School record: 139-34

Lifetime record: 139-34

Stock rating: Hold. It's Bob Stoops. You know what you're getting with Bob Stoops. Little fluctuations here and there, but mainly a stable cash core for retirement.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Coach: Mike Gundy

School record: 59-30

Lifetime record: 59-30

Stock rating: Sell. After the best season in school history, the Cowboys lost their quarterback and their star receiver to the NFL. Now is a great time to sell, and soon it will be time to buy again if Gundy keeps doing what he does.

Ole Miss Rebels

Kelly Lambert

Coach: Hugh Freeze

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 30-7

Stock rating: Buy. After what Freeze did with Arkansas State, he moves his talents to Ole Miss. With the talent level in the SEC, there's every reason to believe he can do what he did at Arkansas State at Ole Miss. It will simply take longer due to the strength of the conference as a whole.

Oregon Ducks

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Coach: Chip Kelly

School record: 34-6

Lifetime record: 34-6

Stock rating: Hold. Chip Kelly is going to take his squad back to the Pac-12 Championship. They will probably lose to USC, but their stock won't fall enough to merit selling anytime in 2012.

Oregon State Beavers

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

Coach: Mike Riley

School record: 72-63

Lifetime record: 72-63

Stock rating: Sell. If Oregon State is going to join the upper echelon of Pac-12 football, that day is still a few years away.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Coach: Bill O'Brien

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Sell if you haven't already. Due to the NCAA sanctions against Penn State, it's best to cash out and re-invest the money. Come back in four years when the sanctions are over and buy back in at a new, much lower price.

Pittsburgh Panthers

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Coach: Paul Chryst

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Hold. With WVU out of the Big East, it's a great time to evaluate the brand-new coach before buying in.

Purdue Boilermakers

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Coach: Danny Hope

School record: 16-21

Lifetime record: 51-43

Stock rating: Buy. With Purdue's price so low, it's worth the risk. The Big Ten is rebuilding, especially through the middle class. Purdue just may be able to capitalize on that.

Rice Owls

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Coach: David Bailiff

School record: 23-38

Lifetime record: 44-53

Stock rating: Sell. It would take a lot of improvement for the Owls to be worth buying.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Coach: Kyle Flood

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Hold. Even with a brand-new coach, 9-4 looks doable for the Scarlet Knights again in 2012.

San Diego State Aztecs

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Coach: Rocky Long

School record: 8-5

Lifetime record: 73-74

Stock rating: Buy. Only two of the teams that beat the Aztecs last year appear on the schedule this year. That's two games that could go either way, instead of starting the season with four nearly-guaranteed losses.

San Jose State Spartans

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Coach: Mike MacIntyre

School record: 6-19

Lifetime record: 6-19

Stock rating: Buy. The Spartans were seven points away from an eight-win season in 2011. That's a gamble worth taking. Even with marginal improvement, there should be a bowl game on the 2012 horizon.

SMU Mustangs

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

Coach: June Jones

School record: 24-28

Lifetime record: 100-69

Stock rating: Buy. Easier schedule in 2012 and the program is already stable. At this point, the Mustangs' record is going to look more like the coach's lifetime ratio.

South Alabama Jaguars

via usajaguars.com

Coach: Joey Jones

School record: 23-4

Lifetime record: 26-11

Stock rating: Hold. South Alabama's doing some great stuff down there, but this is the first season with a full slate of games. Wait to buy, as they may not yet have the endurance for a full season of football. Time will tell.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: Steve Spurrier

School record: 55-35

Lifetime record: 197-75-2

Stock rating: Hold. Georgia's much easier schedule will (again) allow them to be beaten by South Carolina and still represent the east in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. That is, unless South Carolina can beat Georgia, then either LSU or Arkansas.

South Florida Bulls

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Coach: Skip Holtz

School record: 13-12

Lifetime record: 85-62

Stock rating: Sell. Unlikely bowl appearance in 2012. Plus, the name makes him sound like some sort of product of a Lou Holtz and Skip Bayless relationship.

In all seriousness, these guys are a couple of years away from being contenders in the Big East, even with the teams that are leaving.

Southern Miss Golden Eagles

via thestate.com

Coach: Ellis Johnson

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 17-28

Stock rating: Hold. The 2012 schedule indicates that the Eagles will have a repeat of last year. Nothing to gain here, why risk the loss?

Stanford Cardinal

Al Bello/Getty Images

Coach: David Shaw

School record: 11-2

Lifetime record: 11-2

Stock rating: Sell. Give Shaw another year to develop a suitable quarterback. Stanford will be back, but lost a lot of players during the offseason. They weren't only key players, they were some of the best players in college history.

Syracuse Orange

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Coach: Doug Marrone

School record: 17-20

Lifetime record: 17-20

Stock rating: Buy. Syracuse should contend heavily for the Big East crown, especially with West Virginia gone.

