The greatest teams to miss out on a national title

T

TahoeLegend

Pretty much a regular
Great article here for anyone who loves the history of college football. I remember a lot of these teams that were among the greatest in college football of their era, but just one slip up cost them a national title.

Also shows how great Barry Switzer was. It was an era when Oklahoma was frequently playing Texas, Nebraska, and Miami in the same year when all three were winning national titles themselves and in addition to the three titles he won, he has more teams in this list than any other coach.

And Nebraska and Miami cost each other titles as well, including one of the Nebraska's greatest team that lost when they went for 2 and failed at the end of the game.

Reading the article just reminds me again of how great college football is

www.espn.com

Our top college football teams that failed to win the national championship

So close, yet so far. Here are the best college football teams that did not walk away with a national championship.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
'94 Penn State was really, really good.

I just recently read a good tidbit that compares their offense to last seasons LSU and it is pretty close.

Dayum good team.
 
Teapot9 said:
KU 2007-2008 when they were orange bowl champions
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while the Mississippi State head coach from two years ago is competitive, I would say Beamer's Orange Bowl performance is probably the worst coached game I ever saw
 
Miami 2000 and 2002 teams belong on the list. The Miami teams in the 3 years from 2000-2002 were the most talented in the history of the sport and if you don't believe it look up those rosters. Butch and especially Coker were awful coaches but the rosters that Davis put together were nothing short of incredible.
 
I heard Jimmy Johnson say today that his 86 Miami team was the most talented team he had while he was there.

That team is on this list and I recall when they lost to Penn State in the bowl game and recall the furor when they arrived at the site wearing military uniforms
 
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Miami had 22 first downs in that game. Penn St 8. Lol. Miami 7 turnovers. 10 year old me lost $10 on that game to my 5th grade teacher. Mofo actually took it. And thus started my not so illustrious gambling career.
 
TahoeLegend said:
Great article here for anyone who loves the history of college football. I remember a lot of these teams that were among the greatest in college football of their era, but just one slip up cost them a national title.

Also shows how great Barry Switzer was. It was an era when Oklahoma was frequently playing Texas, Nebraska, and Miami in the same year when all three were winning national titles themselves and in addition to the three titles he won, he has more teams in this list than any other coach.

And Nebraska and Miami cost each other titles as well, including one of the Nebraska's greatest team that lost when they went for 2 and failed at the end of the game.

Reading the article just reminds me again of how great college football is

www.espn.com

Our top college football teams that failed to win the national championship

So close, yet so far. Here are the best college football teams that did not walk away with a national championship.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...

Thanks for highlighting the team that spawned my love for college football. i missed the 1985 season as i was too busy following my (the then) California Angels, LA Lakers, and 85 Bears with the fridge. But then in October 1986, based on the friendly advisement of a HS football player who sat next to me in spanish class, i turned on the OU v Texas red river game and watched barry switzer lead jamelle holieway, lydell carr, patrick collins, anthony stafford, keith jackson, etc etc, to a big and decisive win over their heated rival, and I have been hooked on OU football ever since.

Those 86 and 87 teams were extremely memorable to watch. i still have many of the games on VHS and have transferred to DVD's.

the 87 team was on a roll and even after Jamelle tore his left knee up vs Okie Lite, Charles Thompson came in and won the Game of the Century II in Lincoln but just did not have enough to get it done vs Miami in that national championship Orange Bowl.

nonetheless, they are great memories.
 
B.A.R. said:
'94 Penn State was really, really good.

I just recently read a good tidbit that compares their offense to last seasons LSU and it is pretty close.

Dayum good team.
Click to expand...


Saw them live at the Big House...what a team...wow.
 
What interested me last night in watching the OSU/Miami 2002 replay was how amazing that Miami team was despite having a very, very mediocre qb in Dorsey. He threw 2 gift int's in the first half to OSU which were just straight up horrible throws.

It makes me wonder what that Miami team would look like in 2020 where having a superhuman cyborg QB is almost a prerequisite for winning a NC.

Or if you took that Miami roster today and gave them one of the modern day cyborg qb's...that would be some scary ass shit.
 
AliShaheed said:
What interested me last night in watching the OSU/Miami 2002 replay was how amazing that Miami team was despite having a very, very mediocre qb in Dorsey. He threw 2 gift int's in the first half to OSU which were just straight up horrible throws.

It makes me wonder what that Miami team would look like in 2020 where having a superhuman cyborg QB is almost a prerequisite for winning a NC.

Or if you took that Miami roster today and gave them one of the modern day cyborg qb's...that would be some scary ass shit.
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That was a great team. Huge upset in that one. Dorsey got the ship the year before with the great Andre Johnson at wr.

Willis macgahee and Clarett I think? Clarett to this day is the best freshman running back I've ever seen. Especially back then when run games were more featured.
 
B.A.R. said:
'94 Penn State was really, really good.

I just recently read a good tidbit that compares their offense to last seasons LSU and it is pretty close.

