To add some fuel on that fire, USC's winning streak was ended at 34 games.  If you recall, the last "greatest team ever as dubbed by ESPN metrosexuals" (the Miami Hurricanes of the early 2000's) also had a 34 game win streak.  Miami also won one BCS Championship in that span and bitched, very similarly, about not winning another one when FSU played Oklahoma in the 2000 BCS Championship.  So...in my opinion, the evidence supports the fact that not only is USC not the "greatest team ever", they might not even be the greatest team of the last half-decade 2005 football season.

1 Crystal Ball in 3 Years = Three-peat?



On behalf of college football fans nationwide, I'd like to thank Longhorn nation for their performance on Wednesday night.

The team with the crystal football is the NCAA Div. I national champion.

USC has one crystal football.

No more needs to be said about it.

Quoted: USC has one crystal football.

[nelson] ha ha [/nelson]


Good point.

USC got screwed by the BCS in their first year. The coaches and AP ranked USC as #1, thus the reason they are regarded as the best.

Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game.

Quoted: USC got screwed by the BCS in their first year. The coaches and AP ranked USC as #1, thus the reason they are regarded as the best. Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game.

hahahahahaha

Two out of three ain't bad guys!

Quoted: USC got screwed by the BCS in their first year. The coaches and AP ranked USC as #1, thus the reason they are regarded as the best. Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game.

That's why they play the game, right? To see who makes the right decisions and not fuck it all up for your team?

Texas won fair and square...on the field. Seems some people can't accept that.

USC!!! WINNERS OF THE 2005 CRYSTAL FOOTBALL!!! WOOT!

Quoted: Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game.

Yeah? Well shit happens!

"If this, if that, maybe then, but if..."




Waaaaah! Waaaaah!

Quoted: Two out of three ain't bad guys!

You mean the two southern football teams that have crystal footballs from the last three years?

Quoted: Two out of three ain't bad guys!

Two out of three what? years not winning the national title?

Quoted: Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game.

Uhm - USC wouldn't even have been playing in the title game if the refs hadn't made a blatantly bad call IN FAVOR of USC in the N.D. game.  If you are going to play the bad ref call card, you need to admit that the final-second TD by USC against ND should not have stood, since the QB was illegally pushed into the end zone.

Quoted: The team with the crystal football is the NCAA Div. I national champion. USC has one crystal football. No more needs to be said about it.

                 
                          Well said old boy .     Go Tigers !  Go Longhorns !

Something definitely ghey about a crystal football.  

Get over yourself and go bash Duke for being proclaimed the "greatest" basketball school ever..even tho UCLA is far and away the greatest.

It's now officially NCAA Final Four Countdown time.  Football's over.

Quoted: Quoted: Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game. Yeah? Well shit happens! "If this, if that, maybe then, but if..." Waaaaah! Waaaaah!

perhaps you misunderstood me. I am not whining, only stating facts. I could care less who wins or loses, neither are from AZ so it doesn't bother me. Just stating that USC had one of the best college squads I have ever seen (I am pretty young though, so I wouldn't doubt that better ones have existed).

Quoted: Quoted: Two out of three ain't bad guys! You mean the two southern football teams that have crystal footballs from the last three years?

Southern California ain't southern?

Quoted: Quoted: Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game. Uhm - USC wouldn't even have been playing in the title game if the refs hadn't made a blatantly bad call IN FAVOR of USC in the N.D. game.  If you are going to play the bad ref call card, you need to admit that the final-second TD by USC against ND should not have stood, since the QB was illegally pushed into the end zone.

I agree. I watched that game all the way through. Probably the best football game I have ever seen. The refs most certainly did fuck Notre Dame out of that win.

Yup.  USC won big last year and Texas won a great victory this year.  No more carping, woofing or gloating is necessary.  Both are great teams and great programs.  The game could have gone either way.  Texas deserves their crystal.  USC does not because they were completely unable to stop one player...knowing exactly what he was going to do.

