Not only has Joe Pa won on a consistent basis, but a very high percentage of his players actually graduate on time and are prepared to enter the world where sports are played at the local gym on Wednesday nights or Saturday morning in the local rec league. Way to go, Joe. Keep up the good work.

Joepa RULES!

Osborne and it’s not close. He’s been a part of 5 national championships, and won 3 in 4 years as a head coach. He was an offensive innovator who ran a program that has more Academic All-Americans than any in the nation. He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame practically before his head coaching seat was cold. Over 300 consecutive sellouts and state that is completely football crazy is part of this man’s legacy. Any other vote is just crazy talk.

In 1985 Eddie Robinson broke the record set by Bear Bryant as collegiate football's "winningest" coach and in 1995 he became the first coach to win 400 games. During his career, more than 200 Grambling players went on to play in the National Football League. At his retirement (1997), Robinson had a record of 408 wins, 165 losses, and 15 ties.

He accomplished all of this without the athletic budget afforded the other contenders.

Plz give me a break, Eddie Robinson?... You have to be kidding, right?

I'm a resident of the "Gator" Nation - but when it comes to class act coaches - Bobby Bowden is all that and then some. Everyone loves him - friends and foes alike. The man is 80 and still going strong - how many of us can say that???? We should all be so lucky to be living the dream at age 80 - you go Bobby!!!!!!!!

My favorite footballgame was at Alcorn State where Eddie Robinson and Grambling beat Steve McNair. That elderly statesman on the sidelines captured my heart. I have such fond memories of being one of maybe two dozen whites at that game. But somehow I love old Joe Paterno who chose those ice cold winters in Pa over the sunny warm Decembers in Tallahassee. I suspect next season will be Joe Pats last one now that the game played by Bowden has finally come to an end. All this stuff in recent months has ony been about his chase for Joe Pats record. Thats all. Im glad its over now. Since im about their age I can say I saw Paul Bryant at Uk, Tom Osborne and Bud Wilkinson in Norman in my lifetime. Not one bad coach in all those named in this article. What pleasure they have brought this old football fan.Blessings to all of you.

Bear Bryant has been my guy as far back as college football was on TV - and while I live in the South now, I'm a native of the West, and lived most of my life in the Northeast - so it's not a Southern or 'bama thing.

I'm sure the other guys are all great coaches, but Bear Bryant is legendary.

The Rock is the bed rock of college coaches. His contribution as a player and coach is not only amazing, but legendary. These great coaches today owe something to the monumental precendent which he set. The number of National Championships during his limited tenure is mind boggling. Imagine what might have been had his life been not tragically cut short. But even in death his charismatic spirit lives on. Look at the influence he had on Rudy, and countless others who never saw him. He had all the intangibles that supercedes the stats. Knute, you are the MAN.

Joe Paterno is simply a class act as was Paul Bryant. Paterno is better because of Bryant and Bryant was better because of Paterno. In this age of college football I don't see many coaches or A.D.s who are interested in scheduling serious competition because they believe, and rightly so, that high scoring blowouts against undermanned opponents is the best way to "buy" votes in the polls.

I couldn't vote in this poll because Paterno isn't better than Bryant and Bryant isn't better than Paterno and they'd tell you just that. Both coaches are/were wonderful role models and amazing teachers. They developed a deep mutual respect for one another and I owe it to both of them to honor that respect.

I feel fortunate that I will once again get to see Alabama play Penn State while Paterno is still coaching. The only thing that would top that, in my opinion, would be seeing Alabama face off against Penn State in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship again while Paterno is still alive but the odds of that are pretty small so I'll be happy with a regular season game.

Joe Pa got my vote only because Frank Hering of Notre Dame was not on the list. Hering is generally credited with inventing the forward pass. Where would football be wiithout it?
He also is credited with making the first known public plea for the observance of Mother's Day. Not only a coach but a professor at Notre Dame.

