Is LSU The Greatest Team of All Time?

The college football season wrapped up the other day in spectacular fashion. A coach and quarterback that most people had overlooked and doubted ended up proving everyone wrong by dominating the entire season and College Football Playoff en route to a convincing championship.

The entire season college football celebrated its 150th anniversary with tributes, awards and god awful uniform patches. And of course they celebrated it with “greatest of all time lists.” These lists are fun, they inspire debate, they bring back old arguments and memories of former teams and players who inspired generations of fans. Now I cannot sit here and claim that I know all everything there is to know about the 150 years of college football but I like to think I know something about the last 20. With that, here is my list in order from worst to best for the greatest champions in college football for the last 20 years.

20) 2007 LSU Tigers (12-2)

Our only two loss champ, and for that they are ranked at the bottom. Sorry but record matters. And those two losses aren’t exactly “excusable” ones for this type of list. They lost to a 17th ranked Kentucky and an unranked Arkansas. I understand LSU and Arkansas is a rivalry game but sorry a top championship team shouldn’t lose to the Razorbacks 50-48. There were a few familiar names on this team, Matt Flynn was their QB and he was throwing the ball to Brandon LaFell. On defense you might remember Glenn Dorsey. He was the face of this team and a heisman finalist that year but was a bust for the Chiefs later on. Plus we have seen much more dominant and memorable defensive lineman since then (Ndamukong Suh, Chase Young). This team won a championship but not an impressive one.

19) 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-0)

Jim Tressel’s second year as head coach of the Buckeyes and he wins a BCS National Championship. This team had some talent, AJ Hawk at linebacker, Chris Gamble, Michael Jenkins and every ones favorite trouble maker, Maurice Clarett. He rushed for 16 TD’s, and 1,237 yards, an average of 5.6 YPC, he was a beast no question about it. But one can’t help but wonder about the controversial defensive pass interference call in the championship game against Miami. Without that I am probably adding a second Hurricanes team to this list. Craig Krenzel though is to me the epitome of generic, white, Big Ten quarterbacks, up there with Ricky Stanzi, Scott Tolzien, Drew Tate, John Stocco, Curtis Painter, Mike Kafka, Matt McGloin, Drew Stanton, Joel Stave and soon to be added to the class, CJ Beathard, Trevor Siemian, Alex Hornibrook, Wilton Speight and David Blough.

18) 2006 Florida Gators (13-1)

Urban Meyer’s first championship on this list and honestly his weakest team. This Gators squad was kind of like their QB Chris Leak, good but meh. The truly special Gators team would come a few years later but this one was just good not over the top great. They averaged below 30 points a game. Their lone loss came against an 11th ranked Auburn team, and they beat up a Heisman winner Troy Smith led Ohio State team. Not really a memorable squad though.

17) 2010 Auburn Tigers (14-0)

There’s been a lot of talk on if Joe Burrow just had the greatest single season of any college QB. The argument however belongs to the QB of this team. Cam Newton. He had backed up Tebow at Florida a few years before this, transferred for “reasons” and had a season for the ages. He threw for 2,854 yards, completing 66.4% of his passes and throwing for 30 TD’s. All of this to names of receivers that nobody remembers. Example, his top target was Darvin Adams, remember him? No? Me neither. Newton also rushed for 1,473 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He was responsible for 51 of Auburns touchdowns because he also caught one. Newton was this team. The rest of this team is really unspectacular. The defense gave up 24 points a game making most of these shootouts for Newton who won the Heisman that season. This was not a spectacular team, this was a generational talent having an unbelievable season, we can leave Newton’s 2010 for the top of another list.

16) 2013 Florida State Seminoles (14-0)

The Famous Jameis year. He threw for 4,057 yards and 40 touchdowns as a freshman! He won the Heisman becoming just the second freshman after Johnny Manziel to do so. He was unstoppable for Florida State that season and in a season which was the final year of the BCS system. The last year we didn’t have the playoff to help determine a champion. Devonta Freeman rushed for over 1,000 yards that year and Winston was supported by an in shape Kelvin Benjamin who was still a few Popeyes biscuits away from being a tight end. This team could score, averaging 50 points per game. Now that number might be inflated a tad seeing as they dropped 80 on Idaho during this season but you get the point. The defense was spectacular too with names like Telvin Smith, Lamarcus Joyner and Jalen Ramsey they allowed only 12 points per game. But the reason this team is ranked so low is that they played in a weak ACC. They had the 59th strongest schedule in 2013. And sometimes the championship game helps give clarity to a team from a weaker conference, but Florida State played a 12-2 Auburn team that was only there because of the “kick six” and the Noles barely beat the Tigers in that game.

