The almanac · 1869–2026
Records of the war
Every season since 1916, replayed to the county. Each record links to the exact moment on the map. The records start in 1916, the first season with 100 seeded programs; earlier seasons, when a few Eastern schools shared the whole map, live in the archive.
Empire
The largest empires ever
peak holdings at any moment · square miles are planar estimates
| № | Team | Square miles | Counties | Moment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Michigan | 2,223,531 | 1,774 | 2023 · Bowls 1 › |
| 2 |  Indiana | 2,168,653 | 1,822 | 2025 · Bowls 1 › |
| 3 |  Oregon | 2,104,155 | 1,234 | 2001 · Bowls 1 › |
| 4 |  Ohio State | 1,985,865 | 1,703 | 2014 · Bowls 1 › |
| 5 |  USC | 1,946,754 | 928 | 2016 · Bowls 1 › |
| 6 |  Clemson | 1,909,975 | 1,638 | 2018 · Bowls 1 › |
| 7 | Ohio State | 1,841,743 | 1,309 | 2024 · Bowls 1 › |
| 8 |  Stanford | 1,801,715 | 684 | 1935 · Bowls 1 › |
| 9 |  Nebraska | 1,786,007 | 1,652 | 1971 · Bowls 1 › |
| 10 | USC | 1,668,553 | 1,127 | 1931 · Bowls 1 › |
| 11 |  TCU | 1,665,271 | 910 | 2015 · Bowls 1 › |
| 12 | Ohio State | 1,661,293 | 917 | 2017 · Bowls 1 › |
Conquest
The biggest single conquests
most land taken in one game
| № | Winner | Took it from | Score | Square miles | Counties | Moment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Notre Dame | USC | 9–0 | 1,558,959 | 557 | 1952 · Week 12 › |
| 2 |  Northwestern | Illinois | 14–7 | 1,459,607 | 709 | 1950 · Week 11 › |
| 3 | Michigan | Washington | 34–13 | 1,453,544 | 743 | 2023 · Bowls 1 › |
| 4 |  Texas | Texas A&M | 21–6 | 1,452,654 | 744 | 1955 · Week 11 › |
| 5 |  LSU | Texas A&M | 41–24 | 1,437,330 | 802 | 2010 · Bowls 1 › |
| 6 |  Texas A&M | Nebraska | 9–6 | 1,437,330 | 802 | 2010 · Week 12 › |
| 7 |  California | Stanford | 20–7 | 1,421,291 | 516 | 1951 · Week 11 › |
| 8 | Clemson | Alabama | 44–16 | 1,414,064 | 1,087 | 2018 · Bowls 1 › |
| 9 | Stanford | USC | 27–20 | 1,340,921 | 492 | 1951 · Week 9 › |
| 10 | USC | Arizona | 14–7 | 1,326,447 | 634 | 1992 · Week 12 › |
| 11 |  UCLA | USC | 38–37 | 1,326,447 | 634 | 1992 · Week 13 › |
| 12 |  Wisconsin | Michigan State | 42–39 | 1,321,483 | 455 | 2011 · Week 14 › |
Upset
The wildest upsets
winner's pregame chance from CFBD Elo, land-moving games only
| № | Winner | Over | Chance | Score | Square miles | Moment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Central Michigan | Western Michigan | 1% | 21–17 | 200,852 | 2000 · Week 12 › |
| 2 |  UNLV | San Diego State | 1% | 44–42 | 390,589 | 1996 · Week 13 › |
| 3 |  Wyoming | Arizona State | 1% | 45–43 | 79,634 | 1972 · Week 4 › |
