College Football

[AimingforYoko]

25 minutes ago, Carey said:

So the first college football rankings were released on Tuesday. Bama, Clemson, LSU & Notre Dame headline the first rankings of 2018.  I totally get a laugh whenever the people make fun of the fans that are crying about their placement of the rankings.  Especially Notre Dame.  As mentioned keep winning.  OTOH, while Michigan & Georgia should be okay, Oklahoma and those below them might not be.  But that was directed at LSU & Notre Dame who both control their own destiny.  I believe with the new crew, while it's not as big of a deal as the one released on December 2nd, without saying it, UCF is not getting in

The whole reason for releasing the rankings is to cause heartburn among the fanbases. Usually only two or three teams will have legitimate beefs by the end of the season. Golic and Wingo brought up an interesting point: The lowest ranked team to control their own destiny is: Kentucky at 9.

In other news: Maryland does the right thing....eventually.

[Carey]

Not sure I'm a fan of the president of Maryland saying how tough of a decision it was to boot him.  Actually, firing DJ Durkin was NOT a difficult decision. If Maryland chose to be cutthroat when it came to terminating Durkin, no one would be saying you're cruel to do so

Meanwhile, Temple actually a threat toward UCF.  IMO, it's more probable than not that Central Florida gets picked off this time around, although I think it might be thanks to more than 11 people on the field of play

[galaxygirl76]

How was that not targeting?

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, galaxygirl76 said:

How was that not targeting?

Which game?

[galaxygirl76]

Just now, Bastet said:

Which game?

Alabama-LSU.

 

For the record I was not being snarky, I genuinely want to know why that wasn't targeting.

[Carey]

1 hour ago, galaxygirl76 said:

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Which game?

Alabama-LSU.

 

For the record I was not being snarky, I genuinely want to know why that wasn't targeting.

It wasn't "targeting" because it would have been a blowout to boot another LSU defender with Devon White still out of the game.  I'm sorry, but the targeting rule is not a great rule at all

[Silver Raven]

Texas Tech's all-red uniforms are ridiculous.

[Popples]

Louisville has fired Bobby Petrino, and apparently news broke while his weekly TV show was on air.

[xaxat]

7 hours ago, Popples said:

Louisville has fired Bobby Petrino, and apparently news broke while his weekly TV show was on air.

Is there anyone who has a weirder history of ending jobs than Petrino? This, the "motorcycle accident" and leaving leaving notes for the players in Atlanta.

[mojoween]

I wonder if anyone present who listened to Mike Gundy’s idiotic diatribe about millennials and Gen Z (who he thinks are all the same generation) thought to say to him “hey.  Asshat.  YOUR generation is the one who raised these kids you seem to hate.”

I mean, I'm Gen X.  I know that I’m responsible for kids these days.

[mojoween]

I actually really like Notre Dame’s Yankee Stadium unis...except for the shoulders.  If the jersey was solid blue the whole kit would be awesome.

What a bummer for SU.  I was hoping for a much closer game.

[AimingforYoko]

Nick Saban's in heaven right now. They won pretty comfortably, but the game was tight enough, he gets to yell at everybody for a whole week.

And OSU's D is trash.

[Silver Raven]

47 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

Nick Saban's in heaven right now. They won pretty comfortably, but the game was tight enough, he gets to yell at everybody for a whole week.

And OSU's D is trash.

I thought you meant Oklahoma State  Their D was not much better, though they managed to barely defeat West Virginia.

[Bastet]

I wonder if Lynn Swann still thinks Clay Helton is his guy after the loss to UCLA (he did after last week's loss to Cal, so it's entirely possible he still doesn't want to make a change).  That was truly awful play the last two weeks.  And awful because all the mistakes Helton claims he recognizes and is fixing each week are still there in the next game. 

