College football coaches with the most national titles: Which HCs have the most championships to their name?
Coaches and national titles, a love story for the ages. As in every sport, a team is incomplete without its coach. A coach wears many hats for the team. While many may think of their role to be limited to guiding and training their players, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
The coaches are the real superstars of college football. This is no random claim. It is backed by real, verifiable facts and evidence. To start with, college football players are mostly around for just three seasons or thereabout.
Coaches, on the other hand, have been known to last decades at the job. With the role bestowed upon them, coaches bring in unreal amounts of power and responsibility, shaping the future of many college athletes.
Here, we will look at head coaches with the most national titles.
Nick Saban - 7
Coach Saban made history in 2020, beating the legendary Bear Bryant by winning his 7th national title. The 71-year-old legendary coach has been at the helm of Crimson Tide since 2007.
Having won six of these with Alabama, Saban has continued the legacy of the former Crimson Tide legend. His other title came during his stint with LSU in 2003.
Bear Bryant - 6
Having been in the lead until coach Saban took over, Bear Bryant didn’t live to see anyone come close to his achievements. In his 38 seasons as head coach, he had 27 winning ones.
In his 22-year tenure at Alabama, he managed to win six national titles. Ever since his days, the Crimson Tide has been a powerhouse program in college football.
Bernie Bierman - 5
Another record holder from the past, Bernie Bierman rose to fame during his time with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. During his short tenure from 1934-1941, the head coach guided his squad to five national titles.
In this period, Minnesota even managed to bag 7 Big 10 titles, managing to secure four perfect seasons in the process.
Woody Hayes - 5
Tied with the Minnesota legend, Woody Hayes’ five national titles came during his time with the Ohio State Buckeyes. During his 17-year service for the Ohio team, Hayes went 205-61-10, securing five National Championships. His foundations have set the tone for the Ohio State program to be a legacy name in college football.
Frank Leahy - 4
With a record of 107-13-9, Leahy has the second-best winning percentage in college football history. Having won the National Championship twice as a plate for Notre Dame, he came back as a coach to win five more titles.
While none of these winners are around to give coach Saban a run for his money, the likes of Dabo Swinney and Kirby Smart could compete with him. Meanwhile, Nick Saban will try to one-up himself to another national title, which will take him to seven national titles for Alabama, and one more than the legendary Bear Bryant.