College Football Week 11 Discussion

[tarcone]

Better then expected. I really like that freshman QB. He threw the ball well. Still inexperienced though.

Orlando here we come.

[B & B]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Better then expected. I really like that freshman QB. He threw the ball well. Still inexperienced though.

Orlando here we come.

Who are you talking about? ASU pony tail boy?

[Karlifornia]

[MrBug708]

Nobody deserved that 2 point conversion more then Pete Carroll.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Wow ND got screwed. I really don't like where replay is going now, what happened to indisputible evidence?

If they were going to lose probably best case scenario for Charlie. Nice comeback and a bad call away from maybe driving to tie the game against a good team.

It was 4th and 16 iirc, and we had just stupidly burned our 2nd timeout, meaning we had to convert, so it was almost certainly going to be a loss anyway, and then this bullshit happens. Just like the ending of the Michigan game where we should have had the chance for a hail mary.

Originally Posted by Celeval

Rules allow continuence if the ball is on the ground for whoever recovers. If it was a scrum, might be a tougher decision, but it was obvious the Pitt guy was the one picking it up.

That was a horrid call.

Except you could see the ND player(s) (#3 Floyd in particular) completely stop when the whistle blows and the ref is waving incomplete, before Pitt picks it up.

I've been bitching about replay all year and it just keeps getting worse. If the defender chops down on the QB's arm and the ball goes forward 7 yards how does that get overturned? Plus somehow ND doesn't get that timeout back. Ugh. Fuck conference referees awarding joke calls to their teams in the BCS hunt. (Michigan vs. ND and Indiana before they tanked, Iowa vs. Indiana, Alabama vs. Tennessee, Cincy vs. WV, Florida vs. Arkansas, etc) It's too much of a trend to be entirely coincidental at this point, and I can't think of one that went against the more prominent team.

It looks like Texas is peaking right now, and I'm not sure anyone can complain if they are put in the NC game, but I really hope they somehow lose (or Bama gets upset by Auburn, then beats Florida or vice versa) and TCU can play for the national title. It would answer so many questions and eliminate so many arguments.

[mauchow]

Wow. The Badgers inch ever so much closer to a BCS bid. Northwestern next week will help boost their chances as well...assuming they win.

#14 this week in the coaches poll, right ahead of.... Iowa!

[Swaggs]

Does Notre Dame use Big East officials? Usually the road team brings their conference's refs, but I'm not sure what the independants do.

[Dr. Sak]

Notre Dame brings Big East refs with them.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

It looks like Texas is peaking right now, and I'm not sure anyone can complain if they are put in the NC game, but I really hope they somehow lose (or Bama gets upset by Auburn, then beats Florida or vice versa) and TCU can play for the national title. It would answer so many questions and eliminate so many arguments.

How can you tell? They haven't played anyone this year.

[mauchow]

Wow, Stanford goes from #27 to #14 in the AP.

[RainMaker]

Wouldn't Harbaugh be an interesting option for Notre Dame?

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Wouldn't Harbaugh be an interesting option for Notre Dame?

Or Michigan

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Or Michigan

As long as they can smooth over the snide comment he made about the recruits Michigan gets then, yeah, he's one of two no brainer guys I would like to see coach there. He's one of the only two Michigan men I can think of that would be considered big enough name wise for the job and Miles as an option already got the red carpet rolled out for him and he walked away from it.

Oh, and does ND really want to tap the upstart Stanford coach pipeline again after what happened last time?

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Wouldn't Harbaugh be an interesting option for Notre Dame?

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Or Michigan

Or the NFL

[Young Drachma]

[bob]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Oh, and does ND really want to tap the upstart Stanford coach pipeline again after what happened last time?

To be fair, they didn't really want to tap that pipeline last time, but had to thanks to O'Liar.

[Karlifornia]

Man. That playoff bracket looks amazing. Could you imagine a Boise State/Oregon rematch, with both their seasons on the line? That would be freaking intense. Oh, and Stanford would be in, so that natch raises my excitement level.

