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Alabama Football

Alabama’s competition for best college football dynasty ever

Nicholas Allen

By Nicholas Allen

Published:


Alabama has won four national championships in the last seven years, making the Crimson Tide one of the greatest dynasties in college football history.

Head coach Nick Saban rebuilt the Crimson Tide into the nation’s best program in arguably the sport’s most competitive era given the rise of the BCS and College Football Playoff — which effectively eliminated split national titles.

Also, with the SEC also winning national titles in 2006 (Florida), 2007 (LSU), 2008 (Florida) and 2010 (Auburn), Saban and the Tide came to power while overcoming incredible competition from rivals within the conference. The Florida Gators even nearly reached dynasty status with 48 wins, two national titles and three top-5 finishes in a four-year span from 2006-09.

Alabama Crimson Tide, 2009-15

  • Won-Loss Record: 86-10 (.896)
  • National Championships: 4
  • Conference Championships: 4
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 5
  • Notable: Alabama reached No. 1 in the AP poll at some point in each of the seven seasons from 2009-15

Year-by-Year Results

  • 2015: 14-1, SEC Champions, College Football Playoff National Champions
  • 2014: 12-2, SEC Champions, College Football Playoff Semifinalist, No. 4 Final Ranking
  • 2013: 11-2, No. 7 Final Ranking
  • 2012: 13-1, SEC Champions, BCS National Champions
  • 2011: 12-1, BCS National Champions
  • 2010: 10-3, No. 10 Final Ranking
  • 2009: 14-0, SEC Champions, BCS National Champions

So, how does the current Alabama football dynasty compare to the greatest stretches in college football history?

We explore the greatest dynasties at the highest level – including two other historic periods for Crimson Tide. But first, we discuss some of the more under-the-radar dynasties in the history of the sport.

Pre-Poll Era

While the Associated Press did not invent the idea of crowning a college football national champion, and many programs claim national titles prior to the AP poll’s birth in 1936, it’s much more difficult to compare programs from the pre-poll era. Information was not readily available in the pre-poll era and there were few bowl games used to pit championship contenders from different parts of the country against one another. Plus, the game itself was much different for a large portion of football’s early decades.

Therefore, we’ll recognize some of college football’s earliest dynasties here:

Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, 1869-1920

College football was a very different game in the late 19th and early 20th century, primarily because the game itself changed so much in a short period of time, but also because the major powerhouse programs of the sport’s early years no longer play the game at its highest collegiate level.

Retroactively, Yale has been credited with as many as 27 major college football national championships according to official NCAA records – second only to Princeton in the history of the sport. However, 20 of Princeton’s 28 “titles” came prior to 1899, including 11 in a row from 1869 (when the Princeton, then known as the College of New Jersey, played Rutgers in the first two intercollegiate football games) to 1881.

Yale won 19 national championships prior to 1900, but also had great success in the 20th century, including a record of 100-4-5 (.917) from 1900-10. From 1872 to 1909, the Bulldogs posted a record of 291-16-17 (.898).

The legendary Walter Camp, known as the “Father of American Football” because of his role in standardizing the rules of the game and establishing many of its standard practices, played for the Bulldogs when he was a student, and also served as head coach from 1888-92. Under his direction, the Elis posted a 68-3 record.

Also of note, archrival Harvard was 64-3-2 (.928) with three titles from 1897-1902 and 90-8-6 (.865) with six national championships from 1908-20. Together, the “Big Three” combined to win 64 national championships from 1869-1927.

Michigan, 1894-1905

Like Yale, Michigan was one of the early powers in college football history. From 1894-1905, Michigan posted a record of 112-9-4 (.896). Under the direction of Fielding Yost, the Wolverines were 43-0-1 from 1901-04 and have been crowned national champions in each season by the National Championship Foundation.

Michigan won its first Rose Bowl in 1901, which was Yost’s first season with the program. Yost won 198 games in 25 seasons as the head coach of the Wolverines, and added national titles in 1918 and 1923. Michigan didn’t play in Pasadena again until 1947 – Fritz Crisler’s last season in Ann Arbor.

Notre Dame, 1919-30

Walter Camp and Fielding Yost were two of the great early coaches in college football history, but Knute Rockne may have been the best. Rockne became the coach at Notre Dame in 1918, and in 1919 he led the Fighting Irish to the first national championship in program history. From 1919-30, Rockne led Notre Dame to a 102-11-3 record with six teams recognized by at least one major selector as national champions.

