USA Today ranks the head coaches in College Football Playoff from first to last

USA Today ranked all 12 head coaches in the College Football Playoff from first to last ahead of the first round. The rankings might surprise you!

All of these head coaches have their great traits but there’s some inexperienced amongst the group. You’ll see the top of the list has a lot of accolades while the rest is searching for the top prize.

So without further ado, let’s dive into the ranking of all College Football Playoff head coaches in 2025-26. We’ll start with the top.

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia

Smart is the top ranked coach in the College Football Playoff this season, per USA Today. It’s easy to see why: two national championships and the best coach in America right now.

Once Nick Saban retired, Smart took over that mantle. His Georgia teams are consistently the best in the country and this year’s No. 3 seed is no exception to that rule.

2. Ryan Day, Ohio State

Day gets the No. 2 spot on USA Today’s list. Going into this year’s College Football Playoff, Day already got the monkey off his back by winning last year’s national title.

At 12-1, the Buckeyes’ lone loss is to No. 1 Indiana but the path is set up to win another championship. Dating back to last year’s playoff run, Day is 16-1 and of course, 82-11 overall as a head coach. Yeah, he’s pretty good.

3. Curt Cignetti, Indiana

He’s No. 3 on this list, Google him. Cignetti is 24-2 as Indiana’s head coach and has led the Hoosiers to their second straight College Football Playoff appearance.

He hasn’t proven it yet like Smart and Day, but Cignetti deserves this high praise because, well, he’s only ever lost to Notre Dame (last year’s runner up) and Ohio State (last year’s champion). Combine that with the fact that they are 13-0 this year, this is a true title contender under his watch.

4. Dan Lanning, Oregon

Lanning has been highly successful since taking over Oregon, including winning the Big Ten last year. His track record gives him good standing in this year’s College Football Playoff.

But like Cignetti, he’s also 0-1 in the CFP, but it looks like USA Today gave Cignetti the nod at No. 3 due to this year’s head to head. Still, Lanning is more than capable of coaching these Ducks to a title.

5. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

DeBoer is in the top five amongst coaches in this year’s College Football Playoff. Don’t forget, he’s been here before with Washington in the four-team era, getting them to the title game.

Alabama fans might be highly critical of DeBoer, but he’s improved this Bama team in Year 2. He can make a statement if they win on the road and beat Oklahoma in the first round. 

6. Mike Elko, Texas A&M

Elko is in the College Football Playoff for the first time with his Aggies. They went 11-1 this year and he has noticeably improved the program in his two seasons.

Now, his big game mettle will be tested at home against Miami. The dude can coach, but there will certainly be some questions going into Year 3 if they go one and done in 2025.

7. Mario Cristobal, Miami

The same could be said about Cristobal as he gets into the College Football Playoff for the first time. He has vastly improved Miami and put them back in the national conversation.

But now that the Hurricanes are in the dance, Cristobal is in prove it mode as well. A lot is on the line in that first round matchup.

8. Brent Venables, Oklahoma

Venables got over the hump and led Oklahoma to 10 wins and the College Football Playoff. He faced some harsh criticisms since taking over for Lincoln Riley and as the Sooners transitioned into the SEC.

But, even despite John Mateer’s hand injury limiting his ability and the offense, the defense is great. Now, they host Alabama in the first round with a chance to beat them twice, which could vault Venables up the head coaching rankings.

9. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech

McGuire proved it could be done in the Big 12, as the Red Raiders went 12-1 and won the conference. But now he has to prove it with his team on the biggest stage: the College Football Playoff.

The 51-year-old is 35-17 as head coach of Texas Tech, but after investment in NIL and the portal, the Red Raiders were all in for 2025. So far, it’s worked out, but McGuire has to win a few more big games to climb the list.

10. Jon Sumrall, Tulane

Sumrall will have more pressure packed situations at Florida when he joins the school after the College Football Playoff. For now, he’ll prove his big game chops with the Green Wave, who are big underdogs against Ole Miss.

They have to travel to Oxford again after being blown out earlier this year. Still, if he pulls off the upset in this spot, things are going to get wild.

11. Bob Chesney, James Madison

Chesney is in a similar spot as Sumrall in this year’s College Football Playoff. He’s leaving the program as soon as they’re done this year to go to UCLA.

He’s on a similar rise as Cignetti, where he just keeps winning. But he’ll have to turn the Bruins around in a hurry if he’s going to rise these rankings in the future.

12. Pete Golding, Ole Miss

Golding gets the bottom spot in USA Today’s rankings of College Football Playoff coaches because, well, he’s brand new! He took over, permanently, for the outgoing Lane Kiffin, now at LSU.

Golding is a solid defensive coach, but he’ll be tasked to lead Ole Miss in this year’s CFP, making his debut in a massive spot as a big favorite. Will a loss make the fanbase sour on him immediately? Probably not, but there’s definitely pressure.