College Football: The 15 Greatest Coaches of the Past 50 Years

Let's go back 50 years, half a century, and come forward.

You know the names; you can see the numbers.  But there is so much more to being the greatest.

You have to influence lives in a positive manner, you have to be able to change with the times, and you have to succeed so much that your name is synonymous with the school.

Let's add that you must have won a national title (sorry Bo).  You also get downgraded for trouble with the administration or NCAA.  Toss out ties.

15) Vince Dooley, Georgia: 201-77

14) Barry Switzer, Oklahoma: 157-29

13) Frank Broyles, Arkansas/Missouri: 149-62

12) Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame/Northwestern/Miami of Ohio: 170-58

11) Tom Osborne, Nebraska: 255-49

10) Woody Hayes, Ohio State/Miami of Ohio: 219-66

9) Darrell Royal, Texas/Mississippi State/Washington: 184-60

8) John McKay, Southern Cal: 127-40

7) Bob Devaney, Nebraska/Wyoming: 136-30

6) Jake Gaither, Florida A&M: 204-36

5) Bobby Bowden, Florida State/West Virginia/Samford: 373-119

4) Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma: 145-29

3) Joe Paterno, Penn State: 372-125

2) Paul "Bear" Bryant, Alabama/Texas A&M/Kentucky/Maryland: 323-85

1) Eddie Robinson, Grambling: 408-168

Gaither won seven national black college championships.  Robinson won nine.  In the days of the segregated south, their teams had all of the great black players of the south.

Think for a moment how powerful those teams were—they were really the best teams in the country at the time, but no one knew it except NFL scouts.