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There's no debate among Florida State fans: the Seminoles are among the nation's all-time best programs in college football history. Where they land if you were to rank them, though, is the talk of endless debate. Is Bobby Bowden better than, say, Bear Bryant? Perchance.
The endless debate didn't stop a team of USA TODAY sportswriters from trying to rank FSU among the 25 best programs. FSU debuted as the No. 18-best program in their rankings, behind both in-state rivals Florida (No. 14) and Miami (No. 9).
They described FSU as such:
FSU does not have the century-plus history of other schools in the region, having a football program that only dates to 1954. But legendary coach Bobby Bowden built the program into a household name, and the Seminoles arriving in the ACC proved mutually beneficial to both institution and conference, elevating the league’s profile in the sport while keeping FSU was one of the leaders in the national conversation. Success has been difficult to grasp after Jimbo Fisher's departure, but the program still has the cachet needed to be national contenders.
The Seminoles are ahead of Brigham Young, Nebraska, Auburn, Washington, Mississippi, Iowa, and SMU. Just ahead of them are the recent national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers, as well as Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Clemson.
No. 18 feels low for a program with three national championships, and while people may point to Bowden's lack of strength of schedule in having to face "soft" ACC schedules for years, it's not like Texas A&M has done anything of note as of late.
Is a one-and-done playoff appearance really enough to move the needle in saying A&M is better than a three-time national champion? Unlikely.
Nevertheless, the Seminoles are, and remain, a powerhouse in college football, even if the recent results on the field don't really show it.
Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of FSU news, notes, and opinions. Jacob Smith is a contributor for FSU Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.
This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: See where FSU ranks all-time among college football programs
