College Football

Matt Leinart ranks his top five college football teams of all time

Published Aug. 11, 2023 7:17 p.m. ET

If you were to compile a list of the top five college football teams of all time, chances are it would be different from someone else's in more ways that one. With so many great teams to choose from over the years, it can be a tall order.

That said, FOX Sports college football studio analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart took it upon himself to share which five teams he believes make the cut.

The five teams he selected were full of star players from top to bottom, and all five won national championships during their respective seasons.

What's more, three of the teams Leinart picked also landed on our list of the 10 best college football offenses since 2000.

Let's get to it!

5. 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers

Record: 12-0 (7-0)
Points per game: 53.2
Yards per game: 399.8

The 1995 Cornhuskers went undefeated en route to becoming then-Big Eight champions and Fiesta Bowl champions. All-American quarterback Tommie Frazier led Nebraska to its second consecutive national title that year — the second of a record-breaking three national championships in four years for the program.

Leinart's thoughts: "They [the Cornhuskers] beat their opponents by an average of 52-13 on their way to beating Florida for another national championship. How about Tommie Frazier? An absolute dawg."

4. 2005 Texas Longhorns

Record: 13-0 (8-0)
Points per game: 50.2
Yards per game: 512.1

The 2005 Longhorns were Big 12 champions, Rose Bowl champions and national champions that year. Quarterback Vince Young, who went on to be the third overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, played a key role in the team's huge success.

Leinart's thoughts: "Next …"

3. 2004 USC Trojans

Record: 13-0 (8-0)
Points per game: 38.2
Yards per game: 449.1

The 2004 Leinart-led Trojans were then-Pac-10 champions and went on to beat Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game.

Leinart's thoughts: "That is correct. I put one of my teams on there. We were absolutely stacked [with] one of the best defenses in the country. Offensively — Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith, Dominique Byrd. We finished the season by whooping that a-- [against] Oklahoma, 55-19."

2. 2001 Miami Hurricanes

Record: 12-0 (7-0)
Points per game: 42.7
Yards per game: 454.8

The 2001 Hurricanes were Big East champions, Rose Bowl champions and national champions. They had 17 first-round NFL draft picks come from this team, and 13 of those players went on to be selected to a Pro Bowl.

Leinart's thoughts: "Thirty-eight future draft picks, 17 of those were first-rounders. This team was absolutely loaded. Probably the most talented roster we've ever seen in college football. If you haven't seen any of them, go watch some highlights. They were bad boys."

1. 2019 LSU Tigers

Record: 15-0 (8-0)
Points per game: 48.4
Yards per game: 568.9

The 2019 Tigers were SEC champions, Peach Bowl champions and won the College Football Playoff. The team included future No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, his current Cincinnati Bengals teammate Ja'Marr Chase and Minnesota Vikings record-setter Justin Jefferson.

Leinart's thoughts: "Led by Joey Smooth — Joe Burrow. This team was absolutely stacked too. They finished the season 15-0, went through the gauntlet of the SEC and maybe one of the most iconic things ever — all smoking cigars in the locker room after."

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