College Football Official Week 10 Thread

[Butter]

UCLA v. #15 Colorado - Thurs. 9 PM
San Jose St. v. #24 Boise St. - Fri. 10:15

Saturday
Navy v. Notre Dame - 11:30
Air Force v. Army - Noon
#4 Texas A&M v. Mississippi St. - Noon
Vanderbilt v. #9 Auburn - Noon
#7 Louisville v. Boston Coll. - Noon
Texas v. Texas Tech - Noon
#8 Wisconsin v. Northwestern - Noon
Georgia Tech v. #21 North Carolina - 12:30
Pitt v. Miami - 12:30
Maryland v. #3 Michigan - 3:30
Syracuse v. #2 Clemson - 3:30
#19 Va. Tech v. Duke - 3:30
BYU v. Cincinnati - 3:30
#11 Florida v. Arkansas - 3:30
Arizona v. #25 Washington St. - 4 PM
#22 Florida St. v. NC State - 7 PM
Iowa v. #12 Penn State - 7:30
#1 Alabama v. #13 LSU - 8 PM
#10 Nebraska v. #6 Ohio St. - 8 PM
#5 Washington v. Cal - 10:30

[Butter]

Don't look now, but Army is 5-3 and has a legitimate shot at winning the Commander in Chief's Trophy for the first time since 1996 and making a bowl game for just the second time since that same year.

They have Air Force this week, and Notre Dame in San Antonio next week.

[Suicane75]

Hypothetical question. Troy finishes the year with 1 loss (A 6 point loss at Clemson). How high do you rank them?

[CrescentMoonie]

Mora and MacIntyre should both bench half their players for the year and take their scholarships.

[MrBug708]

It's an odd game. UCLA tends to be overly aggressive, but they are the ones getting more of the calls going their way, Colorado seems to be fake tough guy mad?!?

Our offense is a mess

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Hypothetical question. Troy finishes the year with 1 loss (A 6 point loss at Clemson). How high do you rank them?

Kinda tough right now since they aren't rated in a vacuum, gotta see what happens to every other possibly ranked team between now & the end of the year. AND their bowl matchup & eye test in that bowl would likely be very influential.

Unless the field had opened a path for them sooner rather than later, I figure it'd be pretty tough for me to go higher than some around 18-22.

And, as I think both me & a lot of other people do, it's possible that a ranking in the final poll is as much a magnanimous pat on the back for a nice season as it is an indication of where we think a team truly coldly stood in comparison to the other teams. That whole "how good are they vs how good a season did they have" push/pull thing.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

It's an odd game. UCLA tends to be overly aggressive, but they are the ones getting more of the calls going their way, Colorado seems to be fake tough guy mad?!?

Our offense is a mess

CU played terribly stupid today, but that defense is legit. I don't care what the UCLA offensive problems are, CU can play.

The only call that really pissed me off was the one on the UCLA one yard line. UCLA pulling the QB off the pile. AT WORST, that should have been offsettting penalties. The way they called the game, it should have been UCLA unsportsmanlike. It could have been a huge play in the game.

Overall, the refs did a good job. You can tell which coach is angrier at his players. The CU coach is angry as fire at his guys. Mora just looks like "well, that's what we do" *shrug* (that isn't a shot at UCLA, it's just how the coaches acted)

CU now 7-2 with what should be a win in Arizona next week. Then they play two games at home to win the PAC12 South.

[MrBug708]

UCLA started a walkon QB and we are dead last in the nation in rushing. UCLA should have won that game, but our mentality is terrible right now. No offensive identity.

You were right about that one call. There was a PI later called on UCLA, so it all evened up.

Mora has given up and is collecting a paycheck. UCLA doesn't have NFL money though, so we are stuck with him.

Takk McKinley was the best player on the field

[Chief Rum]

I disagree with Bug. I think Mora really believes his way is the right way. He's just not proving to be a very good coach. It's not about laziness or money or giving up. It's a simple lack of competency.

He's not bad--he's just at his Peter Principle limit in college football coaching, especially with the sad sack athletic administration UCLA has.

He's kind of a reincarnation of Donahue. Good coach. Not great. And unlike Donahue, he has not been blessed to have hired an amazing OC like Homer Smith to cover up his flaws. He tops out as a 8-9 win, 2nd place in his division type coach and every few years, he can probably even win the division. But no better than that.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

UCLA started a walkon QB and we are dead last in the nation in rushing. UCLA should have won that game, but our mentality is terrible right now. No offensive identity.

You were right about that one call. There was a PI later called on UCLA, so it all evened up.

Mora has given up and is collecting a paycheck. UCLA doesn't have NFL money though, so we are stuck with him.

