Michigan Coach Still Upset Over Split 1997 National Championship

[DrunkOffPunch]

We whipped Tenn and had back-ups in at the at end of the game. Mich was hanging-on for dear life against Wazzou and if I remember correctly the cougars got gypped out of running another play when they were driving in Mich territory at the end.

Really weird ending to that game. 16 seconds left from inside their 20 Leaf throws a bomb to a receiver who could have been called for a PI, but in a close game like that you generally let the players play. Then Wazzou false starts and the ref almost takes a second off the clock before he is corrected. Then, on what happened to be the second to last play, they get off a dump pass for good yardage. Looked like he was tackled around the 4 second mark, maybe a little under, but the clock goes down to 2 seconds. With first down clock stoppage Wazzou rushes to the line and seems to get the spike down with 1 second left but the ref claims he didn't get it off in time. Either way, Wazzou would've had to score on their next play.

[Saunders]

Michigan struggled with Ryan Leaf. Nebraska crushed Peyton Manning.

[NUance]

We whipped Tenn and had back-ups in at the at end of the game. Mich was hanging-on for dear life against Wazzou and if I remember correctly the cougars got gypped out of running another play when they were driving in Mich territory at the end.

Really weird ending to that game. 16 seconds left from inside their 20 Leaf throws a bomb to a receiver who could have been called for a PI, but in a close game like that you generally let the players play. Then Wazzou false starts and the ref almost takes a second off the clock before he is corrected. Then, on what happened to be the second to last play, they get off a dump pass for good yardage. Looked like he was tackled around the 4 second mark, maybe a little under, but the clock goes down to 2 seconds. With first down clock stoppage Wazzou rushes to the line and seems to get the spike down with 1 second left but the ref claims he didn't get it off in time. Either way, Wazzou would've had to score on their next play.

Yeah, I remember seeing that. It sure seemed like the refs were giving every break they could to Meechicken. And it was just enough for them to get the win. Barely.

[VA Husker Fan]

 

Btw- discussions like this are one of the main reasons I like(d) the uniqueness of cfb not having a playoff to an indisputable champion. It's fun.

Playing Michigan on the field to determine the champion would've been a lot more fun.

[Saunders]

We whipped Tenn and had back-ups in at the at end of the game. Mich was hanging-on for dear life against Wazzou and if I remember correctly the cougars got gypped out of running another play when they were driving in Mich territory at the end.

Really weird ending to that game. 16 seconds left from inside their 20 Leaf throws a bomb to a receiver who could have been called for a PI, but in a close game like that you generally let the players play. Then Wazzou false starts and the ref almost takes a second off the clock before he is corrected. Then, on what happened to be the second to last play, they get off a dump pass for good yardage. Looked like he was tackled around the 4 second mark, maybe a little under, but the clock goes down to 2 seconds. With first down clock stoppage Wazzou rushes to the line and seems to get the spike down with 1 second left but the ref claims he didn't get it off in time. Either way, Wazzou would've had to score on their next play.

Yeah, I remember seeing that. It sure seemed like the refs were giving every break they could to Meechicken. And it was just enough for them to get the win. Barely.

And Bob Griese spent the whole gaming pining for his kid's team to win the MNC instead of calling the game.

[NUance]

We whipped Tenn and had back-ups in at the at end of the game. Mich was hanging-on for dear life against Wazzou and if I remember correctly the cougars got gypped out of running another play when they were driving in Mich territory at the end.

Really weird ending to that game. 16 seconds left from inside their 20 Leaf throws a bomb to a receiver who could have been called for a PI, but in a close game like that you generally let the players play. Then Wazzou false starts and the ref almost takes a second off the clock before he is corrected. Then, on what happened to be the second to last play, they get off a dump pass for good yardage. Looked like he was tackled around the 4 second mark, maybe a little under, but the clock goes down to 2 seconds. With first down clock stoppage Wazzou rushes to the line and seems to get the spike down with 1 second left but the ref claims he didn't get it off in time. Either way, Wazzou would've had to score on their next play.

