College Football

[Carey]

As pretty much everyone that's been paying attention to College Football this season already expected, Ohio State & Miami fell in the latest rankings.  Based on total BS, the concern is on the U more than the Buckeyes.  OSU lost at home to an unranked team that's a current embarrassment whereas Miami lost on the road to a team that finished .750.  Probably would've been ranked if they were in the SEC or Big 10.  

Probably need to be safe in the Top Nine of the real, legit ranking, which will be released on Tuesday.  The reason is we could have up to 3 conference winners outside of the Top 12.

One more thing about Ohio State, for me, is that whether they'll host a game or have to travel for their first game

Edited December 2 by Carey

[Stats Queen]

On 11/30/2024 at 8:14 PM, Chit Chat said:

We've got a few "mouthy" ones on the Bama team, but what started that brawl appeared to be by the Auburn player as he hung onto our guy while going out of bounds.  The Bama player got the flag.  I'm sure they'll review the film on that one.  What bothers me about Bama is that we've seen more undisciplined moments like this during this season. 

Most of Georgia’s undisciplined moments have been off the field this year.

[Carey]

You can find the Penultimate Top 25 rankings within the link I posted above.  Basically, SEC & Big 10 teams playing this weekend are in regardless of the outcome.  Everyone else needs to win the game or else

[Salacious Kitty]

Who should be most peeved list.

A very good article making arguments for who should get the last at large spot (that Bama, aka Darth Vader, currently has). 

Edited December 4 by Salacious Kitty

[Carey]

Top 12 (From the 5th TOP 25 Rankings)

Oregon
Texas
Penn State
Notre Dame
Georgia
Ohio State
Tennessee
SMU
Indiana
Boise State
Alabama
Miami

The Fifth Non-Permanent Playoff Slotting (According to ESPN & Off of the Rankings)

Byes:

1. Oregon [B1G, Plays 8 vs 9 winner]
2. Texas [SEC, Plays 7 vs 10 winner]
3. SMU [ACC, Plays 6 vs 11 winner]
4. Boise State [GO5, Plays 5 vs 12 winner]

 

12/21/24

5. Penn State vs Arizona State [05 vs AQ]
6. Notre Dame vs Alabama [06 vs 11]
7. Georgia vs Indiana [07 vs 10]
8. Ohio State vs Tennessee [08 vs 09]

AQ: Represents Arizona State, currently Number 15.  If things had ended over the weekend & they won their conference championship game, they'd get in over Miami.  The 2001 champions are currently at the bottom of the Top 12.  The Hurricanes would need 2 current conference leaders at the very least to lose their title game.  To be honest, that's their best shot, which will result in nothing until proven otherwise.  Although the runners-up in the SEC or B1G will drop in the rankings, it's not going to be a fall big enough that puts them outside of the field.

AL: Represents NOBODY.  Alabama, currently Number 11, would be in that spot if things had ended over the weekend.  Boise State, one of the 2 conference leaders that were ranked under last week's AL team (Indiana), has moved past that spot.  It's more likely that Alabama can miss out entirely in the 11th spot than Miami getting in.  All it could take is a UNLV victory.  Though I'd imagine that Arizona State or Iowa State would jump over them anyway.

The Mountain West is a Group of Five conference (GO5 or G5), and per the rules, the highest ranked GO5 team gets into the CFB Playoff.  Given that one of the so-called Power 4 leaders are below them, based off of the rules that the 4 highest ranked conference winners get a first-round bye, they meet that criteria.  The byes into the second round is not limited to the Power conferences (fortunately).

Based off of most recent rankings, after wondering if the 11th ranked team can miss out due to the placements of the teams, it appears that my previous thoughts were confirmed (more on that below).  In fact, both teams ranked 11 & 12 can miss out, and they would if Boise State were ranked below Clemson & Alabama.  As a matter of fact, I think there could be a situation where the 10th ranked team is out.  Just not this year; of course last week I said that I didn't see Clemson, SMU, and Miami all losing, but that outcome was close to being a reality.  The one team that didn't lose (SMU) could lose, and that kind of outcome could lead to all ACC teams outside of the Top 12.  However, I still hardly think the committee would allow it.  You would have 3 conference champions currently outside of the Top 12.  Clemson, the Big 12 finalists, and UNLV are on the outside looking in.  That would be bad news for the 10th ranked team.  Of course it's not going to be a big deal, that 10th place team probably gets moved down to 11th or 12th as the committee would simply put someone into the Top 12 that won its conference.  The teams that are on the outside aren't that far out of it.

