The Ten Greatest College Football Coaches

In college football, legendary head coaches are revered as gods of the gridiron. They built legendary programs, got stadiums named after them, and will be remembered for decades to come.

Here’s a list of the ten greatest college football coaches of all time. Check out the list below and see how these college coaches became legends.

Bo Schembechler- Michigan Wolverines

• 1969 to 1989
• Record: 234-65-8
• 13 Big Ten Titles

The Michigan legend Bo Schembechler starts off our list at #10 on the greatest college football coaches list. In his twenty years as the head coach of the Wolverines, Schembechler brought them back to prominence.

Despite never winning a national title, the Wolverines won 13 Big Ten titles under Bo’s leadership. In Schembechler’s twenty years as the Michigan head football coach, they had nineteen seasons as a top-25 ranked team.

Bobby Bowden- Samford, West Virginia, Florida State

• 1959 to 2009
• Record: 377-129-4
• 2 National Titles(1993, 1999)

If you ask anyone from the South their list of the ten greatest college football coaches, they’ll likely say Bobby Bowden. Bobby Boweden was an iconic coach with over fifty years in three different colleges. 

For thirty of those years, he grew Florida State into one of the most prominent programs in the country. During Bowden’s stellar career, he won 377 games and won two national titles in 1993 and 1999.

Barry Switzer- Oklahoma Sooners

• 1973 to 1988
• Record: 157-29-4
• 3 National Titles(1974, 1975, 1985)

We’d get an earful from Sooner nation Barry Switzer didn’t make the list of the ten greatest college football coaches. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Oklahoma Sooners were a Big 8(now Big 12) powerhouse known for their bruising style of football.

Under the leadership of Switzer, the Sooners went on to win three national titles and 12 Big 8 titles. For Oklahoma Sooner alumni, Barry Switzer is on the Mount Rushmore of all-time great college football coaches. 

Urban Meyer-Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State

• 2001 to 2018
• Record: 187-32
• 3 National Titles(2006, 2008, 2014)

In the modern era of the greatest college football coaches, Urban Meyer is in the top three. After a successful run as the head coach of Utah, Meyer made a name for himself at Florida.

Meyer was the head coach of the legendary national champion Gator teams in 2006 to 2008. Then to prove that he could win at another program, Meyer took the reins at Ohio State.

Meyer went on to win his third national title in 2014 as head coach of the Buckeyes. 

Knute Rockne- Notre Dame

• 1918-1930
• Record: 105-12-5
• 3 National Titles(1924, 1929, 1930)

Knute Rockne is one of the greatest college football coaches from one of the earliest eras. Rockne built the iconic Notre Dame Fighting Irish program from the ground up and made the logo iconic.

The Fighting Irish icon innovated the game of football by popularizing the forward pass. He also made the Fighting Irish one of the original college football powerhouses with three national titles in 12 years.

Tom Osborne- Nebraska

• 1973 to 1997
• Record: 255-49-3
• 3 National Titles(1994, 1995, 1997)

For the next spot on the ten greatest college football coaches, we’re going to Cornhusker country. The Nebraska legend Tom Osborne is responsible for assembling some of college football’s greatest teams.

During the 1990s, he assembled arguably the greatest college football teams of the 1990s. Osborne’s Cornhuskers won back-to-back national titles in 1994 and 1995 and again in 1997 for Tom’s last year of coaching.

After twenty four years as the head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers won 255 games and 13 conference titles.

John McKay- USC Trojans

• 1960 to 1975
• Record: 127-40-8
• 4 National Titles(1962, 1967, 1972, 1974)

John McKay is easily one of the ten greatest college football coaches of all time. The USC icon is responsible for helping in the rise of top west coast college programs.

McKay ran a pro-style offense and tough defense that produced numerous top NFL stars. He led the Trojans to four national title wins, nine conference titles, and finishing with 127 career wins.

Woody Hayes- Miami(OH), Ohio State

• 1949 to 1978
• Record: 238-72-10
• 5 National Titles(1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970)

No list of the ten greatest college football coaches ever would be complete without OSU legend Coach Woody Hayes. For twenty eight years, Hayes was the man responsible for turning Ohio State into a national powerhouse.

During his reign, Hayes was public enemy #1 to rival Michigan, who he soundly beat many times. On top of beating Michigan multiple times, Hayes led the Buckeyes to a whopping five national titles, 15 conference titles and a 238 career wins.

Paul “Bear” Bryant- Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Alabama

• 1945 to 1982
• Record: 325-85-17
• 6 National Titles(1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979)

Number two on the list of the ten greatest college football coaches ever is the Alabama icon Bear Bryant. Paul “Bear” Bryant was a veteran coach of three college football teams before he got to Alabama. 

Under the leadership of Bear, the Alabama Crimson Tide became a titan in college football. Bryant previously held the all-time college record with six national titles as head coach of Alabama.

His legacy lives on as Alabama’s stadium was renamed in honor of the great Bear Bryant.

Nick Saban- Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, Alabama

• 1990-2024
• 287-70-1
• 7 National Titles(2003, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)

When it comes to the ten greatest college football coaches ever, Nick Saban is at the top of the list. In his 30+ years as a college and pro football coach, Saban found success almost everywhere he went. 

After stints in Toledo and Michigan State, Saban came to LSU and brought them back to prominence. He led the Tigers to their first national title in almost fifty years before moving to coach the Miami Dolphins.

Saban then returned to college football and took over the fallen Alabama Crimson Tide. Coach Saban was able to bring Alabama back to prominence as one of the great college football teams.

In his seventeen years as head coach of Alabama, Saban tied Bear Bryant’s school record with six national titles. His last national title win in 2020 gave Sabin the record for most national title wins  by a head coach.