Top teams of all time according to Billingsley from 1869-2001

These teams are retrieved from a list of all 9,642 teams that have taken the field since 1869, NOT just the National Champions. As you can see, some teams that finished #2, #3, #4, etc. in some years have been stronger than the #1 team in other years. The Proper way to view this list is in groups. You must realize it is impossible to compare teams from one season to another, much less from one era to another. However, they were all rated under the exact same formula, so they do have a common ground established. This list is not meant to be an absolute, but rather a starting place for conversation. No doubt it will generate conversation if nothing else! 3 rating points is equal to 1 point on the scoreboard. To determine a point spread for one team versus another divide the rating by 3. If a team is 9-10 rating points ahead of another team ( roughly a 3 point favorite ) , they should be considered a "better team". Anything less than a three point favorite should be considered "equal" in terms of strength.