This is a list of college football career coaching winning percentage leaders. It is limited to coaches who coached at least 10 seasons and have a winning percentage of at least .750 at four-year college or university programs in either the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). If a 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 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 2026 † Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College football coaches with a .750 winning percentage
List may be incomplete; updated through end of 2025 season; minimum 10 years coaching.
Name First year Last year Years Games Wins Losses Ties Win % Teams † 1986 2012 27 359 332 24 3 Mount Union (1986–2012) † 1918 1930 13 122 105 12 5 Notre Dame (1918–1930) 2012 2025 13 172 153 21 0 Ferris State (2012–present) † 1939 1953 13 129 107 13 9 Boston College (1939–1940), Notre Dame (1941–1943, 1946–1953) † 1979 1994 16 170 146 23 1 Augustana (IL) (1979–1994) 2005 2025 11 144 124 20 0 Sioux Falls (2005–2009), Fresno State (2020–2021), Washington (2022–2023), Alabama (2024–present) 1998 2021 24 270 231 39 0 Mary Hardin–Baylor (1998–2021) † 1955 1964 10 93 77 11 5 Bowling Green (1955–1964) † 2001 2018 17 219 186 32 0 Bowling Green (2001–2002), Utah (2003–2004), Florida (2005–2010), Ohio State (2012–2018) † 1892 1905 12 164 139 23 2 Penn (1892–1901), Illinois (1903), Carlisle (1905) † 1987 2003 17 136 114 19 3 Williams (1987–2003) 2016 2025 10 148 117 21 0 Georgia (2016–present) 2013 2025 12 132 120 22 0 Saint John's (MN) (2013–present) 2006 2025 19 160 135 25 0 Trinity (CT) (2006–present) † 1969 1983 15 155 129 23 3 Wittenberg (1969–1983) 2006 2025 19 206 173 33 0 Linfield (2006–present) † 1946 1959 14 124 102 18 4 Heidelberg (1946–1959) † 1973 1988 16 190 157 29 4 Oklahoma (1973–1988) † 1973 1997 25 307 255 49 3 Nebraska (1973–1997) † 1957 1972 15 154 127 24 3 Whittier (1957–1959), San Diego State (1961–1972) † 1899 1924 13 120 97 17 6 Cornell (1899–1900), Harvard (1908–1916), Columbia (1923–1924) 2002 2025 24 299 249 50 0 Morningside (2002–present) † 1898 1926 28 245 198 3512 Ohio Wesleyan (1897), Nebraska (1898), Kansas (1899), Stanford (1900), San Jose State (1900), Michigan (1901–1923, 1925–1926) † 1926 1952 21 216 173 31 12 Tennessee (1926–1934, 1936–1940, 1946–1952) † 1936 1969 26 251 205 41 5 Saint Paul's (VA) (1936), Florida A&M (1945–1969) † 1947 1963 17 178 145 29 4 Oklahoma (1947–1963) † 1964 1985 16 151 123 26 2 Indiana (PA) (1964–1969), Carnegie Mellon (1976–1985) † 1981 2007 27 301 246 54 1 Dayton (1981–2007) 1931 1954 23 208 165 34 9 Kentucky State (1931–1942), Tennessee State (1944–1954) 1996 2021 25 255 224 51 0 Wittenberg (1996–2021) † 1972 1990 19 191 154 34 3 Westminster (PA) (1972–1990) † 1948 1963 16 126 100 21 5 Maryland State (1948–1963) † 1980 1994 14 152 123 28 1 Baker (1980–1990, 1992–1994) † 1919 1938 20 186 144 28 14 Lafayette (1919–1923), Pittsburgh (1924–1938) † 1961 1996 36 357 287 67 3 Central (IA) (1961–1996) 2003 2025 23 241 202 49 0 Washington & Jefferson (2003–present) † 1990 2023 28 364 292 71 1 Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995–1999), LSU (2000–2004), Alabama (2007–2023) † 1957 1972 16 173 136 30 7 Wyoming (1957–1961), Nebraska (1962–1972) 1990 2009 