Historical trends indicated that Curt Cignetti might struggle at Indiana, as success has been elusive for coaches there. As they approached the 2024 season, the Hoosiers languished at the bottom of the Big Ten for more than a century and had never managed to win more than nine games in a single season.

However, on November 2, Indiana celebrated its ninth victory of 2024 with a commanding 47-10 win over Michigan State. This success continued as they secured two additional wins, earning an at-large spot in the College Football Playoff and marking the best regular season ever for the program.

Perhaps we shouldn’t have been taken aback. When asked in December how he planned to present his program to potential recruits, Cignetti confidently stated, “It’s straightforward. I win. Google me.” Throughout his 13 years as a college head coach at different institutions, he has never endured a losing season – most recently leading James Madison through a historic transition from the Championship Subdivision to the Bowl Subdivision.

Regardless of whether we anticipated this outcome, Cignetti’s achievements this season may rank as one of the most impressive first-year coaching performances in the history of college football.

A++: Curt Cignetti, Indiana (11-1)

The previous record for the most wins in a season for the program was established in 1945 and matched in 1967. Six other teams had achieved eight wins in a year, including in 2019. Cignetti elevated Indiana to unprecedented heights and rightfully earns every accolade as the clear-cut coach of the year in the FBS.

A+: Spencer Danielson, Boise State (12-1)

Taking over as interim coach for Andy Avalos late last season, Danielson led Boise State to capture the Mountain West championship. In his first complete season, the former defensive coordinator guided the Broncos to another conference title and secured the No. 3 playoff seed. His journey has started off remarkably well with the program.

A: Fran Brown, Syracuse (9-3)

Brown has led the Orange to No. 25 in the US LBM Coaches Poll after securing an upset victory over Miami to conclude the regular season. Inheriting a program with only two winning seasons in the last decade, his nine wins now stand as the second-most by a first-year coach in the program’s history, thanks in part to Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord.

A: Manny Diaz, Duke (9-3)

Diaz also achieved nine wins in his debut, tying with his predecessor, Mike Elko, for the most wins by a first-year coach in Duke’s history. This included four wins against teams that would go on to be bowl contenders. The Blue Devils even narrowly lost to SMU late in October but still managed to defeat rivals North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest.

A: Pete Lembo, Buffalo (8-4)

Making a return to the MAC after leaving Ball State in 2015, Lembo led Buffalo to eight wins, marking the fifth time since the Bulls transitioned to participating in the FBS. One victory against Northern Illinois in September was only their second-ever ranked win in school history.

A-: Mike Elko, Texas A&M (8-4)

Elko’s debut lost some momentum toward the end of the season following defeats to Auburn and Texas. However, managing to take over a troubled Texas A&M program during the Jimbo Fisher era and having them contend for the SEC championship in the final game of the season represents an impressive start.

A-: Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State (7-5)

SJSU exceeded expectations significantly under the former Navy coach. Predicted to finish 10th in the preseason Mountain West poll, the Spartans secured bowl eligibility by early November, with four of their five losses coming against teams that had at least eight wins, including Boise State and UNLV.

A-: Jon Sumrall, Tulane (9-4)

Like Elko, Sumrall’s debut fizzled out towards the end of the year with losses to Memphis and Army, the latter in the American Athletic championship game. Nevertheless, the former Troy coach had a season quality that positions him as a rising star in the landscape of college coaching.

B+: Major Applewhite, South Alabama (6-6)

South Alabama matched last year’s regular-season win total, yet they exceeded expectations significantly, with four of their losses coming by just one score along with a significant victory in November against Louisiana-Lafayette.

B+: Bronco Mendenhall, New Mexico (5-7)

Mendenhall is already looking to move, having signed a new deal with Utah State right after New Mexico’s loss to Hawaii left them one win short of bowl eligibility. The program had not managed more than four wins in a season since 2016. Losing such a consistently successful coach is a major setback for UNM.

B: Bob Chesney, James Madison (8-4)

JMU notably defeated North Carolina in a non-conference match.

This marks one of the most significant achievements in the program’s FBS history. However, following Cignetti’s transition to Indiana, the Dukes experienced a significant talent drain, resulting in four losses within the Sun Belt and failing to contend for a position in the Group of Five’s playoff race.

