Stewart Mandel and The Athletic decided to participate in some good 'ol engagement farming. Mandel put together a list of the 25 best college football programs since 2000. You do need a subscription to The Athletic to view the article, but they were kind enough to put the whole ranking on social media for us.
The team that should be ranked No. 1 is rather obvious to everyone. Everyone except Mandel, of course, though I reckon he probably doesn't actually believe himself that Alabama would rank No. 2 on that list. It's a good way to drum up views and conversation, though.
Mandel chose Ohio State over Alabama at No. 1, citing the consistency of the Buckeyes over the course of the last 25 years. The beginning of the 2000s was unkind to the Crimson Tide thanks to probationary years. There were a couple of good seasons sprinkled in - 2002 and 2005 to be exact - but things didn't kick off in Tuscaloosa until Nick Saban arrived.
Even still, Alabama could have gone winless from 2000-2007, and what they did from 2008 and on would be enough to finish No. 1 on the list. From 2008-2023, Alabama won 10+ games in every single season. They won six National Championships, double that won by Ohio State, and played in three other title games.
That's 9 National Championship Game appearances in a 15-year span. There were two other College Football Playoff appearances in that span, too.
In spite of that, Mandel and The Athletic had the Crimson Tide No. 2 on the list. Fans of schools across the country - including Ohio State fans - ripped them for it.
Fans on social media are ripping The Athletic for ridiculous ranking of Alabama
You know your list is wildly inaccurate when fans of the team you ranked No. 1 disagree with you. Do you know how wrong you have to be for Ohio State fans to admit another program is better than theirs?
I wouldn't agree that Mandel is a bad writer, but this is certainly rage bait.
Even fans of other schools have come out defending Alabama's place in the hierarchy. What is this life?
Well, when you put it that way...
This one sums it up pretty well. If The Athletic posted this in hopes of engagement farming, job well done. If they posted it hoping their list would be taken seriously, well, not having the Crimson Tide at the top of the list makes that impossible.
Alabama's run under Saban is the best run in the history of the sport. Everyone seems to know that except for Stewart Mandel.