Ranking Every Power Five Conference Program

Not all college football programs are equal.

Ranking Every Power 5 Conference Program

No college sport has a bigger concentration of power than college football. The schools that make up the Power Five conferences rule over everything. That means the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC, ACC and Notre Dame.

These schools make all the money, get all the best recruits, and win all the national championships. Not since BYU in 1984 has a team outside of the Power Five won a national title, and in an interesting twist, BYU is set to join the Big 12 in 2023.

This is where all 65 Power Five football programs stand in terms of overall program strength, with an emphasis placed on how the programs have done since the start of the College Football Playoff in 2014.

65. Kansas (Big 12)

The Jayhawks haven't had a winning season since 2008 and have two winless seasons in the last 10 years, which includes two two-win seasons and two one-win seasons. Kansas is also on its fifth head coach in the past decade. No signs of life in Lawrence.

College Football Hall of Famers: Kansas

Jim Bausch
Ray Evans
Gale Sayers
John Hadl
John H. Outland

How well do you know Power Five programs? Test your knowledge with this NCAA Division I schools quiz from Huge Quiz.

64. Vanderbilt (SEC)

Vanderbilt fell off a cliff after head coach James Franklin left for Penn State following back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2012 and 2013. The Commodores haven't had a winning season since Franklin left and have barely been competitive in that stretch.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Vanderbilt

John J. Tigert
Josh Cody
Lynn Bomar
Bill Spears
Carl Hinkle

63. Arizona (Pac-12)

Arizona's program was waylaid by almost a decade of toxic culture under former head coach Rich Rodriguez, handed off to a semi-competent Kevin Sumlin for three seasons before landing in the lap of current head coach Jedd Fisch, who has no business leading a Division I football program.

In Fisch's first season in 2021, Arizona went 1-11 and lost to FCS Northern Arizona for the first time since 1932. Since the end of the 2019 season, Arizona has won just one game.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Arizona

Ricky Hunley
Chuck Cecil
Rob Waldrop
Tedy Bruschi

62. Illinois (Big Ten)

Illinois has only had three winning seasons in the last 20 years and been two games above .500 just once, when they went 9-4 in 2007.

Former NFL head coach Lovie Smith was almost as bad as they come on the FBS level during his tenure, winning just 17 games in five seasons.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Illinois

Red Grange
Alex Agase
George Woodruff
Chuck Carney
Claude "Buddy" Young
Bart Macomber
J.C. Caroline
Bernie Shively
Dick Butkus
Bob Blackman
Jim Grabowski
Al Brosky
David Williams
Dana Howard
Moe Gardner
Head coach Robert Zuppke

61. Rutgers (Big Ten)

Rutgers fans are looking up at the rest of the country right now, but it might not be that way for long. The Scarlet Knights showed signs of life in 2021 by going 5-8 under second-time-around head coach Greg Schiano, capped by a loss in the Gator Bowl.

It was Rutgers' first time in a bowl game since 2014.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Rutgers

Paul Robeson

60. Syracuse (ACC)

The Syracuse football program has fallen on hard times in recent years. Head coach Dino Babers has somehow kept his job despite three consecutive losing seasons following a 10-3 record in 2018. That includes a 1-10 campaign in 2020.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Syracuse

Joe Alexander
Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf
Jim Brown
Vic Hanson
Ernie Davis
Floyd Little
Hugh "Duffy "Daugherty
Larry Csonka
Tim Green
Don McPherson
Art Monk
Head coach Dick MacPherson
Head coach Ben Schwartzwalder

59. Duke (ACC)

We get it. Football at Duke is never going to be a big deal. From what we can tell, 15th-year head coach David Cutcliffe keeps his job by posting a winning record roughly every four years.

Here's a new slogan for the Blue Devils — "Duke Football: It Is What It Is."

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College Football Hall of Famers: Duke

Michael McGee
Clarkston Hines
Clarence Parker
George McAfee
Dan Hill Jr.
Eric Tipton
Fred Crawford
Stephen Lach
Albert DeRogatis
Head coach William Murray
Head coach Wallace Wade

58. Colorado (Pac-12)

It's been sad to watch the slow decline of a once proud football program at Colorado. The former perennial Big 12 power has seemed absolutely lost since joining the Pac-12 in 2011.

The Buffaloes have had four head coaches and just two winning seasons in the last 11 years, including a 4-2 record in 2020, and they haven't won a bowl game since 2004.

Hey, aren't the Flatirons pretty to look at though?

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College Football Hall of Famers: Colorado

Byron White
Joe Romig
Dick Anderson
Bobby Anderson
Alfred Williams
John Wooten
Herb Orvis
Head coach Bill McCartney

57. Indiana (Big Ten)

Indiana head coach Tom Allen led the Hoosiers to back-to-back winning seasons in 2019 and 2020 — the first time the program had consecutive years above .500 since the early 1990s.

But it seems like Indiana's brief surge to the middle of the pack in the Big Ten was just a mirage. In 2021, the Hoosiers came crashing back to earth with a 2-10 record.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Indiana

Zora Clevinger
Bill Ingram
Pete Pihos
George Taliaferro
John Tavener
Anthony Thompson

56. Georgia Tech (ACC)

The Paul Johnson era at Georgia Tech probably seems like a dream to fans of the Yellow Jackets. Johnson had seven winning seasons in 11 years in Atlanta before he stepped down before the 2019 season.

