College Football Coaches With All-Time Best Winning Percentages These college football coaching greats led their teams to victory more than anyone else in college football history. The head coach of a football team is one of the most impactful and important coaches in the sports world, especially when it comes to college football. Many innovations that changed the game started in college. Whether it’s the forward pass that was pioneered by Knute Rockne at Notre Dame or the “run-pass options” in the modern game, college coaches are vital to football. But which college coaches innovated and inspired their teams to victory the most? These are the coaches with the highest winning percentages in college football history. 51. John R. Richards John R. Richards coached six seasons at Wisconsin. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 11 years (1905-09, 1911, 1917, 1919-22) Schools: Colorado College, Wisconsin Record: 52-18-8 Winning percentage: .718 National championships: None Note: Rankings are based on winning percentage through the 2022 season at Football Bowl Subdivision schools (formerly Division I-A) or equivalent, with a minimum of 10 years coaching. Data source is College Football Reference. Bottom Line: John R. Richards John R. Richards won an OAC title with Ohio State in 1912. Wikipedia Ohio State didn’t always play in the Big Ten. They started playing in the Western Conference in 1913, which became the Big Ten in 1953. In 1912, John R. Richards had a dubious moment in his one season as Ohio State coach. During a loss to Penn State, Richards pulled the Buckeyes off the field because of “rough play” — a move that was mocked by sportswriters and fans at the time. Richards actually led Ohio State to the Ohio Athletic Conference title that season by going 5-0 in OAC play. But he is most known for his years at Wisconsin, where he coached for six seasons and went 6-1 in 1920. 49. Tad Jones (Tied) Yale head coach Tad Jones, left, and his brother, USC head coach Howard Jones. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 11 years (1909-10, 1916, 1920-27) Schools: Syracuse, Yale Record: 66-24-6 Winning percentage: .719 National championships: 3 (1924, 1929, 1930) Bottom Line: Tad Jones Tad Jones was a two-time All-American quarterback for Yale before becoming head coach. AP Photo Tad Jones was a two-time All-American quarterback at Yale who went on to become the head coach for the Bulldogs for 11 seasons. He also gave the most famous speech in Yale football history before the team’s 1923 game against Harvard that included the legendary line: “Gentleman, you are about to play football against Harvard. Never again may you do something so important.” The Bulldogs went on to win that game, 13-0, on the way to an undefeated season. Jones was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1958. 49. Gus Dorais (Tied) Gus Dorais coached college football for 23 years at Detroit Mercy and Gonzaga. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 19 years (1922-24, 1927-42) Schools: Detroit Mercy, Gonzaga Record: 119-44-8 Winning percentage: .719 National championships: None Bottom Line: Gus Dorais Gus Dorais played college football with Knute Rockne at Notre Dame. Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Gus Dorais had more than a respectable career as a head coach. His college record might have even been better if he hadn’t also split his time as an NFL head coach for several teams and the head basketball and baseball coach at Notre Dame, Gonzaga and Detroit Mercy. Dorais’ impact on the college football game can still be felt to this day. He and Notre Dame teammate Knute Rockne spent the summer of 1913 as lifeguards on Lake Erie, learning how to pass and catch the football on the beach in their spare time. The game was never the same. 48. R.C. Slocum R.C. Slocum was Texas A&M’s head coach for 14 seasons. Eric Gay / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 14 years (1989-2002) Schools: Texas A&M Record: 123-47-2 Winning percentage: .721 National championships: None Bottom Line: R.C. Slocum R.C. Slocum led Texas A&M to four conference titles and never had a losing season. David J. Phillip / AP Photo R.C. Slocum was a college assistant coach for almost 20 years before he was handed the keys to Texas A&M’s program as head coach in 1989. Slocum took the opportunity and ran with it. In 14 seasons, he never had a losing season and won four conference championships. Slocum’s most notable season was 1998, when the Aggies beat Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game in a thrilling finish. Slocum got his start in coaching at K-State, and the loss kept the Wildcats from playing for the national championship. Slocum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. 47. Jumbo Stiehm Jumbo Stiehm coached at Indiana and Nebraska in the early 1900s. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 11 years (1911-21) Schools: Nebraska, Indiana Record: 55-20-4 Winning percentage: .722 National championships: None Bottom Line: Jimbo Stiehm Jumbo Stiehm was Nebraska’s head football and basketball coach and won three straight national titles in basketball. AP Photo Jumbo Stiehm was one of the first great coaches in the history of the University of Nebraska’s storied football program, but his impact was felt most as the Huskers’ basketball coach. While Stiehm led Nebraska to five straight conference titles in football, he led them to three straight national titles in basketball between 1911 and 1914. Stiehm died in 1923 at just 37 years old after an 11-month battle with stomach cancer. 