HOUSTON – Forty years ago, Eddie Robinson etched his name into football history. His Grambling Tigers’ 27-7 win over Prairie View A&M wasn’t just another victory, it was the day an HBCU legend surpassed Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant and changed college football forever.
The G-Men carried Eddie Robinson off the field after leading Grambling State to a 23-6 victory over Oregon State on Sept. 28, 1985. He coached a magnificent game against the NCAA power that day. More importantly, Robinson tied Paul “Bear” Bryant as the winningest head coach in college football history.
A week later, he would possess the title all on his own.
Eddie Robinson Becomes All-Time Winningest College Football Coach / SI
Robinson took 44 years to achieve an impressive record of 323 wins, 106 losses, and 15 ties. Grambling State faced Prairie View A&M at the State Fair Classic in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 5. This matchup was significant not only for the SWAC standings but also for its historical implications.
Coach Rob reflected on the tie with Bryant, saying, ”I don’t think you can say that I’ve got 323. It belongs to all of my coaches and all of the players I’ve had. I really didn’t think as much about it this week as I know you all think I did. I spent this last week worrying. I went to bed on Oregon State and I woke up with them.”
Robinson coached the Tigers to a 27-7 victory over the Panthers, making him the all-time winningest coach in college football history.
Robinson’s legacy as a black football coach stands as one of the most significant milestones in the history of college sports, and it may never be duplicated by another coach from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The durability of his tenure is rare among head football coaches at HBCUs, especially in today’s sports world.
When the coaching legend retired from football, he had a record of 408 wins, 165 losses, and 15 ties with a winning percentage of 70.7%. Penn State’s Joe Paterno and St. John’s John Gagliardi eventually would eclipse Robinson, but he remains third all-time in wins as a college coach.
Tennessee State head coach John Merritt, left, smokes his cigar as he shared a moment with Grambling head coach Eddie Robinson before their game at Hale Stadium in Nashville Oct. 6, 1979.
79then10 017 / Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Other HBCU head coaches won over 200 games:
Billy Joe (Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, and Miles): 245-127-5 recordJohn Merritt (Jackson State, Tennessee State): 235-70-12Ace William Mumford (Jarvis Christian, Bishop, Texas College, Southern): 233-85-23Joe Taylor (Howard, VA Union, Hampton, Florida A&M): 233-96-4Willard Bailey (VA Union, Norfolk State, St. Paul’s): 230-150-7Jake Gaither (Florida A&M): 204-36-6 (84.4% winning record)Cleveland Abbott (Tuskegee): 203-96-28
“All he needs is an opportunity,” Robinson once said about Doug Williams. Williams eventually made history as the first black quarterback selected by Tampa Bay with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. He also led Washington to victory in Super Bowl XXII, becoming the first black quarterback to win a world championship.
Eddie Robinson was not the first black head coach to set a multitude of records, but he was one of many who blazed the trail for TC Taylor, Chennis Berry, Trei Oliver, Eddie Robinson Jr., Tremaine Jackson, and a host of others in HBCU coaching.
In 56 years, the Jackson, Louisiana native accomplished the following accolades: