College Football 2007

[King Mudd]

This is what I think the conferences look like in terms of strength:

1- SEC

2- Pac 10

gap

3- Big 10

4- Big 12

5- Big East

6- ACC

[TheHoundRules]

KM - Tiger stadium is loud, but not the loudest I have been too. Neyland was louder to me. Hell, Sanford Stadium can be just as loud. Any time you put over 90,000 into a small area, it is going to be loud.

The LSU - VT game is one of the games I am really looking forward too. So is the Cal-Tenn game.

I think FSU takes a step up, Miami stays put, Florida takes a small step back.

[maize]

This is what I think the conferences look like in terms of strength:

1- SEC

2- Pac 10

gap

3- Big 10

4- Big 12

5- Big East

6- ACC

Hmm, I disagree about the Pac-10 having a gap over everone below, but I can see where you're coming from.

The early season OOC games this year are very intruiging. HokieStone, King Mudd, you can bet money I'll be tuned into the VT/LSU game. And if time allowing, Miami/Oklahoma, Miami/Texas A&M, Florida State/Alabama, USC/Nebraska, Cal/Tennessee.

Hopefully once our contract with Notre Dame is up in 2012, and JoePa leaves, Michigan and Penn State can start scheduling non-independent heavyweights as well. Even Wisky has been trying hard for a decent home-and-home, although even I can see why elite teams would have very little to gain by playing Wisky.

[H von T]

Ahh, how quickly we forget the defending national champs--the Florida Gators!! Well, I can understand that. Last year's championship came totally out of left field. The law of averages means the ball will not be bouncing the Gators way as much this year as last year.

The key to the Gators this year will be how Tebow plays. He basically only ran last year, but he's the perfect QB for Meyer's offense. Tebow's the passing record for Florida HS football so he can throw, but now he has to do it against college teams. We shall see, but he looked good in spring ball. The OL should be solid and the skill players are deep. We finally need a running back to step up.

The defense is the big question mark, especially the secondary and defensive line. Meyer's last two recruiting classes are going to have to step up big time.

Fortunately the Gators have not beefed up their schedule this year. We play Western KY and Troy the first two games, which will give the team some experience before Tennessee rolls into town. It's pussy scheduling, but I'll take it this year. Tenn, FSU, and Auburn are all at home, which helps a lot. Tiger Stadium is overrated. Sure it's loud, but LSU's home record is not the greatest. LSU will probably beat us, but the Gators have had a harder time over the years at Jordan-Hare. Miles might also have a screw loose. The pressure may be getting to him.

The SEC east is a tough call. TN, GA, or Fla could easily win it. I never count out Spurrier and Kentucky could trip up someone again like they did Georgia last year.

Should be fun. Good luck to everyone this season.

Peace, love, and Go Gators!

[King Mudd]

von T- I'm hoping for a battle of the unbeatens when UF comes to town in October. I don't want to play ya'll in Atlanta if we make it there though. I hate the idea of trying to beat one team twice.

[dornish prince]

Ahh, how quickly we forget the defending national champs--the Florida Gators!!

i haven't...we beat them 27-17

[H von T]

i haven't...we beat them 27-17

You guys suck, man!! You beat us in 2001 also when Spurrier had his best offense ever.

I hate that we don't play every year now. Auburn-Florida games were usually one of the best games every year.

[dornish prince]

You guys suck, man!! You beat us in 2001 also when Spurrier had his best offense ever.

I hate that we don't play every year now. Auburn-Florida games were usually one of the best games every year.

lol...even though it cost us a trip to the championship a few times, i agree. the auburn/florida game was what i always looked forward to most (outside of the iron bowl).

i do, however; hate going to the swamp.

[H von T]

i do, however; hate going to the swamp.

I never made it to Jordan-Hare for a game. I always wanted to. I had some friends in the band and it was one of their favorite away games. All the Auburn fans I've ever met have been pretty cool. The AU-FLA rivalry was nice, because it wasn't ugly like it gets for Alabama or Tennessee.

[TheHoundRules]

I never made it to Jordan-Hare for a game. I always wanted to. I had some friends in the band and it was one of their favorite away games. All the Auburn fans I've ever met have been pretty cool. The AU-FLA rivalry was nice, because it wasn't ugly like it gets for Alabama or Tennessee.

I have been to Jordan Hare quite a few times. I have seen a couple of classic UGA - AU games. Great stadium. Great games. Great tailgating. Great parties after.........Horrible fucking fans. Next to Florida, the worse I have seen. It is probably the minority, but I have seen them jump UGA fans, spit on us, throw stuff at us, etc. Not in a joking way. Went I went to LSU, they yelled at you, but it was all in good fun. Same with Tenn, South Carolina, Alabama, and Ole Miss. Auburn is still one of my favorite away games to go too.

