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USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida all over The Athletic's 100 best college football rivalries list
College sports take rivalries to a whole new level. Geographic boundaries, conference ties and history all play a role when determining just how strong a rivalry is, and it's safe to say that the Florida Gators have their fair share of enemies. The Athletic's Scott Dochterman recently broke down the top 100 rivalries in college football, and it's no surprise to see the Orange and Blue pop up a handful of times. Both in-state rivals made the cut, and a trio of SEC annual matchups are also on the list. Every Gators fan has a different order of most-hated rivals in their head, but this is how Dochterman sees it. No. 64 Florida vs. LSU Loud fans, loud stadiums and upsets galore make the Florida-LSU rivalry one worth scheduling every season. Things will have a different feel next year as the game is played in September for the first time since 1984, but it should still be the same raucous affair as always. Marco Wilson's shoe throw might be the most memorable moment in recent memory from the series, but these teams have met 25 times as ranked opponents. "It doesn't have the lore or regional appeal of other SEC rivalries, but each of these programs has won two national championships over the past 20 years. This is the annual rivalry that neither side really wants, but it's too good for the SEC to let it expire." The series is tied 34-34-3 No. 58 Florida vs. Miami It makes sense for two of the Sunshine State's top three football programs to have some beef, but these teams meet less often than one would think. Only eight games between 1987 and 2025, including September's game, which is the second half of a home-and-home. Conference expansion is the main reason this matchup isn't a yearly affair. "There's plenty of feistiness between these two programs when they take the field. But their meetings have become so sporadic that the rivalry doesn't measure up to their in-state feuds with Florida State." Miami leads the series 30-27 No. 36 Florida vs. Tennessee Credit the Head Ball Coach for making this rivalry what it was in the 90s. "You can't spell 'Citrus (Bowl)' without U-T," Steve Spurrier said after his Gators beat the Volunteers four years in a row. Now considered the early-season measuring stick for both teams, this clash of former SEC East rivals still holds a large place in the hearts of many Gators fans. "Tennessee and Florida barely resonated for either fan base until they were forced to play one another every year in the SEC East. Once they did, the series sizzled and became the SEC's most competitive rivalry in the 1990s. It doesn't measure up when compared alongside these teams' historical feuds, but it's on the map." Florida leads the series 32-22 No. 12 Florida vs. Georgia There's a large portion of Gator Nation that puts the Florida-Georgia rivalry at No. 1 on their list. While things have been fairly one-sided since 2010, Georgia leads 10-4 during that time, there's still something about a neutral-site game with major recruiting impacts on both sides that gets the blood flowing. There's also the constant stream of liquor flowing at what used to be called the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party to consider. "Each team has important in-state rivalries, but this ranks No. 1 for both programs and their fans. They've yet to have a top-five matchup, but the outcomes often lead directly to an SEC championship participant." Georgia leads the series 56-44-2 No. 9 Florida vs. Florida State Another rivalry that exploded in the '90s — Spurrier simply lived to instigate — the Florida-Florida State feud is in-state competition between publicly funded universities at its best. Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier are among college football's greatest coaches, and the two programs met as the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked teams in the country in 1996 regular season and again at Nos. 1 and 3 in the Sugar Bowl. "What was a nice in-state nonconference series turned into one of national consequence during the 1990s. With coaching legends Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden on opposite sides, Florida-Florida State set the table for many postseasons. Its annual importance may have diminished, but it's still the most prominent SEC-ACC Thanksgiving weekend feud." Florida leads the series 38-28-2 Just Missed the Cut: Florida vs. Auburn "The Gators and Tigers played annually from 1944-2002, and it was a protected series when the SEC first split into divisions. They have played 84 times (Auburn leads 43-39-2), including 18 ranked battles, but have had just four meetings since 2002. It's just too irregular to make the top 100." Which schools have the most top-100 rivalries? Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Three Oklahoma rivalries among The Athletic's Top 25 all-time in college football
Before kickoff, college football rivalries bring families, friends and colleagues closer together. The outcome instantly divides those same which ones rise above the rest in the nation? The Oklahoma Sooners have long been one of college football's premier programs. One of the hallmarks of college football has long been intense, iconic rivalries between teams and fanbases that can't stand each other. So, it makes sense that OU is a part of some of the best rivalries in college football history. The Athletic's Scott Dochterman set out to rank the best rivalries in college football earlier this week. He placed three matchups involving OU within his top 25. Of course, Oklahoma's biggest rival is the Texas Longhorns. Dochterman had The Red River Shootout at No. 3 on his list, behind only The Game between Michigan and Ohio State and The Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. OU-Texas absolutely has a strong case for No. 1, as Red River is one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 64-51-5, but since 1999, it's Oklahoma who holds a 17-10 advantage, including a win in the 2018 Big 12 Championship Game in 2018. Next up for the Sooners is their rivalry with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, which Dochterman ranked sixth. OU-Nebraska fell behind Army-Navy and Notre Dame-USC in the pecking order. Unfortunately, due to conference realignment, OU-Nebraska hasn't been played regularly since the Cornhuskers moved to the Big Ten in 2011. It was