Every bowl teams' overall record in bowl games

Clemson is having themselves a time in the postseason lately. The Tigers have won six of their last seven bowl games, including a national championship in 2017. Clemson doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

Ever since Nick Saban came along, the entire country has been hearing “Roll Tide” every December and January. The four national championships he’s won the last eight years have been legendary, but don’t forget about Bear Bryant’s triumphs in 60s and late 70s.

Consistent success is hard to come by, but the Sooners seemed to be blessed with it. Oklahoma has only lost three straight bowl games once in its history. The Sooners last national championship occurred in 2000 when they defeated Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

The Bulldogs have played in 17 different bowl games. No matter where they played, they won. This includes national championship-winning bowl wins at 1942 and 1980 at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.

The Tigers made their official bowl debut in 1936 at the Sugar Bowl where they lost a 3-2 barnburner to TCU. They have gotten a lot better since, winning 14 bowl games the last 21 years including national championship-sealing bowls in 2004 and 2007.

While Notre Dame has a sterling reputation in college football, its bowl record is hit or miss. Early in their history, the Fighting Irish won often against top-level competition like Texas and Alabama in the Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl or Orange Bowl. Then came a string of nine straight losses from the mid-90s to mid-2000s. They have gotten their footing again by getting into the win column this decade.

The Tigers have always played a backseat to rival Alabama in the national spotlight, but their bowl record is pretty impressive. There is the obvious highlight of Cam Newton winning the national championship in 2011 with Auburn, but the team has had success other bowls as well.

The Knights are relative bowl newbies, but they already notched big wins against Baylor at the 2013 Fiesta Bowl and Georgia at the 2010 Liberty Bowl.

The Gamecocks lost their first eight bowl games before Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier turned things around. With Holtz at the helm, South Carolina beat Ohio State twice in the Outback Bowl and beat Nebraska, Michigan and Miami in a three-year span.

Talk about an entrance. Michigan debuted in bowl games in 1902 and won its first four Rose Bowls. The Wolverines have gone on to win four more bowls in Pasadena, and claim 11 national titles.

The Badgers started their bowl career with four straight losses, but have had runs of success in recent years. They have three Rose Bowl wins to their names, and a Cotton Bowl win in 2016.

When it came to bowl season in the late 80s-early 90s and early 2000s, it was all about the U. The Hurricanes won national championships in 1989 and 1991 after Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl wins respectively. They also won two consecutive national championships in 2001 and 2002.

There are few schools with the record of success of Penn State. It was crowned national champions in 1982 and 1986 after winning the Sugar and Fiesta Bowl respectively. And no one can forget the triple-overtime thriller at the 2005 Orange Bowl.

There have been plenty of big moments for the Huskies in their bowl history. In 1992, they won the Rose Bowl and finished as the top-team in the Coaches Poll, granting them a national championship. They also defeated No. 1 Minnesota in the 1961 Rose Bowl to be named National Champions by some organizations.

The Tigers 5-5 record comes with a literal black eye. After winning the 2014 Miami Beach Bowl, Memphis and BYU engaged in a brawl where helmets were swung and punches were thrown.

Bowl games have not been kind to the Cyclones. They made their debut in 1971 in the Sun Bowl where they lost. And the losses haven’t stopped. They did beat the MAC East Division winning Miami (OH) in the 2004 Independence Bowl though.

The Bulldogs have success playing in the cowbell riddled confines of Starkville, and they have had a good time at neutral site bowl games as well. One of their biggest bowl wins came against Michigan in the 2011 Gator Bowl. Mississippi State has won eight of its last 10 bowl games.

Long known as a basketball school, the Cardinals have found some success on the football field. Their biggest wins came in 2006 when they defeated Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl, and in 2012 when they beat Florida in the Sugar Bowl. They currently have an eight-year active bowl streak.

The Buckeyes are no stranger to Bowl losses, but they’ve also had some pretty big wins. They won the BCS National Championship game in 2003 and won the College Football Playoff in 2015. Add that in with seven Rose Bowl wins, and you a pretty good program.