Non-FBS College Football Dynasties

Obviously, the current Alabama dynasty deserves a higher standing than any others that occurred at lower levels. However, there are several incredible non-FBS dynasties worth mentioning:

  • Georgia Southern, 1985-90: Georgia Southern didn’t field a football team from 1942-81, but the Eagles quickly became a Division 1-AA national power under legendary head coach Erk Russell. Russell led Georgia Southern to national championships in 1985, ’86 and ’90, and Tim Stowers led the Eagles to another title in 1990. The Eagles also won national championships in 1999 and 2000 under Paul Johnson.
  • Appalachian State, 2005-07: The Mountaineers were Southern Conference champions seven times from 2005-12, and won three straight FCS national titles from 2005-07. In 2007, App State also pulled off arguably the greatest upset in college football history by beating No. 5 Michigan 34-32.
  • North Dakota State, 2011-Current: Alabama doesn’t have the only active dynasty in college football. The Bison have won five consecutive FCS national championships.
  • North Dakota State, 1983-90: NDSU has been a great football program for multiple decades at different levels. From 1983-90, the Bison won five NCAA Division II national championships – including perfect seasons in 1986, ’88 and ’90. North Dakota State was also the D-II runner-up in 1984.
  • North Alabama, 1993-95: In his first stint as head coach, Bobby Wallace led the North Alabama Lions to three consecutive Division II national championships from 1993-95, during which UNA posted a 41-1 overall record.
  • Grand Valley State, 2002-06: One of the most success football programs at any level, GVSU has compiled a .729 winning percentage that is actually higher than Alabama’s all-time mark (as well as many other national powerhouse programs). Led by current Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, the Lakers won the Division II national title in 2002 and ’03. Chuck Martin led GVSU to the title in 2005 and 2006, which was part of the Lakers’ historic 40-game winning streak.
  • Mount Union, 1993-2008: Mount Union has appeared in 19 of the last 24 Stagg Bowls, including 11 in a row. Over that period, the Purple Raiders have won 12 NCAA Division III championships, including three-peats from 1996-98 and 2000-02.
  • Wisconsin-Whitewater, 2007-14: The Warhawks have become Mount Union’s chief rival over the last decade, and have won six of the last nine D-III national championships. The last program to win the Stagg Bowl other than Mount Union or Wisconsin-Whitewater was Linfield in 2004.
  • Texas A&I, 1969-79: Now known as Texas A&M-Kingsville, the Javelinas have won seven national championships, including six NAIA titles from 1969-79. Texas A&I was also put together an undefeated streak that began in late 1973 and lasted into 1977.
  • Carson-Newman, 1983-89: The Eagles won five NAIA national championships in seven seasons, including back-to-back titles in both 1983-83 and 1988-89.
  • Carroll College, 2002-10: The Fighting Saints won four consecutive NAIA titles from 2002-05 and added two more in 2007 and 2010.

Alabama’s modern competition for best college football dynasty

Note: “National championships” refers to titles as awarded by the AP from 1936-50, and consensus (one or more major selectors, including the AP, UPI, FWAA, NFF, as well as fully recognized Coaches Polls) titles from 1950-present.

Also, “Final Rankings” refers to the final annual edition of the AP poll.

Minnesota Golden Gophers, 1934-41

  • Won-Loss Record: 54-9-1 (.844)
  • National Championships: 5
  • Conference Championships: 6
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 4

The first dynasty of the poll era, the Minnesota Golden Gophers actually posted a 16-0 record in the two years prior to the debut of the AP poll. In 1936, Minnesota was crowned the No. 1 team in the nation and the Gophers earned the top ranking in the country again in both 1940 and 1941.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 1941-49

  • Won-Loss Record: 75-7-6 (.852)
  • National Championships: 4
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 6

After Knute Rockne died, Notre Dame was good but not great under Hunk Anderson and Elmer Layden. However, Frank Leahy assumed control of the Fighting Irish football program in 1940 and promptly made Notre Dame a national championship contender again. The Irish won it all in 1943, then again ’46, ’47 and ’49 (Ed McKeever coached the team in 1944 and Hugh Devore was head coach in 1945). Notre Dame didn’t lose a single game from 1946-49, posting a 36-0-2 record during that span.

Army Black Knights, 1944-50

  • Won-Loss Record: 48-3-4 (.873)
  • National Championships: 2
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 5

Though Army had also achieved great success in the 1920s and ‘30s, head coach Red Blaik turned the Black Knights into a national powerhouse – and a two-time national champion – after arriving from Dartmouth in 1941. The Cadets, led by Heisman Trophy Winners “Mr. Inside” Doc Blanchard and “Mr. Outside” Glen Davis, were voted No. 1 in the AP poll in 1944 and 1945.

Oklahoma Sooners, 1948-58

  • Won-Loss Record: 107-8-2 (.915)
  • National Championships: 3
  • Conference Championships: 11
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 10

In 1950, Oklahoma became the first consensus national champion in college football history. Both the Associated Press and the United Press International named the Sooners champion that season. Coach Bud Wilkinson also led the Sooners to the title in 1955 and 1957. OU won 14 consecutive conference titles from 1946-59 and set a college football record with 47 straight victories from 1953-57.

