All-time greats

Every rating on Scorebook measures how far a season stood above its own contemporaries, on one all-time scale — a 99 belongs to the best ever, not the best this year.

Greatest champions

Each season measured against its own season's teams, on one all-time scale. Greatest champions = national title teams; most dominant = every season. WWII seasons (1943-45) are excluded: service academies kept elite rosters while most programs were depleted.

#	Season	Team	Record	AP final	Coach	Rating
1	2008 ★	Florida	13-1	#1	Urban Meyer	99
2	1971 ★	Nebraska	13-0	#1	Bob Devaney	99
3	2020 ★	Alabama	13-0	#1	Nick Saban	98
4	1974 ★	Oklahoma	11-0	#1	Barry Switzer	98
5	1991 ★	Washington	12-0	#2	Don James	98
6	1959 ★	Ole Miss	10-1	#2	John Vaught	98
7	2004 ★	USC	13-0	#1	Pete Carroll	98
8	2021 ★	Georgia	14-1	#1	Kirby Smart	98
9	1995 ★	Nebraska	12-0	#1	Tom Osborne	98
10	2019 ★	LSU	15-0	#1	Ed Orgeron	97
11	2018 ★	Clemson	15-0	#1	Dabo Swinney	97
12	2001 ★	Miami	12-0	#1	Larry Coker	97
13	2022 ★	Georgia	15-0	#1	Kirby Smart	97
14	2012 ★	Alabama	13-1	#1	Nick Saban	97
15	1946 ★	Notre Dame	8-0	#1	Frank Leahy	97
16	2011 ★	Alabama	12-1	#1	Nick Saban	97
17	1966 ★	Notre Dame	9-0	#1	Ara Parseghian	97
18	2005 ★	Texas	13-0	#1	Mack Brown	96
19	1947 ★	Michigan	10-0	#2	Fritz Crisler	96
20	2023 ★	Michigan	15-0	#1	Jim Harbaugh	96
21	2025 ★	Indiana	16-0	#1	Curt Cignetti	96
22	1965 ★	Michigan State	10-1	#2	Duffy Daugherty	96
23	1972 ★	USC	12-0	#1	John McKay	96
24	1949 ★	Notre Dame	10-0	#1	Frank Leahy	95
25	1999 ★	Florida State	12-0	#1	Bobby Bowden	95
26	1977 ★	Notre Dame	11-1	#1	Dan Devine	95
27	2009 ★	Alabama	14-0	#1	Nick Saban	95
28	1996 ★	Florida	12-1	#1	Steve Spurrier	95
29	1993 ★	Florida State	12-1	#1	Bobby Bowden	95
30	1970 ★	Texas	10-1	#3	Darrell Royal	94
31	2013 ★	Florida State	14-0	#1	Jimbo Fisher	94
32	2024 ★	Ohio State	14-2	#1	Ryan Day	94
33	1947 ★	Notre Dame	9-0	#1	Frank Leahy	94
34	1987 ★	Miami	12-0	#1	Jimmy Johnson	94
35	1997 ★	Nebraska	13-0	#2	Tom Osborne	94
36	2015 ★	Alabama	14-1	#1	Nick Saban	94
37	1975 ★	Oklahoma	11-1	#1	Barry Switzer	93
38	1991 ★	Miami	12-0	#1	Dennis Erickson	93
39	1954 ★	Ohio State	10-0	#1	Woody Hayes	93
40	2003 ★	LSU	13-1	#2	Nick Saban	93
41	2016 ★	Clemson	14-1	#1	Dabo Swinney	93
42	1988 ★	Notre Dame	12-0	#1	Lou Holtz	93
43	2003 ★	USC	12-1	#1	Pete Carroll	93
44	1979 ★	Alabama	12-0	#1	Bear Bryant	92
45	1959 ★	Syracuse	11-0	#1	Ben Schwartzwalder	92
46	1936 ★	Minnesota	7-1	#1	Bernie Bierman	92
47	1978 ★	USC	12-1	#2	John Robinson	92
48	1961 ★	Alabama	11-0	#1	Bear Bryant	92
49	1956 ★	Oklahoma	10-0	#1	Bud Wilkinson	92
50	2017 ★	Alabama	13-1	#1	Nick Saban	92

Most dominant seasons · champions or not

Pure dominance over the season's other teams. ★ = national champion.