Excellence and the Trojans have gone hand in hand in their bowl history, appearing in 53 bowl games, including 43 Rose Bowls and 25 Rose Bowl wins. They have come a long way since their debut at the 1923 Rose Bowl against Penn State. USC also has its 2005 Orange Bowl win vacated, but its fans will always remember that national championship team fondly.

It’s been 57 years since the Aggies have been in a bowl game, but they are finally back in the postseason. 2017 is also the first year New Mexico State will participate in a bowl that isn’t the Sun Bowl.

Utah State started its bowl history slow with four straight losses before finally breaking through at the Las Vegas Bowl in 1993. Recently, the Aggies won three of their last four bowl games heading into this year’s matchup against New Mexico State.

Northwestern has some of the smartest people in the world, but bowl success has been hard to come by. The Wildcats won their first bowl appearance in 1948 at the Rose Bowl, but lost nine straight bowl games after. They seemingly got back on track recently, winning two of their last three postseason matchups.

The Wildcats started at the Great Lakes Bowl in 1947, and have notched some pretty impressive victories. They beat Oklahoma in the 1950 Sugar Bowl, and TCU in the 1951 Cotton Bowl.

It’s been a while since the Sun Devils played in a major bowl game. Their last appearance in the Rose Bowl was 1997 when they lost to Ohio State. The school is hoping it can recapture its glory days in the 1980s when they beat Oklahoma in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl and Michigan in the 1987 Rose Bowl.

NC State made its first bowl game in 1947, losing to Oklahoma in the Gator Bowl. The Wolfpack has done better since, currently holding a winning record in the Peach Bowl.

If you’re looking for the last time the Aggies have won a national championship, it’s been a while. They finished as the AP National Champions in 1939 after winning the Sugar Bowl against Tulane. Since then, the wins in big bowl games have been few and far between, but they did win the 2012 Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma.

While Wake Forest hasn’t competed at any national championships, they have found success in the postseason. The Demon Deacons had the chance to make a statement at the 2007 Orange Bowl, but faltered against the Louisville Cardinals.

The Spartans recent success in bowl games hit a speed bump when the team lost in the College Football Playoff in 2015 at the Cotton Bowl. Before that, Michigan State won four straight games, including its fourth Rose Bowl win.

The Cougars have given as much as they have gotten in bowl games. Washington State is still seeking that elusive Rose Bowl win and will have to wait until next year to have their chance.

The Horned Frogs became the fourth school to compete in all six College Football Playoff bowls in 2014. They notched their biggest win against Wisconsin at the 2011 Rose Bowl and have won seven of their last 10 games.

The Cardinal faltered in its first two bowl games at the 1902 and 1925 Rose Bowl, but those losses appear to be far in the rear-view mirror. Its biggest win came in the 1971 Rose Bowl against an undefeated Ohio State team. Since 2011, Stanford has won five of its last seven bowl games.

Despite people constantly overlooking them for in-state rival Oklahoma, the Cowboys have had some bowl success of their own, going 4-4 in the six major bowl games. Oklahoma State’s 2012 Fiesta Bowl win against Stanford propelled them to No. 3 in the country, the team’s highest AP Poll finish in its history.

As great has the Hokies have been in recent bowl games, they started poorly with five straight losses in their first five appearances. They’ve gone on to win some big ones, including a win against Texas in the 1995 Sugar Bowl, and winning three straight bowl games since 2014.

Navy started on the big stage in its bowl debut at the 1923 Rose Bowl that ended in a tie against Washington. The Midshipmen have played in some big games since, including a loss against No. 1 Texas in the 1963 Cotton Bowl when they themselves were ranked No. 2 in the country.

The Cavaliers started their bowl history well with a win against Purdue at the 1984 Peach Bowl. Consistent success has been hard to find though, with a recent stretch where they have lost two of their last three appearances.

Bowl success has come in ebbs and flows for Missouri since its debut at the 1924 Los Angeles Christmas Festival. The Tigers started by losing their first seven games, but came back to win eight of their next 11 from 1960 to 1981. Missouri is currently on a three-game win streak from the Independence Bowl in 2011 to the Citrus Bowl in 2014.

