Let’s embark on a scavenger hunt to find the next college football coach who will win his first national championship. Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney and Ryan Day account for the only active championship coaches.

Who’s next?

Reflecting on past winners and adhering to some guiding principles will help identify top candidates.

Sixteen coaches won their first national championship during either the Bowl Championship Series or College Football Playoff era that started in 1998.

We’ll use that group of coaches as our guide, as we try to winnow the list: Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

∎ Each of the 16 first-time championship coaches from the BCS and CFP eras coached a school that’s now in the Power Four ranks. So, we’ll confine our search for the next champion to the

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