Yeah, I remember seeing that. It sure seemed like the refs were giving every break they could to Meechicken. And it was just enough for them to get the win. Barely.

And Bob Griese spent the whole gaming pining for his kid's team to win the MNC instead of calling the game.

Oh yeah, I remember that alright. I was furious at Griese. I couldn't believe they'd let him in the booth with a bias like that.

[knapplc]

Found a quote in Stewart Mandel's book, Bowls, Polls, and Tattered Souls. Stewart's talking about fans perceiving homerism in the AP vote, where local beat writers will vote for the teams they cover:

 

If anything, many writers tend to overcompensate and vote the team they cover lower than does the general electorate. In 1997, when Michigan and Nebraska both finished undefeated, Omaha World-Herald writer Lee Barfknecht--the state of Nebraska's lone AP voter--took no shortage of flak locally after casting his final number 1 vote for the Wolverines. Michigan wound up finishing number 1 in that poll, but Nebraska finished number 1 in the coaches. "I haven't the foggiest idea why the coaches did what they did, but I thought there was no doubt [about Michigan]," Barfknecht told the South Bend Tribune.

 

Yeah, Lee. Really weird to see the coaches vote the way they voted - until you look at the body of work both teams put in that year. Michigan? Good team. But Nebraska? Clearly better, and clearly a better resume when you cast your vote.

 

 

 

But here's the weird thing. I tried to find the actual factual quote Barfknecht gave the Tribune to see if he elucidated on his reasoning. Instead, I found this, from the Baltimore Sun:

 

Michigan, a team with one loss, is ranked No. 1 in the national polls -- the earliest in a half-century of poll-taking that a team with a blemished record has stood atop them.

 

Meanwhile, undefeated teams like Virginia, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Florida, Houston and Tennessee -- but especially Virginia at 5-0 -- have been told they still must prove themselves.

 

"I voted for Michigan because I really, truly think if you gave me a choice among the 106 Division I schools, I would pick Michigan, and I would win," said Lee Barfknecht, who covers Nebraska for the Omaha World-Herald and votes in The Associated Press poll.

 

"You either vote for the hottest, or you vote for the best."

 

The date on that article - October 10, 1990. So Barfknecht had voted Michigan #1 before, putting them ahead of more-worthy teams, although Nebraska wasn't one of them.

 

Weird to find that Barfknecht has voted in favor of Michigan twice like that. Not sure what to make of that.

[JJ Husker]

 

Btw- discussions like this are one of the main reasons I like(d) the uniqueness of cfb not having a playoff to an indisputable champion. It's fun.

Playing Michigan on the field to determine the champion would've been a lot more fun.

 

Of course in this specific case, you are correct. But, generally speaking, not having a proven champion offers lots of opportunity for speculative discussion.

[KazLong]

[TGHusker]

I copied this from one of the posters on the article. He copies an article written at the time. The copied article gives good perspective - NU would have been deserving of the NC all by itself. UM should feel lucky for a split.

 

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/04/lloyd-carr-still-upset-about-1997-national-title-split-with-nebraska/

Mar 5, 2014 12:08 AM

With one more win, Nebraska deserves national title

© 1998 Copyright Nando.net

1998 Scripps Howard

MIAMI (Jan 2, 1998 – 05:12 EST) — If Nebraska beats Tennessee in the Orange Bowl by the margin the odds makers say it should, then the Cornhuskers should win the national championship. They wont, but they should.

Too many voters are too reluctant to drop a winning team. And that’s unfortunate for Nebraska.

In voting unbeaten Michigan over unbeaten Nebraska for the last third of the season, I based that first-place vote, in part, on Michigan’s tougher schedule. The bowl games have changed my perspective.

The Big Ten was overrated. That became more evident with every bowl game: Michigan State lost to Washington 51-23. Iowa lost to Arizona State 17-7. Wisconsin lost to Georgia 33-6. Penn State lost to Florida 21-6. Ohio State lost to Florida State 31-14. Purdue, which Michigan didn’t play, was the only other Big Ten winner (33-20 over Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl).

