College Football II

[Rhaco]

You have got to be fucking kidding me. At least Texas knows how to put away bad teams.

Looking at the results you posted, Sergio, what stands out to me nearly as much as Iowa's close victories is that Texas has only played one road game so far this year.

I'm not arguing that Iowa should be ranked higher, though.

You're a fool if you don't think UNI is a good team. Year after year they produce very solid teams that could give the vast majority of BCS teams major trouble.

Yeah, I was going to post something similar, but I think UNI lost a I-AA game last weekend which sort of undermines the argument. I still expect them to at least make the semifinals this year, and I'd say they're at least on-par with a good third of I-A teams.

[Kalbear]

Iowa's not particularly good. They're certainly not better than Texas. I don't think Texas is all that either; they beat Oklahoma in similar conditions and with a similar score to BYU, and I don't think anyone's calling them world-beaters. But sorry, Iowa hasn't done anything worthy of calling themselves a quality team. Their best win was against Penn State in a division where everyone looks suspect, PSU most of all.

Really, everyone's down this year. Florida, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, USC, BSU, VT, Miami, OSU, Iowa, Oregon, Utah...all of these teams are similar in quality, and all could likely put up a win against another if things bounced just so.

[Rhaco]

Really, everyone's down this year.

Agreed.

[Ken Stone]

Really, everyone's down this year.

"down" compared to what? to when? to whom? Are you basically saying that anyone who played against their team from a year ago would lose? What does that even mean?

How do we know that problem is that everyone is down? What if, instead, everyone is up? Wouldn't it look the same?

If what you are trying to say that there is more parity then last year, well, maybe. What is making you think that? How does this season look different than last?

[Green Apple Fossoway]

Yeah, I was going to post something similar, but I think UNI lost a I-AA game last weekend which sort of undermines the argument. I still expect them to at least make the semifinals this year, and I'd say they're at least on-par with a good third of I-A teams.

They lost to Southern Illinois, who has been right up there with UNI for years (much like Appalachian State, who is currently ranked lower than both SIU and UNI.)

[Kalbear]

What looks different from last year to this year:

QB play has been consistently worse.

OL play has been consistently worse.

Good RBs have been not as successful as last year.

Good QBs have been not as successful as last year.

Now, you can say that this is because every single defense is better than last year despite many graduating large numbers of starters, and that's reasonable. But I'd say that for the most part, the really dominant teams have been taken down a peg. Some of the lesser teams have improved some, so we're getting more parity - but for the most part I'd say it's more regression to the mean from the top level teams than the bottom.

[S John]

For the most part I agree with Kal, but I almost hate to feel that way becuase I feel like it diminishes the work put in by the teams that do emerge from the dog-pile.

Nothing is worse than a team having a great season and some jackass saying, 'well if (insert perennial top-10) had been thier usual selves that year then so and so wouldve never made it."

Thats one thing I'll never understand about college football, or at least the way it is presented. In 2007 when it looked like WVU and Missouri were going to play in the NC (before they both blew it) I remember some sports analysts writing an article lamenting that neither of the teams in the NC were perenial competitors and how it was un-exciting for that reason. Why wouldnt we want to see something other than the same 5 or 6 teams playing each other every year? Why does that make it a down year just becuase somebody new is up? And what did end up happening? Ohio State got blown out again. Can you really tell me that a Chase Daniel / Jeremy Maclin v. Pat White / Steve Slaton showdown would have been less exciting than watching OSU get thumped.... again.

So its kind of a double-edged sword for me to say that the overall level of play is down just becuase the usual suspects arent looking dominant. Its hard to tell becuase even as someone who constantly works at not letting traditional names color perception its still very difficult to avoid when assessing the overall field of teams this year.

[Ken Stone]

What looks different from last year to this year:

QB play has been consistently worse.

OL play has been consistently worse.

Good RBs have been not as successful as last year.

Good QBs have been not as successful as last year.

Those are such insane blanket statements to make without any sort of data to back it up. I'm not expecting you to put a lot of work into crunching numbers to prove your point in an internet debate or anything, I'm just saying.

