Top Private School Programs

[bostonspider]

In the thread about Ayers retiring, one of the Wofford posters mentioned that he felt that Ayers had positioned Wofford as one of the top four private school programs. As to not hijack that thread, I thought it might make an interesting discussion. What are the top private school FCS programs? I assume from the CAA you look at VU and UR, with maybe Elon as an up and comer. In the SC you have Furman and Wofford, with Samford as the up and comer. You have Harvard in the Ivy's, Colgate or Lehigh in the PL.. San Diego has been to the last couple of playoffs and won. So what would your list be. I think UR, VU and FU are towards the top as they have all won national titles.

1) UR
2) Villanova
3) Furman
4) Wofford
5) Harvard
6) Colgate
7) Lehigh
8) Princeton
9) San Diego
10) Samford

[World]

In the thread about Ayers retiring, one of the Wofford posters mentioned that he felt that Ayers had positioned Wofford as one of the top four private school programs. As to not hijack that thread, I thought it might make an interesting discussion. What are the top private school FCS programs? I assume from the CAA you look at VU and UR, with maybe Elon as an up and comer. In the SC you have Furman and Wofford, with Samford as the up and comer. You have Harvard in the Ivy's, Colgate or Lehigh in the PL.. San Diego has been to the last couple of playoffs and won. So what would your list be. I think UR, VU and FU are towards the top as they have all won national titles.

1) UR
2) Villanova
3) Furman
4) Wofford
5) Harvard
6) Colgate
7) Lehigh
8) Princeton
9) San Diego
10) Samford


here you go

take the private schools from this list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_FCS_football_win-loss_records

[fc97]

In the thread about Ayers retiring, one of the Wofford posters mentioned that he felt that Ayers had positioned Wofford as one of the top four private school programs. As to not hijack that thread, I thought it might make an interesting discussion. What are the top private school FCS programs? I assume from the CAA you look at VU and UR, with maybe Elon as an up and comer. In the SC you have Furman and Wofford, with Samford as the up and comer. You have Harvard in the Ivy's, Colgate or Lehigh in the PL.. San Diego has been to the last couple of playoffs and won. So what would your list be. I think UR, VU and FU are towards the top as they have all won national titles.

1) UR
2) Villanova
3) Furman
4) Wofford
5) Harvard
6) Colgate
7) Lehigh
8) Princeton
9) San Diego
10) Samford

Are you talking this year or all-time?

Looking all time, I think Hampton, Bethune-Cookman should be up there, the Ivies should be out.

Big Sky:
None

MVFC:
None

CAA:
Delaware - Sorta
Elon
Richmond
Villanova

SoCon:
Wofford
Mercer
Furman
Samford

OVC:
None

Southland:
Aibilene Christian
Houston Baptist
Incarnate Word

MEAC:
Hampton
Howard
Bethune-Cookman

Big South:
Campbell
Charleston Southern
Gardner-Webb
Presbyterian
Monmouth

Pioneer:
everyone but Morehead Statea

Patriot:
everyone

SWAC:
None

[fc97]

here you go

take the private schools from this list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_FCS_football_win-loss_records

That's all time, not just FCS. If you are looking at FCS, you have to take Ivies out because they don't really play anyone else. And you can't take the pre-FCS and NAIA/D-III/D-II records into account.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

here you go

take the private schools from this list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_FCS_football_win-loss_records

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRCOuptVAAEFPcr.jpg:large

[Lehigh Football Nation]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRCOuptVAAEFPcr.jpg:large

Remove NDSU and Delaware from this list, next up in terms of private schools is Colgate (13), Cornell (14), and Holy Cross (15)

[PurpleStreamers]

Are you talking this year or all-time?

Looking all time, I think Hampton, Bethune-Cookman should be up there, the Ivies should be out.

Big Sky:
None

MVFC:
None

CAA:
Delaware - Sorta
Elon
Richmond
Villanova

SoCon:
Wofford
Mercer
Furman
Samford

OVC:
None

Southland:
Aibilene Christian
Houston Baptist
Incarnate Word

MEAC:
Howard
Bethune-Cookman

Big South:
Campbell
Charleston Southern
Gardner-Webb
Presbyterian
Monmouth
Hampton

Pioneer:
everyone but Morehead Statea

Patriot:
everyone

SWAC:
None

FIFY

[IBleedYellow]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRCOuptVAAEFPcr.jpg:large


Holy crap. I thought our 120 years was impressive. That 109 by Dayton. xbowx

[PaladinFan]

Up until Richmond won in 2008, Furman was the only private school that had won a national title. For 30 years, they were it.

I believe the only other private schools that have even played for a national title are Richmond, Villanova, Lehigh, and Colgate. Furman is the only private school with multiple appearances in the national title game. Furman, oddly, has more national title appearances than James Madison.

In fact, there are only 5 current FCS schools with more national title appearances than Furman (EKU, NDSU, YSU, Montana, Delaware).

The Paladins do not have the same historic gravitas as the Iveys, but if FCS/D1AA playoffs are the standard, its hard to argue there's been a more successful private school at this level. I think it would be no question if the program had not scuffled the past few years.

