CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

Kirby Smart (AP)

Only four active college football coaches can call themselves national champions. It’s an exclusive club, sure, but it’s also one that will almost certainly be expanding in the near future. So while there’s no telling who may be next in line to capture his sport’s biggest prize, this week we do our best to handicap the race. Below, we’ve ranked the five coaches most likely to join the club that includes Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Dabo Swinney and Jimbo Fisher.

MORE: Who was ranked ahead of Saquon Barkley in HS? | What school is 'WRU'?



1. KIRBY SMART, GEORGIA

Why he might pull it off: Because he came within a few seconds of doing so a year ago. Smart has been as close to pulling off the feat as any active coach in the country and is stockpiling a frightening collection of talent in Athens. Since narrowly missing out on a title, Georgia has landed the country’s top recruiting class and is on its way to building another impressive haul for 2019.

Things can change quickly in college football, but this currently feels like more of a “when” than an “if.” Smart won three national championships as an assistant at Alabama, so he’s no stranger to the stage. There are plenty of factors working to his advantage, which is why he has the best odds to eventually hoist the trophy. The upcoming season schedule is relatively favorable, so there’s no time like the present in Athens. Why he might not: Toppling Alabama isn’t easy and title windows have a habit of shutting in a hurry. It seems likely that Smart will have to go directly through Saban and that’s as difficult a task as there is in the sport. Auburn is also threat, and there’s no telling which SEC powers may re-emerge in the coming years, as there’s been plenty of recent coaching turnover in the league.

2. LINCOLN RILEY, OKLAHOMA

Why he might pull it off: Riley has time on his side. The youngest head coach in major college football, Bob Stoops’ successor is just 34 years old and took his team to the college football playoff a year ago. Add in the fact that he has a talented roster and a strong recruiting reputation, and it’s hard to imagine a world in which he doesn’t get a few more chances to win the big one.

Riley may not be as proven as the other coaches on this list, but his age and situation make taking a flyer on him smart. Oklahoma, which has won the last three Big 12 titles, will be in the hunt for a playoff spot again this season and beyond.

Why he might not: Riley has spent just one season as a head coach, so assuming he’ll win a title is presumptuous. Things can go south for a young head coach, and Riley certainly isn’t immune to such a turn. The Sooners have a worthy conference rival inside the borders of the state, and if Texas does, indeed, re-emerge as a power under Tom Herman, OU’s annual road to the playoff will become even more difficult.

3. CLAY HELTON, USC

Clay Helton (AP)

Why he might pull it off: The Pac-12 isn’t exactly stacked, so you have to imagine Helton will find himself in the playoff sooner rather than later. The Trojans have more talent than every other Pac-12 roster and are coming off a conference title. Helton has won double-digit games in back-to-back seasons and seems on the cusp of making the playoff. Once USC qualifies for the field, anything can happen, as it has the personnel to stand toe-to-toe with other elite programs.

Why he might not: Helton is by no means bulletproof. As close as he seems to making the playoff, he’s a couple mediocre seasons away from finding himself on the hot seat. The year ahead feels like it will determine a lot about the fourth-year head coach’s trajectory at the USC. Washington looks like it’s here to stay as a threat to the Trojans’ West Coast dominance and there’s no telling what the Chip Kelly at UCLA may hold.

4. JAMES FRANKLIN, PENN STATE

James Franklin

Why he might pull it off: Franklin isn’t Lincoln Riley-young, but the 46-year old is still a teenager by head coaching standards. Armed with a talented roster and an established recruiting acumen, Franklin will have plenty of opportunities to capture his sport’s biggest prize. In his fifth year at Penn State, Franklin has the Nittany Lion program humming and is coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons. Franklin already has a Big Ten title to his name and it feels as though he’s inches away from kicking in the door to the College Football Playoff. Why he might not: Ohio State is a problem. The Buckeyes are annually among the most talented teams in the country, so sharing a division with them isn’t ideal. Jim Harbaugh's Michigan team at times feels like a threat as well. The second-tier of the Big Ten has taken a step forward in recent years, so getting through the schedule unscathed is becoming a more difficult task. A bet on Franklin is a bet on his longevity as a head coach, which seems like a sound wager.

