Traditional Powerhouse Programs on the Rebound

Submitted by michman79 on

Of all the traditional powerhouses coming out of lulls; where does Michigan stack up?

Miami, FL- Impressive wins vs. FSU and GT. (will know more after Oklahoma and VT)

Auburn- (3-0 with more offense than they've seen in a long time)

Nebraska- (2-1 with only loss to top 10 VT in last minute)

Michigan- (3-0 including win over ND)

I put Michigan 2nd behind Miami.

jcgold

September 21st, 2009 at 10:00 PM ^

Though not on the same level as the others, Washington is undergoing a revival. They are not a consistent title contender, they are certainly a very strong program traditionally. I put them over Nebraska and under the rest.

NYWolverine

September 21st, 2009 at 11:43 PM ^

Washington's getting their swagger back with Coach Sark. He's done a great job changing the loser mentality in his locker-room and I'm confident that team is turning the corner. A great fit for the sleeping giant in the Pac-10. Only 3 games in, but I think 3 very telling games. 4 quarters football.

I know it's going to get annoying fast, but I'm digging the Washington message boards full of fans signing off, 'we're baaaack! WOOF!' You know they've been dying to do that and I'm happy for them. I like a competitive Pac-10, and dig the idea of watching our new-look Michigan go up against Joe Montana's son in the future.

michman79

September 21st, 2009 at 10:02 PM ^

Solid point on Wash JC. I'm interested to see how they compete with the rest of the PAC-10. 2-1 with a tough fought loss to LSU. Definitely a different team than last year's 0-12 squad.

jcgold

September 21st, 2009 at 10:13 PM ^

Other than USC and Cal, I'm not sure anyone is better than the huskies in the Pac-10. Possibly Oregon? Either way, they get both oregon and Cal at home, and their toughest Pac-10 road game is Oregon State. I see no reason this team shouldn't be a 9 win team. Jake Locker is finally in a system that utilizes his talents and allows him to lead the offense.

MaizeNBlue

September 21st, 2009 at 11:25 PM ^

It's too early to call nine wins for UW. They had one hell of a game against USC, don't get me wrong, but because of the level of talent on that team, they're prone to lose to anyone any week. In reverse, though, they could also take anyone out on a given week, too, but I don't see them winning 9 games.

naberiusx

September 21st, 2009 at 10:06 PM ^

I not sold on Kiffin, but I think he'll get UT there as well.

On a side note, espn's reporting, or lack thereof:

Headline from main page link - > Meyer rips Vols' play calling; Kiffin fires back

Headline from actual story - > Kiffin rebuffs Meyer's comments

The "rip" in question - > "When I saw them start handing the ball off, I didn't feel like they were going after the win," Meyer said.

"The way we lose a game there is throw an interception. Why put yourself in that position? Let's find a way to win the game. We're not trying to impress the pollsters. We're trying to win the game. A lot of it had to do with the way they were playing. It made our life a little easier."

A story from espn with all the integrity of some detroit outlets...

turbo cool

September 21st, 2009 at 10:08 PM ^

I love this. I hope all the Boise States and Cincinnatis of the world go back to being mediocre. Enough is enough. Obviously I want Michigan to be sweet but I also want Washington, Nebraska, Tennessee, Auburn, and hell, even Syracuse to be good again. And I don't even like those other schools, I just want the big schools back on top.

MCHammer-smooth

September 21st, 2009 at 11:22 PM ^

Cincy is here to stay ... until Kelly leaves and even then. There is a stable of talent in the Cincinnati public schools that may not be OSU talent but are more than MAC or Indiana, purdue, lower tier Big 10 talent. Plus this area really isn't the OSU lovefest you would think it is. I think they will be good for a while for sure especially with Kelly here (which could be this year only (ND))

AMazinBlue

September 21st, 2009 at 10:09 PM ^

I repeat,

MIAMI IS NOT A TRADITIONAL POWERHOUSE!

Check the record books, the hurricanes had a run for a while, but traditional power, no way in hell!