So in terms of all time great teams I don’t see this squad knocking off any top contenders.

Quick note about Jameis Winston, some of you may or may not know but I work for a professional minor league baseball team, a few years ago we had a player who played his college ball at Florida State with Jameis Winston who was a pitcher there. He said after the championship and Heisman everyone came after Winston, trying to catch him slipping up one way or another. He said he is the nicest most genuine guy he knows and they still catch up together when he’s back in the area. THat players name is John Nogowski if you want to fact check me, he’s in AAA Memphis with the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

15) 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1)

The most explosive offense of the Crimson Tide championship teams. Led by Jalen Hurts and of course in the title game Tua Tagovailoa. They scored 37.1 points per game which was 15th best in the nation and the defense allowed only 12 points per game which was tops in the country. But rather than get bogged down into stats there is a reason this team is not higher on this list. They did not win their conference. It was a controversial decision and probably at the height of Paul Finnebaum and the SEC’s powers. They got two teams into the playoff. This Bama team lost to Auburn in the Iron Bowl and therefore did not play in the conference championship game. They snuck into the playoff, beat a reloading Clemson team, and then needed Tua in the second half of the championship game to beat their former defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs in overtime. I will say though that the game winning touchdown on 2nd and 26 is the greatest “Down and 26” play of all time, surpassing Donovan McNabb’s 4th and 26. But again didn’t win their conference, and just was never a dominant team.

14) 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-1)

Urban Meyer is once again on this list but this time with a different team. This was the first season of the playoff system and boy oh boy did it prove its worth right away. This Ohio State team is not the most talented Urban ever had but it was deep. Proven by the fact that Braxton Miller went down in the first game of the season at QB, for most teams that’s season over. Instead JT Barrett came to the rescue for Ohio State and played brilliantly. But he would go down with an injury against Michigan. Ok now for most teams it’s finished, but in stepped Cardale Jones, who wasn’t just a game manager but he made some big plays. If you remember Ohio State was on the outside looking in for the CFP, it was going to be either Baylor or TCU out of the Big 12 but since they didn’t play a Championship game at that time there was no real clear cut winner. So Ohio State took advantage, demolishing a good Wisconsin team in the Big Ten Championship game 59-0 to sneak into the playoff. Ok good for the Buckeyes but no chance they beat the mighty Crimson Tide. Except they did behind Ezekiel Elliott’s 230 rushing yards, 42-35. Ok but Oregon just destroyed defending champion Florida State, Marcus Mariota is the Heisman Trophy winner, no chance does Ohio State beat the high powered Ducks. Except that they do, dominating Oregon 42-20. An unbelievable championship run. Again this team was deep, Miller, Barrett, Jones, Elliott and Michael Thomas for good measure. The offense was top notch, the defense left a bit to be desired however allowing on average 22 points a game. And not to mention but without the playoff, they don’t win the title, in the old BCS format they play in the Rose Bowl instead. It was a magical run but this is a list about complete dominance, this team wasn’t exactly that.

13) 2015 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-1)

It’s Nick Saban and Alabama again, look it’s not hard to figure out these Bama teams and what they did great. They ran the ball, and played shut down defense. The same is true with this team. Derrick Henry rushed for an unbelievable 2,219 yards and 28 scores. Jake Coker was their quarterback and he threw for 3,110 yards which is a lot for a Bama QB during this time, to the likes of OJ Howard and Calvin Ridley. Look I’ll be honest I have zero clue who Jake Coker is. I do not remember him what so ever. In fact I’m literally just learning who he is as I write this and I am sure you are too. Once again though this team was led by defense allowing just 15 points per game with names like Eddie Jackson, Reggie Ragland, Reuben Foster, Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Bama is just a minor league team for NFL defenses. Yet this group did give up 40 points to Clemson in the championship game.

