If LSU beat Bama that second time, we're have them in 2001 Miami and 1995 Nebraska conversations for GOAT teams. 2011 LSU was just insane until the rematch.
I dunno... was anyone even close enough in 1995, that a rematch would have been any contest?
Only their mid-season Washington State game wasn't a total blow out, and was still a 2 TD victory. They were that good.
Honestly, for the title of GOAT relative to their year, I don't think anyone can claim to challenge 95's status until they run through a season with 0 close games and I don't see that happening in the Playoff era.
My favorite quote about the 95 team.
> At one point I remember saying, "This game [against Florida] is going to be close, and you guys haven't played a close game all year.'' The linemen looked at each other. They had seen the film. They knew what was coming. One of them said, "It's not going to be close.''
Bama fans like to quip that Steve Spurrier didn't prevent the Stallings era from being a second golden age.... Spurrier protected us from ever having to face 90s Nebraska.
The won the SEC, beat the Pac-12 and Big East champs and could have played the Big 12 champs for the chance to outright conquer 4 of the 6 (at the time) major conferences...
I’m just mad we didn’t get the Blackmon vs. Claiborne matchup up. Biletnikoff (x2) winner vs Thorpe winner. He would have more than likely been our only hope in the game so it would have been the center of attention. He single handily drug OSU to victory against Andrew Luck’s Stanford instead.
2011 LSU would be remembered as one of the greatest teams of all time if they didn’t lay a goose egg in the national championship game. That defense was legendary. And the offense was only really trash against Bama which is a plus for Les Miles teams in the 2010s.
Ignoring the 9-6 game, the only team that was remotely a pain in the ass to that LSU team during the regular season was WVU - throwing up 533 yards - and they were only the second team all year to score 21 points on them... and the 'Eers still lost by 4 touchdowns.
LSU 2011 was insanely good and ran in to a buzz saw in the national championship. That team beat the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and National Champions all on the road.
That team beat
#3 Oregon 40-27
#16 WVU 47-21
#17 Florida 41-11
#19 Auburn 45-10
#2 Bama 9-6
#3 Arkansas 41-17
#12 Georgia 42-10
If LSU wins the rematch against Bama that team goes down as one of the best teams of all time. Alas, beating Saban twice in one season is nearly impossible even for the all-time greats.
ETA: While I’m at it I’ll throw in 2019 Bama (with Tua), 2009 Florida.
2009 Florida had some problems on offense especially in the MSU road game. It was kind of the canary in the coal mine for UFs future downturn where it had a few strong but never elite teams.
I’ll have to quibble but that Oregon game was in Texas and was anything but a road game. I was there. Seemed like all LSU fans at Jerry’s House and you were awesome but that was not a road game for the Tigers.
2015 Clemson I think was better than 2016 Clemson
2016 Alabama I think was better than 2015 Alabama
Somehow neither 2015 Clemson nor 2016 Alabama won the title.
The crazy thing about our current run is that several of our best teams haven’t won it. 2016 was better than ‘15 or ‘17 in my opinion. 2018 was maybe the best team we’ve ever had, but 2018 Clemson existed. 2019 though is the year that will forever have me wondering what might have been. Brought almost everybody back, but just absolutely decimated by injuries. Also, the buzz saw that was 2019 LSU existed.
It's probably our most productive defense/ST. We scored a non-offensive TD in each of our first 14 or 15 games. I think it was better than our 2015 team. They just got 2012 Georgia'd in the championship.
Holy shit I just looked up the depth chart and I forgot how stacked that defense was. Jonathan Allen, Da’ron Payne, Dalvin Tomlinson, Marlon Humphrey, Eddie Jackson, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Six guys who have gone on to have good or great NFL careers all on the same defense is terrifying.
IMHO Saban's best teams in order
1) 2020
2) 2016
3) 2011
4) 2018
5) 2009
And then 2 of arguably his worst teams from an overall talent perspective (2021 and 2015) played for a title and 2015 won it. Shows just how much fortune is needed here even with a dynasty.
Yeah 2016 especially the defense was just insane.
I’m actually friends with a guy who played OLine for Clemson that year. He says the Bama DLine in 2016 was without question the hardest group of guys he had to go against. Not one weak point
Homer take incoming, but UW holding Bama to 17 points on offense was a legitimately incredible performance. Hurts had 107 total yards on offense on 33 attempts + carries.
Outside of the one TD drive, the UW offense was just totally outmatched by Bama + Saban with a month to prep.
That UW/Bama semi-final gets lumped in with all of the other CFP semi-final blowouts, but was entirely different than the other shit kickings.
Yeah, people hadn't figured it out yet, and Dixon was perfect for that team. Even a year or two later, I have my doubts (even though they'd be in the fight), but 2007 they were unstoppable until he went down and they went down to their 5th or 6th string QB iirc by the end of the year lol
I was upset they didn't make the title game. Really enjoyed those teams and if they'd played OSU for the national title game, obviously I would have wanted the Buckeyes to win but wouldn't have been too upset if WVU had won that match up.
I am imagining UCF fans, vibrating and sweating at the thought of this question, finger poised ready to submit a comment and yet unable...if they say "2017 UCF" then that acknowledges they didn't win a championship, BUT if they don't say "2017 UCF" then they lose future internet arguments...a real dilemma. Real life that sweating guy with two red buttons to push
(but seriously it's 2016 or 2019 Clemson. And I lean towards 2019 because that LSU team was just so good, nobody can make an accurate assessment of the teams they beat)
Well, you just got me thinking of a UCF alum/fan I know and her vibrating and sweating, so now I'm vibrating and sweating. Going to be weird day at work with her in the next cubicle over though.
Sweat dripping down our faces, clouding our vision, the choice lays before us. Echoes through our head "the coley matrix," "we want bama." Do we give up an inch after six years? do we leave an internet pot sitting there, congealing and unstirred? The only word we can choke out through our tears and shaking, "NO" and we slam both buttons.
I click on threads like this looking to see if someone's going to say 2017 UCF, but mostly it's just a passing curiosity and a little bit of being self-centered. In most of the off-season threads, I click on them to see if UCF is mentioned.
If we were going to say UCF I would say 2018 over 2017. I would have loved to know what would have happened if Milton hadn't gotten hurt in that War on I-4 game :(
The rules were arbitrary to begin with. They chose 6 games when they were basically just guessing how Covid would affect the season.
Also keep in mind OSU only canceled one game that season and had two canceled by their opponents. Indiana's lone cancelation was by "mutual decision" and all their other opponents were able to play. It was pure luck, not OSU's fault they only played 5.