#	Season	Team	Record	AP final	Coach	Rating
1	2008 ★	Florida	13-1	#1	Urban Meyer	99
2	1971 ★	Nebraska	13-0	#1	Bob Devaney	99
3	2016	Alabama	14-1	#2	Nick Saban	99
4	2020 ★	Alabama	13-0	#1	Nick Saban	98
5	2008	Oklahoma	12-2	#5	Bob Stoops	98
6	1974 ★	Oklahoma	11-0	#1	Barry Switzer	98
7	2018	Alabama	14-1	#2	Nick Saban	98
8	1991 ★	Washington	12-0	#2	Don James	98
9	1959 ★	Ole Miss	10-1	#2	John Vaught	98
10	2004 ★	USC	13-0	#1	Pete Carroll	98
11	2021 ★	Georgia	14-1	#1	Kirby Smart	98
12	1995 ★	Nebraska	12-0	#1	Tom Osborne	98
13	2019 ★	LSU	15-0	#1	Ed Orgeron	97
14	2018 ★	Clemson	15-0	#1	Dabo Swinney	97
15	2001 ★	Miami	12-0	#1	Larry Coker	97
16	2022 ★	Georgia	15-0	#1	Kirby Smart	97
17	2012 ★	Alabama	13-1	#1	Nick Saban	97
18	2005	USC	12-1	#2	Pete Carroll	97
19	1971	Oklahoma	11-1	#2	Chuck Fairbanks	97
20	1946 ★	Notre Dame	8-0	#1	Frank Leahy	97
21	2019	Ohio State	13-1	#3	Ryan Day	97
22	2011 ★	Alabama	12-1	#1	Nick Saban	97
23	1980	Nebraska	10-2	#7	Tom Osborne	97
24	1983	Nebraska	12-1	#2	Tom Osborne	97
25	1973	Oklahoma	10-0	#3	Barry Switzer	97
26	2011	LSU	13-1	#2	Les Miles	97
27	1966 ★	Notre Dame	9-0	#1	Ara Parseghian	97
28	2001	Florida	10-2	#5	Steve Spurrier	96
29	1994	Penn State	12-0	#2	Joe Paterno	96
30	1987	Florida State	11-1	#2	Bobby Bowden	96
31	1964	Notre Dame	9-1	#3	Ara Parseghian	96
32	2005 ★	Texas	13-0	#1	Mack Brown	96
33	1947 ★	Michigan	10-0	#2	Fritz Crisler	96
34	1971	Alabama	11-1	#4	Bear Bryant	96
35	2023 ★	Michigan	15-0	#1	Jim Harbaugh	96
36	2025 ★	Indiana	16-0	#1	Curt Cignetti	96
37	1976	Michigan	10-2	#3	Bo Schembechler	96
38	1965 ★	Michigan State	10-1	#2	Duffy Daugherty	96
39	1972 ★	USC	12-0	#1	John McKay	96
40	1973	Ohio State	10-0	#2	Woody Hayes	96
41	2008	Texas	12-1	#4	Mack Brown	96
42	1949 ★	Notre Dame	10-0	#1	Frank Leahy	95
43	1986	Oklahoma	11-1	#3	Barry Switzer	95
44	1997	Florida State	11-1	#3	Bobby Bowden	95
45	1940	Michigan	7-1	#3	Fritz Crisler	95
46	1999 ★	Florida State	12-0	#1	Bobby Bowden	95
47	2025	Ohio State	12-2	#5	Ryan Day	95
48	2012	Oregon	12-1	#2	Chip Kelly	95
49	1947	Texas	10-1	#5	Blair Cherry	95
50	2008	USC	12-1	#3	Pete Carroll	95

