College Football

[benteen]

So true about the SEC Echo Chamber.  It's another down year for the league and Alabama will get run off the field by either Clemson or Ohio State.

 

I have to say I'm really looking forward to Navy vs Houston next week.

Edited November 16, 2015 by benteen

[Rick Kitchen]

 

Why has ESPN kissed the SEC's ass for years?

 

All college football kisses the SEC's ass.

[nowandlater]

You are biased, though. And frankly so is Herbstreit. Sometimes I think he bends over backwards to NOT be nice to Ohio State, just in the name of objectivity.

 

But during the national championship game last year I swear his voice caught and it sounded like he was going to start crying. 

 

ETA: I do agree that ESPN contributes largely to that Ol' SEC Echo Chamber. 

 

Wasn't Herbstreit chased out of Ohio because of overzealous Buckeye fans? He now lives in Nashville.

[Minneapple]

Yes, as mentioned in a post above.

But -- Gameday is headed to Columbus for Michigan State/Ohio State, and I guarantee in a couple weeks they'll be headed to Ann Arbor for the Game. Even though ESPN hates the Big Ten.

[AndreaK1041]

I think they are actually not going to Ann Arbor... they were already there this year and there are a whole suite of great games that same day.  But I agree with your point, I do not think ESPN hates the Big10. Then again, I'm a Michigan alum and even I can feel the pro-Michigan bias from various announcers and commentators on all networks. It doesn't bother me of course, but sometimes I hear things that if I were a fan of the opponent, I would not care for one bit.

[Jediknight]

I think they are actually not going to Ann Arbor... they were already there this year and there are a whole suite of great games that same day.

Provided both teams win on Saturday, they'll be in Stillwater for Bedlam that week.  That's the one game that Saturday that could be for a playoff spot.

[roamyn]

I have to admit, Buckeye fans can be a bit rabid. Moreso than most other schools. Then again it's a religion in Ohio (and us Cleveland natives have nothing else to root for). But I always try to give credit where due.

If they were to get screwed the way Duke did, I mighy not be so forgiving, but if the Buckeyes lost due to their own inadequacies, then I try to be a good opponent.

[Minneapple]

Provided both teams win on Saturday, they'll be in Stillwater for Bedlam that week.  That's the one game that Saturday that could be for a playoff spot.

It's possible. But I think it will be really hard to avoid the allure of Michigan/Ohio State when Michigan is finally semi-relevant again.

 

Well. I suppose if either one of the teams loses this week it will be a little easier to decide.

[Evolution101]

The top 4 in the playoff rankings remain unchanged from last week.

 

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Ohio State

4. Notre Dame

 

5. Iowa

6. Oklahoma State

7. Oklahoma

8. Florida

9. Michigan State

10. Baylor

 

Other notes:

 

LSU falls to 15

North Carolina rises to 17

TCU drops to 18 despite winning

Undefeated Houston climbs to 19

USC and Oregon jump into the rankings

[Jediknight]

Wait, how does Ole Miss jump to 22 after being unranked after a bye week, when Wisconsin stays at 25 after a bye week?  The last time Ole Miss played, they lost, the last time Wisconsin played, they won.  Makes no sense.

[roamyn]

Makes no sense that UNC & Houston are so low on the totem pole.

Esp UNC, when - like tOSU last year & AL this year - they're playing better & better football as the season goes on.

[Minneapple]

Wait, how does Ole Miss jump to 22 after being unranked after a bye week, when Wisconsin stays at 25 after a bye week? The last time Ole Miss played, they lost, the last time Wisconsin played, they won. Makes no sense.

BYE in the SEC is much tougher than it is in the B1G.

[mojoween]

Doug Flutie is going to work tomorrow night. Maybe it's cathartic, but man.

[benteen]

I'm hoping Penn State can finally pull off a big victory and beat Michigan today.

[Minneapple]

SNOW DAY in Big Ten country! Loving the pictures of Kinnick and Camp Randall buried under snow. Bret Bielema wants an SEC-B1G challenge. Come up north in November, SEC, and you're not allowed to wear long sleeves under your jersey or have heaters on the sidelines.

