22 Straight FBS National Champions
Were Top-10 Recruiting Superpowers

By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network

During college football’s national signing period each year, as plenty of fanatics immerse themselves in the increasingly high-tech drama and even some New Year’s Eve-style celebrations, many skeptical fans shrug their shoulders in disinterest, others in disdain.

If those folks tell you that there are plenty of five-star high school recruits who flop at the college level, or that there are lots of less heralded prep players who become college stars, offer your agreement and/or congratulations. On those claims, the recruiting skeptics are certainly correct.

However, recent history suggests that if you throw recruiting rankings out the window entirely, you will end up looking clueless in the process.

The last 22 national champions in college football (see chart below) all had at least one top-10 recruiting class on their rosters when they won it all, and 21 of the 22 had multiple top-10 classes on hand as they raised the trophy.

Those are just a couple of cute little factoids, and they certainly don’t guarantee any team future success, but they’re worthy of everyone’s consideration as a foundational element at least once a year.

College Football’s National Champions (2001-22)
Year Champion, Head Coach — Previous Four Class Rankings
2022 Georgia, Kirby Smart — #2, #1, #4, #3 (2019-22)
2021 Georgia, Kirby Smart — #1, #2, #1, #4 (2018-21)
2020 Alabama, Nick Saban — #1, #5, #1, #2 (2017-20)
2019 LSU, Ed Orgeron — #2, #7, #15, #5 (2016-19)
2018 Clemson, Dabo Swinney — #9, #11, #16, #7 (2015-18)
2017 Alabama, Nick Saban — #1, #1, #1, #1 (2014-17)
2016 Clemson, Dabo Swinney — #15, #16, #9, #11 (2013-16)
2015 Alabama, Nick Saban — #1, #1, #1, #1 (2012-15)
2014 Ohio State, Urban Meyer — #6, #5, #2, #3 (2011-14)
2013 Florida State, Jimbo Fisher — #8, #2, #4, #11 (2010-13)
2012 Alabama, Nick Saban — #3, #4, #1, #1 (2009-12)
2011 Alabama, Nick Saban — #3, #3, #4, #1 (2008-11)
2010 Auburn, Gene Chizik — #9, #21, #23, #6 (2007-10)
2009 Alabama, Nick Saban — #13, #12, #3, #3 (2006-09)
2008 Florida, Urban Meyer — #12, #2, #1, #5 (2005-08)
2007 LSU, Les Miles — #4, #14, #8, #5 (2004-07)
2006 Florida, Urban Meyer — #1, #5, #12, #2 (2003-06)
2005 Texas, Mack Brown — #1, #8, #9, #13 (2002-05)
2004 Southern Cal*, Pete Carroll — #20, #8, #2, #2 (2001-04)
2003 LSU, Nick Saban — #21, #2, #21, #3 (2000-03)
2002 Ohio State, Jim Tressel — #1, #9, #6, #4 (1999-2002)
2001 Miami, Larry Coker — NA, #1, #7, #8 (1998-2001)

*-vacated (Southern Cal also claims a shared national title in 2003)
Source: 247Sports Composite Team Rankings

Obviously, players still need to be coached, retained and developed for recruiting success to translate into on-the-field success.

At the same time, there’s no avoiding the top-10 recruiting theme behind every FBS national champion of the 21st century … so far.

If #1 Michigan wins this year’s national title game (Monday, 7:30 pm, ESPN), the streak will continue. The Wolverines’ most recent recruiting classes were ranked #8 (2019), #10 (2020), #13 (2021), #9 (2022) and #17 (2023).

If #2 Washington (a five-point underdog) wins it all, this amazing streak finally will end. The Huskies’ most recent recruiting classes were ranked #15 (2019), #16 (2020), #30 (2021), #95 (2022) and #26 (2023).

Three Atlantic Coast Conference programs have had top-10 recruiting classes since 2020: Clemson (#3 in 2020, #5 in 2021, #10 in 2022), Florida State (#10 in 2024) and Miami (#7 in 2023, #4 in 2024).

The Class of 2024 recruiting rankings are not yet final because many high school seniors and major college transfers have not yet made their decisions.