40 years before the last 40:
1. Oklahoma
2. Penn St
3. Ohio St
4. Alabama
5. USC
6. Texas
7. Nebraska
8. Michigan
9. ND
10. Arkansas
11. Tennessee
.
The last 40 years:
1. Ohio St
2. Florida St
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Alabama
6. Georgia
7. Nebraska
8. Miami
9. Penn St
10. Michigan
11. Clemson
.
According to this, and this dumps all the pre-WWII junk - Nebraska is a solid helmet and so is Penn St.
Tennessee and ND can go suck a big, fat one. The Florida schools' results are on par with what ND, USC, and such did back in the day.
I think there's obvious recency bias against the "johnny-come-latelies". But 40 years is 40 years. Notre Dame = Kansas State the last 40 years, plus a TV contract. The numbers don't lie. USC is between Wisconsin and Auburn. Texas is behind VA Tech.
.
Our idea of a helmet program is dated.