2001 Miami Hurricanes-Best College Football Team Ever

by Ed Talerico
(West Palm Beach, FL)

In my opinion, the 2001 Miami Hurricanes were the greatest college football team of all time. One may argue this, of course, but I don't know if one can argue against them being the most talented squad ever.

Not only 16 1st round draft picks but at least 6 Pro Bowlers(Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Jeremy Shockey, Ed Reed, a former N.F.L. Defensive Player of the year, and Sean Taylor, R.I.P.). There may be more I'm not aware of and more on the way.

Their offensive line led by All Americans, Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez, was dominant and considered the best in the nation. McKinnie never allowed a sack in his career. In fact, Ken Dorsey, who finished 3rd in the Heisman voting and winner of the Maxwell Award was sacked only 5 times the entire season.

The running backs featured not only Portis and Gore, but also included Nadje Davenport and Willis McGahee. Andre Johnson was an exceptional pass reciever and tight end Jeremy Shockey was backed up by Kellen Winslow Jr. Miami averaged 43.2 points per game.

The defense was extremely fast and hard hitting. They allowed only 9.4 points per game and also led the nation with a remarkable 45 takeaways. The defensive line featured Jerome McDougle, Vince Wilfork, William Joseph, and Andrew Johnson, all N.F.L. players.

The linebackers, John Vilma, D.J. Williams, and Chris Campbell were among the best in the nation. The secondary, led by Ed Reed, was one of the best of all time and numbered at least 6 N.F.L. players on its roster.

The Canes special teams were also exceptional and possessed great speed. Phillip Bucannon was one of the most dangerous punt returners in the nation that year and Miami could block kicks as well. Their place kicker, Todd Sievers was an All American and connected on 21 of 26 field goals attempts.

Miami was a very dominant and complete football team. On successive weeks they decimated 13th ranked Syracuse and 11th ranked Washington by scores of 59-0 and 65-7 respectively. This was an NCAA record for margin of victory over consecutive ranked opponents.

The Canes crushed their opposition at the Orange Bowl that year by an average score of 51-3. They led Nebraska in the B.C.S. Championship Game played at the Rose Bowl 34-0 at halftime and cruised to victory 37- 14.

A remarkable stat about the 2001 Canes is the fact that they scored 11 non-offensive touchdowns while their defense allowed only 13. It was a truly amazing display of dominance for a team to score within a couple of touchdowns of what their defense allowed FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON without their explosive and very talented offense ever taking the field.

In conclusion, I have to pay my respects to 1995 Nebraska and 2004 U.S.C. since they were great teams as well. Also, the 1992 Crimson tide which destroyed Miami 34-13 in the 93' Sugar Bowl under Coach Stallings. They were not regarded as one of the best teams ever but possessed one of the greatest defenses I've ever seen.

Wish the Miami championship teams of the 80's and early 90's handled themselves with as much class as the great Alabama teams of the past, especially those under Coach Bryant. And all this from a Florida Gator fan.

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2001 Miami Hurricanes-Best College Football Team Ever

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Jul 02, 2008
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Schedule can be a bit overrated with great teams
by: Anonymous

The argument that Miami played zero elite opponents in 2001 would hold some weight if they struggled against the ranked opponents they did play. But they were as dominant against ranked teams as they were against unranked opponents. They ended the 'Noles 54 game home winning streak in Tallahassee convincingly, 49-27. Against Boston College, Ken Dorsey may have had the worst game of his career throwing in the wind at B.C., yet the Canes still won by 12. They proceeded to outscore #14 Syracuse and #11 Washington by a combined score of 124-7 the next two weeks before taking the field at Blacksburg. Miami led 20-3 at halftime and controlled most of the game but had to hold on to win. It is admitted Nebraska was not a strong opponent having been blown out by Colorado in the Big Twelve Championship. But who else would have led the Huskers 34-0 at halftime? Miami had no control over who they played in the title game. The question is: Would it have mattered? Do you think Oregon, Colorado, or anyone else would have beaten the Canes that year?
Every once in awhile a college football season will produce a team we may call transcendent. In 1961 there was Alabama. Then there was everyone else. I do not doubt that the same was true for the great Sooner team of '74. Certainly in '95 there was Nebraska and then it was merely a question of who was number #2. In '01 the transcendent team, the dominant team was Miami. I really don't believe it made a difference who they played for the title that year any more than it would have mattered for '61 Alabama,'74 Oklahoma, or '95 Nebraska; the same with some other great teams of the past. Strength of schedule has less meaning here, though the Canes, to my knowledge, did defeat 6 ranked teams in '01. I believe '01 Miami was the best ever. But my point is, I can't think of any teams in the nation that would have caused major problems, match ups, or otherwise, for any of the great teams mentioned above during their transcendent seasons. Therefore, whether these teams played #2 or #6, or #3 rather than #10 doesn't make a great deal of difference. Great teams such as the ones mentioned above would leave no doubt who the better team was regardless of who they played during their dominant seasons. Regardless of who the greatest team ever truly is, it sure makes for a very interesting debate.

