Conference names and participating teams have varied greatly over the years. We will be looking at the current Big Ten teams for this discussion today.
Of the top 150 teams in college football history, current Big Ten schools make the list 31 times. The first question any Ohio State supporter is going to ask is “who had more appearances: The Buckeyes or the team up north?” Ohio State and Michigan each appear on the list 6 times. Of the 14 teams currently in the Big Ten, all but four appear at least once. The four without an appearance on the list are Illinois, Indiana, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. The school with the MOST appearances within the Big Ten was Nebraska with eight.
Nebraska (#5, #7), Ohio State (#8) and Michigan (#9) each make an appearance in the top 10. Penn State (#16) falls just outside the top 15. Ohio State (#18), Michigan (#19), and Nebraska (#23) each make an additional appearance within the top 25.
Here is the complete list of the Big Ten teams ranked among the best:
#5 – Nebraska (1995)
#7 – Nebraska (1971)
#8 – Michigan (1943)
#9 – Ohio State (1944)
#16 – Penn State (1994)
#18 – Ohio State (1973)
#19 – Michigan (1947)
#23 – Nebraska (1997)
#32 – Ohio State (1996)
#34 – Michigan (1948)
#39 – Northwestern (1943)
#45 – Michigan State (1952)
#50 – Maryland (1951)
#58 – Nebraska (1970)
#60 – Purdue (1943)
#66 – Ohio State (1954)
#67 – Michigan (1944)
#68 – Nebraska (1994)
#88 – Penn State (1982)
#89 – Ohio State (1998)
#94 – Nebraska (1993)
#103 – Nebraska (1996)
#108 – Michigan (1973)
#109 – Minnesota (1934)
#110 – Penn State (1973)
#112 – Minnesota (1940)
#115 – Nebraska (1982)
#126 – Ohio State (2014)
#138 – Michigan (1940)
#139 – Iowa (1960)
#146 – Minnesota (1949)
Let’s take a closer look at some of the greatest Ohio State teams of all time.