Unlike the NFL, college football doesn’t have a Black Monday.

Recruiting becomes a higher-dollar industry each year, and as a result, most college programs intending to make a move rush to get the 2015 coach in place well before the end of 2014.

The coaching carousel started to spin in September when Kansas fired Charlie Weis and continued when Florida pushed out Will Muschamp on Nov. 16. Several other SEC coaches found their names involved in job rumors, including Hugh Freeze, Les Miles, Bret Bielema and Dan Mullen, but so far the other 13 are due back next season.

The Big Ten especially is going through a major shakeup, with Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska all bringing on new head coaches one season after James Franklin went to Penn State. The Wolverines still don’t have a coach and could send the carousel spinning once again if they steal from another program.

Currently trying to woo Jim Harbaugh from the NFL, Michigan seems unlikely to land the current San Francisco 49ers coach. Who will they turn to next?

Meanwhile, I’ve ranked the major-conference hirings to this point. Let me know where I went wrong.

1. FLORIDA

New Hire: Jim McElwain, former Colorado State head coach

Analysis: An offensive-minded coach, McElwain guided the Rams from 3-9 in 2011, the year before he assumed control, to 10-2 this season. Three years into his career as a head coach, the former Alabama offensive coordinator will get his first chance at a big-time job.

His No. 1 mission? Secure and develop an A-list quarterback along with a bevy of offensive skill players. That’s what it will take to steer the Gators back to the SEC championship.

The hiring process and public haggling about McElwain’s obscene buyout at CSU seemed odd. It’s almost as if UF is paying for three head coaches this season — McElwain, McElwain’s buyout and Muschamp’s buyout. But the Gators got as close of a facsimile to Muschamp as possible in terms of McElwain’s likability at the office and good relations with the media.

McElwain is a good recruiter, but more importantly, he’s produced some illustrious offenses both as a coordinator and head coach. He helped Alabama win a few national titles under Nick Saban. His offenses at CSU produced well in the running game — Kapri Bibbs ran for 31 touchdowns in 2013 and Crimson Tide transfer Dee Hart claimed seven 100-yard games this season — but Florida will be much less conservative under McElwain, who also produced a Biletnikoff Award finalist in Fort Collins.

It may take McElwain a year or two to secure and develop adequate offensive personnel, but if he can find a strong coordinator to maintain the defense in the meantime, Florida should soon be back on top of a shaky SEC East.

Open Because: The well-liked Muschamp didn’t win enough games the last two seasons, mostly because of the inability to develop a quarterback and an inept offense that remained stalled under multiple coordinators.

Grade: A-

2. OREGON STATE

New Hire: Gary Andersen, former Wisconsin head coach

Analysis: Mike Riley led the Beavers to eight or more wins in half of his seasons in Corvallis, Ore.

It’s difficult to compete with the likes of Oregon, USC and others in a loaded Pac-12, which has welcomed an influx of successful coaches like Rich Rodriguez, Chris Petersen and Mike Leach in recent years. When Riley headed elsewhere, it seemed difficult to imagine Oregon State attracting a coach with anything close to Riley’s resume.

And then the school hired away the head coach of the Big Ten West Division champion Wisconsin Badgers.

Andersen is used to building up an underdog — he turned Utah State into a Top 25 team in four seasons after starting 4-8 in the WAC — and seems to fit Corvallis. There are all kinds of speculations about his departure from Wisconsin.

Will his defense-first, ground-based philosophy work in the Pac-12? It has at Stanford.

Open Because: Former head coach Mike Riley accepted the Nebraska job.

Grade: A-

3. NEBRASKA

New Hire: Mike Riley, former Oregon State head coach

Analysis: Most people gasped when they heard the Cornhuskers hired Riley. (You mean the Oregon State guy?!) But rather than go through a protracted public spectacle like Michigan, then realize a B-lister was all that the program could muster, Nebraska went after Riley quickly and silently.

He is, of course, much more than “the Oregon State guy.” He was a head coach in the NFL for three seasons with the San Diego Chargers. It’s not the first time a major college program offered him a head coaching job — Riley turned down the University of Alabama in 2002. He won a couple of Grey Cups in Canada as well.

