Which team was better: 02, 09 or 15?

ChosenChildren

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
1. 02 team: Big Ten co-champions, 11-2 overall record, 8-0 Big Ten record, lost in Orange Bowl; final AP #8
2. 09 team: Big Ten runnerup, 11-2 overall record; 6-2 Big Ten record; won Orange Bowl; final AP #7
3. 15 team: Big Ten West outright champions; 12-2 overall record; 8-0 Big Ten record; lost Rose Bowl; final AP #9

My favorite team is the 2015 team, but I think the 2009 team was slightly better with a healthy Stanzi
 
If Stanzi doesn't get injured in that NW game I honestly think that team finishes the regular season undefeated and has a chance to play for a national championship. I will take the '09 team.
 
Tough call between 02 and 09. 02 had a more dominant O line, but a vunerable secondary.

15 is definitely 3rd.
 
02 and 09 were both 2-1 against ranked teams, while the 15 team was 2-2. I agree that its' between 02 and 09. 09 had a lot of close wins and 02 won in OT at #12 PSU, won that epic game vs. Purdue the next week, and then blew people out the rest of the way, including at #8 Michigan 34-9. I'll give the 02 team the edge, even though the OT loss at OSU by the 09 team with a new QB was pretty impressive. Really tough to choose.
 
If Bennie Sapp was on the 02 team it wouldn't have been close. I'll still give it to 02 tho because 09 was just doing barely enough to beat bad teams all year while the 02 team was trucking good teams. I think both teams were top 3 in talent for their respective years.
 
99topdawg said:
02 and 09 were both 2-1 against ranked teams, while the 15 team was 2-2. I agree that its' between 02 and 09. 09 had a lot of close wins and 02 won in OT at #12 PSU, won that epic game vs. Purdue the next week, and then blew people out the rest of the way, including at #8 Michigan 34-9. I'll give the 02 team the edge, even though the OT loss at OSU by the 09 team with a new QB was pretty impressive. Really tough to choose.
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Great minds....
 
Back2Back00 said:
If Stanzi doesn't get injured in that NW game I honestly think that team finishes the regular season undefeated and has a chance to play for a national championship. I will take the '09 team.
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The '09 team could have been undefeated without a Stanzi injury but hypothetically, if each team played its best, the '02 team was the best.
 
I am not disagreeing with opinions above and enjoyed thinking about these three great Iowa teams. Just for fun: Iowa came within inches, literally, of winning the BT championship game vs msu. What if...they had won that game? Virtually every football pundit claimed that the msu drive to end the game is something we almost never see. If Iowa is 13-0 and outright BT champs even though they had to play in a championship game, which the other teams above did not, I would be hard pressed not to vote them the best. But, yeah, I know, ifs and buts, etc.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
If only Brad hadn't wrapped his own wrist at halftime....
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Haha, yeah those fumbles plus Freddy Russell getting hurt gave the hawks a loss when they were dominating ISU.

I pick the 02 team and I dont think they knew how good they were early in the year
 
'02 is the winner.

However that '09 defense was the best of the group. 8 of the 11 starters(if you include Binns as a starter) played in the league. 9 of 11 if you include Daniels as a starter. Greenwood made it to the final round of cuts with the Steelers and Hunter received an injury settlement from the Saints.

That 09 defense was salty.
 
2015 was the "feel-good" year of the three, but easily the "worst" of the three teams. But...not by as much as some think, IMO. I really think the team was a lot more "down" going into the Rose Bowl than the enthusiasm we saw in interviews, etc. That first play took the life out of the D, the pick 6 took the life out of the O.
 
I too have to go with the 2002 team. They were 11-1 (just one turnover prone loss to one of the better ISU teams I've seen, for what that's worth) and a not-so-great Orange Bowl appearance. Otherwise, that team was pasting most everyone.

The 2009 team had the best defense IMO of the 3 teams.. The Orange Bowl win was excellent, but GT was nowhere near the same caliber opponent as the USC team the 2002 team faced. The 2002 team clearly had the best offense.

This year's team had the best regular season - hard to argue 12-0, but the schedule was definitely more manageable.

Gotta remember, the 2002 team won @PSU and @Michigan (in a blowout). So I give that team the edge over 2015 due to SOS alone, and got more "style points" than the 2009 team.

That 2004 team was right up there too IMO - that was also a nasty defense. 2008 was playing great at season's end, although the overall record didn't necessarily reflect it as much as 2002, 2009, or 2015. I suspect the 2008 team beats this year's team in a head to head match up.
 
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1977Hawkeye said:
I too have to go with the 2002 team. They were 11-1 (just one turnover prone loss to one of the better ISU teams I've seen, for what that's worth) and a not-so-great Orange Bowl appearance. Otherwise, that team was pasting most everyone.

The 2009 team had the best defense IMO of the 3 teams.. The Orange Bowl win was excellent, but GT was nowhere near the same caliber opponent as the USC team the 2002 team faced. The 2002 team clearly had the best offense.

This year's team had the best regular season - hard to argue 12-0, but the schedule was definitely more manageable.

Gotta remember, the 2002 team won @PSU and @Michigan (in a blowout). So I give that team the edge over 2015 due to SOS alone, and got more "style points" than the 2009 team.

That 2004 team was right up there too IMO - that was also a nasty defense. 2008 was playing great at season's end, although the overall record didn't necessarily reflect it as much as 2002, 2009, or 2015. I suspect the 2008 team beats this year's team in a head to head match up.
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2008 was the best non-QB roster of the Ferentz era. Also, Stanzi is the reason I'd put the '02 team ahead of the '09 team. That offense kinda stunk when you factor in pick sixes. He was really good in 2010 though, just wish the 2010 defense hadn't lost their entire linebacking depth chart.

The 2003 team was pretty good too, considering they finished #8 with Nathan Chandler starting at quarterback.
 
If we were to combine the 3 teams together to make 1 great team, who outside of King would make the team from 2015?
 
DJL said:
If we were to combine the 3 teams together to make 1 great team, who outside of King would make the team from 2015?
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Would make the starting lineup or make the depth chart? Smith would be on the two deeps at WR, Blythe is either starting or second string to Nelson, Canzeri is probably Russell's backup with Lewis handling the short yardage duties. Beathard is probably the backup QB. Ott and Johnson is probably in the defensive line rotation but this is probably the 2nd deepest position on this make believe team behind o-line. That O-line would be crazy. Gallery, Steinbach, Nelson/Blythe, Reiff, Bulaga.
 
DJL said:
If we were to combine the 3 teams together to make 1 great team, who outside of King would make the team from 2015?
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Wow. A healthy Beathard takes the 09 team a long way. I really believe Beathard is by far the best of the 3 QBs (Banks, Stanzi, Beathard).
 
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