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Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:21 am to tBrand
Disagree. I have a bone to pick with this one.
USC/Auburn had one mutual opponent, Va. Tech. USC was only leading Tech 14-13 when the 4th quarter started. Final was 24-13. Auburn was up 16-0 when the 4th quarter started. Final was 16-13.
The "great" USC team struggled to beat unranked Stanford 31-28. #15 ranked Cal 23-17. Unranked Oregon State 28-20, and unranked UCLA 29-24. In comparison, Auburn beat the reigning National Champ #5 LSU, 10-9. #10 Tennessee 34-10 at their house. #8 UGA 24-6 & then again #15 Tennessee 38-28.
Yes...this USC team had some DUDES...but they were NOT the dominate bulletproof team they have been made out to be. Auburn looked much better than USC against most of their quality opponents compared to USC's average opponents. Now...I am not saying Auburn would win butttt they would have gave USC 10x better game than OU did. Would have been a classic all time game, imo. Of course the homer in me believes our speed/physicality on D at the time would've matched up well with USC's skill guys and our run game/PA pass would've game them fits. Would love to input all of the seasons games/statistics in a simulator to see AI's prediction of the game.
Feel free to flame on lol
USC/Auburn had one mutual opponent, Va. Tech. USC was only leading Tech 14-13 when the 4th quarter started. Final was 24-13. Auburn was up 16-0 when the 4th quarter started. Final was 16-13.
The "great" USC team struggled to beat unranked Stanford 31-28. #15 ranked Cal 23-17. Unranked Oregon State 28-20, and unranked UCLA 29-24. In comparison, Auburn beat the reigning National Champ #5 LSU, 10-9. #10 Tennessee 34-10 at their house. #8 UGA 24-6 & then again #15 Tennessee 38-28.
Yes...this USC team had some DUDES...but they were NOT the dominate bulletproof team they have been made out to be. Auburn looked much better than USC against most of their quality opponents compared to USC's average opponents. Now...I am not saying Auburn would win butttt they would have gave USC 10x better game than OU did. Would have been a classic all time game, imo. Of course the homer in me believes our speed/physicality on D at the time would've matched up well with USC's skill guys and our run game/PA pass would've game them fits. Would love to input all of the seasons games/statistics in a simulator to see AI's prediction of the game.
Feel free to flame on lol
Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:22 am to bigDgator
I'd have to see what the brackets looked like to know if any of those teams could have won a 12 team playoff.
12 Team Brackets Going Back to 2014
12 Team Brackets Going Back to 2014
This post was edited on 1/16/25 at 11:29 am
Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:23 am to bigDgator
I think 2002 Georgia at least deserves an honorable mention. Similar to 2007, they got white hot at the end of the year and by the time the postseason rolled around I don't see anybody beating us at that time. We would have beat the shite out of Ohio State without question, but a fully healthy Miami would have been a formidable test.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:42 am to ihateidiots18
USC had just beat auburn in 02 and 03 so it wasn't hard to say 04 USC was better than 04 Auburn at the time. The title game still should have been Auburn vs USC though, Oklahoma didn't belong.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:44 am to Buckeye06
quote:
I think 2005 Ohio State 100% belongs in this conversation.
Ohio State would have gotten blown out that whole decade after 2002 until 2014. They embarrassed themselves enough vs Florida and LSU with that weak schedule every year.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:51 am to BuckeyeGoon
You are correct, I agree
AU was preseason top 5 in 2003, even #1 in some polls. Losing to USC in 03 AND 02 was a bad look for the team/media. Many didn't wanna see AU/USC play for a 3rd straight year. Also including that USC/OU started the year at #1 and #2 did not help AU's cause.
But we seen 2012/2013 Auburn. A team can completely 180 in a season. On paper, 03 Auburn is probably the most stacked AU team of all time but flopped. Not saying AU was technically better...but I 100% believe they had to potential to just not compete but beat that USC team. Just annoying to me that that USC team has been made out to be bulletproof bc of that roster when they were very beatable. Would have been a great game.
"what if"
AU was preseason top 5 in 2003, even #1 in some polls. Losing to USC in 03 AND 02 was a bad look for the team/media. Many didn't wanna see AU/USC play for a 3rd straight year. Also including that USC/OU started the year at #1 and #2 did not help AU's cause.