[roamyn]

So far it looks like most of the games are close - IA just scored another TD, so they've pulled away.

DDoesn't bode well that the field in Columbus will be wet. Zeke might have a hard time getting his footing.

[AndreaK1041]

The Buckeyes can literally do no good. I'm happy they lost, but pissed they didn't win. Gooo Penn State next week!

[roamyn]

GO IOWA!

I've come to admit, tOSU really was lethargic, sloppy, slow this year. This game - regardless of the weather - really showed it.

And it shouldn't have been. On paper, tOSU should have been one of the most dominant teams this year. They have almost the same team as last year.

I think they got too complacent, and the loss if Tom Hermann, really hurts.

As a trivia, the underdog for the last 4 MI St/tOSU games has won (including today).

[Jediknight]

Well, I was wrong about Ohio State repeating.

[BitterApple]

I think Ohio State's cream puff schedule finally caught up with them. I don't necessarily think they were overrated, but they weren't in "fighting shape" so to speak. Iron sharpens iron, and when you're playing weak opponents I think it's just natural to take your foot off the gas and coast.

[Rick Kitchen]

Why is Alabama playing nobodies this late in the season?

[nowandlater]

IT's an SEC tradition to play creampuffs in late November. Gives them a pseudo bye week.

 

 

Charleston Southern at Alabama

Idaho at Auburn

Charlotte at Kentucky

Florida Atlantic at Florida

The Citadel at S. Carolina

Georgia Southern at Georgia

[Minneapple]

CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT A CATCH IS IN FOOTBALL BECAUSE I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

ALSO I KNOW WISCONSIN FANS ARE JERKS AGAIN BECAUSE WE THREW SNOWBALLS BUT I DON'T CARE BECAUSE THE REFS TOOK THREE TOUCHDOWNS AWAY FROM US.

SORRY ABOUT THE ALL CAPS I'M IN A SHOUTY MOOD.

[twoods]

No excuse to throw them at cheerleaders. It's a game- someone can get hurt. Glad Wisconsin lost after seeing the behavior of those classless fans.

Awesome kick by that Spartan kicker- he must be out partying tonight.

Screw the SEC for their cream puff schedule this late in the season, while unbeaten and high ranked teams that are playing good teams are losing. Another reason to hate them.

UCLA and USC for the chance to go to the pac 12 champ game. Who would have thought? I hate the Bruins but they do look like the better team.

[AndreaK1041]

Are you more or less butthurt than the Ohio State players spouting off to the press? You breed a culture lacking discipline, and this is what you get, Urban.

This TCU/OK game is fun.

[Bastet]

I bleed cardinal and gold, but it's astounding to me USC is still in the Pac-12 South race with their record.  Shitty game today; I figured we were going to lose, but I thought it was going to be a tighter match.

 

And I thought both Oklahoma teams were going to win, setting up one of the most exciting Bedlam games in years.  I was flipping back and forth, but Oklahoma State became too painful to watch.

[Mischievious]

Hey Big 12 fans...legit question. When will the conference announce the conference football schedule for 2016. I know the 2015 one was announced 11/19/14 but haven't seen the 2016 one yet. I find it so strange dates haven't been set yet. I know Nebraska's for several years out are set (minus kickoff times obviously). I ask because I need to pick a date in November for a huge benefit in Oklahoma. Thanks!

[Rick Kitchen]

Oklahoma almost succeeded in blowing that game.  And, will this game hurt Notre Dame in the standings?

[MargeGunderson]

Hooray Hawkeyes - and Spartans! I do love seeing Ohio State go down. They've been lackluster and it caught up with them.

[roamyn]

I was shocked at tOSU players' behavior.

Yes the game was poorly managed, Zeke was the one who "led the pack" so to speak.

Cardale can't come back, anyway, I don't believe because he graduates in December.

This does not bode well for next week vs. That Team Up North.

And the fans of WI had a right to be angry, but those snowballs could've held rocks or debris. Just ask any Bengals players.

[benteen]

Hell of a day yesterday.  Congratulations to Michigan State, who find themselves in great shape to get to the College Football Playoffs.  If they win out, they'll have wins over Oregon, Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa.  I take that over Notre Dame any day.

