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Every college football season brings its share of coaching drama, but this year has also delivered a few standouts who’ve pushed their programs to new heights.
While this college football coaching carousel has received the loudest, boldest headlines, there are plenty of coaches who are reshaping narratives and putting themselves in the national conversation.
So we’re shifting the spotlight. Which college coach has done the most impressive job up to this point, and what has made their season truly special?
Michael Cohen: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Everything that Ohio State has accomplished so far this season — an unblemished 10-0 record, nine consecutive victories by double digits, two legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 defense in the country for both scoring (7.5 points per game) and total yardage (212.6 per game) — is made more impressive when considering what the Buckeyes lost after winning the national championship in January.
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly (Las Vegas Raiders) and offensive line coach Justin Frye (Arizona Cardinals) both left for high-paying jobs in the pros. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left to become the highest-paid collegiate defensive coordinator in the country at Penn State. A school-record 14 players were selected in last year’s NFL Draft, including starting quarterback Will Howard, starting tailbacks Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, three-quarters of the starting secondary and all four starters along the defensive line.
There were legitimate, non-hyperbolic discussions during the offseason about whether the 2025 campaign would be some sort of rebuilding year for the Buckeyes, even with their stockpiles of high-level recruits.
So for Day to retool his coaching staff with the home-run hire of former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator and the promotion of Brian Hartline to play caller and full-time offensive coordinator, and for so many of the younger and inexperienced players to match or surpass the standard set by veterans before them — from Sayin (redshirt freshman) and tailback Bo Jackson (true freshman) to linebacker Arvell Reese (junior) and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (junior), not to mention edge rushers Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson, two seniors finally getting their chance to shine — has been incredibly impressive, especially as parity continues to level the playing field across the sport.
Ohio State is unquestionably the best team in the country so far this season and will likely enter the College Football Playoff as the betting favorite to win a second consecutive national championship. Day remains the maestro behind all of it.
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes arrives before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Laken Litman: Mike Elko, Texas A&M
Texas A&M could arguably be the No. 1 team in the country right now. Coming in at No. 3 in the latest CFP rankings, the Aggies have three wins over ranked opponents — all on the road (at the time those teams were ranked). Neither No. 1 Ohio State nor No. 2 Indiana can say the same.
Head coach Mike Elko, now in his second season in College Station, has rapidly overhauled the program’s culture as well as its approach to NIL and the transfer portal. The results have been undeniable: he’s leading an undefeated team with a legitimate shot at finishing the regular season unscathed.
The Aggies face Samford on Saturday before closing out the regular season against archrival Texas in Austin with a berth in their first-ever SEC Championship Game on the line.
This is the first time since joining the SEC that Texas A&M has been in true contention for a conference title. Beyond that, the Aggies are in position to earn a first-round CFP bye — and with the way Elko has his team playing, a national championship run doesn’t seem out of the question.
RJ Young: Ryan Day, Ohio State
The Buckeyes haven’t lost a game in nearly a year. First-year starting quarterback Julian Sayin could win the Heisman. Their No. 2 wide receiver, Carnell Tate, might be the first wideout selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Caleb Downs could sweep the Thorpe, Bednarik, and Nagurski awards, while star wideout Jeremiah Smith is the favorite for the Biletnikoff.
Head coach Ryan Day has assembled a No. 1-ranked team that’s 10-0 — and he’s doing it with first-year offensive and defensive coordinators.
Day is leading the defending national champions. Right now, he’s the standard everyone else is chasing.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him @Michael_Cohen13.
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