Again, I just want to say since there are some AU and Florida fans here that is was probably the minority. I am sure UGA has their fair share of assholes too.

[King Mudd]

LSU has its assholes. I think every SEC school except maybe State and Vandy has its assholes. The worst fan behavior I saw last year was actually from Ole Miss students. But like I said, I think pretty much every school has its fuckups, but for the most part its in good fun.

[Arakasi]

Brick wall? Who repeated time after time that Ohio State and UM were great teams. Who here subjected us to fanboyism of that overrated league. That would be you. And who had to eat crow when those two sterling teams got crushed in their bowl games? They weren't even close. They were destroyed. You. I won the prediction threads for CFB both years we did it here, so I think I know what I'm talking about. I really have to chuckle at you calling me out on intelligent debate/analysis, when you got completely owned last year in this. Who was it who predicted big wins by UM and OSU? That would be you. So why not go back and read the old posts, if they even exist anymore. And you'll find that the people who said the Big 10 was overrated were right. Why not for once take your blinders off, look at all of college football (and not the midwest) and just try to be objective for once.

I'm sorry that the Big 10 is overrated and has only 4 teams of note/quality. I am also sorry that your conference has a history of playing powder puffcake ooc schedules. Maybe I should have rephrased that by saying the the Big 10 beat no one OOC of note but ND. Ohio State and UM are different anyway and I have no issues with their schedules. Despite being slightly overrated (oh god the hype after that game last year was pathetic, game of the century my ass), they are still powerhouse programs who schedule decent OOC teams. PSU and Wisconsin are decent. The rest of the league is a joke, in both how well they play and who they schedule. My problem with the Big 10 is not the top 4. My problem is the bottom 7 who would have a hard time making .500 in the WAC.

If you want to call into question my knowledge of college football then try. Don't throw insults around. You did it last year and you're doing it again this year. Why does someone saying your conference is overrated mean you have to throw a tantrum and insult them on the boards? You're not a college football fan. You are a Michigan fan and Big 10 homer. Your posts last year showed clear and true you have blinders on. I didn't insult you, but you threw down the guantlet at me because I called your conference (justifiably) overrated in a throw away post before going to bed. I should have known I'd come back to this thread to a slew of insults by you. The Big 10 is overrated. Even Kirk Herbstreet who is about the biggest Big 10 homer on ESPN had to admit that.

Edit: Please stop with the insults. If you're going to insult someone every time they call your conference overrated, you're going to be insulting an awful lot of people. Take your analysis then to the UM or Big 10 websites and maybe you'll find more like minded people here. But if we threw around insults everytime each person's fav conference was called into question this thread and the others like this would be nothing but insults. Bronn, Kalbear and myself over the last 4 years have constantly had to respond to attacks on the Pac 10's strength by people. If we insulted every time it came up this thread would be total shit. Trash talking (and saying your conference sucks, mine rules) is part of the sports experience, but there is trash talking and then there is insulting people. You constantly go over the line into the second. So drop it and drop it now.

[maize]

Brick wall? LMAO. Who repeated time after time that Ohio State and UM were great teams.

I never said that last year. In fact, I said Florida deserved the National Championship bid before the game. Please provide links where I said otherwise.

Who here subjected us to fanboyism of that overrated league. That would be you.

Please provide a link where I acted like a clueless 'fanboy'. I have always been critical of the Big 10, only defending it against stupid, baseless accusations, mainly from you.

And who had to eat crow when those two sterling teams got crushed in their bowl games?

I never predicted or boasted or guaranteed a win. In fact I admitted both would be very tough games. Please provide a link where I said otherwise.

I am also sorry that your conference has a history of playing powder puffcake ooc schedules. Maybe I should have rephrased that by saying the the Big 10 beat no one OOC of note but ND.

Does OSU beating Texas count? Once again, please, please check your facts. Already in this thread you have committed numerous factual blunders.

If you want to call into question my knowledge of college football then try. Don't throw insults around. You're not a college football fan. You are a Michigan fan and Big 10 homer. Your posts last year showed clear and true you have blinders on.

Please show me one instance in which I acted like a biased Big-10 homer. No really. I'm curious too. And as noted above you're doing a fine job of showing how clueless you are of college football already.

Ah one of the downfalls of discussing sports is that you have to deal with the imbeciles along with the knowledgable. Oh well, a small price to pay.

