This Team Is Better Than The 1998 Team

[bucket]

Better than 98

They acheived more, based on the difficulty of the schedule 12 faced and winning the conference, but 98 was still far closer to the promised land, and more likely the best team on the country that year.  That said, there are several teams this year better than 98 Utenn, UCLA or Florida St.

1998 was not "far closer". How can you say that? They dominated shitty teams, 2012 would have done the same, (at worst)

98 Nebraska > 12 OU 

Nope. They weren't even better than OSU or TCU this year.

These sorts of comparisons make no sense to me.

That Nebraska team had 15-20 players who went on to play in the NFL. Obviously, I don't think they all played in Manhattan in 98, but I think that team has more NFL'ers than Oklahoma does on their 12 team.

I also think Crouch > Jones so that's what I'm so 98 Nebraska > 12 OU

[michigancat]

Better than 98

They acheived more, based on the difficulty of the schedule 12 faced and winning the conference, but 98 was still far closer to the promised land, and more likely the best team on the country that year.  That said, there are several teams this year better than 98 Utenn, UCLA or Florida St.

1998 was not "far closer". How can you say that? They dominated shitty teams, 2012 would have done the same, (at worst)

98 Nebraska > 12 OU 

Nope. They weren't even better than OSU or TCU this year.

These sorts of comparisons make no sense to me.

Isn't that exactly what you were trying to do in your previous post?

[yosh]

Better than 98

They acheived more, based on the difficulty of the schedule 12 faced and winning the conference, but 98 was still far closer to the promised land, and more likely the best team on the country that year.  That said, there are several teams this year better than 98 Utenn, UCLA or Florida St.

1998 was not "far closer". How can you say that? They dominated shitty teams, 2012 would have done the same, (at worst)

I mean relative to college football in 1998, that team was closer to being the best. This years team got their asses kicked twice.  I mean waffle stomped, embarassed, not even in the game.  Destroyed.  Who was going to to that to the 98 team in 1998?  Nobody.  Perhaps this team is better than 98.  Perhaps college football is better this year.  I think it probabably is.  What I meant with the "far closer" comment, was that I'm still not sure that the 98 team was not the best team in college footbal that year.  I am 100% positive that this team in NOT the best team in college football this year.

[chum1]

Better than 98

They acheived more, based on the difficulty of the schedule 12 faced and winning the conference, but 98 was still far closer to the promised land, and more likely the best team on the country that year.  That said, there are several teams this year better than 98 Utenn, UCLA or Florida St.

1998 was not "far closer". How can you say that? They dominated shitty teams, 2012 would have done the same, (at worst)

98 Nebraska > 12 OU 

Nope. They weren't even better than OSU or TCU this year.

These sorts of comparisons make no sense to me.

Isn't that exactly what you were trying to do in your previous post?

No.

[hemmy]

Better than 98

They acheived more, based on the difficulty of the schedule 12 faced and winning the conference, but 98 was still far closer to the promised land, and more likely the best team on the country that year.  That said, there are several teams this year better than 98 Utenn, UCLA or Florida St.

1998 was not "far closer". How can you say that? They dominated shitty teams, 2012 would have done the same, (at worst)

I mean relative to college football in 1998, that team was closer to being the best. This years team got their asses kicked twice.  I mean waffle stomped, embarassed, not even in the game.  Destroyed.  Who was going to to that to the 98 team in 1998?  Nobody.  Perhaps this team is better than 98.  Perhaps college football is better this year.  I think it probabably is.  What I meant with the "far closer" comment, was that I'm still not sure that the 98 team was not the best team in college footbal that year.  I am 100% positive that this team in NOT the best team in college football this year.

Thats not exactly how I would describe the Oregon game...

[Stevesie60]

98's ceiling was higher, but they were not as consistent. If they had to play good teams each week (like '12), I think they would have dropped one.

[Rage Against the McKee]

College football is so much bigger, faster, and stronger than it was in '98 that I'm not sure if '98 KSU would finish in the top 8 of the 2012 Big 12.

[chum1]

It's not fair to compare them head to head.  You have to adjust for inflation.  That said, the 98 team was probably bigger, stronger, and faster when compared head to head.

[chum1]

Or how about this perspective:  Pretty much everyone thinks that the 98 team underacheived and that the 2012 team overacheived.  Yet, they had the same record.

[felix rex]

The 1998 team averaged 18 more points per game against competition than the 2012 team.   