[Go...gate]

Up until Richmond won in 2008, Furman was the only private school that had won a national title. For 30 years, they were it.

I believe the only other private schools that have even played for a national title are Richmond, Villanova, Lehigh, and Colgate. Furman is the only private school with multiple appearances in the national title game. Furman, oddly, has more national title appearances than James Madison.

In fact, there are only 5 current FCS schools with more national title appearances than Furman (EKU, NDSU, YSU, Montana, Delaware).

The Paladins do not have the same historic gravitas as the Ivies, but if FCS/D1AA playoffs are the standard, its hard to argue there's been a more successful private school at this level. I think it would be no question if the program had not scuffled the past few years.

If you are dealing chiefly with the I-AA/FCS years, that makes sense.

[Twentysix]

1) Richmond

2) Villanova

3) Wofford

4) Lehigh

5) San Diego

5) Furman


Based on my personal perception of the last 10ish years. The ivy schools don't deserve to be in this list.

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[LUHawker]

Villanova should be top of this list in my mind given their relative consistency and historical performance. Richmond has been a more recent success story IMO. Lehigh and Colgate should be high on the list along with Furman and Wofford. While most on this board dismiss the Ivies, Harvard should be right up there too.

[DFW HOYA]

Based on my personal perception of the last 10ish years. The ivy schools don't deserve to be in this list.


Harvard's record since 2001 is the best of all Eastern schools.

[Twentysix]

Harvard's record since 2001 is the best of all Eastern schools.No post season = no ****s given

That's reality

If you don't fight in the playoffs you aren't really fcs anyway.


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[DFW HOYA]

If you don't fight in the playoffs you aren't really fcs anyway.

So, the SWAC and MEAC aren't either?

Bottom line: if the playoffs are that important, the member schools could vote for mandatory participation or expulsion from the subdivision.

They won't.

[Twentysix]

So, the SWAC and MEAC aren't either?

Bottom line: if the playoffs are that important, the member schools could vote for mandatory participation or expulsion from the subdivision.

They won't.If they don't take a playoff spot when they would make it, then yes they aren't fcs. Only fcs in name, and barely at that.

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[Reign of Terrier]

(I was the original Wofford poster in question FWIW).

As for "best program" it really depends on how much you weigh recent success, going deep in the playoffs vs consistency (like, one semifinal run vs going 1-1 every year).

Under my criteria, I weight recent success a little bit more, but I don't discard overall success. I also weigh consistency over flash in the pan sort of years.

So, if I'm going to be honest, there's 3 tiers:

1) Richmond
2) Villanova
3) Furman

tier two:
4) Wofford
5) Lehigh
6) Colgate

Tier three:
everyone else

Lehigh and Colgate have gotten farther in the FCS playoffs but have been in the FCS longer than Wofford. Wofford has won more playoff games and has a better win percentage. I rank Richmond above Villanova, but only slightly, because I perceive them as more successful in the past 5 years. Furman has been to more national title games than either, but they have not gone back in like 15 years so that weighs them down a little.

[TennBison]

Up until Richmond won in 2008, Furman was the only private school that had won a national title. For 30 years, they were it.

I believe the only other private schools that have even played for a national title are Richmond, Villanova, Lehigh, and Colgate. Furman is the only private school with multiple appearances in the national title game. Furman, oddly, has more national title appearances than James Madison.

In fact, there are only 5 current FCS schools with more national title appearances than Furman (EKU, NDSU, YSU, Montana, Delaware).

The Paladins do not have the same historic gravitas as the Iveys, but if FCS/D1AA playoffs are the standard, its hard to argue there's been a more successful private school at this level. I think it would be no question if the program had not scuffled the past few years.
Furman has not been to a title game in like 15 years, those teams are long gone. Why do people bring title games/teams and playoff glories that have no effect on the current teams. If your team has not been to a title game with it's current coaches or players you can't bring them into discussions like this, the whole team usually changes and so does the persona of the team. Saying you are good now because of what your team did 15 years ago with not one person still in the system from back then makes no sense.

[PaladinFan]

Furman has not been to a title game in like 15 years, those teams are long gone. Why do people bring title games/teams and playoff glories that have no effect on the current teams. If your team has not been to a title game with it's current coaches or players you can't bring them into discussions like this, the whole team usually changes and so does the persona of the team. Saying you are good now because of what your team did 15 years ago with not one person still in the system from back then makes no sense.

I can do whatever I please and answer a broad open ended question however I see fit. The question didn't ask who the best program is right now, or in the last five years, or in the history of football. It asked "program."

If you want to define "program" to mean current organization in December 2017, that's fine (Furman is the third highest private school ranked in the SRS, incidentally). I choose to define that as the trophy room. Furman's trophy room is more impressive than pretty much any private school you want to throw out there at this level.

[TennBison]

I can do whatever I please and answer a broad open ended question however I see fit. The question didn't ask who the best program is right now, or in the last five years, or in the history of football. It asked "program."

