Larry Kehres has the highest winning percentage for a college football coach.

This is a list of football coaches with a .750 or greater winning percentage.[1][2] College football coaches who have coached college teams for 10 or more seasons are included in the list. "College level" is defined as a four-year college or university program in either the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). If the team competed at a time before the official organization of either of the two groups, but is generally accepted as a "college football program," it is also included.

Leading the list is Larry Kehres, who compiled a .929 winning percentage while coaching the Mount Union Purple Raiders from 1986 to 2012. The longest tenure among coaches on the list is that of John Gagliardi, who was a head coach from 1949 until retiring after the 2012 season. Gagliardi also leads all listed coaches in total games, wins, and losses. Former Vanderbilt head coach Dan McGugin has the most ties of anyone on the list.

Key

bold Expected to be active as head coach in 2024
† Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame

College football coaches with a .750 winning percentage

List may be incomplete; updated through end of 2023 season.
Name First year Last year Years Games Wins Losses Ties Win % Teams
Larry Kehres† 1986 2012 27 359 332 24 3 .929 Mount Union (1986–2012)
Knute Rockne† 1918 1930 13 122 105 12 5 .881 Notre Dame (1918–1930)
Frank Leahy† 1939 1953 13 129 107 13 9 .864 Boston College (1939–1940), Notre Dame (1941–1943, 1946–1953)
Bob Reade† 1979 1994 16 170 146 23 1 .862 Augustana (IL) (1979–1994)
Pete Fredenburg 1998 2021 24 270 231 39 0 .856[n 1] Mary Hardin–Baylor (1998–2021)
Doyt Perry† 1955 1964 10 93 77 11 5 .855 Bowling Green (1955–1964)
Urban Meyer 2001 2018 17 219 186 32 0 .853 Bowling Green (2001–2002), Utah (2003–2004), Florida (2005–2010), Ohio State (2012–2018)
George Washington Woodruff† 1892 1905 12 164 139 23 2 .854 Penn (1892–1901), Illinois (1903), Carlisle (1905)
Jeff Devanney 2006 2023 18 142 121 21 0 .852 Trinity (CT) (2006–present)
Dick Farley† 1987 2003 17 136 114 19 3 .849 Williams (1987–2003)
Jake Gaither† 1945 1969 25 244 204 36 4 .844 Florida A&M (1945–1969)
Joseph Smith 2006 2023 17 185 156 29 0 .843 Linfield (2006–present)
Dave Maurer† 1969 1983 15 155 129 23 3 .842 Wittenberg (1969–1983)
Gary Fasching 2013 2023 10 118 99 19 0 .839 Saint John's (MN) (2013–present)
Paul Hoernemann† 1946 1959 14 124 102 18 4 .839 Heidelberg (1946–1959)
Barry Switzer† 1973 1988 16 190 157 29 4 .837 Oklahoma (1973–1988)
Tom Osborne† 1973 1997 25 307 255 49 3 .836 Nebraska (1973–1997)
Don Coryell† 1957 1972 15 154 127 24 3 .834 Whittier (1957–1959), San Diego State (1961–1972)
Percy Haughton† 1899 1924 13 120 97 17 6 .833 Cornell (1899–1900), Harvard (1908–1916), Columbia (1923–1924)
Fielding H. Yost† 1898 1926 28 245 198 35 12 .833 Ohio Wesleyan (1897), Nebraska (1898), Kansas (1899), Stanford (1900), San Jose State (1900), Michigan (1901–1923, 1925–1926)
Robert Neyland† 1926 1952 21 216 173 31 12 .829 Tennessee (1926–1934, 1936–1940, 1946–1952)
Bud Wilkinson† 1947 1963 17 178 145 29 4 .826 Oklahoma (1947–1963)
Steve Ryan 2002 2023 22 279 228 49 0 .823 Morningside (2002–present)
