The 15 Greatest College Football Teams to Never Win a National Championship
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In sports, especially professional sports, anything less than winning a championship is considered to be a failure. Some of college football's greatest teams, especially Nebraska and USC, have been able to proclaim themselves as the No. 1 team in the nation. The following 15 teams, however, were the best to never win it all.
15. 1980 Pittsburgh Panthers
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15. 1980 Pittsburgh Panthers
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National Champion: Georgia
The 1980 Panthers produced three first-round draft picks and featured an offensive line with Mark May and Russ Grimm, plus great pass rushers in Hugh Green and Rickey Jackson. Ranked No. 3 to start the season, the Panthers lost in Week 5 to Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles 36-22. During the last seven games, the Panthers outscored opponents by an average score of 32-9 and finished at No. 2 with an 11-1 record.
14. 1940 Michigan Wolverines
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14. 1940 Michigan Wolverines
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National Champion: Minnesota
Under third-year head coach Fritz Crisler, Michigan compiled a 7–1 record and finished the season ranked No. 3 in the final AP Poll. The team outscored opponents 196-34. Michigan's sole setback was a 7–6 loss on the road on a missed extra point against a Minnesota team that finished the season No. 1 in the final AP poll.
13. 1956 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
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13. 1956 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
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National Champion: Oklahoma
Riding a defense that posted five shutouts in six games and didn't give up more than seven points in a game until the Gator Bowl, Bobby Dodd's Yellow Jackets lost just once, a 7-0 affair to Tennessee in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets finished the season by outscoring Alabama, Florida and Georgia by a combined 90-0, then held off No. 13 Pittsburgh 21-14 in the Gator Bowl.
12. 1973 Ohio State Buckeyes
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12. 1973 Ohio State Buckeyes
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National Champion: Notre Dame, Alabama
The 1973 Ohio State Buckeyes compiled a 10–0–1 record, including a win over USC in the 1974 Rose Bowl 42–21. The Buckeyes featured legendary players like Archie Griffin and Randy Gradishar, and scored 413 points while giving up just 64. Ohio State's lone tie came against the hated Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor with a 10-10 decision.
11. 2000 Miami Hurricanes
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11. 2000 Miami Hurricanes
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National Champion: Oklahoma
Coached by Butch Davis, the 2000 Miami Hurricanes finished 11-1 with their only loss coming on the road against Washington 34-29. The Hurricanes defeated 10 opponents by double-digits, and upset No. 1 Florida State 27-24. This great team featured future pros Clinton Portis, Jonathan Vilma, Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne. The Hurricanes would eventually win it all in 2001.
10. 1980 Florida State Seminoles
Jeremy Brevard-USA Today Sports
10. 1980 Florida State Seminoles
Jeremy Brevard-USA Today Sports
National Champion: Georgia
The 1980 Florida State Seminoles, led by Bobby Bowden, lost two games by a combined two points. The Seminoles lost 10-9 to the Miami Hurricanes in Coral Gables, then defeated two top-five teams in back-to-back weeks in Nebraska and Pittsburgh. In the Orange Bowl, the Seminoles lost to Oklahoma 18-17 after OU QB J.C. Watts threw for a touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion.
9. 1986 Oklahoma Sooners
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9. 1986 Oklahoma Sooners
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National Champion: Penn State
The 1986 Oklahoma Sooners had Jamelle Holieway, Brian Bosworth and Keith Jackson, but fell 12 points shy of a perfect season. The Sooners defeated 10 of their 11 opponents by double-digits and only lost to No. 2 Miami in Coral Gables 28-16. Oklahoma routed No. 4 UCLA 38-3, defeated No. 5 Nebraska 20-17 in Lincoln and dismantled No. 9 Arkansas 42-8 in the Orange Bowl.
8. 2004 Auburn Tigers
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8. 2004 Auburn Tigers
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National Champion: USC (Later Vacated)
The 2004 Auburn Tigers finished 13-0. but didn't get a chance to compete for the National Championship. Instead, undefeated Oklahoma and USC were chosen, with USC later vacating the title following a scandal. The Tigers featured a backfield with three first-round picks in QB Jason Campbell along with RBs Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams. Auburn also defeated five teams that were ranked in the top 15.
7. 1962 LSU Tigers
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7. 1962 LSU Tigers
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National Champion: USC
The 1962 LSU Tigers finished 9-1-1 with a 6-6 tie against Rice and a 15-7 loss to the undefeated Ole Miss Rebels. That team allowed only 34 points in 11 games combined while scoring 175. The Tigers defeated No. 5 Georgia Tech 10-7. In the Cotton Bowl while also shutting down a previously-undefeated Texas team 13-0.
6. 1972 Oklahoma Sooners
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6. 1972 Oklahoma Sooners
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National Champion: USC
The 1972 Oklahoma Sooners finished 11-1, with their only loss coming on the road to No. 9 Colorado 20-14. The Sooners had future NFL stars in Greg Pruitt, Dewey Selmon and future Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Lee Roy Selmon. The Sooners played seven teams that were ranked in the top 20 and won six of them, five by double-digits.
5. 1988 Miami Hurricanes
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5. 1988 Miami Hurricanes
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National Champion: Notre Dame
In Jimmy Johnson's final season as coach, the 1988 Miami Hurricanes came within one point and a controversial call to another National Championship. Miami defeated five ranked teams, including No. 1 Florida State 31-0. Facing Notre Dame in the famed "Catholics vs. Convicts" game, the Hurricanes lost 31-30 in South Bend after failing on a two-point conversion. Miami won nine games by double-digits.
4. 1973 Oklahoma Sooners
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4. 1973 Oklahoma Sooners
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National Champion: Notre Dame, Alabama
In Barry Switzer's first season as Sooners coach, Oklahoma finished with a 10-0-1 record, with their only tie coming against No. 1 USC in the Coliseum. That team had the Selmon brothers and future NFL star Joe Washington, and faced seven ranked opponents. Oklahoma defeated nine opponents by double-digits, including five ranked teams.
3. 1946 Army Cadets
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3. 1946 Army Cadets
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National Champion: Notre Dame
Coming off consecutive National Championships in 1944 and 1945, the 1946 Army Black Knights were only held back from a third straight after a scoreless tie with the eventual national champ Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Led by halfback Glenn Davis (Mr. Outside) and fullback Doc Blanchard (Mr. Inside), the Cadets outscored their opponents 263-80, but Notre Dame won because of a better point differential.
2. 1962 Alabama Crimson Tide
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2. 1962 Alabama Crimson Tide
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National Champion: USC
Bear Bryant's 1962 Alabama Crimson Tide had Joe Namath at quarterback and Lee Roy Jordan on defense, and came within one point of an undefeated season. The defense allowed just 39 points all season while scoring 289. Against Georgia Tech, the Tide lost 7-6 after Alabama failed to convert on a two-point attempt with backup QB Jack Hurlbut. Alabama responded by winning the Orange Bowl 17-0 over No. 8 Oklahoma.
1. 1959 Ole Miss Rebels
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1. 1959 Ole Miss Rebels
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National Champion: Syracuse
The 1959 Ole Miss Rebels gave up just 21 points all season, but unfortunately lost to LSU 7-3, denying the Rebels perfection. The Rebels finished 10-1, with each of their 10 wins coming by double-digits. In a rematch with LSU in the Sugar Bowl, the Rebels shut out the Tigers 21-0. Ole Miss would go on to defeat two top-10 teams in Arkansas and Tennessee by a combined score of 65-7.
Brian Kalchik is a Detroit Lions writer forwww.RantSports.com. Follow him onTwitter, like him onFacebook or add him to your network onGoogle+.
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