Ranking College Football Championship Teams by Percentage of Home-state Players

One of the things that makes college football the best sport ever devised by human kind is the abundance of home grown talent that fills team rosters. If you look at NFL teams, what percentage of players actually hail from the city or state the franchise represents? Even on teams located in states such as Texas and California -- where an abundance of gridiron talent is born and raised -- NFL rosters are stacked with hired mercenaries from all corners of the continent and, in some cases, across the globe.

The same goes for Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL and even college basketball organizations. LeBron James' defection from Cleveland to Miami was so intriguing to the nation at large (and heartbreaking to the fans in Cleveland) precisely because it was the loss of a homegrown superstar -- an extreme rarity for that sport.

But, in college football, rosters are different. Take a roll call for any random state university football team and you'll find player after player hailing from just a hop, skip and a jump from their beloved stadium. Perhaps it is the army-like nature of these teams that feeds this trend. What other sport lines its sidelines with a hundred-plus players season after season? Even NFL teams need their practice squads and injured reserved lists to break 60 for their head counts.

But college football produces home-state legends and local heros like no other major American sport. Consider that, of the 75 Heisman Trophies that have been awarded since 1935, 40 of the recipients were either born or lived their formative years in the same state in which they played their college ball.

In recent years, high-profile players such as Matt Leinart and Tim Tebow have turned down early entries into the pros as high picks to give their home-state teams another shot at National Titles. While college football has its share of early departures for the pros, no doubt, the Leinarts and the Tebows of the world serve to show just how much local loyalty drives the game.

But which college football programs are most fueled by local talent? Taking a look at as many National Championship team rosters as I could find, I've created a ranking of teams based on the percentage of instate talent.

You will not find every National Champion team listed. Cyberspace offers no complete anthology of team rosters especially when we add in teams before the BCS era. Miami and Penn State rosters in particular are woefully ill-documented on the web. Of the 7 National Championship teams shared by the two schools, only the 2001 Hurricanes appear here because I couldn't find complete player indexes for any of the other teams.

Some championship teams are missing from the list because the rosters didn't list many of the players' hometowns. I also didn't include teams whose rosters (though apparently complete with hometown listings) catalogued less than 50 players, on the assumption that these rosters were also incomplete.

This criteria eliminated what would have been the top National Championship team based on percentage of instate players -- The 1957 Ohio State Buckeyes.

This roster included 47 Ohioans and a guy from Covington, KY, just over the river from Cincinnati. A 98% home-grown roster. But, with less than 50 players listed, I just couldn't be sure of it's thoroughness.

Now on to the rankings...

Teams with greater than 90% home-state players.

1. 1970 Texas Longhorns 94.6% instate players.

This split champion went 10-0 in the regular season finishing off the year with dominating wins over rivals Texas A&M and Arkansas. Good enough to win the UPI National Title. Good thing, too, because Notre Dame upended the Longhorns in the post-title Cotton Bowl. A win over the Irish would have given Texas back-to-back consensus titles using many of the exact same Texans from the previous year's National Championship team.

Home-state legends from this squad included wide receiver Cotton Speyrer and defensive end Bill Atessis.

70 Texans on a roster of 74. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Texas-Longhorns-Football-1970/roster

2. 1969 Texas Loghorns 93.5%

Undefeated in both the regular and post-season, this team was made up of a shitload of Texans, many of which also played on the 1970 National Championship that featured an even higher percentage of instate players. Before beating Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl the Longhorns dispatched #2 Arkansas in what some people consider the first "Game of the Century".

Prominent Texans on this team included All American lineman Bob McKay, running back Ted Coy and quarterback James Street.

87 Texans on a roster of 93 Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Texas-Longhorns-Football-1969/roster

3. 1972 USC Trojans 92.3%

Regarded by Keith Jackson as the greatest college football team of all time, the 1972 USC Trojans crushed their opponents by an average of 27 points per game including a 42-17 mud-stomping of #3 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Southern California may be known for its laid-back culture of surfers and quiche-eaters, but this formidable squad of Golden State-bred bruisers hold their own with the sport's greatest of all time.

Prominent California natives on this team included fullback Sam Cunnigham and tight end Charle Young.

48 Californians out of 52 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/USC-Trojans-Football-1972/roster

Teams with 80% to 89% homegrown players.

4. 2003 USC 84.1%

Future-Heisman-winner Matt Leinart took over USC's quarterback reigns after 2002 Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer left for the NFL. He would be the connecting link in perhaps the most impressive ever string of local-boys done good in college football as three separate Californians won the prestigious trophy in just 4 years while playing for the Garnett and Gold.

