Who was the best team in 1997/Nebraska or Michigan/Discuss

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I had Nebraska. I think this was the year Nebraska had the miracle at Mizzu. Pass looks like it will fall incomplete, but hits a foot and bounces up into a Nebraska players hands to tie the game and send it into overtime. That was one of the craziest games ever. I am not sure if Michigan had anything like that. I do remember thinking that was the worst Nebraska NC team of that time. Best team of the year, but I think the comparison to the Frazier teams opened the door for Michigan.

Michigan had this:

And the only defensive player to ever win the Heisman.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Michigan had this:

And the only defensive player to ever win the Heisman.

The best DB in college football history.

 

[Codaxx]

Michigan had this:

And the only defensive player to ever win the Heisman.

Funny. It is ridiculous that Woodson is the only player to win that primarily played defense. What is even crazier is that he won it on a decent year. Others receiving votes that year included Manning, Moss, and Ricky. 1 of the most inexplicable events to happen in college football.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Funny. It is ridiculous that Woodson is the only player to win that primarily played defense. What is even crazier is that he won it on a decent year. Others receiving votes that year included Manning, Moss, and Ricky. 1 of the most inexplicable events to happen in college football.

That would have been a hard call to make, and even harder now that we know how both NFL careers went. Both Manning and Woodson are two of the best players to go through either league.

 

[Codaxx]

The best DB in college football history.

That is a bold call. I am not sure he is the best Woodson. Deion, Champ Bailey, Lott, Rod Woodson, and Ed Reed would all have a serious argument.

 

[Codaxx]

That would have been a hard call to make, and even harder now that we know how both NFL careers went. Both Manning and Woodson are two of the best players to go through either league.

I only mean its ridiculous that he is the only defensive player. Not that he did not deserve it. It is just even crazier that he is the only one to win and he did it in a reasonable year.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I only mean its ridiculous that he is the only defensive player. Not that he did not deserve it. It is just even crazier that he is the only one to win and he did it in a reasonable year.

There have been some years lately where a defensive player should have taken it. But no matter how bad the offensive choices are, it always goes their way.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

its ridiculous that he is the only defensive player. Not that he did not deserve it. It is just even crazier that he is the only one to win and he did it in a reasonable year.

I think Suh should've got it when they gave it to Mark Ingram.

 

[Gatorchip]

Nebraska owes a lot of Florida for this split title (taking out FSU and UT). Maybe give 1/3rd of the title? Thanks!

 

[Codaxx]

I think Suh should've got it when they gave it to Mark Ingram.

there are a ton of examples. You can not tell me that in the last 50 years only 1 defensive player was the best player that year.

 

[bamabear82]

I think Suh should've got it when they gave it to Mark Ingram.

I wouldn't argue that. Dude was a beast.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Nebraska owes a lot of Florida for this split title (taking out FSU and UT). Maybe give 1/3rd of the title? Thanks!

It's my opinion that the only reason they got a title at all is because they were ranked higher to start the season compared to Michigan. If the rankings had been reversed to start the pre-season polls, Michigan would have claimed both titles.

 

[fishinabarrel]

The best DB in college football history.

I prefer to think that he never actually played college football and was always an Oakland Raider

 

[sooner78wakeboard]

I think Suh should've got it when they gave it to Mark Ingram.

Agree with you there. Suh was just on another level. I remember when Nebraska played OU there was no one on the field that was even close. Gerald McCoy was #3 in the draft and an All-Pro, but Suh was just a beast.

Ingram winning that thing was a sham.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Bowl game
Nebraska 42 Tennessee 17, score was 35-9 after three quarters, Nebraska never trailed
Michigan 21 Washington State 16 score was 14-13 after three quarters Washington state led 7-0 after 1st quarter and 13-7 early in the second half.

