CBS Sports: Ranking top 25 head coaches across Power Five entering 2022 season
Ahead of the 2022 college football season, Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports ranked the top 25 head coaches across the Power 5. With plenty of changes taking place amid an insane coaching carousel during the offseason, some old faces in new places are scattered throughout the rankings.
“Three of the coaches in last season’s the top 25 lost their jobs following the 2021 season, including a top-10 coach in Dan Mullen and another who won a national title in 2019, Ed Orgeron,” explained Fornelli. “That kind of turnover played a role in the shakeups all over our list of 65 coaches, and this year we have six coaches cracking the top 25 for the first time. Of those six, three were ranked 50th or lower last year.”
Kirby Smart may have finally dethroned Nick Saban on the field, but was it enough to knock the Crimson Tide leader out of the top spot? How far did Jim Harbaugh climb after taking Michigan to the College Football Playoff?
All those questions and more answered — here’s Fornelli’s rankings of the top 25 coaches across the Power Five entering the 2022 season.
Top 25 head coaches across Power Five entering 2022 season, per CBS Sports:
25) Dave Doeren, NC State Wolfpack
24) Mel Tucker, Michigan State Spartans
23) P.J. Fleck, Minnesota Golden Gophers
22) Sam Pittman, Arkansas Razorbacks
21) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern Wildcats
20) Mack Brown, North Carolina Tar Heels
19) Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes
18) Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels
17) Dave Clawson, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
16) Mark Stoops, Kentucky Wildcats
15) James Franklin, Penn State Nittany Lions
14) Paul Chryst, Wisconsin Badgers
13) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Hawkeyes
12) Matt Campbell, Iowa State Cyclones
11) Dave Aranda, Baylor Bears
10) Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Cowboys
9) Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines
8) Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes
7) Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers
6) Ryan Day, Ohio State Buckeyes
5) Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M Aggies
4) Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans
3) Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers
2) Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs
1) Nick Saban, Alabama Crimson Tide