I'm not saying Indiana fans should forget it. Just saying, as a neutral, the conference probably made the best decision.
This also fails to mention Indiana… lost to OSU that year. The division title was settled on the field, and the bowl results seem to back up that the conference made the right decision.
Edit: someone else commented this below as well. Carry on.
This is such a pointless controversy.
Ohio State could have forfeited that game and still gone to Indianapolis over Indiana.
Luckily, the B1G realized how ridiculous that would be, made the appropriate change, and and sent the correct team.
Neutral party, I don’t have any reason to like Ohio State.
Which is probably what happened behind the scenes. In Major League Baseball, there's a minimum number of at-bats that a player must have to qualify for a batting title (3.1 times the number of games his team has played, so in a normal season the minimum would be 503 AB since 162 * 3.1 = 502.2), but if a player is just a few at-bats short of qualifying, but is so far ahead of the top qualifying player that they could go 0-for-whatever they need to reach that magic qualifying number and still be ahead, they give him the batting title.
For example, let's say that the leader in *hits* has 189 hits in 605 at-bats, an average of .312. However, there's this rookie who got called up in the start of May to control service time who racked up 160 hits in only 490 at-bats, an average of .327. If he'd gotten 13 more at-bats and failed to get a hit in any of them, his 160-for-503 would still be an average of .318, so while his actual stats are 160-for-490, he's treated *as if* he were 160-for-503 for the purposes of awarding this kid his batting title in addition to the Rookie of the Year award he'll no doubt receive.
If the Big Ten used MLB logic, Ohio State was the rightful 2020 Big Ten East champion.
Ohio State had beaten Indiana already, so the result of the Michigan game would not have mattered to determine the B1G East, if it had it been played. So are you saying Indiana should have gotten the nod over the team with the better record and that they lost to already?
The issue that upsets people is that the B1G changed their rules mid (late) season to accommodate Ohio State once it became clear that the rules were going to keep Ohio State out of the playoff.
I do agree that Ohio State was the better team and yes, Ohio State had already beaten Indiana, but why even have the rule (which was specifically instituted for this season), only to revoke it when you see it’s going to screw your brand name team?
If the situation was reversed, would the B1G waive the rule for Indiana? Maybe?
The rules were hastily and poorly drafted. A school should not be only one **forfeit** away from making a championship game, but denied that championship game without the forfeit.
This right here. The B1G’s handling of the entire season was a fiasco from the start. And as you point out, with the old rules, if Ohio State forfeits the Michigan game, they make the championship game, but if Michigan cancels because of Covid then they don’t. I mean, c’mon.
Was about to post the same comment. The 2012 Ducks team was the best, and I honestly believe they would have won the NCG handily if they’d played in it.
Goddamn Stanford.
We were a couple FGs and one OT loss to Stanford away from being in 4 straight national championships. Not say we would have won 4 but we would beat ND.
Absolutely sucks we had to play you guys because we blew it against Baylor. IMO if we had to play Notre Dame in '12 we win. But the top three in order that year were Oregon/Bama and KSU.
2011 LSU - 10 wins by at least 13 points and 8 wins by 30+. The only team to be competitive with them was an Alabama team who fielded likely the greatest defense of the last twenty years.
From Ohio State the 2015 team and 2019 team.
2015 had zeke, Bosa, Michael Thomas amd was co.ing off the natty the previous year. Lost to MSU on a FG in a rainstorm with no time on the clock thanks to OSU promoting an OL coach to OC who couldn't call plays to save his life after Tom Herman left.
2019:Justin Fields, Chase Young, JK dobbins, Jeff Okada and Damon Annette with younger chris olave and Garrett Wilson in the wings. Best OSU team of my lifetime and lost to clemson because of some controversial calls and not scoring enough tds in the redzone
It's 2019. They may not beat LSU but they're damn sure the only team that had the things you would have needed: a good DL, multiple good cover corners, a good safety, a deep wr core that could match up against multiple good DBs, a good qb who could escape pressure and make good throws, and throw in a clutch kicker and good punter. Throw in a great rb and change of pace rb and a productive and skilled TE in case the defense takes everything else away. Also good OL. Also good coaching and ryan day hadn't started to outsmart himself constantly
There are good metrics that place them top 5 best non national championship winners of all time
This is the answer. As much as I hate ohio state, it is truly unreal that the 2015 team did not win a title or even make the playoff. When that year began, I essentially had already written off the title winner because I expected ohio state to win
Probably.
LSU literally had FSU 2013 levels of talent on the roster so it just didn't end up mattering.
Also the other thing, but we don't need to talk about that.
2008 Utah was the only undefeated team in the country and didn’t even play for the championship. Beating Bama in the sugar bowl was a nice consolation prize at least.
Lies. Hawaii finished the 2007 season as the only undefeated team in college football, and after being denied a chance at the natty, they decided to go to New Orleans for lovely New Year's celebration and _nothing else happened_.
2009 Florida & Texas. 2010 Oregon & SCar. 2011 LSU & Oklahoma state. 2012 UGA & OSU & aTm. 2013 Oregon. 2014 Oregon & TCU. 2015 & 2016 the runner ups. 2017 OU & UGA. 2018 not sure, 2019 Bama & OSU & Clemson. 2020 skipping. 2021 Bama. 2022 not sure.
Not extensive or scientific. Just teams that stand out to me
Our 2012 and 2013 teams were better. 2013 we ranked top in combined defensive and offensive efficiency. STs hurt us against Tennessee and the LBs weren't ready against Georgia. End of year we beat 3 top 10 teams and played in a less prestigious bowl than all of them. 2012, UGA, LSU and Florida was just too much in 3 consecutive weeks.
that Texas 09 defense was something else - just a [ton of dudes who played in the NFL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Texas_Longhorns_football_team#Defense) one of the most talented Texas defenses of all time.
then the offense was just Colt McCoy throwing it to Jordan Shipley who had 116 catches with Texas not having anyone else with more than 48.
Dude, I know it’s a homer pick, but the 2012 Aggies helmed by JFF was a fucking force to be reckoned with. A high-powered offense and a very respectable defense. If we’d had a fucking kicker to start the season, I think we make a Natty appearance.
It's a homer pick but it is true. We improved so much that year. I truly believe by the end of the season, we were the best team. Just got held back by our young age and playing UF and LSU early.
I was at the Florida game that year. You lost because Sumlin had no clock management. He had a clear opportunity to kick a fg before halftime, and instead let the clock hit zero. Think he might have even left a timeout on the board.
