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Why Michigan would have beaten the 1997 Nebraska team...

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Hail Michigan 1965

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Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
 
We give up. You win. The 1997 Michigan team would have cleaned Nebraska's clock. Can we still keep the crystal trophy, though? Please, kings of football? Please? Oh, and it's 100 points "fewer," not "less." But you knew that, right? You know everything else.
 
I know it's an oft recycled point, but bowl games...

Michigan eked out a win over #8 Washington State, with a questionable call sealing it.

Nebraska steamrolled #3 Tennessee 42-17, with 8 of the Vols points coming from a garbage time TD and conversion with less than a minute left.
 
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Hail Michigan 1965 said:
Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
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Hail Michigan 1965 said:
Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
Click to expand...

What say I? Fake news. You were awarded a trophy by the media.
 
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Hail Michigan 1965 said:
Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
Click to expand...

Helluva game. Michigan D was salty with Heisman CB.
 
The Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning connection with the Nebraska Michigan debate is awesome. A top 3 QB of all time vs the biggest bust of all time.. pretty funny.

Also interesting is that both Manning bros played their final college game against Nebraska. One was for the national championship. One was played in Shreveport.....................
 
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A rose bowl win against an artificially rankings inflated Pac 10 team that spent most of the year outside the top 10 and named washington state did you no favors. It also didn't help that you beat them by a whopping 5 points. Your highly ranked opponents were all in the B1G except for a CU team that won 5 games but was ranked in the top 10 when you played them. Hardly a ringing endorsement. You struggled through numerous games generating hardly any kind of offense.

Meanwhile we thumped most everyone we played including 2 top 3 programs from different conferences. Our two toughest games being MO and CU. CU is almost always a tough game at their home because for them, that is their super bowl. The Missouri game with a last second miracle catch lost NU the full natty leading to an unprecedented drop in the bowls after a victory.

It is fun to do all these old "what ifs" and I honestly don't mind split national championships from back then. Both teams were very good and no one is ever going to know what would have happened. If you can't play on the field, it is stupid to just make one or the other the arbitrary winner. I liked it best though, when TO voted for GT in their split natty :p
 
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I remember watching that Washington State-Michigan bowl game. Refs completely hosed Washington State at the end of that game to save Michigan from losing to Ryan Leaf, the NFL bust QB.

Nebraska went on to destroy a senior Peyton Manning Tennessee team loaded with NFL players. Tennessee would win the National Championship the following year.

Any defense led by a CB cannot be one of the best defenses of all time. Blackshirts would have buried Griese and Michigan would have been lucky to score 10 points.
 
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Suhrreal said:
I remember watching that Washington State-Michigan bowl game. Refs completely hosed Washington State at the end of that game to save Michigan from losing to Ryan Leaf, the NFL bust QB.

Nebraska went on to destroy a senior Peyton Manning Tennessee team loaded with NFL players. Tennessee would win the National Championship the following year.

Any defense led by a CB cannot be one of the best defenses of all time. Blackshirts would have buried Griese and Michigan would have been lucky to score 10 points.
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Maybe when Ryan Leaf gets out of prison they can actually finish that dominant Rose Bowl win over WSU.
 
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My cousin in Ann Arbor ran one simulation on his playstation in 1998 and it clearly showed michigan winning. So I guess its settled.
 
Hail Michigan 1965 said:
Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
Click to expand...

Michigan had the best D in the nation, but Nebraska also had a great defense, allowing 16ppg.

Nebraska has the best Offense in the nation, and Michigan’s was pretty average.

Nebraska had a huge coaching advantage. With a month to prepare TO wins that game every time.
 
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The 1997 debate was won in 2005 when we beat Michigan in the Alamo bowl. In 1997, we said "anytime, anywhere" and, well, that time and place was 2005 in San Antonio.

Ol' Callahan has taken his share of criticism but he got us to play a helluva game that night. Michigan was heavily favored and we took it to them. We almost screwed the whole thing up by quitting on the last play but luckily Zack Bowman made a touchdown saving tackle.

In my mind, the 2005 Alamo Bowl win is probably one of the top five wins in the post-Osborne era... and given the fact that it was for the full share of the 1997 national championship.. probably the most single most important game since the 1997 bowl victory.
 
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Washington st averaged 40 points a game!!! that year and the Michigan defense held Washington St to a season low 16 points!!!

Washington st scored 483 points in 12 games which averages out to 40.25 points a game!

Nebraska fans scolding Michigan for a 21-16 victory over a very potent Washington St offensive juggernaut.

Two common opponents in Colorado and Baylor and Mi hogan beat them both in convincing fashion 27-3 vs Colorado and 38-3 can Baylor. Michigan was clearly more dominant vs the two common opponents they played.

I think Nebraska had a fine team but the Michigan defense would be the difference vs Nebraska.
 
huskerhooligansdotcom said:
The 1997 debate was won in 2005 when we beat Michigan in the Alamo bowl. In 1997, we said "anytime, anywhere" and, well, that time and place was 2005 in San Antonio.

Ol' Callahan has taken his share of criticism but he got us to play a helluva game that night. Michigan was heavily favored and we took it to them. We almost screwed the whole thing up by quitting on the last play but luckily Zack Bowman made a touchdown saving tackle.