FWIW, ESPN college football expert Heather Dinich, who last week made mention that the 5 highest ranked conference winners being automatic qualifiers can include 2 Group of Five champions, warned the folks at home that the 11th team isn't safe.  Which I've hinted at myself, but it's the first time I've heard that come up on a national platform.  Whenever that chaos happens, it would be on record that it was mentioned in advance, so the committee can't get criticized for making up rules out of nowhere.  Might not be popular, but when you reads the guidelines, the written rules validate those scenarios should they surface.  BTW, The Big 12 no longer has to worry about the AAC knocking them out, but it appears that the only way the eventual winner gets a bye is if Boise State gets upset.

 

I agree with Salacious Kitty on the article posted above.  In agreeing, I'm saying that there are very good points made from those teams under Alabama.  Outside of Clemson winning, I don't know or think I could blame the committee for finding a way to include Alabama in the first-ever Top 12 Playoff format.  Miami presented a decent case, and I understand the ACC being upset.  What I don't understand is how the 3 leaders in that conference didn't face each other.  To be specific, SMU didn't have Clemson or Miami on their schedule, and Clemson & Miami never faced each other.  That's a bigger issue to be honest

[Carey]

Friday, December 6th, 2024

 

Mountain West Championship
8:00 on FOX
University Of Nevada (Las Vegas) vs Boise State University
Boise State by 3.5 (58.5 Total)

 

American Athletic Conference Championship
8:00 on ABC
TULANE VS ARMY
Army by 4.5 (47.5 Total)

Conference USA Championship
8:00 on CBSSN
Western Kentucky University vs Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State by 4.5 (57.5 Total)

 

Saturday, December 7th, 2024

Mid-American Conference Championship
12:00 on ESPN
Ohio University vs Miami University
Miami of Ohio by 2.5 (44.5 Total)

Big XII Conference Championship
12:00 on ABC
Iowa State University vs Arizona State University
Arizona State by 2.5 (51.5 Total)

Southeastern Conference Championship
4:00 on ABC
University of Georgia vs University of Texas
Texas by 2.5 (48.5 Total)

Sun Belt Conference Championship
7:30 on ESPN
Marshall University vs University of Louisiana
Louisiana by 4.5 (56.5 Total)

American Coastal Conference Championship
8 PM on ABC
Clemson University vs Southern Methodist University
SMU by 2.5 (54.5 Total)

Big Ten Championship
8 PM on CBS
Penn State University vs University of Oregon
Oregon by 3.5 (50.5 Total)

 

All times are Eastern.  Plus the spread & over/under totals are from the beginning of the week.  ESPN & ABC getting the bulk of the action of course.  Nothing big for FOX leads to Gus & Joel having the week off.  Feels weird that SEC is going on ABC, and the network that used to have that game finally gets that 8 primetime spot.  CBS gets a mid-afternoon College Hoops game to move the time.  ACC Title Game is still on the same network & the same time

[Chit Chat]

Nick Saban was right.  Several years ago, he said that no matter how many teams (whether it be 4, 8 or 12) in the playoffs, the teams just outside of that aren't going to be happy.  He was fine with expanding the playoffs, but he knew that they can't make everyone happy.

As a Bama fan, I'm amused at all of the 'gnashing of teeth' over Bama's potential spot in the playoffs. Honestly, Bama has been too inconsistent this season.  There are a few higher-ranked teams that I doubt we can beat (never say never though!)  They beat Georgia and Auburn, so it's been a pretty good season.  

The chips are going to fall where they may, so either way, I'll just roll with it and keep rooting for the SEC teams.   

[Carey]

8 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

Nick Saban was right.  Several years ago, he said that no matter how many teams (whether it be 4, 8 or 12) in the playoffs, the teams just outside of that aren't going to be happy.  He was fine with expanding the playoffs, but he knew that they can't make everyone happy.

