Boise State
extended its string of seven or more wins to nine consecutive years with a 34-21
win on the road last night against powerful Fresno
State. The streak of seven or more wins by the
Broncos is now tied for the 37th best in the history of college
football. The Broncos have tied the best
runs in the history of Boston College,
Texas, UCLA and Louisville
with their nine consecutive years. Boise
State will need two more
consecutive seasons to move into the all-time top 25 and at least eight more to
move into the all-time top ten.
Nebraska put
together the most amazing run in the history of football by winning seven or
more games every year from 1969 to 2003, an incredible streak of 35 straight
seasons. The streak included five
national championships, 18 conference championships, 35 consecutive bowl
appearances and 260 all-conference selections.
Nebraska produced 67
All-Americans during that period, including Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Irving Fryar and Dave Rimington, whom the annual award for the best lineman in college
football is now named for. The historic
streak and all of its accolades came to a crashing halt when the Cornhuskers
finished 2004 by winning just five of 11 games.
Florida State
has compiled a streak of 25 straight seasons that is still current. The Seminoles have won seven or more games
every year since 1982. FSU has won two national
championships, 12 conference championships and produced 26 All-Americans during
the stretch, including Heisman Trophy winners Charlie Ward and Chris
Weinke.
Oklahoma put
together a streak of 22 straight seasons; the Sooners were highly consistent
from 1970 to 1991. Oklahoma
captured three national titles, 12 conference championships and featured
All-Americans such as Greg Pruitt, Billy Sims and Jamelle Holieway during this
run.
Michigan
also has an active streak of 22 straight years that extends from 1985. Michigan
has won one national championship and eleven conference championships and has
produced Heisman winners Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson as well as
quarterback Tom Brady during this streak.
Florida’s
streak of 19 consecutive seasons that began in 1988 is still current. During that time, the Gators have won one
national championship and six Southeastern Conference titles and produced
quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel, Chris Leak and Rex Grossman, running back Fred Taylor and defensive end Jevon Kearse.
Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and Miami of Florida each
achieved the feat 17 straight seasons, with the Wolverines winning seven or
more from 1968 to 1983, the Fighting Irish recording the feat in the years
1964-1980, the Nittany Lions putting together seasons of seven or more wins
from 1967 to 1983 and the Hurricanes doing it from 1980 to 1996. Tennessee’s
streak of 16 straight seasons (1989-2004) ended when the Volunteers went 5-6
last season.
Ohio State’s
best streak came between the years of 1972 and 1986, when the Buckeyes ran
through 15 consecutive seasons of seven or more wins. Oklahoma
put together a run of 14 straight years from 1946 to 1959, the 14th
best streak of all-time. Virginia
racked up seven or more wins from 1987-1999, 13 consecutive seasons. Rival Virginia Tech’s current streak that
began in 1993 has also reached 14 years.
Alabama put together
streaks of 13 (1971-1983), 12 (1985-1996) and 10 (1959-1968).
Mississippi
won seven or more from 1952 to 1963, a streak of 12 seasons, matched by Notre
Dame’s run from 1938 to 1949. USC’s
top streak was in the years 1972-1982, 11 straight seasons. Washington’s
most successful years came from 1977-1987 when they too won seven or more games
in eleven straight seasons. Texas A
& M matched the Huskies’ streak from 1985 to 1995. Arizona
State enjoyed ten consecutive
seasons of seven or more wins from 1955-1964.
Alabama (1959-1968), USC
(1924-1993), Colorado
(1987-1996), Colorado State
(1994-2003), Ohio State
(1989-1998), Pittsburgh (1974-1983)
and Duke (1932-1941) also had ten seasons of seven or more wins.
Yale dominated football in the 19th century and
the first part of the 20th century, winning seven or more games for
28 straight seasons (1882-1909). Princeton
strung 27 such years together (1881-1907) and Pennsylvania
(1888-1912) and Harvard (1886-1910) both had 25 consecutive seasons in roughly
the same time period. Carlisle,
which featured running back Jim Thorpe, won seven or more games from 1902-1913,
a streak of twelve seasons.
