Rick Kitchen December 5, 2014 Share December 5, 2014 It will be very interesting to see who Michigan gets. I assume it will be a Name Harbaugh? Link to comment
AimingforYoko December 7, 2014 Share December 7, 2014 Well the Buckeyes (and Wisconsin, for that matter) is doing all it can to get The Ohio State University into the playoffs. Yikes. 1 Link to comment
benteen December 7, 2014 Share December 7, 2014 I would vote for Ohio State to be in the final four but I saw that game against Penn State earlier this year. Ohio State would have lost that game to PSU if it wasn't for the fact that the referees spotted them 10 points. Link to comment
Evolution101 December 7, 2014 Share December 7, 2014 Final Top 4: 1. Alabama 2. Oregon 3. Florida State 4. Ohio State Baylor and TCU are out- TCU drops to #6. Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Ohio State Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Florida State Link to comment
Carey December 7, 2014 Share December 7, 2014 In my opinion, the Committee got it right. As mentioned, the lack of a Big 12 Championship hurt TCU and Baylor. OSU shutting down Wisconsin with a 3rd QB is too much to ignore. Was actually worried about FSU getting left out, but I think the only way that could have happened is if Alabama, Oregon, and everyone else were undefeated. Sucks for TCU getting left out yet again, but hopefully someday they'll contend for the National Title Link to comment
mojoween December 7, 2014 Share December 7, 2014 I think they picked the right four teams. What they did wrong was releasing a weekly ranking. This whole thing just makes me sad that they are using the Rose Bowl as a playoff game. I like tradition, dammit. 3 Link to comment
roamyn December 8, 2014 Share December 8, 2014 Honestly, TCU never should've been ranked #3. Baylor beat them out right. Yes, Baylor's schedule was weaker, but beating a #9 Kansas in a closer game was much more impressive than a 52-3 gane vs miserable Iowa State. (And yes, i no those games were AFTER the ranking of TCU at #3.) 1 Link to comment
Minneapple December 8, 2014 Author Share December 8, 2014 Well the Buckeyes (and Wisconsin, for that matter) is doing all it can to get The Ohio State University into the playoffs. Yikes. I'm going with the conspiracy theory that Delany paid off Wisconsin to take a HUGE DIVE for Ohio State to get them into the playoff. TCU at No. 3 was never right. But -- Ohio State was always destined to be in the playoffs if they won the Big Ten. Barry Alvarez and Tom Osborne are on the playoff committee. Jim Delany is the most powerful man in college sports. You're telling me that the Big Ten champion isn't getting in, after Delany finally signed off on the playoffs? It's a business decision, based on TV ratings and projected ticket sales and ad revenue -- the committee's going to pick the teams that it deems most likely to put butts in seats and ad dollars in the bank. Yup. Ohio State is a helmet school, a Brand Name School, way more attractive as television option than TCU or Baylor. That said, if Baylor wants to impress the committee in the future, it will have to clean up its future nonconference schedules, which appear to feature programs like Rice, Lamar and Northwestern State. Also, I imagine Texas will go school shopping with the purpose of inviting two to the Big 12 so they can have a championship game again. 1 Link to comment
emma675 December 8, 2014 Share December 8, 2014 I don't get why the Big 12 has co-champions at all. Are they the only conference to do that? What's the point? I know this is the first year of the playoffs, but I hope people who control this are taking notice of the things that need to be fixed. 1) Weekly rankings are ridiculous and serve no purpose and 2) only 4 teams does not a playoff system make. I'm sure there are more, but these two stand out to me so glaringly. 1 Link to comment
topanga December 8, 2014 Share December 8, 2014 Yup. Ohio State is a helmet school, a Brand Name School, way more attractive as television option than TCU or Baylor. I'm from a Big Ten School, so yay, OSU. What's a helmet school? Link to comment
roamyn December 9, 2014 Share December 9, 2014 I really don't care for Art Briles "good ol boy" mentality & whining, but he is correct abt how the Big 12 handled the whole situation. They COULD have asked the Committee for a dispensation because they now only have 10 teams. Link to comment
