Who is the top College Football Team of the last 50 years?

[ladyhawke]

Ok-here is the answer to Who is the top college football PROGRAM of the last 50 years: US!!!!!! (NEBRASKA!!! #1

2. Ohio State

3. Penn State

4. Alabama

5. Oklahoma

6. USC (University of Southern California)

7. Michigan

8. Miami

9. Notre Dame

10. Florida State

When I was reading all of Nebraska's accolades it made me a little sad. We were so good. I'm so happy I was around to see those great teams of the 90's. My husband got to see the '71 game! I really hope we can recapture some of that grit, some of that magic. I look forward to the day when other teams fear playing against Nebraska. I long for a return to good old fashion smash mouth football because we were so good at it! (Waxing nostalgia tonight!) GBR!

 

[UABAlum]

This question needs clarification. The top program over 50 years? Or the best team during the last 50 years (school and year)? Or an all-star team of the best players who played during the last 50 years?

The best team in 50 years? You got me. The best of all time was probably 1945 Army. They had almost every real football player drafted into the army and beat #2 team 48-0. Best team of last 50 years is tough because of rule changes. Rule changes around 1980 pushed by TV made scores higher (and games less boring). Today's athletes are bigger, stronger and faster than before thanks to modern medicine (legal and not) so the best team could be a more recent team.

The top 10 programs with the best winning percentage for the past 50 years is Nebraska, followed by Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Southern Cal, Florida, Florida State.

The program with the most national championships over 50 years using the AP and Coaches Poll: (Coaches poll same as BCS in the BCS era; also, some years have split champions)

1st Alabama with 8 titles ('64, '65, '73, '78, '79, '92, '09, '11)

2nd USC with 7 titles ('62, '67, '72, '74, '78, '03, '04),

3rd Nebraska with 5 titles ('70, '71, '94, '95, '97)

3rd Miami with 5 titles ('83, '87, '89, '91, '01),

5th Notre Dame with 4 titles ('66, '73, '77, '88),

5th Oklahoma with 4 titles ('74, '75, '85, '00),

5th Texas with 4 titles ('63, '69, '70, '05)

8th Florida with 3 titles ('96, '06, '08)

9th Florida State with 2 titles ('93, '99)

9th Ohio State with 2 titles ('69, '02)

9th Penn State with 2 titles ('82, '86)

 

[Excel]

Good find. I found stats for the past 30 years:

BY WINS:

Nebraska - 309; Penn St. - 282; Michigan - 279; Alabama- 271; Ohio St. - 264

​

BY WINNING %:

Nebraska - .841; Michigan - .790; Penn St. - .786; Ohio St. - .752; Alabama - .750

​

Where?

 

[ZRod]

Before I seeing UAB's post I would have definitely said Alabama #1 and that just confirms it. They disappeared for awhile there but they were dominate for almost 3 decades and they are now back at the top for the foreseeable future. Not to mention the Crimson Tide and Bear Bryant are name brands around the country.

After that it would have been a toss up between NU, USC, and Miami. Maybe would sprinkle in Ohio State and Oklahoma because they consistently appeared in the big games, but their inability to win them really hurts. No respect what so ever for Notre Dame and texas, not because I'm a Nebraska fan just because they are flashes in the pan. They have so much hype around them but consistently fail to live up to expectations. Granted tejas probably does have a good argument, if McCoy didn't get hurt they more than likely would have another championship.

 

[ladyhawke]

This question needs clarification. The top program over 50 years? Or the best team during the last 50 years (school and year)? Or an all-star team of the best players who played during the last 50 years?

The best team in 50 years? You got me. The best of all time was probably 1945 Army. They had almost every real football player drafted into the army and beat #2 team 48-0. Best team of last 50 years is tough because of rule changes. Rule changes around 1980 pushed by TV made scores higher (and games less boring). Today's athletes are bigger, stronger and faster than before thanks to modern medicine (legal and not) so the best team could be a more recent team.