once one of college football's most anticipated annual games, and the teams played a non-conference home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022, with the Sooners pulling off the sweep. Oklahoma leads the all-time series 47-38-3, with an 8-2 record against the Huskers since 1999. Another great rivalry lost to conference realignment came in at No. 25 on Dochterman's list. The Bedlam game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys has provided so many great memories over the years, but 2023 was the last scheduled playing of the in-state rivalry. Bedlam had become a bigger game over the last two decades as the Cowboys rose to sustained national relevance under head coach Mike Gundy. However, the Sooners have traditionally gotten the better of their little brother to the north. OU's overall record against OSU sits at 91-20-7, with the mark since 1999 at 19-6, also in Oklahoma's favor. One thing's for certain: you can't talk about great college football rivalries for long before the Oklahoma Sooners come up. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football has five rivalry games included in The Athletic's top-100 rankings
One of the most important aspects of college football that has helped entrench it into American culture is the rivalry game, for which every school has at least one. Many of these matchups have been played for over 100 years — longer than the current forms of the NBA, NFL, and NHL have existed, and sometimes contemporaneous with early Major League Baseball. That has allowed generations of sports fans to continue a long and storied tradition with their favorite colleges and universities. The Florida Gators officially started competing on the collegiate gridiron in 1911 as an independent team, before joining the Southern Conference in 1922 along with a large proportion of their future Southeastern Conference peers — a league that began play in 1932. Those early years provided the Orange and Blue with three of the five foes that The Athletic's Scott Dochterman included in his rankings of the top 100 college football rivalries. Dochterman chose to feature Florida's matchups with the Florida State Seminoles (No. 9), Georgia Bulldogs (No. 12), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 36), Miami Hurricanes (No. 58) and LSU Tigers (No. 64) among the best rivalries in the sport. Many Gators fans may disagree with the rankings of the top two — UGA should be among the top-10 and arguably ahead of FSU, but it is what it is. Below is a look at how Florida's five top rivalries break down in Dochterman's eyes. Florida–Florida State: No. 9 What to know: "What was a nice in-state nonconference series turned into one of national consequence during the 1990s," Dochterman offers. "With coaching legends Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden on opposite sides, Florida-Florida State set the table for many postseasons. Its annual importance may have diminished, but it's still the most prominent SEC-ACC Thanksgiving weekend feud." Biggest game: "In the 1996 regular-season finale, No. 2 Florida State edged No. 1 Florida 24-21 and the quarterback hits rankled Spurrier," he recalls. "After Florida won the SEC title game, the Bowl Alliance lined up the No. 1 Seminoles and No. 3 Gators for the fifth time over a three-year span, again in the Sugar Bowl. Florida led by four points in the third quarter, then scored four second-half touchdowns in a 52-20 win. The Gators won the national title while Florida State fell to No. 3." Georgia–Florida: No. 12 What to know: "Each team has important in-state rivalries, but this ranks No. 1 for both programs and their fans," Dochterman offers. "They've yet to have a top-five matchup, but the outcomes often lead directly to an SEC championship participant." Biggest game: "No. 2 Georgia's hopes of an unbeaten season appeared dashed approaching the final minute of its 1980 clash with the No. 20 Gators," he begins. "Down 21-20 and facing third-and-11 at the 7-yard line, Bulldogs QB Buck Belue rolled right and threw across his body to Lindsay Scott at the 25-yard line. With Georgia announcer Larry Munson shouting, 'Run Lindsay!' the receiver outraced the defense for a 93-yard TD and a 26-21 victory. The Bulldogs later won the national title." Tennessee–Florida: No. 36 What to know: "Tennessee and Florida barely resonated for either fan base until they were forced to play one another every year in the SEC East," Dochterman says. "Once they did, the series sizzled and became the SEC's most competitive rivalry in the 1990s. It doesn't measure up when compared alongside these teams' historical feuds, but it's on the map." Biggest game: "After five straight top-15 losses to the Gators, No. 6 Tennessee hosted No. 2 Florida in 1998," he writes. "The Vols picked up a 20-17 OT win when Florida's game-tying attempt said wide left. The win propelled Tennessee to the first BCS championship." Miami–Florida: No. 58 What to know: "There's plenty of feistiness between these two programs when they take the field," Dochterman notes. "But their meetings have become so sporadic that the rivalry doesn't measure up to their in-state feuds with Florida State." Biggest game: "Following the 2000 season, the teams met in the Sugar Bowl with the SEC champion Gators facing the Big East champion Canes," he offers. "No. 7 Florida led early in the third quarter, but a combination of penalties, turnovers and special teams errors propelled No. 2 Miami to 24 second-half points in a 37-20 win." LSU-Florida: No. 64 What to know: "It doesn't have the lore or regional appeal of other SEC rivalries, but each of these programs has won two national championships over the past 20 years," Diotcherman notes. "This is the annual rivalry that neither side really wants, but it's too good for the SEC to let it expire." Biggest game: "Their 2007 battle in Baton Rouge stands out as first among equals," he continues. "Top-ranked LSU trailed No. 9 Florida 24-14 with 10:15 left in the game before rallying for two TDs to take a 28-24 lead. Florida moved into LSU territory but Heisman winner Tim Tebow's final pass attempt fell incomplete, and the eventual BCS champion Tigers — who went 5-for-5 on fourth downs — held on for the win." The Athletic's top 25 best college football rivalries Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
New York Times
05-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Men's Final Four: Who makes the all-time starting 5 and coach for each team?
