Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Boise State Second Since 1900 and 4th All-Time for 10-Win Seasons


With today's win over Nevada, Boise State became the second team in the modern era and 4th in history to win ten or more games in 10 out of 11 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 2008,12-1 in 2009 and 12-1 last season.  

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).  

The only other college football teams to accomplish this amazing achievement are Pennsylvania and Princeton.  Penn won 10 games in 11 of 12 seasons from 1890-1901, with 1899 being the only year they didn't win at least 10.  Princeton won 11 of 12 from 1888-1899, with 1894 being the lone blemish during that streak.

Texas won 10 games in nine straight seasons from 2001-2009, ending that streak just last season.  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.  

Boise State 6th All-Time with 7 Straight 10-Win Seasons


The players returning for the Boise State football team were entrusted with the keys to the legacy and with a tradition that has stunned most of the college football world outside of Idaho.  Those players came through with another 10-win season, despite losing half of their seniors to the NFL, and despite the naysayers.

Boise State ranks sixth in the history of the sport for the most consecutive 10-win seasons.  The Broncos have won 10 or more every year since 2006.  Seven straight seasons, and probably not coincidentally, as long as Chris Petersen has been coaching the team.

Florida State holds the all-time record of 14 (1987-2000) that may never be broken.  Pennsylvania (1890-1898) and Texas are second with nine (2001-2009), and Virginia Tech had a shot to tie the Longhorns but came up short this season.  The Hokies won 10 or more every year from 2004-2011.  Miami of Florida put together eight in a row from 1985-1992, while USC won 10 or more from 2002-2008, and Yale had 10-win seasons from 1888-1894.  And now Boise State has tied those two historic schools.  Boise State has more current onsecutive 10-win seasons than every other school in the nation, including Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.  But the Sooners have accomplished something no other school has done--win 10 games in five consecutive seasons three different times.  

Interestingly enough, the 12 schools that are at the top of this list pretty represent most of the powerhouses in the history of college football.  Two teams notably absent from this group of consistent 10-game winners are Notre Dame and Penn State.  The best the Nittany Lions did was four seasons (1971-1974), while Notre Dame strung three 10-win seasons from 1991-1993.  This list pretty much sums up how great these 12 schools are.

1.    Florida State 14 (1987-2000)
2.    Texas 9 (2001-2009)
2.    Pennsylvania 9 (1890-1898)
4.    Miami of Florida 8 (1985-1992)
4.    Virginia Tech 8 (2004-2011)
6.    Boise State 7 (2006-2012)
6.    USC 7 (2002-2008)
6.    Yale 7 (1888-1894)
9.    Florida 6 (1993-1998)
9.    Princeton 6 1888-1893
11.  Alabama 5 (1971-1975)
11.  Michigan 5 (1901-1905)
11.  Nebraska 5 (1993-1997)
11.  Ohio State 5 (2006-2010)
11.  Oklahoma 5 (1954-1958)
11.  Oklahoma 5 (1971-1975)
11.  Oklahoma 5 (2000-2004)
11.  Princeton 5 (1895-1899)