Who are college football's bluebloods ?

BamaInBham

All-American
Feb 14, 2007
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Here's a shot:

Tier 1 (in order)
: Alabama (11), ND (8), OU (7), USC (7)
Notes: All 4 have charisma and production over time.
Though social significance has lost its impact, it was a major factor in the initial passion driving the first 3 programs. Alabama represented the despised South in the 20s and 30s, its glory beginning just 60 years after the end of the Civil War; then a beleaguered state and region in the 60s; then an integrating South in the 70s. It was considered a social icon representing the South, even by the NYTimes, til ~20-30 years ago. ND represented the shunned Catholics from its inception. Though much less important to OU, they felt an association with the "lowly" Indian (yes, I've heard some mention this even to this day). USC had no serious social component, but has had the glamour of Hollywood.

Tier 2: OSU (6), UTx (4), Mich (2)
Notes: OSU belongs with tier 1 as far as production, but like OU, did little til the 40s. Sorry B1GTide, but OSU has a dull Midwestern pallor to it :smile:. UTx has charisma, but the top of the line production is not there. Mich has been consistently very good, but little done in the clutch, and seems like a plodder. The primary reasons they are here is because of their very early 20th century success and that they are the leader in wins.

Tier 3: Neb (5)
Notes: IMO, Neb is barely clinging to blueblood status. Even when Neb was great it had the charisma of an anvil. But it did have a couple of great and dominant periods (70-71, 94-97), however brief. Of course they have been consistently very good over most of their history, though not great. Their style of play was usually not exciting - they abused you with a cudgel.

Note: The number in parenthesis is the number of NCs based on winning either the AP or UP/Coaches poll in a year. They began in 1936 and 1950 respectively.

I assume everyone agrees with this categorization, so I guess there's not much need of discussion :).
 

Pilot172000

1st Team
Sep 25, 2017
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Winnsboro, LA
First of all you simply can't base this on one single category. If you are going by NAtional Championships then you would have to add Harvard, Yale and Princeton to your top tier which simply makes the list absurd.

I would based on persona, NC, Conference Titles, top 25 rankings, bowls and win percentage give set my top top ten like this.

Alabama
Neutered Dog
Southern Cal
Meechigan
Ohio state
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Texas
Tennessee
LSU

Just outside the realm are Pitt and Penn State

The order may be out of wack but you get the gist. These programs are traditionally what has made College Football popular since the 50s

The Nuevo Riche:
Miami
Florida State
Florida
Clemson
Penn State
 

BamaInBham

All-American
Feb 14, 2007
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First of all you simply can't base this on one single category. If you are going by NAtional Championships then you would have to add Harvard, Yale and Princeton to your top tier which simply makes the list absurd.

I would based on persona, NC, Conference Titles, top 25 rankings, bowls and win percentage give set my top top ten like this.

Alabama
Neutered Dog
Southern Cal
Meechigan
Ohio state
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Texas
Tennessee
LSU

Just outside the realm are Pitt and Penn State

The order may be out of wack but you get the gist. These programs are traditionally what has made College Football popular since the 50s

The Nuevo Riche:
Miami
Florida State
Florida
Clemson
Penn State
I'm not sure if you were referring to my post, but it should have been clear that my rankings were not based on NCs, though they matter of course. E.g., I had Neb in tier 3 with more NCs than Mich and UTx. Mich in tier 2 with only 2 NCs, etc. In fact, I considered the very nebulous quality of "charisma" as being very important.
 
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Pilot172000

1st Team
Sep 25, 2017
455
10
37
Winnsboro, LA
I would like to revise my previous statement. How can we all sit here and question Nebraska's blue blood status without first looking at those we don't question?

1. When was the last time Michigan won a NT? 1997 which is the last time Nebraska won one and it was decades earlier that they won one before that yet because they are a top 5 team right this minute we consider them blue bloods.

2. Ohio State has won what 2 NT since 1968? How many has Nebraska and OU won since then??

3. We all remember the lull that was the Dubose, Franchione, Shula years. How soon do we forget that prior to the best college football coach in 40 year falling in our lap after one failed season in the NFL we had gone 15 years without a title?? We certainly weren't blue bloods from 1995-2008

4. All during that time Miami,Florida and FSU had combined what 8 or 9 National Championships?? Yet even I consider them Nuevo Riche!! We are such snobs, lol

5. USC??? Where do I begin? They went 25 years from 1978 to 2003 before buying themselves two titles and a couple of Heismans, one which was promply repoed. It's been close to 14 years since their last title.

6. OU??? 1 National title in 32 years!!! One single title since the Boz was making Mohawks fashionable!

7. Notre Dame.......the last Championship they had involved a lisping leprechaun and it was its only one in the last 40 years!


I make these quick points to say this. What we consider blue bloods right now may very well be right back on the garbage heap tomorrow and that includes is!
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
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First of all you simply can't base this on one single category. If you are going by NAtional Championships then you would have to add Harvard, Yale and Princeton to your top tier which simply makes the list absurd.

I would based on persona, NC, Conference Titles, top 25 rankings, bowls and win percentage give set my top top ten like this.

Alabama
Neutered Dog
Southern Cal
Meechigan
Ohio state
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Texas
Tennessee
LSU

Just outside the realm are Pitt and Penn State

The order may be out of wack but you get the gist. These programs are traditionally what has made College Football popular since the 50s

The Nuevo Riche:
Miami
Florida State
Florida
Clemson
Penn State

LSU seems pretty high there and probably belongs in the nouveau riche category.