Johnson's replacement, Geoff Collins, has carved out a very specific niche in the three seasons since. He's gone 3-9, 3-7 and 3-9. That's the type of consistency you don't want.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Georgia Tech

Maxie Baughan
Ray Beck
Bobby Davis
Bill Fincher
Buck Flowers
Joe Guyon
Joe Hamilton
Calvin Johnson
George Morris
Larry Morris
Peter Pund
Randy Rhino
Everett Strupper
Pat Swilling

55. Oregon State (Pac-12)

No Power Five conference was impacted more by pandemic restrictions than the Pac-12, and in the case of Oregon State, we're choosing to look at 2020's 2-5 record as an anomaly.

Head coach and former OSU quarterback Jonathan Smith has improved the Beavers steadily since he was hired. After going 2-10 in his first season in 2018, the Beavers went 5-7 in 2019 and 7-6 in 2021, with a win in the LA Bowl to cap off the season.

Wait, there's an LA Bowl?

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College Football Hall of Famers: Oregon State

Terry Baker
Bill Enjart
Head coach Tommy Prothro

54. Maryland (Big Ten)

Maryland going 7-6 in 2021 and winning the Pinstripe Bowl did nothing to convince us that Mike Locksley isn't a terrible head coach and the Terrapins aren't the program they've always been.

While we're here, we should also point out that the Terrapins snapped a streak of six consecutive losing seasons in 2021.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Maryland

Bob Ward
Jack Scarbath
Dick Modzelewski
Randy White
Bob Pellegrini
Stan Jones
E.J. Henderson

53. Boston College (ACC)

Boston College's program has been a study in mediocrity for the last decade. After a disastrous 2-10 season in 2012, the Eagles have finished either one game above or below .500 six times and finished .500 in 2021, when they went 6-6.

If you want to look a little deeper, you have to go back to former quarterback Doug Flutie's Heisman Trophy-winning season in 1984 to find Boston College playing in any bowl game of significance, when they won the Cotton Bowl.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Boston College

Charlie O'Rourke
Chet Gladchuk
Gene Goodreault
George Kerr
Mike Holovak
Doug Flutie
Mike Ruth

52. South Carolina (SEC)

The Gamecocks haven't finished two games above .500 since Steve Spurrier led them to an 11-2 record in 2013, including four losing seasons. That's the end of the negative talk from us when it comes to this program, though.

Head coach Shane Beamer went 7-6 in his first season in 2021 and landed a high-profile quarterback out of the transfer portal with former Oklahoma starter and five-star recruit Spencer Rattler.

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College Football Hall of Famers: South Carolina

George Rogers
Sterling Sharpe

51. Nebraska (Big Ten)

It's a truly sad state of affairs in Lincoln. One of college football's signature programs continues to spiral into an abyss of meaningless, terrible football under head coach Scott Frost.

With Frost at the helm the last four seasons, Nebraska has yet to post a winning record or play in a bowl game and has appeared in the AP Top 25 poll just once, checking in at No. 24 for one week in 2019.

Frost may never live down what is probably a career-defining roster decision made before the 2018 season — passing on Ohio State transfer, future Heisman Trophy winner, CFP national champion and NFL draft No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow in favor of freshman Adrian Martinez. It has become college football's version of the Boston Red Sox trading Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees.

Burrow's Curse, anyone?

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College Football Hall of Famers: Nebraska

Ed Weir
George Sauer
Guy Chamberlin
Bobby Reynolds
Forrest Behm
Wayne Meylan
Dave Rimington
Johnny Rodgers
Mike Rozier
Grant Wistrom
Will Shields
Tommie Frazier
Trev Alberts
Aaron Taylor
Eric Crouch
Zach Wiegert
Head coach Bob Devaney
Head coach Dana X. Bible
Head coach Tom Osborne

50. Wake Forest (ACC)

Wake Forest went 11-3 in 2021 and finished in the Top 25 in the final AP Poll for the first time since 2006. It will take a little more than that to move them up this list, but it's worth pointing out that the Demon Deacons definitely seem like a team on the way up.

One big reason for Wake Forest's recent success is stability. Head coach Dave Clawson is headed into his ninth season and has led his program to six consecutive bowl games.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Wake Forest

Wake Forest has no College Football Hall of Famers. The late Brian Picolo was named ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965.

49. Tennessee (SEC)

Few college football fan bases are as loyal to their team as the one you'll find in Knoxville cheering on the Volunteers, where the home team has given them little to root for in recent years.

Tennessee has had five head coaches since the legendary Phillip Fulmer resigned following the 2008 season. The Volunteers haven't won 10 games since 2007.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Tennessee

Gene McEver
Beattie Feathers
Herman Hickman
Bobby Dodd
Bob Suffridge
Nathan Dougherty
George Cafego
Bowden Wyatt
Hank Lauricella
Doug Atkins
Johnny Majors
Bob Johnson
Ed Molinski
Steve DeLong
John Michels
Steve Kiner
Reggie White
Frank Emanuel
Chip Kell
Peyton Manning
Head coach Robert Neyland
Head coach Bowden Wyatt
Head coach Doug Dickey
Head coach Phillip Fulmer

48. North Carolina State (ACC)

Here's the thing you need to know about North Carolina State football. In 116 years, they've had exactly one season where the Wolfpack had double-digit wins, when they went 11-3 in 2002 and capped the year with a Gator Bowl win.