So much for 'March Madness.' For the first time since 2008 and only the second time ever, the men's Final Four will consist of every No. 1 seed from each regional bracket. All eyes will be on Auburn, Duke, Florida and Houston as the Final Four tips off Saturday. There's no room at the inn for a men's college basketball Cinderella in San Antonio. Advertisement All four teams are capable of winning the national championship Monday night. All four teams also have respectable histories. Duke is a five-time national champion but hasn't won since 2015. Florida won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Auburn and Houston are looking for their first championships this weekend. As we prepare for the action, representatives at The Athletic decided to have some fun and choose players from each Final Four program, past and present, who would make for an all-time starting five. Scott Dochterman, Jason Jones and Damon Sayles teamed up to choose their teams and add an all-time coach for each program. Feel free to share your starting five in the comments section. Dochterman's starting five: C Johni Broome, F Chuck Person, F Charles Barkley, G Eddie Johnson, G Bryce Brown Dochterman's coach: Bruce Pearl Auburn's men's basketball history was a mile wide and an inch deep before Pearl took over 11 years ago. Now, it's a flood of greatness. The challenge with this assignment starts with picking the five best players from the program or its best lineup. Auburn's top five players are exclusively frontcourt guys, so with this lineup, we'll try to survive a few trips up the floor before subbing out. From the 1980s, Person is the Tigers' all-time leading scorer, and Barkley led Auburn in rebounding. Both were second-team All-Americans. Fast forward to today, where the Tigers have Broome, a consensus first-team All-American this year. These three make up my frontcourt, but let's not forget Chris Porter, who earned All-America honors in 1999, or the duo of Jabari Smith Jr. and Walker Kessler, who were second-team All-Americans in 2022. As far as guards go, Johnson scored 1,988 points and compiled 499 assists from 1973-77. Brown is the best guard recently with 1,673 points. Advertisement Jones' starting five: G John Mengelt, G Wesley Person, F Chuck Person, F Charles Barkley, F Chris Porter Jones' coach: Bruce Pearl Mengelt averaged 24.8 points for his career and had a 60-point game against rival Alabama on Feb. 14, 1970. Wesley Person was a big-time scorer, averaging 22.2 points to lead the SEC in 1993-94. His older brother, Chuck, also was a prolific scorer, averaging better than 20 points during his junior and senior seasons. He 'only' averaged 19.1 points as a sophomore. Barkley was the SEC Player of the Year in 1984. He also led the conference in rebounding in each of his three seasons with the Tigers. Porter was the Auburn star of the late 1990s. His high-flying game was just as popular as his signature afro. He was an All-American as a junior, but the Tigers struggled with lofty expectations during his senior campaign. He missed the last eight games over NCAA violations for accepting money to reportedly keep his mother from being evicted. Auburn has been a competitive team since Pearl took over, and he has them in the Final Four, hence he coaches this team. Sayles' starting five: F Charles Barkley, F Chuck Person, G John Mengelt, G Eddie Johnson, F Chris Porter Sayles' coach: Joel Eaves Picking an Auburn coach is a little tougher than many would assume. Pearl may seem like the obvious choice to some, but the seasoned fans of Auburn basketball will remember Eaves coaching 14 seasons and owning the best win percentage by an Auburn coach (68.1 percent). He led the Tigers to their first SEC championship in 1960 and was named SEC Coach of the Year the same season. Auburn renamed its former basketball arena after him. Additionally, let's not forget Cliff Ellis, the AP Coach of the Year in 1999. As for the players, Barkley is easy. He was a scoring and rebounding machine in the late 1980s. He's arguably the greatest to put on an Auburn uniform, and his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction in 2006 supports whoever argues pro in that discussion. No Auburn player scored more points than Person, and few produced SportsCenter-esque highlights like Porter, who sported one of the best afros in sports in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Advertisement Mengelt was the second Auburn basketball player inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. (Eaves technically was the first, but he also excelled at football and baseball before finding his lane as a coach.) Johnson might have been more well-known once he found his way into the NBA, but his résumé will always have 'four-time All-SEC player' on it, and that can't be denied. Dochterman's starting five: F/C Christian Laettner, G Jay Williams, F Shane Battier, G JJ Redick, F Grant Hill Dochterman's coach: Mike Krzyzewski It's almost futile to pick five Duke players when there are eight Naismith Trophy winners (soon to be nine, most likely) from 1986 onward. But considering NCAA Tournament success and regular-season records, four undisputed national players of the year stand out: Laettner, Battier, Williams and Redick. Laettner has every possible honor, including the label of most disliked player of all time, but he hit two NCAA tournament buzzer-beaters, and he was perfect from the floor in the best game in NCAA tournament history against Kentucky. That one came down to his shot from the