The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Bob Gibson

Followed Doyt Perry. Bob Gibson held Bowling Green at National Program I for 3 seasons.

19–9

1965–1967 · 1 stint

Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Reached National Program in his 1st career season — faster than 41% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #1 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Bowling Green, 3 seasons

−4.7

National Program I → National Program II.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

2–1 against his rivals. Just 1–2 against Bill Doolittle.

Rivalry record

2–1

66.7% · 1 rival

One-score games

8–3

72.7% · margin ≤8

Rivalry ledger

Toledo2–167%

The toughest matchup

vs. Bill Doolittle1–2

3 meetings, 1965–1967

’65 W’66 L’67 L

33% win rate across a real, 3-meeting series — short of the bar this site uses before badging a series “Nemesis.” Shown here as the toughest matchup on record, not an algorithmic crown.

Performance by opponent class

National Program

1–2 33.3%

Regional Program

10–6 62.5%

Coaching career

1965–1967

Bowling Greencaretaker

National Program I → National Program I

Bob Gibson held Bowling Green at National Program I for 3 seasons.

2nd-best Bowling Green tenure of 14 by the numbers.

Followed Doyt Perry (1962–1964) · succeeded by Don Nehlen (1968–1976).

19–9