B: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama (9-3)

Alabama had some notable victories against teams like Georgia, South Carolina, LSU, and Missouri. Nevertheless, the team faced some tough defeats, particularly the recent 24-3 loss to Oklahoma, which blocked their path to the playoffs. DeBoer’s inaugural season highlighted the challenges Alabama will face in the post-Nick Saban era.

B: Sherrone Moore, Michigan (7-5)

Moore’s rating would have been lower if not for leading Michigan to another victory over Ohio State. That win significantly altered the perception of a season characterized by missed chances and one of the weakest offensive performances in recent history.

B: Bryant Vincent, Louisiana-Monroe (5-7)

Claiming five victories at ULM is a reason to celebrate, especially since the Warhawks were predicted to finish last in the Sun Belt preseason poll. However, disappointment arose as the team started strong at 5-1 midseason but faltered in the final stretch.

B-: Jedd Fisch, Washington (6-6)

The Huskies struggled as the season progressed, particularly in October and November, concluding with a significant loss to Oregon. Given the team’s losses from the previous national runner-up squad, Fisch’s first year can be seen as an acceptable start.

B-: Willie Fritz, Houston (4-8)

This was merely Fritz’s second season with a losing record since 2017, and only his sixth overall since beginning his head coaching career at Central Missouri in 1997. The offense was consistently weak throughout the season, yet the Cougars demonstrated enough resilience to indicate a potential turnaround under Fritz’s leadership.

C+: Scotty Walden, Texas-El Paso (3-9)

UTEP managed to go 3-3 in the latter half of the season and showed notable offensive progress with wins over Kennesaw State and New Mexico State. The Miners suffered defeats against two teams from the Power Four and four others that secured eight or more wins.

C-: Trent Bray, Oregon State (5-7)

This season represented a regression for the Beavers, especially given their easier schedule as one of the last two teams remaining in the now-defunct Pac-12. Oregon State faced losses against Nevada and experienced significant defeats to California and Air Force.

C-: Jeff Choate, Nevada (3-10)

Nevada only improved by one win from 2023, finishing at the bottom of the Mountain West. However, the Wolf Pack were much more competitive this year, suffering narrow losses to teams like SMU, Georgia Southern, San Jose State, Fresno State, Boise State, and Air Force.

C-: Jonathan Smith, Michigan State (5-7)

Michigan State celebrated a commendable victory against Iowa in October. However, the remaining four wins were against Florida Atlantic, Maryland, Prairie View, and Purdue. Smith’s score was impacted by the Spartans’ 41-14 defeat at home to Rutgers in the season finale, which resulted in missing out on a postseason slot.

D+: Sean Lewis, San Diego State (3-9)

SDSU struggled throughout the season, failing to score more than 27 points against FBS opponents, which was unexpected given Lewis’ offensive coaching background. The three victories were the least for the Aztecs in a season since 2008 and tied for the lowest by a debut coach since 1945.

D+: Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee State (3-9)

Initially ranked fourth in the preseason Conference USA poll, MTSU only managed to win against Kennesaw State and UTEP, ending up in a three-way tie for last place. Mason’s first season was marred by several heavy defeats; all nine losses came by double digits, with most by at least 17 points.

D+: Jay Sawvel, Wyoming (3-9)

Despite the rocky start, Sawvel’s first season appeared to improve with victories in November against New Mexico and Washington State. However, the season was marred by many narrow defeats, including a close loss to Boise State. Sawvel must learn from these hardships to elevate Wyoming back into a competitive place in the MWC.

D: Brent Brennan, Arizona (4-8)

Arizona began the season ranked No. 21 in the Coaches Poll and fifth in the Big 12 poll, being one of five teams to receive at least one first-place vote. Ultimately, the Wildcats ended just above the last spot in the conference standings, suffering painful defeats in November against Central Florida, TCU, and rival Arizona State. While it may not rival Florida State’s disappointment, Arizona certainly was one of the biggest letdowns this season.

D: Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State (2-10)

In his first year as head coach, Lebby, previously the offensive coordinator at Mississippi and Oklahoma, led the Bulldogs to victories against Eastern Kentucky and Massachusetts but faltered for the rest of the season. MSU lost to an average Toledo team in non-conference play and suffered defeats in all eight SEC games, each by double digits.