Best College Football Teams

The greatest collegiate football teams to play the game. Don't agree with the list? Vote for an existing item you think should be ranked higher or if you are a logged in, add a new item for others to vote on or create your own version of this list.

The Top Ten

11995 Nebraska Cornhuskers

When you can average over 400 yards rushing a game when other teams know you are going to run it, they're is nothing you can do. Their coaching and skill surpassed any team in history. 01 Canes had a lot of talent, but as a team and coaching were not as good. They almost lost to Boston College too. Nebraska was never even close to losing to any team.

During the Regular season
-outscored opponents 421-150
-NU gained 6, 119, opp gained 3235
-averaged 52. 4 points per game
-Defense had 32 sacks for 231 yds

BigRedHusker

I saw them play, and I have never seen power and dominance like the '95 Huskers had. And did I mention SPEED?

More comments about 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers

22001 Miami Hurricanes

In my opinion, (and in the opinion of many), the 2001 Miami Hurricanes were the greatest
College football team of all
Time. One may argue this, of course, but I don't believe one can seriously argue against '01 Miami being, at least, the most talented college football team ever. At least 6 players on their roster have played in the pro bowl( Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Jeremy Shockey, Ed Reed( N.F.L. defensive Player of the Year), and Sean Taylor. There may be more I'm not aware of and more on the way. A couple of points to manifest their dominance: After their 65-7 dismantling of #11 Washington in the Orange Bowl, Miami was 10-0. This followed a 59-0 blow out of 13th ranked Syracuse the week before. The Canes margin of victory was greater against ranked teams than against their unranked opponents. The Miami defense allowed 13 touchdowns and Miami also scored 11 non- offensive touchdowns. These figures may be off by one either way since I don't have these stats at hand. But it was truly an amazing display of dominance for a team to score within a couple of touchdowns of what they allowed FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON without their explosive and very talented offense ever taking the field!

There is no way this team should not be #1 go up and down the roster and at least half of the kids names you see are all nfl players or perennial pro bowlers

at every position this team was 3 or 4 players deep and there was no drop off from the starters to the bench players

They should have played in the national championship in 99 they would have beat Oklahoma, they won it in 01 and then should have won it in 03 on the crappiest call in college football history they should have had a 3 peat

Andre Johnson, Sean Taylor, Ed Reed, Bryant Mckinnie, Jonathan Vilma, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr, Vernon Carey, Phillip Buchanon, DJ Williams, Vince Wilfork, Mike Rumph, Antrel Rolle, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, Martin Bibla, Najeh Davenport, James Lewis, Daryl Jones, Joaquin Gonzalez, Ken Dorsey, Chris Myers, Brett Romberg, and Roscoe Parrish.

Seeing this team as number 2 makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

More comments about 2001 Miami Hurricanes

32006 Texas Longhorns

VINCE YOUNG - One of the greatest college football players of all time

Definitely one if the best teams EVER! They scored 70 points in the Big XII championship. VY was one of the greatest college QBs of all time.

Go back and watch th '05 - '06 Rose Bowl and count the NFL stars on both teams. It's ridiculous. That game was the greatest college football game ever played and this team won. They were truely inVINCEable!

