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Urban Meyer the 2nd best college football coach this century, per The Athletic

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•05/25/25•

On3Keith

Urban Meyer, Florida
Urban Meyer, Florida - © Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Urban Meyer won big in Gainesville, Fla. Won big in Columbus, Ohio. Won big in Salt Lake City. He even won big in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Along the way his teams claimed three national titles and were considered elite often. Because of that, The Athletic has put Meyer at No. 2 on a list of college football’s top 25 coaches of the 21st century.

Wrote Chris Vannini:

Accomplishments: Three national championships, two additional undefeated seasons, seven conference championships, nine top-five finishes

Only two coaches have won a national championship at multiple schools, and they top this list. Meyer won two at Florida in 2006 and 2008 before stepping away due to health concerns. He returned at Ohio State a few years later and opened with an undefeated season in 2012, though the Buckeyes were banned from the postseason due to the Tattoogate scandal under Tressel, but then won it all in 2014. Meyer also went undefeated at Utah in 2004 with Alex Smith at quarterback, as the Utes became the first program from outside a power conference to reach a BCS bowl. His 187-39 record is good for a winning percentage of 85 percent. It’s one of the most impressive runs in history, behind only the guy who ended Florida’s run.

The No. 1 pick was a no-brainer: Nick Saban. His accomplishments in stops at Alabama and LSU included, “Seven national championships, 11 SEC championships, 18 top-10 finishes (16 straight), 13 top-five finishes, four Heisman winners.”

Here are some other notables on the list:

4. Kirby Smart (Georgia)
6. Bob Stoops (Oklahoma)
12. Brian Kelly (Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, LSU)
13. Jimbo Fisher (Florida State, Texas A&M)
16. James Franklin (Vanderbilt, Penn State)
18. Mark Richt (Georgia, Miami)
Honorable mention: Steve Spurrier, Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno (Obviously, Spurrier, Bowden and Paterno did most of their best work before the turn of the century).

Meyer, now 60, coached the Gators from 2005-10. He finished 65–15 overall and 36–12 in the SEC. In addition to the two national titles he won in Gainesville, another Meyer team finished No. 3. And of course, he coached Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the Florida Gators QB great.

He recently was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

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