College Football 2015: OSU, The Three-Headed Dragon

[Rhom]

I want Kentucky to succeed because of the Stoops connection, but if you're hoping for more than bowl eligiblity you're in for a rude awakening.

Oh, I'm certainly still in the "heavily skeptical" camp on things.

Florida makes me nervous because they're Florida. (I expect a loss.)
We've not been successful against Mizzou yet, but it is in Lexington. (I expect a loss.)
EKU will be a win.
Auburn will depend a lot on the circumstances leading up to it. Its a Thursday night game. If Kentucky goes 1-1 against UF/UM, then there will be tons of hype leading into the game and could be an upset. I expect a loss.

Here's where the schedule could really go south... go 0-2 against UF/UM and then get blown out by Auburn, Friday night is Big Blue Madness. We'd be 3-3 and not looking strong and the fanbase will turn full attention to basketball. The rest of the schedule though looks like this:

At Miss St. Loss.
Tennessee in Lexington. I'll call it a toss up... but again, it depends on where the team is.
At Georgia. Loss.
At Vandy. Win.
Home Charlotte. Win.
Louisville lost to Houston, but I expect them to be just fine in the long run so beating them in Lexington is no sure thing.

So what I'm mostly expecting this year depends on splitting Tennessee and UofL. Do that and you go 6-6 and Stoops gets a statue outside Commonwealth Stadium. :lol:

We lament the state of the SEC East, but I fully expect both Tennessee and Florida to be on the rise and Mizzou is perplexingly steady. Its still no easy road to climb.

[S John]

OSU's schedule is pretty easy.  It reminds me a bit of last year with FSU, looking down the list and seeing only one or two realistic opportunities for an upset.  Michigan State will be tough for OSU and I suspect there will be one other team that sneaks up and gives them a game.  Could be Minnesota again.  

 

It's easiest for me to think of by putting it in context with my own team's schedule and whether or not I'd trade.  I'd trade schedules with OSU in a heartbeat.  I think WVU has the potential to pull 8 - 10 wins off of Ohio State's schedule, and I'm not even sure that we'll get out of the Big 12 with a winning conference record.  I generally view the Big 12 as a conference of 8 solid to good programs in a given year and in the round robin you have play them all.  This year I don't think WVU has the talent differential to be 100% sure that we'll beat our fellow middle-of-the-pack teams like Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas, and Texas Tech, even if we turn out to be pretty good ourselves.  That's leaving out the presumed top 3 in Baylor, OU, and TCU, who I think we are capable of beating but will be tough to get any of them, let alone all three.

 

The top 3 toughest games from Ohio State's Schedule are probably VT, Michigan State, and Minnesota.  I'd take that any day over TCU, Baylor, and OU - all on the road, by the way.  The next 4 down we're looking at Michigan, Penn State (great names, but not great teams this year) and some combo of Rutgers, Maryland, and Indiana.  Would also trade that for Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Texas.

[Ded As Ned]

Yeah I'd say on that schedule UK would be a realistic 6-6 or 7-5 (I'm still not convinced we'll be better than 5-7 this year, they need to prove it this weekend if so)... 9-3 would be very optimistic with all the bounces going our way (much like 8-4 would be on our current schedule, the difference being replacing Louisville with another cupcake on the hypothetical schedule).

[A Prince of Dorne]

OSU's schedule is pretty easy. It reminds me a bit of last year with FSU, looking down the list and seeing only one or two realistic opportunities for an upset. Michigan State will be tough for OSU and I suspect there will be one other team that sneaks up and gives them a game. Could be Minnesota again.