georgejungismyhero

More comments about 2006 Texas Longhorns

41991 Washington Huskies

1991 HUSKIES BEST OF ALL TIME. I WILL EXPLAIN. 1991 Heisman Voting was rigged! Mario Bailey (1067 yards and 17 TD) had more yards, and averaged more yards per catch, and had the same number of receptions as Heisman winner (really loser) Desmond Howard. Steve Emtman was the REAL Heisman winner that year! HUSKIES PAC 10 RANKINGS : (1)TOTAL DEFENSE (1) PASS DEFENSE (1) RUSH DEFENSE (1) TAKEAWAYS (1)SCORING DEFENSE (1) QB SACKS and (1) 3rd DOWN DENIALS! (TELL ME WHERE YOU FIND DEFENSE LIKE THAT! ) SCORES : vs Stanford (42-7) vs. Nebraska (36-21) vs. Kansas State (56-3) vs. Arizona (54-0) vs. Toledo (48-0) vs. Cal 24-17 < only close game all year! Oregon (29-7). Mario Bailey won the Pac 10 player of the year, Steve Emtman won Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award as well as Pac 10 defensive player of the year AND the MORIS TROPHY, so did Lincoln Kennedy! Don James was Pac 10 coach of the year. They beat a TOUGH Michigan team 34-14 in the ROSE BOWL! (Michigan would avenge the loss 2 years later at the 93 rose bowl). On top of the BEST DEFENSE in the country the Huskies Beno Bryant 943 yards and 8 touchdowns, Jay Barry with 718 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Freshman Napoleon Kaufman gained 307 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 64 attempts. Their rushing attack along with their balanced passing game by Billy Joe Hobert, led the Huskies to the National Championship in 1991. Which by the way they were absolutely ripped off because the stupid AP WRITERS poll left Miami @ #1. Miami was scared to play them that year! (Which was SO FUN TO WATCH THE HUSKIES IN 94' tear their heads off they handed Miami their first home loss in 58 games! ) If I haven't convinced you that this team was the best of all time, watch their highlights on youtube from 1991-1992 season, I guarantee you the 95 CORNHUSKERS COULDN'T HAVE BEAT THIS TEAM! The only team I can think of in my lifetime that could have maybe beat this team was the 2001 Miami Hurricanes.

The 1991 Washington team outscored their opponents 495 - 115 even though Don James didn't like to run up the score on teams. I remember him pulling starters early in the second half most of those games. Their defense was off the charts giving up 9 per. They beat 3 top 10 teams on the road that year, including a 34-14 win over #4 ranked Michigan. The following year 12 players were drafted including the #1 overall pick. I would have loved to see them play Miami that year. Miami was awesome in 1991. Nebraska was the only team that played against them both that year and coach Tom Osbourne was quoted as saying Washington would have beat Miami had they played each other.

That 91 team was scary good... Going into Nebraska & coming from behind (outscoring them 30-7 in the 2nd half) to win just didn't happen to Nebraska teams back then. I remember during one of the early Michigan possessions in the Rose Bowl, Steve Emtman, who had been in the hospital the night before fighting the flu, broke through a double-team & sent Grbac to the ground... Unbelievable play... & after Desmond Howard got popped early on he was a non-factor... Wrong guy got the Heisman that year. It's a shame the east coasters couldn't see more of the Huskies back then... No way they would've had Miami above them in the polls.

More comments about 1991 Washington Huskies

51988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

They weren't as good as the and team unddeer Frank Leahy which won every game 4 years in a row with 3 championships...

How could Nebraska be better than Notre Dame?

They are the number one team of all time.

More comments about 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

61992 Alabama Crimson Tide

This team was the absolute best defense in the land (possibly ever). I watched them firsthand destroy the offense of the team I played for (Miss. State), while we tried to keep Derrick Lassic in check (no easy task when you're on the field for 3/4 of the game).

Best defense of all time. No one could score on them. Miami did not score an offensive touchdown in the National Title game on the defense.

Held opponents to 194 yards a game, 9 points a game, forced three shutouts. That defense is the best of the last 30 years.

More comments about 1992 Alabama Crimson Tide

71994 Penn State Nittany Lions

Nebraska fans will rip the Penn State defense saying they would have scored at will had Penn State and Nebraska played. In Penn State's toughest games of that season, the lions would cruise in the first half and give up more points in the second half do the playing prevent styles of defense and putting the back ups in when it was real out of hand. Half time Scores: #14 Southern Cal 35-0, #5 Michigan 16-3, #20 Ohio State 35-0 and #9 Oregon 14-7. That's 10 points given up total vs 4 top 20 teams. Bottom line is PSU's defense would have done well against a run only Nebraska team and the huskers defense would have done about as well as Illinois did. Penn State 35 Nebraska 17! LETS GO STATE!

The offense, clearly one of the greatest ever, had a perfect balance of run and pass and had sensational athletes that worked together to execute the plays called. And they ran the most basic plays from a pro-I formation most of the time. They didn't need trickery and in fact, not once even lined up in the shotgun formation or ran any kind of option play. Simply dominant.

