Greatest College Football Programs

The Top Ten
1 Alabama

I'm a middle aged Notre Dame fan in Illinois and just I voted Alabama #1. Why? Because a "Greatest of All Time" list means you have to be great throughout the history of college football. I love Notre Dame but only Alabama has been consistently great in the distant past, the recent past, right now in the present, and will be great on into the future. Notre Dame was only great from the 1920s-1980s. But in actuality our decline isn't confined to the last 28 years since our last national championship in 1988. It has actually been trending down for the past 50 years, since 1965. In the past 50 years Notre Dame has won 4 national titles and 1 Heisman trophy. Alabama has won 9 national titles, 2 Heisman trophies, and a lot more bowl games than and. I'm a Fighting Irish fan who is reasonable and realistic, and I have no problem admitting Alabama has overtaken us by now in prestige, tradition, and overall value.

After winning 3 National Championships and beating 2 long time thorns in their side (Texas and Notre Dame), Alabama left no doubt who the greatest program of all time is by winning their 4th National Championship in 7 years.
Here is the scary part, as long as Nick Saban is the Head Coach in Tuscaloosa, they'll always be in contention to win another one. And what if the next Championship is next year? That would make 5 uncontested, unshared titles out of the last 10 years... unprecedented.
It's not that I don't like Alabama, because I do, it's because I'm tired of them winning everything, all the time. But even still, I sometimes sit back and stare at the T.V. in awe and say "man, they just won't die". My hat is off to Alabama, they are the king.

2 Ohio State

Ohio State was a football powerhouse long before Alabama. They have far more individual awards (Heisman's, etc.). They have 8 National Championships (could easily claim more), they have the highest ALL-TIME AP ranking, and have spent more time at AP#1 than anyone, period. They have far more All-Americans than Alabama, and far more NFL talent over the years. And while Alabama has dominated a sometimes weak SEC, Ohio State dominated the Big 10 for years when the Big Ten's other teams such as Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, etc., were typically top ten teams - not to mention dominating Nebraska and Penn State since they have joined the Big 10. I can see USC ranked above them on this list, although that is questionable - and Oklahoma is often listed as the top all-time collegiate program, and to be fair, Alabama should be a top five all-time team - but above OSU, I don't think so.

3 Notre Dame

Being #3 on this list is an affront to my fandom & to my identity as a man. But if I'm being rational as a CFB fan & being honest with myself, it's probably fair. We should be #2 ahead of Ohio State at least (even though they've obliterated us in our last 3 matchups in big bowl games) since we have 8 consensus national titles in the poll era and Ohio State only has 5. Everything else is about equal between us in all the other areas with us having slight leads over them in those other categories. Only Alabama should be ahead of us because they've legitimately surpassed us now. It ' sucks and I can't stand it, but we've screwed around too much in the past 25 years and we've allowed Alabama to pass us. With the new "doom and gloom" mentality being the mindset that has set in among our fanbase; the stringent academic requirements; and the new focus/center of CFB being the Southeast, Alabama is the greatest program ever right now because their present and future look just as bright as their past. Now, we just need to use that as our motivation to rise up and take back the throne. Otherwise they'll just pull away from us if we don't get our act together.

4 Michigan

Most wins in CFB history, three heisman winners, second best all time record, 127 first team all Americans. This year, Michigan played THREE teams that have been in the top five. So many CFB and NFL greats went here like tom Brady, Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard. Not to mention the 2nd oldest CFB team in history w/ 136 seasons, And our four consecutive national championships from 1901 to 1904. I can't believe and and OSU are ranked higher than us. Wolverines taught the fighting Irish how to play football, and OSU could easily have double its national championships if they didn't play us at the end of the season. To top it off, we have the best fight song in college football, The Victors.

Michigan has the second largest stadium in the world(India has the first.
Michigan has won 920 games.
September 7, 2013 the Michigan Stadium held 115,109 people that broke the all-time attendance record for a college or NFL game!
Michigan's 1901 team was the first team to ever go undefeated, untied and not allow a team to score a point on them and win the Rose Bowl without being scored on.
Michigan's: The Victors is one of the most widely recognized songs in college football today.