5. GUS MALZAHN, AUBURN

Why he might pull it off: Mahlzan has proven capable of beating Saban on occasion, and that’s half the battle here. The SEC will always send its champion to the playoff and seems to wedge in a second team in most years. Auburn enters the 2018 season with a top-10 team and only needs a couple breaks to find itself in the playoff. Why he might not: Despite his 2018 success, Mahlzan never feels that far away from the hot season. One bad season could erase him from this list completely, as he’s unlikely to get another shot as a national title-level head coach should things not work out at with the Tigers. Georgia and Alabama are massive road blocks on Mahlzan’s road to a title, so making the case against Auburn isn’t particularly difficult.

6. MARK RICHT, MIAMI

Why he might pull it off: Miami’s upward trajectory became clear when it won 10 games a year ago. So if we assume Richt is a good coach (we do) and we assume the Hurricanes can continue to recruit the best athletes from the state of Florida and the surrounding region (we do), then UM has a chance to stun the college football world. Established Clemson and an unpredictable Florida State squad are Miami’s biggest roadblocks to the playoff as things stand now, but neither is unbeatable. Richt won’t win the title in 2018, but it’s hard to rule him out in the seasons that will follow.

Why he might not: Richt hasn’t always made the most of hyper-talented rosters in the past. He underachieved at times at Georgia and was fired because those in power thought he’d reached his ceiling, which admittedly sounds silly. Richt lost at least two regular season games in all but one of his 15 seasons at UGA, so there’s certainly a final hump to clear. Miami is very much a re-emerging program and far from a sure thing to ever make the playoff or challenge for title. The fact that Richt (58) is the oldest coach on this list also works against him.

OVERTIME

Clubber Lang (United Artists)

With Creed 2 scheduled for a November release, there’s no better time to take a look at one of the most beloved movie franchises in cinema history. The Rocky films aren’t football related whatsoever, but that matters not because I make the rules here. It’s why this week’s overtime ranks the seven movies from near-perfect to totally unwatchable.

1. CREED (2015)

Yeah, I know it’s blasphemous to put this over the original. Yes, I know the original won Best Picture. Yes, I know it was groundbreaking. But I also know that if the two movies are on at the same time, which one I’m watching. Rob’s Rankings isn’t the art house. This is the people’s column.

2. ROCKY (1976)

Rocky created the narrative of “underdog falls short but earns respect.” It deserves piles of credit for that. It’s still one of the best sports movies all time. The characters are nuanced and the writing is nearly perfect.

3. ROCKY 3 (1982)

Clubber Lang is the best Rocky villain and it’s not particularly close. He drives the film, at one point telling sweet Adrian to “come see what a real man is like.” I’m fairly sure Lang was the first movie villain I hated – actually hated. You can’t find a better training montage anywhere and Rock eventually winning for a deceased mentor nails the note it’s trying to hit.

4. ROCKY 4 (1985)

Cheesy but endearing and packs an off-the-charts re-watch factor. If this movie is on TV, it’s nearly impossible to flip past it. You will stop. You will watch. You will cheer as Rocky ends the Cold War. Bonus points for a Russian antagonist, which is becoming topical again.

5. ROCKY 2 (1979)

A fine film but predictable film, and you have to feel something when Rocky beats the count and captures the title. But too much of this movie is spent with Adrian in a coma and Rocky suddenly being totally illiterate. Does he buy a tiger as a pet at one point?

6. ROCKY BALBOA (2006)

I barely remember what this movie is about but what I do know is that it’s better than Rocky 5. Rocky, equipped with early onset dementia, fights a young boxer and goes the distance? This is brought on by some kind of computer simulation on ESPN? There’s also a weird and totally unnecessary friendship with the girl that called him “creep-o” (for no reason) in the original film. Was this thing put together on deadline? Mason “The Line” Dixon is a great name for a fighter, so there’s that.

7. ROCKY 5 (1990)