Just wait until FCS schools starting whining after they expand the field to 134 teams in 2345

[mojoween]

I feel like I should be watching the Pac-12 championship game tonight while putting up Christmas decorations, and even though I never watched any of those teams outside the Rose Bowl, I’m still bummed about it.

[Carey]

Maybe that conference will be re-born again.  Or whatever.  It'll feel like the current Big East in terms of College Hoops.  Whatever it takes to become a decent enough conference to quality for the playoff.

On a related note, nice to see Boise State finally get its shot at the real thing.  A decade and a half removed, but whatever; they're the first of 12 teams playing for the title.  They will be one of eight teams playing in one of the New Years SIX bowl games.  It'll be rather interesting to see who they'll face next

[mojoween]

Penn State appears to be very undisciplined.

[Salacious Kitty]

What's the O/U on the B1G Championship game? 👀

Edited December 8 by Salacious Kitty

[mojoween]

80.5, according to Draft Kings.

That still seems high for a championship game.

Edited December 8 by mojoween

[Carey]

80.5 would be a live over/under total.  I believe it opened & closed around 50.5

[Carey]

Top 11 + Number 16 (The Field, not the rankings: Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, Arizona State, Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Indiana, SMU, Clemson.  Alabama & Miami are the first teams out

 

[AimingforYoko]

[Carey]

Although the final Top 25 hasn't been revealed or wasn't revealed in its entirety within the opening of the Selection Show, I'll link to where it'll be revealed at the ESPN site later.  Thanks for AimingforYoko for a much better picture of what's next, but for those wondering about how teams ended up where I might get to that later.  It's pretty much done as I've done so throughout, but this is an NFL Sunday.

 

In the meantime:

 

December 20th
8:00 on ABC/ESPN
Indiana/Notre Dame
Notre Dame by 7.5  
Over/Under 53.5

December 21st

12:00 on TNT
SMU/Penn State
Penn State by 7.5  
Over/Under 53.5

4:00 on TNT
Clemson/Texas
Texas by 11.5
Over/Under 54.5

8:00 on ABC/ESPN
Tennessee/Ohio State
Ohio State by 7.5  
Over/Under 47.5

[Carey]

Top 12 (From The Official TOP 25 Rankings)

Oregon
Georgia
Texas
Penn State
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Tennessee
Indiana
Boise State
SMU
Alabama
Arizona State

 

The 2024-2025 Permanent Playoff Slotting (Based off of the Rankings)

Byes:

1. Oregon [B1G, Plays 8/9 winner of Ohio State/Tennessee]
2. Georgia [SEC, Plays 7/10 winner of Notre Dame/Indiana]
3. Boise State [GO5, Plays 6/11 winner of Penn State/SMU]
4. Arizona State [B12, Plays 5/12 winner of Texas/Clemson]
 

12/21/24

5. Texas vs Clemson [05 vs AQ]
6. Penn State vs SMU [06 vs AL]
7. Notre Dame vs Indiana [07 vs 10]
8. Ohio State vs Tennessee [08 vs 09]

AQ: The automatic qualifier that was one of the Top 5 highest ranked conference champion within the CBF Playoff Top 25.  

This season, that represents Clemson, ranked Number 16.  Although (along with Arizona State) they were ranked under Alabama, they won their conference championship game.  As a result they got in over the now former SEC Champion as well as Miami, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

AL: An at-large team who didn't win its conference.  For the purpose of this report, the AL represents the last team in (usually someone that's ranked higher than their eventual playoff slotting).  

This season, that represents Southern Methodist, ranked Number 10, but slotted at Number 11 due to Arizona State bumping them down at the final team getting a bye.  would be in that spot if things had ended over the weekend.  Boise State, one of the 2 conference leaders that were ranked under last week's AL team (Indiana), has moved past that spot.  Previously, I said that it was more likely that Alabama can miss out entirely in the 11th spot than Miami getting in.  It took a Clemson victory, not a UNLV victory.  Arizona State didn't jump them as I speculated but it didn't really matter.

The Mountain West is a Group of Five conference (GO5 or G5), and per the rules, the highest ranked GO5 team gets into the CFB Playoff.  Given that [one or two] of the so-called Power 4 leaders are below them, based off of the rules that the 4 highest ranked conference winners get a first-round bye, they meet that criteria.  The byes into the second round is not limited to the Power conferences (fortunately).  By the way, the 12/21/24 section under the byes noted above includes one game played on Friday in South Bend.  I was aware of that from the get-go.

