2004 USC > 2001 Miami according to Pat Forde.

[Woy]

Is that Derek Jeter?

No, it's Jordan Shipley.

 

[Nash]

No, it's Jordan Shipley.

Jersey Shore FTW :rofl:

 

[1ke]

Please O please take the bait....

 

[Tailback U]

I'd say 01 Miami was the more complete team, but the gap between them and 04 USC is not that big.

I think people don't remember how many good players USC had on that team, and are also judging them based on how their NFL careers have panned out - which is silly to me.

USC had 23 players on the 04 roster that were drafted in the 1st 3 rounds of the NFL draft. That includes a 1st round QB, a 1st round running back, a 2nd round running back, 2 2nd round WRs, a 2nd round TE, 2nd round LB, and most of the offensive line. They had a ton of good players.


LenDale White, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Fred Davis, Dominique Byrd, Darnell Bing, Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith, Ryan Kalil, Winston Justice, Sam Baker, Sedrick Ellis, Frostee Rucker, Lawrence Jackson, Dallas Sartz, Keith Rivers, Lofa Tatupa and Terrell Thomas.

Not to mention USC absolutely destroyed Oklahoma in the NC game. And Oklahoma was much better than the Nebraska team that Miami beat.

All that said, again, Miami was much more complete as they were hands down better on defense and special teams, which is why'd I'd give them the nod over USC.

I think the offenses are comparable, I'd maybe give a slight edge to USC there, but Miami was hands down better on D and SPT.

 

[Sportsbuck]

I had a long ass post typed up and posted... but I deleted it. I'm done arguing this.

There are 3 calls that could've been made against Miami on that play... and all 3 result in a first down for Ohio State.

Ohio State has the crystal football in Columbus from 2002... and the nation knows we beat Miami. The NCAA as well as the Big 12 (Who's officials worked the game), agree with Porter's call.

 

[NAHSTE]

Again I ask why nobody has love for 03 LSU? Dominant defense with 3 NFL starters (4 if you count the late Marquise Hill), 2 NFL WRs and a starting NFL RB, plus a starting NFL LT (Andrew Whitworth)....and if that's not enough, the greatest punter of our time, Mr Donnie Jones.

 

[Hasselbeck]

If you reassembled that same team after they received NFL experience, they'd compete in the NFL. The only weak point would be at QB, with Ken Dorsey, otherwise, they'd be a complete NFL team.

They had 51 players who at the very least had a cup of coffee in the NFL.

That's a pretty big ass weak point.

 

[BUCK3YE5]

01 Miami no question. what a joke

 

[NAHSTE]

That's a pretty big ass weak point.

Yeah I thought so too. 51 players, a majority of them fringe (or "cup of coffee") type players, all of them who would be rookies, would win games against teams made up of 53 players, 90% of them veterans and 75% non-fringe players?

 

[BUCK3YE5]

and lol @ saying Miami was the "true" 02 champs like sportsbuck said there were THREE penalties in that play. Holding, Facemask, AND Passing Interference.

I was at the game, and was the first person in my entire section to see the flag thrown. All the OSU fans were looking for it, the Miami fans were celebrating, but I saw it first (in my section that is idk about other parts of the stadium lmao)

 

[NAHSTE]

and lol @ saying Miami was the "true" 02 champs like sportsbuck said there were THREE penalties in that play. Holding, Facemask, AND Passing Interference.

I was at the game, and was the first person in my entire section to see the flag thrown. All the OSU fans were looking for it, the Miami fans were celebrating, but I saw it first (in my section that is idk about other parts of the stadium lmao)

CONGRATUFUCKINLATIONS

 

[BUCK3YE5]

and i actually really like 02 OSU wasnt high on the list, i mean sure we found ways to win, but i can rattle off 5 OSU teams off the top of my head (from '95-present) that were better.

EDIT: thanks nahste

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Yeah I thought so too. 51 players, a majority of them fringe (or "cup of coffee") type players, all of them who would be rookies, would win games against teams made up of 53 players, 90% of them veterans and 75% non-fringe players?

A majority of them are actually of some quality in the NFL.

 

[Senser81]

Again I ask why nobody has love for 03 LSU? Dominant defense with 3 NFL starters (4 if you count the late Marquise Hill), 2 NFL WRs and a starting NFL RB, plus a starting NFL LT (Andrew Whitworth)....and if that's not enough, the greatest punter of our time, Mr Donnie Jones.

They didn't really have a signature win. They were a solid team, but I don't think they were great. They had a tough defense, but no one really stood out. Addai was their best player on offense, but he only played part of the time. They had a fairly easy schedule, then defeated a vastly overrated Oklahoma team in their home bowl game.

 

[Senser81]

I can rationalize Forde putting USC above Miami in order to make his article more 'catchy'. What I don't understand his how USC '05 can be the 4th best team (not a balanced team at all...very mediocre defense), while Florida's 08 team barely cracks the top 10. That was Florida's 2nd title in 3 years...USC '05 didn't even win the title.

