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» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » College Football, Best Time of the Year (Page 8)

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Author Topic: College Football, Best Time of the Year
FlyingCow
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I don't think Schiano will go to Alabama, either, but to me that's a far more attractive job than the Miami one.

Though I hear Bernie Kozar wants the Miami job - even though he has no actual coaching experience. Think they'll have to settle for someone who's never coached anything before?

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Belle
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I think it would be crazy to put someone with no experience in to big-time college football, but that's me. The kind of money Miami can throw around will ensure someone, somewhere will take it.

Schiano is not tops on Alabama's list, I don't think. I'm pretty sure the administration wants Rodriguez pretty bad. But wooing him away from his alma mater may not be easy. However, there are reports that Rodriguez asked for some things that the WVU admins promised him and it never materialized, so maybe he's unhappy with them right now. One of those things was an academic center for the athletes....and guess what Alabama has? A new multi-million dollar Student Athlete Academic center. Add to that the recent renovations to Bryant-Denny stadium and our state-of-the art practice and weight training facilities and Bama has a lot to offer a coach. Oh, and there's also that little thing called salary - word is that Bama is prepared to make the next coach among the highest paid coaches in the SEC if possible which means something around the range of $1.8 to possibly $2 mil per year.

Not that Bama doesn't have its drawbacks though - certainly it's a high-profile, high pressure job and Mike Shula proved you can have a 10 win season and get fired at the end of the next season.

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FlyingCow
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Could someone please explain to me why Darren McFadden is a Heisman candidate?

Could someone explain to me how he set himself apart from Steve Slaton, Ray Rice, Ian Johnson, PJ Hill, and even Garrett Wolfe?

Just what did he do this year that was so different?

- He ran for 1558 yards. Wolfe ran for 1900, Slaton for 1733, Rice for 1624, and Johnson for 1613.

- He averaged 5.9 per carry. Slaton averaged 7.1, Wolfe 6.6, and Johnson 6.4.

- He had 265 carries. Rice had 311, Hill 292, and Wolfe 289.

- He received for 149 yards. Slaton received for 340, Wolfe for 247, and Hill for 213.

- He scored 14 TDs. Johnson scored 24, Rice 19, Wolfe 18, Slaton 16, and Hill 15.

- His team went 10-3. Johnson's was 12-0, Hill's was 11-1, Rice's 10-2, and Slaton's 10-2.

- He played in a BCS conference. So did Slaton, Rice, and Hill.

- He's got such great numbers and is still only a sophomore. So are Slaton, Rice, and Johnson... and Hill's only a freshman.


So what is it about McFadden that got him an invite to NY as a Heisman finalist and has ESPN touting him as the frontrunner from next year?

The only thing I can see is three letters that he has that no one else has...

S. E. C.

And that's just ridiculous to me.

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Frisco
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To be entirely fair, he did sit out the equivalent of two and a half games worth of blowouts. The big games he did have were key, though, and against the best defenses--182 yards against LSU, 181 versus Tennessee, 219 at South Carolina, 145 at Auburn.

Plus, he wasn't at 100% for the first few games (only 184 yards against Utah State. [Razz] ), and he still made up a lot of ground over the season.

He also lined up at QB a lot in Arkansas' Wildcat offense. He threw for three touchdowns, too.

Add to that the fact that he's been voted "Most Likely To Succeed In The NFL" by coaches and peers and has spent the entire season under the radar of opposing coaches as the one player on Arkansas they MUST STOP AT ANY COST...

Well, you get the picture.

Slaton's not even the best runner on his own team ( [Razz] ), and a lot of his stats are a benefit of the offense he's in (much like Colt Brennan and Hawaii). The one team that looked like it had even looked up the Wikipedia article on "Option Offense", South Florida, held him to 43 yards--in Morgantown.

PJ Hill padded his stats against a SOS almost as bad as most mid-majors'. You'd think the guy could fall further than 5 yards/carry, weighing 245 pounds.

Ian Johnson will get no respect as a player from the WAC, even though his best game was 240 yards and 5 TDs against Oregon State, the Pac-10's #3 team.

Rice was good, but not spectacular. A very solid, hard-nosed back. His 54-yard performance in the loss to Cincinnati, the best defense they faced all year, probably damned him.

And Wolfe...aside from the fact that he played in the weakest conference in 1-A football, he had a stretch near the end of the season in which he rushed for 190 yards in four games, which NI lost three of. Had the Huskies played more Ohio States than Ball States, we might be talking here. Very explosive kid.

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FlyingCow
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I'm not saying that McFadden is a bad player - he's fantastic - but it didn't look like this season really set him that much further apart from the pack.

I mean, sitting out and not being 100% doesn't add to your resume. Slaton sat out plenty in blowouts and because of injury (against Louisville). Unfortunately Rice's performance in Cincy was because they didn't run him at all in the third or fourth quarter, being down so much (which is normally where he gets stronger and picks of up most of his yardage).

Even so, McFadden had four close games this year where he averaged less than 4 yards per carry. Vandy, a 21-19 win where he carried 19 times for 71 yards (3.7); Florida, a 38-28 loss where he carried 21 times for 73 yards (3.5); and Miss St, a 28-14 win where he carried 26 times for 84 yards (3.2).

He only broke 190 yards once, where Rice did it 4 times, Slaton 3 times, etc, etc..

I honestly didn't know about the 3 passing TDs, but that's just one standout stat - where he's behind the other running backs in many other standout stats.

He's a great player, don't get me wrong. He's as good as Slaton, Rice, Johnson, Hill, and Wolfe - the best backs in the country. And I certainly wouldn't want to face him as a defense.

I just don't see how he's clearly so much better as to be the only non-senior, non-QB to be invited to NY.

It's either the voters are looking at what he has the potential to do next year, or that he's got that strong political SEC affiliation. Of course, neither of those should factor into the decision, but I'm sure they do. The statistics alone, though, have him firmly in the heart of the pack of running backs.

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Icarus
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A local sports radio host (who played for UM) said this morning that the Texas Tech coach is going to UM. ESPN and the Miami Herald do not confirm this, so I'm curious to know if it's true.

-o-

If Schiano didn't go to UM, he won't go anywhere. Whatever you may think, UM alumns and ex-coaches have incredible loyalty to the program. I'm willing to bet he does not see Alabama as more attractive than UM--especially given that UM has fired exactly one coach in twenty years, while Alabama has fired numerous winning coaches over the years.

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El JT de Spang
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I've watched all of those backs you mentioned, FC, this year. And more than one game of each (I'd guess 3-5 each is the average).

Not only has McFadden done it against stiffer competition, but he's without a doubt the most physically talented of the quintet. You can call it SEC bias or whatever, but it's the conference that pretty much every expert in the country agrees is the toughest. No amount of stat quoting will change what I saw with my own eyes -- McFadden's moves, vision, explosiveness, and breakaway speed are second to none.

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FlyingCow
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So, he's head and shoulders above all his competition? Clearly better than every other running back in the country, and one of the three best college football players in the game this year?

I suppose it's possible. Personally, I've only seen Rice, Slaton, Johnson, and Wolfe of that sextet, so I don't have direct experience with him.

Just looking at all the data, though, he doesn't seem that much better than the other top backs in the country, and statistically is behind them in almost every category.

Granted, he played against tougher competition on the whole, but he also padded his resume with 384 yards and 5 TDs against his share of weak OOC competition (Utah St, SE Missouri St, and LA Monroe). Admittedly, looking at the SE Missouri St game, he came out very early after only 6 carries and 2 TDs - where he could have clearly padded his numbers even more.

I don't know. He's obviously a great back, but I have a hard time seeing him as a clear step above all the others in the field.

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El JT de Spang
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quote:
Just looking at all the data, though, he doesn't seem that much better than the other top backs in the country, and statistically is behind them in almost every category.
Stats are virtually useless in player evaluation, especially in college football, which has a way bigger competitive gap between the top and the bottom than any other major sports.
quote:
Clearly better than every other running back in the country, and one of the three best college football players in the game this year?
No, but that's a problem with the Heisman selection committee; not the player. Same problem as every year. I mean, can you honestly tell me that a defensive player is never the best player on the field, or in the nation? Defense is waaay underrepresented in Heisman ballotting.

And especially given that the very definition of the award is a bit nebulous (is the best player in the land, the best player on the best team, or the most valuable player to his team? Or some combo of the three?), I've come to pretty much expect that the Heisman is a hype-driven beauty pageant.

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The Pixiest
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I just hope McFadden stays around till he wins it... twice.

I'm afraid if he wins it this year he'll go pro.

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FlyingCow
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quote:
I've come to pretty much expect that the Heisman is a hype-driven beauty pageant.
This seems to be the case.

quote:
No, but that's a problem with the Heisman selection committee; not the player.
Oh, absolutely. I'm not knocking him, just questioning why the selection committee picked him from a group of standout backs. A healthy Adrian Peterson or Michael Bush might even have put him in their shadow.

He just doesn't seem like more of a Heisman caliber player than a handful of others. Then again, this is a year that the trophy could have been given to Troy Smith before the first game.

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El JT de Spang
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He can't go pro this year.
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El JT de Spang
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Sorry, I didn't see that FC and I posted simultaneously.

I didn't realize you were criticizing the selectors -- I completely agree. It's fairly arbitrary. I feel sure that if AP or Michael Bush had stayed healthy and on pace they'd be there instead.

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FlyingCow
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You know, I posted that on another thread under the title "Could someone explain the Heisman voters' love affair with Darren McFadden?"... and I just copied the text over, not the title.

That probably would have cleared things up a bit.

[Blushing]

He really is tremendous, and I wouldn't want Rutgers' defense to have to stop him, but I wonder about the voters' conversation:

"So, we all agreed Troy Smith wins this thing?"

"Yeah."

"Who else do we need to nominate?"

"Does Notre Dame have a quarterback this year?"

"I think so."

"Well, he's on the list. Who else?"

"We have anyone from the SEC?"

"Crap, we don't. How did that happen?"

"Who's the best guy in that conference that's not a QB - we already got too many of those."

"There's this McFadden guy on Arkansas."

"That'll do. Put him in there. We need anyone else?"

"Three's good. It makes it look like we really thought long and hard about the decision, rather than knowing going in that we've had Troy Smith's name engraved on the darn thing since preseason."

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beatnix19
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I just want to point out that, yes, at this point Troy Smith seems to have the Heisman fairly locked up but it definately didn't start that way. Brady Quinn was the overwhelming preseason favorite. It wasn't until Notre Dame showed their true colors as a mediocre team and Brady had his let down against Michigan that people started dropping him in the voting. And right after Quinn started dropping Adrian Peterson really started gaining some momentum. And we all know what happened to him and his collar bone.

I have been a big Smith Supporter for the past couple of years and he most certainly deserves the award. But had these other two not had the breakdowns they had I think the race would be much tighter than it is. Even if the other two had continued to play well without the problems I still believe that Smith would have won this year but it would have just taken the country a while longer to recognize him as standing out.

editted to put an e at the end of notre dame instead of an n. I'm really not that angry with them)

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FlyingCow
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The preseason thing was an exaggeration, but he's been in solid command of the Heisman since Peterson got hurt on October 14th. That's almost two months ago.

No one has come close. And I still believe Quinn's in there in large part because he wears a gold helmet - also why Notre Dame is in a BCS bowl, those gold helmets. [Evil]

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FlyingCow
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And Darren McFadden won the Doak award. I'll be curious to see how his numbers look next year.

Speaking of next year, though, Rutgers' schedule is awful. Just plain awful. Pathetically awful.

Granted, it was made a few years ago when our team was awful, but it certainly doesn't help us earn any respect to have such a weak OoC schedule. We play Maryland, Buffalo, Army, Navy, and I-AA Norfolk St. Yech. The Terrapins are our best OoC opponent, and they're middle/bottom of the ACC.

On top of that, we have 8 home games and 4 away games (away at Louisville, Syracuse, UConn, and Army). We could conceivably go 12-0 next year if we can beat WVU and USF at home and Louisville on the road - and if we did, I don't know if I would even say we deserved to be in the NC.

At least we get to play Notre Dame annually starting in 2010 - though they won't play in our stadium, making our home games in Giants Stadium instead (then again, if we can expand to 60 or 80k seats by then, that may change).

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Architraz Warden
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Bumpity.

Alright, contrary to my earlier comment I'll concede that the Boise State vs. Oklahoma game was probably the most entertaining football game I've seen (college or pro). The end of it was just exceedingly fun to watch.

The only competition was the Texas Tech vs. Minnesota game last Friday, and I don't count that because I was there, and as a Tech grad I'm biased.

And poor, poor Michigan.

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FlyingCow
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FRISCO!! CONGRATS!

That was an awesome game. BSU walked into the BCS and planted their flag right in the chest of the Big 12. Major respect for BSU and all the props in the world to the team. Just awesome.

Probably one of the best games I've watched this year - right up there with Louisville/Rutgers and WVU/Rutgers. (not that I'm biased)

And Ian Johnson proposed to the head cheerleader after the game, and she accepted! Just amazing. Amazing, amazing.

Great job all around, and I truly, truly hope your coach doesn't pull an Urban Meyer and disappear next year.

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Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged
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What a game. The comebacks on both sides were amazing. That had to be the best end of a football game I've ever seen. Some great play calls by BSU at the. BSU nearly lost that game but they took it right back. Great game.
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Frisco
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Easily the best game I've ever watched. My heart rate is almost back to normal. I stormed out of the room after the last JZ INT, but relented and came back just in time to see the lateral/50-yard TD.

And a freaking Statue of Liberty? Coach Peterson has balls of steel.

Change the outcome of the OU-UO game, and given OU's #3 preseason ranking, the Sooners are pushing for a spot in the NC game.

And BSU took it to them for four quarters. Were it not for the freak bounce on that one OU punt that the Sooners recovered in the red zone (and later took in for a TD), BSU probably wins easily.

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El JT de Spang
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That was the best bowl game of the year, if not the best game of the year.

The final offensive play from BSU was the hook and ladder, though, not the statue of liberty.
/nitpick.

'Grats to BSU.

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FlyingCow
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The final offensive play of regulation was a hook and ladder - but the final offensive play in OT was a sort of pseudo-Statue of Liberty.

At least in my understanding of the terms.

Regardless, Coach Peterson does, indeed, have balls of steel.

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Icarus
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BSU-National Champs! [Big Grin]
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El JT de Spang
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Oh, I didn't realize Frisco was talking about the last play of OT. I'm not sure I would categorize that as a statue of libery play either. Since the whole reason it's called that is that the pose struck by the QB or RB look like the Statue of Liberty, this play would definitely not fit that criteria.

It was an awesome call, though.

If Ohio State loses, I would definitely push for BSU nat'l champs.

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FlyingCow
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If Florida beats Ohio St, BSU should challenge them to a January 20th game at a neutral site.

Then, when they get turned down, BSU can call them cowards. [Big Grin]

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brojack17
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OK, I'm back to eat crow (or potato). I didn't give BSU a chance against an OU team with something to prove. BSU was not scared of a huge opponent like OU they had a great game plan and stuck with it. They completely shutdown the OU running game.

That said, OU's defense was awful. And once, a long long time ago, Stoops was not afraid to take chances and throw in a trick play every now and then. Everyone knew if BSU scored a TD in OT they would go for 2. So why didn't OU do one on their TD. They just converted 2 out of 3 a few minutes before.

I still feel nauseous.

Congrats BSU, can I get some butter and cheese for this mound of potatoes I have to eat?

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Mig
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OU v. BSU! That was a great game. I just hope that the remaining bowls are half as exciting. Too bad that BSU can't claim a BCS NC. Under BCS rules the winner of the champion ship game is automatically number one. Best BSU can hope for is a number two ranking.

I wish these bowls would start a little earlier. Wish they'd cut all that useless pregame and just start the game fifteen munites earlier. As it is, I'm not getting much sleep this week.

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El JT de Spang
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They wouldn't attempt to claim they were the BCS champ. If the AP ranks them number 1 (which is highly unlikely, I think) they'd claim a split nat'l champ like USC did a few years back.

They'd hang a banner, get rings, and send out postcards saying they were the champs, as would Florida.

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The Pixiest
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I wish they'd scrub the bowl system and the month long break and start a 16 team play off 2nd week in december.

And don't give me that tradition crap. My team lost "the Capital One Bowl" this year. Tradition went out the window years ago. Give the bowls to the teams that can't get in the play off.

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The Reader
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The way Boise State played, they could have beaten anyone. They deserve the chance to, but they won't get it, which is unfair to the players and program.

There are too many good teams this year to give a National Championship to one, but that will happen anyway. Yeah, that's a mushy sentiment, but until there is a playoff, there will never be a real champion.

Go Buckeyes!

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FlyingCow
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quote:
They'd hang a banner, get rings, and send out postcards saying they were the champs, as would Florida.
If that happened, I think Urban Meyer would throw a fit. He'd go on and on about how BSU could never be co-Champions, that it's a BCS-conference-only honor, and that he would never recognize them as sharing in the accolades.

Which would all be very ironic, given his history.

But we won't have to worry about that, because OSU is going to blow the doors off of Florida.

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FlyingCow
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So, I was thinking... you think they'll turn the BSU v. Oklahoma game into a movie?

I mean, it's perfect. Untested underdogs getting no respect vs. a potential NC team jilted early by the refs. The underdogs punch out early, only to have a crucial mistake at the end nearly cost them everything - finishing in a barrage of theatrical trick plays, resulting in the hero proposing to his girl on national television.

I know I'd watch...

Oh wait, I think I already did. [Big Grin]

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Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged
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Usually in sports movies they tack on a love story...this one has one built in. Then you have the back up QB's asking the coach to go for the Hook and lateral. Several key 4th Down plays. Going for the 2 point conversion. It's already a movie...lol.
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airmanfour
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I don't even like football that much, but they had the game playing in our shop last night, and I started paying attention when the guys actually watching started making some real noise. I was impressed with BSU. Really impressed.
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The Reader
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As soon as that proposal happened on the field after the end of the Fiesta Bowl, I just knew it would become a movie. In twenty years, there probably will be one. All they need is game footage, with a cheesy score added for over-the-top emotional effect. Wait, Fox does that already.
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FlyingCow
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Big East is now 4-0 in bowl games, and looking for a clean sweep on Jan 6th. Not a bad year at all, with three year-end top 15 teams - probably three top 11 teams (with an outside, outside chance of sneaking all three into the top ten).

A lot to build on for next year.

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Frisco
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quote:
If that happened, I think Urban Meyer would throw a fit. He'd go on and on about how BSU could never be co-Champions, that it's a BCS-conference-only honor, and that he would never recognize them as sharing in the accolades.
That really contradicts everything I've ever heard come out of Meyers' mouth. He's really recieved a lot of heat for a few mild comments. I mean, now that it's clear to everyone, not just people who actually watched the UM-OSU game, that Michigan is definitely not the #2 team in the country, you'd think the hatred would die.

More in response to FC's quote, I just finished reading this quote from Meyer:


quote:
Meyer coached the Utes that night, but he had already accepted a big-money offer from the Gators. Two years later, he discounted the distinction between the six BCS conferences and their oft-overlooked brethren.

I think that the separation of BCS, non-BCS, I think that era is over," Meyer said. "Everybody knows what Oklahoma was getting into -- everybody that knows football.

Doesn't sound like a man who'd begrudge sharing a title with an undefeated team that pounded his old school en route to a BCS victory over what could arguably be considered a top 5 team in Oklahoma.

[ January 03, 2007, 01:43 AM: Message edited by: Frisco ]

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FlyingCow
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This is a guy who said that no other team had the right to play for a national championship. He continually stressed schedule strength as a major determining factor for the NC teams, not even accepting an undefeated Big East team as being even equally deserving as a one-loss SEC team.

If Rutgers or Louisville had finished 12-0, he would have campaigned just as hard against them, claiming that Florida's one loss in the SEC made them more worthy of playing for a national title.

And if he wins? You think he'd willingly share that with a team that wasn't even from a BCS conference? That he'd somehow deem BSU worthy of sharing the NC accolades with a team from the holier than holy SEC that finished the year with only one loss and a victory over the #1 team in the land?

He says that the difference between BCS and non-BCS era is over - just don't tell him that the difference between SEC and non-SEC is over. He specifically campaigned several weeks before the end of the season that a one-loss SEC team had far more right to play for the title than a one loss Big 12, Pac 10, or Big 10 team, or an undefeated Big East team. An undefeated WAC team wasn't even on his radar.

If, say, Rutgers had gone undefeated, lost out to Florida for the NC, then beat Wake in the Orange bowl... do you think Meyer would have said "Okay, let's have co-champs"? I don't get that feeling from anything he's said in the last two months.

As much as he came from humble roots, he is now definitely in the "my conference is tougher than your conference" camp. And while he isn't surprised BSU could knock off OU, I don't see him equating "undefeated WAC + Fiesta Bowl" with "one-loss SEC + NC Game" to get co-champions.

I could be wrong, though. Maybe he only wears his weasely-campaigning-politician hat to get a chance to play in the NC, but doesn't care if he's crowned co-champions with a team that played one ranked opponent all year.

I doubt it.

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Frisco
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You're going to have to point me to these quotes, because the only thing I remember him saying was that if Michigan gets a rematch in the NC game, the BCS system should be scrapped.

And people need to stop spouting all this nonsense about BSU only playing one ranked opponent all year! Oregon State is ranked, and Hawaii likely will be in the final poll again, after dropping off the last one, with their bowl victory. Oklahoma is as high as #7 in the polls, and without the blown call in the Oregon game likely finish the season at #3, possibly competing for a chance to play tOSU.

And Utah and San Jose State won their bowl games convincingly, while Nevada only lost to talented but underachieving Miami by a single point with some questionable calls going the 'Canes' way.

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FlyingCow
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The "only one ranked team" bit was meant to have been part of Meyer's reasoning, not my own. Sorry for the confusion.

Looking at "ranking at time of the game" rather than "final ranking", it appears as though Oklahoma was the first ranked team they've seen. And if you look at final rnaking, then Oklahoma is lower than a #7. Either way, though, an SEC team will say that they played a tougher schedule regardless.

My favorite is the "If BSU were in a BCS conference, they'd have at least three losses" argument.

I've been trying to find some Meyer quotes, but I'm at work and a lot is blocked (and time is a bit restricted). So far I've found:

quote:
> Meyer: “The two schools that could go ahead and say we deserve a shot are Florida and USC. If USC and Florida take care of business, they deserve a shot.”
This was before the last game of the season. No mention here of, say, Louisville, WVU, BSU, Arkansas, etc. No, the only teams worthy of NC consideration were Florida if they won the SEC title, and USC if they could beat UCLA.

quote:
“We’ve played several (of the top defenses). Ohio State doesn’t have any. Michigan doesn’t have any.
Here he seems to be saying that he has more of a right to be in the NC than OSU, even.

I found some aftermath quotes, though:

quote:
“See, I've learned. I made comments in this room before (that were criticized)," Meyer said after counting from 10 to one. "Watch how mature I am. You're going to hear a lot of nonsense out of my mouth from here on out.

"I'm going to start talking like a lot of these other coaches. ... I think we're going to take it one game at a time. We're going to play very hard. Ohio State's got great players. How's that?"

Even BCS coordinator Mike Slive jumped in:

quote:
“As far as having a rule that coaches can’t talk about their own teams’ chances of playing in a bowl or giving reasons why they should be (in the national title game), we’re not going to try to do something like that.”
I understand that Meyer just wants what's best for his players, and that is a shot at a NC. He's spent so long pumping up Florida as the best of college football, the best in the SEC, playing the toughest teams, winning in the hardest conference, that I don't see him sharing the accolades willingly.

Out of curiosity... was Utah considered co-champions when they beat Pitt?

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Tresopax
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Are people still talking about football? Don't you guys know it is basketball season now - you know, that college sport that DOES have a meaningful postseason? [Wink]
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FlyingCow
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As a Rutgers fan, I'm finding it hard to switch from football to basketball this year... in the past, that was a *FAR* easier transition.

Though we do have a big game against Seton Hall at 7:30 tonight - though it may not look like it from the outside. I mean, instate rivalry, two brand spanky new coaches, recruiting image on the line, first game of Big East play... I'd love to see a Scarlet stomping of the Pirates.

But, I digress. [Big Grin]

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Frisco
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quote:
"Meyer: “The two schools that could go ahead and say we deserve a shot are Florida and USC. If USC and Florida take care of business, they deserve a shot.”

This was before the last game of the season. No mention here of, say, Louisville, WVU, BSU, Arkansas, etc. No, the only teams worthy of NC consideration were Florida if they won the SEC title, and USC if they could beat UCLA.

Okay, that's a good quote. I guess his reasoning was that Louisville and WVU were ranked #9 and #7, respectively, and in the same interview he discounted Arkansas and Notre Dame because of their head-to-head losses to Florida and Michigan.

Boise State didn't deserve to be in the talks then because they were an unknown variable. But now that they've beat on one of college football's power programs, they're getting more talk.

I, personally, don't think there's going to be a co-championship. But if there is, I expect Meyer to take it well.

And no, neither Utah OR Auburn were considered co-champs when they finished undefeated in 2004. [Razz] Which is why it won't happen this time. What I expect is a top 5 finish for BSU.

The real reason they weren't considered for a NC is the preseason poll. They weren't even in the top 25 until week 4. Preseason rankings are crap. Wait until week 6.

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El JT de Spang
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I don't think there's any serious chance of a co-championship. But I hope Florida wins so that there's at least some talk of one.

Anything to get a playoff, even if it's just a plus one or an 8 team bracket.

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FlyingCow
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quote:
The real reason they weren't considered for a NC is the preseason poll. They weren't even in the top 25 until week 4. Preseason rankings are crap. Wait until week 6.
Hear, hear.

BSU should be in the Top 5 when all is said and done, I think.

My predictions for the top 15 final season rankings:

1. Ohio State (13-0)
2. USC (11-2)
3. LSU (11-2)
4. Louisville (12-1)
5. Boise St (13-0)
6. Wisconsin (12-1)
7. Florida (12-2)
8. Auburn (11-2)
9. Michigan (11-2)
10. WVU (11-2)
11. Rutgers (11-2)
12. Oklahoma (11-3)
13. Texas (10-3)
14. Cal (10-3)
15. Arkansas (10-4)

That's not exactly how I'd rank them myself, but that's my guess as to how they're going to fall out.

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El JT de Spang
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I don't think there's any chance that Florida falls that far.
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Mig
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Pretty good, but my only question is Florida and where they'll land, assuming they lose to OSU. If its a close game, I say they fall no further than four. If they get blown out, they might fall to 9 (behind Michigan). So 7 is a safe pick. I'd also put Texas ahead of Oklahoma, whom they beat soundly. And Texas won its bowl, and OU looked bad in its loss. I'm also tempted to switch Wisconsin and Lousville, but Louisville is ahead of Wisc in the current standing and I haven't seen anything that would make the voters change their relative rankings. I also think that the good will BSU has earned with their impresive win may move them up more. LSU is in a tough position. If they blow-ou ND their win will be discounted. If its a close game, all the more reason to differ to BSU. Arkansas, after their loss to Wisc., will be edged out by Wake, which has one more win than Arkansas, but that's a tough pick. I think WF's extra win will make all the difference with the computers. That and they lost to a (slightly) higher ranked opponent. So going out on a limb:

1. Ohio State (13-0)
2. USC (11-2)
3. Boise St (13-0)
4. LSU (11-2)
5. Louisville (12-1)
6. Wisconsin (12-1)
7. Florida (12-2)
8. Auburn (11-2)
9. Michigan (11-2)
10. WVU (11-2)
11. Rutgers (11-2)
12. Texas (10-3)
13. Oklahoma (11-3)
14. Cal (10-3)
15. Wake Forest (11-3)

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FlyingCow
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The thing is, for Boise St to move up to 3, the voters would have to consistently vote them 1/2 to overcome the computer rankings. I don't think that will happen. If the voters put them at 3, they'll end up with about a 5 ranking, I think.

Same with LSU dropping below BSU - the computers won't let that happen. BSU beat a team the computers rank 16th, and LSU will have beaten a team the computers rank 9th. Given that the computers have LSU 5th and BSU 7th already, I don't see BSU jumping ahead without a lot of #1 or #2 votes.

As for Arkansas, I don't think their loss was any worse than Wake's. I don't seem them going from 12 to 16, with Wake only going from 14 to 15.

As for Texas/Oklahoma, Texas would have to come up from 19th to 12th, with Oklahoma dropping from 10th to 13th. Then again, the computers have Texas at 21st and Oklahoma at 16th - so it would be up to the voters. And a loss to BSU can't help with the voters... then again, a two point win over Iowa isn't exactly convincing.

As for Florida, they may not drop that far - but I think OSU will blow the doors off, so that's where that came from. [Smile]

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El JT de Spang
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OSU would have to play their best game of the year to blow out Florida.
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