The 50 greatest college football teams throughout history

29. Best college football teams of all-time: 2011 LSU

To say that their showing in the 2011 National Championship Game wasn’t disappointing would be a lie. To say that they don’t deserve a spot on this list would also be a lie.

This team was incredibly talented and was touted highly throughout the entirety of the season as the crown jewel of the league. The season, in which the Tigers started as the No. 4 team, resulted in an SEC championship for the Tigers and a massive amount of talent eventually making their way to the NFL from the squad.

Even though they would eventually disappoint in the National Championship game, courtesy of a dominant showing by a Crimson Tide side that the Tigers had beaten earlier on in the year, this team had a defense that was chock full of talent, highlighted by Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary and Barkevious Mingo and Michael Brockers on the defensive line.

Though the defense was the highlight of this team, the offense wasn’t too shabby either, featuring receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Reuben Randle and Jarvis Landry as the main targets on offense, to pair with running back Spencer Ware and quarterback Jarrett Lee in the backfield.

This team may have dropped the ball at the end of the season but is easily one of the most talented and physically gifted college football teams to have graced the field in the modern era and lands without a doubt on our list here. Having the “Mad Hatter” Les Miles as your head coach certainly doesn’t hurt you in terms of team strength, as in most matchups on this list, a tricky coach could prove the difference.

If you’re a Tiger fan, you know the value of this team even if they broke your heart at the end of the season.