National Champions

By: vtcivengr on December 16, 2014, 10:37 PM | 43 comments

Here is a list of National Champions since 1999, with each champion's total offense and total defense rank.

Year - Champ - Offensive Rank/Defensive Rank
2013 - FSU - 6/3
2012 - Bama - 31/1
2011 - Bama - 31/1
2010 - Auburn - 7/60
2009 - Bama - 43/2
2008 - Florida - 15/9
2007 - LSU - 26/3
2006 - Florida - 19/6
2005 - Texas - 3/10
2004 - USC - 12/6
2003 - LSU - 31/1
2002 - Ohio St. - 70/23
2001 - Miami - 8/6
2000 - Oklahoma - 18/8
1999 - FSU - 12/19

I researched this data out of curiosity to see how each year's champion ranked on offense and defense. These are my takeaways:

  • Every champ but 3 had a top 10 defense
  • Only 1 champ had a top 10 offense and not a top 10 defense (Auburn 2010, defense in NC was clutch)
  • The worst offense was ranked 43rd (Edit 2002 Ohio St. was 70th, but that's dumb)
  • The #1 offense never won
  • The #1 defense won 3 times
  • Defense still wins championships
  • We need to get our offense into the top 50 nationally to be contenders, the defense is there
  • Every team on this list is a Big Boy Recruiter
Forums: 
Football Forum
DISCLAIMER: Forum topics may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Comments

Illinois Hokie's picture Illinois Hokie | 11 years 6 months #

Balance is the name of the game.

"I liked you guys a lot better when everybody told you you were terrible." -Justin Fuente

vtcivengr's picture vtcivengr | 11 years 6 months #

One more take away: Having the 31st best offense and 1st defense seems to be a very successful formula.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

piercepj's picture piercepj | 11 years 6 months # ^

Having Nick Saban as head coach seems to be a very successful formula

fernleyhokie's picture fernleyhokie
🌏MAN OF MYSTERY🕵
| 11 years 6 months # ^

unless you're in the NFL

marcb2's picture marcb2 | 11 years 6 months # ^

Or Michigan State

vtcivengr's picture vtcivengr | 11 years 6 months # ^

Nick also aveerages about 6 5* guys and 14 4* guys every year. Damn under achiever

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

Illinois Hokie's picture Illinois Hokie | 11 years 6 months #

Wait. You have 2002 Ohio State listed at 70th on O. Typo?

"I liked you guys a lot better when everybody told you you were terrible." -Justin Fuente

vtcivengr's picture vtcivengr | 11 years 6 months # ^

Nope I just looked again, 70 is right but that makes my bullet for worst offense wrong. I did put an asterix beside Ohio St. when I was looking at the list though because that team defied logic.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

cds7c's picture cds7c | 11 years 6 months # ^

And if the 8-second late PI penalty wasn't called on Miami, that OSU team isn't a national champion.

DBU's picture DBU | 11 years 6 months # ^

out of curiousity what was Miami's Offense & Defense ranking that year?

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

AOE86's picture AOE86
| 11 years 6 months # ^

funny - I ran these numbers a couple of years ago for a post on TSL.

Miami was 6 and 7 that year. Defense wins championships ....

I included the numbers twice to have the averages for the cases where the championship was split.

def-off-ranking

Max Power's picture Max Power | 11 years 6 months # ^

Their national championship that year is bull shit. The refs called that pass interference call on the U db about 10 seconds after the last play. I don't like either team, but that always felt like the U got the screw job on that call.

"Give me a fu¢king beer", Anonymous Genius

MusicCityHokie's picture MusicCityHokie | 11 years 6 months # ^

I just texted this comment to my buddy who went to the U. Yes, I have a friend who went to the U. They gave him a schollie (swimming) so I forgave him years ago.

Virginian by Birth, Hokie by Choice

shakeitallabout's picture shakeitallabout | 11 years 6 months #

Appears that Ohio State's championship was a fluke according to the stats as much as it seemed to be on the field.

Joffrey, Cersei, Ilyn Payne, the Hound, Jeff Jagodzinski, Paul Johnson, Pat Narduzzi.

jpoole9999's picture jpoole9999 | 11 years 6 months #

Recruiting top players definitely helps

Can we make a bourbon/whiskey reference to recruiting

recruits

The Top Echelon of recruiting represents the 60% of the Title game conversation

edit-include freshman. color coordinated, also LSU 2011 recruiting should be red

hokie07ME's picture hokie07ME | 11 years 6 months # ^

are these rankings for the same year as the championships listed or shifted by a year or two. In other words, did LSU bring in the #8 class the same year they played Bama for the title? Because one would assume that a great recruiting class would have the biggest impact a year or two down the road when those talented players adjust to college ball. Most of the freshmen break out players we hear about are redshirt freshman who've had a year to get used to practicing at a college level.

