Volosaurus rex
Doctorate in Volology
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Some forum threads pose topics that can be debated passionately, endlessly and, ultimately, without resolution. For example, the thread entitled Vol uniform/helmet design discussion, pits strident advocates of radical stylistic innovation vs. staunch traditionalists. I would like to pose the following question, one that I suspect will evoke an enormous schism between generations, for your consideration:
Among the traditional powers of college football, precisely where do you believe Tennessees program should be ranked?
This question does not pertain to the last 5-10 years, the last 25 years or any other arbitrary time frame. Rather, it implies historical comparison over the entire histories of programs considered to be traditional powers. Programs recognized in this category are so designated because they have enjoyed higher and longer periods of sustained excellence and shorter and less severe valleys in their respective histories. Oregon, for example, is unquestionably a top-5 program right now but does not deserve mention in this category because of the brevity of their status as an apex program.
Since true objectivity does not correlate strongly with fandom, I also concluded that external insights, specifically ones derived from data compiled by Richard Billingsley, would provide an excellent starting point. For those of you not familiar with his work, Richard Billingsley operates the website, College Football Research Center (Home), and provides one of the computer ranking services that are part of the BCS Selection process. Here is a link to Billingsleys ranking of the top programs of all-time: http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/Top_Programs_2011.htm.
Personally, I believe that he correctly identified the top 9 programs of all-time. He has us ranked 9th overall, right behind USC, and I cannot argue that the programs he has ranked ahead of us don't deserve to be there, based primarily on the number of national championships that they have won, respectively. I wouldnt rank Michigan 2nd all-time and I am a bit surprised that he has Georgia 10th. Moreover, I find it difficult to reconcile the discrepancy between his rankings for Florida State (12th), Florida (20th) and Miami (27th), considering the fact that all three programs essentially came of age as major powers during the mid 1980s. For those of you who may be interested, here is a link to his methodology: http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/Dynamics_08.htm. Be forewarned, however, that this data is more directly relevant to seasonal rankings than all-time program comparisons.
In any event, where do you think that Tennessee should be ranked, ALL-TIME, among college football programs?
Among the traditional powers of college football, precisely where do you believe Tennessees program should be ranked?
This question does not pertain to the last 5-10 years, the last 25 years or any other arbitrary time frame. Rather, it implies historical comparison over the entire histories of programs considered to be traditional powers. Programs recognized in this category are so designated because they have enjoyed higher and longer periods of sustained excellence and shorter and less severe valleys in their respective histories. Oregon, for example, is unquestionably a top-5 program right now but does not deserve mention in this category because of the brevity of their status as an apex program.
Since true objectivity does not correlate strongly with fandom, I also concluded that external insights, specifically ones derived from data compiled by Richard Billingsley, would provide an excellent starting point. For those of you not familiar with his work, Richard Billingsley operates the website, College Football Research Center (Home), and provides one of the computer ranking services that are part of the BCS Selection process. Here is a link to Billingsleys ranking of the top programs of all-time: http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/Top_Programs_2011.htm.
Personally, I believe that he correctly identified the top 9 programs of all-time. He has us ranked 9th overall, right behind USC, and I cannot argue that the programs he has ranked ahead of us don't deserve to be there, based primarily on the number of national championships that they have won, respectively. I wouldnt rank Michigan 2nd all-time and I am a bit surprised that he has Georgia 10th. Moreover, I find it difficult to reconcile the discrepancy between his rankings for Florida State (12th), Florida (20th) and Miami (27th), considering the fact that all three programs essentially came of age as major powers during the mid 1980s. For those of you who may be interested, here is a link to his methodology: http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/Dynamics_08.htm. Be forewarned, however, that this data is more directly relevant to seasonal rankings than all-time program comparisons.
In any event, where do you think that Tennessee should be ranked, ALL-TIME, among college football programs?
