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In thinking about the cfb playoffs, how many more NCs would Paterno had if the playoffs existed then

john4psu

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Sep 7, 2003
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Your hypothesis depends on the fact that the sportswriters of the times would have the faith & INTELLIGENCE to allow PSU to participate in a playoff system if it had existed. I'm less optimistic. I'm happy to honor 82 and 86 and be amused by Pitts claim of 9.
 
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Your hypothesis depends on the fact that the sportswriters of the times would have the faith & INTELLIGENCE to allow PSU to participate in a playoff system if it had existed. I'm less optimistic. I'm happy to honor 82 and 86 and be amused by Pitts claim of 9.
Although I think there’s too much focus on Pitt around here (like seriously, who cares?!?), I can’t help but wonder whether they’re boasting playing in the ACC C-game considering how middling they’ve been. I assume they must be...
 
Your hypothesis depends on the fact that the sportswriters of the times would have the faith & INTELLIGENCE to allow PSU to participate in a playoff system if it had existed. I'm less optimistic. I'm happy to honor 82 and 86 and be amused by Pitts claim of 9.
Where did you get 9, I thought it was 34 or 35.
 
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We legitimately would have been a final 4 contender in 68, 69, 73, 78,81,82,85,86,94,05. Maybe 91 and 71 as well. Maybe would have won three or so
 
If we get in, we’d have won in 81. I doubt 86 team beats OU and Canes back to back. 08 team had a chance. We win it in 94. Too young to remember 68&69 teams
 
Obviously he won in '82 and '86.
He lost a national championship game in '78 and '85.
I think Penn State would have been in the playoffs in '68, '69, '94 and '05. I think in '73 we would have been left out.
I think we would have won it all in '69 and '94 giving Joe four national titles.
Thoughts?

https://johnbaranowski.wordpress.co...e-won-if-he-had-the-college-football-playoff/

Nah, the midwest writers and the Patriot News would have lobbied for a no. 5 ranking in '94. o_O
 
In '68 and '69 there is a decent chance we would have gotten the UCF treatment.
 
If we get in, we’d have won in 81. I doubt 86 team beats OU and Canes back to back. 08 team had a chance. We win it in 94. Too young to remember 68&69 teams

We were playing the best football in the country at the end of the '81 season, but we had two losses: Miami and Alabama. We worked our way back to number six in the final regular season poll and wouldn't have been in the playoff.
 
the 1991 team may not have got into a 4 team playoff , but they would have had a damn good shot to win it if they had
 
We were playing the best football in the country at the end of the '81 season, but we had two losses: Miami and Alabama. We worked our way back to number six in the final regular season poll and wouldn't have been in the playoff.
Think we ended up #3 after pasting USC but probably would have been left out. We were by far the best team in the country by year end. That team was phenomenal, probably better than the 82 team.
 
Obviously he won in '82 and '86.
He lost a national championship game in '78 and '85.
I think Penn State would have been in the playoffs in '68, '69, '94 and '05. I think in '73 we would have been left out.
I think we would have won it all in '69 and '94 giving Joe four national titles.
Thoughts?

https://johnbaranowski.wordpress.co...e-won-if-he-had-the-college-football-playoff/
In the playoff as it is today, they would not have had the chance, but in a larger field 81, 91 and 93 would have had shot. All 2 loss teams that played the best football later in the year.
 
Think we ended up #3 after pasting USC but probably would have been left out. We were by far the best team in the country by year end. That team was phenomenal, probably better than the 82 team.
Somehow Pitt ended up #2 ahead of us in one poll after losing to us 48-14. I think Warner was injured in the 2 losses that year.
 
In the playoff as it is today, they would not have had the chance, but in a larger field 81, 91 and 93 would have had shot. All 2 loss teams that played the best football later in the year.

Which is why the field needs expanded. See Penn State and USC in 2016 as another great example.
 
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Think we ended up #3 after pasting USC but probably would have been left out. We were by far the best team in the country by year end. That team was phenomenal, probably better than the 82 team.
I agree, they shut down Dan Marino and Marcus Allen in back to back games and they are two of the all time greats.
That was a great team but getting spanked by Bama at home and losing to Jim Kelly’s Hurricane team at the Orange Bowl didn’t help.
They had a brutal schedule that year though.
 
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2005 would have been USC, Texas, LSU, Ohio State?? Weren’t those Conference Champs?

EDIT: I see us and OSU were co champs that year. I always thought the 2005 team which had great talent didn’t play up to their full capabilities. Outside Illinois they didn’t really blow anyone out and easily could have had 2-3 losses that season.
 
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2005 would have been USC, Texas, LSU, Ohio State?? Weren’t those Conference Champs?

EDIT: I see us and OSU were co champs that year. I always thought the 2005 team which had great talent didn’t play up to their full capabilities. Outside Illinois they didn’t really blow anyone out and easily could have had 2-3 losses that season.