Takk McKinley was the best player on the field

I am more than a little baffledat why the pi call was so hard to figure out. The UCLA player cut off the route. That is always illegal. But even if we disagree there, that didn't even out the two calls. CU had second and goal from the one turn into second and goal from the 16. That was massive.

I don't think UCLA should have won. More like CU should have lost. Cu played about as badly as you can play. Four turnovers, penalties, DUMB penalties. Missed chances art big plays. They did everything they could to lose that football game.

I'll just call it revenge fort last year when CU dominated the football game and UCLA had a couple of big plays hoo their easy to win.

[dawgfan]

Pretty cool news yesterday: Washington will be facing Auburn in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the 2018 Kick-off game:

http://www.gohuskies.com/news/2016/1...n-atlanta.aspx

[tarcone]

Iowa goes to PsU

Must win. Or its Nashville, here we come.

[CrescentMoonie]

And a call in the Vandy-Auburn game showing again that video replay is not working. Clear fumble by Auburn, replay shows that it was a fumble, review official overturns the call, and Auburn scores two plays later to take the lead.

[cartman]

Texas is up by one over Texas Tech at halftime, but it could have been a bunch more. They had a TD called back on a chop block, and it looked like they would get the TD back on a run, but as the scrum hit the goal line, a Tech player came out of the pile and took the ball 99 yards the other way.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Tx A&M trying to crap the bed in spectacular fashion. Must have felt bad about being ahead of UW, gonna make sure it doesn't happen again.

If my son wasn't there, I'd probably be kind of amused at the struggles of Ole Miss (given that I think Freeze might be the dirtiest guy in college sports). Instead, I just feel sorry for my kid watching some really bad performances like most of that first half vs GaSo.

[CrescentMoonie]

Baylor players choosing to wear all black today to protest the firing of Art Briles. Kick every one of them out of school and start over.

[Brian Swartz]

Texas A&M loses 35-28. Wonder what the odds are on the CFP committee trolling everyone and keeping Washington 5th with Louisville or Ohio State up to 4th?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Kelly injured at Ole Miss.
A&M loses both the game & their QB.

Next week's meeting of the two could be a real circus on the field.

[CrescentMoonie]

The color commentator (Dan Hawkins) in the MSU-Illinois game seems like he can't see what's happening on the field and is just being prompted to yell random things.

[tarcone]

Michigan has the toughest road after tonight.

The final 4 is set. Can the teams handle the pressure?

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Michigan has the toughest road after tonight.

The final 4 is set. Can the teams handle the pressure?

Final 4 is far from set. But didn't you say last week it is a 6 team playoff? I am still a little baffled by that comment.

[Brian Swartz]

I think he means it's set if nobody loses. With six teams, probably thinking Ohio State and Wisconsin taking out Michigan in the Big Ten ... any of those six will get in if they win out. I don't believe or advocate the second part.

I think one of Alabama/Clemson/Washington at least loses one somewhere along the line, simply because while it always seems unlikely that an unbeaten team will lose, most of them do at some point. All three have had close calls already, Clemson in particular should have lost at least one game, and Michigan's still got two tough ones left so ... pretty much wait and see is how i'm looking at it.

[dawgfan]

Yeah, I'm not sweating the CFP poll right now - still a lot of football left. Washington is going to get some tough tests from USC (home) and Washington State (road), and then another (likely Utah or Colorado) if they make the Pac-12 Championship game. If they make it through their schedule unscathed, there's zero doubt they'll be in. But that's a big "if".

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by hollmt

Final 4 is far from set. But didn't you say last week it is a 6 team playoff? I am still a little baffled by that comment.

And Texas A&M lost.

The 4 power conferences are represented. Unless they screw it up.

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

I think he means it's set if nobody loses. With six teams, probably thinking Ohio State and Wisconsin taking out Michigan in the Big Ten ... any of those six will get in if they win out. I don't believe or advocate the second part.

I think one of Alabama/Clemson/Washington at least loses one somewhere along the line, simply because while it always seems unlikely that an unbeaten team will lose, most of them do at some point. All three have had close calls already, Clemson in particular should have lost at least one game, and Michigan's still got two tough ones left so ... pretty much wait and see is how i'm looking at it.

Ok, I can buy the 6 team theory a little bit then.
What is it you do not advocate? That if a 2 loss Wisconsin team wins the BIG that they deserve to be in the playoffs over a hypothetical 1 loss Louisville team that does not win their conference? We disagree on that if so. If you do not win your conference, you do not deserve to be in the playoffs, unless there is some real strange happenings like a Conference champion has 3 losses all in conference and backed in some how because of shitty divisional pairings. In Wisconsin's case (and by now we know I am not a Wisconsin fan ), if they win the BIG with 2 losses, and those losses coming from highly rated OSU and Michigan, they deserve it over a 2nd place team. Period.

