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There are around 858 college football teams spanning five divisions of collegiate athletics.  That’s a lot of football being played every week in towns and cities across America! The 25 teams below represent the cream of the crop… the top teams to ever play college football. The first of the Best College Football Teams of All Time may surprise you.

25 Best College Football Teams of All Time

25) 1911 Carlisle Indian Industrial School (11-1)

I bet you didn’t expect to see this team on the list. Yet, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School revolutionized college football as we know it.

The 1911 team was coached by Pop Warner and led by college football hall of fame quarterback Gus Welch and running back Jim Thorpe – one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.  Amazingly, Thorpe scored 53 touchdowns during his career at Carlisle.

In 1911, Carlisle outscored their opponents 412-46 during their 11-1 season, and used innovative strategies like the overhand spiral pass.  The team’s success is remembered as a pivotal moment in the evolution of American football.

24) 1940 Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-0)

Led by head coach Bernie Bierman, the Golden Gophers finished a second straight undefeated season in 1940. They were the undisputed national champions.

Known for their rugged, run-heavy offense and stifling defense, this team outscored opponents 154-71.  They also beat #15-ranked Ohio State, #8-ranked Northwestern, and #3-ranked Michigan during their championship season.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

23) 2008 Florida Gators (13-1)

After an early-season loss to Ole Miss, the Gators rebounded, winning the SEC Championship against top-ranked Alabama and then beating #2-ranked Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship, 24-14.

This team is largely remembered for the play of quarterback (one the greatest college football players of all time). However, the Gators had more than 30 players on this roster who played in the NFL.  That’s an unbelievably high number of players from one squad, even for a program with a long history of NFL draft picks

22) 1994 Penn State Nittany Lions (12-0)

Coached by the legendary Joe Paterno, this team had a historically great offense that scored over 30 points in every game of the season (and more than 40 points in seven games!).

Led by quarterback Kerry Collins, running back Ki-Jana Carter, and wide receiver Bobby Engram, they demolished Oregon in the Rose Bowl to cap off an undefeated season. Regardless, they were ranked second behind Nebraska, sparking debate about the national championship selection process and ultimately leading to the formation of the Bowl Championship Series four years later.

Penn State claims two national championships in its program’s history.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

21) 1924 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0)

One of the most famous college football backfields of all time, “The Four Horsemen” secured a national title and outscored opponents 285-54.

The 1924 team earned the Fighting Irish the first of 11 total national championships. Legendary coach Knute Rockne became synonymous with college football greatness and quarterback Harry Stuhldreher, halfback Jim Crowley, and fullback Elmer Layden were consensus All-Americans.

20) 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers (12-0)

Running back Tony Dorsett rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and won a Heisman Trophy as he led the Panthers to the school’s eighth undefeated season and ninth national championship.  Pitt was unstoppable this season and capped it off by beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, 27-3.

In addition to their offensive prowess, Pitt’s defense allowed only one opponent to score more than 20 points throughout the entire season.

19) 1993 Florida State Seminoles (12-1)

The Seminoles won their first national championship by narrowly beating powerhouse Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, 18-16.

Led by Heisman-winning quarterback (who completed 70% of his passes that season), FSU had the best offense and defense in the country.  They averaged 43.2 points per game and only allowed 9.4 points per game.  They were so dominant that they beat their first five opponents by an average score of 46–3!

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

18) 1963 Texas Longhorns (11-0)

Coached by College Football Hall of Famer Darrell Royal, this undefeated team gave Texas its first national championship with a decisive 28-6 victory over Navy in the Cotton Bowl.

The team was led by Heisman winner and football legend Roger Staubach, as well as a blistering defense that didn’t allow more than 13 points in a single game.

Texas claims four national championships in its program’s history.

17) 1947 Michigan Wolverines: 10-0

The ‘47 Wolverines finished a perfect 10-0 season and claimed the national championship after a commanding 49-0 win over USC in the Rose Bowl.  The 1947 season was Michigan’s ninth national championship. The Wolverines have won a total of 12 national championships, including one as recently as 2023.

Michigan outscored opponents 394-53 this season, an incredible point differential that makes them one of the best college football teams of all time.

This team was also innovative in that it had different offensive and defensive players. While that is a common practice today, it was considered groundbreaking at the time.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

16) 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-0)

Led by sweater vest-wearing head coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes went 14-0 and won the national championship after a dramatic double-overtime victory against the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl.

Standout freshman running back Maurice Clarett (one of the best freshman football players of all time) played a key role in this team’s success, scoring 18 total touchdowns.  The 2002 season was the program’s seventh championship.

The Buckeyes won a national championship most recently in 2014 as the first winner of the College Football Playoff system.

15) 2018 Clemson Tigers (15-0)

The Tigers became the first major college football program to finish with a record of 15-0 since Penn in 1897.  That fact alone sets this team apart as one of the best ever.

Clemson’s offense was downright scary, as quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 3,280 yards and running back Travis Etienne scored an FBS-leading 24 rushing touchdowns.  The Tigers dominated Alabama 44-16 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

The 2018 season was Clemon’s most recent national championship, but the program claims a total of three national championships.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

14) 2013 Florida State Seminoles (14-0)

This squad is one of the best ever thanks to an offense that scored a total of 723 points – which was an all-time record – and averaged a 39.5-point margin of victory.

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston led the record-breaking offense.

Florida State won the very last-ever BCS National Championship game by defeating Auburn in a thrilling 34-31 comeback win.

13) 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0)

The ‘88 Fighting Irish team was downright dominant.  Not only did this squad go undefeated, but they beat the #2, #4, #5, and #7-ranked teams throughout the regular season, including winning 10 of their 12 games by double digits.