Unless Toa Lobendahn has compromising pictures of him, there is no excuse for Helton sticking with him as center, when he clearly cannot make the transition because he sucks at snaps.  Wasting time-outs?  Routinely giving up solid first-half leads to inferior teams?  Head-scratching play calls?  A senior turning what would have been a Cal punt into a first down in the final minutes of the game with an unsporstmanlike conduct penalty?  That's all bad coaching.  

As of last week, even in this weak year for the conference, the Trojans are out of the Pac-12 South race, and now as of this week, unless they miraculously upset Notre Dame (something that would make my entire Thanksgiving, but only slightly less likely to happen as me winning the lottery I do not even play), they will not even qualify for an appearance in a mid-December Toilet Bowl appearance.  That's bad coaching.

I had misgivings from the beginning - particularly time management, a team-wide lack of discipline, and last-minute wins more the result of luck than effective halftime adjustments - but wanted to give Helton time because of all the other factors.  He's had time.  He says the right things, but the words don't translate to changes.  It's not like with Lane Kiffin, where, while some felt sorry for him getting canned on the tarmac, I thought he was lucky Haden didn't have him summarily executed on the sideline.  I don't think he's awful.  This was destined to be a transition year, with a true freshman quarterback, and our top receiver, top rusher, and several defensive leaders gone.  But this hasn't been a transition, it has been a stagnant mess.  Talent-wise, we still had enough this season to take the Pac-12 South, so that here we are not even in the hunt and almost certainly out of the bowl scene altogether is on Helton.  And that's not acceptable.  But I think Swann will give him another year.  And since USC only has an interim president, no one will stop him.  I hope he's right and I'm wrong.

[mojoween]

“Unsportsmanlike conduct on all players for both teams.”

Alrighty then.  I guess Mississippi State and Ole Miss don’t like each other so much?

[roamyn]

Looks like Harbaugh still can’t beat The Ohio State Buckeyes.  Heheheh...

[doodlebug]

[xaxat]

On 11/22/2018 at 10:50 PM, mojoween said:

“Unsportsmanlike conduct on all players for both teams.”

Could have also used that line for the end of UNC/NC State.

[AimingforYoko]

2 hours ago, roamyn said:

Looks like Harbaugh still can’t beat The Ohio State Buckeyes.  Heheheh...

Dammit Michigan. I know Harbaugh's a self-promoting blowhard, but Urban Meyer's a POS.

[Carey]

I was a little surprised at the number of people that picked Michigan, including Herbie, to win.  Personally I equated it to Steelers/Patriots.  This was the year to beat Ohio State (maybe next year if they can beat the revenge teams on the road), but I personally didn't see it.  I couldn't pick Michigan; for me it was I'll believe it when I see it.

What I did NOT see happening was Ohio State laying a 60-burger on Michigan, even at the Horseshoe.  While it looked like the Buckeyes had 12 weeks to prepare for the Wolverines, I'm not sure if an 11-0 Michigan team can defeat Ohio State even if the game is played in the Big House!

[Popples]

My eyes are still blurry from LSU vs. Texas A&M. If that had been a 3 PM kickoff, I probably would have enjoyed it more.

[roamyn]

It was like the Everready bunny.  It keeps going & going & going.

[anyanka323]

I'm a Michigan fan and I didn't think that Michigan could beat Ohio in Columbus, even this year.  I think some people thought MIchigan had a chance because how lackluster Ohio has looked most of the year.  If the indifferent Ohio team that played at Purdue and Maryland had shown up, then Michigan had a chance.  Sadly for Michigan, the Ohio team that showed up yesterday was focused and angry. 

It's very similar with Michigan State - even in a bad or down year, Michigan State shows up to play Michigan.  Otherwise, the team that barely beat Rutgers and lost to Nebraska makes an appearance. 

