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Topic: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?

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OrangeAfroMan

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VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« on: April 25, 2019, 05:00:24 PM »
Back to the "What if" CFPs...….here's a year full of debate.  2001:  A Playoff Odyssey.
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Please vote as if it's December 10th, 2001.  The Huskers lost their last game, but are still #2, etc.  No bowls have been played.
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The Teams:
#1 Miami, 11-0, Big East Champions
Scoring offense:  3rd
Scoring defense:  1st
Strength of Schedule:  22st
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The preseason #2 team spent most of the year at #1.  Games at #14 FSU, #14 Syracuse, and #12 Washington ended in massive blowout wins, and the season-ender at #14 VT was the only narrow win. 
The offense was pretty balanced, passing for 250+ per game and rushing for 200+.  QB Dorsey was steady and efficient, tossing to WR Johnson and TE Shockey the most.  RB Portis had 1200 yds and 10 TD, with backups McGahee and Gore (9.1 ypc) mopping up.  The offense scored 38+ points in 8 of 11 games. 
The Canes defense held 8 teams to single-digits.  Allowing 270 yards of total defense was all-time great.  The strange part was that it was nearly balanced - allowing only 138 passing, but 133 rushing.  The Canes were suffocating vs air attacks, allowing just 45% comp rate.  They picked off 27 passes, led by S Reed's 9 - leading to 7 total defensive TDs.  The Canes created 4.1 turnovers per game.
WR Johnson was an average KR, but CB Buchanan was a great PR, with 15.0 per return and 2 TD. 
K Sievers hit 81% of FGs and P Capshaw's 42 ypk were good.
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#2 Nebraska, 11-1, Big 12
scoring offense - 9th
scoring defense - 10th
strength of schedule - 29th
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In the top 5 all season, the Cornhuskers ran roughshod over their schedule.  Both ranked opponents were 2-score victories (#17 ND, #2 OU).  No one could stay within 10 points of Nebraska until their loss to #14 CU (62-36) in the season finale.  Yet, the BCS computers still had Nebraska #2 and participating in the playoff.
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The option offense ran for 315 ypg, led by Heisman-winner QB Crouch.  He wasn't a great passer, but did run for 1115 yards and 18 TDs.  I-back Diedrick also went over 1,000 (1299) and had 15 TDs himself.  Backup RB Collins (6.9 ypc) and FB Davies (6.0) only helped the per-carry average of the team.  WR Thomas led the receivers with 616 yds on 37 rec.
On defense, the Blackshirts held teams to 287 total yards per game.  They were strong vs the run (117 pg) and pass.  A 43% comp rate was really low and 19 INTs were a lot. 
Special teams were pretty special, good KR (Davis), PR (Groce), and P (Larson).  K Brown only hit 71% of his FG, though.
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#3 Colorado, 10-2, Big 12 Champions
scoring offense - 26th
scoring defense - 52nd
strength of schedule - 9th
The Buffs remarkable run to the playoff started the season unranked and losing to Fresno State!  After that, CU settled down and beat 3 ranked teams (#24 CSU, at #12 KSU, and #25 A&M) before another loss at #9 Texas in a blowout.  But the Buffs were able to redeem themselves in a huge blowout win over #2 Nebraska, then a revenge victory in the Big 12 CG vs #3 Texas. 
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The inconsistent Colorado offense peaked at the right time, ending the season scoring 38, 40, 62, and 39 points.  It was pretty balanced, averaging 206 passing and 229 rusing ypg.  Using 2 QB (Ochs, Pesavento), the Buffs kept the chains moving enough.  Reliable TE Graham was the main target, while RBs Brown and Purifoy each had 900+ yards. Brown set himself apart with 16 TD.
The defense didn't shut many teams down, but made stops when they needed to.  Neither the pass D nor run D particularly shined, but they did pick off 17 passes. 
Hollowell was an okay KR but a great PR, with 2 TDs and 18 ypr.  K Flores hit 75% of his kicks and P Mariscal boomed punts at 44.5 ypk.
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#4 Oregon, 10-1, Pac 10 Champions
scoring offense - 16th
scoring defense - 30th
strength of schedule - 26th
The Ducks started with high expectations and lived up to them, with the lone loss being by 7 points to unranked Stanford.  Oregon took care of the 3 ranked teams on the slate by one score vs #22 Wisconsin, at #14 Wazzou, and at #17 UCLA.  The Ducks had other close calls as well, but always came out on the right side.
The offense was pretty prolific, and more balanced than most think.  QB Harrington did have a good year, but Oregon also had 2 rushers go over 1,000 yards (RB Morris and Smith).  WRs Parker and Howry had 9 receiving TDs each.
Defensively, the Ducks were a mess, allowing 285 yards passing per game.  Only a 50% comp rate, so they allowed a lot of big plays through the air.  The run D was better, but not elite.  21 INTs helped, but the defense was a team weakness.
On special teams, the return game was special, with great KR and PR in RB Smith and WR Howry.  The kicking game was weak all around.
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The noteworthy folks of note:
QB Eric Crouch, Nebraska - O'Brien, Heisman, Camp
TE Daniel Graham, Colorado - Mackey, All-American
OT Bryant McKinnie, Miami - Outland, AA
QB Ken Dorsey, Miami - Maxwell
HC Larry Coker, Miami - AFCA, Bryant
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OL Toniu Fonori, Nebraska - AA
OL Andre Gurode, Colorado - AA
S  Ed Reed, Miami - AA
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Hmmph....sort of a shortage for this playoff quartet.  Oh well.

