Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

The 2019 LSU offense is not nearly the best offense ever, although Burrow may have had the best year for a QB ever. I can think of a number of Nebraska teams, 2005 Texas AND USC and others definitely better.

This year wasn't that competitive. There were 3 really strong teams heads above the rest. Georgia is #4 and lost at home to South Carolina, 4-8 and by 27 to LSU. Oklahoma only lost by a TD to Kansas ST., but were down by about 4 TDs until a late comeback and lost by 35 to LSU. Alabama played 3 teams with a pulse and lost to 2. Those are top 10 teams.

(01-15-2020 12:00 PM)bullet Wrote:  The 2019 LSU offense is not nearly the best offense ever, although Burrow may have had the best year for a QB ever. I can think of a number of Nebraska teams, 2005 Texas AND USC and others definitely better.

You just can't stand to give the SEC any credit ever.

There is absolutely no competition for Burrow with the best season ever for a QB.

And sorry, but what other team has achieved more than what LSU did. Beating 5 top 8 teams and 8 top 26 teams. By what they were going up against, this LSU team may very well have accomplished more than any other college football team in history.

(01-15-2020 12:04 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:00 PM)bullet Wrote:  The 2019 LSU offense is not nearly the best offense ever, although Burrow may have had the best year for a QB ever. I can think of a number of Nebraska teams, 2005 Texas AND USC and others definitely better.

You just can't stand to give the SEC any credit ever.

There is absolutely no competition for Burrow with the best season ever for a QB.

And sorry, but what other team has achieved more than what LSU did. Beating 5 top 8 teams and 8 top 26 teams. By what they were going up against, this LSU team may very well have accomplished more than any other college football team in history.

Your starter is one of the most idiotic comments you have ever made. Look at who I root for.

LSU had a great schedule. But look at what Nebraska did in 1971. Only #2 OU came within 24 points. They beat #3 Colorado 31-7. They beat #4 Alabama in a bowl 38-6. OU scored 31 on them in the "game of the century." KSU scored 17 and Oklahoma St. scored 13. Nobody else got in double figures. Look at 1995 Nebraska. Closest game was 23 points and they played 4 of the final top 10. Scored at least 35 every game and at least 40 in all but two. They beat #2 Florida in a bowl 62-24.

Super strong at the very top but otherwise loads of parity. After the best of the SEC, Clemson, and Ohio State, it was hard to tell the difference between #5 and #12 or even #15 and teams also-receiving-votes. Not a big difference among the middle of the ACC or B1G compared to the AAC or the middle of the PAC or Big 12 to the MWC.

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

I see nothing that makes 2019 some special best-ever year. Those points are largely surface level.

Years like 2007 stand out as abnormally unique seasons that withstand the test of time.

(01-15-2020 12:16 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:04 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:00 PM)bullet Wrote:  The 2019 LSU offense is not nearly the best offense ever, although Burrow may have had the best year for a QB ever. I can think of a number of Nebraska teams, 2005 Texas AND USC and others definitely better.

You just can't stand to give the SEC any credit ever.

There is absolutely no competition for Burrow with the best season ever for a QB.

And sorry, but what other team has achieved more than what LSU did. Beating 5 top 8 teams and 8 top 26 teams. By what they were going up against, this LSU team may very well have accomplished more than any other college football team in history.

Your starter is one of the most idiotic comments you have ever made. Look at who I root for.

LSU had a great schedule. But look at what Nebraska did in 1971. Only #2 OU came within 24 points. They beat #3 Colorado 31-7. They beat #4 Alabama in a bowl 38-6. OU scored 31 on them in the "game of the century." KSU scored 17 and Oklahoma St. scored 13. Nobody else got in double figures. Look at 1995 Nebraska. Closest game was 23 points and they played 4 of the final top 10. Scored at least 35 every game and at least 40 in all but two. They beat #2 Florida in a bowl 62-24.

71 Nebraska played 3 top 5 teams but after that?

95 Nebraska played 4 of the final top 10. LSU beat 5 of the top 8. Bit of a difference there.

Part of the reason LSU beat 8 top-26 teams is that they played 15 games. Before the mid-2000s, it was very rare to even play 13 games.

1995 Nebraska beat #2, #5, #7, and #9. But they only played 12 games.

1988 Notre Dame beat #2, #4, #5, and #7. But they only played 12 games.

1943 Notre Dame. They played #2, #3, #4, #6, #9, #11, and #13. They lost to #6, which means they beat 6 teams in the top 13. But they didn't have much of a chance to play other top-ranked teams because they only played 10 games.