Riley is competent and intelligent. If Bo Pelini’s expletive-filled rants were rated R, Riley is PG. He’s terrific with the media. He’s respected among his peers.

Recruiting is his major challenge. If he can get the players, Nebraska should return to being a Top 10 program. If not, well, the Cornhuskers are used to 9-4 seasons.

Open Because: Nebraska fired volatile coach Bo Pelini after seven consecutive seasons with either nine or 10 wins.

Grade: B

4. WISCONSIN

New Hire: Paul Chryst, former Pitt head coach

Analysis: Wisconsin has been one of the 15 best programs in college football for the last decade. But since December 2012, the Badgers have lost Bret Bielema to Arkansas and now Gary Andersen to Oregon State.

With rumors of friction between the coaches and athletic director/former coach Barry Alvarez (which Andersen downplayed this week) and rumblings of not enough resources to afford top assistants, perception of the job has taken a major hit.

All that considered, Paul Chryst was a solid get for the Badgers. First, Chryst was the offensive coordinator for the Badgers from 2005-11 — mostly Bielema years. If the job was that bad, wouldn’t Bielema have warned off Chryst?

Chryst also witnessed first-hand how good Wisconsin can be when it adds competent quarterback play to giant offensive linemen, bruising running backs and physical defenses. (See: Russell Wilson and Scott Tolzien.) His mission will be to attract and develop another top-end quarterback that can thrust the program back in the national title hunt.

Open Because: Andersen bailed in favor of Oregon State.

Grade: B-

5. KANSAS

New Hire: David Beaty, former Texas A&M receivers coach/recruiting coordinator

Analysis: Anything beats the Turner Gill-Charlie Weis eras, right?

Beaty only has two years of experience as an offensive coordinator (Rice in 2010, Kansas in 2011). Now he’s a head coach with the deck stacked against him in the Big 12. But he knows the school, he’s an ace recruiter, he’s likable and he’ll benefit from the presence of Clint Bowen, who had served as the interim coach.

Considering the Jayhawks’ stuggles, an ambitious up-and-comer with a good personality, someone who isn’t too big for the job, seems like a much better fit at KU.

But really, as long as Beaty isn’t Weis, the program should be OK, even if he never leads the team to a bowl.

Open Because: Charlie Weis went 1-18 in Big 12 play in two-plus seasons as head coach.

Grade: C+

Still Open: Michigan, Pitt

OTHER NOTABLES

SMU: The Mustangs avoided becoming the only winless FBS team in 2014 by beating UConn on the road, then nabbed perhaps the most respected offensive coordinator in the country in Clemson’s Chad Morris. SMU has money, a sharp young coach and a great location in Dallas. It’s easy to see the program return to bowls with regularity within a few years.

Houston: Not to be outdone, the Cougars snatched one of Morris’ competitors for “most respected offensive coordinator,” ripping away Tom Herman from Urban Meyer and Ohio State. Houston has a reputation as one of the nation’s offensive leaders. I’d expect Herman to continue that trend in the entertaining American Athletic Conference, which is suddenly full of solid coaches.

Tulsa: Notice a pattern here? The Golden Hurricane, also an AAC member, hired Baylor offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Philip Montgomery. Some of Montgomery’s all-conference pupils: Bryce Petty, Nick Florence, Robert Griffin III, Case Keenum and Kevin Kolb.

UNLV: Tony Sanchez led Bishop Gorman (Nev.) High School to six consecutive state championships and probably a USA Today high school national championship. But can he translate that to a struggling Mountain West Conference program? The Rebels have tried every other combination — hotshot coordinator, lower-level winner, older legend. Sanchez’ bigger challenge will be resurrecting the athletic department’s finances, now in shambles, and securing a facilities upgrade.

Buffalo: The Bulls hired a coach that went 108-6 at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, including five national championships. But Buffalo historically doesn’t get the talent that signs at other MAC programs. Is he a good enough coach to get lesser talent to compete for division titles?

Still Open: Colorado State