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Wisconsin Badgers: Top five coaches in the Big Ten

By Tanner Nestle

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Badgers cheers during the 2017 Capital One Orange Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Badgers cheers during the 2017 Capital One Orange Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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1. Urban Meyer – Ohio State

ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl against the USC Trojans in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl against the USC Trojans in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

This should be no surprise to anybody. Meyer is the only active coach in the conference with a national championship on his resume. Sorry, Scott Frost. He’s won 12 or more games each of his six years in Columbus and the only year he didn’t was the year he won 11 games. Ohio State is one of the best programs in the country and it’s directly attributed to Meyer.

The one blemish on his resume is the 2016 Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson 31-0. Meyer has otherwise beaten Alabama, Notre Dame, USC and Oregon in big bowl games. Clemson has his number, beating him one other time, in 2013. However, that game was less embarrassing than the 2016 matchup.

Meyer has owned the rivalry with Michigan since he got to Ohio State, which may matter more to the fan base than anything. He’s been able to hold his own against the uprising of Penn State and Wisconsin too, which is key for this list. Meyer’s Buckeyes may not be the best team in the Big Ten in 2018, but you cannot take the throne unless you beat the king.

Next: Top 10 Wisconsin games since 2010

The Big Ten will be full of heavyweight battles in 2018. This list could be massively shaken up when its all said and done. To move up on the list is simple. Beat the other coaches. For Chryst to pass Meyer, he must either beat him in Indianapolis or beat whoever is there in his place. If Chryst is able to take Wisconsin to the College Football Playoff, it’ll be very difficult to say he isn’t the best coach in the conference.

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