College football history is chock full of all-time-great squads who went on to win national championships and send their top talent to the NFL. Here’s the best of the best.

Arguably more so than in any other sport, history is woven into the fabric of college football. As every program looks to set their school’s standard, they’re chasing the all-time greats from their program’s past, and the ones who cut through are remembered forever.

The game — and how champions are crowned — has evolved over time and continues to evolve with the expanded playoff. We’re a long way from the 1869 battle between Rutgers and Princeton, which is recognized as the first college football game ever. 

But the annals of history are permanent. And for you, the fan (and, most likely, a fantasy football enthusiast) having a good handle on the college landscape can translate into the fantasy realm, where knowing about the great programs with the top talent can only help. So which teams have emerged as the best of the best? Read on...

10 Greatest College Football Teams of All Time

1. LSU (2019)

The tier of eventual NFL talent on LSU’s 15-0 national championship team was outrageous. 

Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow had the luxury of throwing to Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase (you likely don’t even have that possibility on any of your fantasy teams; although you’re welcome to try by joining a league with Sleeper, wink wink), while Clyde Edwards-Helaire dominated the backfield, Patrick Queen roamed the heart of defense at linebacker and Derek Stingley Jr. and Grant Delpit handled the defensive secondary.

It’s not hard to see how the Tigers steamrolled the competition — coach Ed Orgeron’s squad scored a single-season record 726 points (including 95 touchdowns) — cementing their place in history by ending the season with three consecutive thumpings of top five teams: Georgia (SEC Championship), Oklahoma (national semifinal) and Clemson (title game). 

2. Miami (2001)

The U hit its peak during an undefeated run to the BCS title with a team that was absolutely loaded with future NFL talent. In fact, an astounding 17 players on the squad went on to become first-round draft picks. 

The RB room alone featured Clinton Portis, Frank Gore and Willis McGahee, while WR Andre Johnson, TE Jeremy Shockey, CB Antrel Rolle, safeties Ed Reed and the late Sean Taylor, left tackle Bryant McKinnie, nose tackle Vince Wilfork and linebacker Jonathan Vilma helped round out a complete collegiate juggernaut.

A season after being controversially left out of the BCS title picture, Miami responded with a 12-0 campaign during which it only conceded double digits in points in four games and left no doubt as to which team was king that season.

3. Clemson (2018)

Before the transfer portal era turned the Tigers into a solid but not elite program, Clemson was step-for-step with the likes of Alabama for several years, and in the title game to close their 2018 season, Clemson was considerably better than that. 

The 44-16 thrashing of the Crimson Tide put a bow on a 15-0 season for Dabo Swinney’s team — the first such season in the College Football Playoff era — and exacted revenge for their semifinal defeat to ‘Bama the year prior as their rivalry completed another chapter. In fact, the game marked the third time in four seasons that the two played for the national title, with that semifinal showdown the outlier.

With freshman Trevor Lawrence at QB and Clemson having won the title for the second time in three years, it seemed like the possibilities were going to be endless in Death Valley, but the Tigers haven’t won it all since.

Nevertheless, this Clemson group had a dominant defensive line full of NFL-caliber talent, plus future pro studs in running back Travis Etienne, defensive back A.J. Terrell, wide receiver Tee Higgins and safety Isaiah Simmons. This team was as stacked as it was successful. 

4. Alabama (2015) 

The Alabama-Clemson rivalry atop the sport got going during this season, with the Crimson Tide out-dueling the previously undefeated Tigers 45-40 in a classic CFP title game. It marked the first of four straight seasons that the two teams would alternate becoming national champions.

Derrick Henry was the standout performer for this iteration of ‘Bama’s offense (and he was backed up by fellow future NFLers Kenyan Drake and Damien Harris), while Nick Saban’s defense was marshaled by an outrageous eight starters who would go on to become either first- or second-round draft picks.