Starting with QB play. Where there a lot of QB's that left last year? If not then you would expect QB play to pretty much be the same, if not better since there were 3 returning Heisman candidates/winners at that position. 95% of the time an individual QB get's better each year, not worse. The only real explanation for overall bad QB play is that last year there were a lot of seniors with lots of starts, meaning a lot of new inexperienced starters this year. Were there a lot of great QB's drafted last year? I really don't remember.

It seems to me like you are only judging teams on offensive play. So that if the average score last year was 66 points each game, and the average score this year is like 24, that would mean that on average teams are down. Is that what is going on? Are you basing your blanket statements on the idea that teams are scoring less?

[Kalbear]

Starting with QB play. Where there a lot of QB's that left last year? If not then you would expect QB play to pretty much be the same, if not better since there were 3 returning Heisman candidates/winners at that position. 95% of the time an individual QB get's better each year, not worse. The only real explanation for overall bad QB play is that last year there were a lot of seniors with lots of starts, meaning a lot of new inexperienced starters this year. Were there a lot of great QB's drafted last year? I really don't remember.

Right, and that's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Bradford, McCoy, Tebow all have returned - and all have had significantly worse performances through the same games than they did last year.

Now, you're more than welcome to say that's because of defense, but just anecdotally looking at the games I don't see significant improvements in defense - and again, a lot of defensive players left. Put it this way - is it more likely that a Texas and Oklahoma team which sent a number of players on the defensive side to the NFL both got better at defense? Or is it more likely that they stayed close to the same level, but the offenses got worse?

My gut feeling and my observation tell me it's because of losses at the line and the receiver position. That defenses haven't gotten insanely great, but offenses have looked meh to horrible. Even with returning QBs, it's the lack of those players that has brought things down. And no, the QB class wasn't insane last year (Sanchez and Stafford, both overrated). But the OL class was absolutely nuts, and there were plenty of WRs that were high contributors that left.

[stupidguy]

my revised predictions:

ACC: i think miami will win out and win it all. VT will fuck up and lose to someone else as will GT

Big 10: OSU will cream PSU, Iowa will probably lose twice. OSU wins championship

Big 12: Texas squeaks by Oklahmoa and grits out a championship in the nations best league

big east: WVU beats cincy on way to championship

P10: USC beats oregon to win the nations 2nd strongest conference

SEC: florida loses to some crappy sec team and florida st but beats an undefeated bama team in the sec championship

BOWL GAMES

rose: ohio state v oregon

a pissed off oregon team (pissed off because they blew it against usc) takes out frustrations on OSU oregon 38 OSU 14

fiesta: boise st v texas

media darlings work magic again as bcs buster since tcu loses. colt mccoy gets abused

boise st 31 texas 30

orange: oklahoma st v west virginia

wvu repes the big east well as they turn up the D and run buck wild

west virginia 35 Oklahoma st 20

sugar: miami v alabama

as again alabama doesn't show up for sugar. this time though there is no coming back

miami 50 alabama 0

championship: usc v florida

florid w/ 2 losses undeservedly gets in over texas and miami. usc stomps them in a laugher

usc 45 florida 7

[Ken Stone]

Now, you're more than welcome to say that's because of defense, but just anecdotally looking at the games I don't see significant improvements in defense - and again, a lot of defensive players left. Put it this way - is it more likely that a Texas and Oklahoma team which sent a number of players on the defensive side to the NFL both got better at defense? Or is it more likely that they stayed close to the same level, but the offenses got worse?

I wonder if defense doesn't have more to do with it then you suspect. A few years ago a lot of teams started to move to spread and zone read offenses, mainly because they were difficult for defenses to stop. Of course D-Coordinators aren't going to sit on their laurels. They started figuring out schemes to stop the spread. They also took a few years to figure out the right type of athletes to defend the spread, and how to teach them to defend it. Maybe it is time for another revolution on the offensive side of the ball. The spread is getting stale.

[Starkimus]

Watching the USC / Alabama game was like pulling teeth. Alabama left the door wide open, and the Gamecocks just refused to go into the door. I knew going into that game that Bama would have to play an average to below average game, and the Gamecocks would have to bring their A+ game.

