Six college football programs primed to win their first national championship

College football is seeming to break with a tradition of same old, same old. Sure, Ohio State and Alabama are still hanging around the top of the national polls. But there are a handful of national title hopefuls without prior title experience-- or at least, without any sort of modern title experience. Here are six national title hopefuls who are basically new to the top level of college football.

Indiana

Not only hasn't Indiana won a recognized national title, but before last season, the Hoosiers hadn't finished a season in the AP top ten since 1967... until last year's No. 10 finish. Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers in position previously unimagined. How unimagined? Well, if Indiana wins 10 games (and they're 7-0), this year and last year will be the only 10-win seasons in program history.

Oregon

The Ducks have actually been at the top level, but they've never taken the final step. Oregon is 0-4 in national title games, with all four appearances coming since 2000. But Oregon had a long haul of mediocrity, winning just two conference titles between 1933 and 1994-- and none between 1957 and 1994.

Georgia Tech

Tech claims four national titles, but none were titles with AP final rankings of No. 1. For that matter, the only one since 1952 came in 1990, when Tech won the No. 1 ranking in the final UPI poll, but not the AP poll. Georgia Tech has claimed only three conference titles since 1952. Tech hasn't won 10+ games since an 11-3 season in 2014. But at 7-0, the shot for another big year is certainly in play.

Ole Miss

The Rebels had a run of epic seasons in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but none resulted in an AP-recognized national title. It is worth noting that the last of those seasons came in 1962. Lane Kiffin is searching for his fourth 10-win season in Oxford. It's worth noting that the Rebels had three 10-win seasons between 1962 and Kiffin's first in 2021.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt has never won 10 games in a season and has never won an SEC championship. For that matter, Vandy has finished the season ranked in either of the two major polls a total of three times-- once in 1948 and then in James Franklin's last two seasons in 2012 and 2013. But a 6-1 start gives the Commodores a chance to dream big dreams under Clark Lea.

Texas Tech

Despite a tough loss to Arizona State, Tech is still very much in the CFP picture. Texas Tech last had a 10-win season in 2008 under Mike Leach. The Red Raiders have never finished a season in the AP top ten. But at No. 14 and a 6-1 mark, Tech has a chance to make some modern history.