Mark Stoops is ranked No. 20 by CBS in head coach rankings

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is currently preparing to enter year 12 in Lexington. The former Arizona and Florida State defensive coordinator has the Wildcats to eight consecutive bowl games, two double-digit wins seasons, and a pair of top-25 finishes. Stoops is the winningest head coach in Kentucky history. Despite a 14-12 run over the last two seasons after a 10-3 finish in 2021, the 56-year-old Iowa alum is still seen as one of the best coaches in college football.

On Wednesday, CBS released their top-25 head coach rankings. The panel pegged Mark Stoops as the No. 20 overall head coach in college football entering the 2024 season.

“Stoops is 73-65 with two 10-win seasons in 11 years with the Wildcats, and he’s 71-55 after a 2-10 first season,” CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli wrote. “Things have evened out in the last two seasons, but Stoops still has respect from our panel.”

Mark Stoops dropped two spots from last season after coming in at No. 18 overall in the same exercise. Kirby Smart, Brian Kelly, Steve Sarkisian, Kalen DeBoer, and Lane Kiffin are the only SEC head coaches ranked ahead of Stoops. Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm jumped 14 spots and sits just one spot ahead of Stoops at No. 19 overall.

CBS Top-25

1. Kirby Smart (Georgia)
2. Ryan Day (Ohio State)
3. Dabo Swinney (Clemson)
4. Brian Kelly (LSU)
5. Steve Sarkisian (Texas)
6. Kyle Whittingham (Utah)
7. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)
8. Mike Norvell (Florida State)
9. Dan Lanning (Oregon)
10. Lincoln Riley (USC)
11. James Franklin (Penn State)
12. Lance Leipold (Kansas)
13. Chris Klieman (Kansas State)
14. Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss)
15. Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State)
16. Dave Doeren (NC State)
17. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin)
18. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)
19. Jeff Brohm (Louisville)
20. Mark Stoops (Kentucky)
21. Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri)
22. Sonny Dykes (TCU)
23. Josh Heupel (Tennessee)
24. Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame)
25. Matt Campbell (Iowa State)

Kentucky will see five top-25 coaches in the 2024 regular season.