North Carolina State specializes in being "Just OK" at football, but the Wolfpack were a little better than that in 2021, going 9-3 and landing at No. 20 in the final AP Poll.

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College Football Hall of Famers: North Carolina State

Jack McDowall
Roman Gabriel
Jim Ritcher
Dennis Byrd
Ted Brown
Torry Holt

47. Missouri (SEC)

Since former head coach Gary Pinkel left Columbia following a 5-7 season in 2015, Missouri hasn't necessarily been a bad football team. But you can't really say they've been good, either.

One of the teams that led a mass exodus away from regional conferences in the early 2010s — Missouri left the Big 12 to join the SEC — you won't find much to get excited about when it comes to the Tigers, who have no natural rivals in their new conference.

That's a tough sell for fans.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Missouri

Paul Christman
Bob Steuber
Ed Travis
Darold Jenkins
Johnny Roland
Kellen Winslow
Roger Wehri
Head coach Gary Pinkel
Head coach Dan Devine
Head coach Don Faurot

46. Virginia (ACC)

Bronco Mendenhall did the best he could to keep Virginia's football program from totally going in the tank. He even led them to an Orange Bowl berth in 2019 even though the Cavaliers finished the year 9-5.

Since then, Virginia plateaued with back-to-back .500 seasons in 2020 and 2021, and Mendenhall was replaced with longtime Clemson assistant Tony Elliott.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Virginia

Bill Dudley
Tony Scott
Frank Murray
Joe Palumbo
Jim Dombrowski
Anthony Poindexter

45. UCLA (Pac-12)

Chip Kelly had losing records in his first three seasons at UCLA, so heading into the 2021 season, his rear end was firmly in the hot seat. But that's when the former Oregon and NFL head coach seems to work best.

Kelly put together an 8-4 record, and the Bruins were ranked as high as No. 13 in the AP Poll at one point.

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College Football Hall of Famers: UCLA

Troy Aikman
Sam Boghosian
Gary Beban
Randy Cross
Terry Donahue
Kenny Easley
Tom Fears
Billy Kilmer
Cade McNown
Donn Moomaw
Jonathan Ogden
Tommy Prothro
Jerry Robinson
Red Sanders
John Sciarra
Al Sparlis
Kenny Washington

44. Louisville (ACC)

From one perspective, things have fallen apart pretty quickly during the Scott Satterfield era at Louisville with back-to-back losing seasons in 2020 and 2021.

From another perspective, Satterfield's time as Louisville's head coach was never that great anyway, and only seemed OK because he went 8-5 in his first season, which directly followed a disastrous 2-10 record in Bobby Petrino's final season as head coach.

Either way, Lamar Jackson ain't walking through that door.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Louisville

Louisville has no College Football Hall of Famers. We expect Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson to be the first.

43. Arizona State (Pac-12)

If you solely listened to the media buzz around the Arizona State football program this year, you would have probably guessed the Sun Devils were one of the worst teams in the Pac-12. That just wasn't the case.

Arizona State went 8-5 in former NFL head coach Herm Edwards' fourth season, and he hasn't had a losing record in his tenure.

Heck, he even won a bowl game one year.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Arizona State

John Jefferson
Ronald Pritchard

42. Florida State (ACC)

It's a sad state of affairs in Tallahassee, where a once proud Florida State football program has fallen on hard times.

To recap: Florida State's streak of 42 consecutive winning seasons was snapped in 2018, when they went 5-7 in head coach Willie Taggar's first season. The Seminoles haven't had a winning season since.

Taggart was fired following the 2019 season, and head coach Mike Norvell is 8-13 through his first two seasons.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Florida State

Ron Sellers
Fred Biletnikoff
Charlie Ward
Ron Simmons
Deion Sanders
Derrick Brooks
Terrell Buckley
Marvin Jones
Head coach Bobby Bowden

41. Arkansas (SEC)

Since going 11-3 in 2011 and seeing head coach Bobby Petrino fired in one of college football's all-time sleaziest scandals, the Razorbacks have had six losing seasons, including back-to-back 2-10 campaigns in 2018 and 2019 under former head coach Chad Morris.

There's now hope in Fayetteville, however, after third-year head coach Sam Pittman went 9-4 and capped the year with an Outback Bowl win and No. 18 spot in the final AP Poll in 2021.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Arkansas

Wear Schoonover
Clyde Scott
Lance Alworth
Loyd Phillips
Chuck Dicus
Billy Ray Smith Jr.
Wayne Harris
Billy Joe Moody
Head coach Frank Broyles
Head coach Lou Holtz
Head coach Francis Schmidt

40. North Carolina (ACC)

Mack Brown returned for a second stint at North Carolina prior to the 2019 season, and after the Tar Heels went 8-4 in 2020 and finished No. 18 in the final AP Poll, expectations were sky high for 2021. North Carolina cracked under the weight of a preseason Top 10 ranking and finished 6-7.

It was Brown's first losing season since his return to Chapel Hill and the Tar Heels' third losing season in the last five years.

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College Football Hall of Famers: North Carolina

Charlie Justice
Don McCauley
Art Weiner
Dre Bly
Harris Barton
Head coach Mack Brown

39. Stanford (Pac-12)

We're not sure what exactly is going on at Stanford with 11th-year head coach David Shaw, who has fallen flat in recent years. And the Cardinal's 3-9 record in 2021 was the worst of his tenure.

Shaw had winning records in each of his first seven seasons and won 10 or more games five times. He's now had losing seasons in two of the last three seasons.

