20 of the Best College Baseball Teams Ever

20 of the Best College Baseball Teams Ever

We often talk about the best college baseball players ever and the talent they shared, but the best college baseball teams ever knew how to win and they did it often. They didn’t always feature the best up-and-coming players, but they learned to dominate as a collective. 

College baseball dates back to July 1, 1859 when Amherst College and Williams College played in the world’s first college baseball game. It was a turning point in the history of baseball and it occurred a full 18 years before the MLB’s first season — 44 years before the first World Series. 

Through the years, the game of baseball has changed drastically since that first game in 1859. The rules are different, the players are more talented, and the league is more competitive than ever before. Winning doesn’t come easy, which is why celebrate those that do it consistently. 

RELATED: 25 Athlete Activists That Motivate, Inspire, and Influence

What Are the Best College Baseball Teams Ever?

Every year, the two best college baseball teams meet head-to-head at the NCAA Men’s College World Series and only one team will walk away a champion. With 74 College World Series champions since 1947, which champions are considered the best college baseball teams ever?

These are the teams that dominated their season better than anyone else. They played well together, they played for each other, and they didn’t play hero or selfish baseball. They understood what it took to win at the college baseball level and they proved it each game.

With so many factors to consider and so many great teams to choose from, narrowing them down to the top-20 won’t be easy. A lot of good teams will be left off the list and there will be plenty of difficult decisions to make, but let’s take a look at the best college baseball teams ever!

20. 2003 Rice Owls

Record: 58-12

Head Coach: Wayne Graham

Best Players: Dane Bubela, Enrique Cruz, Austin Davis, Philip Humber, Paul Janish, Jeff Jorgensen, Chris Kolkhorst, Jeff Niemann, Justin Ruchti, Vincent Sinisi, Wade Townsend

Championship: 4-3 (W), 3-8 (L), 14-2 (W) over Stanford Cardinal

The 2003 Rice Owls baseball team started the season 3-1 before going on a 30-game winning streak that spanned from February 18th until April 9. They would finish the regular season with a 48-10 record, go 3-0 in the Houston Regional, and 2-1 in the Houston Super Regional. 

After defeating SW Missouri State and Texas in the World Series, the Owls defeated Stanford Cardinal in a best-of-three series to win the championship and bring their overall record to 58-12. Enrique Cruz and Vincent Sinisi had 10 home runs and Jeff Niemann went 17-0 in 18 starts. 

19. 1957 Cal Golden Bears

Record: 35-10

Head Coach: George Wolfman

Best Players: Earl Robinson, Charles Thompson, Doug Weiss

Championship: 4-0 (W), 8-2 (W), 8-0 (W), 9-1 (W), 1-0 (W)

The 1957 Cal Golden Bears were led by George Wolfman, one of the greatest college baseball coaches in history. They went 35-10 on their way to winning their first national championship in school history. They outscored opponents 30-3 in five games in the College World Series. 

Doug Weiss was named team MVP after setting records in wins (14), complete games (12), and innings pitched (149.0) — all of which still stand today. He also set records in strikeouts (107) and ERA (1.51), both of which have since been surpassed by other Cal players. 

18. 1992 Pepperdine Waves

Record: 48-11-1

Head Coach: Andy Lopez

Best Players: Pat Ahearne, Steve Duda, David Main, Dan Melendez, Steve Montgomery, Steve Rodriguez, Chris Sheff, Scott Vollmer, Derek Wallace

Championship: 6-0 (W), 7-0 (W), 5-4 (W), 3-2 (W)

The 1992 Pepperdine Waves finished the regular season 40-10-1 and won their final 12 games as they prepared for the West Regional. They won four of five games in the West Regional and opened the College World Series off with two-straight shutouts against Wichita State and Texas. 

The final two games of the College World Series weren’t as easy, winning 5-4 against Texas and 3-2 against Cal State Fullerton in the final. Later that year, Derek Wallace was drafted 11th overall by the Chicago Cubs and Dan Melendez was drafted 57th overall by the LA Dodgers. 

17. 2002 Texas Longhorns

Record: 57-15

Head Coach: Augie Garrido

Best Players: Jeff Ontiveros, Jarrett Reininger, Dustin Majewski, Justin Simmons, Alan Bomer, Brad Halsey, Ryan Hubele

Championship: 2-1 (W), 8-7 (W), 6-5 (W), 12-6 (W)

The 2002 Texas Longhorns finished the regular season 43-13, including a 19-8 record in the Big 12. They held winning streaks of eight and ten games during the season, proving to be a streaky team. After losing their first game of the Big 12 Tournament, they won their next five games. 

The Longhorns then went 3-0 in the Austin Regional and 2-1 in the Austin Super Regional before arriving at the College World Series. After winning three close games, Texas defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in the series final thanks to a high-powered offense that scored 12 runs. 

16. 1996 LSU Tigers

Record: 52-15

Head Coach: Skip Bertman

Best Players: Eddie Yarnall, Warren Morris, Brad Wilson, Jason Williams, Chad Cooley, Tim Lanier, Kevin Shipp, Mike Koerner

Championship: 9-8 (W), 9-4 (W), 2-1 (W), 9-8 (W)

The LSU Tigers had won the College World Series in 1991 and 1993, so they had already established themselves as a dominant team well ahead of the 1996 championship. They opened the season on a 13-game win streak and ended the regular season with a record of 43-13. 