46. Mark Richt Mark Richt got his head coaching start at Georgia in 2001. Dave Martin / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 18 (2001-2018) Schools: Georgia, Miami Record: 171-64 Winning percentage: .728 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Mark Richt Mark Richt retired from coaching after the 2018 season. Ron Jenkins / AP Photo Mark Richt was one of the most consistent coaches in college football, leading Georgia to nine seasons of 10 wins or more in his 15 seasons there. He tried and failed to resurrect the program at his alma mater, Miami, and retired after the 2018 season. The 2018 campaign was the first season he lost more than four games since 2013, something he only did three times while coaching the Bulldogs. 45. Jim Tatum Maryland coach Jim Tatum, kneeling at College Park in 1949, holds a football for Maj. Don Gentile, a World War II hero in the Air Force. William J. Smith / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 14 (1942, 1946-58) Schools: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Maryland Record: 100-35-7 Winning percentage: .729 National championships: 1 (1953) Bottom Line: Jim Tatum Jim Tatum is carried off the field by his players at the University of Maryland. University of Maryland Archives Jim Tatum won the 1953 national championship by leading Maryland to an undefeated regular season, though they lost the Orange Bowl that season. He spent one year at Oklahoma before leaving for Maryland. The assistant who replaced him at Oklahoma was the legendary Bud Wilkinson, who went on to win three national championships with the Sooners. 44. Frank Cavanaugh Frank Cavanaugh in 1930. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 25 (1903-05, 1912-16, 1919, 1928-32) Schools: Holy Cross, Dartmouth, Boston College, Fordham Record: 86-29-9 Winning percentage: .730 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Frank Cavanaugh Frank Cavanaugh enlisted to fight in World War I when he was 41 years old. Wikipedia Frank Cavanaugh moved around quite a bit in his long and distinguished career, but he found success just about everywhere he went. At 41 years old, Cavanaugh joined the Army in World War I and was wounded in combat. This didn’t stop him from returning to the gridiron and coaching for many more years afterward. 43. Howard Jones USC coach Howard Jones, right, with team captain Don McNeil in 1938. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 28 (1908-09, 1913, 1916-40) Schools: Syracuse, Yale, Iowa, Duke, USC Record: 188-63-18 Winning percentage: .732 National championships: 5 (1909, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1939) Bottom Line: Howard Jones Howard Jones, center and standing, coached 28 seasons at five different colleges. AP Photo Howard Jones coached at several different major football schools like Syracuse, Yale and Iowa, but he’s most known for his success at USC, winning four of his five national championships while coaching the Trojans. He won two Big Ten titles as Iowa coach and seven conference titles at USC. 42. Pop Warner Legendary college football coach Pop Warner in San Francisco, California, in 1934. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 42 (1897-1938) Schools: Cornell, Carlisle, Pitt, Stanford, Temple Record: 311-103-32 Winning percentage: .733 National championships: 4 (1915, 1916, 1918, 1926) Bottom Line: Pop Warner Pop Warner won four national titles as a head coach. AP Photo Pop Warner was one of the most important coaches in shaping the game of football. His innovations in the early 20th century are numerous. He’s perhaps most famous today for the youth football league that bears his name. 41. Bobby Bowden West Virginia head coach Bobby Bowden is carried off the field after beating Lou Holtz’s North Carolina State team in the Peach Bowl in 1975. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 40 (1970-2009) Schools: West Virginia, Florida State Record: 357-124-4 (adjusted to 346-123-4 by NCAA) Winning percentage: .740 (.736) National championships: 2 (1993, 1999) Bottom Line: Bobby Bowden Florida State coach Bobby Bowden at the 1994 Orange Bowl against Nebraska in Miami. Hans Deryk / AP Photo Bobby Bowden Bowden was a mainstay in the college football landscape for four decades, spending most of that time at Florida State. He was incredibly consistent, winning over 10 games every season from 1987 to 2000. Once the Seminoles joined the ACC, he dominated the conference by winning 12 titles between 1992 and 2005. He also won two national championships in the 1990s. 40. Dan Devine Dan Devine, left, coached at Missouri for over a decade. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 22 (1955-70, 1975-80) Schools: Arizona State, Missouri, Notre Dame Record: 172-57-9 (adjusted to 173-56-9 by NCAA) Winning percentage: .742 (.746) National championships: 1 (1977) Bottom Line: Dan Devine Notre Dame coach Dan Devine, center, wears a big smile after winning the 1979 Cotton Bowl against Houston. Bill Haber / AP Photo Dan Devine brought success everywhere he coached, starting with three good years at Arizona State before coaching for over a decade at Missouri and winning two Big Eight titles. He then moved on to Notre Dame, where he won the 1977 national championship. 