While many wonder when Michigan will finally get over the hump, they have been over it for quite some time, appearing in three Rose Bowls and an Orange Bowl over the last 10 years. All the while, they never missed a bowl game or had a losing season. Not too many teams in the country can say that.
While USC has been a true historical powerhouse, they certainly had a long dry spell, which really didn’t end until fairly recently. In 1998, USC went to the Sun Bowl at 8-5 and didn’t make another Bowl game until 2001, when they finished the season at 6-6 after losing the Las Vegas Bowl 10-6 to Utah.
Just the fact the Trojans made this list is a testament to the job Pete Carroll has done but still it hardly makes the Trojans the machine that the networks would make you believe they are.
7) Miami, Fla. (95-30; .760)
The Hurricanes arrive on the list in fairly decent shape despite having lost seven and six games over the past two seasons, nearly half the total of the other eight years combined.
The Canes make the list primarily doing it “Cane Style” putting together the longest winning streak of the past 10 years at 34 in a row, that joins other previous Miami streaks among the longest in history.
If Miami hopes to remain on this list over the next few years, they’re going to have to right the ship in Coral Gables.
6) Georgia (99-30; .767)
Despite having a one-loss season to their credit and a pair of two-loss seasons, the Bulldogs arrive on the list as one of four teams in our top 10 not to win a National title over the span.
While they have the same amount of losses as Miami, they have played in their conference championship three times and Georgia has been consistent in going to a bowl each of the past 10 years.
I think the Dawg faithful would trade it all for a National Title and to add the trophy to the case in Athens. While many of the publications think this will be their year, we talk often about the absolutely brutal path the Bulldogs will have to go down to get it done.
5) Virginia Tech (99-29; .773) - Is there no better proof that Frank Beamer is the best coach in the game today and possibly one of the best in the history of the game than where VT is on this list?
Ahead of FSU, Penn State, Michigan and all but four teams in the country fall the Hokies. It’s been quite a run and it’s all been Beamer (with a lot of help from defensive whiz Bud Foster).
They don’t get the recruits the others get, and until recently they didn’t have the facilities, but it’s living proof that if you play hard, you can get it done even against all the odds.
4) Ohio State (98-27; .784)
The good news for the Buckeyes was in 2002 when they went 14-0 and beat Miami as a prohibitive under dog and took home the National Title; the bad news of course is that they have been on the losing end of the title game for the past two years.
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