While the Tigers failed to win the SEC Championship, they went 4-0 in the South II Regional and 4-0 again in the College World Series. The national championship game against Miami was a thriller, ending 9-8 in favor of LSU after Warren Morris hit a home run in walk-off fashion. 

15. 1975 Texas Longhorns

Record: 56-6

Head Coach: Cliff Gustafson

Best Players: Rick Bradley, Martin Flores, Jim Gideon, Keith Moreland, Gary Pyka, Mickey Reichenbach, Blair Stouffer, Rich Wortham

Championship: 4-2 (W), 2-5 (L), 12-10 (W), 17-6 (W), 5-1 (W)

Known for their dominant pitching rotation, the 1975 Texas Longhorns finished the regular season 49-5 — including winning streaks of 15 and 18 games in March and April. The Longhorns then went 3-0 in the South Central Regional, outscoring opponents 21-8 in the process. 

After defeating Oklahoma in their first game of the College World Series, the Longhorns lost 2-5 to Arizona State. The team quickly recovered, winning their next three games — including outscoring South Carolina 22-7 in the final two games of the 1992 College World Series. 

14. 2012 Arizona Wildcats

Record: 48-17

Head Coach: Andy Lopez

Best Players: Rob Refsnyder, Bobby Fisher-Brown, Alex Meija, Johnny Field, Seth Meijas-Brean, Kurt Heyer, Konner Wade

Championship: 4-3 (W), 4-0 (W), 10-3 (W), 5-1 (W), 4-1 (W)

The 2012 Arizona Wildcats didn’t have any batters hit more than five home runs all season long, but they knew how to win and had quality pitching from the start. After finishing the regular season 38-18, Arizona went 3-0 in the Tucson Regional and 2-0 in the Tucson Super Regional.

In five games at the College World Series, the Wildcats outscored opponents 27-8 en route to winning each game. They finished the NCAA Tournament 10-0 and had five players drafted within the first nine rounds of the 2012 draft — three of which have since made MLB debuts.

13. 1968 USC Trojans

Record: 42-12-1

Head Coach: Rod Dedeaux

Best Players: Jim Barr, Reid Braden, Pat Harrison, Bill Lee, Chuck Ramshaw, Bill Seinsoth, Steve Sogge

Championship: 5-3 (W), 6-5 (W), 7-6 (W), 2-0 (W), 4-3 (W)

The USC Trojans had already won championships in 1961 and 1963 before winning their third of the decade in 1968. The team finished the regular season 35-11-1 before defeating Cal State of Los Angeles in a best-of-three series (4-2 W, 4-8 L, 5-4 W) at the 1968 District 8 Playoffs. 

The Trojans would win all five games at the College World Series, though they didn’t win any of them by more than two runs. They were no stranger to close games, proving to be clutch when they needed it most. They had 11 players drafted in the 1968 regular and secondary drafts. 

12. 1951 Oklahoma Sooners

Record: 19-9

Head Coach: Jack Baer

Best Players: Jack Shirley, John Reddell, Phil McKee, Gene Sheets, Charley Pugsley, Ray Morgosh, Floyd Murphy, Jim Waldrip

Championship: 9-8 (W), 7-1 (W), 4-1 (W), 3-2 (W)

The 1951 Oklahoma Sooners baseball team helped the campus become the first school to win three national championships in the same year — their football team and wrestling team won it in 1951, as well. They weren’t expected to have a good season, but ultimately prevailed in the end. 

They would go on to defeat Houston in three-straight games at the District Playoffs, outscoring the team 13-8 in the process. The Oklahoma Sooners then beat Ohio State, Springfield, and Southern California before defeating Tennessee 3-2 in the national championship game. 

11. 1947 Cal Golden Bears

Record: 31-10

Head Coach: Clint Evans

Best Players: Lyle Palmer, Jackie Jensen, Cliff McClain, Virgil Butler, John Ramos, Nino Barnise, Jim Brown, Dick Larner

Championship: 17-4 (W), 8-7 (W)

The first College World Series ever took place in 1947 and the Cal Golden Bears were the first to be named champions. They finished the regular season 27-10 before moving on to the Western Playoff. There, they defeated Denver 3-1 and Texas 13-2 before the World Series. 

The Golden Bears opened the World Series with a dominant 17-4 victory over Yale and followed that up with a close 8-7 victory the following day. They finished the season with an overall record of 31-10 and will forever be remembered as the first ever College World Series champions. 

10. 2000 LSU Tigers

Record: 52-17

Head Coach: Skip Bertman

Best Players: Blair Barbier, Brad Cresse, Mike Fontenot, Cedrick Harris, Brad Hawpe, Trey Hodges, Bo Petit, Wally Pontiff, Brian Tallet, Ryan Theriot

Championship: 13-5 (W), 10-4 (W), 6-3 (W), 6-5 (W)

The 2000 LSU Tigers opened the season with six straight wins, but went on a five-game losing streak to bring their record to 6-5 early on in the year. They had an 11-8 record by mid-March, but would win 18 of their next 20 games — bringing their record to 29-10 by mid-April. 

They would finish the regular season 39-17 before getting hot in the postseason. They went 4-0 in the SEC Tournament, 3-0 in the Baton Rouge Regional, and 2-0 in the Baton Rouge Super Regional. They continued their win streak into the World Series, winning all four games. 