39. Phillip Fulmer Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer during the 1999 Fiesta Bowl against Florida State at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Eric Draper / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 17 (1992-2008) Schools: Tennessee Record: 151-52-1 (adjusted to 152-52 by NCAA) Winning percentage: .743 (.745) National championships: 1 (1998) Bottom Line: Phillip Fulmer Phillip Fulmer led Tennessee to the first BCS Championship in 1998. Chris O’Meara / AP Photo Phillip Fulmer famously coached Peyton Manning, but it was the 1998 season, the year after Manning graduated, that is Fulmer’s most legendary. He led the Volunteers, who lost Manning and several other stars from the year prior, to the first-ever BCS National Championship, defeating Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl. 37. Carmen Cozza (Tied) Carmen Cozza was Yale’s head coach for 32 seasons. Bob Child / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 32 (1965-96) Schools: Yale Record: 114-38-3 (as Division 1-A team) Winning percentage: .745 National championships: None Bottom Line: Carmen Cozza Carmen Cozza won 10 Ivy League titles in 32 seasons at Yale. Bob Child / AP Photo After Carmen Cozza’s minor league career in the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox organizations fizzled out in the early 1960s, the former University of Miami (Ohio) quarterback turned to coaching as a career. It ended up being a smart move. Cozza won 10 Ivy League titles in 32 seasons as Yale’s coach. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and died in 2018, at 87 years old. 37. Johnny Vaught (Tied) Ole Miss coach Johnny Vaught, right, and Alabama coach Bear Bryant meet on the field in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1970. RebelNation1947 / Flickr Number of seasons coaching: 25 (1947-73) Schools: Ole Miss Record: 190-61-12 Winning percentage: .745 National championships: 1 (1960) Bottom Line: Johnny Vaught Ole Miss head coach Johnny Vaught, right, shakes hands with quarterback Jake Gibbs. AP Photo Johnny Vaught is the best coach in Ole Miss history, bringing them six conference titles and a share of three national titles, although just one officially on the books in 1960. He won five Sugar Bowls and took Mississippi to 18 other bowl games. 34. John McKay (Tied) USC coach John McKay, center, at the 1973 Rose Bowl against Ohio State in Pasadena, California. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 16 (1960-75) Schools: USC Record: 127-40-8 Winning percentage: .749 National championships: 4 (1962, 1967, 1972, 1974) Bottom Line: John McKay John McKay, center, coached some of the greatest college football teams in history at USC. George Bricht / AP Photo John McKay coached some of the best teams in college football history at USC, specifically the 1972 team. That team never trailed in the second half of a game and beat five ranked opponents by an average of 22 points. In addition to his four national championships, McKay won nine conference titles and five Rose Bowls with the Trojans. 34. Darrell Royal (Tied) Texas coach Darrell Royal and his quarterback Eddie Phillips during a 1970 game against Arkansas in Austin. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 23 (1954-76) Schools: Mississippi State, Washington, Texas Record: 184-60-5 Winning percentage: .749 National championships: 3 (1963, 1969, 1970) Bottom Line: Darrell Royal Darrell Royal won three national titles at the University of Texas. AP Photo Darrell Royal was a legendary defensive back at Oklahoma, but he went on to become the greatest coach in the history of their fierce rivals. He turned around the Texas Longhorn program and made them into a national power, taking three national titles and 11 conference championships. 34. Joe Paterno (Tied) Joe Paterno won two national titles in the 1980s at Penn State. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 46 (1966-2011) Schools: Penn State Record: 409-136-3 Winning percentage: .749 National championships: 2 (1982, 1986) Bottom Line: Joe Paterno Penn State coach Joe Paterno at a 1983 Sugar Bowl practice in New Orleans. Jack Thornell / AP Photo Joe Paterno has the most wins in college football history at a major school with 409, which he amassed over almost a half-century in charge of the Nittany Lions. His best decade was the 1980s, when he won both of his national titles. He only won three conference titles in his long career due to Penn State being independent until 1993. At the end of his career, a child sex abuse scandal within his program was uncovered and forever stained his legacy. 33. Lloyd Carr Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, center, during a 1997 game against Michigan State. Duane Burleson / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 13 (1995-2007) Schools: Michigan Record: 122-40 Winning percentage: .753 National championships: 1 (1997) Bottom Line: Lloyd Carr Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr gets an ice water shower from his players. J. Pat Carter / AP Photo One of several Michigan coaches on this list, Lloyd Carr would be considered the greatest coach in the history of most schools. But Michigan is most schools Carr won the 1997 national title and five Big Ten championships. He also coached the last defensive Heisman Trophy winner in Charles Woodson. 