As mentioned, Notre Dame cannot get a first-round bye regardless of how well they've done over everybody else.  With a great season, they do get the honor of hosting someone, with the chances of hosting a team from a warm-weather area pretty decent.  Plus, they had the conference championship weekend off while the eventual champions did not.  To be honest, I'd like to see that change in a couple of years.  Not a super big deal, but a better change that I'd like to see is re-seeding being a thing.  The NFL, the king, gets it.  So did the NHL prior to their restructured postseason format

Edited December 8 by Carey
Linking the Final Top 25

[Chit Chat]

As a Bama fan, of course I'm disappointed that we didn't make it into the playoffs, but I'm okay with committee's decision.   The loss to Oklahoma sealed the deal for us. At least I don't have to listen to people gripe about how unfair it would've been for them to be in the playoffs!  There are several teams in the playoffs that will probably have their doors blown off, but hey, good luck to them! 

 I've been listening to the various pundits and there are many things to be considered for teams going forward. Some say that strength of schedule may be a thing of the past.  Some say it should be based on the number of wins.   Some say that the Athletic Directors of some schools may want to look at their upcoming schedule and change up some games if strength of schedule doesn't matter.  I didn't know that ADs had any control over that, but if they do, I can see where some might rethink their schedules to how it best benefits their team in regard to a playoff run.

Now I'm reading that FSU fans are mad because some think that Georgia shouldn't be in the playoffs if their QB can't play, since that's what happened to them last year.  Expanding the playoffs is probably a good thing, but as we're seeing, a new can of worms is opened every year.  As predicted by many, the teams outside of whatever number is the cutoff for the playoffs will be mad no matter what.  

Bama is out of it, so everybody else can fight amongst themselves!  Roll Tide and fight on SEC!!  

 

 

[Salacious Kitty]

@Careythanks for linking the Top 25. I couldn't find the entire list anywhere. My alma mater is bowling against UNLV, and I wanted to see if they were still ranked (they are,). 

Glad the committee got it right and kept SMU in the mix. UGA's QB should be ready to play in 2 weeks, so no qualms there. 

Edited December 9 by Salacious Kitty

[kathyk2]

3 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

As a Bama fan, of course I'm disappointed that we didn't make it into the playoffs, but I'm okay with committee's decision.   The loss to Oklahoma sealed the deal for us. At least I don't have to listen to people gripe about how unfair it would've been for them to be in the playoffs!  There are several teams in the playoffs that will probably have their doors blown off, but hey, good luck to them! 

 I've been listening to the various pundits and there are many things to be considered for teams going forward. Some say that strength of schedule may be a thing of the past.  Some say it should be based on the number of wins.   Some say that the Athletic Directors of some schools may want to look at their upcoming schedule and change up some games if strength of schedule doesn't matter.  I didn't know that ADs had any control over that, but if they do, I can see where some might rethink their schedules to how it best benefits their team in regard to a playoff run.

Now I'm reading that FSU fans are mad because some think that Georgia shouldn't be in the playoffs if their QB can't play, since that's what happened to them last year.  Expanding the playoffs is probably a good thing, but as we're seeing, a new can of worms is opened every year.  As predicted by many, the teams outside of whatever number is the cutoff for the playoffs will be mad no matter what.  

Bama is out of it, so everybody else can fight amongst themselves!  Roll Tide and fight on SEC!!  

 

 

Alabama has themselves to blame for missing the playoffs. If they beat Oklahoma they are in the SEC championship not Georgia. The committee would have selected them win or lose.

[Chit Chat]

33 minutes ago, kathyk2 said:

Alabama has themselves to blame for missing the playoffs

I agree, that's why I'm not surprised by the committee's decision, but I can still be disappointed that our season didn't go as we'd hoped for.  The blame lies solely with the team & the coaches.  They were too inconsistent, but I'm very proud of the tough teams they played and beat.  Considering so many players jumped ship and we had a new coach, I think they handled the season pretty well.  

