College Football Insider Releases 'Blue Bloods' List: Texas, Alabama, USC Trojans

College Football Blue Bloods

Here is the full list from Staples (alphabetical order):

• Alabama Crimson Tide
• Florida State Seminoles
• Georgia Bulldogs
• LSU Tigers
• Miami Hurricanes
• Michigan Wolverines
• Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Ohio State Buckeyes
• Oklahoma Sooners
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Texas Longhorns
• USC Trojans

Blue Blood Criteria:

Staples also revealed the criteria that he used in selecting the top-12 "Blue Blood programs:

"Top 15 in program win percentage (Minimum 750 games). At least one national title in two of three eras (AP or Coaches poll in the two poll eras, winner of the final game in the Bowl Championship Series/College Football Playoff era)," wrote Staples.

Historical success is the ultimate eliminator when deciding a team's "Blue Blood" status, and USC has one of the richer histories in college football.

When discussing the Trojans' national titles, Staples included the 2004 season in his profile of USC. Staples also mentioned the 2003 season in which the AP voters did not align with the BCS, leading to split national champions.

The Trojans easily passed the win percentage threshold as USC ranks No. 7 all-time among college football programs when it comes to win percentage.

When USC hired general manager Chad Bowden away from Notre Dame, Bowden spoke about the Trojans' history as a key factor in his decision to leave the Fighting Irish to work for USC coach Lincoln Riley in Southern California.

"USC, for me, it meant more to me. When I was a kid, I watched Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush. That was my team. Lendale White. [Dwayne] Jarrett. All of those guys. USC kind of held something in my heart. I think it’s the greatest city in the United States of America, Los Angeles. I think it’s the city of opportunity. . . . And I thought coming here, I could have the type of success that I want to have and I can be able to sustain it, and it’s a big reason why I chose USC," said Bowden.

Despite being one of the 12 "Blue Bloods" of college football, the Trojans have yet to appear in the College Football Playoff since it was introduced in 2014. Although there is optimism surrounding USC in 2025, the Riley and the Trojans are unranked in the preseason AP Top-25 Poll.