Chuck Klausing† 1964 1985 16 151 123 26 2 .821 Indiana (PA) (1964–1969), Carnegie Mellon (1976–1985)
Mike Kelly† 1981 2007 27 301 246 54 1 .819 Dayton (1981–2007)
Henry Kean 1931 1954 23 208 165 34 9 .815 Kentucky State (1931–1942), Tennessee State (1944–1954)
Joe Fincham 1996 2021 25 255 224 51 0 .815 Wittenberg (1996–2021)
Joe Fusco† 1972 1990 19 191 154 34 3 .814 Westminster (PA) (1972–1990)
Vernon McCain† 1948 1963 16 126 100 21 5 .813 Maryland State (1948–1963)
Charlie Richard† 1980 1994 14 152 123 28 1 .813 Baker (1980–1990, 1992–1994)
Jock Sutherland† 1919 1938 20 186 144 28 14 .812 Lafayette (1919–1923), Pittsburgh (1924–1938)
Ron Schipper† 1961 1996 36 357 287 67 3 .808 Central (IA) (1961–1996)
Mike Sirianni 2003 2023 21 229 185 44 0 .808 Washington & Jefferson (2003–present)
Nick Saban 1990 2023 28 364 292 71 1 .804[n 2] Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995–1999), LSU (2000–2004), Alabama (2007–2023)
Bob Devaney† 1957 1972 16 173 136 30 7 .806 Wyoming (1957–1961), Nebraska (1962–1972)
Chuck Broyles 1990 2009 20 247 198 47 2 .806 Pittsburg State (1990–2009)
Clarence Munn† 1935 1953 10 90 71 16 3 .806 Albright (1935–1936), Syracuse (1946), Michigan State (1947–1953)
Sid Gillman† 1944 1954 10 102 81 19 2 .804 Miami (OH) (1944–1947), Cincinnati (1949–1954)
Glenn Caruso 2006 2023 17 196 157 39 0 .801 St. Thomas (MN) (2006–present)
Rick Willis 1997 2021 23 231 185 46 0 .801 Wartburg (1997–2021)
Mike Swider 1996 2019 24 261 209 52 0 .801 Wheaton (IL) (1996–2019)
Bob Stoops 1999 2016 18 238 191 48 0 .798 Oklahoma (1999–2016, 2021)
Dabo Swinney 2008 2023 16 212 169 43 0 .797 Clemson (2008–present)
John Thorne 2002 2014 13 148 118 30 0 .797 North Central (IL) (2002–2014)
Frank Thomas† 1925 1946 19 183 141 33 9 .795 Chattanooga (1925–1928), Alabama (1931–1946)
Chris Petersen 2006 2019 14 185 147 38 0 .795 Boise State (2006–2013), Washington (2014–2019)
Harold Burry† 1952 1971 20 163 127 31 5 .794 Westminster (PA) (1952–1971)
Ted Kessinger† 1976 2003 28 277 219 57 1 .792 Bethany (KS) (1976–2003)
Matt Mitchell 2010 2022 13 148 117 31 0 .791 Grand Valley State (2010–2022)
John Tucker 1933 1947 12 103 77 17 9 .791 Arkansas Tech (1933–1947)
Allen H. Zikmund 1955 1971 17 155 121 31 3 .790 Nebraska–Kearney (1955–1971)
Pete Schmidt 1983 1996 14 135 105 27 3 .789 Albion (1983–1996)
Mike Drass 1993 2017 25 291 229 61 1 .789 Wesley (DE) (1993–2017)
Ad Rutschman† 1968 1991 24 234 183 48 3 .788 Linfield (1968–1991)
Henry L. Williams† 1891 1921 23 187 141 34 12 .786 Army (1891), Minnesota (1900–1921)
Norris Patterson 1950 1967 23 175 133 33 9 .786 William Jewell (1950–1967)
Gil Dobie† 1906 1938 33 242 182 45 15 .783 North Dakota Agricultural (1906–1907), Washington (1908–1916), Navy (1917–1919), Cornell (1920–1935), Boston College (1936–1938)
John Wristen 2008 2022 14 169 133 37 0 .782 CSU–Pueblo (2008–2022)
Bear Bryant† 1945 1982 38 425 323 85 17 .780 Maryland (1945), Kentucky (1946–1953), Texas A&M (1954–1957), Alabama (1958–1982)
Jim Sochor† 1970 1988 19 202 155 42 5 .780 UC Davis (1970–1988)
Bill Edwards† 1936 1968 23 221 168 45 8 .778 Western Reserve (1936–1940), Vanderbilt (1949–1952), Wittenberg (1955–1968)
Bo Schembechler† 1963 1989 27 307 234 65 8 .775 Miami (OH) (1963–1968), Michigan (1969–1989)
