Back in May, I wrote up the first iteration of my Top 50 head coaches in College Football, here. Now that the season is nearing an end and Monday's National Championship between Ryan Day(Ohio State) and Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) feels as though it's a foregone conclusion after the Buckeyes have gone on an all-time heater since a painful loss at home to arch-rival Michigan. Defeating three consecutive Top-10 opponents by double-digits is something I'm not sure we have ever witnessed.
In 2014, Dak Prescott and the Mississippi State Bulldogs were unranked heading into Death Valley, they took down No. 8 LSU by 5, were ranked 12th the following week, and hosted No. 6 Texas A&M, they won by 17. The following week the Bulldogs were up to 3rd in the AP and hosting No. 2 Auburn.. you guessed it, they won by 15, vaulting them up to No. 1 overall in the AP.. just 4 weeks after being unranked. Before that to end the 1987 season, Miami accomplished this feat with wins against 10. Notre Dame, 8. South Carolina and 1. Oklahoma in the National Championship.
At the end of the 2023 season, the great Nick Saban retired from Alabama ranked No. 5 with 297 wins. As the 2024 season comes to an end, we've already watched former Longhorn and recent North Carolina Tar Heel, Mack Brown head for the door while being ranked No. 6 all-time in wins at 282. This leaves Kirk Ferentz from Iowa as the active winningest coach in College Football heading into 2025. Ferentz is 17th all-time with 204 wins and 10 consecutive seasons with a better than .600 winning percentage. Ferentz leads Brian Kelly (195) by 9, while he (Ferentz) is 6 years elder.
Wins and Losses aren't everything when breaking down and ranking Head Coaches, but it's an important piece, let's jump back into the Top 50 and figure out the answer, who are the best coaches in college football?
NR) Willie Fritz - Houston (Previous: 27)
- Record (75-62)
- Since 1982, Fritz has coached at the HS, JUCO, D2, FCS and now FBS level
- 4-8 in First Season at Houston
NR) Hugh Freeze - Auburn (Previous: 23)
- Record (67-56)
- Back-to-back No. 8 Recruiting Classes
- Won 8+ games in four straight seasons at Liberty
NR) Mike Elko - Texas A&M (Previous: 30)
- Record (24-14)
- The end of the David Cutcliffe era at Duke dropped off with a record of 10-25 in three seasons, however, Coach Elko brought the program back in just two seasons. Elko finished his time in Durham with a 17-9 record.
- #4 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- No. 10 Overall Recruiting Class in 2025
NR) Luke Fickell - Wisconsin (Previous: 39)
- Record (76-38)
- Fickell took over a 4-8 Cincinnati Bearcats team in 2017 and turned it into a Top-10 New Year's Six competitor. The Bearcats won 53 games and lost just 10 from 2018-2022.
- After the 2022 season in Cincinnati, Fickell took the Wisconsin job after Paul Chryst was let go. During his first season in Madison, the Badgers finished second in the Big 10 West, defeated their rival Minnesota on the road, and sent 2 players to the NFL Draft.
- Back-to-back Top-25 Overall Recruiting Classes
NR) Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State (Previous: 21)
- Record (169-88)
- Won Big 12 Championship in 2011. Lost in 2010, 2021 and 2023.
- Eight 10+ win seasons.
- 12-6 record in Bowl Games.
- First seasons with less than 7 wins (3-9)
NR) Jon Sumrall - Tulane (Previous: 29)
- Record (32-9)
- During Sumrall's first season at Troy in 2022, the Trojans won more games (11) than the previous two seasons combined (10).
- Lost Confernece Championship in 2024
NR) Jamey Chadwell - Liberty (Previous: 16)
- Record (60-27)
- After winning 39 games in four seasons at Coastal Carolina and winning the Sun Belt Championship, Chadwell departed for Lynchburg to take over for Hugh Freeze.
- In 2023, Liberty finished 13-1 and lost in the Fiesta Bowl to Oregon.