top of the key. March 28, 1992: The Christian Laettner Shot. Elite 8, Philadelphia, Duke 104 Kentucky 103 OT. — This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) March 29, 2025 Redick was a consensus player of the year, a two-time first-team All-American and the ACC's all-time scoring leader. Williams scored 2,079 points and was a first-team All-American for two seasons. Battier won the 2001 Final Four's most outstanding player award and was named three-time national defensive player of the year. All of them have their jerseys retired. But that final spot was exhausting. Hill, for me, edges Bobby Hurley, Elton Brand, Danny Ferry, Johnny Dawkins, Zion Williamson and Cooper Flagg. Then there's Luol Deng, Jahlil Okafor, Kyle Singler, Tyus Jones, Brandon Ingram, Art Heyman … you get the idea. Duke's second and third teams are better than nearly every team's starting lineup. Advertisement The coach is a no-brainer. Jones' starting five: G Jay Williams, G JJ Redick, F Grant Hill, F Carlos Boozer, C Christian Laettner Jones' coach: Mike Krzyzewski Duke is one of the most polarizing programs in the country. Plenty of people haven't gotten over Laettner stepping on Kentucky's Aminu Timberlake's chest in the 1992 East Regional final. Still, Laettner's list of accolades is long, including Final Four most outstanding player in 1991 and national player of the year in 1992. Redick also has a decorated college career, including a national player of the year award. Hill's arrival helped Duke bounce back from their embarrassing loss to UNLV in the 1990 national championship game to beat UNLV in the semifinal round the following year. Going with Boozer over Battier is no knock on Battier. Rather, I prefer a more traditional power forward. Oddly enough, Battier was a stretch four at times for the Miami Heat. There are about 10 versions of a Duke starting five that would still be great. It's also skewed against the one-and-done era, as my starting five all spent multiple seasons on campus. Kyrie Irving has had a Hall of Fame career, but he only played in 11 games before declaring for the 2011 NBA Draft. Williamson, Ingram and Jayson Tatum were stars in their one season on campus, but it's hard to put them ahead of the legacy of those who spent more time there. It was hard to leave off Brand, who was among the stars who played multiple seasons. As for the coach, was there any question? Maybe Jon Scheyer can earn his name into the conversation after this weekend. Sayles' starting five: F/C Christian Laettner, G JJ Redick, F Grant Hill, G Johnny Dawkins, F Shane Battier Sayles' coach: Mike Krzyzewski The easy part: Coach K is the coach. End of story. The hard part: Duke has enough talent to make three separate starting fives — maybe even four — that you can be comfortable with. I think Laettner, Reddick and Hill are the easier choices. It's the other two that I'm debating over. Advertisement One of my earliest memories of Duke is watching Dawkins lead an offense that ran like a well-oiled machine. Before he was the head coach at Stanford and UCF, he was a Naismith player of the year and Duke's No. 2 all-time scorer with 2,556 points. So many players who could be my fifth starter: Williams, Boozer, Hurley, Okafor, Brand, Tatum, Irving, Williamson, Flagg, Shelden Williams, Danny Ferry … I can go on. With this team, give me Battier and his versatility. He was a consensus college player of the year in 2001, but I'm a fan of his being a three-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year. Dochterman's starting five: G Walter Clayton Jr., F Al Horford, C Joakim Noah, F Corey Brewer, G Kenny Boynton Dochterman's coach: Billy Donovan It's unreal that a program qualifying for its sixth Final Four and boasting consecutive NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007 did not have a first-team All-American until this year. Clayton became Florida's first and certainly deserves a spot on this list, averaging 18.1 points per game. But plenty of players who didn't receive first-team honors are just as worthy. Noah set the NCAA Tournament single-season record with 29 blocked shots in 2006, when he was voted the Final Four's most outstanding player. The next year, Brewer collected the same award in the Gators' second NCAA championship run. Horford had 18 points and 12 rebounds in the 2007 title game. Horford, Brewer and Noah were three of the first 10 picks of the 2007 NBA Draft. (2007) Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer at Florida. 🐊 — Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) November 27, 2018 The Gators have a mix of other high-level performers over the years, like SEC player of the year Scottie Wilbekin, all-time leading scorer Ronnie Williams and Neal Walk, the only Gator whose jersey is retired. But the last spot goes to guard Boynton, who scored 2,083 points and directed Florida to three Elite Eights and two SEC titles. Advertisement Jones' starting five: G Vernon Maxwell, G Walter Clayton Jr., F Corey Brewer, F Al Horford, C Joakim Noah Jones' coach: Billy Donovan There wasn't an easier frontcourt to pick than the trio of Brewer, Horford and Noah, who won back-to-back championships and were all selected in the top 10 of the 2007 draft. Suddenly, Florida wasn't just a football school, as the Gators ruled college basketball for two seasons. Maxwell left school as Florida's all-time leader in points (2,450) and steals (206) and led the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1987. Clayton's standout season leading the