Does anyone here think we were honestly the "best" team in 98?

#27
#27
I absolutely think we deserved to be in the championship game that year. I just wonder if we really played the correct team. I personally think Ohio St and Kansas St were both better that year. They just lost at the worst time of the year and Florida St. lost early which is why they got in. If Ohio St and Kansas St had not lost, would we have even been in it? They were both ranked ahead of us going into the final week of the season if I remember right.
 
#28
#28
I absolutely think we deserved to be in the championship game that year. I just wonder if we really played the correct team. I personally think Ohio St and Kansas St were both better that year. They just lost at the worst time of the year and Florida St. lost early which is why they got in. If Ohio St and Kansas St had not lost, would we have even been in it? They were both ranked ahead of us going into the final week of the season if I remember right.

I'm pretty confident UT could've handled K State. I used to always think OSU was the best team that year but looking back at the talent on both rosters, the only real talented guys on OSU I can remember were David Boston, Antoine Winfield, Katzenmoyer, Na'il Diggs, and probably some I'm forgetting. UT had a lot more stars. Plus Coach Cooper probably wouldn't have prepared them too well in the NC.
 
#29
#29
In '98, with the exception of the Arkansas game, Tennessee was losing to their opponents for a total of about 15 minutes. The rest of the time, they were either tied or ahead.

They were behind against Syracuse 27-24 for about 2 minutes before taking the lead back, then down 33-31 for another 2 minutes before taking the lead back again to win the game.

They were behind UF for about 1 minute 3-0, before Bryson made his 60 yard TD run 2 plays later. Then were tied or lead the rest of the game.

Never trailed Houston, Auburn, UGA, Bama, SC, or UAB.

Trailed UK 7-6 for about 3 minutes before taking the lead back and then never gave it back up.

Never trailed Vandy.

Trailed MSU 0-7 for about 5 minutes, then later trailed them 10-14 for 3 more minutes.

Never trailed FSU.

That's domination. To never trail 8 opponents, and then only trail 4 other opponents for a total of about 15 minutes
 
#30
#30
I absolutely think we deserved to be in the championship game that year. I just wonder if we really played the correct team. I personally think Ohio St and Kansas St were both better that year. They just lost at the worst time of the year and Florida St. lost early which is why they got in. If Ohio St and Kansas St had not lost, would we have even been in it? They were both ranked ahead of us going into the final week of the season if I remember right.

Ohio State lost to a crappy 6-6 Michigan State team. Kansas State lost their bowl game (2 total losses), so nuts to them.
 
#31
#31
It's worth pointing out that Billy Ratliff absolutely blew the Arkansas guard back into Stoerner on that play, causing Stoerner to trip up and fumble. An incredibly lucky play, obviously, but it didn't just fall out of the air -- Ratliff made a hell of a play to help luck along.

Billy Ratliff is probably my favorite former player, but he got his ass kicked every single play that day against Burlsworth. I had the chance to ask him about that play a couple years back, and he basically said that he just charged straight ahead and got a hell of a break.

On one series to start the second half, Ratliff and Walker switched sides; Walker went to Ratliff after the series and said, "This guy's killing me. Get your fat ass back over there.":)

And as I've been saying for years...if Burlsworth hadn't met such a premature end and had actually had the chance to play in the NFL, we'd be talking about how soon after his retirement he'd be going into Canton.
 
#32
#32
I absolutely think we deserved to be in the championship game that year. I just wonder if we really played the correct team. I personally think Ohio St and Kansas St were both better that year. They just lost at the worst time of the year and Florida St. lost early which is why they got in. If Ohio St and Kansas St had not lost, would we have even been in it? They were both ranked ahead of us going into the final week of the season if I remember right.

UT was either first or second, UCLA had the other spot, and Kansas State was third. Florida State was fourth, Ohio State fifth.

UCLA's loss put Kansas State into the #2 spot and moved Florida State up to 3 and Ohio State 4. When Kansas State lost, it put Florida State into the 2 spot and kept Ohio State out.
 
#34
#34
I absolutely think we deserved to be in the championship game that year. I just wonder if we really played the correct team. I personally think Ohio St and Kansas St were both better that year. They just lost at the worst time of the year and Florida St. lost early which is why they got in. If Ohio St and Kansas St had not lost, would we have even been in it? They were both ranked ahead of us going into the final week of the season if I remember right.

UCLA was the other undefeated team going into the final weekend of play, not Ohio State.

Tennessee was ranked first in the BCS standings going into that weekend. UCLA was second; Kansas State third. If everybody had won, two teams would have had to leapfrog us to get in. Wasn't going to happen.
 
#37
#37
Honestly, I am not sure that the "best" team wins the championship most years. Unlike other sports, football has no series. Any result could be a fluke. It's a game where you have to capitalize on your opportunities, as you usually only get one shot.

Capitalizing on opportunities is part of the game. The Stoerner stumble was luck. The forty or fifty yard drive that ensued was preparation/hard work/determination. If you capitalize better than your opponents then that is a factor that helps determine if you are the better team. You never hear anyone saying, "well we were clearly the better team that year, but we just couldn't capitalize on some of the fortunate positions we were put in. The best teams always capitalize on luck/opponent's mistakes.
 
#38
#38
Capitalizing on opportunities is part of the game. The Stoerner stumble was luck. The forty or fifty yard drive that ensued was preparation/hard work/determination. If you capitalize better than your opponents then that is a factor that helps determine if you are the better team. You never hear anyone saying, "well we were clearly the better team that year, but we just couldn't capitalize on some of the fortunate positions we were put in. The best teams always capitalize on luck/opponent's mistakes.

