# And the College Football season begins!!!



## Crothian

Okay, not really any interesting games tonight but I'll laugh if the gamecocks can't beat the helpless central florida team.....


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## fett527

I figured you'd wait till the games started.  I'm using the games to sort of take a break from watching all the news cahannels, but still keeping my eye on the South MS websites for info on my family.

Anyway.  The Oregon/Houston game has been close- 21-17 Houston at the half.  And UCF has kicked in the defense to stop Spurrier's boys a couple times.


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## Crothian

I can't wait till the games to start...of course they already have.  It is a nice break from the hurrican coverage


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## fett527

I know what you mean.  The season doesn't actually start until the Bucks kickoff on Saturday.  These games are just preseason


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## Crothian

not really preseason since they do count, but just not a lot of interest until the real teams play Saturday...


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## Captain Tagon

Going to school anywhere in SC when you aren't from there sucks. All I'm hearing tongiht is people yell at each other about the Gamecocks and Clemson. Geeze people.


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> not really preseason since they do count, but just not a lot of interest until the real teams play Saturday...




Yeah, but you know we watch all the games.  Can't get enough.


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## Crothian

Captain Tagon said:
			
		

> Going to school anywhere in SC when you aren't from there sucks. All I'm hearing tongiht is people yell at each other about the Gamecocks and Clemson. Geeze people.




even i know that, in SC you are for one or the other, there is no third choice


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Yeah, but you know we watch all the games.  Can't get enough.




No, I can't.  I plan on staying up late and see how the gophers do even.....


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## romp

Bobcats!!!!!!!!


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> No, I can't.  I plan on staying up late and see how the gophers do even.....



You know it!


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## fett527

UCF's defense is doing well, but O can't get it in gear.  17-3 SC


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## Crothian

romp said:
			
		

> Bobcats!!!!!!!!




as in that cincy team?  I remeber when thery used to be good at basketball......


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## romp

Crothian said:
			
		

> as in that cincy team?  I remeber when thery used to be good at basketball......




 

Ohio U    BOBCATS!!!!!


/me is an alum, so get used to my ranting, I especially love to pick on the lawnchair Buckeye fans.

But hey the next couple of years should be great, with Frank Solich coaching  heck we even made the cover of USAToday's Sports section...


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## Crothian

OU still has a team?!?   

wow, they might win 1 of their first 5 games...maybe....

good schedule though, that's the way to do it.


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## romp

Bobcats!!! BOBCATS!!!!


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## Crothian

Does the green mean the other team is allowed to go to the endzone?  

my OU friends hate when I ask them that....


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## fett527

romp said:
			
		

> /me is an alum, so get used to my ranting, I especially love to pick on the lawnchair Buckeye fans...




Only serious *BUCKEYE*fans here!!!!!!!


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## fett527

Oregon's pulling away and SC is in a spot of trouble...


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## Dungannon

I'm stuck at work, how are the Gamecocks looking in Spurriers "'n'Fire" offense?


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## Crothian

Okay, time to pick the upsets: Boise over Georgia


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## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I'm stuck at work, how are the Gamecocks looking in Spurriers "'n'Fire" offense?




well, they've got as many passing yards as any 3 games under holtz...they look okay and are putting it up.


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I'm stuck at work, how are the Gamecocks looking in Spurriers "'n'Fire" offense?



They've been doing ok- 24-10, but looks like they may give up another TD here soon.  They exploded to 14-0 and then UCF's defense held quite nicely for some time.


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Okay, time to pick the upsets: Boise over Georgia



Damnit, your not supposed to take my upst picks!

By the way, did you get on the pick em group?


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## Crothian

Basically the typical Spurrier game, his teams always seemed to get the early lead and then it just mattered if the defense of the other team could adjust in time....


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Damnit, your not supposed to take my upst picks!
> 
> By the way, did you get on the pick em group?




no, not the college one.  It let me in the pro one but the college one hated me, I tried about once a day or so but I could not get in


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## fett527

Why a field goal for UCF?  Doesn't seem to make sense this late in the game.


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## Crothian

he knew he was going to get a turnover......


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## fett527

fett527 said:
			
		

> Why a field goal for UCF?  Doesn't seem to make sense this late in the game.



Egg on my face.  Kickoff is fumled and UCF recovers.


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## romp

O'Leary must have wanted some points on the board ...

GAG! Spurriers facial antics make me just want to throw that visor at him ...

and no that is a FOREST GREEN, not a traffic light green ...


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## Crothian

because of all the forests in Athens?  I really should stop picking on them but I can't!!


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## romp

Crothian said:
			
		

> because of all the forests in Athens?  I really should stop picking on them but I can't!!




I seem to recall certain *ahem* transgressions by Troy Smith, at least the OU players can read (insert Arkansas joke here)...

That option play was not a great call, but that flying leap from three yards out might get that player benched...


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## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> Okay, time to pick the upsets: Boise over Georgia



I'll go with Washington over Air Force.


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## fett527

romp said:
			
		

> I seem to recall certain *ahem* transgressions by Troy Smith, at least the OU players can read (insert Arkansas joke here)...




Troy's paying the price for that mistake.  You'll see him against the Longhorns on the 10th, don't you worry.


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## fett527

Nice running by Maroney (sp?), Gopher's off to teh good start.


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## Crothian

romp said:
			
		

> I seem to recall certain *ahem* transgressions by Troy Smith, at least the OU players can read (insert Arkansas joke here)...




Please, no one actually beleives the football players go to OSU for an education, I know I went there too.


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Nice running by Maroney (sp?), Gopher's off to teh good start.




its impressive, but its what the gophers do every year.  They destroy the light scheduled non conference games, then get blasted by the Big 10 power houses.....


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## Dungannon

And from the "Nobody Cares But Me" Dept., Washington State is beating Idaho 17-12.


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## Crothian

that's not true, down to the potatoe heads or whatever idaho's mascot is


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## Dungannon

Idaho's nickname is the Vandals.


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## Crothian

i think potatoeheads would be better...


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## Crothian

Vanderbilt wins!!!!


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## Dimwhit

For the record, there is only one Idaho team, and that is the Boise State Broncos.  And the season doesn't start until the game of the week kicks off tomorrow when Boise takes on Georgia. Go Broncos!!!!!

Seriously, I'm going to be a nervous wreck. And since the odds are steep for a Boise win, I'm going to be depressed after tomorrow. But I will remain hopeful that they will pull off the upset.


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## Crothian

lots of people are pulling for them....


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## fett527

I know Crothian and I are.  Upset pick of the week!

Some people are going with Bowling Green over Wisconsin, but I can't go against the Big 10.  (Except for M)


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## Crothian

ACtually, I'd like to see both BGSU and Boise win, it'd be great to have them both with big upset wins, being 2-0 when they play each other


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## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> ACtually, I'd like to see both BGSU and Boise win, it'd be great to have them both with big upset wins, being 2-0 when they play each other



 I think I'm going to try to go to the Bowling Green/Boise game. I think it's sold out, though. Doesn't mean tickets can't be had. I'd love to see them both 2-0 coming into it. Unfortunately, Boise has Oregon State first as well. I don't know how good they are this year, but it's an away game for BSU.

These first few weeks are going to be interesting for me. Here's to hoping.


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## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I think I'm going to try to go to the Bowling Green/Boise game. I think it's sold out, though. Doesn't mean tickets can't be had. I'd love to see them both 2-0 coming into it. Unfortunately, Boise has Oregon State first as well. I don't know how good they are this year, but it's an away game for BSU.
> 
> These first few weeks are going to be interesting for me. Here's to hoping.




I'm sure you can get tickets, I managed to get tickets tothe OSU/Texas game and you can imagine how hot an item that is this year.


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## romp

Crothian said:
			
		

> Please, no one actually beleives the football players go to OSU for an education, I know I went there too.




LOL   

I can tell you some stories from the recruits to the Athens program, one of the girls I knew while on campus gave tours for prospective players (and no jokes, she was a respectable young woman) about what she heard from recruits regarding the fact that OU was the only campus to actually show them the academic halls and non-player dorms out of all the campus tours they did.


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I'm sure you can get tickets, I managed to get tickets tothe OSU/Texas game and you can imagine how hot an item that is this year.





 

Are jerking my chain?  No way you got tickets!

My hat for Crothian know no bounds.


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## romp

Crothian said:
			
		

> I'm sure you can get tickets, I managed to get tickets tothe OSU/Texas game and you can imagine how hot an item that is this year.




they are giving them away free on TV, part of a hurricane relief effort though  

Crothian, sometime I need to tell you about the experiences my dad had working on the *ahem* stadium renovations. At least you are an alumni. Stupid OSU Parking Nazis ...


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Are jerking my chain?  No way you got tickets!
> 
> My hat for Crothian know no bounds.




Ya, I got to tickets.  Face value was all I paid and I got them earlier this week.


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Ya, I got to tickets.  Face value was all I paid and I got them earlier this week.




Hook an ENWorlder up next time!


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Hook an ENWorlder up next time!




and would you blieve the first 5 people I talked to about going declined?  It was really tough finding someone to take the extra ticket.....


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> and would you blieve the first 5 people I talked to about going declined?  It was really tough finding someone to take the extra ticket.....




You could have left that part out.


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## fett527

Watchin' Arizona v Utah


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> You could have left that part out.




it was just bad luck, some people are going to be out of town, one couldn't get his wife to let him, another is scared of hieghts......


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Watchin' Arizona v Utah




well, it is the only game on


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> one couldn't get his wife to let him, ...




Now THAT is sad.  What women doesn't let their husband got to the biggest game of the year.


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## Dungannon

The OSU/Texas game is bigger to you guys than OSU/Michigan?


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> The OSU/Texas game is bigger to you guys than OSU/Michigan?



You misunderstand.  That is *The Game*.  Whole different meaning.


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## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> The OSU/Texas game is bigger to you guys than OSU/Michigan?




The Game is in Ann Arbor this year, so Texas/OSU is the biggest home game, and the biggest non confernece game I'd say since Notre Dame came here in 95


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> ...and the biggest non confernece game I'd say since Notre Dame came here in 95




That's a fact.  Texas, as long as something ungodly doesn't happen, will be the highest ranked non-conference foe in The Shoe ever.


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## Crothian

Utah is doing well it seems.....


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## Dimwhit

Bowling Green is off to a great start against Wisconsin. Bodes well for when they come to Boise...


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## Crothian

THe Falcons kick butt, Bowling Green has had a great program they just keep losing to another MAC team to really keep them from gaining national attention.

OSU is looking good though.  We have a running back!!


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## romp

Go Falcons, make the MAC proud...  

how is Ginn doing?

I am in the middle of a fantasy football draft and cannot watch a lot of TV although it is on in the other room


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## Crothian

Miami of Ohio is making sure Ginn does not embaress them.


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## Crothian

That was cool.  #9 of OSU had a roughing the kicker call on him, next play he intercepts the ball and scores a TD.


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## romp

awesome for my first pick I got Culpepper!  YES!  Happy dance


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## Crothian

Sooners are losing to TCU.....


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## romp

28-28 for the BG Falcons way kewl


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## Crothian

The Badgers though have come back, BGSU took the ealry lead like they always do but couldn't keep it.  Great offense, but no real defense.  They have to outscore people becasue they have trouble stopping them.


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## romp

typical of a MAC team defence, Southern schools have had the best defenses for many years for a reason, the MAC needs to study them


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## Crothian

I think its just hard for them to recruit good offense and good defensive players.  They usually have one or the other.


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## Dimwhit

Man, this Wisconsin/BG game is an awesome shootout!

And here's to hoping TCU can keep it up.

Just over 3 hours until THE game starts...


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## Crothian

Ya, a good start to the season.  I'm still watching the Buckeyes, and the offense is really looking good this year, that hasn't happened a lot for us.  

Go Falcons!!  Go TCU!!


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## romp

my fantasy team is looking so much better than last years misfits, I got Culpepper, Tatum bell, and reggie wayne so far kewl

I got Curtis Martin in the thrird round OMG!  way kewl!


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## Crothian

OSU's back ups are looking good!!  

BGSU needs a strong 4th quarter to come back.  THey couldn't do anything in the third quarter.....


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## Dimwhit

Wisconsin has turned it up a few notches in the second half. BG is toast.


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## Crothian

BG only down by 14......


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## romp

my apologies all around for being off topic in this thread, i was not attempting to thread jack


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## Crothian

don't worry about it, come a week I'll be talking heavily about the pros too


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## Dungannon

Watched some of the Wisconsin/Bowling Green game before coming to work.  The running back for the Badgers sure looks like the real deal.


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## Crothian

TCU still beating the Oklahoma Sooners....with a little over a minute left...that's huge!!


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## Crothian

Illini makes a comeback and beats Rutgers in OT, sweet!!


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## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> Illini makes a comeback and beats Rutgers in OT, sweet!!



Darn.  I was rooting for the Scarlet Knights in that game.


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## Dungannon

You sure about that, Crothian.  I just checked with Sportsline and they show Rutgers winning, 30-27 in OT.


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## Dungannon

And it's official, the Horned Frogs upset the Sooners, 17-10.   I'm happy, I don't like Oklahoma.


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## Dimwhit

Illinois had one heck of a comeback. I would liked to have seen Rutgers win, but it was a great game.


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## drothgery

I'm sure; I saw the guy going in for the winning score in OT on ESPN2.

Oklahoma is in for a long year, and probably falls out of the rankings after losing to TCU.


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## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> You sure about that, Crothian.  I just checked with Sportsline and they show Rutgers winning, 30-27 in OT.




ritgers scored first in ot, but Illini scored a TD to win


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## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Oklahoma is in for a long year, and probably falls out of the rankings after losing to TCU.




though I'll laugh if Texas still can't beat them.....


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## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> though I'll laugh if Texas still can't beat them.....




Texas should have beat them _last_ year. They've got a mental block about Oklahoma, but I suspect the talent gap's too big this year for them to blow it. Besides, Texas will need an ego boost after losing in the Horshoe next week.


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## Dungannon

At the end of the first quarter, the Washington Huskies actually have the lead in a game, 3-0 over Air Force.


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## Dimwhit

I'm gonna be ticked if Washington wins that. I picked Air Force in the Pick'em...


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## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> ritgers scored first in ot, but Illini scored a TD to win



Okay, I switched to FoxSports.com and they have Illinois winning 33-30 in OT.


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## Dungannon

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'm gonna be ticked if Washington wins that. I picked Air Force in the Pick'em...



Washington just recovered an Air Force fumble and have the ball back.  Still 3-0 with 10:13 left in the 2nd quarter.


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> That was cool.  #9 of OSU had a roughing the kicker call on him, next play he intercepts the ball and scores a TD.





Donte Whitner.


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Donte Whitner.




Ya, at the time I just wasn't sure who it was....


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## fett527

*OH...*


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## Crothian

*...IO*


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And it's official, the Horned Frogs upset the Sooners, 17-10.   I'm happy, I don't like Oklahoma.





Oklahoma= *OVERRATED*

            

So, so happy!


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## fett527

*GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


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## Crothian

they've had the feel of over rated for a while, but no one could beat them.  but losing to the horn frogs....that's something else altogether......


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Okay, I switched to FoxSports.com and they have Illinois winning 33-30 in OT.




I'm happy for Zook and the Illini.  Big 10 off to a great start so far.


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## Dungannon

Ya know, I'm surprised you two (fett & Crothian) didn't sign up for the College Pick 'em contest.


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## fett527

_*grumble*_

Douible post


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## fett527

M seems to be in control over Northern Illinois, even though the Huskies have already shown M's defense to be porous.


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Ya know, I'm surprised you two (fett & Crothian) didn't sign up for the College Pick 'em contest.





Umm...I'm running the College Pick 'Em.

Richardson


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## Dungannon

Oh, that's you.


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## Crothian

i tried to sign up for it, but it didn't like me.  I've had trouble with signing up for the pro version to.


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## Dungannon

Washington & Air Force are tied at 3 at halftime.  Washington's defense is looking much better than I thought it would.


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## Crothian

huh...guess the upset pick of Boise over Georgia was a bad pick......


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## Dungannon

It's still early.


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## Dungannon

And Washington contiues to lead Air Force 10-6 at the start of the 4th quarter.


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## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> It's still early.




georgia's defense looks to much and so does Georgia's offense.  watching it these is not a lot of hope for Boise


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## Dungannon

And the Huskies score again!  17-6 U-Dub!


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## Crothian

that's good, its always nice to get a little space on the scoreboard.  so, how well in the PAC 10 do you think they'll do?  Will they win the all important apple cup? (that is what they call the WSU game, right?)


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## Dungannon

They'll finish in the lower half of the Pac-10.  As for the Apple Cup, of course they'll win.  That's like asking you if Ohio State has a chance against Michigan.


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## Dungannon

And Air Force scores on an 84 yard pass.  Seriously, and 84 yard pass from an _option_ team?  Anyway, it's now 17-13 Washington with 6:54 left in the 4th quarter.


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## Crothian

that's what options teams do, they lull you in with the option and then explode with a big pass play.


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## Dungannon

Washington's defense is wearing down, I think.  They can't get off the field on this drive.  Air Force even converted a 4th & 2.


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## Dungannon

1st & goal at the 1 with 1:05 left.  Washington is gonna lose this game.


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## Crothian

Oh no...hope they can somehow hold.....


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## Dungannon

Nope, Huskies lost 20-17.  The defense didn't hold up.  Air Force had over 170 total yards and 2 TDs in the 4th quarter.


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## Dimwhit

It's halftime now. I'm going to go cry...


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## drothgery

I'm off to a good start in the pick'em; my only mistake so far was in the I-AA game, and I only assigned 1 point to that one. Air Force and CU were nail-biters, though.


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Nope, Huskies lost 20-17.  The defense didn't hold up.  Air Force had over 170 total yards and 2 TDs in the 4th quarter.




Sorry they couldn't hold on for you.

(not too sorry cause I did pick AF)


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## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> It's halftime now. I'm going to go cry...




Crothian and I had them for an upset pick.  I figured it would be more of a shoot out and Boise could pull it out.  Oh well.  Hurts me in the Pick Em though.


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## Dungannon

Actually, I picked AF as well, but when the Huskies looked good for the first three quarters I actually started to believe they might be decent again.


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## fett527

Pitts lettin' me down.  My gut feeling was that ND would win, but I let my hat blind me and picked Pitt.

Auburn's starting to comealive too.


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## Dungannon

fett527 said:
			
		

> but I let my hat blind me and picked Pitt.



Sounds like you need to wear it a little higher on your head, then. 

Sorry, but I couldn't resist that typo.


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Sounds like you need to wear it a little higher on your head, then.
> 
> Sorry, but I couldn't resist that typo.





No typo.  See post #50.


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## Dungannon

fett527 said:
			
		

> No typo.  See post #50.



LOL    That's a heck of a hat you got there, fett.


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## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Pitts lettin' me down.  My gut feeling was that ND would win, but I let my hat blind me and picked Pitt.




I really thought Pitt was the better team, but Palko got hurt and the defense just didn't show up.


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## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> I really thought Pitt was the better team, but Palko got hurt and the defense just didn't show up.



 Never underestimate the importance of a coach in college ball. I think the better coach won that game.


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## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> I really thought Pitt was the better team, but Palko got hurt and the defense just didn't show up.





Me too.  Oh well, if they can beat M more power to them.


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## Dungannon

M, M, who is this M you speak of?  Miami?  Maryland? Maine?  Moosejaw?


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## Crothian

I imagine michigan


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## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Me too.  Oh well, if they can beat M more power to them.




Eh. I'm a fan of a Big East team (Syracuse). So unless ND is good enough to qualify for a BCS bowl (where they wouldn't take a bowl slot from a Big East team), I hope they suck.

(fett527 is an Ohio State fan; take a wild guess at which M he's referring to)


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## Dungannon

drothgery said:
			
		

> (fett527 is an Ohio State fan; take a wild guess at which M he's referring to)



I know, I know, I'm just trying to see if I can get him to actually say the full name.


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## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I know, I know, I'm just trying to see if I can get him to actually say the full name.




you mean "that team up North" ?


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## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I know, I know, I'm just trying to see if I can get him to actually say the full name.




Dungannon, if you can get me to type that out somehow, then...nevermind it will never happen.


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## fett527

Auburn's marching...17-14 GTech


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## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Auburn's marching...17-14 GTech




ya, its been a good game....


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I imagine michigan




Gah.  Better lock all your windows and doors Crothian.  Brutus is watching, and he's got a scooter.


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## fett527

fett527 said:
			
		

> Auburn's marching...17-14 GTech




Nevermind.  Picked off.


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## fett527

Damn.  Clemson beat A&M.


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## Crothian

ya, last minute field goal...exciting stuff....


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## fett527

West Virginia v Syracuse is close.  7-7 in the 2nd


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## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> West Virginia v Syracuse is close.  7-7 in the 2nd




Ick. 15-7 WVA, and the Orange pretty much didn't accomplish a thing offensively. If it weren't for all the takeaways, it wouldn't have been close.


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## Dungannon

This Louisville-Kentucky game has been pretty exciting.  Louisville led 28-7 at half, but it's now 28-17.


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## Dungannon

And now it's 31-17 Louisville.


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## fett527

NC State gave VaTech a run- 20-16


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## Crothian

NC State would be a good team if they could elimeniaqte some of those penalties


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## Captain Tagon

Curse you NC State...CURSE YOU!


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## nakia

Crothian said:
			
		

> ya, last minute field goal...exciting stuff....




I was AT that game, rooting for A&M in the midst of 75,000 screaming orange wearing Clemson fans (who were actually pretty nice). Oh, the heartbreak.

A&M beat themselves -- stupid penalties, dropped passes, and a defense that permanently is stuck in "prevent" mode.

As an A&M fan, I am all up on the Buckeye bandwagon for next week.


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## Crothian

We are happy to have you on the Bandwagon...there is always room on our bandwagon...

So,m the underdog FSU team leads miami by 10......in the first quarter....


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## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> We are happy to have you on the Bandwagon...there is always room on our bandwagon...
> 
> So,m the underdog FSU team leads miami by 10......in the first quarter....




and never scores another point, but they win anyway.  FSU 10, Miami 7

This was a trainwreck of a football game.  I couldn't stop watching and stayed up to finish it.  Wright, QB for Miami, was sacked 9 times, FSU couldn't get a QB to do anything (Weatherford or Lee) and both offenses were positivly anemic in the red zone.  FSU recovers a blocked punt inside the 5 and can't score- missed field goal. Miami drives down the filed from their own 5 and get to the FSU 3 and can't score- missed field goal.