32. Jimbo Fisher Jimbo Fisher led Florida State to a national title in 2013. Michael Dwyer / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 13 seasons (2010-present) Schools: Florida State, Texas A&M Record: 122-44 Winning percentage: .735 National championships: 1 (2013) Bottom Line: Jimbo Fisher Jimbo Fisher signed a 10-year, $75 million contract with Texas A&M before the 2018 season. Ron Jenkins / AP Photo Jimbo Fisher was the de facto “head coach in waiting” for years at Florida State on the staff of legendary coach Bobby Bowden. It didn’t take long for Fisher to live up to expectations with the Seminoles, and he won a national title in 2013 with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston. Fisher soured on the situation in Tallahassee and left FSU after the 2017 season for Texas A&M and a whopping, 10-year, $75 million contract. 31. Earl “Red” Blaik Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik, right, with captain Hank Mazur in 1942. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 25 (1934-58) Schools: Dartmouth, Army Record: 166-48-14 Winning percentage: .759 National championships: 3 (1944, 1945, 1946) Bottom Line: Earl “Red” Blaik Earl Blaik, right, won three national titles at Army. AP Photo Earl “Red” Blaik spent 18 seasons at Army, coaching them during their heyday. His Black Knights teams were unbeaten for 32 straight games from 1944 to 1947 and claimed two national titles in that time. He coached three Heisman Trophy winners and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1986. 30. Woody Hayes Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes is carried off the field after a win over No. 1 Wisconsin in 1952. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 28 (1951-78) Schools: Ohio State Record: 205-61-10 Winning percentage: .761 National championships: 5 (1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970) Bottom Line: Woody Hayes Ohio State coach Woody Hayes at the 1973 the Rose Bowl against Southern California. AP Photo A Buckeye State icon, Woody Hayes led Ohio State to over two decades of sustained success that included 13 Big Ten titles and five national championships. He is regarded as the best coach in Ohio State history, accounting for more than half of their eight national titles. But his career ended in controversial fashion after he was fired for punching a Clemson player in the 1978 Gator Bowl. 29. Dan McGugin Dan McGugin coached for 30 seasons. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 30 (1904-34) Schools: Vanderbilt Record: 197-55-19 Winning percentage: .762 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Dan McGugin Dan McGugin practiced law while he was the head coach at Vanderbilt. Wikipedia Dan McGugin spent three decades as the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores, leading them to 11 conference titles, all while practicing law on the side. Considered one of the greatest coaches of the early 20th century, he is the winningest coach in Vanderbilt history by more than 150 wins. 28. Jim Crowley Jim Crowley, center, won 86 games coaching at three different colleges. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 14 years (1929-42) Schools: Michigan State, Fordham, North Carolina Pre-Flight Record: 86-23-11 Winning percentage: .763 National championships: None Bottom Line: Jim Crowley Jim Crowley played for Green Bay Packers co-founder Curly Lambeau in high school, then for the Packers. Wikipedia Jim Crowley’s roots in the game of football run as deep as any player on this list. His high school football coach was none other than Green Bay Packers co-founder and Pro Football Hall of Famer “Curly” Lambeau. Crowley actually played for the Packers before moving into the coaching ranks and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966. 27. Frank Kush Arizona State coach Frank Kush, right, with Penn State coach Joe Paterno at a 1977 Fiesta Bowl luncheon in Phoenix. Lennox McLendon / AP Photo, File Number of seasons coaching: 22 (1958-79) Schools: Arizona State Record: 176-54-1 Winning percentage: .764 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Frank Kush Former Arizona State coach Frank Kush, left, talks with former Marshall coach Jack Lengyel. Kathy Willens / AP Photo Frank Kush oversaw one of the most successful times in Arizona State football history, winning nine conference titles and only having one losing season in 22 years. He was known for his physically demanding practices and the toughness of his teams. 26. Wallace Wade Duke coach Wallace Wade, right, talks football with captain Allen Johnson during a 1939 practice in Durham, N.C. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 24 (1923-41, 1946-50) Schools: Alabama, Duke Record: 171-49-10 Winning percentage: .765 National championships: 3 (1925, 1926, 1930) Bottom Line: Wallace Wade Wallace Wade, right, won three national titles at Alabama and nine conference titles at Duke. AP Photo Well-known for his three national titles at Alabama, Wallace Wade spent more of his career at Duke. He won six conference titles with the Blue Devils, though never a national championship. The Duke football stadium is named in his honor. 