Not a good sign.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Stanford

Frankie Albert
John Brodie
Chris Burford
Bill Corbus
John Elway
Hugh "Duke" Gallarneau
Bobby Grayson
Bob "Bones" Hamilton
Andrew Luck
Bill McColl
James "Monk" Moscrip
Darrin Nelson
Ernie Nevers
Jim Plunkett
Jeff Siemon
Chuck Taylor
Head coach Pop Warner
Head coach Fielding Yost
Head coach Walter Camp

38. Virginia Tech (ACC)

These are uncertain times for Virginia Tech football. In the not-so-distant past, the Hokies were perennial ACC contenders, and the program's hiring of Justin Fuente was praised far and wide after legendary coach Frank Beamer stepped down after the 2014 season.

Fuente was great in his first season, going 10-4 and winning a bowl game. That would prove to be the highlight of his tenure. He went on to lose four consecutive bowl games and posted three losing seasons in his last four years.

Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry, a first-time head coach, was hired as Virginia Tech's new head coach in November 2021.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Virginia Tech

Caius Carpenter
Carroll Dale
Frank Loria
Bruce Smith
Head coach Frank Beamer

37. Washington State (Pac-12)

Your guess is as good as ours regarding what condition the football program at Washington State is currently in following one of the strangest coach ousters in recent memory.

Washington State head coach Nick Rolovich and a good chunk of his coaching staff were fired midway through the 2021 season when they refused to comply with a mandate that all state employees receive a COVID vaccine.

That being said, the Cougars were 4-3 when Rolovich was fired and still finished with a 7-6 record. Which is pretty on-brand.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Washington State

Mel Hein
Turk Edwards
Rueben Mayes
Mike Utley
Jason Hanson
Head coach Babe Hollingbery

36. Purdue (Big Ten)

It's tough to tell if former Louisville quarterback and current Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm will have staying power. After going 7-6 in his first season, Brohm and the Boilermakers reeled off three consecutive losing seasons before bouncing back with a 9-4 record and a victory in the Foster Farms Bowl in 2021.

It was also the first year Purdue made an appearance in the AP Top 25 since 2007.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Purdue

Alex Agase
Otis Armstrong
Dave Butz
Chalmers "Bump" Elliott
Bob Griese
Mark Herrmann
Cecil Isbell
Leroy Keyes
Elmer Oliphant
Mike Phipps
Rod Woodson
Head coach John McKay
Head coach William Dietz
Head coach Jack Mollenkopf
Head coach Jim Phelan

35. Texas Tech (Big 12)

We've spent the last decade wondering exactly what the expectations are of the football program at Texas Tech — mainly because the school seemed content letting former head coach Kliff Kingsbury spend the better part of the decade residing in Big 12 mediocrity.

After three "blah" seasons under Matt Wells, the Red Raiders went out and made one of the more interesting hires of the offseason when they landed Baylor associate head coach and Texas high school football coaching legend Joey McGuire.

Few coaches in the country have the kind of connections in the most talent-rich football state in the country as McGuire does. Watch out for Texas Tech.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Texas Tech

Emil Holub Jr.
Garry Anderson
David Parks
Gabe Rivera
Zach Thomas

34. West Virginia (Big 12)

West Virginia is headed in the wrong direction when it comes to the hierarchy of Power Five football programs. Our best evidence to support this is in the last 20 years, the Mountaineers have only had three losing seasons.

But two of those have come under current head coach Neal Brown since he was hired before the 2019 season.

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College Football Hall of Famers: West Virginia

Bruce Bosley
Frank Cignetti
Major Harris
Sam Huff
Ira Errett Rodgers
Joe Stydahar
Darryl Talley
Head coach Don Nehlen
Head coach Bobby Bowden

33. Mississippi State (SEC)

Say what you will about the Mississippi State football program always hovering around the middle of the pack in the SEC. The Bulldogs have now played in 12 consecutive bowl games.

We're not sure what the future holds with current head coach Mike Leach, but the foundation seems solid in Starkville. If being in the middle of the pack is your thing.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Mississippi State

Jack Parker
Dwight Lewis
Head coach Edgar McKean Jr.

32. Texas (Big 12)

We still think that Texas is college football's sleeping giant — a program with so much money and tradition that if awakened it could quickly skyrocket into the top tier of elite teams. Now all they need to do is wake up.

The Longhorns hadn't been truly bad since Charlie Strong led them to a 5-7 record in his final season in 2016 until they went 5-7 in 2021 under first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, a man who never seems to run out of second chances to be a big-time football coach.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Texas

Bud Sprague
Harrison Stafford
Malcolm Kutner
Hub Bechtol
Bobby Layne
Bud McFadin
Harley Sewell
James Saxton
Tommy Nobis
Chris Gilbert
Bob McKay
Jerry Sisemore
Roosevelt Leaks
Doug English
Earl Campbell
Johnnie Johnson
Steve McMichael
Kenneth Sims
Jerry Gray
Ricky Williams
Vince Young
Head coach Mack Brown
Head coach Darrell Royal

31. Miami (ACC)

Just on the basis of the sheer amount of high school football talent located within its own state and the tradition of its football program, we like to think Miami will one day be among the nation's elite teams once again.

