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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/jimbobbypaul on 2024-07-14 17:59:31+00:00.

Best of the Best: Simulating a Season with the Greatest Modern Era Teams

In an effort to figure out how each program’s best modern team stacks up against each other, I’ll be simming the 2024 season schedule. But, instead of using next year’s rosters, I’m using each program’s best team since 1996. By the end of this, we’ll have determined the best team, QB, RB, WR, offensive line, you name it–of the modern era. And we’ll have a full 134-team ranking of where every program’s best team stacks up with each other.

If you missed the previous weeks/results, the Main hub thread link is here.

Top 25

Quietly, 2020 Alabama and 2018 Clemson continue to hog the top 2 spots. The two traded national titles for fun between 2015-18, facing each other 4 straight years in the playoffs. Clemson’s best team came during that span–in 2018, they went 15-0 with a 44-16 win over Bama in the National Championship. But Alabama’s best wouldn’t come until 2 years later, when they went 13-0 with a 52-24 win in their title game. Just like they traded wins in the back half of the 2010s, they’ve traded the #1 spot each week in the Top 25, and for now, Alabama’s back at the top. The SEC makes up 4 of the top 5 spots, with LSU, Florida, and Tennessee rounding out the group. Kansas State makes a HUGE jump from unranked to #7 after voters watched them dismantle Arizona 36-0. Washington and Iowa join the top 11 as well due to blowout wins vs 2-0 opponents. And how about Kansas? They were picked 10th in the Big 12 preseason standings, yet after 3 weeks, are #13 with a 3-0 record.

Rank Team Record Change
1 2020 Alabama 3-0 1
2 2018 Clemson 2-0 -1
3 2019 LSU 3-0 4
4 2008 Florida 3-0 2
5 1998 Tennessee 3-0 3
6 2013 Florida State 3-0 -3
7 1997 Kansas State 3-0 NEW
8 2000 Oklahoma 3-0 -4
9 2013 Michigan State 3-0 7
10 2023 Washington 3-0 NEW
11 2009 Iowa 3-0 NEW
12 2007 Missouri 3-0 8
13 2007 Kansas 3-0 6
14 2019 Ohio State 2-0 -5
15 2017 UCF 3-0 NEW
16 2009 Cincinnati 3-0 -5
17 2007 West Virginia 3-0 5
18 2000 Oregon State 3-0 7
19 2011 Oklahoma State 2-1 -14
20 2013 Baylor 3-0 -2
21 2009 Boise State 2-0 -11
22 2010 Stanford 2-0 -10
23 2019 Minnesota 3-0 NEW
24 2006 Louisville 2-0 -9
25 2004 California 3-0 NEW

Also Receiving Votes: 2001 Miami (FL) 2-1, 2004 USC 1-1, 2000 Toledo 3-0, 2022 Georgia 2-1, 2013 South Carolina 2-1, 1996 BYU 3-0, 1998 UCLA 1-1, 1997 Nebraska 2-1, 2020 Coastal Carolina 3-0, 2023 Michigan 2-1

Dropped From Top 25: #13 2013 South Carolina, #14 2005 Texas, #17 2017 Wisconsin, #21 2004 USC, #23 1997 Nebraska, #24 2022 Georgia

Stats

National Leaders and Team Stats:

Week 4 Preview

  • What’s your projected Playoff picture?
  • Which teams are the biggest surprises/disappointments?

Conference Standings

SEC :

4 of the top 5, and 6 of the top 12, reside in the SEC. That’s not even including 2022 Georgia, 2010 Auburn, and 2005 Texas, who are unranked after disappointing starts. We’ll see who the true champion is, but so far, it seems like LSU/Florida/Alabama are a cut above the rest. #5 Oklahoma vs #8 Tennessee this week will determine who’s the 4th team that’s right there with them.

