As noted, it is very difficult to separate many of these Programs. They all can make cases to be ranked higher, but in the end, a call has to be made. So.........................
#4 - THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS
The Oklahoma Sooners began playing the game of College Football in 1895, and have a 788-300-53 record in that time. That is good for a .714 winning percentage, currently 5th all time, and the 788 wins are the 8th most in NCAA history.
OU has won a total of 41 Conference titles.....
2 Southwest Conference Titles in 1915 and 1918
1 Missouri Valley in 1920
32 Big 8 Crowns between 1938 and 1987
6 Big 12 Titles between 2000 and 2008
Oklahoma also officially claims seven National Titles...........................
1950 10-1 Bud Wilkinson
1955 11-0 Bud Wilkinson
1956 11-0 Bud Wilkinson
1974 11-0 Barry Switzer
1975 11-1 Barry Switzer
1985 11-1 Barry switzer
2000 13-0 Bob Stoops
Oklahoma also was named national Champion by at least one non-AP or UPI selector in the following years.............
1949 11-0
1953 9-1-1
1957 10-1
1967 10-1
1973 10-0-1
1978 11-1
1980 10-2
1986 11-1
After examing these 8 "Others", I feel the only claim with real merit is 1949, where an 11-0 Oklahoma team was passed over to name a 10-0 Notre Dame wire service Champions.
Oklahoma has been blessed with many great players, some of which include..................
Kurt Burris, Greg Pruitt, Josh Heupel, Adrian Peterson, JC Watts, The Boz, Tommy McDonald, Jason White, Steve Owens, Tinker Owens, The Selmon Brothers, Greg Roberts, Rocky Calmus, Tony Casillas, and many, many others.
Oklahoma has produced 5 Heisman Trophy winners - Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims, Jason White, and Sam Bradford. OU also has produced 5 runners up in Kurt Burris, Greg Pruitt, Billy Sims, Josh Heupel, and Adrian Peterson.
Many feel that Billy Sims should have joined Archie Griffin as two-time winners, but Sims bid to repeat fell just short as he was second in 1979.
Coaching Greats..............
Bennie Owen 1905-1926 122-54-16 .677
Snorter Luster 1941-1945 27-18-3 .594
Bud Wilkinson 1947-1963 145-29-4 .826
Chuck Fairbanks 1967-1972 52-15-1 .772
Barry Switzer 1973-1988 157-29-4 .837
Bob Stoops Current (10th year) 109-24-0 .820
Some noteworthy Oklahoma facts ...................................
Most weeks ranked #1 in the BCS with 18 weeks
Most weeks ranked in top 5 in the BCS with 38
Oklahoma holds the NCAA record for most consecutive victories with 47.
Oklahoma also has the most points scored in the history of NCAA football with 30,474 through the 2008 regular season (Michigan is second with 29,590)
Oklahoma has the most rushing yards in a season with 5,635 in 1971, which is 470 yards per game (12 games)
Oklahoma holds the NCAA record for the most points scored in a single season with 702 points through 12 games in the 2008–2009 season.
Oklahoma holds the record for scoring 60 or more points for 5 consecutive games
Some Oklahoma History, traditions, and facts............................
Crimson and Cream
The official school colors of crimson and cream became official about a century ago and you can still see those colors worn proudly by Sooner athletes and fans alike on gamedays or when they want to show their love for the university.
In the fall of 1895, Miss May Overstreet, the only woman on the faculty, was asked to chair a committee to select the colors of the university. The committee decided the colors should be crimson and cream and an elaborate display of the colors was draped above a platform before the student body. The student body approved with great enthusiasm and immediately pennants, banners, badges and decorations of every description appeared on the streets, in the windows, at chapel, in classrooms, and all public places; however, local merchants could not supply the demand.
Even though the school colors have evolved to red and white over the years, you can ask any self-respecting Sooner what the colors are and they will proudly announce “Crimson and Cream.”
On gamedays, a sea of crimson rolls through OU’s home arenas and all Sooners are urged to wear the official colors to show the rest of the country what school spirit and Sooner Pride is all about.