While the Hurricanes have struggled to keep their heads above water in recent years, new head coach Mario Cristobal could prove to be the difference-maker.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Miami

Ted Hendricks
Don Bosseler
Bennie Blades
Arnold Tucker
Gino Torreta
Russell Maryland
Vinny Testaverde
Ed Reed
Head coach Jimmy Johnson

30. Cal (Pac-12)

Cal head coach Justin Wilcox built up some goodwill among the fan base when he led the Golden Bears to back-to-back AP Top 25 finishes in 2018 and 2019. But he has stumbled since.

Cal is coming off back-to-back losing seasons in 2020 and 2021, and it's safe to say it's probably a put-up or shut-the-door-on-your-way-out kind of year for Wilcox in 2022.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Cal

Harold Muller
Stanley Barnes
Ken Washington
Bob Herwig
Ed Horrell
Walter McMillan Jr.
Don Moomaw
Walter Gordon
Tom Fears
Rodney Franz
Victor Bottari
Les Richter
Al Sparlis
Sam Chapman
Jackie Jensen
Head coach Lynn Waldorf
Head coach Andy Smith

29. Kentucky (SEC)

Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.

It's not hard to admire the way Mark Stoops has led the Kentucky football program over the last decade. In a school where football tradition almost means zilch, Stoops has been a model of consistency throughout his tenure.

The Wildcats have played in bowl games for six consecutive years and have now won four consecutive bowls after going 10-3 in 2021 and capping the year with a Citrus Bowl win and No. 18 ranking in the final AP Poll.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Kentucky

Art Still
Bob Gain
Steve Meilinger
Lou Michaels
Babe Parili

28. Washington (Pac-12)

The reason we're ranking Washington so high is because it's our belief that there's a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened at Husky Stadium.

The school fired head coach Jimmy Lake after less than two seasons and made what seems like a deft hire in bringing in Kalen DeBoer from Fresno State after he led the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record in 2021. Lest we forget, Washington and Oregon are the only two Pac-12 schools who have qualified for the CFP since its inception in 2014.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Washington

George Wilson
Chuck Carroll
Paul Schwegler
Vic Markov
Hugh McElhenny
Don Heinrich
Bob Schloredt
Max Starcevich
Rick Redman
Steve Emtman
Lincoln Kennedy
Head coach Don James
Head coach James Phelan

27. Northwestern (Big Ten)

Whatever the ceiling is for Northwestern, the program is lucky to have head coach Pat Fitzgerald as its rock. He's headed into his 16th season leading the school where he was once an All-American linebacker.

Northwestern's success under Fitzgerald doesn't translate to his team's 3-9 record in 2021. All five of the Wildcats' Top 25 finishes in the final AP Poll and all five of their bowl game victories under Fitzgerald have come in the last decade.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Northwestern

Otto Graham
Jimmy Johnson
Paddy Driscoll
Pug Rentner
Ralph Baker
Steve Reid
Jack Riley
Edgar Manske
Ron Burton
Alex Sarkisian
Pat Fitzgerald
Head coach Alex Agase

26. Kansas State (Big 12)

We aren't putting a whole lot of stake in Kansas State's 4-6 record in 2020. It appears as if head coach Chris Klieman has the program headed in the right direction, and 8-5 records in 2019 and 2021 are more indicative of where the program is headed.

The frustrating thing for Kansas State fans during 2021 were two losses by under a touchdown — a 37-31 home loss to No. 6 Oklahoma and a stupefying 22-17 loss at Texas in the regular-season finale.

Trust us when we tell you the latter stung much, much more.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Kansas State

Gary Spani
Mark Simoneau
Head coach Bill Snyder

25. Ole Miss (SEC)

After a "blah" three seasons under Matt Luke, things have been looking up for the Ole Miss football program since Lane Kiffin was hired prior to the 2020 season. Kiffin went 5-5 in 2020 and led the Rebels to a win in the Outback Bowl, then followed that with a 10-3 record, Sugar Bowl berth and No. 11 spot in the final AP Poll in 2021.

There's a certain buzz that occurs when Ole Miss starts to get good again, which we're already feeling. Watch out.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Ole Miss

Frank "Bruiser" Kinard
Charlie Conerly
Barney Poole
Doug Kenna
Archie Manning
Parker Hall
Jake Gibbs
Charlie Flowers
Wesley Walls
Patrick Willis
Head coach Johnny Vaught

24. Pittsburgh (ACC)

It's pretty easy to admire what Pat Narduzzi has done as Pittsburgh's head coach. Narduzzi scrapped and clawed his way through his first six seasons with the Panthers, finishing below .500 just once when he went 5-7 in 2017.

It all finally came together for Pittsburgh in 2021, as they went 11-3 and won an ACC championship.

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College Football Hall of Famers: Pittsburgh

Ruben Brown
Jimbo Covert
Averell Daniell
Tom Davies
Mike Ditka
Joseph Donchess
Tony Dorsett
Bill Fralic
Marshall Goldberg
Hugh Green
Dan Marino
Mark May
George McLaren
Robert Peck
Joe Schmidt
Joe Skladany
Herb Stein
Joe Thompson
Hube Wagner
Head coach Jock Sutherland
Head coach Pop Warner

23. Iowa State (Big 12)

We keep assuming some big-name school somewhere is going to hit the lottery one day when they finally pull Matt Campbell away from Iowa State. He's quietly turned the Cyclones into one of the toughest teams in the Big 12 over the last five years.