9. 1978 USC Trojans

Record: 54-9

Head Coach: Rod Dedeaux

Best Players: Bill Bordley, Rod Boxberger, Dave Engle, Brian Hayes, Dave Hostetler, Chris Smith, Doug Stokke, Tim Tolman, Dave Van Gorder, John Wells

Championship: 9-3 (W), 11-3 (W), 5-2 (W), 3-2 (W), 10-3 (W)

The 1978 USC Trojans will go down as one of the best college baseball teams ever, finishing the regular season 44-9 in Rod Dedeaux’s 37th year as head coach. The team had winning streaks of 12 games and 15 games, finishing the regular season with a 15-3 record in the Pac-8. 

The Trojans went 2-0 in the Pacific-8 Playoffs and 3-0 in the District 8 Playoffs. In five games at the College World Series, the USC Trojans outscored their opponents 38-13 and won all games en route to their 11th national championship. They went a perfect 10-0 in the NCAA Tournament.

8. 1987 Stanford Cardinal

Record: 53-17

Head Coach: Mark Marquess

Best Players: Rubén Amaro, Steve Chitren, Paul Carey, David Esquer, Mark Machtolf, Jack McDowell, Ed Sprague

Championship: 3-2 (W), 6-1 (W), 2-6 (L), 6-5 (W), 9-3 (W), 9-5 (W)

The 1987 Stanford Cardinal baseball team finished the regular season with a 44-16 overall record and 21-9 Pac-10 record. They started the season 11-8, but won 33 of their next 41 games. Ed Sprague led the team with 16 home runs, while Paul Carey added 12 more. 

Five batters finished with more than 50 RBIs on the season and five pitchers finished with more than seven wins. It was a well-rounded team that went 4-0 in the West I Regional and 5-1 in the College World Series, eventually getting their revenge over Oklahoma State in the June 7th final. 

7. 1977 Arizona State Sun Devils

Record: 57-12

Head Coach: Jim Brock

Best Players: Jamie Allen, Chris Bando, Hubie Brooks, Mike Henderson, Bob Horner, Dave Hudgens, Brandt Humphry, Darrell Jackson, Chris Nyman, Rick Peters, Jerry Vasquez

Championship: 10-7 (W), 2-3 (L), 8-4 (W), 6-2 (W), 10-0 (W), 2-1 (W)

The 1977 Arizona State Sun Devils knew it was going to be a good year when they began the season 10-0. They would then close out the regular season on a 15-game winning streak. Bob Horner led the team with 22 home runs and 87 RBIs, while Dave Hudgens had 73 RBIs. 

The Sun Devils got the postseason off to a good start, winning all three games of the Rocky Mountain Regional. After a 10-7 win over Clemson in the College World Series opener, the Sun Devils lost to Southern Illinois. They won their next four games, outscoring their opponents 26-7. 

6. 1973 USC Trojans

Record: 51-11

Head Coach: Rod Dedeaux

Best Players: Rich Dauer, Ken Huizenga, Ed Putnam, Randy Scarbery, Roy Smalley

Championship: 4-1 (W), 4-1 (W). 3-1 (W), 8-7 (W), 4-3 (W)

This is the third time we’re mentioning one of Rod Dedeaux’s USC baseball teams and for good reason. He had them among the nation’s best consistently throughout his 45-year career with the team. In our eyes, his 1973 USC Trojans were one of the best college baseball teams ever. 

The team started the season 12-0 before losing three-straight to Arizona State. It was the only time they would lose consecutive games all year long, finishing the regular season 40-11. They then went 10-0 in the NCAA Tournament, outscoring opponents 23-13 in the World Series. 

5. 1997 LSU Tigers

Record: 57-13

Head Coach: Skip Bertman

Best Players: Brandon Larson, Mike Koerner, Doug Thompson, Patrick Coogan, Joey Painich, Eric Berthelot, Chris Demouy, Blair Barbier, Wes Davis, Tom Bernhardt, Eddy Furniss

Championship: 5-4 (W), 10-5 (W), 13-9 (W), 13-6 (W)

Skip Bertman is another coach that is finding himself on this list for a third time. His 1997 LSU Tigers will go down as one of the best college baseball teams ever. The team hit 188 home runs, which is an NCAA record, and hit at least one home run in all 70 games played in 1997. 

The team was led by Brandon Larson, who hit 40 home runs, and Mike Koerner, who hit 22 home runs. The Tigers had nine different players hit more than 10 home runs and were led by Patrick Coogan (14-3), Doug Thompson (12-3), and Joey Painich (9-2) on the mound.

4. 2019 Vanderbilt Commodores

Record: 59-12

Head Coach: Tim Corbin

Best Players: J.J. Bleday, Stephen Scott, Julian Infante, Austin Martin, Ethan Paul, Philip Clarke, Pat DeMarco, Drake Fellows, Kumar Rocker, Patrick Raby, Mason Hickman

Championship: 3-1 (W), 6-3 (W), 3-2 (W), 4-7 (L), 4-1 (W), 8-2 (W)

It would be wrong to not mention the 2019 Vanderbilt Commodores as one of the best college baseball teams ever. They finished the regular season with a 45-10 overall record and 23-7 record in the SEC. They won 18 of their last 19 games, including 13 straight at one point. 

The Commodores won the SEC Tournament after going 4-0 and outscoring opponents 36-15. They then went 3-0 in the Nashville Regional, 2-1 in the Nashville Super Regional, and 5-1 in the College World Series. J.J. Bleday led the team with 27 home runs and Stephen Scott had 14. 

