College Football's Top 10 Coaching Jobs

I'm a sucker for lists. I love them. All lists are a matter of opinion, subjective, and can be endlessly debated. This one is no different.

There are many different criteria for what one considers a "good" coaching job: Location, tradition, facilities, and so on all factor in when a coach is considering whether to take a job or not.

Every college fanbase thinks it has an edge over the other; they all feel they can offer something the other guys can't. In my opinion, there are just some programs that are undeniable and that most fans really should be in awe of.

I compiled this list based on several factors. I considered tradition, not just winning, but also the aura surrounding the program. I also considered location, recruiting base, resources, and the amount of exposure the programs average over time.

I tried to look at it from the view of being a coach, listing the jobs I'd want, if I wasn't an alumnus of any of the programs.

I encourage you to leave feedback, maybe a list of your own. This is one of those that could be debated until the end of time, but here's a place for everyone to start. There are a lot of great programs not on this list, and I'd love to hear your case for them.

10. Tennessee

Until recently, Tennessee could boast the most wins in college football since 1925. The Vols have a storied tradition of great players, records, and coaches, which goes a long way playing in the tough SEC.

Tennessee has been committed to their facilities, building state of the art workout centers, upgrading all the stadiums, and finding new ways to attract recruits.

The fanbase is deep and solid. Until the Titans moved to Nashville, Tennessee football dominated the papers almost year-round, and that intensity remains with the program.

The biggest thing that holds UT back from being higher on the list is the lack of in-state high talent traditionally. Though it's getting better, it doesn't rival any of the big-time states as far as depth is concerned.

9. Michigan

The Maize and Blue has the most wins of any college football program in the modern era. Their tradition, uniform, and fight song are unmistakable and stand with anyone's at the top.

Michigan has seen little in the way of recent success, though, and fight having to recruit nationally as well. Michigan plays some good high school football, but there just isn't enough to consider an advantage of being there.

Michigan, like Alabama, has proven to be an old powerhouse that is committed to spending money in whatever way it must to get back to the top.

8. Oklahoma

The Sooners boast one of the most successful histories in college football. They have numerous national titles, Heisman Trophy winners, and conference championships. The familiar sound of "Boomer Sooner" is one almost any fan could recognize in a matter of seconds.

OU is another school that isn't sitting in the most talented high school state. They do a great job with out of state recruiting, but any coach that goes there is at a little bit of a disadvantage.

The facilities, however, are very good, and the school is committed to the football team. For that matter, OU football is king in Oklahoma, which helps OU move up the list.

7. Notre Dame

The most storied program in college football, Notre Dame is the only program with its own TV contract. The Fighting Irish play nearly every game on national television and have the largest fanbase in college football, as well as the backing of the Catholic church, giving them endless resources.

The only things holding Notre Dame back on my list are that they don't sit in a great recruiting ground, the weather there isn't what a lot of high level recruits would consider "good," and for some unexplainable reason, they haven't been winning consistently for quite some time now.

In spite of all that, ND is still a premier job and one of the few programs in football that brings everyone to a stop when they come up.

6. Alabama

While Alabama has lacked the overall recent success of the other programs ahead of it on this list, the sheer dominance it's shown in its history brings it up to this spot. Alabama has an overall history rivaled only by Notre Dame and was home to one of the most recognizable figures in football history, Bear Bryant.

Alabama has a good high school football system, which serves as a great recruiting base for the program. The Tide faithful and alum are tireless supporters of their program and overall may be the most dedicated fanbase in the nation.

For a coach, as Nick Saban learned, the Bama job is a dream for many. Though it's a pressure cooker, the Alabama decision makers are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to win, and what coach can ask for more?

5. LSU

Sandwiched between the states of Florida and Texas, LSU has possibly the best border states for recruiting in the nation. However, their own state provides plenty of talent year in and year out.

LSU has a rabid fanbase, one of the more impressive when it comes to dedication and volume levels. While LSU doesn't have the tradition of the schools above it, it's building its own quickly.

4. Ohio State

Though Ohio State did lose two straight BCS title games, the Buckeyes have been as successful as anyone in the last decade and beyond. OSU has a very rich tradition and play in an area where Buckeye football is really the "be all and end all" of the sports world to many.

Ohio is also an underrated state for high school talent. The Buckeyes do a great job recruiting in state talent and pull in some big names from all over the country.

The University has great facilities and has shown a dedication to treating all their coaches well.

3. Texas

The movie Friday Night Lights chronicled the obsession with high school football that has been made famous in Texas. That obsession has created what most think is the state with the deepest pool of high school talent in the country. A large number of those kids grow up dreaming of nothing more than of being a Longhorn.

The Longhorns also have a storied history and an unmistakable slogan, "Hook 'em Horns." Texas plays high intensity rivalries with Texas A&M and Oklahoma, along with often scheduling solid out of conference opponents.

2. Florida

There may be no program in college football that's hotter on the field than Florida. Urban Meyer has translated great recruiting into great on the field results, including two recent national championships.

Florida is well known for its high school talent, hot weather, and great college football. The Gators have a strong tradition, good facilities, and play in the nation's top conference, the SEC.

The only thing that keeps Florida behind USC, in my opinion, is that Gainesville isn't quite L.A., but the way the Gators have been recruiting, they do fine.

1. Southern California

USC tops the list for a number of reasons. The Trojans have a very storied tradition, including multiple national championships and Heisman Trophy winners.

USC sits in a fertile recruiting ground and has ideal conditions to sell recruits, like beaches and the Hollywood atmosphere that comes with L.A.

They play in the Pac-10, where they are the distant odds-on favorite to win every single season, making it easier for a coach to step in and have immediate success.