A heuristic for commitment to major college football/appeal to realigning conferences that I mentioned a few times yesterday is how many times major programs have been top 25. For the sake of better understanding who fits in which tiers of this conversation, here's what that looks like based on season-ending AP polls:
All Time Top 25 Seasons
1. Michigan - 63
2. Ohio State - 62
3. Alabama - 60
4. Notre Dame - 58
4. Oklahoma - 58
6. USC - 50
7. Texas - 49
8. Nebraska - 48
9. Penn State - 45
9. Tennessee - 45
11. LSU - 43
12. Georgia - 41
13. Auburn - 40
14. Clemson - 36
15. Florida - 34
15. Florida State - 34
17. Miami - 33
18. UCLA - 31
19. Arkansas - 29
20. Michigan State - 28
20. Texas A&M - 28
22. Washington - 27
23. Iowa - 26
23. Wisconsin - 26
25. Georgia Tech - 25
25. Ole Miss - 25
27. Pitt - 22
28. Syracuse - 21
29. TCU - 21
30. Colorado - 20
30. Stanford - 20
30. Virginia Tech - 20
30. West Virginia - 20
34. BYU - 19
34. Missouri - 19
34. Oregon - 19
37. Maryland - 18
38. Arizona State - 17
38. Duke - 17
38. North Carolina - 17
41. Baylor - 16
41. Oklahoma State - 16
41. Purdue - 16
44. Houston - 15
44. Minnesota - 15
44. Mississippi State - 15
47. Boston College - 14
47. Cal - 14
47. Kansas State - 14
47. NC State - 14
51. Illinois - 13
51. Northwestern - 13
53. Washington State - 12
54. Louisville - 11
54. Oregon State - 11
54. Texas Tech - 11
54. Utah - 11
58. Kentucky - 10
58. South Carolina - 10
60. Virginia - 9
61. Cincinnati - 8
62. Arizona - 7
62. Kansas - 7
64. Indiana - 6
65. UCF - 5
65. Wake Forest - 5
67. Rutgers - 4
68. Iowa State - 3
68. Vanderbilt - 3
21st Century Top 25 Seasons
1. Ohio State - 20
2. Oklahoma - 19
3. Alabama - 17
3. Georgia - 17
3. LSU - 17
6. Clemson - 16
7. USC - 15
8. Florida State - 14
8. Michigan - 14
8. Oregon - 14
8. Texas - 14
12. Florida - 13
12. Wisconsin - 13
14. Notre Dame - 12
14. TCU - 12
14. Virginia Tech - 12
17. Auburn - 11
18. Iowa - 10
18. Penn State - 10
18. Utah - 10
21. Miami - 9
21. Oklahoma State - 9
21. West Virginia - 9
24. Cincinnati - 8
24. Louisville - 8
24. Michigan State - 8
24. Stanford - 8
24. Tennessee - 8
29. BYU - 7
29. Nebraska - 7
31. Baylor - 6
31.Kansas State - 6
31. Ole Miss - 6
31. South Carolina - 6
31. Washington - 6
36. Boston College - 5
36. Missouri - 5
36. Northwestern - 5
36. Oregon State - 5
36. Pitt - 5
36. Texas A&M - 5
36. Texas Tech - 5
36. UCF - 5
44. Arizona State - 4
44. Arkansas - 4
44. Georgia Tech - 4
44. Maryland - 4
44. Mississippi State - 4
44. NC State - 4
44. UCLA - 4
44. Washington State - 4
52. Cal - 3
52. Colorado - 3
52. Houston - 3
55. Illinois - 2
55. Kentucky - 2
55. Minnesota - 2
55. North Carolina - 2
55. Syracuse - 2
55. Vanderbilt - 2
55. Virginia - 2
55. Wake Forest - 2
63. Arizona - 1
63. Duke - 1
63. Indiana - 1
63. Iowa State - 1
63. Kansas - 1
63. Purdue - 1
63. Rutgers - 1
I have a hundred observations about this but for now will leave it here as food for thought and just saw that if Stanford, Cal, Oregon State, or Washington State gets demoted it won't be relegation logic but rather crueler market forces/chance. There are worse programs. Stanford in particular is an above-average program nationally. It would be a travesty for us not to be in one of the major conferences.