- First 4 loss season since second year at Coastal Carolina (2019)
NR) Bill Belichick - North Carolina
- Record (0-0)
- G.O.A.T.
#25) Shane Beamer - South Carolina - Movement: (+23)
- Record (29-22, 56.8%)
- (5-5) against Top 15 teams during four seasons at South Carolina
- #10 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Top 20 Recruiting Class in 2023 and 2025
- First 9 win season for South Carolina since 2017
#24) Lincoln Riley - USC - Movement: (-10)
- Record (81-24, 77.1%)
- Four-time BIG 12 Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
- Top 20 Recruiting Class in 2023, 2024 and 2025
- Upward trend line in losses since 2021... 2, 3, 5 and 6 losses in 2024.
#23) Matt Campbell - Iowa State - Movement: (+15)
- Record (99-66 60%)
- During his first 8 seasons, Iowa State has experienced just two losing seasons (2016, 2022)
- Led Iowa State to its first and second ever Big 12 Championship game. (0-2)
- Record vs. Iowa (2-6)
- First-ever 11 win season in school history
#22) Rich Rodriguez - NEW! West Virginia (formerly Jax State) - Movement: (+12)
- Record (136-91 59.9%)
- During a 7-year stint at West Virginia, Rodriguez won 4 Big East Championships and 60 games. He departed for Michigan after building WVU into a powerhouse, Top-10 program, and three consecutive 10-win seasons.
- In three seasons at Jacksonville State, Rich Rod has ushered the Gamecocks into the FBS successfully with three consecutive 9-win seasons.
#21) Rhett Lashlee - SMU - Movement: (+23)
- Record (29-12, 70.7%)
- Between 2011 and 2021, Lashlee spent time at 6 different schools as an offensive coordinator. In 2022 he returned to SMU, where he was the OC during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
- After Sonny Dykes departed SMU for the TCU job, Lashlee's door opened. Dykes was 30-17 with one 10-win season. In his first two seasons, Lashlee is 18-9, finishing 11-3 in 2023 with losses against 18. Oklahoma, Boston College, and Sonny Dykes at TCU.
- Consecutive 11 win seasons at SMU
- ACC Championship Appearance in first season
- College Football Playoff Appearance
#20) Lance Leipold - Kansas - Movement: (-12)
- Record (59-61, 49.1%)
- Turned Kansas around from 2-10 in 2021 to a ranked 9-4 competitor after upsetting 6. Oklahoma in Lawrence in 2023.
- Began 2025 with a 1-5 record, finished 4-2, defeating 3 straight top-20 teams.
#19) Mike Norvell - Florida State - Movement: (-8)
- Record (33-27, 55%)
- 10 Players Drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. (3rd most among Active Coaches)
- Undefeated 13-0 in 2023. before losing 63-3 in the Orange Bowl to Georgia.
- Generational turn-around... 13-1 to 2-10 in 2025
#18) Eli Drinkwitz - Missouri - Movement: (-3)
- Record (50-25, 64.5%)
- 4 of their last 5 recruiting cycles have finished with Top 25 Team Rankings.
- Back-to-back 10+ win seasons
#17) Jeff Brohm - Louisville - Movement: (+3)
- Record (85-52, 62.0%)
- #2 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Won the Big 10 West in 2022 at Purdue.
#16) Kyle Whittingham - Utah - Movement: (-6)
- Record (167-86, 66.0%)
- Two-time PAC 12 Champion (2021, 2022)
- First seasons under .500 since 2013 at Utah
#15) Mario Cristobal - Miami (FL) - Movement: (+2)
- Record (84-76, 52.5%)
- Two-time PAC 12 Champion (2019, 2020)
- Top 15 Recruiting Class in each of the last 3 cycles.
#14) Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss - Movement: (+5)
- Record (105-52, 66.8%)
- Three 10+ win seasons in 4 years
#13) Josh Heupel - Tennessee - Movement: (+5)
- Record (65-23, 73.8%)
- 28-8 at UCF in three seasons, 37-15 at Tennessee in three seasons.
