With all of the talk of who is deserving of a playoff spot in the current 4-team field, whether the CFP should expand to 8 teams, etc., I did some research this afternoon and didn't want it to all go to waste. Wasn't sure whether to include ties pre-1996, so I marked them with asterisks. Check out 1992 Michigan: 3 ties!
I know, records don't tell the whole story, but here are all of the teams with 1 or fewer losses entering the bowls since and including 1984 (the year BYU won the MNC) ...
2018 (6, including 4 undefeated)
Alabama (13-0)
Clemson (13-0)
Notre Dame (12-0)
Oklahoma (12-1)
Ohio State (12-1)
UCF (12-0)
2017 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Clemson (12-1)
Oklahoma (12-1)
Georgia (12-1)
Alabama (11-1)
Wisconsin (12-1)
UCF (12-0)
2016 (5, including 2 undefeated)
Alabama (13-0)
Clemson (12-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
Washington (12-1)
Western Michigan (13-0)
2015 (7, including 1 undefeated)
Clemson (13-0)
Alabama (12-1)
Michigan State (12-1)
Oklahoma (11-1)
Iowa (12-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
Houston (12-1)
2014 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Alabama (12-1)
Oregon (12-1)
Florida State (13-0)
Ohio State (12-1)
Baylor (11-1)
TCU (11-1)
2013 (8, including 1 undefeated)
Florida State (13-0)
Auburn (12-1)
Alabama (11-1)
Michigan State (12-1)
Baylor (11-1)
UCF (11-1)
Louisville (11-1)
Northern Illinois (12-1)
2012 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Notre Dame (12-0)
Alabama (12-1)
Florida (11-1)
Oregon (11-1)
Kansas State (11-1)
Northern Illinois (12-1)
2011 (6, including 1 undefeated)
LSU (13-0)
Alabama (11-1)
Oklahoma State (11-1)
Stanford (11-1)
Boise State (11-1)
Houston (12-1)
2010 (9, including 2 undefeated)
Auburn (13-0)
Oregon (12-1)
TCU (12-0)
Stanford (11-1)
Wisconsin (11-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
Michigan State (11-1)
Boise State (11-1)
Nevada (12-1)
2009 (6, including 5 undefeated)
Alabama (13-0)
Texas (13-0)
Cincinnati (12-0)
TCU (12-0)
Florida (12-1)
Boise State (13-0)
2008 (10, including 2 undefeated)
Oklahoma (12-1)
Florida (12-1)
Texas (11-1)
Alabama (12-1)
USC (11-1)
Utah (12-0)
Texas Tech (11-1)
Penn State (11-1)
Boise State (12-0)
Ball State (12-1)
2007 (3, including 1 undefeated)
Ohio State (11-1)
Kansas (11-1)
Hawaii (12-0)
Note: A 2-loss LSU played for the national title (didn't lose any games in regulation).
This was the year when nobody seemed to want to win.
2006 (6, including 2 undefeated)
Ohio State (12-0)
Florida (12-1)
Michigan (11-1)
Louisville (11-1)
Wisconsin (11-1)
Boise State (12-0)
2005 (6, including 2 undefeated)
USC (12-0)
Texas (12-0)
Penn State (10-1)
Oregon (10-1)
West Virginia (10-1)
TCU (10-1)
2004 (8, including 5 undefeated)
USC (12-0)
Oklahoma (12-0)
Auburn (12-0)
Texas (10-1)
California (10-1)
Utah (11-0)
Boise State (11-0)
Louisville (10-1)
2003 (6, including ZERO undefeated)
Oklahoma (12-1)
LSU (12-1)
USC (11-1)
Miami (OH) (11-1)
Boise State (12-1)
TCU (11-1)
2002 (5, including 2 undefeated)
Miami (12-0)
Ohio State (13-0)
Georgia (12-1)
Iowa (11-1)
Boise State (11-1)
2001 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Miami (12-0)
Nebraska (11-1)
Oregon (10-1)
Illinois (10-1)
Maryland (10-1)
BYU (12-1)
2000 (8, including 1 undefeated)
Oklahoma (12-0)
Florida State (11-1)
Miami (10-1)
Washington (10-1)
Virginia Tech (10-1)
Oregon State (10-1)
TCU (10-1)
Toledo (10-1)
1999 (5, including 2 undefeated)
Florida State (11-0)
Virginia Tech (11-0)
Nebraska (11-1)
Kansas State (10-1)
Marshall (12-0)
1998 (9, including 1 undefeated)
Tennessee (12-0)
Florida State (11-1)
Ohio State (10-1)
Kansas State (11-1)
UCLA (10-1)
Arizona (11-1)
Wisconsin (10-1)
Tulane (11-0)
Air Force (11-1)
1997 (7, including 2 undefeated)
Michigan (11-0)
Nebraska (12-0)
Tennessee (11-1)
Florida State (10-1)
North Carolina (10-1)
Washington State (10-1)
Kansas State (10-1)
1996 (7, including 2 undefeated)
Florida State (11-0)
Arizona State (11-0)
Florida (11-1)
Ohio State (10-1)
BYU (13-1) (not a typo)
Virginia Tech (10-1)
Army (10-1)
1995 (6 (one with a tie), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Nebraska (11-0)
Florida (12-0)
Northwestern (10-1)
Tennessee (10-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
* Texas (10-1-1)
1994 (9 (three with a tie, Florida and Florida State tied each other), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Nebraska (12-0)
Penn State (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
* Florida (10-1-1)
Colorado (10-1)
Alabama (11-1)
* Florida State (9-1-1)
Colorado State (10-1)
* Auburn (9-1-1)
NOTE: Auburn was on probation.