The Big 10 west is going to be interesting next year.  Nebraska looked good during the second half of the year and most Nebraska fans have to be very pleased with 4 wins as well as almost beating Ohio State and Iowa as a road team.  They could be very good next year and maybe playing in the Big 10 title game.  Northwestern is a weird team in that they really play to their opponents' level.  They gave Michigan a scare and beat Wisconsin.  I would hope that they give OSU a good game in the Big 10 championship game this year. 

Wisconsin was the biggest disappointment this year.  I have family that are Wisconsin fans and some aren't handling the down year very well.  It took a lot of restraint on my part to be as nice as possible to them in regards to college football.  They weren't as nice when Michigan was down during the Hoke and RichRod years.  That being said, Wisconsin fans honestly don't know how bad it can be.  Alex Hornibrook isn't that bad of a quarterback - he just didn't have a great OL to protect him.  He's still better than John O'Korn.  My impression was that for many Wisconsin fans, losing the axe to Minnesota was worse than losing to Michigan and Penn State. 

Edited November 25, 2018 by anyanka323
grammar

[roamyn]

@anyanka323, even I, the staunchest of Buckeye fan, thought they’d lose to TSUN.  After all, we have to let u win once a decade, right?

What should be concerning to the Wolverines, is the amount of yardage and points the #1 defense gave up.

And u May have had RichRod and Hoke, but we had Bruce & Cooper, who couldn’t win against TSUN to save their lives.  Even the vaunted Lloyd Carr couldn’t win against Tressel’s Buckeyes, tho.

[Carey]

AP poll is pretty much a meaningless poll post CFP Top 25 poll, but it's still interesting given how they're still close to what the actual weekly rankings are.  I'm very interested to see what they are this Tuesday.  BTW, Notre Dame is the first team in, and while I doubt the committee will do the following, I'd love for them to put Notre Dame in 5th meaning Ohio State and Oklahoma jumped them just to create 5 days of drama before the pundits realize that the real rankings are next Sunday

Speaking of OSU & Oklahoma, they're saying that the 4th spot will be the only difficult task assuming both teams & Clemson win on Saturday.  Way to disrespect the 2-year undefeated Central Florida team (might be the only person on Planet Earth that's saying their more than 100% done despite everything they've done).  I don't PITT can win outright against Clemson, but that would make it an early evening if the Panthers can pull off the upset again.  And when they don't I think a Georgia victory would boot both the Big 12 & Big 10

Still a little bummed about that LSU vs A&M game.  I didn't have a rooting interest, but I wasn't a fan of the refs sorta ending it in the 7th OT because they "didn't want to be there" to where it could get to the 8th or 9th OT, which would have been very special IMO

[PepSinger]

The rankings are in from the CFP. Of course, the pundits are already questioning whether Alabama should be in the top 4 if they lose to Georgia and OSU and Oklahoma win their games this weekend. I mean, it's not as if they won the championship last year without going to the SEC Championship and losing to a number 6 ranked team in the regular season. Oh, wait. They did. It's as if people will do anything to question the validity of Alabama being in the top 4. It's old at this point. Rankings

[mojoween]

This doesn't have anything to do with anything but I’m still stymied why a conference is having its championship game at four o’clock on a Friday.  A non-holiday Friday!

[xaxat]

Money. It's east coast prime time.

[Calvada]

On ‎11‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 11:39 AM, anyanka323 said:

I'm a Michigan fan and I didn't think that Michigan could beat Ohio in Columbus, even this year.  I think some people thought MIchigan had a chance because how lackluster Ohio has looked most of the year.  If the indifferent Ohio team that played at Purdue and Maryland had shown up, then Michigan had a chance.  Sadly for Michigan, the Ohio team that showed up yesterday was focused and angry. 

It's very similar with Michigan State - even in a bad or down year, Michigan State shows up to play Michigan.  Otherwise, the team that barely beat Rutgers and lost to Nebraska makes an appearance. 