OU Mascot
The University of Oklahoma mascot has evolved through the years and the mascots involved just adds to the lore of Soonerdom. Though the different mascots were completely different from each other, make no mistake: They were all Sooners.
Mex ... OU’s First Mascot
During OU football and baseball games from 1915-1928, Mex the Dog wore a red sweater with a big red letter “O” on the side. One of his main jobs was to keep stray dogs from roaming the field during a game in the days when the football field was more accessible to non-ticketholders. Before his career as a mascot, Mex was just a helpless “dog waif.” Then, a U.S. Army field hospital medic found him in Mexico in 1914 during the Mexican Revolution unrest. Mott Keys was stationed along the Mexican border near Laredo, Texas, and found the dog among a litter of abandoned pups one night on the Mexican side.
Mex was adopted by Keys’ company, and when Keys finished his duty and moved to Hollis, Oklahoma, he took Mex. He later attended OU and Mex followed him again. At OU, Mex’s experience as an Army medic company mascot landed him the job with the football team and a home in the Kappa Sigma fraternity house. He quickly became Oklahoma’s most famous dog. “A joyous staccato bark cheered Sooner touchdowns” at football games and a “victory woof” punctuated home runs at baseball games. But Mex began to gain national attention in October of 1924 after OU lost a game to Drake University 28-0. The Sooners also lost Mex.
Mex did not board the train heading home in Arkansas City, Kansas. Rumors spread across the Missouri Valley, the conference OU played in at the time, that Mex was returning to attack the Drake Bulldogs and avenge the loss. A 50-cent reward was offered, and Mex was found by upset OU graduates J.D. Hull, Hughes B. Davis and J.C. Henley. Mex was discovered pacing in the train station platform in Arkansas City. The men drove Mex to the next Saturday game at Stillwater. After Mex was once poisoned by non-Sooner fans, the dog learned to eat only from the hands of his caretakers. Mex died of old age on April 30, 1928 and he was so popular among students and faculty that the university closed for his funeral and procession on May 2, 1928. He was buried in a small casket somewhere under the existing stadium.
Little Red
On April 17, 1970, President Hollomon banished Little Red, the unofficial mascot who danced on the sidelines of Owen Field. Although he was never the official OU mascot, the Indian dancer had become a traditional part of the games since the 1940s.
Sooner Schooner
The Sooner Schooner is a Conestoga, or covered wagon, reminiscent of the mode of travel of the pioneers who settled in Oklahoma. The Schooner is powered by matching white ponies named Boomer and Sooner and ventures onto Owen Field as a triumphant victory ride after OU scores. Although the Schooner was introduced in 1964, it did not become the official mascot until 1980. Besides being a constant part of gamedays, the Schooner is well-recognized by college football fans across the country and it also makes regular appearances at university functions.
What is a "Sooner"?
College sports fans are hard-pressed to find a nickname that is as unique and as tied-in to a state's history as a Sooner. The University of Oklahoma is the only school known as Sooners and those who claim that they are Sooners say it with pride.
The Oklahoma territory opened with the Land Run of 1889. Settlers from across the globe, seeking free land, made their way to the prairies of the plains to stake their claim to a new life. One of the few rules to claiming a lot of land was that all participants were to start at the same time, on the boom of a cannon. All settlers who started then were labeled as "Boomers" and the ones who went too soon were called "Sooners."
OU athletic teams were called either Rough Riders or Boomers for 10 years before the current Sooner nickname emerged in 1908. The university actually derived their name from a pep club called “The Sooner Rooters.”
The success of University of Oklahoma athletic teams over the years have made the nickname synonymous with winning.
Fight Song "Boomer Sooner"
It is clear to see that the last line of the yell was used to make the first verse of “Boomer Sooner,” and is one of the most recognizable college fight songs in the country. It is performed by The Pride of Oklahoma (the OU marching band) at most Sooner athletic events and immediately evokes enthusiasm from OU fans and sends chills down the spines of those who dare to oppose them.
