re: If ESPN redid the most prestigious college football programs of all time list..

People have this narrow-minded viewpoint that, because the SEC and the southern states in general produce the most talent and have the best teams now that it was always that way. It's simply not the case. By the same token, programs that consider themselves top-tier in the modern era are not any longer. With all due respect to northern football fans, there are probably only two top-tier programs north of the mason-dixon and two to the west in modern times. Obviously, demographics can and will change again, but that's the state of the game today.

That said, Alabama is definitely the best SEC football program of all time. It is without a doubt top 5-10 nationally. In consideration of the entire history of football, however, I think Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and possibly USC and Michigan are ahead of it.

Michigan and Ohio State are currently top-tier.

Notre Dame is not, and I think most people would agree with that - although it depends on how you define top-tier. I think there are only around 12 top-tier teams (Bama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Georgia, VT, FSU, Texas, Oklahoma, tOSU, Mich, USCw are mine). Oregon, Tennessee, Boise, TCU, PSU, Arkansas are borderline teams and AU, UGA, VT, FSU, and Mich are narrowly in.