Rank our champions

[40bill]

I was born in 1982. I know the names of Robey, Macy, Goose, Lee... just wasn't around to see them play.

It's okay. It just reminds how time slips away.

[Pobilly]

It's okay. It just reminds how time slips away.

Practically a landslide, time is.

[Pete Hogwallop]

That's kind of sad that so many regulars aren't even familiar with the 1978 team 😳

Kind of agree, but at the same time, that was 47 years ago. So to be old enough to remember and appreciate them, you would have had to be 7 or 8? And even then, would you really understand how they ranked according to teams you saw when you were in your 20s-40s?

[Catsrock]

1. 1949

I was born in ‘72. But Rupp got this thing started and paved the way for the others. Thanks Rupp!

[Cat tat2]

1996 - best college basketball team I’ve ever seen.
1978
2012
1998 - I think they could very well move up one spot.
Solid team all the way around, team players and tough.

[UK90]

Where would you rank our 8 national championship teams?
1.1996
2.2012
3.1978
4.1998
5.1948
6.1951
7.1949
8.1958

I completely agree on the order of the first four. 96 first, followed by 12, 78 and 98.

I’ll take a pass on the last four. Don’t feel comfortable ranking teams I never saw play …and the game back then was so totally different that it’s hard to make comparisons to the modern era.

[kyfanrob]

I'll rank the ones I've been alive to see:

96
12
98

Ditto

[kyfanrob]

96 to me will always be #1 on my list

[Fox2Monk]

Impossible to compare the bottom 4 to the top 4. I wasn’t alive for 1978 so I can’t say. Like the rest I’d go 1996/2012/1998.

[SportsFan]

Kind of agree, but at the same time, that was 47 years ago. So to be old enough to remember and appreciate them, you would have had to be 7 or 8? And even then, would you really understand how they ranked according to teams you saw when you were in your 20s-40s?

I was 11 at the time, but I'd gotten into sports a couple of years before that. And I wasn't just a "casual" observer, my username is a testament to what's important to me and how I've kind of lived my life. Everybody who knew me growing up always said they expected me to become a sportscaster or work in some capacity for a sports franchise, maybe as a scout, etc . So basically, I watched pretty intently, and had a good grasp of what I was following. And while my memory is starting to suck, it's still decent enough to be able to compare events, teams, athletes, etc. from different decades.

That said, I realize that a lot of folks posting here weren't around at that time. While part of me realizes I'm getting old, another part kind of thinks (like most people are prone to do) that whatever I'm experiencing is what EVERYBODY has experienced....which obviously isn't the case.

[kyiltxCAT]

1) 1996

the others can be put in any order.

[KYWILDCAT41035]

I'll rank the ones I've been alive to see:

96
12
98

I agree with this wasn't alive for any of the others.

[KYWILDCAT41035]

96 to me will always be #1 on my list

Honestly 96 and the rest aren't really close in my book.

[bucsrule8872]

In my lifetime:

96
78
12
98

I really don’t know enough about the 40s/50s teams to judge them.

[blueheretic]

Three way tie with Cal.

They're both tied (2012 and 2015) with 38 wins each, which is the record... difference being the 2012 team won the national championship.