The 150 Greatest Teams in CFB History

[Red_Alert]

Washington (11-1) beat Oklahoma (9-2-1) in the Orange Bowl 28-17. I'm guessing the Orange Bowl was a better pay day than the Holiday Bowl...in addition, OU was also a tougher opponent than BYU, but Washington ended up screwed anyway finishing at #2. They could've proven themselves in a playoff as could have BYU and others. It's funny how Washington finished #2, but didn't even win the Pac-10 that year. Scheduling was screwy back then. USC (9-3) beat Washington handing the Huskies their only loss of the season, but they didn't play an equal number of conference games. USC played 8 (7-1) and Washington 7 (6-1).

It was. That was Washington's rationale.

Either way, Michigan let everybody down.
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[olympicoscar]

Interestingly, I didn't care for the 2011 Alabama team (style wise), but I loved the 2012 team - which had much more flair (Amari Cooper helped!) and opened the year kicking Michigan's butt and ended the year kicking Notre Dame's butt! What was not to like?

As for Ohio State, the 2002 team that I saw play @ Cincinnati is one of my favorite CFB teams of all time. I think the list is cool with all of the old teams in it, but I 100% agree with your point about not being able to cross compare eras very well.

Yeah, the size of the players is drastically different, and the way the game is played today would be unrecognizable to the older teams. The chances of any team today, not allowing any points in a season, is impossible.

 

[78Cyclones]

Where's UCF?

I was surprised by their omission too. The 2017 UCF Team was definitely as deserving of inclusion as 1984 BYU Team.

 

[78Cyclones]

1971 Final AP Final Rankings

#1 Nebraska: Beat #2 Alabama 38-6 in the Orange Bowl
#2 Oklahoma: Beat #5 Auburn 40-22 in the Sugar Bowl
#3 Colorado: Beat #15 Houston 29-17 in the Astro Blue Bonnet Bowl

Iowa State was also ranked in 1971 and finished 8-3 in the regular season. Bummer they lost to LSU and Bert Jones in the Sun Bowl, or they could have finished much higher than they did.

 

[Red_Alert]

Iowa State was also ranked in 1971 and finished 8-3 in the regular season. Bummer they lost to LSU and Bert Jones in the Sun Bowl, or they could have finished much higher than they did.

Yeah. There were only 12 bowl games in those days.

1971 Bowl Games | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Prior to LSU, Iowa St's only losses were to...

#1 Nebraska (13-0)
#2 Oklahoma (11-1)
#3 Colorado (10-2)

They'd have certainly finished higher than they did at #17 in the coaches.

 

[The Crimson King]

Well to be fair, 83 Miami got stomped by Florida and Nebraska only lost because TO went for two and the win rather than a tie. A loss is a loss, but its that Florida game that likely pushed them down.

Yeah, just seems like a big gap when they beat them head to head for the NC .I only noticed because of the Auburn situation that year.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

They gave up a total of 13 points (13 shutouts). They were co-National Champions that season with Penn (12-0) and Princeton (8-2).

One of these things is not like the others

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

I note that '71 Alabama (11-1) and '95 Florida (12-1) aren't even ranked.

'71 Oklahoma (11-1) comes in at #31.

That supports those who argue that '71 Oklahoma was a tougher test For Nebraska than '95 Florida was.
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I’ve said before that if 71 NU is #1 all time (which, BTW, I would argue should be 95 NU) then 71 OU is # 2 all time. They actually outplayed NU in many aspects of that game, outgaining them and running for a ton of yards.

 

[78Cyclones]

Yeah, just seems like a big gap when they beat them head to head for the NC .I only noticed because of the Auburn situation that year.

It was a strange year with a bunch of GREAT teams, all of which played one or the other and were all National Championship worthy for different reasons.

Forgetting head to head results - which were all circular that year, the Nebraska team was the most powerful by the on the field production numbers and Auburn played the toughest overall schedule - including Texas (11-1), Florida (9-1-1) and @ Georgia (10-1-1) OR Georgia who played 4 Final Top 10 Teams: @ Clemson (9-1-1), Florida (9-1-1) @ Jax, Auburn (11-1) and Texas @ Cotton Bowl (11-1).