Well done Horns!

Quoted: perhaps you misunderstood me. I am not whining, only stating facts. I could care less who wins or loses, neither are from AZ so it doesn't bother me. Just stating that USC had one of the best college squads I have ever seen (I am pretty young though, so I wouldn't doubt that better ones have existed).

You must    be young. USC barely rates, friend. Barely.

They might not have even won the national championship LAST YEAR if they played Auburn.

Think about that.

I  remember Alabama won NCs in 61-64-65, and was robbed in 66 when they were 11-0 beating Nebraska in the Orange bowl 39-28,Notre dame won the championship in 66 with a record of 9-0-1. Alabama also won NCs in 78-79, and got robbed in 80, Now you have 1vs2, but still I don't believe the BCS accurately pick 1-2, ie..Auburn last year, they would have drummed USC, I don't think USC could have stopped AU's Offense, and coulndn't score on AU's defense, USC was the national champion, but they didn't play the real #2, or I think the real #1.

I have said it before, if an SEC team goes undefeated, they should be in the BCS championship game, year in year out the SEC is the strongest conference in the NCAA. When you can beat Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,and now South Carolina, and the any given weekend teams, you are the #1 team in the land. year in and year out you are talking about beating 6 or 7 top 20 conference opponents.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Also USC would have won this year had the refs not made some blatently bad calls in favor of Texas and their coach wasn't so cocky that he gave Texas the ball at midfield with only a few minutes left in the game. Uhm - USC wouldn't even have been playing in the title game if the refs hadn't made a blatantly bad call IN FAVOR of USC in the N.D. game.  If you are going to play the bad ref call card, you need to admit that the final-second TD by USC against ND should not have stood, since the QB was illegally pushed into the end zone. I agree. I watched that game all the way through. Probably the best football game I have ever seen. The refs most certainly did fuck Notre Dame out of that win.

When Joe Namath SCORED against Texas he came back over to the sideline and complained to Bryant that Nobis hadn't kept him out of the endzone. Bryant said something like, "Damnit, you've got to put it far enough in so they can't say you didn't do it."

It was a fine game. Not a perfect one for either team, but a hell of a lot better than the previous night's game. I can't recall ever seeing a more undisciplined team than Florida State. Does Bowden PAY those guys for every dumb ass penalty they pick up?

About Fla state, VT, and Miami, the ACC is by far the cheapest, undisciplined bunch of thugs I have ever seen, Paterno still teaches class, and his team showed that on the field, by the way I can't believe VT kicked vick off the team, maybe Frank Beamer is getting some sense, and will set an example for the rest of the ACC. Does anyone remember Miami getting off the plane in 93,for the Sugar Bowl, wearing fatigues and berets, that was as trashy as I have ever seen. but a class Bama team stuck those berets, and all that trash, packing with their tails tucked.

Hell, I'm a pac-10 guy  and even I wanted Texas to win.

Who cares about Socal.

US whoo??

By M. Edward Guest Sports Central Columnist

Who was the greatest college football team of all-time? I have been asked this many times and given the matter a fair amount of thought, and recognized that, depending on your criteria, numerous teams can fit the bill.

I don't think the choice is nearly as important as the argument surrounding it. That having been said, I now offer my argument for the 1993-1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers, as the greatest college football team this nation has ever produced.

60-3. It has a nice ring to it, does it not? Sixty wins, mostly dominating, especially at Lincoln, and just three losses. Consider that entering Sun Devil Stadium in 1996, the Huskers had won an astonishing 37 of their past 38, and were coming off back-to-back national championships. In fact, the lowest AP poll finish for Nebraska during this magical run? Sixth, in 1996. In order, they finished 3, 1, 1, 6, and 2 in the AP poll -- going undefeated four times in the regular season, capping it off with a bowl triumph three times.