The Big 10 west is going to be interesting next year.  Nebraska looked good during the second half of the year and most Nebraska fans have to be very pleased with 4 wins as well as almost beating Ohio State and Iowa as a road team.  They could be very good next year and maybe playing in the Big 10 title game.  Northwestern is a weird team in that they really play to their opponents' level.  They gave Michigan a scare and beat Wisconsin.  I would hope that they give OSU a good game in the Big 10 championship game this year. 

Wisconsin was the biggest disappointment this year.  I have family that are Wisconsin fans and some aren't handling the down year very well.  It took a lot of restraint on my part to be as nice as possible to them in regards to college football.  They weren't as nice when Michigan was down during the Hoke and RichRod years.  That being said, Wisconsin fans honestly don't know how bad it can be.  Alex Hornibrook isn't that bad of a quarterback - he just didn't have a great OL to protect him.  He's still better than John O'Korn.  My impression was that for many Wisconsin fans, losing the axe to Minnesota was worse than losing to Michigan and Penn State. 

Yes, losing the Axe was worse, because it's a rivalry game.  And this Wisconsin fan knows just how bad it can be.  I'm old enough to remember seasons where wins were as scarce as tulips in January.  Don't get me thinking about Don Morton and the veer offense or I'll have nightmares tonight.  This year, tons of injuries were the Badgers' downfall.  Two concussions for Hornibrook, lots of injuries on the defensive side (Dixon, Nelson, Sagapolu, Van Ginkel, and others), losing TE Zander Neuville, and on and on.  As for me, I realize there's always next year.  I have faith in Chryst and his coaching staff.  

I'm also old enough to remember when Michigan would beat Wisconsin like a drum on an annual basis, by scores like 56-0 or 52-3, so no, don't ever expect me to have any sympathy for a down year for Michigan :)   

[AimingforYoko]

1 hour ago, Calvada said:

I'm also old enough to remember when Michigan would beat Wisconsin like a drum on an annual basis, by scores like 56-0 or 52-3, so no, don't ever expect me to have any sympathy for a down year for Michigan :)  

That was pre-Alvarez, when Camp Randall was just another place to get sloshed in Madison.

[roamyn]

This refs were so blatantly biased against Texas.  The (non) face mask call on the 1st qtr interception, the holding call ion the 2nd qtr when OK was holding the defender and they penalized TX, the (non) interference call in the 3rd.  It was disgustingly obvious and Herman should file a complaint.

I’m not blaming OK or Riley, but we were so put off, we turned the game off.

[Bastet]

I'm very happy OU beat Texas, but I can't believe I'm sitting here (trying to) root for Alabama since a Georgia loss would give OU a shot at the playoffs. 

[BitterApple]

I knew Georgia was doomed the second they blew that fake punt. The momentum was already turning in Bama's favor. Why you'd attempt to fake a punt on 4th and 11 and risk giving them great field position is beyond me. 

[PepSinger]

36 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

I knew Georgia was doomed the second they blew that fake punt. The momentum was already turning in Bama's favor. Why you'd attempt to fake a punt on 4th and 11 and risk giving them great field position is beyond me. 

That was the dumbest play of the game.

I went to an Alabama bar to watch the game. I cannot even begin to describe the atmosphere. Deafening.

Saban choked up talking about Jalen after the game.

[benteen]

Oklahoma deserves that fourth playoff spot.  That was a good win against a good opponent and the fact that they played some actual defense is the reason I think they'll get the final playoff nod.

Kirby Smart and Georgia pulled a Penn State (and Penn State is my favorite tea) by chocking for the second straight year against Alabama.  I don't know what the hell Kirby was thinking with that play.  Of course the SEC homers are still lobbying for Georgia to get the fourth playoff spot but the only way they'll get in is if the committee values choking above all else.  Or they are just a bunch of SEC homers.  Georgia proved they weren't champions for the second straight year.

I've felt all year that Alabama could be beat if a good team could play a complete team.  I still feel that way but Nick Saban and Alabama always find a way to win and they likely will again.