Washington State had Ryan Leaf, Tennessee had Peyton Manning

Nebraska gave up 96 points in the 4th quarter during garbage time
Nebraska only trailed Missouri after 3 quarters, game played in Missouri

Michigan trailed Iowa after after 3 quarters, game played in Ann Arbor

The average score of Nebraska games after three quarters
Nebraska 37.8 opponent 9.5, a 28 point lead

The average score of Michigan games after three quarters
Michigan 21.8 opponent 7.5, a 14 point lead

Total Defense
Michigan ranked #1
Nebraska ranked #5
Washington St ranked #30
Tennessee ranked #32

Rush defense
Nebraska rush defense ranked #3
Michigan rush defense ranked #7
Tennessee rush defense ranked #8 Nebraska rushed for 408 yards against them
Washington St Rush defense ranked #27 Michigan ran for 128 yards on Wash St
If Michigan couldn't rush against Washington State, they certainly were not going to rush against Nebraska

Passs Defense
Michigan #1 Washington State passed for 331 yards on the #1 defense
Washington State #17
Nebraska #32
Tennessee #36

Scoring Defense
Michigan #1
Ohio State #2 Michigan put up 20, game played in Ann Arbor
Iowa ranked #4 Michigan put up 28 on them, game played in Ann Arbor
Kansas State #6 Nebraska put up 56 on them, game played in Lincoln
Nebraska #12
Tennessee #30 Nebraska put up 42 on them
Washington St ranking not in the top 50

Rushing Offense
Nebraska #1
Michigan #30
Washington St #48
Tennesee #52

Total Offense
Nebraska #1
Washington State #2
Tennessee #4
Michigan #44

Ok, so Tennessee wasn't a running team. They were a passing team!!

Passing Offense
Washington State #2 put up 331 yards on Michigan
Tennessee #11 put up 187 yards on Nebraska
Michigan #26
Nebraska #44

#1 defense against the #1 offense

#5 defense against the #44 offense

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

The team that would win is the one who didn't need a fluke play to force overtime against a 7-5 team.

Defense wins championships.

 

[Across The Field]

The team that would win is the one who didn't need a fluke play to force overtime against a 7-5 team.

Defense wins championships.

You needed a fluke play to beat us that year. Whole lot of them. All of them, they were flukes. Bastahds.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

The team that would win is the one who didn't need a fluke play to force overtime against a 7-5 team.

Defense wins championships.

The #2 offense had nearly 400 yards on that#1 defense and had the lead twice in the game. If Washington State had a defense Washington State would have won the game

Nebraska's #5 defense shutdown the #4 offense. The #5 defense would have had little problem against the #44 offense. It can be argued, that if Nebraska played their starters in the 4th quarter during the entire season, there might have been a different #1 defense.

Nebraska put 56 points on the K State defense. K state won their bowl game 35-17.
Nebraska beat Washington in Seattle, the same Washington team that beat Michigan State 51-23

Michigan beat Ohio State, Ohio State lost their bowl game 31-14
Michigan beat Iowa, Iowa lost their bowl game 17-7
Michigan beat Michigan State, Michigan State lost their bowl game in a close one 51-23
Michigan beat Notre Dame, Notre Dame lost their bowl game 27-9
Michigan beat Penn State, Penn State lost their bowl game 21-6
Michigan beat Wisconsin, Wisconsin lost their bowl game 33-6

Looks like the Michigan opponents were getting soundly beaten by other defenses. makes you go hmmmmm.....

Matter of fact, all of Michigan's opponents that went to a bowl game, LOST. Average score was 30 - 10.8.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

The Associated Press had Michigan #1 and nebraska #2

Coaches Poll had Nebraska #1, Michigan #2

Sagarin Nebraska #1, Michigan #4

Scripps Nebraska #1, Michigan #5

NY Times Nebraska #1, Michigan #3

Others that had Nebraska #1 Glantz-Culver, Seattle Times, Collegefootballpoll

The SEC went 5-1 in bowl games in 1997. The only loss was by SEC champ Tennessee to Nebraska.

Nebraska beat from the AP final rankings
#7 Tennessee lost their bowl game
#8 Kansas State won their bowl game
#18 Washington won their bowl game
#20 Texas A&M lost their bowl game
#23 Missouri lost their bowl game

Michigan beat from the AP final rankings
#9 Washington State lost their bowl game
#12 Ohio State lost their bowl game
#16 Penn State lost their bowl game

So, using the AP final rankings Nebraska beat five AP opponents, whereas Michigan only beat three. The same AP poll that ranked Michigan #1.

 

[TexasExes98]

Most important for Nebraska that year: They didn't have to play Daddy