1993 Notre Dame Beat No. 1 Florida State and Still Got Screwed, and the Whole League Knows It

Alright, college football fans, settle in. With the World Cup happening again in the US for the first time since '94, The Athletic is taking us back to the wild, pre-BCS days of the 1990s, when 13 different teams snagged a national championship. But let's be real, hindsight is 20/20, and some squads that didn't finish numero uno were straight-up better than the ones who did. They looked at dominance, big wins, schedule toughness, NFL talent, and kept an eye out for any bad losses. And believe me, ranking these beasts from the Emerald City to the Sunshine State, it was a battle. Number one was easy, sure, but the rest of this list? That's where it gets spicy.

The Brutal Truths of Nineties Greatness

Kicking things off at No. 15, we've got the 1993 Notre Dame squad, an 11-1 team loaded with AP All-Americans like Aaron Taylor and Bryant Young. These guys pulled off some insane wins, taking down No. 1 Florida State 31-24, beating No. 9 Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl 24-21, and even grabbing a road win at No. 21 Michigan 27-23. The kicker? After that epic Game of the Century win over FSU, they lost at home to No. 12 Boston College on a walk-off field goal the very next week, finishing No. 2 despite the same record as the champion. Talk about a gut punch! Lee Becton and Randy Kinder powered a rushing attack that steamrolled for 260.7 yards per game. What a way to get overlooked! Then there's the 1994 Nebraska team at No. 14, going a perfect 13-0. You had Lawrence Phillips, Brendan Stai, and Barron Miles all earning AP All-American nods. They took care of business against No. 3 Colorado 24-7 and No. 6 Miami 24-17 in the Orange Bowl. And get this, their backup QB, Brook Berringer, stepped in for seven starts when Tommie Frazier got a blood clot. These Huskers put up a ridiculous 4,080 rushing yards, with Phillips himself getting 1,722. They were voted national champions over an unbeaten Penn State, proving that option offense was no joke. Sitting at No. 13, the 1996 Florida State team was 11-1, boasting Warrick Dunn and futur

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e Hall of Famer Walter Jones. Their pass rushers, Peter Boulware and Reinard Wilson, were absolutely relentless, racking up 67 sacks in just 12 games! They crushed No. 1 Florida 24-21, with six sacks in that game alone, making Gators coach Steve Spurrier complain about late hits. FSU also blanked No. 10 North Carolina and broke a five-game road losing streak against Miami, but a Sugar Bowl rematch loss to Florida cost them the title, finishing No. 3.

Ohio State's Heartbreak and Tennessee's Untapped Star Power

Moving up the list to No. 12, the 1996 Ohio State Buckeyes finished 12-1. This was John Cooper's golden era, going 43-7 over four seasons, but they always had that Michigan problem, you know? With five future Pro Bowlers, including Hall of Fame tackle Orlando Pace, they tore through their first 11 games, climbing to No. 2. Signature wins included a 38-7 dismantling of No. 7 Penn State and a tough 29-16 win at No. 19 Notre Dame. But then, an inexplicable 13-9 home loss to an 8-4 Wolverines team just derailed everything. They rallied in Pasadena, though, winning the Rose Bowl 20-17 against No. 4 Arizona State and ruining Jake Plummer's perfect season, finishing No. 2. What a rollercoaster! And finally, at No. 11, we've got the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers, the very first BCS champions, with a flawless 13-0 record. Sure, Al Wilson and Raynoch Thompson were their only AP All-Americans listed here, but trust me, that doesn't even begin to cover the star power on that roster. They snagged huge wins, beating No. 3 Florida State 23-16 in the Fiesta Bowl, outlasting No. 5 Florida 20-17 in overtime, and even grinding out a 28-24 win over No. 16 Arkansas. These guys were truly a special team, proving their mettle against a brutal schedule. What a look back at some truly legendary teams and moments from the 90s, right? The grit, the drama, the absolute talent. We're only just scratching the surface of this list. Who else will make the cut? Who will finally challenge '95 Nebraska for that top spot? We're on the edge of our seats, waiting to see which other squads the analysts believe truly defined a decade of college football.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.