Greatest College Football Teams
It's easier to crack the College Football Playoff code than sort out the greatest national championship teams of the modern era, but let's give it the old college try.
First, a few ground rules.
We don’t know anyone who was around in November 1869, when Rutgers and New Jersey (later Princeton) butted heads in the first college football game ever. So only teams from the post-war era are eligible.
Schools get capped at two entries each to allow for a more diverse field. Our apologies, Alabama and Notre Dame.
Also, there is a limit of one team per decade. Maybe next time, 1975 Oklahoma, 1986 Penn State and 1999 Florida State.
Whoa, Nellie, we’re gonna have some pretty good arguments here.
Honorable Mention: 1980 Georgia Bulldogs
Record: 12-0
Finish: Beat No. 7 Notre Dame 17-10 in the Sugar Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, National Football Foundation, United Press International polls)
Key stats: Tailback Herschel Walker had one of the greatest freshman seasons ever. He rushed for 1,616 yards and scored 15 touchdowns with an offense that ran the ball 78 percent of the time.
Head coach: Vince Dooley
Notable players: Walker, defensive linemen Jimmy Payne, wide receiver Lindsay Scott, safety/kick returner Scott Woerner
Bottom line: A soft early schedule left this team unprepared for the grind that was to come later.
But the Dawgs gutted out three wins by a total of 25 points against ranked teams to escape unscathed.
It took a 92-yard pass from Buck Belue to Lindsay Scott to stun No. 20 Florida. While team voice Larry Munson nearly croaked in the broadcast booth.
30. 1998 Tennessee Volunteers
Record: 13-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Florida State 23-16 in the Fiesta Bowl (BCS Championship Game)
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: These Vols rode a balanced offense and stout defense to an unbeaten season. Quarterback Tee Martin passed for 19 touchdowns, while backs Travis Henry, Jamal Lewis and Travis Stephens ran for 450-plus yards apiece. Meanwhile, the defense gave up 14.5 points per game, eighth fewest in the country.
Head coach: Phillip Fullmer
Notable players: Henry, Martin, wide receiver Peerless Price, linebacker Al Wilson
Bottom line: Some jealous hearts called this team lucky. We call it clutch.
True, these Vols didn’t blow many teams away — they had wins of one, three, four, seven and eight points — but they made too many big plays in big moments to be considered flukes.
Oh, they also had a 6-0 record against ranked teams.
29. 2010 Auburn Tigers
Record: 14-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Oregon 22-19 in the BCS Championship Game
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: Their defense allowed an average of 24.1 points per game, which ranked 53rd in the country. Because the offense put up 40 points or more nine times, it had plenty of margin for error most games.
Head coach: Gene Chizik
Notable players: Quarterback Cam Newton, wide receiver Darvin Adams, defensive lineman Nick Fairley, offensive lineman Lee Ziemba
Bottom line: Know the big bully who tweaked noses on the playground? That was Cam Newton as a junior.
The quarterback had a hand in no fewer than 51 touchdowns — 20 on the ground and 31 in the air — one of them as a receiver, no less.
Then, the Heisman Trophy winner took a pay cut to play on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays.
28. 1981 Clemson Tigers
Record: 10-1
Finish: Beat No. 4 Nebraska 22-15 in the Orange Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: Their success formula was a simple one — control the ball on the ground then get the h-e-double-uprights out of the way. The defense allowed one touchdown in the first five games and more than 10 points only three times all season.
Head coach: Danny Ford
Notable players: Tailback Cliff Austin, linebacker Jeff Davis, safety Terry Kinard, wide receiver/kickoff returner Perry Tuttle
Bottom line: The Tigers began their victory march in Week 4 with a 13-3 smackdown of Herschel Walker and No. 4 Georgia at home.
It didn’t stop until they had become the first ACC team to win it all in 29 years.
27. 1958 Louisiana State Tigers
Record: 11-0
Finish: Beat No. 12 Clemson 7-0 in the Sugar Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, UPI)
Key stats: Baton Rougers still talk about the legendary Billy Cannon punt return that beat third-ranked Ole Miss on Halloween night in 1959 liked it happened yesterday. Ten months earlier, the halfback/punt returner/placekicker/punter was named Sugar Bowl Most Valuable Player, a fitting conclusion to the greatest season in school history.