- Top 15 Recruiting Class in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Qualifed for the 2024 College Football Playoff
#12) Matt Rhule - Nebraska - Movement: (+1)
- Record (59-56, 51.3%)
- Back-to-back Top 20 Recruiting Classes
- Generational Program Builder, Temple was 2-10 in 2013 followed by 6-6 in 2014. When Rhule got to Baylor, they went 1-11 and in year two 7-6, the year after they went to the Big 12 Championship and finished 11-3. His first season at Nebraska finished 5-7, while 2025 finished again with 6 losses, 7-6, including a 5-1 start to the season.
#11) Curt Cignetti - Indiana - Movement: (+14)
- Record (30-6, 83.3%)
- #8 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Won 5 consecutive conference championships at James Madison, three at the FCS level and two in the Sun Belt.
- 11-2 in first season at Indiana
- Appeared in College Football Playoff
#10) Kalen DeBoer - Alabama - Movement (-8)
- D1 Record (46-13, 77.9%)
- PAC 12 Champion (2023)
- 2025 was his first 4-loss season ever, DeBoer began head coaching in 2005 at Sioux Falls.
#9) Brian Kelly - LSU - Movement: (-)
- Record (174-73, 70.4%)
- Top 5 Recruiting Class in 2023
- Three 10+ win seasons at Cincinnati, Six 10+ win seasons at Notre Dame, and Two 10+ win seasons at LSU.
- Lost 4 games in 2025, the first time since 2016 at Notre Dame (4-8)
#8) Chris Klieman - Kansas State - Movement: (-1)
- Record (48-28, 63.1%)
- BIG 12 Champion (2022)
- Four-time FCS National Champion at North Dakota State.
- Three consecutive 9+ win seasons
#7) James Franklin - Penn State - Movement: (+5)
- Record (125-57, 68.6%)
- Big 10 Champion (2016)
- Top 10 Recruiting Class in 2022
- Semi-Final Appearance and Loss to Notre Dame in 2025
#6) Dan Lanning - Oregon - Movement: (-)
- Record (35-6, 85.3%)
- Top 10 Recruiting Class in 2023, 2024 & 2025
- #9 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Pac 12 Runner-up (2023, Big 10 Champion (2024)
#5) Marcus Freeman - Notre Dame - Movement: (+17)
- Record (33-9, 78.5%)
- Top 12 Recruiting Class in each of last 4 seasons
- National Championship Appearance against Ohio State
#4) Steve Sarkisian - Texas - Movement: (+1)
- Record (84-52, 61.7%)
- BIG 12 Champion (2023), SEC Runner-Up (2024)
- No. 1 Overall Recruiting Class in 2025. Top 3 in 2023 & 2024, finishing 5th overall in 2022.
- Back-to-back 12+ win seasons and Semi-Final appearances
#3) Ryan Day - Ohio State - Movement: (+1)
- Record (69-10, 87.3%)
- Two-Time Big 10 Champion (2019, 2020)
- Top 5 Recruiting Class in 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025
- Returned to National Championship Game (2024-25) for the first time since the 2020 Blowout loss to Alabama.
#2) Dabo Swinney - Clemson - Movement: (-)
- Record (180-47, 79.2%)
- Two-time CFP National Champion (2016, 2018)
- Returned to the College Football Playoff in 2025 for the first time 2020-21 where they lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
- Won 2024 ACC Championship, won 6 consecutive from 2015-20 before losing 2 of 3 conference titles in 2021 and 2023.
- Top 10 Recruiting Class in 2022, 2023 & 2024, dropped down to No. 34 in the Class of 2025
#1) Kirby Smart - Georgia - Movement: (-)
- Record (105-19, 84.6%)
- Two-time CFP National Champion (2021, 2022)
- Three-time SEC Champion (2017, 2022, 2024)
- #1 Overall Recruiting Class in 2024, #2 Overall in 2023, 2025, and #3 Overall in 2022.