Michigan’s opponents, five Big Ten teams and Notre Dame, went 0-6 in the bowls.

Nebraska’s opponents went 2-2 in the bowls. Washington and Kansas State won; Missouri and Texas A&M lost.

Here’s what I jotted down on a notepad after Michigan’s 21-16 Rose Bowl victory over Washington State: Records: If Nebraska beats UT in the Orange Bowl, it will be 13-0. Michigan is 12-0.

Opponents: If Nebraska beats UT, its opponents record will be 76-74; Michigan’s opponents are 74-67.

Dominance: Nebraska outscored its opponents by 30.7 points per game; Michigan outscored its opponents by 17 points per

More dominance: Nebraska outscored its opponents with winning records by 23.6. Michigan outscored its opponents with winning records by 10.8 points.

It’s too easy to say Michigan was No. 1 and won its game, so it should stay No. 1. That’s not the way the system is supposed to work. Our archaic method of choosing a college football champion is based on style points. Nebraska lost style points because it beat Missouri in overtime and beat Colorado by three after leading by 17 late in the game.

However, against good teams, Nebraska, not Michigan, has been more stylish. The Cornhuskers beat 11-1 Kansas State by 30 points. They beat Washington by 13. They beat Texas A&M by 39 points just three weeks ago.

In Thursday’s Cotton Bowl, those same Aggies almost upset a UCLA team that had won nine consecutive games. Don’t forget that Michigan only beat Notre Dame by seven points, Iowa by four and Wisconsin by 10. Its most-convincing victory was against Penn State, which for much of the year was the most-overrated team in the country.

Michigan deserves tremendous credit for an unbeaten season. But if Nebraska plays well in beating Tennessee, it deserves the national title.

With one more win, Nebraska deserves national championship.

By JOHN ADAMS, Scripps Howard News Service

In Addition:

Michigan average score – 26.8 - 9.5

Nebraska average score – 46.7 – 16.5

Michigan opponents ranked in final polls – 3 – at #s 9,12,16 (AP)

Nebraska opponents ranked in final polls – 5 – at #s 7, 8, 18, 20, 23 (AP)

[Landlord]

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/03/ex-michigan_coach_lloyd_carr_s.html#incart_river

 

 

We broke their article.

[Mavric]

We whipped Tenn and had back-ups in at the at end of the game. Mich was hanging-on for dear life against Wazzou and if I remember correctly the cougars got gypped out of running another play when they were driving in Mich territory at the end.

Really weird ending to that game. 16 seconds left from inside their 20 Leaf throws a bomb to a receiver who could have been called for a PI, but in a close game like that you generally let the players play. Then Wazzou false starts and the ref almost takes a second off the clock before he is corrected. Then, on what happened to be the second to last play, they get off a dump pass for good yardage. Looked like he was tackled around the 4 second mark, maybe a little under, but the clock goes down to 2 seconds. With first down clock stoppage Wazzou rushes to the line and seems to get the spike down with 1 second left but the ref claims he didn't get it off in time. Either way, Wazzou would've had to score on their next play.

 

About the 2:09:00 mark is where it gets interesting.

 

- WashSt gets a long pass play where he is clearly down with :04 left. The clock runs to :03, stops for a bit then runs to :02.

- After resetting the chains, they start the clock, WashSt snaps the ball and spikes it with the clock still showing :01 but it runs out

- Game over???

[Redux]

Why couldnt we have had those refs/time keepers for the 09 Big 12 title game?

[Junior]

Two words for Lloyd Carr: Armanti Edwards.

 

Oh yea, two more: Suck it.

[CheeseHusker]

Would have wiped the floor with those clowns.

 

I watched almost every game both teams played. I lived in Wisconsin at the time and had the Wolverines shoved down my throat by anyone with a mouth.