Head coach: Paul Dietzel
Notable players: Cannon, offensive/defensive end Mel Branch, center Max Fugler, quarterback/safety Warren Rabb
Bottom line: In the days of limited substitution rules, Paul Dietzel divided his young squad into three 11-man groups — the White Team (all-around athletes), Go Team (ball movers) and popular Chinese Bandits (defensive hell-raisers).
The strategy kept the players fresh and wore down opponents in the meantime.
The defense allowed more than seven points in only one game and pitched shutouts in the final two.
26. 1955 Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 11-0
Finish: Beat No. 3 Maryland 20-6 in the Orange Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, UP)
Key stats: The Sooners ranked first in points scored (35.0 per game) and second in fewest points allowed (5.5) in the country.
Head coach: Bud Wilkinson
Notable players: Quarterback/defensive back Jimmy Harris, offensive/defensive halfback/kick returner Tommy McDonald, offensive/defensive halfback Clendon Thomas, center/linebacker Jerry Tubbs
Bottom line: These Sooners were the most dominant of the Bud Wilkinson-coached powerhouses in Norman, Oklahoma.
They barely broke a sweat in the Big 7 Conference season and steamrolled three ranked opponents by a combined 102-41 score.
The only surprise was that Maryland scored first in the Orange Bowl to break their streak of four consecutive shutouts.
25. 1968 Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 10-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Southern California 27-16 in the Rose Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: Three yards and a cloud of dust? No, this offense was more like 4 1/2 yards and a forearm shiver to the chin. The vaunted Buckeyes ground game averaged 301.8 yards and 3.4 touchdowns per game. Bruiser Jim Otis led the way with 985 and 17, respectively.
Head coach: Woody Hayes
Notable players: Otis, quarterback Rex Kern, middle guard Jim Stillwagon, defensive back Jack Tatum
Bottom line: You could hear the train a-comin' the previous season, which the Buckeyes closed with four impressive victories.
When what many considered to be the greatest sophomore class ever arrived ahead of schedule, Woody Hayes had his second national championship.
No. 1 Purdue, No. 4 Michigan and No. 2 USC were beaten along the way.
24. 1987 Miami Hurricanes
Record: 12-0
Finish: Beat No. 1 Oklahoma 20-14 in the Orange Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: In terms of speed and quickness, there was no better defense of its time. Opponents managed only 244.0 total yards and 1.0 touchdowns per game.
Head coach: Jimmy Johnson
Notable players: Safety Bennie Blades, wide receiver Michael Irvin, defensive lineman Daniel Stubbs, quarterback Steve Walsh
Bottom line: The turning point came in Week 3, when the No. 3 Canes edged No. 4 Florida State in their annual blood match.
The 26-25 victory was complete only after Noles coach Bobby Bowden opted for a 2-point conversion attempt that failed rather than rely on his no-good kicker.
The squeaker allowed the Canes to stay within reach of the top spot. They completed an unbeaten season with victories over ranked opponents in the final three games.
23. 1976 Pitt Panthers
Record: 12-0
Finish: Beat No. 5 Georgia 27-3 in the Sugar Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: Senior tailback Tony Dorsett (2,217 yards from scrimmage, 23 touchdowns) played the Road Runner to the opponents' Wile E. Coyote. So impressed were Navy cadets that, when T.D. broke Archie Griffin’s rushing record in Annapolis, they gave him a standing ovation and six-gun salute.
Head coach: Johnny Majors
Notable players: Dorsett, quarterback Matt Cavanaugh, safety Bob Jury, middle guard Al Romano
Bottom line: The Panthers had knocked on the door under Johnny Majors in his first three seasons. This time, they kicked the danged thing down.
After a 31-10 rout of Notre Dame in the season opener moved them from ninth to third in the AP poll, it was downhill from there.
Only West Virginia got within 10 points of this highly talented bunch, which became the third independent to win a national title.
22. 1982 Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 11-1
Finish: Beat No. 1 Georgia 27-23 in the Sugar Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: Never had a coach Joe Paterno team boasted this much depth of talent at the so-called skill positions. An offense that featured five future NFL players averaged 207.5 yards on the ground and 215.4 in the air per game. Only four teams averaged more points (32.9) in the country.