With one loss, the 2003 Trojans needed some help from other teams to land a split National Title, but many of the key ingredients were already in place for USC's 2004 run at an undisputed crown.

90 Californians out of 107 on roster. Source -- http://usc.scout.com/a.z?s=15&p=8&c=2&nid=736&csid=null&yr=2003

5. (tie) 1968 Ohio State 84%

Ohio State went 10-0 in 1968 and 7-0 in the Big Ten, culminating in a convincing Rose Bowl win over USC thanks to a prolific offense driven by Buckeye natives Rex Kern (quarterback), Jim Otis (running back) and lineman Dave Foley. The home-state heros pasted 50 points on archival, Michigan, in one of the most lopsided victories ever in the teams' series.

63 Ohioans on a roster of 75 Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Ohio-State-Buckeyes-Football-1968/roster

5. (tie) 2005 Texas 84%

Houston-born Vince Young snatched history away from USC in the waning moments of the 2006 Rose Bowl in what was one of the most anticipated National Title games of all time. And a contest that lived up to its hype. The Trojans had been touted all season as perhaps "the greatest college football team in the history of the known universe" by sports pundits coast to coast. But with an undefeated record and a thrilling 41-38 win in Pasadena, the 2005 Longhorns are the team which now resides in "greatest ever" discussions.

Other great Texans on the 2005 team included free safety Michael Huff, offensive lineman Jonathan Scott and defensive tackle Rodrique Wright.

110 Texans out of 131 on roster. Source -- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/ncaa/rosters/2005/texas/

7. 2004 USC 82.6%

The year before USC fielded its second entry for "greatest college football team of all time", Coach Pete Carroll was grappling with the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer and the conundrum of what to do while a 17 year-old wunderkind from Louisiana by the name of John David Booty learned how to steer the USC offensive juggernaut. Carroll turned to a sophomore from Orange County to fill in.

Matt Leinart.

"You'll never regret this!" Leinart told his coach. And, indeed, Pete Carroll couldn't have made a better choice as Leinart went on to a 37-2 record as starter for USC in a three season stretch that included three straight National Title appearances, including two wins. The best of those teams (2004) took the field the same year Leinart won the Heisman Trophy. After hammering Oklahoma 55-19 in the BCS Championship, the kid from Santa Ana took no time in declaring that he'd skip the NFL draft to return for his senior season with the Trojans.

Other California natives on this team included future Heisman-winner Reggie Bush, All-American linebacker Matt Grootegoed and All-American defensive tackle Shaun Cody.

71 Californians out of 86 on roster. Source -- http://usc.scout.com/a.z?s=15&p=8&c=2&nid=736&yr=2004

Teams with 70% to 79% instate players.

8. 1996 Florida 76.4%

After suffering one of the most lopsided losses in National Championship history in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl (thanks largely to a Florida-native who defected to Lincoln, Nebraska), the 1996 Florida Gators did the best thing possible -- they mounted a National Championship season of their own. Mounting an 11-1 regular season, the Gators avenged their one loss of the year (at Florida State) by crushing the Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl 52-20.

This would be the first of three National Championships for Florida thanks largely to the arm of Heisman-winner and Pensacola-born, Danny Wuerffel.

Other notable Floridians on this team included wide receiver Reidel Anthony and safety Lawrence Wright.

68 Floridians out of 89 on roster. Source -- http://www.gatorzone.com/football/bios.php?year=1996

9. 1993 Florida State 72.5 %

Speedy instate defenders like Devin Bush and the Derricks -- Brooks and Alexander -- propelled Florida State to its first National Championship as the 1993 Seminoles went 12-1, finishing with a thriller in the Orange Bowl against #2 Nebraska.

The Florida State defense posted four shutouts for the season and, except for a fateful trip to South Bend, never let an opponent score more than 21 points in a slate that included seven teams ranked in the AP Top 15.

79 Floridians out of 109 on roster. Source -- http://nolefan.org/summary/f1993.html

10. 2002 Ohio State 71.9%

Jim Tressel's second season leading the Buckeyes was one to remember as Ohio State powered its way to the first 14-0 Division 1 record since the days Princeton and Yale ruled the sport.

Notable Buckeye natives on this team included a pair of Canton-born defenders -- Mike Doss and Kenny Peterson. And, on offense, the infamous Maurice Clarett -- who delivered the knock-out blow to Miami in the BCS Championship.

82 Ohioans of 114 on roster. Source -- http://usc.scout.com/a.z?s=15&p=8&c=2&yr=2002&csid=null&nid=687

11. 1955 Oklahoma 71.4%

Perhaps Bud Wilkinson's best Sooner team, this squad of Oklahoma-born brutes manhandled their opponents by a combined 385 to 60.