The defense hardly gave up big plays although they would give up long drives from time to time. It wasn't the best defense Penn State has ever fielded but it was very solid, considering the fact that more than half of the starters at the beginning of the year on defense missed extensive time due to injuries.

Too much offensive fire power for any college level defense to handle. Illinois and Oregon both had top tier defenses that year. Illinois gave up 35 at home. Oregon gave up 38 in the Rose Bowl. Penn State scored 63 on an Ohio State team that finished #12 and almost beat an 11-1 Alabama team. Penn State was just as dominant vs USC that year. I wish we could have seen Penn State-Nebraska for the national title. Would have been the most hyped game in the history of college football. I like Penn State over Nebraska 38-28. WE ARE...

More comments about 1994 Penn State Nittany Lions

81947 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

91971 Nebraska Cornhuskers

This defense was flat nasty with Rich Glover and Larry Jacobsen. Tagge, Kinney and Rodgers could do it all

I watched this team play they would have wiped the floor with the '95 Nebraska Squad. They played in a tougher era of college football and dominated like no other team. They were the fastest team I ever saw.

SgtPeppersz196715

they had everything going and johnny rodgers was extremely good

More comments about 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers

101997 Michigan Wolverines

1999 Florida state Seminoles. Charlie ward won the heisman, Peter warrick scored 3 touchdowns the first 3 times he touched the ball. They also beat the then unstoppable/undefeated Michael Vick for the virginia tech hokies. Not to mention that S. Janikowski, kameron wimbley, laverneus Coles(dnp), and Derrick Brooks.

I believe the people who make these lists do not know anything about the sport as a whole. When you say college football, remember it has been played for over 100 years. More teams from the other eras should be looked at more. Notre Dame and Michigan has had much better teams than what was seen in 1997 and 1988.

Michigan's D only allowed 9 points per game that year. The difference maker between them and the Huskers would be that Michigan could pass the ball. Both teams had great rushers, buy Michigan had a better balance and that's why Michigan would've won a game between the two. Oh, and Michigan didn't need an "accidental, on purpose" kicked ball td to save the game against a weak opponent.

More comments about 1997 Michigan Wolverines

Related Lists

Get CodeAdd This List to Your Site

The Contenders

111968 Ohio State Buckeyes

Cassidy wasn't on this team. They ran the ball down everyones throat. Best game the entire season was their own full contact practice. Had one of the greatest coaching staffs ever assembled. Destroyed USC and O.J. in Rose Bowl. Started the fire for the "10 year war" Tons of All-Americans, beat Michigan 50-14. Kern, Otis, Foley, Mayes, Jankowski, Sensibaugh, Tatum, Brungard. When Lou Holtz is the guy who gets the coffee. Your damn good

They smosh michigan all the time and thetr in first in basketball this year

Woody Hayes, hopalong cassidy (heisman) and killed USC in the rose bowl going undefeated.

122005 Texas Longhorns

Vince Young should've won the Heisman Trophy that year. They need to have the balloting after all bowls are finished. He led the highest scoring offense in he nation at 50.2 per game including the Rose Bowl. The defense was outstanding as well in tying for 8th in scoring D with 16.4 points per game and 8th in pass D allowing 172 only yards per outing. I remember when ESPN matched 2005 USC against the top 10 teams ever and they said if Texas beat USC you had to put them at least in the top three.

131972 USC Trojans

How quickly people forget! Is this a popularity poll or fact! This SC team was in the top 3 ever!

Um Hello? This was the best team ever. Sam Cunningham and OJ Simpson?! They blew out every team they faced.

142005 USC Trojans

Definitely one of the best offenses of ALL TIME

PearlSabian13

The D held teams to under 9 points a game and was 1 play away from 3 straights NCs. 11 NFL draftees. Two Heisman trophy winners. And you rank them 9th? REALLY? Child please.

These guys were unstoppable all season. They had an enormous amount of fire power and a solid D.