 

[NAHSTE]

They didn't really have a signature win. They were a solid team, but I don't think they were great. They had a tough defense, but no one really stood out. Addai was their best player on offense, but he only played part of the time. They had a fairly easy schedule, then defeated a vastly overrated Oklahoma team in their home bowl game.

Fair points, losing 19-7 at home to Florida does kind of make you wonder if the team was historically great. That loss falls squarely on Jimbo Fisher and his predictable offense, which was good for one lemon every season.

The heart of the defense was DT Chad Lavalais, but I think the signature players were the two DEs. Marquise Hill and Marcus Spears were both just huge for the position and dominated week in and week out. We'll never see a better DL come through LSU again.


The signature win would probably be one of the two Georgia defeats, the 17-13 one with Skyler Green's GW TD in last 2 minutes, or the 31-13 ass kicking in the rematch, 200 yards for Justin Vincent. Addai was hurt all the time that year, so I'd say the best player on offense was probably Whitworth or Michael Clayton. Justin Vincent was amazing for the last 5-6 games, only to develop an um, fondness, for alcohol over the offseason, balloon to 230 lbs and never be good again.

It wasn't LSU's fault we had to play Oklahoma, everybody wanted to see the USC-LSU match up and it still sucks we couldn't see it. Both of those defenses were unreal in terms of scoring D and rushing D.


But I'd still that 03 Tigers them ahead of some teams on this list simply for how dominant they were in conf. play. They beat Alabama and Auburn by scores of 31-7 and 31-0 respectively, and beat their toughest SEC competition twice. That Georgia team was really good, ranked in the top 5 for the better part of the season even after losing to LSU in October.

Not saying we should be on top of anyone's list, just found it curious that they weren't mentioned even once.

 

[Sportsbuck]

I can rationalize Forde putting USC above Miami in order to make his article more 'catchy'. What I don't understand his how USC '05 can be the 4th best team (not a balanced team at all...very mediocre defense), while Florida's 08 team barely cracks the top 10. That was Florida's 2nd title in 3 years...USC '05 didn't even win the title.

Plus those '08 Gators had an incredible run after the Ole Miss loss... beat Arkansas 38-7, beat #3 LSU 51-21, beat Kentucky 63-5, beat #8 Georgia 49-10, Vandy 42-14, #23 South Carolina 56-6, #24 Florida State 45-14 and then beating #1 Alabama and #1 Oklahoma both by double digits.

 

[Tailback U]

I can rationalize Forde putting USC above Miami in order to make his article more 'catchy'. What I don't understand his how USC '05 can be the 4th best team (not a balanced team at all...very mediocre defense), while Florida's 08 team barely cracks the top 10. That was Florida's 2nd title in 3 years...USC '05 didn't even win the title.

I'd reason that it is because USC '05 only lost to Vince Young, and Florida lost to Ole Miss.

They blew everyone else out of the water.

If not for Vince Young, who is arguably the greatest college football player of all time, USC would have won 3 straight national championships with 2 heisman trophy winners in one backfield and one of the best offenses that has ever played.

The defense was obviously weak, but again, the only team that beat USC that year was Texas and it was solely because of Vince Young.

Florida lost to Ole Miss. That alone is enough reason to drop them below USC '05.

 

[Sportsbuck]

I'd reason that it is because USC '05 only lost to Vince Young, and Florida lost to Ole Miss.

They blew everyone else out of the water.

If not for Vince Young, who is arguably the greatest college football player of all time, USC would have won 3 straight national championships with 2 heisman trophy winners in one backfield and one of the best offenses that has ever played.

The defense was obviously weak, but again, the only team that beat USC that year was Texas and it was solely because of Vince Young.

Florida lost to Ole Miss. That alone is enough reason to drop them below USC '05.

I see the point your trying to make Tailback but that Ole Miss squad was pretty good last year. They weren't 05 Texas obviously, but they finished ranked #14 in the nation and beat then #4 Florida (obviously and on the road), #18 LSU (on the road), and #8 Texas Tech.

The 08 Gators were:
6-0 v Top 25 teams (outscored them 43-14 on avg)
4-0 v Top 10 teams (outscored them 39-16 on avg)
3-0 v Top 5 teams (outscored them 35-18 on avg)
2-0 v #1 ranked teams (outscored them 25-17 on avg)

They outscored all opponents 611-181. (14 games = avg of 43-13 score)

The 05 Trojans were:
4-1 v Top 25 Teams (outscored them 45-32 on avg)
1-1 v Top 10 Teams (dead even at 36 each)
0-1 v Top 5 teams (outscored 41-38)

They outscored all opponents 638-297. (13 games = avg of 49-23 score)

It's pretty obvious that USC had the better offense, that is clear I mean they scorred 27 more points with 1 less game. But their defense holds them back... frankly I think it's pretty close between the two but I'd give a slight edge to 08 Florida.

 

[BUCK3YE5]

I think 05 USC > 08 UF > 04 USC