The top streaks in the history of college football are
featured below. The top consecutive
season streaks for all of the 119 current Division I-A schools (that have at
least two such years in a row) are listed below. All schools which played Division I football
at some point in history that have matched or exceeded Boise
State’s streak are also listed, as
are the current streaks for existing I-A schools.
If a current Division I-A school does not appear in a list,
it has not won seven games more than one year in a row.
Consecutive Seasons of Seven or More Wins:
1. Nebraska…35
(1969-2003)
2. Yale…28
(1882-1909)
3. Princeton…27
(1881-1907)
4. Harvard…25
(1886-1910)
4. Pennsylvania…25
(1888-1912)
4. Florida
State…25 (1982-current)
7. Oklahoma…22
(1970-1991)
7. Michigan…22
(1985-current)
9. Florida…19
(1988-current)
10. Miami
of Florida…17 (1980-1996)
10. Notre Dame…17
(1964-1980)
10. Penn
State…17 (1967-1983)
13. Michigan…16
(1968-1983)
13. Tennessee…16
(1989-2004)
15. Ohio
State…15 (1972-1986)
16. Oklahoma…14
(1946-1959)
16. Virginia Tech…14
(1993-current)
18. Alabama…13
(1971-1983)
18. Virginia…13
(1987-1999)
20. Alabama…12
(1985-1996)
20. Carlisle…12
(1902-1913)
20. Mississippi…12
(1952-1963)
20. Notre Dame…12
(1938-1949)
24. Texas
A & M…11 (1985-1995)
24. USC…11
(1972-1982)
24. Washington…11
(1977-1987)
27. Alabama…10
(1959-1968)
27. Arizona
State…10 (1955-1964)
27. Colorado…10
1987-1996
27. Duke…10
(1932-1941)
27. Colorado
State…10 (1994-2003)
27. Ohio
State…10 (1989-1998)
27. Pittsburgh…10
(1974-1983)
27. USC…10
(1924-1933)
27. Georgia…10
(1997-current)
27. Georgia Tech…10
(1997-current)
37. Notre Dame…9
(1919-1927)
37. Stanford…9
(1923-1931)
37. TCU…9 (1928-1936)
37. Tennessee…9
(1926-1934)
37. Tennessee…9
(1965-1973)
37. Texas…9
(1977-1985)
37. UCLA…9
(1980-1988)
37. Washington…9
(1989-1997)
37. Boise
State…9 (1999-current)
37. Boston
College..9
(1999-current)
37. Louisville…9
(1998-current)
37. Miami
of Florida…9 (1998-current)
37. Oklahoma…9
(1999-current)
37. Texas…9
(1998-current)
51. Auburn…8
(1953-1960)
51. East Carolina…8
(1972-1979)
51. Georgia…8
(1980-1988)
51. Kansas
State…8 (1993-2000)
51. Lafayette…8
(1899-1907)
51. Miami
of Ohio…8 (1968-1975)
51. Michigan…8
(1898-1905)
51. North
Carolina…8 (1991-1998)
51. Ohio
State…8 (1979-1986)
51. Pittsburgh…8
(1931-1938)
51. Texas…
8 (1968-1975)
51. USC…8
(1962-1969)
51. LSU…8 (2000-current)
51. Ohio
State…8 (2000-current)
Streaks of Seven or More Wins:
Akron 2005 (1)
Alabama
1959-1968 (10)
Alabama
1971-1983 (13)
Alabama
1985-1996 (12)
Alabama 2005 (1)
Arizona
1983-1986 (4)
Arizona State
1955-1964 (10)
Arizona State 2004-current (4)
Arkansas
1977-1982 (6)
Arkansas
1984-1989 (6)
Arkansas 2006-current (1)
Army 1930-1934 (5)
