The 50 greatest college football teams throughout history

36. Best college football teams of all-time: 2002 Ohio State

As one of the best football programs in history, Ohio State has plenty of remarkable seasons. So many of these great Buckeyes squads in their history were coached by the legendary Woody Hayes — but not this one. Don’t worry Ohio State fans, it won’t be the last time you’ll see your team on this list.

This Jim Tressel-coached Ohio State team went a perfect 14-0, the first FBS team to do so and won the Big Ten Championship, also defeating Miami by a score of 31-24 in the Fiesta Bowl, better known as that season’s National Championship Game.

This team boasted star players like co-MVP’s quarterback Craig Krenzel and multi-purpose receiver/cornerback Chris Gamble. Pair that talent with a ridiculous freshman season from standout tailback Maurice Clarett and safety Mike Doss locking up the secondary and you’ve got the recipe for a Top-50 team of all-time.

The team would defy expectations after being predicted to finish at No. 2 in the Big Ten, beating the predicted champion Michigan Spartans to secure the Big Ten Championship. They successfully put the cherry on top of the season with an upset win over the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes in the National Championship game.

The team was a put-together branch of scrappy, underdog-style players that left fans consistently on the edge of their seats, including a fourth-and-one conversation against Purdue that could be one of the top players in Buckeye history.