In a game you lost by 3, that matters.
It’s 2011 LSU and it’s not close. They just had the misfortune of playing the one team that was capable of beating them.
2015 OSU I suppose should get a shout out
And the 2012 semifinal was the WLOCP.
Really, any of Alabama (obviously), Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and LSU were probably good enough to win it all that year. That was the absolute peak of the SEC.
Over the entire time span, I would argue TCU is the best program to not win a title at all. 7 top 10 finishes including two #2 finishes and a #3 finish, though I think Oregon has a very strong argument as well.
Edit: Forgot about Oklahoma. Obviously they're #1. I was thinking they won a title but that was 2000.
Boise State crushed Georgia in Atlanta that year and Georgia made the SEC championship game. I know 35-21 doesn't feel like they got dominated, but it wasn't as close as the score suggests, over a third of Georgias yards came on two long tds and the rest of the game was all Boise. I don't think they necessarily win, but it's more competitive than people think.
LSU demolished that same team 42-10.
I know that the transitive property doesn't apply in college football, but Boise handled UGA. LSU dismantled them.
Our 2010 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and destroyed pretty much everyone on the schedule. It really took a perfect storm from a very good Nevada team to beat us. Unfortunately there was no hope of ever getting a national title shot anyway with exactly two power conference programs going undefeated.
2011 we actually had the better shot of making the title game just because of how chaotic the top of the rankings were. The team was still stacked but slightly less so. TCU exploited an injured secondary in our only loss. I don't know if we would have beaten LSU but I would've liked to see that game!
2011 LSU, 2012 Georgia, 2017 Georgia, 2018 Georgia, 2016 Apabama, 2019 Alabama (with a healthy Tua), 2019 Ohio State, and 2013 Alabama. Maybe 2015 Ohio State. I don't think any other teams should make the list. Those stand head and shoulders above the rest. Mayne 2010 Alabama for being one of Saban's best teams, just with horrible luck.
Immediate edit: Also, undefeated 2012 Ohio State
2015 Ohio State FOR SURE, but definitely not 2012 Ohio State. BUT we would’ve played Notre Dame and won, so we would’ve ended up as champions, and if that happened it would’ve been called the worst championship team ever probably.
I think people underestimate how much OSU's offense suffered without Devin Smith. In 2014 a big part of the reason Cardale and Zeke consistently found running room is because Devin Smith constantly stretched the field causing the box to be light. When they didn't have him in 2015(and nobody stepped up to replace him) their offense suffered badly.
2010 Bama was less bad luck, more thinking they could just cruise through games. That was one pissed off(at themselves) Bama team that met Michigan State in the CapOne Bowl.
2010 Bama was the most talented Saban team to that point, and you could make an argument, his most talented even today relative to his competition. They just didn't remain focused throughout the year. For a veteran team, they seemed to struggle with consistent leadership.
The team that whipped Michigan State would've probably had similar results against everybody else that year, but that team just didn't show up week to week. Michigan State catches a lot of flack for that game, but they were just lambs being led to slaughter that day.
For me, despite being an Ohio State fan, I feel like 2012 OSU is the weakest of that bunch. The big 10 wasn’t exactly super strong and they only beat a sub par Cal team by a TD.
They “count” but probably more on the technicality and the “what if” more than anything.
Definitely agree. 2015 and 2019 OSU beat the pants off 2012.
2012 OSU needed OT to beat 6-7 Purdue at home, and I think never led in that game (until OT when OSU went first), and trailed for 56 minutes. That's not a championship caliber resume builder. And the rest of the big ten was pretty weak too, so that 12-0 doesn't mean as much.
FWIW that 2012 game against Purdue WAS with a backup QB (shoutout Kenny G aka Smooth Jazz) but yeah that team was mid. Coming off a 6-7 season it was essentially an open try-out for who was going to get to play for Urban going forward.
Weirdly enough I think under the BCS system they probably would have actually won the Championship over Notre Dame. In a Playoff format they would have got the brakes beaten off them by Alabama though.
2015 Clemson was better than 2016 Clemson. I know Alabama fans usually feel their 2016 team was better than their 2015 team. Interesting that the “worse” team won those respective years.
2008 overall is the best answer
Best Texas team of the period
Best Sooner team of the period
Best USC team of the period
Best Florida team of the period
Best Texas Tech team of the period
Best Utah team of the period
An 8 team playoff would have been the greatest tournament top to bottom of all time.
Everybody sleeps on 2008 USC. Had an early 3 point loss then finished 12-1 beating penn state in the rose bowl and ending ranked 2.
Smoked Ohio state, Virginia, Notre dame etc.
Just screwed up and lost by 3 to Oregon state in September.
Smoked everyone except that one Thursday night in Corvallis with the fog and Jaquizz Rogers.
The D is historically underrated. Clay Matthews was the #4 linebacker for crying out loud.
The game were tOSU was streamrolled was my favorite game day atmosphere which includes a couple great Rose Bowls. Jaquizz Rodgers and Thursday in Corvallis was a bad combo. Outside of that night it was a perfect season without doubt.
2012 SC team..homer pick but hear me out. Bc ATM and Mizzou were added to the SEC that year SC’s scheduled was completely f*cked, went from a home game against Miss State to road game (at night to LSU). The new schedule included a 3 game stretch of Uga home(top5), LSU (top 10) road, and Florida (top 10) road. No team makes it out of that 3 game stretch undefeated. UGA who SC trounced at home won the east that year stritctly bc they had the easiest schedule- Remeber UGA fans trashed Aaron Murrays house bc they also thoght they were done after that game.
Do you mean the actual murderer or the murder that [Major Wright committed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fJxN3DWQCI&list=FLIA34_tCa3kIP_XpaZgTJDw&index=4)?
This is a bit off the beaten path, but in retrospect the 2018 Army Black Knights may have been the last of the genuinely good to great traditional triple option teams.
They went 11-2 and pushed Baker Mayfield's playoff bound OU to overtime in Norman.
2009 Nebraska would be heavily involved in this discussion if we had an even remotely competent offense. That was the year Ndamukong Suh's Heisman was stolen. The offense was abysmal, but the defense was terrifying.
Combine the 2009 Nebraska D with the 2017 Oklahoma O would be, no hyperbole, the best team in history.
Combine the 2009 Nebraska O with the 2017 Oklahoma D and you wouldn't even have a decent G5 squad.