Head coach: Paterno
Notable players: Quarterback Todd Blackledge, wide receiver Kenny Jackson, linebacker Scott Radecic, tailback Curt Warner
Bottom line: A 42-21 clunker at No. 4 Alabama in Week 5 put the Nittany Lions in a bad spot. They wouldn’t lose again.
JoPa’s bunch proved their mettle with seven consecutive victories down the stretch, the last against Herschel Walker and Georgia in a battle of No. 1 versus No. 2.
21. 1969 Texas Longhorns
Record: 11-0
Finish: Beat No. 9 Notre Dame 21-17 in the Cotton Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: One year after head coach Darrell Royal and assistant Emory Ballard unveiled the wishbone offense, the three-back, triple-option scheme took off. The Longhorns outgained their overwhelmed opponents by a crazy 4-to-1 margin (363.0-90.0 per game) on the ground.
Head coach: Royal
Notable players: Defensive lineman Bill Atessis, halfback Jim Bertelsen, offensive tackle Bob McKay, quarterback James Street
Bottom line: The mighty Longhorns blew past their first nine opponents like a tornado through a trailer park.
That set the stage for an epic showdown versus Arkansas in Little Rock, a No. 1-versus-No. 2 matchup so widely hyped that President Richard Nixon made sure to be there.
The visitors scored late to bail out a 15-14 victory. Then they overcame the obligatory letdown in the Cotton Bowl to secure the crown that unbeaten Penn State also had a right to claim.
20. 1959 Syracuse Orangemen
Record: 11-0
Finish: Beat No. 4 Texas 23-14 in the Cotton Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: Orangemen led the NCAA in scoring offense (39.0 points per game), total offense (451.5 yards per game), rushing yards per game (313.6), pass completion percentage (.581), touchdown passes (21), total defense (96.2 yards per game) and rushing defense (19.3 yard per game).
Head coach: Ben Schwartzwalder
Notable players: Halfback Ernie Davis, guard Roger Davis, offensive/defensive end Fred Mautino, offensive tackle/placekicker Bob Yates
Bottom line: As an independent that played only three ranked opponents, this team is rarely mentioned among the all-time greats. Maybe it should be.
Ben Schwartzwalder liked his teams to be tough and physical, and this one was both and then some.
A 20-18 thriller at No. 7 Penn State was its only real test of the season.
19. 2013 Florida State
Record: 14-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Auburn 34-31 in the BCS championship game
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: Was this offense the greatest collection of athletic talent on one side of the field in college football history? Could be. It amassed 51.6 points and 519.1 yards per game and scored at least 34 points against each of five ranked opponents.
Head coach: Jimbo Fisher
Notable players: Tailback Devonta Freeman, defensive back Lemarcus Joyner, offensive lineman Bryan Stork, quarterback Jameis Winston
Bottom line: The Noles won their first 13 games by at least 14 points each. That’s the definition of take no prisoners, kids.
Now please explain why this team was ranked 11th in the AP preseason poll.
18. 1996 Florida Gators
Record: 12-1
Finish: Beat No. 1 Florida State 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: Danny Wuerffel passed for 3,625 yards and 39 touchdowns in a Heisman Trophy season. Then again, the quarterback had more options than a Denny’s menu. Six guys played key roles at the other skill positions with an offense that lit up scoreboards for an NCAA-high 47.0 points per game.
Head coach: Steve Spurrier
Notable players: Wuerffel, wide receiver/kickoff returner Ike Hilliard, wide receiver/kick returner Anthony Reidel, safety Lawrence Wright
Bottom line: Not only was this Steve Superior’s most talented and consistent team, but this marked his best performance as well.
Two months after No. 2 Florida State dealt his team a 24-21 loss in Tallahassee, the "Ol' Ball Coach" made several adjustments that were crucial in the rematch for all the marbles.
17. 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 12-1
Finish: Beat No. 1 Notre Dame 42-14 in the BCS championship game
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: Senior quarterback A.J. McCarron capped a brilliant college career with a .672 completion percentage and 30 touchdown passes versus three interceptions.
Head coach: Nick Saban
Notable players: McCarron, wide receiver Amari Cooper, running back Eddie Lacy, linebacker C.J. Mosley
Bottom line: These repeat champions showed they could win any which way.