[RedKingGold]

Wow, Penn State ranked in both AP (#13) and Coaches Poll (#12) above Iowa (#15 in both).

If Penn State beats Michigan State, then they have a good shot of at least being alive for a BCS berth (some things would need to shake out ahead...but not too too much).

EDIT: ESPN's Bruce Feldman currently projects Penn State to the Fiesta Bowl to play Boise State.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

They have to include Notre Dame since they are now projected for a better bowl over Big East #2. And in this seeding, that would make them 8th or better. What a joke either way.

[yacovfb]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

They have to include Notre Dame since they are now projected for a better bowl over Big East #2. And in this seeding, that would make them 8th or better. What a joke either way.

Only for the Gator Bowl...wouldn't have an impact on a 2nd BCS Bowl, although I doubt the BE could get an at large team in, unfortunately.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by yacovfb

Only for the Gator Bowl...wouldn't have an impact on a 2nd BCS Bowl, although I doubt the BE could get an at large team in, unfortunately.

My point was that the above bracket does not include ND, whereas if it were a reality, they would have to be slotted in there - regardless if they are in the BCS 16 or not. Same thing with the bowl matchups - doesn't the Gator include at least one (or maybe two) of the top 16 teams or so?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

They have to include Notre Dame since they are now projected for a better bowl over Big East #2. And in this seeding, that would make them 8th or better. What a joke either way.

The SI Bracket has nothing to do with the BCS. It's a completely different poll based on voting done by their people, then they create a bracket each week based on said voting. They do a new one each week.

[Buccaneer]

Still missing the point. You playoffs-proponents think you can come up with a perfect bracket (e.g., like the SI one). But you know in reality, exceptions will have to be made, esp. for ND and other conferences and their number of slots - which is why some of us have been arguing that it won't be that much better of a solution.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Still missing the point. You playoffs-proponents think you can come up with a perfect bracket (e.g., like the SI one). But you know in reality, exceptions will have to be made, esp. for ND and other conferences and their number of slots - which is why some of us have been arguing that it won't be that much better of a solution.

How is deciding your championship on the field not a better solution?

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

How is deciding your championship on the field not a better solution?

Championships should obviously be determined by rivals.com average star ratings.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

My point was that the above bracket does not include ND, whereas if it were a reality, they would have to be slotted in there - regardless if they are in the BCS 16 or not.

Notre Dame can't make a BCS bowl if they aren't in the top 16 BCS. I don't see why you're insisting they would get more favorable treatment in a playoff than they currently do in the BCS.

How ND is treated for non-championship bowl games like the Gator is irrelevant, since those are designed for money.

Originally Posted by RainMaker

How can you tell? They haven't played anyone this year.

Since I'm making an argument about how well Texas is playing (particularly compared to the early season) and not who deserves to be ranked higher I can do it by actually watching the team play football.

(Plus Oklahoma is still a good football team, and OK St is ranked higher than any team TCU or Cincy has beaten.)

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Still missing the point. You playoffs-proponents think you can come up with a perfect bracket (e.g., like the SI one). But you know in reality, exceptions will have to be made, esp. for ND and other conferences and their number of slots - which is why some of us have been arguing that it won't be that much better of a solution.

11 conference winners and 5 at-larges by a BCS type formula or selection committee. Done.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by rowech

11 conference winners and 5 at-larges by a BCS type formula or selection committee. Done.

No. Not unless you put a team that's worth a damn in the shitty conferences so you at least have teams that deserve to in the playoff "deciding it on the field".

[Celeval]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

My point was that the above bracket does not include ND, whereas if it were a reality, they would have to be slotted in there - regardless if they are in the BCS 16 or not. Same thing with the bowl matchups - doesn't the Gator include at least one (or maybe two) of the top 16 teams or so?

Not sure what you're talking about here... Gator Bowl takes the ACC #3 as their first opponent, then gets a big confusing mix.

