Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Former Alabama, Texas A&M and TCU Coach Dennis Franchione Dies
Dennis Franchione was a college football coach who led teams for many years.
He died in Austin at age 75.
He coached at schools including TCU, Alabama and Texas A&M.
Across his career, his teams won 213 games.
At TCU, his teams had three winning seasons in a row.
Alabama had a strong 2002 season, but sanctions meant it could not play in a bowl game.
At Texas A&M, he coached for five seasons and then resigned.
His family confirmed his death.
Dennis Franchione died Tuesday in Austin at age 75; family members confirmed his death to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
He coached from 1985 to 2015 and finished with a 213-135-2 record and eight conference titles.
At TCU, he led the Horned Frogs to three consecutive winning seasons and a 25-10 record.
His two seasons at Alabama included a 10-3 campaign in 2002, but NCAA sanctions kept the team out of the SEC title race and a bowl game.
Franchione went 32-28 in five seasons at Texas A&M and resigned after the 2007 season.
- Who
- Dennis Franchione, former college football coach.
- What
- He died at age 75.
- When
- Tuesday; the article does not provide a calendar date.
- Where
- Austin, Texas.
- Why
- The article says cancer had returned in 2026 after earlier treatment, but does not explicitly identify the cause of death.
Career achievements
Career challenges
Coaching record
Career achievements
Franchione won more than 200 games and eight conference titles during a 30-year coaching career.
Career challenges
His Texas A&M teams went 32-28, had no Top 25 finish, and suffered a 77-0 loss to Oklahoma in 2003.
Departure from Alabama
Career achievements
He led Alabama to a 10-3 record in 2002, although sanctions prevented the team from competing for the SEC title or playing in a bowl.
Career challenges
He left Alabama after two seasons to take the Texas A&M job.
Texas A&M newsletter
Career achievements
The article notes that his 2007 season ended with a win over Texas.
Career challenges
Pressure increased after reports that he sold top donors a private newsletter containing inside team information, apparently without the administration's knowledge.
- Age
- 75
- Career coaching years
- 1985–2015
- Career record
- 213-135-2 in 29 seasons
- Conference titles
- Eight
- TCU record under Franchione
- 25-10, including a 10-1 season in 2000
- Alabama tenure
- Two seasons, beginning in 2001
- Texas A&M record
- 32-28 overall in five seasons