'95 Nebraska/'05 USC

[Eric the Red]

If USC keeps it up will they be in the same category as the '95 Huskers?

[DaveH]

No doubt. I completely agree.

[TheKiD]

Nods.

[DJR313]

What does Lee Corso say? Oh yeah, NOT SO FAST! They are good, damn good, and if they keep it up, I think you would have to put them up there in the pantheon. However, everyone was all but conceding that the 2003 Oklahoma Sooners were the best team ever and look what happened to them. USC has 2 real big tests in front of them, @ ASU and @ Cal, and you could also throw in UCLA. I was really surprised how they thumped Oregon at Eugene. That doesn't happen too often there.

[Blackshirtsguru]

What does Lee Corso say? Oh yeah, NOT SO FAST! They are good, damn good, and if they keep it up, I think you would have to put them up there in the pantheon. However, everyone was all but conceding that the 2003 Oklahoma Sooners were the best team ever and look what happened to them. USC has 2 real big tests in front of them, @ ASU and @ Cal, and you could also throw in UCLA. I was really surprised how they thumped Oregon at Eugene. That doesn't happen too often there.

What is really scarry is about 75% of those points came in the last two quarters! USC got a wake up call trailing at the half and came out firing on all cylinders!

[TouchdownTommie]

I've been hearing this banter for weeks now and I simply don't agree. I think it is too easy to label a team the "Best Ever" and too easy to forget just how good a past team was.

 

USC is now doubt prolific, but against who? ASU is extremely overrated and my guess is they will end up a 3 loss team. UCLA beats OU, who by the way lost to TCU, and suddenly is this powerhouse? This is still UCLA we are talking about. If they don't loss 3 games I will eat my hat. Seriously, they may not face a top 10 ranked team until their bowl game.

 

NU put up 40+ points on all 4 top 10 teams they played in '95 (CU, KSU, UF, KU). NU played on the road at two Pac Ten teams that year and scored 77 on ASU and 35 on Wash St. They went at Mich St. and hung a half dollar on them.

 

the toughest game USC will play in '05 might be at ND, and I wouldn't take this year's ND team over any of those 4 opponents NU played in '05.

 

USC might be the best ever, but against the level of competition they are going to face this year, they better not just break '05 NU's records but completely demolish them before I put any "Greatest Ever" label on them.

[junior4949]

If they win it all, won't that go down as the best streak ever? I believe I heard on ESPN that if they 3 peat, it will be the first time ever. Do to this, they blow the 95 Huskers out of the water IMO.

 

As far as players are concerned, they win hands down. They potentially have the number 1 and number 2 players when the Heisman is handed out. We had one contender, and he didn't win. I don't think their defense is as good as the 95 Huskers, but their offense is way better.

 

Why does everyone want to compare teams from different decades? It's all just a matter or opinion anyway. It's like they always say: opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one and they always stink!

[TouchdownTommie]

Again, I say its tough to remember just how good a team was.

 

"As far as players are concerned, they win hands down. They potentially have the number 1 and number 2 players when the Heisman is handed out. We had one contender, and he didn't win."

 

This is a joke, or you are really young or you just don't remember. Saying USC's players are better than that group of 95 Huskers is blasphemy and grounds for a lynch mob where I'm from. Tommie Frazier finished #2 in the Heisman voting, a little more than just "he didn't win". His 200 yards rushing in the Fiesta put a stamp on his "robbed" status. Lawrence Phillips would have easily won the Heisman had he played the entire season. We easily forget Phillips rushed for 1800 yards as a SOPHOMORE. He rushed for 160 yards in the Fiesta Bowl playing about half the time. Ahman Green was a BACKUP, Jay Foreman was a BACKUP....two NFL pro bowlers. Brendan Stai, Zach Weigert, Aaron Graham, Rob Z all started in the NFL within 2 years of graduation. Peter Brothers, Wistrom, Tomich.................

 

This is a really really bad argument to make in the case of USC being the greatest ever. NU wins hands down the way its stands today.

[junior4949]

Really young? No, I was a college student at the time enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I was at some of the games. The point is everyone talks about the parity in college football now. If this is true, then USC is the best ever because a 3 peat has never been accomplished before. If USC wins it all, they did it at a time of parity. How can the 95 Huskers be better?

