Sporting News Ranks College Football Coaches 1-138 For The 2026 Season

Sporting News unveiled its annual 1-138 Coach Rankings this week, with eight SEC coaches landing in the Top 25.

Kirby Smart, Kalen DeBoer, Steve Sarkisian, and Lane Kiffin all landed in the Top-10.

SEC Coaches:
2. Kirby Smart, Georgia
6. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
7. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
8. Lane Kiffin, LSU
11. Mike Elko, Texas A&M
16. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
17. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma
31. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
33. Pete Golding, Ole Miss
36. Jon Sumrall, Florida
46. Shane Beamer, South Carolina
49. Ryan Silverfield, Arkansas
50. Alex Golesh, Auburn
62. Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State
67. Will Stein, Kentucky

Top 25:
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
11. Mike Elko, Texas A&M
12. Kyle Whittingham, Michigan
13. Rhett Lashlee, SMU
14. Jeff Brohm, Louisville
15. Lincoln Riley, USC
16. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
17. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
18. Sonny Dykes, TCU
19. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
20. James Franklin, Virginia Tech
21. Matt Campbell, Penn State
22. Kalani Sitake, BYU
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma
24. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
25. Bret Bielema, Illinois