Only 4 Active FBS Coaches Have Titles as Debate Swirls Around Sarkisian, Lanning

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 22

With Week 0 seven days away, the latest college football flashpoint is whether coaches like Steve Sarkisian and Dan Lanning "can't" win a national title or simply haven't yet.
The case for patience starts with the math: 138 FBS teams competed in 2025, but only one could finish as champion, and just four active FBS head coaches have won a national title.
Sarkisian and Lanning are framed as realistic contenders because both keep reaching the College Football Playoff and coach talent-rich programs, even if that still offers no guarantee of a title.
Kirby Smart and Ryan Day are cited as recent examples of coaches once tagged as unable to win the big one before eventually breaking through, suggesting the label often shifts faster than the underlying reality.

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Beyond the hype, what hidden coaching flaws might still prevent Sarkisian and Lanning from capturing a national title this season?

With brutal 2026 schedules ahead, will the expanded playoff format finally help Sarkisian and Lanning shatter their championship droughts?

Are elite rosters and high preseason odds enough to prove skeptics wrong about the title hopes for Texas and Oregon?

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