The 150 greatest teams in college football's 150-year history

[OrangeXtreme]

39. 1959 Syracuse (11-0)
Titles: AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
Coach: Ben Schwartzwalder
Led by: RB Ernie Davis, G Roger Davis
What to know: Led in the backfield by Davis, who would become the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961, the Orange defeated No. 7 Penn State and No. 17 UCLA, and No. 4 Texas 23-14 in the Cotton Bowl to win the school's only national championship. Syracuse shut out five opponents and gave up only 59 points during the regular season.

 

[rrlbees]

39. 1959 Syracuse (11-0)
Titles: AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
Coach: Ben Schwartzwalder
Led by: RB Ernie Davis, G Roger Davis
What to know: Led in the backfield by Davis, who would become the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961, the Orange defeated No. 7 Penn State and No. 17 UCLA, and No. 4 Texas 23-14 in the Cotton Bowl to win the school's only national championship. Syracuse shut out five opponents and gave up only 59 points during the regular season.

While it’s tough to compare generations, that’s far too low.

 

[Hokie Mark]

39. 1959 Syracuse (11-0)
Titles: AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
Coach: Ben Schwartzwalder
Led by: RB Ernie Davis, G Roger Davis
What to know: Led in the backfield by Davis, who would become the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961, the Orange defeated No. 7 Penn State and No. 17 UCLA, and No. 4 Texas 23-14 in the Cotton Bowl to win the school's only national championship. Syracuse shut out five opponents and gave up only 59 points during the regular season.

Top 40 - out of 150 years! - is very strong. Way to represent, 'Cuse!

 

[SU94]

Check out the penultimate squad at #149. Perhaps this would have been our bowl opponent if not for one of the more famous plays in college football history (I never noted this happened the same year as SU's lone NC)? Not sure. LSU's Billy Cannon was the centerpiece of the 1980s move "Everybody's All American," although producers deny it. Cannon won the Heisman that season.

149. 1959 Ole Miss (10-1)
Titles: None (Syracuse won AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)
Coach: John Vaught
Led by: B Charlie Flowers, E Larry Grantham, G Marvin Terrell
What to know: The Rebels gave up only 21 points all season, but the most famous seven of them cost them the national championship. Billy Cannon's 89-yard punt return proved to be the difference in LSU's 7-3 defeat of Ole Miss. The Rebels finished the game at the Tigers' goal line, but couldn't cross it. No one outside the state recalls that Ole Miss won a rematch in the Sugar Bowl 21-0.