Ranking the 25 best college football teams of the 2000s: Is 2001 Miami or 2019 LSU No. 1?

New York Times

19-05-2025

Editor's note: All week, The Athletic is looking back at the best of the first 25 years of the 2000s in college football. Check back for the top 25 players, coaches, games and programs.
When our editors began doling out assignments for our best of the 2000s in college football series, I raised my hand to do the 25 best teams.
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Then I immediately regretted it.
It is not easy to compare squads that competed 20 or more years apart, some that played 15 games, others that played 12. Some were dominant but played light schedules. Others were less talented but beat a gauntlet of tough opponents.
The main factors I looked for were:
The teams at the top of the list checked every box. The teams further down were very good but missing one or two of those criteria.
While the vast majority of these teams won a national championship, several did not, nor did every champ make the cut (including reigning champ Ohio State, which lost twice). There are even a couple of cases where a team that lost its last game is higher than the team that won it.
I am sure you'll agree with all of it.
AP All-Americans: LB Brandon Siler, CB Ryan Smith, S Reggie Nelson
Signature wins: No. 2 Ohio State (41-14 in BCS championship), No. 3 LSU (23-10), No. 15 Arkansas (38-28), No. 23 Georgia (21-14,) at No. 25 Tennessee (21-20)
Loss: at No. 9 Auburn (27-17)
Urban Meyer's first national title team wasn't overpowering during the regular season, then exploded when it mattered most. Freshman receiver Percy Harvin broke open the SEC title game against then-No. 8 Arkansas with a 67-yard touchdown run. And defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey led an incredible performance against season-long No. 1 Ohio State, holding Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and the Buckeyes to 82 total yards.
AP All-Americans: QB J.T. Barrett, DE Joey Bosa, DT Michael Bennett
Signature wins: No. 2 Oregon (42-20 in CFP championship), No. 4 Alabama (42-35 in CFP semifinal), at No. 5 Michigan State (49-37), No. 13 Wisconsin (59-0)
Loss: Virginia Tech (35-21)
With Cardale Jones replacing the injured Barrett at quarterback, running back Ezekiel Elliott went off for three consecutive 200-yard games to rout Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and humble Marcus Mariota's Ducks to win the first College Football Playoff national championship.
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If you judged this team solely by the postseason, it would be much higher. In terms of overall resume, the Buckeyes are downgraded for that Week 2 upset by Virginia Tech, which finished 7-6 — making it the worst loss by any team on this list.
AP All-Americans: QB Deshaun Watson, DT Carlos Watkins, DT Christian Wilkins, LB Ben Boulware, CB Cordrea Tankersley
Signature wins: No. 2 Alabama (35-31 in CFP championship), No. 6 Ohio State (31-0 in CFP semifinal), at No. 8 Florida State (37-34), No. 16 Virginia Tech (42-35), No. 21 Louisville (42-36), at No. 24 Auburn (19-13)
Loss: Pittsburgh (43-42)
A last-second field goal by Pitt (8-5) to win at Death Valley marred an otherwise impressive season in which Watson outdueled Louisville star Lamar Jackson, threw a last-minute touchdown to win at Florida State and hit Hunter Renfrow with one second left in the national championship to snap Alabama's 26-game winning streak. Oh, and the Tigers defense shut out then-No. 3 Ohio State in a semifinal blowout.
But that darn Pitt loss.
AP All-Americans: QB Cam Newton, T Lee Ziemba, C Ryan Pugh, DT Nick Fairley
Signature wins: No. 3 Oregon (22-19 in BCS championship), No. 8 LSU (24-17), at No. 10 Alabama (28-27), No. 12 Arkansas (65-43), at No. 15 Mississippi State (17-14), No. 22 South Carolina (35-27), No. 22 South Carolina (56-17)
Auburn was a modestly talented team with just six draft picks over the next three years. It had the third-lowest average point differential among national champions (17.1) in the 2000s. But the Tigers deserve credit for finishing with seven wins against the final Top 25, tied with 2019 LSU and 2022 Georgia for the most this century.