Whereas the 2011 team bludgeoned opponents on defense, this group lit them up for 32-plus points in every game except two, a 29-24 loss against No. 15 Texas A&M among them.
16. 1993 Florida State Seminoles
Record: 12-1
Finish: Beat No. 2 Nebraska 18-16 in the Orange Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, UPI)
Key stats: Senior quarterback Charlie Ward ran the so-called "Fast Break" attack much like the point guard he was with the Noles' basketball team. The Heisman Trophy winner accounted for 259.3 yards from scrimmage per game in an offense that put up 40-or-more points eight times.
Head coach: Bobby Bowden
Notable players: Ward, linebacker Derrick Brooks, wide receiver Kez McCorvey, cornerback/punt returner Corey Sawyer
What to know: This underrated bunch faced seven ranked opponents and beat six of them.
The lone hiccup was a 31-24 setback at No. 2 Notre Dame, which lost to Boston College at home one week later.
The Noles moved into the top spot en route to their first national championship.
15. 2005 Texas Longhorns
Record: 13-0
Finish: Beat No. 1 Southern Cal 41-38 in the Rose Bowl (BCS title game)
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: So defense wins championships, huh? These were among the more one-dimensional national champions of recent vintage, but oh, what a dimension it was. The offense piled up 40-plus points in each of the final 11 games. Four players rushed for 10 touchdowns or more.
Head coach: Mac Brown
Notable players: Running back Jamaal Charles, offensive lineman Jonathan Scott, safety Michael Huff, quarterback Vince Young
Bottom line: What’s the distance between simply great and all-time greatness? In this case, 19 seconds.
Because if Vince Young hadn’t scored in the final minute of the Rose Bowl to complete an insane comeback, this team wouldn’t have made the list.
14. 2019 Louisiana State Tigers
Record: 15-0
Finish: Beat Clemson 42-25 in the BCS championship game
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWPPA/National Football Foundation polls)
Key stats: Transfer quarterback Joe Burrow captured the Heisman Trophy on the strength of a 76.3 pass completion rate, 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns in 60 quarters. The explosive offense rolled up at least 36 points in all except one game.
Head coach: Ed Orgeron
Notable players: Burrow, wide receiver J’Marr Chase, safety Grant Delpit, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Bottom line: In what some consider to be the most dominant season in college football history, the Tigers whupped seven top 10 teams by an average 43-24 score.
They had two close calls — 23-20 versus Auburn and 46-41 at Alabama in consecutive weeks.
Only a relatively down year in the Southeast Conference and a defense-challenged era prevents a higher rank here.
13. 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 11-1
Finish: Beat No. 1 Penn State 14-7 in the Sugar Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: What this Bama team had was strength in numbers, especially in the backfield, where a bevy of backs moved the ball consistently and wore down defenses in the process. A half-dozen players ran for a minimum of 200 yards and 4.6 per carry.
Head coach: Paul (Bear) Bryant
Notable players: Linebacker Barry Krauss, halfback/kick returner Tony Nathan, defensive lineman Marty Lyons, quarterback Jeff Rutledge
Bottom line: This wasn’t the most talented of the Bear Bryant-coached teams, but it was the most balanced and grittiest one.
That was apparent on the final play of the season, when the defense stuffed consecutive run attempts at the 1-yard line with the national title on the line.
They still call it "The Stand" down Bama way.
12. 1954 Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 10-0
Finish: Beat No. 17 Southern Cal 20-7 in the Rose Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP)
Key stats: The defense forced 35 turnovers and held a half-dozen ranked foes to an average of nine points per game. No opponent scored more than 14 points in any of the final five games.
Head coach: Woody Hayes
Notable players: Offensive/defensive halfback Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, offensive/defensive end Dean Dugger, quarterback Dave Leggett, offensive/defensive halfback Bobby Watkins
Bottom line: His 1968 champs may get more love, but a deeper dive says this is the best Woody Hayes-inspired team of them all.
The no-repeat rule prevented a date with No. 2 UCLA in the Rose Bowl, but by virtually every metric, the Buckeyes were the more battle-tested team.
11. 2008 Florida Gators
Record: 13-1
Finish: Beat No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS championship game
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: In a Heisman Trophy performance, quarterback Tim Tebow accounted for 55 percent of the offense with 673 yards on the ground, 2,746 in the air. Yet what set this team apart was an unusual balance — it ranked fourth in points scored (43.6) and fewest points allowed (12.9) in the country.