I just couldn't look away...


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> and never scores another point, but they win anyway.  FSU 10, Miami 7
> 
> This was a trainwreck of a football game.  I couldn't stop watching and stayed up to finish it.  Wright, QB for Miami, was sacked 9 times, FSU couldn't get a QB to do anything (Weatherford or Lee) and both offenses were positivly anemic in the red zone.  FSU recovers a blocked punt inside the 5 and can't score- missed field goal. Miami drives down the filed from their own 5 and get to the FSU 3 and can't score- missed field goal.
> 
> I just couldn't look away...



 And these are two ranked teams, eh? Personally, I'm not a fan of the Florida teams, so this bodes well...


----------



## nakia

Crothian said:
			
		

> We are happy to have you on the Bandwagon...there is always room on our bandwagon...
> 
> So,m the underdog FSU team leads miami by 10......in the first quarter....




Are you sure there's room?  Doesn't OSU have 90,000 students or something?

I went to bed on the FSU/Miami game.  Kinda glad now that I know what happened, train wreck or no.


----------



## Crothian

nakia said:
			
		

> Are you sure there's room?  Doesn't OSU have 90,000 students or something?




always room for one more and its only about 55k



> I went to bed on the FSU/Miami game.  Kinda glad now that I know what happened, train wreck or no.




I stayed up to watch it, it was a relaly good game with lots of mistakes and problems and temas that hate each other.


----------



## nakia

Crothian said:
			
		

> always room for one more and its only about 55k
> 
> 
> 
> I stayed up to watch it, it was a relaly good game with lots of mistakes and problems and temas that hate each other.




Well, I'm on board.  Go Buckeyes!  Beat Texas!

My wife and I went to a sports bar to eat and watch some of the game last night since we don't have TV yet.  There was just no way I could make it to the end and teach today.

There seems to be a lot of top teams without quarterbacks.  Wasn't that Oklahoma's problem?


----------



## Crothian

Oklhoma had a lot of problems, they couldn't run the ball and TCU moved the ball pretty good verse them.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I stayed up to watch it, it was a relaly good game with lots of mistakes and problems and temas that hate each other.




I can't say that was a good game.  It was a close game where the outcome was in doubt, but not a good one.  Too much sloppy play.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> I can't say that was not a good game.  It was a close game where the outcome was in doubt, but not a good one.  Too much sloppy play.




that made it a good game to watch for me


----------



## Crothian

looks like Oklahoma is starting a freshman this week for QB...


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> that made it a good game to watch for me




Okay, I was watching tennis (second week of the US Open) instead for most of that game; I saw the same game (sloppy game where one team can't move the ball but gets turnovers; other team can move the ball but can't score) on Sunday when SU played WVA (except that Miami, err, WVA won that one).


----------



## Dungannon

I watched the Miami-FSU game and was simply amazed at two things, how bad FSU's offense looked and how inept Miami's special teams looked.  Aren't those supposed to be strengths for those respective teams?  And when you throw in Virginia Tech's erratic game it doesn't appear that there is a dominant team in the ACC this year.  Their title game could very well feature two teams with 2 losses each.


----------



## Crothian

Boston College comes in and will claim the ACC title...maybe not.  Ya, ACC seems to up for grabs.


----------



## The Shaman

Two words:

*FIGHT* *ON!*

How sweet would it be for SC to beat Texas in the Rose Bowl for a three-peat title?!?


----------



## drothgery

The Shaman said:
			
		

> Two words:
> 
> *FIGHT* *ON!*
> 
> How sweet would it be for SC to beat Texas in the Rose Bowl for a three-peat title?!?




I'm partial to a USC-Ohio State game myself (okay, I'd really like Syracuse-Ohio State, but the Orange haven't had a realistic shot since McNabb graduated).


----------



## Crothian

WEll, I think we can safetly say USC will win out.  Cal seemed to be their biggest hurdle but with their QB breaking his leg or something it seems doubtful now.


----------



## Dungannon

WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING MAY UPSET THOSE FANS LIVING IN THE OHIO AREA. (this means you, Crothian & fett )

Just finished making my College picks for week 2.  Anyone else with me in picking Texas and Michigan to win?


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING MAY UPSET THOSE FANS LIVING IN THE OHIO AREA. (this means you, Crothian & fett )
> 
> Just finished making my College picks for week 2.  Anyone else with me in picking Texas and Michigan to win?



 I don't remember who I picks, but it's certainly not a stretch. Texas has a really good shot and going all the way this year, and if they falter, Michigan may well pick up the slack.

Though with an upset over Texas, Ohio State has a great shot. Nice to see they have an offense this year.


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING MAY UPSET THOSE FANS LIVING IN THE OHIO AREA. (this means you, Crothian & fett )
> 
> Just finished making my College picks for week 2.  Anyone else with me in picking Texas and Michigan to win?




Talent and coaching is no worse than a wash, and the Buckeyes are at home. I'd take Ohio State in this one even if I wasn't an Ohio native.


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING MAY UPSET THOSE FANS LIVING IN THE OHIO AREA. (this means you, Crothian & fett )
> 
> Just finished making my College picks for week 2.  Anyone else with me in picking Texas and Michigan to win?




It's ok.  Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, no matter how misguided it may be.  

Serioiusly, OSU has an emerging offense, but they will win how they have been winning since Tressell arrived- DE-FENSE.  With the linebackers the Bucks have they will stop Vince Young.  Think about who they practice against on the scout team.


----------



## nakia

Crothian said:
			
		

> Boston College comes in and will claim the ACC title...maybe not.  Ya, ACC seems to up for grabs.




Maybe this will be the year Virginia breaks through.  It may be wishful thinking (I was at Virginia for my doctorate), but Al Groh has done a good job there and I would like to see them take it up a notch.  Of course, they lost a number of good people from last year.


----------



## diaglo

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I watched the Miami-FSU game and was simply amazed at two things, how bad FSU's offense looked and how inept Miami's special teams looked.  Aren't those supposed to be strengths for those respective teams?  And when you throw in Virginia Tech's erratic game it doesn't appear that there is a dominant team in the ACC this year.  Their title game could very well feature two teams with 2 losses each.



bah,  we will claim the title.


undefeated, baby...

Go Terps.


----------



## fett527

What the heck are the people that vote in the coaches poll smoking?  I know I'm biased, but to still have Tennessee, VaTech and LSU in front of OSU is absurd.  I know it's early, but the Vols struggled with *UAB* and Tech looked horrible.  Just absurd.

Oh well, when the Bucks beat Texas they'll leapfrog them all.

How many number one votes should the winner (read:Buckeyes) of the Texas/OSU game receive, assuming USC soundly defeats Arkansas?


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> What the heck are the people that vote in the coaches poll smoking?  I know I'm biased, but to still have Tennessee, VaTech and LSU in front of OSU is absurd.  I know it's early, but the Vols struggled with *UAB* and Tech looked horrible.  Just absurd.
> 
> Oh well, when the Bucks beat Texas they'll leapfrog them all.
> 
> How many number one votes should the winner (read:Buckeyes) of the Texas/OSU game receive, assuming USC soundly defeats Arkansas?



 The polls are a fairly significant joke. I agree with Trev Albert--they should be no polls whatsoever until the sixth week of the season. None. Zip. Nada.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> The polls are a fairly significant joke. I agree with Trev Albert--they should be no polls whatsoever until the sixth week of the season. None. Zip. Nada.




Oh I know all this and agree wholeheartedly of course. (Although I still want Trev Alberts singing the OSU fight song with his face painted like Brutus on my doorstep for my birthday)

But as long as they have them I am going to point out when I feel the voting is completely out of whack.


----------



## fett527

*Trev Alberts Fired!!!!!!!*

Wow, as soon as I mention my hat for Trev Alberts my brother alerts me too this:



> Trev fired?
> Trev bashers, your wish has come true. Trev Alberts has reportedly been fired from ESPN after not showing up on Sunday claiming he wasn't happy with his role. That's why you might have noticed Mark May going solo with Rece Davis for most of the weekend




http://www.collegefootballnews.com/ 

Oh how sweet!

EDIT: Confirmation here:  http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...06sep07,1,4036782.story?coll=cs-college-print


----------



## fett527

Obviously thinking a lot about this weekend, big game you know.

Talking with my brother through e-mail and something I thought of is that I don't think Texas knows what it's getting into by coming to The Shoe.  When was the last time Texas played a game, any game, in a hostile stadium environment?  Let alone a game as big as this one.  

But what about Oklahoma you say?  Well, they play in the Red River shootout in neutral territory.  Who else is a big rival?  A&M maybe, but still in Texas and there is a lot of orange in the stadium still.  Texas has won 21 of their last 22 road games (I don't know if that includes the shootout, but I assume it does) but none of them has prepared them for what they will walk into on Saturday.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Oh I know all this and agree wholeheartedly of course. (Although I still want Trev Alberts singing the OSU fight song with his face painted like Brutus on my doorstep for my birthday)




Wow......I'd have gone with some else, notible a female but hey, whatever works...


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Wow......I'd have gone with some else, notible a female but hey, whatever works...




Well, now I don't have to listen to him hate on the Buckeyes anymore.


----------



## nakia

fett527 said:
			
		

> Obviously thinking a lot about this weekend, big game you know.
> 
> Talking with my brother through e-mail and something I thought of is that I don't think Texas knows what it's getting into by coming to The Shoe.  When was the last time Texas played a game, any game, in a hostile stadium environment?  Let alone a game as big as this one.
> 
> But what about Oklahoma you say?  Well, they play in the Red River shootout in neutral territory.  Who else is a big rival?  A&M maybe, but still in Texas and there is a lot of orange in the stadium still.  Texas has won 21 of their last 22 road games (I don't know if that includes the shootout, but I assume it does) but none of them has prepared them for what they will walk into on Saturday.




Having been to games at Kyle Field at A&M, I can say that's a pretty hostile place, especially for Texas.  A&M really kicks it up a notch when in front of it's home crowd.  I watched at #3 Nebraska team get stomped by the unranked Aggies. And I'm not sure that 21/22 number counts the Red River Shootout, because hasn't Texas lost to Oklahoma three times in a row?

But your point is taken.  Ohio is pretty far from Texas and I'm sure the horseshoe will be rockin.  I'm rooting for the Buckeyes!


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Well, now I don't have to listen to him hate on the Buckeyes anymore.




Like it matters.  There is always going to be someoine hating on the Buckeyes, been that way for over a hundred years......


----------



## fett527

nakia said:
			
		

> Having been to games at Kyle Field at A&M, I can say that's a pretty hostile place, especially for Texas.  A&M really kicks it up a notch when in front of it's home crowd.  I watched at #3 Nebraska team get stomped by the unranked Aggies. And I'm not sure that 21/22 number counts the Red River Shootout, because hasn't Texas lost to Oklahoma three times in a row?
> 
> But your point is taken.  Ohio is pretty far from Texas and I'm sure the horseshoe will be rockin.  I'm rooting for the Buckeyes!




Thanks, I was looking for someone who might have a little different perspective.  You would be correct that the 21/22 stat would not include the Red River due to the roadblock Oklahoma is for the Longhorns.  Brain fart on that one.


----------



## Captain Tagon

Crothian said:
			
		

> Boston College comes in and will claim the ACC title...maybe not.  Ya, ACC seems to up for grabs.





Maybe State has an outside shot...if they can stop committing penalties.


----------



## Dungannon

With Trev Alberts gone, I'm gonna propose something not very many people will agree with.  ESPN should hire Brian Bosworth to replace him.  I know he struggled in the NFL and his acting career was a complete flop, but he _does_ know football and I thought he did a really good job when he was a studio analyst for TBS a couple of years ago.


----------



## Crothian

I've never seen him be an analyst so I have no idea how good he would be.


----------



## fett527

Me either.  

I'm gonna repost this question too:

How many number one votes should the winner (read:Buckeyes) of the Texas/OSU game receive, assuming USC soundly defeats Arkansas?


----------



## Crothian

no more then 10, but I say around 5.  It seems to me first place votes are lost more then they ar egained, so it would take USC doing bad to get mor ethen this.


----------



## Dungannon

Well, Texas got 5 first place votes in the last poll so I'd imagine if OSU won that game they'd pick up 3 or 4 of them.  If Texas wins, that could sway some of the USC votes there way, say 4 or 5.  Bottom line on the prediction, if Texas wins they'll have 9-10 first place votes next week and if OSU wins they'll have 3-4 first place votes.


----------



## fett527

You know I did watch some of the Oklahoma St./FAU gaem last night.  It was bad.  Really bad.  Flipped as soon as the Pats/Raiders came on.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Me either.
> 
> I'm gonna repost this question too:
> 
> How many number one votes should the winner (read:Buckeyes) of the Texas/OSU game receive, assuming USC soundly defeats Arkansas?




How many _should_ they get (assuming the Buckeyes win a Tressell special, which is to say by a last-second field goal)? Zero. But Texas shouldn't be getting any now; until USC loses, or at least wins ugly, voting for someone else as #1 is silly.

How many _will_ they get? Probably 3 or 4.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> How many _should_ they get (assuming the Buckeyes win a Tressell special, which is to say by a last-second field goal)? Zero...




Why?  OSU rolls over a MAC team picked to win their conference and beats the number 2 team in the country and they shouldn't get any 1st place votes?  USC will have beaten Hawaii and Arkansas.  Big deal.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> Why?  OSU rolls over a MAC team picked to win their conference and beats the number 2 team in the country and they shouldn't get any 1st place votes?  USC will have beaten Hawaii and Arkansas.  Big deal.



 Because, the number one rule of this wonderful ranking  system is that you don't drop a team in the rankings when they win big, even against the worst team in the country.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Because, the number one rule of this wonderful ranking  system is that you don't drop a team in the rankings when they win big, even against the worst team in the country.




Yeah, I was just hoping for a legitimate reason.  Also why there shouldn't be any rankings until October at least.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Why?  OSU rolls over a MAC team picked to win their conference and beats the number 2 team in the country and they shouldn't get any 1st place votes?  USC will have beaten Hawaii and Arkansas.  Big deal.




I've always been of the opinion that unless a team's suffering a massive talent drop-off after winning a national championship, they're #1 until someone at least proves they're vulnerable. After winning two straight, that's even more true.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> I've always been of the opinion that unless a team's suffering a massive talent drop-off after winning a national championship, they're #1 until someone at least proves they're vulnerable. After winning two straight, that's even more true.




But teams play a cream puff schedule for the most part.  USC will still be number one, but its okay if not everyone votes for them.

And Ohio ties Pitt at 7!!


----------



## Dungannon

Ahh, sometimes I hate my work schedule.  I miss out on 95% of the college football games.


----------



## Crothian

only one game matters this weekend, Texas OSU.....


----------



## Dungannon

And I'll be working during it. 

My choices tomorrow are:
Notre Dame vs. Michigan on ABC
Clemson vs. Maryland on ESPN
Kansas St. vs. Marshall on ESPN2
Army vs. Boston College on ESPN Classic
Tulsa vs. Oklahoma on CSN

I have to leave for work at 3 so I'm gonna miss everything else.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> But teams play a cream puff schedule for the most part.  USC will still be number one, but its okay if not everyone votes for them.




It's okay if they honestly can make a case that Texas (honestly, I'd have far fewer problems with Ohio State getting #1 votes than with Texas; the Buckeyes are much better against teams with roughly equivalent talent than the Longhorns) is better than USC. But that's not what's going on, I'd bet; it's just Texas-state homer-ism and a few people who think that USC can't possibly win three titles in a row (which, even if true, doesn't mean they're not the best team right now).


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> It's okay if they honestly can make a case that Texas (honestly, I'd have far fewer problems with Ohio State getting #1 votes than with Texas; the Buckeyes are much better against teams with roughly equivalent talent than the Longhorns) is better than USC. But that's not what's going on, I'd bet; it's just Texas-state homer-ism and a few people who think that USC can't possibly win three titles in a row (which, even if true, doesn't mean they're not the best team right now).




Well, it is a biased system as we learned first hand last year with Texas getting the bump over Cal.


----------



## fett527

I saw Ohio beat Pitt!!!!!!!!!   16-10  Wow.  Pitt is going downhill fast.

(I was at Great American Ballpark watching the Reds lose last night and didn't watch)


----------



## fett527

I'll be watching ND v M and of course...


*GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


----------



## Dungannon

Ahh, early morning football.   I'm watching Kansas St. vs. Marshall.  Decent game so far, K St. leads 21-13 in the 2nd quarter.


----------



## Crothian

ND beating up Michigian...that's not right.....


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> ND beating up Michigian...that's not right.....



 I know it's very early in the season, but it's looking like a new era has begun in Notre Dame.


----------



## Crothian

I think Pitt and Michigan are not as good as people think...but ND is looking better then it has in the past years.  So, I'm guessing its a bit of both.


----------



## Dimwhit

i think point, I do think too many people are impressed with Pitt anymore.


----------



## Crothian

Marshall has a chance to beat KSU...again.  

Michigian is not looking like a top 5 team.  Their offensive line is not well, their defense just can't really stop ND.  ND is doing a good job, but Michigan is relaly over rated in the polls I think.


----------



## fett527

14-3 ND at half.  I really thought M's offense was better than this.  ND is looking good.


----------



## Crothian

Mich's offensive line is not so good.....

Marshall is close to an upset, if they can just stop turning it over....


----------



## fett527

Yeah.  Snyder better get those boys to hold on to the ball.


THis is why I love cable:

ND v M- ABC
Clemson v Maryland- ESPN
KS v Marshall- ESPN2
BC v Army- ESPN Classic (Live)
Oklahoma v Tulsa- FSN

I love Gameday!


----------



## Crothian

Ya, its pretty freaking sweet.  

KSU is getting their offense going, I'm not sure Marshall can do it...


----------



## Dimwhit

And Marshall couldn't stop turning it over. Tough break. Not looking good for them now.


----------



## Crothian

Ohio got the big win last night, so at least the MAC is stilling making statements....


----------



## Dimwhit

Wow! Two huge mistakes by KSU! Marshall has a great chance now.

Edit: Never mind. 3 yards - 25 seconds...


----------



## fett527

Halftime:

Oklahoma  7
Tulsa       6

Another unhappy day in Norman so far.


----------



## Dimwhit

That was one of the weirdest finishes I've ever seen. Marshall just killed themselves.


----------



## Crothian

marshall had five turnovers....that's just terrible....


----------



## Dimwhit

And they still could have won. They should have done a run to the middle of the field instead of tempting fate with a pass. Of course, that's easy to say after the fact.


----------



## fett527

What time you heading to The Shoe Crothian?


----------



## fett527

ND picks of M in teh endzone.  Too bad!


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> What time you heading to The Shoe Crothian?




Another two hours or so when Lrd Apoc shows up.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> ND picks of M in teh endzone.  Too bad!




Nice sack to sforce the punt after the turnover, but it is not looking good for the Wolverines.


----------



## Dungannon

I can't believe the end of that K State-Marshall game.  That was definitely _not_ the time for the Marshall coach to get aggressive.

And fett, I got all those games plus two local stations are broadcasting the Cincinnati-Penn State and Virginia Tech-Duke games.


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I can't believe the end of that K State-Marshall game.  That was definitely _not_ the time for the Marshall coach to get aggressive.
> 
> And fett, I got all those games plus two local stations are broadcasting the Cincinnati-Penn State and Virginia Tech-Duke games.



Ain't it grand?!!????!?!?!?


----------



## Crothian

Wow, fear the turtle....


----------



## fett527

I forgot about PSU and Cincy on ESPNplus!  Cincy's not holding up very well.  This is what Penn State needed to do- build their confidence back up.


----------



## Dungannon

I hope Penn State returns to respectability.  I've always liked that program.  I want JoePa to walk away on a positive note.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian, I can't believe you're going to that game! Best I can get to is Boise-Bowling Green, and with both of them losing, tickets should be easy to come by. Have fun!


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Crothian, I can't believe you're going to that game! Best I can get to is Boise-Bowling Green, and with both of them losing, tickets should be easy to come by. Have fun!




I got lucky, friends of the family scheduled a trip for this weekend and their own kids had other plans.  So, I got them.


----------



## romp

hehe   go bobcats!!!


----------



## Crothian

Wolverines cannot catch a break.....


----------



## Crothian

well, they score...but can they have a comeback?


----------



## Dimwhit

And they're still in it. Got the ball with 2 minutes left. Another good ending today.

Edit: OK, so that didn't last long...


----------



## Crothian

wow, ND gets the upset.  They might be the only team on USC's schedule with a good chance to beat them.  Good menaning bette rthen 1 out of 3


----------



## Dimwhit

I really wish the Tulsa-OK game was on TV for me. Go WAC!!


----------



## Crothian

its been friustrating, the tulsa game.  The defense just isn't quite good enough to stop them when they need to.  2 point game though


----------



## Dungannon

I have a question for Buckeye fans.  Is OSU afraid to play non-conference games on the road?  The reason I ask is, over the past four seasons including this one, OSU has only played two non-conference games on the road, @ Cincinnati in 2002 and @ NC State last year.  Don't most teams play _at least_ one non-conference road game a year?


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I have a question for Buckeye fans.  Is OSU afraid to play non-conference games on the road?  The reason I ask is, over the past four seasons including this one, OSU has only played two non-conference games on the road, @ Cincinnati in 2002 and @ NC State last year.  Don't most teams play _at least_ one non-conference road game a year?




We play at Texas next year.

OSU is a money making program, they have the resources to pay schools to play in the Horseshoe.  Its not about being afraid, I'm sure if other big school teams could schedule most of the non conferance games at home they would too.


----------



## Dungannon

I understand the money part of it, just seems like more teams should be requesting a "home & home" agreement.  I know OSU isn't the only team that does it, either. Nebraska has done it for decades, for one.

And Washington jumps out to a quick 7-0 lead on Cal.


----------



## Crothian

Did Cal lose their QB?  I heard he was injuried but never heard how bad.


----------



## Dungannon

Yeah, he broke his leg last week.


----------



## Crothian

does Cal have a team without him?


----------



## Dungannon

They still have Marshawn Lynch at RB and a decent defense, but losing the starting QB is gonna hurt them, no doubt.


