Poll Which dead program is the most dead?

[Deep Creek]

There was a lot less parity in CFB then, yes. You could say about them same thing of any teams that were dominant in those eras.

There was probable less parity within conferences but some conferences have been lopsided lately too. As far as national parity, that is a good question.

Let's use the 8 CFP years and go back 30 years using final AP poll since we didn't have CFP or BCS selection type process.

CFP Era
32 slots available with 13 teams represented. Bama, Ohio State, FSU, Oregon, Sparty, Clemson, Washington, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Cincy, Notre Dame.

1984-91
32 slots available with 14 teams represented. BYU, Washington, Florida, Florida State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Miami, Arizona State, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Colorado
1984 - 1)BYU 2)Washington 3)Florida 4)Nebraska
1985 - 1)Oklahoma 2)Michigan 3)Penn State 4)Tennessee
1986 - 1)Penn State 2)Miami 3)Oklahoma 4)Arizona State
1987 - 1)Miami 2)Florida State 3)Oklahoma 4)Syracuse
1988 - 1)Notre Dame 2)Miami 3)Florida State 4)Michigan
1989 - 1)Miami 2)Notre Dame 3)Florida State 4)Colorado
1990 - 1)Colorado 2)Georgia Tech 3)Miami 4)Florida State
1991 - 1)Miami 2)Washington 3)Penn State 4)Florida State

About the same as far as "variety" goes. So national parity may have been about the same. We'd probably have been hearing about Miami, Florida State fatigue for a few years like we have with Bama, Clem, Ohio State curing the CFP era....had such been in place.

Noticeably absent from the 84-91 list are USC, Ohio State and Texas. One would have thought at least one or two of those "brands" would have finished in the top four during that eight year stretch.

 

[osubuckeye89]

There was probable less parity within conferences but some conferences have been lopsided lately too. As far as national parity, that is a good question.

Let's use the 8 CFP years and go back 30 years using final AP poll since we didn't have CFP or BCS selection type process.

CFP Era
32 slots available with 13 teams represented. Bama, Ohio State, FSU, Oregon, Sparty, Clemson, Washington, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Cincy, Notre Dame.

1984-91
32 slots available with 14 teams represented. BYU, Washington, Florida, Florida State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Miami, Arizona State, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Colorado
1984 - 1)BYU 2)Washington 3)Florida 4)Nebraska
1985 - 1)Oklahoma 2)Michigan 3)Penn State 4)Tennessee
1986 - 1)Penn State 2)Miami 3)Oklahoma 4)Arizona State
1987 - 1)Miami 2)Florida State 3)Oklahoma 4)Syracuse
1988 - 1)Notre Dame 2)Miami 3)Florida State 4)Michigan
1989 - 1)Miami 2)Notre Dame 3)Florida State 4)Colorado
1990 - 1)Colorado 2)Georgia Tech 3)Miami 4)Florida State
1991 - 1)Miami 2)Washington 3)Penn State 4)Florida State

About the same as far as "variety" goes. So national parity may have been about the same. We'd probably have been hearing about Miami, Florida State fatigue for a few years like we have with Bama, Clem, Ohio State curing the CFP era....had such been in place.

Noticeably absent from the 84-91 list are USC, Ohio State and Texas. One would have thought at least one or two of those "brands" would have finished in the top four during that eight year stretch.

Ohio State was a perennial 9-3 team in the 80s lol, until the last couple of years.

Are you going off the final regular season AP Poll or the post bowl actual final poll?

 

[Red_Alert]

True but I get this vibe that with Nebraska, it is all about getting the right hires. I think you guys have been making the wrong hires. You also have a division that, in truth, should be easier to win. Most of the B1G top programs are in the East so the B1G is really setup for Nebraska to succeed.

If you guys can get a solid coaching hire that brings confidence and a winning attitude back to the program, than I think the turnaround may not be as difficult as people think. It may start with AD as well. Tennessee had to get a good AD first (Danny White) to turn things around.

Tennessee isn't just doing well in football right now. Our men's bball team is preseason #11 and coming off SEC Tournament win. Women's bball is coming back and ranked #5 in preseason. Baseball was ranked #1 and got #1 seed in tournament. Softball is ranked. Athletic Department in Knoxville is healthy right now.

Trev Alberts has only been AD for a year (July 2021).

Whomever his pick for HC is will give him at least 3 years more as AD.

If that pick fails to turn things around and compete for the Big 10 West (pod whatever), it's typical for the AD to be ousted first because it's difficult for them to swallow their pride in that they made a bad pick and fire that coach themselves.

Trev was basically brought in to fire Frost if need be. Mickey was brought in for the transition if it were to become necessary.

It was basically circling the wagons with Husker guys.

Whether Trev goes outside the program for his hire is the big question.

 

[osubuckeye89]

There was probable less parity within conferences but some conferences have been lopsided lately too. As far as national parity, that is a good question.

Let's use the 8 CFP years and go back 30 years using final AP poll since we didn't have CFP or BCS selection type process.

CFP Era
32 slots available with 13 teams represented. Bama, Ohio State, FSU, Oregon, Sparty, Clemson, Washington, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Cincy, Notre Dame.

1984-91
32 slots available with 14 teams represented. BYU, Washington, Florida, Florida State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Miami, Arizona State, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Colorado
1984 - 1)BYU 2)Washington 3)Florida 4)Nebraska
1985 - 1)Oklahoma 2)Michigan 3)Penn State 4)Tennessee
1986 - 1)Penn State 2)Miami 3)Oklahoma 4)Arizona State
1987 - 1)Miami 2)Florida State 3)Oklahoma 4)Syracuse
1988 - 1)Notre Dame 2)Miami 3)Florida State 4)Michigan
1989 - 1)Miami 2)Notre Dame 3)Florida State 4)Colorado
1990 - 1)Colorado 2)Georgia Tech 3)Miami 4)Florida State
1991 - 1)Miami 2)Washington 3)Penn State 4)Florida State

About the same as far as "variety" goes. So national parity may have been about the same. We'd probably have been hearing about Miami, Florida State fatigue for a few years like we have with Bama, Clem, Ohio State curing the CFP era....had such been in place.

Noticeably absent from the 84-91 list are USC, Ohio State and Texas. One would have thought at least one or two of those "brands" would have finished in the top four during that eight year stretch.

This looks a little different if you go off the poll following the final regular season week. That's the poll the top 4 woulda been pulled off, not the post bowl final poll.

1984 - 1 BYU 2 Oklahoma 3 Florida 4 Washington
1985 - 1 Penn State 2 Miami 3 Oklahoma 4 Iowa
1986 - 1 Miami 2 Penn State 3 Oklahoma 4 Michigan
1987 - 1 Oklahoma 2 Miami 3 Florida State 4 Syracuse
1988 - 1 Notre Dame 2 Miami 3 West Virginia 4 Florida State
1989 - 1 Colorado 2 Miami 3 Michigan 4 Notre Dame
1990 - 1 Colorado 2 Georgia Tech 3 Texas 4 Miami
1991 - 1 Miami 2 Washington 3 Florida 4 Michigan

Mostly the same teams but you do get Texas, Iowa & West Virginia in there. Though I guess you only really gain 1 unique team since 2 just replace Arizona State and Tennessee

 

[Deep Creek]

Ohio State was a perennial 9-3 team in the 80s lol, until the last couple of years.

Are you going off the final regular season AP Poll or the post bowl actual final poll?

Not sure. Good question.

 

[Hu War Yu]

My answer is still Nebraska

 

[Volbound1700]

If you want to talk about success due to beating on scrubs. Miami is up there.

For a long time Miami basically had 1 game a year in the Big East that was actually a challenge.

Over half the Big East could be described as bad or terrible the majority of the time in the 90s and early 2000s

I have said the same thing about Florida State. FSU did play both the Gators and Hurricanes every year though and usually had one other tough OOC game. The ACC also used to spawn at least one good team a year.

Big rumors was that when FSU was offered a chance to join the SEC in 1990 (during Arkansas/South Carolina expansion), Bobby Bowden supposedly wanted to go to ACC because it would be easier to win (FSU was independent at that time). The part that isn't a rumor was that FSU was offered a chance to join SEC and they declined, not sure of the reason other than rumors. FSU regrets that now, I imagine.

I remember Virginia Tech being the main Big East rival for Miami in the late 1990s and early 2000s at least.

 

[Wild Turkey]

I feel dead does that count?

 

[Deep Creek]

I feel dead does that count?

Thanksgiving is coming up.

 

[osubuckeye89]

I have said the same thing about Florida State. FSU did play both the Gators and Hurricanes every year though and usually had one other tough OOC game. The ACC also used to spawn at least one good team a year.

Big rumors was that when FSU was offered a chance to join the SEC in 1990 (during Arkansas/South Carolina expansion), Bobby Bowden supposedly wanted to go to ACC because it would be easier to win (FSU was independent at that time). The part that isn't a rumor was that FSU was offered a chance to join SEC and they declined, not sure of the reason other than rumors. FSU regrets that now, I imagine.

I remember Virginia Tech being the main Big East rival for Miami in the late 1990s and early 2000s at least.

Yea, The ACC was pretty bad overall for the most part during FSUs 1992-2000 power run. No one at all in the conference was every really much of a threat to them.

They did have those Miami and Florida games, but no one in the conference was a threat.

 

[Volbound1700]

Yea, The ACC was pretty bad overall for the most part during FSUs 1992-2000 power run. No one at all in the conference was every really much of a threat to them.

They did have those Miami and Florida games, but no one in the conference was a threat.

Be careful though, I took a lot of flack a year or so ago because I said the only reason they had that top 5 streak was because they played an easy schedule. Granted, their great teams would have always been great even with tougher schedule but they are not finishing in the top 5 on some of those reload years in a stronger conference.

