The 9 Winningest Teams in College Football History
College football fans argue about everything, but the all-time wins list shuts down a lot of those disagreements. Longevity helps some schools stack victories, while others climb fast thanks to high win rates. Over time, these programs built identities through national titles, Heisman winners, wild streaks, heartbreaks, and the kind of moments that stay burned into memory. With that in mind, these are the winningest teams in the sport’s history.
Michigan
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A run that started in 1879 pushed Michigan past the 1,000-win mark, and the Wolverines didn’t slow down afterward. The total reached 1,012 by early 2025, backed by a .733 win rate. Claiming national championships helps explain how the program got there. The Heisman list has three names, but the trophy count doesn’t tell the whole story, especially after the perfect 15-0 run in 2023 that ended a long title drought.
Ohio State
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Their .735 win rate puts Ohio State at the top of college football’s efficiency chart, and the 985 victories show how good the Buckeyes have been since 1890. Additionally, they claimed nine national championships and seven Heismans. The 2014 and 2024 College Football Playoff titles added recent proof to their reputation.
Alabama
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Few programs stack eras the way Alabama does, and the 981 wins by 2025 tell that story pretty clearly. National titles under Bear Bryant and Nick Saban shaped the program’s identity, with each run pushing the Crimson Tide into another generation of dominance. Their .733 win rate comes from decades of consistency that started back in 1892 and extended through Saban’s run of six championships from 2009 to 2021.
Notre Dame
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The 967 victories that Notre Dame has piled up since 1887 reflect its long-running spot in the middle of college football conversation. A .731 win rate and 11 claimed national championships add weight to that history. Seven Heisman winners, including Tim Brown in 1987, show how many stars spent their college years wearing the gold helmet. The Irish haven’t added a title since 1988, but the résumé stays huge.
Texas
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Texas matches Notre Dame with 967 wins, but sits lower due to its .703 win rate. The program began in 1893 and eventually claimed four national championships. The 2006 Rose Bowl run, which produced a title behind Vince Young, remains one of the sport’s most famous finishes. Recent years haven’t always been smooth, but the 2024 College Football Playoff appearance put the Longhorns back on a bigger stage.
Oklahoma
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Oklahoma’s total of 956 wins and a .723 win rate reflect their steady climb since 1895. The numbers improve even further when focusing on specific stretches, including the remarkable 47-game winning streak from 1953 to 1957, which remains at the top of the FBS record book. The seven national championships and seven Heisman winners show how often the Sooners found themselves in the spotlight, especially in the 2000s and 2010s.
Penn State
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Penn State reached 943 wins with a .690 win percentage. Starting in 1887, the Nittany Lions built a wide national following, helped by championships in 1982 and 1986. The program hasn’t matched the win percentage of the teams above it, but it consistently stayed in major bowl and conference races.
Nebraska
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With 930 wins, Nebraska is firmly entrenched in the historical conversation, even after recent struggles. The program reached its peak between 1994 and 1997 by winning three national titles in four seasons. That run added to a history that already included championships in 1970 and 1971. Their .677 win rate traces back to 1890, when the Cornhuskers first hit the field.
Georgia
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Georgia surged in modern years, adding to a total that hit 898 wins with a .667 win rate. Starting in 1892, the Bulldogs built a strong foundation, but Kirby Smart’s arrival lifted them to new heights. Their two national championships and 111 of the program’s victories came under his watch.
USC
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As for USC, they reached 887 wins with a .694 win rate, and did so as the only team west of Texas on the list. Formed in 1888, the Trojans became known for long stretches of high-level play, including national titles in 2003 and 2004 and a near miss in 2005. The program’s eight Heisman winners remain the most in college football history.