While it is difficult to remain at the top of your game for that long, some schools have nearly gone the distance, with most starting dynasties in the last century. College football began as a strictly Northeastern affair back in the 19th century, concentrated mostly in the Ivy League, but the sport spread like wildfire, first to the Midwest, then to the South, and finally out West. Over the more than 150-year history of the sport, there have been many brilliant and accomplished schools.
1. 2001 Miami Hurricanes
It was essentially an NFL team playing in the college ranks, and the season results bore that out: the ‘Canes were 12-0, winning each game by an average of 43-10 and holding eight opponents to seven points or less. Quarterback Ken Dorsey, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, was probably not even the best player on this team, coached by Larry Coker.
The running back group included future NFL stars Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, and Clinton Portis. There was wide receiver Andre Johnson and tight ends Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. They won by a point difference of 187-45 in their final four games of the season, all against teams ranked in the top 15, which included a 37-14 victory over the No. 4 Nebraska squad in the Rose Bowl to capture the BCS National Championship.
2. The 2005 Texas Longhorns
The 2005 Texas Longhorns, led by quarterback Vince Young, are still among the best of all time. Under Mack Brown, the Longhorns finished 13-0 and won all three of their games, including a resounding victory over the Colorado Buffaloes that gave them the Big Ten title (70-3) and a memorable Rose Bowl matchup against USC that saw the Longhorns defeat the Trojans 41-38.
3. 2004 USC Trojans
In the BCS National Championship Game, quarterback Matt Leinart led the Pete Carroll-coached Trojans to their second consecutive national title, winning the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, and Manning Award along the way. Leinart threw five touchdown passes, and running backs LenDale White and Reggie Bush combined for 193 yards rushing in a 55-19 rout of Oklahoma as SC finished 13-0.
All-Americans in the consensus were Bush, Leinart, linebacker Matt Grootegoed, and defensive lineman Shaun Cody; the Trojans won their games by an average score of 38–13, and they were one of three unbeaten teams that season (the other two being Utah and Auburn).
4. 2019 LSU Tigers
Coached by Ed Orgeron and led by Heisman winner Joe Burrow, the Tigers went undefeated at 15-0 and emerged as the national champions. Along the way, they defeated Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia. They advanced to the college football playoffs, where they defeated Oklahoma, ranked #4, and Clemson, ranked #3, to win the championship. On offense, the team broke numerous records, and Burrow won the Heisman by the largest margin in history.
5. 2018 Clemson Tigers
The Dabo Swinney-coached Tigers went on to become the first 15-0 team since 1897 and crushed Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide 44-16 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Lawrence and the offense averaged 526 yards per game, and the defense gave up only 13 points per game, the best in the nation. Lawrence took over the quarterback reins from Kelly Bryant in the fifth game and never looked back.
6. 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers
As the top-ranked team in the country, the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers led by head coach Tom Osborne to a 12-0 record. Seeking to build on their 1994 victory, the team defeated three ranked opponents this season: the Kansas Jayhawks, the Colorado Buffaloes, and the Kansas State Wildcats. They ended the season with a 62-24 victory over the second-ranked Florida Gators, which gave them the 1995 NCAA Division I-A championship.
7. 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide
With players like RB Najee Harris, WR DeVonta Smith, QB Mac Jones, CB Patrick Surtain II, and WR Jaylen Waddle, coach Nick Saban had assembled a team full of future NFL stars. The Crimson Tide narrowly defeated Florida in the SEC title game and then dominated Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals and Ohio State in the championship game.
8. 1956 Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners, led by future Hall of Fame head coach Bud Wilkinson and standout quarterback Jim Harris, had one of the most cohesive seasons in team history during the 1956 season; they defeated the number 18-ranked Colorado Buffaloes and went undefeated at 10-0 before defeating Oklahoma A&M 53-0 on December 1st, 1956 to repeat as national champions.
9. The 1994 Penn State Nittany Lions
Unlike the other teams on this list, the 1994 Nittany Lions are regarded as one of the best teams to finish the season without winning a championship. Under Joe Paterno’s coaching, the team finished with a perfect 12-0 record and defeated the Oregon Ducks in the title game.
However, at the time, the college football system was different in that the championship was awarded by vote to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, a decision that is still controversial today. Many people still feel that the Lions should have been co-champions. Despite everything, the team is among the best in school history, boasting a perfect record, and three players (Kyle Brady, Ki-Jana Carter, and Kerry Collins) were selected in the NFL draft.
10. The 1902 Michigan Wolverines
Rewinding to 1902, the Michigan Wolverines, under the direction of Fielding H. Yost, was an unstoppable offensive machine that outscored opponents 644 to 12, scoring more than 100 points on offense twice and averaging about 59 points per game. Quarterback Boss Weeks led the offense, with halfback Albert E. Herrnstein leading the way in scoring. The Wolverines are often recognized as the national champions for that 1902 campaign.
Also read:
