Dropped into this article about Kansas State giving Bill Snyder a new 5-year contract is this piece of trivia that could win someone a few bets: Which active FBS head coach has the most career wins as a head coach?

Quote:Snyder has 210 career victories, third most among active FBS coaches behind Notre Dame's Brian Kelly (219) and Alabama's Nick Saban (218).

I could see guessing Saban or Snyder as the answer to that question. But Brian Kelly?

Granted, Saban will be the answer to that question after this season if Bama wins at least two more games this season than ND. For that matter, Saban might move into first by the first week in October. Still...

Didn’t expect Kelly at all. Saban, Snyder, Solich, Patterson, & Peterson would’ve been my first 5 guesses.

Well, looking up the actual numbers... the ESPN article has it wrong, or at least worded it deceptively, for two reasons:

(1) 118 of Kelly's 219 head coaching wins were at Division II Grand Valley State.

(2) Saban's teams have actually won 223 games, in 22 seasons as a head coach, but his first 5 wins at Alabama were vacated by the NCAA.

So, Saban has the most FBS wins among active coaches, whether or not you buy into the vacated wins stuff.

All 210 of Snyder's wins have been in I-A/FBS and at Kansas State, in 26 seasons.

Reaching 200 wins in I-A/FBS takes a long time, obviously. Gary Patterson has 160 in 17 seasons, Chris Petersen has 129 in 12 seasons.

The real list for active head coaches, counting only I-A/FBS head coaching wins and ignoring NCAA vacating, is

Saban -- 223
Snyder -- 210
Meyer -- 177
Richt -- 164
Patterson -- 160
Solich -- 155

Source: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/lea...areer.html

(08-09-2018 07:57 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Well, looking up the actual numbers... the ESPN article has it wrong, or at least worded it deceptively, for two reasons:

(1) 118 of Kelly's 219 head coaching wins were at Division II Grand Valley State.

(2) Saban's teams have actually won 223 games, in 22 seasons as a head coach, but his first 5 wins at Alabama were vacated by the NCAA.

So, Saban has the most FBS wins among active coaches, whether or not you buy into the vacated wins stuff.

All 210 of Snyder's wins have been in I-A/FBS and at Kansas State, in 26 seasons.

Reaching 200 wins in I-A/FBS takes a long time, obviously. Gary Patterson has 160 in 17 seasons, Chris Petersen has 129 in 12 seasons.

The real list for active head coaches, counting only I-A/FBS head coaching wins and ignoring NCAA vacating, is

Saban -- 223
Snyder -- 210
Meyer -- 177
Richt -- 164
Patterson -- 160
Solich -- 155

Source: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/lea...areer.html

Nebraska was foolish to fire Solich.

(08-09-2018 07:57 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Well, looking up the actual numbers... the ESPN article has it wrong, or at least worded it deceptively, for two reasons:

(1) 118 of Kelly's 219 head coaching wins were at Division II Grand Valley State.

(2) Saban's teams have actually won 223 games, in 22 seasons as a head coach, but his first 5 wins at Alabama were vacated by the NCAA.

So, Saban has the most FBS wins among active coaches, whether or not you buy into the vacated wins stuff.

All 210 of Snyder's wins have been in I-A/FBS and at Kansas State, in 26 seasons.

Reaching 200 wins in I-A/FBS takes a long time, obviously. Gary Patterson has 160 in 17 seasons, Chris Petersen has 129 in 12 seasons.

The real list for active head coaches, counting only I-A/FBS head coaching wins and ignoring NCAA vacating, is

Saban -- 223
Snyder -- 210
Meyer -- 177
Richt -- 164
Patterson -- 160
Solich -- 155

Source: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/lea...areer.html

Since you listed the top 6, I decided to expand it out to the top 15

1. Saban -- 223
2. Snyder -- 210
3. Meyer -- 177
4. Richt -- 164
5. Patterson -- 160
6. Solich - 155
7. Kirk Ferentz - 143
8. Rocky Long - 129
8. Chris Petersen - 129
10. Brian Kelly - 122
10. Mike Leach - 122
12. Paul Johnson - 121
13. Mark Dantonio - 118
14. Bobby Petrino - 117
15. Mike Gundy - 114