They ran the table thanks to an otherworldly season from Newton, a future No. 1 pick who finished with 2,854 yards passing, 1,473 rushing yards and 50 combined TDs to win the Heisman. He willed his team to big win after big win, most famously a comeback from down 24-0 in the Iron Bowl.
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AP All-Americans: RB Carnell Williams, T Marcus McNeill, CB Carlos Rogers, S Junior Rosegreen
Signature wins: No. 7 Georgia (24-6), No. 10 Virginia Tech (16-13 in Sugar Bowl), at No. 13 Tennessee (34-10), No. 13 Tennessee (38-28 in SEC championship), No. 16 LSU (10-9)
I give the 2004 Auburn team a slight edge over 2010 Auburn because it had more high-end talent — five first-round picks, including QB Jason Campbell, RBs Williams and Ronnie Brown and Rogers — and its own share of big wins. It's not the Tigers' fault that the BCS had room for only two teams and USC and Oklahoma went undefeated as well.
USC, which is much higher on this list, made a closing statement by hanging 55 points on Oklahoma in the BCS Championship Game, while Auburn didn't beat Virginia Tech convincingly enough to win over AP voters.
And yes, boys and girls, that's really how college football worked for the first half of this century.
AP All-Americans: QB Josh Heupel, LB Rocky Calmus, LB Torrance Marshall, S J.T. Thatcher
Signature wins: No. 5 Florida State (13-2 in BCS championship), No. 8 Nebraska (31-14), at No. 9 Kansas State (41-31), No. 9 Kansas State (27-24 in Big 12 championship), No. 12 Texas (63-14)
Like 2010 Auburn, this team did not fit the mold of a national champion, producing just six draft picks, though one was future Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams. But credit where credit's due: After starting ranked 19th, Bob Stoops' Sooners beat three consecutive top-10 foes in October, including then-No. 1 Nebraska. A banged-up Heupel, the Heisman runner-up, struggled down the stretch, but the defense shut out an explosive Florida State offense led by Heisman winner Chris Weinke in the Orange Bowl.
AP All-Americans: WR/CB Chris Gamble, LB Matt Wilhelm, S Mike Doss, K Mike Nugent, P Andy Groom
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Signature wins: No. 2 Miami (31-24 2OT in BCS championship), No. 9 Michigan (14-9), No. 10 Washington State (25-7), No. 16 Penn State (13-7)
The Buckeyes, led by freshman running back Maurice Clarett, two-way star Gamble, Doss and defensive end Will Smith, endured a lot of mockery at the time for Jim Tressel's uber-conservative offense. They finished 41st in scoring, and half of their Big Ten wins came by five or fewer points while scoring fewer than 20.
But then they ended Miami's 34-game winning streak in a classic title game at the Fiesta Bowl. (Yes, a controversial call helped.) OSU gained even more respect in 2004 when it produced a then-NFL record 14 draft picks (including three first-rounders).
AP All-Americans: RB Derrick Henry, C Ryan Kelly, DT A'Shawn Robinson, LB Reggie Ragland, S Eddie Jackson
Signature wins: No. 2 Clemson (45-40 in CFP championship), No. 6 Michigan State (38-0 in CFP semifinal), No. 16 LSU (30-16), No. 21 Wisconsin (35-17), No. 22 Tennessee (19-14), No. 25 Florida (29-15 in SEC championship)
Loss: No. 10 Ole Miss (43-37)
This is the first of six appearances by Nick Saban Alabama teams — though his 2017 national championship team, which lost by double digits to Auburn, is not one of them.