Auburn 1953-1960 (8)
Auburn 1982-1990 (9)
Auburn 2000-current (7)
Ball State
1975-1978 (4)
Baylor 1937-1939 (3)
Baylor 1949-1951 (3)
Boise State
1999-current (9)
Boston College
1999-current (9)
BYU 1976-1981 (6)
BYU 2006-current (1)
Bucknell 1933-1934 (2)
Buffalo 1968 (1)
California
1947-1952 (6)
California 2002-current (5)
Central Florida 2005 (1)
Central Michigan 1975-1981 (7)
Central Michigan 2006-current (1)
Cincinnati 2000-2002 (3)
Cincinnati 2006-current (1)
Clemson 1955-1959 (5)
Clemson 2005-current (2)
Colorado
1987-1996 (10)
Colorado 2004-current (2)
Colorado State
1994-2003 (10)
Columbia
1931-1934 (4)
Dartmouth
1935-1938 (4)
Dartmouth
1969-1972 (4)
Duke 1932-1941 (10)
East Carolina 1972-1979 (8)
East Carolina 2006-current (1)
Florida
1988-current (19)
Florida State
1982-current (24)
Fresno State
1999-2005 (7)
Georgia
1980-1988 (8)
Georgia
1997-current (10)
Georgia Tech 1997-current (10)
Hawai’i 2001-2004 (5)
Hawai’i 2006-current (2)
Houston
1969-1971 (3)
Houston 2006-current (1)
Idaho
1998-1999 (2)
Indiana
1944-1945 (2)
Indiana
1987-1988 (2)
Iowa 1981-1987 (7)
Iowa 2001-current (5)
Iowa State
1976-1978 (3)
Iowa State 2004-current (2)
Kansas
1946-1948 (3)
Kansas 2007 (1)
Kansas State
1993-2000 (8)
Kansas State 2006-current (1)
Kent
1973-1974 (2)
Kentucky
1949-1951 (3)
Kentucky 2006-current (1)
Louisiana Tech
1990-1991 (2)
Louisiana Tech
2005 (1)
Louisville 1998-current
(9)
LSU 1967-1973 (7)
LSU 2000-current (8)
Marshall
1997-2003 (7)
Maryland
1949-1955 (7)
Maryland 2006-current (1)
Memphis
1960-1963 (4)
Memphis
1973-1976 (4)
Memphis 2003-current (3)
Miami of Florida
1980-1996 (17)
Miami of Florida 1998-current (9)
Miami of Ohio
1968-1975 (8)
Miami of Ohio
2001-current (5)
Michigan
1968-1983 (16)
Michigan
1985-current (22)
Michigan State
1950-1953 (4)
Middle Tennessee 2006-current (1)
Minnesota 2002-current (4)
Mississippi
1952-1963 (12)
Mississippi
1997-2003 (7)
Mississippi State
1939-1942 (4)
Missouri
1960-1963 (4)
Missouri
1978-1981 (4)
Missouri 2005-current (2)
Navy 2003-current (4)
Nebraska
1969-2003 (35)
Nebraska 2005-current (2)
Nevada
1992-1996 (5)
Nevada 2005-current (2)
New Mexico 2002-2004 (3)
New Mexico State
1965-1967 (3)
North Carolina
1979-1983 (7)
North Carolina
1991-1998 (8)
North Carolina State
1988-1994 (7)
North Carolina State 2005 (1)
North Texas 1966-1969 (4)
Northern Illinois 2002-current (5)
Northwestern 2005 (1)
Notre Dame 1919-1927 (9)
Notre Dame 1938-1949 (12)
Notre Dame 1964-1980 (17)
Notre Dame 1987-1993 (7)
Notre Dame 2005-current (2)
Ohio 2006-current (1)
Ohio State
1972-1986 (15)
Ohio State
1979-1986 (8)
Ohio State
1989-1998 (10)
Ohio State 2000-current (8)
Oklahoma
1946-1959 (14)
Oklahoma
1970-1991 (22)
Oklahoma
1999-current (8)
