The Big Ten features one of the longest tenured coaches in college football, but it also features an array of fresh names heading into the 2026 season.
If there’s one constant in the ever-changing landscape of this game, it’s the fact that the Big Ten is one of the premier conferences in the nation.
Now, it’s time to take a look at how all 18 head coaches stack up in terms of their winning percentage.
NOTE: This list does not include Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham, Michigan State’s Pat Fitzgerald, Penn State’s Matt Campbell, or UCLA’s Bob Chesney, as all four are first-year coaches for their respective teams coming into the 2026 season.
14. Barry Odom (Purdue)
Things didn’t go according to plan in Odom’s first season, but Purdue isn’t panicking. They have faith in the 49-year-old to turn around as rebuilding takes time, but organizations seem to have lost their patience in the transfer portal and NIL era.
13. Mike Locksley (Maryland)
It’s truly hard to look at Locksley’s all-time record compared to what he’s done with the Cornhuskers. Outside of Maryland, he didn’t have any success, but he’s inching closer to a .500 record with the program he’s now been with for quite some time.
12. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin)
Fickell didn’t come to Wisconsin to lose, but that’s exactly what’s happened, specifically in his past two seasons. The 52-year-old sports a terrific all-time record, but his time in Cincinnati clearly didn’t prepare him for the rude awakening that hit when he joined the Big Ten.
11. Greg Schiano (Rutgers)
Schiano is the only other coach in the conference who has a losing record. He’s had a relatively large sample size in his second stint as head coach after a failed stint in the NFL. That said, longevity speaks volumes, but Schiano is just 31-41 since returning in 2020.
T-10. David Braun (Northwestern) and Matt Rhule (Nebraska)
If you take out Rhule’s coaching experience before coming to the Big Ten, these two sport the exact same record and were hired in the same year. They’re far from the same coach, and it’ll be interesting to revisit this list a few years from now to see which, if either, was able to get out of the land of mediocracy.
8. Jedd Fisch (Washington)
Fisch hasn’t been with the Huskies too long, but the future is certainly bright in Washington. Again, building culture takes time, and being four games over .500 in two seasons is a huge step in the right direction.
7. Bret Bielema (Illinois)
Seeing as this list is based solely on winning percentage and not games coached, this is where things get interesting. There aren’t many coaches left who came to the Big Ten after Bielema, but it would take a miracle for him to fall below .500 after the 2026 season.
6. P.J. Fleck (Minnesota)
Fleck continues to stay with the Golden Gophers and will likely hit milestones of 100 career wins and losses this season. He’ll remain above .500 no matter what, but now it’s about getting Minnesota to the top of the Big Ten, a place he believes is obtainable.
5. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)
Poor Kirk Ferentz gets punished in this list despite being, by far, the winningest head coach. His 128 losses certainly don’t look too great, but considering the fact that he’s been around since 1999, his record could definitely look a whole lot worse.
4. Lincoln Riley (USC)
Riley is another coach who could hit 100 all-time wins this season as he looks to work his way up these rankings. At the end of the day, it doesn’t feel right that he’s listed above Ferentz, but conference winning percentage isn’t weighted by the fact that Riley came to the Big Ten 23 years after Ferentz.
3. Dan Lanning (Oregon)
What Lanning has done with Oregon is nothing short of incredible, and that’s heightened by the fact he joined the conference the same year as Riley. His winning percentage is a full .178 higher, even though they’ve been around for just four seasons each.
2. Ryan Day (Ohio State)
Once again, this list not being weighted slightly discredits what Day has done for the Buckeyes. His 82-12 record is absolutely remarkable, but Indiana has a coach who’s still red-hot, and that’s why Day didn’t take the top spot in these rankings.
1. Curt Cignetti (Indiana)
Considering the fact Cignetti’s team didn’t lose a single game last year, his winning percentage is even more incredible. Indiana has the hottest coach in the world, a polarizing one at that, but he’s a proven winner and is the only coach in the Big Ten with a winning percentage over .900.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Ranking all 18 Big Ten football coaches’ conference-winning percentage
Reporting by Jordon Lawrenz, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