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

jpoole9999's picture jpoole9999 | 11 years 6 months # ^

One year adjusted, but i did link colors for freshmen also. Going straight up and down each colomn its signing in Feb 2007 playing on Jan 2009 Championship game

Hokies semper liberi's picture Hokies semper liberi | 11 years 6 months # ^

Looking at this list really gives some insight into why UGA fans are so restless. They're in the top 10 six times and haven't played in the champ game once.
Also, only Michigan and Notre Dame have had top 10 recruiting classes from outside the bible belt, Texas area and southern Cal regions

West Virginian by birth, Hokie by choice

VThokies904's picture VThokies904 | 11 years 6 months # ^

bourbon/whiskey shot everytime we refernce recruiting =me attempting to do the david wilson when we sign recruits

.

twitter @smithey_daniel
head scout BSP scouting specializing in north florida/ southern GA highschool football scouting

VTrumpet's picture VTrumpet
🎂🎂🎂
| 11 years 6 months #

I say we go for the mythical 38/0 ranking, bro

HOKIE HOKIE HOKIE HI
'14 grad

Hokie_x3_Hi's picture Hokie_x3_Hi | 11 years 6 months #

It's worth noting that only twice did a team's offense outrank it's defense, but it would be more beneficial to look at their opponent to see how they matched up and why that team with those rankings won.

Mason Naumann's picture Mason Naumann | 11 years 6 months #

Well if you have a great defense, normally your raw offensive numbers won't reach their potential.

Shorter fields, running out the clock at end of game, etc.

Max Power's picture Max Power | 11 years 6 months # ^

True dat.

"Give me a fu¢king beer", Anonymous Genius

cds7c's picture cds7c | 11 years 6 months # ^

yeah, I'm not sure if this is an analysis of total yards or PPG, but both are flawed metrics in determining efficiency.

I would prefer to see this analysis with FEI/S&P, which is an improvement but not a perfect metric. I imagine the result is similar, you need a good defense and a top 30 offense to win a national title.

Illinois Hokie's picture Illinois Hokie | 11 years 6 months # ^

My favorite metric is wins.

"I liked you guys a lot better when everybody told you you were terrible." -Justin Fuente

cds7c's picture cds7c | 11 years 6 months # ^

In a lot of ways, that's the worst metric.

vtcivengr's picture vtcivengr | 11 years 6 months # ^

Some of those champs also played a conference slate full of good defenses, further skewing it.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

kevvvin27's picture kevvvin27 | 11 years 6 months #

My take away: F$U last year was ridiculously good. 6th ranked offense and 3rd defense with their first stringers sitting the bench in the second half of almost every game is unbelievable.

exit light

Alum07's picture Alum07
🦃 LEG KING 🦃
| 11 years 6 months #

So the moral of the thread...

Recruiting matters and having a top offense to go with a top defense matters as well.

"When I was growing up, Virginia Tech was a school that was kicking ass and taking names, and it's time we get back to that" - James Franklin

cds7c's picture cds7c | 11 years 6 months # ^

To be good you should be good.

hokie07ME's picture hokie07ME | 11 years 6 months # ^

to beat the best you gotta be the best...

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

zomfgbbqhax's picture zomfgbbqhax | 11 years 6 months # ^

Ehhhh, I think you got that one backwards.

swvadon's picture swvadon | 11 years 6 months # ^

No, it works both ways.

MusicCityHokie's picture MusicCityHokie | 11 years 6 months # ^

It actually appears to be correct both ways. Which is really interesting (at least to me)...

To be the best you've got to beat the best
To beat the best you've got to be the best

Virginian by Birth, Hokie by Choice

kevvvin27's picture kevvvin27 | 11 years 6 months # ^

a

exit light

Jander75's picture Jander75 | 11 years 6 months # ^

I think if we score more points than the other teams we will win more games...

I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction:
“I served in the United States Navy"

swvadon's picture swvadon | 11 years 6 months # ^

Well, the Wake game disproved Jerry Claiborne's theory that if we hold the other team to zero points, we will win the game.

matthona's picture matthona | 11 years 6 months #

Curious what VTs rankings were in 99, if anyone knows

vtcivengr's picture vtcivengr | 11 years 6 months # ^

9th in total offense, 3rd in total defense

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

KopHokie's picture KopHokie | 11 years 6 months # ^

and whatever special teams was ranked, if we were but one or two spots higher, our discarded national championship trophy would be full...and still in Merriman