As the calendar page turns to August, the thoughts of sports fans across the country turn to College Football.

And, why not. With the scandals rocking pretty much every other sport - College Football stands out for its good, clean competition. It's epitomizes what sports should be all about.

Of course, the various National Polls are coming out with their opinions of who is the Number 1 college football team in the land. And that controversial issue will be debated around thousands of water coolers for the next five months at least.

Before we get into the frenzy of the college football season (I can't wait), this might be a good time to take a step back and dispassionately explore the topic of which was the best college football team in history.

Certainly, which was the best team ever is a debatable issue. But, as an SEC fan, I have a strong opinion. And, I think the answer is easy: The 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide was the best college football team ever.

The team was led by the legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Of course the "Bear" ultimately became, perhaps, the best college football coach ever. Among many accomplishments, his teams won fifteen Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships and six National Championships.

But, his 1961 team was the first. Five more National Championship teams would follow in its footsteps. But, the 1961 team blazed the trail for the rest.

The 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide went an undefeated (11-0) and was crowned the undisputed National Champion. With the numerous national polls, at the time, it was very unusual to finish the season as the "undisputed" National Champ. The '61 Crimson Tide did it.

But, the really amazing thing about that team was its defense. It outscored its opponents 297 - 25! No one scored more than 7 points against the '61 Crimson Tide defense and, in fact, six opponents failed to score at all. They beat Tennessee 34-3 and ended the season by beating Arkansas 10-3 in the Sugar Bowl.

The team was led by offensive lineman Billy Neighbors and linebacker Lee Roy Jordan (both in the College Football Hall of Fame); as well as QB Pat Trammell (Heisman Trophy finalist). Considering the legend of Bear Bryant; the undefeated record; the undisputed national championship; the amazing defense; the fact they were "the first" in a long line of Alabama champions - it's easy to see why the 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide was the best team in college football history.

See you at the water cooler.

About the Author

Mo Johnson is publisher of http://www.secsportsfan.com. To read more about Alabama football, go to Alabama Crimson Tide Football. To read about Bear Bryant, check out Best All-Time NCAA College Football Coach.