Fansided

Ranking the top 50 college football programs of all time

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 26, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Curtis Samuel (4) celebrates after scoring the game winning touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines in the second overtime at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 30-27 in double overtime.Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Curtis Samuel (4) celebrates after scoring the game winning touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines in the second overtime at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 30-27 in double overtime.Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 19, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) points to the sky in celebration after a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. Stanford defeated California 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) points to the sky in celebration after a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. Stanford defeated California 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Before David Shaw, you have to go back 45 years to find Stanford’s last head coach with a winning percentage of at least 60. The current head coach is 57-15 since 2011, taking over for the infamous Jim Harbaugh.

Even Harbaugh was just 29-21 in his short stint as head coach of the program, but he turned the Cardinal from laughing stock to perennial contender.

Shaw has carried on the winning tradition and he’s been to a Fiesta Bowl and three Rose Bowls in the past five years, winning two out of the four. Stanford wasn’t great before Harbaugh and Shaw, but things have turned around quite drastically.

Stanford is 13-13-1 in bowl games all-time and they have two claimed national titles back in 1926 and 1940. It’s been a while since the Cardinal have won the national championship, but with the way the program is headed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see No. 3 added to the trophy case.

The school has 15 conference titles, 34 consensus All-Americans and a winning percentage of 58. As long as Shaw is there, the Cardinal should be Pac-12 contenders.

Every Stanford fan needs this Nike raglan sleeve shirt.

Some notable alumni include John Elway, Jim Plunkett (the school’s only Heisman winner), John Lynch, Andrew Luck, James Lofton, Ernie Nevers, Richard Sherman, Doug Baldwin, Zach Ertz and Coby Fleener. The NFL is loaded with former Stanford players.

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