2018 Tigers ranked No. 5 in ESPN 150 greatest teams |
Brandon Rink
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- Tuesday, September 10 2019
Clemson's 2018 championship rings read 'Best Ever,' as do several banners around the Clemson football facilities.
And while they are the only team to ever finish 15-0, ESPN had them No. 5 in their greatest teams ranking in celebration of 150 years of college football. Nebraska's 13-0 1971 takes the top spot, followed by 2004 USC (13-0), 1972 USC (12-0) and 1995 Nebraska (12-0). "The (1971) Huskers held 10 of their 13 opponents to seven points or fewer," ESPN writes. "Only No. 2 Oklahoma scored more than 17. On Thanksgiving Day, the Huskers beat the Sooners 35-31 in a "Game of the Century." Nebraska crushed No. 2 Alabama 38-6 in the Orange Bowl. The only other ranked opponent, No. 9 Colorado, went down 31-7. Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado and Alabama finished 1-2-3-4 that season, which meant the Huskers defeated the next three in the final poll, routing two of them." On Clemson's 2018 team, ESPN wrote: "Clemson dominated thanks to a coming-of-age season by freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who took over as starter for Kelly Bryant in the fifth game. That might be why Clemson won its last 10 games by at least 20 points. The offense averaged 526 yards per game, but the defense, which held eight teams to 10 points or fewer, carried the load. Clemson gave up 13 points per game, best in the nation, and 291 yards per game, sixth in the FBS." Clemson's 1981 championship team checked in at No. 40 and 2016 ranked No. 63.
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