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

[HuskerinBig10]

Let's all be honest with ourselves. Nebraska was named co-champs because Osborne was retiring and the coaches gave him a going away present.

let's be honest with ourselves. The 1997 Big Ten was wwwwaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy over-rated.

How did good running backs do against Michigan in 1997
Tavian Banks from Iowa gained 99 yards on 19 carries against Michigan.
Michigan did not have to face Wisconsin and Ron Dayne because Dayne was hurt.
Penn State Curtis Enis ran for 103 yards on 18 carries.
Michigan STate Sedrick Irvin had 158 total yards, 83 yards rushing
I cannot find any stats on how Notre Dame's Autry Denson did against Michigan
Washington State Michael Black was shut down(24 yards), but Ryan Leaf gashed the vaunted Michigan pass defense for 331 yards.

Six of eight Big Ten teams blown out in Bowl Games, Michigan and Purdue won. Michigan did not face Purdue in 1997.

Michigan barely beat Washington State and that number 1 defense gave up almost 400 yards. Matter of fact, giving up nearly 400 yards or more was a theme for the Big Ten defenses in 1997 bowl games. You know, those games where you go up against other good teams.


The Iowa #7 total defense gave up 377 yards to Arizona State and the Iowa would have been shutout but the offense scored with 49 seconds left in the game to make it 17-7. Tavian Banks only ran for 52 yards against AZ STATE.

The Ohio State #8 total defense played Florida State, Florida State put up 394 yards on Ohio State.

The Michigan State #13 total defense played Washington. A team Nebraska traveled to Seattle and beat in their home stadium. Washington put up 477 yards of offense on that #13 total defense.

I can't any find data on how Wisconsin, and Penn State bowl games because their total defense were ranked in the 60s or worse and I guess they are trying to forget them. I know Georgia lit up Wisconsin from what I read.

Oklahoma State did put up 368 yards on the Purdue defense in the Oklahoma State loss.

I am done.

Michigan's only argument is that Missouri almost beat Nebraska in Missouri. Whereas, Iowa almost beat Michigan in Ann Arbor. Washington State almost beat Michigan at the Rose Bowl.

 

[4down20]

Only Michgan fans think Michigan.

That pretty much ends it.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

let's be honest with ourselves. The 1997 Big Ten was wwwwaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy over-rated.

How did good running backs do against Michigan in 1997
Tavian Banks from Iowa gained 99 yards on 19 carries against Michigan.
Michigan did not have to face Wisconsin and Ron Dayne because Dayne was hurt.
Penn State Curtis Enis ran for 103 yards on 18 carries.
Michigan STate Sedrick Irvin had 158 total yards, 83 yards rushing
I cannot find any stats on how Notre Dame's Autry Denson did against Michigan
Washington State Michael Black was shut down(24 yards), but Ryan Leaf gashed the vaunted Michigan pass defense for 331 yards.

Six of eight Big Ten teams blown out in Bowl Games, Michigan and Purdue won. Michigan did not face Purdue in 1997.

Michigan barely beat Washington State and that number 1 defense gave up almost 400 yards. Matter of fact, giving up nearly 400 yards or more was a theme for the Big Ten defenses in 1997 bowl games. You know, those games where you go up against other good teams.


The Iowa #7 total defense gave up 377 yards to Arizona State and the Iowa would have been shutout but the offense scored with 49 seconds left in the game to make it 17-7. Tavian Banks only ran for 52 yards against AZ STATE.

The Ohio State #8 total defense played Florida State, Florida State put up 394 yards on Ohio State.

The Michigan State #13 total defense played Washington. A team Nebraska traveled to Seattle and beat in their home stadium. Washington put up 477 yards of offense on that #13 total defense.

I can't any find data on how Wisconsin, and Penn State bowl games because their total defense were ranked in the 60s or worse and I guess they are trying to forget them. I know Georgia lit up Wisconsin from what I read.

Oklahoma State did put up 368 yards on the Purdue defense in the Oklahoma State loss.

I am done.

Michigan's only argument is that Missouri almost beat Nebraska in Missouri. Whereas, Iowa almost beat Michigan in Ann Arbor. Washington State almost beat Michigan at the Rose Bowl.

Here is how ridiculous it is to pick and choose games and then say, see we would win.
Missouri played one B1G team. OSU. They got blown out 31-10. Michigan beat OSU, yet Nebraska needed a fluke play just to force overtime for a chance to beat Missouri. The powerhouse Missouri lost by 2 tds to Colorado State in their bowl game.

So continue to put up meaningless stats. Defense wins championships. I'll take the #1 defense every single time.

 

[Bamabino]

Nebraska by 4 TD's.