Iowa State has now played in bowl games in five consecutive seasons, including a Fiesta Bowl win and No. 9 spot in the final AP Poll following the 2020 season.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Iowa State

Ed Bock
Troy Davis

22. Minnesota (Big Ten)

P.J. Fleck has been slowly building the program at Minnesota over the last five seasons, with three ending in bowl victories, including an 11-2 record and No. 10 finish in the final AP Poll in 2019.

Fleck bounced back from a 3-4 record in 2020 to go 9-4 in 2021.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Minnesota

Bert Baston
Bobby Bell
Tom Brown
Carl Eller
George Franck
Paul Giel
Herb Joesting
Pug Lund
Bobby Marshall
John McGovern
Bronko Nagurski
Leo Nomellini
Eddie Rogers
Bruce Smith
Sandy Stephens
Clayton Tonnemaker
Ed Widseth
Dick Wilding
Head coach Henry L. Williams
Head coach Bernie Bierman

21. TCU (Big 12)

The leadership at TCU, in all of their infinite wisdom, decided they were better off parting ways with longtime head coach Gary Patterson after 21 years. All Patterson did in his time at TCU was turn the Horned Frogs into an elite program on the national level, including finishing in the Top 25 in 12 different seasons.

TCU replaced Patterson with longtime college football retread Sonny Dykes in one of the more uninspiring hires in recent memory.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: TCU

Ki Aldrich
Sammy Baugh
Darrell Lester
Bob Tilly
LaDainian Tomlinson
Head coach Matty Bell

20. Texas A&M (SEC)

Texas A&M is currently in the fifth year of a "can money buy us wins?" experiment with head coach Jimbo Fisher, who has a 10-year, $75 million contract and is yet to lead his team to the CFP.

None of Fisher's years in College Station have been as disappointing as 2021, when the Aggies went 8-4 following a 9-1 season, Orange Bowl victory and No. 4 ranking in the final AP Poll.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Texas A&M

Ray Childress
John David Crow
Dave Elmendorf
Jacob Green
Joel Hunt
John Kimbrough
Charlie Krueger
Dat Nguyen
Jack Pardee
Joe Routt
Gene Stallings
Joe Utay
Head coach RC Slocum

19. Florida (SEC)

Florida seemed on the brink of breaking into the CFP elite after going 10-3 in 2018, then 11-2 in 2019, but fell flat the next two years — a stretch that ended with head coach Dan Mullen getting fired.

The Gators may have made the stealth great hire of the 2021 offseason when they picked University of Louisiana head coach and former Alabama assistant Billy Napier for his first Power Five job.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Florida

Carlos Alvarez
Lomas Brown
Wes Chandler
Wilber Marshall
Emmitt Smith
Dale Van Sickel
Danny Wuerffel
Jack Youngblood
Steve Spurrier (quarterback/head coach)

18. Michigan State (Big Ten)

We have a hard time explaining Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker's ascent to an elite Power Five program. He went 5-7 in his first season as a head coach, at Colorado in 2019, left the Buffs after one season to become the head coach at Michigan State and went 2-5 in 2020.

Then, something changed. Tucker and the Spartans went 11-2 in 2021, won the Peach Bowl, finished No. 9 in the final AP Poll, and Tucker was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Michigan State

John Pingel
Don Coleman
George Webster
Bubba Smith
Brad Van Pelt
Gene Washington
Percy Snow
Clinton Jones
Kirk Gibson
Lorenzo White
Head coach Duffy Daugherty

17. Auburn (SEC)

Auburn's football program is traditionally one of the strongest in the nation but finds itself in a strange state of turmoil.

The Tigers haven't reached double-digit wins since 2017 and suffered their first losing season in a decade when they went 6-7 under first-year head coach Bryan Harsin in 2021.

This means no second-year coach in the country will be more under the microscope than Harsin in 2022.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Auburn

Mike Donahue
Jim Hitchcock
Walt Gilbert
Pat Sullivan
Ivan Frederickson
Bo Jackson
Terry Beasley
Tracy Rocker
Ed Dyas
Head coach Pat Dye
Head coach Jim Jordan

16. Iowa (Big Ten)

Kirk Ferentz has been the head coach at Iowa since 1999, making him the longest-tenured head coach on the FBS level.

Ferentz, who went 1-10 in his first season, has weathered the ups and downs of college football like some sort of Gridiron Teflon Don.

His teams have finished in the Top 10 in the final AP Poll five times, but not since 2015.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Iowa

Duke Slater
Nile Kinnick
Gordon Locke
Aubrey Devine
Cal Jones
Alex Karras
Randy Duncan
Chuck Long
Larry Station
Andre Tippett
Head coach Hayden Fry

15. Utah (Pac-12)

Utah has a steady hand guiding the program in head coach Kyle Whittingham, who went 10-4 in 2021 and guided his team to the Rose Bowl and the No. 12 spot in the final AP Poll.

We can't say enough about how highly we regard Whittingham and how his team plays. They've finished in the Top 25 in nine of his 17 seasons.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Utah

Head coach Isaac Armstrong

14. Penn State (Big Ten)

The shakiest spot among the top 15 teams in our Power Five program rankings belongs to Penn State, who is coming off a befuddling two-year stretch in which the Nittany Lions went 4-5 in 2020 and 7-6 in 2021.

