Ranking the 25 Most Dominant College Football Programs of the Last 20 Years

Having already compiled lists of dominant college football programs over the last 5, 10 and 15 years, it's now time to reveal which schools dominated the last 20 years of the collegiate gridiron.

Although I'm happy with the results of my previous lists, I decided to make some changes to the point system going forward (or backward, actually). In addition to demerits for season records of .500 (and under) and points added for 10-win seasons, National Title games played, National Title games won and January wins, I now include points for the number of undefeated seasons a program produces. I have also decided to make January wins only worth half a point.

Looking at my old system, I felt that some programs weren't sufficiently rewarded for running the table. Boise State in 2009, Utah in 2008 and 2004, Auburn in 2004 and Penn State in 1994, for example, put together fantastic seasons but got no more credit than if they had simply gone 10-3. Meanwhile, schools like Florida and LSU which have not gone undefeated in the last 20 years, still received major points for winning multiple (but blemished) National Titles.

I also felt that some programs received too much credit for winning in January. The reason I included January wins from the outset was to reward teams that produced good enough seasons to play in a post-New Years bowl and also finished the season strong. However, winning the Citrus or Gator Bowl in a 9-win campaign becomes just as rewarding as, for example, Penn State's undefeated run in 1994. So, I still want to reward strong finishes, but half-a-point instead of a full point seems more fair.

Now on to the list of the 25 most dominant college football programs of the last 20 years.

Disclaimer:

Some of you may disagree with the results here and decry the whole list as steeped in fool's logic and personal bias. Feel free to leave comments in the suggestion box below. Also keep in mind that I crunched nearly as many numbers as ground control did to slingshot Apollo 13 around the dark side of the moon. So if you spot any miscalculations, let me know and I'll make the corrections.

1. Florida State Seminoles

Two-time National Champion Seminoles edge-out their neighbors to the east for best program (1990-2009) on the strength of an unequaled 11 wins in January and five National Title game appearances. The two northern Florida schools had the most wins over the last two decades and were the only programs to go the span without .500 (or worse) seasons. But Florida State also managed an undefeated season in 1999 while this particular feat still alludes the otherwise illustrious Gators. Florida had more overall wins and one more National Title than FSU, but the mind-boggling string of uninterrupted 10-win seasons (from 1987 to 2000) was just enough to put the Seminoles on top.

Losing seasons 0
10 win seasons 12
Total wins 194
National Title games played 5
National Title games won 2
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 11

Total points: 46.9

2. Florida Gators

So close to taking the top spot for the third time in 4 rankings. Florida landed as the most dominant program of the last 5 and 15 years (but was beat out by Texas and USC for kings of the last decade). 1995 was really the season that got things cooking on a championship level in Gainsville. But the early 1990s weren't bad for Florida, seeing UF land a 49-12-1 record in the first half of the decade.

Losing seasons 0
10 win seasons 12
Total wins 202
National Title games played 4
National Title games won 3
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 9

Total points: 46.7

3. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska and Florida State were a two-program tag-team of terror through the whole of the 1990s. Otherwise excellent teams often found themselves slaughtered at the hands of the duo. Particularly in bouts with the Cornhuskers:

52-7 over Colorado and 49-7 over Kansas in 1992; 49-21 over UCLA in 1994; 49-25 over Kansas State, 44-21 over Colorado, 41-3 over Kansas and 62-24 over Florida in 1995; 41-21 over Virginia Tech in 1996; 54-15 over Texas A&M and 42-17 over Tennessee in 1997; 55-7 over Washington in 1998; 41-15 over Kansas State and 31-21 over Tennessee in 1999.

What do these blow-outs have in common? Every opponent was ranked in the AP top 14 when these beatings happened. Only four of those teams were outside the Top 10.

Yes, the 1990s were nirvana for Husker fans -- even if a respectable 22^nd place finish for the last decade seems like a period of unspeakable suffering and pestilence in Lincoln. The 1990s were the apex of a monster four-decade run of domination by Nebraska.

Losing seasons 3
10 win seasons 10
Total wins 192
National Title games played 5
National Title games won 3
Undefeated seasons 3
January wins 5

Total points: 42.7

4. Miami Hurricanes

The Hurricanes came into the 1990s like, well, a hurricane. But the gale-force did not last on a consistent basis. Thanks to NCAA sanctions mid-decade, Miami produced a dominance-killing dip book-ended by two of the most fearsome dynasties in the history of the sport. But with 5 coaching changes, athletic probation and Sports Illustrated calling for the dismantling of the program (all within a relatively short quarter century) the Miami football program continually produces elite teams. Enough, anyway, to make UM the 4^th most dominant football school of the last two decades.

Losing seasons 2
10 win seasons 8
Total wins 184
National Title games played 4
National Title games won 2
Undefeated seasons 2
January wins 6

Total points: 37.4

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

One of the best programs of the last decade saw some excellent (if not championship-caliber) seasons in the 1990s. John Cooper's career may have come to an abrupt and unceremonious end by the close of the 20^th Century, but only Bobby Bowden, Steve Spurrier and Joe Paterno coached their teams to more wins in the 1990s. (Tom Osborne's retirement in 1997 helps Cooper's ranking.)

Other than Florida, Ohio State has been the most consistently good of the upper-tier programs over the last twenty seasons. The Buckeyes just haven't been quite as successful once they reach the post-season.