Good luck to our fellow SEC teams.  We may be rivals, but there is a certain loyalty to the conference.  :)  

 

[Stats Queen]

[AimingforYoko]

So basically the CFB version of the FA Cup?

[Carey]

FYI: The 2024 Bowl Schedule.  Included are the sponsors, teams, dates, times, and locations.  Plus, the Lines & Totals (Over/Under).  Not sure if those update live between present time & kickoff (like the ones on Fan Duel).

Not included: Army/Navy (Army by 6.5 with a 38.5 O/U), the Cotton Bowl, and the Orange Bowl.  Of course Army/Navy isn't a bowl game, but the games featuring Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State aren't either (I suppose).  The games 4 weeks from Thursday & Friday don't have any known participants yet, and no info on the games featuring Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State (though some places would have opening info for either opponent the four teams would face).

Finally Travis Hunter is currently favored to win the Heisman

[Carey]

Nothing super official that I can link to, but it's a matter of when, not if, in terms of Bill Belichick succeeding Mack Brown at North Carolina

[roamyn]

2 hours ago, Carey said:

Nothing super official that I can link to, but it's a matter of when, not if, in terms of Bill Belichick succeeding Mack Brown at North Carolina

I don't think he'd be a good college coach.  Colleges coaches need to be able to connect w/their young players, and communications isn't hs strong point.

Unless they talk about their 20 something g/friends. 😆

[Carey]

It could be very possible as mentioned elsewhere that he might want to secure something since he might get passed over in the NFL.  Otherwise, he'd be sitting at home unemployed or back to ESPN doing the Media

[Chit Chat]

3 hours ago, roamyn said:

Colleges coaches need to be able to connect w/their young players, and communications isn't hs strong point.

On Fox NFL Sunday this past weekend, Gronk, Tom Brady & Julian Edelman were asked about Belichick coaching college ball, and they were hilarious in their response.  It went something like this: 'Coach would probably say to a recruit (in a gruff voice), come play here, or don't play here.  I don't care.'  They mumbled something else, and it was funny.  They have respect for Belichick, but they know him well!

[baldryanr]

9 hours ago, Carey said:

It could be very possible as mentioned elsewhere that he might want to secure something since he might get passed over in the NFL.  Otherwise, he'd be sitting at home unemployed or back to ESPN doing the Media

It says a lot about the man if those aren't great options for him.  Most 72 year olds would love to just kick back and enjoy the retired life, especially with money not being a concern.  All of those social media posts from his girlfriend are trying to push the idea that he's having fun.

[roamyn]

OK, I'm a die hard Buckeye, but this is ridiculous...

An Ohio state (not school) Representative has introduced a Bill to make flag planting during football games, a felony.

Sure I don't like the flag planting - by any team, but to make this a law? No wonder some fans hate Buckeye fans.

[Fukui San]

Whether Belichick could get an NFL job next year or not I don't know. What he's able to do with UNC that he definitely couldn't do in the NFL is present them with a whole manual book full of conditions under which he'd take the job, AND to have them agree to have his son be his anointed successor. Basically perhaps another Bronny James situation. (Although I suspect Stephen Belichick might be more qualified to be a head football coach than Bronny is to be an NBA player.)

I also don't have any concerns with Bill connecting to athletes in general. That wasn't much of a problem even at the end of his NE run. I think Bill chatting with the a player and relating his game to someone from Army back in the 1940's would still work. The critique I had with Bill at the end was the deterioration of the coaching quality of his assistants across the board at the end and his inability or refusal to develop new assistant coaches. Hence recycling Matt Patricia as an OC, Joe Judge, and Bill O'Brien. I'd be interested to see what types of people are on his staff at UNC to see how optimistic I'd be about him going forward.

EDIT: That said, Bill has never had to deal with the transfer portal and NIL before, and that was enough to drum his pal Nick Saban out of the business.

Edited December 12 by Fukui San

[Carey]

I don't think NIL and the TP are going to be an issue, unless he's there for more than a year (or two).

Really, I got bored to the point where I had to look up Clemson's schedule to see if North Carolina is on it.  So there's that.

Then there is the unrelated topic dealing with flag-planting.  If you know me, you'll know that I'm not jumping for joy for this actually becoming law, while not losing sleep over it if a perpetrator gets in trouble for it

[baldryanr]

11 hours ago, roamyn said:

An Ohio state (not school) Representative has introduced a Bill to make flag planting during football games, a felony.

