College football’s 150th season
From 1 to 150, which team is greatest ever?
In honor of college football’s 150th season, we asked USA TODAY’s longtime computer rankings expert Jeff Sagarin to do the impossible: Compile a list of the top 150 teams in college football history. Given how much college football has changed in just the last 20 years, not to mention the wishbone era and the single wing era, it was a daunting task. But Sagarin did what he does best: working his formula and crunching numbers. “The ranking method used in this retroactive look was to combine a won-loss-tie method with a pure score method,” Sagarin explained via email. “Combining those two methods prevents an extreme in one method from dominating the process. “To achieve a high rating, a team must have a great won-loss record, have won its games by decisive scores and also have played a decent schedule. If a team’s schedule was weak, then it essentially needed to be undefeated and have won by huge scores.” Sagarin’s formula led to the 1945 Army team, featuring backs Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis, being ranked No. 1. “The Cadets won all their games by impressive margins and played the toughest schedule in the country for that season,” Sagarin wrote. The data for the seasons 1869-45 was collected by his longtime friend Bob Rosiek of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the University of Michigan (1970). To make the data meaningful, the seasons from 1920-45 have about 300 teams rated. “Beginning with 1946-1992, Bob added teams and scores to my pre-existing files,” Sagarin said. “From 1993 onward, it was relatively straightforward in knowing which teams to include – simply all FBS and all FCS.”
No. 1: Army (1945)
Record: 9-0; rating: 127.27 vs. Top 10: 4-0; vs. Top 30: 7-0
No. 2: Notre Dame (1943)
Record: 9-1; rating: 125.47 vs. Top 10: 5-1; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 3: California (1920)
Record: 9-0; rating: 121.48 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0
No. 4: Army (1944)
Record: 9-0; rating: 121.41 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 5: Nebraska (1995)
Record: 12-0; rating: 127.27 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 6: Texas (2005)
Record: 13-0; rating: 116.28 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 7: Nebraska (1971)
Record: 13-0; rating: 116.26 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 8: Michigan (1943)
Record: 8-1; rating: 116.17 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 2-1
No. 9: Ohio State (1944)
Record: 9-0; rating: 115.31 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 10: Oklahoma (1971)
Record: 11-1; rating: 113.62 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 11: Alabama (1945)
Record: 10-0; rating: 113.29 vs. Top 10: 11-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 12: Duke (1943)
Record: 8-1; rating: 113.19 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 13: Miami (Fla.) (2001)
Record: 12-0; rating: 113.04 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 14: Florida State (1993)
Record: 12-1; rating: 112.84 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 15: Notre Dame (1946)
Record: 8-0-1; rating: 112.74 vs. Top 10: 1-0-1; vs. Top 30: 2-0-1
No. 16: Penn State (1994)
Record: 12-0; rating: 112.66 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 17: Notre Dame (1949)
Record: 10-0; rating: 112.74 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 18: Ohio State (1973)
Record: 10-0-1; rating: 112.12 vs. Top 10: 1-0-1; vs. Top 30: 1-0-1
No. 19: Michigan (1947)
Record: 10-0; rating: 111.89 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 20: Florida (1996)
Record: 12-1; rating: 111.65 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 21: Washington (1991)
Record: 12-0; rating: 111.25 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 22: Oklahoma (1974)
Record: 11-0; rating: 111.17 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 23: Nebraska (1997)
Record: 13-0; rating: 110.81 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 24: Alabama (1971)
Record: 11-1; rating: 110.72 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 25: Florida State (2013)
Record: 14-0; rating: 110.65 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0
No. 26: Southern California (2004)
Record: 13-0; rating: 110.61 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 27: Navy (1943)
Record: 8-1; rating: 110.50 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 28: Randolph Field (Texas) (1944)
Record: 12-0; rating: 110.42 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 29: Notre Dame (1966)
Record: 9-0-1; rating: 110.26 vs. Top 10: 1-0-1; vs. Top 30: 3-0-1
No. 30: Oklahoma (1973)
Record: 10-0-1; rating: 110.18 vs. Top 10: 1-0-1; vs. Top 30: 7-0-1
No. 31: Clemson (2018)
Record: 15-0; rating: 110.13 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 32: Ohio State (1996)
Record: 11-1; rating: 109.98 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 33: Southern California (2005)
Record: 12-1; rating: 109.96 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 34: Michigan (1948)
Record: 9-0; rating: 109.70 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 35: Mississippi (1959)
Record: 10-1; rating: 109.56 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 36: Navy (1945)
Record: 7-1-1; rating: 109.43 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1-1
No. 37: Syracuse (1959)
Record: 11-0; rating: 109.29 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 38: Alabama (1973)
Record: 11-1; rating: 109.21 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 39: Northwestern (1943)
Record: 6-2; rating: 109.09 vs. Top 10: 1-2; vs. Top 30: 2-2
No. 40: Notre Dame (1977)
Record: 11-1; rating: 109.01 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 41: Florida State (1987)
Record: 11-1; rating: 108.96 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 42: Oklahoma (1949)
Record: 11-0; rating: 108.80 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 43: Miami (Fla.) (1988)
Record: 11-1; rating: 108.79 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 44: Notre Dame (1970)
Record: 10-1; rating: 108.75 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 45: Michigan State (1952)
Record: 9-0; rating: 108.70 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 46: Notre Dame (1973)
Record: 11-0; rating: 108.66 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 47: Army (1946)
Record: 9-0-1; rating: 108.46 vs. Top 10: 1-0-1; vs. Top 30: 6-0-1
No. 48: Florida (1995)
Record: 12-1; rating: 108.36 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 49: Miami (Fla) (1987)
Record: 12-0; rating: 108.12 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 50: Maryland (1951)
Record: 10-0; rating: 108.09 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0
No. 51: Oklahoma (1987)
Record: 11-1; rating: 108.08 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 52: Florida (2008)
Record: 13-1; rating: 108.03 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 53: Notre Dame (1947)
Record: 9-0; rating: 107.96 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0
No. 54: Texas (1969)
Record: 11-0; rating: 107.92 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 55: Florida State (1997)
Record: 11-1; rating: 107.90 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 56: Notre Dame (1988)
Record: 12-0; rating: 107.50 vs. Top 10: 4-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 57: Florida State (1999)
Record: 12-0; rating: 107.43 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 58: Nebraska (1970)
Record: 11-0-1; rating: 107.41 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0-1
No. 59: Oklahoma (2000)
Record: 13-0; rating: 107.35 vs. Top 10: 4-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 60: Purdue (1943)
Record: 9-0; rating: 107.22 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0
No. 61: Alabama (2018)
Record: 14-1; rating: 107.09 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 7-1
No. 62: Alabama (1930)
Record: 10-0; rating: 107.08 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 63: Notre Dame (1930)
Record: 10-0; rating: 106.97 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 64: UCLA (1954)
Record: 9-0; rating: 106.57 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0
No. 65: California (1921)
Record: 8-0-1; rating: 106.57 vs. Top 10: 0-0-1; vs. Top 30: 1-0-1
No. 66: Ohio State (1954)
Record: 10-0; rating: 106.51 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 67: Michigan (1944)
Record: 8-2; rating: 106.42 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 5-2
No. 68: Nebraska (1994)
Record: 13-0; rating: 106.39 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 69: Alabama (2016)
Record: 14-1; rating: 106.32 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 7-1
No. 70: Southern California (1932)
Record: 10-0; rating: 106.24 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 8-0
No. 71: Notre Dame (1953)
Record: 9-0-1; rating: 106.24 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0-1
No. 72: Alabama (2012)
Record: 13-1; rating: 106.15 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 73: LSU (1958)
Record: 11-0; rating: 106.08 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 74: LSU (2011)
Record: 13-1; rating: 106.06 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 75: Florida State (1996)
Record: 11-1; rating: 106.06 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 76: Texas (1970)
Record: 10-1; rating: 105.81 vs. Top 10: 0-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 77: Alabama (2011)
Record: 12-1; rating: 105.78 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 78: Oklahoma (1972)
Record: 11-1; rating: 105.78 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 79: Southern California (1972)
Record: 12-0; rating: 105.50 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 80: Houston (1968)
Record: 6-2-2; rating: 105.40 vs. Top 10: 0-0-2; vs. Top 30: 2-1-2
No. 81: Miami (Fla.) (2000)
Record: 11-1; rating: 105.38 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 82: Miami (Fla.) (1991)
Record: 12-0; rating: 105.23 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 83: Florida State (2000)
Record: 11-2; rating: 105.19 vs. Top 10: 1-2; vs. Top 30: 3-2
No. 84: Oregon (2010)
Record: 12-1; rating: 105.17 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 85: Alabama (1961)
Record: 11-0; rating: 105.08 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 86: Florida State (1988)
Record: 11-1; rating: 105.01 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 87: Auburn (1957)
Record: 10-0; rating: 104.96 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 88: Penn State (1982)
Record: 11-1; rating: 104.86 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 7-1
No. 89: Ohio State (1998)
Record: 11-1; rating: 104.84 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 90: Texas (1947)
Record: 10-1; rating: 104.83 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 91: Oklahoma (1986)
Record: 11-1; rating: 104.77 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 92: Oklahoma (1952)
Record: 8-1-1; rating: 104.73 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 93: Georgia Tech (1952)
Record: 12-0; rating: 104.64 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 94: Nebraska (1993)
Record: 11-1; rating: 104.63 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 95: Florida (1997)