Losing seasons 1
10 win seasons 11
Total wins 185
National Title games played 3
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 5

Total points: 37

6. Texas Longhorns

The Big 12 and BCS eras have been great for Texas. It's the epoch that came just prior that isn't so wonderful. The top program of the last decade sees a precipitous decline in its stock as we head into the 1980s. (AKA the decade when Texas forgot how to play football.)

Losing seasons 3
10 win seasons 11
Total wins 184
National Title games played 2
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 5

Total points: 33.9

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Like other top programs of the last two decades (Florida State, Nebraska, Miami), the 1990s were also halcyon days for Tennessee -- a program recently turned on its head with the spurning by ex-lover/head-head coach, Lane Kiffin. The house that Robert Neyland built and Phillip Fulmer remodeled into a palatial estate, is not exactly a sty nowadays. But the siding does look a bit weather-beaten.

Still the Volunteers got the BCS-era rolling with a now familiar sight -- a BCS title for an SEC school.

Losing seasons 2
10 win seasons 8
Total wins 181
National Title games played 1
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 8

Total points: 32.1

8. Alabama Crimson Tide

A great beginning to the stretch (45-5-1 from 1991 to 1994) that included a Bama National Title in 1992 and a fantastic close featuring 26 wins, just two losses and a BCS crown.

It's just that middle-section that wasn't so hot for the Crimson Tide. Alabama had as many losing seasons in the last two decades as it had January bowl wins. Like Miami, Alabama dealt with myriad coaching changes and NCAA sanctions to go from the top of the collegiate gridiron to a nadir and back up again. The only difference, Miami rebounded quicker. Much quicker.

Losing seasons 5
10 win seasons 9
Total wins 170
National Title games played 2
National Title games won 2
Undefeated seasons 2
January wins 5

Total points: 31.5

9. Michigan Wolverines

Like conference rivals, Ohio State, Michigan has been a paragon of consistent excellence over the last twenty years. Okay, make that 18 of the last twenty years. The Rodriguez years have thus far been no picnic for the Wolverine faithful, leaving the Big Blue pining for 2007, when Appalachian State stunned the college football world with an opening-week upset in Ann Arbor, but at least Michigan went on to finish a respectable 9-4 season.

Still, the fact that outside observers sit back, sort of aghast at what Rich Rodriguez has done to inarguably one of the most successful college football programs of all time, speaks volumes as to how uniformly great Michigan has been overall.

Losing seasons 2
10 win seasons 7
Total wins 174
National Title games played 1
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 9

Total points: 30.9

10. USC Trojans

Before Pete Carroll came to Los Angeles, there wasn't much to crow about in the Coliseum since roughly the 1984 Olympics. But, despite current worries of program-derailing sanctions, football in the 2000s was something special to behold in the land of Troy.

A decade of mediocrity plus a decade of greatness equals the final entry in my Top 10 college football programs of the last twenty years.

Losing seasons 5
10 win seasons 7
Total wins 170
National Title games played 3
National Title games won 2
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 7

Total points: 30.5

Here are how the other 15 schools ranked:

11. Virginia Tech Hokies

Losing seasons 2
10 win seasons 11
Total wins 176
National Title games played 1
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 3

Total points: 29.1

12. Oklahoma Sooners

Losing seasons 6
10 win seasons 8
Total wins 171
National Title games played 4
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 2

Total points: 27.1

13. Penn State Nittany Lions

Losing seasons 4
10 win seasons 8
Total wins 174
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 9

Total points: 26.9

14. Georgia Bulldogs

Losing seasons 5
10 win seasons 8
Total wins 170
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 8

Total points: 24.0

15. Boise State Broncos

Losing seasons 2
10 win seasons 9
Total wins 134
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 2
January wins 2

Total points: 23.4

16. LSU Tigers

Losing seasons 7
10 win seasons 6
Total wins 153
National Title games played 2
National Title games won 2
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 4

Total points: 22.3

17. Utah Utes

Losing seasons 4
10 win seasons 5
Total wins 157
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 2
January wins 2

Total points: 19.7

18 (tie). BYU Cougars

Losing seasons 6
10 win seasons 8
Total wins 170
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 1

Total points: 19.5

18 (tie). Wisconsin Badgers

Losing seasons 4
10 win seasons 6
Total wins 155
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 4

Total points: 19.5

18 (tie). Auburn Tigers

Losing seasons 5
10 win seasons 4
Total wins 160
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 2
January wins 5

Total points: 19.5

21. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Losing seasons 4
10 win seasons 3
Total wins 136
National Title games played 1
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 1
January wins 2

Total points: 18.1

22. Oregon Ducks

Losing seasons 4
10 win seasons 5
Total wins 157
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 1

Total points: 17.2

23. Colorado Buffalos

Losing seasons 7
10 win seasons 5
Total wins 145
National Title games played 1
National Title games won 1
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 3

Total points: 17.0

24. West Virginia Mountaineers

Losing seasons 5
10 win seasons 4
Total wins 151
National Title games played 1
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons
January wins 3

Total points: 16.6

25. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Losing seasons 6
10 win seasons 5
Total wins 154
National Title games played 0
National Title games won 0
Undefeated seasons 0
January wins 3

Total points: 15.9
Some of you may disagree with the results here and decry the whole list as steeped in fool's logic and personal bias. Feel free to leave comments in the suggestion box below. Also keep in mind that I crunched nearly as many numbers as ground control did to slingshot Apollo 13 around the dark side of the moon. So if you spot any miscalculations, let me know and I'll make the corrections.