For those of you starting to get sick of me taking 2 weeks to count down the Top Ten Films of the 2000s, here's a little something to get you thinking about next week.
What's coming next week, you ask?
GREAT question!
After the release of the #1 Film of the 2000s, we will be ringing in the new college football season by counting down the Top 10 Teams of the BCS Era.
Why did you just say, "we," Mike?
ANOTHER. GREAT. Question!
For those of you tired of Mike Sullivan rambling about movies all the time, I'll be having a few point-counterpoint evaluations with two of my best friends from high school who can carry their weight with college football knowledge: Chris Miller and Tyler Norris.
As mentioned in my article previewing the Best of the 2000s, Chris and I always catch up every August to preview the upcoming season; talk about how the SEC should break apart from the NCAA to start the Division 1-Alpha class; and predict which Big Ten team we get to toy with in January. He's a Georgia fan and alum; and I'm a Tar Heel whose heart rests in Florida. While we may not be the best of friends around Halloween (about the time of the Florida/Georgia game in Jacksonville, aka the World's Largest Cocktail Party), we're pretty tight for the other 11 weeks and bowl season. I'll be the first to admit that he knows more about college football than anyone else I know; and his opinion far out-weighs the fact that he pulls for Georgia.
Case-in-point, when I told him I was about to count down the Top Ten Teams of the BCS Era, he had his Top 10 sent to me the following morning, complete with director's-cut-worthy commentary for each pick. (If you think "director's-cut-worthy" is a complement, you are absolutely right.) Listed below is his word-for-word analysis of his Top Ten Individual Teams of the BCS Era, and your official preview to our next segment on Sully's World:
1. Miami Hurricanes (2001)
Incredible depth that the Detroit Lions would drool over. Starting NFL running backs on the BENCH for this team. Just obliterated people. #1 no doubt.
(Those NFL starting running backs - Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, and Frank Gore - went to 4 Pro Bowls between them. Miami Hurricanes: 21 ... Detroit Lions: 17)
2. Texas Longhorns (2005)
This might actually be the best TEAM on the list, vs. the amazing collection of talent that Butch Davis put together in South Beach. Vince Young, regardless of his meltdown in Nashville, just could not be stopped in college; and this defense did just enough to stop the All-World Offense of the 2005 USC Trojans.
3. USC Trojans (2004)
The improved version of the 2003 team that split the title. Tons of NFL players on offense and a great defense (that the 2005 squad lacked) helped these Trojans make Bob Stoops and Oklahoma wish they never took the field.
(38 points in 20 minutes ... all in the first half.)
4. Florida State Seminoles (1999)
An offensive machine as usual with the Mark Richt Seminole offense of the 1990s. Throw in an undefeated season with wins over Miami, #3 Florida, and Michael Vick's Hokies, and the fact that this was the first wire-to-wire #1 in NCAA history, and you'll get a feel for how good this team really was.
(Peter Warrick, I hate you. These comments in parentheses are Mike, by the way.)
5. Florida Gators (2008)
The first non-undefeated team on the list could easily compete with the top teams. After an early season loss to an under-rated Ole Miss team, Tim Tebow personally saw to it that his team wouldn't lose again. With an offense with more weapons than Plaxico Burress at a night club, Coach Urban Meyer utilized his scheme to make this team very tough to stop. Stay tuned for the 2009 version.
(woo!)
6. Auburn Tigers (2004)
Think about it now, if an SEC team goes through the season undefeated and wins the SEC Championship, they have to go to the BCS Championship Game, right? Well, not so fast... Just as Oklahoma pulled off an "Ohio State vs. the SEC" performance in the title game, Auburn's four first-round draft picks did their usual work as Cadillac, Ronnie Brown, and friends did work to finish off the undefeated season in New Orleans.
7. LSU Tigers (2003)
Saban's only championship so far, this defense suffocated teams. Just ask "Heisman winner" Jason White. Justin Vincent and the running game was unstoppable and the other NFL talent on offense made this a great, great football team.
8. USC Trojans (2005)
An undefeated regular season with an other-worldly offense led ESPN to pit this team against the other great teams of all eras to decide if this was the greatest team ever. Then something happened. They played in the Rose Bowl. Against non-Pac 10 team who actually had something called a defense. Whose offense scored more points. Which means they won. Oops.
9. Tennessee Volunteers (1998)
The year after Archie's son graduates (without beating Florida, cough, cough), Coach Fulmer produces an undefeated season. A great stable of NFL running backs (Travis Henry, Travis Stephens, and Jamal Lewis), Peerless Price, and Al Wilson, and with a defense that shut down the younger-version-of-the-Seminoles-of-above with relative ease, this UT team captured the first BCS Championship.
10. Miami Hurricanes (2002)
Only Larry Coker could find a way to lose with this team. A VERY questionable pass interference call in the title game allowed Ohio State to stay alive and eventually "win" in overtime. This Hurricanes team had very similar talent to the 2001 version, and was nearly as dominant. It would've been scary to see what Butch Davis could have done with this team.
So what's missing? If you're thinking Boise St. or Utah, I intentionally left them off. Why? Less scholarships, less talent, less competition on a 12 game schedule. Sure they had great years, but Air Bud was a nice movie. Just doesn't measure up. And think about this: with Boise State and Utah's wins, is there any chance that the teams they beat were disappointed to be playing Boise State and Utah in those particular bowl games? Is it also possible that the underdogs played for respect while the big boys showed up expecting to win?
(I'd put the 2002 Ohio State team in that category: Less talent, less competition on a 12 game schedule, less points than pretty much every opponent they faced in January ever since... this team played a very cocky - and probably hungover - Miami team, whose coach was quickly proving himself to be the downfall of a dynasty. I would also say THE Ohio State University had less scholarships, but I think they recruited a couple pinstripe-wearing exchange students to play for them in the Championship Game, especially for that interference call. I want my 3rd OT, darnit!)
Agree with Chris' rational? Not like it? Feel free to post a comment or tell me how you feel. If you're a Big Ten fan, I BEG you to argue why your team should make this list. More on NCAA Football next week!
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