3. 2001 Miami Hurricanes

Record: 53-12

Head Coach: Jim Morris

Best Players: Kevin Brown, Danny Matienzo, Charlton Jimerson, Javier Rodriguez, Kevin Howard, Mike Rodriguez, Tom Farmer, Brain Walker, Kiki Bengochea

Championship: 21-13 (W), 4-3 (W), 12-6 (W), 12-1 (W)

The 2001 Miami Hurricanes finished the regular season with a 44-12 record, which included five win streaks of at least five games and a win in each of their last eight games. IF Kevin Brown led the team with 15 home runs and C Danny Matienzo led the team with 64 runs batted in. 

On the mound, Tom Farmer finished the season 15-2 and Brian Walker finished 12-1. The team went 3-0 in the Coral Gables Regional, 2-0 in the Coral Gables Super Regional, and 4-0 in the College World Series. The Hurricanes outscored their opponents 49-23 in the World Series. 

2. 1995 Cal State Fullerton Titans

Record: 57-9

Head Coach: Augie Garrido

Best Players: C.J. Ankrum, Mark Kotsay, Jack Jones, Brain Loyd, Tony Martinez, Tony Miranda, Ted Silva

Championship: 6-5 (W), 11-1 (W), 11-0 (W), 11-5 (W)

This isn’t the first time Augie Garrido is being featured on this list, but it’s the first as head coach of the Cal State Fullerton Titans. Seven years before his impressive run with the 2002 Texas Longhorns, Garrido helped lead Cal State Fullerton to a 57-9 overall record (18-3 in Big West).

After winning the final seven games of the regular season, the Titans continued that win streak into the playoffs. They went 3-0 in the Big West Tournament and 4-0 in the South Regional before winning all four games in the World Series, ending the year on a 18-game win streak.

1. 1983 Texas Longhorns

Record: 66-14

Head Coach: Cliff Gustafson

Best Players: Roger Clemens, Calvin Schiraldi, Mike Brumley, Billy Bates, Jeff Hearron, Kirk Killingsworth, Jose Tolentino

Championship: 12-0 (W), 6-5 (W), 6-4 (W), 4-2 (W), 4-3 (W)

This is the third time we’re mentioning a Texas Longhorns team and the second time we’re mentioning a team coached by Cliff Gustafson. The 1983 Texas Longhorns finished the regular season 49-12 — including 18-3 in the Big 12. They won 13 of their last 15 regular season games.

The Longhorns then went 3-1 in the SWC Tournament, 5-1 in the Central Regional, and 5-0 in the College World Series. Roger Clemens and Calvin Schiraldi were drafted in the first round of the 1983 MLB Draft, Mike Brumley went in the second round, and Jeff Hearron in the fourth.

What Are the Best College Baseball Programs of All-Time?

It’s no coincidence that the best college baseball teams ever are also some of the best college baseball programs ever. They didn’t just put together some of the best teams of all-time, but they did so consistently and are still doing it to this day. Everyone wants to play for them. 

Over college baseball’s more than 160-year history, the best college baseball programs include USC, Texas, LSU, Arizona State, Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, Florida State, Miami, South Carolina, Florida, Clemson, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, and Arkansas. 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: List of MLB Owners Who Have Won a World Series

With college baseball not going anywhere anytime soon, we’re sure to see more colleges earn their right among the nation’s best college baseball teams ever. For now, we have a ton of history to reminisce about, so let’s go ahead and celebrate the best college baseball teams ever!

20 of the Greatest College Basketball Teams of All-Time

There have been plenty of good college basketball teams throughout the years, but which of those teams deserve to be remembered as the greatest college basketball teams of all-time? It’s a difficult question that isn’t easy to answer, but it’s one we’re going to try to answer today. 

The game of basketball was invented by James Naismith, an instructor at Springfield College. It didn’t take long for the game to be featured in YMCAs across the country. In fact, it only took two years for colleges to start playing games of their own — generally against local YMCAs. 

The first intercollegiate game — between Hamline University and Minnesota State School of Agriculture — was played on February 9, 1895. Since then, college basketball has become one of America’s greatest pastimes. Today, it’s celebrated by millions of people every single year. 

RELATED: 30 of the Best Sports Movie Quote of All-Time

Who Are the Greatest College Basketball Teams of All-Time?

20 of the Greatest College Basketball Teams of All-Time
Michael Gordon / Shutterstock

Over time, several universities have established themselves as pioneers in the basketball community. They’re the ones that all the top recruits want to play for, they’re the ones that consistently find themselves in March Madness, and they’re the ones everyone watches. 

Some of those schools include Duke University, UCLA, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina, Indiana University, University of Kansas, Villanova University, and UCONN. They’ve won the most national championships and developed some of the best players ever.

With that being said, it’s no surprise that you’ll find several of those schools in our list of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time. In fact, some of them might show up more than once — that’s how good these schools are. Without further ado, let’s start the countdown!

Honorable Mentions: Florida Gators (2007), Michigan State Spartans (1979), Ohio State Buckeyes (1960), Kansas Wildcats (2008), Louisville Cardinals (1980), Kentucky Wildcats (1978), Duke Blue Devils (1999), Houston Cougars (1968), Maryland Terrapins (2002), St. John’s Red Storm (1985)

20. Michigan Wolverines (1993)

Coach: Steve Fisher

Record: 31-5

Roster: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, Eric Riley, Rob Pelinka, James Voskuil, Michael Talley, Jason Bossard, Leon Derricks, Dugan Fife, Sean Dobbins, and Ricky Guzman

The 1992-93 season was a special one for the Michigan Wolverines. While they were the NCAA March Madness runner-up for the second-straight year, they finished with a record of 31-5 — a school record at the time. Most of their success is credited to their blocking and rebounding. 