Record: 10-2; rating: 104.63 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-2
No. 96: Florida State (1998)
Record: 11-2; rating: 104.48 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 97: Harvard (1920)
Record: 8-0-1; rating: 104.40 vs. Top 10: 0-0-1; vs. Top 30: 3-0-1
No. 98: California (1922)
Record: 9-0; rating: 104.39 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 1-0
No. 99: Kentucky (1950)
Record: 11-1; rating: 104.36 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 1-1
No. 100: Oklahoma (1955)
Record: 8-1-1; rating: 104.35 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 101: Texas (1961)
Record: 10-1; rating: 104.34 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 102: Georgia (1946)
Record: 11-0; rating: 104.33 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 103: Nebraska (1996)
Record: 11-2; rating: 104.31 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-2
No. 104: Oklahoma State (2011)
Record: 12-1; rating: 104.19 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 7-0
No. 105: Notre Dame (1921)
Record: 10-1; rating: 104.18 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 1-1
No. 106: Oklahoma (1975)
Record: 11-1; rating: 104.73 vs. Top 10: 4-0; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 107: Southern California (1969)
Record: 10-0-1; rating: 104.10 vs. Top 10: 4-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0-1
No. 108: Michigan (1973)
Record: 10-0-1; rating: 103.97 vs. Top 10: 0-0-1; vs. Top 30: 0-0-1
No. 109: Minnesota (1934)
Record: 8-0; rating: 103.91 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 1-0
No. 110: Penn State (1973)
Record: 12-0; rating: 103.83 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 111: Clemson (2016)
Record: 14-1; rating: 103.81 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 7-1
No. 112: Minnesota (1940)
Record: 8-0; rating: 103.78 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 113: Southern California (1952)
Record: 10-1; rating: 103.77 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 114: Florida State (1992)
Record: 11-1; rating: 103.72 vs. Top 10: 1-1;vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 115: Nebraska (1982)
Record: 12-1; rating: 103.67 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 116: Texas (1968)
Record: 9-1-1; rating: 103.67 vs. Top 10: 3-0-1; vs. Top 30: 4-0-1
No. 117: Notre Dame (1989)
Record: 12-1; rating: 103.66 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 7-1
No. 118: Mississippi (1960)
Record: 10-0-1; rating: 103.60 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 119: Tennessee (1998)
Record: 13-0; rating: 103.59 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 6-0
No. 120: LSU (2003)
Record: 13-1; rating: 103.57 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 121: Tennessee (1951)
Record: 10-1; rating: 103.57 vs. Top 10: 0-1; vs. Top 30: 2-1
No. 122: Notre Dame (1993)
Record: 11-1; rating: 103.48 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 123: Alabama (1966)
Record: 11-0; rating: 103.48 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 124: Norman Navy (1944)
Record: 6-0; rating: 103.46 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 125: Texas (1977)
Record: 11-1; rating: 103.45 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 126: Ohio State (2014)
Record: 14-1; rating: 103.43 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 127: Alabama (2015)
Record: 14-1; rating: 103.36 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 9-1
No. 128: LSU (1961)
Record: 10-1; rating: 103.23 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 129: Alabama (2009)
Record: 14-0; rating: 103.20 vs. Top 10: 3-0; vs. Top 30: 7-0
No. 130: Georgia (1942)
Record: 11-1; rating: 103.18 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 131: Florida State (1994)
Record: 10-1-1; rating: 103.18 vs. Top 10: 1-1-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1-1
No. 132: Miami (Fla.) (1986)
Record: 11-1; rating: 103.13 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 133: Virginia Tech (1999)
Record: 11-1; rating: 103.10 vs. Top 10: 0-1; vs. Top 30: 2-1
No. 134: Iowa Navy PF (1943)
Record: 9-1; rating: 103.08 vs. Top 10: 0-1; vs. Top 30: 2-1
No. 135: Notre Dame (1924)
Record: 10-0; rating: 103.04 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 4-0
No. 136: Colorado (1971)
Record: 10-2; rating: 102.96 vs. Top 10: 1-2; vs. Top 30: 4-2
No. 137: Miami (Fla.) (1989)
Record: 11-1; rating: 102.93 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 138: Michigan (1940)
Record: 7-1; rating: 102.93 vs. Top 10: 2-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 139: Iowa (1960)
Record: 8-1; rating: 102.90 vs. Top 10: 3-1; vs. Top 30: 5-1
No. 140: Florida (1994)
Record: 10-2-1; rating: 102.88 vs. Top 10: 0-2-1; vs. Top 30: 2-2-1
No. 141: Georgia Tech (1943)
Record: 8-3; rating: 102.83 vs. Top 10: 0-3; vs. Top 30: 2-3
No. 142: Mississippi (1962)
Record: 10-0; rating: 102.78 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 3-0
No. 143: California (1949)
Record: 10-1; rating: 102.67 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 6-1
No. 144: Notre Dame (1948)
Record: 9-0-1; rating: 102.64 vs. Top 10: 2-0; vs. Top 30: 2-0-1
No. 145: Florida (1993)
Record: 11-2; rating: 102.60 vs. Top 10: 1-2; vs. Top 30: 3-2
No. 146: Minnesota (1949)
Record: 7-2; rating: 102.59 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 3-1
No. 147: Southern California (1962)
Record: 11-0; rating: 102.58 vs. Top 10: 1-0; vs. Top 30: 5-0
No. 148: Oklahoma (1956)
Record: 10-0; rating: 102.53 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 1-0
No. 149: Arizona State (1996)
Record: 11-1; rating: 102.52 vs. Top 10: 1-1; vs. Top 30: 4-1
No. 150: Cornell (1921)
Record: 8-0; rating: 102.49 vs. Top 10: 0-0; vs. Top 30: 1-0