5. Nebraska (1995)

The Cornhuskers won three national championships in four years under legendary coach Tom Osborne, but this particular team was exceptionally great. With dual-threat QB Tommie Frazier at the helm (17 passing TDs, 14 rushing TDs), Nebraska absolutely destroyed its competition and punctuated its dominance with a 62-24 thrashing of Florida in the national championship game.

The fewest points Nebraska scored in a game that season was 35, with Osborne’s I-formation option running offense proving to be unstoppable during a 12-0 romp to the trophy.

6. Georgia (2022) 

These Bulldogs went back-to-back and became the third team in the modern era to enjoy a 15-0 season. They absolutely destroyed TCU in the national championship game, with the 65-7 win marking not just the most lopsided title game ever but the most lopsided bowl game of all time.

The national semifinal vs. Ohio State was considerably more enthralling, as UGA had to rally from 14 down in the fourth quarter and survive a late long field goal try to advance, 42-41. The talent of Georgia in its two championship seasons was undeniable, though. The school saw 10 players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, just a year after a record 15 players were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft — and that doesn’t include 2024 rookie sensations Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey, who played leading roles on that squad as well.

7. Ohio State (2014) 

The only blemish for Urban Meyer’s championship side was an upset home loss to Virginia Tech in the second game of the season. After that, it was a romp to the title, led by top-tier talent such as WR Michael Thomas, RB Ezekiel Elliott and DE Joey Bosa.

This team’s big twist came late in the season at QB, when sophomore Cardale Jones was thrust into a starter’s role for the first time in the Big Ten championship game after J.T. Barrett suffered a leg injury. Jones excelled in that 59-0 obliteration of Wisconsin, guided OSU to a win over Alabama in the subsequent national semifinal and then made it 3-for-3 with a title game triumph over Oregon. With that run, Ohio State became the first champion of the College Football Playoff era.

8. Clemson (2016) 

Clemson won its program’s first national title in 35 years thanks to former walk-on Hunter Renfrow’s heroic touchdown grab with one second left in the game vs. Alabama. It was a remarkably thrilling championship bout, one in which Deshaun Watson out-dueled Jalen Hurts in a battle of future NFL QBs.

Clemson’s one slip-up came in a high-scoring, one-point loss to Pittsburgh (a game in which Watson threw for an absurd 580 yards), but there was no questioning the Tigers’ championship credentials after that. A 31-0 shutout of Ohio State in the national semifinal and the 35-31 taming of Alabama that followed cemented a 14-1, title-winning campaign.

9. Florida State (2013) 

The 14-0 Seminoles rode the arm of freshman QB Jameis Winston to the title, edging Auburn 34-31 in a thrilling BCS National Championship game — and requiring a BCS-title-game-record 18-point comeback to do it. 

Winston became the first freshman to ever win the Heisman trophy, and he did it by guiding an absolutely explosive offense. That FSU group scored under 40 points just twice; by contrast, it scored at least 59 on five occasions.

10. Yale (1894) 

O.K., so to most, this doesn’t exactly scream “obvious answer.” But long before the game turned into a power conference showcase, it was a sport dominated by those that went on to become Ivy Leaguers — Yale, Princeton and Harvard. 

In 1894, Yale went 16-0 and outscored opponents 485-13 as part of one of its record-setting 18 championships recognized by the NCAA. Few, if any, consider Yale to be among the historical football greats of the modern era, but as a predecessor to this era, there was nobody better. All of Yale’s titles came between 1874 and 1927.

Other Legendary College Football Teams

Alabama (2009)

This 14-0 group was Saban’s first title team in Tuscaloosa and the Crimson Tide’s first since 1992. Five more followed, as Alabama put together one of the most successful 15-year runs in college football history.

Army (1945) 

These Cadets outscored their nine opponents 412-46 to go 9-0 and win a second straight national championship. They were paced by the top two finishers in the Heisman voting: Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis.

