I meant that at the point of those two losses, the 2024 team had not done anything yet to EARN a comparison to the 2021 squad.
Why? If you want to compare teams, you have to look at where they were at those points in the season for an apt comparison. The 2021 squad and the 2024 squad at the point of the MSU/PSU games in 2024 were pretty close record wise. On 2/23/21, the 2021 squad lost to an unranked MSU on the road to fall to 16-6 (12-4). On 2/21/24, the 2024 squad lost to an unranked PSU on the road to fall to 19-7 (10-5). The 2022 squad was, however, 3-3 against ranked teams and the 2024 squad was 1-3 at that point in the season. But the 2021 team had leg up on the 2024 squad in that they began the season ranked #8 while the 2024 squad was #25.
I would also argue the 2024 squad could be considered 2-3 against ranked teams because you can say what you want, but if you watched that “preseason” game against Kansas, it was clear that game was preseason in name only. And let’s not forget the 2021 squad was #6 at the time and lost to an unranked and VERY average Missouri team.
So to say they hadn’t “earned” the right to be compared…why? What did the 2021 squad do to “earn” their preseason ranking?
All of this is to say, apples to apples. And its a fun debate!