Best college football coach in history from each state

TUSCALOOSA, AL - CIRCA 1958-1982: Paul Bryant, head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team observes the play during a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Alabama) (Photo by University of Alabama/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

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10 October 2015: New Mexico State Aggies huddle before the game between against the New Mexico State Aggies and the against the Ole Miss Rebels Ole Miss defeated New Mexico State by the score of 52-3 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire) (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images) /

New Mexico: Warren Woodson

Neither major program in New Mexico has developed into a powerhouse, but Woodson at least managed a decent run with the Aggies.

Woodson never played at the collegiate level, but still jumped into coaching right away in three different sports at Texarkana Junior College from 1927-1934. In the following 16 years in stints between Arkansas State Teachers College and Hardin-Simmons, Woodson put together four different undefeated seasons, earning him a jump to Arizona four years later.

Fours years later, Woodson moved to New Mexico State, which hadn’t enjoyed a winning season in over two decades at the time. After a 4-6 debut campaign, the Aggies quickly improved to 8-3 in 1959 with a Sun Bowl victory over North Texas.

The best season ever for the school followed, as New Mexico State went undefeated for the first time since 1923 with a perfect 11-0 mark, another win in the Sun Bowl, and lone finish in the AP top 25 in program history. Woodson was up and down for the rest of his tenure, which lasted through 1967, but closed on a stretch of four consecutive winning seasons while leading what was consistently one of the top rushing attacks in the nation.

Despite never coaching for a major program, Woodson was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame with 202 career wins, 96 of which came with New Mexico State. The Aggies have not been to a bowl game since Woodson, while in-state rival New Mexico has never appeared in the AP Poll.

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