More comments about 2005 USC Trojans

151924 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

They had 4 payers rush for 1000 yards. This was also the year that ND went to its first bowl game, the rose bowl were they beat a powerful stanford team that was coached by Pop Warner himself.

161945 Army Black Nights

The Army Football Team of 1945 is undoubtedly the greatest of all-time. A lot of the teams listed above Army couldn't even compete against that Army team which had not only a dominant defense but had one the greatest backfields in with Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis rolled over every opponent.

172003 LSU Tigers

TIDBIT- THEY HAD OVER 50 BLITZ PACKAGES NAMED AFTER EACH STATE. THEY BLITZED ALMOST EVERY PLAY.

181955 Oklahoma Sooners

192009 Alabama Crimson Tide

Superior game management skills and intensity that was unrivaled across the country. Fan support that puts over 100k in the stands at home and a traveling crew of thousands - doesn't hurt to have the most intellectually gifted coach since the Bear in Tuscaloosa either!

Alabama's first Heisman in running back Mark Ingram running through the sec. His back up Trent Richardson Who many think is better than him. Greg McElroy who refused to lose a game. Julio Jones possibly the toughest WR in college history. By far the best defense in the 21st century. These guys shut down one of the greatest QB's in college history in Tim Tebow.

Great talent... hard competition... unbeaten season... Roll Tide, Roll!

everton96

201974 Oklahoma Sooners

only undefeated team that year outscored opposition 473-92 averaged 43ppg and only gave up 8.3ppg

The 74 Sooners only ranked 17th? You people have to be daft. This was the greatest college football team ever assembled. They nearly all went to the pros.

211999 Florida State Seminoles

They might not have had a hard ACC schedule but at least they beat them like they should

Peter Warrick was the best player in college football in 1999. and was responsible for 20 points in the 200 0 sugar bowl

222007 Florida Gators

TEBOW. The Denver Broncos just made the biggest mistake ever so good luck tebow in NY

The Florida Gators have had many seasons where they lost only one game. All of the other teams on this list are no where near as good as the Florida Gators. The only team that beat them in 2009^^2010 is the Alabama Crimson Tide. These other teams do not match the Gators when it comes to skill.

GO GATORS!

Tim tebow qb, percy harvin wr, louis murphy wr, mike pouncey ol, maurikce pouncey ol, aaron hernandez te, brandon spikes lb, carlos dunlap dline, major wright db, & cam newton backup qb

More comments about 2007 Florida Gators

231959 Syracuse Orangemen

They dominated and they had be be good... Ernie Davis was a special person. Even speaking with him on campus... he he gave me some of his time... and was a wonderful young man!

THESE GUYS ALL THE WAY! All because of Ernie Davis! He was the best football player that ever played or at least the best black player that played

People don't remember this team because Syracuse isn't a storied program, but my grandpa said he saw this team play and he said they were very good.

TrinityTrojan

More comments about 1959 Syracuse Orangemen

241982 Georgia Bulldogs

GO DAWGS! GO DAWGS! Hershal Walker was our man! Love AJ Green, too!

yea their good my whole room is bulldog stuff I love harry dog you my friend are awesome and who let the dogs out who who who

we owned every one on the field

More comments about 1982 Georgia Bulldogs

252004 Auburn Tigers

Easily the most balanced and best team of that season, no body could have come close to them in the championship game. War dam eagle!

gooner4life

Perfect team, Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 2006), Jason Campbell, John Vaugh.
Should have been in the national championship

261901 Michigan Wolverines

outscored their opponents 550-0.

Would actually punt the ball on first down in the second half because they were up by so much.

This is the obvious choice for number 1. Kids these days only care about what happened in their lifetime, or what they can remember. Just because it happened before they were born or before T.V. coverage, doesn't mean it didn't happen or isn't relevant anymore. Yes, the game was different back then, but it as different equally for all teams. Michigan did something in 1901 that no other team could do, and all other teams were playing the same game with the same rules back then. This is something that will NEVER happen again.

