The College Football BeltThe CFB Belt
Belt / Coaches / Lou Holtz

Head coach · Notre Dame and 1 more · belt games 1986–1999

Lou Holtz

45Days with the belt
2Reigns started
0–2Defending it
2–3Challenging for it

Coached Notre Dame (1986–1990) and South Carolina (1999) in seasons with a belt game. 7 belt games in all: 2 with the belt in hand, 5 trying to take it.

Lou Holtz was on a sideline for 7 belt games between 1986 and 1999, at Notre Dame and South Carolina. He took the belt twice and held it for 45 days across two reigns.

The first came on November 14, 1987, Notre Dame 37–6 over Alabama.

His longest reign ran 38 days with Notre Dame, beginning November 24, 1990, and ended at the first challenge.

The belt changed hands under him twice, last when Colorado won 10–9 on January 1, 1991.

He also coached three games with the belt on the other sideline and came away without it. The closest was 24–19 to Penn State on November 15, 1986.

Reigns

Started under this coach

Notre Dame · November 24, 1990 – January 1, 199138 days · 0 def.Notre Dame · November 14, 1987 – November 21, 19877 days · 0 def.
Every belt game

7 games, newest first

September 4, 1999 · South Carolina at NC State 0–10 as challengerlostJanuary 1, 1991 · Notre Dame vs. Colorado 9–10 as holderlost the beltNovember 24, 1990 · Notre Dame at USC 10–6 as challengertook the beltNovember 21, 1987 · Notre Dame at Penn State 20–21 as holderlost the beltNovember 14, 1987 · Notre Dame vs. Alabama 37–6 as challengertook the beltNovember 15, 1986 · Notre Dame vs. Penn State 19–24 as challengerlostOctober 4, 1986 · Notre Dame at Alabama 10–28 as challengerlost

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.