College Football Week 13 discussions (In-state rivalry week/possible Black Friday)

[cartman]

The penultimate week of the college football regular season is upon us. Some potentially huge games on Friday could set off a mad scramble in the BCS hunt.

Auburn at Alabama
Arizona at Oregon
Boise State at Nevada

In addition, there is a large slate of traditional rival games, where records are tossed out and the games turn into massive grudge matches.

Texas A&M at Texas
West Virginia at Pitt
Michigan at Ohio State
Virginia at Virginia Tech
Kansas at Missouri
Florida at Florida State
BYU at Utah
Mississippi State at Mississippi
South Carolina at Clemson
Georgia Tech at Georgia
Notre Dame at USC
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

[Ksyrup]

I'm rooting for CHAOS on Friday.

[Butter]

Trying to adjust to being out of town during the traditional OSU-Michigan battle, since it is Thanksgiving weekend instead of the 3rd Saturday in Nov. like it has been the last few years.

Either way, Bucks should win by 3 touchdowns. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried about Denard Robinson and the UM offense, but if the Bucks don't put up 50, then they're not really trying.

[dawgfan]

In a game very few people care about, Washington and Cal will play "bowl elimination" on Saturday. Cal's last shot at getting to 6 wins, while the Huskies also still have the Apple Cup vs. WSU left to play. Locker is probably still playing with broken ribs, or at the very least very sore ribs and may be somewhat limited. On the other hand, Mansion is awful. Could Tedford be looking at his first losing season?

[Cuckoo]

OU/OSU looks to be for the Big 12 South, as A&M would probably be out of the running in a 3-way tie if they beat Texas. Hard to get much bigger stakes. Sooners looked good at Baylor last week, easing the road worries a bit, but that'll be nothing like Stillwater with Gameday in town. And it's hard to see how OU can stop OSU's offense.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

In a game very few people care about, Washington and Cal will play "bowl elimination" on Saturday. Cal's last shot at getting to 6 wins, while the Huskies also still have the Apple Cup vs. WSU left to play. Locker is probably still playing with broken ribs, or at the very least very sore ribs and may be somewhat limited. On the other hand, Mansion is awful. Could Tedford be looking at his first losing season?

I still can't believe you can make a bowl with 6 wins and include an FCS game in there. Not a knock on those schools, just the pathetic bowls that take those teams.

I think Locker is always worth watching. Still can't decide how he'll translate to the next level.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cartman

where records are tossed out and the games turn into massive grudge matches.

How about if we keep the records and instead toss out the way the teams have been playing for the last month?

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I still can't believe you can make a bowl with 6 wins and include an FCS game in there. Not a knock on those schools, just the pathetic bowls that take those teams.

Well, with the number of bowls authorized by the NCAA, there's room for nearly every team with a .500 or better record.

I think Locker is always worth watching. Still can't decide how he'll translate to the next level.

Put Locker behind a halfway decent offensive line and he'll look better. Best situation for him is to slip in the draft and go to an established team where he doesn't have to play right away and can get more QB tutoring. He's basically only had 2 years of real QB coaching in his career. The big question I'd have is if he can overcome bad habits he's developed. I think he can, but he has to not be thrown into the fire right away behind a bad line.

[Matthean]

I'm out by 2pm on Black Friday so I get to watch the only game I really care about. I work until 3pm on Sat. so I get to miss out on most of OSU/U of M, but you would almost have to pay me to watch that game. It's a 20+ game if OSU wants it.

[Poli]

Kentucky probably has their best chance in years of breaking the 0-for-awful streak against Tennessee this weekend.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Trying to adjust to being out of town during the traditional OSU-Michigan battle, since it is Thanksgiving weekend instead of the 3rd Saturday in Nov. like it has been the last few years.

Either way, Bucks should win by 3 touchdowns. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried about Denard Robinson and the UM offense, but if the Bucks don't put up 50, then they're not really trying.

Christ, I have been making a lot of jinxy comments on here and at work about this game.

I fully would not be surprised by a Michigan 51-48 win or something like that. The streak has to end some time.

That's my anti-jinx requirement post.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Poli

Kentucky probably has their best chance in years of breaking the 0-for-awful streak against Tennessee this weekend.

I don't know. Most people I've talked to wish they had played them before the QB switch was made.

[bronconick]

Good God, Florida State, please freaking beat Florida.

[Poli]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I don't know. Most people I've talked to wish they had played them before the QB switch was made.

I wasn't happy with Simms at quarterback because he tried to play as if he could make any throw. In reality, he can't make all the throws. He had some Favre-type moments where he let a ball fly that had me groaning as he released it, and stomping mad as it was picked off.

I said it from the first game I saw of Bray: The kid has a decent fastball. Early on it didn't appear that he was doing any reads while throwing. You're my primary target, you are getting the ball. I will ZIP it to you. It looks like he's getting better about it, but he's still slinging the ball into spots he shouldn't. The passes are just getting there a lot faster than they were from Simms.

