SI: Alabama 90s Nebraska Imitation

[jwhbigred]

Remembering Nebraska's historic three championships in four years

 

 

From 1994 through 1997, Nebraska went 49-2 and won three national championships. The 1994 and '95 titles were won outright, while the '97 championship in the pre-BCS era was shared with Michigan (the Coaches' Poll gave the crown to 13-0 Nebraska, but the media went with the 12-0 Wolverines). In 1996 the Cornhuskers had to settle for an 11-2 record and a No. 6 national ranking.

It remains one of the greatest four-year runs in college football history -- and one that the Alabama Crimson Tide are threatening to challenge this season. Alabama is 36-4 with two national championships over the past three seasons, and the Tide figure to be in serious contention for a third title this year.

 

 

LINK: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/08/23/nebraska-1997/index.html?sct=hp_wr_a3&eref=sihp

[walksalone]

To bad I can't "unplus one" that, or I'll be chastised for living in the past...

[lo country]

Great read. Sounds a little like what Bo is trying to do. Also sounds like the kids are starting to get "it" and hold themselves and each other to a higher standard.

[California Husker]

So, I'm not a math genius, but let me do some cipherin':

 

Nebraska was 49-2 over 4 years.

 

If Bama goes undefeated this season (14-0?) that would make them 50-4.

 

So....(And just remember, I didn't bring this up, apparently SI did)

 

that would make Nebraska's winning pct. 0.96

and Bama's would be 0.925 (and that's IF they go undefeated...a vey big IF)

 

I'm just sayin'

[Comish]

Not only a good read, but a fair one.

 

This is one of the few accounts of that run that didn't obsess over L.P. and instead took a journalistic view of the team and the run.

[Count 'Bility]

So, I'm not a math genius, but let me do some cipherin':

 

Nebraska was 49-2 over 4 years.

 

If Bama goes undefeated this season (14-0?) that would make them 50-4.

 

So....(And just remember, I didn't bring this up, apparently SI did)

 

that would make Nebraska's winning pct. 0.96

and Bama's would be 0.925 (and that's IF they go undefeated...a vey big IF)

 

I'm just sayin'

 

Dont forget minus 1 conference championship. Hell, minus 1 division championship.

[FLU]

No way does Bama beat LSU in Tiger Stadium this year.

[Nexus]

Make no mistake, if Bama beats ND, it'll be quite an accomplishment. However, what gets overlooked and this article indirectly mentions it without going into further detail, is that our 2nd string QB (who wasn't 100% healthy himself) was responsible for winning 60% of those games as a starter during that undefeated '94 title run. How many teams can say they won a national title on the back of their 2nd string QB for 60% of the season? Let alone having to start their 3rd string walk-on QB on the road against an undefeated (16th AP/11th Coaches) KSU? Also let the record show that our 2nd string QB beat (2nd AP/3rd Coaches) ranked Colorado, when national pundits were CERTAIN we'd lose that game because of our 2nd string QB. Some had the audacity to say even if Frazier was healthy for that game, we'd still lose. Yet our beloved 2nd stringer came through looking like an NFL QB that day and the rest is history.

 

But seriously, the most impressive part of that 90s run, IMO, is the '94 season due to the setback @ QB and the fact that our undefeated season relied heavily on our 2nd and 3rd string QB in key games that season. Quite unheard of, ever, in college football history. That'll always be what makes NU's dynasty run in the 90s unique.

[EZ-E]

I hate when they do this before the game is even played.

[HuskerNationNick]

Make no mistake, if Bama beats ND, it'll be quite an accomplishment. However, what gets overlooked and this article indirectly mentions it without going into further detail, is that our 2nd string QB (who wasn't 100% healthy himself) was responsible for winning 60% of those games as a starter during that undefeated '94 title run. How many teams can say they won a national title on the back of their 2nd string QB for 60% of the season? Let alone having to start their 3rd string walk-on QB on the road against an undefeated (16th AP/11th Coaches) KSU? Also let the record show that our 2nd string QB beat (2nd AP/3rd Coaches) ranked Colorado, when national pundits were CERTAIN we'd lose that game because of our 2nd string QB. Some had the audacity to say even if Frazier was healthy for that game, we'd still lose. Yet our beloved 2nd stringer came through looking like an NFL QB that day and the rest is history.