Minneapple December 9, 2014 Author Share December 9, 2014 (edited) I'm from a Big Ten School, so yay, OSU. What's a helmet school? Helmet schools are schools like Ohio State, Texas, Florida, Notre Dame. Name brand schools with national championships and national recruiting power. If Baylor or TCU had been Texas or Oklahoma, then we might not be having this discussion. Though I still think that Alvarez and Osborne had a LOT to do with OSU getting into the playoff. I think that after they saw OSU steamroll Wisconsin, they saw their chance for a Big Ten team. It doesn't help that there's a long layoff between now and the start of bowl season. With the NCAAs, people mostly bitch on Sunday night/early Monday, then forget about the "we got jobbed" schools as the tournament starts. Can you remember who the "first four out" were last year in the NCAAs? I can't either, but I'd be willing to bet everyone will remember Baylor/TCU for a long time after this. Edited December 9, 2014 by Minneapple 1 Link to comment
xaxat December 9, 2014 Share December 9, 2014 I think the playoffs will be like the Super Bowl in that market size/fan base will be irrelevant with respect to the ratings. They'll be huge regardless of who is playing. Link to comment
Minneapple December 9, 2014 Author Share December 9, 2014 Well, remember that they also have to sell a lot of tickets and get a lot of fans to travel. It's a lot to ask Florida State fans to travel to the Rose Bowl and then a couple weeks later turn around and travel to Jerryworld. It's not like the NFL where the playoff games are played at home stadiums and then the Super Bowl is a given sellout (and a big chunk of tickets go to corporate sponsors). That's why I hope if they ever go to an eight-team playoff, the first round will be played at the home sites of the higher-seeded teams. 2 Link to comment
ketchuplover December 11, 2014 Share December 11, 2014 Andersen leaving UW moving to Oregon. Melvin Gordon turning pro. Link to comment
xaxat December 11, 2014 Share December 11, 2014 What is it about Wisconsin? I though Bielema going to Arkansas was a lateral move, but Andersen to Oregon State (which will be in Oregon's shadow as long as Phil Knight is around) feels like a downgrade. Link to comment
roamyn December 11, 2014 Share December 11, 2014 Actually I'm surprised Oregon wants Anderson aft last Saturday's fiasco. Even Bo Schembechler got that team up north to win a few. Link to comment
Minneapple December 11, 2014 Author Share December 11, 2014 The word is that Andersen was not pleased with UW admissions policies. They don't like jucos at UW and they don't like risky kids. Bielema left because his wife hated Wisconsin. Then there are rumors that neither coach was pleased with low pay for assistants. Oh, who the fuck knows. I'm too annoyed. Link to comment
xaxat December 11, 2014 Share December 11, 2014 (edited) The craziest thing about the merry go round is that Paul Chryst's name came up for Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin. As a Panther fan, the prospect of his departure bothers me a lot less than it probably should. Edited December 11, 2014 by xaxat Link to comment
Minneapple December 11, 2014 Author Share December 11, 2014 (edited) A lot of former Badgers have tweeted that they want Chryst. But Chryst to me is a guy who should have remained an offensive coordinator. In fact I have no doubt he could get an NFL job right now as a coordinator. Many Wisconsin fans long for the days when he was our OC. --ETA -- well, it appears as though it's Chryst to Wisconsin. We'll see how it works out. Edited December 12, 2014 by Minneapple Link to comment
benteen December 13, 2014 Share December 13, 2014 (edited) I've heard a lot of reasons for Andersen's departure. He's a West Coast guy, Wisconsin doesn't pay their assistants well, admissions, etc. I get the impression too that Barry Alvarez it way too hands on (he pretty much wants the coaches to stick to the offense they've been running in the school for the past two-plus decades) and a bit of a pain in the ass. In any event, something's wrong when he always finds himself shocked when someone leaves. Michigan is delusional if they think they're getting someone like Jim Harbaugh. I agree that Michigan's problem is, as Colin Cowherd pointed out, that they fell in love with themselves and the whole "Michigan Man" crap. Edited December 13, 2014 by benteen Link to comment