I compared him earlier in the year to Casey Clausen as a freshman. CC had some moxy to him that eventually led him to being the starter. However, he had his moments where he threw some awful passes.

Bray has improved over the course of the season and I'm happy to have him starting over Simms. While I don't believe he'll be leading us to the promised land any time soon, I like his potential.

Still, beating Memphis, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt...like JIMGA said, the competition isn't exactly what Simms faced in South Carolina, LSU, Alabama, and Florida. I think Simms could have very well led the team to victories in those games as well.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Good God, Florida State, please freaking beat Florida.

I'm not very confident about this game. The way offenses have been able to dink and dunk up and down the field the past month, I have a bad feeling UF will be able to score more than they should by doing the same thing, using multiple QBs and adding in wrinkles they game-planned for during what was essentially a week off. I hope I'm wrong. FSU doesn't seem to want to put teams away when they have the chance, and that is dangerous against a team like UF.

[molson]

TCU/New Mexico could be fun. TCU's kind of been sliding in public opinion the last few weeks and this is their last chance to put up style points. They really need to be shooting for 100 style points, in fact.

Boise St. is kind of in the same scenerio, to a lesser degree. They have to play a ranked team on the road, but really have to blow them out to not risk being passed by a 1-loss team. (Assuming an Auburn loss).

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Christ, I have been making a lot of jinxy comments on here and at work about this game.

I fully would not be surprised by a Michigan 51-48 win or something like that. The streak has to end some time.

That's my anti-jinx requirement post.

I am looking for OSU to put up somewhere around 55-60 against that woeful Michigan defense. The best part is after the game, when RR starts whining about how he had to play six true freshmen in the game. What a complete jackass that guy is with all of his excuses for coaching ineptitude.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by molson

TCU/New Mexico could be fun. TCU's kind of been sliding in public opinion the last few weeks and this is their last chance to put up style points. They really need to be shooting for 100 style points, in fact.

Boise St. is kind of in the same scenerio, to a lesser degree. They have to play a ranked team on the road, but really have to blow them out to not risk being passed by a 1-loss team. (Assuming an Auburn loss).

The Nevada game makes me a little nervous. I think they are better than people think. Conversely, BSU could blow their doors off too......

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I'm not very confident about this game. The way offenses have been able to dink and dunk up and down the field the past month, I have a bad feeling UF will be able to score more than they should by doing the same thing, using multiple QBs and adding in wrinkles they game-planned for during what was essentially a week off. I hope I'm wrong. FSU doesn't seem to want to put teams away when they have the chance, and that is dangerous against a team like UF.

I'm hoping Addazio takes over again and demands Brantley run the option or QB dive 33 times or so.

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

I am looking for OSU to put up somewhere around 55-60 against that woeful Michigan defense. The best part is after the game, when RR starts whining about how he had to play six true freshmen in the game. What a complete jackass that guy is with all of his excuses for coaching ineptitude.

It's even better when he's complaining mainly about the secondary being full of freshman, and it's after Wisconsin threw 15 times all day and once in the entire second half. So, uh, what's the issue with the non-freshman dominated front 7?

[Swaggs]

I'm looking forward to the Backyard Brawl. I was considering making the short trip, but the early start time (and horrible football of late by both schools) made me think better of it.

If WVU can win out (@ Pitt and then home vs Rutgers) and UConn loses a game (they have Cincy and USF remaining), then WVU will "earn" the Big East's BCS bid. If Pitt wins out, (WVU and then Cincy) they will represent the conference. If UConn wins out and Pitt loses one or more of their final two, UConn would get in, regardless of what WVU does by virtue of their head to head win.

Kind of wacky. I am really hoping that WVU can win out and represent, because they would probably look the most respectable (of a pitiful group) at 9-3. Whereas the best Pitt or UConn can do is 8-4 (and either could potentially get the spot at 7-5).

[molson]

UConn in the Fiesta Bowl would be weird.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Trying to adjust to being out of town during the traditional OSU-Michigan battle, since it is Thanksgiving weekend instead of the 3rd Saturday in Nov. like it has been the last few years.

Either way, Bucks should win by 3 touchdowns. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried about Denard Robinson and the UM offense, but if the Bucks don't put up 50, then they're not really trying.

Yeah, having it Thanksgiving weekend really sucks. I'm out of town visiting family, and even though I'll actually be in Michigan (instead of Illinois), I probably won't get to watch.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I'm looking forward to the Backyard Brawl. I was considering making the short trip, but the early start time (and horrible football of late by both schools) made me think better of it.

