Josh Pate Names the Top 10 Head Coaches in College Football

The college football season is inching closer and closer as many teams are just days and weeks away from beginning their spring camp. This has led to many debates across the nation on which coaches qualify to be considered top ten across the nation.

On3's Josh Pate made his own list. On this list, he explained why he listed each coach where he did, as some of these may come as a shock.

10. Mike Elko (Texas A&M)

Mike Elko is one of the better coaches on this list, as he helped lead his team to the college football playoffs. Texas A&M has a promising future ahead of it under the leadership of Elko, many believe. The sky could be the limit if they continue to add to their roster.

Pate mentioned that he likes the way that Elko recruits with the Aggies. He also mentioned that Elko has helped make the Aggies a premier portal destination. Pate would leave off with a message detailing that this team is very strategic, which could lead to some success.

9. Mario Cristobal (Miami)

Cristobal is fresh off a national championship appearance. This is a game that the Hurricanes lost, but still made a closer contest compared to some of the others that the Indiana Hoosiers played. Cristobal seems a bit down on the list considering he just went to the national championship, but there is a reason for that.

Pate believes that recency is helping prop the Miami coach up. He also believes that there is a clear upward trajectory established. There have been some bad losses, which are keeping him from being higher on this list.

8. Steve Sarkisian (Texas)

This one could be viewed as a bit of a surprise to some, as the Longhorns didn't do as well as many believed they would in Arch Manning's first season as the starting quarterback for the Longhorns. The Longhorns are continuing to show that they can recruit, which can be a good sign.

Pate has mentioned that Sarkisian is finally harnessing the full power with the Texas Longhorns. The reason for the move up is that he is predicting some big things for Sarkisian and the Longhorns in the near future.

7. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)

The talented coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide helped lead them to the playoffs. The Tide looked like one of the better teams at one point last season, as they were on a win streak against ranked opponents.

A big impact of why the Bama coach is on the list is because recruiting hasn't fallen off since Nick Saban left, according to Pate. He believes that fixing the run game will be key to halting the narrative that Alabama is moving in the wrong direction.

6. Lane Kiffin (LSU)

The highest-ranked coach on the list is with a new team. He is someone who has made headlines this offseason, making the jump from Ole Miss to the LSU Tigers, which leads many to believe he will be in an even better situation to do what he does best.

Pate mentioned that the coach led Ole Miss to things they have never done before, which includes three straight 10+ win seasons. He has elevated resources and already made a big splash in the portal, which is something worth monitoring.

5. Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame)

Freeman has been solid with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. There is a reason the talented coach was linked to NFL jobs such as the Tennessee Titans. He is still a younger coach as well, which is something that has caught the attention of many.

Pate is high on the program's coach because the Fighting Irish were on the verge of making the playoffs, but everything took a step up in the offseason. This leads him to believe Freeman will be a top coach.

4. Dan Lanning (Oregon)

Dan Lanning is Dan Lanning; he is going to come to the table with his best cards week in and week out. Lanning has been a fantastic coach with the Oregon roster, which is all you can hope for considering he made the jump from being a defensive coordinator with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Pate believes that this situation only seems like a matter of time with the talented coach.

3. Curt Cignetti (Indiana)

The national championship-winning coach is for a reason. Easily one of the more intense names on the list, as he is a go-getter with his way of thinking. Some could argue that he is a bit low, and a lot would agree, but Pate had his reasoning.

Even Pate acknowledged that the Indiana coach could be listed at No. 2 or even No. 1. He questions the resume of others, as the talented coach finished the season beating Dan Lanning (twice), Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Day, and, of course, Mario Cristobal in the national championship.

2. Kirby Smart (Georgia)

Kirby Smart is one of the better coaches in college football, regardless of the team. Smart has been able to dominate with the Bulldogs since becoming the new head football coach. Smart is easily one of the more sound teams when it comes to a defensive standpoint, but he is only going to improve.

Pate explains that the structure is one of the best in college football. They have been a very recruiting-friendly program that puts an emphasis on bringing in the best high school stars. This has worked for him thus far, opposed to many teams going with the transfer portal option.

1. Ryan Day (Ohio State)

Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes looked like one of the better combos in college football last season, which is something that led Pate to mention Day as the top head coach entering the 2026 season.

Pate mentioned that Ohio State has yet to fall outside the CFP top seven since his run as a head football coach, which is hard to beat, as he has been one of the more reliable names in college football.