  1. #3 2019 LSU 3-0 (1-0)
  2. #4 2008 Florida 3-0 (1-0)
  3. 2022 Georgia 2-1 (1-0)
  4. 2013 South Carolina 2-1 (1-1)
  5. #1 2020 Alabama 3-0 (0-0)
  6. #8 2000 Oklahoma 3-0 (0-0)
  7. #5 1998 Tennessee 3-0 (0-0)
  8. #12 2007 Missouri 3-0 (0-0)
  9. 2012 Vanderbilt 3-0 (0-0)
  10. 2010 Auburn 2-1 (0-0)
  11. 2011 Arkansas 2-1 (0-0)
  12. 2014 Mississippi State 2-1 (0-0)
  13. 2005 Texas 1-2 (0-0)
  14. 2023 Ole Miss 1-2 (0-0)
  15. 2012 Texas A&M 2-1 (0-1)
  16. 2018 Kentucky 1-2 (0-2)
Big Ten :

MSU, Washington, and Iowa lead the pack so far, but Ohio State, Nebraska, USC, and Michigan remain the most talented teams. None have played a conference game yet. #11 Iowa at #23 Minnesota, and USC at Michigan are the two big matchups this week. The loser of USC/Michigan will need a lot of work to get into the Playoff.

  1. #9 2013 Michigan State 3-0 (1-0)
  2. 1998 UCLA 1-1 (1-0)
  3. #10 2023 Washington 3-0 (0-0)
  4. #11 2009 Iowa 3-0 (0-0)
  5. #23 2019 Minnesota 3-0 (0-0)
  6. 2023 Michigan 2-1 (0-0)
  7. #14 2019 Ohio State 2-0 (0-0)
  8. 1997 Nebraska 2-1 (0-0)
  9. 2017 Wisconsin 2-1 (0-0)
  10. 2006 Rutgers 2-0 (0-0)
  11. 2001 Illinois 2-1 (0-0)
  12. 2017 Northwestern 2-1 (0-0)
  13. 1998 Purdue 2-0 (0-0)
  14. 2004 USC 1-1 (0-0)
  15. 2014 Oregon 1-2 (0-0)
  16. 2005 Penn State 0-2 (0-0)
  17. 2020 Indiana 2-1 (0-1)
  18. 2002 Maryland 1-2 (0-1)
Big 12 :

The Big 12 is looking pretty spooky right now. 2017 UCF has separated itself as the top former Group of 5 team among 2010 TCU and 2008 Utah, who both sit at the bottom with 1-2 records. Baylor, West Virginia, and Kansas State look like legit Playoff contenders, as they were national title contenders during their respective seasons. 2011 Oklahoma State stumbled vs Tulsa last week, but should still be in the mix for the conference title.

  1. #15 2017 UCF 3-0 (1-0)
  2. #20 2013 Baylor 3-0 (1-0)
  3. #17 2007 West Virginia 3-0 (0-0)
  4. #16 2009 Cincinnati 3-0 (0-0)
  5. #7 1997 Kansas State 3-0 (0-0)
  6. #13 2007 Kansas 3-0 (0-0)
  7. 1996 BYU 3-0 (0-0)
  8. #19 2011 Oklahoma State 2-1 (0-0)
  9. 1998 Arizona 2-1 (0-0)
  10. 2008 Texas Tech 2-1 (0-0)
  11. 1996 Colorado 2-1 (0-0)
  12. 1996 Arizona State 1-2 (0-0)
  13. 2015 Houston 1-2 (0-0)
  14. 2020 Iowa State 1-1 (0-0)
  15. 2010 TCU 1-2 (0-1)
  16. 2008 Utah 1-2 (0-1)
ACC :

Florida State vs Cal is a big one this weekend. Virginia Tech looks to right the ship finally as they host Rutgers this weekend, unless they’re upset for the 4th straight game.