 

It's always nice to see Ohio State lose.  I did have to laugh at those players throwing the team under the bus.  Meyer will replace them like THAT.  Have fun with short-lived pro careers, fellas!

 

I hate to disappoint Ohio State and Michigan fans but Penn State will NOT defeat Michigan State.  I've watched every Penn State game this year and while they have a good defense, their offense is terrible and their offensive coaching staff sucks.  James Franklin might be a good recruiter but he's a lousy X's and O's coach and his offensive coordinator is even worse.  Franklin has never won a game against a ranked opponent and he's not going to start next week.

 

The Big Ten is relevant this year though.  Especially next week.

 

Would love to see Navy win out and make a New Year's Bowl.

[Minneapple]

And the fans of WI had a right to be angry, but those snowballs could've held rocks or debris. Just ask any Bengals players.

The Wisconsin students famously used to put pennies in marshmallows and fling them at each other and opposing players. An opposing Big Ten coach was so fed up that he brought penny-packed marshmallows into a press conference and started flinging them at reporters. They finally outlawed marshmallows in the mid-90s.

Actually the Wisconsin students used to be (still are, I guess) famous for projectiles. Kirk Herbstreit has reminisced about getting a tomato thrown at him. Hayden Fry had peppermint schnapps poured on him as the Iowa team was walking out of the tunnel, and the Iowa players had rotten eggs thrown at them as well. But this was in the lawless days of Camp Randall before people were concerned about fan behavior.

Cardale can't come back, anyway, I don't believe because he graduates in December.

He could come back as a graduate student a la Russell Wilson.

Urban players are jerks, tell me something new.

[xaxat]

Urban should give his team copies of this. . .

 

 

Surely that would solve all of their problems.

 

Hell of a day for backups. Baylor, Michigan State. . . and TCU missed it by just a couple more inches of loft.

 

As a part of their graphics package, ESPN is using the same font Nike is using on their CFB jerseys. That must annoy Under Armour and Adidas execs.

[twoods]

Are you more or less butthurt than the Ohio State players spouting off to the press? You breed a culture lacking discipline, and this is what you get, Urban.

What a bunch of spoiled idiots. This is the same coaching staff and team that won it all last year, right? You can't win every single game. I hope they tank in the NFL, or drop a lot in the draft after teams see how easy they point fingers at others.

Edited November 22, 2015 by twoods

[roamyn]

More of my thoughts on yesterday's fiasco:

JT seemed like he was rushing too much and wanted to be the Prima Donnna of the game, rather than hand it off to someone else.

Zeke may be fine in the NFL. But I thought his family valued education more. Guess I was wrong.

Cardale at least stuck it out to getbhis degree. And Braxton. Cardale really showed his short-comings this season, and I don't see him long for the NFL. Braxton's so versatile, he should do well on the Pros.

Am I disappointed? Absolutely. But is it the end of the world? No. So stop behaving like it is.

It is likely that they didn't have the fire in them. They sure didn't play like it all season. But I don't think they were over-rated.

So here's hoping IA or Clemson take it all.

[Evolution101]

College Gameday will be in Stillwater next week for the Bedlam between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

 

Here's what I learned in week 12:

 

• Clemson and Iowa are the only unbeatens left.
• Florida got to 10 wins, but looked nothing like a Top 25 team.  Going to overtime with Florida frakking Atlantic?  Really?  They better get their act together if they expect to beat my Noles.
• The winner of UCLA-USC will meet Stanford for the Pac-12 title.
• LSU has lost three in a row for the first time since 1999, and the cries for Les Miles to be fired have gotten louder.
• Michigan State controls its destiny in the Big Ten East.
• Gutsy call by TCU to go for two and the win against Oklahoma, but it backfired.  And considering how TCU has been treated by the playoff rankings, they just might fall out.

[Jediknight]

• Florida got to 10 wins, but looked nothing like a Top 25 team.  Going to overtime with Florida frakking Atlantic?  Really?  They better get their act together if they expect to beat my Noles.

Not only did they look nothing like a top 25 team, and go to overtime, they were bailed out by the refs in overtime.