If you want to define "program" to mean current organization in December 2017, that's fine (Furman is the third highest private school ranked in the SRS, incidentally). I choose to define that as the trophy room. Furman's trophy room is more impressive than pretty much any private school you want to throw out there at this level.
Pretty much goes without saying that they are talking about current teams or teams from only a few years ago. Sure, your team has a rich history. And as far as private schools goes this year you did make the playoffs. And even though you did make the playoffs, the team didn't do much. I know you are looking at private schools in this thread, but how did you stack up against the public schools. Since your season does not limit itself to only playing private schools all year you need to use them in any formula for where you finished in the rankings. Hard to do this year since Wofford ended your season in the playoffs(private school vs private school).

[Outsider1]

Program vs era vs team....

[DFW HOYA]

If you want to define "program" to mean current organization in December 2017, that's fine (Furman is the third highest private school ranked in the SRS, incidentally). I choose to define that as the trophy room. Furman's trophy room is more impressive than pretty much any private school you want to throw out there at this level.

Hmmm...I've got to believe there are Ivy trophy rooms that make Furman (and most all of us) pale in comparison. When the Harvard alumni club lounge in NYC looks like this, imagine what it looks like in Cambridge.

https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2e9626429d869c4d2f3ee04cc8a3c081-c?convert_to_webp=true

[PAllen]

(I was the original Wofford poster in question FWIW).

As for "best program" it really depends on how much you weigh recent success, going deep in the playoffs vs consistency (like, one semifinal run vs going 1-1 every year).

Under my criteria, I weight recent success a little bit more, but I don't discard overall success. I also weigh consistency over flash in the pan sort of years.

So, if I'm going to be honest, there's 3 tiers:

1) Richmond
2) Villanova
3) Furman

tier two:
4) Wofford
5) Lehigh
6) Colgate

Tier three:
everyone else

Lehigh and Colgate have gotten farther in the FCS playoffs but have been in the FCS longer than Wofford. Wofford has won more playoff games and has a better win percentage. I rank Richmond above Villanova, but only slightly, because I perceive them as more successful in the past 5 years. Furman has been to more national title games than either, but they have not gone back in like 15 years so that weighs them down a little.

One could argue the exact order, but yeah, you got the tiers about right.

[TheValleyRaider]

https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2e9626429d869c4d2f3ee04cc8a3c081-c?convert_to_webp=true

I'm not quite sure those are the trophies we are talking about xrotatehx

[spdram]

Hmmm...I've got to believe there are Ivy trophy rooms that make Furman (and most all of us) pale in comparison. When the Harvard alumni club lounge in NYC looks like this, imagine what it looks like in Cambridge.

https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2e9626429d869c4d2f3ee04cc8a3c081-c?convert_to_webp=true


When did Harvard beat Alabama?

[Reign of Terrier]

One could argue the exact order, but yeah, you got the tiers about right.

Yeah, that's why I laid out the criteria. Wofford's won more playoff games than Lehigh/Colgate but until we start making it perennially to the final four or championship we're indistinguishable

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Yeah, that's why I laid out the criteria. Wofford's won more playoff games than Lehigh/Colgate but until we start making it perennially to the final four or championship we're indistinguishable

A few things that Lehigh and Colgate have that Wofford doesn't. One, Colgate and Lehigh both have Final appearances. If prior history counts, Lehigh has a D2 National Title. Colgate also has two Payton Award winner's (Kenny Gamble 1987 and Jamaal Branch 2003) to their credit. Lehigh is the ONLY program in FCS to make the 1-AA/FCS playoffs EVERY decade ('70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, 10's). They've been consistently good literally for decades. Both programs were banned from the 1-AA playoffs per Patriot League rules from 1986 through the end of the 1996 campaign.

[Reign of Terrier]

A few things that Lehigh and Colgate have that Wofford doesn't. One, Colgate and Lehigh both Final appearances. If prior history counts, Lehigh has a D2 National Title. Colgate also has two Payton Award winner's (Kenny Gamble 1987 and Jamaal Branch 2003) to their credit. Lehigh is the ONLY team in FCS to make the 1-AA/FCS playoffs EVERY decade ('70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, 10's). Both programs were banned from the 1-AA playoffs per Patriot League rules from 1986 through the end of the 1996 campaign.

Also worth noting that Wofford wasn't FCS until 1997 and we also didn't make the playoffs until 2003. If recency is a relevant factor when overall programs are indistinguishable in overall accomplishment, Wofford has Lehigh/Colgate beat, but again it's all subjective.

[ST_Lawson]

When did Harvard beat Alabama?

4-0 all time against the SEC....no games against Alabama though. Not sure where that elephant head came from.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

4-0 all time against the SEC....no games against Alabama though. Not sure where that elephant head came from.

I'm just taking an educated guess but I'll say it came from Teddy Roosevelt. He's a Harvard grad, was from NYC and was obviously a notorious big game hunter....

[PAllen]

4-0 all time against the SEC....no games against Alabama though. Not sure where that elephant head came from.

I'm gonna say Africa