When it comes to beating the cakewalk opponents in the landscape of college football, no one bats an eye, especially if you are a Power Five program. But when it comes to besting a top-25 opponent? That, in essence, is today’s proxy for success and a true barometer for identifying a national title contender.
To test the phrase, “To be the best you have to beat the best,” 247Sports shared a breakdown of college football’s best (and worst) coaches against top-25 opponents throughout their respective careers. With head coaches increasingly being paid top dollar at Power Five programs, wins on the gridiron are the metric to assess return on value, and a certain head coach in College Station is no exception.
According to research via FBS Schedules, just nine of 68 total Power Five coaches have a career-winning record versus top-25 competition. With the minimum threshold being at least 10 games against nationally-ranked foes, none other than Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher was among the few to register a winning record.
Below is Fisher’s overall record versus top 25 teams while acting as head coach at both Florida State and Texas A&M:
Overall record as head coach against top 25 teams: 27-25 (53.5%)
“Jimbo Fisher went 18-13 at Florida State against nationally-ranked opponents before facing a considerably tougher schedule on a regular basis in the SEC with the Aggies. Last season was his first losing campaign at Texas A&M, yet somehow he still managed to go 3-2 against ranked teams, including a shocking win over LSU in the regular-season finale. If Texas A&M intends on getting to the College Football Playoff in 2023, Fisher will have to beat several high-end opponents and move up on this list.”
No one questions Fisher’s recruiting prowess, as he had Heisman-winning quarterback Jameis Winston during the Seminoles’ 2013 BCS National Championship season, while also pulling in the best recruiting class ever during the 2022 cycle for the Aggies. For Fisher as of late, it’s been about translating talent on paper to wins.
Much has been made of Texas A&M’s 5-7 record last season, but it’s keen to note that the Maroon and White, under Fisher, went 3-2 against ranked teams in what was just his first losing season in College Station. A significant sample size, yes, but small nonetheless versus the larger picture.
Fisher has proven to prepare his team to rise to the occasion when the stakes are at the highest, and that includes facing top-tier competition. The 2023 campaign will be a significant litmus test, but by handing the reigns of the offense to Bobby Petrino, it illustrates that Fisher is prepared to put his team in the best position possible to, once again, go toe-to-toe with the best competition in the country.
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