Now that Rutgers has fired Chris Ash, the title of college football's most embattled coach goes to Southern California's Clay Helton, who is seemingly working on borrowed time amid the Trojans' continued swoon and the university's recent change at athletics director.

But Helton isn't alone, even if the potential USC opening promises to have the most profound impact on this year's coaching cycle — the trickle-down impact of the possible USC opening could be monumental, creating a domino effect of coaching changes across multiple Power Five conferences. That's if USC doesn't simply take Urban Meyer away from his burgeoning TV career.

Almost every conference has at least one coach on the hot seat. Here are the coaches due to be under heavy scrutiny in October and November:

Charlie Strong, South Florida

After winning 17 of its first 19 games with the Bulls, Strong has since lost nine games in a row against FBS competition. Overall, the program's only win since last October came on Sept. 14 against South Carolina State. The latest defeat, a 48-21 debacle at home against SMU, laid bare the conundrum USF must address in the next two months: Has Strong earned the benefit of the doubt after his strong start and overall reputation or is it time to pull the plug before things get worse?

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Tony Sanchez, UNLV

After receiving a clear bowl-game-or-bust mandate this offseason, Sanchez's job security is in a precarious position after Saturday's 53-17 loss at Wyoming dropped the Rebels to 1-3 this season and 17-35 overall since hiring Sanchez was brought in after the 2014 season. Previously a Las Vegas-area coaching legend on the high school ranks — he built a national powerhouse at Bishop Gorman — Sanchez has yet to win more than five games in a season at UNLV and seems destined for a similar finish in 2019. There's almost no chance he'll return at four or five wins.

Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech

Taking a look back at the last 12 months reveals an ugly picture: Virginia Tech has been among the worst Power Five teams in the country dating to last October, putting Fuente under pressure to deliver a midseason turnaround. Since that point, the Hokies have lost twice to Boston College, to Notre Dame by 22 points, Georgia Tech by 21, Pittsburgh by 30 and Miami (Fla.) by 24. The latest loss, a 45-10 embarrassment against Duke last Friday, was the lowest point for Virginia Tech football in more than a generation.

Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee

The wreck that is Tennessee might find its latest scapegoat in Pruitt, who is floundering in his second season while former coach and current athletics director Phil Fulmer looms over the program. The issues are too numerous to list in full. A short list: Tennessee is losing by huge margins to rivals, most recently Florida; is losing to teams the program has no business losing to, such as Georgia State; can't find an offensive identity and has been unable to develop talent from well-regarded recruiting classes; and is constantly tripped up by the sort of errors that reflect poorly on the coaching staff.

MORE:Phillip Fulmer says he won't coach Volunteers again, backs Jeremy Pruitt

Lovie Smith, Illinois

The returns have been poor almost from the start, even if Smith and his staff did get an early pass as they tried to inject young talent and quick-fix transfers to an often overwhelmed roster. Nonetheless, Illinois won three games in 2016, two in 2017 — going winless in Big Ten play — and four games last season, and seem destined for another finish in the bottom of the West Division in 2019. Smith has a $4 million buyout if fired after this season, but that number drops to $2 million in 2020 and $1 million in 2021.

Clay Helton, Southern California

The odds of Helton retaining his job into 2020 are decreasing almost by the day, and will reach an even more feverish pitch if the Trojans lose to Notre Dame next week to fall to an even 3-3 at the midseason point. As noted, it doesn't help matters that USC is such a mess as an athletics department; the successor to Lynn Swann as athletics director should be given the chance to wipe the slate clean and start fresh, putting Helton's position in even further jeopardy. Any chance he does have at returning next season might not demand a win against the Irish but it does entail no ugly losses the rest of the way and a competitive finish in the Pac-12 South, if not an outright division championship.. But even that would very likely not be enough.

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan

While it's wildly premature to assume Harbaugh's job is in any true jeopardy whatsoever, the team's continued issues on offense and the perceived gap between the Wolverines and rival Buckeyes has supporters of the program feeling restless, and deservedly so. Harbaugh and his staff did right the ship last weekend against Rutgers, as expected. But crunch time for Michigan begins again this weekend against Iowa and continues through the biggest test of all: the finale with Ohio State.

Steve Addazio, Boston College

Addazio has piloted Boston College into postseason play in five of his six seasons, which counts for something. In none of those years, however, did the Eagles win more than seven games. At some point, the hopes and expectations are for more than merely reaching a bowl game and finishing in the middle of the pack in the ACC. While the preseason projections weren't too high on Boston College — the defense was seen as a liability even if the offense had potential — there's no way to sugarcoat the 48-24 loss at home to Kansas, the Jayhawks' first road win against a Power Five opponent since 2008.