Why is this team not ranked as the greatest ever? It is because there are way too many young folks with no concept of college football's traditions and TOO MUCH ESPN brain-washing. They actually think that college football began with video coverage and tend to rate only relatively recent teams as great, as evidenced by the voting results... Just look at the dates.

More comments about 1901 Michigan Wolverines

271993 Florida State Seminoles

W
ould beat our 99 team all day. That one loss is whats stopping this from being the greatest ever.

The defense outscored the first 7 teams of the season destroyed all competion

best 1 loss team of all time

281998 Tennessee Volunteers

Great pass catchers. Payton was gone but those who played with him were still there. Great running backs and OL.

Peyton manning was not on this team though, they were very good on defense with 11 nfl caliber starters, peerless price was most dynamic player on team and the Arkansas game was an instant classic

First BCS champions team. Roster includes: Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, Jamal Lewis, Peerless Price, etc

291961 Alabama Crimson Tide

the best D-fense ever. only allowed 2 points per game. good offense too. the best program ever. best coach ever.

Only allowed 25 points all season

302008 Oklahoma Sooners

311997 Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska's tradition and excellence is the best of any college football team in america... Husker's are amazing!

tougher bowl win against peyton manning, tee martin, jamal lewis they beat the crap out of a 1 loss sec team while michigan struggled against washington state plus tennessee went on to win the title next year!

they dismantled every one they played led by all american ahman green and they had one of the most punishing running games anyone had ever seen

More comments about 1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers

322006 Kentucky Wildcats

332007 Kansas Jayhawks

cause we beat the hokies and cats

11-1 and we aren't done. GO KU! GO KU!

341947 Michigan Wolverines

352001 Oregon Ducks

361969 Penn State Nittany Lions

Richard Nixon said Texas was #1 in 1969, so it must have been true! Laugh out loud Whatever! Penn State had a great offense led by future NFL all pros, Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell. #1 Defense in the country, giving up only 8 points a game led by Jack Ham, Dennis Onkotz and Mike Reid. Held #6 Missouri to 3 points in the Orange Bowl and finished 11-0. Also, these Nittany Lions hadn't lost a game in 30 games! BEST IN THE COUNTRY!

Bush-White, Marroney-Barber, Williams-Brown, McFadden-Jones, blah blah blah! The orginial dual backfield was the best, Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell! We are...

One of JoePa's best. Agreed, would have wrecked Texas!

372006 Louisville Cardinals

382007 West Virginia Mountaineers

392010 Oregon Ducks

The ducks are the best team because they are ranked number 2 right now and hasn't lost a game yet also last year thy were in the bcs againts auburn but they lost but at lest they got to be in the bcs and I think they one of the best teams inthe country

They had an amazing offense and crushed every team in the Pac-10.

402011 LSU Tigers

411981 Clemson Tigers

421994 Nebraska Cornhuskers

431899 Sewanee Tigers

441976 Pittsburgh Panthers

Totally dominating team...8 NFL stars on this team... Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green, RIcky Jackson, BIll Fralic, Matt CAvenaugh among others on this team... I'm a UGA fan and watched this team destroy a good Ga. Team in sugar bowl.

451970 Texas Longhorns

461986 Miami Hurricanes

472009 Connecticut Huskies

482012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

491986 Penn State Nittany Lions

Amazing backfield with 4 NFLers (DJ Dozier, Blair Thomas, Steve Smith and Tim Monoa) and good o-line. GREAT defense lead my Shane Conlin! Forced 7 turnovers vs the great 86 Canes squad and made Vinny Testeverde and Jimmy Johnson cry!

502011 Alabama Crimson Tide

512010 Auburn Tigers

Add New Item

Comments About This List

Featured Lists

Popular Lists

New Lists

Blog Posts About This List

Be the first to add a post about this list

Top Remixers of This List

mleat97

whitewolf777

amontuori

List Info

This list was created 7 years, 186 days ago and has been voted on over 3,000 times. This top ten list has been remixed 3 times.

Updated Tuesday, May 21, 2013

List Error Reporting

See an item on this list that's mispelled, duplicated, or doesn't belong? Let us know. Click here to report the error.