Gators to this year's Final Four puts him in the starting five. A championship would put him in the same company as the famed frontcourt and Donovan, my pick for all-time coach. Sayles' starting five: F Corey Brewer, C Joaquin Noah, F Al Horford, G Walter Clayton Jr., C Neal Walk Sayles' coach: Billy Donovan Consider this my big lineup. I couldn't leave Walk off this list. Of all the great players to put on a Florida uniform, he's the only one to have his jersey retired. Walk wore No. 41 from 1967-69. It was an easy decision to include the three 2007 draft picks. Horford (No. 3 pick), Brewer (No. 7) and Noah (No. 9) were so much fun to watch during their back-to-back national title run. Clayton would love to trade championship stories with them starting next week. As the only consensus first-team All-American from Florida, Clayton has established himself as a Mount Rushmore-type player for the program. A championship can put him in a new stratosphere. Udonis Haslem, Maxwell, Williams, Boynton, among others, deserve recognition, but I'm comfortable with this starting five. As for the coach, it's hard to argue against what Donovan did. He won 72 percent of his games in 19 years in Gainesville, Fla., including 16 consecutive 20-win seasons. In addition to 68 combined wins during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Donovan also led the Gators to a 36-3 record and a trip to the Final Four in 2014. Advertisement Dochterman's starting five: F Elvin Hayes, C Hakeem Olajuwon, G Clyde Drexler, G Otis Birdsong, G Jamal Shead Dochterman's coach: Guy V. Lewis Houston might have the best history of any program without a national championship. It all started with Hayes, who still holds program records for scoring and rebounding for a single game, season and career. His 358 points in 13 NCAA Tournament games rank second to Duke's Christian Laettner, who played in 10 more NCAA games. Hayes joined Don Chaney as the first two African-American players in Cougars history, and they combined to lead Houston to an 81-12 record and two Final Fours. Birdsong, a consensus All-American, was the Southwest Conference's player of the year in 1977. In the early 1980s, All-Americans Drexler, Olajuwon and Michael Young paced the high-flying Phi Slama Jama. That Houston crew (sans Drexler in 1984) went to three straight Final Fours and nearly won the 1983 title. In recent years, Kelvin Sampson's teams have included All-Americans Marcus Sasser and L.J. Cryer this year, and in 2024, Shead was named the Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year. Perhaps the toughest debate is at coach, between Lewis and Sampson. But that's for another day. Jones' starting five: G Clyde Drexler, G Otis Birdsong, G/F Louis Dunbar, F Elvin Hayes, C Hakeem Olajuwon Jones' coach: Guy V. Lewis Houston doesn't have a national championship, but the program has several memorable teams. The Phi Slama Jama teams lost in the NCAA Tournament finals in 1983 and 1984. The program was also part of the 'Game of the Century' that ended UCLA's winning streak at 47 games in 1968. That game featured Hayes as Houston's best player against UCLA's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Putting more than 52,000 in the Astrodome for the first college game aired in primetime wasn't just a testament to UCLA's dominance; it also showed the elite status of Hayes and the Cougars. Drexler and Olajuwon were members of 'Texas' tallest fraternity,' as Phi Slama Jama put on a show every time it stepped on the court. The two All-Americans finally brought Houston a championship as teammates in 1995 — an NBA title with the Rockets. The Phi Slama Jama era of @UHCougarMBK saw the Cougars advance to three straight Final Fours in 1982, 1983 and 1984 with future Naismith Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler leading the way. 🐾#MFinalFour — NCAA Men's Final Four (@MFinalFour) April 2, 2025 Birdsong was a dominant scorer in the 1970s. Many know Dunbar as 'Sweet Lou' of the Harlem Globetrotters, but in college, he was a 6-foot-9 playmaker before someone like Magic Johnson became a household name. Dunbar averaged 22.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists for his career with the Cougars. Advertisement The coach was an easy choice. Lewis coached all five players. Sayles' starting five: F Elvin Hayes, C Hakeem Olajuwon, G Clyde Drexler, G Otis Birdsong, G Rob Williams Sayles' coach: Guy V. Lewis 'Phi Slama Jama' still brings fear to college programs. Those Houston teams of the past had power, speed and athleticism. Olajuwon and Drexler were All-Americans. They were a dynamic duo of the 1980s. The Cougars had another dominant duo in the '60s in Hayes and Chaney, two players who broke the color barrier for the university's basketball team and starred in the 1968 'Game of the Century' against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the UCLA Bruins. Hayes was a phenomenal player, arguably the best to put on a Houston uniform. Birdsong was a consensus All-American in 1977 and a walking bucket. He averaged 30.3 points as a senior. Birdsong, Hayes, Olajuwon and Drexler all have their jerseys retired. But as good as Chaney was, I had to go with Williams. Williams was the Southwest Conference Player of the Year in 1981. Choosing Lewis as the coach makes sense — but Kelvin Sampson is building his résumé. A national championship would be a major boost.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Women's Final Four: Who would make the all-time starting 5, coach for each team?
