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Rank the SEC champions of the 1980s...

Posted on 5/11/24 at 6:39 pm
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
66513 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 6:39 pm
In the build up to the 2024 college football season as well as the arrival of OU and Texas in conference, let's look back on the great teams of the past and bicker about who was the best of which decade. Starting with the 1980s...

1980: Georgia Bulldogs (SEC Record: 6-0)
1981: Georgia Bulldogs (SEC Record: 6-0); Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC Record: 6-0)
1982: Georgia Bulldogs (SEC Record: 6-0)
1983: Auburn Tigers (SEC Record: 6-0)
1984: Florida Gators (SEC Record: 5-0-1)
1985: Tennessee Volunteers (SEC Record: 5-1)
1986: LSU Tigers (SEC Record: 5-1)
1987: Auburn Tigers (SEC Record: 5-0-1)
1988: Auburn Tigers (SEC Record: 6-1); LSU Tigers (SEC Record: 6-1)
1989: Tennessee Volunteers (SEC Record: 6-1); Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1); Auburn Tigers (6-1)
Posted by WG_Dawg
Member since Jun 2004
87686 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 6:55 pm to
Idk

But 82 was the best of the UGA teams
Posted by AUFANATL
Member since Dec 2007
4284 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 7:08 pm to

The sport evolved a lot over that decade. Go watch those early 80s teams and compare them to what we saw later. Small lineman, slow LBers, white dudes in the secondary and WR and QBs who mainly handed the ball off.

Posted by RTRnFlorida
Tampa, FL
Member since Mar 2024
516 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 7:10 pm to
So you’re describing real tough men. Don’t shake my grandpas hand. I promise you’ll go to your knees.
Posted by msudawg1200
Central Mississippi
Member since Jun 2014
9756 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 7:40 pm to
quote:

The sport evolved a lot over that decade. Go watch those early 80s teams and compare them to what we saw later. Small lineman, slow LBers, white dudes in the secondary and WR and QBs who mainly handed the ball off.

White boys were common in the secondary until the late 80's early 90's. Ole Miss had Chauncey Godwin, a white corner from Tupelo, Todd Sandroni, a safety from Indianola, Roger Hancock, a safety from Alabama, and Jeff Carter another safety in the secondary. Godwin led the SEC in INTs in 89, and Sandroni did in 87. As a high school safety in the late 80's it wasn't all that far fetched to think you might could get a shot in the SEC. Something changed around the mid 90's, and a lot of white boys quit playing high school football and stayed with baseball and soccer.
Posted by Oklahomey
Bucksnort, TN
Member since Mar 2013
5357 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 7:45 pm to
1984 and 1985 Florida were national championship caliber. 18-2-2 combined both seasons.
Posted by skrayper
21-0 Asterisk Drive
Member since Nov 2012
31741 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 7:45 pm to
quote:

slow LBers


Perhaps, but I think Derrick Thomas in his prime would hold his own today.
Posted by AUFANATL
Member since Dec 2007
4284 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 8:10 pm to
quote:

Perhaps, but I think Derrick Thomas in his prime would hold his own today.
[quote]

That was my point. In 1980 there weren't a lot of guys who reminded us of modern SEC players. Sure there were some freak exceptions like Herschel Walker and Reggie White but for the most part the players were smaller, slower, weaker and the playbooks were Pop Warner simple.

By 1990 that had changed
Posted by anc
Member since Nov 2012
18801 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 8:33 pm to
The first season where I was old enough to really understand things was that 89 season.

I was an Auburn fan. That was the first ever Iron Bowl in Auburn. Auburn won to claim a share of the SEC title.
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
66513 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 8:33 pm to
quote:

The sport evolved a lot over that decade. Go watch those early 80s teams and compare them to what we saw later. Small lineman, slow LBers, white dudes in the secondary and WR and QBs who mainly handed the ball off.


Yep. The 1980s were a huge transitional period for the sport of football as a whole as you started to see the passing game become more relevant in both college and the NFL. Teams like San Francisco in the NFL and Miami at the collegiate level spearheaded that transition.
This post was edited on 5/11/24 at 8:35 pm
Posted by Clark14
L.A.Hog
Member since Dec 2014
22055 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 8:42 pm to
quote:

Teams like San Francisco in the NFL and Miami at the collegiate level spearheaded that transition.