The team’s starters — Webber, Rose, Howard, King, and Jackson — were known as the Fab Five. It was the second and final season the Fab Five were together (Webber was drafted in the 1993 NBA Draft). Rose, Howard, and King would all make their way into the NBA eventually. 

Michigan ended up beating 7 ranked opponents in the regular season. They’re four regular season losses came to opponents ranked in the top 11. They entered the NCAA tourney as a No. 1 seed. They beat No. 2 Kansas in the semifinal, but lost to No. 1 North Carolina in the final.

19. North Carolina Tar Heels (1957)

Coach: Frank McGuire

Record: 32-0

Roster: Lennie Rosenbluth, Ken Rosemond, Bob Young, Roy Searcy, Gehrmann Holland, Bob Cunningham, Danny Lotz, Pete Brennan, Tommy Kearns, Joe Quigg

Before the 1956-57 season, there had only been one college basketball national champion to go undefeated and no ACC team had ever won the title. That all changed when the North Carolina Tar Heels went 32-0 and were eventually crowned National Champion at the season’s end. 

After going 24-0 in the regular season, North Carolina beat Clemson, Wake Forest, and South Carolina in the ACC Tournament. They cruised their way to the NCAA National Semifinal, defeating Yale, Canisius, and Syracuse along the way — but things got tough from there on out.

Both the semifinal (vs. Michigan State) and final (vs. Kansas) went into triple-overtime, but North Carolina came out victorious in both games. Lennie Rosenbluth (forward) was named the Consensus Player of the Year and the Tar Heels haven’t had an undefeated season since. 

18. UCONN Huskies (1999)

Coach: Jim Calhoun

Record: 34-2

Roster: Khalid El-Amin, Kevin Freeman, Richard Hamilton, E.J. Harrison, Rashamel Jones, Antric Klaiber, Ricky Moore, Albert Mouring, Edmund Sanders, Ed Tonella, Jake Voskuhl, and Souleymane Wane

The UCONN Huskies claimed their first ever national championship during the 1998-99 season. They were led by Richard Hamilton, who was named the Most Outstanding Player and was eventually drafted 7th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft. It was their first of four championships. 

The Huskies finished the season 34-2, with their only losses coming against No. 16 Syracuse and No. 15 Miami. They defeated seven ranked opponents during the regular season and went on to beat No. 10 St. John’s in the Big East Tournament before entering the NCAA Tournament.

They cruised their way to the Elite Eight, defeating No. 16 UTSA, No. 9 New Mexico, and No. 5 Iowa along the way. After beating No. 10 Gonzaga by five points and No. 4 Ohio State by six points, they overcame a last-second thriller against No. 1 Duke with a 77-74 victory for the title.

17. Duke Blue Devils (2001)

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski 

Record: 35-4

Roster: Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Andy Borman, Andre Buckner, Ryan Caldbeck, Matt Christensen, Chris Duhon, Mike Dunleavy, Nick Horvath, Nate James, Dahntay Jones, Reggie Love, Casey Sanders, J.D. Simpson, Andre Sweet, and Jay Williams

Just a couple years removed from their loss to the UCONN Huskies, the Duke Blue Devils found themselves back in the National Championship and they were better than ever. It was their third national title and their 35 wins that season is tied for the third most in campus history.

The team was stacked from top to bottom. Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy, and Chris Duhon made up one of the best rosters of all-time. Battier went on to win multiple end-of-year awards, including the AP Player of the Year and Wooden Award. 

The Blue Devils only lost four games during the 2000-01 season, all of which were against ranked opponents. They made the NCAA tourney look easy, defeating each of their opponents by 10+ points — including an 82-72 victory over No. 2 Arizona in the championship final. 

16. UCLA Bruins (1968)

Coach: John Wooden

Record: 29-1

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, Lynn Shackelford, Mike Lynn, Edgar Lacey, Kenny Heitz, Jim Nielsen, Bill Sweek, Gene Sutherland, and Neville Saner

The UCLA Bruins had the greatest 12-year stretch by any basketball team ever under John Wooden. The 1967-68 team is just one of four teams in that span that made their way on our list of greatest college basketball teams of all-time. They were special year-in and year-out. 

Led by the Hall of Famer himself, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar finished the season with 26.2 points and 16.5 rebounds per game. Their only loss that season came against No. 2 Houston, a loss that ended UCLA’s 47-game winning streak. It was a tough loss, but they quickly bounced back.

UCLA got their revenge against Houston in the NCAA Tournament semifinal. Despite losing to them 69-71 earlier in the season, UCLA won 101-69 to advance to the final — where they beat North Carolina by 23 points. It was their second-straight and fourth overall championship.

15. UCLA Bruins (1973)

Coach: John Wooden

Record: 30-0

Roster: Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes, Larry Farmer, Larry Hollyfield, Tommy Curtis, Dave Meyers, Greg Lee, Swen Nater, Pete Trgovich, Vince Carson, Gary Franklin, Bob Webb, Casey Corliss, and Ralph Drollinger

Speaking of UCLA, let’s talk about their 1972-73 season. It was their second-straight (and fourth overall) undefeated season under John Wooden. It also marked their seventh-straight National Championship, which is unheard of for any college basketball team. This team was unreal. 

Led by Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes, and Larry Farmer, the 1972-73 UCLA Bruins set an NCAA record of 75-straight wins during their 30-0 season. They beat all but 5 opponents by more than 10 points. Walton averaged 20.4 points and 16.9 rebounds per game and won several awards.