1993 (8 (three with a tie, Ohio State and Wisconsin tied each other), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Nebraska (11-0)
West Virginia (11-0)
Florida State (11-1)
Notre Dame (10-1)
* Tennessee (9-1-1)
Texas A&M (10-1)
* Wisconsin (9-1-1)
* Ohio State (9-1-1)
Auburn (11-0)
NOTE: Auburn was on probation.
1992 (7 (three with at least 1 tie, Michigan and Notre Dame tied each other), including 3 undefeated and untied (4 undefeated))
Miami (11-0)
Alabama (12-0)
Texas A&M (12-0)
Florida State (10-1)
* Notre Dame (9-1-1)
* Colorado (9-1-1)
* Michigan (8-0-3)
1991 (10 (two with a tie), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Miami (11-0)
Washington (11-0)
Florida (10-1)
Michigan (10-1)
Iowa (10-1)
Alabama (10-1)
Texas A&M (10-1)
* Nebraska (9-1-1)
East Carolina (10-1)
* Clemson (9-1-1)
1990 (5 (three with a tie), including 0 undefeated and untied (1 undefeated))
* Colorado (10-1-1)
* Georgia Tech (10-0-1)
Texas (10-1)
Houston (10-1)
*Louisville (9-1-1)
1989 (8, including 1 undefeated and untied)
Colorado (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
Michigan (10-1)
Notre Dame (11-1)
Nebraska (10-1)
Alabama (10-1)
Tennessee (10-1)
Arkansas (10-1)
1988 (9, including 2 undefeated and untied)
Notre Dame (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
West Virginia (11-0)
Florida State (10-1)
USC (10-1)
Nebraska (11-1)
Auburn (10-1)
Arkansas (10-1)
Wyoming (11-1)
1987 (7 (two with a tie), including 3 undefeated and untied)
Oklahoma (11-0)
Miami (11-0)
Florida State (10-1)
Syracuse (11-0)
Nebraska (10-1)
* Auburn (9-1-1)
* LSU (9-1-1)
1986 (5 (one with a tie), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Miami (11-0)
Penn State (11-0)
Oklahoma (10-1)
Michigan (10-1)
* Arizona State (9-1-1)
1985 (7 (two with a tie), including 1 undefeated and untied)
Penn State (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
Oklahoma (10-1)
Iowa (10-1)
* Michigan (9-1-1)
* Florida (9-1-1)
Air Force (11-1)
1984 (5 (two with a tie), including 1 undefeated and untied)
BYU (12-0)
* Oklahoma (9-1-1)
* Florida (9-1-1)
Washington (10-1)
South Carolina (10-1)
========
SUMMARY
Teams 1 or fewer losses (not counting ties as a loss)
10: 2 times
9: 3 times
8: 5 times
7: 7 times
6: 11 times
5: 6 times
4: 0 times
3: 1 time
2: 0 times
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.71 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.56
Teams 1 or fewer losses (counting ties as a loss)
10: 1 time
9: 3 times
8: 5 times
7: 4 times
6: 10 times
5: 7 times
4: 2 times
3: 2 times
2: 1 time
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.17 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.84
Teams undefeated and untied
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 2 times
4: 1 time
3: 2 times
2: 14 times
1: 14 times
0: 2 times
Average: 1.77 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.14
Teams undefeated (may or may not have a tie)
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 2 times
4: 2 times
3: 1 time
2: 14 times
1: 15 times
0: 1 time
Average: 1.83 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.15
========
There are on average 6 to 7 teams each season that finish with just one loss or less.