20 247 198 47 2 Pittsburg State (1990–2009) † 1935 1953 10 90 71 16 3 Albright (1935–1936), Syracuse (1946), Michigan State (1947–1953) † 1944 1954 10 102 81 19 2 Miami (OH) (1944–1947), Cincinnati (1949–1954) 2016 2025 10 117 94 23 0 Notre Dame (OH) (2016–2019), Lenoir–Rhyne (2020–2023), Mercer (2024–2025), Toledo (2026–present) 1997 2021 23 231 185 46 0 Wartburg (1997–2021) 1996 2019 24 261 209 52 0 Wheaton (IL) (1996–2019) 2015 2024 10 104 84 21 0 Monmouth (2015–present) 2011 2025 15 183 146 37 0 IUP (2011–2016), Elon (2017–2018), James Madison (2019–2023), Indiana (2024–present) 2002 2014 13 148 118 30 0 North Central (IL) (2002–2014) † 1925 1946 19 183 141 33 9 Chattanooga (1925–1928), Alabama (1931–1946) 2006 2019 14 185 147 38 0 Boise State (2006–2013), Washington (2014–2019) † 1952 1971 20 163 127 31 5 Westminster (PA) (1952–1971) † 1999 2016 18 238 191 48 0 Oklahoma (1999–2016, 2021) † 1976 2003 28 277 219 57 1 Bethany (KS) (1976–2003) 2014 2025 11 125 99 26 0 Delaware Valley (2014–2023), West Chester (2024–present) 2010 2022 13 148 117 31 0 Grand Valley State (2010–2022) 1933 1947 12 103 77 17 9 Arkansas Tech (1933–1947) 1955 1971 17 155 121 31 3 Nebraska–Kearney (1955–1971) 1999 2018 20 257 203 54 0 Carroll (MT) (1999–2018) 1983 1996 14 135 105 27 3 Albion (1983–1996) 1993 2017 25 291 229 61 1 Wesley (DE) (1993–2017) † 1968 1991 24 234 183 48 3 Linfield (1968–1991) 2016 2025 10 122 96 26 0 Northwestern (IA) (2016–present) 2015 2025 10 118 83 25 0 Susquehanna (2015–2025), Albany (2026–present) † 1891 1921 23 187 141 34 12 Army (1891), Minnesota (1900–1921) 1950 1967 23 175 133 33 9 William Jewell (1950–1967) † 1906 1938 33 242 182 45 15 North Dakota Agricultural (1906–1907), Washington (1908–1916), Navy (1917–1919), Cornell (1920–1935), Boston College (1936–1938) 2008 2022 14 169 133 37 0 CSU Pueblo (2008–2022) † 1945 1982 38 425 323 85 17 Maryland (1945), Kentucky (1946–1953), Texas A&M (1954–1957), Alabama (1958–1982) † 1970 1988 19 202 156 41 5 UC Davis (1970–1988) 2008 2025 18 240 187 53 0 Clemson (2008–present) † 1936 1968 23 221 168 45 8 Western Reserve (1936–1940), Vanderbilt (1949–1952), Wittenberg (1955–1968) † 1963 1989 27 307 234 65 8 Miami (OH) (1963–1968), Michigan (1969–1989) † 1949 2012 64 638 489 138 11 Carroll (MT) (1949–1952), Saint John's (MN) (1953–2012) 2014 2025 12 119 92 27 0 Whitworth (2014–present) 1895 1915 19 141 106 29 6 Colorado (1895–1899, 1901–1902, 1908–1915), Dartmouth (1903–1906) 1980 2016 36 439 338 99 2 Carson–Newman (1980–2016) † 1969 1999 31 343 261 75 7 Wisconsin–La Crosse (1969–1999) 1946 1968 22 192 146 42 4 Northern State (1946–1955, 1957–1968) 1997 2021 25 283 204 61 0 Georgetown (KY) (1997–2021) 2006 2025 19 221 170 51 0 St. Thomas (MN) (2006–present) † 1937 1967 31 264 197 55 12 Missouri Valley (1937–1946) 1982 2013 16 170 130 39 1 Salem (1982), St. Norbert (1999–2013) † 1930 1947 18 157 116 32 9 Minnesota (1930–1931), Princeton (1932–1937), Michigan (1938–1947) 1909 1924 16 144 106 29 9 Lafayette (1909–1911), Washington & Jefferson (1912–1915), Penn (1916–1919), Navy (1920–1924) 2004 2025 22 223 171 52 0 Central (IA) (2004–present) † 1923 1950 24 230 171 49 10 Alabama (1923–1930), Duke (1931–1941, 1946–1950) 1990 2010 21 225 172 53 0 Hardin–Simmons (1990–2010) † 