John Gagliardi† 1949 2012 64 638 489 138 11 .775 Carroll (MT) (1949–1952), Saint John's (MN) (1953–2012)
Fred Folsom 1895 1915 19 141 106 29 6 .773 Colorado (1895–1899, 1901–1902, 1908–1915), Dartmouth (1903–1906)
Curt Cignetti 2011 2023 13 154 119 35 0 .773 IUP (2011–2016), Elon (2017–2018), James Madison (2019–2023), Indiana (2024–present)
Ken Sparks 1980 2016 36 439 338 99 2 .772 Carson–Newman (1980–2016)
Roger Harring† 1969 1999 31 343 261 75 7 .771 Wisconsin–La Crosse (1969–1999)
Rod Sandberg 2014 2023 10 96 74 22 0 .771 Whitworth (2014–present)
Clark Swisher 1946 1968 22 192 146 42 4 .771 Northern State (1946–1955, 1957–1968)
Bill Cronin 1997 2021 25 283 204 61 0 .770 Georgetown (KY) (1997–2021)
Volney Ashford† 1937 1967 31 264 197 55 12 .769 Missouri Valley (1937–1946)
Jim Purtill 1982 2013 16 170 130 39 1 .768 Salem (1982), St. Norbert (1999–2013)
Fritz Crisler† 1930 1947 18 157 116 32 9 .768 Minnesota (1930–1931), Princeton (1932–1937), Michigan (1938–1947)
Bob Folwell 1909 1924 16 144 106 29 9 .767 Lafayette (1909–1911), Washington & Jefferson (1912–1915), Penn (1916–1919), Navy (1920–1924)
Wallace Wade† 1923 1950 24 230 171 49 10 .765 Alabama (1923–1930), Duke (1931–1941, 1946–1950)
Jeff McMartin 2004 2023 20 203 155 48 0 .764 Central (IA) (2004–present)
Jimmie Keeling 1990 2010 21 225 172 53 0 .764 Hardin–Simmons (1990–2010)
Frank Kush† 1958 1979 22 231 176 54 1 .764 Arizona State (1958–1979)
Chris Oliver 2010 2023 14 160 122 38 0 .763 Lindsey Wilson (2010–2021), Georgetown (KY) (2022–present)
Gordon Kirkland 1934 1948 14 145 107 31 7 .762 Catawba (1934–1948)
Dan McGugin† 1904 1934 30 271 197 55 19 .762 Vanderbilt (1904–1917, 1919–1934)
Jim Crowley†[n 3] 1929 1941 13 109 78 21 10 .761 Michigan State (1928–1932), Fordham (1933–1941)
Andy Smith† 1909 1925 17 161 116 32 13 .761 Penn (1909–1912), Purdue (1913–1915), California (1916–1925)
Tony DeCarlo 1987 1998 12 131 90 27 4 .760 John Carroll (1987–1998)
Woody Hayes† 1946 1978 33 320 238 72 10 .759 Denison (1946–1948), Miami (OH) (1949–1950), Ohio State (1951–1978)
Earl Blaik† 1934 1958 25 228 166 48 14 .759 Dartmouth (1934–1940), Army (1941–1958)
John Merritt† 1952 1983 32 321 237 72 12 .757 Jackson State (1952–1962), Tennessee State (1963–1983)
Ed Sherman† 1945 1966 22 191 141 43 7 .757 Muskingum (1945–1966)
Curt Wiese 2006 2023 12 140 106 34 0 .757 Marietta (2006–2007), Minnesota–Duluth (2013–present)
Charley Moran 1909 1933 18 168 121 35 12 .756 Texas A&M (1909–1914), Centre (1919–1923), Bucknell (1924–1926), Catawba (1930–1933)
John Luckhardt† 1982 2011 27 319 240 77 2 .755 Washington & Jefferson (1982–1998), California (PA) (2002–2011)
Frosty Westering† 1962 2003 40 406 303 96 7 .755 Parsons (IA) (1962–1963), Lea (1966–1971), Pacific Lutheran (1972–2003)
Danny Hale 1984 2012 25 283 213 69 1 .754 West Chester (1984–1988), Bloomsburg (1993–2012)
Lloyd Carr 1995 2007 13 162 122 40 0 .753 Michigan (1995–2007)
Earl Banks† 1960 1973 14 129 96 31 2 .752 Morgan State (1960–1973)
Jerome Berg 1956 1966 11 84 62 20 2 .750 Mayville State (1956–1966)
Chris Klieman 2005 2023 11 148 111 37 0 .750 Loras (2005), North Dakota State (2014–2019), Kansas State (2019–present)
Allyn McKeen† 1937 1948 11 106 78 25 3 .750 West Tennessee State (1937–1938), Mississippi State (1939–1948)

