ABC/ESPN Presents 25 Greatest College Football Players Ever

[Appa23]

Since we were dissecting the list of tlevision icons, I thought that I would add something for BBs who love sports.

Every Saturday during the season, ABC/ESPN has been counting down their list of the best college football players in hisotry. I think that they have been doing around 2 a week, culminating with the announcement of #1 during the BCS championship game.

Here is what we have so far:

25. Ernie nevers
24. Reggie Bush
23. Johnny Rodgers
22. George Gipp
21. Archie Griffin
20. Charley Trippi
19. Dick Butkus
18. Jim Brown
17. Bronco Nagurki
16. Tom Harmon
15. John Elway
14. Hugh Green
13. Glenn davis
12. Earl Campbell
11. Charles Woodson

Here is a link if you want to know the specifics about a player:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3086827

On the ESPN message board, they are flaming the ranking of Woodson being higher than Green and Campbell, for example. Looking at other such lists, there seems to be some questions about including Trippi, Elway, and Harmon.


Here comes the interesting part. They have ten slots left, and have not mentioned the following players yet:

Red Grange
Jim Thorpe
Deion Sanders
Barry Sanders
Hershel Walker
Doak Walker
Bo Jackson
Tony Dorsett
Ron Dayne
Nile Kinnick
Sammy Baugh
Davey O'Brien
Archie Manning
Tommie Frazier
Vince Young
Doug Flutie (who works for ESPN/ABC)
Roger Staubach
Bubba Smith
Ronnie Lott
Lawrence Taylor
Tommy Nobis
Dave Rimington
John Hannah
Dean Steinkuhler
Jim Parker
Orlando Pace

Do they dare include OJ Simpson? Ricky Williams?

[Ritterskoop]

Do they dare include OJ Simpson? Ricky Williams?

I would include OJ as one of the best college football players ever. His later actions did not change that.

I don't have an opinion on Ricky Williams.

I am interested that the bulk of the college football list is classic rather than current, whereas the TV list had some odd tilts toward the current people. I guess it was easier to get people to watch if it included more people they were familiar with, while sports people are more interested in comparing generations.

[Appa23]

Do they dare include OJ Simpson? Ricky Williams?

I would include OJ as one of the best college football players ever. His later actions did not change that.

I don't have an opinion on Ricky Williams.

I am interested that the bulk of the college football list is classic rather than current, whereas the TV list had some odd tilts toward the current people. I guess it was easier to get people to watch if it included more people they were familiar with, while sports people are more interested in comparing generations.

I can not speak with much authority on the merits of the players that played before the 1970s. I do not know whether Jim Parker was a better lineman than Orlando Pace (both Buckeyes).

I also have some biases, although they are biases that many experts have given support.

If I was to predict the remaining ten slots:

- #10 likely will be an offensive lineman (since we have not seen a true lineman, although Butkus played center). It either will be John Hannah or Dave Rimington.

- The top three will be Hershel Walker, Red Grange, and Jim Thorpe. So that the top two are not from the earliest parts of the previous century, Walker might be #1 or #2.

- With Reggie Bush already on the list, I am guessing that Vince Young will make the Top Ten (maybe even #5, if Woodson is #11).

- Either Frazier or Matt Leinert will make the list, but not both.

- Deion Sanders is somewhere around #8 or #9.

- Barry Sanders will be somewhere in the 6-10 range. His Junior season was that mind-boggling.

- Slingin' Sammy Baugh makes the list in the Top Five.

- Archie Manning makes the list, just to show that Peyton isn't the only one with game.

If the lineman or Manning is not included, it will be Tony Dorsett.


Interestingly, many of the best players never won the Heisman Trophy.

[TheCalvinator24]

With the makeup of the list so far, I doubt Young or Lienart is on it.

Brian Bosworth was the best linebacker I've EVER seen play at the college level. He should be in the top-10.

In no particular order:

Bosworth
Archie Manning
Sammy Baugh
Bo Jackson
Herschel Walker
Jim Thorpe
Eric Dickerson
Barry Sanders
O.J. Simpson
Some lineman (I couldn't say anything intelligent about college linemen)

That's probably too many Running Backs

No way Tommie Frazier makes the Top 10

[Appa23]

With the makeup of the list so far, I doubt Young or Lienart is on it.

Brian Bosworth was the best linebacker I've EVER seen play at the college level. He should be in the top-10.

In no particular order:

Bosworth
Archie Manning
Sammy Baugh
Bo Jackson
Herschel Walker
Jim Thorpe
Eric Dickerson
Barry Sanders
O.J. Simpson
Some lineman (I couldn't say anything intelligent about college linemen)

That's probably too many Running Backs

No way Tommie Frazier makes the Top 10

I think that Dickerson sharing carries with Craig James will keep him from the list. James and Dickerson were not Blanchard and Davis in mythological scope.

I will be somewhat surprised if Bosworth makes the list. However, Oklahoma deserves a rep. It might be Leroy Selmon. I would vote for Billy Sims, even if he had a fumbling issue.

In that Frazier was listed in the Top Ten of a previous college players list, as well as being the choice of several ESPN commentators at the turn of the century for the best college QB ever, I thought that he might make the list.

In my biased opinion, he definitely was one of the best college players. If not for battling Crohn's Disease for his college career, his career would have been epic.

IF they give some glory to a lineman, the two undisputed leaders at their positions were John Hannah at guard and Dave Rimington at center.