 

It's easiest for me to think of by putting it in context with my own team's schedule and whether or not I'd trade. I'd trade schedules with OSU in a heartbeat. I think WVU has the potential to pull 8 - 10 wins off of Ohio State's schedule, and I'm not even sure that we'll get out of the Big 12 with a winning conference record. I generally view the Big 12 as a conference of 8 solid to good programs in a given year and in the round robin you have play them all. This year I don't think WVU has the talent differential to be 100% sure that we'll beat our fellow middle-of-the-pack teams like Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas, and Texas Tech, even if we turn out to be pretty good ourselves. That's leaving out the presumed top 3 in Baylor, OU, and TCU, who I think we are capable of beating but will be tough to get any of them, let alone all three.

 

The top 3 toughest games from Ohio State's Schedule are probably VT, Michigan State, and Minnesota. I'd take that any day over TCU, Baylor, and OU - all on the road, by the way. The next 4 down we're looking at Michigan, Penn State (great names, but not great teams this year) and some combo of Rutgers, Maryland, and Indiana. Would also trade that for Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Texas.

I agree the schedule is weak (mostly because VA Tech, scheduled ten years ago, is down, and they don't get Wisconsin, Iowa, or NW in the cross-divisional games). But at the end of the day, they'll play Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, and potentially an undefeated Iowa. Not a whole lot easier than most other team's schedules.

Would be awesome to see an Ohio State-Bama rematch in the playoffs.

[HokieStone]

Did 2 months of posts disappear?

 

[Mr. X]

Did 2 months of posts disappear?

 

Yes. There was a forum upgrade that was first attempted unsuccessfully in September and then done successfully now. We had been warned that everything since mid-September would be lost and it turned out to be true.

[Guest]

Oregon is at Stanford today, and I think it will come down to whether Oregon can slow Stanford's running game.  Oregon is clearly a different team with Adams back at QB.  When Kal said they had 777 yards of offense last week I thought it was a typo at first, but it was true. 

Wazzu @ UCLA is a better game than it looked weeks ago now that Wazzu is ascendant, and UCLA still has a legit shot at winning the conference if they can win out, so they need this one at home. 

[Michael Seswatha Jordan]

The Cowboys survive a scare in Ames to remain undefeated.  Now all roads to a Big 12 title go through Stillwater.  If Baylor beats OU tonight next Saturday in Stillwater is going to be the biggest game I've ever been to, by a long shot.

Im pulling for you guys!

WVU got a good win today, 38-20 over Texas. Smallwood continues to be a beast. I actually like that Howard was limited to 12 attempts, less chance to throw the ball away. At least we're winning the games we should be winning. If we can win out we'll finish 8-4, and get a decent bowl game. 

[rocksniffer]

since i moved to SC in 1994, i have been a Gamecock fan...

and now i am a South Carolina Gamecock fan that is cheering for Clemson....

since our Gamecock coach decided to be a punk quitter...i must cheer for the only South Carolina team putting up a fight...so i say...Go Tigers....

 

which sounds strange to me as a louisiana boy who grew up shouting Geaux Tigers....

[BLU-RAY]

Sigh. Two FGS on possessions where we should have scored TDs, and a bricked FG where we might have gone for it instead. We deserve to lose.

[BLU-RAY]

*AND* we fumbled the center/QB exchange twice, unreal. Congrats, Kal, the Ducks O we all thought we'd see in the preseason has showed up the past couple of weeks.

[Guest]

*AND* we fumbled the center/QB exchange twice, unreal. Congrats, Kal, the Ducks O we all thought we'd see in the preseason has showed up the past couple of weeks.

So bizarre for such an experienced "winner" of a QB.  This crazy season with that loss to Northwestern has come full circle. 

Sounds like Luke Falk continues to light it up for Mike Leach at Wazzu.  Only a sophomore. 

[BLU-RAY]

 

So bizarre for such an experienced "winner" of a QB.  This crazy season with that loss to Northwestern has come full circle. 

Sounds like Luke Falk continues to light it up for Mike Leach at Wazzu.  Only a sophomore. 

I'm not convinced that they were both on Hogan, although at least one of them must have been - there were actually two different centers in for the two fumbles. Still ridiculous.