| 4 |  Purdue | Michigan | 1% | 16–14 | 41,215 | 1976 · Week 10 › |
| 5 |  Vanderbilt | Alabama | 1% | 40–35 | 98,772 | 2024 · Week 6 › |
| 6 |  Washington | USC | 1% | 16–13 | 30,885 | 2009 · Week 3 › |
| 7 |  Iowa State | Nebraska | 2% | 19–10 | 136,617 | 1992 · Week 12 › |
| 8 |  SamfordFCS | MercerFCS | 2% | 33–13 | 21,246 | 1920 · Week 4 › |
| 9 | LSU | Alabama | 2% | 17–13 | 175,020 | 1993 · Week 11 › |
| 10 |  Illinois | Wisconsin | 2% | 24–23 | 117,502 | 2019 · Week 8 › |
| 11 |  UAB | Southern Miss | 2% | 34–31 | 160,727 | 2011 · Week 12 › |
| 12 |  Memphis | Tennessee | 2% | 21–17 | 87,503 | 1996 · Week 12 › |
Reign
The longest reigns
consecutive weeks as the largest empire
Raid
The great raiders
peak empires won by FCS, D-II and D-III programs
| № | Team | Square miles | Counties | Moment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  North Dakota State | 784,508 | 135 | 2021 · Bowls 1 › |
| 2 |  Montana StateFCS | 771,375 | 108 | 2021 · Bowls 1 › |
| 3 |  South Dakota StateFCS | 765,725 | 105 | 2021 · Week 14 › |
| 4 |  Portland StateFCS | 735,802 | 82 | 2021 · Week 10 › |
| 5 |  Sacramento State | 735,802 | 82 | 2021 · Week 11 › |
| 6 |  Eastern WashingtonFCS | 718,628 | 61 | 2021 · Week 5 › |
| 7 |  Weber StateFCS | 718,628 | 61 | 2021 · Week 8 › |
| 8 |  MontanaFCS | 628,107 | 52 | 2021 · Week 1 › |
| 9 |  Hawai'i | 628,107 | 52 | 1973 · Week 3 › |
| 10 |  San José State | 305,927 | 109 | 1946 · Week 17 › |
| 11 |  North Texas | 272,602 | 132 | 1956 · Week 6 › |
| 12 |  Fresno State | 240,160 | 120 | 1939 · Week 5 › |
Campaign
Most conquests in a season
land-moving wins
Finish
Largest at season's end
the final map, by square miles
| № | Team | Square miles | Counties | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 2,223,531 | 1,774 | 2023 › |
| 2 | Indiana | 2,168,653 | 1,822 | 2025 › |
| 3 | Oregon | 2,104,155 | 1,234 | 2001 › |
| 4 | Ohio State | 1,985,865 | 1,703 | 2014 › |
| 5 | USC | 1,946,754 | 928 | 2016 › |
| 6 | Clemson | 1,909,975 | 1,638 | 2018 › |
| 7 | Ohio State | 1,841,743 | 1,309 | 2024 › |
| 8 | Stanford | 1,801,715 | 684 | 1935 › |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,786,007 | 1,652 | 1971 › |
| 10 | USC | 1,668,553 | 1,127 | 1931 › |
| 11 | TCU | 1,665,271 | 910 | 2015 › |
| 12 | Ohio State | 1,661,293 | 917 | 2017 › |
Season by season
Every campaign at a glance
end leader · peak empire · first FBS program to lose everything
| Season | Finished #1 | Square miles | Peak empire | Empires | Battles | Raids | Biggest conquest | First to fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026live | Washington | 757,576 | 89 | 53 | 3 | |||
