College football coaches have to wear many hats. They recruit, coach, mentor and develop. It’s a hard job that deserves recognition when done well. With that, here are the top 25 college football coaches.
Note: First-year FBS coaches will not be included on the list. No matter how promising they look.
Here are last year’s rankings.
25. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Cowboys
Last Year’s Rank: 16
There were a lot of expectations for Gundy’s Cowboys in 2024, as they returned a lot of starters from a 10-win team the year before. They won just three games, which has him drop down the list. He still has plenty of career accomplishments and a 169-88 record, but there are some questions of whether he, or the school, adapted to the NIL era quickly enough.
24. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Hawkeyes
Last Year’s Rank: 20
Ferentz is the longest tenured coach in college football. In 27 years at Iowa, Ferentz has a 204-124 record. He has been eligible for 13 straight bowl games and has been the model of consistency. The offense hasn’t always been pretty, but the defense has been elite.
23. Mike Elko, Texas A&M Aggies
Last Year’s Rank: 24
Elko went 8-5 in his first season with the Aggies. That came after a successful stint at Duke where he had a 16-9 record over two seasons. The defense has to replace a lot of impact players who left for the NFL Draft and the offense needs to take a step forward, but Elko has done more with less during his head coaching career.
22. Shane Beamer, South Carolina Gamecocks
Last Year’s Rank: N/A
Beamer went from seven wins to eight to five then up to nine last season. He has a 29-22 overall record and is now trending the right way. South Carolina has good star power this season in quarterback LaNorris Sellers and edge rusher Dylan Stewart, but will need several key players to step up to reach their goals.
21. Jeff Brohm, Louisville Cardinals
Last Year’s Rank: 21
After having success at Western Kentucky and then Purdue, Brohm joined his alma mater in 2023. In his time with the school, he has a 19-8 record and has done an amazing job working with quarterbacks to get the most out of them. Louisville should be able to compete in the ACC this year, which will help him move up the rankings.
20. Mike Norvell, Florida State Seminoles
Last Year’s Rank: 4
Norvell may have been the hardest coach to rank. He had an undefeated regular season in 2023, then won just two games last season. He drops 16 spots from last year and will need to turn things around quickly. Norvell has utilized the transfer portal heavily again, which has produced mixed results, but will need to improve high school recruiting to have more sustained success.
19. Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans
Last Year’s Rank: 9
Riley sees a huge drop in this year’s rankings after underperforming at USC. Since winning 11 games in his first season with the Trojans, they won eight games in 2023 and just seven last year. More results will be needed for Riley to move back up the rankings, as he is far from the coach he was just a few years ago.
18. Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes
Last Year’s Rank: N/A
Miami went from five wins in Cristobal’s first season to seven in his second. In his third, they had a record of 10-3 and had the best offense in the sport. The growth has been impressive, but the defense will need to be better for Miami to make the postseason.
17. Matt Campbell, Iowa State Cyclones
Last Year’s Rank: 23
His overall record of 64-51 at Iowa State is great considering the shape the program was in when he took the job. In seven of the last eight years, the Cyclones have made a bowl game, but last season was their best yet. They won 11 games and made the Big 12 Championship Game. Now he will try to keep the momentum going.
16. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri Tigers
Last Year’s Rank: 25
Drinkwitz has made a bowl game in four straight seasons and has two 10-win seasons that came in a back-to-back fashion. Doing that in the SEC isn’t easy and he has gone out and added transfers in hopes of another successful season this year.
15. Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers
Last Year’s Rank: N/A
Just Google him and Cignetti’s stats will show a coach who wins. He won eight games in his first season at JMU, then won 11 in his second. Coach Cig took the Indiana job in 2024, helped them win 11 games and make the CFP. The schedule was easier, but that turnaround for Indiana wasn’t seen coming. Now, he’ll have to prove it again.
14. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State Sun Devils
Last Year’s Rank: N/A
Dillingham orchestrated one of the best turnarounds in college football. In his first season, Arizona State won just three games. They were picked to finish last in the Big 12 in 2024, but ended up winning the conference and making the CFP with a 11-3 overall record. He brought back a lot of pieces from last year’s team, so another good season should be in store for Arizona State.
13. Rhett Lashlee, SMU Mustangs
Last Year’s Rank: N/A
Lashlee went 7-6 in his first season at SMU, then rattled off two 11-win seasons. Last season, he not only helped SMU make the CFP, but also helped them make the ACC Championship Game in their first year in the conference. SMU football and Lashlee’s stock is looking up.
12. Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes
Last Year’s Rank: 11
Whittingham had just a five-win season last year, but was dealing with an injured quarterback. His 167-86 record in 22 years is impressive and a bounce back season should be had this season.
11. Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers
Last Year’s Rank: 13
Heupel continues to put up big seasons at Tennessee, as last season he won 10 games and made the CFP. At Tennessee, his record is 37-15, which is very good. This season, things may be tougher, as several key players from last year’s team exited and in the case of Nico Iamaelava, did so at an awkward time of the offseason making him hard to replace.
10. James Franklin, Penn State Nittany Lions
Last Year’s Rank: 10
Franklin won 13 games last season and made the CFP semifinal. Overall, he has a 101-42 record as a head coach, but has been criticized for not winning many big games. Last season, he still didn’t beat elite opponents, but the run in the CFP was a good effort. This year, he has a team that has enough quality to win the national championship.
9. Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers
Last Year’s Rank: 8
Kelly has a 29-11 record at LSU, which is solid, but not good enough for LSU’s lofty standards. As a head coach, he has a 195-73 record. This season will need to be better for the Tigers, as they have the roster to compete for a CFP spot and maybe more.
8. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels
Last Year’s Rank: 8
Kiffin put up a 9-3 record last regular season, which left his team on the outside looking in of the CFP. He has a 44-18 record at Ole Miss and is doing a great job, but for him to move up the rankings, he’ll have to make the CFP.
7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide
Last Year’s Rank: 2
DeBoer had success at Fresno State, Washington and last season at Alabama, although more is expected from the Crimson Tide. He made the National Championship Game two years ago at Washington and has a 46-13 record overall. A new quarterback better fitted to his system could help him have more success this season.
6. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last Year’s Rank: N/A
Freeman won nine games then 10 games in his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish, which were solid, but marred by bad losses. That continued last season, as they lost to Northern Illinois, but they rebounded and made the National Championship Game. He has a 33-10 overall record at the school and should have them contending at the top of the sport again this season.
5. Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks
Last Year’s Rank: 12
Dan Lanning makes a big jump after going undefeated through the Big Ten Championship Game last season. He has a 35-6 overall record in three seasons at the school. To move up next season, he’ll need to have more postseason success, as the Ducks lost their CFP game to Ohio State.
4. Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns
Last Year’s Rank: 6
Sark has turned Texas around after making two straight CFP semifinals. His 38-17 record at Texas is brought down by the first two seasons at the school and now they are perennial contenders.
3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers
Last Year’s Rank: 5
His 180-47 record overall at Clemson is still outstanding. He has two national championships and has had consistent good football over his tenure. Although they haven’t won a national championship in a while, he did make the CFP last season and should make a return this year.
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State Buckeyes
Last Year’s Rank: 3
Day may still struggle with beating Michigan, but he did overcome that to go win a national championship last season. He has a 70-10 record during his tenure. With the championship under his belt, the program has a lot of momentum, and some star players back for this season.
1. Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs
Last Year’s Rank: 1
Georgia had a down year, by their standards, in 2024, but Kirby Smart keeps the top spot. He’s been at Georgia for 10 seasons with two national championships and a 105-19 record. He’s the only coach with multiple national championships and should have a rebound season in store for Georgia.
Dave Aranda, Baylor Bears
Aranda went from being on the hot seat to winning eight games last season after a turnaround.
Bret Bielema, Illinois Fighting Illini
Bielema has a 125-80 record overall. He bounced back from a five-win season in 2023 to win 10 games in 2024. Another good season, which is possible given the returning talent, will vault him into the rankings.
Fran Brown, Syracuse Orange
Brown won 10 games in his first season as Syracuse’s head coach. That wasn’t easy, but he’ll need to stack more good seasons to make the rankings.
Spencer Danielson, Boise State Broncos
After going 3-1 as the interim head coach and winning the MWC, Danielson won 12 games with Ashton Jeanty last season and made the CFP.
Dave Doern, NC State Wolfpack
Doern was on the list last year and went 6-6. He seemingly produces good seasons when expectations are lower, so a jump back into the list isn’t out of the question.
Sonny Dykes, TCU Horned Frogs
Dykes went to the National Championship Game three years ago, then won five games, but rebounded with nine wins last season.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin Badgers
Fickell drops out of the list after winning just five games. The schedule looks tough this year, so an immediate rebound may be hard.
Jedd Fisch, Washington Huskies
Fisch turned around Arizona, then won six games in his first season as Washington’s head coach. It would be a good bet to say he will rise up the ranks this season.
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota Gophers
Fleck has made four straight bowl games at Minnesota and that isn’t easy. He just hasn’t had top-tier seasons yet.
Willie Fritz, Houston Cougars
Fritz won 12 games and then 11 games in his last two years at Tulane. He won just four games at Houston and will need to improve this season to rejoin the rankings.
Brent Key, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Key has an 18-16 overall record at Georgia Tech and is 7-6 in each of the last two seasons. He has done a good job, but not quite good enough to make the list yet.
Chris Kliemann, Kansas State Wildcats
Klieman has been at Kansas State since 2019 and has a 48-28 record. He was on the list last season and was on the cusp of it this year, but will need to compete more in the Big 12.
Lance Leipold, Kansas Jayhawks
Leipold made two straight bowl games at Kansas, but missed one last season, when the expectations were a bit higher. Another good season should have him move up the list.
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech Red Raiders
McGuire has won eight, seven, then eight games again over three seasons at Texas Tech. He has done a good job and this year has a team that could push through for more.
Jeff Monken, Army Black Knights
Since 2016, Monken has just one season with fewer than six wins, which is impressive for the restrictions placed on him at a service academy. Last season he won 12 games and keeps getting a lot out of his talent.
Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes
Sanders took over a tough situation and won four games in his first season at Colorado. He improved to nine wins last season, but now will have to show what he can do without his son Shedeur at quarterback and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter.
Kalani Sitake, BYU Cougars
In nine years as head coach of BYU, Sitake has made seven bowl games. He had a big rebound last season to win 11 games, but this season is a little murkier for the Cougars.
Jon Summrall, Tulane Green Wave
Summerall might be the best coach not in a power four conference. He had a 12-win season followed by an 11-win season in two seasons at Troy. In his first season at Tulane, he won nine games and has a roster that can compete for a CFP spot this season.
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