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Very interesting, but the results are not very surprising. I love college football, but it kind of ruins it when one team (Alabama) is so much better than everyone else. I root against them- just for the sake of change. Saban is far and away the best coach, and I respect he and their program. I just wish he would retire, and give everyone else a chance!
Well, stick around. You might very well be surprised tomorrow when the Top 20 is posted.
20) Clemson Tigers (ACC) (132-63) – Clemson is the first team on the list to have 130 wins. They are also the first to have winning seasons in all but one year, which was a 6-7 campaign in 2010. Since that season all they have done is win 10 or more games each year and have appeared in 4 BCS bowls splitting them 2-2. In non-BCS bowls they have gone 6-5, and they have 2 ACC titles to their credit.
19) West Virginia Mountaineers (Big12) (124-66) – The Mountaineers have only had one losing season, a 3-8 season in 2001, so they are on a current 14 year streak of winning seasons. They have hit 10 or more wins 4 times, but none since they moved to the Big12 in 2012. They do have 6 Big East conference championships, and are a perfect 3-0 in BCS bowl games. They are one of only three teams to have played in more than 1 BCS bowl and never taken a loss. In non-BCS bowl games they have been far less successful, winning only three of 10.
18) Wisconsin Badgers (B1G) (137-60) – Similar to West VA., the Badgers last had a losing season in 2001 when they went 5-7. They have accumulated seven 10-win seasons, the most we’ve seen by any team to this point, and have won 3 B1G championships. Unlike West VA., they have lost all 3 of their BCS bowls and are 6-5 in non-BCS bowl games.
17) Utah Utes (PAC) (129-58) – Utah is the first team to appear with less than 60 losses, and the first of 10 teams that will appear having had a perfect season. The Utes are actually one of only 4 teams to have two unbeaten seasons and they also won 3 Mountain West titles before moving to the PAC in 2011. Utah has 6 seasons with 10 or more wins and they do have 3 losing seasons, though they’ve never won less than 5 in any given year. Lastly, they are 2-0 in BCS bowls, and have the best non-BCS bowl record at 9-1.
16) Miami, FL Hurricanes (ACC) (124-65) – The Hurricanes have had 12 winning seasons, 3 of them with 10 or more wins, including the 2001 perfect season when they won the first National Championship of the new millennium. They have 3 conference titles from the Big East, but since joining the ACC in 2004, have never even played in the championship game. The Hurricanes are 2-1 in BCS bowls and 2-7 in non-BCS bowls, including a current streak of losing 6 bowl games in a row.
15) Louisville Cardinals (ACC) (128-52) – Louisville is the first team on the list to have a winning percent in the .700s. They have had 12 winning seasons and only 2 losing seasons (back-to-back in 2008-9) as well as 5 seasons of 10 wins or better. They have a total of 5 conference championships, 2 from Conference USA and 3 from the Big East. They are 2-0 in BCS bowls, and 5-5 in regular bowls.
14) Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC) (128-60) – The Hokies are the first team (and only 1 of 5 teams) to appear on the list without a losing season. In fact, to find Virginia Tech’s last losing season you have to go back to 1992. They’ve had a very impressive total of 9 seasons of 10 or more wins (only six teams have more), but the last one was in 2011. They’ve secured 4 ACC championships, lost 4 out of 5 BCS games and in regular bowls hold a 6-4 record.
13) Georgia Bulldogs (SEC) (146-51) – The first team to eclipse the 140 win mark does so despite the fact that they had a losing season, finishing 6-7 in 2010. They’ve had 10 seasons with 10 or more wins and have captured the SEC crown twice. The Bulldogs have appeared in 3 BCS games, winning two of them and are 8-4 in non-BCS bowls.
12) Auburn Tigers (SEC) (131-62) – Auburn has had 2 losing seasons (2008 and 2012), and have won 10 or more 4 times. Every other team in the top15 have at least 6 seasons of 10-wins, but Auburn does have 2 perfect seasons, including a National Title in 2010. They have 3 SEC championships, are 2-1 in BCS bowls and are 7-3 in non-BCS bowls.
