Who Wore It Best? Greatest College Football Players by Jersey Number, 76-99
How do you decide between six Hall of Fame running backs — all of whom topped 3,500 yards and 40 touchdowns during their college careers?
That's the debate our staff at FOX Sports faced when picking the greatest college football players by jersey number. This list is based on how players performed during their college careers. Factors taken into consideration include prestigious accolades, like the Heisman Trophy and All-American selections, as well as statistics and winning percentage.
That said, we've already done Nos. 1-25 , Nos. 26-50 and Nos. 51-75 , and here's a look at the greatest players in college football history to wear Nos. 76-99. No. 76: Warren Sapp, DT, Miami (Fla.)
Sapp's explosive athleticism and never-ending motor earned him All-American honors in back-to-back seasons at Miami. As a junior at Miami in 1984, Sapp put together one of the most impressive seasons for a defensive lineman in program history. He totaled 84 tackles and 10.5 sacks while winning the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and the Lombardi Award.
Honorable mentions: Steve Hutchinson (Michigan), Carl Eller (Minnesota), Russell Okung (Oklahoma State) No. 77: Red Grange, HB, Illinois
Nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost" for his blazing speed and elusiveness, Grange's style of running was well ahead of his time. He played both ways, but his biggest impact was on the offensive side of the ball as a halfback, rushing for more than 3,300 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns during his collegiate career. His most memorable performance came against Michigan during the 1924 season when he rushed for more than 500 yards and scored five touchdowns. He was a three-time All-American and helped lead Illinois to a national title in 1923.
Honorable mentions: Jake Long (Michigan), Anthony Munoz (USC), Taylor Lewan (Michigan) No. 78: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech
Known as one of the most unstoppable pass rushers in college football history, Smith starred at Virginia Tech from 1981-84. His explosiveness off the snap was simply unmatched. Smith recorded a jaw-dropping 22 sacks during the 1983 season, earning him the nickname "The Sack Man." He was a consensus All-American and the winner of the Outland Trophy in 1984. To this day, Smith remains the Hokies' all-time leader in sacks with 46.
Honorable mentions: Bryant McKinnie (Miami), Ronnie Stanley (Notre Dame) No. 79: Jonathan Ogden, OT, UCLA
Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing nearly 350 pounds, Ogden was one of the most physically imposing offensive tackles in college football history. A four-year starter at UCLA from 1992-95, Odgen put together an outstanding career during his time in Westwood, helping lead the Bruins to the 1993 Pac-10 championship and Rose Bowl. In 23 games during his junior and senior seasons, Odgen allowed only two sacks while earning all-conference honors each year. In 1995, he received both the Outland and the Morris Trophy while being named a consensus All-American.
Honorable mentions: Rich Glover (Nebraska), Tony Mandarich (Michigan State), Buck Buchanan (Grambling) No. 80: Rick Bryan, DT, Oklahoma
Bryan finished his Oklahoma career as the program's all-time leader in tackles by a defensive lineman, recording 365 in his career. He was a two-time All-American and was named the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1982. The Sooners went 22-5-1 in Big Eight play during Bryan's collegiate career.
Honorable mentions: Ron Beagle (Navy), Donn Moomaw (UCLA), Eric Curry (Alabama) No. 81: Tim Brown, WR, Notre Dame
Brown had elite-level athleticism and speed, which made him a big-play threat every time he took the field. He was an all-purpose weapon, playing wide receiver and returning kicks and punts for the Fighting Irish. He finished his career at Notre Dame with 137 catches for 2,493 yards, a school-record 5,024 all-purpose yards, and 22 touchdowns. When he graduated in 1987, he held 19 different program records. Brown finished his career as a two-time All-American and the winner of the 1987 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award.
Honorable mentions: George Connor (Notre Dame), Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) No. 82: Leon Hart, TE/DE, Notre Dame
How good was Hart during his career at Notre Dame? The two-way star never lost a game during his time in South Bend, compiling a 46-0-2 record and winning three national championships. Hart won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award during the 1949 season after leading Notre Dame to a perfect 10-0 record and outscoring its opponents 360-86.