12) 2003 LSU Tigers (13-1)

Nick Saban’s first championship in this list and definitely not his last. This team was built on defense, allowing only 11 points per game. Their only loss this season came at home against Florida, 19-7. From there they rolled however, defeating Georgia twice and Oklahoma and Heisman winner Jason White in the championship before Saban took off for the Dolphins job. Joseph Addai and Dwayne Bowe did enough on offense but the defense with Marcus Spears, Corey Webster and Laron Landry were the real story here.

11) 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0)

Saban’s first championship with the Crimson Tide. This team was led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark “Big Truss” Ingram. Who oddly enough was the first ever player from Alabama to win the award. He rushed for 17 touchdowns and 1,658 yards. That allowed Greg McElroy to be a game manager, managing to throw the ball to Julio Jones. Jones led the team with 43 catches, for 596 yards and four touchdowns, huge numbers. Not a surprise but this team averaged just 32 points a game meaning their strength was the defense. And this team had a ton of depth on defense as many of these names would win multiple championships. Kareem Jackson, Rolando McClain, Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Courtney Upshaw, Dont’a Hightower. Barron alone had seven interceptions as the safety of that team. They would allow a season high 21 points. Imagine that the most your defense ever gave up was three touchdowns? They dominated Florida in the SEC Championship game 32-13, denying Tim Tebow a championship in his senior season. And took down Texas who was in the BCS national championship game because the Big 12 does whatever it can for it’s precious spoiled child in Texas by putting one second back on the clock denying Nebraska a conference championship in what was the most dominating game by a single defensive player (Ndamukong Suh) but we’re not here to talk about that game, maybe another time.

10) 2000 Oklahoma Sooners (13-0)

Bob Stoops’ only championship (Thank God). Look I will bring up the Huskers a lot in this post they’re my connection to plenty of these teams. I respect Oklahoma, but I also hate them. This team was really good, they scored almost 38 points a game and held opponents to just 14. Josh Heupel, UCF’s replacement for Scott Frost was the QB for this team. They handled a number one ranked at the time Nebraska in Norman during the season and dominated the Florida State Seminoles in the championship game 13-2. A Noles team by the way that had eventual Carolina Panther QB and probably more notably that years Heisman trophy winner Chris Weinke on the other side. This was a really good just not memorable team. Sorry you need some style points for this list, this is college football after all. They also had a kicker named Tim Duncan, odd but true.

9) 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1)

Bama went back to back in 11-12 and they were somewhat the same team but you could see the change. The Tide lost a lot of names on defense because of graduation, and would still only allow 11 points per game. But this time the offense was a little better, AJ McCarron actually looked like a real QB instead of just hand the ball off correctly. He threw for 30 touchdowns and was picked off just three times. Amari Cooper was his top target with a 1k receiving yards season and 11 touchdowns. Eddie Lacy rushed for 1,322 yards and 17 scores and TJ Yeldon helped carry the load with 1,108 yards and 12 scores himself. The highlight of the season for this team was beating the stuffing out of Notre Dame and Manti Teo’s imaginary girlfriend in the BCS title game while Brent Musberger jacked off to AJ McCarron’s very real girlfriend on national TV.

8) 2016 Clemson Tigers (14-1)

Dabo Swinney’s first championship, he finally was able to slay the dragon which was Alabama thanks to Deshaun Watson’s last second touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow in the championship game, and one of the best championship games I might add. Jalen Hurts and Deshaun Watson dueled each other all night long. This Clemson team was good, but not great. Their lone loss came at home against Pitt, 43-42, they got past a Virginia Tech team in the ACC Championship game. The only time they looked to be dominant was their 31-0 shut out of Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Deshaun Watson passed for 4,593 yards and rushed for another 629 while scoring 51 total touchdowns. He would lose the Heisman however to Lamar Jackson, whom he did beat in the regular season. Wayne Gallman was the lead back rushing for 17 TD’s and over 1,000 yards and along with Renfrow, Mike Williams was the top target for Watson with 98 catches for 1,361 yards.