If WVU can win out (@ Pitt and then home vs Rutgers) and UConn loses a game (they have Cincy and USF remaining), then WVU will "earn" the Big East's BCS bid. If Pitt wins out, (WVU and then Cincy) they will represent the conference. If UConn wins out and Pitt loses one or more of their final two, UConn would get in, regardless of what WVU does by virtue of their head to head win.

Kind of wacky. I am really hoping that WVU can win out and represent, because they would probably look the most respectable (of a pitiful group) at 9-3. Whereas the best Pitt or UConn can do is 8-4 (and either could potentially get the spot at 7-5).

Originally Posted by molson

UConn in the Fiesta Bowl would be weird.

Assuming that BSU doesn't get into the title game (I know, I know...I am going out on a limb here), I would love to see them play Pitt in a BCS game. I relish the look on Dave Wannstedts face when the Broncos score their 8th TD right before halftime and he has that befuddled look of "what do I do now?"

I hate Dave Wannstedt.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Just for the record, the MU/KU game is at Arrowhead, not at Columbia.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Poli

Still, beating Memphis, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt...like JIMGA said, the competition isn't exactly what Simms faced in South Carolina, LSU, Alabama, and Florida. I think Simms could have very well led the team to victories in those games as well.

This, pretty much.

I understand what Dooley did: he threw Simms to the lions & protected Bray, biding his time until the scheduled softened considerably. But I also understand very well why could Simms feel like he was sacrificed to protect Bray & I do believe Dooley had this plan in mind all along. Not exactly fair IMO, but nowhere is it etched in stone etc, etc.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Yeah, having it Thanksgiving weekend really sucks. I'm out of town visiting family, and even though I'll actually be in Michigan (instead of Illinois), I probably won't get to watch.

I actually prefer having this game after Thanksgiving, since I always go to Cleveland for Thanskgiving and, of late, it's been easier to deal with the relatives before this game then after.

[MJ4H]

Huge game with LSU coming to Little Rock Saturday. Still a chance for the Sugar Bowl if we win that game and Auburn wins. I don't think it's a great chance, but it is a chance.

[/jim carey]

[Logan]

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I actually prefer having this game after Thanksgiving, since I always go to Cleveland for Thanskgiving and, of late, it's been easier to deal with the relatives before this game then after.

Same reason I am glad that Clemson - Carolina comes after Thanksgiving.

[DeToxRox]

And in news that will not shock Jon:

Markeith Ambles has been dismissed from USC.

[Poli]

My heart is breaking on that one.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

And in news that will not shock Jon:

Markeith Ambles has been dismissed from USC.

He had been quietly suspended earlier in the year, but he kept thinking that going to classes and meetings was optional.

[Ksyrup]

What an idiot - Ohio State's president says having a football playoff is "a slippery slope to professionalism."

I guess we need to start paying Pop Warner kids since they have playoffs, huh? And nothing says "professional" like high school football!

[MacroGuru]

BYU vs Utah is going to be nasty this weekend.

It's pure bragging rights now...but BYU wants to go out of the MWC on an upswing as does Utah. Neither one will give to each other.

Next season this game will be played earlier from what I understand

I can't wait.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I'm looking forward to the Backyard Brawl. I was considering making the short trip, but the early start time (and horrible football of late by both schools) made me think better of it.

If WVU can win out (@ Pitt and then home vs Rutgers) and UConn loses a game (they have Cincy and USF remaining), then WVU will "earn" the Big East's BCS bid. If Pitt wins out, (WVU and then Cincy) they will represent the conference. If UConn wins out and Pitt loses one or more of their final two, UConn would get in, regardless of what WVU does by virtue of their head to head win.

Kind of wacky. I am really hoping that WVU can win out and represent, because they would probably look the most respectable (of a pitiful group) at 9-3. Whereas the best Pitt or UConn can do is 8-4 (and either could potentially get the spot at 7-5).

Yesterday afternoon one of the sports talk stations here was fielding calls from both Pitt and WVU fans who said pretty much the same thing. Back-to-back-to-back callers saying they were Pitt season ticket holders who had dumped their tickets last week because they couldn't be bothered going to watch this.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Yesterday afternoon one of the sports talk stations here was fielding calls from both Pitt and WVU fans who said pretty much the same thing. Back-to-back-to-back callers saying they were Pitt season ticket holders who had dumped their tickets last week because they couldn't be bothered going to watch this.

Yeah... I'm thinking the score could very well be in single digits for both teams. Both offenses have been out of synch, both teams have good defenses, and the field is supposed to be in horrendous shape.

I am, at least, excited to see the new Nike Pro Combat uniforms. WVU's look pretty cool from the pictures that I have seen (especially their helmet).

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

What an idiot - Ohio State's president says having a football playoff is "a slippery slope to professionalism."

I guess we need to start paying Pop Warner kids since they have playoffs, huh? And nothing says "professional" like high school football!