Florida (2008)

UF won its second title in three years amid Tebowmania, with QB and speech-giving Tim Tebow spearheading a 13-1 finish and win over Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship.

Miami (1987) 

Dallas Cowboys fans will take pride in Jimmy Johnson’s Hurricanes beating Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma in a de facto national title game in the Orange Bowl to go 12-0 and win it all — with Cowboys and 'Canes great Michael Irvin front and center in the win.

Michigan (2023)

The Wolverines won their first national title since 1997 — and first outright crown since 1948 — by becoming the fourth 15-0 team ever. Coach Jim Harbaugh got the glory at the end of a wild season in which he served a pair of three-game suspensions.

Nebraska (1971)

The Cornhuskers may have split the title in 1970, but they left no doubt a season later, outscoring their 13 opponents 507-104 — including a win over No. 2 Oklahoma in a Thanksgiving contest that went down in history as the “Game of the Century.”

Ohio State (1968) 

Coach Woody Hayes guided this dominant group to a 10-0 season and national championship, with three of those wins coming against teams ranked in the top four. OSU wouldn’t win another outright title until 2002.

Texas (2005)

Who could forget the all-time-great national championship game between Vince Young’s Longhorns and Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush’s USC? That game cemented Young’s college legacy and also was a just reward for a Texas team that averaged over 50 points a game while conceding just over 16 per contest.

USC (1972)

This USC side went 12-0 in dominant fashion, beating ranked teams in half of those victories and thrashing No. 3 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl to put a cap on a consensus national championship.

USC (2004)

The year before its epic national title loss to Texas mentioned above, the 2004 Trojans under Pete Carroll were wire-to-wire champions, having never dropped out of the No. 1 ranking from the preseason poll to their 55-19 BCS title demolition of Oklahoma.

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The Importance of College Football History for Fantasy Sports

College football is the breeding ground for where future NFL and fantasy football stars are created. Not all fantasy staples were college studs — and certainly not all played on the greatest teams in history. But it’s always fascinating to look back and see which teams were buoyed by which stars. It’s also illuminating to see how many future pro superstars wound up being college teammates.

In terms of being informative for fantasy purposes, it helps to know what a program’s reputation is. LSU, for instance, is often referred to as Wide Receiver University, and it’s easy to see why. Especially in recent years, with Chase, Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers among the future stars to come out of the bayou. When there’s a history and track record of success from one school, particularly at one position, it’s another data point to consider when drafting your fantasy squads.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college football team in history?

It’s tough to anoint one, especially when you’re comparing different eras — let alone different title-crowning methods. There’s pre-war vs. post-war. There’s pre-playoff vs. BCS vs. four-team playoff and, now, the 12-team playoff.

For our money, the 2019 LSU team is hard to rival considering their dominance, success against other powers (they beat seven top-10 teams) and the upper-echelon NFL talent that came from that group, but any of the undefeated champions listed above have a case to be made as the GOAT squad.

What college team has won the most games?

As of the start of the 2025 season, Michigan is the owner of that distinction, as the only program to have won over 1,000 games.

Which college team has produced the most Heisman winners?

USC has had eight players take home college football’s most prestigious individual prize. For a more comprehensive guide to Heisman history, Sleeper has you covered.

Take Your Football Knowledge to Sleeper

Having a greater understanding of the college football landscape, including its extensive history, can only help as you venture into fantasy football and sort through the players you think will lead you to glory. 

In order to play in season-long leagues or daily fantasy sports to get your fantasy football fix, join Sleeper, either by signing up on the website or downloading the app. The ad-free, user-friendly platform will enhance your fantasy football experience, while giving you all the tools and customization options to get the most out of the game. 

You can also stay up to date on the latest news and notables regarding the top college prospects, as they brace for entry into the NFL. And if DFS is more your speed than season-long leagues, consider playing Sleeper Picks, where new promos are consistently being offered and the potential to win big is just a few selections away.