Sure I don't like the flag planting - by any team, but to make this a law? No wonder some fans hate Buckeye fans.

If flag planting is a felony then excessive celebration is a misdemeanor, right? 

As for Belichick, it's going to be hilarious if his girlfriend gets hired by UNC and his son ends up taking over in a couple of years.

[AimingforYoko]

On 12/11/2024 at 6:50 PM, Fukui San said:

That said, Bill has never had to deal with the transfer portal and NIL before, and that was enough to drum his pal Nick Saban out of the business.

I got one word for you: delegation. Bill is not going to deal with NIL or recruiting, except maybe to close the deal.

[Fukui San]

When talking about Belichick and transfer portal/NIL stuff, this is the story I have in mind. Boston College was nine games into the season when the starting QB was benched in a game (by Belichick's pal Bill O'Brien who is BC's coach) that they came back and won to get to 5-4. That QB immediately announces that he's transferring to another school.

For a coach whose MO is to work the players harder than other teams, every player having a get out of jail card is something new to my mind.

[Calvada]

On 12/12/2024 at 5:57 AM, baldryanr said:

If flag planting is a felony then excessive celebration is a misdemeanor, right? 

On the other hand, covering up a sexual abuse scandal at OSU means you get to represent the state of Ohio in the United States Congress. 

[Carey]

I think I might laugh if nothing opens for Belichick in 2026.  Then what would he do?

[Carey]

Not too much happening in the College Football world this weekend.  Other than the best football game.  And the Heisman.  While things get going on Tuesday, they really get going on Friday.

Anyway, Travis Hunter is the Heisman winner, and that's no surprise.  What was surprising somewhat is Navy winning very convincingly over Army.  Of course the latter had a game a week ago, and while I had Navy covering, I didn't have them winning outright.  Was expecting a low scoring game despite both of these teams performing very well in 2024. 

[twoods]

Congrats to Travis Hunter. Besides winning the Heisman he has a 4.0 as a psych major. I can’t imagine how he had time to crush it in school. 

Edited December 15 by twoods

[roamyn]

3 hours ago, twoods said:

Congrats to Travis Hunter. Besides winning the Heisman he has a 4.0 as a psych major. I can’t imagine how he had time to crush it in school. 

And he plays both Offense and Defense!

Well deserved win (Jeanty would've been a good winner, too)

[Bastet]

15 hours ago, twoods said:

I can’t imagine how he had time to crush it in school. 

Football players, especially at his level, get a lot of help (not all of it on the up and up) if they need it.  But, even with all the help available, most don't make Academic All-American, but he did, so he's obviously a head above the rest all on his own.

I liked the part of his acceptance speech where he shouted out his grandma for being the one to encourage his four-year-old self to go play football with his cousins.  “Y'all see how small I am. Just imagine me at four years old trying to put on shoulder pads."

[Calvada]

5 hours ago, Bastet said:

Football players, especially at his level, get a lot of help (not all of it on the up and up) if they need it.  But, even with all the help available, most don't make Academic All-American, but he did, so he's obviously a head above the rest all on his own.

I'm a season football ticket holder for a Big Ten university.  At senior day every year, it always seems there's a couple players who majored in biomedical engineering or were working on a master's in applied economics among the sport management, communications, and exercise physiology majors.  College athletes do get a lot of help, especially with tutors.  The daughter of a friend of mine was a tutor for football players at a university that usually has a top-10 team.  She tutored some guys who are now in the NFL, but a lot of guys who didn't make that next level.  I hope all the student athletes who go to the school I follow (in all sports) take advantage of the scholarship, tutors, etc. and get their degree.  

[Notabug]

17 hours ago, Calvada said:

I'm a season football ticket holder for a Big Ten university.  At senior day every year, it always seems there's a couple players who majored in biomedical engineering or were working on a master's in applied economics among the sport management, communications, and exercise physiology majors.  College athletes do get a lot of help, especially with tutors.  The daughter of a friend of mine was a tutor for football players at a university that usually has a top-10 team.  She tutored some guys who are now in the NFL, but a lot of guys who didn't make that next level.  I hope all the student athletes who go to the school I follow (in all sports) take advantage of the scholarship, tutors, etc. and get their degree.  

