We are less than three weeks away from the 2023-24 College Football Playoff, and as we enter bowl season and get set to crown another national champion, the following question came to me via the Joel Klatt Show mailbag:
What would a four-team College Football Playoff look like if we took the best teams since 2000?
Now, in order to answer such a loaded question, we have to figure out how we go about getting to the four best teams in this hypothetical playoff, which calls for a rankings reveal.
So, I went ahead and ranked what I believe to be the 10 best teams in college football this century.
Before revealing these rankings, it’s important to note that I chose to lean toward national championship teams when creating my list. There are a lot of really good teams that didn’t win a national title but had the talent to be included in this top 10. So, here are three teams that didn’t make my top-10 list but did get consideration as non-champions:
2019 Ohio State Buckeyes (13-1, lost to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl)
2008 Texas Longhorns (12-1, defeated Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl)
2005 USC Trojans (12-1, lost to Texas in the Rose Bowl)
With that said, here is a look at my top-10 teams in college football since 2000, and how I believe a four-team playoff would play out with the four best teams from this group.
10. 2000 Oklahoma Sooners
The 2000 Oklahoma Sooners were led by Josh Heupel, with Bob Stoops in his second year. Rocky Calmus was an All-American linebacker on this team, and Roy Williams and that secondary were incredible. The Sooners basically shut out Chris Weinke’s Florida State team in the Orange Bowl that year. This team had the best defense in the country in 2000.
9. 2013 Florida State Seminoles
Jameis Winston & Co. were dominant. When you look back on that 2013 Seminoles team, they beat their opponents by an average margin of 39.5 points. That is remarkable dominance. In fact, that is the best of any team on this list, but I put Florida State at No. 9 because when you start getting into these top-eight teams, you’ll see, they are historically great.
8. 2008 Florida Gators
Tim Tebow’s 2008 Florida team wasn’t undefeated, but remember, he gave that speech after that early-season loss to Ole Miss, and then everything changed. That was Urban Meyer’s best team. And I say that with respect to some of his other great teams, including the 2014 Ohio State national championship team. That 2008 Florida team beat a very good Oklahoma team, 24-14, in the BCS National Championship Game.
Joel Klatt shares his top 10 teams in the 21st century
7. 2021 Georgia Bulldogs
Much like the 2008 Florida Gators, this wasn’t an undefeated team. In fact, this Georgia team didn’t even win its conference championship. But that defense was incredible. They ended up beating Alabama in a rematch in the national championship game. When you look at the number of players the Bulldogs sent to the NFL, just on the defensive side alone, you can make an argument that was one of the great defenses in college football history. That defense had seven first-round draft picks, five in 2022 and then two more in 2023. They gave up 10.2 points per game. In modern college football, that is an obscenely low number.
6. 2018 Clemson Tigers
Freshman QB Trevor Lawrence took over in the fifth game of the 2018 season and led the Tigers to the fourth-ranked scoring offense in the country. This team also had the No. 1 scoring defense in the country. They won their last 10 games by at least 20 points and went on to beat Alabama handily in the national championship game, 44-16, giving Nick Saban one of the worst defeats in his tenure at Alabama.
5. 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide
That 2020 Alabama team was incredible. That was the COVID year, which threw things out of whack, but you could make an argument that it was even more difficult for this Alabama team because all they did was play an SEC schedule. That team had Mac Jones at quarterback, Heisman winner DeVonta Smith at wide receiver, and Najee Harris in the backfield. By the way, that team still had Steve Sarkisian as their offensive coordinator. That Alabama team only had one game that entire year decided by 14-or-less points, and that was the SEC championship game against Florida. They rolled through the playoff, beating a very good Ohio State team, 52-24, in the national championship game.
4. 2019 LSU Tigers
The 2019 LSU Tigers are the No. 4 team in this playoff. They are No. 4 because the defense wasn’t great. But that team went on one of the greatest offensive runs we’ve ever seen in college football history. They were 15-0 and beat Clemson 42-25 in the national championship game. That was an incredible performance. Clemson’s average margin of victory was 26.5. They had Joe Burrow, the Heisman Trophy winner, along with Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. That team was an absolute machine. They went in and beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and that Alabama team was loaded. That’s why they are the No. 4 seed.