The Tide's second loss in a row to Ole Miss in Week 3 briefly sent fans panicking. But two weeks later, the Tide pummeled then-No. 8 Georgia in Athens. With Jake Coker — who went undrafted — at quarterback, the offense revolved entirely around Heisman-winning workhorse Henry (2,219 yards, 28 TDs), though tight end O.J. Howard's career night (five catches, 208 yards) helped Bama survive nearly 500 yards from Clemson's Watson in a national championship shootout.
AP All-Americans: QB Tim Tebow, LB Brandon Spikes, AP Percy Harvin
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Signature wins: No. 5 Oklahoma (24-14 in BCS championship), No. 6 Alabama (31-20 in SEC championship), No. 13 Georgia (49-10), at No. 21 Florida State (45-15)
Loss: No. 14 Ole Miss (31-30)
After stumbling against Ole Miss in the fourth game, reigning Heisman winner Tebow made an inspirational speech at his news conference that wound up on a plaque after the Gators delivered Urban Meyer's second national title. Tebow led the nation in pass efficiency, Harvin was electric with big plays and the defense, led by Spikes, cornerback Joe Haden and defensive end Carlos Dunlap, held an Oklahoma team averaging 54 points per game to just 14 in the BCS title game.
AP All-Americans: RB Trent Richardson, T Barrett Jones, LB Don'ta Hightower, LB Courtney Upshaw, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, S Mark Barron
Signature wins: No. 2 LSU (21-0 in BCS championship), No. 5 Arkansas (38-14)
Loss: No. 2 LSU (9-6)
The 2011 Tide were loathed nationally for getting a BCS title rematch with LSU following the teams' ugly 9-6 overtime game in the regular season. But Bama beat its foes by an average of 26.7 points behind a ridiculous defense that allowed 8.2 points per game — the fewest by any team since 1988. That unit had 14 starters/key contributors get drafted, six of them in the first round. LSU averaged 40.9 points against everyone else but couldn't reach the end zone in two games against Alabama.
AP All-Americans: QB AJ McCarron, T D.J. Fluker, G Chance Warmack, C Barrett Jones, LB C.J. Mosley, CB Dee Milliner
Signature wins: No. 4 Notre Dame (42-14 in BCS championship), No. 5 Georgia 32-28 (in SEC championship), at No. 14 LSU (21-17), No. 24 Michigan (41-14)
Loss: No. 6 Texas A&M (29-24)
The 2012 Tide get a slight nod over 2011 due to a more explosive offense.
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Alabama bookended its season by destroying Michigan in Texas and humiliating Brian Kelly's undefeated Irish, but it took late-season losses by undefeated Oregon and Kansas State to sneak back into the BCS picture after falling at home to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M. The underappreciated McCarron unexpectedly became the nation's top-rated passer, while Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon ran for 1,000 yards each en route to the Crimson Tide's third national title in four seasons.
AP All-Americans: QB Justin Fields, RB J.K. Dobbins, G Jonah Jackson, G Wyatt Davis, DE Chase Young, LB Malik Harrison, CB Jeff Okudah
Signature wins: No. 9 Penn State (28-17), No. 11 Wisconsin (38-7), No. 11 Wisconsin (34-21 in Big Ten championship), at No. 18 Michigan (56-27), No. 21 Cincinnati (42-0)
Loss: No. 2 Clemson (29-23 in CFP semifinal)
Call me crazy, but I believe this squad, despite losing in the CFP semifinals, to be better than any of Ohio State's three national title teams this century.
Ryan Day's first OSU team was a beast. The Buckeyes averaged a 33.1-point scoring margin against the fourth-toughest schedule on this list. Young had 16.5 sacks, Dobbins ran for 2,003 yards and Fields threw 41 TDs against just three picks. Unfortunately for him, one of those three was in the end zone in the final seconds of a CFP loss to Clemson.
That Clemson team did not make the cut for these rankings due to the fact it faced zero teams in the regular season that finished in the Top 25.