 

As far as personnell is concerned, Leinart will make more money in just signing bonus than any of the players you mentioned have made in a career playing in the NFL. Combine what Bush will get for a signing bonus plus "wage", and those two players alone have made more dollars than the last 30 years of Huskers wages combined! You speak of if's and butt's with regards to Phillips, but I have to ask: how many yards did he have as a junior? Phillips is a complete idiot. He didn't even play most of the season!

 

Frazier was an outstanding college quarterback at NU. Leinart is an outstanding college quarterback at USC. The only difference is Leinart will be compensated for it. With the way USC handled OU last year, I would think the 2004 USC team could be labeled as dominant as the 95 Huskers. So far in 2005, it seems the 2005 USC team is even more dominant than last year.

 

We as Husker fans believe the 95 Huskers were the best ever, but that argument is so subjective. I'm sure there are fans all over the country who have a different best team ever. The point is that it is stupid to even try to argue what team was the best ever. Hell, with the BCS we can't even seem to get it right who the best two teams are to play each other to see what team is the best of the year!

[junior4949]

I almost forgot to mention, there were some players and some fans who weren't even convinced Frazier was the best QB on the 95 Husker team. I think there is no doubt who the best QB at USC is right now!

[TouchdownTommie]

Who is talking about compensation? I really don't follow you logic at all. So NFL players are getting bigger signing bonuses? Great, good for them.

 

"I almost forgot to mention, there were some players and some fans who weren't even convinced Frazier was the best QB on the 95 Husker team."

 

This borders on ridiculous and is obviously argumentative. Furthermore, if Frazier was the second best QB on his team and finished 2nd in the Heisman, wouldn't that punch a huge hole in your talent argument?

 

 

"With the way USC handled OU last year, I would think the 2004 USC team could be labeled as dominant as the 95 Huskers."

 

And you would think wrong. Sagarin rates the 04 USC team at 103.37. This year's team he rates at 104.63. Elo-chess, the new BCS computer poll, (98.98) feels even less strong about this group of Trjoans and actually thinks LSU and FSU are better teams. Billingsley says 2004 USC is 10th best all time with NU 71, 94, 95 and 97 1, 3, 4 and 9 respectively.

 

Frankly, I don't even think this group of Trojans is better than the '72 group. This group's defense is beatable.

 

 

You can weight the pros and cons of each of these sources, but the fact is they get paid for their opinion....obviously, if we are indeed talking about money.

 

 

 

Incidentally, I found this a bit interesting, NU has been voted National Champions 12 times, by one poll or another. 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1971, 1970, 1915

[formerfan]

I'll admit that I havent watched much of USC this year. From what I have heard, USC's D is a little suspect, but their O could go down as one of the best ever.

 

This is week 3/4??? A little premature to put these guys over either the 71 or 95 Husker teams.

[DaveH]

This is week 3/4??? A little premature to put these guys over either the 71 or 95 Husker teams.

Agreed, but Eric is saying if they keep this up they might be.

[indianahusker]

I think the parallel should be drawn between this year's USC team, and the 1984 NU team...the problem is, they will get to play their bowl in their backyard...would like to see them play Texas in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day for the National Championship...

[BigRedSmitty]

I will say USC is a great team, one of the best ever. Let's remember 1 thing...no one believed the Huskers could win that year, especially heading into the Fiesta Bowl. They thought the "Fun and Gun" would destroy the old and defunct triple option...may I remind Husker Nation that "Gator is what's for dinner." 10 years later I still hear Tommy Frazier's name mentioned as possibly the best option quarterback ever. Take away the off the field problems, L. Phillips would have won the Heisman...then look at our defense...they made S. Spurrier scratch his head that game. D. Weurfel never saw so much grass than what he did that game. Nebraska put up 62 points on a dangerous Florida team, and held the gators to just 24 pts. Then look at our coaching staff. Tom O usually had games won before they started because he coached in his head. The rest of the staff worked on the same page...making adjustments. Oh yeah, we should have scored 80 that game. USC is expected to win...they might have a fight, but they are expected to win...some have even called them champs already. Matt L. is an awesome q-back, and will be the No. 1 pick...but with our personnel from that year, I believe we would do the same thing to a very good USC team with great/dangerous players, and coaches. However I bet there are people out there who would still NOT give that Husker team a shot. But here is the thing, you can't compare, because they are two different time frames/styles of offense/and coaching styles.