----------



## Crothian

Iowa state takes the lead over Iowa.....Big Ten in trouble....


----------



## fett527

M lost.  Too bad!

Tulsa couldn't hold on but showed Oklahoma to be as bad as I know they are.


----------



## Dungannon

After watching the Clemson/Maryland game I'm gonna state right now that next week Clemson will beat Miami.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> After watching the Clemson/Maryland game I'm gonna state right now that next week Clemson will beat Miami.




the turtle couldn't pull it off, shame.  I missed how it ended and never saw a final score.  But making the claim Miami will go down to them is pretty big.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Iowa state takes the lead over Iowa.....Big Ten in trouble....




Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue all rolled to wins and Minnesota doesn't seem to be having a problem.


----------



## Dungannon

Maryland had 1st & 10 at the Clemson 40 with just under 2 minutes left and the score 28-24 Clemson and the Tigers pushed them backward.  The Terps failed to convert a 4th & 20something with 45 seconds left.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue all rolled to wins and Minnesota doesn't seem to be having a problem.




ya, but until Michigan lost the Big ten was undefeated in non conferance play


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I have a question for Buckeye fans.  Is OSU afraid to play non-conference games on the road?  The reason I ask is, over the past four seasons including this one, OSU has only played two non-conference games on the road, @ Cincinnati in 2002 and @ NC State last year.  Don't most teams play _at least_ one non-conference road game a year?




We have the "hom and home" games every year for the next 7 years already scheduled.  Texas next year then Miami, VaTech and USC.


----------



## Dungannon

And Cal marches down the field and ties the score at 7.  Joe Ayoob was 4/4 for 55 yards and the TD on the drive.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And Cal marches down the field and ties the score at 7.  Joe Ayoob was 4/4 for 55 yards and the TD on the drive.




nice, maybe they won't lose much with the second QB


----------



## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> nice, maybe they won't lose much with the second QB



Oh, sure, root for the bad guys.  Ya namby pamby flatlander.


----------



## Dungannon

Unbelievable.  Washington allows Cal to complete a 3rd & 14 _and_ a 3rd & 24 on this drive.


----------



## Dimwhit

Go Cal!!

I gotta say, I am liking the instant replay in college. Some really bad calls are finally being reversed, like Cal's second TD.


----------



## Dungannon

_*whacks Dimwhit with a stick*_

What happened on the TD play?  I can't see the game and have to follow along online.


----------



## Dimwhit

It was a long pass play. The ref ruled it incomplete, but the replay clearly showed he had the ball with a foot about a yard inside the field of play. Not sure how the ref missed it, but it got corrected.

Of course, Washington just fumbled a punt return but the ref called the guy down, and they didn't look at it. What goes around comes around...

And stop hitting me with that stick, dagnabit!


----------



## Dungannon

I have faith that Willingham will turn around the UW program, just not this year.  I see 3 wins for them, 4 if they get lucky.  It's a sad time for this longtime Husky fan.


----------



## drothgery

Pick-em games so far

final --

ND over Michigan (missed that one, but it only cost me a point; Michigan had no business being ranked #3 anyway)
Virginia Tech over Duke
BC over Army
Auburn over Mississippi State (dropping 10 points here has allowed me to sneak into second place as I write this)
Iowa State over Iowa (on the other hand, if we had any Cyclones fans, I'll drop when this registers)
Cal over Washington
Georgia Tech over UNC

in progress -
South Carolina leads Georgia 9-7
Boise leads Oregon State 14-7 (I'm glad I only put two points here, but I took Oregon State as part of my "never go against a BCS team playing a minor conference team at home, unless the BCS team is a perenial doormat and the minor conference team is really good" policy)


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I have faith that Willingham will turn around the UW program, just not this year.  I see 3 wins for them, 4 if they get lucky.  It's a sad time for this longtime Husky fan.



 He'll fix them, but yeah, probably not this year. Watching the game, it doesn't really seem to be as close as the score shows. Washington has had a few lucky breaks that have kept them in the game. But I am impressed with the Huskies this year. They are vastly improved. They just need another year to really click.

Doesn't help that the Pac-10 is very competitive.


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> (I'm glad I only put two points here, but I took Oregon State as part of my "never go against a BCS team playing a minor conference team at home, unless the BCS team is a perenial doormat and the minor conference team is really good" policy)




I know after last week few believe me, but Boise is a really good team. The blowout happened for one reason last week. Boise's QB handed them the game singlehandedly. I've never seen a game before where one player could be completely blamed for a loss--last week was one of those games. Georgia was the better team, of course, but it should have been a closer game.

I'm still a little bummed about that game...


----------



## Dungannon

Heh, I picked Boise State but only put 1 point on the game.  So far I missed on Michigan (3 pts.) and Iowa (4 pts.).


----------



## Dungannon

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> He'll fix them, but yeah, probably not this year. Watching the game, it doesn't really seem to be as close as the score shows. Washington has had a few lucky breaks that have kept them in the game. But I am impressed with the Huskies this year. They are vastly improved. They just need another year to really click.
> 
> Doesn't help that the Pac-10 is very competitive.



The offense looks ok, but the defense is just atrocious.  They won't be really competitive until he can recruit some talent and depth on that side of the ball.


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I know after last week few believe me, but Boise is a really good team.




Maybe, but Oregon State isn't a bad team, and they were at home, and, well, they came back to win.


----------



## Dungannon

Oooh, Crothian can't be too happy right now.  Texas just took the lead, 23-22, with 2:37 left in the 4th quarter.


----------



## drothgery

I can't believe a coach as good as Tresssell so badly mismanaged the endgame (of course, the game-winning TD pass was clearly incomplete, but that's another story).

First, they should have run the ball to the center of the field before the last field goal attempt (and in a lot of 3rd and 3 situations, they passed instead of running, while ahead).

Then, after the fumble, they should have just let Texas score on the next play; they needed a touchdown whether Texas got a TD or a field goal, and keeps Texas from doing the smart thing (which they did by accident) of moving the ball as close to the goal line as possible, taking as much time as possible, and then downing the ball at the 1 or so. If they let Texas score, they're down by 8 (assuming no two-point attempts or missed extra points), and have to return a kickoff to set up a tying drive with two minutes. A lot easier than taking a team the length of the field with 30 seconds to go.


----------



## fett527

What the talking heads will discuss about OSU:

Ginn was underutilized

Why two quarterbacks?  (Both played well, and both should have had TDs but still)

Why we lost:  Hamby dropping the pass in the endzone, Tressel not just running the ball to get the missed field goal closer than 50 yards.  Huston is good, but he is not Nugent.

The defense was awesome.  The offense couldn't convert TDs

And I'm going to bed.


----------



## Dungannon

And somewhere, Crothian is kicking a puppy on his way out of the 'Shoe...


----------



## romp

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And somewhere, Crothian is kicking a puppy on his way out of the 'Shoe...




slashing the tires on a Texas fans car is more likely, 1460AM will be exploding with comments about the offensive struggles, yeesh, Hambry dropping that pass really hurt ...

that Tx band is like really really annoying, almost as annoying as Michigans'


----------



## Dimwhit

Well crap. We're 0-2 and have to play Bowling Green. Close one against Oregon State, but still disappointing.

About all Boise has left that they can accomplish this year is winning the WAC. But if they don't win a game soon...


----------



## Dungannon

Just watched the end of a very big win for LSU.  Wish I could've seen the whole game.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, what a game.  I'm pissed we lost, but it was a good game.  Lots of scoring, sloppy turn overs, stupid penalties....the offense was not good, the defense was not good...special teams was the only really good part of the game.  And scoring a TD instead of 5 field goals would not be out of line

Go Purdue!!!!


----------



## Nightfall

Go WVU!


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> ...the defense was not good...




Are you kidding me?  The OSU defense was SUPERB!  They held arguably the best player in college football to 2 TDs.  Both passing.  And the last one I blame Tressell for not having Huston boot the ball to the endzone and instead giving up great field position.  They did not let Young beat them with his running ability which was the goal.  The defense forced at least 3 turnovers and sacked Young twice I believe (sorry I don't have time to look up the exact numbers).  AJ Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Donte Whitner were all over this and they did a stupendous job.  The most telling stat will be OSU's average starting field position which OSU's offense could not take adavantage of.  The defense almost won this game for the Bucks.  

The offense did not want it enough.

Tressel did not want it enough.

The defense wanted it.


----------



## Crothian

the first quarter the defesne did nothing.  THen it came about, but it failed again.


----------



## Dimwhit

This Texas-Ohio State game is a PERFECT example of the major, major flaw with the polling system. The #4 team loses by 3 points to the #2 team (using AP poll info). The #4 team should remain #4, or maybe drop to #5. That's it. But Ohio could conceivable drop out of the Top 10 with that loss. We'll see.


----------



## drothgery

Nightfall said:
			
		

> Go WVU!




And don't come back   

Okay, I'm still bitter after West Virginia pretty much shut down the best player my high school has ever produced (SU RB Damien Rhodes) back in the opener... 

At least the Orange beat a I-A team this week, even it was Buffalo. 

Also worth noting...

Dungannon seems to be running away with the pick-em; I've moved into second place, but my lead there is pretty tenuous.


----------



## Nightfall

Drogy,

Don't hate the player. Hate the game.  Fact is WVU's D has improved dramatically this season and it shows. Admittedly it's only been two games but the fact they've kept the opposition to only a touchdown, really speaks about the D's ability this season. We'll see though if it holds up as the games go on.


----------



## Crothian

Big East is wide open, WVU has had some good teams but could never break through maybe this is their year.....


----------



## Nightfall

Well it would be nice to be #1 in the Big East this year. We'll see if it plays out. Still have Pittsburgh (home town rivals), VA Tech, (ALWAYS rivals), and of course Louisville. Then there's always Rutgers, Maryland (big game there), and Cinny. We'll see how it plays out. But I'm liking the fact, unlike last season, TACKLING has improved.


----------



## drothgery

Next week should say a lot more than this week did about the Big East (except that losing to Ohio just destroyed Pitt's credibility; if they'd beat up on Ohio as expected, they'd be able to say "hey, ND is pretty good"), with SU vs. Virginia, L'ville vs. Oregon State, WVU vs. Maryland, and UConn at Ga Tech. USF, well, we won't really know anything about them until they play Pitt (as it'd be a huge shocker if they didn't beat UCF, then lose to L'ville and Miami).

My hope, though not my expectation, is that the Orange can put together something resembling a passing game to go with Rhodes and that defense. I doubt WVU is going to steamroll through the Big East without losing, so SU might well still be in the running unless L'ville does the expected and steamrolls through the Big East without losing.

This week, everyone except Cinci played teams that they expected to beat pretty easily (mostly I-AA teams), while Cinci played someone they expected to get beat by (Penn State); the only place where expections weren't met was Pitt losing to Ohio.


----------



## Nightfall

Droggy,

Yep next week will be the real test IMHO for WVU.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> the first quarter the defesne did nothing.  THen it came about, but it failed again.



'The defense had one bad drive- the first one.  They held them to a field goal on the second and were spot on the rest of the game giving up only field goals until the last drive.  On that last drive Texas started near mid-field because they didn't kick to the endzone and then got a pass interference call- likely their only big mistake all night.  I'm sorry but I'm in disbelief that anyone could watch that game and say the OSU defense did poorly ESPECIALLY if you look at the linebacker play.


----------



## Crothian

Linebackers did weel, the d line did not, the secondary left guys open.  I don't know what it looked like on the TV, but being there the defense did not look impressive.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Linebackers did weel, the d line did not, the secondary left guys open.  I don't know what it looked like on the TV, but being there the defense did not look impressive.





I'll at least give it a cuople of days to read what's being said.  I'm more than a little biased.    The loss stung since they had ample opportunity to put it away.


----------



## fett527

And of course I do not give up hope:



> Before buying into any hype claiming the Buckeyes are completely out of the national title hunt, sit back and allow teams to play one another. LSU, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Georgia, and USC have an incredibly tough road ahead with each playing at least one of the other unbeatens. Texas still has to get by OU and Texas A&M, and while that seems more than a little likely; remember these are rivalry games. Florida, Florida State, and Oklahoma all played for championships with one-loss squads over the past 10 years. For that matter, Ohio State would have played for a second title in 2003 without a loss to Michigan.
> 
> The Buckeyes no longer control their own destiny, but they do have a better than average shot of winning out and playing for at least a top five finish…and maybe with a little luck – a national championship.


----------



## romp

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> But Ohio could conceivable drop out of the Top 10 with that loss. We'll see.




when did the Ohio Bobcats break into the Top 10??? I mean I know we upset Pitt but c'mon ...


----------



## Crothian

OSU is not out of the national title yet.  With a tough Big Ten Schedule ahead ofthem and with the other big teams having mostly tough games (still not convinced USC does) a lot can happen.


----------



## drothgery

Next week's games of note

Tennessee v. Florida - It'll be the high-profile matchup of the week, but Florida should win.

BC v. FSU - Somehow, I'm thinking the first six quarters FSU's played are more typical than the last two, so BC may have a shot at home.

L'ville v. Oregon State - should give a good indication of whether the Cardinals are for real.

Miami v. Clemson - trap game for the 'Canes.

Virginia v. Syracuse - Orange are at home, and a lot better than Western Michigan.


----------



## Crothian

ND and MSU....MSU has a good offense, I think they will challenge ND more then most people expect.


----------



## fett527

Utah v TCU

Interesting game so far, neither team dominating, Utes up 10-7.


----------



## Crothian

utes pull away in the second half


----------



## fett527

gettin there-  17-7


----------



## Crothian

ya, so that prediction didn't pan out


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> ya, so that prediction didn't pan out




Nope.  17-17


----------



## Crothian

utah gets robbed in OT, there should have been a flag


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> utah gets robbed in OT, there should have been a flag




Where?  Which play?


----------



## Dimwhit

So TCU won, eh? They're having an interesting season. Nothing like beating Oklahoma, then losing to SMU.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> So TCU won, eh? They're having an interesting season. Nothing like beating Oklahoma, then losing to SMU.




and then ending the second longest win streak in the country.


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, I forgot about that.

You know, I'm really tempted to offer a bet to you and Crothian on the Bowling Green/Boise game. BG is in your neck of the woods, aren't they?


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Where?  Which play?




the play theat TCU scored on, there wasa very obvious illegal pick to clear the wide reciever


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Yeah, I forgot about that.
> 
> You know, I'm really tempted to offer a bet to you and Crothian on the Bowling Green/Boise game. BG is in your neck of the woods, aren't they?




its in the north west part of the state, so ya


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Yeah, I forgot about that.
> 
> You know, I'm really tempted to offer a bet to you and Crothian on the Bowling Green/Boise game. BG is in your neck of the woods, aren't they?




Just had lunch with my friend who graduated from BG.  They've got a heck of a QB.

Oh yeah, I'll be at The Shoe this weekend looking for the Bucks to take it to San Diego State.  Coincidentally with my friend from BG.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Just had lunch with my friend who graduated from BG.  They've got a heck of a QB.
> 
> Oh yeah, I'll be at The Shoe this weekend looking for the Bucks to take it to San Diego State.  Coincidentally with my friend from BG.




should be an easier game then last week.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> should be an easier game then last week.




"Should" being the key.  Remember what happend 2 years ago.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> "Should" being the key.  Remember what happend 2 years ago.





that was then...now they are hungry after a close game with the best team in the country.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> that was then...now they are hungry after a close game with the best team in the country.




That's what I'm expecting.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> that was then...now they are hungry after a close game with the best team in the country.



 When did Ohio play USC?


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> When did Ohio play USC?




while the Ohio Bobcats don't play USC, it is suprising since USC only seems to play those teams of lesser quality.


----------



## nakia

I miss being at a school with Big Football (or, football period, for that matter).  Just made the fall that much more fun.

As compensation, I go watch the games on my cousin's 58" HDTV.


----------



## Crothian

ya, there is something about being on a big college campus football weekend


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> while the Ohio Bobcats don't play USC, it is suprising since USC only seems to play those teams of lesser quality.




Bah. The Pac-10 is looking strong this year (ASU and Cal are ranked already; UCLA will be after they beat Oklahoma), Notre Dame is looking very good, and Fresno State seems to be the best of the non-BCS teams. Arkansas is off to a poor start but they're still an SEC team, and going to Hawaii has always been a trap game.

Besides, being a Pac 10 team, USC prefers to beat up teams from the WAC and MWC; MAC and CUSA teams are victims of the more eastern conferences. Heck, I'm not quite sure why SDSU is playing the Buckeyes in the Horshoe; if you're going to play SDSU, make it a late season game and come to San Diego to get out of the cold, it's not like the Aztecs will actually win, so you might as well have some fun. Also, I might actually show up


----------



## Crothian

I have no idea why OSU plays San Diego State, they've played them a lot in the past years it seems.


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> and Fresno State seems to be the best of the non-BCS teams.




I'll never understand this. Every year Fresno gets this kind of attention (and even ranking) and every year they fall off. The last three years it's been Boise knocking them off (and others), who knows this year. I'll just never understand why that program gets so much respect when they never end a season with much to show.

Sorry, I'll stop ranting. 

Fact is, the non-BCS teams are weak this year. Louisville is now BCS, Utah isn't the same, TCU is up and down, Boise has lost the first two (at least to good teams), who knows about Fresno...it's not looking like a good year for the non-BCS to make much of a statement.


----------



## Crothian

Becasue people remeber the Fresno Stat upsets of other teams.  And while that doesn't matter this year, they are at least known for that type of stuff.  So, they get more respect.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Becasue people remeber the Fresno Stat upsets of other teams.  And while that doesn't matter this year, they are at least known for that type of stuff.  So, they get more respect.



 I'll give them that. They do well against BCS opponents. Then come back to the WAC and lose. They're just a weird team that way.


----------



## Dungannon

Here's my Wacky College Footbal Proposal of the Weektm.

For your conference to receive an automatic BCS bid, you must have 12 teams and have a Championship Game.  And no more "special rules" for Notre Dame.  The ACC, SEC, and Big 12 would stay unchanged, Conference USA would replace the Big East (pretty much the same talent level between those two), and Notre Dame would _finally_ join the Big 10 to make that conference 12 teams.  (although they'll probably still call themselves the Big 10, but that's another discussion).  The big question is, which two schools would the Pac 10 invite?  I suggest they take one team from the WAC and one team from Mountain West, Boise State and Utah.

Feel free to comment and/or ridicule at your leisure.


----------



## Crothian

no conferance games, instead all BCS conferances have to play at least 2 teams from other BCS Conferances.  

Notre Dame is welcome to jion the Big Ten any time.


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Here's my Wacky College Footbal Proposal of the Weektm.
> 
> For your conference to receive an automatic BCS bid, you must have 12 teams and have a Championship Game.  And no more "special rules" for Notre Dame.  The ACC, SEC, and Big 12 would stay unchanged, Conference USA would replace the Big East (pretty much the same talent level between those two), and Notre Dame would _finally_ join the Big 10 to make that conference 12 teams.  (although they'll probably still call themselves the Big 10, but that's another discussion).  The big question is, which two schools would the Pac 10 invite?  I suggest they take one team from the WAC and one team from Mountain West, Boise State and Utah.
> 
> Feel free to comment and/or ridicule at your leisure.




(obDisclaimer: I'm a Syracuse fan, was born in Big 10 country, and presently live in Pac 10 country.)

Any proposal that requires the Big 10 and Pac 10 to change their membership is dead on arrival. And there's not really a logical way for the Pac 10 to expand; logistics demand a pair of teams close to each other, but BYU & Utah probably won't work because BYU doesn't play games on Sunday, and the only other thing that's even remotely possible--Colorado and Colorado State-- requires raiding from the Big 12.

The Big 10 won't expand until/unless Notre Dame makes a definitive decision on joining a football conference (and they won't do that before their TV deal runs out). If Weiss is successful (and it looks like he will be right now), the Irish won't join a conference, and the Big 10 might consider adding Missouri, Iowa State, Pitt, or Syracuse. But the Big 12 schools have little reason to leave, and the Big East has instituted heavy withdrawl penalities in the wake of the ACC raid.

Secondly, the MWC is much, much stronger than CUSA, easily the best non-BCS conference. And they're not even close to the Big East. If you somehow got the conferences to agree that only 12-team conferences with a title game got an automatic BCS bid, the Big East would raid CUSA and/or the MAC to get to 12 teams, and it  the Big East would stay in (if all such conferences received an autobid, the MWC would raid Boise State, Fresno State, and one other team from the WAC, and CUSA would pick off someone to replace further Big East defections).


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> no conferance games, instead all BCS conferances have to play at least 2 teams from other BCS Conferances.




As soon as there are any BCS teams even close to the Pac 10 other than Colorado, that'll fly. Geography matters, people...


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> As soon as there are any BCS teams even close to the Pac 10 other than Colorado, that'll fly. Geography matters, people...




With two games one would be at home and one would be away; that way everyone travels.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> With two games one would be at home and one would be away; that way everyone travels.




There's a reason why half of the Pac 10 doesn't play even one game east of the Mississippi (and no one plays more than one); it's just too far to travel -- even in-conference travel is enough of a hassle that Pac 10 schools pair up on their in-conference travel arrangements to save money. Big 10 teams can take short trips to play teams in the Big 12, SEC, or Big East (and even the ACC schools aren't that far away); a Pac 10 school playing an out of conference game against a BCS team (other than Colorado) is a major endeavour.


----------



## Crothian

well, more BCS teams need to play each other so its just something they would have to deal with.  Of course this is just guess work, not like I have any pull in the world of College sports yet.  .


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> Any proposal that requires the Big 10 and Pac 10 to change their membership is dead on arrival. And there's not really a logical way for the Pac 10 to expand; logistics demand a pair of teams close to each other, but BYU & Utah probably won't work because BYU doesn't play games on Sunday, and the only other thing that's even remotely possible--Colorado and Colorado State-- requires raiding from the Big 12.




I know I risk mocking, but Boise and Fresno would fit nicely in the Pac-10. Boise hasn't had much success against them, and I think Fresno has done well. And both schools, with the recruiting power of being a Pac-10 (or Pac-12) team would do quite well. The main issue would be stadium size. Boise seats around 33k, not sure about Fresno. But I know Boise could expand.

Anyway, that's my dream. Boise and Fresno are definitely a cut above the rest of the WAC, so a home there would be nice. But it will never happen.