Well, Bama certainly brought their average game on Saturday night, but the problem was, so did the Cocks.. :(. And the gamecocks just are not going to beat anyone while playing average. Looking at the rest of our schedule, I would be pleased with an 8-4 record. We would have to split the Ark / Tenn road games, as well as the Florida / Clemson games. And of course beat Vandy this Saturday. You know, there just are not any gimmies on the rest of our schedule. Could very well be a bad year.

Good game Bama. Please win out and stomp the Gators for me!

Hasta!

Stark Out!

[Rhom]

my revised predictions:

ACC: i think miami will win out and win it all. VT will fuck up and lose to someone else as will GT

Big 10: OSU will cream PSU, Iowa will probably lose twice. OSU wins championship

Big 12: Texas squeaks by Oklahmoa and grits out a championship in the nations best league

big east: WVU beats cincy on way to championship

P10: USC beats oregon to win the nations 2nd strongest conference

SEC: florida loses to some crappy sec team and florida st but beats an undefeated bama team in the sec championship

BOWL GAMES

rose: ohio state v oregon

a pissed off oregon team (pissed off because they blew it against usc) takes out frustrations on OSU oregon 38 OSU 14

fiesta: boise st v texas

media darlings work magic again as bcs buster since tcu loses. colt mccoy gets abused

boise st 31 texas 30

orange: oklahoma st v west virginia

wvu repes the big east well as they turn up the D and run buck wild

west virginia 35 Oklahoma st 20

sugar: miami v alabama

as again alabama doesn't show up for sugar. this time though there is no coming back

miami 50 alabama 0

championship: usc v florida

florid w/ 2 losses undeservedly gets in over texas and miami. usc stomps them in a laugher

usc 45 florida 7

You know; rarely do I call out another poster on these boards, but with 32 total posts... an idiotic series of predictions like this... and a moniker like "StupidGuy" and I have to think you're just trolling for attention here.

Seriously... you believe that Florida is sitting undefeated after 6 games and could lose two from here out and still be in the national title game?!!? Have you not been paying attention for the last 5 years???? You have to lose early to squeek back in. And that's just scratching the surface of your ignorance displayed in this post. Florida State? Really? Florida very well may lose to Alabama in the SEC title game, but they're still lightyears beyond anything offered up by the Big 12 or Pac 10 not named Texas or USC.

I won't even justify the idiocy of Miami 50 Alabama 0 with a response.

You imply that Texas isn't what they're cracked up to be and will get beat by Boise State... yet you claim that the Big 12 is the nation's best conference. And I'm not clear on what you're saying... but do you somehow think that Oklahoma is in the Big 12 North?

USC is good. I'll never begrudge anyone that, but I'll be stunned if they can rise up to reach the national title game.

With half the season gone, I'd be stunned to see Iowa lose two games playing in the Big 10.

ETA: Honestly, looking back over your post... I see that no one with any intelligence could have actually put that to paper and meant it. I'm quite angry with myself for falling for it.

So I salute you sir... this was a masterful trolling attempt, and I fell for it Hook, Line, and Sinker. I award you 2 Internets. :bow:

[stupidguy]

You know; rarely do I call out another poster on these boards, but with 32 total posts... an idiotic series of predictions like this... and a moniker like "StupidGuy" and I have to think you're just trolling for attention here.

Seriously... you believe that Florida is sitting undefeated after 6 games and could lose two from here out and still be in the national title game?!!? Have you not been paying attention for the last 5 years???? You have to lose early to squeek back in. And that's just scratching the surface of your ignorance displayed in this post. Florida State? Really? Florida very well may lose to Alabama in the SEC title game, but they're still lightyears beyond anything offered up by the Big 12 or Pac 10 not named Texas or USC.

I won't even justify the idiocy of Miami 50 Alabama 0 with a response.

You imply that Texas isn't what they're cracked up to be and will get beat by Boise State... yet you claim that the Big 12 is the nation's best conference. And I'm not clear on what you're saying... but do you somehow think that Oklahoma is in the Big 12 North?

USC is good. I'll never begrudge anyone that, but I'll be stunned if they can rise up to reach the national title game.

With half the season gone, I'd be stunned to see Iowa lose two games playing in the Big 10.

