All-time Sagarin ratings

[crimsonaudio]

Teams had more depth back then because of more scholarships

The current NCAA 85 scholarship limit was put in place in 1992. The 1995 Nebraska team had no more scholarship players than the 2018 Alabama team.

 

[KrAzY3]

To be fair, I don't think Sagarin's system is meant to compare teams outside of that season

This

 

[PA Tide Fan]

The current NCAA 85 scholarship limit was put in place in 1992. The 1995 Nebraska team had no more scholarship players than the 2018 Alabama team.

Seems like there's more parity in college football now than 20+ years ago so I assumed something had to change since then. I remember hearing so much about scholarship cuts in the past that I felt there had been more cuts since. Time sure passes quickly if what I'm remembering is from 1992.

 

[tidegrandpa]

I agree, but that also led to my statement. This Alabama team has dominated every team it has played in a way unprecedented in the sport. Every win thus far by 24+ points - that has never been done before this far into a season.

We have an average a__ whipping spread of 35.6 pts, against average opponent scoring defensive rank of 71.
PF 536 PA 144

 

[BamaInBham]

If this team doesn't finish #1 after going 15-0 then it invalidates the entire thing.

For numerous reasons just related to Alabama this list is ridiculous. It's already invalid. You probably understand this, but those numbers are just related to the other teams in a specific season. Most of Saban's Bama teams would destroy that 1971 team. To say it's the best Bama team is ludicrous. As I noted in another post in this thread, IMO, it's not even a top 10 Bama team since 1956.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Well, 1995 Nebraska scored 53.2 per game while only allowing 14.5 per game - their average margin of victory was 38.6 points. The 2018 Bama team is currently scores 48.7 per gamed allows 13.1 per game, yielding and average margin of victory of 35.6.

Let's not gloss over the fact that the 95 Nebraska squad was absolutely amazing. Granted, it wasn't the toughest schedule ever, but they resoundingly beat four top 10 teams:
#8 Kansas St - 49-25
#7 Colorado - 44-21
#10 Kansas - 41-3
#2 Florida - 62-24
AVG - 49-18

Bama has to continue winning at the same rate they have to be in t conversation, IMO. This is an amazing team, but those that watched that 95 Nebraska team still remember the domination.

The fact that Kansas and K State were both ranked tells me a lot about the state of college football at the time.

 

[saturdaysarebet]

How the heck is a team that lost two games and tied another ranked #11?

I agree and wonder how one-loss teams can be rated as high as #3, and #4?

 

[RT27]

Another useless system for ranking teams. Sorry but some of the best teams to ever play are no where on that list, hence it is total crap.

 

[UntouchableCrew]

To be fair, I don't think Sagarin's system is meant to compare teams outside of that season - the entire system works based on what happened that season. IOW, a team that scores super-high in a particular season doesn't necessarily mean that team is better than a team from another season with a lower score, it just means that in that season they dominated the competition more than another team did (which could very well indicate an easier overall slate of games).

Gotcha... Kind of makes the whole list meaningless then, doesn't it? Haha

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

I have no idea how they come up with this.

 

[TiderJack]

I agree and wonder how one-loss teams can be rated as high as #3, and #4?

The #4 team, 1971 OU team, lost to the #2 team, 1971 Nebraska, in an an all time classic game 35-31 I believe. That Nebraska team beat us in the Orange Bowl 38-7 when we were ranked #2 in the polls and it was probably not the that close. That was a quality 1 loss team.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Gotcha... Kind of makes the whole list meaningless then, doesn't it? Haha

Yah, I'm fairly certain it is. Looks like it was put together by someone either with an agenda in mind or that didn't understand how Sagarin's rating work. I can't figure out how the numbers would work outside of each individual season.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

The craziest thing about this team is we really could be better next year. Especially if we get a couple surprise defenders to return

 

[CajunCrimson]

The craziest thing about this team is we really could be better next year. Especially if we get a couple surprise defenders to return

We lose the entire DL, Thompson, Jennings, Miller and maybe Mack......but otherwise, we are looking pretty good. On the O - Williams, PBacher, Irv, DH...but everyone else is back.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

We lose the entire DL, Thompson, Jennings, Miller and maybe Mack......but otherwise, we are looking pretty good. On the O - Williams, PBacher, Irv, DH...but everyone else is back.

If we could get Mack and one of the DL guys to stay we'd be set.

We have some young guys on the DL who have flashed and a fantastic OL class coming in too. so OL and DL might have growing pains but they should be good to great.

Plus Tua and all the WRs being a year older. And outside DT our DBs should all be better next year. Plus getting Lewis and Allen back at OLB.

 

[BamaInBham]

We lose the entire DL, Thompson, Jennings, Miller and maybe Mack......but otherwise, we are looking pretty good. On the O - Williams, PBacher, Irv, DH...but everyone else is back.

IMO, there is a good chance Jennings returns and as you said possibly Mack. There could be others - you just never know, even QW has expressed a desire to return even with a high draft eval, though it's unlikely. Bama could be looking at the first possible 3 peat in history, there may be someone who want to be a part of that.

 

[GrayTide]

Sagarin Ratings aside, I say what I always say, you cannot compare teams, players, or coaches across decades. So many things have changed since 1950 (the modern era of college football) to now. My comments are based solely on the "eye test" and that is something even less comparable. In my years of following college football, the two best teams I have ever seen would be the 1966 Alabama team and the 1971 Nebraska team. It is ironic that the 1966 Alabama team beat Nebraska 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl; while the 1971 #1 Nebraska team destroyed an undefeated #2 Alabama 38-6 in the Orange Bowl.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Sagarin Ratings aside, I say what I always say, you cannot compare teams, players, or coaches across decades.

Absolute truth - If 2018 Bama played 1992 Bama the '18 team would beat them by three touchdowns or more. The game ha changed and the athletes at Bama now are much bigger, faster, and stronger than they were just 25 years ago...

 

[DC Tide]

Sagarin Ratings aside, I say what I always say, you cannot compare teams, players, or coaches across decades.

Absolute truth - If 2018 Bama played 1992 Bama the '18 team would beat them by three touchdowns or more. The game ha changed and the athletes at Bama now are much bigger, faster, and stronger than they were just 25 years ago...

No doubt. The only way even to attempt the exercise is to compare a team's dominance against its peers on any given year. I recall that 538 did that a few years back. Pretty cool article: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/we-rate-alabama-the-strongest-team-in-college-football-history/. The article suggested that, by one statistical measure, Bama had only to defeat Washington and <ahem> Clemson to be the strongest team vs. its peers of all time. One pick play away from the greatest...

 

[cmmiller711]

No doubt. The only way even to attempt the exercise is to compare a team's dominance against its peers on any given year. I recall that 538 did that a few years back. Pretty cool article: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/we-rate-alabama-the-strongest-team-in-college-football-history/. The article suggested that, by one statistical measure, Bama had only to defeat Washington and <ahem> Clemson to be the strongest team vs. its peers of all time. One pick play away from the greatest...

i posted after that play "from the greatest team of all time to footnote in 2 minutes and 7 seconds." made a lot of people upset but its 100% true.