In light of the lifted NFL lockout, football frenzy is at an all time high. The lockout has not just started NFL, but the college football faithful have found their way out of hiding.
Because no games have been played at this point in the year, it is a time we occupy ourselves with debate.
One of the oldest arguments to date is who the most prestigious program in the country is. This column is intended to set the record straight. It is completely opinion based, non-biased, but still an opinion.
The rankings are based off of National Championships, Heisman Trophy winners, and interviews from everyday fans. Programs were reviewed from their beginnings. It is not based only off of what they have done this past decade, but what their program has contributed to the history of college football as a whole.
5. Michigan Wolverines:
The maize and blue are one of the oldest and without a doubt one of the most well respected programs in the country.
The reason they are so well respected in the college football world is because they win; 11 National Championships, 42 Conference Championships, 126 All-Americans, and 39 bowl game appearances.
The numbers don’t lie.
They hit the field with arguably some of the most distinctive helmets in all of football. They intimidate their opponents by playing in the “Big House”, a 109,000 person stadium that is filled every Saturday with college students decked out in Blue and Maize.
On top of which, Michigan is known to go about their business with an unparalleled level of class and dignity. Minus their one “Rich-Rod” slip-up in the past few years, Michigan has always found coaches that conduct a winning tradition by doing it the right way.
Coaches such as Fielding Yost who was an original pioneer of the game, Bo Schembechler, and Loyd Carr have all paved the way for the Wolverines program. Michigan may have been down in the past few years, but a program such as the University of Michigan will rise again.
Michigan’s astounding 800+ wins have given them the spot on this list over other deserving programs.
4. Oklahoma Sooners:
The Sooners have statistically been one of the most successful college football programs of the Twentieth Century.
Seven National Championships, 43 Conference Championships, 152 All-Americans, five Heisman winners, and 17 players in the College Football Hall of Fame put Oklahoma over so many other deserving programs of this list.
As often as they come, Oklahoma doesn't take their celebrations lightly.
The Sooners have dominated the gridiron for decades, competing against some of the toughest teams college football has had to offer in the past. Bear Bryant’s Texas A&M teams wrote the book on toughness, and have battled Oklahoma for decades now. The Sooners have battled the ever-powerful Texas Longhorns of the mid 20th Century, and are still here standing on top of the elite programs.
The Sooners re-established their dominance in the early 21st Century behind Head Coach Bob Stoops. As we all know aspiring high school players will always dream of playing for the Sooners, and by the looks of things Coach Stoops isn’t going anywhere soon.
Not only is Oklahoma one of the greatest programs ever established, but they also continue their dominance in today’s game. In a world of investigations and sanctions, Oklahoma stands clean – pause here for a couple weeks – and ready to make BCS runs in these upcoming years to come.
3. University of Southern California Trojans:
Arguably the most hated college program of all time are the Trojans of Southern California. Minus Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, USC fans are somewhat hard to come by.
In a time of NCAA program investigations, USC is a usual suspect. Being in the talks almost yearly of illegal recruit/player activities makes the Trojans the usual front-runners for villain of the year. However, if people hate you, that normally means you’re doing something right.
Year in and year out USC dominates just about everyone on their schedule, and that has just been in the past decade. Players like Reggie Bush dazzled fans just a few years ago with his ridiculous moves that hadn’t been seen since Barry Sanders days.
With a barrage of high-profiled athletes, USC rarely disappoints on the field.
With a barrage of All-American quarterbacks in the past decade, USC has been right in the mix for the National Championship almost every year. Yes many hate the Trojans, but mainly because they destroy every team they play.
As previously mentioned this list is based on the total history of these programs, not just the past decade. USC’s position on this list is based more on the previous achievements more than their more recent. 11 National Championships, 38 Conference Championships, 78 All-Americans, six Heisman winners (Reggie Bush not included), and an incredible NCAA record 472 NFL draftees.
