The Ten Greatest Programs in College Football History

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

The past 70 years should carry a lot more weight than 1890, 1910, 1920.

In the past 70 years, Michigan has half a national championship (1997) in which they didn't even have to play any of the Top 7 teams available to get it. As others have said, to give that much weight to football that was played 80, 90, 100 years ago, they might as well put Princeton and Harvard in the poll.

I'd put Oklahoma #2 or #3 and move Michigan somewhere around 8th.

Not sure Texas even belongs at #4. ND and USC could make arguments for that spot.

Wait? Using your logic here

ND who hasn't won a natty since 1988??? That ND??

 

[LawDawg]

It can be done...Michigan has the financial resources, alumni, fan base and yes tradition to make it happen. I will probably step on some toes by writing this, but it's not with Harbaugh. He has made improvements beyond Hoke, RichRod, but he's not the guy to bring them back to prominence, whatever your definition of that is. They are going to need a young coach who is going to run an offense from this century, recruit the south and west coast well

So, you think that UM will be able to get the lineman and skill players from the south to go to the north? Your population is shrinking. The players that make a difference are largely from the south. I just don't see that happening. Kids don't want to go freeze, and your tradition which is great for many of us oulds doesn't mean shit to kids these days. If Harbaugh can't do it, who do you think that can?

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

So mostest with the leastest??

With the least what? Of current P5 programs, Michigan is tied in 2nd for most national titles.

 

[Red_Alert]

Wait? Using your logic here

ND who hasn't won a natty since 1988??? That ND??

Yep. That ND.

They've won nattys in '77, '73, '66 too

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

So, you think that UM will be able to get the lineman and skill players from the south to go to the north? Your population is shrinking. The players that make a difference are largely from the south. I just don't see that happening. Kids don't want to go freeze, and your tradition which is great for many of us oulds doesn't mean shit to kids these days. If Harbaugh can't do it, who do you think that can?

The right coach, right staff can get warm weather kids to play there. The weather is the same in Ann Arbor as it is in Columbus. Kids likely dont care about tradition, but they do care about winning and exposure. Location and weather are very insignificant factors. Being a part of a winning program overrides that. Otherwise Hawaii would be the best in everything


I don't know who THE coach is, if I did I would call UofM Athletic dept. But I know it's not Harbaugh

 

[LawDawg]

Of course not, I agree with your statement here. Winning a natty cures a lot of ills and reshapes the perception of a program's legacy.

Let me ask you this:

Program A: averages 10 wins a season, never wins a natty but is generally in the picture

vs.

Program B: averages 5-7 wins a year but within that decade pulls it together and wins 1 natty.

Who is the better program overall?

I don't want to be either program. Program A was the Dawgs under Richt. We fired him. Fortunately, we've not been Program B. You are going to have a hard time winning a natty, and even if you did, it's going to take more to win consistently over demographics. Like tOSU, UM is likely one of the few programs in the north that can do it. Just think it is unlikely. Seriously, the main thing you can hang your optimism on is that tOSU has remained more than relevant in today's college football. You just have to figure out to do what they have been doing.

 

[LawDawg]

The right coach, right staff can get warm weather kids to play there. The weather is the same in Ann Arbor as it is in Columbus. Kids likely dont care about tradition, but they do care about winning and exposure. Location and weather are very insignificant factors. Being a part of a winning program overrides that. Otherwise Hawaii would be the best in everything


I don't know who THE coach is, if I did I would call UofM Athletic dept. But I know it's not Harbaugh

You are way underestimating weather, IMO.

 

[Red_Alert]

So, you think that UM will be able to get the lineman and skill players from the south to go to the north? Your population is shrinking. The players that make a difference are largely from the south. I just don't see that happening. Kids don't want to go freeze, and your tradition which is great for many of us oulds doesn't mean shit to kids these days. If Harbaugh can't do it, who do you think that can?

It gets cold in Ohio too.

 

[LawDawg]

It gets cold in Ohio too.

See my post above ... that you have remained more than relevant in modern college football is the main thing UM has going for its future hopes, IMO.

 

[Red_Alert]

See my post above ... that you have remained more than relevant in modern college football is the main thing UM has going for its future hopes, IMO.

If cold weather were anywhere near the dominating factor you imply, Miami, Florida, FSU, USC, Texas, would never have dropped off.

UCLA, Arizona, Arizona St, Texas A&M, etc would all have be powerhouses.

The weather didn't just change in 2017 when Georgia finally went (13-2).

 

[LawDawg]

If cold weather were anywhere near the dominating factor you imply, Miami, Florida, FSU, USC, Texas, would never have dropped off.

UCLA, Arizona, Arizona St, Texas A&M, etc would all have be powerhouses.

The weather didn't just change in 2017 when Georgia finally went (13-2).

I didn't say it changed in 2017. It's been changing for the past 2 or 3 decades. This isn't something I am making up ... it's been discussed here over the years, and elsewhere. The main thing that shifted the power in college football from north to south was allowing black players to play, limiting rosters, and the general shift of population from north to south. Part of the shift from north to south is weather. Seriously, southern kids from Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama who have grown up in high heat and humidity don't want to go and live in Michigan where it's cold from November - March, in general. So, weather is part of it ... you won't be able to get enough southern kids to go north to overcome that disadvantage.

 

[kburjr]

History ain't what it used to be.

 

[Red_Alert]

I didn't say it changed in 2017. It's been changing for the past 2 or 3 decades. This isn't something I am making up ... it's been discussed here over the years, and elsewhere. The main thing that shifted the power in college football from north to south was allowing black players to play, limiting rosters, and the general shift of population from north to south. Part of the shift from north to south is weather. Seriously, southern kids from Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama who have grown up in high heat and humidity don't want to go and live in Michigan where it's cold from November - March, in general. So, weather is part of it ... you won't be able to get enough southern kids to go north to overcome that disadvantage.

The weather didn't change 2 or 3 decades ago either. Anybody who's given the weather here any major credibility over the years is a narrow minded idiot.

The weather didn't halt Nebraska's 40 years of dominance and 5 National Titles.

Bill Callahan, Bo Plelini, and Mike Riley did.

 

[Red_Alert]

What the narrow minded don't get is that there are really only 3 coaches at best that are elite in any given generation.

Elite coaches win. Kids want to play for elite coaches.

 

[Skerpokes]

He forgot an "s" at the end of the "decade-long rut" for Nebraska

 

[Red_Alert]

He forgot an "s" at the end of the "decade-long rut" for Nebraska

I noticed that too.

 

[Wamu]

So, history starts at the most desirable time for people who wish to disregard Michigan.

Not disregarding UofM. But I can't put them in the top 3 w/ only one outright Natty in more than 70's years. Already said that. That doesn't seem to sit well with you though. They belong somewhere in the top 8 or so. But I've never been good at lists like this so not sure where to put them. Other than outside of the top 3.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

List.... pfft.

I am glad to see everyone argue & bitch about where their team is or isn't on the list. No one bitching about Bama being #1 means you guys are over your Bama Fatigue?

 

[kburjr]

What the narrow minded don't get is that there are really only 3 coaches at best that are elite in any given generation.

Elite coaches win. Kids want to play for elite coaches.

I can totally agree with this. What is Alabama going to be when St. Nick retires? Good, probably, but it is no guarantee.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

I can totally agree with this. What is Alabama going to be when St. Nick retires? Good, probably, but it is no guarantee.

True... It may not last forever. I have truly enjoyed the ride.

Something tells me that Dabo may be interested in the Bama job, one day.