Dabo Swinney ranked outside 2025's Top 5 coaches in college football

Dabo Swinney brings back plenty of talent and experience to prove lists like this wrong in 2025-26.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Wednesday, February 05 2025

Dabo Swinney is a hard coach to place in this college football landscape, one national writer says.

On3 released a college football head coaches ranking that pegged the two-time national champion leader at No. 6 overall.

"Coaches like Swinney are what makes these lists difficult," On3's Ari Wasserman writes. "Do you go with the built up equity of having two national titles or do you more heavily consider how the program has slid from prominence the last few years? The good news is that Swinney’s program is far from irrelevant — the Tigers, after all, are defending ACC Champions — and Clemson brings back a ton of talent next year to attempt to make another CFP run. Swinney’s use of the portal is the reason I’m willing to lean on his equity and put him toward the top of this list. There is no question he’s one of the best talent evaluators and coaches of our time, he just needed to give in evolve with the sport. He’s done that."

Clemson's (and the ACC's) all-time winningest coach improved to 180-47 this past season and captured a ninth conference championship in 14 seasons, making the College Football Playoff for a seventh time in 10 seasons.

Ahead of Swinney? The other multi-natty winner Kirby Smart at Georgia, then reigning national champ Ryan Day at Ohio State, reigning Big Ten winner Dan Lanning at Oregon, two-time CFP semifinalist Steve Sarkisian at Texas and 2024 runner-up Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame.

Right behind Swinney? Deion Sanders at Colorado.

The next ACC coach on the list is Mario Cristobal of Miami (11), followed by Bill Belichick of UNC (21).

Opening-opponent coach Brian Kelly at LSU is No. 16.