This has to be a confusing situation for Penn State fans because head coach James Franklin won 11 games in three of the four seasons before this dip and finished in the Top 25 in the final AP Poll all four seasons.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Penn State

LaVar Arrington
John Cappelletti
Kerry Collins
Shane Conlan
Keith Dorsey
Jack Ham
Glenn Killinger
Ted Kwalick
Richie Lucas
Pete Mauthe
Shorty Miller
Lydell Mitchell
Dennis Onkotz
Mike Reid
Glenn Ressler
Dave Robinson
Steve Suhey
Dexter Very
Curt Warner
Harry Wilson
Head coach Joe Paterno

13. Oklahoma State (Big 12)

Mike Gundy had one of the best seasons in his 17 years as Oklahoma State's head coach in 2021, when the former OSU quarterback led the Cowboys to a 12-2 record, Fiesta Bowl win and No. 7 finish in the final AP Poll.

In Gundy's tenure, Oklahoma State has finished the year in the Top 25 nine times.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Oklahoma State

Bob Fenimore
Thurman Thomas
Barry Sanders

12. Wisconsin (Big Ten)

Wisconsin football is about as steady as they come. The Badgers qualified for a bowl game for the 20th consecutive season in 2021, going 9-4 and capping the year with a win in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Head coach Paul Chryst is one of the nation's best. In seven seasons in Madison, he's won at least 10 games four times, including a 13-1 campaign and Orange Bowl win in 2017.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Wisconsin

George Little
Dave Schreiner
Phillip King
Pat O'Deal
Bob Butler
Elroy Hirsch
Alan Ameche
Marty Below
Pat Harder
Pat Richter
Barry Alvarez
Ron Dayne
Tim Krumrie
Joe Thomas

11. Baylor (Big 12)

Just five years ago, there was a large subsect of people who believed Baylor shouldn't even be allowed to have a football program following a scandal that led to the firing of head coach Art Briles.

Now, the Baylor football program is on more than steady ground. They're fresh off a Big 12 championship in 2021 under head coach Dave Aranda, and the Bears have double-digit victories in two of the last three seasons.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Baylor

Barton Koch
Jim Ray Smith
Bill Glass
Larry Elkins
Mike Singletary
Hayden Fry
Thomas Everett
Don Trull
Head coach Morley Jennings
Head coach Grant Teaff

10. Oregon (Pac-12)

Oregon has been carrying the water for the entire Pac-12 since Pete Carroll's tenure ended at USC in the early 2000s. The Ducks have played (and lost) in the national championship game twice since then and have consistently been one of the nation's best teams.

That being said, why does Oregon continue to lose head coaches to mediocre schools in Florida?

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Oregon

Norm Van Brocklin
Johnny Kitzmiller
John Beckett
Mel Renfro
Ahmad Rashad
Head coach Mike Bellotti
Head coach Len Casanova

9. USC (Pac-12)

How could a school that's been so bad for so long be this high on the list? Common sense.

You can't underscore how absolutely bananas it was to see USC lure Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley to Los Angeles in one of the biggest power moves in recent college football history. Then, Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams followed him there.

The Trojans going 4-8 in 2021 already seems like a distant memory.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: USC

Morley Drury
Harry Smith
Erny Pinckert
Aaron Rosenberg
Ernie Smith
Dan McMillan
Mort Kaer
John Ferraro
Frank Gifford
Cotton Warburton
Tay Brown
Johnny Baker
O.J. Simpson
Mike Garrett
Jeff Bregel
Mike McKeever
Ron Yary
Paul Cleary
Lynn Swann
Marvin Powell
Charles White
Brad Budde
Marcus Allen
Jon Arnett
Ronnie Lott
Ricky Bell
Charle Young
Anthony Davis
Richard Wood
Sam Cunningam
Tony Boselli
Matt Leinart
Troy Polamalu
Carson Palmer
Head coach John Robinson
Head coach John McKay
Head coach Howard Jones

8. Michigan (Big Ten)

It might be a bit of an understatement to say the 2021 season was a huge breakthrough for Michigan and head coach Jim Harbaugh. It was the school's best season since they won their last national championship in 1997.

The Wolverines went 12-2, beat Ohio State for the first time in a decade and made it to the CFP for the first time.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Michigan

Albert Benbrook
Dave Brown
Lloyd Carr
Anthony Carter
Bob Chappuis
Fritz Crisler
Tom Curtis
Dan Dierdorf
Bump Elliott
Pete Elliott
Benny Friedman
Tom Harmon
Willie Heston
Elroy Hirsch
Desmond Howard
Ron Johnson
Harry Kipke
Ron Kramer
George Little
Rob Lytle
Jim Mandich
Johnny Maulbetsch
Reggie McKenzie
Mark Messner
Bill Morley
David M. Nelson
Harry Newman
Bennie Oosterbaan
Marv Pregulman
Tubby Raymond
Germany Schulz
Neil Snow
Ernie Vick
Bob Westfall
Tad Wieman
Albert Wistert
Alvin Wistert
Francis Wistert
Charles Woodson
Head coach Fielding H. Yost
Head coach Bo Schembechler

7. LSU (SEC)

No team made a splashier hire in 2021 than when LSU hired Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame. The cost? An unprecedented 10-year, $95 million contract that made Kelly one of the highest paid coaches in all of North American sports.

