2021 Big 12 coach rankings: Lincoln Riley remains at the top, but Matt Campbell is closing the gap
The gap between Riley and Campbell is getting tighter as the two seem destined to meet for the title again
[IMG alt=" Ben Kercheval"]https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2016/05/17/a7d6c2a4-806e-423a-85fb-73cb33f3e884/thumbnail/80x80/56c99ec139cdbf50a40a2e53c3a1a553/benkercheval.png[/IMG]
By Ben Kercheval
1 hr ago5 min read
When our college football team at CBS Sports and 247Sports ranked every Power Five coach last month, it was a unique snapshot of an unprecedented time. Ranking coaches No. 1 through No. 65 annually is difficult enough, but what about when a global pandemic completely unsettles the process? Assigning that weight to everyone's body of work makes the process that much more convoluted.
During all of that, it was hard not to notice two Big 12 coaches standing out above the others: Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley and Iowa State's Matt Campbell. Riley, in his fourth year leading the Sooners, guided the program to yet another Big 12 title, further cementing his status as one of the best in the country. Meanwhile, Campbell continues his meteoric rise as he takes Iowa State to rare heights. Their battles in both the regular season and Big 12 Championship Game could very well be a preview of what's to come again in 2021.
How do the rest of the Big 12's coaches stack up in comparison? From program stalwarts like Mike Gundy and Gary Patterson to newcomers like Steve Sarkisian and Lance Leipold, here's how our team ranked every Big 12 coach entering the upcoming season.
Complete Power Five coach rankings: 1-25 | 26-65
BIG 12 COACH RANKINGS
| 1 |  Oklahoma |
| Lincoln Riley (No. 3 overall): Despite missing the College Football Playoff field for the first time, there was no change in Riley's rank both within the Big 12 and nationally. He's still considered the league's best coach and third nationally behind Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney. I can't say I disagree too much; after back-to-back losses early in the year, the Sooners won eight in a row, including the conference title game and the Cotton Bowl over Florida. But with so much hype around Iowa State in 2021, it'll be interesting to see if Matt Campbell can overtake Riley. Last Year: 1 in Big 12 | |
| 2 |  Iowa St. |
| Matt Campbell (9): Speaking of Campbell, few coaches shot up the rankings as quickly as he did in 2020, and with good reason. Iowa State went 9-3, won the Fiesta Bowl, made it to the Big 12 title game and beat Oklahoma and Texas in the same regular season. With basically the same team coming back in 2021, the Cyclones are looking at even loftier goals. Considering where this program was when Campbell took over, a conference championship would give serious credence to naming him as the Big 12's top coach -- and maybe as a top-five coach in the Power Five. Last Year: 4 in Big 12 | |
| 3 |  Okla. St. |
| Mike Gundy (15): Gundy drops one spot in the Big 12 coach rankings and two spots nationally after finishing 8-3 in 2020. It was a bit of a disappointment for a team that had dark-horse conference title aspirations, but overall a decent year considering the injuries to its star players. I can't quibble with the ranking too much. Gundy has proven to be a solid top-20 coach at a place he's called home for a long time ... but he's probably hit his ceiling there. Last Year: 2 in Big 12 | |
| 4 |  TCU |
| Gary Patterson (19): There's been a steady decline in Patterson's ranking over the past couple of years as TCU has fallen into the middle of the Big 12 pack. The drop is warranted -- the Frogs have finished with no more than six regular-season wins four times in the past five seasons -- but there still seems to be a high regard for Patterson as an upper echelon football mind. His placement, both within the Big 12's hierarchy and nationally, is about right. Last Year: 3 in Big 12 | |
| 5 |  Kansas |
| Lance Leipold (35): I love the Leipold hire at Kansas. He did great things at Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater before that, but is he the No. 35 coach in the country and an upper-half coach in the Big 12? That seems a little much with Chris Klieman and Neal Brown still hanging around. As a general rule, I put first-year Power Five coaches toward the bottom of my rankings, if only for consistency purposes. I'll be fascinated to see if he can turn things around with the Jayhawks long-term, but there are going to be some lean years to start. Last Year: N/A | |
| 6 |  Kansas St. |
| Chris Klieman (37): Oddly enough, Klieman actually gained five spots nationally from 2020 to 2021, but stayed at No. 6 within the Big 12 after a 4-6 season. OK then! Injuries and general COVID problems contributed to last year's slide, but he has two straight wins over Oklahoma. Overall, I'd guess his national ranking has more to do with other Power Five coaches around him. But I still believe K-State has a good dude for the long haul. Last Year: 6 in Big 12 | |
| 7 |  West Virginia |
| Neal Brown (41): Brown is my underrated pick for Big 12 coaches. He should be two spots higher on this list. This program was in poor shape when Brown took over two years ago and he's already led them to a bowl win. While there's some buzz on the Mountaineers making a jump in 2021, I still believe marked improvement when everything comes together is another year or so away. In the meantime, Brown is coaching his tail off and making some noise on the recruiting trail. Last Year: 8 in Big 12 | |
| 8 |  Texas |
| Steve Sarkisian (46): I guess calling plays for the greatest Alabama offense in history has its perks. Otherwise, I'm not sure how he makes it as a top-50 coach in the Power Five. Sark was OK, but not great, at Washington and USC, and he last led the Trojans in 2015. As the new guy with no recent head coaching experience, I'd put him last on this list and further down our national rankings. And like any coach at Texas, his yearly rankings are likely to swing for better or worse more than most. Last Year: N/A | |
| 9 |  Texas Tech |
| Matt Wells (60): It's been tough sledding for Wells at Texas Tech, where he's 8-14 in two years. What's worse is the Red Raiders are closer to Kansas than any other Big 12 team at the moment, and last year they couldn't even rely on a formidable passing offense -- something that, through thick and thin, they've almost always had. Wells has made some offseason changes on that side of the ball, but those will need to pay off. Wells is easily the Big 12 coach on the hottest seat entering 2021. Last Year: 9 in Big 12 | |
| 10 |  Baylor |
| Dave Aranda (62): There was no change in Aranda's rank, both within the Big 12 and nationally, after 2020's 2-7 debut. I guess that makes sense. The Bears were hit hard by COVID and calling it a Year 0 for Aranda might even be a little generous. Still, I liked the way that team fought and it showed later in the season, even if the wins didn't always follow. It might take a few years, but I have confidence Aranda will get things turned around. Last Year: 10 |