I will also say this. Although I think debating the rankings is a bit futile at this point it is still fun. Fans can be diehard and these discussions are always fun. And with that...

Go Bucks!

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Yeah, I'm not sweating the CFP poll right now - still a lot of football left. Washington is going to get some tough tests from USC (home) and Washington State (road), and then another (likely Utah or Colorado) if they make the Pac-12 Championship game. If they make it through their schedule unscathed, there's zero doubt they'll be in. But that's a big "if".

They seem pretty athletic. Even by PAC12 standards. They play really fast.
They get after the ball.

Washington should be favored the rest of the way.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Baylor players choosing to wear all black today to protest the firing of Art Briles. Kick every one of them out of school and start over.

Baylor needs to play for the coaches they have, not the coach they want. They are now down 31-7 in the 1st half to TCU.

[SirFozzie]

Wow. under 20 minutes into the game and #17 Baylor trails unranked TCU 30-7. Apparently, just like scientific progress, Baylor's season also goes "Boink"

(it was either that or you KNOW where the Baylor jokes could have gone, so let's not go there)

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by tarcone

And Texas A&M lost.

The 4 power conferences are represented. Unless they screw it up.

I guess you are assuming that Washington replaces biased SEC A&M? That is fine. Michigan can hold onto the 2 spot until OSU takes it from them and holds onto it after they spank Wisconsin again.

...(edited)
spank might be an overstatement

[jbergey22]

Such an embarrassing year for Notre Dame. They are going to need a Jim Harbaugh type to come in and fix the wrongs.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by tarcone

They seem pretty athletic. Even by PAC12 standards. They play really fast.
They get after the ball.

Washington should be favored the rest of the way.

Kind of a backhanded compliment, lol. Are Pac12 standards low?

I get that you are a Big 10 homer but cmon. You constantly throw blows at any conference not the Big 10.

[Atocep]

How did Arizona get this bad?

[Edward64]

Arkansas up 21-7 against #11 Florida early 4Q. Solid game so far for Arkansas, we are able to run against the Gators. Need to wipe away the last game's embarrassment.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Kind of a backhanded compliment, lol. Are Pac12 standards low?

I get that you are a Big 10 homer but cmon. You constantly throw blows at any conference not the Big 10.

I didn't read it that way at all - the opposite actually. I assumed he was implying Pac-12 teams are athletic, and relative to that Washington still stands out.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

I didn't read it that way at all - the opposite actually. I assumed he was implying Pac-12 teams are athletic, and relative to that Washington still stands out.

On second read Id agree. Apologies Tarcone!

Pac-12 is a fun conference as far as points. Not often does a team come from that conference with a solid defense like Washington is this year.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Atocep

How did Arizona get this bad?

RichRod loves recruiting "sleepers"

[Edward64]

Nice win for the Razorbacks. We got away with a pass interference but it was academic at that point. I was really surprised at how well we were able to run against FL.

6-3 bowl eligible now. Next up are LSU, Miss State and Missouri.

[MrBug708]

Oregon is really bad

[JonInMiddleGA]

So lemme see here ... just need Kentucky to win tonight & then beat Tennessee. Then have LSU beat Florida.

And that'd let the 'Cats win the (L)East.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by hollmt

If you do not win your conference, you do not deserve to be in the playoffs, unless there is some real strange happenings like a Conference champion has 3 losses all in conference and backed in some how because of shitty divisional pairings.

Yeah we're definitely going to disagree here. I think the playoffs are for the four most deserving teams period, and some conferences are better than others; therefore, while Wisconsin is having a fine season I'd take many possible 1-loss teams that didn't win their conference over them. Interestingly I think Wisconsin's situation would fall under real strange happenings(namely, that they appear to be the third-best team in a conference in which the better two teams are in the other division). In a conference without divisions, or one in which the two best teams aren't in the same division, they aren't making it to the conference championship much less winning it. In that scenario, saying they won the conference(which, if it happens, will be against a team that already beat them) doesn't mean a great deal IMO. Taking a two-loss team over an undefeated 'minor' also doesn't make a lot of sense to me; SOS is only worth so much.

Edit: Possible scenarios, assuming everybody wins out, in just the Big Ten.