Alabama Crimson Tide, 1961-66

  • Won-Loss Record: 60-5-1
  • National Championships: 3
  • Conference Championships: 5
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 5

Alabama first earned national championship recognition in the 1920s, but the Crimson Tide first reached dynasty status in the ’60s under Bear Bryant. The Tide won three national championships in a six-year period from 1961-66, and the 11-0 ’66 squad has a strong case against Notre Dame and Michigan State, who both finished 9-0-1.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 1964-74

  • Won-Loss Record: 95-17-4 (.819)
  • National Championships: 2
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 7

The Ara Parseghian era of Notre Dame football was one of the finest in program history. The Fighting Irish won two national championships (1966 and 1973) and were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll in eight separate seasons while Parseghian was on the sidelines from 1964-74.

USC Trojans, 1967-79

  • Won-Loss Record: 122-23-7 (.803)
  • National Championships: 4
  • Conference Championships: 9
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 8

John McKay and John Robinson led the USC dynasty of the late 1960s and 1970s, which lasted longer than Alabama’s current stretch of success, but the Trojans also had a few bumps in the road as well. USC lost four games in four separate seasons during the 14-year period, but never finished outside the AP Top 20. The Trojans also nearly won a fifth title after going 11-0-1 in 1979, but Alabama was the consensus choice among voters.

Ohio State Buckeyes, 1968-75

  • Won-Loss Record: 73-11-1 (.859)
  • National Championships: 2
  • Conference Championships: 7
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 6

Ohio State has consistently been one of the best college football programs in the nation, and the Buckeyes reached dynasty status from 1968-75 under head coach Woody Hayes. The Buckeyes won two consensus national championships during that span, and were been awarded a share of two more titles by the NCF as well.

Alabama Crimson Tide, 1971-79

  • Won-Loss Record: 97-13 (.882)
  • National Championships: 3
  • Conference Championships: 8
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 7

Bryant oversaw another Alabama football dynasty in the 1970s, winning three consensus national championships during the decade. The Crimson Tide was also easily the most dominant team in the SEC during that time, winning a remarkable eight conference titles in nine seasons.

Oklahoma Sooners, 1971-80

  • Won-Loss Record: 105-11-2 (.890)
  • National Championships: 1
  • Conference Championships: 8
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 9

One of the greatest programs in college football history, Oklahoma has fielded multiple dynasties. In addition to the Bud Wilkinson era discussed earlier, the Sooners also went 33-3 with one national championship from 1985-87. Also, from 1971-80, Oklahoma posted 10 wins or more in 10 separate seasons and never finished ranked lower than No. 7. OU was undefeated twice, won two national titles, and eight conference championships despite playing Big 8 rival Nebraska in one of the best eras ever for the Cornhuskers.

Miami Hurricanes, 1983-92

  • Won-Loss Record: 107-14 (.884)
  • National Championships: 4
  • Conference Championships: 2 (Miami was an independent until 1992)
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 8

Miami was the program of the 1980s, winning its first national championship under Bear Bryant protégé Howard Schnellenberger in 1983, and then winning again under Jimmy Johnson in 1987 and Dennis Erickson in ’89. Erickson won his second title in 1991, and he finished No. 3 in two other years. Johnson also had to very close calls as Miami was ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll in 1986 and 1988.

Florida State Seminoles, 1987-2000

  • Won-Loss Record: 152-19-1 (.884)
  • National Championships: 2
  • Conference Championships: 9 (FSU joined the ACC in 1992)
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 14

Florida State won just two national championships from 1987-2000, but the Seminoles accomplished something even more incredible by winning at least ten games and finishing ranked in the top five of the AP poll each year. In fact, from 1987-1999, the Noles never ranked lower than fourth at the end of the season. Even more remarkable is that Florida State competed annually with the ongoing Miami dynasty.

Nebraska Cornhuskers, 1993-97

  • Won-Loss Record: 60-3 (.952)
  • National Championships: 3
  • Conference Championships: 4
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 4

Nebraska won back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971 under head coach Bob Delaney, and won 10 games or more nine times from 1979-89 under Tom Osborne, but the only true dynasty in Huskers history lasted from 1993-98 when Osborne led the program to a 60-3 record with three national titles.

USC Trojans, 2003-2008

  • Won-Loss Record: 71-7 (.910)
  • National Championships: 2
  • Conference Championships: 6
  • Top-Five Final Rankings: 6

USC won at least a share of the Pac-10 title and finished ranked in the top-5 of the final AP Top 25 every season from 2002-08. Also, had the 2005 Trojans been able to hold off Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns in the Rose Bowl for a third national championship, the ’05 Trojans may have the closest thing we would ever see to a consensus “greatest team of all-time.”

Of course, things didn’t work out that way, USC hasn’t won a national title in over a decade, and Alabama quickly rose to become the next great college football dynasty.

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