University of Houston was lighting it up as well.
Posted by samson73103
Krypton
Member since Nov 2008
8448 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 9:28 pm to
quote:

I think Derrick Thomas in his prime would hold his own today.

Derrick Thomas was a man amongst boys in college. He would stand out in any era before or since.
Posted by KingOfTheWorld
South of heaven, west of hell
Member since Oct 2018
5974 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 9:40 pm to
One anomaly might be the ‘92 Bama team in the national championship vs Miami. They ran for 267 yards and Jay Barker was 4-13 for 18 yards, while holding Miami to 48 rushing yards. That was actually their identity that year. Stallings was a throwback.
This post was edited on 5/11/24 at 9:43 pm
Posted by Gunga Din
Oklahoma
Member since Jul 2020
2015 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 9:41 pm to
Y
quote:

ep. The 1980s were a huge transitional period for the sport of football as a whole as you started to see the passing game become more relevant in both college and the NFL. Teams like San Francisco in the NFL and Miami at the collegiate level spearheaded that transition.


1980 was a significant year because that was the year they started allowing offensive linemen to "use their hands" in CFB.

Prior to that year Offensive linemen had to keep their hands against their chest when they blocked. No hands extended. That was considered holding.

It took a while but that was basically the beginning of the end for triple option offenses and the beginning of the passing oriented offenses we see today.


Posted by samson73103
Krypton
Member since Nov 2008
8448 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 10:28 pm to
quote:

‘92 Bama

Their offense was nothing special but relative to the way the game was played at the time, that defense was as good as any that ever stepped onto the field. Anyone who argues otherwise just hates Bama that much or more likely, is too young to have ever watched them play in real time.
Posted by Ponchy Tiger
Ponchatoula
Member since Aug 2004
46361 posts
Posted on 5/11/24 at 10:31 pm to
quote:


Perhaps, but I think Derrick Thomas in his prime would hold his own today.


Michael Brooks from LSU as well. Both would be elite today.
Posted by AUTiger789
Birmingham, AL
Member since Apr 2022
1887 posts
Posted on 5/12/24 at 12:51 am to
To complete the requested exercise, here’s my go at it:

1. 1983 Auburn
2. 1980 Georgia
3. 1988 LSU
4. 1988 Auburn
5. 1982 Georgia
6. 1987 Auburn
7. 1989 Auburn
8. 1989 Alabama
9. 1989 Tennessee
10. 1981 Georgia
11. 1981 Alabama
12. 1986 LSU
13. 1985 Tennessee

(Florida ‘84 was vacated)
Posted by KingOfTheWorld
South of heaven, west of hell
Member since Oct 2018
5974 posts
Posted on 5/12/24 at 2:41 am to
quote:

Their offense was nothing special but relative to the way the game was played at the time, that defense was as good as any that ever stepped onto the field. Anyone who argues otherwise just hates Bama that much or more likely, is too young to have ever watched them play in real time.


Of course. Bama rode that defense all year. Bill Oliver and Stallings devised one the greatest defensive game plans ever seen in football for that championship game. It was beautiful. Gina Toretta was lost.
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
17216 posts
Posted on 5/12/24 at 3:48 am to
The 1980s was weird. Somehow 1992 worked its way into that decade.

Florida and Auburn in 1985 had many pros on their rosters. Neither won a championship, but that game had talent on both sides of the football.

Wilbur Marshall.
Bo Jackson.
Steve Wallace.
And on and on.

The 1988 Auburn team was one I thought could have beaten anybody on the country.
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
66513 posts
Posted on 5/12/24 at 6:19 am to
quote:

One anomaly might be the ‘92 Bama team in the national championship vs Miami.


I mean...there were power run teams that relied on defense that continued to win national championships or at least compete for them during the 80s. Nebraska was still running their option offense out of the I-formation and the national champions of 1985 - the Oklahoma Sooners - had quite possibly the greatest wishbone QB in the history of the sport under center.

Gene Stallings wasn't necessarily a throw back as a good many teams in college football were still playing that brand of football.
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