Were Division 1-A and Division 1-AA wins combined when Bobby Bowden surpassed Joe Paterno as the coach with the most victories?

Answer 1

Answer Some of Bobby Bowden's wins came against opponents who do not now have I-A programsThe statement is incorrect however as I-AA did not exist at the time. Division I was not split into I-A and I-AA until 1978. Bobby Bowden's victory were in the same Division I that Joe Paterno's wins were.

Bowden had 31 wins at Howard College (now Samford University).

Bobby Bowden's 366 total coaching victories ranks first all-time among all Division I-A head coaches. Paterno is second with 363 but therein lies a controversy as 31 of Bowden's career victories were earned while coaching at Howard College, now known as Samford University. Samford does not play major College Football, and all of those 31 victories at Howard/Samford were earned against teams not currently in Division I-A, including wins over The University of Mexico, Gordon Junior College, Millington Naval Air Station, and the Tennessee Tech Freshman Team.