Three Ohio State Legends Make AP All-Time All-America Team, Auburn Retroactively Claims Four More National Titles, and Devin Brown Comes Up Short”
College football is a sport built on tradition, history, and the stories of programs and players who define eras. Every week seems to bring with it a new twist in the narrative, and every passing day provides new reasons for fans to debate, celebrate, or sometimes shake their heads. The recent developments involving Ohio State, Auburn, and Devin Brown capture all of those emotions at once. On one hand, there is celebration in Columbus as three Buckeye legends have been honored by the Associated Press on its All-Time All-America team, a monumental acknowledgment of Ohio State’s longstanding dominance and its individual brilliance. Meanwhile, Auburn is attempting to reshape the historical record of college football by retroactively claiming four more national titles, a move that sparks controversy and conversation about what counts as legitimate championships. At the same time, Devin Brown’s struggles provide a reminder of the unforgiving nature of college football at the present moment, where the line between success and failure is razor-thin, and every performance comes under the microscope. Together, these stories form a tapestry that reflects what makes college football such a compelling sport: history, pride, and the fight for legacy.
For Ohio State, the announcement that three of its legends were named to the AP All-Time All-America team is not just another accolade. It’s a validation of the program’s place at the very pinnacle of college football. For decades, the Buckeyes have been known as a pipeline of excellence, producing greats who went on to dominate both at the college and professional levels. To have three players recognized among the very best in history underscores how deeply Ohio State is woven into the story of the sport. These players, representing different generations, symbolize the evolution of Ohio State football from Woody Hayes to Urban Meyer, from the Big Ten’s dominance in the middle of the 20th century to its modern clashes with the SEC for supremacy. Fans take pride in these recognitions not just because of what they mean for the individuals, but also for what they mean for Ohio State’s legacy in comparison to programs like Alabama, Notre Dame, and Michigan, all of whom stake claims to being the true “blue bloods” of the sport. These selections are reminders that Ohio State has stood alongside the very best for decades and that its players are among the immortals who shaped the game.
When the AP crafts an All-Time team, it does so with the intent of capturing history’s greats, weighing the impossible task of comparing players from different eras. The inclusion of Ohio State players signals that their contributions transcended eras. It’s easy to imagine fans in Columbus revisiting highlight reels, reliving iconic plays, and debating whether the right Buckeyes were chosen. But in truth, no matter which names appeared, Ohio State supporters know the program has a reservoir of legends deep enough to argue for a handful of different players. That’s the beauty of being part of a football culture so rich in tradition—the arguments never end, and every accolade is both celebrated and debated.
While Ohio State enjoys this moment of reflection and recognition, Auburn’s move to retroactively claim four more national titles adds fuel to a different kind of conversation—one about legitimacy, rewriting history, and the blurred lines of what counts in college football. Unlike professional sports, where championships are clearly defined, college football’s history is littered with ambiguity. For much of the sport’s early decades, championships were awarded by polls, selectors, and organizations that often disagreed. Before the BCS and College Football Playoff, it wasn’t uncommon for multiple teams to claim the same season’s championship based on differing polls. Auburn now seeks to capitalize on that ambiguity by looking back into history and attaching new hardware to their program’s record.
For Auburn fans, this is a validation long overdue. They argue that their program was unfairly overlooked in certain eras, with teams that went undefeated or dominant but were passed over in favor of more prominent programs. By retroactively claiming these titles, Auburn places itself closer to the elite tier of programs like Alabama, who proudly boast about their numerous national championships. This is also, undeniably, a response to the in-state rivalry. Alabama has long lorded its championship count over Auburn, using it as a weapon in recruiting and bragging rights. By adding four more titles, Auburn narrows that gap and strengthens its own narrative of historical greatness.
Of course, this kind of retroactive claim will always come with detractors. Critics argue that rewriting history in this way cheapens the meaning of a championship. They say that if Auburn wasn’t officially recognized in the moment, it shouldn’t count now, decades later. To them, this is an act of desperation, a way to artificially inflate prestige rather than earn it on the field. But Auburn’s supporters will counter that history is not fixed, and as we gain more perspective, it’s only fair to recognize teams that may have been wrongfully dismissed in their own time. College football has always thrived on debates like these. They fuel talk shows, fan forums, and barroom conversations. Auburn’s bold move ensures that the Tigers will remain in those conversations, no matter how one feels about the legitimacy of the claims.
While history and legacy dominate the conversation for Ohio State and Auburn, the present moment is less kind to Devin Brown, who finds himself in the middle of a disappointing chapter. As a quarterback with high expectations, Brown carried the weight of both personal ambition and program hopes. Ohio State’s quarterback position is arguably the most scrutinized in all of college football, and every player who steps into that role does so knowing that comparisons to the past are unavoidable. Legends like Troy Smith, Terrelle Pryor, Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett, Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud have raised the standard to an almost impossible height. When Brown struggles, it doesn’t just feel like an individual setback—it feels like a program moment.
Devin Brown losing in his current situation, whether it’s in terms of on-field battles for the starting role or in a disappointing performance, highlights the unforgiving spotlight at Ohio State. Fans expect immediate excellence. They expect every pass to look crisp, every drive to end in points, and every season to culminate in a shot at a national championship. When that doesn’t happen, criticism is harsh and unrelenting. Brown, like so many talented quarterbacks before him, faces the brutal reality that at Ohio State, there is no room for prolonged struggles. The margin between being remembered as a legend or forgotten as just another name on the depth chart is razor-thin.
For Brown, this moment is undoubtedly painful, but it also serves as a critical crossroads. College football careers are defined not just by triumphs, but also by how players respond to adversity. A setback today could be the motivation for a breakthrough tomorrow. Ohio State’s quarterback lineage is filled with players who at one point looked like they might not reach the top but ultimately found their place in history. Fans will debate whether Brown has the tools to bounce back, and whether he can handle the pressure cooker that is being an Ohio State quarterback. If he does, this moment will be remembered as a turning point. If he doesn’t, it will be remembered as the chapter where things unraveled.
Taken together, these three stories showcase the many layers of college football. On one side, there’s the celebration of greatness in Ohio State’s legends earning a spot among the best of all time. On another side, there’s the rewriting of history as Auburn reshapes the narrative of its past by claiming four more national titles. And finally, there’s the human struggle of Devin Brown, whose present-day journey reminds us that while history and legacy are fun to debate, the sport is lived in real time by young athletes under immense pressure.
The AP’s All-Time All-America honors remind us why we love the history of the game. Auburn’s claims remind us why debates about the past remain as heated as any Saturday in the fall. And Devin Brown’s struggles remind us why the present is always the most captivating, because it’s where history is being written live before our eyes. College football thrives on this balance of past, present, and future. It is a sport where fans cling to history, argue about legitimacy, and live and die with every play in the moment. That’s why headlines like these matter. They are not just stories of the week; they are the building blocks of the sport’s never-ending narrative.
For Ohio State fans, the moment is sweet validation. For Auburn fans, it is a reclaiming of pride. For Devin Brown, it is a chance to learn, grow, and potentially turn a low point into a defining chapter. Together, these stories remind us that college football is as much about memory and legacy as it is about the scoreboard. And as long as fans keep debating and players keep striving, the sport will continue to provide moments that keep us talking long after the final whistle.