TCU Horned Frogs

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Coach: Gary Patterson

School record: 109-30

Lifetime record: 109-30

Stock rating: Hold. TCU enters the Big 12 this year. A lot of the traditional powers (and one non-traditional power) are rebuilding. TCU should do well overall, but will not improve its stock in 2012.

Temple Owls

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Coach: Steve Addazio

School record: 9-4

Lifetime record: 9-4

Stock rating: Hold. Hold until Addazio proves he can run a 9-4 season with consistency.

Tennessee Volunteers

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Coach: Derek Dooley

School record: 11-14

Lifetime record: 28-34

Stock rating: Buy. At this point, many are saying that Dooley's on the hot seat. After the mess he needed to clean up at Tennessee, hopefully they are wrong. Normally, after four years, you can call a coach done if he's not successful. However, Dooley's situation is special. That being said, this year is when he turns the corner. With his stock so cheap and with success in the near future, this is an easy buy.

Texas A&M Aggies

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Coach: Kevin Sumlin

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 35-17

Stock rating: Hold. With a new conference affiliation, it would be easy to sell. With a new coach, that call would be even easier. However, the Aggies should slide right into the middle of the SEC West. In that case, it's nice to hold the shares and add more later as the Aggies see more success.

Texas Longhorns

Darren Carroll/Getty Images

Coach: Mack Brown

School record: 141-39

Lifetime record: 227-113-1

Stock rating: Hold. Mack Brown is not the force on the football field that Texas thought when he was hired. However, he consistently makes it to bowl games and he's a good long-term investment.

Texas State Bobcats

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Coach: Dennis Franchione

School record: 19-15

Lifetime record: 193-107-2

Stock rating: Buy. After four wins in 2010 and six in 2011, there's good reason to believe that the Bobcats will make a bowl game in 2012.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Coach: Tommy Tuberville

School record: 13-12

Lifetime record: 123-72

Stock rating: Buy. Tuberville should have this team back to the form it was in when he took over. After a setback in 2011 of only five wins, the fact that the Big 12 is a little down should allow the Raiders to make it to a bowl in 2012.

Toledo Rockets

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Coach: Matt Campbell

School record: 1-0

Lifetime record: 1-0

Stock rating: Sell. After a 10-win season and a bowl win over Air Force, it's best to take your winnings and go home. Use 2012 to evaluate the new coach and the direction he wants to take the team.

Troy Trojans

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Larry Blakeney

School record: 164-91-1

Lifetime record: 164-91-1

Stock rating: Buy. After a three-win season in 2011, Troy should be tested, rested and ready to go for 2012. Troy should cross the six-win threshold to make a bowl appearance this season. (Plus, the price is right after a three-win season.)

Tulane Green Wave

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Coach: Curtis Johnson

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Hold. After a two-win season, hiring a new coach was probably the right move. Until the new coach has a year or two to implement his system, hold what you've got. (There's no use in selling useless stock.)

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Otto Kitsinger III/Getty Images

Coach: Bill Blankenship

School record: 8-5

Lifetime record: 8-5

Stock rating: Hold. This should be a third bowl appearance in as many years for Tulsa. If the coach improves upon what he did last year, then they could be near the top of Conference USA before the season is out.

UMass Minutemen

U.S. Navy/Getty Images

Coach: Charley Molnar

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Hold. There's a new coach here, and the Minutemen are coming off a five-win season. Molnar will be doing well for himself if he can repeat the five-win season of 2011. If he can improve on it, you want to have held onto your shares.

UAB Blazers

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Coach: Garrick McGee

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Sell. After a three-win season in 2011, cut your losses while the Blazers break in a new coach.

UCF Knights

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Coach: George O'Leary

School record: 50-51

Lifetime record: 102-84

Stock rating: Hold. The Knights were just a few points away from three more wins last year, which would have meant a bowl game. Just a little bit of improvement will mean a bowl game for the Knights in 2012.

UCLA Bruins

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Coach: Jim Mora

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: N/A

Stock rating: Hold. Hiring a new coach was the right move, but the Pac-12 is a difficult conference for a team that doesn't have a good defense. The value is low right now, so there's not much to gain from selling, considering the new coach was hired. (It would be a different story if the old coach was still there.)

UNC Tar Heels

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

Coach: Larry Fedora

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 34-19

Stock rating: Buy. Larry Fedora in charge of the UNC Tar Heels? While the value is low, take advantage quickly. They will take a few years to compete with the ACC powers, but will reap the recruiting rewards as soon as they are contenders.

UNLV Rebels

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coach: Bobby Hauck

School record: 4-21

Lifetime record: 84-38

Stock rating: Sell. Cash out while they are rebuilding. When a four-win season comes along, buy in again. Four wins over two years is just a waste of investment capital.

USC Trojans

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Coach: Lane Kiffin

School record: 18-7

Lifetime record: 25-13

Stock rating: Buy. The Trojans look like the nation's favorite team to end the streak of national champions from the SEC. Matt Barkley and company are expected to give either the Crimson Tide or the LSU Tigers a gruesome game in January of 2013.