1958 1979 22 231 176 54 1 Arizona State (1958–1979) 2011 2025 15 152 116 36 0 Hardin–Simmons (2011–present) 1934 1948 14 145 107 31 7 Catawba (1934–1948) † 1904 1934 30 271 197 55 19 Vanderbilt (1904–1917, 1919–1934) † 1929 1941 13 109 78 21 10 Michigan State (1928–1932), Fordham (1933–1941) † 1909 1925 17 161 116 32 13 Penn (1909–1912), Purdue (1913–1915), California (1916–1925) † 1982 2011 27 297 225 70 2 Washington & Jefferson (1982–1998), California (PA) (2002–2011) 1987 1998 12 131 90 27 4 John Carroll (1987–1998) † 1946 1978 33 320 238 72 10 Denison (1946–1948), Miami (OH) (1949–1950), Ohio State (1951–1978) † 1934 1958 25 228 166 48 14 Dartmouth (1934–1940), Army (1941–1958) 2006 2025 19 223 169 54 0 Delaware Valley (2006–2013), Kutztown (2014–present) † 1952 1983 32 321 237 72 12 Jackson State (1952–1962), Tennessee State (1963–1983) † 1945 1966 22 191 141 43 7 Muskingum (1945–1966) 2010 2024 15 173 131 42 0 Lindsey Wilson (2010–2021), Georgetown (KY) (2022–2024) 1909 1933 18 168 121 35 12 Texas A&M (1909–1914), Centre (1919–1923), Bucknell (1924–1926), Catawba (1930–1933) † 1962 2003 40 406 303 96 7 Parsons (IA) (1962–1963), Lea (1966–1971), Pacific Lutheran (1972–2003) 2006 2025 14 163 123 40 0 Marietta (2006–2007), Minnesota–Duluth (2013–present) † 1984 2012 25 283 213 69 1 West Chester (1984–1988), Bloomsburg (1993–2012) † 1995 2007 13 162 122 40 0 Michigan (1995–2007) † 1960 1973 14 129 96 31 2 Morgan State (1960–1973) 1956 1966 11 84 62 20 2 Mayville State (1956–1966) † 1937 1948 11 106 78 25 3 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 2025 season.
Name First year Last year Years Games Wins Losses Ties Win % Teams 2019 2025 7 91 80 9 0 Grand View (2019–2024), Drake (2025) 2019 2025 8 92 82 12 0 Ohio State (2019–present) 2017 2025 8 108 92 16 0 Harding (2017–present) 2017 2024 8 90 71 19 0 Reinhardt (2017–present) 2016 2025 9 94 74 20 0 Hope (2016–present) 2016 2025 9 113 88 25 0 Slippery Rock (2016–present) 2017 2025 9 118 90 28 0 Oklahoma (2017–2021), USC (2022–present) 2018 2025 8 88 66 22 0 Shepherd (2018–present) 1999 2025 22 263 194 69 0 Wisconsin–Eau Claire (1999–2005), Minnesota State (2008–2011, 2014–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 2025 season.
Name First year Last year Years Games Wins Losses Ties Win % Teams 2013 2019 7 101 95 6 0 Mount Union (2013–2019) 2020 2025 6 72 67 5 0 Mount Union (2020–present) 1888 1895 7 87 79 5 3 Yale (1888–1892), Stanford (1892, 1894–1895) 1947 1951 5 42 38 4 0 Bloomsburg (1947–1951) 1902 1918 5 20 18 2 0 Central Michigan (1902–1905, 1918) 2019 2025 7 91 80 9 0 Grand View (2019–2024), Drake (2025–present) 1905 1915 8 42 35 2 5 Morehouse (1905–1908, 1912–1915) 1966 1972 7 69 61 7 1 North Dakota State (1966–1972) 2018 2025 8 92 92 12 0 Ohio State (2018–present) 2015 2021 6 76 66 10 0 North Central (IL) (2015–2021) 1981 1985 5 53 46 7 0 Plymouth State (1981–1985) 2015 2022 8 91 78 13 0 Wisconsin–Whitewater (2015–2022) 1900 1905 6 63 53 8 2 Nebraska (1900–1905) 1911 1915 5 34 29 5 0 Michigan State (1911–1915) 2020 2025 6 60 51 9 0 DePauw (2020–present)
See also List of college football coaches by number of seasons List of college football coaches by number of wins List of college football coaches by number of losses
Notes
References