Best Husker Team to Not Win a National Title Game 3: 1982 Nebraska vs. 1984 Nebraska

[Cdog923]

It's Game 3 in the Best Husker Team to Not Win a National Title Tournament! We're running this one at the same time as Game 2 to catch up. Here's the Tale of the Tape! 

 

#3: 1982 Nebraska: 

• Record: 12-1 
• Rank: 3rd (AP), 3rd (Coaches)
• Conference Record: 7-0
• Coach: Tom Osborne (12-1)
• Points For: 514
• Points/G: 39.5 (1st of 113)
• Points Against: 167
• Opp Pts/G: 12.8 (8th of 113)
• SRS: 21.94 (2nd of 113)
• SOS: 4.48 (38th of 113)
• Bowl Game: Won Orange Bowl 21-20 versus LSU
• Notable Players: Mike Rozier, Roger Craig, Turner Gill
• Notable Games: vs. #8 PSU (L, 27-24), vs. #11 OU (W, 28-24), vs. #13 LSU (W, 21-20)

 

 

#6: 1984 Nebraska:

• Record: 10-2 

• Rank: 4th (AP), 3rd (Coaches)

• Conference Record: 6-1

• Coach: Tom Osborne (10-2)

• Points For: 387

• Points/G: 32.2 (5th of 110)

• Points Against: 115

• Opp Pts/G: 9.6 (1st of 110)

• SRS: 17.57 (2nd of 110)

• SOS: 2.15 (53rd of 110)

• Bowl Game: Won Sugar Bowl 28-10 versus LSU

• Notable Players: Doug DuBose, Jeff Smith, Marc Munford

• Notable Games: vs. #8 UCLA (W, 42-3), vs. #6 OU (L, 17-7), vs. #12 LSU (W, 28-10)

 

These two teams are separated by a year, but the matchup is deceptive: '82 was (literally) one foot away from a potential National Title, while '84 stumbled against Syracuse and OU. '82 has the better offense with the Triplets, while '84 has the better defense, and both teams got to beat LSU in their bowl game. 

 

(A note on statistics: all stats are taken from sports-reference.com. SRS refers to a Simple Rating System, described here: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/about/glossary.html#srs. SOS refers to Strength of Schedule, described here: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/about/glossary.html#sos)

[suh_fan93]

I love both of those teams.  

 

 

[knapplc]

Not only did the Penn State TE not catch that ball in bounds, the WR trapped the "TD" in the end zone. Neither of those plays should have happened. If not, it's possible Nebraska could have won the National Championship.

 

The 1984 team lacked focus. Syracuse was not a good team, and Oklahoma was good but not great. A better team would have won those games.

[bugeater17]

19 minutes ago, knapplc said:

Not only did the Penn State TE not catch that ball in bounds, the WR trapped the "TD" in the end zone. Neither of those plays should have happened. If not, it's possible Nebraska could have won the National Championship.

 

The 1984 team lacked focus. Syracuse was not a good team, and Oklahoma was good but not great. A better team would have won those games.

 

Agree with all of this. 1982 was by far the better squad. 

[ColoradoHusk]

1982 was a great NU team that was a controversial loss from going undefeated.  1984 had a big drop-off in QB play going from Turner Gill to the platoon of Craig Sundberg and Travis Turner.  Neither one of them could lock down the full-time #1 QB job.  

[TGHusker]

Unlike game 2 this was an easy pic.  If the universe was set right, the 1982 team would be Tom's 1st NC team.  (they kind of backed into the opportunity the year before against Clemson).

Great balance on offense, very good D.  Cannot forget the mighty offensive line either.  Gill was shining and evidence was there that he would go down as perhaps the greatest all around QB in our history when you consider passing, running, and mgmt of the offense.  

[ColoradoHusk]

Just now, TGHusker said:

Unlike game 2 this was an easy pic.  If the universe was set right, the 1982 team would be Tom's 1st NC team.  (they kind of backed into the opportunity the year before against Clemson).

Great balance on offense, very good D.  Cannot forget the might offensive line either.  Gill was shining and evidence was there that he would go down as perhaps the greatest all around QB in our history when you consider passing, running, and mgmt of the offense.  

Rimington and Steinkuhler together.  Not a bad combo in the middle.

[TGHusker]

51 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Rimington and Steinkuhler together.  Not a bad combo in the middle.

Yes, they might be serviceable.  They may make our 2nd team this year.   Good grief perhaps the best 1/2 punch ever on an OL.    Man to have the the pipeline back again. I hope Frosty gets it done.

[JJ Husker]

These were my years at UNL. 1982 was the much better team hands down, it's really not even debatable or subject to any other possible opinion. Only blemish was getting screwed by the refs in that Penn St game. Today's replay reviews would've corrected that travesty.  Should've been TO's first Natty.