Key points:
Michigan leads all of college football with 1,002 all-time wins
Alabama holds a narrow lead for second with 965 victories
The two winningest programs in the sport will square off in the Rose Bowl Game
Michigan reached a unique milestone in college football history when it defeated Maryland this year, becoming the first program to reach the coveted 1,000-win mark. The Wolverines finished the season with 1,002 wins after a Big Ten championship game victory over Iowa, and an all-time win percentage of .733.
In total, 10 teams have 900-plus wins in college football, including a few names that are very familiar to Michigan fans. The two teams sitting just below the Wolverines in the all-time rankings will especially resonate in Ann Arbor: Alabama and Ohio State, who are in a neck-and-neck race for second place.
The Crimson Tide, Michigan’s Rose Bowl opponent on New Year’s Day, is in second place all time heading into bowl season, with 965 victories. Immediately behind Alabama is Ohio State, with 964; the Crimson Tide was able to leapfrog the Buckeyes by virtue of its SEC championship game victory over Georgia (and the Buckeyes’ November loss in “The Game”
For all of the schools at the top of the list, longevity and sustained periods of greatness have been the defining factor. The top 10 features several blue bloods such as Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Penn State.
Here’s a look at the winningest schools in college football history, with the Wolverines leading the pack:
College football all-time winningest programs
Here is a look at the top 10 winningest college football programs in Division I history:
Michigan: 1,002 wins
Alabama: 965 wins
Ohio State: 964 wins
Texas: 948 wins
Notre Dame: 947 wins
Oklahoma: 944 wins
Yale: 936 wins
Penn State: 930 wins
Nebraska: 917 wins
Harvard: 901 wins
In regard to the aforementioned longevity, Ivy Leaguers Yale and Harvard are two of college football’s oldest programs. Michigan, however, has played more games than either of them, with 1,391 games. The only schools that have played more games than Michigan are Penn, Rutgers, Navy, and Lehigh. The Wolverines, however, boast a better winning percentage than any of those program.
College football programs best winning percentage
Alabama has played 1,344 games, whereas Ohio State is at 1,349. The Crimson Tide and Buckeyes are tied for the top win percentage at .734 (Michigan is .733).
T-1: Alabama: .734 (965-336-43)
T-1: Ohio State: .734 (964-332-53)
3: Michigan: .733 (1,002-353-36)
4. Notre Dame: .729 (947-338-42)
5. Oklahoma: .726 (944-340-53)
6. Saint John’s (Minn.)*: .721 (682-256-24)
7. Wisconsin-Whitewater*: .704 (647-266-21)
8. Linfield*: .704 (646-264-28)
9. Texas: .703 (948-391-33)
10. Yale: .698 (936-390-55)
* Division III program
Maintaining an elite win percentage is a slightly different prospect, but the top three hold up, with Michigan, Ohio State, and Alabama all lie within a percentage point of each other.
Most national championships in college football
Alabama vs. Michigan also marks a matchup of two of college football’s most claimed national championships.
With all due respect to Princeton and Yale, the leaders by far at 28 and 27, respectively, this list will be comprised of the non-Ivy League schools, headed up by Alabama at No. 1 with 18. Michigan is tied for second at 11.
).