1. Ohio State beats Michigan, loses to Wisconsin in the championship game. So you have two teams with two losses, and one with only one loss. The two-loss team that won the title(Wisconsin) is taken over the one-loss team(Michigan) that beat them during the season? That's frankly absurd IMO.
2. Michigan beats Ohio State, then Wisconsin beats them in the championship game. Same scenario, OSU/Wisconsin have two losses, Michigan has one. They split two meetings on the year. Picking Wisconsin means you value the second game more than the first game and the fact that Michigan has one fewer loss and beat an OSU team on the road that Wisconsin lost to at home. Again, just makes no sense at all to me.

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Yeah we're definitely going to disagree here. I think the playoffs are for the four most deserving teams period, and some conferences are better than others; therefore, while Wisconsin is having a fine season I'd take many possible 1-loss teams that didn't win their conference over them. Interestingly I think Wisconsin's situation would fall under real strange happenings(namely, that they appear to be the third-best team in a conference in which the better two teams are in the other division). In a conference without divisions, or one in which the two best teams aren't in the same division, they aren't making it to the conference championship much less winning it. In that scenario, saying they won the conference(which, if it happens, will be against a team that already beat them) doesn't mean a great deal IMO.

You make good and valid points and I can understand your stance. Your last sentence though is sort of strange. If Wisconsin beats Michigan or OSU in the BIG championship then how can that not mean a great deal? As much as I would dislike it if they beat OSU, on a neutral field, they would be 1-1 against them and the other loss was by 7 to Michigan, or it could be vice versa. That is a big deal.

The problem with taking a 2nd place team IMO is this. There are 5 power conferences and you already negate 1 of those conference champions with the 4 team playoff. Under your logic, you are now also negating a 2nd conference champion because you think one conference might be better. Tough shit really (not you, just in general), because you didn't win your damn conference. You aren't even the champion of that, how can I feel comfortable with you being the National Champion if it were to happen. You clearly are a fan (or at least rooting for) Louisville as sneaking in as a 1 loss team from the ACC. Are you seriously telling me that the ACC is better than the BIG or SEC from top to bottom (and I am not a fan of the SEC, I think they are constantly overrated)?

And yes, I also have a problem with Wild Card teams winning the World Series or Super Bowl.

[hollmt]

well shit, Brian, now I have to read your damn edit

[tarcone]

Well, we probably only get 6 wins. Which means 2021 is NOT guaranteed if KF gets fired. Saves a mil.

Man, I hate my coach

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Kind of a backhanded compliment, lol. Are Pac12 standards low?

I get that you are a Big 10 homer but cmon. You constantly throw blows at any conference not the Big 10.

Sorry. That was not how I typed that in my head.
It was a compliment. I was going to put like Oregon a few years ago. But Im not sure that is true. So I changed it to PAC12.

But I really like their team.

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Edit: Possible scenarios, assuming everybody wins out, in just the Big Ten.

1. Ohio State beats Michigan, loses to Wisconsin in the championship game. So you have two teams with two losses, and one with only one loss. The two-loss team that won the title(Wisconsin) is taken over the one-loss team(Michigan) that beat them during the season? That's frankly absurd IMO.
2. Michigan beats Ohio State, then Wisconsin beats them in the championship game. Same scenario, OSU/Wisconsin have two losses, Michigan has one. They split two meetings on the year. Picking Wisconsin means you value the second game more than the first game and the fact that Michigan has one fewer loss and beat an OSU team on the road that Wisconsin lost to at home. Again, just makes no sense at all to me.

Scenario 1. Tough shit for Michigan They deserve absolutely nothing anyway. But in all seriousness, yeah, tough shit. Wisconsin won the conference and it is unfortunate that Michigan didn't make it. Beat OSU then and get your chance in the BIG title game. Those are the rules and it isn't absurd IMO.
Scenario 2. Michigan isn't beating OSU in Columbus, but I will play along. Tough shit for OSU, they should have beat Michigan. Those are the rules.

In both scenarios, yes, it sort of sucks for OSU/Michigan if they lose to Wisconsin. Thems the breaks kid. Yes, I and those that matter value the 2nd conference championship game more than the 1st game.

But you forgot scenario 3:
OSU wins out, meets Wisconsin again and slaps them around like they did 2 years ago in Indy. Then, lets use your logic/argument. Do you take a 1 loss Michigan team to the playoffs?

[tarcone]

Wow. What happened to Michigan State?

[Edward64]

LSU hanging tough. Looking forward to a good close game. I think I'm rooting for LSU to take AL down a peg. A 1 loss AL team will still likely be in the hunt.

[hollmt]

Of course. Alabama could probably lose out and still be in the playoffs. It is Alabama from the S!E!C!.
It would be well deserved.

[NobodyHere]

Ugh, it's never a good sign when an injured player has to have parts of the uniform cut while down on the field.

[JPhillips]

Such a freak injury for Armstrong. That hit happens hundreds of times each Saturday.