I wonder if their is YouTube video of these guys? Rimington was a freak of nature in college. Huge and quick, as Nebraska's scheme called for several plays with a pulling center. He was amazing in how fast he snapped and got into his blocking. I forgot that he was the Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year in his senior year, which I think is unprecedented for a lineman. Back to Back Outlands, plus a Lombardi, and he finished 4th (IIRC) in the voting for the Heisman (AS A CENTER).

In looking at Simpson, I am thinking that he will be left out. 1400 yards and 1700 yards does not seem all that impressive, with so many backs having gone over 2000 yards in a season.

Oh, and I forgot that Marshall Faulk could get some college recognition, after losing the Heisman to Gino Toretta.

[Appa23]

In many ways, Leinart, Young, and Frazier all have the same calling card for being on the list: they were the triggermen for teams that just kept winning.

[Appa23]

O.K. We now are waiting for the top 7 players in CFB ever.

25. Ernie Nevers
24. Reggie Bush
23. Johnny Rodgers
22. George Gipp
21. Archie Griffin
20. Charley Trippi
19. Dick Butkus
18. Jim Brown
17. Bronco Nagurki
16. Tom Harmon
15. John Elway
14. Hugh Green
13. Glenn Davis
12. Earl Campbell
11. Charles Woodson
10. Vince Young
9. Roger Staubach
8. Bo Jackson

Clearly, ESPN/ABC will be ignoring some great players.

[TheCalvinator24]

I will now recant and say that they will include Frazier.

I love Vince Young, but he is way too high on this list.

[Appa23]

We near the top 5, as Dorsett and Thorpe make the list:

25. Ernie Nevers
24. Reggie Bush
23. Johnny Rodgers
22. George Gipp
21. Archie Griffin
20. Charley Trippi
19. Dick Butkus
18. Jim Brown
17. Bronco Nagurski
16. Tom Harmon
15. John Elway
14. Hugh Green
13. Glenn Davis
12. Earl Campbell
11. Charles Woodson
10. Vince Young
9. Roger Staubach
8. Bo Jackson
7. Tony Dorsett
6. Jim Thorpe

Half of this list are running backs / halfbacks.

Rodgers is the only "wide receiver" on the list, and there have been no offensive lineman chosen.

[tlynn78]

Sammy Baugh

I work with his son. Great guy, with a terrific sense of humor -(the son, I mean)


t.

[Appa23]

And then there were two (left).

25. Ernie Nevers
24. Reggie Bush
23. Johnny Rodgers
22. George Gipp
21. Archie Griffin
20. Charley Trippi
19. Dick Butkus
18. Jim Brown
17. Bronco Nagurski
16. Tom Harmon
15. John Elway
14. Hugh Green
13. Glenn Davis
12. Earl Campbell
11. Charles Woodson
10. Vince Young
9. Roger Staubach
8. Bo Jackson
7. Tony Dorsett
6. Jim Thorpe
5. Sammy Baugh
4. Doak Walker
3. Hershel Walker


No doubt, Red Grange is one of the final two (likely #1).

Really thought that Hershel would be higher.

I know who I would put at #2, but I am curious who the ESPN people decided was one of the two best college football players ever.

[TheCalvinator24]

I know who I would put at #2, but I am curious who the ESPN people decided was one of the two best college football players ever.

I think you're gonna get your wish.

[Appa23]

I know who I would put at #2, but I am curious who the ESPN people decided was one of the two best college football players ever.

I think you're gonna get your wish.

I don't know. My "#2" really is not the second-best player, but rather just he second "most important/best" player that has not been named yet.

I can remember Georgia games from the Walker years, and I have seen lots of highlights in the intervening years. He was un-freakin-believable. I can reclal one game where Walker leaped for a first down, got taken out at the knees, flipped completely over, landed on his feet, and continued on for a TD.

With only one year as the starting RB for Okie State, I imagine Barry Sanders did not have a long-enough college career. But, if you saw him run, it was amazing. You really did not tackle him that year. You essentially tried to surorund him on all sides with tacklers and limit the long runs. Nebraska totally contained him, and he likely still ran for over 200 yards. I mean, he approached rushing for 3000 yards in ONE SEASON, when you count the bowl game.

Anyway, I am trying to figure out if it can be anyone else. There is no way that OJ Simpson was a better college back than Walker.

Top 2 is way too high for anyone other than a back or quarterback.

[tanstaafl2]

Not surprising that no offensive lineman get selected. Can't be a more unglamorous role and yet they played a huge role in the success of the many QB's and running backs on the list. But they rarely do anything dramatic that would get them noticied. Even defensive players have a chance to get noticed by making big tackles or sacks.

But there is no category for superb successful blocks made. The only time they stand out is when they miss a block. They get little recognition for the hundreds of blocks they did make.

Might as well have a top 25 for the "skill" players and have a separate list for the O line where true skill resides.

[tanstaafl2]

I can remember Georgia games from the Walker years, and I have seen lots of highlights in the intervening years. He was un-freakin-believable. I can reclal one game where Walker leaped for a first down, got taken out at the knees, flipped completely over, landed on his feet, and continued on for a TD.

Happened to see Walker in most of his home games his freshman year in person (Was dating a member of the Georgia band at that time. Talk about a sweet deal!) I haven't seen many college players but he was by far the best I ever saw in person.

Un-frickin'-believable is an understatement!

[Appa23]

There is some indication that ESPN accidentlally leaked the top two choices through posting the videos on its website.

Don't peek if you do not want to know the top two:

Spoiler

2. Barry Sanders

1. Red Grange


If true, and it appears to be, then I am very curious who voted/decided on the list.