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In the history of college football, only 44 schools have been able to make the claim "We're No. 1" and have The Associated Press poll back up the boast.

That means just 15 percent of the 296 schools listed as having played major college football at some point by sports-reference.com have ever held the No. 1 ranking for at least one poll. Of those 44 schools, only 21 have been No. 1 in 10 or more polls.

The first No. 1 was Minnesota in 1936. The most recent school to make the list was Mississippi State in 2014.

For the first time, AP has ranked the No. 1s by the number of times a program has held the top spot. Ohio State leads the way with 105 times. There have been a handful of ties at No. 1 over 80 seasons and each team in that situation received one-half point.

For fun, AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo picked the best of each school's teams to hold the No. 1 ranking. There were some tough calls, so to determine the No. 1 team of the No. 1s, Russo used the following criteria:

• Championship teams were given preference.

• Time spent at No. 1 during a single season was considered and late-season polls were given greater consideration.

• A metric called simple rating system found at sports-reference.com was referenced to give some perspective on dominance relative to a team's era. The game and its players have changed so much over the decades that there is no way to truly compare, say, the 1958 LSU team with the 2007 national champion Tigers.

• Some feedback from reporters and sports information directors who have covered a school for decades was used.

Championships -- Five (1942, 1954, 1968, 2002, 2014).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Nov. 1, 2015.

Longest run at No. 1: 15 straight polls, 2006 preseason-Dec. 3, 2006.

Russo's reasoning: The recent Buckeyes championships include one of the great title-game upsets in college football history (2002) and a team (2014) that produced maybe the most bountiful NFL draft class ever. But the best Buckeyes team is a choice between coach Woody Hayes' first national champion (1954) and his second (1968). Hayes himself called the '68 team with Jack Tatum and Rex Kern one of the best in college football history, so that's good enough for me. Those Buckeyes shut out then-No. 1 Purdue 13-0 early in the season, thumped No. 1 Michigan 50-14 and beat No. 2 USC 27-16 in the Rose Bowl.

Championships -- Seven (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Sept. 18, 2011.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 15 straight polls, 2003 preseason-Nov. 30, 2003.

Russo's reasoning: Bud, Barry or Bob? The three coaches who have led the Sooners to national titles all had teams that can make a case for best in OU history. Bud Wilkinson's Sooners won a record 47 straight games in the '50s. Bob Stoops' 2000 champions went unbeaten through the Big 12 at its best. Still, the Barry Switzer era produced the best of the best Oklahoma teams in 1974 with a squad NCAA sanctions kept off TV and out of the postseason. That wasn't a problem for AP voters, who never had Lee Roy Selmon, Joe Washington and the '74 Sooners ranked lower than No. 3.

Championships -- Eight (1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Nov. 18, 2012.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 11 straight polls, Oct. 17, 1966-Sept. 25, 1967.

College football wasn't quite as deep in the 1940s when coach Frank Leahy won four of Notre Dame's eight national titles, but he did have monster teams. From 1946-49, the Fighting Irish were never ranked worse than No. 3 -- and that was for one week in 1946. Otherwise, it was either No. 1 or 2 for Notre Dame. Which team was best? I'll take the 1947 team with Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack at quarterback and lineman Leon Hart, who would go on to win the Heisman in '49.

Championships -- Five (1962, 1967, 1972, 2003, 2004).

Most recent No. 1 ranking. 2012 preseason.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 33 straight polls (record), Dec. 7, 2003-Dec. 4, 2005.

Russo's reasoning: USC football's golden ages during the AP poll era came under coaches John McKay and Pete Carroll. So it's only fair that the competition for best Trojans team comes down to McKay's (1972) or Carroll's (2004). The '72 squad with Anthony Davis began the season No. 8, crushed No. 4 Arkansas on the road in its opener and was No. 1 for the rest of the season. The '04 Trojans of Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush is one of only two teams to go wire-to-wire (preseason to final poll) as No. 1. Both had wipeout bowl victories, but '72 gets the nod for playing only one game decided by less than 17 points.

Championships -- 10 (1961, 1964, 1965, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015).

Longest run at No. 1 -- 15 straight polls, 2012 final-Oct. 24, 2013.

Russo's reasoning: Maybe the most amazing thing about Nick Saban's run at Alabama is that none of his championship teams stands way above the rest. They are all sort of equally awesome. So for the best of the best we'll look to Bear Bryant's boys. Bryant was partial to 1961. That team went unbeaten behind linemen Billy Neighbors and Lee Roy Jordan and quarterback Pat Trammell. The Bear's first championship team allowed only three touchdowns and had six shutouts.

Championships -- Three (1993, 1999, 2013).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Nov. 23, 2014.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 17 straight polls, 1999 preseason-1999 final.

Russo's reasoning: All the Seminoles championship teams were led by quarterbacks (Charlie Ward, Chris Weinke and Jameis Winston) who won the Heisman. Weinke's award came in 2000. All were loaded with future NFL talent. It was Bobby Bowden's '99 team, though, that pulled off a poll feat that had never been done before by going wire-to-wire as No. 1 from the preseason to the final poll. A spectacular Sugar Bowl performance by Florida State's Peter Warrick helped lock up the BCS championship against Michael Vick and Virginia Tech.

Championships -- Four (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Oct. 22, 2000.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 15 straight polls, Sept. 13, 1971-1972 preseason.

Russo's reasoning: Coach Bob Devaney's '71 Huskers and Tom Osborne's '95 team are not only considered Nebraska's best, but they both will get tossed into consideration for best of their respective decades. Both crushed bowl opponents to finish their seasons. The pick here is Johnny Rodgers and the '71 team, which started the season at No. 2, jumped to No. 1 after an opening blowout, and never gave it up. Along the way Nebraska beat No. 2 Oklahoma 35-31 in a Game of the Century that lived up to the billing.

Championships -- Five (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Dec. 8, 2002.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 21 straight polls, Oct. 14, 2001-Oct. 27, 2002.

Russo's reasoning: The second (though relatively brief) incarnation of the Miami dynasty produced the program's best team after three coaches won four championships from 1983-91. The 2001 'Canes' roster reads like an NFL roster. Willis McGahee, Clinton Portis and Frank Gore all at running back. They were No. 1 in all but three polls that season (three times No. 2) and beat their opponents by 34 points per game under first-year coach Larry Coker.

Championships -- Three (1963, 1969, 2005).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Oct. 26, 2008.

Longest run at No. 1 -- Nine straight polls, Oct. 14, 1963-1963 final.

Russo's reasoning: All three championship teams finished unbeaten, and the '63 and '69 squads spent more time at No. 1 than Mack Brown's '05 team. The last Longhorns' national title team was No. 2 all season behind Southern California before keeping the Trojans from the first AP title three-peat. Extra credit to the '05 team for Vince Young's Rose Bowl performance, maybe the greatest by an individual in college football history.

Championships -- Three (1996, 2006, 2008).

Most recent No. 1 ranking -- Nov. 29, 2009.

Longest run at No. 1 -- 10 straight polls, Sept. 23, 1996-Nov. 25, 1996.

Russo's reasoning: Steve Spurrier's Gators or Urban Meyer's Gators? Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel or Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow? Neither team finished unbeaten, but the '96 team was No. 1 most of the season before losing by three at No. 2 Florida State in November. The Gators then avenged that loss in the Sugar Bowl, 52-20.

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In the history of college football, only 44 schools have been able to make the claim "We're No. 1" and have The Associated Press poll back up the boast.


We're No. 1!: In poll, only 44 schools have made claim

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