 

But seriously, the most impressive part of that 90s run, IMO, is the '94 season due to the setback @ QB and the fact that our undefeated season relied heavily on our 2nd and 3rd string QB in key games. Quite unheard of in college football history. That'll always be what makes NU's dynasty run in the 90s unique.

 

If I could +1 this more than once, I would.

 

Just line up the losses and wins from the 90's from the Huskers, and this dynasty of the Crimson Tide, and you will see who had the better win percentage. We even won more division and conference championships than they did. Don't get me wrong, I am not taking credit away from them, but they can sit right behind us in the 2nd best dynasty in college football

[NUance]

Make no mistake, if Bama beats ND, it'll be quite an accomplishment. However, what gets overlooked and this article indirectly mentions it without going into further detail, is that our 2nd string QB (who wasn't 100% healthy himself) was responsible for winning 60% of those games as a starter during that undefeated '94 title run. How many teams can say they won a national title on the back of their 2nd string QB for 60% of the season? Let alone having to start their 3rd string walk-on QB on the road against an undefeated (16th AP/11th Coaches) KSU? Also let the record show that our 2nd string QB beat (2nd AP/3rd Coaches) ranked Colorado, when national pundits were CERTAIN we'd lose that game because of our 2nd string QB. Some had the audacity to say even if Frazier was healthy for that game, we'd still lose. Yet our beloved 2nd stringer came through looking like an NFL QB that day and the rest is history.

 

But seriously, the most impressive part of that 90s run, IMO, is the '94 season due to the setback @ QB and the fact that our undefeated season relied heavily on our 2nd and 3rd string QB in key games. Quite unheard of in college football history. That'll always be what makes NU's dynasty run in the 90s unique.

 

If I could +1 this more than once, I would.

 

Just line up the losses and wins from the 90's from the Huskers, and this dynasty of the Crimson Tide, and you will see who had the better win percentage. We even won more division and conference championships than they did. Don't get me wrong, I am not taking credit away from them, but they can sit right behind us in the 2nd best dynasty in college football

Another thing about the '94 season is that we beat Miami on their home turf. They hadn't been beat at home in something like 50 games or more. I think it's absolute bullsh#t that a team can play a bowl game on their home turf. Could Miami have beaten us in Lincoln? No way. Heck, look at the Cap Bowl game against Georgia a couple days ago. Would they have won if it was played in Memorial Stadium? I'd say likely, no.

[CheeseHusker]

Assuming they beat Notre Dame, Bama will have won it with one loss twice.

 

We had three perfect seasons.

 

Debate about level of competition, conference championship games, etc.. is fine and probably somewhat justified, but we had three perfect seasons. Just sayin'

[Count 'Bility]

No way does Bama beat LSU in Tiger Stadium this year.

Oh Flu, you would make me laugh so.

[Count 'Bility]

I hate when they do this before the game is even played.

They pulled this sh#t when Miami played Ohio St in 2002. Look what happened. Did it again when USC played Texas in 2005. Look what happened. Put teams on the pedestal before they actually climb up there, and they'll for sure fall off.

[Nexus]

And then there was the famous "kicked ball" game in 1997, in which the Cornhuskers drove 67 yards in the final minute for a tying touchdown that was scored when what appeared to be a game-ending incompletion bounced off the foot of Nebraska's Shevin Wiggins and was caught in the end zone by Matt Davison. The Cornhuskers won in overtime and went on to beat Tennessee and Peyton Manning for their third championship in four years.

 

^^

 

Assuming Bama beats ND, their version of "luck" and our '97 "kicked ball" game came in 2009 against Tennessee when Terrance Cody blocked the game winning FG attempt. Not only that, Cody blocked 2 FG in the 4th quarter of that game. So yeah, a little luck does factor into those title runs sometimes.