The Bruins went on to beat Arizona State by 17 points in the first round of the tourney. They then held San Francisco to 39 points before beating Indiana 70-59 in the semifinal. Despite being tied at 39 points in the final, UCLA outscored Memphis State 48-27 in the second half to win the title. 

14. Arkansas Razorbacks (1994)

Coach: Nolan Richardson

Record: 31-3

Roster: Corliss Williamson, Scotty Thurman, Alex Dillard, Corey Beck, Dwight Stewart, Clint McDaniel, Roger Crawford, Darnell Robinson, Davor Rimac, Lee Wilson, Ken Biley, Elmer Martin, John Engskov, Ray Biggers, and Reggie Merritt

The 1993-94 season was a special one for the Nolan Richardson-led Arkansas Razorbacks. They finished with a 31-3 record — the third-most wins in a single season in campus history. It was also their seventh-straight NCAA tournament appearance under Nolan Richardson.

Despite losing to No. 10 Kentucky in the SEC Tournament semifinal, the Razorbacks kicked it up a notch when the NCAA tournament started. They cruised their way to the Elite Eight, defeating North Carolina A&T by 15 points, Georgetown by 12 points, and Tulsa by 21 points.

Things got harder as the tournament went on, but Arkansas never stopped winning. They beat No. 11 Michigan by 8 points, No. 9 Arizona by 9 points, and No. 6 Duke by four points to win their first championship ever. They were led by Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman. 

13. Houston Cougars (1983)

Coach: Guy Lewis

Record: 31-3

Roster: Michael Young, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Micheaux, Benny Anders, Alvin Franklin, Redi Gettys, Dave Rose, Eric Dickens, Derek Giles, Renaldo Thomas, Dan Bunce, David Bunce, Gary Orsak, and Bryan Williams

The Houston Cougars started the 1982-83 season with five-straight wins, but things started going downhill when they lost back-to-back games to Syracuse and No. 1 Virginia. They went on to win their next 20 games — including two ranked teams — finishing the regular season 25-2.

Houston went on to win the SWC Tournament, defeating SMU and TCU along the way. After beating Maryland to start their NCAA Tournament journey, they beat three straight ranked opponents to make it to the final — No. 17 Memphis State, No. 13 Villanova, and No. 2 Louisville. 

They matched up with Jimmy Valvano’s No. 16 NC State. In what was one of the most intense championship games ever, Houston would end up losing 54-52 in the final seconds of the game. Despite the loss, they go down as one of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time. 

12. Texas Western Miners (1966)

Coach: Don Haskins

Record: 28-1

Roster: Willie Cager, Bobby Joe Hill, Dava Palacio, Jerry Armstrong, Louis Baudoin, Orsten Artis, Willie Worsley, Togo Railey, Dick Myers, Nevil Shed, David Lattin, and Harry Fluornoy

The 1965-66 Texas Western Miners changed the entire landscape of college basketball and left a lasting legacy in the basketball community. They were the first team to ever win an NCAA title with five African Americans in their starting lineup — all at the heart of the Civil Rights movement.

The team started the 1965-66 season with 23-straight wins, but lost to Seattle in their regular season finale by two points. Ending the regular season 23-1, they entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed in the nation. In their first game, they defeated Oklahoma City by 15 points. 

They followed that up with a 78-76 overtime victory over Cincinnati and an 81-80 double overtime victory against No. 4 Kansas. After beating Utah by 7 points, they were matched up with the No. 1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. They won by 7 points, marking their place in history.

11. Kentucky Wildcats (1996)

Coach: Rick Pitino

Record: 34-2

Roster: Tony Delk, Antoine Walker, Walter McCarty, Derek Anderson, Ron Mercer, Mark Pope, Anthony Epps, Jeff Sheppard, Wayne Turner, Allen Edwards, Nazr Mohammed, Oliver Simmons, Jared Prickett, Cameron Mills, and Jason Lathrem

The 1995-96 Kentucky Wildcats had an incredible nine players (out of a total 15 players) go on to play in the NBA and they proved why with a 34-2 record. These players were known as ‘The Untouchables’ and they made up one of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time. 

They began the season with a 96-84 victory over No. 15 Maryland, but followed that up with a disappointing 92-82 loss to No. 5 Massachusetts. That was the only loss they faced in the regular season, winning the next 25 games — 16 conference opponents and 3 ranked teams.

Their second and final loss of the season came in the SEC Tournament finals against No. 25 Mississippi State. They opened the NCAA Tournament with four wins by an average of 28 points each. After a win over No. 1 Massachusetts, they defeated Syracuse 76-67 in the tourney final. 

10. Georgetown Hoyas (1985)

Coach: John Thompson

Record: 35-3

Roster: Patrick Ewing, David Wingate, Bill Martin, Reggie Williams, Michael Jackson, Horace Broadnax, Perry McDonald, Ralph Dalton, Grady Mateen, Ronnie Highsmith, Kevin Floyd, and Tyrone Lockhart

The Georgetown Hoyas entered the 1984-85 season as a favorite to win it all. They started the season 18-0 with wins over No. 2 Depaul and No. 16 Villanova. Georgetown would drop their next two games against No. 2 St. John’s and No. 11 Syracuse, bringing their record to 18-2. 

After winning seven straight games, they faced St. John’s and Syracuse to finish the regular season — getting revenge on both teams by 16 points and 27 points, respectively. They ended up beating them both again in the Big East Tournament before entering the NCAA Tournament.

