Top 5 College Football Programs

Michigan is not top five. Too inconsistent. Had a coach on the hot-seat this year. That DQs you from a top five program in my book because you have to have stability at the HC. Now, ask me this question next year and maybe Michigan creeps in.

 

In my opinion, if I was a top notch recruit, I would choose Oklahoma over Florida. Look how much Stoops has accomplished this year after losing their starting quarterback for the whole season and losing Peterson for a large portion of the season. That tells me that Oklahoma has depth and depth is a sign of a solid, top notch program.

 

The past two seasons, Florida is 20-4 while Oklahoma is 18-6 and FLA did that in (IMHO) a tougher conference. Florida also had what many deemed the best recruiting class in America last season and are on their way to another one this year. That's why Florida makes my top five, and why I say Oklahoma would be #6 in my top five I do think Stoops did a good job with his talent this year. Like it or not, Meyer is the flavor of the week not named Charlie Weis. Florida has the run of the state, and that means he's going to have more recruits than he knows what to do with.

You're from that neck of the woods so I understand some regional bias may come in and that's fine.

 

Tells me that the Big 12 is a weak conference with 2 or 3 elite national programs at the top in any given year.

 

Wouldn't recruitment bear more weight than having a coach on the hot seat? I would think so. Kids flock to that school! OSU had instability during the Cooper era (he was always on the hot seat due to his ineptness losing to Michigan), but IMO they remained a top five school at the time.

 

Perhaps. I don't know what the UM recruiting classes have been ranked and I can't find my preseason mags. They had a good year this year but not good enough to atone for its previous shortcomings for my list.

 

17, 5, 6, and 13 over the last four years.

 

I'm surprised nobody put Auburn on this list. They've been a consistent top-10 team (though losing to GA this year hurt).

My top 5 programs:
USC. They don't rebuild, they reload. LA doesn't need an NFL franchise with USC playing the way they are.
Texas. This year was a bad one. But Brown is keeping the top Texas recruits in the state.
Notre Dame. I root against them every chance I get. But Weis has the program back to the national level at which they are expected to play.
Auburn. Ever since the non-firing of Tuberville this team has been on a roll. The SEC seems to get overlooked in the BCS rankings. They are the only team to beat Florida this year.
LSU. The loss to Auburn was controversial (I thought there was pass interference) and the only other loss was to #4 Florida. Again, playing in the SEC is rough; the conference gets criticized for its outside schedule but why play tough teams outside the conference when you'll get beaten up enough during conference play?

I don't include Michigan or Ohio State since Michigan had one good year this year but hasn't been consistent top-5, and Ohio State has had two good years but again no consistency. Not that they aren't good programs but not top 5, I would call them top 10 though.

 

Agreed. I don't particularly care for them but if they are behind USC it isn't by much. Unlike most of the Big 10, OSU has taken it to a new level with speed and creativity.

 

Who has that? Cool!

 

I can't see LSU being on the list. Since the departure of Saban, the program dipped. 21-4 over the past two years is good. No conference championships though. 1-1 in bowls (one a New Year's Day bowl), no BCS appearances (they may get in this year, especially with trying to sell 30,000 orders for Rose Bowl tickets - dream on). I don't think they're top 5, but I'd have no qualm with them being top 10.

 

Like I said, very cool. OSU gets some mean linebackers. A.J. Hawk, Andy Katzenmoyer, now this guy

 

Wasn't OSU ranked #1 and 2 a few of those years Cooper was there? How can one be ranked so high...and not be a top 5 School?

 

Then I guess I'm confused by what you mean by "overall program".

 

Oh yes, the Road Warriors. Reminds me of when I enjoyed watching professional wrestling from the mid-60s to the mid-90s.