5 Oklahoma

Are you kidding? OU is number 3 in national championships all time ( 7 AP) #1 if they claimed all of them (17), number 4 in heisman winners, number 3 in draft picks, has the longest winning streak in college football history (47) which will never be broken, has scored more points than any other program, 2nd most weeks ranked #1 AP (trailing Ohio State by 2 weeks), fewest losing seasons in college football history, Most top 5 finishes all time, most games won since WWII. OU is the GOAT no question. OU wasn't a state until 1907 and OU wasn't a relevant program since 1950. Think about if OU got started when Michigan did in the late 1800's. OU has accomplished more than anybody in 67 years. #Boomer #OU

Oklahoma is the most consistent program ever. Every decade besides the 90s they were always a top 10 powerhouse year in and year out. Not to mention right now in the modern era where talent is higher than ever they are churning out greater offensive players and great quarterbacks in college and the NFL. The fact that Michigan higher is terrible Oklahoma is a top 3 program at least.

6 USC

USC and Notre Dame are literally the two best college football programs of all time, and no other team, not even Nick Satan's Alabama is close to being as good as these. I'm surprised the USC vs Notre Dame Rivalry isn't bigger than Alabama and Auburn.

11 claimed Titles (5 consensus, 8 recognized by the NCAA), 6 Heisman winners, 36 Conference Championships, 80 Consensus All-Americans, 31 College Football Hall of Famers, most players drafted by the NFL (487) and most NFL Hall of Famers (11). King of the Rose Bowl. * USC would have 1 more Championship and Heisman but it was vacated by the NCAA

11 Claimed National Championships (5 consensus, 8 recognized by the NCAA), 6 Heisman winners, 36 Conference Titles, 80 Consensus All-Americans, 31 College Football Hall of Famers and the most NFL draftees (487) and NFL HOF (11). King of the Rose Bowl.

7 Nebraska

Maybe not THE best program, but it did have THE best team of all time in the 1995 team. A great fanbase, a great stadium, and great tradition. Nebraska may not be that good now, but we have a chance to be dominant in the future

Side note; I think the 1983 team was the best team in college football history that did not win a national title.

Nebraska? When were they good,1995? Its 2015, this team has been an absolute joke since the mid 90s.

They were pretty good in the mid 90's & that was against a pathetically weak schedule that was crafted by Tom Osborne was infamous for scheduling cup cakes & scoring 90 points against Colgate & Western Nothern Southeast State Tech.made his team look unbeatable to the AP voters.

Nebraska is awesome, 1995 team most dominant of all time, they beat the unstoppable #2 Florida Gators 62 - 24 in the national championship game. No other team can compare.

8 Florida State

1 coach "Bobby Bowden" 34 years. Not to many schools could say that.
14 straight top ten finishes. No school can say that.
Unfortunately 3 wide left or right field goals cost us 3 national championships.

Boo

Most consistent team of last 30 years.

9 Texas

UT throughout the years has been a powerhouse. Not many teams have more all-time wins than the Longhorns. Although they are currently in a down period, you can rest assured they won't be down for long. Football is King in Texas, and The University of Texas has given their fans something to be proud of for years. Without a doubt they should be considered one of the best programs of all-time.

They have had some lean years lately but they've beaten the who's who of college football. 8-1 all time against Alabama, 2-1 against Ohio state ( overrated university). The talent they have produced and recruited such as Earl Campbell, Vince Young, Colt McCoy, Ricky Williams, Major Applewhite, Jamal Charles etc along with Mack holding a record for most consecutive ten win seasons speaks for itself.

Most dominant team of all time beat the 2 time reigning champs who were trying to make it a 3rd the cheating USC Trojans in 2005! Vincent Young

10 Miami

THE "U" posted 5 National Championships under four different head coaches
After THE "U" got ripped off in the NC game against Ohio State, the NCAA started using instant replay
"THE U" patented the pro-style offense in college football and made it what it is today
...and above all, THE "U" invented SWAG

Miami has been irrelevant since 2001, they were only good fro a short period between 1984 & 2000.
Outside that period they have been a joke, They don't belong in the top 15 of top tier teams.

Success in national championships is only matched by success in the NFL draft and pro bowls. Best players in this sport play in Miami

The Contenders
11 Tennessee

The folk saying they shouldn't be ranked higher because they never had a heisman winner, obviously never played team sports. It's all about the TEAM with the VOLS. Besides, they were robbed of two heismans in '56 & '97. Majors and manning should have won it. Definitely a Top 10 greatest program on Rocky Top!

I'd put them around 10...although the past decade they have been HORRIBLE. Weird since they've stunk so bad without being on probation or something. Talk about falling off a cliff.

Just Look at the statistics over 120 years - tied number two all time in bowl appearances and fifth in bowl wins and top 10 in wins and % and six national titles overall (could claim couple more) - LSU, Miami, and FSU cannot under any statistical measure be put above the Vols. Tennessee is definitely # 9 or 10 all time.

Miami has no history before the 80s and FSU before the 90s? LSU is about 12 all time I think.

These people have an extremely short sports memory.

12 LSU

A talent rich state and they get the loin's share from there as well as Mississippi and East Texas area.

13 Penn State

If we had Alabama's attitude about claiming National Championships, we would have at least 12! PSU is 3rd in wins since 1950 and has gone 15-9 since getting the worse sanctions in NCAA history (minus SMU)! Penn State will be back as a Title contender in a few years.

Beasts of the East! Linebacker U! Top 10 winningest program of all time and if we say the last 50 years, they're top 5! JoePa turned a regionally good team, into a nation power and Penn State has been one of the very best since 1966! WE ARE...

I know the NCAA took away 114 wins but let's be real, those games happened and Penn State won. How on earth did Oregon, Tennessee and LSU get higher on this list?

14 Oregon

Oregon! ? are you kidding me they shouldn't be on this list anywhere unless you need a good example of how not to play defense.

They've only been good recently. Doesn't belong on a list with teams rich in tradition and history

Oregon isn't even better than USC, Washington, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State and Utah Utes... Oregon has only made uniforms a dynamic change and also there spread option offense run n gun. That's it, not even deserving top 20

15 Army
16 Florida

Bull. Teams ahead of Florida that shouldn't be?
Auburn: Florida has more national titles and SEC Titles than Auburn.

West Virginia: Are you kidding me? They have NEVER won a championship.

Virginia: Again, NO championships.

Georgia: Has 2 championships, which is less than 3. Also, Georgia hasn't won the SEC in 11 years.

Army: Yeah, back in the 1940s...but not today.

Oregon: NO national championships at all, and they've had SEVERAL attempts. They're only ranked high because of their flashy uniforms.

Tennessee and Penn State: This is arguable. Florida has more championships than Penn State and leads the series against Tennessee. Toss up here.

LSU: Bandwagon central. People only like LSU because of Odell. LSU football was not on the map until Nick Saban came in 2000. Florida has had more All-Americans than LSU, way more division titles, and Florida leads the series against LSU.

FSU: Florida leads the series against FSU, and more ...more

Much better than teams such as West Virginia, Virginia (why are they even on the list), Georgia, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, LSU, and Florida State.

17 Virginia
18 Auburn

I heard Auburn had a losing record against the worst team in the SEC, Vanderbilt.

Best team not to win a national title the last 25 years.

Acutely auburn is 21-21 against Vanderbilt stupid!
.sorry I'm live in auburn

19 Michigan State Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is widely known for its men's basketball program, which has won two national championships.

Honestly, UM's glory days are over. Alabama, OSU, Notre Dame, and Florida State all should be ranked ahead of MSU, sure, but UM is no longer a great program. They have the most wins total, yes, but they have also been around longer than a lot of programs have, so they have over 20 seasons on some teams. Now let's get serious: when was the last time UM won a bowl game? A championship? When were they last relevant? Oh, they made the playoffs twice after winning a cake schedule and beating up on an injury-plagued OSU team? Sorry, that's not much of a case for recent relevance. UM has not been the dominant team in Michigan in two decades, and they don't seem on their way to changing that. MSU has consistently been good, save a few weird seasons, since they first existed as a program. They reached the playoffs against one of the best schedules in college football history before UM could even dream of having a .500 program in a decade. UM's time as a great football school is over. MSU has usurped their spot, and it doesn't seem like they'll slow down anytime soon.

20 Syracuse

They may be really crappy now but look what they were, a national championship, BCS Contenders in the 90s. But sadly, they have lost talent, and the only thing people care about are the southern schools, Ohio State. And those wannabe national champions Oregon and try to look good with their uniforms

21 West Virginia
22 Georgia

The university of Georgia is always a contender in the SEC, and should therefore be ranked much higher in this comparison.

Always have great recruiting and have the potential to win sec championship every year.

Ga should be ranked higher on this list they are allways contenders winning is a tradition.

23 Clemson
24 BYU
25 North Dakota
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