25. Fritz Crisler Michigan coach Herbert “Fritz” Crisler, left, in 1938 with captain Fred Janke. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 18 (1930-47) Schools: Minnesota, Princeton, Michigan Record: 116-32-9 Winning percentage: .768 National championships: 3 (1933, 1935, 1947) Bottom Line: Fritz Crisler Fritz Crisler, right, led Michigan to a national title in 1947. AP Photo It’s almost crazy to think that this wasn’t always the case, but Fritz Crisler helped pioneer the idea of two separate groups of players for offense and defense. One of his “two-platoon” teams at Michigan went undefeated and won the national championship in 1947. 24. Andy Smith Andy Smith led Cal to four consecutive national titles. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 13 (1913-1925) Schools: Penn, California, Purdue Record: 86-22-10 Winning percentage: .771 National championships: 4 (1920, 1921, 1922, 1923) Bottom Line: Andy Smith Andy Smith, left, died when he was just 42 years old. Wikipedia Andy Smith was one of college football first great coaches, leading Cal’s “Wonder Teams” to four consecutive national titles between 1920 and 1923, which followed a national title he won as a fullback for Penn in 1904. Smith contracted pneumonia in 1926 and died at just 42 years old. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. 23. Bo Schembechler Bo Schembechler coached 27 seasons but did not win a national title. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 27 (1963-89) Schools: Miami (Ohio), Michigan Record: 234-65-8 Winning percentage: .775 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Bo Schembechler Michigan coach Bo Schembechler after his Wolverines beat USC in the 1989 Rose Bowl. Reed Saxon / AP Photo The legendary Michigan coach won 13 conference titles in 21 seasons. His rivalry with Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes was the stuff of legends. Bo Schembechler’s teams were a model of consistency, almost always finishing the season ranked in the top 15. 22. Paul “Bear” Bryant Paul “Bear” Bryant, right, coaching at Texas A&M in 1957. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 38 (1945-82) Schools: Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Alabama Record: 323-85-17 Winning percentage: .780 National championships: 6 (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979) Bottom Line: Paul “Bear” Bryant Paul “Bear” Bryant, left, led Alabama to six national titles. AP Photo Perhaps the most famous college football coach in history, Paul “Bear” Bryant is most associated with his time at Alabama. While there, he led them to six national titles and 13 SEC titles. Bryant also coached several other schools, most notably Texas A&M, where he led the team to an undefeated season in 1956. 21. Fred Folsom Fred Folsom coached nine years at Colorado. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 13 (1902-15) Schools: Colorado, Dartmouth Record: 74-19-5 Winning percentage: .781 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Fred Folsom Fred Folsom has the field named after him at the University of Colorado. Wikipedia Fred Folsom coached Colorado in two separate tenures, bringing them nine conference titles. The football field that the Colorado Buffaloes still play on to this day is named Folsom Field after the legendary coach. 20. Henry L. Williams Henry L. Williams. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 23 (1891, 1900-21) Schools: Army, Minnesota Record: 140-34-12 Winning percentage: .785 National championships: 1 (1904) Bottom Line: Henry L. Williams Henry Williams led Minnesota to one national title. University of Minnesota Archives Most of Henry L. Williams’ coaching career was spent at Minnesota, where he won eight conference titles and one national championship. His offenses employed what came to be known as the “Minnesota shift,” one of the first shifts in football. 19. Chris Petersen Boise State head coach, center, celebrates after winning the Fiesta Bowl in 2007. Paul Connors / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 14 (2006-19) Schools: Boise State, Washington Record: 147-38 Winning percentage: .795 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Chris Petersen Chris Petersen coached six seasons at Washington. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo Chris Petersen is the man responsible for the rise of Boise State to national prominence, and one of the most important coaches in non-Power 5 history. He won two BCS bowls while at the helm in Boise, including an epic victory over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl that was won on a “Statue of Liberty” trick play. Petersen carried that success to Washington, where the Huskies won two Pac-12 titles and were in the College Football Playoff once. 18. Bob Stoops Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, left, won a national title in his second season. J. Pat Carter / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 18 (1999-2016) Schools: Oklahoma Record: 190-48-0 Winning percentage: .798 National championships: 1 (2000) Bottom Line: Bob Stoops Bob Stoops won 190 games at Oklahoma. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo “Big Game Bob” Stoops took the Oklahoma Sooners out of their worst decade and into the 21st century as one of college football’s most dominant teams. He won a national championship in his second season in charge and went on to win 10 conference titles. He has the most wins in Oklahoma history. 