It's worth pointing out that LSU's last three national championships have been won with three different coaches — Nick Saban in 2003, Les Miles in 2007 and Ed Orgeron in 2019.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: LSU

Gaynell Tinsley
Ken Kavanaugh
Abe Mickal
Doc Fenton
Tommy Casanova
Billy Cannon
Jerry Stovall
Charles Alexander
Bert Jones
Glenn Dorsey
Kevin Faulk
Head coach Bernie Moore
Head coach Charles McLendon

6. Notre Dame (Independent)

Notre Dame has won at least 10 games in each of the last five seasons and were 11-1 in 2021 when longtime head coach Brian Kelly shocked everyone and left to become the head coach at LSU.

Few teams will generate as much excitement in 2022 as the Irish and new head coach Marcus Freeman.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Notre Dame

Hunk Anderson
Angelo Bertelli
Tim Brown
Ross Browner
Jack Cannon
Frank Carideo
Dave Casper
George Connor
Bob Crable
Jim Crowley
Zygmont Czarobski
Bob Dove
Ray Eichenlaub
Bill Fischer
Thom Gatewood
George Gipp
Jerry Groom
Ralph Guglielmi
Leon Hart
Frank "Nordy" Hoffman
Paul Hornung
John Huarte
Raghib "Rocket" Ismail
Johnny Lattner
Elmer Layden
Johnny Lujack
Jim Lynch
Ken MacAfee
Jim Martin
Bert Metzger
Creighton MIller
Don Miller
Edgar Miller
Wayne Millner
Alan Page
Louis Salmon
Marchy Schwartz
Bill Shakespeare
Emil "Red" Sitko
John "Clipper" Smith
Harry Stuhldreher
Joe Thiesmann
Adam Walsh
Bob Williams
Tommy Yarr
Chris Zorich
Head coach Ara Parseghian
Head coach Knute Rockne
Head coach Lou Holtz
Head coach Dan Devine
Head coach Frank Leahy

5. Oklahoma (Big 12)

What will become of the Oklahoma football program now that it's in the hands of former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables? Our guess is they will probably still be really, really good.

The Sooners are tied for third on the list of most CFP appearances with four. They've lost in the semifinals each time, including three straight defeats from 2017 to 2019.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Oklahoma

Brian Bosworth
Tom Brahaney
Kurt Burris
Tony Casillas
Rickey Dixon
Forrest Geyer
Keith Jackson
Tommy McDonald
Steve Owens
Jim Owens
Greg Pruitt
Claude Reeds
J.D. Roberts
Rod Shoate
Lee Roy Selmon
Billy Sims
Clendon Thomas
Jerry Tubbs
Billy Vessels
Jim Weatherall
Joe Washington
Roy Williams
Waddy Young
Head coach Bud Wilkinson
Head coach Bob Stoops
Head coach Barry Switzer
Head coach Bennie Owen

4. Georgia (SEC)

Georgia won its first national championship in 40 years by defeating Alabama in the CFP championship game in 2022.

It was also the Bulldogs' second championship game appearance in six seasons under head coach Kirby Smart.

That's called moving in the right direction.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Georgia

Bob McWhorter
Frank Sinkwich
Charley Trippi
Vernon "Catfish" Smith
Bill Hartman
Frank Tarkenton
Bill Stanfill
Herschel Walker
Terry Hoage
Kevin Butler
John Rauch
Jake Scott
Matt Stinchcomb
David Pollack

3. Ohio State (Big Ten)

While Ohio State hasn't won a national championship since the first year of the CFP in 2014, the Buckeyes have played in the CFP three more times and are consistently among the best teams in the country every season.

With quarterback C.J. Stroud returning in 2022, it's a safe bet Ohio State will be among the nation's elite once again.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Ohio State

Chic Harley
Wes Fesler
Les Horvath
Bill Willis
Gaylor Stinchcomb
Jim Parker
Gust Zarnas
Vic Janowicz
Jim Daniell
Gomer Jones
Howard Cassady
Warren Amling
Archie Griffin
Aurealius Thomas
Jim Stillwagon
Bob Fergueson
Randy Gradishar
John Hicks
Jack Tatum
Jim Houston
Rex Kern
Chris Spielman
Eddie George
Orlando Pace
Tom Cousineau
Keith Byars
Mike Doss
Head coach Jim Tressel
Head coach John Cooper
Head coach Woody Hayes
Head coach Earle Bruce

2. Clemson (ACC)

Clemson has made the CFP six out of the eight years it's existed and won two national championships, the last coming in 2018.

We doubt that head coach Dabo Swinney and his team will be away from the big stage for very long after missing the CFP in 2021.

Stadium Talk: All-Time Greatest QB From Every Power Five School

College Football Hall of Famers: Clemson

Banks McFadden
Terry Kinard
Jeff Davis
C.J. Spiller
Head coach Danny Ford
Head coach John Heisman

1. Alabama (SEC)

If there was a better way to indicate the large gap that exists between Alabama and all other college football programs in numerical form, we'd use it.

In the eight years since the first year of the CFP in 2014, Alabama has made the playoffs seven times, played in the championship game six times and won three national championships.

Nick Saban has mastered the art of next-level dominance.

College Football Hall of Famers: Alabama

Cornelius Bennett
Johnny Mack Brown
Johnny Cain
Sylvester Croom
Harry Gilmer
John Hannah
Frank Howard
Dixie Howell
Pooley Hubert
Don Hutson
Lee Roy Jordan
E.J. Junior
Woodrow Lowe
Vaughn Mancha
Johnny Musso
Billy Neighbors
Ozzie Newsome
Fred Sington
Riley Smith
Derrick Thomas
Don Whitmire
Marty Lyons
Head coach Gene Stallings
Head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant