College Football

[Mischievious]

As the Nebraska fan here, I suppose I should come out from my corner, and speak. Y'all are right. With Texas and Oklahoma flirting with the Pac-12 was one of the key reasons, as was the money of the B1G. Other contributing factors were the league consistently voting 11-1 against Osborne in meetings (just what I've heard, not sure about what but I know it was one of the reasons discussed at the time) as well as OU point blank saying they chose Texas over us. Bitter, hurt feelings? Yep but such is life.

I'm still thrilled we are in the B1G but part of that may be because I'm an avid volleyball fan a seriously, this league dominates the sport. I believe a majority of fans have realized the glory days of Osborne are long gone but they still expect the team to be successful, ranked and a national topic for good things not bad. I don't believe anyone these days expects national championships year in and out. Granted I no longer life in Nebraska so I'm not around the crazy 24/7. Yay for that.

Personally, I'm not sure if I'd rather have Pelini or not. I do miss Faux though. He certainly isn't as active these days. Watching the games, I see signs to be hopeful. These games have been a gut punch though. I was born in the 80s so I've been spoiled by how the team was as I grew up. However, I'm trying to keep perspective and realize there is far more to life and transitions take time. But Riley seriously needs to get a better grip on time management here.

Phew. That was a lot of rambling. Sorry friends.

Thrilled Clemson beat Notre Dame. Disappointed Wisconsin lost to Iowa. As much as I don't like both schools, if I have to pick one to win, I pick Wisconsin.

Alright, back to my corner to curl up in confusion and pout.

[Minneapple]

That's right. People forget just how miserable the Big 12 North was after the Big Eight added the Texas schools. The Nebraska/Oklahoma rivalry died and the Sooners were happy to tie themselves to Texas (perhaps Oklahoma is looking back at Nebraska with some regret right now, if rumors of OU wanting into the Big Ten carry any weight). Then Jim Delany announced expansion and all hell broke loose. Texas and the other Big 12 schools were trying to join the Pac-10. Mizzou was actively lobbying for a Big Ten invite. Colorado was gone to the Pac-10 as soon as the invite came. And then Nebraska left when the Big Ten invite came.

 

And you know...all of this was actually started because of Jim Delany's little side project known as BTN. It's incredible how the network changed college athletics.

[Calvada]

Minneapple, I hope you have recovered from the Badgers loss to Iowa.  I was sitting in Camp Randall, so saw it firsthand.  Wow, do they miss Corey Clement.  Terribly uneven officiating in that game too.  Iowa should have been flagged for targeting on the helmet to helmet hit.  There's got to be something - a booth review perhaps? - when the officials inexplicably don't throw a flag on a play like that.  Aren't they supposed to always throw the flag, since they automatically review those?  I thought the play where Erickson got hurt could have been flagged too, when the guy flipped him and drove his head into the turf.  Unnecessarily rough, and a bit cheap IMO.  Such a shame when the defense played so well.  Schobert was like a man possessed.

 

I'm sure they're celebrating at Nebraska because Melvin Gordon is off to the NFL.  He toasted the Nebraska defense on multiple occasions.  I keep telling myself Stave can't have two awful games in a row.  Right?  Right?  Give me some hope!  

[Bastet]

I've tried to temper my initial "This is a hideous mistake and I hate Pat Haden like he was poison" reaction to USC hiring Sark, but, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and go back to it.

[AimingforYoko]

Looks like Charlie Strong has silenced the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism (Let's see who's old enough to get that reference) at least for a week.

[nowandlater]

Looks like Charlie Strong has silenced the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism (Let's see who's old enough to get that reference) at least for a week.

 

At least for a season. I read a stat that all of the teams that beat Texas have a combined 1 loss.

 

I think Texas fans will lay off him as this was a hugely improbable win, and it wasn't a fluke.

[AndreaK1041]

Third straight shutout for Michigan. Bring on the Spartans!!!

[Calvada]

OMG - that injury by the Georgia RB was a terrible thing to see.  I walked into the room as they showed it during the game I was watching - thought I was going to be sick.  Why do they show replays of such horrific injuries?  

 

I think the Badgers are going to give me heart failure this year.  Not a thing of beauty, but a win's a win.  Couldn't believe all the "injuries" sustained by the Huskers in the 4th quarter.  Got the clock stopped a lot - but it came back to bite them as there was just enough time for the Badgers to drive down and kick the game winner.  

Edited October 11, 2015 by Calvada

[Mischievious]

Calvada, trust me. They were legit injuries. Not using the injuries as an excuse but this team has been plagued with injuries far more than our teams usually are. At this point, most of us are surprised we are able to piece together a team to take the field.

Yet again, my team has broken my heart with another last play loss. I'm not sure it will be possible to repair my heart.

In other games.....being a native Nebraskan living in Oklahoma City (wtf?) and having to interact with so many arrogant Sooner fans, even though I can't stand Texas, I'm thrilled they pulled out a win.

[twoods]

I've tried to temper my initial "This is a hideous mistake and I hate Pat Haden like he was poison" reaction to USC hiring Sark, but, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and go back to it.

Yes! USC has the talent, but their coaches the past few years have been horrible. They don't adjust to teams in the second half. Serves the right for probably being unranked now. PAC 12 is crazy this year- Utah is the highest ranked team? Speaking of- USC is toast having Notre Dame and Utah, then Cal. Should be brutal to watch.

[Calvada]

Mischievious, you don't have to tell this Badger fan about injuries!.  We have been hit hard too - Corey Clement has played less than 10 snaps all season, Deal went out of the game early with the foot injury, Austin Traylor out 4-8 weeks, might have won the game against Iowa if Erickson hadn't suffered a  concussion, and on the last incomplete pass before the winning field goal yesterday, our center got hurt.  He's the only guy with significant experience on the O-line.  Holding our breath on that one.     

 

I was surprised Michigan overwhelmed Northwestern as they did.  Didn't see any of the game because it was the same time as the Wisconsin game.  What happened to the NU defense?  

[benteen]

Vey glad to see Penn Sate win and that they got Hackenberg going.  Looking forward to the Ohio State game next week.  I don't expect a win but with the PSU defense and the way OSU has played, PSU will be competitive with at least a chance for an upset.  Penn State would have beaten Ohio State last year if the refs hadn't spotted OSU 10 points.

 

Happy for Charlie Strong.  Really impressed with Michigan.

Edited October 11, 2015 by benteen

[Evolution101]

Here's what I learned in week 6:

 

• Utah is the lone undefeated team in the Pac-12.
• Remember when USC was ranked in the Top 10 and projected to win the Pac-12?  What a joke.
• Remember when Oregon was ranked in the Top 10?  Oh how they have fallen.
• After being on the wrong end of late game comebacks this season, Tennessee got a late game comeback of its own.  Sucks for Georgia that Nick Chubb got injured, though.
• Charlie Strong got a much needed win.
• The Top 10 looked very vulnerable.  Oklahoma should not have been the only team that lost.
• Michigan is looking very good right now.  Beware, Sparty.
• Why did Nebraska hire Mike Riley again?

Edited October 11, 2015 by Evolution101

[Bastet]

Yes! USC has the talent, but their coaches the past few years have been horrible. They don't adjust to teams in the second half. Serves the right for probably being unranked now. PAC 12 is crazy this year- Utah is the highest ranked team? Speaking of- USC is toast having Notre Dame and Utah, then Cal. Should be brutal to watch.

 

The trajectory of the past three games has been typical USC under Kiffin and then Sarkissian: Lose a good game to a tough opponent by taking their foot off the gas in the second half, follow that up with great play in an explosive victory over an outmatched opponent, but then look past a team they should easily beat and thus instead turn in an embarrassing, losing performance.  And now, as you said, comes Notre Dame, Utah and Cal -- in a row, and on the road. 

 

I know it's still technically possible for them to win the Pac-12 South, but they won't, so since the season is shot anyway, at this point I'm sort of hoping it for it to be so bad that they fire Sark.

[Popples]

USC forces Steve Sarkisian to take a leave of absence.

 

Here's hoping he gets the help he needs.

[xaxat]

 

"This has all kind of happened very quickly," said Haden on Sunday. "I got a call that Coach Sarkisian wasn't at practice. I just learned about this about 1 o'clock [Pacific Time]. I called Steve. I talked to him. It was very clear to me that he is not healthy. I asked him to take an indefinite leave of absence, and Clay Helton will serve as our interim head coach. Clay is undefeated as our head coach, as you know.

 

CBS.  Reading between the lines, it sounds like he got drunk and missed practice. (Although Haden's "undefeated" line is kind of weird.)

 

He has all the resources he needs available to him, I hope he is capable of taking advantage of them.

[Bastet]

(Although Haden's "undefeated" line is kind of weird.)

 

Helton stepped in to coach USC in its victory in the 2013 bowl game -- Ed Orgeron was interim head coach (and did a great job) after Lane Kiffin was finally fired, but when USC hired Sarkisian, Orgeron split before the bowl game. 

 

While Sark wasn't at practice when Haden went looking for him today, he apparently was at a team meeting this morning -- and players reported he was acting strangely.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Bastet

[Minneapple]

Minneapple, I hope you have recovered from the Badgers loss to Iowa.

 

Well, now I feel a little better!

 

Just a bit though. Our offense is still horrible and I'm still praying that Corey Clement comes back soon. Joel Stave threw 50 passes yesterday. Fifty. Joel Stave. For Wisconsin. The program that prides itself on a power running game.

 

Utah looks legit. I would actually make the Utes the No. 1 or 2 team in the country right now. They have wins over Michigan, Oregon and now Cal. Pretty good resume. Better than any of the teams ranked ahead of them anyway.

 

LOL Rutgers spiking the ball on fourth down to end the game. First you take a sack on third down, then you spike the ball on fourth. CLASSIC. 

 

If I was a Georgia fan, I'd be calling for Mark Richt's head.

 

College Gameday is headed to Ann Arbor next weekend. Looks like Michigan's back. Sigh. Maybe they'll beat Ohio State this year and make that rivalry entertaining again.

[AimingforYoko]

CBS.  Reading between the lines, it sounds like he got drunk and missed practice. (Although Haden's "undefeated" line is kind of weird.)

 

He has all the resources he needs available to him, I hope he is capable of taking advantage of them.

I hope Sark gets better and I feel bad for him, but looking at the football side of things, maybe the ol' Rhodes Scholar needs to take a look in the mirror.

[benteen]

How Pat Haden still has a job is amazing.  He's had two bad hires in a row, both Carroll retreads and he was hellbent on bring Sark in, despite his unimpressive record at Washington.  It's clear he didn't take Sark's issues seriously enough and he's managed to embarrass his school again.  It's time for Haden to go.

 

Speaking of Carroll, ESPN's latest 30 for 30 will be Trojan War, focusing on the Carroll years.  ESPN 30 for 30's on college football are the best (the basketball ones are pretty good too).

[Bastet]

After the Salute to Troy incident, The LA Times went looking into Sarkisian's alcohol-related behavior during his time at Washington.

 

And Bill Plaschke is all over Haden for waiting so long to put Sark on leave.  And he isn't the only one in the media to do so.  It will be interesting to see what USC does.

 

While Haden didn't hire Kiffin (that was Garrett), he waited far too long to fire him, and he is the one who hired Sarkisian.  So I've wanted him gone for years. 

[Chrissytd]

Florida's QB has been suspended

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/13871336/will-grier-florida-gators-quarterback-suspended-season

[AndreaK1041]

That Florida story is madness.  You cannot have your players taking random supplements without realizing the consequences. Hell, I lived with a women's water polo player at Michigan and even she would take absolutely nothing without checking it will her trainer. A miss on Grier's part for not thinking it through and a bigger miss on the coaching staff for not properly instilling that mindset.

[Evolution101]

USC has reportedly fired Steve Sarkisian.

[Bastet]

Yep.  Haden has fired Sarkisian.

 

Now if only Nikias would fire Haden.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Bastet

[hendersonrocks]

USC is in total CYA mode. No doubt they are anticipating more stuff will come out after that LA Times article opened the door.

 

It is beyond me how search firms are paid beaucoup bucks to recruit and screen these guys and miss stuff like what's coming up now re: Sarkisian and what happened recently with Norwood Teague at the University of Minnesota. In both cases it seems as though there was ample evidence that could have predicted future trouble if they just looked for it.

[AimingforYoko]

Haden and company probably wanted to fire him yesterday, but had to consult with the laywers before making the move. He was never coaching USC again either way, it's strictly about how much money he's walking away with. And the Rhodes Scholar needs to go.

[xaxat]

It is beyond me how search firms are paid beaucoup bucks to recruit and screen these guys and miss stuff like what's coming up now re: Sarkisian and what happened recently with Norwood Teague at the University of Minnesota. In both cases it seems as though there was ample evidence that could have predicted future trouble if they just looked for it.

 

I don't think the search firms missed anything. The schools knowingly assumed the risk.

 

Example A, Bobby Petrino returning to Louisville. 

[hendersonrocks]

I don't think the search firms missed anything. The schools knowingly assumed the risk.

 

Interesting. At least here in Minnesota, that's different from what's been shared since Teague got the boot (which may or may not mean it's true, of course).

[AimingforYoko]

Yeah, Kaler's totally been on the ship "I had no idea."

[Mischievious]

What in the world is going on in college football this year? Spurrier just retired....immediately. I hope there isn't some health issue behind it.

[AndreaK1041]

Speaking of Carroll, ESPN's latest 30 for 30 will be Trojan War, focusing on the Carroll years.  ESPN 30 for 30's on college football are the best (the basketball ones are pretty good too).

Did anyone else catch this?  It's pretty good.  Reminded me how much I hated USC then and how much I hated them for making me cheer for Texas and ND. 

 

It had a lot of the same feel as the Fab Five one... Look at this group, they are so talented, whoops NCAA violations crush program, banished from record.  Well it was a lot like that except that the Fab Five never actually, you now.... won a National Championship. That's still my favorite ESPN Film (obviously.).

[nowandlater]

I enjoyed the 30 for 30 doc. I mostly hated, sort of loved Petey and his national championship teams.