Basically, in the three years and this one, the Gator Bowl takes the Big East #2 twice and a Big Twelve team twice. They've gone Big East, Big 12, Big 12 (WVU, Texas Tech, Nebraska), and so this year is a Big East year.

That said, once during that four-year stretch, they have the ability to replace Big East #2 with Notre Dame. This is completely separate from the rest of the Big East pecking order, so records don't matter. Notre Dame is 6-4 right now, with games against Connecticut (likely win) and Stanford (likely loss) remaining. If they can win both, they'll likely get taken by the Gator at 8-4. Losses in both would probably be a no-go, a split at 7-5 would probably depend on the BCS - if Cincy and Pitt both earn BCS bids, then I'd expect a 7-5 Notre Dame to go to the Gator over Rutgers or West Virginia. If not, I'd expect the one left out to go to the Gator.

Either way, has nothing to do with the top 16 teams in the nation, playoffs or not.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Speaking of Wazzu, is their any chance the Boise State coach would take the Wazzu job? They have to do something, and I don't know where they can go now. Unless they try to bring back Price.

Highly unlikely. First off, there's apparently some type of family health situation that makes it very unlikely Peterson will move. Secondly, Peterson's got a better gig at Boise State that he would at WSU: Nationally ranked team that dominates its conference, has a shot at a BCS bowl. Third, he's paid more at Boise than Wulff currently makes at WSU, so it's doubtful he'd be in line for much of a raise, if any. Fourth, he's supposedly been counseled by Dirk Koetter and Dan Hawkins to think twice about jumping to any old BCS job.

WSU is in a real tough spot - they just don't have the finances to go buying out Wulff anytime soon and bringing in a new guy, so it's almost guaranteed that Wulff coaches next year. Coaching there is a tough job, and the administration has to have patience. The real question is whether that patience will pay off with Wulff. And it has to sting to see former Defensive Coordinator Robb Akey just a few minutes east apparently finally turning the corner with Idaho. Seems likely that Akey is going to see his name thrown around with job openings this December - will he take a better job or stick around Idaho for another year?

[MizzouRah]

Would LOVE to see the Rams draft Mizzou WR Danario Alexander. He's going to beat Maclin's yardage record.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Celeval

Not sure what you're talking about here... Gator Bowl takes the ACC #3 as their first opponent, then gets a big confusing mix.

Basically, in the three years and this one, the Gator Bowl takes the Big East #2 twice and a Big Twelve team twice. They've gone Big East, Big 12, Big 12 (WVU, Texas Tech, Nebraska), and so this year is a Big East year.

That said, once during that four-year stretch, they have the ability to replace Big East #2 with Notre Dame. This is completely separate from the rest of the Big East pecking order, so records don't matter. Notre Dame is 6-4 right now, with games against Connecticut (likely win) and Stanford (likely loss) remaining. If they can win both, they'll likely get taken by the Gator at 8-4. Losses in both would probably be a no-go, a split at 7-5 would probably depend on the BCS - if Cincy and Pitt both earn BCS bids, then I'd expect a 7-5 Notre Dame to go to the Gator over Rutgers or West Virginia. If not, I'd expect the one left out to go to the Gator.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I also thought ND couldn't get the Gator bid unless they were within 2 wins of a Big East team. So if they're at 7-5, and Rutgers finishes at 10-2, they wouldn't get it.

[yacovfb]

Originally Posted by Logan

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I also thought ND couldn't get the Gator bid unless they were within 2 wins of a Big East team. So if they're at 7-5, and Rutgers finishes at 10-2, they wouldn't get it.

Correct although it's a handshake agreement rather than anything official. Still, I doubt they'd want a 7-5 ND team with a lame duck coach over an 11-1 Cincy team whose only loss is to Pitt

[Swaggs]

I think the Gator would take a Notre Dame team with a winning record, regardless. The handshake agreement was made, but the Gator Bowl and Big East are in the last year of their agreement and I doubt the Gator Bowl really cares if they upset the Big East, so I would expect them to take Notre Dame over an 11-1 Cincy, 10-2 Pitt, or 9-3 WVU.