17. George Woodruff George Woodruff won three national titles at Penn in the 1890s. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 12 (1892-1901, 1903, 1905, 1923-27) Schools: Pennsylvania, Illinois, Carlisle, Georgia Record: 172-41-3 Winning percentage: .803 National championships: 3 (1894, 1895, 1897) Bottom Line: George Woodruff George Woodruff’s Penn teams gave up just 88 points in 10 seasons. Wikipedia George Woodruff led Penn to three national titles in college football’s infancy in the 1890s. Defense was the specialty for teams coached by Woodruff. In 10 seasons at Penn, he went 124-15-2, and his team gave up just 88 points in that entire decade. Woodruff was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963. 16. Nick Saban Nick Saban coached five seasons at Michigan State. Roger Hart / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 27 (1990-present) Schools: Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, Alabama Record: 285-69-1 (adjusted to 280-69-1 by NCAA) Winning percentage: .804 (.801) National championships: 6 (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020) Bottom Line: Nick Saban Nick Saban has won six national championships at Alabama. John Bazemore / AP Photo Nick Saban is without a doubt the greatest modern-day coach, and possibly the greatest coach of all time. Saban has dominated the college football landscape in the 21st century. One might expect him to be higher on this list, but his tenure at Michigan State hurts his career winning percentage. In fact, the 24 games he lost in five seasons at MSU are more than he’s lost in over 11 seasons in Tuscaloosa. 15. Dabo Swinney Dabo Swinney became Clemson’s head coach in 2008. Richard Shiro / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 15 (2008-present) Schools: Clemson Record: 161-39 Winning percentage: .805 National championships: 2 (2016, 2018) Bottom Line: Dabo Swinney Dabo Swinney won two national titles in his first 12 seasons as Clemson head coach. Sam Craft / AP Photo Though his career at Clemson got off to a slow start, Dabo Swinney has turned the Tigers into a national power. Since 2012, Clemson has had only one season with more than two losses. In the 2016 national championship game, the program won its first national championship since 1981 by beating Swinney’s alma mater, Alabama, then won another national title in 2018. 14. Bob Devaney Bob Devaney won two national titles at Nebraska. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 16 (1957-72) Schools: Wyoming, Nebraska Record: 136-30-7 Winning percentage: .806 National championships: 2 (1970, 1971) Bottom Line: Bob Devaney Bob Devaney won 136 games in his career. AP Photo Bob Devaney turned Nebraska back into a national power, reversing two decades of losing in Lincoln. Devaney won back-to-back national titles in 1970 and 1971 and won eight conference titles in his tenure. His successor was Tom Osborne, who continued the winning tradition. 12. Frank Thomas (Tied) Alabama coach Frank Thomas, center, in 1937 with alternate captain Joe Kilgrow, left, captain Leroy Monsky. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 15 (1931-1946) Schools: Alabama Record: 115-24-7 Winning percentage: .812 National championships: 2 (1934, 1941) Bottom Line: Frank Thomas Frank Thomas, right, led Alabama to two national titles. AP Photo One of several great coaches in Alabama history, Frank Thomas won two national champions as the head coach of the Crimson Tide. His teams featured a suffocating defense that held opponents under seven points a game. He coached two undefeated seasons, in 1934 and 1945. 12. Jock Sutherland (Tied) Dr. John “Jock” Sutherland in 1946. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 20 (1919-1938) Schools: Lafayette, Pittsburgh Record: 144-28-14 Winning percentage: .812 National championships: 6 (1921, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937) Bottom Line: Jock Sutherland Jock Sutherland led Pittsburgh to five national titles. AP Photo Jock Sutherland followed the legendary “Pop” Warner at Pittsburgh and took the Panthers to new levels. Sutherland coached his team to five national championship teams while at Pitt. His most famous team featured the “Dream Backfield,” which is considered one of the best to ever play the game. 11. Percy Haughton Percy Haughton led Harvard to four national titles. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 13 (1899-1900, 1908-16, 1923-24) Schools: Cornell, Harvard, Columbia Record: 97-19-7 Winning percentage: .817 National championships: 4 (1908, 1910, 1912, 1913) Bottom Line: Percy Haughton Percy Haughton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. Alchetron Free Social Images Percy Haughton led Harvard to five unbeaten seasons and four national titles. Haughton died in 1924 of “acute indigestion” after becoming sick during a game against Columbia when he was just 48 years old. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. 