Arkansas among college football elite programs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas’ football program has been recognized among the nation’s elite as the Razorbacks were ranked as the 19th most prestigious program by ESPN in its week-long look at each Football Bowl Subdivision team’s all-time position in college football history.

Arkansas, which was ranked ahead of half the SEC programs, holds an overall record of 651-441-40. The Razorbacks boast one national championship, 13 conference championships, 36 bowl appearances and 45 All-Americans.

The ESPN Research Department devised the plan, which is a numerical method of ranking the best FBS programs since the 1936 seasons. Point values were assigned for successes and failures. The research department ran all the numbers through the computer to come up the No. 1 to No. 119 programs of the past 72 years.

The rankings started from the 1936 season as that was the year the AP poll was introduced, making it the first time the longest-standing news organization in the United State began ranking teams and crowning a national champion. Starting in 1937, the NCAA began recognizing "major college programs" (now known as the FBS). In order to accrue points, a program had to be recognized as one of these major programs by the NCAA.

ESPN will reveal its results each day this week on the college football page of its web site with the top five programs released on Friday.