USC has had its ups and downs just like every other great college program, but their history is rich. The Trojans deserve everything coming their way in today’s game, and rightfully so they broke the rules. They have plenty of work ahead of them to get back to their dominate ways, but USC will always be feared by all who play them.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide:
SEC football is a way of life in the south. When prestigious southern programs are discussed, the numbered helmets of the Crimson Tide stand in a class of their own.
Alabama has dominated the college ranks since 1892 – that’s three different centuries. They may not have the most Heisman winners or National Championships all-time, but they are tied for first with eight National Championships since the AP/Coaches poll era began.
For years the mantra in Tuscaloosa has been all for one, one for all. So despite not claiming a Heisman Trophy winner until Mark Ingram in 2009, they still find themselves atop College Football's elite.
802 all time wins, 13 National titles, 26 Conference Championships, and a NCAA Div. 1 record 33 bowl wins. The Crimson Tide have had 31 10 win seasons, and they also hold an impressive winning record against every team not only currently in the SEC, but every team that has ever been a member of the SEC.
For almost 25 years the Tide were led by arguably one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history, Paul “Bear” Bryant. He
also led Texas A&M in the years before he took over at Alabama. The team won six National Championships under his control.
Despite Alabama’s greatness, they have had only one Heisman trophy winner. Mark Ingram in 2009 was surprisingly the first ever Alabama player to win the trophy. That is also the same year that the Tide won their last National Championship.
Bama has not only been dominating in the past, but they are a prime example of how to continue a winning tradition. Alabama is going to be a force in the SEC for years to come, and every Saturday all 101,000 seats of Bryant-Denny Stadium will be sold out by the Tide faithful.
1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish:
When the history of college football is brought up, the first thing that comes to mind is the legendary Fighting Irish.
No other program is as loaded with as much history as Notre Dame. The Four Horseman, Knute Rockney, “Win one for the Gipper”, Touchdown Jesus and of – if not the most – recognizable helmet’s in all of football help make Notre Dame the most historic program in the NCAA.
Notre Dame is more than just some legendary stories; they have backed it up on the field for more than 100 years. 11 National Championships, 96 All-Americans, and seven Heisman winners – all of which being NCAA records – are a testimony of what the Irish have proven on the field.
Enough Said?
Legendary coaches such as Knute Rockney, Ara Parseghian, and Lou Holtz have rocketed Notre Dame through the generations of fans. Every generation of fans will have new Notre Dame stories to tell. Love them or hate them, no matter how far they get down they will always rise back up.
Notre Dame is the most widely recognized program in the country. You wouldn’t see people out in Arizona wearing Kentucky or Ohio St (Ohio State is actually very popular in AZ). t-shirt’s, or the other way around. This is just a rough example; however it’s not uncommon whatsoever to see Notre Dame Merchandise almost anywhere you go in the country. The point is, Notre Dame fans are everywhere.
They may have struggled in this last decade, but as previously stated Notre Dame will always find a way to get back on top. Following the recent hire of Brian Kelly, the Irish look to be on the move again toward the top.
As long as Notre Dame is still the Fighting Irish, young aspiring athletes will always dream of coming to play at Notre Dame. What they have done for college football will never be touched. The University of Notre Dame has and always will set the standard for prestigious NCAA programs.
Snub List:
1. Ohio State Buckeyes- Seven National Championships, 37 Conference Titles, and seven Heisman winners including the only two-time Heisman winner Archie Griffin. The reason for their snub is I just did not find them to be more prestigious than Michigan. In my opinion Michigan’s all time wins record gives them the edge over the Buckeye’s.
2. Texas Longhorns- Four National Championships, 32 Conference Titles, and two Heisman winners put the Longhorns near the top. The reason for their snub is they are compared with the Oklahoma, and the Sooners are clearly the more decorated program.
Honorable Mention:
Penn State Nittany Lions, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Miami Hurricanes, Florida Gators, Wisconsin Badgers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Oregon Ducks, LSU Tigers, and the Tennessee Volunteers. These programs are all great and have deep history in their own respect, but none of these teams could live up to the history of the programs listed.