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I know I risk mocking, but Boise and Fresno would fit nicely in the Pac-10. Boise hasn't had much success against them, and I think Fresno has done well. And both schools, with the recruiting power of being a Pac-10 (or Pac-12) team would do quite well. The main issue would be stadium size. Boise seats around 33k, not sure about Fresno. But I know Boise could expand.




The other issue is that the Pac 10 does paired travel (one of the big reasons why they're in much better shape financially than the other western conferences, which are similarly spread out) and both schools lack an obvious travel partner. San Jose State is the closest non-Pac 10 I-A team to Fresno, and they're both much closer to Cal and Stanford than to Fresno and one of the worst teams in I-A. Idaho is the obvious partner for Boise, but they're also not very good, and closer to Washington State than to Boise. Utah might work (and if there's anyone the Pac 10 would like to add, it's Utah), but that's pushing things distance-wise (as per above, BYU is problematic for religious reasons and Utah State isn't good enough).


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> well, more BCS teams need to play each other so its just something they would have to deal with.  Of course this is just guess work, not like I have any pull in the world of College sports yet.  .




Well, if you upgrade the MWC to a BCS conference, it wouldn't be so impractical for the Pac 10 to play other BCS teams, but then there's seven BCS conferences (and after the Big East does its post-split expansion, there may not be enough left of CUSA and the MAC to make a viable eight).


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Any proposal that requires the Big 10 and Pac 10 to change their membership is dead on arrival. And there's not really a logical way for the Pac 10 to expand; logistics demand a pair of teams close to each other, but BYU & Utah probably won't work because BYU doesn't play games on Sunday, and the only other thing that's even remotely possible--Colorado and Colorado State-- requires raiding from the Big 12.




Why does BYU not playing on Sunday matter?  College games are only on Sunday if they are Bowl games and BYU can refuse Bowl games to find one that fits what their needs.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Well, if you upgrade the MWC to a BCS conference, it wouldn't be so impractical for the Pac 10 to play other BCS teams, but then there's seven BCS conferences (and after the Big East does its post-split expansion, there may not be enough left of CUSA and the MAC to make a viable eight).




having 7 automitc bids is fine, automatic bids get paired up with the non automatic bids all the time.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Why does BYU not playing on Sunday matter?  College games are only on Sunday if they are Bowl games and BYU can refuse Bowl games to find one that fits what their needs.




BYU would be in the Pac 10 for all sports, not just football.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> BYU would be in the Pac 10 for all sports, not just football.




well, it can be scheduled around, the obviously do it now


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> well, it can be scheduled around, the obviously do it now




They do it in the MWC (and formerly the WAC), which really needs BYU (or at least did; Utah's emergence as the premiere MWC team may have changed the equation some). The Pac 10 isn't going to give the Cougars special treatment (and there would be not-approriate-for-ENWorld political differences between BYU and other Pac 10 schools).


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> The other issue is that the Pac 10 does paired travel (one of the big reasons why they're in much better shape financially than the other western conferences, which are similarly spread out) and both schools lack an obvious travel partner. San Jose State is the closest non-Pac 10 I-A team to Fresno, and they're both much closer to Cal and Stanford than to Fresno and one of the worst teams in I-A. Idaho is the obvious partner for Boise, but they're also not very good, and closer to Washington State than to Boise. Utah might work (and if there's anyone the Pac 10 would like to add, it's Utah), but that's pushing things distance-wise (as per above, BYU is problematic for religious reasons and Utah State isn't good enough).




I don't think Utah would be too far, but maybe pushing it. Boise State and Utah are actually pretty close, distance-wise. About 4 1/2 hours.


----------



## fett527

Anybody actually watching Houston v UTEP?


----------



## Crothian

watching Threshold then Supernatural, and seeing the game on comercials....intereesting and potentially exciting game.  When houston took the 19-5 lead I thought it might be over but now 26-24 with most of the 4th left.....


----------



## Dimwhit

I'll probably tune in after Threshold.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'll probably tune in after Threshold.




it'll be over and the show wasn't that good


----------



## Dimwhit

yeah, Threshold wasn't that great. But it ended, and I tuned in just as Houston tied it. Good game!


----------



## Crothian

ya, its been a wierd game, missed 2 point covertions, safeties, blocked punts....


----------



## Crothian

he missed it!!


----------



## Dimwhit

This is a crazy game.


----------



## Dimwhit

Wow, that was dumb. Houston was running great. I don't know why they went for the pass.

At least the UTEP kicker doesn't have to live with the missed FG in regulation.


----------



## Crothian

that was one of the oddeer games I've seen in a while....these friday night games have been something this year


----------



## Dimwhit

Go Oregon State!

I was debating who to root for. Louisville beat my beloved Broncos in the Liberty Bowl last year, and Oregon State beat them last week. But I gotta stick with the West Coast and Pac-10. 

They're off to a good start, too.


----------



## fett527

Have fun watching the games today guys.  I'm off to The Shoe!!!  (and yes leaving later than I wanted cause my buddy is late)

*GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


----------



## Crothian

Wow, lot latter then you want to

Go Lousville


----------



## Dimwhit

I kinda figured Louisville would start rattling off the TDs. Just got off to a slow start...


----------



## Crothian

Michigan found the fix it needed


----------



## Dimwhit

What's that? A lousy team like Eastern Michigan?


----------



## Crothian

Ya, Ohio State is hopefully getting the same fix.


----------



## Dimwhit

The Virginia/Syracuse game is headed for a great finish!


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> The Virginia/Syracuse game is headed for a great finish!




We're not losing, we're not losing!!!!   

Go Orange


----------



## Dimwhit

I think their best bet is to let Virginia score quickly so they have time to go down and force an overtime. But after last night's game, you just don't know what will happen.


----------



## Crothian

I think their bnest bet is to stop viginia from scoring and score fast and often while virginia scores nothing.


----------



## Dimwhit

You're living in a dream world, man! 

And the Orange lose...


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> You're living in a dream world, man!
> 
> And the Orange lose...




Yup. I don't understand why they didn't let VA score (or rather, I do; few fans understand why it's sometimes important to let the other team score quickly) after they picked up that last 1st down (and despite what the announcers said, the smart play would have been to kick the field goal then; Groh got away with a mistake on that one).

But the Orange played far better today than in the lost to WVA or the win over UB.


----------



## Crothian

Damn, good play Sandigeo state


----------



## Crothian

I guess Texas A&M can score....35 points in like 9 minutes ......


----------



## Dungannon

And I probably shouldn't mention anything in case I jinx it, but I think Washington may have found an opponent they can actually beat!  They're up on Idaho 17-3 at halftime.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, they should win that game.


----------



## Dimwhit

34-3 now. Washington will definitely win the pillow fight of the week.


----------



## Crothian

So, which is stronger the OSU offense or the defense plus speciual teams?  Cause it looks like the offense wants to lose and the defense and special teams want to win.


----------



## Dungannon

Is Tressel still playing musical QBs?


----------



## Dungannon

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> 34-3 now. Washington will definitely win the pillow fight of the week.



Hey, at this point I'll take anything that even remotely resembles a positive for this program.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Is Tressel still playing musical QBs?




No, but the offense is not really together.  Defense is looking great though, and special teams is solid.


----------



## Crothian

SDSU has 160 yards of offnse or there abouts, 80 of that was the first play of the game.


----------



## Dungannon

Yeah, Washington Wins!!!  Unfortunately it looks like we're gonna get a ticked off Notre Dame team next week.


----------



## Crothian

If your QB can light them up like MSU, you'll be fine.


----------



## Crothian

Nebraska Pitt, you guys see how this ends?  7-6 corn huskers, 7 seconds in the game, Pitt goes for a field goal.  THe snapper snaps it early, it bounces off the holders helmet straight to the kicker who throws it for an incomplition.  1 second left, they kick again, blocked.  

ND trying to come back on MSU


----------



## Dungannon

Man, Wannstadt can't buy a break at Pitt it seems.


----------



## LeapingShark

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYesssss!!  UCLA is finally having a respectable year.


----------



## Crothian

UCLA has a defense and that should do them good.

ND scores...but held......


----------



## Dimwhit

Wannstadt is a cursed coach. Unfortunately for him, people are probably going to start calling for his head.


----------



## Crothian

i figured they'd have done thaqt for losing to Ohio


----------



## Dimwhit

Man, I can't believe ND. What a game! I hope they pull it out in OT.


----------



## drothgery

They did.

edit: call for Wanny's head after losing to Ohio, that is. 

MSU won in OT.


----------



## Crothian

They being MSU....finally, Big Ten wins a big game.


----------



## Dungannon

And Miami managed to hold off Clemson in OT.  Looks like I missed some good games on TV this afternoon.  I really need to look into getting a better schedule...


----------



## Crothian

BC keeps throwing the ball to the FSU players...2 possessions, 2 interceptions.


----------



## fett527

*OH...*


----------



## Crothian

*...IO*


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> No, but the offense is not really together.  Defense is looking great though, and special teams is solid.




Exactly what I saw.  Only person on offense that looked like he was trying was Pittman.  Too many dropped balls and too many bad passes.  Smith's passing on the whole was horrible.  The defense once again carries this team on a day they should have had a blow out.  SDSU had given up over 80 points in their first two games combined.


----------



## Dimwhit

You guys got it all wrong. You need three posts to do it right, like this:

O...

...HI...

...O

I decided not to actually do it in three posts, though.

Besides, Crothian, you need the extra posts.


----------



## Ankh-Morpork Guard

Blah...let my grandfather have my ticket for the Florida v. Tennesse game tonight. Boring night for me, as I'm not in the mood to listen to the game on the comp and too lazy to see if its even on TV(don't think it is). Though it does look like the Gators are winning. No idea how they're actually looking, now that this is really their first real test.


----------



## Crothian

Ankh-Morpork Guard said:
			
		

> Blah...let my grandfather have my ticket for the Florida v. Tennesse game tonight. Boring night for me, as I'm not in the mood to listen to the game on the comp and too lazy to see if its even on TV(don't think it is). Though it does look like the Gators are winning. No idea how they're actually looking, now that this is really their first real test.




CBS is carrying the game here.  THey are winning though I watched the Super Friends (Justice League) instead.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> You guys got it all wrong. You need three posts to do it right, like this:
> 
> O...
> 
> ...HI...
> 
> ...O
> 
> I decided not to actually do it in three posts, though.
> 
> Besides, Crothian, you need the extra posts.




Your telling us we did it wrong?  Have you ever been to Columbus Dimwhit?


----------



## fett527

Ankh-Morpork Guard said:
			
		

> Blah...let my grandfather have my ticket for the Florida v. Tennesse game tonight. Boring night for me, as I'm not in the mood to listen to the game on the comp and too lazy to see if its even on TV(don't think it is). Though it does look like the Gators are winning. No idea how they're actually looking, now that this is really their first real test.




I'd have taken it!  Good game so far.  Florida had a good drive that just stalled nad ended in a FG.  16-7, ate a lot of clock though and they're up by two scores.


----------



## Ankh-Morpork Guard

Crothian said:
			
		

> CBS is carrying the game here.  THey are winning though I watched the Super Friends (Justice League) instead.



 Ah. I'm an idiot. Or maybe just tired...probably both. But yeah, I was watching Justice League, too, and now Futurama is on so I can't touch the controller.


----------



## fett527

FSU pulled ahead of BC 28-17 with BC looking like they'll score with less than 2 minutes to go.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> Your telling us we did it wrong?  Have you ever been to Columbus Dimwhit?



 My brother lives in Columbus, does that count? Besides, it is a 3-syllable word, ya know. 

Let's take this to the rules forum and have a big fight about it...


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> My brother lives in Columbus, does that count? Besides, it is a 3-syllable word, ya know.
> 
> Let's take this to the rules forum and have a big fight about it...




It isn't divided by the syllables for this though, its two groups One takes the first two letters, the other takes the last two.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> My brother lives in Columbus, does that count? Besides, it is a 3-syllable word, ya know.
> 
> Let's take this to the rules forum and have a big fight about it...




OK.  I suppose to make it clear for someone who doesn't know the cheer.

Crothian if you will reciprocate again:

*O-H...*


----------



## Ankh-Morpork Guard

*N-O!*


----------



## fett527

Didn't see what happened to BC, must haev been a turnover.  They lose 28-17.


----------



## Crothian

*I-O...*


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Didn't see what happened to BC, must haev been a turnover.  They lose 28-17.




I think they just couldn't score and turned it over on downs


----------



## Ankh-Morpork Guard

Crothian said:
			
		

> *I-O...*



 Hey, that's cheating, I can't corrupt that like I can O-H!


----------



## Crothian

Ankh-Morpork Guard said:
			
		

> Hey, that's cheating, I can't corrupt that like I can O-H!




go eat a gator!!


----------



## fett527

And Florida wins 16-7.

Meanwhile USC has let Arkansas score 10 points. 28-10.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> And Florida wins 16-7.
> 
> Meanwhile USC has let Arkansas score 10 points. 28-10.




Florida teams win 3 big games.  USC is not worried.


----------



## Nightfall

And neither are the Mountaineers who played their hearts out...if only they STOPPED DROPPING THE DAMN BALL!!!! 

Other than that, nice win for my Eers.


----------



## LeapingShark

I'm watching the USC game, it's a joke. Arkansas is not even competitive.  The USC offense looks like they could dominate while running backwards, blindfolded.


----------



## DaveMage

Go Gators!


----------



## drothgery

LeapingShark said:
			
		

> I'm watching the USC game, it's a joke. Arkansas is not even competitive.  The USC offense looks like they could dominate while running backwards, blindfolded.




Though to be fair to Arkansas, there are only a handful of teams in I-A where this isn't true.


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> Though to be fair to Arkansas, there are only a handful of teams in I-A where this isn't true.



 No doubt. Reggie Bush is a one-man wrecking crew. He has my early pick for the Heisman. I just don't think there is any other player in the nation with the same impact (or skills).


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> No doubt. Reggie Bush is a one-man wrecking crew. He has my early pick for the Heisman. I just don't think there is any other player in the nation with the same impact (or skills).




I'm not sure about that; he's a great player on a team where every back and reciever is dangerous. Any team that tries to overload against Bush is going to be burned by someone else. There are a few other extremely talented players that don't have that advantage.

And I really think Leinart's more imprtant than Bush to USC's offense; their other backs aren't as good, but they're certainly good enough to maintain a credible threat of a running game.

More practically, I can't see how Bush gets the Heisman unless Leinart gets hurt and USC wins the national championship anyway. They'll both have bad games, but QBs get points for intangibles and RBs don't; and I can't see either of them not putting up Heisman-worthy numbers unless USC stops winning (which would knock both of them out of the running).


----------



## Dimwhit

You make good points, but I've never liked the Heisman. It's really more of an MVP/Popularity contest. I, personally, think that as raw football players, Reggie Bush is a better player, and probably the best in the country. But you're right that he won't win the Heisman. Although, if it does come down to Leinhart and Bush in the voting, I could see Bush getting it since Leinhart did last year. It will largely depend on what other players around the nation step up.


----------



## drothgery

I think the Heisman effectively works out like so:

1) Has any QB or RB on a top team put up truly extrodinary numbers in a non-gimmick offense? If so, they get the Heisman.
2) If no one's setting any single-season records in a non-gimmick offense, is anyone deserving of a "lifetime achievement award"? If so, they get the Heisman.
3) If neither #1 nor #2 exist, the best QB for a top-5 team gets the Heisman, unless they're all "run the ball and play defense" teams.
4) If none of #1, #2, and #3 exist, select the best player in college football for the season, or at least the one that looks the best on SportsCenter.


----------



## The Shaman

LeapingShark said:
			
		

> The USC offense looks like they could dominate while running backwards, blindfolded.



*FIGHT* *ON!*

Thank you. That is all.


----------



## Crothian

Boise State University is going down tonight!!!  and not in a good way.  Bowling Green State Univeristy is going on the blue turf and beating them up!!


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Boise State University is going down tonight!!!  and not in a good way.  Bowling Green State Univeristy is going on the blue turf and beating them up!!



 Not even! Boise hasn't lost on their turf for 4 years! (24 straight or something like that.) Not that I'm not worried... 

GO BRONCOS!!!!


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Not even! Boise hasn't lost on their turf for 4 years! (24 straight or something like that.) Not that I'm not worried...
> 
> GO BRONCOS!!!!




Of course they haven't lost, they play in a weak conference and no one of consiquence plays on their home turf.  This will be their first real compition.

And ya, at this point I'm just talking smack.     Go BGSU!!!


----------



## Dimwhit

You just keeping talking smack, Crothian. In the meantime, Boise is going to beat the feathers off your Falcons.


----------



## Crothian

A little bit over two hours till the Broncos get corralled.


----------



## Dimwhit

I hear the news, and apparently, the Bowling Green players are curled up in their locker room in the fetal position. It's expected they'll come out of it by game time, though, so don't worry.


----------



## Dungannon

I'm rooting for the Broncos in this one.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I hear the news, and apparently, the Bowling Green players are curled up in their locker room in the fetal position. It's expected they'll come out of it by game time, though, so don't worry.




The coach likes them to imitate the other team to get into their heads so we can understand their terror and exploit it.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I'm rooting for the Broncos in this one.





Traitor!!


----------



## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> Traitor!!



Not so.  You forget that I'm originally from the Pacific Northwest and have family in Idaho.


----------



## Dimwhit

OK, Boise's gonna have to start getting TDs here soon instead of FGs. I'm actually surprised Hawkins didn't go for it on 4th down at the 3.


----------



## Dimwhit

Of course, if they keep holding Jacobs like this, it won't matter.


----------



## Dimwhit

C'mon, Crothian, how am I supposed to harass you if you're not around!! This is a great game!

Watch, now BG will start an amazing rally...


----------



## Crothian

Sorry, friends had a get together so obviously since I didn't watch bad luck happened......

but I'm sure Boise cheated or the refs were bought off......


----------



## Dimwhit

Well, BG got some late scores (it's 48-20 as I type), but it was really a 48-6 butt-kicking. GO BOISE!!!


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Well, BG got some late scores (it's 48-20 as I type), but it was really a 48-6 butt-kicking. GO BOISE!!!




I watched some of the 1st quarter before LOST and BG didn't look like they were going to do anything.  Guess that held true.


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, they never did anything. Boise handed them 2 TDs in the fourth quarter (one after a muffed punt return at about the 5 yard line).

I was completely floored. Boise would have held Jacobs to his worst game ever yardage-wise if they hadn't let up at the end. It was a near total shutdown.


----------



## Crothian

So, who wins the big games this weekend?  

USC vs Oregon (USC)
LSU vs Tenn (LSU)
GT vs VT (VT)
Iowa at OSU (OSU)

any other big games?


----------



## Dimwhit

Usc
Lsu
Vt
Osu


----------



## drothgery

USC
Tenn (I think hurricane fatigue catches up to LSU this week)
VT (ick)
Ohio State


----------



## Nightfall

WVU over ECSU.


----------



## Crothian

Nightfall said:
			
		

> WVU over ECSU.




Is that East Carolina?  West Virginia should win that easily, don't pull a Stanford.....


----------



## fett527

USC
Tenn
VT
*BUCKEYES*


----------



## Nightfall

Hey man, after what happened the last time, I'm taking NO chances. WVU's opponent could be my high school football team and I'd STILL say to the Eeers "Play em hard and don't quit."


----------



## fett527

Hey, I watched some of the Utah v Air Force and I thought the Utes were putting it away at 38-21.  Guess Air Force had other ideas even though they still lost 38-35.  Wish I could have watched more of it.


----------



## Crothian

I saw the last 10 second tick away when I got home from gaming.....


----------



## fett527

Army v Iowa State has been an exciting watch.  Army is up 14-7 at half.


----------



## fett527

*GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

or a cleverly disguised double post.


----------



## Crothian

OSU Scores!!!!!!


----------



## Dungannon

I'm watching Penn State get handled by Northwestern.  I thought this would be more competitive than the Miami-Colorado game, but I was wrong.


----------



## Crothian

The Buckeyews have fumble problems, big time.  Luckily we have a defense.  

North Western is p[retty good, but I was expecting Penn State to do better.


----------



## Crothian

Ginn finally gets a play to score and there is a penalty bringing it back


----------



## Dimwhit

OSU seems to have things well in hand. I'm watching Minnesota beat Purdue. Minnesota is a dangerous team, especially at home. They're looking good against Purdue, though it's certainly far from over.


----------



## Dungannon

Well, Penn State has come back to make this game interesting.  It's now 23-17 Northwestern.


----------



## Nightfall

Yeah too bad the Eers aren't exactly playing their best game against ESU, or this game would have been over a long time ago.


----------



## Crothian

Michigan State looks like it might be a darkhorse pick to win the Big Ten

OSU looking solid if they can hang onto the ball

These other two games (Purdue Minnosota and Penn State North Western) are tight games.


----------



## Dimwhit

Wow, that pick-6 by Purdue was huge!


----------



## fett527

*O-H...*


----------



## fett527

31-6 Bucks with 4 minutes to play.  Should have been 46-6 if Schnitker and Smith could haveheld on to the ball.  Now maybe people will understand why Buckeye fans were frustrated with the offense last week.


----------



## fett527

Penn State and Purdue have come back to tkae the lead late.

PSU up by one point, Purdue up by 8


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Michigan State looks like it might be a darkhorse pick to win the Big Ten...




Until they run into OSU's defense.


----------



## Dimwhit

This Purdue-Minnesota game is amazing. Tied at 28.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> This Purdue-Minnesota game is amazing. Tied at 28.



and Northwetern is driving against Penn St. with under 4 minutes


----------



## Dimwhit

And Penn converts a 4th and 15. Great game, too.


----------



## Dungannon

AAAAGGGHHHH!  I'm at work now so I'm missing the end of both those games.     As well as the Notre Dame-Washington game, although with my luck my ABC stations are probably showing the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech game anyway.


----------



## Dimwhit

Penn had an amazing finish. Converted a 4th and 15 from their own 15, then drove down for the TD and the win.

Minnesota and Purdue are in the 2nd OT. Another excellent game.


----------



## Dungannon

Unbelievable!  Washington takes the opening kickoff and drives all the way down the field only to have a WR fumble the ball on the ND 1.


----------



## Dimwhit

Minnesota just stopped Purdue on a 3rd and 1 and a 4th and 2. Good for them pulling it out.


----------



## Crothian

Big wins for Gophers and Nitty Lions.  THose programs have something to proive.  Purdue's hope to take advantage of their soft schedule goes up in smoke.

ND botches a field goal it looks like...


----------



## Crothian

Washington looks like it can stay with ND especially with ND's bad kicking game.


----------



## Dungannon

Ech, another turnover for the Huskies.  They'd have the lead in this game if it weren't for turnovers.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, they can play with ND but keep making mistakes.


----------



## Crothian

ND gets away with a pass interferrnce that wasn't called so it looks like Washington will get zero points off of this drive as the half ends soon.


----------



## fett527

fett527 said:
			
		

> *O-H...*




Ahem...


----------



## Crothian

*...I - O!!!*

jeeze....some of us don't live on EN World you know


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> *...I - O!!!*
> 
> jeeze....some of us don't live on EN World you know




Thank you kind sir.

And as a response to your statement: Exhibit 1=Crothian's postcount v fett527's posrcount.


----------



## Dungannon

I'm beginning to wonder if Weis has any confidence in his kicker.  He's gone for it on 4th down three times inside the Washington 30 and failed all three times.


----------



## Crothian

the one filed goal earlier in the game ND messed up, so it could be 

Washington once again losses the ball


----------



## Dungannon

Aw, man.    Are these mental mistakes by the Huskies or physical ones?


----------



## Crothian

Its hard to say, ND is stripping the ball but the Huskies are not securing it well either.


----------



## Dungannon

Sounds like it's coachable, at least.  And now Washington is right back in ND territory.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, and hopefully they get a TD out of this.


----------



## Dungannon

And now it's just turned into a rout.  The turnovers by Washington didn't surprise me as much as the complete lack of a running game.


----------



## Crothian

They hung in there for a good while but too many mistakes


----------



## Dungannon

Once Willingham has the opportunity to rebuild the defense, Washington will be competitive again.  Right now, though, they are just horrible on that side of the ball.


----------



## Dungannon

Anyone out there watching South Florida rout Louisville?  It's 38-7 in the 3rd quarter.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Anyone out there watching South Florida rout Louisville?  It's 38-7 in the 3rd quarter.




its not on here but South Florida is killing them, which really suprises me.  I was thinking Louisville could be a dark horse national championship team.  

I'm watching Badgers and Wolverines battle something fierce while making sure the Indians (Baseball) are still winning.


----------



## drothgery

Well, it looks like USC has shut down Oregon's upset bid, scoring 24 unanswered points so far to go ahead 24-13.


----------



## Crothian

It was only a matter of time really.....

Badgers take the lead under a half minute left in the game.....


----------



## Crothian

Badgers get a good victory


----------



## Dungannon

Good, I don't like Michigan.  But then I don't like most Big 10 teams.


----------



## Dimwhit

Nice win for the Badgers! I made great picks in the Pick'em this weekend...


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Good, I don't like Michigan.  But then I don't like most Big 10 teams.




Of course not being a Pac 10 guy.....


----------



## Dungannon

Lots of shakeup in the Top 25 with Louisville, Purdue, and Michigan losing to unranked opponents.


----------



## Crothian

ya, but that seems to happen more and more as teams become less dominant


----------



## Dimwhit

I can't believe Louisville got spanked the way they did. Completely shocking. That's by far the biggest surprise of the weekend.


----------



## Crothian

Easily, South Florida hasn't really been that good of a teram that I've seen


----------



## Nightfall

Course I'm still suprised by a lot of what happened in the WVU game. It shouldn't have been that close but I guess WVU wasn't as hungry as they were last time.


----------



## The Shaman

1st quarter: Merely mortal...

2nd through 4th quarters: *FIGHT* *ON!*


----------



## fett527

Extremely glad to see M and especially Purdue lose.  Now someone has to step up and beat Wisconsin while the Bucks take care of business.

Sorry I didn't post last night, wife and I actually went out!


----------



## Crothian

I wanted M to win, its much more fun to beat them when they have lots to lose


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I wanted M to win, its much more fun to beat them when they have lots to lose




I know, I know it should always be OSU v M to decide the BIG 10 championship, but I can never actually root for them and always smile when they lose.


----------



## Chiaroscuro23

fett527 said:
			
		

> Extremely glad to see M and especially Purdue lose.  Now someone has to step up and beat Wisconsin while the Bucks take care of business.




I'm not packing my bags for Pasadena yet, but the Badgers are looking okay. If they can get their secondary in shape for Purdue and Michigan State, it might be an okay year after all. We don't play Ohio State this year, but I'm actually most afraid of Purdue, since they play neither Michigan nor Ohio State.

And given the sad state of College Football these days, the Badgers'll get a bowl game. I won't hold my breath for it to be on New Year's Day, though. Be nice to give Alvarez a bowl win for his last game, though.

Still, I was in the stands Saturday night, and it was great. Best game since we beat Ohio State in similar conditions two years back.

-C.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> I know, I know it should always be OSU v M to decide the BIG 10 championship, but I can never actually root for them and always smile when they lose.




I want them both undefeated going into that game.


----------



## fett527

Chiaroscuro23 said:
			
		

> ..Still, I was in the stands Saturday night, and it was great. Best game since we beat Ohio State in similar conditions two years back.
> 
> -C.




You know I said to my brother before the game that Wisconsin would probably win because it was very similar to when OSU went in 2003 and lost.  Wet field and a later game.


----------



## Crothian

Chiaroscuro23 said:
			
		

> I'm not packing my bags for Pasadena yet, but the Badgers are looking okay. If they can get their secondary in shape for Purdue and Michigan State, it might be an okay year after all. We don't play Ohio State this year, but I'm actually most afraid of Purdue, since they play neither Michigan nor Ohio State.
> 
> And given the sad state of College Football these days, the Badgers'll get a bowl game. I won't hold my breath for it to be on New Year's Day, though. Be nice to give Alvarez a bowl win for his last game, though.
> 
> Still, I was in the stands Saturday night, and it was great. Best game since we beat Ohio State in similar conditions two years back.
> 
> -C.




Badgers are looking really good.  Purdue with their lose makes them look beatable by anyone.  I think MSU is going to become the team to beat if they can hammer some of their first few Big Ten opponents.  But those Gophers could also give the Badgers trouble, that's usually a hard hitting game.


----------



## Crothian

Anyone else watch that amazing Tenn/LSU game??  they were down 24-7 and I thought the games was in the bag for the Tigers, but them Voulenteers came back to win in OT Amazing


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Anyone else watch that amazing Tenn/LSU game??  they were down 24-7 and I thought the games was in the bag for the Tigers, but them Voulenteers came back to win in OT Amazing




Cool. I flipped to it a bit after I got home from work, but it looked like a blowout and I didn't check again later.

I'm not alone in last place for the pick-em this week then...


----------



## Dungannon

Yeah, I switched over to MNF when it was 21-0 LSU.  I figured with that team and that crowd there was no way Tennessee would come back.


----------



## Dungannon

Here's my Random College Football Thought of the WeekTM.

Isn't it apropos that Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis gets to play alongside a guy named Hawk?


----------



## fett527

I watched the entire game last night as it had a direct affect on OSU's chances this year.  LSU had to lose and I was praying for Tenn to do something.  It worked!  Course Tenn needs to lose again.  

I give props to the Vols as they had to struggle through a QB change and A LOT of dropped passes.  LSU really let this one slip away because of the Vols' mistakes they really should have ran away with it.


----------



## Dimwhit

THE HARRIS POLL IS A JOKE!!!

This thing already lost all credibility. Idaho got 5 votes. Not Boise State, who just clobbered Bowling Green (who also got 5 votes), but 0-4 Idaho, one of the worst teams in the country.

Sorry, but if they can't even get the schools right, what does that say about the poll??   

There are other issues with it, too...


----------



## Crothian

gotta link to it?


----------



## Dimwhit

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/polls/full/harris


----------



## Crothian

Doesn't look that bad


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, but the Idaho thing just cracks me up. There's no way they meant to vote for Idaho. If so, it's even worse than I thought.

There are some questionables in their top 25, though, but nothing that won't be sorted out this weekend...


----------



## nakia

Crothian said:
			
		

> Anyone else watch that amazing Tenn/LSU game??  they were down 24-7 and I thought the games was in the bag for the Tigers, but them Voulenteers came back to win in OT Amazing




That was a good game!   We watched some of it while we were out at dinner.  When we got home, my wife wanted to check on the score (she's a bigger college football fan that I am!), but I was just going to read and go to bed since I thought Tennessee was done.  But they had come back and both ended up staying up to watch the end.

I kinda was pulling for LSU (for no real reason), but my wife was rooting for Tennessee.


----------



## fett527

nakia said:
			
		

> I kinda was pulling for LSU (for no real reason), but my wife was rooting for Tennessee.




Your wife is wise, wise woman.


----------



## Dimwhit

So who's gonna win the Toledo/Fresno game? I know I'm a WAC guy, but I'm almost pulling for Toledo. Though it's only because, once again (for like the 4th straight year), Fresno is considered to be better than they really are.

But I'll probably end up pulling for Fresno. Gotta teach you MAC boys a lesson...


----------



## Dungannon

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Here's my Random College Football Thought of the WeekTM.
> 
> Isn't it apropos that Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis gets to play alongside a guy named Hawk?



Apparently not many people know who James Laurinaitis is.


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Apparently not many people know who James Laurinaitis is.




I know who Laurinaitis is - top Linebacker prospect for the Bucks that came from Minnesota.  I didn't get your refernence until I looked a little into his background:



> This is the final segment of a two-part interview with Joe Laurinaitis, who gained fame as "Animal" of the Road Warriors. The interview was conducted after the death of his partner, Mike Hegstrand, known as "Hawk."




Joe is James' dad.  Obviously your Pro Wrestling fu is greater than mine. 

I'm not sure he'll do much playing beside AJ this year though. He might with Freeman out for the year.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, Pitt really sucks this year.


----------



## Sequoia2

well Stanford lost to UC Davis....so anything is possible


----------



## Crothian

that lose is much bigger then any lose, and there on many of them, on Pitts record.


----------



## The Shaman

Someone please wake me on November 12th...



Spoiler



USC-Cal promises to be a barn-burner!


----------



## Crothian

This is the day all teams in the top 10 lose...except OSU since they aren't playing


----------



## Dimwhit

In your dreams, Crothian!


----------



## Crothian

Ya, pretty much.....but damn it would be exciting!!


----------



## Dimwhit

I'm getting pretty jazzed about the USC/Arizona St. game. It's got great potential.

I do think a number of Top 10 teams could lose. I picked Florida, but Alabama just may pull that one off. They're a good team.


----------



## Ankh-Morpork Guard

We just got our new HD TV set up...and it looks like the Florida/Alabama game is going to be on one of the HD channels! What a way to test that thing out.


----------



## Crothian

Go bama!!!


----------



## The Shaman

Good job by the refs in Tempe...overrule a reception and fail to call pass interference all on the same play.

 :\ 

Oh, and *STATE*? AAAAGGGGGGH!

 

Eff a bunch of effing Michigan.


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, that reception overrule was rediculous. It would be a different game right now.


----------



## nakia

Just got in from staining the deck.  Alabama is killing Florida and FSU is beating up on Syracuse.  Not a lot of interesting football on right now.  Anything good later, or should I go out?

(It took A&M overtime to beat Baylor.  Good lord.  Well, considering they LOST to Baylor last year, I guess it's an improvement).


----------



## Crothian

Go out....nothing that exciting by the look of things


----------



## Dungannon

USC/Arizona St. is looking like a game again.


----------



## Crothian

its not on the air here....


----------



## Dimwhit

If Arizona State pulls this off, it will be shocking. And VT will be very happy...


----------



## Crothian

well, that's not going to happen, they gave it away


----------



## Dungannon

I can't see any team beating USC in the regular season.  Arizona State was their biggest challenge and the Trojans just blew them away in the second half.


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I can't see any team beating USC in the regular season.  Arizona State was their biggest challenge and the Trojans just blew them away in the second half.



 I think Cal will be the only challenge they have left. And it will be a tough challenge. Tougher than Arizona State, IMO.


----------



## nakia

Crothian said:
			
		

> Go out....nothing that exciting by the look of things




I'm beat from the deck staining, so it may just be whatever's on TV.  Got the ND/Purdue game on now.  

And SC is getting killed by Auburn.  They suck.


----------



## The Shaman

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I think Cal will be the only challenge they have left. And it will be a tough challenge. Tougher than Arizona State, IMO.



The Trojans will not be able to stake Cal to an 18-point lead and expect to bounce back. And the stupid penalties need to stop. (Unsportsmanlike conduct on the sidelines after the play?!? No excuse whatsoever for that.)

I'm not overlooking the Irish in South Bend, either. Rivalry games have a tendency to upsets.

Every prospective national champion should have to come back against a ranked team in the fourth quarter - it's a test of mettle. This looked like it would be one of the two toughest games of the season, and it lived up to its billing.

I'm pleased with the ability of the Trojans to make adjustments on both sides of the ball. I admit that I miss Norm Chow in the OC headset, though.

Say it with me now: *FIGHT* *ON!*

In other news...go, Tide! Minnesota will be out of the rankings next week, unfortunately.

Virginia Tech is this season's Auburn - they will win out, and then watch SC beat Texas for the national championship on 4 January.


----------



## Dimwhit

I forgot USC has to go to South Bend. That should be another tough one. ND is looking good lately.

If USC can win out, they will absolutely deserve the title. They're an amazing team.


----------



## Dungannon

I hope this doesn't jinx it, but Washington has a 10-0 lead at halftime.  They may actually get their first road win in over two years today, not to mention a win over a ranked opponent.


----------



## Dimwhit

I can't believe Boise is down 20-7 at half to Hawaii. This is just not turning out to be a very good year...


----------



## fett527

Just didn't feel like getting on yesterday.

My highlight:  Bama over Florida- another piece of the puzle falls into place.

Lowlights:  ASU making too many stupid mistakes.  They could have beat USC.  At least USC is showing they can be beat and can make a lot of mistakes themselves.  VERY disappointed in MSU, Purdue and Minnesota.  MSU isn't as bad as they still scored a lot of points so OSU's defense will still shine when they hold them out.  Minnesota losing sucks but will hopefully make sure the Bucks take Penn State more seriously than usual.


----------



## Crothian

Penn State/OSU for the early lead in the Big Ten!!  That's how I like my football.


----------



## Dimwhit

I'm just happy Boise pulled it out. 

There are some good games coming up next week.


----------



## Crothian

so, can bama win out and take the SEC?


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> so, can bama win out and take the SEC?




can they?  Yes. from what I saw yesterday.  Will they, I don't think so nor do I want them to.  Bucks have to be in the big gmae so that means everyone hsa to take loss somewhere!  So, I hope they win the SEC with one loss.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> can they?  Yes. from what I saw yesterday.  Will they, I don't think so nor do I want them to.  Bucks have to be in the big gmae so that means everyone hsa to take loss somewhere!  So, I hope they win the SEC with one loss.





I think they might have the best defense in all of college football, that was amazing the pressure they put on the QB by rushing three.  They still have Tenn, LSU, and the always tough Auburn game.  And then the SEC championship game which could be verse Georgia.

But I'm not sure VT or Texas are going to lose, so might as well have a ton of undefeateds.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I think they might have the best defense in all of college football, that was amazing the pressure they put on the QB by rushing three.  They still have Tenn, LSU, and the always tough Auburn game.  And then the SEC championship game which could be verse Georgia.



Crothian.  Now we know who has the best defense in all of college football...


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Crothian.  Now we know who has the best defense in all of college football...




OSU is really good, but the Crimson Tide can make a claim too.  There are not that many great defesnes in college ball this year.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Crothian.  Now we know who has the best defense in all of college football...




Yup. USC when they're trailing at halftime.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> I think they might have the best defense in all of college football, that was amazing the pressure they put on the QB by rushing three.  They still have Tenn, LSU, and the always tough Auburn game.  And then the SEC championship game which could be verse Georgia.




I'd be surprised if anyone gets out of the SEC with less than two losses. No one's really good enough for a title run, but there are a lot of teams that are at the next level.



			
				Crothian said:
			
		

> But I'm not sure VT or Texas are going to lose, so might as well have a ton of undefeateds.




Even if VT gets by Miami, they've probably got FSU in the ACC title game. So I'd figure on at least one loss for them. Texas will beat Oklahoma and win the Big 12, but I've got to think someone will catch them looking.


----------



## The Shaman

fett527 said:
			
		

> ASU making too many stupid mistakes.  They could have beat USC.



Another way to look at it is SC made adjustments and forced ASU into making mistakes by pressuring the QB and shutting down the receivers. 







			
				fett527 said:
			
		

> At least USC is showing they can be beat and can make a lot of mistakes themselves.



Week after week last year I listened to the talking heads saying the same thing: USC isn't as good as their No. 1 ranking suggests, they had trouble with this team and that team, yadda-yadda-yadda...

The Trojans beat a ranked opponent on the road in brutal physical conditions. They racked up over 600 yards of total offense in the process. They forced one of the best college QBs in the country to give up five interceptions, using an injury-riddled defense with a suspect secondary. They showed mental poise and outstanding physical conditioning. (It was pretty embarassing that the Sun Devils were worn down by a road opponent. The desert heat is supposed to be the homefield advantage in Tempe.)

Yeah, there were some stupid blunders - two false starts on one possession, the personal foul on the sidelines after the play, _etc_. And they made those same mistakes two weeks in a row. Yet despite making those mistakes, they won convincingly in both games.

Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian were outmatched for a half, but they bounded back. The Trojans' special teams have been a question mark, and ASU exposed them - once.

This is only the fourth game. Imagine how tough SC will be to beat as they work out the kinks...


----------



## fett527

I can't talk up USC, I'm an Ohio State fan.

I did watch the last quarter of the game and ofcourse SC is a grat team, but the drops and penalties I saw looked like mistakes not forced mistakes.

And as far as this:



> Week after week last year I listened to the talking heads saying the same thing: USC isn't as good as their No. 1 ranking suggests, they had trouble with this team and that team, yadda-yadda-yadda...




I was talking about them having trouble with ASU I was referring more to their 9 penalties in the first half.  If USC makes those mistakes against a Texas or Ohio State and spot 3 touchdowns they are not going to roll over those defenses and get back in the game.

Oh and I guess no one watched Troy v North Texas last night?  I know I didn't.


----------



## fett527

OK, I'm an Ohio State homer.  But this:



> Ryan (Pittsburgh): Beano - your PSU pick was right last week? What it's gonna be this week?
> 
> Beano Cook: (3:59 PM ET ) I take a two-game winning streak into the weekend (2-3 overall) and I had success with PSU last week so I'll take them again: Penn State 31, OSU 14.




Is ridiculous.  Vince Young and texas could barely squeak out two TDs against OSU.  Those were the only TDs given up by the first string defense except for a fluke blown play by SDSU.  To say Penn State will put up 31 on OSU is beyond ludicrous.


----------



## The Shaman

fett527 said:
			
		

> I did watch the last quarter of the game and ofcourse SC is a grat team, but the drops and penalties I saw looked like mistakes not forced mistakes.



It doesn't take having a hand in your face every time - just getting knocked off your route on a timing play, or a false start because a lineman gets jumpy about where the next stunt is coming from, is still forcing errors.

Sam Keller didn't suddenly forget how to run one of the top offenses in the country.







			
				fett527 said:
			
		

> I was talking about them having trouble with ASU I was referring more to their 9 penalties in the first half.  If USC makes those mistakes against a Texas or Ohio State and spot 3 touchdowns they are not going to roll over those defenses and get back in the game.



No question - I just don't think you're going to see those same kinds of mental errors in the future.


----------



## Crothian

USC is going undefeated into the championship game, of that I have no doubt.  The problem will be that VT, Texas, and maybe even Bama and Wisconsin will also be undefeated.  THis is going to be a greatt and disasterious bowl season.


----------



## Crothian

And OSU is going to hand it to those PSU freshmen.  They've had it easy, and they have no idea what it is like to face a world class defense.


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> USC is going undefeated into the championship game, of that I have no doubt.



I think they will be sorely tested in South Bend and Berkeley, and the rivalry game with UCLA won't be a cakewalk, either.







			
				Crothian said:
			
		

> The problem will be that VT, Texas, and maybe even Bama and Wisconsin will also be undefeated.  This is going to be a great and disastrous bowl season.



It has that potential.


----------



## Crothian

It is college football, so upsets certainly can happen.  we can also end up wioth a dozen single lose teams.  THough the worst would be if USC lost but Wisconsin didn't,m and USC was still selected over the badgers


----------



## fett527

The NC State v Georgia Tech game is close.  14-10 GT with 14 minutes to go.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> USC is going undefeated into the championship game, of that I have no doubt.  The problem will be that VT, Texas, and maybe even Bama and Wisconsin will also be undefeated.  THis is going to be a greatt and disasterious bowl season.




I really don't think VT is going to be undefeated; they've still got to play Miami and presumably an ACC title game against FSU. Alabama will be lucky to only lose once -- they've got LSU, Tennessee, Auburn at Auburn, and if they're still leading the SEC West after that, an SEC title game against (presumably) Georgia (in Atlanta) to play.

Texas should be undefeated (only ranked opponent left is Texas Tech), but Texas actually finishing the season without a loss? I'll believe it when I see it, especially with feaky upsets as a common feature in Big 12 title games.

Which leaves Wisconsin. And, well, they're not good enough to go undefeated in the Big 10, but might manage it by virtue of playing Michigan without Hart and not playing Ohio State.


----------



## fett527

I'll be rootin' for Oklahoma this weekend!  Let's see if Mack Brown can get over the hump.  Ignore records this rivalry game is in its own bubble just like The Game.


----------



## fett527

fett527 said:
			
		

> The NC State v Georgia Tech game is close.  14-10 GT with 14 minutes to go.





What a heartbreaking loss!  NCState wins 17-14.  I can comiserate with GTech fans, a dropped pass in the endzone leading to an interception (well the dropped pass part).  1st and goal from the 2 and you pass. Oh well.


----------



## Mystery Man

drothgery said:
			
		

> Texas should be undefeated (only ranked opponent left is Texas Tech), but Texas actually finishing the season without a loss? I'll believe it when I see it, especially with feaky upsets as a common feature in Big 12 title games.




Texas Tech plays Nebraska this weekend whom they soundly thrashed (difficult for me to say being a lifelong Big Red fan) last year. Expect a revenge match of *biblical* proportions!