AP All-Americans: QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush, RB LenDale White, WR Dwayne Jarrett, OT Deuce Lutui, OT Sam Baker, S Darnell Bing
Signature wins: at No. 9 Notre Dame (34-31), at No. 12 Oregon (45-13), No. 16 UCLA (66-19), at No. 25 Cal (35-10)
Loss: No. 1 Texas (41-38 in BCS championship)
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ESPN aired a week-long series over the holidays debating whether this USC team, after sharing the national title in 2003 and winning the BCS in 2004, was the greatest of all time — which proved regrettably premature. Heisman winner Bush produced a career's worth of highlights in one season, not to mention the classic Bush Push of Leinart to win at Notre Dame, but Pete Carroll's 2005 team lacked an elite defense like it had the two prior seasons and finally paid the price for it against Vince Young and Texas.
AP All-Americans: QB Jameis Winston, T Cameron Irving, C Bryan Stork, DT Timmy Jernigan, CB Lamarcus Joyner, K Roberto Aguayo
Signature wins: No. 2 Auburn (34-31 in BCS championship), at No. 8 Clemson (51-14), No. 23 Duke (45-7 in ACC championship)
I went into this exercise thinking the 2013 Noles would be a no-brainer top-10 team, but then I took a closer look at their resume. While FSU demolished its opponents by 39.5 points per game — easily the highest of any team this century (next-closest: 2001 Miami at 33.8) — it played by far the easiest schedule of anyone on this list (No. 59 that season). But Heisman winner Winston was phenomenal, and the rout at Clemson was a jaw-dropper.
AP All-Americans: RB Blake Corum, G Zak Zinter, DT Kris Jenkins
Signature wins: No. 2 Washington (34-13 in CFP championship), No. 5 Alabama (27-20 OT in CFP semifinal), No. 10 Ohio State (30-24), at No. 13 Penn State (24-15), No. 24 Iowa (26-0 in Big Ten championship)
Some may contend Jim Harbaugh's team should be disqualified because of the Connor Stalions investigation, but the Wolverines are here for what they did on the field. While lacking in star power, that team has already produced 20 draft picks (including four first-rounders) in two years and it allowed just 10.4 points per game. Over its last four games, Michigan beat an 11-0 Ohio State team, bounced Saban's last Alabama team and shut down Washington star Michael Penix Jr. in the national championship.
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AP All-Americans: T Joaquin Gonzalez, AP Santana Moss, LB Dan Morgan, S Ed Reed
Signature wins: No. 5 Florida State (27-24), No. 6 Virginia Tech (41-21), No. 10 Florida (37-20 in Sugar Bowl)
Loss: at No. 15 Washington (34-29)
After Butch Davis spent five seasons building Miami back from NCAA sanctions, the Canes announced their return by stunning then-No. 1 Florida State in the game that became known as 'Wide Right III' when the Seminoles missed a decisive late kick to the right against their rivals for the third time in a decade.
Miami trucked its last six opponents, but a 34-29 Week 2 loss at Washington, which also finished 11-1, cost Miami a shot at the BCS title. Morgan, receivers Moss and Reggie Wayne and defensive tackle Damione Lewis were drafted in the first round that spring. Keep reading to see what happened next.
AP All-Americans: RB Mark Ingram, G Mike Johnson, DT Terrence Cody, LB Rolando McClain, CB Javier Arenas, S Mark Barron, K Leigh Tiffin
Signature wins: No. 2 Texas (37-21 in BCS championship), No. 3 Florida (32-13 in SEC championship), No. 10 Virginia Tech (34-24), No. 17 LSU (24-15), at No. 20 Ole Miss (22-3)
Saban's first national championship team at Alabama snuck up on folks, until the Tide throttled Tebow's last Florida team in a changing-of-the-guard moment in the SEC. Heisman winner Ingram led a ground-and-pound offense, while McClain and enormous defensive tackle Cody — who blocked a last-second field goal to survive Lane Kiffin-led Tennessee — became the faces of a defense that allowed just 11.7 points per game.