In a five-year period, the Huskers averaged 42.7 points an outing, less impressive than the obscene numbers of the 1982-1983 Tom Osborne teams (84 in the Minneapolis one year), but Dr. Tom often called off the dogs early, so as not to embarrass (horribly) some of the nation's elite. As if that wasn't enough, the Blackshirts allowed just over two touchdowns a game -- including dominating performances in all five bowl games.

Florida '95 was a superb team and they got only 24; they'd win the championship with 52 in the next year's Sugar Bowl. The 1993 Florida State Seminoles had the nation's highest-scoring offense, led by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Charlie Ward, managed a measly 18, escaping with a two-point victory.

My greatest team of all-time lost precisely one conference game, and amassed an incredible 23-1 record on the road -- notwithstanding the debacle in Tempe (19-0 loss to Pac-10 champion Arizona State), to a team that came within minutes of running the table. This was the most intimidating college football team in recent memory -- they ran over you, whether you were adequately prepared or not. Postcards from the era...

Over 200 yards rushing in a single quarter at the Orange Bowl (vs. '97 Tennessee), punctuating a 42-17 blowout over the SEC champion Volunteers and a 13-0 season.

A 24-7 smashing of previously unbeaten (and eventual No. 3 in the polls) Colorado in Lincoln, without the services of legendary QB Tommie Frazier -- the pinnacle of the unbeaten 1994 campaign.

Twice scoring 27 points in a single quarter, in '95 and '97, and yes, in both cases the Big Red had 63 at halftime.

It was not all wine and roses, to be sure. A missed field-goal against FSU prevented the '93 team from winning the national championship; a desert ambush (shutout?) by ASU, and the clutch running of Priest Holmes (TX RB during the '96 Big 12 Championship) ... and that's it.

One starting quarterback missed time with blood clots, another tragically perished in an accident. Lawrence Phillips had a chance to be one of the greatest collegiate running backs of all-time, but Ahman Green (among others) certainly picked up the slack.

Sure, they never played the unbeaten, untied, Big 10 champions from 1994 -- the very team that won in Ann Arbor and decimated Ohio State. And speaking of Michigan, the Huskers did not play them in 1997 either, and indeed, needed a miraculous "kick save" to thwart upset-minded Missouri in Columbia. Yeah, their legacy is a bit tarnished by a two-loss season, but remember, if they would have prevailed over Texas, they likely would have been in New Orleans -- playing for an unprecedented third-straight championship.

This is a team that won 95% of its games in a five-year span, something that not even Bobby Bowden's Seminoles or those great Miami teams could accomplish. There is an argument for the 1986-1992 'Canes (72-6, three AP championships, never lower than third), but the winning percentage still is not sufficient. Five years is continuous and is not constrained to a single class, e.g. 1968-1970 Ohio State Buckeyes; 1944-1946 U.S.M.A. Cadets, etc. Florida State finished in the Top-Five (AP) for an astounding 14 (1987-2000) consecutive seasons. Nice, but they don't top these Huskers.

Of course, this was a Nebraska unit that was in the midst of 40-consecutive winning seasons, a 47-game home winning streak, and an .864 decade winning-percentage. Sure, Nebraska was great before (1970, 1971, 1982, 1983) and after (1999), but those teams, for myriad reasons, just don't match up with this era. I now turn to the crown jewel; the '39 Yankees of our time -- the '95 Huskers.

It is because of the '95 juggernaut that the Huskers lay claim to the top spot. In 1993 and 1996, they were terrific, and in 1994 and 1997, they were unquestionably one of the two best teams in the nation. Then there is 1995. Tommie Frazier's senior season, a 33-3 QB by the way, commenced in shocking fashion. No, the Huskers had no problems in either Stillwater or East Lansing -- the shock was that no reputable publication picked Nebraska as No. 1.