None of those teams will bring the fans or TV ratings that Notre Dame would.

[Celeval]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I think the Gator would take a Notre Dame team with a winning record, regardless. The handshake agreement was made, but the Gator Bowl and Big East are in the last year of their agreement and I doubt the Gator Bowl really cares if they upset the Big East, so I would expect them to take Notre Dame over an 11-1 Cincy, 10-2 Pitt, or 9-3 WVU.

None of those teams will bring the fans or TV ratings that Notre Dame would.

True, but at 7-5, Weis would be strongly on the hot seat, if not fired already - would ND fans come out to see a team with a lame duck head coach?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Would LOVE to see the Chiefs draft Mizzou WR Danario Alexander. He's going to beat Maclin's yardage record.

Fixed.

I'm still amazed at how good of an athlete he is after his injuries. The advances in treatment/surgery regarding sports injuries over the last 10-15 years are simply amazing.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

9-2

Where is our boy tarcone? Awfully quiet now that his team has lost two straight.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Some good news on UGA DB Bacarri Rambo, the player who knocked out late in the game vs Auburn Saturday night.

Rambo shows positive signs || OnlineAthens.com
Georgia safety Bacarri Rambo, who was knocked unconscious in a scary moment late in the Bulldogs' 31-24 win against Auburn on Saturday night, was back among teammates at the Butts-Mehre building Sunday after being released from St. Mary's Hospital earlier in the afternoon.

Coach Mark Richt said Rambo will miss Saturday's game against Kentucky with a concussion, but that the redshirt freshman from Donalsonville did not have any other injuries.

"He has recovered extremely well," Richt said. "There's no symptoms from it, no headaches, no neck pain. Every test he has been through, he's passed with flying colors. Still, he won't play, for sure."

Neither will A.J. Green, who is out for the 7:45 p.m. ESPN2 game with a sprained joint in his left shoulder. The injury to the Southeastern Conference's leading receiver won't require surgery.

"He will not play this week, for sure," Richt said. "Not certain after that."

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Celeval

True, but at 7-5, Weis would be strongly on the hot seat, if not fired already - would ND fans come out to see a team with a lame duck head coach?

The decision to fire/retain Weis will be made in the week after the regular season ends. I can't guarantee they'd have the new coach in place yet (although it seems likely - those coaches don't seem to stick around and coach their old team in the bowl game), but it shouldn't be Weis coaching on Jan. 1. (And unless they go 2-0 to finish, and likely retain Weis, I don't think they should be playing on Jan. 1 anyways.)

[Logan]

Just out of curiosity, why do you feel winning out and an 8-4 record would deserve playing on Jan 1?

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Logan

Just out of curiosity, why do you feel winning out and an 8-4 record would deserve playing on Jan 1?

Deserve was a bad word choice. At 8-4 coming off a win over mid-pack BE UConn and top 12-ish Stanford I can see the Gator picking them over football-wise more deserving Rutgers, West Virginia or even 10-2 Pitt, complete with the histrionics from fans who pretend not to understand these games are almost entirely about money. But at 7-5 (or, god forbid, 6-6) I can't see the Gator Bowl stooping that low, and as an ND fan even I would think it was a joke.

In other news, just saw in the NFL thread Gruden inked a multi-year extension as a broadcaster. He wasn't my choice for ND, and as we all know contracts are made to be broken, but it is interesting timing.

[BishopMVP]

Article from Yahoo! about how SEC replay officials still use standard definition TV's - Analog SEC Just Like Your Grandpa -- NCAA Football FanHouse

And Tennessee kicks off 2 of the 3, but keeps Janzen Jackson "suspended indefinitely" for now.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Deserve was a bad word choice. At 8-4 coming off a win over mid-pack BE UConn and top 12-ish Stanford I can see the Gator picking them over football-wise more deserving Rutgers, West Virginia or even 10-2 Pitt, complete with the histrionics from fans who pretend not to understand these games are almost entirely about money. But at 7-5 (or, god forbid, 6-6) I can't see the Gator Bowl stooping that low, and as an ND fan even I would think it was a joke.

