2011 Bowl Games: Power Ranking All 70 Head Coaches This Bowl Season

They say it's the most wonderful time of the year. Magical things happen, there's a spark in the air, excitement and good times.

Oh, and Christmas comes too.

Yeah, I'm talking about bowl season. Some do not care for the bowls, as they either want a college football playoff or feel bowls are just glorified exhibition games. But others absolutely love the bowls and everything about them.

I'm here today to give you a ranking of all 70 head coaches this bowl season.

70. Mark Hudspeth, ULL

In his first year at Louisiana-Lafayette, Mark Hudspeth led the team to an 8-4 record and its first bowl game in 41 years.

69. Danny Hope, Purdue

I haven't been that big of a fan of Hope during his time at Purdue. He's just 14-21 in his three years, and the Boilermakers have never won more than five games under his direction.

Purdue will play in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl vs. WMU.

68. Mike Johnson, UCLA

Mike Johnson is UCLA's interim coach and won't be the head coach next year, but this could be an audition for a future head-coaching job down the road. He has been passionate as head Bruin the past few weeks.

67. Vic Koenning, Illinois

Koenning takes over for Ron Zook as interim leader of the Illini. He's the defensive coordinator at Illinois, and I've heard good things in his regard from several different coaches around the country the past few years.

Illinois plays UCLA in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Dec. 31.

66. Dave Doeren, NIU

Doeren did very well for his first year as HC of NIU, yet I have him here because I wonder how much he changed what Jerry Kill did.

Doeren did go 10-3 and will be in the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

65. Dave Christensen, Wyoming

Christensen is 18-19 in three seasons for the Cowboys. There seems to be some inconsistency with him since his win total has been seven, three and eight in his years as HC.

Wyoming will take on Temple in the New Mexico Bowl.

64. Gary Andersen, Utah State

Andersen kind of got himself on the map with an "almost" upset over Auburn the first game of this 2011 season. He also had a solid recruiting class last year.

Andersen is 19-28 as USU HC and got the Aggies to the Potato Bowl.

63. Tim Beckman, Toledo

Toledo has seen a change the past two years. After an initial 5-7 season, Tim Beckman has won eight games each in consecutive years.

He's 21-16 as Toledo's leader, and the Military Bowl invited it to play Air Force on Dec. 28.

62. Steve Addazio, Temple

Addazio did a lot better than I thought this year by going 8-4. Florida fans would argue that maybe he deserves to be lower, but that's a different story.

Temple plays Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl.

61. Doc Holliday, Marshall

Holliday is 11-13 in his two years at Marshall. He's a West Virginian through and through and has a ton of state pride, but he needs to notch some more wins—and soon.

Winning the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl vs. FIU would be huge.

60. Bill Blankenship, Tulsa

Blankenship is a former high school coach who was very successful in 14 years. He faced a tough spot  with this year being his first year at Tulsa and having some big expectations.

Yet Blankenship still went 8-4, and the Armed Forces Bowl will see how he does vs. BYU.

59. Rocky Long, San Diego State

This was Long's first year as SDSU's HC, and he guided the Aztecs to an 8-4 record.

Soon enough he will be in the Big East, but before that, Long will take the Aztecs to New Orleans to play ULM Dec. 17.

58. Bill Cubit, Western Michigan

With a 47-38 record in seven years, Cubit has the Broncos going to their third bowl under his management.

Cubit has never won a bowl game, so this Little Caesars Pizza Bowl vs. Purdue is huge.

57. Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech

I have Dykes here because I think he has a chance to be a really good HC.

I just don't think it's going to be at La Tech.

However, he's 13-11 in two years and already has a WAC title to his name as a HC. The Bulldogs will play TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.

56. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest

Grobe took WF to the Orange Bowl during the 2005-2006 season, but that seems like ages ago. He's 68-66 in 11 years there and is 3-1 in bowl games.

I'm just not sure if Grobe can take the Demon Deacons to the next level, but we'll see in the Music City Bowl.

55. Tom O'Brien, N.C. State

O'Brien has fizzled in Raleigh. He's just 32-30 in five years at a place where I think a coach can win big.

I'll go as far as to say the Clemson win may have saved his job for a year.

O'Brien is a good coach, but I need more from him at N.C. State. Winning the Belk Bowl vs. Louisville would be a jump-start.

54. Luke Fickell, Ohio State

Fickell went just 6-6 and will coach his final game as HC of the Buckeyes in the Gator Bowl vs. Florida, but he will be a HC one day at another school. Fickell is viewed as a rising star in the coaching ranks.