10. Bud Wilkinson Oklahoma Sooners coach Bud Wilkinson before a practice for the 1958 Orange Bowl game against Syracuse in Miami. Harold Valentine / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 17 (1947-63) Schools: Oklahoma Record: 145-29-4 Winning percentage: .826 National championships: 3 (1950, 1955, 1956) Bottom Line: Bud Wilkinson Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson led the Sooners to a 47-game winning streak. Matty Zimmerman / AP Photo The man who turned the Oklahoma Sooners into a powerhouse, Bud Wilkinson was at the helm for the longest winning streak in college football history. The 47-game streak lasted from 1953 to 1957 and is seven games longer than the second-longest in history. Wilkinson also is one of four Oklahoma coaches on this list. 9. Jim Tressel Jim Tressel, center, celebrates after winning the BCS Championship with Ohio State in 2002. Paul Sakuma / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 10 (2001-10) Schools: Ohio State Record: 106-22 (adjusted to 94-21 by NCAA) Winning percentage: .828 (.817) National championships: 1 (2002) Bottom Line: Jim Tressel Jim Tressel talks with Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith. Jay LaPrete / AP Photo Jim Tressel carved out a legendary career at Youngstown State, winning four Division I-AA (now FCS) national titles before becoming the head coach at Ohio State. Tressel then led OSU to one of the biggest upsets in college football history when they defeated defending national champion Miami in the 2002 BCS Championship Game. Tressel, who is now the president at Youngstown State, was forced to resign at OSU in 2011 during an NCAA investigation into improper benefits for players. 8. Robert Neyland University of Tennessee coach Robert Neyland in 1938. AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 21 (1926-34, 1936-40, 1946-52) Schools: Tennessee Record: 173-31-12 Winning percentage: .829 National championships: 4 (1938, 1940, 1950, 1951) Bottom Line: Robert Neyland Tennessee head coach Robert Neyland, right, talks with legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice, center, and Alabama head coach Wallace Wade. AP Photo Considered by many to be the best defensive coach of all time, Robert Neyland had 112 wins that were shutouts. In 1939, his team didn’t allow a single point in the regular season. Neyland coached six undefeated teams during his three separate tenures in charge of the Volunteers. 6. Fielding H. Yost (Tied) Fielding H. Yost coached 25 seasons at Michigan. Wikiemedia Commons Number of seasons coaching: 25 (1901-26) Schools: Ohio Wesleyan, Nebraska, Kansas, Stanford, San Jose State, Michigan Record: 165-29-10 Winning percentage: .833 National championships: 6 (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923) Bottom Line: Fielding H. Yost Fielding Yost won six national titles as Michigan’s head coach. AP Photo Fielding H. Yost is most noted for his long tenure as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, where he won all six of his national titles. His Wolverine teams at the turn of the century destroyed opponents, outscoring them 2,281-42 over the course of four years. Yost was a key figure in the early development and popularity of the game of football. 6. Charley Moran (Tied) Charley Moran was Texas A&M’s head coach after he played Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 11 (1909-14, 1919-23) Schools: Texas A&M, Centre Record: 80-14-5 Winning percentage: .833 National championships: None Bottom Line: Charley Moran Charley Moran, right, was one of Texas A&M’s first great coaches and was also an umpire in four World Series. Texas A&M Archives Charley Moran led a true sporting life. He played in the majors for the St. Louis Cardinals and went on to be an umpire in the World Series four times. In between, he sandwiched in a pretty respectable college football coaching career, most notably at Texas A&M from 1909 to 1914. 5. Tom Osborne Tom Osborne started his coaching career at Nebraska in 1973. Tannen Maury / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 25 (1973-97) Schools: Nebraska Record: 255-49-3 Winning percentage: .836 National championships: 3 (1994, 1995, 1997) Bottom Line: Tom Osborne Tom Osborne won three national titles in his final four seasons at Nebraska. Nati Harnik / AP Photo Finishing just one percentage point below his conference rival, Barry Switzer, Tom Osborne was the model of consistency during his reign as the head coach of the Cornhuskers. Somehow in 25 years, he never lost more than three games in a season. And he had the best finish to any coaching career in history, winning three national championships in his last four seasons. 4. Barry Switzer Oklahoma head football coach Barry Switzer during a practice before the 1980 Orange Bowl in Miami. Doug Jennings / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 16 (1973-1988) Schools: Oklahoma Record: 157-29-4 Winning percentage: .837 National championships: 3 (1974, 1975, 1985) Bottom Line: Barry Switzer Barry Switzer won 13 conference titles in 16 seasons at the University of Oklahoma. Mark Foley / AP Photo One of the biggest personalities in college football history, Barry Switzer coached dominant Oklahoma Sooner teams in the 1970s and 1980s. Known for saying things like “Hang half a hundred on ‘em,” his teams often backed up his talking on the field. In addition to his three national titles, Switzer won 13 conference titles in 16 years at the helm. 3. Urban Meyer Urban Meyer won two national titles at the University of Florida. Butch Dill / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 17 (2001-2018) Schools: Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State Record: 187-32 Winning percentage: .854 National championships: 3 (2006, 2008, 2014) Bottom Line: Urban Meyer Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer during a 2018 game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana. Michael Conroy / AP Photo Urban Meyer has been a success everywhere he’s coached in college. In his 17 seasons, he’s only lost more than three games in a season twice. At Florida, he won two national championships, and at Ohio State, he won one before resigning after the 2018 season. 