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College football coach rankings: Has Dabo Swinney officially surpassed Nick Saban?

By Phil Poling

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers meets head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide at mid-field after his 44-16 win in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers meets head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide at mid-field after his 44-16 win in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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ATHENS, GA – APRIL 21: Georgia Bulldogs Head Coach Kirby Smart leads the Georgia Bulldogs onto the field before the Georgia Spring Game on April 21, 2018, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA – APRIL 21: Georgia Bulldogs Head Coach Kirby Smart leads the Georgia Bulldogs onto the field before the Georgia Spring Game on April 21, 2018, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

No. 5: Kirby Smart, Georgia

Kicking off our top five is fourth-year head coach Kirby Smart. He’s a Bulldog alum and former assistant, and when the job became available in 2015 Smart was the obvious choice.

He came into his own under Nick Saban as an Alabama defensive coordinator, and the student has had two epic battles with the teacher since leaving – the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship and the 2018 SEC Championship. Georgia ultimately lost both games, but the Bulldogs held a 13- and a 14-point lead in each. You can chalk both up to Alabama having been there before, as Nick Saban’s been in just about every situation imaginable, but Smart could’ve made a few better decisions in each contest. He’d likely be higher on this list if it weren’t for this obvious fake punt in the SEC Championship Game that essentially gave the Crimson Tide the game.

At only 39 years old, though, Smart has plenty of time to learn from his mistakes. He’s still compiled a 32-10 overall record, and his recruiting classes paint a picture of even greater future success.

The prior regime wasn’t unsuccessful at recruiting, but Smart’s elevated Georgia to another level when it comes to accruing talent. He’s hauled in the No. 6, No. 3, No. 1 and No. 2 recruiting classes over the past four cycles, per 247Sports, and there’s no sign of slowing down.