Women's Final Four: Who would make the all-time starting 5, coach for each team? Women's Final Four: Who would make the all-time starting 5, coach for each team? There is tons of history and plenty of storylines with the participants in the women's Final Four. Tampa, Fla., will feature one team's first appearance in the Final Four, compared to another team looking for a repeat of last year and its third national title in four years. There's one team that hasn't competed in the Final Four in 22 years, while another is the reliable visitor — a Final Four appearance in 16 of the last 17 years and 24 collectively under the same head coach. Advertisement Women's college basketball's giants will collide at Amalie Arena on Friday. Texas will meet defending national champion South Carolina in the first semifinal, while UConn and UCLA play the later game. With all of the history and star power of these programs, asked the incredibly tough question: Which players, past and present, would be included on a starting five of each team representing this year's Final Four? Longtime women's college basketball fans Scott Dochterman, Richard Deitsch and Damon Sayles accepted the unenviable challenge (gulp!) and also added an all-time coach for each team. Feel free to share your starting five in the comments section. South Carolina Gamecocks Dochterman's starting five: C A'ja Wilson, C Aliyah Boston, G Tiffany Mitchell, G Zia Cooke, G Tyasha Harris Advertisement Dochterman's coach: Dawn Staley A consensus national player of the year honoree, Wilson scored 2,389 points and grabbed 1,195 rebounds in her career while leading South Carolina to the 2017 NCAA championship. Boston was instrumental in leading South Carolina to the 2022 national title, two other Final Fours and a 32-1 record in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign. Mitchell, who has her jersey retired alongside Wilson, won two SEC player of the year awards and guided South Carolina to the Final Four. Cooke and Harris were critical in the Gamecocks' national-title seasons of 2022 and 2017, respectively. It feels wrong to leave out first-team All-American Kamilla Cardoso, who led the Gamecocks to the 2024 NCAA title, but there already are two centers on the team. Forward Jocelyn Penn gets overshadowed by the success in the Staley era, but during the 2002-03 season, she averaged 23.9 points per game and led the SEC in steals and field-goal percentage. Sheila Foster, Shannon Johnson and Martha Parker have their jerseys retired and deserve mention, as well. Advertisement Deitsch's starting five: C A'ja Wilson, C Aliyah Boston, C Alaina Coates, G Tiffany Mitchell, G Shannon Johnson Deitsch's coach: Dawn Staley Wilson is the easiest pick of this entire exercise. Homegrown and charismatic, she is the player who turned the South Carolina program into a national juggernaut when, in April 2014, she opted to stay home. Boston followed Wilson's success by leading South Carolina to the 2022 national title and two other Final Fours. Johnson was a great scoring guard — the school's second-leading scorer of all time with 2,230 career points. Mitchell was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and ranks among the program's all-time leaders in games started and games played. Advertisement My last pick was Coates, who suffered an ankle injury late in 2022 that caused her to miss the tournament. She was dominant in the post and is the school's best all-time in field-goal percentage and defensive rebounds. Zia Cooke and Tyasha Harris just missed out on the list. Sayles' starting five: C A'ja Wilson, C Aliyah Boston, G Tiffany Mitchell, G Shannon Johnson, G Martha Parker-Hester Sayles' coach: Dawn Staley With all the talent to come from South Carolina, Wilson is probably the simplest pick for me. She was an NCAA champion and a consensus national player of the year. You can't leave out a player of Wilson's caliber, particularly when Staley put Wilson on her personal Mount Rushmore. Advertisement When Wilson became the No. 1 pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, Boston followed in her footsteps as South Carolina's go-to post player. Boston was a national champion and a consensus player of the year in 2022. She then became the No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. Mitchell was a two-time SEC Player of the Year. Johnson, once nicknamed 'Pee Wee,' always reminded fans that it's not the size of the dog in the fight (you know the rest of that famous quote). Mitchell and Johnson both have their South Carolina jerseys retired. Looking at history, Parker-Hester's college résumé was legitimate. She was a three-time All-American in the 1980s and has her jersey retired. Parker-Hester chose to pursue a field in the medical industry, which is why some basketball fans might not be as familiar with her name. It's hard to leave Sheila Foster, Alaina Coates, Zia Cooke, Kamilla Cardoso, Jocelyn Penn and Tyasha Harris off this team, but that just shows the greatness Staley's had to work with. Imagine that team of 11, though … scary good. Texas Longhorns Dochterman's starting five: F Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, G