[Rick Kitchen]

 

And the fans of WI had a right to be angry, but those snowballs could've held rocks or debris. Just ask any Bengals players.

 

How was it the cheerleaders' fault that they deserved having snowballs thrown at them?

[topanga]

 

Awesome kick by that Spartan kicker- he must be out partying tonight.

I enjoyed his winding arm celebration dance even more. And of course my 12-year old was able to pull it up on Instagram almost as soon as it happened. 

[roamyn]

How was it the cheerleaders' fault that they deserved having snowballs thrown at them?

I never said it was the cheerleaders' fault. It's irresponsible to even be throwing at the refs.

[Rick Kitchen]

Oklahoma's QB was diagnosed with a concussion in last week's game, but he's going to be starting against Ok. State this week.  Shaking my head.

[Stuffy]

Oklahoma's QB was diagnosed with a concussion in last week's game, but he's going to be starting against Ok. State this week. Shaking my head.

It's all over the news here in Oklahoma. He hasn't actually been 100% completely cleared for Saturday. He has no symptoms, so it looks like he will play. However they're continuing to monitor him for setbacks. So far he's passed every concussion test including those during and after the game. His only symptom was a headache which was gone before the game was over. When he admitted to the headache, they took his helmet from him even though he passed the concussion tests. He never had any light or crowd sensitivity. Stoops does what the doctors tell him. If they say Baker can't play, then he won't play.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Stuffy

[Minneapple]

Wisconsin's quarterback was diagnosed with a concussion after a game earlier this year (against Illinois, I think). He went through the concussion protocols and was cleared to play the next week.

[Evolution101]

New playoff rankings:

 

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Oklahoma

4. Iowa

 

5. Michigan State

6. Notre Dame

7. Baylor

8. Ohio State

9. Stanford

10. Michigan

 

 

Oklahoma State drops to 11.  Florida falls to 12.  TCU falls only one spot to 19.

[Rick Kitchen]

I knew that BC game was going to hurt Notre Dame.  Now let's see what happens after the Stanford game.

[roamyn]

All right Iowa! I hope you win the B1G. If it can't be my beloved Buckeyes, then I have some friends in IA that I'd like to see happy.

I am officially blaming our mgmt committee for making me take down my tOSU flag this past week.

[MargeGunderson]

All right Iowa! I hope you win the B1G. If it can't be my beloved Buckeyes, then I have some friends in IA that I'd like to see happy.

I am officially blaming our mgmt committee for making me take down my tOSU flag this past week.

Finally, Iowa gets some respect from the CFP! It seemed like the Hawks were the Rodney Dangerfield of college football. They may not be flashy but they get the job done which is all that matters. Between the Hawkeyes and the Pariots I'm having a good football season (my miserable standing in the PTV football pool not withstanding).

[benteen]

Good for Iowa and they're now in a position to secure a final spot in the College Football Playoff.

[Minneapple]

So it's Rivalry Week! Also known as Hate Week! WHY YES, I DO HATE THE GOPHERS. Paul Bunyan's Axe and the Badgers' winning streak are on the line this weekend in the most-played FBS rivalry. That's right! The Game, Bedlam, the Iron Bowl -- none of them have been played for as long or as many times as Minnesota and Wisconsin have played. The old trophy was the Slab of Bacon, which was lost in the '40s and found in a Camp Randall storage room in the '90s -- with updated scores listed on the back! OOO MYSTERIOUS. 

 

So let's discuss why your rival is hateworthy. For me, Minnesota is hateworthy because they can't fill up their damn stadium, even after building a beautiful new one on campus. GODDAMMIT, GOPHERS. 

[roamyn]

The origins of MI / OH hate actually go back to the early 1800s.

We both wanted Toledo, because of its location. So there was a compromise of OH gets Toledo, MI gets the Upper Penninsula. Personally, I think that deal alone is cause for Ohio to detest that state up north.

The MI/tOSU rivalry got heated when Bo left Woody's coaching staff. It was always there because each state steals from homegrown talent of the other. But Woody / Bo made it the great rivalry it is today.

Woody supposedly once pushed his car over the state line because he refused to buy gas in "that state up north".