The Ten Greatest Programs in College Football History

[ericd7633]

Michigan win % from 1869-2019: #1
Michigan win % from 1919-2019: #6
Michigan win % from 1969-2019: #6

National championships from 1869-1928: 5
National championships from 1919-1968: 4
National championships from 1969-2018: 1

They really did take advantage of the first 50 years of college football in terms of wins and championships. It should still be included, but it should be weighted in some capacity given how much has changed in 100 years. Which would even hurt my own teams rank in lists like these.

I'd go:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Oklahoma
4. Notre Dame
5. USC
6. Nebraska
7. Michigan
8. Texas
9. Florida State
10. Miami

 

[LawDawg]

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.

I'll be more clear ... the weather didn't change 2 or 3 decades ago, that's obvious ... college football did, for the reasons I stated. This is commonly understood by anyone that follows college football.

I believe cold weather cuts against northern schools. But, as my post clearly pointed out, there are other reasons for the the shift from the north to south when it comes to dominance in modern football by teams from the south, and the northern teams not being able to compete as well as they once could.

By the way, I am more than willing to discuss this with you, but you seem to get all angry in these posts and call people names. I am neither narrow minded, nor an idiot. So, let's just discuss our thoughts.

 

[Red_Alert]

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

That's why I question Day just carrying on Ohio St's dominance.

Following Tressel and Urbs, what are the odds that Ohio St has 3 elite coaches in a row?

I always felt Nebraska was lucky to have Devaney and Osborne back-to-back.

 

[tducey]

Thanks for posting this list. Really thought and think myself that the Sooners should be higher on this list than #10.

 

[Red_Alert]

I'll be more clear ... the weather didn't change 2 or 3 decades ago, that's obvious ... college football did, for the reasons I stated. This is commonly understood by anyone that follows college football.

I believe cold weather cuts against northern schools. But, as my post clearly pointed out, there are other reasons for the the shift from the north to south when it comes to dominance in modern football by teams from the south, and the northern teams not being able to compete as well as they once could.

By the way, I am more than willing to discuss this with you, but you seem to get all angry in these posts and call people names. I am neither narrow minded, nor an idiot. So, let's just discuss our thoughts.

Ohio St completely wrecks your argument.

Yeah. You're a narrow minded idiot. I'm sure of it.

 

[LawDawg]

Ohio St completely wrecks your argument.

Yeah. You're a narrow minded idiot. I'm sure of it.

One team doesn't wreck my argument. In the past 20 years, 17 of the 20 NCs have been from the south. 2 from the north - that's Ohio State. I'll put USC in the West. Are you seriously arguing that college football dominance hasn't shifted from the north/midwest to the south over the past 2-3 decades? And, I'm the idiot?

 

[Red_Alert]

2014 Gator Bowl

Nebraska 24
Georgia 19

That's Bo fucking Pelini Nebraska.

Mind you.............If it weren't for the cold Nebraska weather, it would have been 50 - 19. Derp

 

[Red_Alert]

One team doesn't wreck my argument. In the past 20 years, 17 of the 20 NCs have been from the south. 2 from the north - that's Ohio State. I'll put USC in the West. Are you seriously arguing that college football dominance hasn't shifted from the north/midwest to the south over the past 2-3 decades? And, I'm the idiot?

Correct. Arizona St, Arizona, UCLA, FSU, Florida, Miami, South Carolina, Texas, etc... Wreck your argument too.

 

[Red_Alert]

One team doesn't wreck my argument. In the past 20 years, 17 of the 20 NCs have been from the south. 2 from the north - that's Ohio State. I'll put USC in the West. Are you seriously arguing that college football dominance hasn't shifted from the north/midwest to the south over the past 2-3 decades? And, I'm the idiot?

Not arguing that.

I'm arguing your narrow minded reasoning why.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Not one Texas poster to be found on this thread.

 

[Skerpokes]

One team doesn't wreck my argument. In the past 20 years, 17 of the 20 NCs have been from the south. 2 from the north - that's Ohio State. I'll put USC in the West. Are you seriously arguing that college football dominance hasn't shifted from the north/midwest to the south over the past 2-3 decades? And, I'm the idiot?

2014 Gator Bowl

Nebraska 24
Georgia 19

That's Bo fucking Pelini Nebraska.