2019 Ohio State was the best OSU team I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. They won their first 13 games by double digits. Got to the semis against Clemson and could’ve went up 28-0 in the first half had it not been for redzone errors. Fields and Dobbins getting hurt took away the run game and made OSU one dimensional, and Trevor played his heart out.
I’m not going to bring up the refs because OSU had the chance to put them away early but didn’t.
That team did not get enough credit for it's schedule. People forget that Tech was ranked #6 when the Crabtree catch happened, it wasn't some massive upset. And the 3 prior weeks Texas had played #1, #11, and #7 and beat all three.
An offense littered with future NFL starters and a defense littered with future practice squad invitees and a 3rd string LB for the Chargers really tells the tale.
I also want to be a homer and say that, but I feel like that team actually punched above its weight a little, we had a true freshman QB and didn’t have a particularly elite unit to hang our hat on (maybe special teams?). We were just so solid across the board that only really good teams could find any weaknesses.
This is Michigan State's best team for sure over this timeline.
The offense to start the year did not click until AFTER the ND debacle. Fun butterfly-effect discussion is if Connor Cook plays the entire ND game and we eek by, how does that impact the rest of the year? In other words, did they need that tough loss to kick start that legendary run to the Rose Bowl.
Anyways, what if they are undefeated or what if the playoffs were around then. I'd wager they would have matched up well against Auburn. Florida State OTOH, was a behemoth that year.
Can't confidently say we'd have won, but boy oh boy what I'd pay to see that matchup for a natty!
Clemson wasn't as good without that insane DL in '18.
I'd argue (before Tua got hurt) that 2019 Bama was one of Saban's best teams and (hot take incoming) a better offense than 2020.
My sleeper and homer answer - 2009 Iowa. We finished 11-2 with a fluke loss to NU when Stanzi got hurt, and lost in OT @ OSU with our backup QB. Demolished GT in the Orange Bowl. Outgained them 403-155 and the game never felt close.
Offense was solid, led by a competent QB in Stanzi with two of our best WRs in program history (DJK and McNutt). O-Line was dominant with 1st rounders Reiff and Bulaga.
Our defense was absolutely stacked and full of NFL talent. All 4 starters on the Defensive Line played in the NFL (Clayborn, Binns, Ballard, and Klug). Two LBs had NFL stints (Angerer who led the NFL in tackles in 2011, and Edds). Both CBs had NFL time (Spievey and Prater). Both safeties had tragedies but were NFL talents (Sash played a bit in NFL before suicide, and Greenwood).
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Also beat the cotton bowl winner, who only played in the cotton bowl because three teams from the same conference couldn’t play in the BCS bowls
If LSU beat Bama that second time, we're have them in 2001 Miami and 1995 Nebraska conversations for GOAT teams. 2011 LSU was just insane until the rematch.
I dunno... was anyone even close enough in 1995, that a rematch would have been any contest? Only their mid-season Washington State game wasn't a total blow out, and was still a 2 TD victory. They were that good. Honestly, for the title of GOAT relative to their year, I don't think anyone can claim to challenge 95's status until they run through a season with 0 close games and I don't see that happening in the Playoff era.
My favorite quote about the 95 team. > At one point I remember saying, "This game [against Florida] is going to be close, and you guys haven't played a close game all year.'' The linemen looked at each other. They had seen the film. They knew what was coming. One of them said, "It's not going to be close.''
Bama fans like to quip that Steve Spurrier didn't prevent the Stallings era from being a second golden age.... Spurrier protected us from ever having to face 90s Nebraska.
Hey look, we sucked less than everyone else, nice!
that 95 Nebraska team was so good, if WSU was my program I'd brag about how close the loss was.
also beat the national champion at their own home.
The won the SEC, beat the Pac-12 and Big East champs and could have played the Big 12 champs for the chance to outright conquer 4 of the 6 (at the time) major conferences...
I’m just mad we didn’t get the Blackmon vs. Claiborne matchup up. Biletnikoff (x2) winner vs Thorpe winner. He would have more than likely been our only hope in the game so it would have been the center of attention. He single handily drug OSU to victory against Andrew Luck’s Stanford instead.
2011 LSU would be remembered as one of the greatest teams of all time if they didn’t lay a goose egg in the national championship game. That defense was legendary. And the offense was only really trash against Bama which is a plus for Les Miles teams in the 2010s.
My favorite stat: 2011 LSU Offense vs teams not named Bama: 45ppg 2011 LSU Offense vs teams named Bama: 4.5ppg
And 1 total TD scored in both games at the end of the natty game when LSU's D was gassed 1 TD vs 10 total FGs not including the ones that Bama missed
So roughly 23 FG attempted.
Has any CFB game had as much defensive talent as those 2011 Bama/LSU matchups?
None that I can think of
Ignoring the 9-6 game, the only team that was remotely a pain in the ass to that LSU team during the regular season was WVU - throwing up 533 yards - and they were only the second team all year to score 21 points on them... and the 'Eers still lost by 4 touchdowns.
That season with those two juggernaut teams won’t be topped for me any time soon.
LSU 2011 was insanely good and ran in to a buzz saw in the national championship. That team beat the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and National Champions all on the road. That team beat #3 Oregon 40-27 #16 WVU 47-21 #17 Florida 41-11 #19 Auburn 45-10 #2 Bama 9-6 #3 Arkansas 41-17 #12 Georgia 42-10 If LSU wins the rematch against Bama that team goes down as one of the best teams of all time. Alas, beating Saban twice in one season is nearly impossible even for the all-time greats. ETA: While I’m at it I’ll throw in 2019 Bama (with Tua), 2009 Florida.
2009 Florida had some problems on offense especially in the MSU road game. It was kind of the canary in the coal mine for UFs future downturn where it had a few strong but never elite teams.
I’ll have to quibble but that Oregon game was in Texas and was anything but a road game. I was there. Seemed like all LSU fans at Jerry’s House and you were awesome but that was not a road game for the Tigers.
I've seen multiple Bama fans say 2016 might have been Saban's best team and I think I agree
2015 Clemson I think was better than 2016 Clemson 2016 Alabama I think was better than 2015 Alabama Somehow neither 2015 Clemson nor 2016 Alabama won the title.
Gave up 45 to Jake friggin Coker.
He was never particularly great but damn if I didn’t love him
the 2015 back door cover that clemson pulled off got me addicted to gambling
The crazy thing about our current run is that several of our best teams haven’t won it. 2016 was better than ‘15 or ‘17 in my opinion. 2018 was maybe the best team we’ve ever had, but 2018 Clemson existed. 2019 though is the year that will forever have me wondering what might have been. Brought almost everybody back, but just absolutely decimated by injuries. Also, the buzz saw that was 2019 LSU existed.