2. Frank Leahy Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy with players from his 1947 team, from left: John Lujack, George Connor, Jim Martin and Leon Hart. Walter Stein / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 13 (1939-53) Schools: Boston College and Notre Dame Record: 107-13-9 Winning percentage: .864 National championships: 4 (1943, 1946, 1947, 1949) Bottom Line: Frank Leahy Notre Dame head coach Frank Leahy, left, talks with quarterback Johnny Lujack in 1943. Harry Harris / AP Photo Frank Leahy played for Knute Rockne at Notre Dame and became the coach of the Fighting Irish about a decade afterward. He led Notre Dame to four national championships and had six undefeated seasons in South Bend. 1. Knute Rockne Knute Rockne. Bain Collection / Wikimedia Commons Number of seasons coaching: 13 (1918-30) Schools: Notre Dame Record: 105-12-5 Winning percentage: .881 National championships: 3 (1924, 1929, 1930) Bottom Line: Knute Rockne Knute Rockne, left, helped reshape the game of football as a player and coach at Notre Dame. AP Photo An icon and a legend in the sport of college football, Knute Rockne changed the way the game was played. He coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and turned them into a national power. Rockne is credited with popularizing the forward pass and other important contributions to the game of football. Honorable Mention: Gary Patterson TCU coach Gary Patterson before a 2018 game against Southern University in Fort Worth, Texas. Ron Jenkins / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 22 (2000-21) Schools: TCU Record: 181-79 Winning percentage: .696 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Gary Patterson Gary Patterson became TCU’s head coach in 2000. Donna McWilliam / AP Photo Gary Patterson coached at TCU for 21 seasons and brought them to national prominence. When he left the school in 2021, he was the second-longest tenured coach at one school behind Kirk Ferentz at Iowa. His Mountain West TCU teams were so good that they made two consecutive BCS bowls, winning the 2010 Rose Bowl and drawing enough attention that the Horned Frogs were added to the Big 12 conference. Not too long ago, Patterson was one of the top 50 coaches with the highest winning percentage in college football history, but TCU’s 5-7 record in 2019 dropped him off the list. And their struggles led to his resignation. Honorable Mention: Gil Dobie Gil Dobie coached college football for 33 years. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 33 (1906-38) Schools: North Dakota Agricultural, Washington, Navy, Cornell, Boston College Record: 182-45-15 Winning percentage: .783 National championships: 3 (1921, 1922, 1923) Bottom Line: Gil Dobie Gil Dobie won three national titles at Cornell. University of Washington Archives Gil Dobie’s best years were at Washington, where he had a 40-game winning streak and never lost in his nine seasons. He had a 58-0-3 record, yet was never crowned the national champion during that tenure. He eventually moved to Cornell, where he won three national titles in his 16 seasons. For College Football Reference’s list of top winning percentages, Dobie’s wins at North Dakota State weren’t included. Honorable Mention: Doyt Perry Doyt Perry won 77 games in his college football coaching career. Wikipedia Number of seasons coaching: 10 (1955-64) Schools: Bowling Green Record: 77-11-5 Winning percentage: .855 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Doyt Perry Doyt Perry, left, was only a head coach at one school for his entire career, Bowling Green University. Bowling Green University Archives Doyt Perry spent his entire 10-year coaching career at Bowling Green, never losing more than two games in a season. His teams went undefeated twice and won five MAC conference titles. He only made one bowl game in his career, losing the 1961 Mercy Bowl to Fresno State, even though his wins at Bowling Green don’t count as “major school” victories. Honorable Mention: Sid Gillman University of Cincinnati football coach Sid Gillman in his screening room in 1954. Gene Smith / AP Photo Number of seasons coaching: 11 (1944-54) Schools: Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati Record: 81-19-2 Winning percentage: .804 National championships: 0 Bottom Line: Sid Gillman Sid Gillman’s passing offenses influence football to this day. AP Photo Sid Gillman was more well-known as a professional football coach, but he began his career in the college ranks at Miami (Ohio) and then Cincinnati. Those schools were not considered “major” schools at the time, but Gillman still was a pioneer in the deep passing game, helping to modernize the college and pro ranks. His Bearcat teams won four conference titles in six seasons.
