CFBImperialism

The almanac · Carousel · 2014–2026

Carousel records of the war

Every season since 2014, replayed to the county. Each record links to the exact moment on the map.

Who holds the records?

The largest empire on the Carousel imperialism map since 2014 was LSU's 3,237,145 mi² (2,560 counties) in 2019. The biggest single conquest was Clemson taking 3,104,924 mi² from Alabama in a 35–31 win in 2016. The wildest upset was Vanderbilt over Alabama in 2024, won at 1% odds. The longest reign was Ohio State's 15 straight weeks as the largest empire in 2019. The greatest raider was FCS South Dakota State, which held 99,396 mi² in 2023.

FBSFCSD-IID-IIICarousel

Empire

The largest empires ever

peak holdings at any moment · square miles are planar estimates

№TeamSquare milesCountiesMoment
1LSU3,237,1452,5602019 · Bowls 1 ›
2Alabama3,104,9242,4362016 · Week 8 ›
3Clemson3,104,9242,4362016 · Bowls 1 ›
4Michigan3,069,2882,5862023 · Bowls 1 ›
5Clemson2,869,8322,1612019 · Bowls 1 ›
6Ohio State2,812,1942,1202018 · Bowls 1 ›
7Purdue2,789,0772,1152018 · Week 8 ›
8Michigan State2,789,0772,1152018 · Week 9 ›
9Miami2,786,2262,1332017 · Week 8 ›
10Pittsburgh2,786,2262,1332017 · Week 13 ›
11Clemson2,641,7672,0062017 · Week 3 ›
12Syracuse2,641,7672,0062017 · Week 7 ›

Conquest

The biggest single conquests

most land taken in one game

№WinnerTook it fromScoreSquare milesCountiesMoment
1ClemsonAlabama35–313,104,9242,4362016 · Bowls 1 ›
2LSUClemson42–252,869,8322,1612019 · Bowls 1 ›
3Ohio StateMichigan State26–62,789,0772,1152018 · Week 11 ›
4PurdueOhio State49–202,789,0772,1152018 · Week 8 ›
5Michigan StatePurdue23–132,789,0772,1152018 · Week 9 ›
6PittsburghMiami24–142,786,2262,1332017 · Week 13 ›
7MiamiSyracuse27–192,641,7672,0062017 · Week 8 ›
8SyracuseClemson27–242,641,7672,0062017 · Week 7 ›
9ClemsonOhio State29–232,412,0651,6712019 · Bowls 1 ›
10Ohio StatePenn State27–262,381,5161,7072018 · Week 5 ›
11Penn StatePittsburgh51–62,381,5161,7072018 · Week 2 ›
12WashingtonOregon37–342,125,0061,6492022 · Week 11 ›

Upset

The wildest upsets

winner's pregame chance from CFBD Elo, land-moving games only

№WinnerOverChanceScoreSquare milesMoment
1VanderbiltAlabama1%40–3519,5532024 · Week 6 ›
2IllinoisWisconsin2%24–2332,9892019 · Week 8 ›
3SyracuseClemson2%27–242,641,7672017 · Week 7 ›
4RiceLouisiana3%33–2150,1942022 · Week 3 ›
5Penn StateOhio State3%24–2124,4572016 · Week 8 ›
6Old DominionVirginia Tech3%49–3517,5802018 · Week 4 ›
7UL MonroeJames Madison3%21–198,9832024 · Week 6 ›
8SyracuseVirginia Tech3%31–1725,6202016 · Week 7 ›
9VanderbiltMissouri4%21–1412,5672019 · Week 8 ›
10IowaMichigan4%14–138,1972016 · Week 11 ›
11StanfordLouisville4%38–35105,4172024 · Week 12 ›
12ArmyAir Force5%23–316,5382023 · Week 10 ›

Reign

The longest reigns

consecutive weeks as the largest empire

№TeamWeeksSpan
1Ohio State152019 · Week 1 – Week 15
2Alabama152016 · Week 1 – Week 15
3Washington142023 · Week 1 – Week 14
4Ohio State112015 · Week 1 – Week 11
5Oregon82022 · Week 3 – Week 10
6Alabama82020 · Week 13 – Bowls 20
7Florida State82014 · Week 8 – Week 15
8Indiana62026 · Week 1 – Week 6
9Texas62024 · Week 2 – Week 7
10Washington62022 · Week 11 – Bowls 1
11Clemson62017 · Week 1 – Week 6
12Miami52025 · Week 3 – Week 7