This is from a team that had finally beaten Miami in a crucial bowl game, finally won Coach Osborne a championship, and had their field general ready to go. This, I must admit, was the first time I realized that I might have something on the FSU-lovin' "experts." In fact, it took an FSU loss in Charlottesville to cement the Huskers as No. 1. Ah, but we still had the Mighty Gators. A former No. 1 team in 1994, Steve Spurrier's crew was in the process of capturing three-straight SEC championships, and after besting FSU in Gainesville -- many thought they could handle Nebraska. Oops.

Nevertheless, Florida (not to mention Kansas and Kansas State) was a genuinely great team -- and very few people remember that. That might have something to do with a 62-24 (wasn't that close) pistol-whipping in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, Phillips had returned from his "suspension," but the star of the night was Frazier -- 199 rushing yards, including one of the most memorable runs in college football history.

1995 was just 1993-1997 to a higher degree. Average game? 52-14! Just shy of 400 rushing yards per game, and yes, it could have been higher. An NCAA record seven rushing yards per attempt, despite not having the three-headed monster available for the entire season. Excepting the game against Pacific (569 rushing yards), their opponents had a .626 winning percentage {1993-1997 -- counting the six major conferences opponents and Notre Dame -- it was a cumulative .601}.

The '95 Huskers also had a "clutch" rating of .145 (for comparison the modern-era record is .175 by the '71 Huskers), which takes into account winning road and neutral-site games, with points increasing with the winning-percentage of the opponent -- and a special bonus for beating an otherwise undefeated team. A .425 over a five-year span is a modern-era record, besting even the 1986-1990 Hurricanes.

1993-1997 Nebraska never failed to appear in a conference championship game, and won four conference titles -- three of them in the old Big Eight. They vanquished Oklahoma five times, including a 69-7 demolishing (1997) at Memorial Stadium, a massacre well-remembered by Oklahoma's seniors in 2000 (when they won the national title, dropping Nebraska in Norman along the way). Three times, they defeated a team that otherwise did not lose, last coming with a 56-26 defeat of Kansas State in Lincoln (1997), a team that went on to win the Fiesta Bowl.

Calvin Jones, Trev Alberts, Jared Tomich, Aaron Taylor, Zach Wiegert, Grant Wistrom, Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green, Michael Booker, and even Darin Erstad are some of the famous names of the period. I have omitted a plethora of all-conference players and even more starters; all of them can say that they contributed to the greatest team in college football history.

60-3. End of story.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.

Alabama----National Championships 12 --,1964-1965, was the only undeafeated team in 1966, when they beat Nebraska 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame was given the championship in 66 with a 9-0-1 record, UA should have had a 3 peat then, I guess you can Beat Nebraska, but not even the Bear could beat the pope! again Alabama was national champs in 78-79, in 77 UA was 11-1 as was Notre Dame. Alabama's only loss was to Nebraska. Notre Dame was recognized  as the NC that year, they leaped from #5 to #1 by beating #1 Texas in their bowl game, Alabama beat Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl 35-6. From 71-80 Alabama was 109-13-0,in those 10 years, they both won and lost to Nebraska,and USC. The other losses in that period were to Notre Dame,USC, Auburn, Texas, and Missouri. Nebraska, USC,Texas, And Notre Dame, all won championships from 71-80, all of theses powerhouses played each other during the regular season, and in bowl games, this was back when teams played real non-conference opponents during the regular season. The ncaa used the voting system back then, all of Alabama's losses were too voted national champions, with the exception of Auburn and Missouri. Alabama was voted national champion 5 times in the 71-80 time period, as was USC. Nebraska was voted NC 2 times, Notre Dame 2,Texas 1, Oklahoma  was voted 5 times. These were the good old days, when teams were not afraid of competition, when teams like Clemson, MSU, Georgia tech, and others started going undefeated by playing highschool opponents, football went down hill, that is why you see blowouts in BCS bowls. This was the best year for BCS games since its inception, but I would love to see the days when schools would schedule real non- conference games. A few years ago, Oklahoma played Alabama as a regular season game,Alabama had been in a slump, so OK figured it to be an easy win, Alabama lost the first 2 games but they both came down to the final seconds for an OK win. Oklahoma then cancelled their third scheduled game against Bama, and went on to win the national Championship. When teams are afraid to play anyone for fear of killing the perfect season, it really spoils the game. I know Alabama has renewed their rivalry with Penn State, and is working on a deal to start playing Notre Dame as a non conference opponent, and if we lose to them so what, it will be some fun games to watch, the SEC is damn strong, but I get tired of the Middle Tennessee states,UTEP's and N.W. Louisiana's as non conference games. Everyone should NUT_UP! and play all year long! When you play a game and it is only available on pay-per view, you should be ashamed! (unless it is Arkansas their AD won't  allow their home games televised, I guess he doesn't want everyone to see them get beat) Just my opinion.