[Guest]

Conceded.  It could have been related to the center, of course.  It was just surreal to see such an experienced QB involved in turning it over on back-to-back possessions in that kind of game late.

Stanford outgained Oregon.  The turnovers were killers.

[sperry]

As an Oklahoma fan, really need Stanford to knock off Notre Dame.  I think OU should take care of TCU next weekend at home, with the next weekend setting up as easily the biggest Bedlam game in the history of the series if OSU can take down Baylor at home.

[S John]

Yes. There was a forum upgrade that was first attempted unsuccessfully in September and then done successfully now. We had been warned that everything since mid-September would be lost and it turned out to be true.

Yea, for OU to have a shot at the playoff ND needs to lose again.  And they have to win out, of course.  If it comes down to a one-loss OU vs. a one-loss ND I think that ND is going to get in because the loss to Clemson will be more highly regarded than the loss to Texas.  Especially since ND killed that same Texas team.  I think OU might be the best team in the Big 12 right now and is playing as good as anyone in the country, but they don't control their own destiny as they say, I think they will need help to get in.  

Unfortunately I don't know if the Pokes control their own destiny either and they are undefeated.  

[Kalbear]

*AND* we fumbled the center/QB exchange twice, unreal. Congrats, Kal, the Ducks O we all thought we'd see in the preseason has showed up the past couple of weeks.

Thanks! On the center-QB thing, that happens because of a silly trick Stanford does, where their entire line goes a bit sooner than the center/QB exchange. If Oregon is not watching the ball  and is instead teeing off on the players - which they did - it can cause the QB to panic a bit because he's reacting to the defense, not the ball. 

And that's why it happened twice.

Thought Oregon played a good but not great game, but they finally were able to get some red and orange zone stops. The offense is still hugely inconsistent but scary explosive. With USC's two linebackers out for the next game I'm cautiously optimistic. 

And hey, Oregon has a shot to go to the Rose if Cal somehow pulls off the miracle win next week, so this week my boardname is actually accurate. Go BEARS!

[sperry]

Yea, for OU to have a shot at the playoff ND needs to lose again.  And they have to win out, of course.  If it comes down to a one-loss OU vs. a one-loss ND I think that ND is going to get in because the loss to Clemson will be more highly regarded than the loss to Texas.  Especially since ND killed that same Texas team.  I think OU might be the best team in the Big 12 right now and is playing as good as anyone in the country, but they don't control their own destiny as they say, I think they will need help to get in.  

Unfortunately I don't know if the Pokes control their own destiny either and they are undefeated.  

An undefeated Big XII team is not getting left out.

And Oklahoma or Notre Dame being left out would be great in that it means 8 team playoff is happening ASAP. It's one thing to leave Baylor or TCU out, another to leave a historically great brand name with a strong resume out.

[Kalbear]

 

An undefeated Big XII team is not getting left out.

And Oklahoma or Notre Dame being left out would be great in that it means 8 team playoff is happening ASAP. It's one thing to leave Baylor or TCU out, another to leave a historically great brand name with a strong resume out.

Eh. I don't think that implies an 8-team playoff. It just implies more than 4. And even that's suspect. We said that last year too around this time - what happens if everyone wins out! OMG PANIC! Remember how excited we were that Ole Miss and MSST were in the top 4 of the rankings? 

Teams lose. Things fall apart. Oklahoma has already lost to Texas; why they would be expected to go undefeated is a bit mysterious. Alabama probably doesn't have a chance in hell of losing until the SEC championship, but they have a chance. Clemson isn't likely to lose but they've still got some competitive games. Notre Dame still plays Stanford. Ohio State still plays Michigan, Michigan State and likely Iowa.

If you think that all of those games named above are going to be won by the favorites I've got a title bet to make with you.

[Reny of Storms End]

Thanks! On the center-QB thing, that happens because of a silly trick Stanford does, where their entire line goes a bit sooner than the center/QB exchange.

Do you know anymore on why they do this? Also, how is it not offsides?