- 2025 was his first season with 3 losses since 2018 when Georgia lost to Texas in the Sugar Bowl
In 2014, Dak Prescott and the Mississippi State Bulldogs were unranked heading into Death Valley, they took down No. 8 LSU by 5, were ranked 12th the following week, and hosted No. 6 Texas A&M, they won by 17. The following week the Bulldogs were up to 3rd in the AP and hosting No. 2 Auburn.. you guessed it, they won by 15, vaulting them up to No. 1 overall in the AP.. just 4 weeks after being unranked. Before that to end the 1987 season, Miami accomplished this feat with wins against 10. Notre Dame, 8. South Carolina and 1. Oklahoma in the National Championship.
At the end of the 2023 season, the great Nick Saban retired from Alabama ranked No. 5 with 297 wins. As the 2024 season comes to an end, we've already watched former Longhorn and recent North Carolina Tar Heel, Mack Brown head for the door while being ranked No. 6 all-time in wins at 282. This leaves Kirk Ferentz from Iowa as the active winningest coach in College Football heading into 2025. Ferentz is 17th all-time with 204 wins and 10 consecutive seasons with a better than .600 winning percentage. Ferentz leads Brian Kelly (195) by 9, while he (Ferentz) is 6 years elder.
Wins and Losses aren't everything when breaking down and ranking Head Coaches, but it's an important piece, let's jump back into the Top 50 and figure out the answer, who are the best coaches in college football?
NR) Willie Fritz - Houston (Previous: 27)
- Record (75-62)
- Since 1982, Fritz has coached at the HS, JUCO, D2, FCS and now FBS level
- 4-8 in First Season at Houston
NR) Hugh Freeze - Auburn (Previous: 23)
- Record (67-56)
- Back-to-back No. 8 Recruiting Classes
- Won 8+ games in four straight seasons at Liberty
NR) Mike Elko - Texas A&M (Previous: 30)
- Record (24-14)
- The end of the David Cutcliffe era at Duke dropped off with a record of 10-25 in three seasons, however, Coach Elko brought the program back in just two seasons. Elko finished his time in Durham with a 17-9 record.
- #4 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- No. 10 Overall Recruiting Class in 2025
NR) Luke Fickell - Wisconsin (Previous: 39)
- Record (76-38)
- Fickell took over a 4-8 Cincinnati Bearcats team in 2017 and turned it into a Top-10 New Year's Six competitor. The Bearcats won 53 games and lost just 10 from 2018-2022.
- After the 2022 season in Cincinnati, Fickell took the Wisconsin job after Paul Chryst was let go. During his first season in Madison, the Badgers finished second in the Big 10 West, defeated their rival Minnesota on the road, and sent 2 players to the NFL Draft.
- Back-to-back Top-25 Overall Recruiting Classes
NR) Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State (Previous: 21)
- Record (169-88)
- Won Big 12 Championship in 2011. Lost in 2010, 2021 and 2023.
- Eight 10+ win seasons.
- 12-6 record in Bowl Games.
- First seasons with less than 7 wins (3-9)
NR) Jon Sumrall - Tulane (Previous: 29)
- Record (32-9)
- During Sumrall's first season at Troy in 2022, the Trojans won more games (11) than the previous two seasons combined (10).
- Lost Confernece Championship in 2024
NR) Jamey Chadwell - Liberty (Previous: 16)
- Record (60-27)
- After winning 39 games in four seasons at Coastal Carolina and winning the Sun Belt Championship, Chadwell departed for Lynchburg to take over for Hugh Freeze.
- In 2023, Liberty finished 13-1 and lost in the Fiesta Bowl to Oregon.
- First 4 loss season since second year at Coastal Carolina (2019)
NR) Bill Belichick - North Carolina
- Record (0-0)
- G.O.A.T.
