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Are Nick Saban and Alabama College Football's Greatest Dynasty?
Are Alabama and Nick Saban college football’s greatest coach and college football’s greatest dynasty?
Greatest Coaches Defined by Winning National Championships
Coach Paul Bryant won six national championships, surpassing every coach in major college football history. Bryant’s Alabama teams won national championships in 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978 and 1979.
Coach Bernie Bierman won five national championships at Minnesota in 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940 and 1941.
Nick Saban is the only other major college football coach whose teams have won five national championships. Saban’s first was at LSU in 2003. Saban’s Alabama run of national championships in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015 leaves him one shy of Bryant.
Jul 18, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; The college football playoff national championship trophy is displayed during the Big 12 Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
National Championships Define Dynasties
College football dynasty talk can lead to contentious debate. The NCAA does not award a national championship at the FBS level. Nonetheless, college football national championships have been chosen throughout college football history.
Prior to the poll era in 1936, most national championships were awarded retroactively. Throughout the poll era, there was much disagreement over the annual national champion. Since 1998 the BCS and now the CFP have reduced most national championship disagreement.
The Crimson Tide can win its fifth title since 2009 with a win against Clemson. Those five titles would equal Minnesota’s run from 1935-1941. Another Tide national championship would also equal Minnesota’s dynasty by winning a title on average of every 1.6 seasons.
There are other legitimate, greatest dynasty claims. Bryant’s teams from 1961-1979 won six national championships, an average of every 3.2 seasons. From 1962 – 1978, Southern Cal won five titles, one every 3.4 seasons. Between 1983-2001, Miami won five national championships, one every 3.8 seasons. These were great dynasties but each had long intervals between national championships.
A strong argument can be made that Alabama has the opportunity to match Minnesota as the two greatest dynasties in major college football.
What do you think? Is Nick Saban the greatest college football coach of all time? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments below.
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