53. Frank Solich, Ohio

Solich has a ton of clout that stems from his Nebraska days, but he is 49-40 as HC at Ohio. He has three years of nine wins and has gone to four bowl games.

Ohio plays Utah State in the Potato Bowl Dec. 17.

52. Everett Withers, UNC

You have to commend Withers for the job he did this year in Chapel Hill. He got word right before camp was to start that he would be the HC and got this team to a 7-5 record amid a big scandal.

UNC will take on Missouri in the Independence Bowl.

51. Tim DeRuyter, Texas A&M

I have DeRuyter here because of the respect he has around the country as a DC. He's one of the top DCs in college football and dramatically improved the Aggie defense when he arrived in 2010.

DeRuyter coaches his first game as HC for the fired Mike Sherman in the Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. Northwestern.

50. Todd Graham, Pitt

Graham went 36-17 at Tulsa, which got him the Pitt job. He was on a good pace this season until Ray Graham got hurt and Pitt's star RB was lost for the season. This led Pitt to just a 6-6 finish and the BBVA Compass Bowl vs. SMU on Jan. 7.

49. Steve Sarkisian, Washington

Steve Sarkisian is 19-18 at U-Dub so far, and I think he may be a bit overrated at this point.

Don't get me wrong—I think Sark will be fine long-term, but right now he's a coach who has never won more than seven games in a season. Getting that eighth win vs. Baylor in the Alamo Bowl is going to be tough.

48. Greg Schiano, Rutgers

Schiano is another coach I think is somewhat overrated.

Yes, he's 67-67 at Rutgers, which is like winning 100 games, but is that as big a feat as people say it is?

He's a defensive guy and has been linked to Penn State over the years.

47. Tom Bradley, Penn State

I notch Bradley here since he's been in Happy Valley as a right-hand man to Joe Paterno for ages and has a ton of respect.

Penn State really hasn't been a force in recent years, but the program is a model of consistency, and Bradley has been big in that.

46. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State

Erickson and ASU had a bright feeling before this year but collapsed and went 6-6. He won 10 games his initial year but never won more than six after that.

Erickson was fired, and the Las Vegas Bowl vs. Boise State is his last game.

45. Mario Cristobal, FIU

Cristobal is 24-37, yes, but this guy can coach and is one of the hardest-working recruiters in the country. I'm not sure if FIU will be able to keep him in a few years.

Cristobal will lead the Panthers in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl vs. Marshall Dec. 20.

44. David Shaw, Stanford

Shaw is on my "wait and see" list. I wouldn't be shocked to see him fall on this list next year when Andrew Luck leaves, but he's a great QB coach and offensive coordinator.

Let's see how he does in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma State.

43. Troy Calhoun, Air Force

Calhoun probably should be higher on this list. He's 41-23, and Tennessee wanted him to replace Phil Fulmer. Yet Calhoun has stayed at AF and hovers around the nine-win total each year.

Air Force plays Toledo in the Military Bowl.

42. Jeff Tedford, Cal

Tedford is 79-47 at Cal, but he's lost some of his pizzazz the past few years. Cal's finished no higher than fourth in the conference the past five seasons.

Texas will see the Bears in the Holiday Bowl.

41. Butch Jones, Cincinnati

Lyle "Butch" Jones is 13-11 in two seasons in southern Ohio for the Bearcats. After a four-win season in 2010, Jones rebounded to win nine in 2011 and possibly 10 if he can win the Liberty Bowl vs. Vanderbilt.

40. Charlie Strong, Louisville

Strong has done a great job at Louisville the past two years, and his 14-11 record does not indicate how much success he's had. The Cardinals love Strong, and his players would run through a wall for him.

He'll be at the Belk Bowl vs. N.C. State.

39. Chris Ault, Nevada

Ault has been the HC of his alma mater for three different stints and has won 226 games to 102 losses. He's a respected man in Reno and around the country.

Nevada plays Southern Miss in the Hawaii Bowl.

38. Bill Snyder, Kansas State

Snyder has made K-State what it is today, and he came back a few years ago to restore it. He's got a 159-82 record in Manhattan and went 10-2 this year in a shocker.

The Wildcats take on Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl Jan. 6.

37. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech

After going 45-29 at Navy, Johnson got the GT gig and has a 34-18 record in his four seasons in Atlanta. Johnson runs a triple option offense and recruits players who fit his tough mold.

Utah awaits in the Sun Bowl.

36. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern

Fitzgerald has been linked to various jobs but seems content at his alma mater. He has a 40-35 record in his six seasons as head coach of NU, and he'll be looking for his first bowl win in four tries vs. Texas A&M in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

35. Paul Rhoads, Iowa State

I call Rhoads "The Giant Killer," as he has scored some upsets over Texas and Oklahoma State, among others, in his career at ISU. He's just 18-19 for the Cyclones, but progress is being made, which will be shown at the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Rutgers.

34. Mike London, Virginia

London went 4-8 in Year 1 but then flipped that record around in Year 2. He's a passionate coach who has shown a lot of fire and enthusiasm.

He'll get a taste of the bowl season vs. Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

33. James Franklin, Vanderbilt

Franklin is on pace to be big time at Vandy, but will it be able to keep him?

He went 6-6 this year, which is almost like going undefeated at Vanderbilt. Cincy awaits in the Liberty Bowl.

32. Gary Pinkel, Missouri

Pinkel is 84-54 at Missouri and could be higher on this list, but he only has three double-digit wins in 11 years for the Tigers. He's 3-4 in bowl games and will try to get to .500 in bowl games in the Independence Bowl vs. UNC.

31. Art Briles, Baylor

Doesn't it seem like Baylor won more than nine games this year?

Well, it didn't, but Briles has helped bring the Bears out of the dirt and has gone 24-25 in four seasons so far. This is the second bowl game he'll go to at Baylor, and it'll be vs. Washington in the Alamo Bowl.

30. June Jones, SMU

Jones will most likely be the head coach at Arizona State, but I have him down at SMU just for purpose. He's a talented coach who has a great offense that lights up the scoreboard.

Jones has gone 23-28 at SMU.

29. Bo Pelini, Nebraska

Pelini has gone 39-15 for Big Red as its leader and is always around the nine- or 10-win mark.

But it's time for Pelini to take his career and program to elite status. He's 3-1 in bowl games and will be looking to add to that in the Capital One Bowl vs. South Carolina.

28. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

Some say Ferentz is overrated.

I'm on the fence; he's a stable coach, but then again Iowa is not an elite program. He's 96-65 for the Hawkeyes and has won six out of nine bowl games.

The Insight Bowl vs. Oklahoma will give him a chance to go 7-for-10. 

27. Kevin Sumlin, Houston

Sumlin is a hot name on the coaching circuit right now, and I think he's going to take the A&M job.

He's still Houston's coach, though, and has a prolific passer in Case Keenum. Sumlin is 35-17 and has two double-digit win seasons.

26. Larry Fedora, Southern Miss

Reports are circulating that Fedora will be named the new HC at North Carolina, but I still mark him down with Southern Miss for purpose. He went 33-19 for the Golden Eagles.

25. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia

Holgorsen got the HC job in Morgantown a year earlier but has gotten the Mountaineers to a BCS bowl already, as WVU will play in the Orange Bowl vs. Clemson Jan. 4. He went 9-3 in his first year.

24. Hugh Freeze, Arkansas State

Freeze is the HC at Arkansas State, but he will be the new chief at Ole Miss next year. He's got a ton of coaching talent and should ignite the Rebel program.

Freeze went 10-2 in just one year at Ark-State.

23. Will Muschamp, Florida

A 6-6 record is not going to cut it at Florida, and Muschamp knows that.

But I think he's guy for the job long-term and has recruited well this year. Look for UF to return strong next year after the Gator Bowl vs. Ohio State.

22. Bronco Mendenhall, BYU

Mendenhall has gone 65-24 in his six seasons as HC at BYU. He's got four double-digit win total seasons in those years.

Tulsa awaits in the Armed Forces Bowl.

21. Brady Hoke, Michigan

Hoke got Big Blue turned around quicker than expected with some fine-tuned improvements within the program. He's also doing well in recruiting.

Michigan went 10-2 this year, and Hoke looks like a mainstay in Ann Arbor. His first bowl game will be vs. Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

20. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State

Urban Meyer is not going to get his top two coordinators back at Ohio State with Charlie Strong at Louisville and Dan Mullen at Mississippi State.

Mullen has gone 20-17 in Starkville and has been linked to the Penn State job.

19. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Kelly has an arrogance to him that works well at times and other times is a detriment. He's hard on his QBs, but he knows what he's doing.

Still, Kelly is just 16-9 at Notre Dame and hasn't won anything. Florida State awaits in the Champs Sports Bowl.

18. Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Whittingham has gone 65-25 after replacing Urban Meyer, who has noted on television numerous times that Whittingham is one of the best coaches in the business.

Utah doesn't have a ton of resources, but Whittingham gets the job done. It'll play Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl.

17. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State

Fisher has an 18-8 record at FSU and has recruited very, very well since he's taken over.

