This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/AllLinesAreStraight on 2024-07-07 20:13:10+00:00.

I made a series of posts for each conference and the top G5s back after the 2020 season, looking at the closest each team came to a national title this century. Its been a few years and there has been some changes so I thought I’d update it, using 2024 conferences. Starting here with the SEC. You can see the link below if you want to see the OG post from 3 years ago.

Won a Title

Here is the list of teams that have actually won a title this century. Georgia is the big addition to the list (and Texas is now on this list as an SEC team).

  • Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)
  • LSU (2003, 2007, 2019)
  • Auburn (2010)
  • Florida (2006, 2008)
  • Georgia (2021, 2022) - This is the biggest change from 3 years ago. Back then, UGA was considered one of the biggest chokers in FBS. Since then, they’ve won two national titles and have cemented themselves as a top 3, if not the top, program in the country.
  • Texas (2005, while in Big 12)
  • Oklahoma (2000, while in Big 12. Some would say 2000 was last century. Those people are correct. But the game was in 2001 sooooo…I guess I’ll count it)

Now we have the teams who haven’t won a title yet this century. Here they are, roughly from closest to farthest that they’ve come to winning it all. I’m not saying one team is better or worse than another, this is just about how close they were to actually getting to the national championship game:

  • Tennessee - 2001 - In 2001, Tennessee went into the SECCG knowing that a win meant a BCS national title game berth. They lost. Now, even if they won, they likely get smoked by Miami but, even so, I think this is the closest. 2022 was also pretty good, a win against UGA likely means a playoff berth but they got destroyed by UGA.
  • Mizzou - 2007/2013 - In both cases, Mizzou was in the national title game with a win in the conference championship game. They ended up losing to Oklahoma and 2007 and Auburn in 2013.
  • South Carolina - 2013 - South Carolina had 3 straight 11-2 seasons from 2011-2013. IMO, their closest was in 2013 (like Mizzou) where they beat Mizzou in Columbia but lost to Georgia and then choked against Tennessee, losing on a FG on the last play. A win there puts them against Auburn in the SECCG with a win from there taking them to the NCG
  • Texas AM - 2020 - Texas AM ended 5th in 2020, their only loss to Alabama. They’ve had some other good seasons but that was the closest they came.
  • Mississippi State - 2014 - This season led to everyones favorite trivia question “who was ranked #1 in the first CFP rankings?” as Miss State got all the way to 1. However, a few losses down the stretch to Bama and Ole Miss meant no playoffs.
  • Ole Miss - 2014 - Ole Miss got up to number 3 in both 2014 and 2015. I’ll pick 2014 where they started 7-0 with a win over Bama, before 3 straight SEC losses (with a cupcake win sprinkled in the middle) saw their playoff hopes dissapear. In particular, the Auburn game featured the most brutal play I’ve ever seen where Laquon Treadwell broke his leg and, as a result, fumbled on the half yard line right as it looked like Ole Miss would take the lead with 2 min to go.
  • Kentucky - 2018 - had a good 2018, going 10-3 and getting up to 9 in the CFP poll at one point. 2021 saw another double digit win season but they weren’t able to rise as high as 2018
  • Arkansas - 2011 - The Razorbacks, having the unfortunate reality of being in the SEC West, went 11-2 in 2011, getting up to #3 in the polls and finishing at #5. They were 3rd in their division.
  • Vanderbilt - 2008 - I picked the season where they got to 13th, their highest rank, before finishing the year 7-6. Also they had a couple 9 win seasons.