Well, in regards to Texas, I don't really see them as "down", but most of my longhorn friends do. They have very high expectations and winning it all a few years ago has rekindled that. Losing to Oklahoma also has a huge negative effect on them. Very similar rivalry to Alabama/Auburn. But even so, they don't need much of a push to get back in the hunt for the BCS - just beat Oklahoma. If they do that, nobody in their conference should beat them and I would think they would be a top 5 team. I'm more inclined to wonder about a team like Texas A&M. They are a traditionally good school in a talent rich state and have been down now for some time. Terry brought up Georgia Tech and they are a great example of "once upon a time", but I can't see them turning around enough to compete in the BCS. So many more teams are good these days.
A lot of Ga. Tech success is going to ride on their division. Shannon is still an unknown commodity for the Coastal Division and then you also have Va Tech to contend with. I have my suspicions that Davis is going to have North Carolina contending in the near future as well. We have Tech scheduled in a couple of years and that should be enough time for Johnson to get the players he needs to having to run his offense. If there is one thing I can say for sure, it's going to be interesting to see if the triple option attack can work successfully in today's age of football. There certainly has been a good deal of debate about it. Personally, I love a running based offense. They'll have my attention in the coming years for no other reason that the enjoyment of the game.
Off topic a little, but... With three straight 11(+) win seasons and some pretty fantastic recruiting, I'd say LSU is rapidly going to join the "great expectations" club as well. Most of us would be outwardly crushed with a 4 loss season next year, and the rest would probably be inwardly crushed but too proud to show it. Back on topic... Miami looks like they're recruiting very well. If Shannon can keep them focused on football, they'll be looking good. Hell, they're not in EDSBS's Fulmer Cup Top 10, so they're kickin' butt.
I think we have been there awhile now. Just look at random comments after a loss, or even a close victory. Though I attribute most of that to a younger, internet crowd that didn't live through the 70's-90's. I agree. I think Miami has the best chance to regain their swagger.
What are you talking about? Texas has been to a BCS bowl 2 of the last 4 years. I think that completely qualifies as making it "more than once in 5 years" as Dude originally posted. Texas can not be described in any way, shape or form as a program needing to "come back" from anything. How does an accurate observation make anyone a closet Texas fan? :huh:
If our Tigers had not even played in a BSC bowl for the last two seasons these boards would be on fire about us coming back. I live among these Longhorn 'fans' and the vast majority are not pleased with the way the football program has gone since Vince left. The pressure is on Mack to show that it is him, not Vince, that won the MNC. So I strongly disagree with your first comment. But hey, you got me. Texas has played in BSC games more than once in the last five years. I did forget they beat Michigan the year before they won it all. And no, I don't really think you were a closet Texas fan after posting thousands of times on these boards for years. I was just joking with you for jumping on my comment that Texas would be back in the BSC games soon. We Ok?
Well, putting Texas in the same boat as teams that have not sniffed an opportunity to play for a national championship like an FSU(5 or 6 losses in the past 3 years) or a Notre Dame(9 losses last year) or a Nebraska(4, 5 6 & 7 losses each year) just itsn't right. Texas fans might not be happy with having 3 losses in each of the 2 past campaigns but if you look at their record over the past decade you'll see a bunch of 3 loss seasons in there. I can see why the Horn fans would be disappointed but 3 losses doesn't mean a team is sliding into an abyss. As for what LSU fans expect and how'd we react if we were in a BCS bowl 2 years in a row, well we wnet through that a scant 3 and 3 years ago when we went to the Cap One and followed that up with a Peach Bowl appearance. And I surely didn't think we had to revitalize the program at that time. In my opinion the thread is more about programs that had fallen on Hard times, not down to just being pretty darn good.
Nebraska has lacked a good defense since Pelini left and that's what he was brought back to do....play better D. I think he'll do that. Can Pelini bring Nebraska back to the heyday? I think the powerbrokers in CF have shifted over the last 20 years and he'll have a hard time breaking in with a bunch of BCS success. But they'll be much more competitive with Bo. No more average teams hanging 70 on them.
Come on!!! Please reread my posts. I did not mention abyss or even losing four games in a season. My original point was that Texas could be back to a national title contender soon. They have not been in the mix the last two years at the end of the year.