With five straight wins in the tourney, including one more against St. John’s, they were matched up with their rival Villanova in the final. In what’s widely viewed as the biggest upset in NCAA final history, Georgetown was defeated by a mere two points, ending their 17 game win streak.

9. San Francisco Dons (1956)

Coach: Phil Woolpert

Record: 29-0

Roster: Bill Russell, Hal Perry, K.C. Jones, Carl Boldt, Mike Farmer, Gene Brown, Mike Preaseau, Warren Baxter, Bill Mallen, Bill Bush, Jack King, Harold Payne, John Koljian, Tom Nelson, Steve Balchios, and Vince Boyle

Earlier, we mentioned how the 1956-57 North Carolina Tar Heels became the second college basketball team to go undefeated and win the NCAA tournament in the same year. The year before that, the San Francisco Dons became the first team to do so — finishing the year 29-0. 

Led by the legendary Bill Russell, who averaged 20.6 points and 21.0 rebounds per game, the San Francisco Dons defeated all but two of their regular season opponents by more than 10 points — they beat Marquette by just 7 and California by 9. They were dominant all year long. 

They entered the NCAA tournament as the clear favorites and they proved why. They defeated No. 8 UCLA by 11 points, No. 18 Utah by 15 points, and No. 7 Southern Methodist by 18 points before defeating No. 4 Iowa by 12 points in the tournament final. Russell averaged 24 points.

8. UNLV Rebels (1991)

Coach: Jerry Tarkanian

Record: 34-1

Roster: Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt, Greg Anthony, George Ackles, Evric Gray, Elmore Spencer, Travis Bice, H Waldman, Melvin Love, Dave Rice, Bobby Joyce, Chris Jeter, and Bryan Emerzian

The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels came very close to joining the short list of teams to go undefeated and win the championship in the same year. Under head coach Jerry Tarkanian, they finished the season 34-1, with their only loss coming against No. 6 Duke in the NCAA tourney final four. 

The Rebels defeated five ranked opponents during the regular season, including No. 2 Arkansas for their 20th straight win of the season. They were a high-scoring team that scored above 100 points in 14 of their regular season meetings — despite not doing so in the NCAA tournament. 

Speaking of the tournament, UNLV defeated Montana, Georgetown, No. 10 Utah, and No. 13 Seton Hall before earning a spot next to Duke in the final four. Despite beating Duke in the previous year’s tournament finale by 30 points, Duke got their revenge with a 79-77 win.

7. Kentucky Wildcats (2012)

Coach: John Calipari

Record: 38-2

Roster: Anthony Davis, Doron Lamb, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, Darius Miller, Kyle Wiltjer, Eloy Vargas, Sam Malone, Brian Long, Jarrod Polson, and Twany Beckham

To this day, no NCAA team has won more games than John Calipari’s 2011-12 team (38 wins), etching their way into our list of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time. Of course, there were two other teams that tied that record, but they were both led by John Calipari. 

The team included four freshmen — Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, and Kyle Wiltjr. Davis was named the consensus No. 1 overall player, Kidd-Gilchrist was named the consensus No. 1 small forward, and Teague was named the consensus No. 1 point guard. 

They finished the regular season 30-1 with their only loss coming to Indiana. Their second loss came to Villanova in the SEC Tournament championship. Kentucky would go on to win six straight games in the NCAA tournament, defeating Kansas 67-59 in the championship game. 

6. UCLA Bruins (1967)

Coach: John Wooden

Record: 30-0

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, Lynn Shackelford, Kenny Heitz, Bill Sweek, Jim Nielsen, Don Saffer, Gene Sutherland, Neville Saner, Joe Chrisman, Dick Lynn, and Kent Taylor

We’ve already highlighted two of John Wooden’s teams on our list of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time — one of which being his 1967-1968 team that went 29-1. His 1966-67 team the year before was even better, finishing the season a perfect 30-0. 

The 1966-67 season was Kareem Abdul Jabaar’s debut season at UCLA. He averaged 29.0 points and 15.5 rebounds per game and led the Bruins to a 79-64 victory over Dayton in the NCAA tournament championship. It was UCLA’s second perfect season and third NCAA title.

It was also the start of a seven-year run that saw UCLA win the championship each year. It’s known as the greatest stretch by any college basketball team in NCAA history and it all began with Kareem Abdul-Jabaar in 1966-67. There aren’t many teams that compare to this one. 

5. NC State Wolfpack (1974)

Coach: Norm Sloan

Record: 30-1

Roster: David Thompson, Nate Burleson, Monte Towe, Morris Rivers, Phil Spence, Tim Stoddard, Steve Nuce, Mark Moeller, Greg Hawkins, Dwight Johnson, Bill Lake, Craig Kuszmaul, Mike Buurma, Bruce Dayhuff, Steve Smith, Ken Gehring, and Jerry Hunt

The NC State Wolfpack started the season with two huge victories — a 32-point win over East Carolina and a 52-point win over Vermont. Despite a disappointing 64-88 loss to top-ranked UCLA in the third game of the season, it would wind up being their only loss of the season. 

The Wolfpack won six regular season games against ranked opponents, five of which were in the top six (three wins against No. 4 North Carolina, and two against Maryland). They defeated Maryland one more time to win the ACC Tournament before heading into the NCAA Tournament.

The NCAA tournament was no easy task, but they prevailed. They beat No. 5 Providence and No. 13 Pittsburgh to start things off. They then defeated No. 2 UCLA in double overtime, ending their seven-year championship streak, before defeating No. 3 Marquette for the championship. 

