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Sporting News Ranks All College Football Coaches For The 2026 Season

by Staff Reporter

June 11, 202616 Comments

LSU Sports Photography

LSU coach Lane Kiffin ranked at No. 8 in the Sporting News annual 1-138 Coach Rankings.

Kiffin was previously ranked No. 10 heading into the 2025 season at Ole Miss.

quote:
8. Lane Kiffin, LSU
Last year: 10

Record: 116-53 (0-0 at LSU)

Lowdown: Kiffin is a constant content-generator off the field with the well-documented in-season move from Ole Miss to LSU. Kiffin had a 55-19 record at Ole Miss and elevated the Rebels into a top-10 program. Now, he takes on the LSU job – where three of the last four coaches won national titles. The pressure is on Kiffin – and the spotlight will be bright in the home opener against Clemson and a road trip to Ole Miss on Sept. 19.

Top 10:
1. Curt Cignetti, Indiana
2. Kirby Smart, Georgia
3. Ryan Day, Ohio State
4. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
5. Dan Lanning, Oregon
6. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
7. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
8. Lane Kiffin, LSU
9. Mario Cristobal, Miami
10. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

Filed Under: LSU Football

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Originally published on TigerDroppings.com

16 Comments

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TouchdownTony•21 hours

Sark and Lanning get WAY more cred than they deserve. Got everything on a platter and still can’t win shite.

rich6285•2 days

DeBoer and Freeman ahead of Kiffin, really,,,,

J2thaROC•2 days

6. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Based off what exactly?

They just can’t help themselves.

pgaddxn•2 days

It’s still Kirby until further notice. Deboer, while I think could be a good coach has done nothing so far to rank him in the top 10. That’s not to say he won’t be but as of now, no. Im ok with the rest except Dabo. What has he done in the last 5 years?

BugaBadger•2 days

He’s in good company.

Yeti_Chaser•2 days

Cignetti over Smart is something. Don't get Deboer being so high either.

hsgeoboy•2 days

I thought the same. Cignetti is definitely a good coach, but let’s see how he looks in the long run. Championship hangover can be intense. Kirby meanwhile has been at the top for ages now and with essentially no drop off

hsgeoboy•2 days

And Deboer I think has actually underperformed with the talent and brand of Bama! Not sure why he’s even top 10

Datbayoubengal•2 days

Cig being #1 after one season is pretty friggin ridiculous. It should still be Smart and Day as 1 and 2. Cig is a placeholder at three until we see what this year holds.

TSS4LSU•2 days

Cignetti?Lets see if he can maintain first

Dingeaux•2 days

I don't understand the love for Marcus Freeman. I think he is a good guy and a good coach but what has he done to receive such a high rating? I guess he's a top 10 guy but number 4? I don't know.

Datbayoubengal•2 days

Went to the national championship game beating UGA and Penn St along the way. His only 2 losses last year came to two top 10 teams by 4 total points. Has made ND into a recruiting giant, and has built a team that can make a run for the championship again this year. There is literally nobody else that you could put him behind that couldn't be debated. Lanning is basically him, but at Oregon. Deboer has struggled at Bama, but it's not like his record has been bad. Sark has had one good year and didn't make it to the championship game. Lane you really can't put him above until he makes it to the championship, Dabo has fallen off a cliff, and i would actually have Cristobal possibly neck and neck now that he and Miami have found footing.

XbengalTiger•1 day

UGA had a first time starting QB replacing an injured QB. Penn St was a paper lion and a product of their schedule. If we were still in the 4 team playoff era, ND would be just another top 20 team with no playoff appearances. Was it the loss to a 3 win Stanford or the loss to Northern Illinois that put him at #4. BK had a better record at ND his last 4 years than MF had his first 4 years. Only difference is the playoff was expanded to give ND an easier path to get in while MF has been the coach.

Dingeaux•2 days

I don't understand the love for Marcus Freeman. I think he is a good guy and a good coach but what has he done to receive such a high rating? I guess he's a top 10 guy but number 4? I don't know.

duckblind56•2 days

The same could be said about 2 or 3 more on that list. Lanning, DeBoer, Cristobal. Good coaches but what is the criteria for the rating?

Datbayoubengal•2 days

I actually like Cristobal to be higher. If you take what he did at Oregon before NIL and now Miami with NIL, it paints a big picture. That season they had last year would have likely been a championship win if they played anybody else but Indiana. Beating TAMU, Ole Miss, and Ohio St like that and losing by 6 points in the NCG was huge. It also showed that they can reproduce the offense they had with Cam Ward. Plus the recruiting for transfers and high school is heating up.