Texas will have the second most bowl appearances of any program in the history of NCAA Division I Football when the Longhorns play in the Texas Bowl. The obvious highlight of their history was Vince Young’s scramble to the end zone in the National Championship game at the 2005 Rose Bowl in what was arguably the greatest college football game ever played.

Purdue burst onto the national scene with a Rose Bowl win against USC in its bowl debut in 1966. The Boilermakers went on to win five of their next six bowl appearances from 1978 to 1998. Trying to recapture that success has been difficult with Purdue losing seven of its last ten bowl games since the turn of the century.

The Wildcats made their bowl debut in 1921 as a Division III school at the Christmas Classic. They didn’t get their first win until 65 years at the 1986 Aloha Bowl against North Carolina.

Success and failure have come in bunches for Boston College. The Eagles lost four of their first five bowl games starting in 1939. Then they won 12 of their next 14 bowl games, only to drop five of their next six after. At least they can say they beat a Mark Richt coached Georgia team at the 2001 Music City Bowl.

Iowa started its bowl history with a bang, winning the 1957 Rose Bowl against Oregon State. Success has been hard to come by recently though as the Hawkeyes have lost five straight games in the postseason.

You want to talk about a traditional football powerhouse? Look no further than the Seminoles. Florida State debuted in 1950 at the Cigar Bowl and has gone on to win three national championships in 1994, 2000 and 2014.

For being a small school out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Southern Miss finds itself in the national spotlight a lot. The Golden Eagles lost their first four bowl games starting in 1953. But they started winning every so often, culminating in their victory against AP-ranked TCU in 2000.

The Bruins started their bowl history poorly losing five straight Rose Bowls before getting their first win in 1966 against Michigan State. Arguably, the schools best win came against Miami in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl with Jimmy Johnson coaching the Hurricanes. UCLA hasn't played in a high-stakes bowl since the 1999 Rose Bowl, but have won two of its last three appearances.

Kansas State is no stranger to bowl game success, notching big wins against Tennessee in the 2000 Cotton Bowl and Michigan at the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in 2013. The Wildcats won against Texas A&M at last year’s Texas Bowl, and hope to build on that victory.

The Huskies started strong with wins in their first two bowl games. But success ended up being rare for the program losing nine of its last 11 postseason matchups.

If only the Blue Devils’ success in basketball could be translated over to football. Duke has had a rough go at bowl games, losing five straight appearances before notching a win at the Pinstripe Bowl last year.

The Mountaineers made their bowl debut in 1922 with a 21-13 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Since then, they’ve won some huge games including a Sugar Bowl win against Georgia in 2005, a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma in 2007 and an Orange Bowl win against Clemson in 2011.

Say what you will about Utah, but never doubt its dominance when it reaches a bowl game. The Utes pitched a shutout in their bowl debut in 1939 at the Sun Bowl, and success has followed them since. In their last 14 bowl appearances, Utah has been victorious 13 times. Not bad for a school in Salt Lake City.

Houston came out of the gates hot when it debuted at the Salad Bowl in 1952, winning seven of its first ten bowl games. The Cougars notched a huge win against Florida State in the 2015 Peach Bowl and remains the biggest gem in the team’s crown jewel of achievements.

Getting to bowl games has become a semi-regular occurrence for the Bulldogs recently, but getting bowl wins hasn’t. Fresno State started its bowl career winning eight of its first 11 games. However, the Bulldogs have failed to win in their last six appearances.

The Rockets have been bowl participants since 1969, and all they’ve done is win since. They lost to Appalachian State last year, but have a chance to redeem themselves against the Mountaineers this year.

Technically, the Mountaineers played their first bowl game in 1937 at the Doll and Toy Charity Game. However, the first nine bowl appearances were not sanctioned by the NCAA and don’t count in their official record. That might be a blessing because that leaves Appalachian State undefeated to start its FBS bowl history.

The Black Knights have had some bowl success recent, winning in their last two appearances in 2010 and 2016. Can they add a third straight win?

San Diego State has come a long way since being blown out 53-0 in its first bowl appearance in 1948. The Aztecs have won their last two bowl games and will be looking to add a third against Army this season.

It took less than 10 years for the Bulls to make their first bowl game after the program's creation, and they’ve been regular participants ever since. They’ve also had some big wins against Clemson and Oregon in that time.