I totally agree with everythign you posted, but Fulmer said almost exactly that in 2005 and after losses in subsequent years.
 
#39
#39
We had an outstanding football team that year. Did we catch a couple of big breaks? Yes, but as has been said, you have to to win a national title--no matter how good your are. The Vols biggest break came when Florida State had to play it's third-string QB--righit?--in the title game, a guy who'd started only one or two games prior to that. That clearly hurt them. If they are playing their starter or number two QB, I'm not sure we win that game. But I'm happy to say that I was there when we did and had a great time listening to Al Wilson talking to reporters afterwards. Our team the next year--99--was just as good if not better than than 98 squad--LOADED!!. But we gagged (again!) against florida and lost two other games!
 
#40
#40
Everybody talks about the Arkansas game being lucky. I tell you where we got lucky--beating florida that year. They went up and down the field all night--but had five turnovers, including a fumble at our 1 yard line that Wilson recovered. We also scored on a pass that was a Martin wounded duck that one of our wideouts miraculously caught in the end zone. Then florida missed the fg in the end zone and we made ours--great kicker. We easily could have--and perhaps should have--lost that game. But the ball bounced our way...
 
#41
#41
I was at the Arkansas game and I remember as soon as I saw Stoerner roll out, I was like, "Why are they passing? I don't get it." That was an unbelievable finish to that game. A bad coaching decision on Arkansas' part does not mean we were lucky. We defensed the play perfectly and came away with a victory! Period.
 
#42
#42
I was at the Arkansas game and I remember as soon as I saw Stoerner roll out, I was like, "Why are they passing? I don't get it." That was an unbelievable finish to that game. A bad coaching decision on Arkansas' part does not mean we were lucky. We defensed the play perfectly and came away with a victory! Period.

and what coach made that fabulous call? The same one who is supposed to lead OM to the SEC title :eek:lol:
 
#43
#43
Everybody talks about the Arkansas game being lucky. I tell you where we got lucky--beating florida that year. They went up and down the field all night--but had five turnovers, including a fumble at our 1 yard line that Wilson recovered. We also scored on a pass that was a Martin wounded duck that one of our wideouts miraculously caught in the end zone. Then florida missed the fg in the end zone and we made ours--great kicker. We easily could have--and perhaps should have--lost that game. But the ball bounced our way...

Those turnovers were forced. That's not lucky. And it was Raynoch Thompson that recovered the fumble in the endzone. The Martin "wounded duck" was a long fade route to the front corner of the endzone. It was a jump ball between Peerless and the cornerback. The safety was in the area, but was out of control because he was so far out of position at the beginning of the play. These things are not luck, they are execution. The only instances of "luck" that I recall were when We got bailed out in the Syracuse game with a pass interference call after going for it on 4th down, and with Stoerner's idiotic idea to balance himself on the ball. Two lucky plays does not mean that your whole season was determined by luck.
 
#45
#45
I graduated from UTK in 77 and have been watching college football longer than that. Yes, we were the best team in 98. I saw our team time after time rise to the occasion, make things happen and do what we needed to do to win.

I think because we weren't overwhelming, some are questioning if we were the best. Sometimes the best isn't always pretty. I do believe our defense was spectacular that year. They were the key to our glorious season.

GO VOLS!!
 
#46
#46
Maybe not, but in 2001 I think we could have given Miami a better run than Nebraska.

Don't forget that '01 Miami (one of the best teams ever) nearly lost to Boston College.

Miami was up 12-7 with about a minute to go, BC was down around the Miami 10-yard-line, when a tipped ball was intercepted by a DT, who had the ball taken from him by Ed Reed, who returned it for a TD.
 
#47
#47
Don't forget that '01 Miami (one of the best teams ever) nearly lost to Boston College.

Miami was up 12-7 with about a minute to go, BC was down around the Miami 10-yard-line, when a tipped ball was intercepted by a DT, who had the ball taken from him by Ed Reed, who returned it for a TD.

That was definitely a down game for them, but I've got to think they'd have been psyched up to destroy UT or whomever in the NC game. I feel the same way about UT facing anyone from 1998, including a Weinke-led Nole team. Weinke wasn't nearly as mobile as Outzen. Our DL would have buried him.
 
#48
#48
That was definitely a down game for them, but I've got to think they'd have been psyched up to destroy UT or whomever in the NC game. I feel the same way about UT facing anyone from 1998, including a Weinke-led Nole team. Weinke wasn't nearly as mobile as Outzen. Our DL would have buried him.

If you only knew how many times I've been told by a FSU fan that "If Weinke was healthy we would have won..."
 
#49
#49
I think we were the best team in '98. Every team has to have some luck along the way, and we had ours that year in the Ark game. Of course, there is really no way to tell for sure, but I say we were.
 
#50
#50
Yes I know we won the championship and I am as happy as anyone about that!

We were very lucky that year! We were lucky with Syracuse, with Arkansas, with Florida, and with Miss St in the SEC championship game. We were never "world beaters" against anyone. We never really dominated anyone except for Georgia and struggled to win many of our games!

Then there's the fact that we played Florida St. in the championship game. A team that "back doored" their way into the championship game and they had to start a freshman at QB.

Honestly, I think in terms of actual talent I think we were about the 3rd or 4th best team in the country. I thought the 97 team was much more talented.

2002 Ohio St won a bunch of nailbiters with Craig Krenzel at QB.

They are still considered the champs though.
 

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