45 Oklahomans on roster of 63 Source http://www.soonerstats.com/football/players/roster.cfm?SeasonID=1955

12. 1992 Alabama 70.0%

The 100th season of Alabama football produced yet another National Title for the Crimson Tide thanks mostly to a crushing defense that produced three shutouts and allowed only 9 points per game on average. Ball thief and Alabama-native Antonio Langham had much to do with Tide opponents' inability to cross the goal line.

60 out of 87 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Football-1992/roster

Teams with 60% to 69% instate players.

13. 2008 Florida 69.9%

Much like USC under Matt Leinart, the Florida Gators of the late 2000s were defined by the passion of a prolific instate quarterback who also won the Heisman Trophy.

Known for his impassioned post-game speeches as much as his on-field heroics, Tim Tebow was never shy about emoting in front of a camera. While inviting ridicule from opposing teams' fans, there can be no doubt that much of Florida's success under Tebow's leadership came from the quarterback's sheer desire to win, the pinnacle of which came in the second half of the BCS Championship against Oklahoma in which the Gator offense seemed to punish the Sooner defense more and more as the game went on.

79 Floridians out of 113 on roster. Source -- http://www.floridafansite.com/players.asp?season=2008

14. 1956 Oklahoma 66.7%

44 Oklahomans on roster of 66 Source -- http://www.soonerstats.com/football/players/roster.cfm?SeasonID=1956

15. 1978 Alabama 66.6%

74 Alabamans out of 111 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Football-1978/roster

16. 1999 Florida State 65.1%

NCAA's first wire-to-wire AP #1 team. The Seminoles were rarely challenged all season thanks mostly to a fleet of speedy Florida-bred wide receivers such as Peter Warrick and Ron Dugans.

56 Floridians of 86 on roster. Source -- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/rosters/1999/ffc/

17. 2006 Florida 64.1%

Florida-born All-Americans Reggie Nelson and Brandon Siler helped lead the Gators to a 13-1 record and the University of Florida's first National Title in 10 years culminating in a 41-14 embarrassment of #1 Ohio State in the BCS Championship.

59 Floridians out of 92 on roster. Source -- http://www.floridafansite.com/players.asp?season=2006

18. 2003 LSU 63.8%

The 2003 Tigers took home the BCS Championship but had to share a split National Title with USC. Bayou natives Michael Clayton and Devery Henderson on offense and Marquise Hill and Chad Lavalais on defense helped LSU to a 13-1 record and a convincing win over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.

60 Louisianans out of 94 on roster. Source -- http://usc.scout.com/a.z?

19. 2000 Oklahoma 61%

The 2000 college football season marked an abrupt change for the Oklahoma Sooners who had just gone through the program's worst decade of the modern era. Bob Stoops' second season produced a remarkable 13-0 record after OU had won a total of 24 games in the 5 seasons preceding. Home-state heros such as future Butkus Award winner Rocky Calmus helped return Oklahoma to the glories of its past and on to its best decade since the 1970s.

64 Oklahomans out of 105 on roster Source -- http://www.oufootball.info/roster/2000.html

Teams with 50% to 59% in state players.

20. 1995 Nebraska 59.3%

Another contender for "greatest college team of all time", the 1995 Cornhuskers demolished a slate of opposition that included 4 teams that finished in the AP Top 10 including an absolute humiliation of 1995's second best team -- the Florida Gators in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl.

The clear star of the 1995 Huskers was a fleet-footed Floridian named Tommie Frazier. But with 3 out of every 5 players hailing from Nebraska, the contributions of the home-grown heros on this legendary team can't be ignored. Nebraskans Chris Dishman, Ahman Green and Jeff Mckovicka all played key roles in the Cornhusker's mid-1990s dominance.

51 Nebraskans out of 86 on roster. Source --http://www.fanbase.com/Nebraska-Cornhuskers-Football-1995/roster

21. 1973 Alabama 59.2%

42 out of 71 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Football-1973/roster

22. 1979 Alabama 59.0%

36 Alabamans out of 61 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Football-1979/roster

23. 2007 LSU 58%

69 Louisianans out of 119 on roster. Source -- http://www.lsusports.net/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=27812&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200&Q_SEASON=2007

24. 2001 Miami 56.7%

While some say they were the greatest college football team of all time, 2001 Miami is probably inarguably the most "talented" college football team ever. No small distinction as "da U" had to wrestle some of Florida's top football players away from the other two powerhouse programs in the state. The 2001 Hurricanes beat their opponents by an average of 33 points. This slate included 6 teams ranked in the AP Top 25 by the end of the season.

