How many elite wins did you get? Who came up with the really, really big victories that make a season? Here are the 1-130 rankings of the teams with FBS wins over the strongest and best teams each season.
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Who got the true difference-making, season-defining wins over the last five years? Who came up with the most elite wins?
In the CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, an Elite Win is a victory over an FBS team that finished with two losses or fewer, or three losses or fewer on the road, neutral site game, conference championship or bowl game. An extra 0.5 is added on to the Elite Win score when a team comes up with a road victory or in a bowl game over a team that finished with two losses or fewer.
As you’ll notice, it’s really, really hard to get a win over a great team – that’s why they’re Elite Wins.
T72 Air Force
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T72 Akron
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Arizona
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
– CFN Preview 2020: Previewing all 130 teams
T72 Ball State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Boston College
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Bowling Green
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Buffalo
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 California
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Charlotte
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Cincinnati
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Coastal Carolina
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 East Carolina
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Eastern Michigan
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 FIU
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Georgia State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Georgia Tech
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T72 Illinois
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Kansas
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Kent State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Liberty
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Louisiana
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Louisiana Tech
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Louisville
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Maryland
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Miami Univ.
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Middle Tennessee
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 NC State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 New Mexico
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 New Mexico State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 North Texas
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Ohio
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Old Dominion
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Oregon State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Rice
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Rutgers
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 San Jose State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 SMU
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Southern Miss
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
– CFN Preview: Ranking all head coaches by conference
T72 Texas A&M
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Texas State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Texas Tech
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Toledo
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Tulane
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Tulsa
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 UAB
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 ULM
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 UMass
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 UNLV
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 USF
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Utah
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T72 UTEP
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 UTSA
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 Vanderbilt
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
– CFN Preview 2020: Previewing all 130 teams
T72 Virginia Tech
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T72 Wake Forest
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T72 West Virginia
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T72 WKU
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T72 Wyoming
5-Year Elite Win Total: 0
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
NEXT: 5 Year Program Analysis Top 71 in Elite Wins
2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis: Elite Win Rankings Top 71
T41 Arizona State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 Oregon)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 Army
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2017 San Diego State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 BYU
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 Boise State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 Central Michigan
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at Oklahoma State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T41 Colorado
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at Stanford)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Colorado State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at San Diego State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Duke
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2018 Army)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Florida
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2018 Michigan)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Florida Atlantic
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 SMU)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 Hawaii
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at Air Force)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Indiana
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 WKU)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T41 Kentucky
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at Florida)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
– CFN Preview: Preseason ranking of all 130 teams
T41 Marshall
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 at Florida Atlantic)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Memphis
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 Navy)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 Mississippi State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 Louisiana)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 Missouri
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2018 at Florida)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Nebraska
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 Michigan State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Nevada
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 at San Diego State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 North Carolina
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at Florida State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Northwestern
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 Stanford)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Oklahoma State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 TCU)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Purdue
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2018 Ohio State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 San Diego State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2018 at Boise State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Syracuse
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2017 Clemson)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 TCU
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2017 at Oklahoma State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Tennessee
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 Northwestern)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Troy
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2018 at Georgia Southern)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 UCLA
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 at Utah)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T41 UConn