Being in a strong conference doesn't stop your great teams from winning, it just hurts more when you have a rebound/reload year.

 

[huskers1217]

Note, in order to qualify the team must currently belong to a P5 conference and have multiple natties in their history to qualify. So the Ivy League schools, military academies and trash programs like Vandy don’t qualify

Vote and discuss

where is aggy?

 

[Hu War Yu]

Big rumors was that when FSU was offered a chance to join the SEC in 1990 (during Arkansas/South Carolina expansion), Bobby Bowden supposedly wanted to go to ACC because it would be easier to win (FSU was independent at that time). The part that isn't a rumor was that FSU was offered a chance to join SEC and they declined, not sure of the reason other than rumors. FSU regrets that now, I imagine.

The main reason FSU went ACC and South Carolina went SEC was because it gave both leagues an increased footprint. The ACC had nothing in Florida at the time, and SC + Arky gave the SEC two new states and over 6 million new TV sets.

If they were doing the same expansion today, no way SC gets an invite to the SEC, but the ACC would have been a better fit

 

[Thiefery]

Also with both programs, the Big12 wasn't as strong in the 1990s as it is now. Teams like Iowa State, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma State, etc. were just not good programs then and Colorado and Nebraska could rack up wins against them. Oklahoma was tough although they had a down spurt and Kansas State rose with Bill Synder who is one of the most underrated coaches ever for what he has done.

I think media exposure allows teams like Iowa State, Baylor, etc. to be more competitive today than they were in the 1990s. This hurts teams like Nebraska who use to just run over these programs annually.

Yes, I know Nebraska doesn't play these teams anymore but they did back then. Also some of the B1G teams like Illinois are very comparable with the former Big12 teams they used to play.

They were strong in the 90's... Started in 96.. Nebraska was still a powerhouse, UT with probably the best trio of RBs upset them from a championship. They won a share or whatever the following season. KSU was in the drivers seat to clinch a spot in the BCS championship game, but was upset by aggy. in 1999, Nebraska was a clear #3 and I feel would have beaten FSU that season. 2000 ou wins the BCS, 2001 UT was in the drivers seat to face Miami in the BCS championship, but was upset in the CCG by such a fluke game by COLORADO.. still Nebraska got the nod to face MIami

Big12 was always a competitive conference.. They were almost a lock to field a team in the title game if not for the upsets in the CCG.

 

[Volbound1700]

They were strong in the 90's... Started in 96.. Nebraska was still a powerhouse, UT with probably the best trio of RBs upset them from a championship. They won a share or whatever the following season. KSU was in the drivers seat to clinch a spot in the BCS championship game, but was upset by aggy. in 1999, Nebraska was a clear #3 and I feel would have beaten FSU that season. 2000 ou wins the BCS, 2001 UT was in the drivers seat to face Miami in the BCS championship, but was upset in the CCG by such a fluke game by COLORADO.. still Nebraska got the nod to face MIami

Big12 was always a competitive conference.. They were almost a lock to field a team in the title game if not for the upsets in the CCG.

Let me clarify, teams like Iowa State and Oklahoma State were generally pushover in the 1990s. I also should have preface that the Texas schools were not even in the Big12 until 1996.

Also from 1999-2003, Big12 was basically like the SEC is now with multiple teams in contention.

 

[Illustrious Potentate]

where is aggy?

“Multiple natties”

 

[osubuckeye89]

Be careful though, I took a lot of flack a year or so ago because I said the only reason they had that top 5 streak was because they played an easy schedule. Granted, their great teams would have always been great even with tougher schedule but they are not finishing in the top 5 on some of those reload years in a stronger conference.

Being in a strong conference doesn't stop your great teams from winning, it just hurts more when you have a rebound/reload year.

I think it does make winning those 1 or 2 tough games a year a bit easier when you play in a weak conference though. Keeps you more fresh and healthy when you aren't getting beat on or facing much resistance. Of course you might not always win, but I think there is some advantage to it.

Of course others will counter and say the opposite, its harder because you haven't really been tested.

 

[osubuckeye89]

Let me clarify, teams like Iowa State and Oklahoma State were generally pushover in the 1990s. I also should have preface that the Texas schools were not even in the Big12 until 1996.

Also from 1999-2003, Big12 was basically like the SEC is now with multiple teams in contention.

Iowa State really is a historical pushover, outside of a few seasons since 2000.

Kansas State, Northwestern, Wake Forest & Indiana are the only long time P5 schools with worse all time win % that them.

 

[trojanfan12]

It is probably a mute point

 

[ericd7633]

The program that is the most dead isn't on this list. The one that I see having the hardest time ever getting back to its former glory is Notre Dame.

Notre Dame just seems miles away from being the Notre Dame of the Rudy era.

Just in the last decade alone we've made the BCSCG, 2 CFP's and finished the regular season in the top 8 twice. We suck this year for sure, but we've been in contention half the time the last decade.