The team of the decade is always open for debate. And as a Southern California loyalist, I always felt Pete Carroll’s teams of 2004 and 2005 deserved to be near the top, with the undefeated National Champions leading the way. I often wondered if longstanding bias or actual field performance swayed my vote and established the order, until I found these views shared by another. ESPN’s Pat Forde has comprised his list of the best teams of the last ten years, and he concurs, choosing the program that finished with a  55-19 Orange Bowl mauling of Oklahoma as his No. 1.

The Trojans of 2004 entered their season on an angry mission to prove their worth, after being snubbed by the BCS a year earlier. They completed their wire-to-wire act by dominating each opponent and “leaving no doubt”. With a roster loaded with superstars, it’s not surprising that Forde gave them the edge over Miami’s championship team of 2001. What is somewhat surprising is his ranking of the 2005 squad, placing them as fourth best in the decade, right behind the Texas team that defeated them.

The placement of the 2005 Trojans puts them above Alabama and Ohio State, who both finished championship seasons undefeated. His list also includes a team that didn’t win or play for a title, 2004 Auburn.