Head coach · Texas and 1 more · belt games 1954–1965

Darrell Royal

301Days with the belt

2Reigns started

5–2Defending it

2–1Challenging for it

Coached Mississippi State (1954) and Texas (1957–1965) in seasons with a belt game. 10 belt games in all: 7 with the belt in hand, 3 trying to take it.

Darrell Royal was on a sideline for 10 belt games between 1954 and 1965, at Mississippi State and Texas. He took the belt twice and held it for 301 days across two reigns.

The first came on October 2, 1954, Mississippi State 46–13 over Arkansas State.

His longest reign ran 288 days with Texas, beginning January 1, 1965, and was defended four times along the way.

Across his career he coached five successful defenses, and the belt changed hands under him twice, last when Arkansas won 27–24 on October 16, 1965.

He also coached one game with the belt on the other sideline and came away without it. The closest was 39–7 to Ole Miss on January 1, 1958.

Reigns

Started under this coach

Texas · January 1, 1965 – October 16, 1965288 days · 4 def.Mississippi State · October 2, 1954 – October 15, 195413 days · 1 def.

Every belt game

10 games, newest first

October 16, 1965 · Texas at Arkansas 24–27 as holderlost the belt October 9, 1965 · Texas vs. Oklahoma 19–0 as holderdefended October 2, 1965 · Texas vs. Indiana 27–12 as holderdefended September 25, 1965 · Texas vs. Texas Tech 33–7 as holderdefended September 18, 1965 · Texas vs. Tulane 31–0 as holderdefended January 1, 1965 · Texas vs. Alabama 21–17 as challengertook the belt January 1, 1958 · Texas vs. Ole Miss 7–39 as challengerlost October 15, 1954 · Mississippi State at Miami 13–27 as holderlost the belt October 9, 1954 · Mississippi State at Tulane 14–0 as holderdefended October 2, 1954 · Mississippi State vs. Arkansas State 46–13 as challengertook the belt

Head coaches from the College Football Data API’s coaching records, matched by team and season. A reign counts for the coach in charge the season it began; a mid-season change isn’t split.