Joe Pa has my vote because no matter what the teams goes through...be it good seasons or bad seasons....Penn State never gave up on him. His is truly a class act. He teaches his players that no player is bigger than the whole team and when the team loses...it is everyone who should take responsibility for the loss...not one player. I have grown up watching PSU football with Joe Pa....and hopefully he will stick around a little bit longer so that my son can experience his legacy as well.

I agree that all the coaches listed have been great coaches. I think Joe Pa is slightly overrated because he played a less grueling schedule than the coaches at Notre Dame or Bowden at FSU. If you look at who played the toughest schedules year in and year out and had the best winning percentage against the ranked teams, I think BB wins out.

When we look at these coaches we need to look at how many of the coaches they trained went on to coaching and even head coaching jobs in the college and professional and I believe that you will find that JoePa has a very high score in this catagory, much more so than the others. It isn't just about the players, but the mark of a good teacher/leader is one that prepares all those under him to achieve their highest potential.

May God bless and keep y'all

Why is this even a debate? Bryant won six national championships to Paterno's two. This does not even count the two Bryant should have been awarded in 1966 and 1977. Bryant never lost to Paterno in head-to-head competition. The only reason Paterno has more wins than Bryant is that he has coached six more years--and counting--and teams play 12 or more games per season now when most of Bryant's career teams played 10 regular season games and maybe a bowl. Never can anyone take away from Paterno's accomplishments. He is ONE of the greatest of all time, but Bryant still rules. Never will anyone discredit what Paterno and his family have meant to Penn State University in terms of contributions and exercising good judgment in representing the school. But in terms of wins and losses and what was accomplished on the field of play, Bryant surpassed Paterno in the end.

Barry Switzer isn't listed? God won't stand for it. Whoever formulated the selection list better pray to be forgiven.

Just love to read these things...and the wonderful comments that follow.

For Bowden, credit for the (state mandated) scheduling of the annual Florida and Miami games, but the ACC has been and continues to be a joke, giving him 8 free wins a season. Add in the 30+ of them were at Samford, not even a Div 1 program and his 388 doesn't seem so solid anymore. And don't forget the numerous transgressions of the program, Free Shoes University, and the likelihood that another 30 wins get stripped away because of academic fraud.

Bryant has the championships for sure, but as someone pointed out, it was done with fewer games, and in a much weaker SEC than we are used to today. And of his 6 National Titles, don't forget that 3 of those seasons came with a loss, and two of them he actually lost the bowl game - which for all intents should have cost him the title (they actually awarded the ranking before the bowls back then).

Compare all this to Paterno, who has the most wins, consistently in the top 5 graduation rates for his players, has 2 legitimate titles, 5 undefeated seasons (to only 3 for Bryant) in which 3 of them he was ranked 2nd in the final polls, more bowl wins than any coach, and even a library named after him because of all of his philanthropic work. Penn State took on all comers year in and year out, including playing national powerhouses Alabama, Pitt, Notre Dame, USC, Miami, etc. Add in that even at his 'advanced age' they are still competitive in every sense of the word - over the past 5 years having 2 (maybe 3) BSC berths, 2 conference championships, and 3 top-10 rankings. Oh, and a top 3 recruiting class for 2010 - the same year that Bowden was fired for going 6-6.

Joe Paterno. No one else belongs in the same sentence. End of story.

First of all let me say that, I grew up and now reside in Alabama. I received my education at Penn State (therefore the spelling and gramatical errors). And Bobby Bowden is my brother-in-law's 1st cousin. So I harbor no ill will towards any of these great men and have very good reasons to vote for either.

However, based on CHAMPIONSHIPS - conference, national, and otherwise - it can only be Bear Bryant. Had Coach Bryant lived to be as old and healthy as JoePa or Bowden, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

And don't even imply that Bryant's national titles were not "legitimate". That is pure sour grapes from an obvious disgruntled rival. National titles are awarded by whatever means is in place WHEN THEY HAPPEN. Period. And Bryant has 6. And they ARE "legitimate".

There should be 2 hall of fames - one for coach Bryant, and one for everyone else.

bear bryant is the best coach of all time because he only expected nothing less than the best from his players. he knew what it took to win football games and how to get there.