The 2026 College Football Playoff is just days away, and with the expanded format now in full swing, we’re seeing a mix of first-timers and playoff veterans gearing up for a shot at the national title. It’s a new-look bracket, but the conversation around greatness still circles back to a familiar question: who’s the best team we’ve seen in the Playoff era?
To answer that, ESPN’s Bill Connelly took on the massive task of ranking all 64 teams that have made the CFP since its debut in 2015. And while the top of the list is dominated by SEC powerhouses-as you’d expect-the team he crowned No. 1 might catch some fans off guard.
Connelly’s pick for the best College Football Playoff team ever? The 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide, led by quarterback Mac Jones.
That’s right-over the star-studded 2019 LSU squad with Joe Burrow at the helm, over Georgia’s recent defensive juggernauts, over Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence era. For Connelly, that 2020 Bama team stands alone at the top.
Let’s break down why.
First off, Alabama’s 2020 offense was a machine. They didn’t just win games-they steamrolled opponents.
The Tide had three players finish in the top five of the Heisman voting. That level of top-end talent on one roster is almost unheard of.
And they weren’t just putting up gaudy numbers-they were doing it against an SEC-only schedule, winning by an average margin of 30.2 points. That’s dominance, plain and simple.
Their defense? It took a few weeks to find its footing, but once it did, it locked in.
After mid-October, Alabama allowed just 15 points per game. That kind of balance-an elite offense paired with a defense that tightened up when it mattered-is what separates great teams from the all-time greats.
Connelly even went so far as to call this the best team Nick Saban ever coached. Let that sink in.
Saban’s resume is already the stuff of legend, and this group, in the eyes of one of the sport’s top analysts, is the best of the bunch. Maybe even the best team of the 21st century.
Right behind them at No. 2?
The 2019 LSU Tigers. And honestly, it’s hard to argue.
Joe Burrow’s Heisman season, the video-game numbers, the undefeated run through a stacked SEC-it was one of the most electrifying seasons we’ve ever seen. Connelly may have Alabama at the top, but he still gives LSU’s 2019 team the nod as the best squad Saban ever had to face.
The rest of the top five rounds out with more familiar names. The undefeated 2022 Georgia Bulldogs come in at No. 3, a team defined by its suffocating defense and championship poise.
At No. 4 is the 2023 Michigan Wolverines, who powered their way to the title with a physical, throwback style that reminded fans what Big Ten football can look like at its best. And at No. 5, the 2018 Clemson Tigers, who capped off a perfect season by dismantling Alabama in the title game behind a freshman quarterback named Trevor Lawrence.
As the 2026 CFP kicks off, it’s worth remembering just how high the bar has been set. The teams taking the field this weekend aren’t just chasing a championship-they’re chasing history. And if any of them want to be remembered like the 2020 Tide or 2019 LSU, they’ll need to put together something truly special.