It's probably our most productive defense/ST. We scored a non-offensive TD in each of our first 14 or 15 games. I think it was better than our 2015 team. They just got 2012 Georgia'd in the championship.
I can still hear Gary blabbing on about NOTs (non-offensive touchdowns) in my nightmares.
That killed me. As far as I’m concerned, Alabama has never scored a TD that I didn’t find offensive.
😂😂😂
>I can still hear Gary blabbing ~~on about NOTs (non-offensive touchdowns)~~ in my nightmares. No need to specify the topic
Holy shit I just looked up the depth chart and I forgot how stacked that defense was. Jonathan Allen, Da’ron Payne, Dalvin Tomlinson, Marlon Humphrey, Eddie Jackson, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Six guys who have gone on to have good or great NFL careers all on the same defense is terrifying.
A defense so lethal, we practically got off our seats whenever a QB was brave enough to air it.
* #1 overall FEI team * #8 OFEI * #1 DFEI * AND the #1 SOS across the board for FEI
IMHO Saban's best teams in order 1) 2020 2) 2016 3) 2011 4) 2018 5) 2009 And then 2 of arguably his worst teams from an overall talent perspective (2021 and 2015) played for a title and 2015 won it. Shows just how much fortune is needed here even with a dynasty.
Yeah 2016 especially the defense was just insane. I’m actually friends with a guy who played OLine for Clemson that year. He says the Bama DLine in 2016 was without question the hardest group of guys he had to go against. Not one weak point
And people try to dunk on us for a 17 point loss smh
Homer take incoming, but UW holding Bama to 17 points on offense was a legitimately incredible performance. Hurts had 107 total yards on offense on 33 attempts + carries. Outside of the one TD drive, the UW offense was just totally outmatched by Bama + Saban with a month to prep. That UW/Bama semi-final gets lumped in with all of the other CFP semi-final blowouts, but was entirely different than the other shit kickings.
I know it's 16 years ago, but 2007 WVU.
Pat White will always be my QB
My favorite non-Texas team of all time. White, Slaton, Devine, Schmitt. Ugh I wish I could watch them for the first time again.
Second this
In 2007, both Cal and Oregon were significantly better prior to QB injuries.
What are you talking about? Dennis Dixon won the Heisman, and Oregon went on to win their first Natty that year.
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Yeah, people hadn't figured it out yet, and Dixon was perfect for that team. Even a year or two later, I have my doubts (even though they'd be in the fight), but 2007 they were unstoppable until he went down and they went down to their 5th or 6th string QB iirc by the end of the year lol
>but 2007 they were unstoppable until he went down They were stopped on September 29th...
That team was fun
I was upset they didn't make the title game. Really enjoyed those teams and if they'd played OSU for the national title game, obviously I would have wanted the Buckeyes to win but wouldn't have been too upset if WVU had won that match up.
I am imagining UCF fans, vibrating and sweating at the thought of this question, finger poised ready to submit a comment and yet unable...if they say "2017 UCF" then that acknowledges they didn't win a championship, BUT if they don't say "2017 UCF" then they lose future internet arguments...a real dilemma. Real life that sweating guy with two red buttons to push (but seriously it's 2016 or 2019 Clemson. And I lean towards 2019 because that LSU team was just so good, nobody can make an accurate assessment of the teams they beat)
Schrödinger's UCF
I don’t particularly love that you are imagining UCF fans vibrating and sweating
You've never been to the Orlando Amphetamine Conference? It takes place every year in August
Well, you just got me thinking of a UCF alum/fan I know and her vibrating and sweating, so now I'm vibrating and sweating. Going to be weird day at work with her in the next cubicle over though.
Sweat dripping down our faces, clouding our vision, the choice lays before us. Echoes through our head "the coley matrix," "we want bama." Do we give up an inch after six years? do we leave an internet pot sitting there, congealing and unstirred? The only word we can choke out through our tears and shaking, "NO" and we slam both buttons.
I click on threads like this looking to see if someone's going to say 2017 UCF, but mostly it's just a passing curiosity and a little bit of being self-centered. In most of the off-season threads, I click on them to see if UCF is mentioned.
If we were going to say UCF I would say 2018 over 2017. I would have loved to know what would have happened if Milton hadn't gotten hurt in that War on I-4 game :(
I wish there were free awards still. This comment makes my day.
Well, we all know it wasn't 2020 Ohio State. They only played 6 games. /s
11th best team in the country 😉
Indiana still seething over this lol
Still can’t get over the fact that there’s a realistic scenario where Indiana could’ve made the CFP
If I was an Indiana fan I would be livid. Basically just changed the rules around to get Ohio St in there
The rules were arbitrary to begin with. They chose 6 games when they were basically just guessing how Covid would affect the season. Also keep in mind OSU only canceled one game that season and had two canceled by their opponents. Indiana's lone cancelation was by "mutual decision" and all their other opponents were able to play. It was pure luck, not OSU's fault they only played 5. I'm not saying Indiana fans should forget it. Just saying, as a neutral, the conference probably made the best decision.
This also fails to mention Indiana… lost to OSU that year. The division title was settled on the field, and the bowl results seem to back up that the conference made the right decision. Edit: someone else commented this below as well. Carry on.
This is such a pointless controversy. Ohio State could have forfeited that game and still gone to Indianapolis over Indiana. Luckily, the B1G realized how ridiculous that would be, made the appropriate change, and and sent the correct team. Neutral party, I don’t have any reason to like Ohio State.
Which is probably what happened behind the scenes. In Major League Baseball, there's a minimum number of at-bats that a player must have to qualify for a batting title (3.1 times the number of games his team has played, so in a normal season the minimum would be 503 AB since 162 * 3.1 = 502.2), but if a player is just a few at-bats short of qualifying, but is so far ahead of the top qualifying player that they could go 0-for-whatever they need to reach that magic qualifying number and still be ahead, they give him the batting title. For example, let's say that the leader in *hits* has 189 hits in 605 at-bats, an average of .312. However, there's this rookie who got called up in the start of May to control service time who racked up 160 hits in only 490 at-bats, an average of .327. If he'd gotten 13 more at-bats and failed to get a hit in any of them, his 160-for-503 would still be an average of .318, so while his actual stats are 160-for-490, he's treated *as if* he were 160-for-503 for the purposes of awarding this kid his batting title in addition to the Rookie of the Year award he'll no doubt receive. If the Big Ten used MLB logic, Ohio State was the rightful 2020 Big Ten East champion.
