ESPN's college football staff tackled an ambitious project this summer, ranking the best player to wear every jersey number from 0 to 99 in college football history. The debate-driven series examined legends across all positions, weighing factors beyond just statistics to determine each number's ultimate representative.

The panel split into four groups to research numbers 0-24, 25-49, 50-74, and 75-99 respectively, diving deep into archives and film study. They considered Heisman winners, All-American honors, and cultural impact while deliberately excluding NFL performance. The process sparked plenty of internal disagreement, particularly when comparing players like Reggie Bush and Darren McFadden.

Some selections challenged conventional wisdom. Deion Sanders earned the No. 2 jersey over Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton and Charles Woodson despite their Heisman trophies. Larry Fitzgerald took No. 1 with his record 18-game touchdown streak and 1,672 receiving yards in 2003. Xavier Watts claimed No. 0 after leading the nation with seven interceptions in 2023.

The project reveals how subjective greatness can be when you strip away professional achievements. Fans will find themselves revisiting careers of overlooked stars whose college dominance deserves renewed recognition, even if they never reached the pros.