They are No. 1 in one respect...self promotion!

F the U

BlueinLansing

September 21st, 2009 at 10:39 PM ^

don't bet against Neuheisel

It wasn't that long ago that Alabama was a failed former power, these things go in cycles.

Check out what Texas was like before Mack Brown showed up.

AMazinBlue

September 21st, 2009 at 11:24 PM ^

In the 11 year stretch from 1984-1994 Miami went 115-18-0 .864

Their history of 551-307-19 is a .642 winning pct. If you take out those 11 $eason$ their winning pct drops to .586, hardly a traditional power.

And this may be a little OT, but that program is singularly responsible for more on the field and off the field problems than any other program. The NCAA creates rules just because of Miami, gimme a break.

OOT: Their fight song is: "Miami U. How Dee Doo" WTF!

BlueinLansing

September 22nd, 2009 at 5:37 AM ^

I considered them a powerhouse program in the 80's, early 90's. They had great talent everywhere, consistently sent future NFL Hall of Famers to the league and won big game after big game. Constantly ranked among the top 5.

Now they are simply another big time influential program.

They, like FSU and PSU found out the realities of conference play, and have suffored losses that past Miami teams simply would never have seen because their schedule no longer allows them to tailor it to their needs.

BlueinLansing

September 22nd, 2009 at 5:58 AM ^

by the creation of the Big 12 and Oklahoma and Texas' resurgence. Their best years were in the early 90's, Oklahoma was on probation, Texas was floundering and the Southwest Conference had really lost its pull and its influence and was generally a cupcake league outside the annual game with Texas.

The Big 12 came along in 1996, TAM held its own for about 3 years, but once Texas started getting its act together under John Mackovic. Things began to go soft.

Then in 1998, Texas hired Mack Brown and Oklahoma hired Bob Stoops a year later and its been game over for the Aggies ever since.

Since 1999, the best season TAM has had has included 4 losses and two losing seasons. They've beaten Texas only 3 times (somehow!) and have only beaten Bob Stoops once.

During this time period they'd endured the Dennis Franchione years, and now the Mike Sherman (who?) era which seems destined to end somewhat like the prior one.

Unless Texas and Oklahoma somehow fall apart under Stoops and Brown I wouldn't expect to see TAM back among the 'elite' in the near future, unless they go back to the old Southwest Conference ways of cheating their rears off.

R_mahorn1974

September 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 PM ^

Didn't they upset TEXAS a few years ago?

I love the AM/Texas rivalry, talk smack to eachother in there fight songs.

Texas a&m QB is turning that program around, arn't they 3-0? He broke the record last yr for most TDs in a season too I believe and is only a sophmore or junior(last yr a fresh or soph)

BlueinLansing

September 22nd, 2009 at 6:12 AM ^

I wouldn't regard as a traditional power. In fact I've always considered them somewhat of an enigma, capable of having great seasons (10 wins) and capable of being really quite average.

Their best recent era came in the late 80's in Pat Dye's last few years. Whats important to remember is that Alabama was still trying to move past the Bear Bryant era. (Note to the Rodriguez hateing insiders, desperately seeking ties to the former legend leads to failure. Alabama is the poster child for this sort of hiring desperateness.) Ray Perkins, Bill Curry and finally Gene Stallings (who was actually good) were in charge but hardly great coaches or personalities esp Perkins and Curry. In short Bama was down, and Auburn benefited.

Since then its been a steady stream of 3, 4 and 5 loss seasons with a couple great seasons sprinkled in, including the improbable 13-0 run in 1993 under NCAA probation.

But Auburn has had 5 losing season's since that last great consecutive years run in the late 80's. That to me is somewhat inexplicable.

Its a great name program, and gets lots of exposure due to some great SEC 'name' matchups.......I mean seriously some years they've played Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, LSU, and Alabama.......I mean WOW!

But when I think of the top programs you have to compete against for recruiting or National rankings in the top 10....Auburn isn't one of them.