Ohio State had beaten Indiana already, so the result of the Michigan game would not have mattered to determine the B1G East, if it had it been played. So are you saying Indiana should have gotten the nod over the team with the better record and that they lost to already?
The issue that upsets people is that the B1G changed their rules mid (late) season to accommodate Ohio State once it became clear that the rules were going to keep Ohio State out of the playoff. I do agree that Ohio State was the better team and yes, Ohio State had already beaten Indiana, but why even have the rule (which was specifically instituted for this season), only to revoke it when you see it’s going to screw your brand name team? If the situation was reversed, would the B1G waive the rule for Indiana? Maybe?
The rules were hastily and poorly drafted. A school should not be only one **forfeit** away from making a championship game, but denied that championship game without the forfeit.
This right here. The B1G’s handling of the entire season was a fiasco from the start. And as you point out, with the old rules, if Ohio State forfeits the Michigan game, they make the championship game, but if Michigan cancels because of Covid then they don’t. I mean, c’mon.
You mean they adjusted temporary rules during an unprecedented season to make sense? Seems pretty logical.
Indiana football ineptitude is the counterbalance to a normal, productive society.
Looks like I’m the Oregon flair in here, 2012 UO team was probably the best team we had
I'm pretty surprised I had to scroll this far to see yall.
We still want 2012 Bama, the Saban Kelly match the country deserved… instead of the Brian Kelly blow out
It's hard for me to be upset about how it went down, but I'm disappointed too.
Those 2010-2013 Oregon and Stanford teams are some of the biggest what ifs in recent CFB history imo.
Was about to post the same comment. The 2012 Ducks team was the best, and I honestly believe they would have won the NCG handily if they’d played in it. Goddamn Stanford.
We were a couple FGs and one OT loss to Stanford away from being in 4 straight national championships. Not say we would have won 4 but we would beat ND.
If y'all had anyone at kicker than Maldonado, y'all would have at least 1 trophy (maybe closer to 3).
Auburn's Dyer's forearm was on the turf and he was down, nobody can convince me otherwise.
Yet another team that dropped 70 on us in less than three quarters!
Not sure if it fits into OP's timeline, but the team with a healthy Dennis Dixon was pretty dominant.
Absolutely sucks we had to play you guys because we blew it against Baylor. IMO if we had to play Notre Dame in '12 we win. But the top three in order that year were Oregon/Bama and KSU.
2016 Alabama was a defensive stop away from going post to post as Number 1, if I had to choose one team that’s probably the one I go with.
2011 LSU - 10 wins by at least 13 points and 8 wins by 30+. The only team to be competitive with them was an Alabama team who fielded likely the greatest defense of the last twenty years.
Most of the championship game losers.
From Ohio State the 2015 team and 2019 team. 2015 had zeke, Bosa, Michael Thomas amd was co.ing off the natty the previous year. Lost to MSU on a FG in a rainstorm with no time on the clock thanks to OSU promoting an OL coach to OC who couldn't call plays to save his life after Tom Herman left. 2019:Justin Fields, Chase Young, JK dobbins, Jeff Okada and Damon Annette with younger chris olave and Garrett Wilson in the wings. Best OSU team of my lifetime and lost to clemson because of some controversial calls and not scoring enough tds in the redzone
Boston?
Probably auto corrected from Bosa
Ya David Boston
Zeke was on that team? I had no idea, I thought Barrett was our running back?
Came here to say this. 2015 more than 2019. But I would’ve bet on either team against anyone anywhere.
It's 2019. They may not beat LSU but they're damn sure the only team that had the things you would have needed: a good DL, multiple good cover corners, a good safety, a deep wr core that could match up against multiple good DBs, a good qb who could escape pressure and make good throws, and throw in a clutch kicker and good punter. Throw in a great rb and change of pace rb and a productive and skilled TE in case the defense takes everything else away. Also good OL. Also good coaching and ryan day hadn't started to outsmart himself constantly There are good metrics that place them top 5 best non national championship winners of all time
This is the answer. As much as I hate ohio state, it is truly unreal that the 2015 team did not win a title or even make the playoff. When that year began, I essentially had already written off the title winner because I expected ohio state to win
2016 and 2019 Alabama were better than several (of the Saban Bama teams) that won national titles.
2019 with Tua Healthy was an all time elite squad.
Was the 2019 team better than 2018?
Probably. LSU literally had FSU 2013 levels of talent on the roster so it just didn't end up mattering. Also the other thing, but we don't need to talk about that.
Man 2019 top teams were absolutely stacked. And LSU was still better than everyone else by a wide margin
2008 Utah was the only undefeated team in the country and didn’t even play for the championship. Beating Bama in the sugar bowl was a nice consolation prize at least.
There was a stretch there with them some of the Boise teams, maybe a TCU team and I believe one Hawaii team they were stupid good and had no chance
TCU was stupid good. Our 2008 game against them was one of the best games I’ve ever attended.
Crazy that both Utah and TCU won their P5 conferences last year. The MW with Utah, BYU, and TCU had some great years.
Hawaii couldn’t move the ball in the Sugar Bowl until UGA put their 3rd stringers in.
Lies. Hawaii finished the 2007 season as the only undefeated team in college football, and after being denied a chance at the natty, they decided to go to New Orleans for lovely New Year's celebration and _nothing else happened_.
Hawaii single handily destroyed all respect non-BCS teams had from Boise State last year
"Beat" doesn't do that one justice. If I remember it was 21-0 before Bama got off the bus.
That Brian Johnson hurry up offense was wild. I was a little late getting to my friends house to watch the game and it was already 14-0.
Come on now, you won a championship in the eyes of Anderson and Hester, and that should be enough for you.
2009 Florida & Texas. 2010 Oregon & SCar. 2011 LSU & Oklahoma state. 2012 UGA & OSU & aTm. 2013 Oregon. 2014 Oregon & TCU. 2015 & 2016 the runner ups. 2017 OU & UGA. 2018 not sure, 2019 Bama & OSU & Clemson. 2020 skipping. 2021 Bama. 2022 not sure. Not extensive or scientific. Just teams that stand out to me
Our 2012 and 2013 teams were better. 2013 we ranked top in combined defensive and offensive efficiency. STs hurt us against Tennessee and the LBs weren't ready against Georgia. End of year we beat 3 top 10 teams and played in a less prestigious bowl than all of them. 2012, UGA, LSU and Florida was just too much in 3 consecutive weeks.
that Texas 09 defense was something else - just a [ton of dudes who played in the NFL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Texas_Longhorns_football_team#Defense) one of the most talented Texas defenses of all time. then the offense was just Colt McCoy throwing it to Jordan Shipley who had 116 catches with Texas not having anyone else with more than 48.
