I read the ESPN story on the "greatest programs" over the 150 years of college football. (ESPN doesn't appear to understand that college football history actually began with Bill Musgrave's first game in 1987.) ESPN did an all divisions/all time ranking, so it wasn't very interesting. Lots of Ivies and other teams that won national championships decades ago are listed.
One thing that caught my eye was the mention of success post-integration, which ESPN defined as 1969-2018. Many football programs were integrated long before then, but the southern schools were still segregated until the late 1960s/early 1970s. I went to stassen.com, and took a look at how FBS teams rank for 1969-2018.
Vanderbilt (114) and OAC (110) are the least successful Power 5 schools, both ranking in the bottom 9 overall. UTEP (118) is at the bottom of all FBS schools. WSU is ranked 84. Cal, the other perennial doormat in the Pac 12, is ranked 75, with a losing record and just behind Rutgers, Tulsa, Arkansas State, and Ball State.
Ohio State has the best record, SC is ranked 10. ASU at 23 is the next most successful Pac 12 school, but its 10 WAC seasons in this era probably contributed a lot. Washington is 25, UCLA 27, and Oregon 30. (From 1969-1999, Oregon had a losing record and ranked 68. For 2000-18, Oregon ranks 9, higher than any other Pac 12 school. Washington is 56 and OAC 65, a difference of eight wins, for 2000-18.)
One thing that caught my eye was the mention of success post-integration, which ESPN defined as 1969-2018. Many football programs were integrated long before then, but the southern schools were still segregated until the late 1960s/early 1970s. I went to stassen.com, and took a look at how FBS teams rank for 1969-2018.
Vanderbilt (114) and OAC (110) are the least successful Power 5 schools, both ranking in the bottom 9 overall. UTEP (118) is at the bottom of all FBS schools. WSU is ranked 84. Cal, the other perennial doormat in the Pac 12, is ranked 75, with a losing record and just behind Rutgers, Tulsa, Arkansas State, and Ball State.
Ohio State has the best record, SC is ranked 10. ASU at 23 is the next most successful Pac 12 school, but its 10 WAC seasons in this era probably contributed a lot. Washington is 25, UCLA 27, and Oregon 30. (From 1969-1999, Oregon had a losing record and ranked 68. For 2000-18, Oregon ranks 9, higher than any other Pac 12 school. Washington is 56 and OAC 65, a difference of eight wins, for 2000-18.)