The top 10 programs with the best winning percentage for the past 50 years is Nebraska, followed by Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Southern Cal, Florida, Florida State.

The program with the most national championships over 50 years using the AP and Coaches Poll: (Coaches poll same as BCS in the BCS era; also, some years have split champions)

1st Alabama with 8 titles ('64, '65, '73, '78, '79, '92, '09, '11)

2nd USC with 7 titles ('62, '67, '72, '74, '78, '03, '04),

3rd Nebraska with 5 titles ('70, '71, '94, '95, '97)

3rd Miami with 5 titles ('83, '87, '89, '91, '01),

5th Notre Dame with 4 titles ('66, '73, '77, '88),

5th Oklahoma with 4 titles ('74, '75, '85, '00),

5th Texas with 4 titles ('63, '69, '70, '05)

8th Florida with 3 titles ('96, '06, '08)

9th Florida State with 2 titles ('93, '99)

9th Ohio State with 2 titles ('69, '02)

9th Penn State with 2 titles ('82, '86)

Best football PROGRAM of the past 50 years. (I did clarify it-repeatedly )

 

[ladyhawke]

Good find. I found stats for the past 30 years:

BY WINS:

Nebraska - 309; Penn St. - 282; Michigan - 279; Alabama- 271; Ohio St. - 264

​

BY WINNING %:

Nebraska - .841; Michigan - .790; Penn St. - .786; Ohio St. - .752; Alabama - .750

​

Where?

Sorry, I don't remember. CBS or something? Sorry-I tried to retrieve it but couldn't find it again. Sorry.

 

[Excel]

This question needs clarification. The top program over 50 years? Or the best team during the last 50 years (school and year)? Or an all-star team of the best players who played during the last 50 years?

The best team in 50 years? You got me. The best of all time was probably 1945 Army. They had almost every real football player drafted into the army and beat #2 team 48-0. Best team of last 50 years is tough because of rule changes. Rule changes around 1980 pushed by TV made scores higher (and games less boring). Today's athletes are bigger, stronger and faster than before thanks to modern medicine (legal and not) so the best team could be a more recent team.

The top 10 programs with the best winning percentage for the past 50 years is Nebraska, followed by Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Southern Cal, Florida, Florida State.

The program with the most national championships over 50 years using the AP and Coaches Poll: (Coaches poll same as BCS in the BCS era; also, some years have split champions)

1st Alabama with 8 titles ('64, '65, '73, '78, '79, '92, '09, '11)

2nd USC with 7 titles ('62, '67, '72, '74, '78, '03, '04),

3rd Nebraska with 5 titles ('70, '71, '94, '95, '97)

3rd Miami with 5 titles ('83, '87, '89, '91, '01),

5th Notre Dame with 4 titles ('66, '73, '77, '88),

5th Oklahoma with 4 titles ('74, '75, '85, '00),

5th Texas with 4 titles ('63, '69, '70, '05)

8th Florida with 3 titles ('96, '06, '08)

9th Florida State with 2 titles ('93, '99)

9th Ohio State with 2 titles ('69, '02)

9th Penn State with 2 titles ('82, '86)

Best football PROGRAM of the past 50 years. (I did clarify it-repeatedly )

More though...titles? Wins? National Championships? Quality wins? Best home stretch? Recruiting? Fewest down years? Bowls? Revenue? Attendance? Heismans? Coaching trees?

Many things play into 'best.'

There's a fairly strong argument for Bama, tons of wins, the titles and being more or less consistent.

 

[walksalone]

95 Huskers

I don't need to go into the dominance. They are the team, by which all other should be measured. I don't care about how many first rounders there were on the '01 Canes. That 95 Huskers team would have done the same thing to them that they did to Spurrier's kids. I know that, you guys know that.

 

[Notre Dame Joe]

Great list: Perhaps the 1991 Miami team needs honorable mention because of the wonderful Bit** Slap they put on Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

1990 Canes in the 1991 Cotton Bowl. Lou had already carved them up in South Bend.