[Arakasi]

Stop with the insults? They don't have any place on this board. Why is me calling your conference overrated grounds for you to insult me repeatedly? If so than do I get to insult Mudd and the other SEC fans when they called the Pac 10 weak? No.

[Arakasi]

So far I've been called:

Less intelligent than a brick wall.

An imbecile.

I lack logic and common sense.

Crybaby.

Hey Maize can you tell me I'm retarded too? I'd like some comments about my family too if you can wing it.

[Rhaco]

I'm not sure but I think you said the Hawkeyes are a joke, Arak. :/

Iowa's offense should be steadier with Young getting a crapload of carries but maybe a little less less productive overall and the defense much improved with maybe one of the best lines in the conference. Could be worse.

Counting a bowl game, 9-10 wins seem a reasonable expectation given the schedule, in particular the absence of both Michigan and Ohio St., which I'm sure will get talked to death should Iowa do well.

[Arakasi]

Damn I always forget about the hawkeyes. I like Ferentz a lot too. They did pretty well against Texas too. Anyway I am sorry on that Rhaco. The Big 10 only has 6 joke teams, not 7. I just can't take Minnesota, Purdue, NW, Illinois, Indiana and MSU too seriously in recent years.

I kind of look at the Hawkeyes like my Oregon team. A solid team in the middle of the conference that when the stars align can make a run, but can't consistently do it. Just don't have the staying power of the big boys. Although for a couple years it looked like Iowa was set to move up to the elite, it never really happened though.

Of course the Big 10 could do better by just scheduling a tougher OOC conference (and the Big is hardly the only weak conference there, look at ACC, Big 12 and SEC too) and beating some of them. Like Kirk said last year after the bowls, the Big 10 who was thought of as big power football was shown to be plodding conservative football, and I don't think that wins you too much these days.

[Mike]

The PAC-10 doesn't play defense

The Big 10 can't handle the speed of other conferences

The Big 12 is a two team conference

The ACC should stick to basketball

The Big East...HA!

The SEC rules all of college football!!!!

All kidding aside, every conference has their crap teams. Arakasi named the less than stellar Big 10 teams although I would be reluctant to name Minnesota a joke program; they're not strong by any means, but they have gone to a bowl the last three years. Taking them off that would make it five. The SEC has a solid five in Vandy, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Miss St., and one team that rotates in from the middle of the pack types(the last few years it's been anyone from Bama to Arky to pre-Spurrier South Carolina). The thing about debating conference strength is that it is always a fluid thing. Sure, the SEC was the best conference last year, but that (imho) wasn't true the year before. I believe that the SEC is going to be the strongest conference this year (based solely on Kentucky and Vandy climbing into the not-too-fucking-bad category), but things never play out the way I think that they will. Hell, if FSU and Miami rebound, Tommy Bowden finally has Clemson play up to their talent level, and Tom O'Brien and Butch Davis make the North Carolina teams respectable then they could make some waves come bowl season. I don't know, I guess I'm saying that it's kind of silly to argue about conference strength before the season starts. Debate, sure, but not to get personal and turn the thread into a swinging dick competition (not that it has, but still, we don't want it to get there).

[Rhaco]

Nothing to be sorry about, Arak. The Hawks might not've been a joke the last two years, but they've certainly disappointed in a major way. I hate to admit it, but I mostly agree with the things you're saying about the Big Ten, though I think a few of those teams on your joke list are getting near to turning the corner.

[ZANNI_1276]

Man - this is one of those great debates that can turn into an did you just say something about my mom type of thing! - The annual "fill in the blank conference is better, yours sucks" I love it because it is regionalized. Grown men sitting in a circle whipping out thier schlongs to measure whose is the biggest? Great Question that i love to argue about so here is just a little feedback and breakdown and the disclaimer is i am a big ten fan but i will try to be as unobjective as possible and i will just give them a letter grade - it is just easier b/c ranking them is almost impossible and again i don't want to start a hatfield/mccoy scenario -LOL!!...

ACC - This is what i call the WAL MART of conferences - someone's brain child of like hey - let's take all these basketball schools and bring a couple of football giants in - MIAMI, FSU, VATECH, BC and see what happens. Totally backfired and these guys got run - ACC is scratching their heads like that big 250 muscle head that just got worked over unknowingly by some 125 pound UFC fighter - just totally punked on national TV - how does Wake Forrest become the powerhouse?? I love the fact that BC and VATECH are the two best schools!