Over the 35 seasons I looked at this, there have been a tidy 2 undefeated and untied teams 14 times, but frequently these were a major team and a mid-major team or teams with pre-BCS bowl tie-ins that prevented them from playing each other. Of those 14 times, I found just 5 times that the only two undefeated and untied teams played each other in a bowl or playoff championship:
2005: USC-Texas
2002: Miami-Ohio State
1995: Nebraska-Florida
1988: Notre Dame-West Virginia
1986: Miami-Penn State
None of the above have occurred since the NCAA started permitting all schools to play 12 regular season games in 2006.
=======
Here are the summary numbers starting when the NCAA started permitting all schools to play 12 regular season games (2006-present; 13 seasons):
Teams 1 or fewer losses (not counting ties as a loss)
10: 1 time
9: 1 time
8: 1 time
7: 1 time
6: 7 times
5: 1 time
4: 0 times
3: 1 time
2: 0 times
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.46 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.76
Teams undefeated and untied
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 1 time
4: 1 time
3: 0 times
2: 4 times
1: 7 times
0: 0 times
Average: 1.85 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.28
========
Here are the summary numbers prior to when the NCAA started permitting all schools to play 12 regular season games (1984-2005; 22 seasons):
Teams 1 or fewer losses (not counting ties as a loss)
10: 1 time
9: 2 times
8: 4 times
7: 6 times
6: 4 times
5: 5 times
4: 0 times
3: 0 times
2: 0 times
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.86 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.46
Teams 1 or fewer losses (counting ties as a loss)
10: 0 times
9: 2 times
8: 4 times
7: 3 times
6: 4 times
5: 6 times
4: 2 times
3: 1 time
2: 1 time
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.00 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.90
Teams undefeated and untied
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 1 time
4: 0 times
3: 2 times
2: 10 times
1: 7 times
0: 2 times
Average: 1.73 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.08
Teams undefeated (may or may not have a tie)
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 1 time
4: 1 time
3: 1 time
2: 10 times
1: 8 times
0: 1 time
Average: 1.82 per season
Std. Dev.:1.10
========
I know, records don't tell the whole story, but here are all of the teams with 1 or fewer losses entering the bowls since and including 1984 (the year BYU won the MNC) ...
2018 (6, including 4 undefeated)
Alabama (13-0)
Clemson (13-0)
Notre Dame (12-0)
Oklahoma (12-1)
Ohio State (12-1)
UCF (12-0)
2017 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Clemson (12-1)
Oklahoma (12-1)
Georgia (12-1)
Alabama (11-1)
Wisconsin (12-1)
UCF (12-0)
2016 (5, including 2 undefeated)
Alabama (13-0)
Clemson (12-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
Washington (12-1)
Western Michigan (13-0)
2015 (7, including 1 undefeated)
Clemson (13-0)
Alabama (12-1)
Michigan State (12-1)
Oklahoma (11-1)
Iowa (12-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
Houston (12-1)
2014 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Alabama (12-1)
Oregon (12-1)
Florida State (13-0)
Ohio State (12-1)
Baylor (11-1)
TCU (11-1)
2013 (8, including 1 undefeated)
Florida State (13-0)
Auburn (12-1)
Alabama (11-1)
Michigan State (12-1)
Baylor (11-1)
UCF (11-1)
Louisville (11-1)
Northern Illinois (12-1)
2012 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Notre Dame (12-0)
Alabama (12-1)
Florida (11-1)
Oregon (11-1)
Kansas State (11-1)
Northern Illinois (12-1)
2011 (6, including 1 undefeated)
LSU (13-0)
Alabama (11-1)
Oklahoma State (11-1)
Stanford (11-1)
Boise State (11-1)
Houston (12-1)
2010 (9, including 2 undefeated)
Auburn (13-0)
Oregon (12-1)
TCU (12-0)
Stanford (11-1)
Wisconsin (11-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
Michigan State (11-1)
Boise State (11-1)
Nevada (12-1)
2009 (6, including 5 undefeated)
Alabama (13-0)
Texas (13-0)
Cincinnati (12-0)
TCU (12-0)
Florida (12-1)
Boise State (13-0)
2008 (10, including 2 undefeated)
Oklahoma (12-1)
Florida (12-1)
Texas (11-1)
Alabama (12-1)
USC (11-1)
Utah (12-0)
Texas Tech (11-1)
Penn State (11-1)
Boise State (12-0)
Ball State (12-1)
2007 (3, including 1 undefeated)
Ohio State (11-1)
Kansas (11-1)
Hawaii (12-0)
Note: A 2-loss LSU played for the national title (didn't lose any games in regulation).
