By CollegeFootballNews.com |
August 14, 2017 2:43 am
CollegeFootballNews.com 20th Anniversary Top 20 Teams, Players & Coaches
Who were the top 20 teams, players and coaches since CFN started in 1998? Here are our rankings of all the greatest to play and coach over the last 20 years, and ranking the greatest national champions.
CFN Era Top 20 Teams, Players & Coaches
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CollegeFootballNews.com is turning 20 this season, so we’re looking back on the greatest players, teams, coaches and more since we first kicked things off back in 1998 – which just so happened to be the first year of the BCS, which led into the College Football Playoff era.
For the Top 20 Players since CFN started, the rules are simple. Who made the biggest impact, who were the most important, and who were ones who generated the most buzz – for good and bad?
For the teams, it’s not about talent or opinion. The rankings are based on the tried, true, tested and tweaked CFN Historical Season Ranking Formula (criteria breakdown at the bottom of each team write-up) – who had the best and most impressive seasons?
The coaches are ranked on consistency, championships, resume, and even personality – who were the biggest coaching figures over the last two years?
Basically, which players, coaches and teams defended the world of college football over the last 20 seasons?
Click on each team, player and coach for explanation and breakdown.
CFN 20th Anniversary All-America Teams
Offense | Defense | Special Teams
National Champs |
Players |
Coaches |
20. 2003 USC |
20. RB Adrian Peterson,
Oklahoma |
20. Mike Leach,
Wash State & Texas Tech |
19. 2007 LSU |
19. WR Larry Fitzgerald,
Pitt |
19. Kirk Ferentz,
Iowa |
18. 1999 Florida State |
18. DE David Pollack,
Georgia |
18. Mark Dantonio,
Michigan State |
17. 2011 Alabama |
17. QB Jason White,
Oklahoma |
17. Barry Alvarez,
Wisconsin |
16. 2004 USC |
16. DE Julius Peppers,
North Carolina |
16. Steve Spurrier,
South Carolina & Florida |
15. 2003 LSU |
15. QB Colt McCoy,
Texas |
15. Chip Kelly,
Oregon |
14. 2001 Miami |
14. S Roy Williams,
Oklahoma |
14. Mark Richt,
Miami & Georgia |
13. 2002 Ohio State |
13. DT Ndamukong Suh,
Nebraska |
13. Frank Beamer,
Virginia Tech |
12. 2006 Florida |
12. S Ed Reed,
Miami |
12. Phil Fulmer,
Tennessee |
11. 2012 Alabama |
11. QB Michael Vick,
Virginia Tech |
11. Les Miles,
LSU & Oklahoma St |
10. 1998 Tennessee |
10. RB Ricky Williams,
Texas |
10. Jimbo Fisher,
Florida State |
9. 2010 Auburn |
9. QB Johnny Manziel,
Texas A&M |
9. Dabo Swinney,
Clemson |
8. 2000 Oklahoma |
8. QB Cam Newton,
Auburn |
8. Chris Petersen,
Wash & Boise State |
7. 2008 Florida |
7. QB Jameis Winston,
Florida State |
7. Bobby Bowden,
Florida State |
6. 2009 Alabama |
6. RB Ron Dayne,
Wisconsin |
6. Mack Brown,
Texas |
5. 2005 Texas |
5. QB Deshaun Watson,
Clemson |
5. Jim Tressel,
Ohio State |
4. 2013 Florida State |
4. RB Reggie Bush,
USC |
4. Pete Carroll,
USC |
3. 2016 Clemson |
3. QB Vince Young,
Texas |
3. Bob Stoops,
Oklahoma |
2. 2014 Ohio State |
2. QB Matt Leinart,
USC |
2. Urban Meyer,
Ohio State & Florida |
1. 2015 Alabama |
1. QB Tim Tebow,
Florida |
1. Nick Saban,
Alabama, LSU & MSU |