#25) Shane Beamer - South Carolina - Movement: (+23)
- Record (29-22, 56.8%)
- (5-5) against Top 15 teams during four seasons at South Carolina
- #10 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Top 20 Recruiting Class in 2023 and 2025
- First 9 win season for South Carolina since 2017
#24) Lincoln Riley - USC - Movement: (-10)
- Record (81-24, 77.1%)
- Four-time BIG 12 Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
- Top 20 Recruiting Class in 2023, 2024 and 2025
- Upward trend line in losses since 2021... 2, 3, 5 and 6 losses in 2024.
#23) Matt Campbell - Iowa State - Movement: (+15)
- Record (99-66 60%)
- During his first 8 seasons, Iowa State has experienced just two losing seasons (2016, 2022)
- Led Iowa State to its first and second ever Big 12 Championship game. (0-2)
- Record vs. Iowa (2-6)
- First-ever 11 win season in school history
#22) Rich Rodriguez - NEW! West Virginia (formerly Jax State) - Movement: (+12)
- Record (136-91 59.9%)
- During a 7-year stint at West Virginia, Rodriguez won 4 Big East Championships and 60 games. He departed for Michigan after building WVU into a powerhouse, Top-10 program, and three consecutive 10-win seasons.
- In three seasons at Jacksonville State, Rich Rod has ushered the Gamecocks into the FBS successfully with three consecutive 9-win seasons.
#21) Rhett Lashlee - SMU - Movement: (+23)
- Record (29-12, 70.7%)
- Between 2011 and 2021, Lashlee spent time at 6 different schools as an offensive coordinator. In 2022 he returned to SMU, where he was the OC during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
- After Sonny Dykes departed SMU for the TCU job, Lashlee's door opened. Dykes was 30-17 with one 10-win season. In his first two seasons, Lashlee is 18-9, finishing 11-3 in 2023 with losses against 18. Oklahoma, Boston College, and Sonny Dykes at TCU.
- Consecutive 11 win seasons at SMU
- ACC Championship Appearance in first season
- College Football Playoff Appearance
#20) Lance Leipold - Kansas - Movement: (-12)
- Record (59-61, 49.1%)
- Turned Kansas around from 2-10 in 2021 to a ranked 9-4 competitor after upsetting 6. Oklahoma in Lawrence in 2023.
- Began 2025 with a 1-5 record, finished 4-2, defeating 3 straight top-20 teams.
#19) Mike Norvell - Florida State - Movement: (-8)
- Record (33-27, 55%)
- 10 Players Drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. (3rd most among Active Coaches)
- Undefeated 13-0 in 2023. before losing 63-3 in the Orange Bowl to Georgia.
- Generational turn-around... 13-1 to 2-10 in 2025
#18) Eli Drinkwitz - Missouri - Movement: (-3)
- Record (50-25, 64.5%)
- 4 of their last 5 recruiting cycles have finished with Top 25 Team Rankings.
- Back-to-back 10+ win seasons
#17) Jeff Brohm - Louisville - Movement: (+3)
- Record (85-52, 62.0%)
- #2 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Won the Big 10 West in 2022 at Purdue.
#16) Kyle Whittingham - Utah - Movement: (-6)
- Record (167-86, 66.0%)
- Two-time PAC 12 Champion (2021, 2022)
- First seasons under .500 since 2013 at Utah
#15) Mario Cristobal - Miami (FL) - Movement: (+2)
- Record (84-76, 52.5%)
- Two-time PAC 12 Champion (2019, 2020)
- Top 15 Recruiting Class in each of the last 3 cycles.
#14) Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss - Movement: (+5)
- Record (105-52, 66.8%)
- Three 10+ win seasons in 4 years
#13) Josh Heupel - Tennessee - Movement: (+5)
- Record (65-23, 73.8%)
- 28-8 at UCF in three seasons, 37-15 at Tennessee in three seasons.
