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Topic: All-Time Great Non-National Champion Teams...

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OrangeAfroMan

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All-Time Great Non-National Champion Teams...
« on: December 09, 2017, 02:07:49 AM »
I was looking over teams to create for the board game, and expanding from the national champions to other great teams of the past.  In doing so, I really noticed some seasons that may have been better than the championship seasons.

Some examples:  
Alabama's 2009 NC team was the undefeated one, but their 2011 defense was probably the best...ever.

1995 Florida's offense was better than the 1996 national champs'

2005 USC's offense was better than the 04 NC's

Ohio State has had numerous squads better than their 2002 NC team (96?, 98?, 2014, 2015?)

The 2002 Miami team was probably better than the 2001 NC.

Any others that come to mind?  For your school or any other?
« Last Edit: December 10, 2017, 05:51:25 PM by OrangeAfroMan »
“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

Cincydawg

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2017, 05:40:11 AM »
I think UGA's best team was the 1981 edition that lost two games, or their 1946 team that was undefeated and ranked 3rd behind two teams that had a tie each.

The 1998 OSU edition is often cited as the best by OSU fans.  They lost a clunker to MSU (it happens).

The 1980 Pitt team might be an interesting one to consider, along with the 1983 Texas team that was flat out stacked with defense and managed to bungle their bowl game to lose the NC 10-9.  The 1938 Tennessee team was interesting but none of us can know about teams of that era of course.

Some of the FSU "wide right" teams probably should be considered.  Just about any Nebraska team circa 1995 other than 1995.  I think the 1971 season had three Big 8 teams ranked 1, 2, 3.  

MarqHusker

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2017, 09:14:04 AM »
1986 OU. Go look at those numbers.
1989 FSU w 2 losses.

FearlessF

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2017, 09:23:30 AM »
1978 Sooners - Billy Sims

1982 - Roger Craig and/or 1983 Huskers - Rozier, Gill, Fryer
« Last Edit: December 09, 2017, 09:30:09 AM by FearlessF »
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fezzador

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2017, 10:08:34 AM »
1985 Iowa.  Probably should have won it all.  I’m not convinced that there wasn’t a fix for that seasons Rose Bowl.

MarqHusker

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2017, 10:39:40 AM »
Lest we forget OU 1971.  472yds per game rushing.

rolltidefan

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2017, 10:50:39 AM »
2011 LSU 
If they had beat bama the second game or played and beat ok st they would have gone down as one of the best teams ever. Beat p12 champ Oregon bigeast champ wvu and top 5 teams Bama and arky (end season rank) and (if they played and beat them) bigxii champ ok st. 
It helped my team and as a homer I’m thankful for the choice but LSU (not ok st, diff argument) really got screwed out of a chance at history. 

ELA

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2017, 10:58:15 AM »
Of MSUs three year run from 13-15, the one that didn't win a Big Ten title (2014) was probably the best.

They just happened to have both national title participants on the schedule.

CatsbyAZ

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2017, 12:08:56 PM »
I was looking over teams to create for the board game, and expanding from the national champions to other great teams of the past.  In doing so, I really noticed some seasons that may have been better than the championship seasons.

1995 Florida's offense was better than the 1996 national champs'

Any others that come to mind?  For your school or any other?


That 1995 Gators team was the first time I'd followed a team as a kid who was just starting to watch college football and NFL. Save the Huskers buzzsaw they ran into in the Fiesta Bowl and the Sean Taylor/Kellen Winslow/Devin Hester Miami teams I don't think there's been anyone since that they couldn't beat.

I like Auburn's 2004 team better than their 2010 & 2013 Championship runs.

As well as Oklahoma's 2008 better than their 2000 National Champion. IMO Bob Stoops best Sooner team was 2008.

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2017, 01:57:41 PM »
Thanks guys, keep 'em coming.

I had forgotten about that 2004 Auburn team, I need to make them in my initial run (a la 94 Penn State).  Also, the 1993 Auburn team that was 11-0, but on probation.  

