Boise State became the fifth team in the modern era and 13th in history to win ten or more games in eight out of nine years. The Broncos finished 12-1 this past season with a 26-3 win over #20 Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Ohio State moved lockstep with Boise State this year by also recording their eighth 10-win season in the last nine years.
The only year in which Boise State did not win 10 or more games in the current stretch was 2005 when they were a disappointing 9-4. The Broncos were 12-1 in 2002, 13-1 in 2003, 11-1 in 2004, 13-0 in 2006, 10-3 in 2007, 12-1 in 2008 and 12-1 in 2009. If Boise State is fortunate enough to win 10 or more games in 2011, Boise State would become one of nine college football schools in history to do that in nine out of 10 years.
Florida State is the only team in history to win 10 or more games in each year of a decade--the Seminoles did that in the 90's. The Seminoles, in fact, strung together 14 consecutive seasons of 10 wins (1987-2000). Only three times in history has a school won ten or more games in nine seasons of a decade. Pennsylvania and Princeton did it in the 1890’s and Texas became the second school since 1900 to do it by winning 10 games in nine years this past decade. Princeton won 10 or more games in 11 of 12 years from 1888-1899. Pennsylvania won 10 or more in 11 of 12 years from 1890-1901. Texas has a current streak of nine consecutive years of 10 or more wins that began in 2001. Yale won 10 or more games from 1888-1896, a streak of nine consecutive years.
Oklahoma won 10 or more games in nine out of 10 years (1971-1980) and won 10 games in eight out of nine years from 2000-2008. The highly-successful Miami of Florida teams won 10 or more games in nine out of 10 years from 1983-1992. Alabama had nine out of 10 years in which they won 10 or more from 1971-1980.
Nebraska won 10 or more in all but one year from 1993-2001. Harvard was able to win 10 or more in all but one year from 1886-1894.
USC won 10 or more games every year from 2002-2008 but could not put together a streak of eight out of nine. Florida has had 12 seasons since 1991 of 10 or more wins but has never had more than seven out of eight. For all of its storied tradition, Michigan has never been able to achieve a better streak than seven out of eight years (1971-1978). Penn State’s best streak was six out of seven from 1968-1974.
Virginia Tech, Boise State’s opponent in the 2010 season opener, now has seven consecutive seasons of 10 or more wins and can reach this elite group with a 10-win season next year.