It's funny looking back at the CFB landscape about 12-15 years ago. USC, Florida and Texas were consistently top-5 programs and competing for NCs most years. They were recruiting head and shoulders above most everyone else. It looked like they would remain dominant for years to come. Then...
USC's shadiness under Pete Carroll gets exposed he bolts for the NFL and USC lands on probation. Since then, they have had 1 or 2 pretty good years, but many more mediocre to bad ones with no end of their malaise in sight. Dead program.
Urban burns out in Gainesville. They go through 3 coaches since and like USC, have had a couple of pretty decent seasons, but mostly meh to bad. They look like they'll be searching for another HC after this season and there are no signs they're anywhere close to returning to what they were. Dead program.
Texas had a great run from 2002-2009. Then Colt McCoy gets hurt in the 1st quarter of the NC game against bammer. Mack got extremely fortunate following VY with Colt, but his QB luck ran dry and his last 4 years were not good. Since then, they've made 3 hires. Charlie Strong was a disaster. Tom Herman wasn't as bad, but he couldn't get them over the hump. Steve Sarkisian was a puzzling hire from the start and he certainly looks like he could be on his way to being the worst of the three. Dead program.
I think we take for granted the sustained level of excellence we've experienced under JT, Urban and now Day. For 20 years, we have been a consistent NC contender, have absolutely dominated the B1G and there are no signs of slowing down.