Mind you.............If it weren't for the cold Nebraska weather, it would have been 50 - 19. Derp

Just here to help with visuals

 

[Bullitt08]

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

Awarded or claimed. Yep the old king of the hills pretty much fell off the hill. But over all in awarded in CFB history Michigan is 8th. Claimed is below. What is interesting is that 5 of the claimed is before WWI was over. Nobody that saw any of those games are alive today. Also looks like you and ND need to settle 1947 to break the tie because it looks like there won't be any other tie breakers any time soon.

School Claimed
national
championships Seasons Source
Princeton 28 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950 [47]
Yale 27 1872, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1927 [48][49]
Alabama 17 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 [50]
Michigan 11 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997 [51]
Notre Dame 11 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 [52]
USC 11a 1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 [53]
Pittsburgh 9 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976 [54]
Ohio State 8 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014 [55][56]
Harvard 7 1890, 1898, 1899, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 [57]
Minnesota 7 1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 [58]
Oklahoma 7 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 [59]
Penn 7 1894, 1895, 1897, 1904, 1907e, 1908, 1924 [60]
Michigan State 6 1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966 [61]
Tennessee 6 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998 [62][63]
California 5 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937 [64]
Cornell 5 1915, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1939

 

[LawDawg]

Not arguing that.

I'm arguing your narrow minded reasoning why.

Well, this is what I posted:

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.

So, if that is what you are arguing against, good luck with that.

 

[LawDawg]

Correct. Arizona St, Arizona, UCLA, FSU, Florida, Miami, South Carolina, Texas, etc... Wreck your argument too.

How do those schools wreck my argument ... 4 of those schools, from the south, have NCs in the modern football era?

17 of the past 20 NCs are from the south. If I had the time to run the numbers, the top teams are predominantly from the south.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Tennessee?

 

[Red_Alert]

Not one Texas poster to be found on this thread.

It's warm there though. What's there excuse?

 

[Red_Alert]

Just here to help with visuals

That makes no fucking sense tho. It's been cold in Lincoln the last 2 or 3 decades.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

It's warm there though. What's there excuse?

I threw Texas posters a slow hanging curve with this thread and the fvcks still whiffed. That group is about as useful as tits on a nun.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

I'd go:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Oklahoma
4. Notre Dame
5. USC
6. Nebraska
7. Michigan
8. Texas
9. Florida State
10. Miami

Recognize. Florida State & Miami U. These two should had been on the list.

 

[Red_Alert]

Well, this is what I posted:

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.

So, if that is what you are arguing against, good luck with that.

Black players have been playing in the south since the 70's, 80's, and 90's. GTFO
.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Awarded or claimed. Yep the old king of the hills pretty much fell off the hill. But over all in awarded in CFB history Michigan is 8th. Claimed is below. What is interesting is that 5 of the claimed is before WWI was over. Nobody that saw any of those games are alive today. Also looks like you and ND need to settle 1947 to break the tie because it looks like there won't be any other tie breakers any time soon.

School Claimed
national
championships Seasons Source
Princeton 28 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950 [47]
Yale 27 1872, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1927 [48][49]
Alabama 17 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 [50]
Michigan 11 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997 [51]
Notre Dame 11 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 [52]
USC 11a 1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 [53]
Pittsburgh 9 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976 [54]
Ohio State 8 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014 [55][56]
Harvard 7 1890, 1898, 1899, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 [57]
Minnesota 7 1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 [58]
Oklahoma 7 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 [59]
Penn 7 1894, 1895, 1897, 1904, 1907e, 1908, 1924 [60]
Michigan State 6 1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966 [61]
Tennessee 6 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998 [62][63]
California 5 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937 [64]
Cornell 5 1915, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1939

Yeah, and fuck that "awarded" bullshit. Your example of 1947 proves just that -- ND awarded the title prior to bowl games, Michigan beats USC by a greater margin than ND did in the Rose bowl and ND doesn't participate in any bowl.

Again, we're talking all time. There is no weighting current titles vs. older titles. If you want to talk about recently? I'd still argue in the last 50 years Michigan has been one of the top 10 programs. In fact, I found a list that looks at just that:

College football's winningest programs over past 50 years

And throw a national title in that span as well. Michigan ranks 5th. And keep in mind, that's with whatever atrocious football we played for 7 years under Hoke and RR.