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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/jimbobbypaul on 2024-08-09 18:00:12+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. I sim one time for every matchup, so some shocking one-off results may occur. That’s part of the fun, anybody’s got a shot to win it all. If you view these posts using the old Reddit layout, you’ll be able to see team and conference flairs.

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

Award Voting

Gentlemen, it’s time to argue over our favorite players’ fake stats.

The regular season came and went, and there’ve been some standout performers above the rest. Alabama players/coaches are up for 5 different awards. Joe Burrow’s had an even better season than his 2019 Heisman-winning campaign. We have a kicker who made over 40 field goals.

When reading through these awards, you might wonder–where’s Eric Warfield, the Nebraska corner who set an NCAA record with 31 sacks in a season? Surely he’s the overwhelming favorite for the Nagurski and Thorpe Awards, and maybe even the Heisman? Unfortunately, this morning, Friday August 9, Warfield’s simulated player tested positive for the performance enhancer recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), and was found to be using it throughout the season. This is why he had 31 sacks and the rest of his team had 0 combined. He will not be eligible for any awards.

How to Vote

In the comment section, I’ll have a comment for each award. Reply to each comment arguing for one player over the others, and whichever repl(ies) has the best combination of upvotes + argument, that player will win the award. So if a player has no replies vouching for them, they have no votes. If a player does have a reply vouching for them, you can upvote it if you agree.

Heisman

Plenty of top tier talent here. Joe Burrow and Mac Jones put up video game numbers all year long, both currently breaking the NCAA single season passer rating record of 208.0. Mac is 2-0 against Burrow this year, but the two contests were decided by a combined 4 points. Matt Leinart won the Heismain in 2004, and is putting up even better numbers in this sim for the #2 team in the country. Justin Blackmon has the 7th most yards in a single season in NCAA history, and is gunning for the record of 2060 yards. JJ Arrington has 4 helmet sticker performances on the season, and has run for the 5th most yards in a season in NCAA history.

Player Team Stats Team Record
RB JJ Arrington 2004 California 365 carries, 2292 yards (6.3 YPC), 18 TD. 28 catches, 283 yards, 3 TD 9-3
WR Justin Blackmon 2011 Oklahoma State 139 catches, 1878 yards, 8 TD 10-3
QB Joe Burrow 2019 LSU 325/388 completions (84%), 5026 yards, 54 TD 3 INT, 237.0 rating 10-3
QB Mac Jones 2020 Alabama 347/422 completions (82%), 5017 yards, 44 TD 4 INT, 214.6 rating 13-0
QB Matt Leinart 2004 USC 283/426 completions (66%), 4134 yards, 33 TD 6 INT, 170.7 rating 11-2

Coach of the Year

Pick your favorite. All have a strong claim at the award. Kalen DeBoer took Washington from a fringe top 25 preseason team, middle of the pack Big Ten team to nearly winning the Big Ten title. Nobody had Marshall on their radar heading into the season, but Bob Pruett has them in the Playoff with one of the best defenses in the country. Nick Saban brought in a team that many expected to be good, but not this good.

Coach Team Record Rank Preseason Rank Off PPG Rank Def PPG Rank
Kalen DeBoer 2023 Washington 11-2 #7 #25 7th 26th
Bob Pruett 1999 Marshall 12-1 #10 #45 43rd 6th
Nick Saban 2020 Alabama 13-0 #1 #2 2nd 19th

Doak Walker (top RB)

This might be the closest voting of any award. These 4 have dominated the headlines all year long.

Player Team Rushing Stats Receiving Stats Team Record
JJ Arrington 2004 California 365 carries, 2292 yards (6.3 YPC), 18 TD 28 catches, 283 yards, 3 TD 9-3
Jaret Patterson 2020 Buffalo 359 carries, 2407 yards (6.7 YPC), 23 TD 0 catches 10-2
Clinton Portis 2001 Miami (FL) 304 carries, 1993 yards (6.6 YPC), 23 TD 28 catches, 282 yards, 4 TD 9-3
Ray Rice 2006 Rutgers 413 carries, 2387 yards (5.8 YPC), 18 TD 9 catches, 113 yards, 0 TD 7-5

Biletnikoff (top WR)

The clear top 3 for this award, Justin Blackmon’s put together the best volume stats and had a monster performance in the Big 12 title game, Marcus Harris has carried a relatively weaker Wyoming team to a bowl game, and DeVonta Smith has put together a monster year with 22 catches for 394 yards and 5 TD combined in the two games against LSU.