Yes, that 1995 Nebraska team would have eaten any recent USC team's lunch, held them down, and then shit the excrement down USC's throat.

No contest. None.

Florida was far and away the #2 team in the land that year...and Nebraska didn't just clean their clock, they ran over it with a bulldozer and then burned the pieces that remained. The Huskers' 2nd string defense gave up a late touchdown to Florida's first string offense, then with a couple of minutes left, Nebraska's 2nd string offense drove the length of the field only to kneel the ball at the two yard line...twice.

It could have been worse than 62-24. Remember, that was the national championship game between the top two teams in the land.

Wanted to add a little, when I wrote about Alabama above, I wasn't calling them the greatest team ever, or just shouting ROLL TIDE!, but  I was thinking about the good ole days of college football. When gaints played other giants during the season, the teams competed with class, and respected and admired the opponents and their coaches. Players handed the ref the ball after a play, helped an opponent up, played the second and third string when you had a big lead, knelt on the ball when the game and clock were secure  ie...Nebraska against Florida. Big teams should play all year long not just bowl season.

Quoted: When gaints played other giants during the season, the teams competed with class, and respected and admired the opponents and their coaches. Players handed the ref the ball after a play, helped an opponent up, played the second and third string when you had a big lead, knelt on the ball when the game and clock were secure  ie...Nebraska against Florida. Big teams should play all year long not just bowl season.

For the reading impaired, could you explain precisely what you are saying here?

For the reading impaired. Back in the60's- 70's-80's, Big time college programs played alot harder non conference teams. There are still a few good non conference matchups these days but not like then. When the age of running up the scores to impress pollsters, and almost having to go undefeated to win a national championship, teams started scheduling freebies. Example, Alabama used to play, Notre Dame, Penn State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and other major programs as non conference games. Now its Middle Tenn. St. UTEP, N.W.Louisiana,La Tech etc.. This is not exclusive to Alabama. Bama had Oklahoma scheduled for 2002 through 2004, Alabama lost to Ok in 02 and 03,but gave them one hell of a scare, Ok. dropped Bama from their 04 schedule, and played Bowling green, because they knew they were going to be in the hunt for a championship that year, and didn't want to risk the loss.OK. went undefeated until they played USC in the Orange bowl, they lost 55-19. Alabama is going to start playing Penn State again in either 07 or 08, can't remember exactly, they are also trying to work a deal with Notre Dame. I don't care if Bama goes undefeated or not as long as they play Quality opponents, the SEC is tough year in and year out, but the non conference games are too weak. Also teams used to play with more class, now it is trash talking, running up the score, playing the first team offense and defense even when the game is already in hand. There are more thugs like Vick from VT on the field, almost every game on tv you see players throwing punches. There are pre game fights example.. Fla. St. and Miami, you just don't see the same level of class that you used too. Don't get me wrong there are alot of class programs still around, and big non conference match ups but not like in  the past.  Nebraska took a knee after beating Florida 63-24 in the Fiesta bowl in 95, that was a little poke at HBAR for stating how graceful Nebraska was in their defeat of FL.

That's fine, but you specifically mentioned the Nebraska-Florida game and I wondered what you were alluding to (concerning that game).