4. North Carolina Tar Heels (1982)

Coach: Dean Smith

Record: 32-2

Roster: James Worthy, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Matt Doherty, Jimmy Black, Jim Braddock, Chris Brust, Buzz Peterson, Jeb Barlow, Cecil Exum, Lynwood Robinson, Warren Martin, John Brownlee, and Timo Makkonen

The North Carolina Tar Heels started the 1981-82 season 13-0, including wins against No. 9 Tulsa, No. 2 Kentucky, No. 2 Virginia, and No. 12 NC State. Their win streak came to an end against unranked Wake Forest and they would later lose to No. 3 Virginia, bringing them to 16-2. 

The rest of the season went well for the Tar Heels, who were led by James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and Sam Perkins. They won the final eight games of the regular season and went 3-0 in the ACC Tournament — including revenge against No. 3 Virginia in the ACC tournament finale. 

North Carolina wasn’t handed any easy victories in the NCAA Tournament, but they managed to fight their way to an NCAA Championship after beating James Madison, Alabama, Villanova, Houston, and Georgetown — a one-point thriller that ended with a Michael Jordan jumper. 

3. Duke Blue Devils (1992)

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski

Record: 34-2

Roster: Christian Laettner, Thomas Hill, Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Brian Davis, Antonio Lang, Cherokee Parks, Marty Clark, Erik Meek, Kenneth Blakenev, Christian Ast, and Ron Burt

The 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils started the season 17-0, including victories against No. 7 St. John’s, No. 18 Michigan, No. 14 Georgia Tech, No. 18 UNC Charlotte, and No. 23 Florida State. Their win streak came to an end against their longtime rival No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels. 

Duke would go on to win four straight games before losing their second game of the season, bringing their record to 21-2. After four more wins to end the regular season, they went 3-0 in the ACC Tournament — including a revenge victory against North Carolina in the ACC Finals.

In the NCAA Tournament, Duke almost missed a spot in the Final Four, but managed to squeak out a one-point victory against No. 6 Kentucky in overtime. After a three-point win against No. 5 Indiana in the Final Four, they defeated No. 15 Michigan by 20 points to win the championship. 

2. Indiana Hoosiers (1976)

Coach: Bob Knight

Record: 32-0

Roster: Steve Green, Scott May, Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner, John Laskowski, Bob Wilkerson, Tom Abernethy, Wayne Radford, Don Noort, Jim Wisman, Mark Haymore, Jim Crews, Steve Ahlfeld, John Kamstra, and Douglas Allen

The 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers defeated five ranked opponents in the first 12 games of the season — No. 2 UCLA, No. 8 Notre Dame, No. 14 Kentucky, No. 17 St. John’s, and No. 19 Michigan. Though they didn’t play another ranked team in the regular season, they never lost.

Ending the regular season 27-0, the Hoosiers were the top-ranked team heading into the NCAA tournament. They opened the tournament with a 20-point win against No. 17 St. John’s, followed by victories over No. 6 Alabama, No. 2 Marquette, and No. 5 UCLA on their way to the finals. 

Indiana was matched up against No. 9 Michigan in the NCAA Tournament Championship. They dominated the Wolverines in an 86-68 victory that saw them finish the season 32-0 with a title to show for it. They were led by Steve Green, Scott May, and Kent Benson all season long.  

1. UCLA Bruins (1972)

Coach: John Wooden

Record: 30-0

Roster: Bill Walton, Henry Bibby, Jamaal Wilkes, Larry Farmer, Greg Lee, Larry Hollyfield, Swen Nater, Tommy Curtis, Andy Hill, Vince Carson, Jon Chapman, Gary Franklin

It should be no surprise that the 1971-72 UCLA Bruins are featured at the top of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time. They were led by Bill Walton, who averaged 21.1 points and 15.5 rebounds per game and was named the Naismith and USBWA College Player of the Year.

The Bruins finished the regular season 26-0, but what sets them apart from all the other greatest college basketball teams of all-time is the fact that they defeated each opponent by an average of over 30 points per game. They didn’t just beat their opponents, they dominated these teams. 

After a 32-point victory over Weber State to start the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins defeated No. 5 Long Beach State by 16 points, No. 4 Louisville by 19 points, and No. 10 Florida State by five points. It was their 45th straight win and sixth straight NCAA championship under Wooden.

Which Schools Are Destined to Join This List?

As many of us know, the college basketball world is dominated by a few select universities that find themselves at or near the top every single year. Many of those universities are listed at least once above. With that said, there are plenty of colleges that aren’t featured on our list. 

Some of those universities you don’t see above that could find their way on it eventually include Kansas, Villanova, Louisville, Arizona, Florida, Alabama, Baylor, Virginia, Texas, Gonzaga, USC, Oregon, and Oklahoma. They seem to put together talented teams year-in and year-out.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 25 of the Worst NFL Players to Ever Suit Up

Of course, talent isn’t the only thing you need to be regarded as one of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time. You need grit, determination, hard work, teamwork, great coaching, and a little bit of luck. That’s what you see from the greatest college basketball teams of all-time.

About At The Buzzer

At The Buzzer, or ATB is the place for those who love sports, life, family, community, and so much more. We are far from the run-of-the-mill 24/7 sports news websites. We not only bring you what’s happening in the world of sports in terms of trades and breaking news, but we also bring you the news that goes on behind the scenes, like big life moments, and so much more. So take a minute and read one of our articles, we promise you won't regret it.