Or another rout.


----------



## Crothian

The thing is lkast year at this time no one thought that there would be so many undeafets at the end of that season....I'm just saying what was once thoughtr as impossible happens......


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> The thing is lkast year at this time no one thought that there would be so many undeafets at the end of that season....I'm just saying what was once thoughtr as impossible happens......



You know I'm all for exposing the BCS as much as possible, but right now it doesn't help the Bucks to have a lot of undefeateds.  Priorities man!


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> The thing is lkast year at this time no one thought that there would be so many undeafets at the end of that season....I'm just saying what was once thoughtr as impossible happens......




But it just doesn't happen very often, which is why people doubted that it would.


----------



## Crothian

Well plenty of unbeatens in action today....how many will fall iks the question?


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Well plenty of unbeatens in action today....how many will fall iks the question?



 Well, I picked Penn State to beat Ohio, so that's one...


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Well, I picked Penn State to beat Ohio, so that's one...




I guess you'll be just disappointed when OSU beats them.  Unfortunately the crowd at Beaver Stadium will be emotionally crushed.


----------



## Dimwhit

Not too disappointed. I just think there will be some upsets this week, and this game has all the makings of one. I guess we'll see.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Not too disappointed. I just think there will be some upsets this week, and this game has all the makings of one. I guess we'll see.




for the past 14 meetings the higher ranked team has won.  The OSU/PSU game is known for no upsets.  

Go Wake Forest!!


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Not too disappointed. I just think there will be some upsets this week, and this game has all the makings of one. I guess we'll see.




I understand where you're coming from. I have read many people pick Penn State (none so off their rocker than Beano Cook) for this very reason.  Penn State fans really believe this is their long awaited redemption both for the program and for JoePa.  I know this first hand as my brother's wife and her family are as devout PSU fans as my family are OSU fans.  These people think they should be in the National Championship picture even before this game.  My brother is actually on his way to Beaver Stadium as we speak dressed in Scarlet and Gray.  If serious college football analysts look at these teams then it is no contest even being in Happpy Valley.  Penn State beat lightweight non-conference teams and they were scheduled specifically, and rightfully, so.  They needed confidence.  They rolled on Minnesota, at the same time that the Gophers shrivel up every year.  They have done nothing special and it will be exposed tonight.  OSU trashed Miami with their backup QB (make no bones Zwick has always been the back up), played Texas to a standstill and lost by 3 points in a game they could have gone either way and they tore apart Iowa who has some of the top linebackers in the country.

People will also point to OSU gooing into a night game off a bye last year and losing to Northwestern.  So what.  Last year I wasn't sure of what the Buckeyes were going to do.  I was at the Marshall game last year and it was nervewracking.  I was at the SDSU game this year and as poorly as the offense played you could tell the potential for an explosion (Iowa) was there and the defense was stifiling.

I will close with the fact that Mark May, who not quite the Buckeye hater that Trev was has always been critical of OSU and obviously doesn't like Tressel, said that OSU will roll over PSU.

I don't know about blowing them out and it is likely to be close, but the Bucks will win this game.


----------



## Crothian

Well, looks like Texas gets over their hump today


----------



## fett527

Texas, VaTech, FSU, Wisconsin all with early leads.


----------



## Crothian

Badgers are having troubles though, they lost a big lead


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Badgers are having troubles though, they lost a big lead




Yup. 23-17 NW.


----------



## Crothian

I'm hoping badgers can come back, they clsoed it to 3 points down, late in third


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I'm hoping badgers can come back, they clsoed it to 3 points down, late in third




37-27 NW.  And sorry, but Wisconsin has to lose sometime for an outright OSU BigTen title.  May as well be today.


----------



## Crothian

Someone lets the offenses out of the house!!  Badgers Wildcats are just scoring!!


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Someone lets the offenses out of the house!!  Badgers Wildcats are just scoring!!





37-34 NW.  M only up by 3 on Minnesota 13-10.


----------



## Dimwhit

I'd like to be watching these games, but my daughter got Cinderella for her birthday. A asked her if she wanted to spend the day watching football with me, but for some reason, she just wasn't interested...


----------



## Crothian

Wildcats are just taking the Bagers to the house.  TD after TD after TD, Badgers are going down and going down hard.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Wildcats are just taking the Bagers to the house.  TD after TD after TD, Badgers are going down and going down hard.




Another piece is falling into place...


----------



## Crothian

Ya, just no one told the Badgers that.....14 striaght points down by 3 with plenty of time left!!  

Amd gophers and the wolverines are tied...damn good football!!


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Ya, just no one told the Badgers that.....14 striaght points down by 3 with plenty of time left!!
> 
> Amd gophers and the wolverines are tied...damn good football!!




Wow.  At least the Badgers aren't lying down!  Always like to see fight left in a team late in the game.


----------



## Crothian

minute and a half left, northwestrern has to punt, Badgers down by 3!!  Badgers havig nfight in them and really defenses are not the highlight of either team the second half.

Badgers get it in on the 3.....


----------



## Crothian

of course that interception theat NW just got ends the game


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> of course that interception theat NW just got ends the game





Oops!  Sorry Stocco!


----------



## Crothian

But that leaves the winner of tonights game as the out right leader of the Big 10


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> But that leaves the winner of tonights game as the out right leader of the Big 10





didn't I say that already?   Puzzle pieces remember?


----------



## Crothian

Ya...and Arizona ties USC...so that puzzle piece for the Buckeyes to get in the national championship game seems like a lock!1


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Ya...and Arizona ties USC...so that puzzle piece for the Buckeyes to get in the national championship game seems like a lock!1




Well it's looking good so far.


----------



## fett527

Gophers over M.  23-20.


----------



## Crothian

First time in almost 20 years!!  Badgers beat Michigan for the first time in over a decade....Michigan is just not a good team this year like thy normally are.


----------



## fett527

It's just like the Bucks last year.  They get their turn.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, all teams eventually have an off year.  Iowa is looking like a team this week.  Or Purdue really isn't that good this year.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Ya...and Arizona ties USC...so that puzzle piece for the Buckeyes to get in the national championship game seems like a lock!1



 Guys, guys...no one runs with USC for a full 60 minutes. They can make the first half look interesting, but USC is the best second half team in the nation.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Guys, guys...no one runs with USC for a full 60 minutes. They can make the first half look interesting, but USC is the best second half team in the nation.





Right, but that means USC is really not that great sicne they are suppossed to be the best team in the nation and just playing the second half is not going to be good enough.  Texas really should be number one.  

Ands OSU needs to score TDs!!


----------



## Crothian

and for such a good defensive team they miss takles a lot


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Right, but that means USC is really not that great sicne they are suppossed to be the best team in the nation and just playing the second half is not going to be good enough.  Texas really should be number one.




Bah. The only decent team Texas played was winning late in the fourth quarter, and probably would have won if not for terrible clock management (and you should know, because you were there).


----------



## aanJake

*sings Notre Dame cheer song*

I am a die-hard Notre Dame fan, and we are going to KILL USC next week!  

*continues cheering*


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Bah. The only decent team Texas played was winning late in the fourth quarter, and probably would have won if not for terrible clock management (and you should know, because you were there).




Right, because Texas at least played a team that was also talented.  THe USC games should be over by the first half.  Texas has been doing that will their compitition.


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> Right, but that means USC is really not that great sicne they are suppossed to be the best team in the nation and just playing the second half is not going to be good enough.  Texas really should be number one.



Uh, the Trojans led Arizona at the half by a touchdown. Heck, Carroll put the B-squad on the field for the last six-plus minutes and they got stopped two yards short of the goal line with about 15 or 16 seconds left to play - the Trojans won by twenty-one points, _and it wasn't really as close as the score suggests_.

Here's the thing: when you're the two-time defending national champions, every opponent brings their A-game every Saturday - no one is "looking ahead on the schedule." If Texas was dealing with that additional pressure, then yes, they would deserve to be number one. Until they are, they take a seat at the back of the bus with the rest of the wannabes.

(And beating Oklahoma? Please. Didn't the Sooners lose already to like Bryn Mawr or Vassar this season?  )

The Trojans have got to do something about the penalties - it sucks the momentum out of the offense. What concerns me about penalties is that it reflects a lack of mental preparation. The Trojans don't lack mental toughness - big comeback wins don't come without that - but they need to have their collective heads in the game for the full sixty next week.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Right, because Texas at least played a team that was also talented.  THe USC games should be over by the first half.  Texas has been doing that will their compitition.




ASU and Oregon are very good teams, especially at home. ASU's only losses were to USC and LSU; Oregon's only loss was to USC. The Pac 10 is very strong this year, probably as good as most writers thought the Big 10 was going to be.

Arizona was scheduled right after two tough road games and right before a road trip to Notre Dame; classic trap game position -- and there's not the huge talent drop-off between the current powers and the current bottom-feeders in the Pac 10 that there is in other major conferences. Ohio State can play badly and blow out Indiana; Texas can play badly and blow out Baylor; if USC plays badly against Arizona or Washington, they're going to lose (and so would Texas or Ohio State).


----------



## Crothian

Well, Texas looked better verse Oklahoma then USC did agaist Arizona....and neither are good teams.  And I know the teams want to beat USC, but USC does not always look like they want to beat the teams they are playing.


----------



## Dimwhit

Man, I don't know whether to laugh or cry, but Boise is stinking up the place against a 1-AA team. The nation's longest home win streak could end ugly.


----------



## Crothian

So, maybe Penn State can go undefeated.......


----------



## fett527

Guess who's not winning the Pick 'Em this week?

Kudos to PSU's defense.  They stayed right with OSU's and got the big turnover.

OSU's offense could not deliver again and in fact lost the game with an errant pass.

good luck to PSU and go Big Ten.


----------



## Dimwhit

I didn't actually expect them to win when I made the pick. I guess Penn is for real, eh?


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I didn't actually expect them to win when I made the pick. I guess Penn is for real, eh?




Their defense is, that's for sure.  both offenses could only put together one big drive.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, Penn State is for real.....this has nothing to do with OSU always losing the week after the bye...though they are now 1-4 after it under Coach T


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Guess who's not winning the Pick 'Em this week?




Not me. Though even if UCLA doesn't come back, I won't be in last...


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Well, Texas looked better verse Oklahoma then USC did agaist Arizona....and neither are good teams.




But
1) Arizona's the better of the two.
2) Texas had a lot to prove against Oklahoma; as far as USC was concerned, a win was a win.
3) Texas' last two games were Rice and Missouri, which is hardly Oregon and Arizona State, and they've got Colorado at home next week, while USC has Notre Dame in South Bend. Texas barely did better than UCLA did against Oklahoma, and UCLA's no better than the fourth-best team in the Pac 10 (after USC, Cal, and the ASU/Oregon winner certainly, and probably the loser, too).



			
				Crothian said:
			
		

> And I know the teams want to beat USC, but USC does not always look like they want to beat the teams they are playing.




It's very difficult to play on an emotional high every game.


----------



## Crothian

Maybe Arizona's the better of the two, remember though people thought Oklohoma was a top 10 team, too.  

But it isn't going to matter, Penn State I am declaring as the best team in the nation


----------



## Dimwhit

I'm pretty annoyed that Cal lost. UCLA's a good team this year, but that's a painful loss for Cal.

EDIT: At least Boise held on to win. Barely. Against Portland State.


----------



## Crothian

those double A teams cirlcle those games though, beat ing a 1A team is huge for any of them


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> those double A teams cirlcle those games though, beat ing a 1A team is huge for any of them



 Boise's coach, Dan Hawkins, said in an interview quite a while back that the Portland State game was the one he feared most this season (more so that even Georgia). He called it a land mine game. He's a smart guy. And he's right. Those AA teams are dangerous because they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Stanford learned that the hard way.


----------



## drothgery

Rundown of remaining unbeatens

ACC (only one unbeaten possible at the end of the season)

Florida State
Biggest obstacles left: at Florida, potential ACC title game vs. Virginia Tech or Miami
Comments: Despite the hype around Virginia Tech, FSU probably has the best chance of going unbeaten in the ACC; only one tough game left before the ACC title game.

Virginia Tech
Biggest obstacles left: BC, Miami, potential ACC title game vs. Florida State
Comments: BC and Miami have caused problems for VT before, and no one should overlook FSU in the ACC title game

Big 12 (only one unbeaten possible at the end of the season)

Texas
Biggest obstacles left: Texas Tech, potential Big 12 title game vs. Colorado
Comments: Should go undefeated, but has a history of losing to lesser teams, and upsets are the norm in Big 12 title game

Texas Tech
Biggest obstacles left: Texas, potential Big 12 title game vs. Colorado
Comments: Probably can't get past Texas

Big 10 (only one unbeaten possible at the end of the season)

Penn State
Biggest obstacles left: at Michigan, Wisconsin, at Michigan State
Comments: Michigan State's probably who PSU should be most worried about; a good passing game can hurt PSU, as Northwestern proved.

Pac 10 (only one unbeaten possible at the end of the season)

USC
Biggest obstacles left: at Notre Dame, at Cal, UCLA
Comments: I'd figure anyone except USC would lose one of these.

UCLA
Biggest obstacles left: Arizona State, at USC
Comments: UCLA's a lot better, but they're going to lose both of these.

SEC (only one unbeaten possible at the end of the season)

Georgia
Biggest obstacles left: Florida, Auburn, SEC title game vs. Alabama, LSU, or Auburn
Comments: I still don't think they're good enough to run the table in the SEC.

Alabama
Biggest obstacles left: Tennessee, LSU, Aubun, SEC title game vs. Georgia or Florida
Comments: Heck, I don't think anyone in the SEC is good enough to run the table in the SEC.

My expectation: FSU and USC are the teams left standing at the end of the year. Texas will find a way to lose a game (they always do); PSU's won three games they shouldn't have already, and karmic balance will catch up to them; and the SEC's too deep (and lacks a signle dominant team) for either Alabama or Georgia to escape unscathed.


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> But it isn't going to matter, Penn State I am declaring as the best team in the nation



*O - H -* oh-oh...

Sorry, dude...


----------



## Crothian

They beat Thee Ohio State University.  They have a great coach and players and fans that want it.  The Big Ten has no dominate team this year, just a lot of good ones.


----------



## Dungannon

So, can we now rename the Michigan-Ohio State game the "Irrelevant Bowl"?


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> So, can we now rename the Michigan-Ohio State game the "Irrelevant Bowl"?




Not yet. Suppose Penn State loses to Michigan and Michigan State (quite possible), Wisconsin loses another Big 10 game, and both Michigan and Ohio State win all their remaining games until the last one. Michigan-Ohio State is for a share of the Big 10 title and probably a BCS spot.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> So, can we now rename the Michigan-Ohio State game the "Irrelevant Bowl"?




Never, the game is so important that the schools records are not that much of a big deal.  And you actually know its not a bowl game right?


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> So, can we now rename the Michigan-Ohio State game the "Irrelevant Bowl"?





Sorry.  Doesn't work that way.  It is and always has been *The Game*.  Bigger than Texas, bigger than Penn State.  There are 3 seasons for OSU and M.  Non-conference, BIG 10 and each other.


----------



## Dungannon

I meant irrelevant to those of us who _aren't_ Michigan or Ohio State fans.  

And I'd also like to point out that Washington _didn't_ lose this weekend!!!

Okay, okay, so they didn't play, but it's the thought that counts...


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I meant irrelevant to those of us who _aren't_ Michigan or Ohio State fans.




I don't see why it would if you are a college football fan.  Rivalry games are one of the great thinks about college football.  Let us tale Washhington verse Washington State.  I don't really care about either tean but I will watch them play each other becasue it is a rilvary game and those games are usually really good.  They might not be playing for something like a championship, but both teams are playing for pride and that is true in all rilvary games.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I don't see why it would if you are a college football fan.  Rivalry games are one of the great thinks about college football.  Let us tale Washhington verse Washington State.  I don't really care about either tean but I will watch them play each other becasue it is a rilvary game and those games are usually really good.  They might not be playing for something like a championship, but both teams are playing for pride and that is true in all rilvary games.




Crothian, you know I don't normally say anything about typos or spelling, but dude that post was atrocious.  

You have a sandwich in your hand or something?


----------



## Crothian

No, I did it just to bother you


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> No, I did it just to bother you




As long as that's why.  

And as far as rivalry games I absolutely agree.  I love the big rivalry games no matter who is involved.  Just lucky that my home team is involved in the greatest rivalry in all of sports.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> As long as that's why.




The less interesting reason was I had no lights on at the time to see the keyboard.  My touch typing skills are not so good.  



> And as far as rivalry games I absolutely agree.  I love the big rivalry games no matter who is involved.  Just lucky that my home team is involved in the greatest rivalry in all of sports.




It is part of what makes sports great.


----------



## Dimwhit

I like rivalry games. Some are better than others, though. Boise State is getting some good rivals. Boise-Fresno could end up being a really good one. Boise-Idaho has been a long-standing rivalry, but Boise beats up on them so badly it's not much of one.

Anyone who has grown up in Caly knows the Cal-Stanford rivalry. That's an all-time great. Washington-Washington State, Oregon-Oregon State...there are some great ones.

I'm not biased toward the West Coast or anything...


----------



## Crothian

Ohio State is trying to give it away.....


----------



## The Shaman

And they're wearing the *GREEN*...

Should be a good one!

(Tough break for Minnesota...)


----------



## Crothian

Gophers gave away a game, Spartans gave away a game.


----------



## Dungannon

As bad as Ohio State looked today, I can't believe Michigan State choked that game away.  Congrats to Ohio State, the lucky bastards.


----------



## Crothian

A win's a win.


----------



## Dungannon

A lot of close games early today, Wake-BC and Alabama-Ol' Miss foremost.


----------



## Crothian

and Purdue Northwestern is withing 5 with 10 minutes left


----------



## Dimwhit

Man, Notre Dame might actually have a chance if the refs keep helping them out like this.


----------



## Crothian

good, I'm watching the real undefeated team Penn State


----------



## Dungannon

Really, I stopped watching that at halftime when it was like 28-7 Northwestern.


----------



## Crothian

NW won only by 5


----------



## Crothian

USC got a gift


----------



## Dimwhit

Why do you say that?

I'll tell you, that 4th and 9 audible by Leinart, followed by the clutch pass, is why he's a Heisman winner. That was incredible.

The last few seconds seemed confusing, but it all seemed on the level (though I think he got a generous spot based on where the ball went out of bounds when he fumbled). Incredible finish, though.


----------



## The Shaman

..._I'm totally spent_...


----------



## Dimwhit

Just an incredible day for finishes. USC wins on a last second TD, Michigan beats Penn on a last second TD, Alabama beats Miss on a last second FG, Wisconsin pulls off a crazy last-minute win over Minnesota (and cost me 7 points in the Pick'em  ), Louisville loses in the 3rd OT...

Just a crazy day.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Why do you say that?




They were out played, the spotting of the ball for the last play was very generious, and how many times does fumbling actually set up the game winning TD for the people that fulbmed it?  

THat was an amazing past by Lienart, but hopefully a single pass like that won't win him the Heisman.  He's been playing good this year but I don't see it as a Heisman performance with the sheer amount of talent around it.  

I was really hoping the time would expire and the game would be called at the end.  Not because I was hoping for the ND win (really it didn't matter to me) but because USC asked for no instant replay and I thought it would be great irony for them to lose for that choice.


----------



## Dungannon

Not to mention that my 10-point lock in the college pick-em is currently *losing* 21-0.  And while I'm happy that Notre Dame lost, I'm still peeved that Michigan beat Penn State.  The Nittany Lions are the only Big 10 team I actually like.


----------



## Crothian

THe Big 10 is once again the most competive conference, its what makes every week so great.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> They were out played, the spotting of the ball for the last play was very generious, and how many times does fumbling actually set up the game winning TD for the people that fulbmed it?
> 
> THat was an amazing past by Lienart, but hopefully a single pass like that won't win him the Heisman.  He's been playing good this year but I don't see it as a Heisman performance with the sheer amount of talent around it.
> 
> I was really hoping the time would expire and the game would be called at the end.  Not because I was hoping for the ND win (really it didn't matter to me) but because USC asked for no instant replay and I thought it would be great irony for them to lose for that choice.




That would be quite the irony. 

Personally, I think Bush should be ahead of Leinart for the Heisman. However, it's very likely that that 4th and 9 pass WILL win him the Heisman. That was about the most clutch play I've seen. Not just the throw, but his audible to set it up.

Bummer about Penn. I was pulling for them.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> THe Big 10 is once again the most competive conference, its what makes every week so great.



 The Big 10 is selling me this year. They're the most fun conference to watch, and they're amazingly competitive.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> The Big 10 is selling me this year. They're the most fun conference to watch, and they're amazingly competitive.




More so this year then in years past, I swear Indiana might even take someone out this year.


----------



## Dimwhit

I think the Pac-10 is having a similar year. They've had, what, 5 or 6 teams ranked this year? And they're all beating each other (except USC so far).

It's cool, but it also makes it very difficult to place a team into the Championship game. (One more reason a playoff would be nice.)


----------



## Crothian

CAl lost, UCLA is losing....looks like the Pac 10 is the Pac 1 and little 9.


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, hasn't been a good week for them.

I'd like to say that my WAC is good this year, but they pretty much suck. Even Boise, who is finally winning again, is not doing well this year. Fresno is the other 'good' team, but we'll see how long that lasts.


----------



## Crothian

MAC is also having a down year, but these little conferances can't compete year in and year out


----------



## Crothian

UCLA with the come back...an amazing set of games today......


----------



## Dimwhit

We'll see if they pull it off in OT.

Cool day in the NCAA.


----------



## Crothian

UCLA was doing too good in the secoind half to lose in OT


----------



## Dungannon

Thank GOD, UCLA was my 10-point pick in the college pick-em.  My week would've sucked if they'd lost.  I'm surprised Corso hasn't had a heartattack today with all the wild finishes.


----------



## Crothian

And FSU is getting their backside handed to them by Virginia!!


----------



## Dungannon

Lotta shakeup in the top 25 today.


----------



## Crothian

Had some good match ups and close scares...and the BCS results are this week...the excitment is in the air!!


----------



## Dimwhit

Well, the nation's longest home winning streak is now up to 28 games with Boise winning.  They've also won 28 straight games in the WAC. Man, I wish they could move to a better conference...