Prominent Floridians on this team include Andre Johnson, Kevin Beard, William Joseph and Jonathan Vilma.

55 Floridians on of 97 on roster. Source -- http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/031802aaa.html

25. 1997 Nebraska 55.3%

November 8, Columbia Missouri. Nebraska natives Scott Frost and Matt Davison would make up 2 of the 3 key ingredients for the college football play of the year. Called the "flea kicker", Frost threw a game-tying pass that first bounced of Shevin Wiggins' chest, then bounced of his foot and up into the air were it was then caught by Davison. Nebraska then beat Missouri in overtime and would later go on to claim a shared National Title.

This team was even more fueled by local heros than the 1995 team (which had a higher percentage of instate players). Frost and Davison along with fellow Nebraskans Ahman Green, Joel Makovicka and Chad Kelsay all played key roles in the Cornhuskers' march to the 1997 title. Future Heisman winner and local legend Eric Crouch was also on this team as a freshman.

47 Nebraskans out of 85 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Nebraska-Cornhuskers-Football-1997/roster

26. 2009 Alabama 53.3%

An unusually small percentage of native-born players for a Bama National Title team.

56 Alabamans out of 105 on roster. Source -- http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2009/8/6/979908/2009-alabama-fall-football-roster

27. 1974 Oklahoma 52.8%

75 Oklahomans on roster of 142 Source -- http://www.soonerstats.com/football/players/roster.cfm?SeasonID=1974

28. 1994 Nebraska 52%

78 Nebraskans out of 150 on roster. Source -- http://huskerpedia.com/rosters/1994.html

29. 2010 Auburn 50%

56 Alabamans on a roster of 112 on roster. Source -- http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/roster/_/id/2/auburn-tigers

Teams with less than half of their players hailing from instate.

30. 1985 Oklahoma 49.5%

49 Oklahomans of 99 on roster. Source -- http://www.soonerstats.com/football/players/roster.cfm?seasonid=1985

31. 1975 Oklahoma 44.5%

57 Oklahomans on roster of 128 Source -- http://www.soonerstats.com/football/players/roster.cfm?SeasonID=1975

32. 1971 Nebraska 39.3%

35 Nebraskans out of 89 on roster. Source -- http://huskerpedia.com/rosters/1971.html

33. 1991 Washington 39.2%

31 Washingtonians on a roster of 79. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Washington-Huskies-Football-1991/roster

34. 1997 Michigan 38.3%

36 Michiganders of 94 on roster. Source -- http://www.michiganfansite.com/players.asp?season=1997

35. 1990 Colorado 37.3%

44 Coloradans out of 118 on roster. Source -- http://www.cubuffs.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=3845&SPID=255&DB_OEM_ID=600&Q_SEASON=1990

36. 1970 Nebraska 36.5%

31 on roster of 85. Source -- http://huskerpedia.com/rosters/1970.html

37. 1998 Tennessee 36.5%

31 Tennesseeans of 85 on roster. Source -- http://mysite.verizon.net/volnut/volpage/roster98.htm

38. 1984 BYU 30.7%

23 out of 75. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/BYU-Cougars-Football-1984/roster

39. 1981 Clemson 30.2%

26 out of 86 on roster. Source -- http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:gH8YJOgPwssJ:grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/clem/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/1981roster.pdf+1981+clemson+roster&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiNn80jc_L0Vd9_s7_1buYm6BADKQPz7UVIPakBHbwg8S09D4_96qUlxBMUZrj-_WLWW-zVaPh-0jv2pzIytW-Secohp79LPclSDCtsv3AIbvMmAqg39WbitHxdPeNQkv_e5hmZ&sig=AHIEtbTUFv33CpAEePPHBfXQrN2NpkDQyg

If there's such a thing as a "National" team in college football, it's got to be Notre Dame. Not too many Hoosiers end up playing for the Fighting Irish, but a good helping of some of the country's best grid iron talent typically finds its way to South Bend. Of all the elite programs in the country, Notre Dame has by far relied the least on home-state heros.

40. 1977 Notre Dame 11.1%

10 Indianans on a roster of 90 Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Notre-Dame-Fighting-Irish-Football-1977/roster

41. 1966 Notre Dame 10.8%

8 Indianans on a roster of 74

142. 988 Notre Dame 3.6%

3 Indianans of 82 on roster. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Notre-Dame-Fighting-Irish-Football-1988/roster

43. 1973 Notre Dame 3.5%

4 Indianans on a roster of 114. Source -- http://www.fanbase.com/Notre-Dame-Fighting-Irish-Football-1973/roster