Ralph Day Nichols (March 1, 1874 – July 19, 1949) was an American college football player and coach and politician.

He served as the head coach at the University of Washington from 1895 to 1896 and again in 1898, compiling a record of 7–4–1.

[1] Nichols later served in the Washington Senate from 1906 to 1919 and on the Seattle City Council from 1924 to 1934.

[2] # denotes interim head coach

This biographical article relating to a college football coach first appointed in the 1890s is a stub.