If you’re .500 or better against Top 25 teams during your coaching career, you’ve likely exceeded expectations in the SEC.

Only Nick Saban, Les Miles, Gus Malzahn and Kevin Sumlin have accomplished that feat over the last decade, while other notables such as Steve Spurrier, Mark Richt and Gary Pinkel, have fallen just short of the barometer often used to measure national success.

Not all of the league’s 14 head coaches have been leaders of a program very long. Only four, in fact, met the 10-year criteria at their respective school — Miles, Richt, Pinkel and Spurrier. Saban coached the Miami Dolphins during the 2005 and 2006 seasons before arriving in Tuscaloosa. We’ve included games against ranked teams at the other 10 coaches’ previous head coaching stops since 2005 as well to give you a better idea of their success (or lack thereof) against the nation’s best.

*Records based on outcomes of contests against ranked teams at time of game.

Current SEC coaches’ records against ranked teams since 2005

  • Nick Saban, Alabama (2007-current): 33-14
  • Les Miles, LSU: 38-22
  • Gus Malzahn, Auburn (2013-current; Arkansas St., 2012): 8-7
  • Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M (2012-present; Houston, 2008-11): 10-10
  • Mark Richt, Georgia: 26-28
  • Steve Spurrier, South Carolina: 19-27
  • Gary Pinkel, Mizzou: 15-25
  • Bret Bielema, Arkansas (2013-current; Wisconsin, 2006-12): 12-27
  • Hugh Freeze, Mississippi (2012-current; Arkansas St., 2011): 5-11
  • Dan Mullen, Mississippi St. (2009-current): 5-24
  • Butch Jones, Tennessee (2013-current; Central Mich. 2007-09; Cincy 2010-12): 1-16
  • Jim McElwain, Florida (2015; Colorado State, 2012-14): 0-2
  • Derek Mason, Vanderbilt (2014): 0-4
  • Mark Stoops, Kentucky (2013-current): 0-8