20 best college football coaches without a national championship
By Brad Weiss
Terry Donahue
, UCLA
From 1976-1995, the UCLA Bruins were led by a man named Terry Donahue. During his long run as the head coach of the football program, Donahue suffered only four losing seasons, which is an incredible feat considering how good the Pac-10 was during his run. He finished his UCLA career with 151 wins, a 8-4-1 bowl record, and a number of personal achievements.
In 2000, Donahue was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame, and for good reason. At UCLA, Donahue won five Pac-10 titles, while twice being named Pac-10 Coach of the Year. His Troy Aikman-led Bruins teams were some of the more exciting squads to watch during that era, and he actually could have coached Aikman in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys.
From 1982-88, Donahue went on a bowl-winning run like we had never seen. The Bruins won seven straight bowl games during that time, establishing themselves as a college football power. Donahue is so beloved in the Pac-12, that the Rose Bowl pressbox is actually named the Terry Donahue Pavilion.
Some coaches benefit from good talent, and Donahue certainly had his fair share of quality players during his time at UCLA. However, he is one of the best coaches in the history of college football for a reason, and it was a bit surprising to learn he never won the big one. In 1982, the Bruins finished the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, and that was closest he ever got to being the top-ranked team in the country.