In 1905, Arthur M. Alden, a student in history and physiology whose father was a Norman jeweler, wrote the lyrics to the fight song, borrowing the tune from Yale University’s “Boola Boola” but improvising the words. A year later, an addition was made to it from North Carolina’s “I’m a Tarheel Born” and the two combined from the university’s fight song today.
Though the tune was first made known by Yale, the everlasting success of Sooner squads have taken the melody of “Boomer Sooner” to national popularity.
Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner, OK U!
Oklahoma, Oklahoma
Oklahoma, Oklahoma
Oklahoma, Oklahoma
Oklahoma, OK U!
I’m a Sooner-born and Sooner-bred
and when I die, I’ll be Sooner-dead
Rah Oklahoma, Rah Oklahoma
Rah Oklahoma, OK U!
Mascots, per Wikki..........................
Oklahoma has had several mascots. The first was a Boston terrier named Mex. Mex was a stray dog found in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution by Mott Keys, an army hospital medic.[51] Keys' company adopted the dog and Keys took the dog back to Hollis, Oklahoma when he completed his duty. When Keys was enrolled in the University, he took Mex with him to Norman. With his experience as an army medic, Keys landed a job with the football team and a residence at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house.[51] Mex's main duty during games was to keep stray dogs from roaming the field. He wore a red sweater with a big "O" letter on the side. Mex received national attention in October 1924 when the Oklahoma football team lost a game against Drake University. Mex was lost when the team boarded a train in Arkansas City, Kansas. The media blamed the loss on the field on the loss of their mascot.[52] Mex was found later by two Oklahoma graduates. Mex died of old age on April 30, 1928. The campus was closed and classes were canceled on the day of his funeral. He was buried in a casket somewhere under the stadium.[51]
The Sooner Schooner on the field during a football game.Never an official mascot, Little Red began appearing at games in 1953. He was an Indian who wore red tights, breech cloth and a war bonnet and was portrayed by Randy Palmer.[51] In April 1970, Little Red was banished by Oklahoma president J. Herbet Hollomon. The student court issued a temporary restraining order to keep Little Red from appearing at Sooner games.[51] Despite this order, Palmer showed up as Little Red for the 1970 season opener where he was met with cheers from the crowd. When Palmer was drafted after the 1971 season, no one showed up for try-outs to replace him.[51]
The current mascot for Oklahoma is the Sooner Schooner, a conestoga wagon similar to the primary method of transportation used by early settlers in Oklahoma.[52] The Schooner is driven by two white ponies named Boomer and Sooner. In 2005, the university also introduced two costumed mascots also named Boomer and Sooner to serve as mascots for football games and events that do not permit a covered wagon.[52]
Some Oklahoma Photos............................
Bud Wilkinson
Wilkinson victory ride
The Bootleggers Boy
Switzer and Jack Mildren
An emphatic Stoops
Greg Pruitt on SI cover
The Boz
Billy Sims SI cover
The Sooner Schooner
Schooner x2
The Boston Terrier Mex
OU Blonde
OU Cheerleaders
OU flexibility
Hubba Hubba
Another Blonde
Nice Pair
Oklahoma, like all the Top 10, has an outstanding tradition, and could make a case to be ranked even higher. Suffice to say another National Championship in the near future will be enough to bump them up one or more spots - but that holds true for several teams recently listed.
Still, a #4 rating, just a hair from #3, is one to be proud of, so.........................
BOOMER SOONER TO YA
at everyone agreeing with this poll until their team isn't #1 and then they start questioning the rankings basis.
It's one man's opinion.I guess we also need to know how you break down the eras. Personally, I think there are four in general. That from the start into the 1950s. The second being from the 60s into the 70s. The third the 80s and 90s. The fourth the BCS crap we have now.ETA: I take back my statement about a single team winning in all the eras....Oklahoma's done it. One in each (as I have them defined above)
I thought you liked the BCS?
There's always one.
ETA: Holy crap...NM...I missed Texas at #7 
<_< BOO!!! 