Their most iconic win was the 31–30 upset over the Miami Hurricanes. That game ended the team’s win streak.

Coached by Lou Holtz, one of most iconic college football coaches of all time, this team earned Notre Dame its 11th national championship with a 34-21 win over West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

12) 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-0)

The ‘79 Crimson Tide had a brutal defense that allowed only two opponents to score in double digits and recorded five shutouts.

The Bear Bryant-led squad beat Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl en route to the school’s sixth national title.

Alabama claims a staggering 18 national championships in its program’s history, which is the best in the modern era of college football.

11) 2022 Georgia Bulldogs (15-0)

You can blame recency bias for this one, but the Bulldogs were the undisputed national champion. Their resume included wins against Oregon (ranked #12), Tennessee (ranked #1), LSU (ranked #14), Ohio State (ranked #4), and TCU (ranked #3).

The game against the Horned Frogs was the College Football National Championship and UGA won 65-7.  The 58-point victory is the most lopsided win in a national championship game.

The 2022 season marked back-to-back national championships for a historic Georgia program.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

10) 2005 Texas Longhorns (13-0)

Coached by the legendary Mack Brown and led by quarterback Vince Young, the Longhorns went undefeated and won the BCS National Championship with a thrilling 41-38 victory over USC in the Rose Bowl.

Young was instrumental in the team’s success, and Texas set numerous records. This included scoring 652 total points, the most in NCAA history at the time.

9) 1956 Oklahoma Sooners (10-0)

Looking at results from the ‘56 Sooners’ season resembles a video game. Oklahoma had a total point differential of 466-51 and six of their games were shutouts.

Although the Sooners did not play in a bowl game due to an antiquated no-repeat rule, they still ended the season as consensus national champions.

Most impressively, Oklahoma’s 10-0 season extended their 47-game winning streak!

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

8) 2004 USC Trojans: 13-0 (vacated)

According to the official record books, this season never existed … but let’s be honest, this team was a monster.

The ‘04 Trojans, led by head coach Pete Carroll and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart, went 13-0 and claimed the BCS National Championship (though the title was later vacated due to NCAA sanctions).

The team was dominant on both sides of the ball.  Running back Reggie Bush accounted for 2,330 all-purpose yards. The Trojans held the #1 ranking all season long.

It was the Trojans’ first unanimous national championship since 1972 (more on that below!).

7) 1972 USC Trojans (12-0)

The ‘72 Trojans dominated opponents with a powerful running game, led by Anthony Davis who ran for 1,191 yards.  USC outscored their opponents 467–134 and capped their season with a convincing 42-17 win over Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

USC claims 11 national championships over its 136-year history.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

6) 1945 Army Black Knights (9-0)

In Earl “Red” Blaik’s fifth season as head coach, the Army Cadets achieved a 9–0 record by shutting out five of their nine opponents.  The season included commanding wins, such as a 48-0 rout over #2-ranked Notre Dame and a 61-0 victory over #6-ranked Penn.

The Black Knights outscored their opponents by a combined score of 412-46!  The 1945 season was a key part of Army’s 32-game unbeaten streak that spanned the ‘44, ‘45, and ‘46 seasons.

The team MVP was fullback Doc Blanchard, who also won the Heisman Trophy that year.

5) 2019 LSU Tigers (15-0)

The ‘19 Tigers had one of the most explosive offenses in college football history.

Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 60 touchdowns and a record-breaking 5,671 yards en route to winning the Heisman Trophy by the largest margin in the award’s history.  LSU’s offense also included running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and two 1,500-yard receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Both of those WRs are currently NFL Pro Bowlers).

The Tiger went 15-0 and in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

4) 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers

The ‘95 Cornhuskers had one of the best running offenses in college football history behind running back Lawrence Phillips.  Nebraska averaged 400 rushing yards a game and seven yards per carry!

In a testament to the team’s overpowering offensive line, Nebraska did not give up a sack the entire season.  They also averaged 52.4 points per game.

Coached by Tom Osborne, the Cornhuskers went 12-0 and dominated opponents en route to their second consecutive national championship. They capped the season with a 62-24 blowout victory over Florida in the Fiesta Bowl.

3) 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0)

Head coach Nick Saban’s last national championship came in 2020 with a Crimson Tide team that went 13-0 and defeated Ohio State 52-24 in the championship game.

Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith and quarterback Mac Jones led a record-setting offense. This offense actually had three Heisman candidates (Smith, Jones, and running back Najee Harris).  That level of star power on one team is truly unprecedented.

Best College Football Teams of All Time (Continued)

2) 2001 Miami Hurricanes: 12-0

Speaking of star power, the ‘01 Hurricanes produced 38 NFL Draft picks (a single-team record)!

Coached by Larry Coker, Miami finished an undefeated 12-0 season with a 37-14 victory over Nebraska in the Rose Bowl.

Featuring a roster packed with future NFL stars like Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey, and Clinton Portis, Miami’s defense was one of the most formidable ever assembled. Widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in college football history, the Hurricanes outscored opponents 512-117.

1) 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers

As this list shows, there have been a lot of amazing college football teams over the past 100 years, but the ‘71 Cornhuskers take the top spot.

Nebraska outscored their opponents 507-104 during this season, winning by an average margin of 36 points per game.  They had a tough schedule, too, as the Cornhuskers defeated the #2, #3, and #4-ranked teams in the final AP poll throughout the season.

They capped an undefeated season with a 38-6 victory over Alabama in the Orange Bowl, winning their second consecutive national championship.

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