The Longest Winning Streaks in College Football History
Winning a college football game is tough, and doing it over and over without slipping up is nearly unheard of. Even so, a few programs have managed to string together long, spotless runs—sometimes over multiple seasons and even presidents. These streaks rewrote record books and made legends out of players who just kept winning. Here’s a look at 10 of the most impressive stretches in college football history.
Oklahoma – 47 Straight Wins
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Between 1953 and 1957, Oklahoma pulled off something no team has matched since: 47 straight wins. The streak began after an early loss and tie that season and didn’t end until the eighth game of 1957. The Sooners grabbed two national titles during the run and became the gold standard for sustained dominance.
Washington – 40 Straight Wins
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Gil Dobie coached the Washington Huskies through 58 games without a single defeat; 40 of those were straight wins between 1908 and 1914, until a 0-0 tie against Oregon Agricultural on October 31 ended the streak. Dobie eventually went 58-0-3 at Washington, and that era helped establish the program’s early reputation as a defensive force.
Toledo – 35 Straight Wins
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Toledo didn’t lose a game for three seasons starting in 1969. Chuck Ealey ran the offense while throwing for 5,000 yards and 42 touchdowns across that stretch. The Rockets went 35-0 between 1969 and 1971. By the end of it, Toledo had back-to-back undefeated seasons and a quarterback who never lost a college game.
Miami – 34 Straight Wins
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The early 2000s Miami Hurricanes resembled an NFL prep squad more than a college football team. From 2000 to 2002, they won 34 in a row. The 2001 national title team featured 17 future first-round draft picks, including Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, and Clinton Portis. The run finally ended with a double-overtime loss to Ohio State in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.
Yale – 37 Straight Wins (Twice)
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Yale had two separate 37-game win streaks before helmets even had face masks; one ended in 1889, the other in 1893. Across both runs, the Bulldogs shut out dozens of opponents and posted scores that barely resemble modern football.
USC – 34 Straight Wins
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Technically, 14 wins were vacated due to the Reggie Bush scandal. But on the field, USC won 34 games straight from 2003 to early 2006. Pete Carroll coached the Trojans through dominant seasons and high-octane bowl games, capped by a loss to Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl that many still call the best college game ever played.
Texas – 30 Straight Wins
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Between 1968 and 1970, Texas won 30 games in a row thanks to Darrell Royal’s wishbone offense. The Longhorns claimed national titles in 1969 and 1970. The streak ended in the 1971 Cotton Bowl against Notre Dame, but by then, Texas had built a dynasty around ball control and consistent execution.
Pitt – 31 Straight Wins
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Pitt’s 31-game streak started in 1914 under Joseph Duff and continued under Pop Warner. The Panthers won three national titles during that span. The run ended in 1918 with a disputed 10-9 loss to the Cleveland Naval Reserve, a game Warner claimed was stolen by biased officiating.
Penn – 34 Straight Wins
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Penn went 124-14-2 from 1890 to 1899, including a 34-game win streak from 1894 to 1896. After losing to Lafayette, they went on to win 31 more games. Combining the two periods, the Quakers finished with a record of 67-2 over five years. Those numbers remain some of the best in early college football history.
Nebraska – 32 Straight Wins
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Nebraska’s defense—known as the Blackshirts—helped power a 32-game win streak from 1969 to 1972. The Cornhuskers won two national titles during that stretch under Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne. They outscored opponents by huge margins and regularly shut down top offenses.