I attended a Big 10 school for both undergrad and med school and trained as a resident in a local hospital in the same town.  One month, one of our medical students was a former player on the local Big 10 team who also had a very successful career in the NFL, playing on 2 Super Bowl winners.  He got his undergrad degree with honors in Chemistry in the usual 4 years and was immediately accepted into med school though he chose to do an independent study program and did the book work in the off season so it took him a little longer to finish the first couple years.  When he retired (earlier than expected in part because he wanted to finish med school sooner than later), he did his clinical rotations, including at the hospital where I worked where he was on my service.  He was smart and hard working and would've been an outstanding student even if he wasn't a former footballer.  He got honors because he deserved it.

I will say he was the only med student who parked a Porsche in the student lot and, at the end of the rotation, when the residents typically take the students out and buy them drinks; he very kindly turned the tables and picked up the tab for everyone.  Nice, nice guy.

It is indeed a myth that athletes attending the big-time football/basketball schools are all mediocre students.

Edited December 16 by Notabug

[roamyn]

The NCAA needs to start regulating the portal.

25 players from Marshall entered due to their coach leaving after a contract dispute.  Leaving Marshall unable to compete for the Sunbelt Title.  I saw an article that called the portal the "wild west".

Even pros are subject to contracts and free agency is regulated.  

Right now it seems the college portal is a free for all.

[Chit Chat]

23 minutes ago, roamyn said:

Right now it seems the college portal is a free for all.

It's a hot mess!  I've been reading about some of the teams in the playoffs who are losing 3-5 (and maybe more) players.  Why would these guys leave when their team has a chance for a national title?  This is crazy!  Some of the analysts were talking about this issue last weekend before the games.  There needs to be some restrictions on when the portal is open.  

Again, Saban & other coaches warned of the potential pitfalls of the NIL & the portal years ago, but they were seen as anti-progress.  They weren't.  They saw the writing on the wall and a lot of people didn't heed their warnings.  Welcome to the current state of college football:  One giant clusterf***.  

[kathyk2]

37 minutes ago, roamyn said:

The NCAA needs to start regulating the portal.

25 players from Marshall entered due to their coach leaving after a contract dispute.  Leaving Marshall unable to compete for the Sunbelt Title.  I saw an article that called the portal the "wild west".

Even pros are subject to contracts and free agency is regulated.  

Right now it seems the college portal is a free for all.

Why should the players stay when the coach who recruited them is gone? The new coach will want to bring in his own players like Deon Sanders at Colorado. The portal should open after the national championship game.

[roamyn]

3 hours ago, kathyk2 said:

Why should the players stay when the coach who recruited them is gone? The new coach will want to bring in his own players like Deon Sanders at Colorado. The portal should open after the national championship game.

It used to be you joined a school for pride of institution,  education, maybe familial ties, not NIL money.  Yes, for athletes so that they can take the next step.  

By exiting BEFORE the title game, they are effectively doing a DeVondre Campbell, an Antonio Brown.  Letting their fellow teammates down by quitting.  Not to mention letting their classmates, faculty & alumnae down by denying the institution the funds they would get by playing in the Title game.

And in Marshall's case, the legacy of those who were killed in the plane crash because they loved the game, not the money.

[Carey]

I understand leaving in the aftermath of the coach leaving.  It just doesn't need to be before the fall semester ends.  I guess it sucks for those that may have wanted to be part of it but didn't make it.

On a related note, I think, while I had no plans to watch the Independence Bowl, looks like a team with a losing record got the nod to replace Marshall.

[Chit Chat]

Here's what Coach Saban wrote about the current state of college football on X:  

"I don’t know what to say about the current state of college football. Jaylen Mbakwe…… is A Bama native and played a ton as a freshman. He has supposedly been offered a 7 figure deal without being in the portal. Happy for him, but this is sickening under the current format of college football. Tampering left and right. Free Agency for every player every year. College head coaches will leave in mass exodus in the next 2-3 years. Anyone for any rules yet or just pay the players? Maybe let’s just have a minor league team for the NFL? How about a 10-20 million dollar salary cap for football schools? Do away with college teams and education all together?"