re: 1995 Nebraska’s offensive line ran 855 snaps that season…

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First, it was Nebraska didn’t play anyone. I then pointed out that the Big 8, including Nebraska, contained four top 10 teams.

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About like Cincinnati being a top four team. The Big 8 was a joke conference.

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Then, you’re bringing up opposing coaches not familiar with their scheme, yet you list Jimmy Johnson and Mickey Andrews. What does a former Florida State and Miami coach, both of which that were not listed on Nebraska’s schedule, have to do with anything? Again, is Nick Saban not a quality defensive coordinator?

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I said elite talent AND option-familiar defensive coaches. No one on the ‘95 Nebraska schedule was anywhere close to the best ‘70s/‘80s Oklahoma, mid/late ‘80s and early ‘90s Miami, and late ‘80/early ‘90s FSU.

There’s a reason Osborne lost umpteen Big 8 titles and bowl games in the ‘80s and ‘90s and could barely score in those games. It wasn’t because they weren’t good then too. Osborne had Turner Gill, Mike Rozier, and Irving Fryar on offense at the same time at one point. They just played better defenses in those days.

‘95 Nebraska did not face a peak OU in the regular season or a peak Miami or FSU in the bowl. They had the usual cupcake Big 8 schedule and a Florida defense too soft, too green, too clueless to play them as tough as previous bowl opponents.

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Finally, “no Orange Bowl stadium either?” What the hell does that have to do with anything? Do you think the Orange Bowl has some voodoo hex on Nebraska? They just beat Miami there the year before to win the National Championship. A Miami team with Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis on the defense. Are the two good enough for you?

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When Miami was at its peak there’s never been a tougher place to win than the Orange Bowl. They had a streak that lasted from 1985-1994 and included several arse kickings of Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Nebraska finally beat Miami in ‘94 in a one TD game with an OL that was better than they had in ‘95. They scored 24 pts., not 62. If ‘95 Nebraska had faced a comparable defensive front (or better, as Miami had in the mid/late ‘80s) people wouldn’t talk about them like they could have beaten the Cowboys that year.

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an OL that was better than they had in ‘95

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Another thing you fail to mention is that Nebraska beat Miami (who had four NFL 1st rounders on their defense) in the Orange Bowl with a QB who had been out for 3 months. Took huge balls for Osborne to start a guy who hadn't played in months over the backup who had led them to an undefeated regular season.

The 95 O-line was more dominant. They averaged 400 ypg rushing, up 17% from the previous year, gave up zero sacks the entire season, zero holding penalties for the season. The TEAM average was 7 ypc. Think about that.

Aaron Taylor went on to win the Outland Trophy... one of the few players to be named All-American at two different positions. Chris Dishman and Eric Anderson were All-Americans as well.

Through the first 11 games Nebraska’s starters outscored their opponents 538-42

They beat 4 teams that finished in the Top 10 by an average of 31 points. Heck, they had over 560 yards rushing against a Saban defense. KSU had the #2 scoring defense in the country that year — over 1/3 of the points they allowed the entire season came at the hands of the Huskers. Tommie Frazier was the MVP of 3 straight national championship games, a record that also will likely never be broken.

Most people remember Grant Wistrom and Jared Tomich and the Peter Bros., but many overlook the fact that Nebraska’s defensive backfield was solid as well. Several of their DBs & safeties went on to solid NFL careers: Michael Booker, Mike Minter, Tony Veland, Eric Warfield, Jamel Williams, & Tyrone Williams were all drafted.

For comparison, 2019 LSU’s final Sagarin rating (which includes all sorts of data including strength of schedule, margin of victory, and numerous other criteria) was 104.88, which is 3rd best all-time since the BCS era began (behind 2005 Texas & 2001 Miami). 1995 Nebraska had a Sagarin of 117.05.

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That may be why they were a great team. Less ego, more team first thinking.

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Or they couldn’t use the roids in the league like they did at Neb.

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After the 22-0 blow out to Miami in 92 Nebraska started bringing more speed into their system and two years later were a few bad calls away from potentially winning the 93 title against a loaded FSU.

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But they didn’t. And they only scored 16 pts. Bowden had Osborne’s number too. Beat him at least four straight times in bowl games.

The phantom call on the punt return TD was also a killer. Looking back who knows, they win in 93 maybe they aren't as motivated in 94 and 95.

One thing about CFB is that no matter how good you are, you’re beatable. Mediocre Auburn teams damn near beat Alabama in JHS in 2009 and 2021 before the Tide turned around the very next week and looked unbeatable in kicking the shite out of undefeated Florida and Georgia.

1995 Nebraska only played 11 regular season games. None of them were against truly great teams or in environments like Jordan-Hare, Bryant-Denny, etc.

They did not play a conference championship, which cost them a shot at the national title in 1996 when they were upset by Texas.

They did not play a semifinal game.

Their championship game was (unlike previous years) not against the caliber of defense that had given their option/power style trouble for so many years.

No question 1995 Nebraska is an all-time great team, but they had a smoother ride than arguably all of Osborne’s team. No Switzer (1973-88), no Miami/FSU (‘83, ‘87, ‘88, ‘89, ‘91, ‘92, ‘93, ‘94), no Orange Bowl stadium (too many losses to count and a house of horrors for them), no conference championship (1996, 1997).

1995 Nebraska might have been Osborne’s best, but there’s no question they had an easier road than most of his teams and definitely not what today’s SEC teams have to face to win a natty.

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definitely not what today’s SEC teams have to face to win a natty.

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I don't think anybody's debating that.