Edited December 2, 2018 by benteen

[roamyn]

I hate to say thus as a Buckeye, but we don’t deserve to be in the playoffs.  Yes, we have better wins than OK, but we played so lackluster most of the year and seemed to be playing a lot of Woody-ball this game (3yrds and a lot of dust).

besides we haven’t been to the Rose Bowl in awhile.

But with more than 1,300 yrds in the past three games, 17 - 17! - touchdowns in the last three games, and breaking all these B1G records (including Drew Brees), Haskell deserves that Heisman.  He kept the Buckeyes going this year.  But he won’t get it.  All the media does is tongue bathe the guy who beat up lesser teams.

[Bastet]

I don't care about Clemson at all and loathe both Alabama and Notre Dame, so if OU doesn't knock off Alabama in the Orange Bowl, I don't know if I'll even watch the national championship.  I guess if it's Alabama v Clemson, I'll become a one-day Clemson fan and tune in, but if it's Alabama v Notre Dame, there's no way.  The only thing I could root for in that game would be a meteorite to fall on the stadium.

[roamyn]

Yeah, I wouldn’t mind Riley winnin.  I have nothing against OK.   But I loathe Sabin & Chip.  It’s BS that Norte Dame isn’t in a Division (they played weak their last few games), s

and gets extra rest.  Mr. Roamyn & I think the B1G Board of Governors should drop Rutgers and add ND.  Adding ND was discussed years ago (when we were still 10 teams), but they rejected any overtures.

[AimingforYoko]

1 hour ago, roamyn said:

Mr. Roamyn & I think the B1G Board of Governors should drop Rutgers and add ND.  Adding ND was discussed years ago (when we were still 10 teams), but they rejected any overtures.

Big Ten would love to have the domers, but ND has several million reasons to stay independent.

I wonder if the Big Ten's exclusion will be the impetus to go to eight teams?

[Carey]

I have to admit the fact that I sort of could not care less if they stay at 4 or go to 8.  The thing is you'd think they would make all Power 5 winners an automatic lock to get in, but based on the garbage displayed from the Pac-12 title game and Pittsburgh as the Coastal division champs, I don't think that will happen if and when they go to eight teams.  An eight-team playoff probably won't allow a possible 4-loss conference champion into the field, and a team like Central Florida would still get left out despite winning all of their games.  It'll be all about the best 8 teams, and that probably means a one-loss Notre Dame team gets there every time & as does Alabama i no matter what

As for Central Florida, it'll be interesting to see how they perform against LSU.  Unlike Auburn, LSU was done long ago as it related to the CFB Playoff, while 2017 Auburn needed to defeat 2017 Georgia to get in.  Might be tough for UCF but I think they could win; not sure about the LSU upperclassmen that might skip to prepare for the NFL Draft

[xaxat]

13 hours ago, roamyn said:

Mr. Roamyn & I think the B1G Board of Governors should drop Rutgers and add ND.

They aren't going to drop Rutgers because that gets the Big Ten Network into the metro New York area. Same for Maryland/metro DC.

[WritinMan]

19 hours ago, roamyn said:

Yeah, I wouldn’t mind Riley winnin.  I have nothing against OK.   But I loathe Sabin & Chip.  It’s BS that Norte Dame isn’t in a Division (they played weak their last few games), s

and gets extra rest.  Mr. Roamyn & I think the B1G Board of Governors should drop Rutgers and add ND.  Adding ND was discussed years ago (when we were still 10 teams), but they rejected any overtures.

Everyone plays weak teams.

[roamyn]

I found today, that ND is already in the ACC - except their football team.  However, apparently they’ve been told football has to join the Acc by the 2020 fall season.  That was new information I didn’t know.  But much like the Big 12 missed the first playoff because they had “co-champions”, and the committee outright stated they didn’t get it because no championship game, then I think the same should criterion should apply to ND now.  Of course, I wouldn’t want the Buckeyes in anyway, since I want the Rose Bowl.

