Top 5 Least Satisfying National Championship Defenses Since 1990

y Kyle Golik

As the seconds waned in Ann Arbor after week two, a few things came to my mind. Texas is really good at football and the Longhorns really could have made it look bad for Sherrone Moore and Michigan. I firmly believe Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian let off the gas when the Longhorns went up 31-6 late in the third quarter.

Moore again doesn’t have an easy assignment this week with Southern California visiting The Big House. With the Trojans' improved defense and potent offense, the potential is there for another demolition of the defending national champions.

Michigan is looking to play for pride and avoid joining my list of the Top 5 least satisfying national championship defenses since 1990.

#5 1992 Washington

When I did this list I did not want to include teams that won their conference and played in a major bowl the next season. Washington won the Pac-10 and played in the Rose Bowl so why am I including the 1992 Huskies in my list? Simply because events off the field found their way to impact this Huskies squad and derailed a potential repeat national championship.

Through Halloween, Washington was in the Top 2 spots in the country with Miami outsourcing opponents 204 to 36 through their first eight wins. It looked like 1991’s co-champions might one again duel for the national championship.

As the calendar turned to November, news of impermissible benefits for several key Huskies that got the Pac-10 and NCAA involved. The off the field stuff would serve as an ultimate distraction as Washington would lose three of their final four games, including being dismantled in the Apple Cup , a rivalry Don James owned.

When all was said and done, the controversy led James to resign and Washington never fully got back to the level it enjoyed in the early 1990’s until Kalen DeBoer’s magical 2023 run, and this is with great respect to Rick Neuheisel’s 2000 and Chris Petersen’s 2016 teams.

#4 2008 LSU

2007 was the craziest year in college football in recent memory as LSU has been the only modern two loss national champion. In some ways, we shouldn’t have been surprised by LSU’s 8-5 record but there was very little for a Bayou Bengal to feel good about during the 2008 campaign.

It might be hard to believe but LSU was ranked No. 4 in the nation when they went to visit the 2008 Florida Gators. Florida demonstrated LSU wasn’t even in their league in the 51-21 rout.

It would be the first of two games in a three week span LSU’s defense would surrender 50 or more points. A week after escaping South Carolina by a touchdown, LSU hosted Georgia in a track meet that Georgia won 52-38.

The death blow came via the “Miracle on Markham II.” LSU led 30-14 lead midway through the third quarter. Arkansas switched quarterback’s putting in Casey Dick and momentum swung in favor of the Razorbacks. With 22 seconds left, Casey connected London Crawford for a 24-yard touchdown pass on fourth and one to give Arkansas the one-point win.

#3 1991 Georgia Tech

1990 was the first of consecutive title splits. And while 1991 featured two of college football’s greatest teams, 1990 was a split of squads with quirks. Colorado benefited from a fifth down to escape Missouri, something the pollsters weren’t as forgiving. Georgia Tech had a bad tie against a mediocre North Carolina squad that they could shake and that included having four ranked wins and upsetting No. 1 Virginia at Scott Stadium 41-38.

1991 was hoping to be better, but Georgia Tech wasn’t able to handle Penn State in Giants Stadium for the annual Kickoff Classic. The close games Georgia Tech won a season before, they didn’t have answers in 1991 losing in crunch time to Clemson (9-7), NC State (28-21), Georgia (18-15), and South Carolina (23-14).

Many didn’t know that head coach Bobby Ross was already a foot out the door for the San Diego Chargers when Bobby Beathard offered Ross the job after Dan Henning’s termination.

Georgia Tech would fumble through the Bill Lewis era before George O’Leary had to pick up many pieces.

#2 2011 Auburn

Usually defending national champions get some sort of respect for what they accomplished the season before. Pollsters had a good feeling this Auburn team wasn’t going anywhere without Cam Newton and the many pieces that comprised the 2010 Auburn team.

Outside of upsetting South Carolina that shot Auburn to No. 15, in the biggest moments Auburn had in 2011, they weren’t at all competitive. In Auburn’s five defeats in 2011 they were outscored 208-69.

In many ways, 2011 exposed Gene Chizik as a head coach as the downward spiral continued in 2012 where Auburn plummeted to 3-9. This opened the door for Gus Malzahn, who was offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011 to become head coach and lead Auburn to their surprise march to the final BCS National Championship Game against Florida State.

#1 2020 LSU

The year Coach O lost his way was a giant part of the least satisfying national championship defense, not just since 1990 but maybe of all time. What doesn’t make this a slam dunk all time No. 1 is the world was going through the COVID-19 pandemic and LSU wasn’t immune to COVID opt-outs, notably with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

Prior to taking the LSU job, Ed Oregeron always seemed so close to becoming a head coach but always was overlooked. Orgeron after relieving Les Miles earned the opportunity and found his quarterback in Ohio State transfer Joe Burrow.

The 2019 LSU team might be one of the most accomplished teams of all time with their seven wins against ranked opponents and the style they dominated offensively behind Burrow, Chase, and Justin Jefferson.

As 2020 LSU kicked off they were ranked No. 6 in the country and in their first game against Mississippi State, LSU seemingly had no defense losing 44-34. The losses began to mount after injuries to quarterback Myles Brennan. The only reason LSU didn’t suffer a losing season was a bonehead penalty by Florida defensive back Marco Wilson who threw LSU tight end Kole Taylor’s shoe that gave LSU the opportunity to seal a 37-34 upset over No. 6 Florida.

Orgeron’s off the field antics didn’t help matters as he was listed in many sexual harassment complaints, notably soliciting a high ranking LSU official’s pregnant wife. Orgeron was fired the next season prior to the Texas Bowl.