11) Texas Christian Horned Frogs (Big12) (143-46) – The first team to appear on the list with less than 50 losses, the Horned Frogs are the second of 2 teams to be champions of three different conferences (USA in 2002, MWC four times and the Big12 once), and the second of 3 teams to have had the same coach for all 15 seasons. They’ve won 10 or more 10 times and have one perfect season (13-0 in 2010). TCU has gone 2-1 in BCS bowl games and are 7-3 in the non-BCS bowls.
10) Oregon Ducks (PAC) (146-48) – The Ducks 5-6 record in 2004 is there only losing season this millennium. They’ve won 10 or more 9 times and have collected 5 PAC titles. Oregon has appeared in 7 BCS bowls (only three teams have appeared in more), and they won 4 of those. In non-BCS bowls they have a 3-5 record.
09) Texas Longhorns (Big12) (142-51) – Texas has had three losing seasons, unfortunately 2 of those three were back-to-back in their two most recent seasons. They started off with 9 consecutive seasons of 10 or more wins, but haven’t had one since. The Longhorns have won 2 Big12 titles and in 2005 they went 13-0 and won the National Championship. Texas is 3-1 in BCS bowl games and 6-3 in non-BCS bowls.
08) Florida Gators (SEC) (137-57) – The Gators have one losing season (4-8 in 2013) and have 6 seasons of winning 10 or more. They’ve won 2 conference championships, both times going on to win the National Championship (2006 & 2008), which makes them the first team on the list to have won multiple National Titles. Florida has won 4 out of 5 BCS games and in regular bowls they hold a 5-4 record.
07) Florida State Seminoles (ACC) (142-56) – The second team without a losing season (their last one was back in 1976), the Seminoles have had 6 seasons of 10 wins or better and have also won 6 ACC championships. They went 14-0 in 2013 and won the National Championship. While their BCS bowl record is pretty bad (at 2-5 only one team has more losses), their non-BCS bowl record is a very solid 7-1.
06) Boise State Broncos (MWC) (166-30) – Boise St. has the best W/L record of any school since 2000, and in fact only one other school is even close. Their last losing season was 1997 and they’ve won 10 conference titles, which is two more than the next closest school. Not only are they one of only three schools to have more than ten 10-win seasons (they have 11), 8 times they lost one or less, going unbeaten twice. While their non-BCS record is a mediocre 6-5, they are unbeaten in three trips to the Fiesta Bowl.
05) Oklahoma Sooners (Big12) (159-41) – The Sooners are the highest ranked team to not yet have a National Championship. They are the 3rd of three teams to have kept the same coach for all 15 seasons and their last losing season was 1998. They are tied for the most 10-win seasons with 12 and finished with 8 wins the three seasons they failed to hit 10. They have appeared in 9 BCS bowls; which is second most among all teams, but have only won 3 of them. Oklahoma is also tied for the most Power 5 titles having won the Big12 8 times. The 6 times they didn’t make a BCS bowl they have won 4 and lost 2.
04) Southern California Trojans (PAC) (149-46) – The Trojans only have 14 winning seasons, because in 2001 they went 6-6. Nine times they’ve won 10 or more, including an unbeaten season in 2004 that netted them a National Title. USC has won the PAC title 7 times, and not counting the teams who have never lost a BCS bowl, they have had the most success going 6-1. Their lone loss coming in that epic 2005 Rose Bowl battle with Texas. They are one of only 3 teams to have won more than 4 BCS bowl games and have a 3-3 record in non-BCS bowls.
03) Louisiana State Tigers (SEC) (152-44) – LSU has had 15 straight winning seasons (their last losing season was 1999) and have won 10 games or more 9 times. They are the highest ranked team to have never gone unbeaten, and they’ve captured 4 SEC championships and two National Titles. The Bayou Bengals have won 4 out of 5 BCS games losing only to Alabama in the NCG of 2011, and have split their other bowl appearances 5-5.
T01) Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC) (148-50) – The Tide actually have 2 losing seasons; 2003 and 2006 and even a 6-6 record from 2004. However, prior to Nick Saban arriving they already had two 10-win seasons and Nick has rattled off 8 in a row, including an unbeaten season (2009) and four National Titles, no other team has more than 2. Alabama also has 4 SEC championships, a 5-3 BCS bowl game record and is 4-2 in non-BCS bowls games.
