What does it take to be regarded as one of the best college football programs of the 2000s? Obviously, schools like Alabama and Ohio State are vying for the top spot, but beyond that, how does one rank the teams that fall outside this elite group?

This is the task that The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel undertook in an article published late last week . In his article, Mandel ranks Miami 14th, just behind Notre Dame and Florida State , sparking debate among fans. Depending on who you ask, some believe Miami should be ranked higher on the list or off it entirely.

Mandel’s ranking system is as unbiased as it gets, however. It considers the following statistical factors: win percentage, postseason success, victories against ranked opponents, and the percentage of time teams spent in the AP top 25 and top 10, while balancing these statistics with the number of losing seasons each team has.

Unknown date, 2000; Coral Gables, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Hurricanes assistant coach Butch Davis on the sideline at Sun Life Stadium.

Miami football stands as a landmark program in the history of college football, with its dominance from the late '80s through the early 2000s considered one of the sport's most impressive eras. However, the controversy surrounding the ranking is warranted, given Miami’s inconsistent performance over the past 25 years.

The argument for ranking Miami lower is reasonable, considering their limited success since joining the ACC in 2004, with only two seasons surpassing 10 wins during that time. Additionally, Miami has four losing seasons in those 21 years—a statistic that many programs may find acceptable, but it falls short compared to the elite status of many teams on this list.

Moreover, Miami’s other statistical rankings compared to the rest of the list were not particularly impressive, placing 19th in win percentage, 19th in top 10 wins, and 14th in weeks spent in the top 10.

However, it’s important to remember the powerhouse that was Miami football from 2000 to 2002. In those three years, they lost only two games: one to fifteenth-ranked Washington in 2000, and the other in the 2003 National Championship to Ohio State, which featured arguably the most controversial penalty in college football history . If that call hadn’t been made, Miami would have won back-to-back National Championships, placing them in an exclusive group alongside only three other programs since the beginning of the BCS era.

Additionally, Miami’s 2001 team is regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time due to its dominance throughout the season and its remarkably stacked roster. Miami finished the regular season with an 11-0 record, culminating in a 37-14 throttling of Nebraska in the National Championship, where they led 37-0 at halftime.

That roster is arguably more impressive than their national championship win, featuring names such as Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, Clinton Portis, Andre Johnson, Jeremy Shockey, Ken Dorsey, Kellen Winslow, Willis McGahee, Vince Wilfork, and Jonathan Vilma.

The level of talent and dominance Miami saw during that period is rare. While Miami hasn’t reached those heights since then, their early-2000s stretch casts a long shadow across the sport.

In that context, No. 14 feels justified. The Hurricanes may not match the long-term consistency of Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia, but few programs have been as dominant as Miami at its peak. Any ranking of the best programs since 2000 would be incomplete without the Hurricanes.