(01-15-2020 12:30 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

I see nothing that makes 2019 some special best-ever year. Those points are largely surface level.

Years like 2007 stand out as abnormally unique seasons that withstand the test of time.

What was great about 2007? It's a pretty forgettable year. No one wanted to be champ, so a 2-loss LSU team beat Ohio State.

Hmmm....2007 LSU vs. 2019 LSU

(01-15-2020 12:16 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:04 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:00 PM)bullet Wrote:  The 2019 LSU offense is not nearly the best offense ever, although Burrow may have had the best year for a QB ever. I can think of a number of Nebraska teams, 2005 Texas AND USC and others definitely better.

You just can't stand to give the SEC any credit ever.

There is absolutely no competition for Burrow with the best season ever for a QB.

And sorry, but what other team has achieved more than what LSU did. Beating 5 top 8 teams and 8 top 26 teams. By what they were going up against, this LSU team may very well have accomplished more than any other college football team in history.

Your starter is one of the most idiotic comments you have ever made. Look at who I root for.

LSU had a great schedule. But look at what Nebraska did in 1971. Only #2 OU came within 24 points. They beat #3 Colorado 31-7. They beat #4 Alabama in a bowl 38-6. OU scored 31 on them in the "game of the century." KSU scored 17 and Oklahoma St. scored 13. Nobody else got in double figures. Look at 1995 Nebraska. Closest game was 23 points and they played 4 of the final top 10. Scored at least 35 every game and at least 40 in all but two. They beat #2 Florida in a bowl 62-24.

1971 and 1995 Nebraska were awesome teams, but by the numbers they did not beat as many good teams as LSU did. Nobody has. Maybe 1943 Notre Dame?

(01-15-2020 06:42 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:30 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

I see nothing that makes 2019 some special best-ever year. Those points are largely surface level.

Years like 2007 stand out as abnormally unique seasons that withstand the test of time.

What was great about 2007? It's a pretty forgettable year. No one wanted to be champ, so a 2-loss LSU team beat Ohio State.

Hmmm....2007 LSU vs. 2019 LSU

I think he's saying it wasn't great, just an anomaly. This was just another year, debateably anyways. LSU's season will stand the test of time however, even if it is duplicated from time to time. Many others will go 15-0 but will they have a resume close to that?

I do not think there's anything particularly special about the season. Every college football season is fun.

(01-15-2020 11:55 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

Agree with this:

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

And my VU Commodores were NOT one of the five strong teams Bullet references, just in case anybody can't recall the SEC season.

(01-16-2020 09:24 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 11:55 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

Agree with this:

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

And my VU Commodores were NOT one of the five strong teams Bullet references, just in case anybody can't recall the SEC season.

Kentucky didn't have a quarterback, using a wide receiver. They didn't have a spectacular running back like Bennie Snell. They could NOT pass the ball. They didn't run the triple option. And they were still 8th best in the conference. Tennessee was 6th or 7th and got pounded by Georgia State (7-6 Sun Belt) at home.

In a normal year, the top 5 would have lost to more than one of the bottom 9 (USCe over UGA only one), but this year there was a huge gap and it wasn't that all of the top 5 were spectacular. Despite a really good bowl season, the SEC's ooc record was their 2nd worst going back to 2005, before the run of titles.

(01-15-2020 11:13 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 06:42 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:30 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

I see nothing that makes 2019 some special best-ever year. Those points are largely surface level.

Years like 2007 stand out as abnormally unique seasons that withstand the test of time.

What was great about 2007? It's a pretty forgettable year. No one wanted to be champ, so a 2-loss LSU team beat Ohio State.

Hmmm....2007 LSU vs. 2019 LSU

I think he's saying it wasn't great, just an anomaly. This was just another year, debateably anyways. LSU's season will stand the test of time however, even if it is duplicated from time to time. Many others will go 15-0 but will they have a resume close to that?

For sure it is anomaly, but MY point was that it created a high water mark for the sport, mostly with the top teams.

If Clemson had won it all, we'd be talking about a 30-game winning streak, a dynasty, 3 championships in 4 years

If Alabama had won, we'd be talking about the best Alabama offense ever (which it was), and probably the greatest dynasty ever -- 6 championships in 10 years

Plus, throw in Ohio State, which had a championship caliber team

2001 Miami had no competition...the rest of the field sucked

2005 is memorable because of the quality of the top teams, but you still had just 2 top teams

The field this year of truly elite teams was deeper and record-breaking

(01-16-2020 09:40 AM)EvilVodka Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 11:13 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 06:42 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 12:30 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

I see nothing that makes 2019 some special best-ever year. Those points are largely surface level.