Note: As of the end of the 2010 season, Jim Tressel, who served as the head football coach for Youngstown State (1986–2000) and Ohio State (2001–2010), had a career record of 241–79–2 for a winning percentage of .752. In July 2011, Ohio State vacated all 12 of its wins from the 2010 season, dropping Tressel's career record to 229–79–2 and his winning percentage to .742.

Active coaches near a .750 winning percentage

This list identifies active coaches who have:
  • a winning percentage of .735 or greater after at least 10 full seasons as a college football head coach, or
  • a winning percentage of .750 or greater after at least 7 full seasons, but fewer than 10, as a college football head coach.
Updated through end of 2023 season.
Name First year Last year Years Games Wins Losses Ties Win % Teams
Kalen DeBoer 2005 2023 9 116 104 12 0 .897 Sioux Falls (2005–2009), Fresno State (2020–2021), Washington (2022–2023), Alabama (2024–present)
Duke Greco 2014 2023 9 106 91 15 0 .858 Delaware Valley (2014–present)
Kirby Smart 2016 2023 8 110 94 16 0 .855 Georgia (2016–present)
Lincoln Riley 2017 2023 7 92 74 18 0 .804 Oklahoma (2017–2021), USC (2022–present)
Mike Jacobs 2016 2023 8 91 74 17 0 .813 Notre Dame (OH) (2016–2019), Lenoir–Rhyne (2020–2023), Mercer (2024–present)
Tony Annese 2012 2023 9 153 123 30 0 .804 Ferris State (2012–present)
Todd Hoffner 1999 2023 20 234 173 61 0 .739 Wisconsin–Eau Claire (1999–2005), Minnesota State (2008–2011, 2014–present)
Jim Hilvert 2007 2023 13 148 109 39 0 .736 Thomas More (2007–2014), Baldwin Wallace (2017–present)

College football coaches with an .850 winning percentage

The main list set forth above is limited to coaches with 10 years of experience as a head coach. This list supplements the main list by identifying coaches who are omitted from the main list because they have not coached 10 years, but who have achieved a winning percentage of .850 or higher while coaching a minimum of five seasons or 50 games.

List may be incomplete; updated through end of 2023 season.
Name First year Last year Years Games Wins Losses Ties Win % Teams
Vince Kehres 2013 2019 7 101 95 6 0 .941 Mount Union (2013–2019)
Walter Camp 1888 1895 7 87 79 5 3 .925 Yale (1888–1892), Stanford (1892, 1894–1895)
Joe Woodley 2019 2023 5 63 58 5 0 .921 Grand View (2019–present)
Robert B. Redman 1947 1951 5 42 38 4 0 .905 Bloomsburg (1947–1951)
Charles Tambling 1902 1918 5 20 18 2 0 .900 Central Michigan (1902–1905, 1918)
Kalen DeBoer 2005 2023 9 116 104 12 0 .897 Sioux Falls (2005–2009), Fresno State (2020–2021), Washington (2022–2023), Alabama (2024–present)
Samuel Archer 1905 1915 8 42 35 2 5 .893 Morehouse (1905–1908, 1912–1915)
Ron Erhardt 1966 1972 7 69 61 7 1 .891 North Dakota State (1966–1972)
Jeff Thorne 2015 2021 6 76 66 10 0 .868 North Central (IL) (2015–2021)
Jay Cottone 1981 1985 5 53 46 7 0 .868 Plymouth State (1981–1985)
Kevin Bullis 2015 2022 8 91 78 13 0 .857 Wisconsin–Whitewater (2015–2022)
Duke Greco 2014 2023 9 106 91 15 0 .858 Delaware Valley (2014–present)
Walter C. Booth 1900 1905 6 63 53 8 2 .857 Nebraska (1900–1905)
Kirby Smart 2016 2023 8 110 94 16 0 .855 Georgia (2016–present)
John Macklin 1911 1915 5 34 29 5 0 .853 Michigan State (1911–1915)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Fredenburg's on-field record was 257–40 for a winning percentage of .865. In June 2020, Mary Hardin–Baylor vacated a total of 26 wins and 1 loss from the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
  2. ^ Saban's on-field record is 297–70–1 for a winning percentage of .808. Due to NCAA violations that began during the tenure of Saban's predecessor at Alabama, Mike Shula, that were not discovered until Saban's first season at the school in 2007, five wins from that season were vacated.
  3. ^ Crowley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966 as a player in recognition of his career as a halfback at Notre Dame from 1922 to 1924.

References

  1. ^ "NCAA Coaching Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2008. pp. 189, 192.
  2. ^ "All-Time Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
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