After all, before Nick Saban arrived in Baton Rouge, LSU:
- Had won only 60% of their games (77% since)
- Had won only 2 SIAA, 1 Southern, and 7 SEC Conference Championships (1 every 10.7 years, 4 in 17 years since)
- Had won only 1 National Championship (2 since)
- Had zero back-to-back 10 win seasons (5 since)
- Had a losing record in bowl games (now winning record)
- Had won only 7 Big Four bowl games (5 since)
- Finished a season ranked in the AP poll less than 40% of the time (14 of 17 since)
 

OreBama

All-American
Sep 26, 2005
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Bama is the only blue blood past, present, and future. Everyone else is a pretender or steward to the throne. It may sound arrogant, but I truly believe this to be true.

Alabama Crimson Tide = college football King
 

chuaner

Scout Team
Aug 26, 2008
178
22
42
To me blue bloods are the combination of championship, money, power, fan base, and tradition. I would put Texas in elite status.

My top 10:
1. Bama
2. Oklahoma
3. Notre Dame
4. Ohio State
5. USC
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Florida States
9. Nebraska
10. Penn State

Just missed the list:
1. Florida
2. Miami
3. Tennessee
4. Auburn
5. Clemson

Elite/Bluebloods are the programs even when they are down. Fans still pack the stadium and show support to their teams. Neb, Penn State fits in that category.

The teams miss the list won some championships. Yet they are not as consist and fans are not as supportive as the elite teams. Like barn's fans..:)
 
I believe there are only two categories and the list is far too long. I believe you have blue bloods and the elites. We’ve defined blue bloods, seems like but the elites can be a hot team currently.

Blue bloods (in no particular order):
Bama, OU, ND, USC, OSU

Elites: Please enter any currently hot team here, ex. Penn State, FSU




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro[emoji208]
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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Blue Bloods are those with "old money", so to speak. It does not mean that they are still in power or are still making boatloads of money - just that their power base and money dates back generations. The more recent powers cannot be blue bloods yet - if they keep it up they can be to future generations.

I don't really have a list, but if I put one together it would include teams like Princeton.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
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In my mind to be a blueblood you have to have been elite and won NCs (poll era, BSC, Playoff) during mulitiple generations.

VERY FEW can fit in this category and all I know is even our most hated rival would have to agree we are at the top of that list.
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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In my mind to be a blueblood you have to have been elite and won NCs (poll era, BSC, Playoff) during mulitiple generations.

VERY FEW can fit in this category and all I know is even our most hated rival would have to agree we are at the top of that list.
Princeton won national championships for 60 years - 3 generations. They have 28. Yeah, 28. That is some serious old money.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
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Princeton won national championships for 60 years - 3 generations. They have 28. Yeah, 28. That is some serious old money.
I should have mentioned that I think the only way to do a list fairly is to acknowledge at least two major eras that usually are pre-poll era and beyond which I believe is around the 1930s.

Ironically, even with that, Bama won in both of those eras, but I was mainly concentrating on the post poll era.
 
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Pilot172000

1st Team
Sep 25, 2017
455
10
37
Winnsboro, LA
LSU seems pretty high there and probably belongs in the nouveau riche category.

After all, before Nick Saban arrived in Baton Rouge, LSU:
- Had won only 60% of their games (77% since)
- Had won only 2 SIAA, 1 Southern, and 7 SEC Conference Championships (1 every 10.7 years, 4 in 17 years since)
- Had won only 1 National Championship (2 since)
- Had zero back-to-back 10 win seasons (5 since)
- Had a losing record in bowl games (now winning record)
- Had won only 7 Big Four bowl games (5 since)
- Finished a season ranked in the AP poll less than 40% of the time (14 of 17 since)
I should have said I wouldn't consider them a blue blood program as much as a top ten program by over all stats. As far as SEC schools go they are in the upper echelon and their over all body of work is good, but they have always been bridesmaids in the SEC
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
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My list which goes by my definition. Which is teams that produce a feeling of nostalgia, and cause me to tune in if possible especially when any of them are playing one another. In no particular order except that Alabama is and always will be #1:

1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Oklahoma
4. USC
5. Ohio State
6. Texas
7. Penn State
8. Michigan
9. Nebraska
10. Florida
11. Florida State

Now admittedly, some of these teams have been down and out for a long time. Some of them recently arrived onstage. But again, this is my list, going by my definition. Some of my reasoning comes from being a kid and growing up during the 90s. Miami would be on this list too except that their fans just aren't on the same level as the rest. They are seemingly a product of geography and nothing more.
 

RT27

All-American
Aug 13, 2017
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I am not into the blue blood stuff, I prefer crimson blood, in that we rule always LOL Lets be honest blood only looks blue in a vein, once it hits air it is crimson. They may look good in a vein, but on the field whee blood hits the sir crimson rules.
 

wishbonedays

1st Team
Mar 30, 2003
663
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www.wfl1974.com
In no particular order, but based on tradition, championships, longevity of excellence (for lack of a better term)
Alabama
Penn State
USC
Ohio State
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Texas
Notre Dame
Michigan

There are many others who have high achievements, but to me...these are the blue bloods of college football, college football royalty, if you will.
 

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