Rank the top 5 college football schools of all time

[Stallion]

actually that didn't sound right to me so I checked it. The story got it wrong I think since the National Championship Foundation ended I believe in 1935. I believe it was the Helms Athletic Foundation Poll. Source: The SMU 2003 Football Media Guide

[RGV Pony]

According to no less an authority than the Aggy radio network SMU had two nat'l titles in the early 80s....heard them churning through that info while trying to get through the 4th quarter. Did I mention that on my walk from Kyle to my car I heard the cannon three more times?

[Stallion]

don't rely on Dave South-he was wrong-I heard it too.

[jtstang]

Hey bogus or not, its wasn't a charity NC to a team with one loss (to the team we beat the in the Cotton Bowl) like Penn State.

I was working from memory on ND, and I wasn't around for most of those ND titles. I stand corrected. I remember the 1966 split title with Michigan State when they tied 6-6.

Yeah, but your initial list accounted for Penn State and SMU winning national championships in the same year. Also, didn't Penn State lose to Alabama that year? We played Pitt in the Cotton Bowl.

[Stallion]

yes penn St lost to Alabama something like 42-24 and NOT to Pittsburg.

[EastStang]

Actually, my recollection was that Penn State beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to win the JOEPA good ole boy NC, and lost during the regular season to Pitt and Dan Marino (who we beat in the Cotton Bowl). I could be wrong, but that's what I remember because after the Cotton Bowl, I went back to my hotel and was rooting for Alabama and Penn State to tie so that neither school would get the NC.

[jtstang]

Actually, my recollection was that Penn State beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to win the JOEPA good ole boy NC, and lost during the regular season to Pitt and Dan Marino (who we beat in the Cotton Bowl). I could be wrong, but that's what I remember because after the Cotton Bowl, I went back to my hotel and was rooting for Alabama and Penn State to tie so that neither school would get the NC.

I think they Penn State played bama in the regular season and lost pretty handily to them, as Stallion says. Not sure who played in the Sugar Bowl, but Penn State's loss was in season.

update--just looked it up, and Penn State beat Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl.

[Stallion]

then your recollection would be wrong because Bama whupped up on Penn St early in the season.

[mustang_of_smu]

Okay, bama and oklahoma are probably better than Miami and Texas as far as best programs ever. Sorry, I'm only 22.

[BrianTinBigD]

http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html

If you trust the NCAA, then we are listed with 3 National Championships. 1935, 1981 and 1982.

A&M has 2 - 1919 and 1939
TCU has 2 - 1935 and 1938
Texas has 7 - 1941, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1977, 1981
OU has 15 - 1949, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1967, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1986, 2000
Michigan has 16 - 1901,1902,1903, 1904, 1910, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1964, 1973, 1985, 1977,
USC has 16 - 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 2002, 2003, 2004
Notre Dame has 21 - 1919,1920,1924, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1938, 1943, 1946,1947, 1949, 1953, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1993

I am of the opinion that winning percentage is the best gauge of a programs longterm success. The list below is pretty good in my opinion.

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1 Michigan 0.74588
2 Notre Dame 0.74345
3 Texas 0.71372
4 Oklahoma 0.71159
5 Alabama 0.71022
6 Ohio State 0.70852
7 Nebraska 0.70696
8 Tennessee 0.69715
9 Southern Cal 0.69683
10 Penn State 0.68509

[huntnfish]

it's not about winning % b/c there is no way you can leave USC out, its all about winning the big one

[abezontar]

Isn't Southern Cal USC, or are you referring to the one in South Carolina?

[EastStang]

Interesting the NCAA has SMU and UT as both winning National Championships in 1981.

[PonySoprano]

I think they Penn State played bama in the regular season and lost pretty handily to them, as Stallion says. Not sure who played in the Sugar Bowl, but Penn State's loss was in season.

update--just looked it up, and Penn State beat Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl.

Penn St. beat Georgia 27-23 in the Sugar Bowl.

Just one more time time that Cavan f'd things up for us. . .he was an assistant coach for Georgia that year!

[Stallion]

Georgia came into the game No. 1 and would have won the National Championship-remember Herschel Walker. In 1981 I believe SMU was ranked No. 6 and ineligible for the Cotton Bowl but were SWC Champions. Lost to UT at Texas Stadium 9-7. Which was the only loss during the 2 year period.