[WritinMan]

25 minutes ago, roamyn said:

I found today, that ND is already in the ACC - except their football team.  However, apparently they’ve been told football has to join the Acc by the 2020 fall season.  That was new information I didn’t know.  But much like the Big 12 missed the first playoff because they had “co-champions”, and the committee outright stated they didn’t get it because no championship game, then I think the same should criterion should apply to ND now.  Of course, I wouldn’t want the Buckeyes in anyway, since I want the Rose Bowl.

What is your source for this? I have never seen or heard anything that says ND must join the ACC in football. They do have an agreement to play 5 ACC teams a year through 2037.

[Popples]

The closest thing I was able to find was that if Notre Dame were to join a conference before 2027, contractually it has to be the ACC, and that was on a message board, so take that with a grain of salt.

[roamyn]

4 hours ago, WritinMan said:

What is your source for this? I have never seen or heard anything that says ND must join the ACC in football. They do have an agreement to play 5 ACC teams a year through 2037.

ETChange.  I found an article in theNews Observer (Raleigh) from May, 2017 in which it definitely states that ND is in the ACC in “all sports except football”.  Now it did not state thatthat their football team has to join the ACC by 2020, so I’ll have to go back to work and ask the guys where they heard that.

Edited December 4, 2018 by roamyn

[mojoween]

Urban is going to announce he is stepping down today and while I know he has health problems, the first thing I thought was that we are going to be hearing about a scandal at OSU a month from now.

[roamyn]

17 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Urban is going to announce he is stepping down today and while I know he has health problems, the first thing I thought was that we are going to be hearing about a scandal at OSU a month from now.

I really seriously doubt it.  Have you seen him on the sidelines this season?  He's been in agony quite a lot.  I'm glad their picking Ryan Day, but I'll miss Urban.

Best of luck to him and family.

[anyanka323]

On 12/2/2018 at 4:18 PM, roamyn said:

and gets extra rest.  Mr. Roamyn & I think the B1G Board of Governors should drop Rutgers and add ND.  Adding ND was discussed years ago (when we were still 10 teams), but they rejected any overtures.

ND plays hockey with the Big 10, but that's likely because the rest of the ACC doesn't have hockey teams that compete at the NCAA level and geography. 

I think that ND joining the Big 10 for other sports, including football, has passed.  It's been a long time since they played more than one or two Big 10 teams for football.  Up until 2013, they played Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue annually.  The annual Michigan game ended in 2014 and was semi-revived this year as a home and home series, with next year's game in Ann Arbor.  They have a two year neutral site (Lambeau Field and Soldier Field) series with Wisconsin for 2020 and 2021. 

I think that Notre Dame needs the Big 10 more than the Big 10 need ND.  ND won't have that NBC TV contract forever - I believe the current contract goes through 2025.  The Big 10 has several guaranteed national TV games each week through Fox, ABC, and ESPN and the Big 10 network is a reliable source of revenue for the member schools. 

I'm an alum of another Big 10 school, Illinois, and would not be for Notre Dame joining the Big 10 for various reasons.  I grew up in the Chicago area and you would think if you read the Chicago Tribune sports section that Notre Dame wasn't in Indiana, but rather in the Chicago metro area.  The only time that the Tribune is aware that there's a top tier public university in Illinois is when basketball is doing well or when they need to file pointless, wild goose chase FOIA requests. 

[QueerGirrl]

13 hours ago, anyanka323 said:

I grew up in the Chicago area and you would think if you read the Chicago Tribune sports section that Notre Dame wasn't in Indiana, but rather in the Chicago metro area.  The only time that the Tribune is aware that there's a top tier public university in Illinois is when basketball is doing well or when they need to file pointless, wild goose chase FOIA requests. 

So true!  And it's not just the Tribune either!  All Chicago media does this.  ND is not all that!