Head coach: Urban Meyer
Notable players: Tebow, defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap, running back/wide receiver Percy Harvin, cornerback Joe Haden
Bottom line: These deep and talented Gators dominated like few national champs of the modern era.
Only a 31-30 burp against Ole Miss in Week 4 prevented a perfect season.
Florida finished the season with exclamation points — decisive wins versus No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Oklahoma in the conference and national championship games.
10. 1952 Michigan State Spartans
Record: 9-0
Finish: Beat Marquette 62-13 in the regular-season finale
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, UP)
Key stats: Hey, look, a 1950s team with a big-play pass offense! Sparty averaged 8.8 yards per attempt through the air. They also had a ground game — four regulars averaged 5.0-plus yards per carry.
Head coach: Clarence "Biggie" Munn
Notable players: Offensive/defensive end Paul Dekker, quarterback/safety Tom Yewcic, offensive/defensive halfbacks Don McAuliffe and Billy Wells
Bottom line: In their final year as an independent, 26 lettermen returned for one of the deepest, most experienced teams in the country. They were ranked first in 10 of the 11 AP polls.
The final hurdle was cleared in the second-to-last game, a 21-3 rout of sixth-ranked Notre Dame in East Lansing.
9. 2004 Southern California Trojans
Record: 13-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Oklahoma 59-16 in the Orange Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: For sheer entertainment value, there was none better. This ridiculously talented bunch won by an average margin of 25 points per game.
Head coach: Pete Carroll
Notable players: Tailback/kick returner Reggie Bush, defensive linemen Shaun Cody, quarterback Matt Leinert, tailback Lendale White
Bottom line: Their toughest opponent? Boredom.
The Men of Troy ranked No. 1 from start to finish despite three lackluster Pac-10 road wins.
They left no doubt about their all-time greatness in a killer bowl performance.
8. 2001 Miami Hurricanes
Record: 11-0
Finish: Beat No. 4 Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl (BCS championship game)
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF)
Key stats: In true 'Canes tradition, the defense was equal parts athletic skill and loudmouth swag. It averaged 9.8 points and 9.9 accepted penalties per game.
Head coach: Larry Coker
Notable players: Quarterback Ken Dorsey, offensive tackle Bryan McKinnie, running back Clinton Portis, safety Ed Reed
Bottom line: Larry Coker didn’t inherit just a highly motivated contender that the BCS computers had snubbed the previous season. More like a future NFL team.
Ken Dorsey (Maxwell) and Bryan McKinnie (Outland) won major awards, Ed Reed was a consensus All-America and Phillip Buchanon, Joaquin Gonzalez and Jeremy Shockey also received All-America mention.
That doesn’t include Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Willis McGahee, Antrel Rolle, Jonathan Vilma, Vince Wilfork.
7. 2018 Clemson Tigers
Record: 15-0
Finish: Beat No. 1 Alabama 44-16 in the CFP championship game
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA/NFF)
Key stats: These Tigers dominated in all phases of the game. They ranked first in fewest points allowed (13.1) and fourth in points scored (44.3) in the country.
Head coach: Dabo Swinney
Notable players: Running back Travis Etienne, linebacker Clelin Farrell, offensive lineman Mitch Hyatt, quarterback Trevor Lawrence
Bottom line: After close calls against Texas A&M and Syracuse in the first five games, Trevor Lawrence assumed the reins, and his team took off.
It peaked with three blowouts by a combined 116-29 score in the postseason.
6. 1974 Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 11-0
Finish: Beat unranked Oklahoma State 44-17 in the regular-season finale
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP)
Key stats: The defense didn’t allow more than 14 points in any game, while the vaunted wishbone attack failed to produce at least 28 points only once.
Head coach: Barry Switzer
Notable players: Defensive lineman Lee Roy Selmon, linebacker Rod Shoate, offensive lineman John Roush, tailback Joe Washington
Head coach: Barry Switzer
Bottom line: We were a bit reluctant to rank these unbeaten Sooners among the top 10 for two reasons: 1) They played only two ranked opponents and had to survive a 16-13 scare against No. 17 Texas in one of them, and 2) they sat out the bowl season because of probation.