  1. #6 2013 Florida State 3-0 (2-0)
  2. 2006 Wake Forest 3-0 (1-0)
  3. 1996 Syracuse 2-0 (1-0)
  4. #25 2004 California 3-0 (0-0)
  5. #2 2018 Clemson 2-0 (0-0)
  6. 2001 Miami (FL) 2-1 (0-0)
  7. #24 2006 Louisville 2-0 (0-0)
  8. #22 2010 Stanford 2-0 (0-0)
  9. 1997 North Carolina 2-1 (0-0)
  10. 2002 NC State 2-1 (0-0)
  11. 2013 Duke 2-1 (0-0)
  12. 2021 Pittsburgh 1-2 (0-0)
  13. 2023 SMU 1-2 (0-0)
  14. 2000 Virginia Tech 0-3 (0-0)
  15. 2006 Boston College 1-2 (0-1)
  16. 1998 Virginia 1-2 (0-1)
  17. 2014 Georgia Tech 1-3 (0-2)
Pac-12 :

2 big games for both programs this weekend. Oregon State hosts '98 Purdue and Drew Brees–a win likely moves them into the top 15. Washington State hosts 3-0 San Jose State, for a chance to start 3-1 with a win over a top G5 team.

  1. #18 2000 Oregon State 3-0 (0-0)
  2. 2018 Washington State 2-1 (0-0)
Independents :

0-3 Notre Dame vs 0-2 Miami (OH) this weekend. Something’s gotta give. No way UConn makes a playoff run, right?

  1. 2007 UConn 3-0
  2. 2017 Massachusetts 1-2
  3. 2018 Notre Dame 0-3
American :

As conference play begins, the top Group of 5 conference could yield the 12-team Playoff participant with their conference champion. It was projected to be 2022 Tulane, and they’ve looked pretty good despite a 1-2 record, losing one possession games to #7 Kansas State and #8 Oklahoma. 2008 Tulsa just beat #5 Oklahoma State, they might be the new favorite.

  1. 2015 Navy 2-0 (1-0)
  2. 2017 FAU 2-1 (1-0)
  3. 2008 Tulsa 3-0 (0-0)
  4. 2008 Rice 3-0 (0-0)
  5. 2007 South Florida 2-1 (0-0)
  6. 2021 UTSA 2-1 (0-0)
  7. 2022 Tulane 1-2 (0-0)
  8. 2019 Memphis 1-2 (0-0)
  9. 1996 East Carolina 1-2 (0-0)
  10. 2018 UAB 1-2 (0-0)
  11. 2013 North Texas 1-2 (0-0)
  12. 2019 Charlotte 1-2 (0-0)
  13. 2018 Army 0-2 (0-1)
  14. 2016 Temple 0-3 (0-1)
Mountain West :

Boise State has a lot more competition than they originally anticipated. San Jose State and Hawaii both are 3-0, Nevada has 2 wins over Georgia Southern and SMU in the non-con. 2018 Fresno State was a 12-2 team that beat UCLA, Arizona State, and Boise that year, and visits New Mexico this week favored to move to 3-1.

  1. 2020 San Jose State 3-0 (1-0)
  2. 2007 Hawaii 3-0 (0-0)
  3. #21 2009 Boise State 2-0 (0-0)
  4. 2010 Nevada 2-2 (0-0)
  5. 2012 Utah State 2-1 (0-0)
  6. 2018 Fresno State 2-1 (0-0)
  7. 1997 Colorado State 2-1 (0-0)
  8. 2021 San Diego State 1-2 (0-0)
  9. 1996 Wyoming 1-2 (0-0)
  10. 2007 New Mexico 1-2 (0-0)
  11. 2000 UNLV 1-2 (0-0)
  12. 1998 Air Force 1-2 (0-1)
Sun Belt :

Virginia Tech getting passed around like a blunt. Marshall (2-0) and Old Dominion (2-1) both have wins over them. Texas State also has a win over Arizona State. Conference play begins this week with the biggest game being South Alabama (3-0) at App State (2-1).

East:

  1. 2020 Coastal Carolina 3-0 (0-0)
  2. 1999 Marshall 2-0 (0-0)
  3. 2019 Appalachian State 2-1 (0-0)
  4. 2023 James Madison 2-0 (0-0)
  5. 2016 Old Dominion 2-1 (0-0)
  6. 2020 Georgia State 2-1 (0-0…

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