- Top 15 Recruiting Class in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Qualifed for the 2024 College Football Playoff
#12) Matt Rhule - Nebraska - Movement: (+1)
- Record (59-56, 51.3%)
- Back-to-back Top 20 Recruiting Classes
- Generational Program Builder, Temple was 2-10 in 2013 followed by 6-6 in 2014. When Rhule got to Baylor, they went 1-11 and in year two 7-6, the year after they went to the Big 12 Championship and finished 11-3. His first season at Nebraska finished 5-7, while 2025 finished again with 6 losses, 7-6, including a 5-1 start to the season.
#11) Curt Cignetti - Indiana - Movement: (+14)
- Record (30-6, 83.3%)
- #8 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Won 5 consecutive conference championships at James Madison, three at the FCS level and two in the Sun Belt.
- 11-2 in first season at Indiana
- Appeared in College Football Playoff
#10) Kalen DeBoer - Alabama - Movement (-8)
- D1 Record (46-13, 77.9%)
- PAC 12 Champion (2023)
- 2025 was his first 4-loss season ever, DeBoer began head coaching in 2005 at Sioux Falls.
#9) Brian Kelly - LSU - Movement: (-)
- Record (174-73, 70.4%)
- Top 5 Recruiting Class in 2023
- Three 10+ win seasons at Cincinnati, Six 10+ win seasons at Notre Dame, and Two 10+ win seasons at LSU.
- Lost 4 games in 2025, the first time since 2016 at Notre Dame (4-8)
#8) Chris Klieman - Kansas State - Movement: (-1)
- Record (48-28, 63.1%)
- BIG 12 Champion (2022)
- Four-time FCS National Champion at North Dakota State.
- Three consecutive 9+ win seasons
#7) James Franklin - Penn State - Movement: (+5)
- Record (125-57, 68.6%)
- Big 10 Champion (2016)
- Top 10 Recruiting Class in 2022
- Semi-Final Appearance and Loss to Notre Dame in 2025
#6) Dan Lanning - Oregon - Movement: (-)
- Record (35-6, 85.3%)
- Top 10 Recruiting Class in 2023, 2024 & 2025
- #9 Overall Transfer Portal Class in 2024, per. Rivals.com
- Pac 12 Runner-up (2023, Big 10 Champion (2024)
#5) Marcus Freeman - Notre Dame - Movement: (+17)
- Record (33-9, 78.5%)
- Top 12 Recruiting Class in each of last 4 seasons
- National Championship Appearance against Ohio State
#4) Steve Sarkisian - Texas - Movement: (+1)
- Record (84-52, 61.7%)
- BIG 12 Champion (2023), SEC Runner-Up (2024)
- No. 1 Overall Recruiting Class in 2025. Top 3 in 2023 & 2024, finishing 5th overall in 2022.
- Back-to-back 12+ win seasons and Semi-Final appearances
#3) Ryan Day - Ohio State - Movement: (+1)
- Record (69-10, 87.3%)
- Two-Time Big 10 Champion (2019, 2020)
- Top 5 Recruiting Class in 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025
- Returned to National Championship Game (2024-25) for the first time since the 2020 Blowout loss to Alabama.
#2) Dabo Swinney - Clemson - Movement: (-)
- Record (180-47, 79.2%)
- Two-time CFP National Champion (2016, 2018)
- Returned to the College Football Playoff in 2025 for the first time 2020-21 where they lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
- Won 2024 ACC Championship, won 6 consecutive from 2015-20 before losing 2 of 3 conference titles in 2021 and 2023.
- Top 10 Recruiting Class in 2022, 2023 & 2024, dropped down to No. 34 in the Class of 2025
#1) Kirby Smart - Georgia - Movement: (-)
- Record (105-19, 84.6%)
- Two-time CFP National Champion (2021, 2022)
- Three-time SEC Champion (2017, 2022, 2024)
- #1 Overall Recruiting Class in 2024, #2 Overall in 2023, 2025, and #3 Overall in 2022.
- 2025 was his first season with 3 losses since 2018 when Georgia lost to Texas in the Sugar Bowl