[benteen]

Did anyone else catch this?  It's pretty good.  Reminded me how much I hated USC then and how much I hated them for making me cheer for Texas and ND. 

 

It had a lot of the same feel as the Fab Five one... Look at this group, they are so talented, whoops NCAA violations crush program, banished from record.  Well it was a lot like that except that the Fab Five never actually, you now.... won a National Championship. That's still my favorite ESPN Film (obviously.).

 

I loved that Fab Five 30 for 30.  I came away from that really liking that entire team.  One of my favorites although I'm more partial to the college football documentaries.

 

I plan to watch Trojan War at some point this week.

[Bastet]

I knew I had to leave before it was over, so I recorded it and just sort of had it on in the background as I got ready; I'll watch tonight.  It really took me back to those glory days, when the games were just so fun to watch.  (Then, of course, the awful memory of the 2006 championship game.)

[AndreaK1041]

 I came away from that really liking that entire team.

Curious to see if Trojan War does the same for you.  My opinions of Matt Lienart being a d-bag are unchanged. (Even without them touching on him dating Kristen Cavalleri of The Hills while she was still in high school and he was at USC. I know this from watching The Hills, I admit.)

[benteen]

Once Chip Kelly and Jim Harbaugh came along, they practically ran Pete out of the Pack-10.

[nowandlater]

Leinart is indeed a D-bag. (Read this article...)
 

But I kind of liked following him. I liked watching him play. I was kind of rooting for him...but it's odd to see him on Pac-12 Network (which I don't have, but I somehow see him on there) and Fox Sports 1.

 

This pic of him at Pac-12 Media Days over the summer interviewing Cal's Jared Goff basically sums it up. Leinart has become a cautionary tale.

 

[AndreaK1041]

Fun fact: One of my bridesmaids was hit on by a guy in NYC many years ago. When he tried to get her to go to his hotel she said "Ehh, that's too far downtown". Two days later she sees him on the cover of the New York Post accepting the Heisman Trophy.

Leinert. I told her she made the right choice. (She doesn't follow football)

[ketchuplover]

Apparently UW-Whitewater's 36 game at home win streak was broken by UW-Oshkosh by gosh

[nowandlater]

This question is for the College Gameday diehards (if there are any?):

 

I watch Gameday religiously, but the 3-hour length has really become exhausting.
 

I'm beginning to feel it this year -- and, believe me, I fast-forward through a lot because I'm on the West Coast and it's already halfway done when I start watching.

 

It was three hours last year, and it wasn't so bad. It was even 3 hours with Erin Andrews hosting the first hour on ESPNU a few years back. But it's really become annoying.

 

Another thing: I have a high tolerance for product placement. I really don't care if it's the Home Depot show or whatever. But they've really amped up the product placement with the Cheez It cam and the Coke Zero booth, etc. And then you have all the College Gameday personalities, who I follow on Twitter, tweeting about the products.

[AndreaK1041]

I used to get up at 7 at watch GameDay because I love it so much.  Now I tune in at 8:50 to see the picks and that's it.  You're right, the length is excessive.  I do like all the hosts very much though.

[King of Birds]

Apparently UW-Whitewater's 36 game at home win streak was broken by UW-Oshkosh by gosh

D3! I didn't know people chatted about D3 in here, perhaps this is a first.  I attended a D3 football college. It made me prefer football that has it's own pace and wasn't set by TV timeouts.

[hendersonrocks]

I attended a D3 football college.

 

Me too. I watch the SEC games and can't even imagine what it must feel like to be in a school where that's the experience. It's neither better nor worse, just SO DIFFERENT. 

 

Re: College GameDay - I'm not a religious viewer but I love how they go from campus to campus, and especially that NDSU (in Fargo) has become a go-to stop for them the last few years. I appreciate how they highlight some awesome programs and die hard fan bases in a way that matters a TON to those communities.

[Popples]

I don't tune in to GameDay until around a quarter til noon (EST), if I have to miss it, I record it and just watch the last 15 minutes. The three hour length was too much for me last year, less is more, but that will fall on deaf ears when it comes to football and a chance to make more money from advertising and ratings (although I don't know if ratings are better or worse since they extended the show).

[benteen]

I love seeing what new campus they are on every week.

[MargeGunderson]

It's a good day to be a Hawkeye! (Except for Canzeri)

[AndreaK1041]

Bad day to be Joe Bolden, victim of the horrible targeting call that will be the example they use to rewrite the rule.

[AndreaK1041]

That was the most unpleasant 4 hours of football ever so that ending is just about right. Mother. Fucker.

[Magog]

 

That was the most unpleasant 4 hours of football ever so that ending is just about right. Mother. Fucker.

 

I can't believe that I just saw that ending. How could anyone mess up as something as simple as catching the football & punting it away? I don't know who that Michigan punter is, but he really should be ashamed of himself.