10 best college football 'super teams' that failed to win a National Championship ft. LSU 2011
One of the most challenging tasks in college football is assembling a squad each season with enough talent to win a national championship. There are 134 FBS schools vying for the title of national champion each season, making that task increasingly difficult.
Here are 10 of the most talented college football teams in history that were unable to win a national championship.
Ten best college football 'super teams' that failed to win a national championship
#10 Auburn Tigers (2004)
College football All-Americans Cadillac Williams, Marcus McNeil, Carlos Rogers, and Junior Rosegreen were on the 2004 Auburn Tigers roster.
The team finished the regular season undefeated under future NFL quarterback Jason Campbell. However, USC and Oklahoma, two other undefeated teams, were placed in the National Championship game over the Tigers.
The Tigers went on to beat Virginia Tech 16-13 in the Sugar Bowl to end their season with an unbeaten 13-0 record.
#9 Alabama Crimson Tide (2016)
In 2016, Alabama had a loaded roster that included superstar players like Josh Jacobs, Marlon Humphrey, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Reuben Foster and Jalen Hurts. Leading the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season, legendary coach Nick Saban had one of the most intimidating defenses in college football.
Alabama beat Washington 24-7 in the Peach Bowl to advance to the CFP National Championship but got beaten by Clemson in a 35-31 thriller.
#8 Florida State Seminoles (1987)
The 1987 Florida State Seminoles lost only one game under coach Bobby Bowden and were one of the most dominant teams in the country on both sides of the ball. Deion Sanders led the defense with four interceptions that season, with running back Sammie Smith tallying 1,230 yards on the ground to lead the offense.
Florida State fans were denied their rematch against Miami, who beat the Seminoles by one point earlier in the season. Instead, Florida State closed their season with a win over Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl to finish 11-1.
#7 Penn State Nittany Lions (1994)
The 12-0 Penn State squad of 1994 was not given a chance to compete for the national championship.
Rather, they were placed in the Rose Bowl game, where they triumphed 38-20 over Oregon. At 43.8 points per game on average, the Joe Paterno-led team was the most prolific offense in college football that year, led by Kerry Collins, their starting quarterback.
#6 Miami Hurricanes (2000)
The beginning of Miami's years as a powerhouse in college football during the early 2000's featured a team that went 11-1 during the 2000 season. Butch Davis' roster featured Ken Dorsey, James Jackson, Clinton Portis, Bryant McKinnie, Ed Reed and Santana Moss.
The Hurricanes early-season loss to Washington came back to haunt them and forced them to miss the national championship game that year. They finished 11-1 and beat Florida 37-20 in the Sugar Bowl.
#5 Ole Miss Rebels (1959)
The 1959 Ole Miss Rebels suffered a crushing 7-3 defeat to the top-ranked LSU Tigers on Halloween night.
The loss kept the Rebels from getting their shot at a college football national championship, as they finished with a 10-1 record. They instead got their revenge on LSU by beating the Tigers in a 21-0 shutout to win the Sugar Bowl.
#4 Florida Gators (2009)
The 2009 Florida Gators came up just short in their quest to win back-to-back college football national championships.
They were off to a hot start, finishing the regular season unbeaten behind the outstanding play of quarterback Tim Tebow. However, their lone 32-13 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship game would send the Gators to the Sugar Bowl instead of the national title game.
#3 LSU Tigers (2011)
The 2011 LSU roster featured a loaded unit on offense with a defense that ranked second in college football. The defense featured Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reed and Morris Claiborne, with Michael Ford, Spencer Ware, Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle leading the offense.
The Tigers finished the regular season unbeaten but were shut out in a 21-0 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship game.
#2 USC Trojans (2005)
The USC Trojans had built a dynasty during the mid-2000's and were in pursuit of their third straight college football national title during the 2005 season. Their roster featured Matt Leinart at quarterback and the dominant duo of Reggie Bush and Lendale White in the backfield.
The Trojans were conference champions once again and were one win away from a historic three-peat. In one of the most thrilling college football games of all time, the Trojans fell 41-38 to the Texas Longhorns in the Rose Bowl.
#1 Miami Hurricanes (2002)
The 2002 Miami Hurricanes are the best super team that failed to win a college football national title.
They finished the regular season unbeaten with one of the top offenses in the country, headlined by QB Ken Dorsey and RB Willis McGahee. The defense also featured All-American DT Jerome McDougle and NFL star Sean Taylor.
The Hurricanes earned their spot in the national championship game at the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. Their leading rusher, Willis McGahee, went down with a game-ending injury, and the Hurricanes subsequently had their 34-game win streak snapped in a 31-24 double-overtime heartbreaker.
Which college football program do you think is the best to never win a national championship? Let's know in the comments section: