Three Greatest Div I-A Teams of the Modern Era

Here we go, the greatest teams of the modern era, from 1988-2007. After USC's resounding victory a few weeks ago over Ohio State, everyone in the country, and not just media outlets, even some diehard, knowledgeable fans were ready to give the Trojans all-time status. After all, they have a competent QB, young RBs who could start for any major college program, and a fantastic defense. However, the success got to their heads and they felt invincible. This team should have been on a mission in 2008 after being snubbed for the national title game when some people felt they were much better than Ohio State. Georgia, on the other hand, seems to be on that mission in 2008 because they had a tough game against South Carolina, a conference rival, on the road (sound familiar? Oregon State last night) but pulled out a narrow victory. Anyways, we shall see how the rest of the season plays out because it will be mighty fun as usual.

Now, onto the criteria for selecting the greatest and most dominant teams in the recent era. The teams had to follow this criteria; players advancing to the NFL, they were not in danger of losing during the regular season, and had both a great offense and great defense. Also, a dominating bowl performance against a very good team, which is a given for the top 2 teams because the Bowl Alliance had been established for one team, while the other had the BCS in place. Now, some teams who didn't quite make the cut and the reasons why...

#7 1988 Notre Dame A fantastic squad, led by all sorts of future NFL studs and some magical moments. However, should they have beaten Miami (FL) in South Bend, IN on that mid-October day. First off, Cleveland Gary never fumbled at the 1-yard line, it should have been either a TD or incomplete pass, look it up. They could have lost that game, plus the close calls with Michigan and Pittsburgh mean they are out.

#6 Alabama 1992 This team just couldn't score enough points, nor did they really have to, their defense was so good. But Gene Stallings was not an offensive coach, so its not like it's his fault. They do however have a very impressive feat of not allowing a single team to score more than 21 points. They also beat Tennessee, Florida, and Ole Miss, all who won their bowl games, and Mississippi State, who lost their bowl game and went 7-5. Plus, they destroyed the defending national champion Miami (FL) Hurricanes 34-13 in the national championship game, aka Sugar Bowl.

#5 2004 USC They had a fantastic offense, a good defense and all the pizazz you could want, but they loved to live dangerously. A questionable pass interference call against VA Tech is what some people felt cost the Hokies in the opening game of the season, a very tough contest. Also, Stanford and UCLA both had very good chances to beat them in the 4th quarter, as well as a very tough game with Oregon State. Their BCS championship game victory over Oklahoma is good enough to get them at #5.

#4 2005 Texas The Longhorns get punished for 2 reasons. First off, they had to survive the greatest college football game ever played, the 2006 Rose Bowl against USC, so no matter how good Vince Young was, it still wasn't a truly dominant bowl performance. They also had to make a miraculous comeback against Oklahoma State and they had to overcome very close contests with Texas A&M and Ohio State. Their national championship game is really what gives the #3 team the edge, even as impressive as the Longhorns victory over the Trojans was.

Now, onto the top 3.
#3 1991 Washington Their biggest strength was without question their defense, but let's get real about the Huskies and what made them so great. #22 in passing offense, #3 in pass efficiency defense, #2 in turnover margin, #2 in scoring offense and scoring defense, #17 in rushing offense, #2 in rushing defense, #7 in total offense, #2 in total defense. They had at least 10 players on defense who played in the NFL, and one of those who didn't, All-American CB Walter Bailey, was 9th nationally in INTs with 7 returned for 114 yards and 2 TDs. Both of their QBs would see significant time in the NFL, Billy Joe Hobert and Mark Brunell (both were Rose Bowl MVPs at UW). Hobert was 11th in the nation in passing efficiency while his favorite target, Mario Bailey, caught 62 passes for 1037 yards and 17 TDs. His 102 points ranked him 6th nationally. Two of their TBs, Napoleon Kaufman and Beno Bryant, would go on to play in the NFL, but Bryant was always hampered by knee injuries. Their 3rd RB, and 2nd leading rusher, Jay Barry, scored 68 points off of 11 TDs and would author the season's key signature moment for the Huskies. Two TEs (Aaron Pierce and Mark Breuner) and 5 offensive lineman would also play in the NFL for this UW team.

In Lincoln, the 9th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers had a shot to end the Huskies national championship dreams early, with a 21-9 3rd quarter lead. However, Bryant scored a TD, and Hobert scored a TD rushing and passing. Then, with the lead and just under 6 minutes left to play, Barry went 81 yards for the clinching TD. The game wasn't really close in the 4th quarter as the Huskies sealed the game with their dominant defense and superb speed on offense. Their lone close game came against Cal in Berkeley, where the undefeated and #7 Cal Bears played them to a 17-17 tie going into the 4th quarter. However, Bryant would proceed to dash 65 yards for a TD at the beginning of the 4th, ending any hopes of a Bears' upset. Then, in the Rose Bowl, #4 Michigan had no shot, even with Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard at FL/KR/PR. Note that Howard was in the top 15 in receiving yards and receptions per game, but had 1 catch for 35 yards. Mario Bailey put the icing on the cake with a diving TD catch in the 4th quarter and mocked Desmond Howard's infamous Heisman pose by striking one of his own. Tyrone Wheatley scored a 53 yard TD run late in the 4th quarter, which helped the Wolverines save face and they only lost 34-14. Michigan had 72 yards rushing overall, so that long TD run was the bulk of it. Nobody could match the Huskies all year, and thus, they finish #3 on this list.

#2 2001 Miami (FL) If we did this purely on who produced the most NFL talent, this Hurricanes squad would be very hard to beat. 19 of their 22 regular starters made the NFL, including 3 backup RBs, a backup TE, and a backup LB and DT. Now I call that depth. RBs Clinton Portis, Frank Gore and Willis McGahee combined for 2076 yards rushing and Portis had 11 TDs overall. Their TE, Jeremy Shockey, led the team in receiving, while SE Andre Johnson had 37 rec. for 682 yards and scored 10 TDs on the season. Ken Dorsey was a fantastic QB, throwing for over 2600 yards and 23 TDs. The real stars on offense however were the O-line led by Ts Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez and C Brett Romberg. On defense depth was everywhere with DL Jerome McDougle, William Joseph and Vince Wilfork. At LB, two 2nd year players, DJ Williams and Jonathan Vilma, were ball-hawking players who knew where to be at all times. The defense allowed only 9 points per game while giving up 13 TDs, and amazingly enough, the team scored 11 non-offensive TDs, so that almost washes out. Also, #13 Syracuse lost 59-0, and then #11 Washington got beat 65-7, the largest combined margin ever for a program over back-to-back ranked opponents. Now, onto the signature moments for this Miami squad.

Ed Reed could have been a good candidate for the 2nd defensive player ever to win the Heisman as he made the two biggest plays of the season. First, in an extremely close game at Boston College, the Eagles drove deep into 'Canes territory with under a minute to play. DT Matt Walters made an INT off of Eagles' QB Brian St. Pierre and went 10 yards, but then Reed stole the ball and went 80 yards for the decisive TD in an 18-7 win. In fact, here's the play... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02fppIV9pik
Also, in another tough contest against Virginia Tech, the Hokies final two drives ended on INTs by Reed, to give him 21 for his career at Miami and a school record. Sure, a drop by Hokies' WR Ernest Wilford on a 2-point conversion helped the 'Canes escape with a 26-24 victory in Blacksburg, but Miami had not won there since 1992, so it had become a house of horrors, and this team overcame it. Also, Miami had jumped out to a 20-3 halftime lead, so it was really only a lack of focus as to why the game was as close as it was. The 'Canes should get points taken away for beating one of the worst BCS championship game teams in history, the Nebraska Cornhuskers led by QB Eric Crouch, but that was the computer's fault, not Miami's. Johnson was the true star for the 'Canes with 7 rec. for 199 yards and a 49 yard TD that gave Miami a 7-0 lead. Then, Portis scampered 39 yards for another TD, followed by a 47 yard INT for a TD by S James Lewis. Shockey then caught a TD pass and Johnson followed up with his 2nd of the 1st half as the 'Canes needed 15 plays to score 4 offensive TDs. Miami eventually won 37-14 and had an easy 2nd half where the 'Huskers never got within 20 points.