Raid

The great raiders

peak empires won by FCS, D-II and D-III programs

№TeamSquare milesCountiesMoment
1South Dakota StateFCS99,396312023 · Preseason ›
2North Dakota State99,396312022 · Bowls 1 ›
3Incarnate WordFCS99,396312022 · Week 2 ›
4SE LouisianaFCS99,396312022 · Week 4 ›
5East Texas A&MFCS99,396312022 · Week 6 ›
6South Dakota StateFCS99,396312022 · Bowls 1 ›
7Montana StateFCS88,671252024 · Week 1 ›
8North Dakota State88,671252024 · Bowls 1 ›
9North Dakota State76,5241382018 · Preseason ›
10North Dakota State76,5241382017 · Bowls 1 ›
11North Dakota State66,2991432021 · Bowls 1 ›
12James Madison57,8111042017 · Preseason ›

Campaign

Most conquests in a season

land-moving wins

№TeamWinsSeason
1Ohio State92014 ›
2Indiana72025 ›
3Michigan62023 ›
4Georgia62021 ›
5Mississippi State62014 ›
6Notre Dame52024 ›
7Ohio State52024 ›
8LSU52019 ›
9Alabama52018 ›
10Clemson52016 ›
11Alabama52015 ›
12Arizona52014 ›

Finish

Largest at season's end

the final map, by square miles

№TeamSquare milesCountiesSeason
1LSU3,237,1452,5602019 ›
2Clemson3,104,9242,4362016 ›
3Michigan3,069,2882,5862023 ›
4Ohio State2,812,1942,1202018 ›
5Pittsburgh2,786,2262,1332017 ›
6Baylor2,363,8891,9122021 ›
7Alabama2,262,4931,8922015 ›
8Alabama2,142,5692,2962020 ›
9Washington2,125,0061,6492022 ›
10Ohio State1,985,8651,7032014 ›
11Florida1,942,7872,1592024 ›
12Indiana1,821,4941,1712025 ›

Season by season

Every campaign at a glance

end leader · peak empire · first FBS program to lose everything

SeasonFinished #1Square milesPeak empireEmpiresBattlesRaidsBiggest conquestFirst to fall
2026liveOhio State1,633,062
Ohio State2026 · 1,633,062 mi² · Week 7 ›
14450
Ohio State2026 · 1,600,356 mi² · Week 7 ›
Sacramento State2026 · Week 1 ›
2025Indiana1,821,494
Indiana2025 · 1,821,494 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
91150
Stanford2025 · 1,468,543 mi² · Week 13 ›
Sam Houston2025 · Week 1 ›
2024Florida1,942,787
Georgia2024 · 1,942,787 mi² · Week 8 ›
91092
Georgia2024 · 1,942,787 mi² · Week 8 ›
New Mexico2024 · Week 1 ›
2023Michigan3,069,288
Michigan2023 · 3,069,288 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
111030
Michigan2023 · 2,058,579 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Navy2023 · Week 1 ›
2022Washington2,125,006
Washington2022 · 2,125,006 mi² · Week 11 ›
131126
Washington2022 · 2,125,006 mi² · Week 11 ›
UConn2022 · Week 1 ›
2021Baylor2,363,889
Baylor2021 · 2,363,889 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
1110010
Texas A&M2021 · 1,714,606 mi² · Week 6 ›
UConn2021 · Week 1 ›
2020Alabama2,142,569
Alabama2020 · 2,142,569 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
14743
LSU2020 · 1,991,771 mi² · Week 8 ›
Navy2020 · Week 1 ›
2019LSU3,237,145
LSU2019 · 3,237,145 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
10993
LSU2019 · 2,869,832 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Miami2019 · Week 1 ›
2018Ohio State2,812,194
Ohio State2018 · 2,812,194 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
8905
Ohio State2018 · 2,789,077 mi² · Week 11 ›
Coastal Carolina2018 · Week 1 ›
2017Pittsburgh2,786,226
Miami2017 · 2,786,226 mi² · Week 8 ›
128412
Pittsburgh2017 · 2,786,226 mi² · Week 13 ›
San José State2017 · Week 1 ›
2016Clemson3,104,924
Alabama2016 · 3,104,924 mi² · Week 8 ›
119219
Clemson2016 · 3,104,924 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Hawai'i2016 · Week 1 ›
2015Alabama2,262,493
Alabama2015 · 2,262,493 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
4757
Alabama2015 · 2,088,729 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Central Michigan2015 · Week 1 ›
2014Ohio State1,985,865
Ohio State2014 · 1,985,865 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
919010
Ohio State2014 · 828,240 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Tulane2014 · Week 1 ›