Expectations are sky-high for Lane Kiffin in his first season at LSU, and oddsmakers believe he could earn national recognition. Kiffin opened at 12/1 to win the 2026 Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award, putting the Tigers’ new head coach among the leading contenders entering the college football season.
The oddsmakers at BetOnline Sports & Casino just dropped their latest lines, and Miami head coach Mario Cristobal is the official frontrunner to win the trophy next January.
Cristobal was a finalist for the award last season after a massive College Football Playoff run. This year, the Hurricanes are looking to match Indiana’s blueprint by bringing home both the national title and the coach of the year honors.
Check out where the top coaches stand in the opening odds: https://www.betonline.ag/sportsbook/futures-and-props/ncaaf-futures/bear-bryant-award.
| 2026 Bear Bryant Award | ||
| Mario Cristobal MIA | 7/1 | |
| Marcus Freeman ND | 15/2 | (+750) |
| Dan Lanning ORE | 8/1 | |
| Steve Sarkisian TEX | 9/1 | |
| Curt Cignetti IND | 12/1 | |
| Lane Kiffin LSU | 12/1 | |
| Kirby Smart UGA | 14/1 | |
| Ryan Day OSU | 14/1 | |
| Brent Venables OU | 22/1 | |
| Matt Campbell PSU | 22/1 | |
| Joey McGuire TTU | 25/1 | |
| Kalen DeBoer ALA | 25/1 | |
| Kyle Whittingham MICH | 25/1 | |
| Kalani Sitake BYU | 28/1 | |
| Lincoln Riley USC | 28/1 | |
| Mike Elko TAMU | 28/1 | |
| Pete Golding Ole Miss | 28/1 | |
| Eric Morris OSU | 33/1 | |
| James Franklin VT | 33/1 | |
| Willie Fritz HOU | 33/1 | |
| Alex Golesh AUB | 40/1 | |
| Bob Chesney UCLA | 40/1 | |
| Clark Lee VAN | 40/1 | |
| Jon Sumrall FL | 40/1 | |
| Josh Heupel TENN | 40/1 | |
| Morgan Scalley UTAH | 40/1 | |
| Shane Beamer SCAR | 40/1 | |
| Bill Belichick UNC | 50/1 | |
| Dabo Swinney CLEM | 50/1 | |
| Eli Drinkwitz MIZZ | 50/1 | |
| Matt Rhule NEB | 50/1 | |
| Mike Norvell FSU | 50/1 | |
| Rhett Lashlee SMU | 50/1 | |
| Brent Brennan ARI | 60/1 | |
| Collin Klein KSU | 60/1 | |
| Jedd Fisch WAS | 60/1 | |
| Jeff Brohm LOU | 60/1 | |
| Kenny Dillingham ASU | 60/1 | |
| Nick Ferentz IOWA | 60/1 | |
| Sonny Dykes TCU | 60/1 | |
| Bret Bielema ILL | 80/1 | |
| Deion Sanders COL | 80/1 | |
| Manny Diaz DUKE | 80/1 | |
| Tony Elliott VU | 80/1 | |
| Dan Mullen UNLV | 100/1 | |
| Fran Brown SYR | 100/1 | |
| Jason Eck NMU | 100/1 | |
| Spencer Danielson BSU | 100/1 | |