7) 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1)

Like most Tide teams this one was built on defense so let’s start with them. They allowed on average 8 points per game. Can you tell me what team scored the most points against Bama that season? Any guesses? Florida? Arkansas? LSU? All wrong, the powerful and mighty Georgia Southern scored 21 points in a late November game. They allowed their opponents to score double digits only four times. Their only loss was to LSU in that classic game in Tuscaloosa where the Tigers won 9-6 and made that game into a rivalry everyone tuned into and probably kept Les Miles in Baton Rouge longer than he should have. Outside of this past season when LSU finally won again, it wasn’t much of a rivalry but we always think of that game. Bama would get their revenge in the championship game with a 21-0 throttling of LSU. The defense was anchored by Mark Barron, Dont’a Hightower who led the team in tackles and Courtney Upshaw. With a supporting cast of CJ Mosely, Dre Kirkpatrick, Dee Milliner and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Again the offense didn’t need to do much, Trent Richardson rushed for 1,679 yards and 21 TD’s but would lose the Heisman to RG3. As far as these greatest defenses go though this one might be at the top.

6) 2018 Clemson Tigers (15-0)

This was the team that let the rest of college football know that Clemson was not just a nice little story. They were not simply the main opposition for Alabama to face each and every year in the championship. Now they didn’t play an entirely difficult schedule. In fact they didn’t face a top ten team until the playoff, but remember I said earlier for Florida State that sometimes you can prove your dominance against those power house teams who maybe did face a tougher schedule and that’s exactly what Clemson did. Led by true freshman QB, Trevor Lawerence who threw for 3,280 yards and 30 touchdowns. He put himself on NFL Draft boards his first year in school. Travis Etienne rushed for 1,658 yards and 24 scores as the offense scored 44 points per game, fourth best in the nation. The defense however was even better. Leading the nation with only 13 points per game allowed and a dominant defensive line. Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant were a terror up front and it showed. They dominated Notre Dame in the semi finals 30-3 and then handed Alabama their worst loss in the Nick Saban era in the championship 44-16. For a team to dominate an Alabama team like that. You were truly one of the greatest of all time.

5) 2008 Florida Gators (13-1)

This was at the height of the University of Florida’s powers. Urban Meyer had built a consistent winner in the SEC with talent and depth at every position and Billy Donovan had built a consistent championship contender in basketball. And leading the way was what I could only imagine for women as the hottest virgin in the world, Tim Tebow. Tebow is like Tyler “Psycho T” Hansborough of college football, you either loved or hated him but there was no denying that he was one of the greatest college players of all time. He was responsible for 42 touchdowns that season. And of course no Gator fan will forget their loss to Ole Miss and his post game speech that ended up catapulting them to a championship run. Speaking of run, this team could run the football, they had four different players with over 600 yards of rushing; Tebow, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Percy Harvin. Not only could you not stop it, you had no clue who was getting the ball on any given play. This team was also ladened with future NFL talent, Aaron Hernandez was Tebow’s top target outside of Harvin as he would constantly murder defenses (sorry I had to). On defense you had names like Brandon Spikes, Joe Haden, Major Whright and Janoris Jenkins. This team again could hang forty plus on you and allow on average just 13 points a game. Their only one score game was the fluke loss to Ole Miss and this was a team that played three top three teams including a #1 Bama in the SEC Championship and Oklahoma and Heisman winner Sam Bradford in the championship. This was a damn good team.

4) 2004 USC Trojans (13-0)

My goodness what a team this was. Obviously highlighted by Matt Leinart taking the reins from Carson Palmer the year prior and running away with the Heisman. He had 3,322 yards and 33 touchdowns. Throwing passes to guys like Dwayne Jarrett and the other Steve Smith. And of course it was the first time we were really introduced to Reggie Bush. Funny to think that he wasn’t even the teams leading rusher, that was Lendale White. The classic thunder and lightning combo. It was the following year that Bush lit the world on fire, winning his Heisman before having to give it back. I don’t care he earned whatever USC paid him. But that 2005 team did not win the title, instead they’re just a mention for another team on this list. They played in a weak Pac-10 conference that season but a 55-19 thrashing of Oklahoma in the championship proved it didn’t matter who they played they were that good.