OVERALL GRADE: D+

SEC- And this is coming from a big ten guy so here me out. First thing is every team hates the other - Michigan/OSU is the best reivalry (again debatable but hear me out) but every weak teams are squaring off and there is HATRED in the air. They definetly have the best athletes - these guys are mostly genetic freaks but the flip side of the coin is that i think that overall the conference does lack certain fundmentals top to bottom because of it. They do have quality teams and the overall conference schedule is scarier than a weekend canoeing trip in the deep south; i can hear the banjo's playing now...This conferecne I think is the one that will have a difficult time consistently getting a team in the big BCS game b/c its conference schedule is just not going to allow it, too many teams will beat one another up and unfortunatley the writers/voters look for W/L's and though i disagree, not as much of strength of schedule. Toughest conference in College - top to bottom.

OVERALL GRADE: A

Big Ten: I have accepted the fact that Big Ten will always be treated as the step-child of College Football. It isn't sexy, it isn't flashy and it isn't trendy like say the Big East. But what is a is a grind, the only thing i can compare it to is 2 heavyweights just beating the hell out of eachother. I think they have qulity Teams - OSU, detractors can say what you like but year in year out they are tough and teams really don't want to draw this card on BOWL DAY. Michigan is tough, fortunately (or unfortunately - depends where you are from) Lloyd Carr is the residential Barney Fife of the Big TEN - this guy has that look on his face of "Oh, I think I just crapped my pants" all the time, watch him. Personally i hope he retires there and never leaves b/c he consitently get some of the best talent in the nation and pretty much squanders it away. God help me if he leaves! Ill, Purdue, Pen ST, Mich ST, WISC are tough teams - sure we have Northwestern - SEC has Kentucky so it is a wash -. Tough conference week after week and though not sexy - can't argue that it isn' a good conference.

GRADE: A-

BIG EAST: This is a head scratcher becuse there are good teams in the league, WV is a nightmare and at home - forget it, great coach with loyalty and the best tandem of athletes with white and slayton - If tecmo bowl was a reality it would be these two guys! Lousiville -we'll see what happens with life w/out Petrino - Rutgers - another wait and see - they have to have another season before i start drinking that Kool AID -. My problem is this - those are good teams - PITT too, but then there is UCONN? I didn't even know that had a team? Calhoun coaching that too? - USF? WHO? Cinncinati ? What? Seriously? - Just to many barely Division I Schools here but there are good teams.

OVERALL GRADE: C-

Big 12:

Here is where the hate mail is going to come from. Twenty years ago this would have been the conference heavyweight champion of the world. Nebraska has been reduced to a run and shoot type thing? Are you kidding me! Texas is tough - top 5 year after year. Oklahoma - if they just stopped their how shall we call it - Internships?? Top 10 team - I love STOOPS - he is a LEGEND in NorthEAST OHIO. Overall - not as good as the BIG TEN or the SEC but i would say they would be next - probably the third - this conference is so boring i can't even think of anything to say about them other than there are some quality teams -

OVERALL GRADE B+

PAC10-

Not going to make friends here either. Let start by saying i am biased and PAC 10 fans should really get Skip Bayless off thier wagon b/c so many people hate his cramming of the pac 10 down EVERYONES throat - big disconnect for me but anyway. USC - can't say anything negative other than they have a brain fart every year that makes it difficult to get in the big game - the rest of these guys - I think they are all pretty medicore - Arizona might do something w/the other Stoops, Washington was a powerhouse back in the day. I just look at the mid-level teams of the PAC 10 and compare them to the SEC/BIG TEN/BIG 12 teams and i don't think they cut the mustard. Again someone living in Oregon is going to argue that one but really - take either the OREGON's pretty mid level Pac-10, what would they do against conference mid level WISC or TENN/Alabama/SC or Texas AM - they get run that is what happens - the average team in the PAC 10 would have a hard time being an average team in the SEC/Big 10 or Big 12. I give them the nod over the WAL MART ACC only b/c of the ACC being a copropate brainchild with very little tradition - bit contrived but there is tradition in the PAC 10 so overall tough conference but i couldn't say it is the best...

OVERALL: B+

(I know - no MAC, Mountain WEST, SUN BELT, WAC, Conference USA. There overall grade is D - some OK teams that make life interesting in some BOWL GAMES but top to bottom they are outclassed by the big dawgs)

I am sure that there are going to be people up in arms like WHAT - "Arizona State has Dennis Erickson" and we are going to be tough - and all i can say is hold your horses - that means ASU will be sanctioned by the NCAA in roughly 3 years and the program will be decimated will DE is drinking marquaritas plotting his next scam - i mean next job. But this year is going to be fun and the one thing you can count on is that it will be unpredictable...