Kamie Ethridge, C/F Annette Smith-Knight, F Andrea Lloyd, G Edwina Brown Advertisement Dochterman's coach: Jody Conradt Conradt and four of the five players — Davis-Wrightsil, Ethridge, Smith-Knight and Lloyd — are inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. They were all part of the 1986 NCAA title team. Davis-Wrightsil was named to the Southwest Conference's Team of the Decade for the 1980s after leading the Longhorns to the 1986 championship, a Final Four berth in 1987 and two other Elite Eight appearances. Ethridge was the point guard on the 1986 team and became the first Texas women's basketball player to have her jersey retired. Smith-Knight also played on the 1986 squad and ranks first in Texas basketball history (men and women) in scoring with 2,523 points. Lloyd scored 1,596 career points and was an All-American in 1987. Brown led the Big 12 in scoring and assists during the 1999-2000 season and was named a first-team All-American and player of the year by ESPN. She edges out current star Madison Booker and former Naismith Award finalists Stacy Stephens, Heather Schreiber and Jamie Carey. Advertisement Deitsch's starting five: F Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, G Kamie Ethridge, C/F Annette Smith-Knight, F Andrea Lloyd, F Madison Booker Deitsch's coach: Jody Conradt Davis-Wrightsil won the Naismith Award in both 1987 and 1989 and the Wade Trophy in 1989. She's the greatest player in school history and deserves all the flowers. Like Davis, Lloyd and Ethridge were part of the famed 1986 title team and racked up massive accolades and stats during their run. Smith-Knight is the school's all-time leading scorer. Maybe it's recency bias, but Booker is one of five finalists for the Wooden Award this year and won the 2025 SEC Player of the Year. She already has 1,220 career points and is just a sophomore. An honorable mention to Fran Harris, Tiffany Jackson and Edwina Brown who miss out here. I also love Rori Harmon as a player, and I wish I could add her somewhere. Advertisement Sayles' starting five: F Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, G Kamie Ethridge, C/F Annette Smith-Knight, F Andrea Lloyd, G Edwina Brown Sayles' coach: Jody Conradt It's hard to go against a two-time Naismith Trophy recipient — and I refuse to do so with Davis-Wrightsil. Knowing that Davis-Wrightsil won her first Naismith award as a sophomore makes it even more of an easy decision. She and Ethridge both have their Texas jerseys retired. Ethridge's jersey was retired in September 2019; Davis-Wrightsil's jersey was retired six months later. Look at the talent on that 1986 national-champion Texas team. Davis-Wrightsil, Ethridge, Lloyd and Smith-Knight: four future Women's Basketball Hall of Famers. Coached by Conradt, that team went 34-0 and won six of their seven postseason games by double digits. Advertisement Talking Texas women's basketball always reminds me of Tiffany Jackson, who died in 2022. She was an amazing person on and off the court. I'd have her, Stacy Stephens, Fran Harris, Heather Schreiber and today's star, reigning SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker, coming off the bench — if this team had a bench. UCLA Bruins Dochterman's starting five: G Ann Meyers, F Denise Curry, C Lauren Betts, F Natalie Williams, G Charisma Osborne Dochterman's coach: Billie Moore Williams, Curry and Meyers were named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Century Team in 2016. Meyers and Curry have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Considered a women's basketball pioneer, Meyers led the Bruins to an Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) championship in 1978, and she totaled more than 1,600 points, 800 rebounds, 500 assists, 400 steals and 100 blocked shots for her career. Advertisement Curry dominated statistically in the pre-NCAA era with a still-standing scoring record of 3,198 career points, 926 more than Osborne, who is No. 2 on the list. Williams scored 1,813 points from 1991-94, and her average of 12.8 rebounds per game is the highest in UCLA history by 2.5. Betts (20 points, 9.6 rebounds per game) is the most dominant post player today and has led the Bruins to their first NCAA Final Four. Osborne, who scored 2,272 career points, helped ignite UCLA to its current national standing. Among those in contention for a starting spot are forward Maylana Martin and guard Jordin Canada, both of whom scored more than 1,000 points in their careers. A special mention also goes to forward Jackie Joyner, who scored 1,167 points and, as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, became one of the greatest Olympic track and field athletes. Deitsch's starting five: G Ann Meyers, G Charisma Osborne, F Denise Curry, C Lauren Betts, F Natalie Williams Advertisement Deitsch's coach: Cori Close The players today are faster, stronger and more skilled than those of previous decades, but Meyers is such an outlier statistically — and a big winner in the AIAW era — that she has to be here. Williams is an easy selection at forward; she averaged a career double-double for UCLA, and amazingly, she also was a first-team