Who ya got and why?!?
Boy, this sure would be a fun podcast exercise......!!
« Last Edit: April 25, 2019, 07:52:55 PM by OrangeAfroMan »
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Brutus Buckeye

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2019, 05:40:07 PM »
Nebraska, obviously.
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2019, 05:47:09 PM »
This is likely to go Miami-Miami-Miami and all, but the team I'd put 2nd isn't on the list.  Ask Maryland who I'm talking about.
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“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

Brutus Buckeye

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2019, 06:44:43 PM »
While Miami took Nebraska back behind the woodshed, Colorado just straight up jail sexed the Huskers. So I'm taking the Buffs.
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2019, 07:57:06 PM »
I think we all have a skewed vision of that CU team. 
They weren't a great team.  At all.  And the beatdown they gave the Huskers?  CU only outgained them by 30 yards.  It was a turnover issue, -4 for UNL.
Everyone loses when they're -4 in turnovers.
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The halftime score was 42-23.  Bad, but not futile.  
Halftime for UNL vs Miami, for all the marbles?  34-0.
UNL gained 552 total yards on a very average Buffs defense.  The Huskers gained less than half that vs Miami.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2019, 08:04:44 PM by OrangeAfroMan »
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“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

Brutus Buckeye

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2019, 08:01:01 PM »

So if you take away all of the winning teams big plays, then the losing team would have fared a little better?

Far out.

If you take away all of Miami's TDs on offense, defense and special teams, Nebraska totally would have won that game!
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2019, 08:06:39 PM »
You're right that the enduring imagery of that season is CU running all over UNL, but I'm just conversating here.  In hindsight, Colorado was a very flawed team and UNL may have happened to be the perfect opponent.  Anyone is free to vote for anyone.  Anyone is free to promote or question a vote as well. 
 'Murica!
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« Last Edit: April 25, 2019, 08:27:15 PM by OrangeAfroMan »
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“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

Brutus Buckeye

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2019, 08:31:18 PM »

At any rate... it wouldn't have been the Wolverines.
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MarqHusker

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2019, 09:00:08 PM »
Miami had more than one narrow win.  They were fortunate to win at BC.   Crazy ricochet Int with game on the line.
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CWSooner

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2019, 09:35:38 PM »
There was no team worthy of being ranked #2.  There were good arguments against all of the contenders after Miami.

Texas (10-1 in the regular season, with only a 14-3 loss to OU) probably should have been the #2 team, but after stomping Colorado 41-7 during the regular season, they got whipped by the Buffs 39-37 in the Big 12 CCG.