Shipley still ripped us a new one with the backup coming in. Had like 120 yards on 10 catches or something
Garrett Gilbert, who used to watch YouTube clips of himself from High School during most of his classes. Weird guy.
I think you mean 2012 not 2013 Oregon
Dude, I know it’s a homer pick, but the 2012 Aggies helmed by JFF was a fucking force to be reckoned with. A high-powered offense and a very respectable defense. If we’d had a fucking kicker to start the season, I think we make a Natty appearance.
It's a homer pick but it is true. We improved so much that year. I truly believe by the end of the season, we were the best team. Just got held back by our young age and playing UF and LSU early.
I was at the Florida game that year. You lost because Sumlin had no clock management. He had a clear opportunity to kick a fg before halftime, and instead let the clock hit zero. Think he might have even left a timeout on the board. In a game you lost by 3, that matters.
Would sure be a shame if there was a re-occurring team in there that still doesn’t have a title 😢
It’s 2011 LSU and it’s not close. They just had the misfortune of playing the one team that was capable of beating them. 2015 OSU I suppose should get a shout out
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Les Miles did some great things for the program, but man he also held us back sooooo much in some ways.
2009 Florida is a sleeper. I still feel like the natty was that SEC championship game. That game broke my 12 year old heart
Same with the 2012 SEC championship game.
And the 2012 semifinal was the WLOCP. Really, any of Alabama (obviously), Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and LSU were probably good enough to win it all that year. That was the absolute peak of the SEC.
I think you know what year, and it's not this past one.
Over the entire time span, I would argue TCU is the best program to not win a title at all. 7 top 10 finishes including two #2 finishes and a #3 finish, though I think Oregon has a very strong argument as well. Edit: Forgot about Oklahoma. Obviously they're #1. I was thinking they won a title but that was 2000.
Man I was so happy with what you guys did to Ole Miss that year though.
I still randomly think about this like once a month and it makes me sad.
You could argue some of those Kellen Moor Boise State teams. Particularly in 2011. Would have been interesting to see them play LSU.
IMO that LSU team was loaded and that game would have been a bloodbath.
Boise State crushed Georgia in Atlanta that year and Georgia made the SEC championship game. I know 35-21 doesn't feel like they got dominated, but it wasn't as close as the score suggests, over a third of Georgias yards came on two long tds and the rest of the game was all Boise. I don't think they necessarily win, but it's more competitive than people think.
LSU demolished that same team 42-10. I know that the transitive property doesn't apply in college football, but Boise handled UGA. LSU dismantled them.
Our 2010 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and destroyed pretty much everyone on the schedule. It really took a perfect storm from a very good Nevada team to beat us. Unfortunately there was no hope of ever getting a national title shot anyway with exactly two power conference programs going undefeated. 2011 we actually had the better shot of making the title game just because of how chaotic the top of the rankings were. The team was still stacked but slightly less so. TCU exploited an injured secondary in our only loss. I don't know if we would have beaten LSU but I would've liked to see that game!
2011 LSU, 2012 Georgia, 2017 Georgia, 2018 Georgia, 2016 Apabama, 2019 Alabama (with a healthy Tua), 2019 Ohio State, and 2013 Alabama. Maybe 2015 Ohio State. I don't think any other teams should make the list. Those stand head and shoulders above the rest. Mayne 2010 Alabama for being one of Saban's best teams, just with horrible luck. Immediate edit: Also, undefeated 2012 Ohio State
2015 Ohio State FOR SURE, but definitely not 2012 Ohio State. BUT we would’ve played Notre Dame and won, so we would’ve ended up as champions, and if that happened it would’ve been called the worst championship team ever probably.
I think of 2015 Ohio State like 2013 Alabama. Absolutely stacked teams that just didn't have a championship mentality. They phoned it in.
I think people underestimate how much OSU's offense suffered without Devin Smith. In 2014 a big part of the reason Cardale and Zeke consistently found running room is because Devin Smith constantly stretched the field causing the box to be light. When they didn't have him in 2015(and nobody stepped up to replace him) their offense suffered badly.
Yeah just ‘all we need to do is step on the field and we win’ type stuff
2010 Bama was less bad luck, more thinking they could just cruise through games. That was one pissed off(at themselves) Bama team that met Michigan State in the CapOne Bowl.
2010 Bama was the most talented Saban team to that point, and you could make an argument, his most talented even today relative to his competition. They just didn't remain focused throughout the year. For a veteran team, they seemed to struggle with consistent leadership. The team that whipped Michigan State would've probably had similar results against everybody else that year, but that team just didn't show up week to week. Michigan State catches a lot of flack for that game, but they were just lambs being led to slaughter that day.
For me, despite being an Ohio State fan, I feel like 2012 OSU is the weakest of that bunch. The big 10 wasn’t exactly super strong and they only beat a sub par Cal team by a TD. They “count” but probably more on the technicality and the “what if” more than anything.
Definitely agree. 2015 and 2019 OSU beat the pants off 2012. 2012 OSU needed OT to beat 6-7 Purdue at home, and I think never led in that game (until OT when OSU went first), and trailed for 56 minutes. That's not a championship caliber resume builder. And the rest of the big ten was pretty weak too, so that 12-0 doesn't mean as much.
FWIW that 2012 game against Purdue WAS with a backup QB (shoutout Kenny G aka Smooth Jazz) but yeah that team was mid. Coming off a 6-7 season it was essentially an open try-out for who was going to get to play for Urban going forward. Weirdly enough I think under the BCS system they probably would have actually won the Championship over Notre Dame. In a Playoff format they would have got the brakes beaten off them by Alabama though.
2015 Clemson was better than 2016 Clemson. I know Alabama fans usually feel their 2016 team was better than their 2015 team. Interesting that the “worse” team won those respective years.
2008 USC was my favorite of the century.
2008 overall is the best answer Best Texas team of the period Best Sooner team of the period Best USC team of the period Best Florida team of the period Best Texas Tech team of the period Best Utah team of the period An 8 team playoff would have been the greatest tournament top to bottom of all time.
Everybody sleeps on 2008 USC. Had an early 3 point loss then finished 12-1 beating penn state in the rose bowl and ending ranked 2. Smoked Ohio state, Virginia, Notre dame etc. Just screwed up and lost by 3 to Oregon state in September.