In the meantime, the Trojans have been playing together with no hope of a postseason. That all changes in 2012, and you can expect them to finish inside the top five.

Utah State Aggies

Kent Horner/Getty Images

Coach: Gary Andersen

School record: 15-22

Lifetime record: 19-29

Stock rating: Hold. See if the 2011 trip to a bowl is a sign of overall improvement. This team could go either way in 2012.

Utah Utes

Harry How/Getty Images

Coach: Kyle Whittingham

School record: 66-25

Lifetime record: 66-25

Stock rating: Hold. The Utes could see the postseason again this year, and seem to have the attitude that they are interested in taking the Pac-12 as a serious challenge. This could be the beginning of a new college football power.

UTEP Miners

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Coach: Mike Price

School record: 45-52

Lifetime record: 174-174

Stock rating: Hold. A middle-of-the-road finish last year by some decisive scores leads one to believe that the Miners are in for more of the same in 2012. Since there shouldn't be much (if any) drop off, save your shares.

UTSA Roadrunners

Doug Benc/Getty Images

Coach: Larry Coker

School record: 4-6

Lifetime record: 64-21

Stock rating: Buy. A 4-6 season doesn't give much incentive to buy...except the fact that Coker is a good coach. Buy now while the price is cheap and enjoy the benefits of getting in on the ground floor.

Vanderbilt Commodores

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Coach: James Franklin

School record: 6-7

Lifetime record: 6-7

Stock rating: Buy. Franklin is doing something special up at Vanderbilt. It will take a few years to get it going, of course, since the SEC is so competitive on the recruiting trail. However, now is the time to buy. The odds are that the Commodores will become something we've never seen before within 10 years.

Virginia Cavaliers

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Coach: Mike London

School record: 12-13

Lifetime record: 36-18

Stock rating: Hold. Virginia is not ready to step into the ACC's limelight. However, there is plenty of talent for them to return a bowl-bound squad in 2012.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Coach: Frank Beamer

School record: 209-98-2

Lifetime record: 251-121-4

Stock rating: Hold. Frank Beamer is one of the few stable stocks on the market. He's been around long enough that you know what you're getting. You know he won't lose your money, but he's unlikely to produce a bank-busting national champion, also.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Coach: Jim Grobe

School record: 68-67

Lifetime record: 101-100

Stock rating: Sell. His school record, overall record and recent track record all point to barely making bowl season. However, he's susceptible to the occasional unexplained horrible season. It's probably less risky to sell than it is to hold.

Washington Huskies

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Coach: Steve Sarkisian

School record: 19-19

Lifetime record: 19-19

Stock rating: Hold. The Huskies are entering 2012 as a team that's not rebuilding to the extent that other teams in the Pac-12 are. That means that the Huskies could move up the ladder. It also means that there is little risk of the Huskies dropping a season in the trash can in 2012. Hold your stocks and take the marginal dividends from the Washington Huskies this season.

Washington State Cougars

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Coach: Mike Leach

School record: N/A

Lifetime record: 84-43

Stock rating: Buy. If Mike Leach can get anywhere close to the success he's had in Texas with the Cougars, this low entry price is a steal. Washington State may return to national contention under the guidance of Leach.

West Virginia Mountaineers

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Coach: Dana Holgorsen

School record: 10-3

Lifetime record: 10-3

Stock rating: Buy. With the Big 12 experiencing a down year and the Mountaineers coming off a 70-33 bowl win over ACC power Clemson, now is the time to buy stock in the Mountaineers. There is a decent chance that WVU will take the Big 12 this year. (Not a great chance, but a decent one.)

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Coach: Willie Taggart

School record: 9-15

Lifetime record: 9-15

Stock rating: Hold. A repeat of last year's season (maybe even with one or two more wins) is not out of the question. WKU might make a bowl game in 2012.

Western Michigan Broncos

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Coach: Bill Cubit

School record: 47-39

Lifetime record: 81-57-1

Stock rating: Hold. Western Michigan should make a bowl again in 2012. Even if they don't, losing one or two more games in 2012 won't hurt their value enough to justify cashing out.

Wisconsin Badgers

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Coach: Bret Bielema

School record: 60-19

Lifetime record: 60-19

Stock rating: Hold. Loss of quarterback plus return of Montee Ball equals hold your stocks. There is the possibility of a Big Ten championship in 2012 for the Badgers, but there is also the chance that their new quarterback will make a couple of mistakes that cost them the conference championship.

A 10-win season is a high probability, though.

Wyoming Cowboys

Otto Kitsinger III/Getty Images

Coach: Dave Christensen

School record: 18-20

Lifetime record: 18-20

Stock rating: Sell. Wyoming tends to alternate between good and bad years. Last year was a good year. This year shouldn't be as good. Sell now and buy back in at the end of 2012.