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2015 Houston)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Utah State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2019 at San Diego State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T41 Virginia
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2017 at Boise State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T41 Washington State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1 (2016 at Stanford)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T34 Iowa State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1.5 (2017 at Oklahoma)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T34 Northern Illinois
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1.5 (2015 at Toledo)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T34 Pitt
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1.5 (2016 at Clemson)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T34 South Carolina
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1.5 (2019 at Georgia)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T71
T34 Stanford
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1.5 (2015 Iowa)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T18
– CFN Preview: Pac-12 Preseason Rankings
T34 Western Michigan
5-Year Elite Win Total: 1.5 (2015 at Toledo)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T26 Appalachian State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 3 (2018 at Louisiana, 2017 Toledo)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T26 Arkansas
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2015 at Ole Miss, at LSU)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T26 Fresno State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2018 Boise State, 2017 at San Diego State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T26 Kansas State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2019 Oklahoma, 2017 at Oklahoma State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T26 Miami
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2016 at Appalachian State, West Virginia)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T26 Minnesota
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2019 Penn State, 2018 Fresno State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T26 Navy
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2019 Navy, 2017 at Florida Atlantic)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T26 Temple
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2 (2019 Memphis, 2016 USF)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
NEXT: 5 Year Program Analysis Top 25 in Elite Wins
2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis: Elite Win Rankings
T19 Arkansas State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2016 at Troy, 2015 at Appalachian State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T18
T19 Florida State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2015 at USF, Michigan)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T14
T19 Georgia Southern
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2019 at Appalachian State, 2018 Appalachian State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T41
T19 Ole Miss
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2015 at Alabama, Oklahoma State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: 11
– CFN Preview: SEC Preseason Rankings
T19 Oregon
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2019 Utah, 2015 at Stanford)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T8
T19 South Alabama
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2017 at Troy, 2015 at San Diego State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T18
T19 Washington
5-Year Elite Win Total: 2.5 (2019 Boise State, 2018 at Washington State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T33
T17 Baylor
5-Year Elite Win Total: 3 (2016 Boise State, 2015 at Oklahoma State, North Carolina)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T12
T17 UCF
5-Year Elite Win Total: 3 (2019 at Florida Atlantic, 2017 USF, Memphis)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
16 USC
5-Year Elite Win Total: 3.5 (2018 Washington State, 2016 at Washington, Penn State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T14
T12 Auburn
5-Year Elite Win Total: 4 (2019 Oregon, Alabama, 2017 Georgia, Alabama)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
T12 Iowa
5-Year Elite Win Total: 4 (2019 Minnesota, 2017 Ohio State, 2015 at Wisconsin, at Northwestern)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T16
– CFN Preview: Big Ten Preseason Rankings
T12 Notre Dame
5-Year Elite Win Total: 4 (2019 Navy, 2018 Syracuse, 2017 at Michigan State, 2015 Navy)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T16
T12 Wisconsin
5-Year Elite Win Total: 4 (2019 at Minnesota, 2017 Miami, 2016 Western Michigan)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T18
11 Houston
5-Year Elite Win Total: 4.5 (2017 at USF, 2016 Oklahoma, 2015 Navy, Florida State)
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T6
NEXT: 5 Year Program Analysis Top Ten in Elite Wins
2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis: Elite Win Rankings
In the CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, an Elite Win is a victory over an FBS team that finished with two losses or fewer, or three losses or fewer on the road, neutral site game, conference championship or bowl game. An extra 0.5 is added on to the Elite Win score when a team comes up with a road victory or in a bowl game over a team that finished with two losses or fewer.
10 Texas
5-Year Elite Win Total: 5
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T12
2019: Utah (Alamo)
2018: Oklahoma, Georgia (Sugar)
2017: None
2016: None
2015: Oklahoma, at Baylor
9 Michigan State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 5.5
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: 5
2019: None
2018: Utah State
2017: Penn State
2016: None
2015: at Michigan, at Ohio State, Iowa (Big Ten Championship)
8 Boise State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 6
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T8
2019: Air Force
2018: at Troy, Fresno State, Utah State
2017: Troy, at San Diego State
2016: None
2015: None
T6 Georgia
5-Year Elite Win Total: 7
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T6
2019: Notre Dame, Florida, Baylor (Sugar Bowl)
2018: Florida, at Kentucky
2017: at Notre Dame, Oklahoma (Rose Bowl)
2016: None
2015: None
T6 Penn State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 7
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T8
2019: at Iowa, Memphis (Cotton)
2018: Appalachian State
2017: at Northwestern, Washington (Fiesta)
2016: Ohio State, Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship)
2015: None
5 Ohio State
5-Year Elite Win Total: 8.5
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: 1
2019: Penn State
2018: None
2017: Penn State, Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship), USC (Cotton)
2016: at Oklahoma, at Wisconsin
2015: at Michigan, Notre Dame (Fiesta)
4 LSU
5-Year Elite Win Total: 9
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T22
2019: Florida, at Alabama, Georgia (SEC Championship), Oklahoma (Peach Bowl), Clemson (College Football Playoff National Championship)
2018: UCF (Fiesta Bowl)
2017: None
2016: None
2015: WKU
3 Oklahoma
5-Year Elite Win Total: 10.5
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: 4
2019: at Baylor, Baylor (Big 12 Championship)
2018: Army
2017: at Ohio State, at Oklahoma State, TCU (Big 12 Championship)
2016: at West Virginia
2015: TCU, at Oklahoma State
– CFN Preview: Big 12 Preseason Rankings
2 Clemson
5-Year Elite Win Total: 13
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T2
2019: Ohio State (Fiesta)
2018: Notre Dame (Cotton), Alabama (College Football Playoff National Championship)
2017: Miami (ACC Championship)
2016: at Florida State, Ohio State (Fiesta), Alabama (College Football Playoff National Championship)
2015: Appalachian State, North Carolina (ACC Championship), Oklahoma (Orange)
– CFN Preview: SEC Preseason Rankings
1 Alabama
5-Year Elite Win Total: 14
2019 Elite Win Total Ranking: T2
2019: None
2018: at LSU, Georgia (SEC Championship), Oklahoma (Orange Bowl)
2017: Clemson (Sugar), Georgia (CFP Championship)
2016: USC, Washington (Peach)
2015: Wisconsin, at Georgia, Michigan State (Cotton), Clemson (College Football Playoff National Championship)
