Joe Paterno, Bobby Bowden, Phil Fulmer, Steve Spurrier, etc., would all run up the score to try to squeeze out more ranking points, and that certainly left a bad taste to those on the receiving end.

Given how all of those guys had a lot of success, and would mercilessly kick their opponents when those opponents were down, it's understandable that they were despised.

That's one thing about Lou, that he would do his best to not run up the score against hapless opponents. Back in 1989, he actually ordered the 5th string running back (Rusty Setzer) to step out of bounds so that he wouldn't score. Yes, SMU was that bad, fresh off the death penalty.