Despite scoring just 14 points against Florida in a loss to the Gators, the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners finished the season with the #1 scoring offense of the year. The performance did lower their averages—both raw and adjusted—quite a bit, but not enough to drop them below #2 Florida, who had 24 points which was below their average as well.
Oklahoma's relatively poor performance also lowered their standing in the all-time offensive rankings which I posted just before the game. They also remained #1 in adjusted total yardage on offense.
Here are the final top ten offenses of 2008:
Top scoring offenses, 2008 football season
# Team record adj. ave
1. Oklahoma 12-2 54.47
2. Florida 13-1 46.38
3. Oregon 10-3 44.66
4. Texas 12-1 42.91
5. Texas Tech 11-2 42.91
6. Missouri 10-4 42.71
7. Tulsa 11-3 41.58
8. Penn State 11-2 40.79
9. Southern Cal 12-1 40.65
10. Oklahoma St 9-4 39.45
Before the BCS title game, Oklahoma's adjusted average scoring output was 56.56, so they lost over two points after the loss. But they're still #1 for the year by over 8 points per game when opposition is taken into account. Florida finished second on offense, losing over a full point after facing the Sooners. The expected score of that game, using the adjusted averages for offense and defense, was about 41-40, so both teams fell short of expectations. (Or their defenses exceeded expectations.)
Oregon finished the year #3, followed by three high-power Big Twelve passing offenses: Texas, Texas Tech, and Missouri. Tulsa's strong passing and rushing attack put them at #7, then Penn State, USC, and Oklahoma State fill out the top ten. Three of the top ten offenses in the country were from Oklahoma teams.
In terms of total yardage generated on offense, Oklahoma is #1 as well.
Rank Team Rec Total(rank) Rush(rank) Pass(rank)
1. Oklahoma 12-2 564.0[ 1] 210.3[ 16] 353.7[ 3]
2. Tulsa 11-3 538.8[ 2] 240.2[ 8] 298.6[ 9]
3. Houston 8-5 538.6[ 3] 144.3[ 64] 394.2[ 2]
4. Texas Tech 11-2 517.0[ 4] 120.0[ 92] 397.0[ 1]
5. Oregon 10-3 497.5[ 5] 267.6[ 3] 229.8[ 48]
6. Nevada 7-6 479.2[ 6] 241.4[ 6] 237.8[ 39]
7. Missouri 10-4 471.6[ 7] 152.2[ 57] 319.4[ 5]
8. Oklahoma St 9-4 471.3[ 8] 225.0[ 12] 246.3[ 34]
9. Southern Cal 12-1 470.4[ 9] 196.2[ 25] 274.2[ 18]
10. Texas 12-1 467.0[ 10] 162.8[ 44] 304.1[ 7]
The Sooners were 16th in rushing yards and 3rd in passing yards (all figured adjusted for competition) and overall were #1 by a wide margin. Tulsa and Houston were neck and neck for #2, with the Golden Hurricane finishing in the top 10 in both categories. Texas Tech's pass-oriented game puts them at #4.
Oregon and Nevada were both top ten in rushing with an above-average passing game that puts them at #5 and #6; Missouri is #7, mostly via the air, while Oklahoma State at #8 and USC at #10 are more balanced. #10 Texas is as balanced as Oregon and Nevada, though in the other direction.
By yardage, three of the top ten teams are from Oklahoma, and three more were from Texas.
Back to scoring: how did Oklahoma finish among the all-time comparisons? Let's go through them and see how much they dropped:
Top offenses 2000-2008 seasons (uncorrect for year played)
# Year Team record adj. ave
1. 2008 Oklahoma 12-1 54.47 [1]
2. 2005 Texas 13-0 53.70 [1]
3. 2005 Southern California 12-1 52.48 [2]
4. 2001 Florida 10-2 47.91 [1]
9. 2007 Florida 9-4 47.36 [1]
6. 2004 Utah 12-0 46.91 [1]
7. 2004 Louisville 11-1 46.81 [2]
8. 2001 Miami (Florida) 12-0 46.80 [2]
5. 2008 Florida 12-1 46.48 [2]
10. 2000 Nebraska 10-2 45.26 [1]
Oklahoma still comes out on top but not by a wide margin any more over 2005 Texas. This year's Florida squad dropped from #5 to #9, placing them lower than last year's team.
Now for the 80s, 90s, and 00s:
Top offenses 1980-2008 seasons (uncorrected for year played)
# Year Team record adj. ave
1. 2008 Oklahoma 12-1 54.47 [ 1]
2. 1995 Nebraska 12-0 54.30 [ 1]
3. 1989 Houston 9-2 54.28 [ 1]
4. 2005 Texas 13-0 53.70 [ 1]
5. 2005 Southern California 12-1 52.48 [ 2]
That's really cutting it close. Oklahoma still ranks better than 1995 Nebraska but just by a hair. Now we look at the "corrected" figures that account for the increase in overall scoring average.
Top offenses 1980-2008 seasons (standardized for year played)
# year Team rec adj. ave year's ave difference
1. 1989 Houston 9-2 54.28 [1] - 24.13 = 30.15
2. 1983 Nebraska 12-1 51.47 [1] - 21.93 = 29.54
3. 1995 Nebraska 12-0 54.30 [1] - 25.20 = 29.10
4. 2008 Oklahoma 12-1 54.47 [1] - 26.34 = 28.13
5. 2005 Texas 13-0 53.70 [1] - 26.28 = 27.42
Oklahoma can no longer claim to have the best offense in the last 30 years, let along the last 50 or 60. The Sooners had finished first on this list just last week, and even #6 from 1940 on. But for the last three decades, they fall behind 1989 Houston and two powerhouse Nebraska teams, including the one from 1995. So the "best offense in the last dozen or so years" is the best that can be reasonably argued. Going back to 1940, 2008 Oklahoma no longer appears in the top ten.
So being the best offense of the 2008 season is going to have to be enough.
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