Re: Are the 2019 Bison the Best Bison Team Ever?
Originally Posted by
Professor Chaos
UNI finished 7-5 (3-5) in 2013. They lost a bunch of close games (including the close game in the Fargodome) but I don't think great teams lose that many close games. Other than SDSU and UNI the only other MVFC team with a winning record NDSU played was Youngstown St (who finished 8-4 but got snubbed for a playoff spot). The MVFC in 2013 was very average after NDSU. No MVFC team made it past the round 16 in the playoffs other than NDSU. In 2017 through 2019 there's been another MVFC in the quarters each year (and two other MVFC teams in the quarters this year).
As far as talent goes I just would compare the 2013 with the 2017 team (really tough to compare 2013 to 2018/2019 in terms of talent since so many of the 2018/2019 guys still have more years to play) but let's look at it.
QB: Jensen (2013) vs Stick (2017) - advantage 2017
RB: Ojuri/Crockett (2013) vs Anderson/Dunn/Brooks (2017) - push
WR: Vraa/Smith (2013) vs Urzendowski/Shepherd (2017) - advantage 2017
O-line: Turner/Z Johnson/Colville/Gimmestad/Haeg (2013) vs Conner/Z Johnson/Volson/Bacon/Z Johnson (2017) - advantage 2013
TE: Vaadeland/Nelson (2013) vs Wentz/Illies/Jenson (2017) - advantage 2017
FB: Grothman (2013) vs Robbins (2017) - push
DE: Emmanuel/Jirik (2013) vs Tuszka bros/Jones/Butler (2017) - advantage 2013
DT: Perry/Drevlow (2013) vs Tanguay/Steidl (2017) - push
LB: Littlejohn/Olson/Beck (2013) vs Cox/Deluca/Board (2017) - advantage 2017
CB: Williams/Smith (2013) vs Allison/Wimbush (2017) - advantage 2013
S: Dudzik/Heagle (2013) vs Dempsey/Grimsley (2017) - push
Specialists: Lecompte/Keller (2013) vs Koonce/Peterson (2017) - advantage 2013
So, in my opinion, that's 4 for the 2013, 4 for the 2017 team, and 4 pushes. Pretty close but it's all debatable.
I think that LB "advantage 2017" is an arguable push. I see NFL careers as the reason you gave it to 2017. But Beck might be the best LB ever to wear a bison uni and he didn't have an NFL career...
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