 

[Tainthappening]

These 2 teams had 2 players that contributed greatly to the Packers as a professional... Ahman Green (Packers all time leading rusher) and Charles Woodson (defensive MVP as Packer and Super Bowl).

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Here is how ridiculous it is to pick and choose games and then say, see we would win.
Missouri played one B1G team. OSU. They got blown out 31-10. Michigan beat OSU, yet Nebraska needed a fluke play just to force overtime for a chance to beat Missouri. The powerhouse Missouri lost by 2 tds to Colorado State in their bowl game.

So continue to put up meaningless stats. Defense wins championships. I'll take the #1 defense every single time.

1997 Holiday Bowl Colorado State 35 Missouri 24 = 11 point difference which is equal to two TDs? I guess you mean 12 ponts which is close enough to 11.

 

[Smart]

If only Nebraska and Michigan had some common opponents, I wonder what it would show.

(Oh, wait).

 

[Jekku]

By what measure? Statistically the teams were very similar, if I remember correctly the last time I looked this up -- the only thing Nebraska was significantly better at was rushing the ball. Michigan was pretty much even passing/rushing and Nebraska was heavy on the rush. Both defenses were ridiculous. The only reason Nebraska won the title was 1. a fluke play and 2. a pre-season ranking higher than Michigan's. The fact that Michigan was able to jump Nebraska in the AP poll should be telling.

The statistics and reasoning have all been discussed here. I don't feel the need to repeat it all.

 

[Jekku]

Let's all be honest with ourselves. Nebraska was named co-champs because Osborne was retiring and the coaches gave him a going away present.

That's actually not as far fetched as some think. Stewart mandel wrote about it at length in his book. It def was a factor.

Edit: But if you wanna talk about bias, we must also discuss Charles Woodson winning the heisman and Tony Banks finishing runner up in 01 or w/e it was.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

You're just mad that I called out Ole Miss for their shady recruiting practices.

A Michigan fan discussing shady recruiting practices smdh

 

[WABLTY]

That year was a blur. I spent all of it butt hurt over bad pass interference calls, David Boston somehow getting wide fucking open and a midget from just down the road costing our team the NC.

Iowa was kind of bad though. That much is true.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

.....

So continue to put up meaningless stats. Defense wins championships. I'll take the #1 defense every single time.

2015 The #1 Defense was Boston College, record 3-9, lost every ACC game.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Only Michgan fans think Michigan.

That pretty much ends it.

If anyone has paid attention to the game their entire lives, they would know that the general consensus is often proven wrong once the games are played. The teams are close enough where it really would have taken a game being played for anyone to conclude anything definitive.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

2015 The #1 Defense was Boston College, record 3-9, lost every ACC game.

You have to have SOME offense for that to be true. BC's offense was almost a mirror image of their defense..it ranked 121 out of 128 teams. There's a reason Oregon has never won a championship, despite having one of the best offenses in the past 10 years.

 

[4down20]

If anyone has paid attention to the game their entire lives, they would know that the general consensus is often proven wrong once the games are played. The teams are close enough where it really would have taken a game being played for anyone to conclude anything definitive.

Nebraska would win easily, deal with it.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Nebraska would win easily, deal with it.

Kind of like how Michigan would easily handle App State?

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Kind of like how Michigan would easily handle App State?

Or how Alabama would beat Louisiana-Monroe..........

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

2015 The #1 Defense was Boston College, record 3-9, lost every ACC game.

Defense wins championships. Michigan didn't need to beg for votes or leak stories for sympathy. They didn't need a fluke play to force overtime against 7-5 Missouri. That Missouri game alone should have nullified any national title hopes.

Nebraska themselves would not have jumped to #1 in the final coaches' poll, thus securing a share of the so-called "national championship," without a huge nonvalid factor of their own. Following the regular season, someone conveniently leaked the news that Nebraska coach Tom Osborne was retiring after the bowl games, prompting him to make a formal announcement. Nebraska only just barely edged Michigan out in the coaches' poll, and you have to believe that Osborne's retirement, as well as quarterback Scott Frost's impassioned speech begging for votes after the final game, made the difference.

Here I thought Osborne made the announcement he was retiring at the beginning of the season. It was conveniently leaked after the regular season when Nebraska knew they'd need a Michigan loss to jump them in the rankings. It proves my point even further -- it was a nice going away present for his career accomplishments.

 

[4down20]

Kind of like how Michigan would easily handle App State?

So you are hoping Nebraska would choke?

Got it.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

So you are hoping Nebraska would choke?

Got it.

No, I'm suggesting without the game being played you have no way of suggesting something like that...especially when talking about #1 or #2 ranked teams split in both polls.