Even with the proliferation of bowl games in recent years, earning a bowl invitation is still a big deal for most college football programs.
Of course, winning a bowl game is even better. Here’s a quick look at the college teams that have the most victories in bowl games.
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10. (Tie). Georgia Tech, LSU, Ole Miss (23 bowl wins)
No real surprises here, given the rich history of football at all three schools. However, the Rebels have been virtually unbeatable in bowl games in recent history, winning in 10 of 11 bowl appearances dating to 1992. Ole Miss' all-time bowl game winning percentage of .657 (23-12) is second only to USC (.660) among teams with 20 or more bowl appearances.
9. Nebraska (24 bowl wins)
The Cornhuskers are great at getting bowl invitations, not so good at taking home the trophy. The Huskers’ all-time postseason record is 24-25.
7. (Tie). Florida State, Tennessee (25 bowl wins)
It’s remarkable the Seminoles are on this list, given the school didn’t begin playing football until 1954. Florida State has appeared in a bowl every season since 1982 and the Seminoles have won 24 of those 33 games.
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4. (Tie). Georgia, Penn State, Texas (27 bowl wins)
It’s worth noting the NCAA vacated six of Penn State’s 27 all-time bowl victories in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
3. Oklahoma (28 bowl wins)
Coach Bob Stoops can earn his ninth bowl victory if the Sooners beat Clemson on Dec. 29 in the Russell Athletic Bowl. That would be more bowl victories than any other Oklahoma coach, including legends Barry Switzer (8 bowl wins), Bud Wilkinson (6) and Chuck Fairbanks (3).
2. USC (33 bowl wins)
Not surprisingly, 24 of those victories have come in the Rose Bowl, basically a home game for the Trojans. As noted in No. 10, the Trojans’ .660 winning percentage (33-17) is the best for teams with 20 or more bowl appearances.
1. Alabama (35 bowl wins)
You may be surprised to know that Bear Bryant only has 12 of those 35 bowl wins. The legendary coach was 12-10-2 mark in postseason play.
Now, for some condolences: Many fans undoubtedly read this far, expecting to see their favorite team near the top of this list. Yet here we are at No. 1, and some longtime college heavyweights are nowhere to be found. Auburn is next on this list, with 22 bowl victories, followed by Florida, Michigan and Ohio State (20 wins). But several other storied programs are not even close, including Notre Dame and UCLA (15 bowl victories) and Wisconsin (11 wins).
Editor’s note: Victory totals include total bowl victories and do not reflect adjusted totals for bowl wins that were later vacated by the NCAA.
Source: www.sports-reference