Honorable mentions: Ozzie Newsome (Alabama), Greg Olsen (Miami), Al Harris (Arizona State) No. 83: Richard Wood, LB, USC
USC has multiple representatives on this list, but Wood is the only player who was a three-time All-American during his time as a Trojan. A lightning-quick linebacker who was known for his hard-hitting tackles, Wood helped lead the Trojans to two national championships during his three years in college.
Honorable mentions: Kellen Winslow (Missouri) No. 84: Jerry Robinson, LB, UCLA
Another three-time All-American linebacker makes the list here. Robinson was a dominant defender for the Bruins in the late 1970s, finishing his college career with 468 tackles, which was a program record. He set a school record with 28 tackles in a single game against Air Force in 1976. He ranked first, second and third nationally in tackles over three seasons with 167, 159 and 147, respectively.
Honorable mentions: Abe Mickal (LSU), Marcus Spears (LSU), Shaun Cody (USC) No. 85: Jim Seymour, WR, Notre Dame
Seymour is known as one of the greatest players in Notre Dame history, and he made a huge splash right off the bat, catching 13 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns in his first-ever collegiate game. Seymour was a three-time All-American selection and finished his career at Notre Dame with 138 catches for 2,113 yards and 16 touchdowns. He left as the program's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
Honorable mentions: Jack Snow (Notre Dame), Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma), Walter Patulski (Notre Dame) No. 86: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State
A unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, Brown enjoyed a dominant college career at Penn State. He finished his career with a Penn State-record 33 sacks and added 70 tackles for loss. Brown went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Honorable mentions: Dave Casper (Notre Dame) No. 87: Herman Moore, WR, Virginia
Moore was a standout wide receiver at Virginia from 1998-90. Standing at 6-4 with blazing fast speed and a 44-inch vertical leap, Moore was near uncoverable down the field. He set multiple Virginia and ACC records during his collegiate career, hauling in a total of 120 passes for 2,713 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was a consensus All-American during the 1990 season and his No. 87 is retired by the University of Virginia.
Honorable mentions: Chad Hennings (Air Force), Bill Carpenter (Army) No. 88: Randy Moss, WR, Marshall
Choosing between Randy Moss and Jerry Rice for the best collegiate player to wear No. 88 was far from an easy task, but it's impossible to deny just how dominant Moss was during his two-year career at Marshall. The 6-4 Moss was a once-in-a-generation talent who overwhelmed opposing defenses with his elite combination of size and speed. He finished his college career with 174 receptions for 3,529 yards and 54 receiving touchdowns, an average of nearly two touchdowns per game. Moss was a consensus All-American in 1997, as well as the Biletnikoff Award winner and a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Honorable mentions: Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State), Keith Jackson (Oklahoma) No. 89: Ross Browner, DE, Notre Dame
There is a strong argument to be made that Browner was the most dominant defender in Notre Dame history. In addition to being a two-team All-American, Browner helped lead the Fighting Irish to a pair of national championships and still holds the record for the most tackles in a career by a Notre Dame defensive lineman with 340. He won the Outland Trophy in 1976 and both the Lombardi and Maxwell Awards in 1977, finishing his career as one of the most accomplished linemen in college football history.
Honorable mentions: Mike Ditka (Pitt), Barney Poole (Ole Miss, Army and North Carolina) No. 90: George Webster, LB, Michigan State
Webster played a hybrid linebacker/safety role during his time at Michigan State, which was decades ahead of its time. His hybrid position allowed him to cover pass-catchers like a defensive back, stuff the run line as a linebacker and rush the passer like an edge rusher. He was the leader on defense for the Spartans' back-to-back national championship seasons in 1965 and 1966, earning All-American honors in both seasons. Webster is one of only four players to have his jersey retired by Michigan State.
