ranked number 1, almost always picked us to play. Even when Nebraska trounced Ara's team in 1972 and they weren't number 1 they had the choice who they played when Alabama ducked them and we had to go against the most talented team that year. So we had the benefit of opportunity a ton. We were number 3 when we beat Alabama the next year and were extremely lucky because Michigan and Ohio State tied and neither got to go. In 1977 we were number 5 and got to play number 1. Even in 1980 we got to play number 1 after Devine coached the shittiest game ever against Southern Cal who had a mediocre year that year and lost. That was another year we blew the championship because we lost to Southern Cal when we were way better and lost to Georgia later when we outgained them like 450 yards to about 150. Their QB completed one or two passes in that bowl game.
Those are facts so of course it is harder to win a national title now than in our glorious past. Hell, we got to play number one Texas the first year we went back and we had, a loss and a tie that year or maybe two losses and a tie.