The Red Raiders made the first of their 37 bowl appearances in 1938 at the Sun Bowl against West Virginia. The wins came slowly (five in their first 20 appearances to start), but have come in bunches lately, winning nine of their last 12 bowl games.

The Cowboys started their bowl history strong with four consecutive wins from 1956-1966. But in their last ten tries, Wyoming has only come out victorious twice.

Getting to the postseason hasn’t been rare for the Chippewas, but the wins haven’t come as frequently. Of the eight bowl games Central Michigan has participated in the last 10 years, it has only won three.

Even though the Bobcats have been around since 1894, bowl success has been hard to come by. Their first win came in 2011, abd they have failed to win in their last three attempts.

Back from the dead, the Blazers have made the most of their return. UAB is competing in the Bahamas Bowl in 2017 against Ohio, looking to get its first win after losing in its bowl debut in 2004 in the Hawaii Bowl.

The Panthers have had a program since 2002, but success has been elusive. They have only been to two bowl games in 2010 and 2011.

Up until 2009, Temple only had two bowl game appearances 39 years apart in 1935 and 1979. After a 30-year drought, the Owls have been bowl game regulars making five postseason appearances in the last eight years

The Mustangs have made it far since their 7-9 Dixie Classic loss in 1925. They’ve won five of their last seven bowl appearances from 1983-2012, and hope to continue that trend in 2017.

The Bulldogs made their postseason debut at the Independence Bowl in 1977, winning against Louisville, 24-14. Most recently, Louisiana Tech battled Navy in last year’s Armed Forces Bowl in a last-second thriller.

The Owls are nine years removed from their last bowl appearance, but the program is no stranger to success. They have won their only two appearances, and are in good position to stay undefeated.

Akron is a relative newbie to the bowl season, only making two appearances prior to the Boca Rotan Bowl this year. The Zips were able to notch their first bowl win in the Potato Bowl last season, and they could double that total.

Arkansas State started its bowl history at the Refrigerator Bowl in 1951. The Red Wolves defeated UCF last year in the Cure Bowl last year, and look to continue that momentum with a win in this bowl season.

The Blue Raiders made their bowl debut in 1956 at the Refrigerator Bowl, but they haven’t had much success since. They have lost their last four appearances and have a tough matchup against Arkansas State in the Camellia Bowl this year.

The Rams haven’t found much success in bowl games lately, losing three straight games in the postseason. They will have a shot at changing that against Marshall.

The Thundering Herd have a knack for making its bowl appearances count, winning 10 of its last 11 appearances, including five-game victory streak. Colorado State is the team on the docket.

The Ducks had a 10-year bowl streak snapped last year, which included an appearance in the national championship game twice. This year, Oregon is in the Las Vegas Bowl and hoping to get back to its bowl-winning ways.

Two words: Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos shocked college football with their daring win against Oklahoma in 2007. But that shouldn’t have been a surprise considering their bowl success in the years prior. It’s become a regular occurrence to see Boise State win in December and January.

Georgia State football is approaching a decade in existence, so it hasn’t had the time to build a rich postseason history in the FBS. The Panthers lost their only bowl game in 2015, but have a chance to get in the win column in 2017.

WKU has only been in Division I since 2009. The Hilltoppers were 4-2 in lower division bowls before that. They lost their first FBS bowl game in 2012, but have reeled off three straight wins since from 2014-2016. Can they make it four in the Cure Bowl?

The Mean Green haven’t found much bowl success since they started at the Salad Bowl in 1948. But they have a chance to change their fortunes against Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.

The Trojans have won their last two bowl games, both against the Ohio University. Troy could have easily won four in a row, but lost its bowl matchups in 2008 and 2010 by three points each.

The Aggies played their first bowl game in 1943 at the Flower Bowl when they defeated Southern University. Now they will battle Grambling State for its fifth bowl title.

The Tigers have been in Division I since I977, and they’ve already found a lot of success in bowl games. Grambling State has won 25 SWAC Championships, which put them in position to play for the Black College Football National Championship. The Tigers will have a chance to win their 16^th at the Celebration Bowl this year.