But we seen 2012/2013 Auburn. A team can completely 180 in a season. On paper, 03 Auburn is probably the most stacked AU team of all time but flopped. Not saying AU was technically better...but I 100% believe they had to potential to just not compete but beat that USC team. Just annoying to me that that USC team has been made out to be bulletproof bc of that roster when they were very beatable. Would have been a great game.
"what if"
Posted on 1/16/25 at 11:57 am to bigDgator
Right out the gate Penn state and usc from 2016 could win a 12 team playoff but 2016 bama couldn’t?
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:06 pm to Buckeye06
Texas at the end of the year >> Texas in week two + game would not have been at Ohio Stadium
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:10 pm to bigDgator
2005 Ohio State. The gave Texas all they could handle.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:11 pm to littleavery1948
quote:
No 2009 Florida?
I guess we were a bunch of drunk losers who got shellacked in the SECCG, so no.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:16 pm to bigDgator
2008 Alabama
A fully healthy 2010 Alabama would have wrecked the playoff field, same with 2019 Alabama.
A fully healthy 2010 Alabama would have wrecked the playoff field, same with 2019 Alabama.
This post was edited on 1/16/25 at 12:17 pm
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:22 pm to remaster916
Been fortunate to coach HS football under a former Saban LB from 07-10 and a season at the same HS with Mount Cody - man. let me tell you some of the stories I heard from those dudes.That 2010 Bama team on paper, best UA team of all time, imo.
One story was along the lines of, most of those dudes on defense literally made themselves go crazy/psychotic. He said Rolando McClain used to walk around on the field talking to himself in 3rd person, like he had schizophrenia. A study should have been done on the "mental aspect" of Saban's early years at UA. Those dudes literally wanted to physically hurt/kill their opponent.
One story was along the lines of, most of those dudes on defense literally made themselves go crazy/psychotic. He said Rolando McClain used to walk around on the field talking to himself in 3rd person, like he had schizophrenia. A study should have been done on the "mental aspect" of Saban's early years at UA. Those dudes literally wanted to physically hurt/kill their opponent.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:28 pm to bigDgator
This article probably would have been better if they limited it to one occasion per team. Like OSU 2015 is the only OSU rep allowed.
Bama could have won it in 2019 right? They played LSU as close as anyone and Saban is great with time to prepare. Bama most years they weren't in could have won a 12 team playoff, as could OSU just on talent
Bama could have won it in 2019 right? They played LSU as close as anyone and Saban is great with time to prepare. Bama most years they weren't in could have won a 12 team playoff, as could OSU just on talent
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:29 pm to ihateidiots18
quote:
Now...I am not saying Auburn would win butttt they would have gave USC 10x better game than OU did. Would have been a classic all time game, imo.
This.
2004 championship game 100% should have been USC vs Auburn. It would have been a low scoring slug fest, imo. Something like 14-10 or so either way. That Auburn defense was so good.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:42 pm to ihateidiots18
Auburn beat more top-10 teams that year than USC and OU combined.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:46 pm to bigDgator
In all honesty, 2012 A&M could've won it all. Glad we only had to play Manziel twice.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:49 pm to Buckeye06
quote:
Bama could have won it in 2019 right? They played LSU as close as anyone and Saban is great with time to prepare. Bama most years they weren't in could have won a 12 team playoff, as could OSU just on talent
I don't know if they could've won it with Mac Jones that year. He was very good the next season though so perhaps I'm wrong.
I'd take 2019 playoff LSU over anyone though, they went to another level the last 4 games of the season or so.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 12:58 pm to SidewalkTiger
quote:
I don't know if they could've won it with Mac Jones that year. He was very good the next season though so perhaps I'm wrong.
I'd take 2019 playoff LSU over anyone though, they went to another level the last 4 games of the season or so.
My main point was this list could be 20 teams just with UGA/OSU/Bama/LSU type teams in years they didn't make it. Could OSU 2023 have won it all? they lost @Michigan by less than a TD and played them tougher than anyone all year. UGA 2023 could have won it as well.
Posted on 1/16/25 at 1:00 pm to Wildcat1996
Exactly what date do you refer to as "early"?
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