#1 1995 Nebraska They were #4 in scoring defense and #2 in rushing defense, while leading the nation in rushing (399.8 yards per game), scoring (52.8 points per game) and #2 in total offense (556.3 yards per game). It was the offense that most people remember, led by perhaps the greatest option QB of all time, Tommie Frazier, and his backup Brook Berringer, who tragically died in a plane crash shortly after the season. Frazier threw for 1362 yards and 17 TDs while also scoring 14 TDs on the season and rushing for 604 yards. IB Ahman Green ran for 1086 yards and scored 16 TDs on the season while Lawrence Phillips, in his final, oft-controversial career at Nebraska, finished 547 yards (on just 71 carries, over 7 yards per carry). Even the receivers were dangerous, as WB Clester Johnson and SE Reggie Baul combined for 39 receptions for 671 yards, and over 17 yards per catch. Mark Gilman and Tim Carpenter were good TEs, but clearly they had depth at that position, as freshman Sheldon Jackson would later play in the NFL. On the offensive line, Ts Adam Treu and Chris Dishman would go on to the NFL, as would C Aaron Graham (all would play at least 7 years in the NFL). However, the real depth lie on defense. 6 defensive lineman would make the NFL eventually, including starters Jason and Christian Peter, and DEs Grant Wistrom and Jared Tomich. Also, backups Chad Kelsay and Mike Rucker would go on to fine NFL careers. The LB corps was a rotating bunch that liked to stay fresh and starters Jay Foreman, Doug Colman and Terrell Farley were outstanding (only Farley didn't make the NFL). Even backups at this position made the pros as Jamel Williams and Jon Hesse eventually got their shots. Another 6 DBs would also make the NFL as Michael Booker and Tyrone Williams were fantastic shut-down CBs and Tony Veland and Mike Minter were outstanding safeties. Eric Stokes and Eric Warfield, two future NFL guys only added to the amazing depth. That's 16 out of 22 players on the 2-deep chart who made the NFL, and that's just on defense. Ok, onto the big games and signature moments for Nebraska.

The only time the 'Huskers ever trailed during the regular season was against Washington State, and they pulled away in the 2nd half to win 35-21. Frazier threw for 148 yards and 4 TDs in a 49-25 beat-down of previously undefeated #8 Kansas State. #7 Colorado was at home for the 'Huskers the following week, but Frazier went to the Shotgun this time and threw TD passes to WBs Johnson and Abdul Mohammed. A 44-21 victory gave Nebraska the #1 spot in the AP poll the following day. The #10 Kansas Jayhawks at 8-1 hosted the 'Huskers two weeks later, but were dismantled after only rushing for 72 yards. WB Jon Vedral recovered a fumbled punt in the end zone, Frazier ran for 2 scores and threw for another and in the 4th quarter, DB Mike Fullman raced 86 yards for the clinching score in a 41-3 demolition. Keep in mind that at the end of the year Colorado would end up #5 in the country, Kansas St. 7, and Kansas 9, so its not like Nebraska's conference had all cupcakes. Even Iowa State wasn't completely pitiful as they had the first 2,000 yard rusher not to win the Heisman in Troy Davis, but the Cyclones got killed 73-14. To end the regular season, Nebraska shut out Oklahoma 37-0 to mercifully end the Howard Schnellenberger era in Norman. Then came the Fiesta Bowl and the showdown with #2 Florida.

I'm sorry, but this deserves its own paragraph as the Gators were undefeated, had the nation's leader in pass efficiency in Danny Wuerffel and four good receivers; Jacquez Green, Reidel Anthony, Chris Doering, and Ike Hilliard. They even had a three-headed monster of future NFL RBs who combined for over 1900 yards in Terry Jackson, Fred Taylor and Elijah Williams. Although their defensive stats weren't impressive, they had 4 future NFL LBs and a few in their secondary. Only Florida State and Auburn had really tested the Gators all season. Frazier got the 'Huskers an early 6-3 lead with a TD pass to IB Phillips, but Wuerffel sneaked in for a TD as the Gators regained the lead, 10-6. Then the 'Huskers came to life and were merciless. Phillips went 42 yards for a TD run and then Jamel Williams blitzed and sacked Wuerffel for a safety, 15-6 Nebraska. Freshman Green scored a TD after a long Frazier run and then Booker had a 43 yard INT returned for a TD. K Kris Brown added some FGs for a 35-10 lead at halftime. Frazier then tooka QB Draw 35 yards for a TD and then added his signature moment late in the 3rd quarter by breaking numerous tackles, bouncing off Gators like a pinball machine before being unleashed into the open field. He raced 75 yards for a TD and even looked back near the end of his run, making sure he had not just ignored a whistle, thinking the play had been blown dead since no one was near him. You could see his wide-eyed, ear-to-ear grin through the facemask as he was enjoying this coronation. The Gators would end up with minus-28 yards rushing and lose 62-24, the 2nd largest defeat for a team in a #1 vs. #2 matchup, the most being Army's 48-0 victory over Notre Dame in 1948. With their victory Nebraska became not only the first back-t0-back national champions since the 1970s and Bear Bryant's Alabama squad, but the greatest team of the modern era.

Thank you all for reading.