| 2025 | Indiana | 2,168,653 | 12 | 211 | 5 | |||
| 2024 | Ohio State | 1,841,743 | 11 | 209 | 2 | |||
| 2023 | Michigan | 2,223,531 | 12 | 194 | 4 | |||
| 2022 | Washington | 1,149,383 | 13 | 204 | 10 | |||
| 2021 | North Dakota State | 784,508 | 12 | 214 | 29 | |||
| 2020 |  Ball State | 669,001 | 16 | 171 | 2 | |||
| 2019 | LSU | 874,153 | 11 | 202 | 1 | |||
| 2018 | Clemson | 1,909,975 | 11 | 206 | 14 | |||
| 2017 | Ohio State | 1,661,293 | 15 | 203 | 12 | |||
| 2016 | USC | 1,946,754 | 12 | 200 | 25 | |||
| 2015 | TCU | 1,665,271 | 9 | 188 | 22 | |||
| 2014 | Ohio State | 1,985,865 | 9 | 190 | 10 | |||
| 2013 |  Michigan State | 1,309,016 | 11 | 185 | 15 | |||
| 2012 |  Alabama | 1,326,561 | 15 | 188 | 10 | |||
| 2011 | Oregon | 1,321,483 | 13 | 184 | 11 | |||
| 2010 | LSU | 1,437,330 | 14 | 189 | 20 | |||
| 2009 | Alabama | 1,575,599 | 12 | 181 | 8 | |||
| 2008 |  Florida | 1,245,665 | 10 | 167 | 4 | |||
| 2007 | USC | 885,718 | 16 | 202 | 5 | |||
| 2006 | Hawai'i | 1,173,681 | 14 | 169 | 11 | |||
| 2005 | TCU | 829,605 | 12 | 168 | 10 | |||
| 2004 |  Auburn | 1,235,086 | 11 | 172 | 3 | |||
| 2003 | USC | 1,660,924 | 10 | 167 | 4 | |||
| 2002 |  Virginia | 776,814 | 14 | 162 | 3 | |||
| 2001 | Oregon | 2,104,155 | 12 | 173 | 2 | |||
| 2000 |  Oregon State | 860,720 | 17 | 163 | 3 | |||
| 1999 |  Florida State | 1,088,813 | 15 | 163 | 2 | |||
| 1998 |  Tennessee | 991,061 | 14 | 153 | 2 | |||
| 1997 | Nebraska | 1,313,227 | 11 | 167 | 0 | |||
| 1996 | Ohio State | 963,336 | 14 | 154 | 2 | |||
| 1995 | Texas A&M | 1,221,938 | 13 | 154 | 1 | |||
| 1994 |  Penn State | 1,395,434 | 10 | 150 | 2 | |||
| 1993 | Florida | 827,775 | 13 | 143 | 1 | |||
| 1992 | UCLA | 1,326,447 | 11 | 145 | 1 | |||
| 1991 | Washington | 1,070,221 | 15 | 138 | 2 | |||
| 1990 |  Colorado | 1,445,061 | 12 | 148 | 4 | |||
| 1989 |  Miami | 752,561 | 15 | 140 | 2 | |||
| 1988 |  Washington State | 1,166,220 | 12 | 147 | 3 | |||
| 1987 | Miami | 1,008,264 | 14 | 153 | 5 | |||
| 1986 | California | 1,227,438 | 12 | 148 | 3 | |||
| 1985 |  Oklahoma | 920,413 | 11 | 140 | 5 | |||
| 1984 | Florida | 808,529 | 19 | 163 | 7 | |||
| 1983 | Auburn | 1,376,633 | 17 | 152 | 7 | |||
| 1982 | UCLA | 814,691 | 18 | 151 | 7 | |||
| 1981 | Washington | 923,638 | 23 | 208 | 8 | |||
| 1980 | Michigan | 1,194,683 | 23 | 194 | 6 | |||
| 1979 | USC | 1,311,701 | 19 | 205 | 9 | |||
| 1978 | USC | 1,240,750 | 21 | 183 | 5 | |||
| 1977 | Notre Dame | 956,489 | 26 | 215 | 13 | |||
| 1976 |  Oklahoma State | 871,662 | 19 | 191 | 10 | |||
| 1975 |  Arizona State | 782,941 | 21 | 195 | 13 | |||