Yet we couldn’t overlook the embarrassment of riches that Barry Switzer accumulated in his second year.
Or that his team stepped up in a 28-14 victory at No. 6 Nebraska late in the season, which served as its bowl game.
5. 1948 Michigan Wolverines
Record: 9-0
Finish: Beat No. 13 Ohio State 13-3 in the regular-season finale
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP)
Key stats: You want defense? OK, We got your defense right here: The Wolverines allowed six touchdowns in 36 quarters. They blanked Oregon, No. 15 Purdue and No. 3 Northwestern in consecutive weeks.
Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan
Notable players: Quarterback Pete Elliott, offensive/defensive end Dick Rifenburg, offensive/defensive linemen Domini Tomasi and Al Wistert
Bottom line: One year after the unbeaten Wolverines finished a distant second to Notre Dame in the AP poll, the start of the Bennie Oosterbaan brought sweet revenge.
After some early struggles, the "Victors Valiant" took over the top spot after a 35-0 rout of Navy in early November.
Their final eight victories were by double figures.
4. 1972 Southern California Trojans
Record: 12-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Ohio State 42-17 in the Rose Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: The Trojans waxed six ranked teams by an average 34-7 score. Only a 30-21 victory at No. 15 Stanford was by single figures.
Head coach: John McKay
Notable players: Tailback/kickoff returner Anthony Davis, split end Lynn Swann, linebacker Richard Wood, tight end Charles Young
Bottom line: As the legendary John McKay might have quipped, his Trojans would have been a 3 1/2-point favorite against the 6-7-1 Rams, their Coliseum co-partners.
Broadcaster Keith Jackson considered this team to be the best in his five decades as the voice of college football.
3. 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers
Record: 13-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Alabama 38-6 in the Orange Bowl
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Key stats: Only three opponents scored more than seven points against them.
Head coach: Bob Devaney
Notable players: Wingback/kick returner Johnny Rodgers, quarterback Jerry Tagge, defensive linemen Willie Harper and Larry Jacobson
Bottom line: After their great escape of the previous season, the nucleus of the 1971 national champs left zero to doubt this time.
They beat No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Colorado and No. 4 Alabama along the way.
Among them, only the Sooners came close (35-31) in a memorable Thanksgiving Day showdown in Norman, Oklahoma.
2. 1946 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Record: 8-0-1
Finish: Beat No. 16 USC 26-6 in the regular-season finale
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP)
Key stats: The arrival of Outland Trophy winner George Connor from Holy Cross made this defense historically great. It allowed 120.0 yards from scrimmage and 2.7 points per game.
Head coach: Frank Leahy
Notable players: Connor, offensive/defensive halfback Terry Brennan, quarterback/safety Johnny Lujack, offensive/defensive lineman George Strohmeyer
Bottom line: The season came down to an epic defensive struggle on Nov. 9 at Yankee Stadium, where No. 1 Army and No. 2 Notre Dame battled to a scoreless tie.
When the Black Knights struggled to beat unranked Navy while the Irish beat USC handily three weeks later, the teams flipped places in the final vote.
1. 1945 Army Black Knights
Record: 9-0
Finish: Beat No. 2 Navy 32-13 in the regular-season finale
Final ranking: No. 1 (AP)
Key stats: The legend of fullback Doc Blanchard and halfback Glenn Davis was in full bloom in their junior seasons. The "Touchdown Twins" combined for 34 TDs (17 apiece) and 2,031 yards from scrimmage.
Head coach: Earl "Red" Blaik
Notable players: Blanchard, Davis, offensive/defensive linemen Tex Coulter and John Green
Bottom line: What’s our case for these Black Knights as the best of post-war era, if not all time?
Start with the indomitable "Mr. Inside" (Doc Blanchard) and Mr. Outside (Glenn Davis), the kind of dual star power that came along once in a lifetime. Furthermore, liberal post-war transfer rules allowed the driven Blaik to recruit his own All-America team.
Let’s also not forget that, as repeat national champions, the core of this Army team already had been through the wars, one might say.
It laid waste to five ranked opponents — including No. 2 Notre Dame (48-0) and No. 6 Penn (61-0) — after which Blanchard was awarded the Heisman Trophy in a two-man race. Davis would get his turn one year later.