College Football Offseason 2015: The Power of Army

[Rhom]

I posted this in the college basketball thread, but it has relevance here as well:

The B1G Whatever is considering disbanding as a conference in major revenue sports.

Or at least that's how I read it when I see quotes like this:

The Big Ten Conference is considering the possibility of making freshmen athletes in football and men’s basketball ineligible

WTF?!!? :stunned:

I know that the idea circulated last week with the head of the PAC XII and someone else suggesting it for the NCAA as a whole (and it promptly withered and died on the vine as it should); but for one conference to even entertain the idea of doing this unilaterally is the height of idiocy. There's not a high level recruit in the entire country that would go to a B1G ICan'tCount school if they are the only conference not allowing freshmen to play.

On the plus side, there's no way that Urban Meyer supports this idea. If he won't support it, then tOSU won't back it. If tOSU isn't behind it, the B1G won't do it. So its a moot point, but even to have discussions on it is ridiculous.

I also find the entire idea disingenuous. There's a reason that freshman eligibility was instituted almost four decades ago... They can handle it. Some can't, sure. And some of those are high profile, which is what gets the notoriety. But as a whole, athletes across the country score better than the all men's average for their respective school. To discriminate against the majority because a few aren't equipped for success is wrong on many levels. Also, how do you justify allowing the freshman swimmer or the 18 year old women's basketball player to compete? Are you saying that somehow, the predominantly African American young men who play football and men's basketball are somehow academically inferior and therefore unable to play? It doesn't work that way in this country.

This entire conversation is pushback over the idea of the "One and Done" system put in place by the NBA and the (incorrect) perception that it is harming the college basketball game.

The idea is wrong headed and I hope that it falls flat on its face in the scrap heap of history where it belongs

[Bronn Stone]

From ESPN

Games against FBS independents BYU, Army and Notre Dame will now count toward the SEC's requirement of playing one nonconference Power 5 team per season, sources told ESPN.com.

Beginning in 2016, the SEC will require its league members to play at least one nonconference Power 5 team. Notre Dame had always been included as a nonconference Power 5 team by the SEC, but the league recently decided to also allow games against BYU and Army to count, sources said.

C'mon Man!

Even Navy doesn't consider Army a power team...

[Switchback the Second]

From ESPN

Games against FBS independents BYU, Army and Notre Dame will now count toward the SEC's requirement of playing one nonconference Power 5 team per season, sources told ESPN.com.

Beginning in 2016, the SEC will require its league members to play at least one nonconference Power 5 team. Notre Dame had always been included as a nonconference Power 5 team by the SEC, but the league recently decided to also allow games against BYU and Army to count, sources said.

C'mon Man!

Even Navy doesn't consider Army a power team...

As an alum from an SEC school, this stinks of "same old".

I can't wait for an expanded playoff field. I hold out hope that it will instill in some of these schools that a loss isn't the end of the world. As paying customers, the idea that just last year we had three home games that were Idaho, Eastern Michigan and Eastern Kentucky is fucking ridiculous. This year it's New Mexico St, East Carolina and Florida Atlantic! I understand all the arguments, and we're sort of hamstrung by a permanent non-conference game against FSU as well as a conference game that's played on a neutral field each year, but seriously that garbage they give us 3 times a year is pathetic. I remember being so excited when the 12th game was announced, and we've used it almost every year to add another cupcake (minus a couple years scheduling Miami).

I know there's the fans who believe we MUST preserve the blessed college football regular season, but what are we preserving??? I'll always take a 9-3 year where we lose to big time schools in great games (where it's easy to get excited about every game) over a 12-0 year that includes 3 practice games essentially.

[Rhom]

As an alum from an SEC school, this stinks of "same old".

I can't wait for an expanded playoff field. I hold out hope that it will instill in some of these schools that a loss isn't the end of the world. As paying customers, the idea that just last year we had three home games that were Idaho, Eastern Michigan and Eastern Kentucky is fucking ridiculous. This year it's New Mexico St, East Carolina and Florida Atlantic! I understand all the arguments, and we're sort of hamstrung by a permanent non-conference game against FSU as well as a conference game that's played on a neutral field each year, but seriously that garbage they give us 3 times a year is pathetic. I remember being so excited when the 12th game was announced, and we've used it almost every year to add another cupcake (minus a couple years scheduling Miami).

I know there's the fans who believe we MUST preserve the blessed college football regular season, but what are we preserving??? I'll always take a 9-3 year where we lose to big time schools in great games (where it's easy to get excited about every game) over a 12-0 year that includes 3 practice games essentially.

You know... I hadn't really thought about the fact that you guys are short a home game every other year.

How does that work? Do the schools split the gate every year or do they alternate like a quasi home/away split?

[Bronn Stone]

Somehow USC manages to play 9 conference games and the annual series with Notre Dame without sinking into the ocean.

USC has never played a game against a Division 1A 1AA (or FCS) team.

Edited as shown with strikeout.

[Mr. X]

Somehow USC manages to play 9 conference games and the annual series with Notre Dame without sinking into the ocean.

USC has never played a game against a Division 1A (or FCS) team.

Pretty sure you mean 1AA. 1A is FBS.

Neither Notre Dame nor UCLA has played an FCS team either, as far as I know.

[Bronn Stone]

Correct. Leaving out the second A was a typo. New keyboard. Corrected.

[lokisnow]

McNair case oy. Hope usc sues the ncaa.

[Kalbear]

He absolutely should. Massive defamation case right there, basically.

Fuck, the NCAA is horrible.

[Guest]

It is terrifying to think of how good USC football would have been over the last few years without these bullshit sanctions.

[lokisnow]

What is the most galling thing is that the athletic director who most wanted to punish USC for not knowing one of their stars was being bribed to leave school early, that athletic director was at the same time making sure his boosters were providing prostitutes to his college football players to ensure they stayed in school, a far more galling and egregious offense, yet his team was only punished with a laughable slap on the wrist.

Or look at Penn State, justifiably given sanctions more severe than USCs, then inexplicably lifted once the furor had died down. It's a shame the NCAA did not do the right thing and give Penn State ten years with no football team.

[Mike]

It is terrifying to think of how good USC football would have been over the last few years without these bullshit sanctions.

Would they have still had Lane Kiffin?

[Bronn Stone]

Mike FTW

[Guest]

Would they have still had Lane Kiffin?

I think that one of the great unknowns is whether Carrol's departure was based on fearing coming sanctions or not. He of course said that it was not, but the cynic in me questions that.

[Kalbear]

My little contribution to April Fools day.

[Ded As Ned]

4 more months.

[sperry]

Oklahoma Spring game this Saturday. First time in a long time that I've been excited about this, as we have a new offensive coordinator and a quarterback battle.