If I could ask you all a game-related question - just envision you're sitting down and playing a college football board game, with cards and dice.  You're sitting across from someone, and you take turns on offense and defense, marking the yardage off from each play call, etc.  Would you care to keep track of who makes each tackle or no?

I'm struggling with that one.  For super in-depth guys wanting comprehensive stats that might play a season or something, they'd want it.  For most people who will just play an occasional game from time to time, it becomes much less necessary.  It gives you something to do while on defense, in case that's sort of boring as-is.  

How it is now, the offense picks their play type (inside run, outside run, short pass, long pass) while the defense picks it's key (of those 4 play types).  Then we look at the offensive play card chosen and compare it with the influence from the defense's card (decreasing the yardage/pass completion % if the defense keys on the same play type as the one called, increasing the yardage/pass completion % if it's not the same play type).

Just wanting some feedback, thanks.
« Last Edit: December 09, 2017, 02:02:09 PM by OrangeAfroMan »
“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

OrangeAfroMan

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2017, 02:03:42 PM »
That 1995 Gators team was the first time I'd followed a team as a kid who was just starting to watch college football and NFL. Save the Huskers buzzsaw they ran into in the Fiesta Bowl and the Sean Taylor/Kellen Winslow/Devin Hester Miami teams I don't think there's been anyone since that they couldn't beat.

I like Auburn's 2004 team better than their 2010 & 2013 Championship runs.

As well as Oklahoma's 2008 better than their 2000 National Champion. IMO Bob Stoops best Sooner team was 2008.
Any Arizona team rival the 12-1 squad that beat up Miami that one year?  Was that with Trung Candidate at RB?  Or an early 90s desert swarm team might've been better?  Are they one and the same?
“The Swamp is where Gators live.  We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." - Steve Spurrier

ELA

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2017, 02:24:37 PM »
I'll also do Michigan.  The 1999 Orange Bowl team was their best team of my lifetime, they just rotated QBs to appease Henson and the fan base and dropped a couple in the middle of the season to a top 5 MSU team, and a top 25 Illinois team.

That team, with Brady, I think could have played with FSU.  Instead beat SEC Champ Alabama in the Orange.  That was the best the Big Ten has ever been too, and that team didn't even win a Big Ten title, actually came in 3rd.  They beat Wisconsin who otherwise won out, including the Rose.  MSU finished 2nd, and beat a really good Florida team in the Citrus.  I think seven conference teams finished ranked, and they rolled through their bowls

CWSooner

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #12 on: December 09, 2017, 02:58:11 PM »
. . . Oklahoma's 2008 better than their 2000 National Champion. IMO Bob Stoops best Sooner team was 2008.
I think that's right.
We had a couple of key guys (DeMarco Murray was one) sitting out with injuries, and OC Kevin Wilson made some poor play-calls in goal-to-go situations in the NC game.  I won't say "or we would have won," though, because Florida was also very good, and Tim Tebow came up with great plays in several critical situations.
The legitimate knock on the 2008 Sooners was that they did not respond well to adversity.  Got down against Texas in the 2nd half and Kevin Wilson's offense just went flat unproductive.  Same thing happened against Florida.  Once we got down against Florida, I had no confidence that the offense would respond well, and I was right.
I've referred to Kevin Wilson as "Hack" ever since that game.  IMO, he's very competent 95% of the time, but when the chips are down, he's at his worst.
« Last Edit: December 09, 2017, 03:03:20 PM by CWSooner »
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ELA

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Re: Better Non-Champ than Champ @ your school
« Reply #13 on: December 09, 2017, 03:07:54 PM »
Yeah, but man I loved that 2000 Oklahoma team.  That might be my favorite national champion team ever.  It's a shame that was in the old ABC regional split days.  They had a couple 3:30 games that were preempted for the Big 10 game, namely the Nebraska win when they spotted then 14 points then scored like 31 unanswered

 

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