I doubt greatly that Texas was interested in that Holiday Bowl game after the inexplicable loss to Colorado.
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FearlessF

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2019, 10:49:19 AM »
When the Canes were on their game, there wasn't another team that could stay close to them.

Certainly not the Buffs
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SFBadger96

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2019, 12:07:01 PM »
I've got Miami. And I would have Oregon at #2.
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FearlessF

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2019, 12:16:53 PM »
I'd have the Buffs @ #4

It wouldn't have been the Longhorns.

;)
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medinabuckeye1

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Re: VOTE! Who would win the 2001 College Football Playoff?
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2019, 12:31:52 PM »
I know you are not asking for discussion outside of the four listed teams but I think that this was an interesting season and I believe that the current CFP would NOT have picked these four teams.  Miami would have been an obvious #1 but after that, who knows.  Miami was 11-0 and BigEast Champions.  After that:

AP #2, 10-1 PAC Champion Oregon:  The Ducks only loss was close (49-42) but at home and to a good but not great Stanford team. 

AP #3, 10-2 B12 Champion Colorado:  The Buffs, as discussed above, were not that good.  One of their losses was to Fresno State in their opener and the other was a 41-7 beat down at Texas.  They blasted previously undefeated Nebraska in the regular season finale then avenged their loss to Texas in the B12CG. 

AP #4, 11-1 Nebraska:  Nebraska was technically the co-Champion of the B12-N (much like tOSU and Bama were co-champs of their divisions when the CFP selected them recently) but that blowout loss at Colorado would have been hard to overcome. 

AP #5, 9-2 Florida:  The Gators lost to Tennessee at home on December 1 with the SEC-E on the line. 

AP #6, 10-1 ACC Champion Maryland:  The Terps lost badly (52-31) at FSU but won the ACC anyway because they took care of business in the rest of their games while the Seminoles lost to the Hurricanes, the Gators and two mediocre ACC foes (UNC, NCST). 

AP #7, 10-1 Big11Tenn Champion Illinois:  The Illini lost badly (45-20) at Michigan but won the conference anyway because they took care of business in the rest of their games while the Wolverines lost conference games to the Spartans and Buckeyes and an OOC game on the west coast at Washington. 

AP #8, 10-2 Tennessee:  The Vols took out Florida and won the SEC-E but lost the SECCG to LSU. 

AP #9, 10-2 Texas:  The Longhorns lost a close game to Oklahoma and another close game in a rematch with Colorado in the B12CG after having previously destroyed the Buffs at home. 

AP #10, 10-2 Oklahoma:  The Sooners beat Texas but lost at Nebraska and a big upset at home in the Bedlam game to keep them out of the B12CG. 

AP #11, 9-2 Stanford:  The Cardinal took out Oregon but they didn't win the PAC because they lost to the two Washington schools (WSU at home, UW in Seattle). 

AP #12, 9-3 SEC Champion LSU:  The Tigers lost badly at home to Florida (44-15) and split with the Vols (lost 26-18 on the road, won 31-20 in the SECCG).  The thing that kept them from a higher ranking was  an upset home loss to a mediocre Ole Miss team by two scores. 

AP #13, 9-2 Washington State:  The Cougars lost at home to Oregon (24-17) and on the road in the Apple Cup (26-14). 

Everybody else either had at least three losses and was not a conference champion or was not from a major conference. 

IMHO:
Miami and Oregon would obviously get in.  They were undefeated (Miami) or 1-loss (Oregon) major conference Champions and the CFP has never declined to take such a team. 

The real complication is that Maryland and Illinois were also 1-loss major conference champions.  Based on what we have seen from the committee over the past five years I think there is a good chance that they would have taken the four undefeated or 1-loss major conference champions (Miami, Oregon, Illinois, Maryland) and left the SEC and B12 out. 

The complication is that basically nobody really believed that either Maryland or Illinois were the best teams from their conferences. 
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