It took a perfect storm for Nebraska (12-1) to lose in the Orange Bowl in a classic game to Miami (11-1) who lost by 25 @ Florida (9-1-1) who lost @ Auburn (11-1) by 7 who lost to Texas (11-1) by 13 who lost to Georgia (10-1-1) by 1 in the Cotton Bowl who tied Clemson (9-1-1) and lost to Auburn (11-1) round and round we go. I remember most if not all of these games. Clemson would be the first off of the island, since they only a Tie over that group and didn't Bowl due to Probation. Then Florida - which also didn't Bowl due to Probation. After that?

IMO, Auburn had two strikes against them: Texas really thumped them @ Auburn (listened to that game on the radio) and the Sugar Bowl win over Michigan (9-2) was a real struggle (9-7) (switched back and forth during the Orange Bowl commercials on TV). I think if Auburn would have been more competitive early vs. Texas or been able to dominate Michigan, they would have had a better chance in the final polls.

IMO, 1983 Auburn was a GREAT TEAM (and was as deserving of #1 as Miami for different reasons) and very similar to 1977 Alabama, both of which played very tough schedules, lost an early game, entered the Sugar Bowl ranked #3 vs. a lower ranked #7 or so B1G Team in the Sugar Bowl and were jumped by a #5 Independent team that rose to #1 after shocking the top ranked team in their Bowl Games. Very similar years!

Either way, it would have been a GREAT YEAR for a 4 or 8 Team Playoff! Personally, I think Nebraska was the best team overall from that season, and that sentiment must be shared by others as reflected by the results of this Top 150 of all-time. IMO, that was the start of a new Era in CFB, which I refer to as the "Hurricane Era".

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

Whether '71 or '95 Nebraska was better has long been a debate around here.

The rationale is that if Oklahoma had won the Game of the Century 35-31, they would have aslo beaten Alabama and been considered the best team ever.

1971 Final AP Final Rankings

#1 Nebraska: Beat #2 Alabama 38-6 in the Orange Bowl
#2 Oklahoma: Beat #5 Auburn 40-22 in the Sugar Bowl
#3 Colorado: Beat #15 Houston 29-17 in the Astro Blue Bonnet Bowl

It's argued that '71 Oklahoma was a tougher test than '95 Florida.
Whether '71 Alabama was a tougher test than '95 Florida is not even part of the discussion.

To be fair, Alabama did destroy Auburn 31-7 in '71.
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Alabama also best Houston by 14. That said, hard to argue with being dropped like a buttered anvil when you lose 38-6 in a game that arguably wasn’t even that close.

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

Interestingly, I didn't care for the 2011 Alabama team (style wise), but I loved the 2012 team - which had much more flair (Amari Cooper helped!) and opened the year kicking Michigan's butt and ended the year kicking Notre Dame's butt! What was not to like?

As for Ohio State, the 2002 team that I saw play @ Cincinnati is one of my favorite CFB teams of all time. I think the list is cool with all of the old teams in it, but I 100% agree with your point about not being able to cross compare eras very well.

The 11 team was Saban’s best defense. The issue on offense was no “it receiver”. We had Julio the 3 previous seasons, and Amari the 3 following ones. Had we had either in 11, that team would be MUCH higher on this list.

 

[78Cyclones]

Alabama also best Houston by 14. That said, hard to argue with being dropped like a buttered anvil when you lose 38-6 in a game that arguably wasn’t even that close.

They also opened the year winning @ Southern California (17-10) who was ranked either #1 or #2 entering the season, but faded that season after losing to the Tide in the Coliseum. As you said, that Orange Bowl was not as close as the scored indicated! lol. Nebraska was DOMINANT!