| 1974 | Oklahoma | 1,219,328 | 23 | 197 | 9 | |||
| 1973 | Oklahoma | 674,470 | 23 | 165 | 10 | |||
| 1972 | USC | 904,251 | 20 | 186 | 6 | |||
| 1971 | Nebraska | 1,786,007 | 26 | 178 | 8 | |||
| 1970 | Stanford | 802,782 | 18 | 172 | 3 | |||
| 1969 | Texas | 1,003,343 | 22 | 174 | 9 | |||
| 1968 | Texas | 904,127 | 18 | 161 | 4 | |||
| 1967 | Colorado | 925,879 | 21 | 154 | 3 | |||
| 1966 | Oregon State | 1,202,034 | 17 | 162 | 2 | |||
| 1965 |  Houston | 818,473 | 15 | 165 | 9 | |||
| 1964 | USC | 1,135,994 | 18 | 152 | 5 | |||
| 1963 | Texas | 1,262,149 | 18 | 169 | 2 | |||
| 1962 | USC | 1,312,446 | 17 | 160 | 3 | |||
| 1961 | Wisconsin | 1,187,568 | 18 | 173 | 3 | |||
| 1960 | Purdue | 739,049 | 23 | 152 | 3 | |||
| 1959 |  Syracuse | 1,325,217 | 19 | 152 | 4 | |||
| 1958 | Wisconsin | 875,944 | 23 | 144 | 3 | |||
| 1957 | Michigan State | 808,819 | 19 | 154 | 2 | |||
| 1956 |  Iowa | 1,108,014 | 18 | 145 | 2 | |||
| 1955 | Texas | 1,452,654 | 22 | 149 | 6 | |||
| 1954 |  Navy | 817,944 | 21 | 140 | 10 | |||
| 1953 | Texas | 1,257,312 | 16 | 150 | 5 | |||
| 1952 | Notre Dame | 1,558,959 | 14 | 135 | 2 | |||
| 1951 | California | 1,421,291 | 21 | 157 | 4 | |||
| 1950 | Northwestern | 1,459,607 | 19 | 143 | 4 | |||
| 1949 | Michigan | 1,006,240 | 15 | 146 | 1 | |||
| 1948 | Michigan | 1,336,449 | 23 | 145 | 4 | |||
| 1947 | Iowa | 941,128 | 20 | 146 | 6 | |||
| 1946 | Illinois | 1,153,667 | 14 | 154 | 3 | |||
| 1940 |  Minnesota | 1,150,501 | 23 | 142 | 10 | |||
| 1939 |  DuquesneFCS | 957,876 | 24 | 138 | 12 | |||
| 1938 | Minnesota | 1,131,318 | 21 | 128 | 6 | |||
| 1937 | California | 915,461 | 20 | 126 | 5 | |||
| 1936 | Notre Dame | 938,377 | 29 | 152 | 14 | |||
| 1935 | Stanford | 1,801,715 | 28 | 153 | 9 | |||
| 1934 | Alabama | 981,771 | 30 | 147 | 7 | |||
| 1933 | USC | 1,014,191 | 29 | 145 | 10 | |||
| 1932 | USC | 1,079,973 | 28 | 131 | 8 | |||
| 1931 | USC | 1,668,553 | 25 | 146 | 5 | |||
| 1930 | Alabama | 907,669 | 23 | 141 | 4 | |||
| 1929 | Stanford | 1,047,934 | 27 | 132 | 4 | |||
| 1928 |  Georgia Tech | 910,578 | 28 | 131 | 6 | |||
| 1927 |  Santa Clara | 728,823 | 24 | 130 | 4 | |||
| 1926 | Washington State | 885,557 | 28 | 131 | 7 | |||
| 1925 | Alabama | 957,035 | 32 | 133 | 6 | |||
| 1924 | USC | 628,107 | 31 | 136 | 10 | |||
| 1923 | California | 978,328 | 29 | 123 | 5 | |||
| 1922 | California | 1,116,409 | 30 | 127 | 6 | |||
| 1921 | California | 981,525 | 30 | 117 | 6 | |||
| 1920 | California | 1,298,225 | 30 | 113 | 6 | |||
| 1919 | Washington | 876,310 | 28 | 125 | 10 | |||
| 1916 | Washington | 628,107 | 27 | 109 | 3 |