College football preseason rankings always get people talking. But the rankings of the coaches themselves? Sometimes even more interesting, honestly.
Bruce Feldman, who’s a big name in the college football world, just dropped his Top 25 coaches list. Fans and analysts are buzzing. Penn State folks have extra reason to pay attention this year, since both their current coach, Matt Campbell, and his predecessor, James Franklin, made the cut.
Bruce Feldman’s Criteria for Coach Rankings
Feldman writes for The Athletic and reports for FOX. He’s pretty thorough about how he ranks coaches. Here are the main things he looks at:
- Performance relative to predecessors and successors: How a coach stacks up against those who came before or after at the same school.
- Head-to-head results against top teams: How they do in big games against elite programs.
- Championships won: Titles and big wins, especially at schools that aren’t used to winning.
- Minimum tenure: At least three years as a head coach, otherwise you’re not in the conversation.
With these rules, Feldman highlights not just the winners, but the coaches who really changed things for their teams.
Matt Campbell: A New Era for Penn State
Matt Campbell, now leading Penn State, landed at No. 11 on Feldman’s list. Before this, he worked wonders at Iowa State.
Over ten years, Campbell took a struggling program and turned it into something respectable. Eight winning seasons out of ten? That’s no small thing. His best year was 2024, when Iowa State won 11 games and finished ranked No. 15 in the nation.
Under Campbell, the Cyclones made it to two Big 12 championship games since 2020. That’s more than most people thought possible for them.
Why Campbell’s Impact at Iowa State Matters
Feldman actually calls Campbell’s Iowa State run one of the most underrated coaching jobs of the last fifty years. Since World War II, Iowa State only had 15 winning conference seasons—and Campbell delivered eight of those in the past nine years.
He knows how to spot talent, develop players, and build a culture. Doing all that at a place like Iowa State? That’s impressive. Not everyone could pull that off.
Penn State’s New Chapter
Now, Campbell’s expected to bring fresh energy and purpose to Penn State. Athletic director Pat Kraft is pretty vocal about this being a new era for the program.
Kraft loves Campbell’s knack for uniting people and bringing back a championship mindset. The community seems ready for a change, and Campbell’s already got people talking.
Campbell’s first Penn State practice is set for March 24. He’ll be working alongside some familiar faces—several assistants and over 20 players from Iowa State made the move with him.
His focus? Getting everyone on the same page, building character, and making people care about the team and the school again. It’s a tall order, but that’s just how college football goes.
James Franklin: A New Beginning at Virginia Tech
James Franklin, after more than eleven years at Penn State, is getting a fresh start at Virginia Tech. He’s ranked No. 14 on Feldman’s list.
Franklin’s last season at Penn State didn’t go as planned. Hopes for another playoff run and maybe a national title faded fast after three straight Big Ten losses. He was out after a 3-3 start.
Franklin’s Tenure at Penn State
Still, Franklin had his moments at Penn State. He racked up 104 wins, tying him for second-most in school history. Only Joe Paterno has more, and that’s saying something.
Before Penn State, Franklin did good work at Vanderbilt, too. Back-to-back nine-win seasons—something they hadn’t managed since 1982.
But there was a sticking point: beating top teams. Feldman points out Franklin’s 4-21 record against top-10 opponents at Penn State. That definitely hurt his legacy there.
New Opportunities at Virginia Tech
Franklin’s set to debut as Virginia Tech’s head coach on September 5, facing Virginia Military Institute. It’s a fresh shot to prove himself and maybe rewrite the ending to his story.
Given his experience at both Vanderbilt and Penn State, there’s reason to think he could make some noise at Virginia Tech. Guess we’ll see.
Conclusion: A Tale of Two Coaches
Bruce Feldman’s rankings shine a light on the very different paths of Matt Campbell and James Franklin. Campbell’s journey from Iowa State to Penn State is honestly pretty remarkable.
He’s stepping into a whole new world with the Nittany Lions. Meanwhile, Franklin is heading to Virginia Tech, eager for a fresh start and maybe a bit of redemption.
With the season just around the corner, there’s a buzz about what these two will do next. Campbell’s got the challenge of bringing Penn State together, while Franklin’s hoping to prove himself all over again at Virginia Tech.
If you’re curious for more, check out the full article on Bruce Feldman’s coach rankings.
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