I was working on that part of it while you were asking, and added that to the above post (at the end) I had to go back and look at who posted the book on Nebraska. Also, I do think this was the best year as far as pairings since the BCS has been around, you didn't see the blowouts like in previous years.

Wobblin, if you weren't in CT. I would invite you to go to the range with me in a little bit, it is 70 degrees today in Birmingham, fine weather to launch some led. I am off from the Fire Station today, and have all the honey do's done, time to have a little fun.

Thanks, bud. I appreciate the thought. It's 35* here right now, half of the temperature there.



BTW, I watched that Nebraska-Florida game. I thought Nebraska went easy on the Gators in the fourth quarter, especially on that last drive. There was nothing keeping the Huskers from scoring again and everybody knew it. Brooks Berringer knelt the ball twice on the two to let the clock expire. Sadly, he never played another down, he was killed not long after.

Yes, that was very sad indeed....I was being a little sarcastic, after reading the long post on the greatness of Nebraska. By the way, were they playing their 1st , 2nd, or 3rd, string in the fouth qt, I don't remember? I have always had a healthy respect for their program, among others, and they did dominate the 90's no doubt about it.  I went to the range today, it was very warm and nice, but I got a good lesson in windage, we had a very windy day. I shot my 300mag (deer rifle) on the main range, with no protection from the wind, fired about 50 rds, just to see what effect the wind had, with 165, and 180gr bullets. Then played tac commando -super green beret- seal -swatman-sniper-asassin! , with the ARs on a more protected range, engaging multiple targets from 25-50 -75 and 100yds, very fun! I put human silohettes up, about 7 total, and pick a firing order, then check the hits, absolute blast! I did do some AR windage experiments also on the main range, always hit center mass with the carbine, but there was alot of drift and inconsistincies, and played doc holiday, quick drawing against 15yd plates, I like to simulate a robber coming in the store, and seeing how quick I can draw, or pick up my 228 from under the counter, and accuratly hit the target. I know you will never out draw a drawn  weapon, and wouldn't try too in real life, but if getting shot seems inevitable, I want to be as proficient as possible, even off handed. Damn how did I end up writing all of that? If you ever want a break from the cold, come on down. also deer season doesn't end till 1/31, and you can kill two deer per day, only one of which can be a buck, alot of good hunting left, our rut doesnt start for another week or so. have a good night. Treeman

Nebraska started rotating in subs half-way through the third quarter and in the fourth quarter it was all 2nd and 3rd string.

Makes me respect them even more. Alabama, has had 4 critical injuries to players over the last two seasons, one was a lineman in the Tenn game and the game was close. The other three, Brodie croyle QB had a season ending injury in the 4th qt with the game in hand. Tyrone Prothroe was injured this year( season ending, and our best offensive weapon)  while the game was in hand during the 4th qt. He was the player that won the play of the year award, announced during the rose bowl. Our senior center was also lost this year, but it was  in a hard fought game, just one of those things. Very bad coaching mistake I believe with Brodie, and Prothroe, it really killed both seasons. each was at least 50% of our offense. Alot of coaches don't pull players when they have a lead, like they used to, the young guys need the experience, but Franchise players want numbers, I believe, that is why Alabama never had a hiesemen winner under the Bear, ( never had one period)if the game was won the first team was benched, so you didn't have as impressive numbers as you could have............... Also took off from firestation today, we actually had a full crew, so I am headed to the woods, I need some camo shorts, and tank top, its 74, at 11am may hit 80 today, also chance of naders, I hope I don't get blown to kansas.Wish me luck, Hope you have a good day, Treeman

LOL @ what I just saw on another forum.



Someone's trying to raise money to buy a billboard.  He's at $730 out of $10k.

Quoted: LOL @ what I just saw on another forum. i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/lordgalvie/Billboard9.jpg Someone's trying to raise money to buy a billboard.  He's at $730 out of $10k.

That's pretty awesome.

+1

Gotta love it!