This was the year when nobody seemed to want to win.
2006 (6, including 2 undefeated)
Ohio State (12-0)
Florida (12-1)
Michigan (11-1)
Louisville (11-1)
Wisconsin (11-1)
Boise State (12-0)
2005 (6, including 2 undefeated)
USC (12-0)
Texas (12-0)
Penn State (10-1)
Oregon (10-1)
West Virginia (10-1)
TCU (10-1)
2004 (8, including 5 undefeated)
USC (12-0)
Oklahoma (12-0)
Auburn (12-0)
Texas (10-1)
California (10-1)
Utah (11-0)
Boise State (11-0)
Louisville (10-1)
2003 (6, including ZERO undefeated)
Oklahoma (12-1)
LSU (12-1)
USC (11-1)
Miami (OH) (11-1)
Boise State (12-1)
TCU (11-1)
2002 (5, including 2 undefeated)
Miami (12-0)
Ohio State (13-0)
Georgia (12-1)
Iowa (11-1)
Boise State (11-1)
2001 (6, including 1 undefeated)
Miami (12-0)
Nebraska (11-1)
Oregon (10-1)
Illinois (10-1)
Maryland (10-1)
BYU (12-1)
2000 (8, including 1 undefeated)
Oklahoma (12-0)
Florida State (11-1)
Miami (10-1)
Washington (10-1)
Virginia Tech (10-1)
Oregon State (10-1)
TCU (10-1)
Toledo (10-1)
1999 (5, including 2 undefeated)
Florida State (11-0)
Virginia Tech (11-0)
Nebraska (11-1)
Kansas State (10-1)
Marshall (12-0)
1998 (9, including 1 undefeated)
Tennessee (12-0)
Florida State (11-1)
Ohio State (10-1)
Kansas State (11-1)
UCLA (10-1)
Arizona (11-1)
Wisconsin (10-1)
Tulane (11-0)
Air Force (11-1)
1997 (7, including 2 undefeated)
Michigan (11-0)
Nebraska (12-0)
Tennessee (11-1)
Florida State (10-1)
North Carolina (10-1)
Washington State (10-1)
Kansas State (10-1)
1996 (7, including 2 undefeated)
Florida State (11-0)
Arizona State (11-0)
Florida (11-1)
Ohio State (10-1)
BYU (13-1) (not a typo)
Virginia Tech (10-1)
Army (10-1)
1995 (6 (one with a tie), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Nebraska (11-0)
Florida (12-0)
Northwestern (10-1)
Tennessee (10-1)
Ohio State (11-1)
* Texas (10-1-1)
1994 (9 (three with a tie, Florida and Florida State tied each other), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Nebraska (12-0)
Penn State (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
* Florida (10-1-1)
Colorado (10-1)
Alabama (11-1)
* Florida State (9-1-1)
Colorado State (10-1)
* Auburn (9-1-1)
NOTE: Auburn was on probation.
1993 (8 (three with a tie, Ohio State and Wisconsin tied each other), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Nebraska (11-0)
West Virginia (11-0)
Florida State (11-1)
Notre Dame (10-1)
* Tennessee (9-1-1)
Texas A&M (10-1)
* Wisconsin (9-1-1)
* Ohio State (9-1-1)
Auburn (11-0)
NOTE: Auburn was on probation.