Some interesting tidbits from the OSU jackass:

"Well, I don't know enough about the Xs and Os of college football," said Gee, formerly the president at West Virginia, Colorado, Brown and Vanderbilt universities. "I do know, having been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, that it's like murderer's row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor. We play very fine schools on any given day. "So I think until a university runs through that gantlet that there's some reason to believe that they not be the best teams to [be] in the big ballgame."

Yep, nothing says murderer's row like Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. Or Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Purdue.

He said the current system is better for the student-athletes.
"It's not about this incessant drive to have a national championship because I think that's a slippery slope to professionalism," he said. "I'm a fan of the bowl system and I think that by and large it's worked very, very well." He cited Ohio State's presence in the 2007 national title game as an example. The Buckeyes won their first 10 games that season to rise to No. 1 before losing 26-21 at home to unranked Illinois. They fell all the way to No. 8 in the BCS standings. A series of upsets over the final weeks of the regular season and in other team's conference championship games led to the Buckeyes climbing all the way back to the No. 1 spot in the final BCS standings. They were matched against an LSU team with two losses. Ohio State led 10-0 early only to have LSU come back and score the next 31 points in a 38-24 victory at the Louisiana Superdome. "You know, it's a mystery," Gee said. "We were No. 1, then No. 11, then No. 7 and we ended up playing for the national championship. I think I kind of like that mixed-up mystery."

What a fucking moron. Would he still cite the Ohio State University if they hadn't been involved in that 2007 debacle? This interview was like watching a rerun of Larry King live.

[RainMaker]

I don't know what you'd expect him to say. Sure he's going to lie about it but he has to side with the BCS since they can hog more of the money. The bowls cost the schools a ridiculous amount of money yet a handful of people with incentive to stop a playoff are able to.

[molson]

When presidents and college football big wigs start talking about "student athletes" and refer to "professionalism" as a dirty word, what they're really doing is trying to justify the sweet slave labor system they have.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't know what you'd expect him to say. Sure he's going to lie about it but he has to side with the BCS since they can hog more of the money. The bowls cost the schools a ridiculous amount of money yet a handful of people with incentive to stop a playoff are able to.

He didn't have to brown nose the bowl system, BCS, Big Ten and SEC while smacking down the lesser conferences and a playoff system. I really want BSU and TCU to play a Big Ten and SEC school. BSU beating Auburn would be all sorts of awesome.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

Yep, nothing says murderer's row like Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. Or Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Purdue.

Mississippi State is a top 25 team, and a petty good one at that. Ole Miss would be a better choice for your list.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Matthean

He didn't have to brown nose the bowl system, BCS, Big Ten and SEC while smacking down the lesser conferences and a playoff system. I really want BSU and TCU to play a Big Ten and SEC school. BSU beating Auburn would be all sorts of awesome.

He is the bowl system so he's just brown nosing himself.

[bronconick]

I'd like him to point out "murderer's row" on this schedule

#86 Marshall
#28 Miami, Florida
#54 Ohio U
#113 Eastern Michigan
AT #42 Illinois
#90 Indiana
AT #6 Wisconsin (Loss)
#79 Purdue
AT #98 Minnesota
BYE
#30 Penn State
AT #24 Iowa
#31 Michigan

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Mississippi State is a top 25 team, and a petty good one at that. Ole Miss would be a better choice for your list.

True. I forgot about their epic wins over UAB (29-24) and Kentucky (24-17). While I see your point, I wouldn't really describe MSU as a pretty good top 25 team.

However, I will add Ole Miss to the previous list.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't know what you'd expect him to say. Sure he's going to lie about it but he has to side with the BCS since they can hog more of the money. The bowls cost the schools a ridiculous amount of money yet a handful of people with incentive to stop a playoff are able to.

I would prefer if he didn't say anything. Even if he wasn't biased to his school and the good ol' boy network (aka: BCS), he still doesn't know shit about football and should really just not say anything.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

I would prefer if he didn't say anything. Even if he wasn't biased to his school and the good ol' boy network (aka: BCS), he still doesn't know shit about football and should really just not say anything.

I agree. But he's playing to his base. The college football fan who doesn't really like the football part of it or know jack shit about it.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

True. I forgot about their epic wins over UAB (29-24) and Kentucky (24-17). While I see your point, I wouldn't really describe MSU as a pretty good top 25 team.

However, I will add Ole Miss to the previous list.

I would. They just took Arkansas to overtime and played really well in the process. Try looking at the record of the only teams to beat them.

[Matthean]

So, if MSU, OSU, and Wisconsin win, who would play in the conference title game if this was next year? Would MSU be left out due to the lower BCS ranking and being one part of the only matchup that hadn't been played?

[Passacaglia]

This is basically a campaign speech for a BCS Bowl bid couched inside some comments about a playoff.

[bronconick]

Have they even discussed that yet? That seems like one of those things they'll vote on sometime next summer.