Saturday Blitz
Fansided

10 best college football coaches who have never won a national title

By Dante Pryor

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Chris Petersen (C) of the Washington Huskies celebrates with his team after defeating the Boise State Broncos 38-7 in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Chris Petersen (C) of the Washington Huskies celebrates with his team after defeating the Boise State Broncos 38-7 in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 11
Next
PITTSBURGH – CIRCA 1995: Head coach John Cooper of the Ohio State University Buckeyes on the sideline during a college football game against the University of Pittsburgh Panthers at Pitt Stadium circa 1995 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH – CIRCA 1995: Head coach John Cooper of the Ohio State University Buckeyes on the sideline during a college football game against the University of Pittsburgh Panthers at Pitt Stadium circa 1995 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

Best seasons: 1986 with Arizona State (10-1-1, won Rose Bowl), 1993 (10-1-1, won Holiday Bowl), 1996 (11-1, won Rose Bowl), 1998 (11-1, won Sugar Bowl)

John Cooper did not retire as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes for two reasons. First, he could not defeat Michigan. He was 2-10-1 against Michigan. Second, he was 3-8 in the postseason at Ohio State. Six seasons during Cooper’s tenure, the Buckeyes lost to Michigan and their bowl game.

Despite this, Cooper won a lot of games at Ohio State. He only trails the legendary Woody Hayes in wins in Columbus. However, it was in big moments where Cooper failed.

The 1993 Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked fifth in the country with an opportunity to win a national title when they went to Ann Arbor — heavily favored — and were promptly shut out by the Wolverines. Again in 1996, this time at home, the heavily favored Buckeyes lost again to the Wolverines.

Cooper beat Michigan in 1998, but the Buckeyes were upset by Michigan State earlier that season. By the end of his time at Ohio State, lack of institutional control was as detrimental to his time in Columbus as losing to inferior

Cooper is judged — sometimes unfairly — by his failures. Despite his failures, Cooper won three Big Ten titles, won 111 games while head coach of the Buckeyes, and coached Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George.

Home/College Football News