Saban won seven national championships, but this was one of only two to do it while going undefeated.
AP All-Americans: TE O.J. Howard, T Cam Robinson, DE Jonathan Allen, LB Reuben Foster, Tim Williams, DB Minkah Fitzpatrick
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Signature wins: No. 3 USC (52-6), No. 4 Washington (24-7 in CFP semifinal), at No. 13 LSU (10-0), No. 14 Florida (54-16 in SEC championship), No. 22 Tennessee (49-10), No. 24 Auburn (30-12)
Loss: No. 1 Clemson (35-31 in CFP championship)
Had the Tide held on against Clemson for one second longer, this would likely go down as Saban's best Alabama team. Watson and Renfrow spoiled that (and Kiffin getting fired as the OC before the game didn't help). As it is, I have them second highest, even without hoisting one of his six title trophies.
This was an absolutely terrifying team for 14 games (ask USC, Florida and Tennessee). It scored a ridiculous 15 defensive and special teams touchdowns and produced 33 draft picks, the most of any team on this list. That includes 11 first-rounders, plus then-freshman starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.
AP All-Americans: TE Brock Bowers, DT Jalen Carter, LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, DB Christopher Smith
Signature wins: No. 2 TCU (65-7 in the CFP championship), No. 4 Ohio State (42-41 in the CFP semifinal), No. 6 Tennessee (27-13), No. 15 Oregon (49-3), No. 16 LSU (50-30 in SEC championship), at No. 20 Mississippi State (45-19), at No. 23 South Carolina (48-7)
Georgia's 2021 title team earned more respect at the time due to its star-studded defense, but that team got blown out by Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Kirby Smart's 2022 squad, which produced eight first-round picks, not only didn't lose, but also bookended its season by humiliating both Oregon and TCU. Quarterback Stetson Bennett, Bowers and wide receiver Ladd McConkey led an offense that averaged 41.1 points per game.
The 58-point national title win against TCU is the largest ever against an opponent ranked in the top three of the AP poll at the time of the game.
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AP All-Americans: T Mitch Hyatt, DT Christian Wilkins, DE Clelin Ferrell
Signature wins: No. 2 Alabama (44-16 in CFP championship), No. 5 Notre Dame (30-3 in CFP semifinal), No. 15 Syracuse (27-23), at No. 16 Texas A&M (28-26)
That modest list of All-Americans is deceiving; Clemson's offense boasted then-freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne and wide receivers Tee Higgins and Renfrow. The D-line included three future first-rounders in Wilkins, Ferrell and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence began the season as a backup and ended it shredding a 14-0 Alabama team by 28 points — just a week after beating 12-0 Notre Dame 30-3.
AP All-Americans: QB Matt Leinart, DT Shaun Cody, LB Matt Grootegoed, AP Reggie Bush
Signature wins: No. 3 Oklahoma (55-19 in BCS championship), No. 9 Cal (23-17), No. 10 Virginia Tech (24-13), No. 19 Arizona State (45-7)
This remains the last team to go wire-to-wire at No. 1 in the AP poll. Leinart and Bush were the Trojans' undisputed stars, but defensive tackles Cody and Mike Patterson led a dominant defense that held foes to 82 rushing yards per game. USC endured scares, holding off Aaron Rodgers-led Cal on a goal-line stand, and surviving at Oregon State thanks to Bush's 65-yard punt return. But it capped the season by thumping 12-0 Oklahoma in one of the most lopsided national title games ever.