Popples December 13, 2014 Share December 13, 2014 I've heard a lot of reasons for Andersen's departure. He's a West Coast guy, Wisconsin doesn't pay their assistants well, admissions, etc. I get the impression too that Barry Alvarez it way too hands on (he pretty much wants the coaches to stick to the offense they've been running in the school for the past two-plus decades) and a bit of a pain in the ass. In any event, something's wrong when he always finds himself shocked when someone leaves. Michigan is delusional if they think they're getting someone like Jim Harbaugh. I agree that Michigan's problem is, as Colin Cowherd pointed out, that they fell in love with themselves and the whole "Michigan Man" crap. The fact that he's going to coach the bowl game (apparently he also did that when Bielema left) and not one of the assistant/position coaches, says that he really wants to be a coach, but he knows he can't. Has there been another case where an AD has stepped in to be a temporary coach? Link to comment
Minneapple December 13, 2014 Author Share December 13, 2014 The seniors asked Alvarez to coach the bowl game. Both years. How would they feel if he said no? I don't know how hands on Alvarez is, but the journos covering UW say he spends more time at his Florida home these days than he does in Madison. These are angles that the national guys have taken on Andersen's depature without actually researching any facts. I think Wisconsin was just a poor fit for Andersen, he didn't like that they are uncomfortable with jucos, so when the OSU job came up he grabbed it. And honestly it's fine. Andersen and his staff were not that special. I was more upset when Bielema left. Link to comment
Rick Kitchen December 14, 2014 Share December 14, 2014 What is the rule on eligibility? Mariota has his degree, but he still has one year of eligibility left. Can he still play, even if he doesn't need to attend classes? Link to comment
nowandlater December 14, 2014 Share December 14, 2014 What is the rule on eligibility? Mariota has his degree, but he still has one year of eligibility left. Can he still play, even if he doesn't need to attend classes? I think he would do what Leinart did -- take ballroom dancing only (I believe that's what he did). But you have to be a student in some capacity... Link to comment
Minneapple December 15, 2014 Author Share December 15, 2014 Yeah, he could play around and take some soft phys ed elective. He only has to be eligible for a semester after all. Or he could be a graduate student. But it's probably a moot point anyway...I do wonder if Chip Kelly will trade the farm to get him. Link to comment
Rick Kitchen December 15, 2014 Share December 15, 2014 The Jets fans' motto is "Suck for the Duck". Link to comment
mojoween December 15, 2014 Share December 15, 2014 By winning they failed at even that. Woody Johnson doesn't really have anything to offer in trade either. Link to comment
xaxat December 16, 2014 Share December 16, 2014 I am so tired of the Heisman mythology. It's a freakin' MVP award! Not some kind of testament to character! Link to comment
roamyn December 18, 2014 Share December 18, 2014 After all, how many Heisman winners really do well in the NFL? I don't know if there's percentages, but it's gotta be 25% or less. Link to comment
Rick Kitchen December 19, 2014 Share December 19, 2014 What is Oliver Luck's position going to be with the NCAA? Link to comment
AimingforYoko December 20, 2014 Share December 20, 2014 Executive VP for Regulatory Affairs. 1 Link to comment
xaxat December 24, 2014 Share December 24, 2014 Uh, I think I made a mistake turning away from today's Bahama Bowl. Thirty four points in the fourth quarter?!?!? Link to comment
Minneapple December 25, 2014 Author Share December 25, 2014 And one of the most exciting plays I've ever seen to end it. That was INSANE. Link to comment
benteen December 27, 2014 Share December 27, 2014 When I saw the score at halftime, I didn't bother watching it. But when I read elsewhere that the score had gotten close, I turned it on just in time to see that amazing final play. Yet another reason I love college football, for the occasional batshit crazy endings like that. Link to comment
