5. Consecutive finishes in the AP top five: Florida State, 14
Top five AP finishes is a rather arbitrary record, but Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles still deserve a ton of credit for their unbeatable run that spanned the entire 1990s and more.
Following successful stints at Samford and West Virginia to begin his coach career, Bowden took over at Florida State prior to the 1976 season. The Seminoles were not quite the powerhouse program of today, and had won just four games over the three seasons prior to Bowden’s arrival.
That changed in a hurry, as the Seminoles improved all the way to 11-1 by 1979 and have been a national contender in the vast majority of seasons since. Florida State went 11-1 again in 1987 to finish in the No. 2 spot in the AP Poll, and it wouldn’t slip outside the top five again until an eight-win season in 2001.
The fact that it’s slightly disappointing the Seminoles only captured the 1993 and 1999 national titles out of that stretch is a testament to how dominant Bowden’s program was. Saban’s Alabama, widely considered one of the greatest dynasties the sport has ever seen, is currently at a streak of three straight top five finishes, showing how unbreakable the record is.
After a down period near the end of Bowden’s career, the Seminoles are rolling again under Jimbo Fisher, although he has a long way to go to match the longevity of the previous dynasty.