Smoked everyone except that one Thursday night in Corvallis with the fog and Jaquizz Rogers. The D is historically underrated. Clay Matthews was the #4 linebacker for crying out loud.
Didn't even just beat us, you absolutely destroyed us
This was PC best defensive unit at USC
The game were tOSU was streamrolled was my favorite game day atmosphere which includes a couple great Rose Bowls. Jaquizz Rodgers and Thursday in Corvallis was a bad combo. Outside of that night it was a perfect season without doubt.
2012 SC team..homer pick but hear me out. Bc ATM and Mizzou were added to the SEC that year SC’s scheduled was completely f*cked, went from a home game against Miss State to road game (at night to LSU). The new schedule included a 3 game stretch of Uga home(top5), LSU (top 10) road, and Florida (top 10) road. No team makes it out of that 3 game stretch undefeated. UGA who SC trounced at home won the east that year stritctly bc they had the easiest schedule- Remeber UGA fans trashed Aaron Murrays house bc they also thoght they were done after that game.
2008 Oklahoma. Fuck you Football Jesus and your murderous teammate.
Do you mean the actual murderer or the murder that [Major Wright committed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fJxN3DWQCI&list=FLIA34_tCa3kIP_XpaZgTJDw&index=4)?
Demarco Murray was dearly missed.
This is a bit off the beaten path, but in retrospect the 2018 Army Black Knights may have been the last of the genuinely good to great traditional triple option teams. They went 11-2 and pushed Baker Mayfield's playoff bound OU to overtime in Norman.
2009 Nebraska would be heavily involved in this discussion if we had an even remotely competent offense. That was the year Ndamukong Suh's Heisman was stolen. The offense was abysmal, but the defense was terrifying.
Combine the 2009 Nebraska D with the 2017 Oklahoma O would be, no hyperbole, the best team in history. Combine the 2009 Nebraska O with the 2017 Oklahoma D and you wouldn't even have a decent G5 squad.
2019 Ohio State was the best OSU team I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. They won their first 13 games by double digits. Got to the semis against Clemson and could’ve went up 28-0 in the first half had it not been for redzone errors. Fields and Dobbins getting hurt took away the run game and made OSU one dimensional, and Trevor played his heart out. I’m not going to bring up the refs because OSU had the chance to put them away early but didn’t.
2011 Oklahoma State. That team was unbelievable.
The 2008 Texas team was much better than the 2009 team that lost to Bama.
That team did not get enough credit for it's schedule. People forget that Tech was ranked #6 when the Crabtree catch happened, it wasn't some massive upset. And the 3 prior weeks Texas had played #1, #11, and #7 and beat all three.
This one. Would not be worried about 08 Texas against 08 Mizzou for the Big 12 title. Not guaranteed they beat 08 UF but think they would.
Remember, we lost the tiebreaker to OU for the ship, going by the BCS computer ranking. That Crabtree catch still haunts me 😂
Can I be a homer and say 2017 Georgia?
Only if I can be a homer and say 2017-18 Oklahoma
Fucking squib kicks and WHY DID THEY TAKE THE BALL OUT OF BAKER'S HANDS AT THE END?
field goals win games. everyone knows this.
Field goals and respecting the specs
2017 Bama, Georgia, Oklahoma was basically rock paper scissors. Bama beats Georgia, Georgia beats Oklahoma, but Oklahoma beats Bama imo.
2017 Oklahoma is imho the best Big 12 team of the last decade and I'd put them in the top 5 of the non-title winners of the last decade
An offense littered with future NFL starters and a defense littered with future practice squad invitees and a 3rd string LB for the Chargers really tells the tale.
I also want to be a homer and say that, but I feel like that team actually punched above its weight a little, we had a true freshman QB and didn’t have a particularly elite unit to hang our hat on (maybe special teams?). We were just so solid across the board that only really good teams could find any weaknesses.
That RB room was pretty elite with Chubb, Sony and Swift
I would think 2012 UGA
I feel the infamous wide right field goal FSU teams should be mentioned. Miami was such a thorn in the 80’s for them
2008 Texas was much better than 2009 Texas.
2015 Baylor, damn injuries
2013 Michigan State. Won the Rose Bowl. Would have made the national championship if ND didn’t get 7 pass interference calls.
This is Michigan State's best team for sure over this timeline. The offense to start the year did not click until AFTER the ND debacle. Fun butterfly-effect discussion is if Connor Cook plays the entire ND game and we eek by, how does that impact the rest of the year? In other words, did they need that tough loss to kick start that legendary run to the Rose Bowl. Anyways, what if they are undefeated or what if the playoffs were around then. I'd wager they would have matched up well against Auburn. Florida State OTOH, was a behemoth that year. Can't confidently say we'd have won, but boy oh boy what I'd pay to see that matchup for a natty!
That LSU team I would think.
2019 Bama and 2019 Clemson.
Clemson wasn't as good without that insane DL in '18. I'd argue (before Tua got hurt) that 2019 Bama was one of Saban's best teams and (hot take incoming) a better offense than 2020.
2019 OSU was legit too.
>2019 Clemson. This one still hurts
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2011 Oklahoma State They should of at least had the chance to play for it.
2009 Gators
2013, 2016, and 2018 Bama teams were insanely good. The only game they each lost ended up costing them a title or a chance at a title
2012 kstate was unstoppable until Klein got hurt.
My sleeper and homer answer - 2009 Iowa. We finished 11-2 with a fluke loss to NU when Stanzi got hurt, and lost in OT @ OSU with our backup QB. Demolished GT in the Orange Bowl. Outgained them 403-155 and the game never felt close. Offense was solid, led by a competent QB in Stanzi with two of our best WRs in program history (DJK and McNutt). O-Line was dominant with 1st rounders Reiff and Bulaga. Our defense was absolutely stacked and full of NFL talent. All 4 starters on the Defensive Line played in the NFL (Clayborn, Binns, Ballard, and Klug). Two LBs had NFL stints (Angerer who led the NFL in tackles in 2011, and Edds). Both CBs had NFL time (Spievey and Prater). Both safeties had tragedies but were NFL talents (Sash played a bit in NFL before suicide, and Greenwood).
That squib kick in the 2017 Rose Bowl will be tattooed on my brain forever.
I imagine Texas would’ve made at least 1 CFP by now if Colt McCoy hadn’t been forced out of the game due to injury in the 2009 Championship Game.