Honorable mentions: Steve Emtman (Washington) No. 91: Dewey Selmon, DT, Oklahoma
Selmon was a disruptive defender during his time at Oklahoma. In his four years at OU, the Sooners posted an impressive 43-2-1 record, which included four straight Big Eight titles and back-to-back national championships in 1974 and '75. He was a two-time first-team All-Conference performer and a two-time All-American.
Honorable mentions: Doug Atkins (Tennessee), Tamba Hali (Penn State) No. 92: Reggie White, DE, Tennessee
The Minister of Defense was a dominant force on the defensive line during his time at Tennessee. He finished his four-year career in Knoxville with 293 tackles and a jaw-dropping 32 sacks. He was named the SEC Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American after recording a program-record 15 sacks in his senior season.
Honorable mentions: Tony Casillas (Oklahoma) No. 93: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Suh is among the greatest defensive tackles in college football history. He finished his career at Nebraska with 215 tackles, 50 tackles for loss and 24 sacks. During his senior year, Suh put together one of the greatest seasons of all time for a defensive player, totaling 85 tackles and 12 sacks en route to being named a unanimous All-American and the AP Player of the Year. Suh was the first defensive tackle in a quarter-century to be invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony, finishing fourth in the 2009 race.
Honorable mentions: Lee Roy Selmon (Oklahoma), Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) No. 94: Randy White, DT, Maryland
From one unstoppable defensive tackle to another, White was a force for the Terrapins in the mid-70s. By his senior year, opposing offenses were double and even triple-teaming him, but he still managed to wreak havoc, totaling 105 tackles and 12 sacks during the 1974 season. That year, White was named a consensus All-American and the winner of both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award.
Honorable mentions: Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), Mike Vrabel (Ohio State), Alfred Williams (Colorado) No. 95: Bubba Smith, DE, Michigan State
Arguably the most accomplished player in Michigan State football history, Smith was a two-time All-American, helping lead the Spartans to back-to-back national championships in 1965 and 1966. Standing at 6-7 and weighing 266 pounds, Smith was physically dominant and nearly unblockable during his college career.
Honorable mentions: Gordon Hudson (BYU) No. 96: Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
Ngata had rare physical tools for a defensive tackle, using his combination of elite size, strength and power to anchor the middle of the Ducks' defense. He recorded 130 tackles and 18 tackles for loss during his college career en route to being named a consensus All-American and the 2005 Pac-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
Honorable mentions: Cortez Kennedy (Miami), Danny Stubbs (Miami) No. 97: Cornelius Bennett, LB, Alabama
Deciding between Cornelius Bennett, Aaron Donald and Tommie Harris for the greatest collegiate player to wear No. 97 was no easy task, but it's impossible to ignore the elite-level production that Bennett had in his four seasons at Alabama. A three-time All-American, Bennett finished his college career with 287 tackles, 21.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries. As a senior, Bennett won the Lombardi Award and finished seventh in the balloting for the Heisman Trophy.
Honorable mentions: Aaron Donald (Pitt), Tommie Harris (Oklahoma), Joey Bosa (Ohio State) No. 98: Tom Harmon, HB, Michigan
Michigan has one of the richest college football histories of any program, but ask anyone about the greatest players in school history, and it's impossible not to mention Harmon, the first Wolverine to win the Heisman Trophy. He led the nation in scoring in 1939 and 1940 and put together an unforgettable performance in the final game of his senior season, rushing for two touchdowns, throwing for two touchdowns and intercepting three passes in a win over Ohio State.
Honorable mentions: Lawrence Taylor (North Carolina) No. 99: Hugh Green, DE, Pitt
Green was one of the most decorated defensive players in college football history. He was a four-year starter at Pitt, totaling 460 tackles and 53 sacks during his collegiate career. A three-time consensus All-American, Green was a key figure in making Pitt a national powerhouse in the late 70s. He won almost every major defensive award following the 1980 season, including the Lombardi, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, while finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race, the highest finish for a purely defensive player at the time.
Honorable mentions: J.J. Watt (Wisconsin), Jay Berwanger (Chicago)
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