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College football is mostly about memories made, and the efforts to make more memories. These memories consist of wins and losses, pains and gains. And even though we remember the winners most of the time, there are near-win situations that never leave our minds.
The most treasured prize in college football is the national championship. And despite having an almost perfect season, there are teams who fell short of the prize in the most dramatic manner.
Ranking 10 best college football teams that did not win the national championship
Ranking the best college football teams that didn’t win the national championship is not as easy as it may sound. There’s a long list to choose from. So we narrowed down our list to teams from the BCS era and the current CFP era.
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#10, Clemson Tigers (2015)
The Tigers had a terrific season in 2015 with an offense that was firing on all cylinders. The team went on a 14-1 record that included an unbeaten record in the ACC. Despite winning against four top 20 teams, the Clemson Tigers lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide by just five points in the CFP national championship game.
9. LSU Tigers (2011)
LSU dominated throughout the regular season only to be blown out by Alabama in the BCS national championship by 21-0. The Tigers were unbeaten in the regular season and outclassed then-No. 12 Georgia 42-10 in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
They won eight games against ranked opponents, including a 9-6 overtime win at then-No. 2 Alabama. The other seven wins came by an average of 24.7 points.
Alabama won the rematch 21-0 in the BCS title game.
#8, Oregon Ducks (2014)
The Ducks won the Pac-12 championship in style, cruising to a 51-13 victory against the Arizona Wildcats. It was another grand victory against Florida State in the Rose Bowl (CFP semi-final), beating the Seminoles 59-20. The Mark Helfrich-coached team fell to a disappointing loss in the final of the CFP against the Ohio State Buckeyes, however.
#7, Texas Longhorns (2009)
Mack Brown was in his 12th season at Texas, and the Longhorns had the season of their lives. Only they fell short of the ultimate prize in college football. The Longhorns went unbeaten in the Big 12 as they claimed the conference title. However, their only loss in the entire season came at the worst time as Alabama beat them 37-21 in the BCS national championship game.
#6, Oregon Ducks (2010)
The Oregon Ducks appearing twice on our list points to how impressive the Ducks have been over the years. And that is even without the corresponding national championships to show for it. In 2010, the Ducks were the undisputed Pac-10 king, defeating every single conference opponent. But the national championship was elusive as the Auburn Tigers claimed it with a narrow victory.
#5, Oklahoma Sooners (2004)
The Oklahoma Sooners were the second most dominant team in college football in 2004. In hindsight, considering that the all-conquering USC team had to vacate some wins, the Sooners were probably the most dominant. They won all eight Big 12 matchups and were crowned the conference champions. But a 36-point loss to USC in the Orange Bowl put a dent on what would’ve been a perfect season.
#4, Florida State Seminoles (2000)
The Florida State Seminoles team of the 2000 season was absolutely dominant in the Atlantic Coast Conference. But it fell in the national college football stages where it mattered. A loss to the Hurricanes in the Miami Orange Bowl in October foreshadowed the Orange Bowl loss to Oklahoma in the BCS national championship game.
#3, Oklahoma Sooners (2008)
The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners team will probably be most remembered for its sheer offensive efficiency. The Sooners scored 716 points in just 14 games and lost only twice the entire season: first to rivals Texas in the Cotton Bowl and then to Florida in the national championship game.
#2, Miami Hurricanes (2002)
The Miami Hurricanes could almost taste the national championship victory in the Fiesta Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2002. The Hurricanes were leading in overtime before a late pass interference call sent the game into double overtime, with the Buckeyes emerging victorious.
#1, USC Trojans (2005)
The Trojans were the team to beat in college football in 2005. They had a roster that was simply too loaded: Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and Lawrence Jackson among others. The Trojans recorded 12 wins (all vacated) only to stumble to a harrowing three-point loss to Texas in the BCS national championship game. In hindsight, it wouldn’t have mattered.
College football promises more memories as the years roll by. Be sure to stick around to be part of some.
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