97 vs 98 Vols

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

I’m sure its been said but

97 team had Peyton Manning.
98 team didn’t.

 

[Eastknox865]

Happy Off-season!

The anniversary of our 98 natty was yesterday (Jan 4th) and it got me to thinking. Why did the 98 team win the title and the 97 team didn't? I was in the opening decade of my life in 98, so I only only vaguely remember what it was like to watch it on TV live. This also means I don't have a strong grasp on the differences in rosters between the two seasons, or the strength of the opponents those years. I know that Florida State played a backup QB, which may have made a difference, especially since Wienke was a great college players and Outzen threw a pick 6, which might have been the difference by the end of the game.

I went to whatifsports.com, which is a simulator, and I simulated the 97 team against the 98 team. I simulated the game five times, and the 97 team won all five games, and honestly it wasn't particularly close (screenshots attached). I know it's just a simulator, but...

So, enlighten me. What were the main differences between 97 and 98, and how was the 98 team able to do what the 97 team couldn't.

Nebraska was the difference

 

[kcvols1]

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[newyorkvol]

Tom Osborne last game. Ahman Green. Prove manning shouldn’t have won heisman and reinforce Woodson/Michigan. That game was over before it started.

 

[Volizona]

The ‘98 Florida team was better than the ‘97 Florida team, but the ‘98 Florida team made several costly mistakes against Tennessee.

Al Wilson was directly responsible for some of Florida’s costly mistakes in 98.

 

[Carl Pickens]

You are correct. A team that had a ton of talent, but became fat and happy counting their NFL paychecks once they got their season over with.

Yep…. They didn’t even mail it in against Nebraska

 

[OrangeInKy]

I believe I remember the 99 team was suppose to be the better of all. DIdn't pan out, but it was a loaded team

The 2001 team was maybe as good as that one, IMO, which is why the game that shall not be spoken of still makes me so angry.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Chris Weinke was a sophmore, not a senior. And the Weinke of 1998 was not the same guy who won the Heisman in 2000 or even the guy who led FSU to the title in '99. He was completing 50% of his passes before he got hurt in early November. He lacked mobility and the Tennessee front seven, which dominated the game, would have teed off on him all night.

I’ve always thought this as well. He was a statue and I think the Vols would have abused him like alcohol.

 

[JohnWardForever]

I think multiple guys who were on both the 97 and 98 teams have said they thought the 97 team was better.

The plain and simple truth? Too much jealousy of Peyton that resulted in less effort from certain players. I lived it, and was well connected to it.

 

[hUTch2002]

Happy Off-season!

The anniversary of our 98 natty was yesterday (Jan 4th) and it got me to thinking. Why did the 98 team win the title and the 97 team didn't? I was in the opening decade of my life in 98, so I only only vaguely remember what it was like to watch it on TV live. This also means I don't have a strong grasp on the differences in rosters between the two seasons, or the strength of the opponents those years. I know that Florida State played a backup QB, which may have made a difference, especially since Wienke was a great college players and Outzen threw a pick 6, which might have been the difference by the end of the game.

I went to whatifsports.com, which is a simulator, and I simulated the 97 team against the 98 team. I simulated the game five times, and the 97 team won all five games, and honestly it wasn't particularly close (screenshots attached). I know it's just a simulator, but...

So, enlighten me. What were the main differences between 97 and 98, and how was the 98 team able to do what the 97 team couldn't.

The better team doesn’t always win, you just have to be better on the day if the game. For example, in 98, Florida was the better team when we played them. We beat them because we were at home and we played an insanely good defensive game (thanks to Al, Deon and crew). By year end I think we were better than UF but not at the start when Tee was still figuring things out. A recent example, Bama beat UGA. In no way do I think Bama is the better team but they were that day. The 98 team had a way of rising to the occasion when the situation required it.

 

[hUTch2002]

We were good in '98--but also lucky: Got some big breaks in the Florida game--as I recall the Gators fumbled five times, and lost one of them at our 1 yard line or thereabouts.

And of course the Arkansas fumble late.

There was also the PI flag at Syracuse--but that was a good call.

The '99 team SHOULD have won it all--maybe the most talent we've ever had in the modern era--and we could have won it in 2001 as well.

Slightly different perspective, we made those breaks against UF. Those weren’t them dropping the ball. Those were folks like Al Wilson slobber knocking someone or Deon making a great pick.

Arkansas was definitely lucky. Yes we forced the issue but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a QB do what Stoerner did and it was a stupid play call given the situation.

2001 team likely would’ve lost to Miami as that Miami team was absolutely stacked. We definitely would’ve put up a much better fight than Nebraska though.

 

[hUTch2002]

You forgot to mention both Kansas State and UCLA losing on the last Saturday of the season. Without that, UT may not have even been in the championship game.

Nah. We were ahead of both already. They weren’t dropping us below UCLA based on them beating a mediocre Miami team. I don’t recall A&M’s ranking when they beat K State but I think it was within a few spots of Miss St. so I don’t think that would’ve been enough to jump us either. No matter what we’d have been top 2 though.

