ESPN's Best Team of the last 20 years

Joe Fan

Joe Fan

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Any guesses?

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...e-football-national-champions-20-years-ranked

1. 2005 Texas Longhorns
The 2005 Longhorns are the top championship team of the past 20 years in large part because they claim the best player of the past 20 years. Quarterback Vince Young, remarkably, didn't win the Heisman Trophy that season, but he produced one of the greatest individual seasons in recent college football history, culminating with one of the greatest individual game performances the sport has ever seen. In the 2006 Rose Bowl against heavily favored USC, Young completed 30 of 40 passes, rushed for 200 yards and delivered the game-winning play, an 8-yard touchdown dash on fourth down with 19 seconds remaining. That play defined the BCS era. And turned Young into a legend. Young wasn't the only star for Texas, which also boasted a top-10 defense. Michael Huff was the Jim Thorpe Award winner and, like Young, became a top-10 NFL draft pick. Linemen Jonathan Scott and Rodrique Wright were consensus All-Americans, as well. The '05 Longhorns never lost. And saved their best for the biggest stage. -- Jake Trotter
 
Love how they say VY "remarkably" didn't win the Heisman that year. Hmmm, I recall they seemed to outwardly cheer for USC and Bush/Leinart all year in 2005.
 
Gee it was good to see this at the top #1:

1. 2005 Texas Longhorns
The 2005 Longhorns are the top championship team of the past 20 years in large part because they claim the best player of the past 20 years. Quarterback Vince Young, remarkably, didn't win the Heisman Trophy that season, but he produced one of the greatest individual seasons in recent college football history, culminating with one of the greatest individual game performances the sport has ever seen. In the 2006 Rose Bowl against heavily favored USC, Young completed 30 of 40 passes, rushed for 200 yards and delivered the game-winning play, an 8-yard touchdown dash on fourth down with 19 seconds remaining. That play defined the BCS era. And turned Young into a legend. Young wasn't the only star for Texas, which also boasted a top-10 defense. Michael Huff was the Jim Thorpe Award winner and, like Young, became a top-10 NFL draft pick. Linemen Jonathan Scott and Rodrique Wright were consensus All-Americans, as well. The '05 Longhorns never lost. And saved their best for the biggest stage. -- Jake Trotter

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horninchicago said:
Love how they say VY "remarkably" didn't win the Heisman that year. Hmmm, I recall they seemed to outwardly cheer for USC and Bush/Leinart all year in 2005.
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That was one of the funniest threads ever --
USC vs. the Soviet Army
USC vs. the Death Star
I think they even mentioned the thread on ESPN once
 
Joe Fan said:
That was one of the funniest threads ever --
USC vs. the Soviet Army
USC vs. the Death Star
I think they even mentioned the thread on ESPN once
Click to expand...

WorsterMan said:
Yes, it was... wonder if it was saved in the classics threads?
Click to expand...

What was "remarkable" and continues to be, is how VY "lost" the Heisman because of the a&m game that year. Had Leinart or Bush had a gutty comeback in a hostile environment against an in-state rival Hell-bent on ruining the National Championship dreams of Big Brother, the voters would have lauded it as Heisman-worthy. Not for VY. Oh well, Austin is nowhere near the west coast media.
 
I know what some will say, but I will contend that had McCoys injury not happened the '08/'09 Texas team may very well make this list. I believe that was/is a very underrated football team, and beating the highly touted (almost to USC porportions) Bama team that year by 10+ points would have gone far to change this.
 
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RainH2burntO said:
I know what some will say, but I will contend that had McCoy's injury not happened the '08/'09 Texas team may very well make this list.
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As I have stated on numerous occasions on HF, I will go to my grave convinced the Horns were destined to WIN that '09 game versus Bama if McCoy plays the entire game....
 
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Even though I was (am) a huge VY fan, I still get irritated at retrospectives like ESPN's that do not recognize how talented that team was as a whole. All four starting defensive backs plus the nickel back went on to play in the pros. All the offensive linemen (except one who chose not to), tight end, running back (Jamaal), defensive line, etc. played in the pros. Ramonce would have if he had not screwed up his life. That was a hugely talented team all round (it had to be to beat a similarly loaded team in USC)--so it certainly deserves the top spot.
 
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That 05 team was perhaps the greatest team of all time, not just the last 20 years. Most outsiders just see VY but that team was loaded from top to bottom. The 09 team was not as deep or as talented but ran like a well oiled machine and Muschamp did such a great job. No doubt we beat alabama with McCoy healthy. I was prepared to celebrate and knew for a fact we would win until that play.
 
My smart *** comment above notwithstanding, it is nice after the 35 year wait back in 2005 for a NC to continue to see accolades for that team.
 
horninchicago said:
What was "remarkable" and continues to be, is how VY "lost" the Heisman because of the a&m game that year. Had Leinart or Bush had a gutty comeback in a hostile environment against an in-state rival Hell-bent on ruining the National Championship dreams of Big Brother, the voters would have lauded it as Heisman-worthy. Not for VY. Oh well, Austin is nowhere near the west coast media.
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Interestingly enough...that Heisman trophy belongs to no one now....so yeah they should have given it to the right person to begin with! I agree with you, Horn.. He was a transcendent player who was a man among boys that season and should have won it outright.
I personally always thought it was remarkable how McCoy lost/didn't win the Heisman his senior year. He was the lock until a late push to put Suh in the voting. I always thought it was a travesty. I believe McCoy was one of the most impactful, accomplished, and talented football players of the modern era at the most important position on the field and was very underappreciated. He was the MVP in CFB in '08/09. He could run, he could throw, he could manage the game, he was a leader with guts and grit and a real football player who just excelled consistently in virtually every situation...and won. And he has some very hefty stats to boot.
 
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stanhin said:
Even though I was (am) a huge VY fan, I still get irritated at retrospectives like ESPN's that do not recognize how talented that team was as a whole. All four starting defensive backs plus the nickel back went on to play in the pros. All the offensive linemen (except one who chose not to), tight end, running back (Jamaal), defensive line, etc. played in the pros. Ramonce would have if he had not screwed up his life. That was a hugely talented team all round (it had to be to beat a similarly loaded team in USC)--so it certainly deserves the top spot.
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You know who I feel is always forgotten from this team? TE David Thomas. He was always clutch. He was Mr Dependable whenever we needed that first down and often went for more.
 
Did anyone see Andre Ware when they asked him if Texas was the best team of the last 20 years? That dude hates Texas so much that he barely waited for the question to finish before he practically screamed "NO!" before he pumped up the 2001 Miami team.

I can totally get the argument that Miami 2k1 should be on top. They were absolutely loaded. But hearing it come from Ware was pretty laughable considering his near apoplectic hatred of all things UT.
 
If I understand the premise of the original ESPN article, which I did read, actually presented NOT "the best team of the past 20 years", rather "the best champion team of the BCS+ era, which is the past 20 years." Which ignores the teams who lost in those title games.

From my view, for example, I DO think that 2005 USC was one of the finest college football teams ever to take the field. Problem: they faced one of the best, and perhaps MOST HIGHLY MOTIVATED teams in college football history. (For Texas lore, see also the 1963 team that gobsmacked the North/Eastern darling Navy squad in the Cotton Bowl.)

As they say: "Machts nicht." (German for "doesn't matter").

However, points out the failing of making such a list. Since that 2005 USC team lost by 3 points in the last few seconds of a football game reminiscent of an Ali-Forman-Frazier bout, that USC team isn't considered by this ESPN list as one "of the best teams of the past 20 years?"

Really?

Really? Come on, man.
 
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