David Ubben, who as ESPN’s Big 12 blogger doesn’t do Iowa State any favors, isn’t saying anything wrong in his ranking of football coaching jobs. It’s just that when you look at the aggregate like this, the bleakness really shows through.
10. Iowa State: Iowa State holds the distinction of being the only truly “little brother” program in its own state, and that lands it at the bottom of our list. ISU is way north in the Big 12, and in a state that has little football talent. Best of luck convincing top Texas talents to sign up for Iowa winters. Feign offense at the “little brother” tag, but Iowa has 11 conference titles, 22 consensus All-Americans and a Heisman Trophy. Iowa State has two titles, three All-Americans and no Heisman. It’s not close. Iowa’s also won 14 bowl games, compared to three for ISU. That said, Paul Rhoads is doing an unbelievable job in Ames. So did Dan McCarney.
The four toughest head-coaching jobs in college football today are Iowa State, Mississippi State, Washington State, and Oregon State, in that order.
The two conference titles, by the way, are Missouri Valley co-championships from a century ago. Counting them in is generous.
Iowa, by the way, ranks seventh of 12 in the Big Ten.