Mandel: Huskers Drop from 'Kings' to 'Barons' of CFB

[Mavric]

Kings

Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska
, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, USC

I’m 41 years old. In my teens, 20s and early-to-mid 30s, you could never have convinced me Nebraska would one day be viewed as anything less than college football royalty. But today’s recruits were not even born the last time the Huskers won even a conference championship, in 1999, much less Tom Osborne’s three national titles in four years from 1994-97.

And while the school’s move to the Big Ten unquestionably benefits the program financially, few would contend Nebraska is viewed in the same grouping as league powers Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. Its perception at this point more closely resembles those of Wisconsin and Michigan State.

Barons

Auburn, Georgia, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Fox Sports

 

[zoogs]

It's overdue. The last one was what, 2007?

 

[Saunders]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

 

[RedDenver]

I'm actually surprised Penn St didn't drop. NU and PSU have similar accomplishments over the last 10-20 years.

 

[suh_fan93]

How are we even considered a Baron?

 

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

Add Michigan to that baffling Kings list.

 

[Landlord]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

I don't know if I agree with them being kings, but both have achieved at least some amount more than us over the last ~20 years.

I'm actually surprised Penn St didn't drop. NU and PSU have similar accomplishments over the last 10-20 years.

They have three conference championships and 3 BCS/major bowl appearances since 2000. And they're hotter present tense.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

Add Michigan to that baffling Kings list.

They have the most wins in college football history, and they were able to fool a lot of college football pundits when they stated that the Big Ten championship was more important than the National Championship. This was during the 70's and 80's when most years it was basically only Ohio State and Michigan competing for the conference championship.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

I don't know if I agree with them being kings, but both have achieved at least some amount more than us over the last ~20 years.

Like what?

OK....Miami won a championship in 2001. That was 15 years ago compared to our 20 years ago. That's slightly better.

When was the last time ND has won anything of significance?

 

[Redux]

How are we even considered a Baron?

 

[Redux]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

I don't know if I agree with them being kings, but both have achieved at least some amount more than us over the last ~20 years.

Like what?OK....Miami won a championship in 2001. That was 15 years ago compared to our 20 years ago. That's slightly better.

When was the last time ND has won anything of significance?

Participated in BCS title game, that's about it.

 

[knapplc]

Don't take the bait. These guys need to fill 24 hours of sports talk all day, every day. It's the middle of the offseason and there's nothing going on, so they manufacture outrage with crap like this.

Just ignore it. It's an unprovable point either way.

 

[Saunders]

Notre Dame and Miami are still Kings, but Nebraska drops? That makes zero sense.

I don't know if I agree with them being kings, but both have achieved at least some amount more than us over the last ~20 years.

Like what?

OK....Miami won a championship in 2001. That was 15 years ago compared to our 20 years ago. That's slightly better.

When was the last time ND has won anything of significance?

Exactly. Miami hasn't even competed for a conference title since they joined the ACC. And Notre Dame has a less wins and more losses than NU since we fell off a cliff.

 

[Saunders]

Don't take the bait. These guys need to fill 24 hours of sports talk all day, every day. It's the middle of the offseason and there's nothing going on, so they manufacture outrage with crap like this.

Just ignore it. It's an unprovable point either way.

I looked at the summary on reddit. Didn't even give SI the outrage click.

 

[hskrpwr13]

I expected the drop, though one could make an argument they should've stayed. Although I don't agree with Mandel's reason about not being mentioned among the top B1G programs, unfortunately, about 15 years have passed of poor to decent NU football. Regarding history, no doubt we're Kings. Regarding past 15 years, we're not even Barons.

I do think Miami is getting too much credit for only a 20-year span of their history (and location I guess).

Penn State deserves to be Kings. They've not been great for the past 20 years, but they've had seasons here and there where they've finished near the top.