In other news, just saw in the NFL thread Gruden inked a multi-year extension as a broadcaster. He wasn't my choice for ND, and as we all know contracts are made to be broken, but it is interesting timing.

Keep in mind that the Gator Bowl and Big East are in the last year of their contract. The Gator Bowl has no reason to do the Big East any favors and, realistically no Big East team will sell as many seats as Notre Dame. WVU could possibly put up a decent number of sales, but we have been there 3 times in the last 6 years and most of the fans don't think Jacksonville is a great destination (not to mention that we'd have to beat Pitt and win @ Rutgers to finish in 2nd place). Pitt and Rutgers (or even Cincy, should they drop their game against Pitt) do not travel well and none of the Big East will bring in the TV viewers that Notre Dame will bring.

Unless Cincy gets upset by Pitt and ends up at 11-1, I'd be absolutely shocked to see a Big East team picked over a 7-5 Notre Dame. I'd bet that the Gator Bowl would think long and hard about taking Notre Dame over Cincy, as well.

[RainMaker]

Is it really a big deal who goes? I mean we aren't talking the Rose Bowl here. It's the Gator Bowl, something I'd wager that most fans couldn't even tell you who won last year.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Is it really a big deal who goes? I mean we aren't talking the Rose Bowl here. It's the Gator Bowl, something I'd wager that most fans couldn't even tell you who won last year.

From the Big East's standpoint, yes it really is a big deal. While it isn't the Rose Bowl, it is their 2nd highest payout among bowls (behind the BCS bowl), one of the more prestigious/historical bowls still around (been played since the mid-40s and still a NYD game, although it has lost its luster since the BCS came into existence and elevated those four games well above other traditional NYD games) and their only opportunity to play on New Year's Day. If Notre Dame gets the bid, it will pull ~$2.5M away from the conference without substituting another payday in its place. So, while it may not be a big deal to perennial BCS teams, it is a big deal to probably 100+ of the 120 teams in the FBS.

Honest question, and hopefully it won't be taken the wrong way, but are you a college football fan or do you follow a particular team or conference? Some of the posts that you make give the impression that you know a good bit about it, but that you are more of an observer of the "big picture" than a fan (if that makes sense).

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

From the Big East's standpoint, yes it really is a big deal. While it isn't the Rose Bowl, it is their 2nd highest payout among bowls (behind the BCS bowl), one of the more prestigious/historical bowls still around (been played since the mid-40s and still a NYD game, although it has lost its luster since the BCS came into existence and elevated those four games well above other traditional NYD games) and their only opportunity to play on New Year's Day. If Notre Dame gets the bid, it will pull ~$2.5M away from the conference without substituting another payday in its place. So, while it may not be a big deal to perennial BCS teams, it is a big deal to probably 100+ of the 120 teams in the FBS.

Honest question, and hopefully it won't be taken the wrong way, but are you a college football fan or do you follow a particular team or conference? Some of the posts that you make give the impression that you know a good bit about it, but that you are more of an observer of the "big picture" than a fan (if that makes sense).

Yeah, the thing about college football is fans of teams that go these bowls absolutely remember them. Where fans of college football differ from college basketball is the focus isn't on winning a championship. College Football players, coaches, and fans are focused on conference championships above everything else and winning bowl games is number 2.

This is what I love about college football and strongly prefer over the way college basketball works. The focus is on the season from the very first game until the very last. College basketball is something all but the most hardcore fans watch rather casually until March.

[Matthean]

Let the fun of the NCAA investigation of Michigan begin.

Michigan Wolverines didn't keep workout logs, school says - ESPN

According to his contract, Rodriguez can be fired for cause if the NCAA, the Big Ten or the school determines he has committed a major violation of NCAA rules or he has intentionally committed any other type of violation of NCAA rules.
If the school completes a four-step process to fire Rodriguez for cause, it "shall be without liability to Rodriguez," according to the contract he signed Oct. 24, 2008.