98
O
YPG 465.3
PPG 48
D
YPG 247.6
PPG 13.3

12
O
YPG 411.25
PPG 38.8
D
YPG 374.5
PPG 22.2

YPP/PPP

TIA

I love how we've become stat snobs.

[steve dave]

I am less high on this team now obviously after seeing Collin's regression. I think '98 had a clearly better QB. I also think they had the better OL. I think '12 had a better RB & WRs. I think the TE and FB positions are a push. The defense is tough to rank position by position for me. '98 had better LBs overall but '12 had the better LB (singular) imo. I think the 2 CBs in '12 are better and safety is about a push. '98 had a better DL overall though Meshak has been great. '98 had a better kicker but worse punter probably.

[Perry]

Memory is vague (I was 8-9) but didn't 98 run a whole heck of a lot of QB draws and options also, like both 2012 and 98 you had a pretty good idea of what was coming in terms of general offensive gameplan? Seems like 98 was harder to stop, given Bishop's athleticism and playmaking ability. Would 2012 have run into those issues if CK was either better or maybe just didn't get sketti brained?

Either way, seems pretty clear that 98 was a better team in 98 than 2012 is in 2012, which is the only fair comparison to make here.

[kso_FAN]

I love how we've become stat snobs.

Me too.* 

*Though its clear/obvious/logical that efficiency stats allow for much better analysis and comparisons that "traditional" stats, no matter the sport.

[steve dave]

Either way, seems pretty clear that 98 was a better team in 98 than 2012 is in 2012, which is the only fair comparison to make here.

how is it clear? '98 lost to two decent teams in aTm and Purdue and '12 lost to a decent team in Baylor and a great team in Oregon. I think there are arguments for both.

[chum1]

I love how we've become stat snobs.

Me too.* 

*Though its clear/obvious/logical that efficiency stats allow for much better analysis and comparisons that "traditional" stats, no matter the sport.

To me, these people come across as not as clever as they think they are.   

[kitten_mittons]

The defense in 98 was scary good. Like, other teams were scared of it.

[Trim]

#Team1998

[Perry]

Either way, seems pretty clear that 98 was a better team in 98 than 2012 is in 2012, which is the only fair comparison to make here.

how is it clear? '98 lost to two decent teams in aTm and Purdue and '12 lost to a decent team in Baylor and a great team in Oregon. I think there are arguments for both.

98 didn't get run off the field the way 2012 did against Baylor. Perhaps a loss is a loss, but I feel that as a whole, the 2012 team didn't look like a NC caliber team the way that 98 did. Maybe I'm not looking at it objectively enough. 98 beat itself, and 2012 got beat by other teams, imo. I feel like 98 was more capable of beating the teams it lost to than 2012 was.

[michigancat]

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/KansasState.htm

Another thing to consider: the 1998 team played TWO games against teams with winning records on the road, and won both by a touchdown or less. The 2012 team played 4, and a 5th that went to a bowl (ISU). In 1998, they had a stretch of 4 games in a row against (Big 12) teams with losing records and just played 4 D1 teams with winning records in the regular season. 2012 played 8. You may want to consider that when you cleverly compare average ppg.

[felix rex]

I love how we've become stat snobs.

Me too.* 

*Though its clear/obvious/logical that efficiency stats allow for much better analysis and comparisons that "traditional" stats, no matter the sport.

To me, these people come across as not as clever as they think they are.   

Too clever by 0.5

[wazucat]

The fact that 2012 is being considered or determined by some to be better than '98 is a wonderful situation.

[kim carnes]

we have had like 5 teams better than this year's team.  this team sucks, collin klein sucks.

[kim carnes]

College football is so much bigger, faster, and stronger than it was in '98 that I'm not sure if '98 KSU would finish in the top 8 of the 2012 Big 12.

such a dumb argument

[hemmy]

College football is so much bigger, faster, and stronger than it was in '98 that I'm not sure if '98 KSU would finish in the top 8 of the 2012 Big 12.

In what way are players bigger now? Or stronger?

[chum1]

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/KansasState.htm

Another thing to consider: the 1998 team played TWO games against teams with winning records on the road, and won both by a touchdown or less. The 2012 team played 4, and a 5th that went to a bowl (ISU). In 1998, they had a stretch of 4 games in a row against (Big 12) teams with losing records and just played 4 D1 teams with winning records in the regular season. 2012 played 8. You may want to consider that when you cleverly compare average ppg.

There are lots and lots of things to consider.  They may all average out.  Or not.  We don't know.