----------



## Crothian

FSU falls


----------



## Nightfall

And WVU comes back from down 17 - 0 to win it in Triple OT.  Now THAT'S a game!


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> They were out played, the spotting of the ball for the last play was very generious, and how many times does fumbling actually set up the game winning TD for the people that fulbmed it?




You're kidding, right? ND was only in the game because of rotten officiating (most notably that well out-of-bounds catch) and because Steve Smith failed to catch the ball a few times when wide open and given a perfect pass to work with.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> You're kidding, right? ND was only in the game because of rotten officiating (most notably that well out-of-bounds catch) and because Steve Smith failed to catch the ball a few times when wide open and given a perfect pass to work with.




USC was only in the game because ND wasn't perfect either...it goes both ways.   :\


----------



## Dimwhit

You know what else impresses me about USC? They play to win, not to not lose. That last play was also way gutsy. 7 seconds left, no timeouts, and the run the sneak. If Leinart doesn't get in, they lose. I think a lot of teams would have spiked the ball and gone for the FG and OT.

That last drive just impressed me a lot.


----------



## Crothian

I think if more players were allowed to call thie plays they would all go for the win.  Its the coaches that go for the tie a lot of time becasue they are afraid to lose a sa bad choice like that can get them fired.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> I think if more players were allowed to call thie plays they would all go for the win.  Its the coaches that go for the tie a lot of time becasue they are afraid to lose a sa bad choice like that can get them fired.




And the thing is it's really a better idea to go for the win. It's much more likely that you'll score a TD from less than 2 yards out than win in overtime (overtime is basically a coin flip; 3 plays from the 2 should result in a TD at least 75% of the time).

There's just an element of illogically conservative playcalling, like SU kicking field goals late in the game yesterday. Losing 31-9 rather than 31-6 or 31-3 made no difference; they needed touchdowns if they wanted to get back in teh game.


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> They were out played, the spotting of the ball for the last play was very generious, and how many times does fumbling actually set up the game winning TD for the people that fulbmed it?



I didn't see anything in spotting the ball that was "generous" - the side judge was right there and marked where forward progress stopped immediately after the play was whistled dead.

As far as setting up the fumble setting up the TD...sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Both teams made mistakes, both teams got breaks (like the catch-that-wasn't-a-catch). Both teams also made some great plays - the choice by both coaches to go for it on 4th-and-1 was just awesome.

As far as ND "outplaying" SC, I would have to give the play-calling nod to Charlie Weis - there's a reason he was the best OC in the NFL, and he showed it. However, that final score isn't a fluke - in fact, I was a bit surprised that it was that close. I credit the fact that ND had two weeks to rest and prepare, that they were playing at home in front of an insane crowd and Touchdown Jesus (not necessarily in that order), that this is a tradition-drenched rivalry and rivalry games usually bring out something special, and that Charlie Weis not only had a chance to study how Oregon and ASU challenged SC but also call on Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick for ideas. Even then, ND could never shake loose - SC held on with a beat-up, young D.

My biggest surprise of the game was how well ND's secondary played, but they were aided by a less-than-stellar Leinert performance and some dropped balls. SC should've been able to air it out, and they couldn't. (As a result, Reggie Bush will earn the Heisman Trophy.)

This game was everything you could've hoped for from a top-10 matchup midway through the season.

SC has some work ahead of it: Special teams. The cornerbacks. The stupid penalties. (There's no excuse for the false starts and the personal fouls.) Cal in Berkeley. UCLA anywhere.

Interesting note: Texas has played only two ranked teams, and against another top-10 team the margin of victory was...(*_drum-roll_*)...three points. The Longhorns have looked good against a bunch of stiffs (and that includes OK - never thought I'd call a Sooner teams "stiffs"...good job, Bob Stoops!). Texas hasn't played anyone of the caliber that SC has beaten so far this year (and yes, I'm including Ohio State in that). They haven't given me any reason to believe that SC couldn't beat them in a head-to-head match-up. (That may change after the game with Tech, but we'll see.)

It's taken me a full fourteen hours since the game ended to actually start thinking about this one - I was too wiped out last night!


----------



## fett527

The Shaman said:
			
		

> Interesting note: Texas has played only two ranked teams, and against another top-10 team the margin of victory was...(*_drum-roll_*)...three points. The Longhorns have looked good against a bunch of stiffs (and that includes OK - never thought I'd call a Sooner teams "stiffs"...good job, Bob Stoops!). Texas hasn't played anyone of the caliber that SC has beaten so far this year (and yes, I'm including Ohio State in that). They haven't given me any reason to believe that SC couldn't beat them in a head-to-head match-up. (That may change after the game with Tech, but we'll see.)!




  OSU's defense is not only high-caliber it is the best in the nation.  Texas was able to overcome what I believe that defense and you must give them props for that.  I don't believe USC's defense comes close to OSU's.  Texas will score points on USC and that is why they *can * beat them.  And before you point out how many yards OSU gave up to MSU, you better read a careful synopsis of the game to realize the defense is why they won that game.  Not only the blocked field goal but also the fact that they were on the field for so long and never gave up.  They stuffed MSU when they had too.


----------



## fett527

And sorry I couldn't participate over the weekend- too much to do.


----------



## Crothian

So, was the Bush push of Leinart an illegal move?


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> So, was the Bush push of Leinart an illegal move?



 Why would it be? Far as I know, he could pick him up and carry him over the goal line if he wanted, couldn't he? (I honestly don't know--are there rules about it?)


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Why would it be? Far as I know, he could pick him up and carry him over the goal line if he wanted, couldn't he? (I honestly don't know--are there rules about it?)




Ya, there are rules for this sort of thing.  One player is not allowed to push another player forward like that.  Now, if it is a pile of people, you are allowed to push, but not a single person.  I think that's what it is.


----------



## Dimwhit

Interesting. I never knew that. I know Bush pushed him, but when I watched it, I didn't notice it. It was probably as much him trying to knock defenders out of the way as push Leinhart, but I really don't remember.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> So, was the Bush push of Leinart an illegal move?




Technically, but since that sort of thing happens on virtually every short-yardage running play and is never called, it might as well not be. That rule's basically in place to keep teams from handing the ball to a flyweight reciever and then having the RBs throw him over the pile.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Technically, but since that sort of thing happens on virtually every short-yardage running play and is never called, it might as well not be. That rule's basically in place to keep teams from handing the ball to a flyweight reciever and then having the RBs throw him over the pile.




Then they need to take it off the books or start calling it.  Just becasue everyone gets away with it doesn't make it right.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Then they need to take it off the books or start calling it.  Just becasue everyone gets away with it doesn't make it right.




Somehow, I don't think the various football rules bodies are going to do a comprehensive re-architecting of the rules to get rid of all the stuff that's never called.

There's holding on at least half of all running plays, too (and always will be, unless a simple, easily enforceable rule for what linemen can and can't do which still allows teams to run the ball effectively can be devised), and even the long kick returns that don't get called back for an illegal block in the back usually have one that the refs didn't see. Pick plays are a routine part of most passing offenses (despite not being allowed). "Leaping" is almost never called. Just for a start.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Why would it be? Far as I know, he could pick him up and carry him over the goal line if he wanted, couldn't he? (I honestly don't know--are there rules about it?)



No, he cannot.   It was an illegal move.  Everything I've read and listened to (ESPN radio) is that he definitely violated the rule.  The spot of the ball should also have been backed up to the 2 where the ball went out of bounds.  But, Notre Dame got their breaks too.  ND should have stopped them on 4th and 9.

This is the best synopsis of the game I have found:

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005/Columnists/MZ/WeeklyAffirmation.htm

On the spot, push and officials:



> Next question: just how much weight should be placed on the spot of the ball after the fumble? This is a provocative and worthwhile question to ask for four reasons: 1) with USC’s boatload of weapons, the Trojans had two chances (with seven seconds left) to score, and ample ways in which to do so; freaking out about the spot of the ball suggests that USC would have been in deep trouble with a spot at the two or three; 2) Matt Leinart’s sneak was no sure thing, especially since Notre Dame’s front initially stopped the Heisman Trophy winner, who showed enormous presence to not only keep his legs churning (so many lesser quarterbacks would have just piled into the line and let the chips fall where they may), but to slide along the line in search of a pocket of open space, which is exactly what he found; 3) if you were observing closely, you would have noticed that the ball, initially spotted on the three-inch line before Leinart’s sneak, was moved back to the hash mark denoting the one-yard line, thereby making the sneak an especially risky proposition; 4) let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Leinart’s fumble did go out of bounds at the 3, and that USC’s subsequent attempt at the end zone (assuredly a pass under such a circumstance) failed. In that case, Pete Carroll—gutsy as he was and is—still had the option of a tying chip-shot field goal. USC, even with its coach’s professed desire to win or lose the game at the end of regulation, nevertheless had the field goal always available as a fall-back plan. If this was a four-point Irish lead, one can then make appropriate adjustments in assessing the degree to which USC was lucky. Yes, the Trojans were very much lucky, but not that lucky. Focusing on the subject of “lucky bounces” means that you also have to account for a fortuitous bounce off Ambrose Wooden’s helmet that created a somewhat-but-not-entirely-earned end zone interception for the Irish in the second quarter.
> 
> Next question: what to make of Reggie Bush pushing Matt Leinart into the end zone? There are two kinds of people in this world: letter-of-the-law people and spirit-of-the-law people, and they could get into a robust philosophical debate of this issue until next year’s Irish-Trojans game in LA.
> 
> Those who promote the letter of the law could legitimately point to the NCAA rulebook, which states that "no other player of (the runner's) team shall grasp, push, lift or charge into him to assist him in forward progress." It would be technical, but it would also be true, and backed by that most authoritative of sources: the hard, written-down code itself. On the other hand, those who believe in the spirit of the law could just as legitimately say that a penalty for assisting a runner is virtually NEVER called in such rugby-scrum-type situations, and that said penalty is usually enforced only in more isolated, open-field situations when one lineman clearly helps a runner move forward. To put an even finer point on this issue, the penalty for helping a runner is and has been historically applied when linemen pull or drag a runner forward, as opposed to pushing from behind.
> 
> Since we’re in the middle of the baseball playoffs, let’s use this example as a perfect point of comparison. The baseball rulebook has not been changed in terms of referring to the top of the strike zone as “the midpoint between the top of the shoulder and the top of the uniform pants.” Yet—and the first baseball game I can consciously remember watching was in 1982—I have rarely seen this rulebook version of the strike zone enforced. The belt, not the letters, is the top of the strike zone in terms of the way umpires have enforced the strike zone in real life (at least, in the past quarter-century). Therefore, to flag Reggie Bush for a penalty would be akin to calling a letter-high strike in baseball: technically correct, but so rarely invoked that enforcement of the rule in this situation would have been dubious.
> 
> And after all, let’s fall back on this larger reality, too: since Notre Dame is a Catholic school to begin with, a spirit-of-the-law perspective consistent with a non-literal reading of the Bible and a celebration of Sacred Mystery should prevail at this school. What Would Jesus Flag? Not Reggie Bush on that last play. And if Brady Quinn was pushed into the end zone by Darius Walker, the very same principle would apply.
> 
> Getting beyond those final two plays, there are so many other aspects of this SC-Notre Dame game that can enable studied, reasoned, knowledgeable, and information-armed fans of both teams to honestly disagree about genuinely debatable points.
> 
> Who got jobbed by the officials to a worse degree? This cuts both ways. USC got screwed in the second-quarter scuffle following a pileup after a fumble. When it was clear that members of both teams pushed and shoved, trading blows in roughly equal measure, the zebras somehow flagged only a Trojan, safety Josh Pinkard. But later on, the refs—who, in clear view of NBC cameras, threw a flag that was ostensibly for holding against the Trojans—never even mentioned the penalty while assessing a dead-ball personal foul penalty against the Irish. True, the presence of a dead-ball foul meant that USC would have received a fresh set of downs no matter what, but the holding penalty that was somehow swallowed would have put the scrimmage line around the Irish 17 instead of the Irish 9. It made it that much easier for USC to score. And while a second-quarter Jeff Samardzija catch should have been ruled incomplete, such a reality must be tempered by the fact that Pete Carroll didn’t want replay in this game. It was by his own choice that some plays cut against him, and he’s fortunate that replay (or its absence) didn’t come back to haunt his team.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Somehow, I don't think the various football rules bodies are going to do a comprehensive re-architecting of the rules to get rid of all the stuff that's never called.
> 
> There's holding on at least half of all running plays, too (and always will be, unless a simple, easily enforceable rule for what linemen can and can't do which still allows teams to run the ball effectively can be devised), and even the long kick returns that don't get called back for an illegal block in the back usually have one that the refs didn't see. Pick plays are a routine part of most passing offenses (despite not being allowed). "Leaping" is almost never called. Just for a start.




Right, and not calling them on lesser plays is kinda okay.  But to let the game winning score happen with an illegal play is not right.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Right, and not calling them on lesser plays is kinda okay.  But to let the game winning score happen with an illegal play is not right.




No it's not. If a rule isn't enforced, then it's not a rule; calling the final play of the game differently than the rest of the game (and indeed, all other organized football games) is nonsense.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> No it's not. If a rule isn't enforced, then it's not a rule; calling the final play of the game differently than the rest of the game (and indeed, all other organized football games) is nonsense.




If a rule is on the books, and this one is, its a rule.  And the rules should be gotten right on the important game ending plays.  I didn't see any other time through out that game with one player pushing another, so it wasn't like it was going on but not being called there.


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> If a rule is on the books, and this one is, its a rule.  And the rules should be gotten right on the important game ending plays.



As noted in another post, the rule exists to prevent "tailback tossing" - this kind of play, where one player helps to push back the defense by making contact with the ball carrier, occurs in scrums on the field in every game, and I can't ever remember it being called in either college or the pros. The refs enforce the spirit of the rule, rather than its letter.

If Lou Holtz says that he didn't think the call should be made, I'm satisfied that the refs got it right.


----------



## Crothian

One of these days OSu's offense will click gosh darn it!!!


----------



## Dungannon

I see Northwestern is out to another big early lead.  Think they'll be able to hold on to this one?


----------



## Crothian

NW will win, MSU needs to lose to a team they should beat; they do it every year


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> One of these days OSu's offense will click gosh darn it!!!



It would be nice to see some consistency.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> NW will win, MSU needs to lose to a team they should beat; they do it every year



I agree NW with a two TD lead should win that one.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> I agree NW with a two TD lead should win that one.




three TD lead now....and the ball back.....


----------



## fett527

The OSU Indiana agme is the worst officiating I have evre seen and on both sides of the ball.  unfortuantely OSU is getting the worst of it.  they held Ginn up for a good 3-3 seconds and the play should have been whistled dead.  ridiculous


----------



## Crothian

Ya, it has been a not so good game, even the players are not that sharp

And NW scores again....


----------



## Dimwhit

This Michigan/Iowa game is looking good. Gotta love OT!


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> This Michigan/Iowa game is looking good. Gotta love OT!




Bah. Overtime sucks. College overtime is a joke that only vaguely resembles actual football, and NFL overtime gives way too big of an advantage to whoever wins the coin flip.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Bah. Overtime sucks. College overtime is a joke that only vaguely resembles actual football, and NFL overtime gives way too big of an advantage to whoever wins the coin flip.




I like them both


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> Bah. Overtime sucks. College overtime is a joke that only vaguely resembles actual football, and NFL overtime gives way too big of an advantage to whoever wins the coin flip.



 I think in college OT they should place the ball on the 50 instead of the 25.


----------



## Dimwhit

You know why Iowa lost that game? Because they didn't try to win in regulation. They had plenty of time but seemed content to take it to OT. Too bad.


----------



## Dungannon

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> This Michigan/Iowa game is looking good. Gotta love OT!



Yet another game with bad officiating.  But at least the bad calls went both ways in this one.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> You know why Iowa lost that game? Because they didn't try to win in regulation. They had plenty of time but seemed content to take it to OT. Too bad.




I think they lost because Mich scored more.....


----------



## Dimwhit

Stinkin' Nebraska. I'm gonna lose 5 points because of them in the Pick'em.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Stinkin' Nebraska. I'm gonna lose 5 points because of them in the Pick'em.




That Brad Smith...that his name?  of Mizzu was very impressive there, a nice one man team there.


----------



## Dimwhit

You guys watching the USC game? Reggie Bush had an amazing punt return for a TD. Just amazing.


----------



## Crothian

not being shown here, I got Badgers Boilermakers


----------



## Dungannon

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> You guys watching the USC game? Reggie Bush had an amazing punt return for a TD. Just amazing.



I'm following it online.  Looks like USC decided to turn it on early today, in the 2nd quarter instead of the second half.  Of course Washington turning it over 3 times in their own end of the field didn't hurt USCs cause.  :\


----------



## Crothian

Washington isn't a good team this year so I'm not sure anyone expected it to be a game.


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, it hasn't been much of a game, but the punt return by Bush is definitely highlight-worthy.

I'm mostly watching the ND/BYU game now. Got 10 points riding on the Irish.


----------



## Crothian

bama Tenn game has also been really good old school defensive struggle


----------



## Crothian

it took 45 minutes of game play for someone to score 3 points....


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> it took 45 minutes of game play for someone to score 3 points....



 Yeah, I'm watching that one now. Good one.


----------



## Crothian

its a score fest in the 4th, each team has a field goal!!!  Huge turnover as it looked like Tenn was going to score.  

First team to 4 or higher wins....


----------



## Dungannon

Go 'Bama!  I got 5 points riding on them in the Pick 'Em.


----------



## Crothian

which was one point less then they scored...

No upsets really nice day of status quo football


----------



## Dungannon

After the excitement of last weekend, this one was bound to be comparatively dull.


----------



## fett527

What about Virginia losing 7-5?  I mean 7-5 should be the final score in he World Series game tonight.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> You guys watching the USC game? Reggie Bush had an amazing punt return for a TD. Just amazing.



Ginn finally had a punt return for a TD stand today.  Should have had a kick off return too except for another bone-headed penalty away from the ball.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> What about Virginia losing 7-5?  I mean 7-5 should be the final score in he World Series game tonight.




Outclassed by Bama's 6-3 win I think.  And the WS is not going to be high scoring


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Outclassed by Bama's 6-3 win I think.  And the WS is not going to be high scoring




Don't speak too soon crothian, 4-3 Sox in the 5th.  

Still watching Auburn/LSU.  7-3 LSU in the 3rd.


----------



## Crothian

so, the sox will score two more runs and the Astros won't score any more


----------



## Dimwhit

Woohoo, Boise! Five straight wins!

Sorry, had to do it.


----------



## fett527

17-14 Auburn late in the game!


----------



## Crothian

and now its tied...what a great game!!


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> and now its tied...what a great game!!



Let's see if Aburn can run the 1:30 drill!


----------



## Crothian

They are moving the ball, 27 second left though


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> They are moving the ball, 27 second left though




And a FG try.


----------



## fett527

No good, OT.


----------



## Crothian

the kickers have not been having a good game


----------



## fett527

I like the fight both these teams have shown, this has been the best game of the day as I expected.


----------



## Crothian

I like the bama Tenn game more, but its been solid.  The SEC and Big Ten look like the only competitve conferneces


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> I like the bama Tenn game more, but its been solid.  The SEC and Big Ten look like the only competitve conferneces




I liked Tenn/bama but score a TD!


----------



## Crothian

another dropped TD pass for LSU....


----------



## fett527

Another missed FG and LSU wins.  Ruins my Pick EM


----------



## Crothian

hit the upright...these kickers are going to have to undere a tough week


----------



## Crothian

and a big boo to the announcers for trying to name the game.......


----------



## Dungannon

And now it's time to root for a Couger upset of the Cal Bears.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Another missed FG and LSU wins.  Ruins my Pick EM




On the other hand, it keeps me in first place in the ENWorld group. No one made more than two mistakes this week; fortunately mine only cost me five points.


----------



## fett527

VaTech vs. BC tonight.  Anyone picking an upset here?


----------



## Dungannon

I gotta go with the Hokies here.  I haven't been impressed with BC at all and the game's in Blacksburg.


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I gotta go with the Hokies here.  I haven't been impressed with BC at all and the game's in Blacksburg.




I would agree.  Tech should roll in this one.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, VT should kill BC


----------



## Dimwhit

I got nothing riding on the game. I'll pick BC. 

Seriously, this is a land mine game for the hokies. They should win, but BC is perfectly capable of pulling an upset, especially if the VT doesn't get themselves in the right mindset.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, BC can upset them, they have the ability.  But I'm not expecting an upset.  Some would say that upsets happen when they aren't ex[ected.


----------



## fett527

Well I didn't expect it and it Tech still rolled.

Interesting read from ESPN Page 2 by Skip Bayless:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/051027


----------



## Crothian

eh, just a rant by someone who doesn't understand what the computers do or more then likely doesn't care.


----------



## Crothian

Buckeyes crush Gophers!!  game starts soon


----------



## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> Buckeyes crush Gophers!!  game starts soon



And Minnesota just tied it up at 17.  Good news for Buckeye fans, Ginn is finally getting involved in the gameplan and making big plays.  Bad news is the Gopher offense is making the OSU defense look like a sieve.  And in other news, North Carolina leads Miami 9-7 in the second quarter.


----------



## Crothian

NC just has the canes number, and the OSU defense is looking horrid


----------



## Dimwhit

Where was I when Miami changed their uniforms? I've never seen those before. Kinda ugly.


----------



## Crothian

I guess they are throwbacks, least that how I've heard them refered to as....I have no idea from when though, they need thrown back.


----------



## Dungannon

Announcer said they were throwbacks from '67.  Why they decided to wear them is beyond me.  When I first saw them flipping channels, I thought I was watching Baylor.  And that was an impressive win by the Buckeyes, on the road against a very good offense.


----------



## Crothian

Well, her's hoping Northwestern wins tonight , Penn State is winning but havign trouble verse POurdue, and Georgia is going to fall from the ranks of the unbeatens.


----------



## Crothian

I remember when Ok St Cowboys would ruin Ok's season...can they do it to Texas??


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> I remember when Ok St Cowboys would ruin Ok's season...can they do it to Texas??



 They're looking good so far. I'd love to see Texas get knocked off. It would simplify the title race.

On another note, after a horrible 0-2 start, my Boise State Broncos have rattled off 6 straight after demolishing Nevada 49-14.


