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College football: These 10 surprising teams were once the nation’s AP No. 1

By John Scimeca

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23: Perris Jones #2 of the Virginia Cavaliers scores a touchdown as Alijah Clark #10 of the Syracuse Orange tackles him during the third quarter at JMA Wireless Dome on September 23, 2022 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23: Perris Jones #2 of the Virginia Cavaliers scores a touchdown as Alijah Clark #10 of the Syracuse Orange tackles him during the third quarter at JMA Wireless Dome on September 23, 2022 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /
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IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 16: Fullback Monte Pottebaum #38 of the Iowa Hawkeyes goes up the field during the first half against defensive tackle Lawrence Johnson #90 of the Purdue Boilermakers at Kinnick Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 16: Fullback Monte Pottebaum #38 of the Iowa Hawkeyes goes up the field during the first half against defensive tackle Lawrence Johnson #90 of the Purdue Boilermakers at Kinnick Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

6. Iowa

The 1985 Hawkeyes reached the nation’s No. 1 spot in the AP polls, only to finish the year with a 10-2 record and a loss in the Rose Bowl. That team was ranked college football’s No. 1 for five straight weeks until a 22-13 loss to Ohio State to start the month of November.

Iowa is normally viewed as a Big Ten program that is solid, if unspectacular. The Hawkeyes haven’t necessarily kept up with the bigger Big Ten teams and tend to lose between 3-5 games per season while churning out several NFL Draft prospects each spring.

Just two short seasons ago, however, the Hawkeyes reached the nation’s No. 2 spot in the AP poll after defeating ranked opponents in Indiana, Iowa State, and Penn State — only to fall apart in a 24-7 loss to Purdue and a 27-7 loss to Wisconsin the following week. Iowa’s defense would rank 13th in the nation in terms of points allowed (19.2 points per game), but the offense struggled mightily, failing to score more than 17 points in five different games.

5. Purdue

The 1968 Boilermakers began the college football season with the nation’s No. 1 ranking after going 8-2 the previous year. Purdue lived up to the billing for several weeks, including a defeat of No. 2 Notre Dame in Week 2. The good times didn’t last, though, as the Boilermakers lost 13-0 to Ohio State just two weeks later.

The relative success of the Purdue program in years past is contrasted with today: the Boilermakers haven’t finished in the AP Top 25 since 2003. In the two decades since that year, Purdue has eclipsed the eight-win mark only once (in 2021).

Since 2003, Purdue has compiled a 65-100 mark against fellow Big Ten opponents (only a 39.4% winning percentage). This win-loss mark is worse than nine other conference programs, including Northwestern and Minnesota.

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