Oklahoma State
1930-1932 (3)
Oklahoma State
1974-1976 (3)
Oklahoma State 2002-2004 (3)
Oklahoma State 2006-current (1)
Oregon
1997-2003 (7)
Oregon 2005-current (2)
Oregon State
1966-1968 (3)
Oregon State 2002-2004 (3)
Oregon State 2006-current (1)
Penn State
1967-1983 (17)
Penn State 2005-current (2)
Pittsburgh
1931-1938 (8)
Pittsburgh
1974-1983 (10)
Purdue 1965-1969 (5)
Purdue 2006-current (1)
Rice 1934-1935 (2)
Rice 1953-1954 (2)
Rice 1960-1961 (2)
Rice 1996-1997 (2)
Rice 2006-current (1)
Rutgers 1974-1980 (7)
Rutgers 2005-current (2)
San Diego State
1972-1977 (6)
San Jose State
1974-1976 (3)
San Jose State
1980-1982 (3)
San Jose State 2006-current (1)
South Carolina
1979-1980 (2)
South Carolina
1987-1988 (2)
South Carolina 2000-2001 (2)
South Carolina 2005-current (2)
South Florida 2000-2003 (4)
South Florida 2006-current (1)
SMU 1980-1984 (5)
Southern Mississippi 1996-2000 (5)
Southern Mississippi 2002-current (5)
Stanford 1923-1931 (9)
Syracuse
1987-1992 (6)
Syracuse
1994-1999 (6)
TCU 1928-1936 (9)
TCU 2005-current (2)
Temple 1930-1931
(2)
Temple 1934-1935
(2)
Temple 1973-1974
(2)
Temple 1978-1979
(2)
Tennessee
1926-1934 (9)
Tennessee
1965-1973 (9)
Tennessee
1989-2004 (16)
Tennessee 2006-current (1)
Texas
1958-1964 (7)
Texas
1968-1975 (8)
Texas
1977-1985 (9)
Texas 1998-current
(9)
Texas A &
M 1985-1995 (11)
Texas A & M 2006-current (1)
Texas Tech
2000-current (7)
Toledo 2000-current (6)
Troy 2006-current (1)
Tulane 1929-1931 (3)
Tulsa 1940-1942
(3)
Tulsa 1944-1946
(3)
Tulsa 1974-1976
(3)
Tulsa 2005-current (2)
UCLA 1980-1988 (9)
UCLA 2005 (1)
UNLV 1978-1980 (3)
USC 1924-1933 (10)
USC 1962-1969 (8)
USC 1972-1982 (11)
USC 2002-current (5)
Utah 1993-1996
(4)
Utah 2003-current (4)
Utah State
1960-1963 (4)
Utah State
1971-1974 (4)
UTEP 1948-1950 (3)
UTEP 2004-current (2)
Virginia
1987-1999 (13)
Virginia 2007 (1)
Virginia Tech 1993-current (14)
Wake Forest
1939-1940 (2)
Wake Forest 2006-current (1)
Washington
1977-1987 (11)
Washington
1989-1997 (9)
Washington State 2001-2003 (3)
West Virginia
1968-1972 (5)
West Virginia
1981-1985 (5)
West Virginia 2002-current (5)
Western Michigan 1992-1995 (4)
Western Michigan 1997-2000 (4)
Western Michigan 2005-current (2)
Wisconsin 2002-current (5)
Wyoming
1996-1999 (4)
Early Years in College Football:
Brown 1909-1911 (3)
Carlisle 1902-1913 (12)
Cornell 1898-1902 (5)
Dartmouth
1912-1915 (4)
Harvard 1886-1910 (25)
Illinois
1900-1904 (5)
Kansas
1904-1906 (3)
Lafayette
1899-1907 (8)
Michigan
1898-1905 (8)
Minnesota
1900-1905 (6)
Navy 1904-1908 (5)
Northwestern 1898-1901 (4)
Pennsylvania
1888-1912 (25)
Pittsburgh
1914-1917 (4)
Princeton 1881-1907 (27)
Vanderbilt 1908-1912 (5)
Vanderbilt 1926-1930 (5)
Wisconsin 1896-1901 (6)
Yale 1882-1909 (28)