Years like 2007 stand out as abnormally unique seasons that withstand the test of time.

What was great about 2007? It's a pretty forgettable year. No one wanted to be champ, so a 2-loss LSU team beat Ohio State.

Hmmm....2007 LSU vs. 2019 LSU

I think he's saying it wasn't great, just an anomaly. This was just another year, debateably anyways. LSU's season will stand the test of time however, even if it is duplicated from time to time. Many others will go 15-0 but will they have a resume close to that?

For sure it is anomaly, but MY point was that it created a high water mark for the sport, mostly with the top teams.

If Clemson had won it all, we'd be talking about a 30-game winning streak, a dynasty, 3 championships in 4 years

If Alabama had won, we'd be talking about the best Alabama offense ever (which it was), and probably the greatest dynasty ever -- 6 championships in 10 years

Plus, throw in Ohio State, which had a championship caliber team

2001 Miami had no competition...the rest of the field sucked

2005 is memorable because of the quality of the top teams, but you still had just 2 top teams

The field this year of truly elite teams was deeper and record-breaking

No. It was just that the middle was weak, making those top teams look better than they were. Other than the top 3, all the teams were pretty flawed.

Georgia was #4. They were not nearly as good as a number of recent Georgia teams and only one of those even made the playoffs. Jake Fromm wasn't as good as he was the last two years. He regressed (I don't know anyone who thinks it was a good idea he left early). And before you argue about UGA being #4, remember they beat Florida, Auburn, Notre Dame and Baylor (4 of the top 14) and only the Notre Dame game was one where I had concern about the final result. The games weren't blowouts, but UGA was firmly in control.

^^ Agree there was a big divide between LSU, Clemson and OSU and the rest of the pack. Heck it was probably something like this:

1-3
.
.
.
4-6
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
..
..
.
.

Everyone else.

(01-16-2020 09:34 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-16-2020 09:24 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 11:55 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-14-2020 07:15 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  Is 2019 a high water mark for college football?

I would argue:
-LSU 2019 offense is the best offense ever
-Alabama 2019 offense is the best offense under Saban
-Clemson 2019 defense is one of the most innovate defenses ever
-Ohio State fielded an exceptionally strong team that would probably have won it all in a weaker year
-The SEC had one of it's strongest performances ever

I just don't think we've seen the quality and competitiveness of college football this high

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

Agree with this:

The bottom of the SEC was the worst I remember. Certainly since the 90s. There were 5 really strong teams, a couple mediocre and a bunch of garbage.

And my VU Commodores were NOT one of the five strong teams Bullet references, just in case anybody can't recall the SEC season.

Kentucky didn't have a quarterback, using a wide receiver. They didn't have a spectacular running back like Bennie Snell. They could NOT pass the ball. They didn't run the triple option. And they were still 8th best in the conference. Tennessee was 6th or 7th and got pounded by Georgia State (7-6 Sun Belt) at home.

In a normal year, the top 5 would have lost to more than one of the bottom 9 (USCe over UGA only one), but this year there was a huge gap and it wasn't that all of the top 5 were spectacular. Despite a really good bowl season, the SEC's ooc record was their 2nd worst going back to 2005, before the run of titles.

For all this talk about how weak the bottom of the SEC was, the MC has them as easily the #1 conference overall. Just as a conference isn't just its best teams, it's not just its worst teams either.

Remember, the Kentucky team you just dumped on lost 5 games, but all were in the SEC. Outside the SEC, they beat two bad G5 teams, but they also dumped Louisville and Virginia Tech, and those weren't bad teams - both would be 8-4 without their losses to Kentucky. And yes, while Tennessee had bad losses to Georgia Southern and BYU, those both happened more than four months ago. They clearly got better, beating Indiana in a bowl game, and Indiana was clearly better than GS or BYU.

For a conference to have a team like Kentucky that went 8-5 and won a bowl game to be their *8th* best team is IMO a sign of a very strong conference. How many other conferences can go 8 deep with that kind of team?

Just looking at the Big 12, the second best conference in the computers, their #8 team is a 5-7 TCU team. For the B1G it is 7-6 Michigan State. Both are well behind UK in the final MC.

Overall, the SEC had a dominant year.