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Jul 02, 2008
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Submitted by: Anonymous

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The argument that Miami played zero elite opponents in 2001 would hold some weight if they struggled against the ranked opponents they did play. But they were as dominant against ranked teams as they were against unranked opponents. They ended the 'Noles 54 game home winning streak in Tallahassee convincingly, 49-27. Against Boston College, Ken Dorsey may have had the worst game of his career throwing in the wind at B.C., yet the Canes still won by 12. They proceeded to outscore #14 Syracuse and #11 Washington by a combined score of 124-7 the next two weeks before taking the field at Blacksburg. Miami led 20-3 at halftime and controlled most of the game but had to hold on to win. It is admitted Nebraska was not a strong opponent having been blown out by Colorado in the Big Twelve Championship. But who else would have led the Huskers 34-0 at halftime? Miami had no control over who they played in the title game. The question is: Would it have mattered? Do you think Oregon, Colorado, or anyone else would have beaten the Canes that year? Every once in awhile a college football season will produce a team we may call transcendent. In 1961 there was Alabama. Then there was everyone else. I do not doubt that the same was true for the great Sooner team of '74. Certainly in '95 there was Nebraska and then it was merely a question of who was number #2. In '01 the transcendent team, the dominant team was Miami. I really don't believe it made a difference who they played for the title that year any more than it would have mattered for '61 Alabama,'74 Oklahoma, or '95 Nebraska; the same with some other great teams of the past. Strength of schedule has less meaning here, though the Canes, to my knowledge, did defeat 6 ranked teams in '01. I believe '01 Miami was the best ever. But my point is, I can't think of any teams in the nation that would have caused major problems, match ups, or otherwise, for any of the great teams mentioned above during their transcendent seasons. Therefore, whether these teams played #2 or #6, or #3 rather than #10 doesn't make a great deal of difference. Great teams such as the ones mentioned above would leave no doubt who the better team was regardless of who they played during their dominant seasons. Regardless of who the greatest team ever truly is, it sure makes for a very interesting debate.

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May 16, 2008
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Miami super talented/the best????
by: Anonymous

The 2001 Miami Hurricanes WERE as talented as any team...however

they play ZERO elite opponents all yr---NONE and they were tested on the road at Boston College (who played without their best player William Green) and at Virginia Tech who dropped a 2 pt conversion that would have tied the game

Then they faced a Nebraska team that had given up 62 points in their previous game One could argue that Nebraska team was the worst team to play in a NC game this decade

I will not argue with their talent level but given the games with BC and VT I believe Miami would have had ALL they wanted had they played an elite team on the road that yr

Hats off to the Oklahoma Sooners of 1974---that team never gave up more than 14 points in an unbeaten season led by the Selmon brothers and Joe Washington It certainly was better than the 80's OU teams that fell to Miami for three straight yrs

Apr 08, 2008
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95 Huskers are best college team ever
by: MWesty

Yes, they had a lot of talent and were a very good team, but not the best. The 95 Huskers were the best college team of all time

Dec 27, 2007
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2 of the best
by: Anonymous

R.I.P. Chris Campbell and Sean Taylor

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2001 Miami Hurricanes-Best College Football Team Ever

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2001 Miami Hurricanes-Best College Football Team Ever