In my mind, the 2005 Alamo Bowl win is probably one of the top five wins in the post-Osborne era... and given the fact that it was for the full share of the 1997 national championship.. probably the most single most important game since the 1997 bowl victory.
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The Alamo Bowl had none of the 1997 players in the game. The 2005 Alamo bowl means nothing about the 1997 teams.
 
I recall all of the P5 schools except big 10 and PAC 10 joined the bowl Coalition Just because the love for the rose bowl Michigan actually had the opportunity to play Nebraska had the big 10 joined so in reality Michigan was the one who avoided playing Nebraska we'll never know how if would've turned out since you all were scared to play us!!!!
 
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Hail Michigan 1965 said:
Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
Click to expand...
Iowa sucks.
 
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It's only really nutty Michigan fans that think that they would have beaten us in 1997. In reality, it would have been a really awful beat-down for them. I don't think they could have beaten Tennessee, and we smashed Tennessee to the point of pity.

Michigan had the #1 defense that year. Nebraska had like, I dunno, a top 25 defense or something like that.

Nebraska's offense was a monster that year. Michigan's was above average but certainly not in the same class, but they found a way to win, usually just barely.

There is not much of an argument; we should have played, and we would have destroyed Michigan.

Now, this Saturday, Michigan is probably going to destroy us. It's going to take Frost a year or two to really get us humming again, and then...well...the sky's the limit. :)

GBR!
 
There is a really good article at Footballstudyhall.com that talks about how 1997 would have been the perfect year for a Playoff. There were a ton of great teams.

FSU was great.
Nebraska and Michigan were unbeaten.
Florida was really good.
Washington State had 1 loss.
UCLA had 1 loss I think.
Ohio State only lost to Penn State on the road and by 4 points.

But because the old system was so stupid, the two unbeaten teams didnt even play each other. There is a pretty strong argument to be made that FSU should have played either Michigan or Nebraska, because statistically they were awesome, they just lost to Florida.
 
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Hail Michigan 1965 said:
Oh, I bet that got your attention didn’t it? Yes, The 1997 National Title that will forever be argued about of who really was the better team.

Point#1. One of the Best defenses ever! Led by Heisman Trophy winner/cornerback/return man/wideout Charles Woodson, the 1997 Wolverines put up a statistical wall, finishing the year No.1 in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. Six of Michigan’s opponents -half- were held to 7 points or less. The Wolverines allowed foes only 9.5 points per game on the season.

Point.#2 Charles Woodson

Woodson was dominant in all phases,

Two common opponents that Michigan and Nebraska played that year were Colorado and Baylor and Michigan whipped Colorado 27-3 and Baylor 38-3 and Nebraska has to hold on vs Colorado 27-24 and beat Baylor 49-21.

Michigan’s defense is the #1 reason I believe Michigan would have defeated Nebraska if the two teams ever got to play.

I’m sure Nebraska fans will disagree and it is a shame Michigan vs Nebraska didn’t get to be settled on the field.

Nebraska gave up 214 points to its opponents and Michigan gave up 114 points. 100 points less!!! That’s why I believe Michigan would have beaten Nebraska in a game. What say you?
Click to expand...
c905f3c630b72b057593c978a7a3c939.gif
 
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Over 20 years ago. Don’t care cause they got the crystal. Have no problem splitting with Michigan.

I get why Michigan would have a beef with splitting... before that no team had ever won their last game finishing untied and unbeaten while also being #1 going into that final game and been dropped to #2.

Did TO get a retirement gift? Could be.

I know this for certain. Had Michigan handled Wazzu they way they should have there is no split.

Couple that with curb stomping a top 5 SEC champion and the split was plausible.

Would have been a great game.
 
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Hail Michigan 1965 said:
The Alamo Bowl had none of the 1997 players in the game. The 2005 Alamo bowl means nothing about the 1997 teams.
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It was a close game.. you guys almost pulled it out because we thought the game was over. Alas, we made the TD saving tackle that night in 2005, winning us full share of the 1997 national championship. I understand that it is a bit complicated, but the facts are the facts.
 
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What is never talked about is Wash State gave up almost 31 points a game in the Pac Ten that season and held Michigan to 21 points and there should still be a second on the clock for Wash State to run one more play! Neb defense that year holds Michigan to lots less than Wash State does!
 
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Michigan's defense never came close, and I mean NEVER came close, to playing a power option team like Nebraska. Nebraska's offense was far better physically, with a qb and rb that could take it to the house on any play, and receivers who caught passes and blocked like trucks.

Michigan's offense was exactly the kind of offense that the super fast Husker D would have eaten up, and Griese would have been under siege the whole time he was back there trying to figure who to pass to. Nebraska was honed by playing the Florida's, Florida State's, and Miami's of the world, Michigan had no intimidation factor in them at all, they had nothing that Nebraska hadn't seen before.

Tennessee gave a good fight for one quarter, after that, Nebraska owned them the rest of the way. Nebraska-Michigan would have been a good game, but the team that had the more dynamic offense, great defense and special teams wins, and that's Nebraska. Oh, and no way in hell Carr outsmarts Osborne.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/ncaa...woodson-scott-frost/vsbyxm18ybl31cz20pn5xhguj
 
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DerHusker said:
Play the final 2 seconds of that Rose Bowl game and then we can talk.
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That’s a very stupid statement. Washington st shouldn’t of even been down that far as the ref swallowed his whistle on the offensive pass interference blown call.

Even if they got another play doesn’t mean they would have scored. Stupid argument.
 
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