History is valuable. Tradition is important. For every college football team, though, the "what have you done for me lately?" question is a constant battle.
Look no further than the LSU Tigers, who celebrated the 2019 national title yet fired Ed Orgeron within two years. As quickly as a contender can rise, it may fade out of the championship conversation even faster.
Returning to national relevance is a hard process, and several of the most successful teams in recent decades are still trying to claw their way back.
The choices are subjective but focus on tradition-rich programs with multiple national titles that have struggled lately.