All-American in volleyball. Betts is the best post in college today by a lot, and she's a reason the Bruins are in their first NCAA Final Four. Osborne ranks second all-time at UCLA in scoring behind Curry, who averaged a double-double (24.6 points, 10.1 rebounds) and led the Bruins in scoring each of her four varsity seasons. Jordin Canada, a great guard and a hellacious on-ball defender, just misses the cut. Sayles' starting five: G Ann Meyers, F Denise Curry, F Natalie Williams, C Lauren Betts, G Charisma Osborne Advertisement Sayles' coach: Billie Moore Meyers, Curry and Williams seem to be the easiest choices. All three were named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Century Team nine years ago; Meyers and Curry are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and Williams averaged a double-double for her career. For those who have never seen Betts' dominance, send them to YouTube for UCLA's Sweet 16 win against Ole Miss. She had 31 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, but she also made 15 of 16 shots. Osborne's ability to score deserves commendation, and her rank as UCLA's No. 2 all-time scorer gets her the nod in my starting five over Jordin Canada, Maylana Martin and Monique Billings. I, like my colleague Scott Dochterman, also want to shout out Jackie Joyner-Kersee for being a basketball standout before becoming a global icon in track and field. As for my head coach, I'm a huge fan of what Cori Close has done for the program, but I can't go against Moore, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who led the Bruins to an AIAW national title in 1978. UConn Huskies Dochterman's starting five: F Breanna Stewart, F Maya Moore, G Diana Taurasi, C Tina Charles, G Sue Bird Advertisement Dochterman's coach: Geno Auriemma This one isn't fair. If there were 20 Final Four spots without attachment to any team, UConn could fill at least 15 without much debate. Its first team alone consists of the best players in women's basketball history. Stewart's résumé includes four NCAA titles, four Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards and three National Player of the Year honors. Moore was a two-time national player of the year, was named the 2009 Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and scored the most points (3,036) in UConn history. Taurasi twice won the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, twice earned National Player of the Year honors and arguably is the greatest women's basketball player of all time (at all levels). Then this list gets tough. Like, impossible. Advertisement How do you pick between Charles and Rebecca Lobo? What about Napheesa Collier? What do you mean there's no spot for Nykesha Sales, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis or Kara Wolters? No Paige Bueckers? Coming up with a top five out of this embarrassment of riches is the task of tasks. Deitsch's starting five: F Maya Moore, F Breanna Stewart, C Tina Charles, G Sue Bird, G Diana Taurasi Deitsch's coach: Geno Auriemma It's subjective, of course, but I consider Moore the greatest women's college player in history. You had to watch her game by game to truly see all of her subtle greatness. Stewart has the best résumé — four NCAA titles and four Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards — of any UConn player, which is incredible given the lineage. Advertisement The Huskies have had a ton of great posts (Rebecca Lobo, Asjha Jones, Stef Dolson), but Charles is the best rebounder in school history. I wish I had room for Swin Cash and Napheesa Collier, but I don't. Three guards deserve to be here — Bird, Taurasi and Paige Bueckers — but how do you pick against two Hall of Famers? Sorry, Paige. Sayles' starting five: G Diana Taurasi, F Maya Moore, F Breanna Stewart, G Sue Bird, C Tina Charles Sayles' coach: Geno Auriemma Picking Auriemma as the all-time coach for UConn is one of the easiest assignments I've had all week. However, choosing a starting five is up there for being the toughest assignment I've had this calendar year. That's such a credit to the abundance of talent that comes out of the program. Advertisement To know that I agreed with my colleagues on the starting five is mind-boggling, particularly with legends like Swin Cash, Rebecca Lobo, Napheesa Collier, Nykesha Sales and UConn's latest superstar, Paige Bueckers. It's hard to go against them, but Taurasi, Moore, Stewart, Bird and Charles make for an incredible starting five. There were days of the past, individual days, where I said Taurasi, Moore and Stewart were the best college basketball players I've seen. Moore was incredible and scored at will in so many different ways. Stewart was automatic as a leader and a four-time national champion. Taurasi did everything for her team and brought a swagger that I loved. Add the basketball IQ of Bird and Charles, and there's a strong comfort with the starting five. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. UCLA Bruins, South Carolina Gamecocks, Connecticut Huskies, Texas Longhorns, WNBA, Women's College Basketball, Culture, Final Four, Women's NCAA Tournament 2025 The Athletic Media Company
