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College football’s top 12 coaches with best chance at first national championship

By Patrick Schmidt

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Nov 22, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leaves the field after the Louisville Cardinals defeated Notre Dame 31-28 at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

If Kelly can win a title at Notre Dame, he’ll be the first to do so since Lou Holtz won the school’s last title in 1988.

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Brian Kelly

Head Coach, Notre Dame

Brian Kelly has won on the Division II level when he was at Grand Valley State and led Notre Dame to the BCS National Championship Game three seasons ago when the Fighting Irish lost in a rout against Alabama. Notre Dame lost quarterback Everett Golson to Florida State after he decided to transfer after failing to secure the job from Malik Zaire but the roster is good enough to compete for a berth in the College Football Playoff this year.

Notre Dame fans are well aware of him but the national audience will be introduced to linebacker Jaylon Smith who is one of the nation’s premier defenders and could have a Manti Te’o effect on this defense and team and lead them through a gauntlet of a schedule and be a one-loss team trying to get in the dance.

If Kelly can win a title at Notre Dame, he’ll be the first to do so since Lou Holtz won the school’s last title in 1988.

Next: Dabo Swinney

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