1992 (7 (three with at least 1 tie, Michigan and Notre Dame tied each other), including 3 undefeated and untied (4 undefeated))
Miami (11-0)
Alabama (12-0)
Texas A&M (12-0)
Florida State (10-1)
* Notre Dame (9-1-1)
* Colorado (9-1-1)
* Michigan (8-0-3)
1991 (10 (two with a tie), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Miami (11-0)
Washington (11-0)
Florida (10-1)
Michigan (10-1)
Iowa (10-1)
Alabama (10-1)
Texas A&M (10-1)
* Nebraska (9-1-1)
East Carolina (10-1)
* Clemson (9-1-1)
1990 (5 (three with a tie), including 0 undefeated and untied (1 undefeated))
* Colorado (10-1-1)
* Georgia Tech (10-0-1)
Texas (10-1)
Houston (10-1)
*Louisville (9-1-1)
1989 (8, including 1 undefeated and untied)
Colorado (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
Michigan (10-1)
Notre Dame (11-1)
Nebraska (10-1)
Alabama (10-1)
Tennessee (10-1)
Arkansas (10-1)
1988 (9, including 2 undefeated and untied)
Notre Dame (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
West Virginia (11-0)
Florida State (10-1)
USC (10-1)
Nebraska (11-1)
Auburn (10-1)
Arkansas (10-1)
Wyoming (11-1)
1987 (7 (two with a tie), including 3 undefeated and untied)
Oklahoma (11-0)
Miami (11-0)
Florida State (10-1)
Syracuse (11-0)
Nebraska (10-1)
* Auburn (9-1-1)
* LSU (9-1-1)
1986 (5 (one with a tie), including 2 undefeated and untied)
Miami (11-0)
Penn State (11-0)
Oklahoma (10-1)
Michigan (10-1)
* Arizona State (9-1-1)
1985 (7 (two with a tie), including 1 undefeated and untied)
Penn State (11-0)
Miami (10-1)
Oklahoma (10-1)
Iowa (10-1)
* Michigan (9-1-1)
* Florida (9-1-1)
Air Force (11-1)
1984 (5 (two with a tie), including 1 undefeated and untied)
BYU (12-0)
* Oklahoma (9-1-1)
* Florida (9-1-1)
Washington (10-1)
South Carolina (10-1)
========
SUMMARY
Teams 1 or fewer losses (not counting ties as a loss)
10: 2 times
9: 3 times
8: 5 times
7: 7 times
6: 11 times
5: 6 times
4: 0 times
3: 1 time
2: 0 times
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.71 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.56
Teams 1 or fewer losses (counting ties as a loss)
10: 1 time
9: 3 times
8: 5 times
7: 4 times
6: 10 times
5: 7 times
4: 2 times
3: 2 times
2: 1 time
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.17 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.84
Teams undefeated and untied
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 2 times
4: 1 time
3: 2 times
2: 14 times
1: 14 times
0: 2 times
Average: 1.77 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.14
Teams undefeated (may or may not have a tie)
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 2 times
4: 2 times
3: 1 time
2: 14 times
1: 15 times
0: 1 time
Average: 1.83 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.15
========
There are on average 6 to 7 teams each season that finish with just one loss or less.
Over the 35 seasons I looked at this, there have been a tidy 2 undefeated and untied teams 14 times, but frequently these were a major team and a mid-major team or teams with pre-BCS bowl tie-ins that prevented them from playing each other. Of those 14 times, I found just 5 times that the only two undefeated and untied teams played each other in a bowl or playoff championship:
2005: USC-Texas
2002: Miami-Ohio State
1995: Nebraska-Florida
1988: Notre Dame-West Virginia
1986: Miami-Penn State
None of the above have occurred since the NCAA started permitting all schools to play 12 regular season games in 2006.
=======
Here are the summary numbers starting when the NCAA started permitting all schools to play 12 regular season games (2006-present; 13 seasons):
Teams 1 or fewer losses (not counting ties as a loss)
10: 1 time
9: 1 time
8: 1 time
7: 1 time
6: 7 times
5: 1 time
4: 0 times
3: 1 time
2: 0 times
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.46 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.76
Teams undefeated and untied
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 1 time
4: 1 time
3: 0 times
2: 4 times
1: 7 times
0: 0 times
Average: 1.85 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.28
========
Here are the summary numbers prior to when the NCAA started permitting all schools to play 12 regular season games (1984-2005; 22 seasons):
Teams 1 or fewer losses (not counting ties as a loss)
10: 1 time
9: 2 times
8: 4 times
7: 6 times
6: 4 times
5: 5 times
4: 0 times
3: 0 times
2: 0 times
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.86 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.46
Teams 1 or fewer losses (counting ties as a loss)
10: 0 times
9: 2 times
8: 4 times
7: 3 times
6: 4 times
5: 6 times
4: 2 times
3: 1 time
2: 1 time
1: 0 times
0: 0 times
Average: 6.00 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.90
Teams undefeated and untied
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 1 time
4: 0 times
3: 2 times
2: 10 times
1: 7 times
0: 2 times
Average: 1.73 per season
Std. Dev.: 1.08
Teams undefeated (may or may not have a tie)
10: 0 times
9: 0 times
8: 0 times
7: 0 times
6: 0 times
5: 1 time
4: 1 time
3: 1 time
2: 10 times
1: 8 times
0: 1 time
Average: 1.82 per season
Std. Dev.:1.10
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