This year was a major disappointment for the 'Noles, but I expect a BCS bowl next year. They play Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl Dec. 29.

16. Mark Richt, Georgia

Richt went from being on the hottest of seats to 10 wins in a row before LSU halted the streak. He's 106-37 in Athens with two SEC titles.

Georgia will be in the Outback Bowl vs. Michigan State on Jan. 2.

15. Mack Brown, Texas

We've all heard it: Mack Brown doesn't do anything; he's a CEO more than a coach.

I tend to agree with that thought, but not in those specific terms. I have a ton of respect for Brown and his 140-36 record, national title and status.

But he's just 12-12 in his past two years.

14. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Dantonio has gone 43-22 in East Lansing and has a Big Ten title to his name.

The knock is the 0-4 mark in bowl games. He and Kirk Cousins will try to erase that at the Outback Bowl vs. Georgia.

13. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

Swinney started this season in similar fashion to Mark Richt: on the hot seat.

But the Tigers stormed out of the gate and finished with a 10-3 record and an ACC title. He's 29-18 at Clemson and is recruiting well for the Tigers.

You can see him at the Orange Bowl vs. West Virginia.

12. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Gundy may have some reservations about Nick Saban and Gary Pinkel right now, and then there's the whole infamous postgame rant a few years ago, but he's a darn good coach.

Gundy is 58-30 at his alma mater and was very close to getting into the BCS title game. Instead he'll go to the Fiesta Bowl.

11. Chip Kelly, Oregon

Kelly has been fantastic for Oregon in his three seasons as leader of the Ducks. He's got a BCS bowl appearance, and this will already give him two Rose Bowl appearances when the Ducks play Wisconsin on Jan. 2.

10. Gary Patterson, TCU

Patterson took this program from Dennis Franchione and ran with it. TCU is a growing power, and now that it'll join the Big 12, big things are going to happen in Ft. Worth.

Patterson is 108-30 and has two BCS bowl appearances already.

9. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin

Bielema knows exactly what Wisconsin football is about: toughness, size, strength and the run game. That's how the Badgers have always won, and that's how they win under Bielema, who has a 60-18 record in Madison.

He'll get another crack at the Rose Bowl vs. Oregon.

8. Chris Petersen, Boise State

Petersen is a rare coach who doesn't seem to be big on making money and a high-profile job. He's fine at BSU, where he's gone 72-6 in six seasons as HC.

Petersen doesn't like the BCS, but he has a 2-0 record in BCS games.

7. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

Petrino is regarded by coaches as maybe the finest offensive playmaker in the country. He really knows how to game-plan, manage and adjust offensively.

With a 33-17 record at Arkansas, Petrino will match wits with Bill Snyder in the Cotton Bowl.

6. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech

The only thing keeping Beamer out of the top five is the fact that he lacks a national title. The top five coaches on my list have a title and good recent records (there's your Mack Brown explanation).

Beamer has a 208-97-2 record in Blacksburg since 1987. He's got four ACC titles and has gone to six BCS bowls, including the upcoming Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 vs. Michigan.

5. Gene Chizik, Auburn

In three seasons on The Plains Chizik is 29-10 and has a BCS title to his name. He's 2-0 in bowl games, and the Chick-fil-A Bowl will make it a third consecutive bowl appearance.

Chizik is already ahead of pace at Auburn and has positioned War Eagle as a major force in the SEC long-term.

4. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

This season was a letdown for Oklahoma, and I think this team has some motivational issues this bowl season.

Yet Bob Stoops has gone 138-34 in Norman and has gone to eight BCS bowl games.

Wowsers.

The Insight Bowl vs. Iowa is still a bit of a letdown, though.

3. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

The Ol' Ball Coach is a legend of college football and has proven that he's an elite coach by getting the Gamecock program to top-tier status.

Spurrier is 54-35 in Columbia and has gone to six bowl games in seven years. Nebraska awaits in the Capital One Bowl.

2. Les Miles, LSU

The Mad Hatter has a maverick persona and is a slickster as a coach, but he's also an outstanding players' coach who gets it done. He's got a 75-17 record at LSU and a BCS title.

Miles has been rumored to be willing to listen to the NFL if a team comes calling.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

I'll say it again: If I'm an athletic director at any school, the first name I have on my list to hire as head coach is Nick Saban.

He's the best coach in the country pound for pound. X's and O's, managing a program, recruiting—Saban does it the best in my opinion.

He's 54-12 in Tuscaloosa and has a BCS title, plus the "Nicktator" is going for another one vs. LSU in the BCS title game Jan. 9.