3) 2005 Texas Longhorns (13-0)

By virtue of what is known as one of if not the greatest college football game ever played, the 2006 Rose Bowl, are the Longhorns on this list. But they were also damn good. Vince Young was unstoppable, throwing for over 3,000 yards and rushing for over 1,000 and responsible for 38 touchdowns. The offense averaged a fifty-burger a game. A three headed attack of Young, Jamal Charles and Limas Sweed. They crushed Joel Klatt and the Colorado Buffaloes in the Big 12 Championship that season 70-3. And they scored 60 or more points on four different occasions. I remember watching a 30 for 30 about the ’05 USC team and they talked about this Texas team, how they were determined to be the ones who knocked USC off the mountain. So much so that they watched and cheered for the “Bush Push” before their game against Colorado that day because they wanted USC unbeaten before they ran into them.

2) 2019 LSU Tigers (15-0)

We now reach our defending Champion LSU Tigers. They are what have sparked me to write this blog because I hear a lot of people calling them the greatest college football team of all time. And I get it they are really easy to root for, Ed Orgeron is lovable as hell, he’s a great influencer, he’s inspirational and does everything the right way. Joe Burrow is an incredible story, buried on the depth chart, transferred and then turned in one of the greatest seasons that college football has ever seen but I think we are falling for recency bias here. Burrow had 60 touchdown passes, responsible for 65. LSU led the nation in points per game dropping 48 on average. Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson both had seasons of over 1,500 yards through the air, while Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns. They never trailed in the 4th quarter of a game and trailed by 10 only once and that was the championship and they from that point stomped out a very good Clemson team. They destroyed Oklahoma to a molecular level in the semi finals they dominated just about every single team they faced. I just can’t get past their defense allowing 22 points per game. It was 32nd in the nation, they were often in shootouts. They almost lost to Texas who at the time was ranked ninth but that was media hype, Texas was never a real top ten team this season. They faced Florida and Auburn who were top ten ranked teams but we all know how much the voters and media loves the SEC. Was this a great team? Yes no doubt about it. Was it the greatest team of all time? Sorry but no.

1) 2001 Miami Hurricanes (12-0)

This is for my money the greatest college football team that I can remember watching. They dominated teams in every facet of the game, they would hang on average 43 points on you and only give up 10. Are you kidding me? An average score of 43-10 per game? And it shouldn’t be that surprising they played with the equivalent of a NFL Pro-Bowl roster. The quarterback, Ken Dorsey, a two time Heisman finalist was probably the weakest link of the bunch, think about that. The backfield was lead by Clinton Portis and his 1,200 yards and 10 TD’s. Oh and he was backed up by scrubs like Willis McGahee and Frank Gore. Remember I said Dorsey was twice in NYC for a chance at the Heisman? That’s because he was throwing to Andre Johnson and Roscoe Parrish. Not to mention his tight ends, Jeremey Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. Imagine the two tight end system with those two guys. And I am sure he had plenty of time to throw with the best offensive lineman in football that season Bryant McKinnie watching his backside. How about the defensive side of the ball. Old New England fan-favorite Vince Wilfork was a part of that bunch on the D-Line. Don’t forget long time New York Jet Jonathan Vilma controlling the linebackers. The real coup de gras however was the secondary. I have no clue how anyone completed a pass against Miami all year long. Phillip Buchanon and Antrel Rolle. Both very respectable NFL careers. And freaking Sean Taylor (RIP) and Ed Reed all in that secondary. I mean are you kidding me? Not only did this team have the talent for that year and beyond, but they backed it up week in and week out on the field. They played in only one game that finished as a one score difference and that was against Virginia Tech in the Big East Championship game. They then demolished Nebraska and Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch in the Championship game 37-14.

Quick side note, Eric Crouch was born in the wrong era. Had he played today, he is Lamar Jackson. Maybe I’m biased but go on Youtube and look up Eric Crouch highlights, the dude was electric, just played in the wrong era.

So this is my list of the 20 college football champions of this millennium. Hope to post more blogs and such as I come up with these ideas. Hope you enjoy it!