Fansided

College football’s 20 best coaches not named Nick Saban

By Connor Muldowney

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Wildcats waits to run on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Wildcats waits to run on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Surprised by this inclusion on this list? You shouldn’t be. Taking over a program like Northwestern that isn’t known by all as a football power and turning it into a consistent bowl team is impressive.

No, the Wildcats aren’t winning any national championships nor will they land the top prospects in the country, but Pat Fitzgerald has his guys ready to play each week, and it’s starting to pay off with two 10-win seasons in the last three years.

Before Fitzgerald got there, Northwestern was a laughing stock in the Big Ten and hadn’t been relevant for years. He’s turned his alma mater into a contender in the Big Ten, even finishing second in the West Division in two of the last three years — it seems like the Wildcats are close to breaking that barrier.

Overall, his record at Northwestern is 87-65 and his Big Ten mark is 48-50, but on the rise. Over the past three seasons, his record is 27-12 and is 18-8 in conference play.

Don’t sleep on the Wildcats in the coming seasons, especially if Fitzgerald continues to preach fundamentals and recruit his guys. Oh, and he just landed former Clemson blue-chip recruit Hunter Johnson via transfer.

The future is bright in Evanston.