#	Coach	Years	Record	Titles	Programs	Career	Peak
1	Bear Bryant	1946–1982	317-83	7	Kentucky · Texas A&M · Alabama	99	96
2	Joe Paterno	1966–2011	409-136	2	Penn State	97	86
3	Bobby Bowden	1970–2009	357-124	2	West Virginia · Florida State	96	95
4	Nick Saban	1990–2023	297-71	7	Toledo · Michigan State · LSU · Alabama	95	99
5	Tom Osborne	1973–1997	255-49	3	Nebraska	94	97
6	Woody Hayes	1951–1978	205-61	5	Ohio State	94	94
7	John Vaught	1947–1973	190-61	3	Ole Miss	93	96
8	Darrell Royal	1954–1976	184-60	3	Mississippi State · Washington · Texas	92	90
9	Bo Schembechler	1963–1989	234-65	—	Miami (OH) · Michigan	92	88
10	Barry Switzer	1973–1988	157-29	3	Oklahoma	91	91
11	Steve Spurrier	1987–2015	228-89	1	Duke · Florida · South Carolina	90	87
12	Bob Stoops	1999–2021	191-48	1	Oklahoma	90	90
13	Vince Dooley	1964–1988	201-77	1	Georgia	90	87
14	Mack Brown	1983–2024	288-155	1	Appalachian State · Tulane · North Carolina · Texas	89	87
15	Urban Meyer	2001–2018	187-32	3	Bowling Green · Utah · Florida · Ohio State	89	88
16	Ara Parseghian	1956–1974	131-52	2	Northwestern · Notre Dame	89	93
17	Lou Holtz	1969–2004	249-132	1	William & Mary · NC State · Arkansas · Minnesota · Notre Dame · South Carolina	89	83
18	Duffy Daugherty	1954–1972	109-69	4	Michigan State	88	83
19	Bud Wilkinson	1947–1963	145-29	3	Oklahoma	88	88
20	John McKay	1960–1975	127-40	4	USC	88	92
21	Frank Beamer	1987–2015	238-121	—	Virginia Tech	88	80
22	Dabo Swinney	2008–2026	187-53	2	Clemson	88	93
23	Ralph Jordan	1951–1975	175-83	2	Auburn	87	86
24	Bobby Dodd	1946–1966	161-58	1	Georgia Tech	87	85
25	Dan Devine	1955–1980	172-57	2	Arizona State · Missouri · Notre Dame	87	81
26	Frank Leahy	1939–1953	98-12	4	Boston College · Notre Dame	87	90
27	Bill Snyder	1989–2018	215-117	—	Kansas State	86	88
28	Mark Richt	2001–2018	171-64	—	Georgia · Miami	86	84
29	Terry Donahue	1976–1995	151-74	—	UCLA	86	79
30	Frank Broyles	1957–1976	149-62	1	Missouri · Arkansas	86	82
31	Don James	1971–1992	175-79	1	Kent State · Washington	85	88
32	Kirby Smart	2016–2026	117-21	2	Georgia	85	90
33	Phillip Fulmer	1992–2008	151-52	1	Tennessee	85	80
34	Kirk Ferentz	1990–2026	225-149	—	Maine · Iowa	85	83
35	Jim Harbaugh	2004–2023	147-52	1	San Diego · Stanford · Michigan	84	89
36	Jess Neely	1936–1966	156-116	—	Clemson · Rice	84	75
37	Charles McClendon	1962–1979	135-61	—	LSU	84	79
38	Pete Carroll	2001–2009	97-19	2	USC	84	94
39	LaVell Edwards	1972–2000	257-101	1	BYU	84	80
40	Bob Neyland	1936–1952	97-24	4	Tennessee	83	88
41	Dennis Erickson	1986–2011	147-81	2	Wyoming · Washington State · Miami · Oregon State · Idaho · Arizona State	83	79
42	Johnny Majors	1968–1996	185-137	1	Iowa State · Pittsburgh · Tennessee	83	79
43	Brian Kelly	2004–2025	190-74	—	Central Michigan · Cincinnati · Notre Dame · LSU	83	80
44	Bob Devaney	1957–1972	136-30	2	Wyoming · Nebraska	82	95
45	Lloyd Carr	1995–2007	122-40	1	Michigan	82	81
46	Les Miles	2001–2020	145-73	1	Oklahoma State · LSU · Kansas	82	78
47	Mike Gundy	2005–2025	170-90	—	Oklahoma State	82	79
48	Ryan Day	2018–2026	82-12	1	Ohio State	81	94
49	John Cooper	1977–2000	192-84	—	Tulsa · Arizona State · Ohio State	81	84
50	Jimbo Fisher	2010–2023	128-48	1	Florida State · Texas A&M	81	79

All-time greats

Greatest champions

Most dominant seasons · champions or not

Greatest head coaches · careers since 1936

Greatest player-seasons