Joel Klatt names his 10 best coaches in college football in 2026
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Joel Klatt tackled the top of his 10 top coaches in the game of college football during his Monday episode of The Joel Klatt Show. His list featured 3 SEC coaches.
Specifically, Klatt included LSU’s Lane Kiffin, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and, of course, Georgia’s Kirby Smart. Here’s a look at Klatt’s full list:
- Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers
- Ryan Day, Ohio State Buckeyes
- Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs
- Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks
- Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns
- Kyle Whittingham, Michigan Wolverines
- Kalani Sitake, BYU Cougars
- Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes
- Lane Kiffin, LSU Tigers
Klatt broke down his pick in full detail on his show. Here’s a look:
Of Klatt’s list, 8 coaches and their respective teams currently hold the top 10 best odds to reach the College Football Playoff next year, per Kalshi.
As far as the SEC is concerned, this is a pretty fair list. Kirby Smart has Georgia competing year in and year out, while Texas has been fully revived under Sarkisian. LSU is a wild card, but given Lane Kiffin’s success at Ole Miss, it’s not hard to imagine him succeeding with deeper pockets in Baton Rouge.
Who did Klatt miss?
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