Player Team Stats Team Record
Justin Blackmon 2011 Oklahoma State 139 catches, 1878 yards, 8 TD, 19 20+yard catches 10-3
Marcus Harris 1996 Wyoming 114 catches, 1682 yards, 10 TD, 25 20+yard catches 7-5
DeVonta Smith 2020 Alabama 120 catches, 1774 yards, 15 TD, 28 20+yard catches 13-0

Mackey (top TE)

All have put up impressive numbers. Adam Breneman has the best volume stats, Tyler Higbee’s been the most explosive TE, and Martin Rucker’s put up impressive numbers while playing in the SEC.

Player Team Stats Team Record
Adam Breneman 2017 UMass 66 catches, 882 yards, 4 TD, 12 20+yard catches 4-8
Tyler Higbee 2015 Western Kentucky 51 catches, 726 yards, 8 TD, 11 20+yard catches 11-2
Martin Rucker 2007 Missouri 51 catches, 700 yards, 6 TD, 7 20+yard catches 10-2

Joe Moore (top OL)

Buffalo and Rutgers’s lines have been absolutely spectacular, and Alabama’s has helped them put up 47.6 PPG.

Team Stats (nat’l rank) Team Record
2020 Alabama 47.6 PPG (2nd), 3.9 YPC (65th), 4.7% sack rate (7th) 13-0
2020 Buffalo 37.6 PPG (13th), 5.6 YPC (1st), 3.4% sack rate (1st) 10-2
2006 Rutgers 34.0 PPG (27th), 5.0 YPC (7th), 4.5% sack rate (4th) 7-5

Nagurski (top defense)

Chris McAlister has the best interception stats in the country, Will McDonald has the best sack stats in the country, and Chase Young is the best player on the best defense in the country.

Player Team Player Stats Team Stats (nat’l rank) Team Record
CB Chris McAlister 1998 Arizona 11 interceptions 24.3 PPG (45th), 59% CMP (43rd), 227 pass YPG (54th) 9-3
DE Will McDonald IV 2020 Iowa State 18 sacks 28.6 PPG (90th), 3.2 YPC (14th), 9.1% sack rate (17th) 6-6
DE Chase Young 2019 Ohio State 7 sacks 13.5 PPG (1st), 3.7 YPC (56th), 6.3% sack rate (93rd) 10-2

Thorpe (top DB)

McAlister and Vaughn led the nation in interceptions, while Okudah was the best DB on the best defense.

Player Team Player Stats Team Stats (nat’l rank) Team Record
CB Chris McAlister 1998 Arizona 11 interceptions 24.3 PPG (45th), 59.4% CMP% (43rd), 227 pass YPG (54th) 9-3
S Robert Vaughn 2007 UConn 11 interceptions 25.2 PPG (55th), 52% CMP (2nd), 210 pass YPG (31st) 7-5
CB Jeff Okudah 2019 Ohio State 3 interceptions 13.5 PPG (1st), 54% CMP (3rd), 186 pass YPG (8th) 10-2

Groza (top K)

All 3 kickers had fantastic seasons. Doerer was perfect, Malashevich was nearly perfect but kicked longer field goals more often, and Reichard was near perfect for the best team in the country.

Player Team FGM FGA FG% 0-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Team Record
Billy Malashevich 1999 Marshall 43 44 0.977 9/9 12/13 19/19 3/3 12-1
Jonathan Doerer 2018 Notre Dame 39 39 1.000 17/17 12/12 8/8 2/2 7-5
Will Reichard 2020 Alabama 31 32 0.969 9/9 10/11 11/11 1/1 13-0

Ray Guy (top P)

These guys can kick.

Player Team Stats Team Record
Ryan Allen 2012 Louisiana Tech 49 punts, 2192 yards (44.7 average) 9-3
Matt Araiza 2021 San Diego State 71 punts, 3283 yards (46.2 average) 4-8
Quinn Sharp 2011 Oklahoma State 45 punts, 2056 yards (45.7 average) 10-3

Hornung (top AP)

Antonio Brown played the Deebo Samuel role for Central Michigan, taking carries out of the backfield for 7.4 yards per carry. Reggie Bush was electric every time he touched the ball, and had 22 combined TD (18 rush, 3 receiving, 1 punt return). Mardy Gilyard was one of the best return men in…

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