A conference title doesn't mean anything. 2005 (based on the rankings) likely would have been

#4 Ohio State vs #1 Southern Cal
#3 Penn State vs #2 Texas

I don't think that would have gone well for Penn State or Ohio State but I would have liked the chance. We definitely would have gotten in ahead of LSU. We were ahead of them in the BCS before they got crushed by Georgia. Georgia not LSU won the SEC.
 
A conference title doesn't mean anything. 2005 (based on the rankings) likely would have been

#4 Ohio State vs #1 Southern Cal
#3 Penn State vs #2 Texas

I don't think that would have gone well for Penn State or Ohio State but I would have liked the chance. We definitely would have gotten in ahead of LSU. We were ahead of them in the BCS before they got crushed by Georgia. Georgia not LSU won the SEC.

I understand, but LSU was outright SEC champ. If today happened in 2005 I think they be #3 and us or OSU be 4.

But you are right. Both Texas and USC were heads and shoulders over everyone that season.
 
I understand, but LSU was outright SEC champ. If today happened in 2005 I think they be #3 and us or OSU be 4.

But you are right. Both Texas and USC were heads and shoulders over everyone that season.

Bama wasn't Bama and the SEC wasn't the SEC at that time though. There is no way that LSU team would have been 3 or 4.

Also, Georgia won the SEC. Final BCS Standings were USC, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Georgia, Miami, Auburn, Va Tech, WVU and LSU at 12.

The only debate is if a 10-1 Oregon gets in over 9-2 Ohio State. Ohio State lost to Texas by 3 and us by 7. The Big Ten was going to be well represented.
 
Bama wasn't Bama and the SEC wasn't the SEC at that time though. There is no way that LSU team would have been 3 or 4.

Also, Georgia won the SEC. Final BCS Standings were USC, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Georgia, Miami, Auburn, Va Tech, WVU and LSU at 12.

The only debate is if a 10-1 Oregon gets in over 9-2 Ohio State. Ohio State lost to Texas by 3 and us by 7. The Big Ten was going to be well represented.

I believe LSU beat 5 ranked teams that year including #4 Bama. Their only loss outside Georgia was #10.

SEC was solid back then.
 
I believe LSU beat 5 ranked teams that year including #4 Bama. Their only loss outside Georgia was #10.

SEC was solid back then.

It wasn't what it is today. At least not in the minds of those that matter. Saban wasn't at Bama yet. Again, LSU was 12 in the final BCS rankings and didn't win the SEC. They did kill a very strong/decent Miami team in the Peach but they weren't in the discussion for top 4 team
 
I understand, but LSU was outright SEC champ. If today happened in 2005 I think they be #3 and us or OSU be 4.

But you are right. Both Texas and USC were heads and shoulders over everyone that season.
This is what I hate hearing, because it goes to the whole eyeball test. We had a very good defense that year, and a good enough offense for a 7-game swing after adding playmakers. Texas beat Ohio State 25-22 in Columbus. We beat the same team 17-10 at home. We had several NFL players on that defense, maybe our best linebacking crew ever. I think we would have had a chance.
 
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I think 1973 & 1994 would have been near definite National Championships.

Four National Championships!
 
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This is what I hate hearing, because it goes to the whole eyeball test. We had a very good defense that year, and a good enough offense for a 7-game swing after adding playmakers. Texas beat Ohio State 25-22 in Columbus. We beat the same team 17-10 at home. We had several NFL players on that defense, maybe our best linebacking crew ever. I think we would have had a chance.

We also struggled vs Northwestern, a average USF team, Michigan State, and should have lost to 4 loss FSU in the Orange.

I’m not saying that team was bad. It was very very good. But with as much talent they had, they should have blown teams out. Our schedule wasn’t very difficult that year. I don’t believe it was on Texas or USC level.
 
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One of the trademarks of great coaches is that if they are given a few weeks to prep for a better team, they will find a way to close that gap and maybe win the game. JVP did it often, as did some other greats.
That's why the '05 Orange Bowl vs. FSU didn't surprise me by being a close game. In the regular season, Penn State would have beaten them by 2 TDs. Give Bobby Bowden a month, and he will close the gap, even against another all-time great.

Given that JVP consistently proved that his teams got better as the seasons wore on, and his best teams were championship-caliber late in the season, and keeping it to a max of 2 losses in the regular season to make the hypothetical playoff scenario (here, assuming it is 8 teams, as it should be(!)), here's how I see the best of the JVP era seasons:

'68 - I agree that we may have been kept out of the '68 playoffs as a newer player to the power rankings, even at #2. But even if in, maybe we do some damage, but don't win it all. We were not quite where we would be the next season.
'69 - I really liked our chances in '69 to be able to win it all, especially given JVP's ability to prep for a big game.
'73... maybe a playoff team at #5, but that was a strong season and I don't think we would have won it all.
'74 - we finished strong again after a couple of upset losses to Navy under George Welsh (7-6) and NC State under Lou Holtz (12-7?). I think we could have made some noise in a playoff situation that season. Easily handled a good Baylor team in the Cotton Bowl.
'75 - Good team, but not as strong overall.
'77 - This team was excellent. I would have liked their chances against anyone in a playoff situation. Beat a very good Arizona State team by 2 TDs in the Fiesta.
'78 - We were in the NC and lost.
'81 - Another '77.... I like our chances here against anyone. Great, great team, losing to Bama and getting upset in the rainstorm in Miami in a game we should have won. 4 missed FGs?
'82 - NC
'85 - Probably right as losing in the NC. Not enough offense at key times.
'86 - NC
'91 - another team who just rolled through the final month+. I give us a real shot there.
'94 - No doubt in my mind we were the best team in the country and deserved the NC.
'96 - playoff loss likely, but noise to be made. Again, given a month....
'05 - probably not an NC, but plenty of noise to be made.
'08 - Great season, should have been unbeaten in the regular season, but an NC is unlikely given how strong USC and others were.

I believe we will have more playoff-worthy seasons and real opptys in the seasons to come.

I have no qualms about awarding my own mythical NC to the '69 and '94 teams, giving PSU under JVP 4 total. With an 8-team playoff, I see us as strong contenders for #2 in '68, '77, '81, '85, '91, '05. Top 5 in '73, '96, '08.
Not bad. We were fortunate to have so many great seasons and players consistently under JVP for so long, and fortunate again to see that unfolding under Franklin.
 
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We also struggled vs Northwestern, a average USF team, Michigan State, and should have lost to 4 loss FSU in the Orange.

I’m not saying that team was bad. It was very very good. But with as much talent they had, they should have blown teams out. Our schedule wasn’t very difficult that year. I don’t believe it was on Texas or USC level.
We were up 31-14 on MSU before a late score. Never in danger. They had been 9-1 against Top 10 teams heading into that one and needed a win for a Bowl. I think FSU's record was deceptive. If I remember, they had some players out who returned for the Bowl Game. In any event they had 3 first-rounders in the front 7 on that D. USC should have beaten Texas if they didn't get cute.
 
It's an interesting discussion ...... I think we WOULD have won the National Title in 1981 in a 4-team playoff but would NOT have won the National Title in 1986 in a 4-team playoff.

The epic humiliation of Pathetic Pitt would have helped us just make the 1984 playoff as a 2-loss #4 seed. But I think we were better than Clemson (the eventual MNC and the would-be #1 seed), and then we beat the Alabama/Georgia winner in the title game.

As for 1986: We're probably a #2 seed but that means we have to play #3 Oklahoma in the semis. I know we beat Miami in the winner-takes-it-all Fiesta Bowl but I'm not sure we would have survived an Oklahoma PLUS Miami gauntlet. Those 2 teams were very very very damn good in 1986.

As for other years: 1982 still wins the National Title. 1991 was a damn good team at the end but there's no way they qualify with 2 losses while 4 other teams (Washington, Miami, Michigan, Florida) have 1 loss or less. 1994: that's the epic Nebraska/PSU debate. I don't know there, if we win or not, it's a coin flip. I don't think the 2005 team was good enough.

So call it 2 1/2 titles. Just about the same as actual - except with perhaps back-to-back Championships instead of 4 years apart.
 
We were up 31-14 on MSU before a late score. Never in danger. They had been 9-1 against Top 10 teams heading into that one and needed a win for a Bowl. I think FSU's record was deceptive. If I remember, they had some players out who returned for the Bowl Game. In any event they had 3 first-rounders in the front 7 on that D. USC should have beaten Texas if they didn't get cute.

Ok, but you do realize today in the playoff time it’s all about who you have beaten and how many style points you got. That PSU team beat I believe beat 2 ranked team (Ohio State and Wisky), lost to a pretty average Michigan team, and outside of sucky Illinois and Minny at home, who was 7-5 average didn’t really blown anyone out. Even the MSU game they only won by 9. You imagine if Clemson only beat Pitt by 9 today. Everyone would want them to drop in the playoff poll.

That PSU team with their resume prob would have been 5-6.
 
A conference title doesn't mean anything. 2005 (based on the rankings) likely would have been

#4 Ohio State vs #1 Southern Cal
#3 Penn State vs #2 Texas

I don't think that would have gone well for Penn State or Ohio State but I would have liked the chance. We definitely would have gotten in ahead of LSU. We were ahead of them in the BCS before they got crushed by Georgia. Georgia not LSU won the SEC.

You were on the 2005 team!?!?! What position did you play?
 
should have lost to 4 loss FSU in the Orange.

Where do you get this garbage from? How could anyone outside of Oakland think that PSU should have lost that game?

PSU was winning 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
PSU was winning 14-13 at the end of the second quarter.
PSU was winning 14-13 at the end of the third quarter.
PSU was winning 16-13 until 4:08 left in the game.
PSU missed a chipshot FG with 0:35 left to send the game to OT.
PSU missed a chipshot FG in the first OT that would have won the game.
PSU was winning 23-16 in the second OT.
PSU won the game in the third OT 26-23.

Please enlighten us.
 
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