Which team in each conference would surprise people the most with their history?

that it has been selected as a national champion by a "major selector" as determined by the Official NCAA Records Book and out of 16 seasons that it has been named the National Champion by at least one selector according to research by the College Football Data Warehouse.

2008 NCAA Division I Records Book, pgs. 76–81, accessdate=2009-01-08

College Football Data Warehouse: Pittsburgh All National Championships: Pittsburgh Total National Championships, accessdate=2009-04-08

The university bases its claim for the first eight national championships on a study conducted in 1970 by Sports Illustrated.

Borghetti, E.J.; Nestor, Mendy; Welsh, Celeste, eds. (2008). 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Pittsburgh. p. 156. (i can get the PDF if you'd like?)

Jenkins, Dan (September 11, 1967). "This Year The Fight Will Be In The Open". Sports Illustrated. Chicago. 27 (11): 30–33.

These championships, together with its unanimous championship of 1976, are the basis for the university's claim of nine national championship seasons. Combining CFBDW research with the Official NCAA RecordsBook and Sports Illustrated study, Pitt has been recognized as the National Champion by at least one selector in 17 different seasons.

Note: The total of 17 National Championship season selections is arrived at by combining the 16 seasons listed by College Football Data Warehouse plus the 1934 Parke Davis selection listed by Sports Illustrated and claimed by Pitt.

So okay, I was off by 2. My bad.

The 16 seasons that Pitt was selected as a National Champion by at least one selector according to CFBDW research include:

1910 • 1915 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 1925 • 1927 • 1929 • 1931 • 1933 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1976 • 1980 • 1981

or to put it another way.

Total unique seasons Seventeen 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1976, 1980, 1981

this one as defined by the CFDW, College Football Data Warehouse

Claimed by Pitt Nine 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976

/r/CFB Thread Parent