Not sure it would be considered major, but so far admitting you failed to file the one forms that would back your claim that you are being honest about the hours players are putting seems like starting off on the wrong foot.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

From the Big East's standpoint, yes it really is a big deal. While it isn't the Rose Bowl, it is their 2nd highest payout among bowls (behind the BCS bowl), one of the more prestigious/historical bowls still around (been played since the mid-40s and still a NYD game, although it has lost its luster since the BCS came into existence and elevated those four games well above other traditional NYD games) and their only opportunity to play on New Year's Day. If Notre Dame gets the bid, it will pull ~$2.5M away from the conference without substituting another payday in its place. So, while it may not be a big deal to perennial BCS teams, it is a big deal to probably 100+ of the 120 teams in the FBS.

I didn't even think about the money aspect. I thought the lower tiered bowls didn't have much money at stake. I think it would suck for a real good Big East school to get the shaft, but they did sign the agreement so it's hard to feel bad. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Honest question, and hopefully it won't be taken the wrong way, but are you a college football fan or do you follow a particular team or conference? Some of the posts that you make give the impression that you know a good bit about it, but that you are more of an observer of the "big picture" than a fan (if that makes sense).

Yeah, I'm a fan, although not as much as the NFL. I follow FCS and D2 a lot more since my alma mater is in D2 and I think FCS is a little more pure. My favorite team would be Northwestern, primarily because I'm in the long process of getting a graduate degree from there. Since I'm part-time and didn't get my undergrad there, I don't feel the same connection others do who went to a D1 school out of high school. But I do follow them and do usually get up to a game or two.

I do bet a lot on college football so I guess I could be considered an observer too. I enjoy a lot of aspects of it but also find it getting more and more boring every season (which may be the reason I enjoy betting on it). It just feels like there are only a few teams who matter every season and they only play a few games that matter. You have over 100 teams and over a thousand games, but probably only 10 actually are worth tuning in for if you don't have a team you really care about.

Maybe it's different if you go to the school or are just a diehard fan. To me, it just comes across as a couple teams trying to get some reporters to vote them into a championship. The rest play in 33 consolation games under the guise that the game means something when it's just a way for athletic departments and television networks to cash in.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Pitt and Rutgers (or even Cincy, should they drop their game against Pitt) do not travel well and none of the Big East will bring in the TV viewers that Notre Dame will bring.

Come on Swaggs, don't put us in the same category as Pitt. While they couldn't send 10k to the friggin Fiesta Bowl, we've brought excellent numbers (comparitively) to locations that are both not desirable and rough to travel to like Toronto, Birmingham, and Houston in the past few years. Amazingly, it was the first bowl in this run of four straight appearances that was a decent location, but Phoenix wasn't easy for a lot of fans to get to. Pittsburgh's poor traveling, and to a lesser extent Louisville's, is a big part of the Big East's bowl problem.

But yes, the deal was put in place so the Gator could get a crack at Notre Dame, and they probably will do so if they're eligible (which I don't think is a lock).

Originally Posted by Atocep

Yeah, the thing about college football is fans of teams that go these bowls absolutely remember them. Where fans of college football differ from college basketball is the focus isn't on winning a championship. College Football players, coaches, and fans are focused on conference championships above everything else and winning bowl games is number 2.

Every year we hear how there's too many bowls, and my response is always "who cares?" As long as you're not being forced to watch, what's the problem? For me, I love that I get an extra month of Rutgers coverage, you start to get insight into who is stepping up in practices now that there's a bit of an eye on next season, and of course, I get to watch my team play one more game.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

... it's just a way for athletic departments and television networks to cash in.

And for fans to be entertained for a little while longer, kind of tough to leave out that part of the equation since they're the ones paying the money to see the games (and believe me, my wife is hoping against hope that Tennessee sneaks into the Peach Bowl so she'll have the opportunity).