I love that year though, as I went to my first two CFB Games: Southern Miss (with Ray Guy) @ Alabama and the BIGGEST Iron Bowl EVER between Alabama (10-0) and Auburn (9-0) featuring their most iconic Coaches (Bear and Shug) and the Heisman Trophy Winner (Pat Sullivan) and a Heisman Runner-up (Johnny Musso) - who both played their High School Football (Sullivan @ John Carroll) and Musso @ Banks) in The Football Capital of the South - Birmingham, Alabama, USA! At least Alabama won the SEC that season and stopped the Auburn winning streak in the series!

 

[outofyourmind]

The greatest ground game in the History of College Football:

 

[Red_Alert]

I’ve said before that if 71 NU is #1 all time (which, BTW, I would argue should be 95 NU) then 71 OU is # 2 all time. They actually outplayed NU in many aspects of that game, outgaining them and running for a ton of yards.

Fair point.

Another thing that supports that '71 game as being a tougher test for Nebraska is that it was played in Norman.
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[Red_Alert]

They also opened the year winning @ Southern California (17-10) who was ranked either #1 or #2 entering the season, but faded that season after losing to the Tide in the Coliseum. As you said, that Orange Bowl was not as close as the scored indicated! lol. Nebraska was DOMINANT!

I love that year though, as I went to my first two CFB Games: Southern Miss (with Ray Guy) @ Alabama and the BIGGEST Iron Bowl EVER between Alabama (10-0) and Auburn (9-0) featuring their most iconic Coaches (Bear and Shug) and the Heisman Trophy Winner (Pat Sullivan) and a Heisman Runner-up (Johnny Musso) - who both played their High School Football (Sullivan @ John Carroll) and Musso @ Banks) in The Football Capital of the South - Birmingham, Alabama, USA! At least Alabama won the SEC that season and stopped the Auburn winning streak in the series!

Southern Cal was pre-season AP #5 and dropped to #17 after that Alabama loss. They finished 6-4-1.
Stanford won the PAC 10.

Notre Dame was pre-season #1 and Nebraska pre-season #2.
They flipped #1 and #2 after week 1 where Nebraska beat Oregon (34-7) and Notre Dame was idle. No fault to Notre Dame.
#4 Michigan replaced Notre Dame at #2 in week 3 after Notre Dame barely got by Purdue (8-7).
Oklahoma replaced Michigan at #2 in week 5 after soundly beating #3 Texas (48-27) in the RRS. No fault to Michigan as they were rolling.
Oklahoma held #2 weeks 5-11 until losing to #1 Nebraska.
Alabama took the #2 spot weeks 12 and 13.
1971 NCAA University Division football rankings - Wikipedia
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[BTHOtu]

Lists are for offseason

 

[Red_Alert]

Alabama also best Houston by 14. That said, hard to argue with being dropped like a buttered anvil when you lose 38-6 in a game that arguably wasn’t even that close.

I found this to be a good read.

Not sure who the author is, but he makes some good points.

He didn't move....
#1 Nebraska
#2 Oklahoma
#3 Colorado
#4 Alabama

but made a lot of other adjustments from #5 on down regarding the strength of the SEC in '71.

Fixing the 1971 AP Poll

 

[Red_Alert]

Lists are for offseason

Especially when your team is only listed once at #81 and that team played in 1939.

Congratulations, you bested #146 BYU from 1984.
3,2,1 "Nebraska hasn't won shit in 20 years"

 

[BTHOtu]

Especially when your team is only listed once at #81 and that team played in 1939.

Congratulations, you bested #146 BYU from 1984.
3,2,1 "Nebraska hasn't won shit in 20 years"

Would repeat if we weren’t busy fighting all those wars

 

[Red_Alert]

Would repeat if we weren’t busy fighting all those wars

I almost went to A&M.

I enlisted in the military straight out of high school and took correspondence classes via Oklahoma and Maryland to get my associates.
A&M offered me to go there to finish my bachelors and I'd have gone to Officer Training School (OTS) after and finished my military career as an officer.
It was a tough decision in my early 20's, but opted to stay enlisted and finish my degree at Southern Miss then went back to civilian life.