19 - UCLA

Although the University of California-Los Angeles has captured 97 NCAA team titles, including 11 during the past three school years alone, it has a grand total of zero national championships when it comes to football.

Sort of.

In 1954, under the direction of coach Red Sanders and led by All-Americans Bob Davenport, Jack Ellena and Jim Salisbury, UCLA finished the regular season a perfect 9-0. It defeated defending national champion Maryland 12-7, led the country in both scoring and scoring defense, and outscored opponents by a staggering 367-40.

And yet the Bruins still did not finish No. 1 in the final Associated Pres poll that season.

Even though UCLA closed its regular season with a 34-0 victory over rival Southern California, the Trojans still advanced to play in the Rose Bowl because the Pacific Coast Conference had a no-repeat rule. No. 17 USC subsequently lost to No. 1 Ohio State, 20-7.

Regardless, the final AP poll of the season was cast on Nov. 29, before the Rose Bowl, with UCLA voted No. 2. The Bruins were named No. 1 by United Press International, but have never been named the AP’s national champion.

Additionally, in the All-Time Final Associated Press Poll, devised by former SEC Assistant Director of Media Relations Chris Woodroof, UCLA is the highest ranked team, 16th, to have never won the AP national championship (The only other team to do so in the top 20 is Arkansas at No. 18.).

In the Tuscaloosa News’ Best College Football Rankings, which will rate the Top 25 programs throughout the summer, UCLA scored points in six different categories but finished in the top 15 in only one: players in the National Football League.

Subsequently, it was also the lone category UCLA finished better than its rival, USC. The Bruins had 25 former players on NFL rosters at the start of last season compared to USC’s 24 (The Trojans, however, had 11 players selected in this year’s draft compared to UCLA’s three.).

Although its legacy includes players like Troy Aikman, Kris Farris, Cade McNown, Jonathan Ogden, and walk-on quarterbacks Rick Neuheisel and John Barnes, UCLA is known for two individuals in particular.

Gary Beban won the Heisman Trophy in 1967, and, before he broke the color barrier in baseball, Jackie Robinson was a four-sport standout at UCLA (football, basketball, track and baseball). Robinson led the nation in punt returns in 1939 and 1940, and his 18.8-yard career average ranks fourth in NCAA history.

Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at (205) 722-0196.