T01) Ohio State Buckeyes (B1G) (162-33) – The Buckeyes have only one losing season, when they posted a 6-7 record in 2011. Besides that season they’ve posted 10 wins or better all but 2 years, including 2 perfect seasons. They’ve won 14 twice, both times winning the National Championship (2002 & 2014). They have only appeared in 3 bowls that weren’t BCS bowls and have posted a 1-2 record in those (basically the only knock you can find on this Ohio State squad). As for their BCS success they have 2 more wins than any other team with 8 and have lost 4.
this list is bogus. Lville and West Virginia and Utah ranked above Clemson? you not taking into account conference schedule given Boise is your no. 6.
The OP describes in detail how the points were awarded.
You may disagree with those assessments, but the list is simply a result of applying those modifiers and nothing more.
What I did in regard to Group of 5 teams was award them 1/2 the points for a conference title that a Power 5 conference title earned. That was the only difference.
You could certainly argue that Boise State's SOS is much weaker than most of the others in the top 20, and I would agree with you, however SOS was not something I had the inclination to figure out on my own, nor could I find historical data concerning SOS for all 15 seasons.
Lastly notice the thread is not titled "best teams of the new millennium" but rather "rating team success in the new millennium".
Whatever your opinion of Boise may be, you cannot deny they have been one of the most successful teams over the last 15 years.
i guess i don't see what success over the last 15 years proves if the program hasn't been that good the past 5 years or so.
and in my view, you are giving too much weight to national championship. For example, last year, Clemson won 14 in a row and lose a close game to Alabama, due to special teams. Alabama also went 14-1, losing at home to good but not great Ole Miss team, and they did not win 14 in a row, a greater feat. in the pre-BCS era, Clemson would have been national champ as only undefeated with a good schedule.
i guess i don't see what success over the last 15 years proves if the program hasn't been that good the past 5 years or so.
and in my view, you are giving too much weight to national championship. For example, last year, Clemson won 14 in a row and lose a close game to Alabama, due to special teams. Alabama also went 14-1, losing at home to good but not great Ole Miss team, and they did not win 14 in a row, a greater feat. in the pre-BCS era, Clemson would have been national champ as only undefeated with a good schedule.
Yes if we look at only the past 5 years then Clemson would be much higher in the rankings.
The results from the end of 2010 had Alabama at 12th, but they've won three NC since then. Texas was at #4 and now they've fallen to 9 and will drop even further at the end of this season.
I really don't get the "too much weight to National Championship" argument (you aren't the first to say it), because I think every team in the nation would rather be Alabama than Clemson last year. Winning the National Championship is perhaps the only thing that matters. I mean Florida gators won the National Championship in 2008, but can you remember which other teams had a great season that year? Probably not.
I could rattle off the National Champions of the past 20 or more years probably, but very few of the "other teams" that were successful.
Notre Dame was unbeaten in 2012 and got hammered by Alabama. They were clearly not the #1 team in the nation, and honestly were probably not even in the top 5, but they were unbeaten until they played Bama.
You ever seen a Clemson fan wearing a "Clemson was 14-0 before Bama" shirt? I haven't.
you not even addressing my point though. You are beating up on a strawman while thinking you are a debate champ.
How can you say Alabama was better based on overall resume. Both finished 14-1. Clemson won 14 in a row and had a tougher conference title opponent and a tougher 1st round playoff game.
your ND analogy is so dumb because Clemson was obviosly competitive with Bama. Saban even did an onside kick in the 4th because he had no confidence in his defense at that point.
Consider LSU and Bama a few years ago. LSU won at Alabama, Alabama won in the national title game despite not winning the SEC west division or SEC title. your raniing system will say Alabama is a lot better than LSU. the truth is, they were teams capable of losing to each other on a given day.
Just my opinion, but I don't think bowl wins or bowl losses should even be figured in the equation.
There is ,many times, no correlation between what a team does in the regular season vs a bowl game.
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