3 .2004 USC Trojans
This was the undefeated team that had Matt Leinart at quarterback, Reggie Bush at running back, Dwayne Jarrett at wide receiver, and Pete Carroll as their head coach. They beat an outstanding Oklahoma team in Adrian Peterson’s freshman year. They finished the year 13-0 and won every game by an average of 25 points. This was a better defensive team than that 2005 USC team. They had some close games, but this team was talented. They had split the national title the year before, and they came back and were outstanding in 2004.
2. 2005 Texas Longhorns
That 2005 Texas team was so good. I know this team intimately, as I had to play them twice in my senior year at Colorado. We played them once in Austin, and then we played them again in the Big 12 championship game. We lost to them, 70-3. Vince Young was the best football player I’ve ever seen live. They were outstanding on defense and had two Thorpe Award winners in their secondary in Michael Huff and Aaron Ross. The Longhorns ended USC’s winning streak, beating them in the Rose Bowl.
1. 2001 Miami Hurricanes
The 2001 Miami Hurricanes are widely thought of as the best team of this century. They were 12-0, and they handled Nebraska in the national championship game. The Hurricanes’ average margin of victory was over 30 points that season. They had Ken Dorsey, Andre Johnson and Ed Reed. That team was loaded. Eleven of the 22 starters for this team ended up being first-round draft picks. They were incredible.
Now that the seeding is out of the way, it’s time to look at the semifinal matchups:
Joel Klatt’s playoff with the best teams in the 21st century
SEMIFINAL 1: 2019 LSU Tigers (No. 4) vs. 2001 Miami Hurricanes (No. 1)
As good as that 2019 LSU team was, the Tigers’ defense was not suited to line up with that 2001 Miami team. Now, LSU would have scored some points, but they’re not beating the Hurricanes. Burrow’s 60 touchdowns, which at the time was an FBS record, is all well and good, but Miami is uniquely suited in this game. Miami’s offense with Dorsey, Clinton Portis, and everybody on the outside was going to win this game.
SEMIFINAL 2: 2004 USC Trojans (No. 3) vs. 2005 Texas Longhorns (No. 2)
One could argue that ‘Joel we already saw this game,’ but if you really thought I was going to make a playoff and not match up Texas and USC, you’re sorely mistaken. In 2005, that national championship game was probably the best college football game I’ve ever seen. But here’s the thing: In 2004, USC was a better version than what they were in 2005. This 2004 team was hungrier, they had Leinart and Bush, and really, this is the only team you can think of that had two players who are playing together and impacting the game together that are Heisman Trophy winners. We have had teammates that have won Heisman Trophies, like DeVonta Smith and Bryce Young, but they weren’t out on the field and impacting the game at the same time like Leinart and Bush.
Now, that 2005 Texas team … their defense was outstanding. They had Vince Young … he was outstanding. I have a soft spot for that 2005 Texas team because we played them, and yet, I know how great that 2005 Rose Bowl was. It was a fourth-down play that Young ran in that TD. It was a fourth down that USC could have converted and put the game away. But I believe the ‘04 USC version was better. And because I believe that, I say that ‘04 USC team beats that ‘05 Texas team.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: 2001 Miami Hurricanes (No. 1) vs. 2004 USC Trojans (No. 3)
That USC team had Leinart and Bush, which allowed them to run it and throw it. That team was balanced. And on the other side, Miami had 11 first-round draft picks. I think this would be the best game we would ever see in college football. If there was one matchup that I would just love to see in history, it would be this matchup.
Now, if you look at the championship games in each of those team’s seasons, USC beat a great Oklahoma team, 55-19 in that Orange Bowl. Miami beat Nebraska, a lesser opponent, 37-14 in that Rose Bowl. And with that said … I like the upset.
If you’re asking me who wins between 2001 Miami and 2004 USC, I think USC wins that game. Everybody says that the best team, maybe ever, is that Miami team. I’m with you, but USC dominated a much better team in its national championship game, to a much greater degree. And because of that, I’m going with the 2004 USC Trojans.
NATIONAL CHAMPION: USC Trojans