ETA: Honestly, looking back over your post... I see that no one with any intelligence could have actually put that to paper and meant it. I'm quite angry with myself for falling for it.

So I salute you sir... this was a masterful trolling attempt, and I fell for it Hook, Line, and Sinker. I award you 2 Internets. :bow:

Not trolling, I'm controversial. I make no apologies for that.

What I meant to say was that Florida would lose to a crappy SEC team OR lose to FSU. Typo on my part. Florida will be a one loss team just like everyone else but will be a shoe in for the NC game because of the SEC hype machine

Another typo Miami will win 20-0

I meant that Texas will squeek by OKState in a pretty much championship game. Texas will lose to some Big 12 team keeping them out of the NC hunt. I do think the b12 is the strongest conference. They have 6 really good teams.

USC should reach the national title game with wins over a 2 loss oregon team, a 2 loss ohio state team, a 2 loss notre dame team, and a 2 loss cal team. Quite a resume there if you ask me.

Iowa will get BLASTED by Ohio St. and be surprised by someone else. Like someone alradey said they usuauly play to the level of their competition.

My opinions still stand.

[lokisnow]

apparently bad refereeing has consequences.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4583642

[Gold Storm]

In a very classy move, the players for WWV will wear a number 6 decal on their helmets for the murdered UCONN player, Jasper Howard :thumbsup: .

[SergioCQH]

I think Alabama is more ripe for an upset than Florida. They haven't been tested yet and now that they've been elevated to number one, everybody's telling them how good they are. Ingram's now got the media talking about the Heisman. Their offense is one-dimensional, and Tennessee has a good defense.

[Kalbear]

So wait. Beating VT by 10, beating Arkansas by 28 (the same Arkansas team that was basically stopped by the officials from beating Florida), beating Ole Miss and SCAR convincingly...how are these not tests?

Just curious - do you consider Texas 'tested' because they beat Oklahoma by 3 points after Oklahoma lost their QB in the second drive, but Alabama not tested despite beating VT?

[S John]

In a very classy move, the players for WWV will wear a number 6 decal on their helmets for the murdered UCONN player, Jasper Howard :thumbsup: .

Definitely was the right move and I'm glad that the Mountaineers are making a nice gesture.

This game is actually pretty worrisome to me. First of all, UConn isn't that bad, their two losses were both pretty close. Second, they are going to be playing with a ridiculous amount of emotion. And third, Connecticut has never beaten West Virgina. That just seems like a recipe for an upset, if you ask me.

WVU is good, its a very talented and very fast football team. Our main problems are sloppiness and occasional apathy. We are turnover plagued, not much else to say about that. But, several times this year I've seen WVU come out looking like they don't even give a shit that they are playing a game right now. WVU completely lacks a killer instinct. Its as if Stew and Co. refuse to stomp anyone because they might hurt someones feelings. We let people that we should, and could, blow out hang around til the 4th quarter. As a fan, it is irritating to no end when the staff switches the play-calling once we get up by about 10 points. The defense backs off and on offense it's seriously like we stop even trying to get first downs. As soon as we are more than one score ahead, even if that is in the 2nd quarter, the brakes come on. That kind of shit is going to get us beat one day (and it did at Auburn), we need to keep our foot on the gas until the opponent is good and done. I am of a mind that it is the opposing D's responsibility to stop you, and if they cant do it then fuck 'em. I'm not even advocating 30 - 40 point ass kickings here, but just once I'd like to see us play 4 quarters instead of dicking around half the game.

Now, all that said. If Stewart refuses to blow out the likes of Marshall and Colorado there is no fucking way that he'll let us blow out UConn, especially under the current circumstances. UConn will at least hang around the entire game, guaranteed. I looked at the spread today and WVU is giving UConn 7.5. If I wasn't such a homer I would pick UConn to beat that. If WVU wins by more than 10 I will be very surprised.

[Kalbear]

Locker can really, really do well in the NFL. He's mobile, he makes fairly good decisions, has a very strong arm and has good vision. He gets too much flak for being a strong athlete; the reason that he has to make so many plays because the talent level around him is so bad.

Plus, if he doesn't go next year he potentially loses out on millions due to the rumored rookie contract cap.