AP All-Americans: QB Mac Jones, RB Najee Harris, WR DeVonta Smith, C Landon Dickerson, T Alex Leatherwood, DT Christian Barmore, LB Dylan Moses, CB Patrick Surtain II
Signature wins: No. 2 Ohio State (52-24 in CFP championship), No. 4 Texas A&M (52-24), No. 5 Notre Dame (31-14 in CFP semifinal), No. 7 Georgia (41-24), No. 13 Florida (52-46 in SEC championship)
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The most dominant team of the Saban era did its damage against a pandemic-modified schedule comprised entirely of Power 5 foes. Jones set the FBS record for pass efficiency (since broken), completing 77.4 percent of his passes for 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions, while Heisman winner Smith produced arguably the greatest receiving season in the history of the sport with 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 TDs. Alabama beat four of the final top seven by an average of 22.5 points, went 11-0 against the SEC and beat every team but Florida by at least 15 points.
AP All-Americans: QB Vince Young, LT Jonathan Scott, RT Justin Blalock, G Will Allen, DT Rodrique White, LB Aaron Harris, S Michael Huff
Signature wins: No. 2 USC (41-38 in BCS championship), at No. 4 Ohio State (25-22), No. 20 Texas Tech (52-17), No. 22 Oklahoma (45-12)
Despite averaging 50.2 points per game, Texas was overshadowed by the more glamorous Leinart-Bush USC team — until the Longhorns upset the Trojans in Pasadena. Heisman runner-up Young, who in September threw a game-winning touchdown at Ohio State, threw for 267 yards, ran for 200 and cruised to a last-minute touchdown run on fourth-and-5 to end the Trojans' 34-game winning streak.
Texas won 13 games by an average of 33.8 points, including a 70-3 win against Colorado for the Big 12 title — the most lopsided conference championship game ever.
Consensus All-Americans: QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja'Marr Chase, S Grant Delpit, CB Derek Stingley Jr.
Signature wins: No. 2 Clemson (42-25 in CFP championship), No. 4 Georgia (37-10 in SEC championship), No. 6 Florida (42-28), No. 7 Oklahoma (63-28 in CFP semifinal), at No. 8 Alabama (46-41), No. 14 Auburn (23-20), at No. 25 Texas (45-38)
Playing the nation's sixth-toughest schedule, the Tigers had only two games still in doubt in the last two minutes. Heisman winner Burrow led one of the most dangerous offenses of all time, with a receiving corps that included future All-Pros Chase and Justin Jefferson. They were just two of 30 eventual NFL draftees. The Tigers defense wasn't elite (No. 31 in points allowed), but it didn't need to be.
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LSU is the only team in college football history to beat five of the final top eight teams in the AP poll — and it averaged 46 points in those five games.
AP All-Americans: QB Ken Dorsey, RB Clinton Portis, TE Jeremy Shockey, OT Bryant McKinnie, G Martin Bibla, DE Jerome McDougle, DT William Joseph, CB Phillip Buchanon, S Ed Reed, K Todd Sievers
Signature wins: No. 8 Nebraska (37-14 in BCS championship game), No. 14 Syracuse (59-0), at No. 15 Florida State (49-27), at No. 18 Virginia Tech (26-24), No. 19 Washington (65-7), at No. 21 Boston College (18-7)
The 2001 Hurricanes, who hammered their foes by an average of 43-9, are universally recognized as one of the best of all time. I did strongly consider 2019 LSU here, because it played a much tougher schedule. But Miami still beat six teams ranked in the final Top 25 and won out because of its stingier defense (9.4 points per game, one of only three teams in the 2000s in the single digits) and ridiculous wealth of talent — 15 future first-round picks and nine future All-Pros, including Hall of Famers Reed and WR Andre Johnson, over the next three drafts.
Dorsey finished third in the Heisman vote and had a backfield featuring Portis, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore and Najeh Davenport, while throwing to Johnson and Shockey and getting protected by McKinnie, who finished eighth in the Heisman vote.
Just missed the cut: 2008 USC (12-1), 2015 Clemson (14-1), 2002 Miami (12-1), 2019 Clemson (14-1), 2012 Oregon (12-1)
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Tom Pennington, Chris Trotman, Andy Lyons/Allsport, Mike Zarrilli / Getty Images)