The Big Ten coaching landscape is going through a seismic shift, and as the conference gears up for its expanded future, CBS Sports took a stab at ranking all 18 head coaches heading into the 2025 season. It’s a list packed with big names, fresh faces, and a few eyebrow-raisers.
One name that stands out for more nuanced reasons? Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, who landed at No. 14 on the list.
Now, Schiano's placement might seem low at first glance, but it's not without context. If you're talking about Rutgers football history, Schiano is the history.
He’s the architect behind the program’s most successful stretches, responsible for nine of the Scarlet Knights’ 13 all-time bowl appearances and six of their seven bowl wins. That’s not just a résumé - that’s a legacy.
His 99 career wins at Rutgers - spread across two tenures - are the most in school history, and his .478 winning percentage isn’t far off from the program’s all-time mark of .492. In a program that’s seen its fair share of lean years, Schiano has been the steadying hand and the face of its most competitive eras.
But here’s where the ranking gets tricky. While Schiano’s historical impact is undeniable, his recent Big Ten track record paints a more complicated picture.
Since returning to Piscataway in 2020, he’s gone 15-39 in conference play. That’s a tough number to ignore, especially in a league that’s only getting deeper and more competitive with the additions of USC, Oregon, Washington, and UCLA.
The Scarlet Knights have made the postseason three times in his six seasons back, including back-to-back seven-win campaigns in 2023 and 2024. That’s solid progress, but it also raises the question: is this the ceiling for Rutgers under Schiano in the Big Ten? That’s the crux of his No. 14 ranking - a recognition of past success tempered by the reality of the present.
Here’s how the full CBS Sports Big Ten coaching rankings stack up:
- Ryan Day, Ohio State
- Curt Cignetti, Indiana
- Dan Lanning, Oregon
- Kyle Whittingham, Michigan
- Lincoln Riley, USC
- Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- Bret Bielema, Illinois
- Matt Campbell, Penn State
- Matt Rhule, Nebraska
- Jedd Fisch, Washington
- Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State
- Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
- **P.J.
Fleck, Minnesota**
14.
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
15.
Barry Odom, Purdue
16.
Bob Chesney, UCLA
17.
David Braun, Northwestern
18.
Mike Locksley, Maryland
There’s plenty to unpack here, but one of the more surprising decisions is the placement of Kyle Whittingham at No. 4 - before he’s even coached a down of Big Ten football. Whittingham’s track record at Utah is rock-solid.
He’s built a consistently tough, physical program that’s been a thorn in the side of the Pac-12 elite for years. But ranking him ahead of proven Big Ten veterans before he’s taken a snap in the conference?
That’s a bold move.
Still, it speaks to the level of respect Whittingham commands nationally. And it also underscores how competitive this conference is becoming. With names like Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning, and Jedd Fisch now in the fold, the Big Ten coaching room is as stacked as it’s ever been.
As for Schiano, his ranking is a reflection of both what he’s accomplished and the challenges that lie ahead. Rutgers may not be a traditional powerhouse, but under Schiano, they’ve found ways to punch above their weight. The question now is whether he can push through that perceived ceiling and elevate the program to new heights in a Big Ten that’s only getting tougher.