Dayum good team.
Click to expand...

I would have been much more worried about 94 than 97.
 
82 Nebraska - total screw job in happy valley
83 Nebraska - outplayed by miami, but could have kicked it
93 Nebraska - total screw job vs fsu
99 Nebraska - kept fumbling the damn ball vs texas, outgained em 429 to 275 on the road. Avenged in the conf title game where the yardage was 289 to 178.

4 games by a combined 10 pts cost us 4 undefeated seasons.
 
cubsker said:
82 Nebraska - total screw job in happy valley
83 Nebraska - outplayed by miami, but could have kicked it
93 Nebraska - total screw job vs fsu
99 Nebraska - kept fumbling the damn ball vs texas, outgained em 429 to 275 on the road. Avenged in the conf title game where the yardage was 289 to 178.

4 games by a combined 10 pts cost us 4 undefeated seasons.
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But the flea kicker ;)
 
Not sure why it isn't included on the list, but the one that hurt me the most--and a few years back was voted by OU fans as the one that hurt the most--was 1978.

The Sooners went into Lincoln undefeated, had a string of blowouts, and had beaten Nebraska six straight years. Nebraska led 17-14 late in the fourth but Oklahoma was rolling and Billy Sims was unstoppable against a tired Nebraska defense. Billy broke free for a first down at the Nebraska 5 but fumbled and the Nebraska D recovered.

Nebraska held on, but the two played again in the Orange Bowl and Oklahoma won. Too late though, the National title was gone
 
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TahoeLegend said:
Not sure why it isn't included on the list, but the one that hurt me the most--and a few years back was voted by OU fans as the one that hurt the most--was 1978.

The Sooners went into Lincoln undefeated, had a string of blowouts, and had beaten Nebraska six straight years. Nebraska led 17-14 late in the fourth but Oklahoma was rolling and Billy Sims was unstoppable against a tired Nebraska defense. Billy broke free for a first down but fumbled when he flew through the air and the ball came loose.

Nebraska held on, but the two played again in the Orange Bowl and Oklahoma won. Too late though, the National title was gone
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Epic game, OU was better in 78 no doubt. Although, there was another insanely bad call against nebraska that cost us at least 3 and maybe 7. Not a fumble at 1:30, el oh el.

 
Boy, I miss that series. Year after year, both teams loaded with talent, both teams loaded with hard hitters on defense, always great running backs on both teams.

I wish the Cornhuskers would come back to the Big 12. The series would go right back to being epic
 
TahoeLegend said:
Boy, I miss that series. Year after year, both teams loaded with talent, both teams loaded with hard hitters on defense, always great running backs on both teams.

I wish the Cornhuskers would come back to the Big 12. The series would go right back to being epic
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I think OU not wanting to play every year when the big 12 started was the beginning of the end for us in that conference. No way we would have voluntarily given up that rivalry with all that history.

We had pummeled you guys for a few years there, but I think that was shortsighted of them because no way was OU staying down for long. I remember not even enjoying those games much because it should have always been a great game. Same thing when Callahan kicked a FG on the last play to cover and break the shutout in 04. Just gross.
 
B.A.R. said:
September 18th 2021
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50th anniversary (not to the date, but the year) of The Game of the Century. Glad the two athletic departments had the sense to make this happen. Never know how long we're going to have Barry and TO (the offensive coordinators in that game) around.
 
Love that video. That was the extra element that took the OU/Nebraska game out of the realm of ordinary rivalries. The coaches liked each other, the players liked each other, and the fans got along great.

And yet every year they both had monster teams and competed to the maximum level
 
cubsker said:
82 Nebraska - total screw job in happy valley
83 Nebraska - outplayed by miami, but could have kicked it
93 Nebraska - total screw job vs fsu
99 Nebraska - kept fumbling the damn ball vs texas, outgained em 429 to 275 on the road. Avenged in the conf title game where the yardage was 289 to 178.

4 games by a combined 10 pts cost us 4 undefeated seasons.
Click to expand...
Wow
 
I don’t care what anyone says. That 2011 LSU was swagged the fuck out and was LETHAL. Don’t give a fuck about a QB. Look at the schedule.

Pathetic performance and beat by a better team no doubt. Would’ve rathered Okie Lite or anyone else y’all think shoulda been there
 
You laugh at my statement. You’re all obviously ignorant AF. Look up the stats. The defense was basically the 85 Bears and the offense was the greatest show on turf 2x. Texas Todd Reesing Aqib Talib et al.....
 
BS list. Should be every modern Alabama team that didn't win the championship, and then everyone else
 
majent said:
Kansas 07 a great team however if you look at the schedule they dodged the best teams in the big 12 that year. Trust me. Just dig deeper and you'll see. Again a great team and I enjoyed them but they're struggles that year (like vs mizzu) were against the better teams on their schedule but overall the SOS was so weak.
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That’s EXACTLY what I looked at
 
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