Evolution101 December 27, 2014 Share December 27, 2014 Uh, I think I made a mistake turning away from today's Bahama Bowl. Thirty four points in the fourth quarter?!?!? Which should not have happened at all. I could see giving up 14 points, maybe even 21, but 34? Western Kentucky was thatclose to choking the game away. Overall I haven't been impressed with these bowl games. Link to comment
Evolution101 December 29, 2014 Share December 29, 2014 It's official: Jim Harbaugh is headed to Michigan. Link to comment
Minneapple December 30, 2014 Author Share December 30, 2014 Even as a Badger fan I hope he does well. Someone needs to kick Urban's ass every once in awhile. Plus it would make the OSU-Michigan rivalry fun again. Link to comment
xaxat December 30, 2014 Share December 30, 2014 Overall I haven't been impressed with these bowl games. For all of the talk from coaches about how bowl games are so important in developing a program because they give kids extra practice time, there sure is a lot of shitty play. Link to comment
Evolution101 December 30, 2014 Share December 30, 2014 Not a good day for the Big 12 yesterday. West Virginia at least looked respectable in its loss to Texas A&M. Oklahoma and Texas, on the other hand...yikes. Link to comment
Minneapple December 30, 2014 Author Share December 30, 2014 Harbaugh smiled today and his face didn't break. Next, Saban. Or Belichick. Link to comment
xaxat December 30, 2014 Share December 30, 2014 Harbaugh smiled today and his face didn't break. Next, Saban. Or Belichick. Belichick smiled this year. Link to comment
Minneapple December 30, 2014 Author Share December 30, 2014 Looks like more of a grimace to me. Link to comment
benteen December 31, 2014 Share December 31, 2014 Harbaugh has an odd face. Still, with him, Urban Meyer, Mark Dantoni, and James Franklin, the Big Ten East is looking great on the coaching front. Link to comment
emma675 December 31, 2014 Share December 31, 2014 Man, Ole Miss didn't even show up in that game. My parents are TCU alums and were at the game and said while it was fun, the game got boring towards the end of the 3rd quarter. I feel like there have been quite a few bowl blow outs this year--I hate those games, there's no tension to them. Link to comment
benteen January 1, 2015 Share January 1, 2015 The SEC West has taken a pounding so far in the bowl season. 1 Link to comment
Constantinople January 1, 2015 Share January 1, 2015 I much preferred it when the Cotton, Sugar, Rose and Orange Bowls all played on the first of the year, and the traditional teams played in them, for example, the Pac 8/10 champion playing the Big 10 champion in the Rose Bowl. That, and a handful of bowls before January 1st that gave us such fond memories as Woody Hayes slugging a Clemson player in the Gator Bowl for intercepting a pass. No BCS, no playoffs. It was good enough system to beat the Russkies in the Cold War. It's good enough for us now. 3 Link to comment
nowandlater January 1, 2015 Share January 1, 2015 I watched every minute of College Gameday this season, and yet this morning's edition was jarring. Rece Davis was hosting, instead of Chris Fowler. (Fowler was busy prepping for the game) They had reporters at Alabama and Ohio State (one with a deep Southern accent) who'd I'd never heard of before. It's weird that they'd choose today to make changes. 1 Link to comment
mojoween January 1, 2015 Share January 1, 2015 I love the AT&T ad where Montana draws the leprechaun and Sanders picks on him for it. I know Flutie, but who is the other guy? Link to comment
nowandlater January 1, 2015 Share January 1, 2015 (edited) Also, I hate the new listing of the name of the bowl on the upper left-hand corner on ESPN. It started yesterday. If they're going to introduce something, they should keep it uniform throughout bowl season. I also hate the "New Year's 6" label. I had to Google it to figure out why everybody on ESPN kept saying that. I was wondering why Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden weren't doing their traditional New Year's Day bowl game (and why some low-level guys were doing ESPN bowls instead). Then I realized that they're prepping to call their first playoff game. Edited January 1, 2015 by nowandlater Link to comment
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