If we're talking relegation logic, Vanderbilt, Iowa State, and Rutgers clearly do not belong in major college football. Painfully irrelevant.
All Time Top 25 Seasons
1. Michigan - 63
2. Ohio State - 62
3. Alabama - 60
4. Notre Dame - 58
4. Oklahoma - 58
6. USC - 50
7. Texas - 49
8. Nebraska - 48
9. Penn State - 45
9. Tennessee - 45
11. LSU - 43
12. Georgia - 41
13. Auburn - 40
14. Clemson - 36
15. Florida - 34
15. Florida State - 34
17. Miami - 33
18. UCLA - 31
19. Arkansas - 29
20. Michigan State - 28
20. Texas A&M - 28
22. Washington - 27
23. Iowa - 26
23. Wisconsin - 26
25. Georgia Tech - 25
25. Ole Miss - 25
27. Pitt - 22
28. Syracuse - 21
29. TCU - 21
30. Colorado - 20
30. Stanford - 20
30. Virginia Tech - 20
30. West Virginia - 20
34. BYU - 19
34. Missouri - 19
34. Oregon - 19
37. Maryland - 18
38. Arizona State - 17
38. Duke - 17
38. North Carolina - 17
41. Baylor - 16
41. Oklahoma State - 16
41. Purdue - 16
44. Houston - 15
44. Minnesota - 15
44. Mississippi State - 15
47. Boston College - 14
47. Cal - 14
47. Kansas State - 14
47. NC State - 14
51. Illinois - 13
51. Northwestern - 13
53. Washington State - 12
54. Louisville - 11
54. Oregon State - 11
54. Texas Tech - 11
54. Utah - 11
58. Kentucky - 10
58. South Carolina - 10
60. Virginia - 9
61. Cincinnati - 8
62. Arizona - 7
62. Kansas - 7
64. Indiana - 6
65. UCF - 5
65. Wake Forest - 5
67. Rutgers - 4
68. Iowa State - 3
68. Vanderbilt - 3
21st Century Top 25 Seasons
1. Ohio State - 20
2. Oklahoma - 19
3. Alabama - 17
3. Georgia - 17
3. LSU - 17
6. Clemson - 16
7. USC - 15
8. Florida State - 14
8. Michigan - 14
8. Oregon - 14
8. Texas - 14
12. Florida - 13
12. Wisconsin - 13
14. Notre Dame - 12
14. TCU - 12
14. Virginia Tech - 12
17. Auburn - 11
18. Iowa - 10
18. Penn State - 10
18. Utah - 10
21. Miami - 9
21. Oklahoma State - 9
21. West Virginia - 9
24. Cincinnati - 8
24. Louisville - 8
24. Michigan State - 8
24. Stanford - 8
24. Tennessee - 8
29. BYU - 7
29. Nebraska - 7
31. Baylor - 6
31.Kansas State - 6
31. Ole Miss - 6
31. South Carolina - 6
31. Washington - 6
36. Boston College - 5
36. Missouri - 5
36. Northwestern - 5
36. Oregon State - 5
36. Pitt - 5
36. Texas A&M - 5
36. Texas Tech - 5
36. UCF - 5
44. Arizona State - 4
44. Arkansas - 4
44. Georgia Tech - 4
44. Maryland - 4
44. Mississippi State - 4
44. NC State - 4
44. UCLA - 4
44. Washington State - 4
52. Cal - 3
52. Colorado - 3
52. Houston - 3
55. Illinois - 2
55. Kentucky - 2
55. Minnesota - 2
55. North Carolina - 2
55. Syracuse - 2
55. Vanderbilt - 2
55. Virginia - 2
55. Wake Forest - 2
63. Arizona - 1
63. Duke - 1
63. Indiana - 1
63. Iowa State - 1
63. Kansas - 1
63. Purdue - 1
63. Rutgers - 1
I have a hundred observations about this but for now will leave it here as food for thought and just saw that if Stanford, Cal, Oregon State, or Washington State gets demoted it won't be relegation logic but rather crueler market forces/chance. There are worse programs. Stanford in particular is an above-average program nationally. It would be a travesty for us not to be in one of the major conferences.
If we're talking relegation logic, Vanderbilt, Iowa State, and Rutgers clearly do not belong in major college football. Painfully irrelevant.