 

[hUTch2002]

You know the luckiest break of all that year might have absolutely nothing to do with UT. Miss St beating Arkansas, which meant we would not have to play Arkansas again in the SECCG, might have been the luckiest break of all. That Arkansas team was physical and whipped us in our own house for most of that game.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Nah. We were ahead of both already. They weren’t dropping us below UCLA based on them beating a mediocre Miami team. I don’t recall A&M’s ranking when they beat K State but I think it was within a few spots of Miss St. so I don’t think that would’ve been enough to jump us either. No matter what we’d have been top 2 though.

You may be right and maybe it was just my BVS at the time but I distinctly remember being concerned that we might get snubbed out of the championship game until they both lost.

 

[hUTch2002]

In a normal year, probably. In 1995? No way. That Nebraska team is the greatest CFB team of my nearly 50 years following the sport. They would have beat us like a rented mule, like they did everyone. Florida did us a favor beating us that year because it spared us the embarrassment that Florida was subjected to of having to play them. They just crushed anyone and everyone on the line of scrimmage.

I remembered that Nebraska had beaten every team by double digits (only one team managed to only lose by 14 to that Nebraska team) but I didn’t realize Florida had also won every game by double digits. They had 2 11-point wins and all others were by more than 2 TDs. Florida also had played more top 25 teams (at least at the time the game was played) than Nebraska.

 

[hUTch2002]

You may be right and maybe it was just my BVS at the time but I distinctly remember being concerned that we might get snubbed out of the championship game until they both lost.

They might’ve jumped K State over us. That team with Bishop at the helm was good. I’m glad we didn’t get them.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

They might’ve jumped K State over us. That team with Bishop at the helm was good. I’m glad we didn’t get them.

Me too! That team scared me all season long! Despite being upset by A&M I still think they were more deserving to be there than FSU.

 

[hUTch2002]

UCLA lost their first two games (2nd game to UT) then won out.

Wrong year. UCLA was undefeated and played Miami in a makeup game from where a hurricane cause a previous cancellation. Funny thing is had UCLA not played the game they probably make the NCG.

 

[hUTch2002]

People get things from those years confused all the time, I guess it's understandable since it's been quite a while ago now. Lol.

I remember those days better than I remember what happened yesterday. Getting older sucks.

 

[hUTch2002]

Chris Weinke was a sophmore, not a senior. And the Weinke of 1998 was not the same guy who won the Heisman in 2000 or even the guy who led FSU to the title in '99. He was completing 50% of his passes before he got hurt in early November. He lacked mobility and the Tennessee front seven, which dominated the game, would have teed off on him all night.

That and Outzen beat a damn good #4 Florida team just fine. He was way more mobile than Weinke. If they beat Florida they were good enough to beat us. I do think Ohio State might’ve been slightly better but Weinke being out didn’t have as much impact as people think.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I remembered that Nebraska had beaten every team by double digits (only one team managed to only lose by 14 to that Nebraska team) but I didn’t realize Florida had also won every game by double digits. They had 2 11-point wins and all others were by more than 2 TDs. Florida also had played more top 25 teams (at least at the time the game was played) than Nebraska.

Yeah, that's one of many reasons I hold that Nebraska team in such high asteem. That Florida team was really, really good. They would have won the natty in probably 90-95% of the seasons of CFB history and Nebraska absolutely obliterated them.

 

[hUTch2002]

Everything you needed to know about the 01 team happened after the UF win. Guys had roses in their mouths on Florida Field after the win, and when they got back to campus they paraded themselves around like they had just won the national title. They completely, 100% overlooked the SECCG and it was obvious as soon as the UF game ended.

The school made a season in review documentary about the 2001 team, showing them arriving back on campus after the UF win and John Henderson declaring "We're going to win a championship" and then the video just ends. lol

They started fine against LSU from my recollection. We were up 10 and had knocked out the QB and RB. I think we thought we had it at that point and then came the most frustrating second half I’ve possibly ever seen from UT given what was on the line and the talent on that team.

 

[hUTch2002]

The plain and simple truth? Too much jealousy of Peyton that resulted in less effort from certain players. I lived it, and was well connected to it.

Are you saying you were jealous of Peyton?

 

[hUTch2002]

Me too! That team scared me all season long! Despite being upset by A&M I still think they were more deserving to be there than FSU.

Ohio State was who most folks thought got jobbed. They were number 1 the first half of the year and right before the first BCS rankings they lost to Michigan State.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

That and Outzen beat a damn good #4 Florida team just fine. He was way more mobile than Weinke. If they beat Florida they were good enough to beat us. I do think Ohio State might’ve been slightly better but Weinke being out didn’t have as much impact as people think.

There are always efforts by haters to discredit whatever team wins the national championship. The truth is almost every team that has won it has had some twist in the course of the season which could be construed as good fortune. The Outzen thing is one such hater narrative. He didn't suck by any means as you point out, and injuries are part of the game. We won, the national champion was clad in big orange that year, end of story.