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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TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 1: Acting head coach Barry Alvarez of the Wisconsin Badgers looks on from the bench before the start of the Outback Bowl against the Auburn Tigers on January 1, 2015 during at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /

Wisconsin: Barry Alvarez

No recent coaches have stuck around Madison long enough to challenge the legacy of Alvarez, who completely changed the trajectory of the program over a span of 16 years.

Alvarez attended Nebraska to play his college ball as a linebacker under Devaney from 1965-1967. After bouncing around high school jobs for a decade, Alvarez was hired as an assistant at Iowa and Notre Dame, where he was respectively mentored by legendary coaches in Fry and Holtz.

Following a two-year stint as defensive coordinator in South Bend, Wisconsin hired Alvarez prior to the 1990 season. The Badgers had not won more than seven games in a season since 1962 and indeed were in full rebuilding mode when Alvarez arrived.

Alvarez helped Wisconsin improve from 1-10 to 10-1-1 with a Rose Bowl victory over the span of his first four seasons as head coach. Wisconsin picked up three double-digit win campaigns before Alvarez left to focus on his athletic director duties in 2005, including victories in the Granddaddy of Them All in both 1998 and 1999.

Just for good measure, Alvarez served as interim coach in the 2013 Rose Bowl and 2015 Outback Bowl, bringing his career record with the Badgers to 119-74-4. Wisconsin has remained the most consistent team in the Big Ten since despite rapid coaching turnover, thanks in large part to Alvarez’s program-changing run.

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