----------



## Dungannon

Tough week all around for the unbeatens.  Georgia loses to Florida, Texas is down 28-12 at the half, and UCLA is losing 14-3 in the 4th quarter.


----------



## Crothian

Wolverines are looking like a real team again as well


----------



## Dungannon

It'll be interesting to see the BCS poll Monday if these games stay like this.


----------



## Crothian

If texas and UCLA loses USC number 1, VT number 2, Alabama 3


----------



## Dungannon

Well, so much for that.  UCLA scores 21 unanswered points in the 4th quarter, then wins it in OT 30-27.  And Texas has come back to make that game close at 28-26.


----------



## drothgery

And UCLA wins in overtime. Again.


----------



## Crothian

texas also with the come back, looks like the BCS will have to its job again this year


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> texas also with the come back, looks like the BCS will have to its job again this year




What's that? Putting an undeserving Big 12 team in the title game?


----------



## Dungannon

Why do you think Texas is undeserving?


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> What's that? Putting an undeserving Big 12 team in the title game?




They only have the most impressive win of the season.....

But the BCS was set up to determine who of the teams is deserving.  Of course there are always going to be cases made for other teams.  If it was an obvious choice there would be no need for the BCS.


----------



## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> They only have the most impressive win of the season.....



You're right, that win over Oklahoma _was_ very impressive.


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Why do you think Texas is undeserving?




Their only quality opponent was an Ohio State team that's going to end the year somewhere between #10 and #15 even if they win out. I just can't see how they merit being selected ahead of an undefeated Virginia Tech, Alabama, or UCLA (it's clear they won't be selected ahead of an undefeated USC). I think that many of the one-loss teams could beat them (heck, I suspect Ohio State would win a rematch).

The Big 12 has a terrible record in the BCS title game (1-3), and all three losers (Nebraska in 2001, Oklahoma in 2003, and Oklahoma in 2004) were contraversial selections (it should have been Oregon in 2001, USC in 2003, and Auburn in 2004).


----------



## Crothian

Well, if we go one who can beat who no one gets in.  There is no teram out there that could win against the other 116 teams.  

And if at the end those other teams strength of scedule is as good as people think, they will leap over Texas as many of the computer polls us Strength of schedule in some way.    And what does Conferance record have to do with a deserving team?


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> And if at the end those other teams strength of scedule is as good as people think, they will leap over Texas as many of the computer polls us Strength of schedule in some way.




Eh. Given how the system works, it's really difficult for Virginia Tech or Alabama or UCLA to move above Texas without getting some #2 votes in the polls. Just to give you an idea of how little the computers affected things (as of last week)...

West Virginia was #18 AP and #17 Harris. They're #11 in the computers. And #17 in the BCS rankings. So the computers have a hard time pulling a team up even when they have a much higher opinion of a team than the pollsters. Here, I think the computers are closer to right than the pollsters.

Notre Dame was #10 in both BCS polls. The BCS computers strongly disagree, rating the Irish #23. They're #15 in the BCS standings.



			
				Crothian said:
			
		

> And what does Conferance record have to do with a deserving team?




Big 12 teams have had a recent history of proving themselves underserving of playing in the national title game. It doesn't necessarily mean that this year's Texas team is underserving (though I think they are), but it does suggest that pollsters should be skeptical of teams that run through the Big 12.


----------



## fett527

Out of town this weekend, sorry.

As far as the title game and Texas, I really believe that if VaTech wins out they should leapfrog Texas.  (this is assuming a match up with FSU in the ACC title game and USC wins out)


----------



## Crothian

well, Penn State plays Wisconsin for the Big Ten crown....I never thought I'd be typing that


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> well, Penn State plays Wisconsin for the Big Ten crown....I never thought I'd be typing that




well, think about Wisconsin losing to PSU and PSU losing to MSU (it's possible however unlikely at this point).


----------



## Crothian

I know OSU still has hope for the crown this year, but I would like to see PSU have a good season for Joe Pa and go to a BCS bowl and kill one of the more populr teams.


----------



## Dungannon

Go Nittany Lions!  And I'm hoping that USC, Texas, Alabama & Virginia Tech all win out, just to see the all the talking heads explode in December & January.


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Go Nittany Lions!






			
				Dungannon said:
			
		

> And I'm hoping that USC, Texas, Alabama & Virginia Tech all win out, just to see the all the talking heads explode in December & January.



I would like to see it as well.  The more undefeateds at the end of the year the better.


----------



## Crothian

Exaclty, if there are only two undefeated teams, the BCS has nothing to do.  We want it to do its job.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Exaclty, if there are only two undefeated teams, the BCS has nothing to do.  We want it to do its job.



I understand that's what it is supposed to do (and that you love to point it out), but all the discussion will be about the teams that were left out and how they deserver their chance and we should have a playoff system.


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> I understand that's what it is supposed to do (and that you love to point it out), but all the discussion will be about the teams that were left out and how they deserver their chance and we should have a playoff system.




Those teams had their chance.  They new the system we have at the beginning of the year.  Sure, playoffs would be better but we don't have them.  But what we do have is better then the old system.  Everyone complains about the BCS when the BCS does exacly what it was set up to do.  And it was needed.


----------



## drothgery

I'm not at all convinced the BCS/Bowl Alliance/Bowl Coallition is much better than the old system. We still have split championships (1994, 2003), undefeated major-conference teams that don't get a share of the championship (most recently Auburn in 2004), undefeated minor-conference teams not getting a real chance to show they're legit (most recently last year's Utah team), and highly contraversial selections for the big bowl games. And unless Texas, Alabama, and Virginia Tech have a sudden losing streak, the last vestige of tradition in the bowls -- the Big 10 vs. Pac 10 Rose Bowl -- will have happened once in four years.


----------



## Dimwhit

After reading an article at ESPN.com, I'm starting to think that a selection committee might be the way to go, like they have in college hoops. But with more people on the committee


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> After reading an article at ESPN.com, I'm starting to think that a selection committee might be the way to go, like they have in college hoops. But with more people on the committee



I have always liked this method and I have seen no reason it wouldn't work.  Set it up in a similar fashion to college BBall.  obvioulsy you can't have as many teams, but it could work.


----------



## Crothian

That would be cool to do it like BBall


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> I have always liked this method and I have seen no reason it wouldn't work.  Set it up in a similar fashion to college BBall.  obvioulsy you can't have as many teams, but it could work.



 And it would only have to be for the 4 BCS bowls. The rest of the bowls can be decided through traditional means (never really a ton of controversy with them).

It would solve most, if not all, of the current problems. You could still have the BCS standings to use as a guide, but teams like Auburn last year and (maybe) VT this year would have a fair shot of selection to the title game, if it's deserved.


----------



## Crothian

Until then they need to force these teams to play each other.  We need non conferance games that are not push overs.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Until then they need to force these teams to play each other.  We need non conferance games that are not push overs.



 I wish there was a way to enforce that. My first thought was to eliminate games with 1-AA teams, but that's not fair to the 1-AA teams that really gear up for those big matches.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Until then they need to force these teams to play each other.  We need non conferance games that are not push overs.




Texas is in the spot they're in because of the victory over OSU.  OSU is still ranked highly as a 2 loss team because it was a close game.  Maybe more programs will realize this and step up.  i've said it before, but the Buckeyes have big non-conference,home/home games for the next 8 years or so.  Texas, VaTech, Miami and USC.


----------



## Dungannon

Not to mention that the 1-AA team will make more money by going to a 1-A powerhouse than they will on the rest of their schedule combined.


----------



## Dungannon

fett527 said:
			
		

> I've said it before, but the Buckeyes have big non-conference,home/home games for the next 8 years or so.  Texas, VaTech, Miami and USC.



I noticed you neglected to mention Washington here.


----------



## fett527

Lousville v Pitt

The game ended up the way I thought it would but did you see the beginning?  If you didn't you missed one of the most unexpected and exciting starts to a game I've ever seen.  Muffed kick off for a Lousville TD and then the very same player that muffed it runs back for a TD on the ensuing kick off.  7-7 after 25 seconds.  And Pitt did everything they could to stick with em but they didn't have enough tricks.


----------



## Dimwhit

I didn't watch the game, fett, but I followed online. Amazing start to the game.

I'm kind of disappointed that Louisville won, to be honest. But then, I'm still a little bitter over last year's Liberty Bowl.


----------



## Crothian

wow, I hope sport center replays that...I was gaming


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> wow, I hope sport center replays that...I was gaming



I was home sick today and the replays of last night's sporscenter had the highlights.

I'm watching Toledo v Ohio right now and it is a close,fun game.  20-14 Toledo.


----------



## Crothian

another night of gaming and the evening sports center went on to other news


----------



## fett527

Ohio tries to get cute a couple times towards the end here and have pretty much blown a chance to stay in it.  4 minutes and Toledo up 30-21 with the ball.


----------



## The Shaman

UCLA is trailing Arizona 28-nuthin' in the second quarter..

Looks like the Bruins have got the Wildcats right where they want 'em.

 

Oh, and go Oregon!


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, UCLA is down by 38 points now. I don't care how good they are, they're not coming back from this.

Kinda sucks. I was hoping the USC/UCLA game at the end of the season would have more meaning. Unless UCLA has the greatest comeback in history, that game won't mean nearly as much.


----------



## fett527

UCLA must have laid down and told Arizona to just run the field.  44-7 last I saw.  Ouch.  Florida State gets upset today as well.

*Bucks* handle business today, 40-2.  Giving Illinois 2 points on a botched extra point.  Most fun I had besides that was watching NW come back and beat Iowa.

Watching VaTech and Miami now.  Seems like Tyrone Moss is out for Miami, could it be their downfall?


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Yeah, UCLA is down by 38 points now. I don't care how good they are, they're not coming back from this.
> 
> Kinda sucks. I was hoping the USC/UCLA game at the end of the season would have more meaning. Unless UCLA has the greatest comeback in history, that game won't mean nearly as much.




I see Boise State took care of their business today.    And I never thought UCLA could beat USC, my thought was always whether or not Cal would get up enough to do it.


----------



## The Shaman

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Unless UCLA has the greatest comeback in history, that game won't mean nearly as much.



It doesn't look good - a battle of undefeateds with both teams in front of a hometown crowd would be a great game. The Bruins will still play the Trojans tough either way, but it would up the stakes nicely.

Glad to see Vandy is playing Florida tough. And great job, Wolfpack! Few things make my Saturday better than seeing Bobby Bowden lose.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> I see Boise State took care of their business today.




Yeah, you've gotta love it when a team can cover a 35-point spread with room to spare. 

Next Thursday is the WAC game of the year. Boise travels to Fresno. And it's on my game night. Not sure what I'm going to do...


----------



## fett527

UCLA has utterly imploded.  52-7 Arizona.

And Miami drives 80 yards for TD.  10-0 Canes.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> UCLA has utterly imploded.  52-7 Arizona.




I think 'imploded' is an understatement. I'm not sure there's a word for what's happening here. I've seen upsets before, but this goes a little beyond an upset.


----------



## fett527

I will be very underwhelmed with VaTech IF they can't win this game.  Miami is without Tyrone Moss, Kyle Wright's bell was rung hard and Devon Hester has come up lame.  Those are all Miami's offensive playmakers so don't expect them to come up with many more points.  VaTech's offense is making mistakes and Miami's defense is making them pay.


----------



## fett527

Fun fact for the day:

Kansas beats Nebraska for the first time in 36 games.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9936148/


----------



## fett527

It's not over but Miami up 20-0 on VaTech without Tyrone Moss and Devon Hester.  Wow.  Let's see if VaTech can pull out the gutsy comeback win.


----------



## fett527

Anyone else watching the biggest game of the day?

27-0 Miami.  Vick can't hold onto the ball.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> It's not over but Miami up 20-0 on VaTech without Tyrone Moss and Devon Hester.  Wow.  Let's see if VaTech can pull out the gutsy comeback win.



 That will suck if VT loses, and not just because I'll lose 10 points. With UCLA already having lost, we're not likely to have a BCS controversy this year. Unless Texas and USC lose at some point, too...


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> That will suck if VT loses, and not just because I'll lose 10 points. With UCLA already having lost, we're not likely to have a BCS controversy this year. Unless Texas and USC lose at some point, too...



Not that the BCS needs anymore controversy to look ineffective, but Bama will be the other undefeated after today.  They have a tough road and if they win out there will still be controversy.  If not then it's like 2002.


----------



## fett527

Vandy and Florida are tied at 35 and look to be headed to OT.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Not that the BCS needs anymore controversy to look ineffective, but Bama will be the other undefeated after today.  They have a tough road and if they win out there will still be controversy.  If not then it's like 2002.




Not quite; there's not a team with a loss or two sitting out there that almost certainly would beat either undefeated ala Carson Palmer's USC team.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> Not quite; there's not a team with a loss or two sitting out there that almost certainly would beat either undefeated ala Chris Palmer's USC team.



Carson Palmer.  And the Bucks D would have done to USC what it did to Miami.  Remember, Miami wasn't afraid to run up the score in that game.


----------



## Ankh-Morpork Guard

fett527 said:
			
		

> Vandy and Florida are tied at 35 and look to be headed to OT.



 And the Gators win!

Whew...that was a close one.


----------



## Dimwhit

Stupid VT...


----------



## The Shaman

Leinart is underthrowing his passes - his receivers are slowing down or falling down to make receptions in the open field. Unfortunately his best-thrown ball was dropped.

I did like seeing LenDale catch a pass - I'd hate to be some dinky corner trying to stop him with a full head of steam!


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> And the Bucks D would have done to USC what it did to Miami.  Remember, Miami wasn't afraid to run up the score in that game.




Miami and Ohio State were fundamentally very similar teams (which not many people realised, because the Big East gets ignored in the regular season), both of which relied on defense and running the ball; the only difference was that Tressel is a lot more comfortable with a ten-point lead than Coker is (and this gets Ohio State in trouble; sooner or later he's going to figure out that you've got to put games away no matter who you're playing, and the Buckeyes will win another title). USC would have been a fundamentally different challenge.


----------



## Captain Tagon

Go Wolfpack. Way to win a game. Woot woot.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, a day of upsets and I missed it...stupid gaming. Oh well, OSU ran over Ill so no big deal in the long run.


----------



## The Shaman

Let's say that Texas is upset a buoyed-up Kansas team while Alabama wins out - do you put the Tide in the Rose Bowl? Is 'bama better than Penn State, Miami...or Texas, for that matter?


----------



## fett527

The Shaman said:
			
		

> Let's say that Texas is upset a buoyed-up Kansas team while Alabama wins out - do you put the Tide in the Rose Bowl? Is 'bama better than Penn State, Miami...or Texas, for that matter?



No one wants to put Bama up due to lack of offense right now.  If Texas is beaten and Bama wins out in the SEC they better be in the Championship game.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> Miami and Ohio State were fundamentally very similar teams (which not many people realised, because the Big East gets ignored in the regular season), both of which relied on defense and running the ball; the only difference was that Tressel is a lot more comfortable with a ten-point lead than Coker is (and this gets Ohio State in trouble; sooner or later he's going to figure out that you've got to put games away no matter who you're playing, and the Buckeyes will win another title). USC would have been a fundamentally different challenge.




I wish we could have played USC, I really do.  The Bucks would have beat em in '02 however different the challenge.  It would have been interesting this year if Troy Smith hadn't been suspended at the beginning of the year.  Oh well.


----------



## Crothian

The Shaman said:
			
		

> Let's say that Texas is upset a buoyed-up Kansas team while Alabama wins out - do you put the Tide in the Rose Bowl? Is 'bama better than Penn State, Miami...or Texas, for that matter?




If you go through the SEC undefeated and you are one of two undefeated temas in the nation, you deserve to be in that game.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> If you go through the SEC undefeated and you are one of two undefeated temas in the nation, you deserve to be in that game.



 Pretty much my thinking. It would be an interesting game, too. Which one breaks--the USC offense or the 'Bama defense? They say defense win a championship, but I don't think that would be the case here. We may never know.


----------



## The Shaman

fett527 said:
			
		

> No one wants to put Bama up due to lack of offense right now.



I read something that I thought was interesting: a lot of folks talk about how good the defenses in the SEC are, but the same Tennessee Vols who held the Tide to two field goals proceeded to give up forty-plus points to the Irish.

Are the defenses in the SEC that good, or are the offenses just laughably bad?


----------



## drothgery

The Shaman said:
			
		

> I read something that I thought was interesting: a lot of folks talk about how good the defenses in the SEC are, but the same Tennessee Vols who held the Tide to two field goals proceeded to give up forty-plus points to the Irish.
> 
> Are the defenses in the SEC that good, or are the offenses just laughably bad?




I'd guess that that the defenses are good, but not as good as they look; the offenses are bad, but not as bad as they look. Pretty much the reverse of what's going on in the Pac 10.


----------



## Dimwhit

Well, today's the day. My Broncos travel to Fresno State for, quite possibly, the WAC championship. I'm pretty nervous. I think Boise is the better team, but Fresno is due to beat them. Boise has won the last four meetings and 31 straight in the WAC. This is, apparently, the year of ended streaks...


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Well, today's the day. My Broncos travel to Fresno State for, quite possibly, the WAC championship. I'm pretty nervous. I think Boise is the better team, but Fresno is due to beat them. Boise has won the last four meetings and 31 straight in the WAC. This is, apparently, the year of ended streaks...




THat one team is due to bet anomther is a myth.  Boise can npull it off, they've been playing very well.  And Fresno might be looking ahead to a USC game and that's the streak they really want to end.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Well, today's the day. My Broncos travel to Fresno State for, quite possibly, the WAC championship. I'm pretty nervous. I think Boise is the better team, but Fresno is due to beat them. Boise has won the last four meetings and 31 straight in the WAC. This is, apparently, the year of ended streaks...



I'll be rootin' for em!  Go Broncos!


----------



## Dungannon

Me too, I'll be a Bronco fan.  Can't stand California teams.


----------



## Dimwhit

Woohoo! Everyone's a Bronco fan tonight!


----------



## Dimwhit

Boise's just killing me here.


----------



## fett527

It's not looking good at 27-7.


----------



## Dimwhit

NNNNooope.

When Boise decides to tank, they really tank. 

But who knows, maybe Boise has a comeback in them.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> NNNNooope.
> 
> When Boise decides to tank, they really tank.
> 
> But who knows, maybe Boise has a comeback in them.



A goal line stand is a good start.  Now they need to score.


----------



## fett527

If Fresno scores here it's over.  About 9 minutes left.

EDIT:  Missed the FG.  Boise's gonna have to score quickly.


----------



## Dimwhit

It's pretty much over. Too far behind, not enough time.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> It's pretty much over. Too far behind, not enough time.




And too many sacks.  Sorry Dimwhit.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> And too many sacks.  Sorry Dimwhit.



 Ah well. All good streaks must come to an end. And Boise's 31-straight conference wins was an impressive one. Fresno did deserve it. They're a better team than I gave them credit for.

EDIT: I love living in Boise. The game was the lead story in the news.


----------



## Crothian

big weekend..

Can Kansas slow down Texas?  Can Cal be a little more the a speed bump to USC?  Can South Carolina get the win over Florida?  What about the Bowden bowl?  Big game for Bama, can they have some offense?  Will OSU beat the wildcats?  CAn MSU/Minn score 60 points each??


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> big weekend..
> 
> Can Kansas slow down Texas?



Nope.







> Can Cal be a little more the a speed bump to USC?



Nope.  







> Can South Carolina get the win over Florida?



Yep.







> What about the Bowden bowl?



 The son bests the father again.







> Big game for Bama, can they have some offense?



Only one TD and not enough[/QUOTE]  







> Will OSU beat the wildcats?



Yep, *GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!*


> CAn MSU/Minn score 60 points each??



Nope, but Minn made a run at it.


----------



## Crothian

Some nice games...good to see the Big Game next week has possible meaning for the Big Ten Title.  

I like the talking of the possbile BCS matchups that say Notre Dame verse OSU.  THat would be a fun game to watch!!!


----------



## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> I like the talking of the possbile BCS matchups that say Notre Dame verse OSU.  THat would be a fun game to watch!!!



I dunno.  That means I'd have to root for OSU, and I don't know if I could handle that.


----------



## Crothian

It's too early to say what the match ups will be but I thought that one was interesting.  Thank goodness the BCS is about money and not teams so OSU can get a shot at a BCS game.


----------



## Dungannon

WASHINGTON WINS!!!

And they win convincingly, too! 38-14 at Arizona.  First Pac-10 win and first road win since '03!  Congratulations, Ty Willingham!


----------



## Dungannon

And here's the latest BCS Bowl predictions from CBS/Sportsline

Rose Bowl: USC vs. Texas
Orange Bowl: Penn State vs. Miami, FL
Sugar Bowl: West Virginia vs. LSU
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Oregon


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And here's the latest BCS Bowl predictions from CBS/Sportsline
> 
> Rose Bowl: USC vs. Texas
> Orange Bowl: Penn State vs. Miami, FL
> Sugar Bowl: West Virginia vs. LSU
> Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Oregon



 Oooo, I like all those matchups.


----------



## The Shaman

Dungannon said:
			
		

> WASHINGTON WINS!!!



Geez, what's going on at Arizona?!? Play a good game against USC, shut down UCLA's O, and lose to Washington?


----------



## Crothian

Oregan??


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Oregan??




If the Ducks beat WSU tonight and Oregon State next week, they're a one-loss Pac 10 team (probably in the BCS top 10 by the time everythings done) that only lost to USC. That may look very attractive to the Fiesta Bowl. At least Texas Tech lost, so there won't be any ludicrous notions of putting two Big 12 teams in the BCS (because if Iowa State or Colorado manages to win the Big 12 title game, Texas' standing in the polls is going to drop like a rock).


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> Can Cal be a little more the a speed bump to USC?



Wow, did Joe Ayoob look awful yesterday. The guy has no presence back there, poor vision upfield, and bad judgement.

It was embarassing to see how lost he looked when Cal got in the redzone in the second half.

And what was up with the linebacker headbutting a helmetless LenDale White after the play? How stupid can one player be? "Yeah, we're getting out asses handed to us on national TV, so I think I'll give the Trojans an easy fifteen." You used to have to have brains to get into Cal...

Cal's D looked pretty good - tight coverage, hard hits - but they were jawing after every play, which you really shouldn't do when you're trailing 35-3.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> If the Ducks beat WSU tonight and Oregon State next week, they're a one-loss Pac 10 team (probably in the BCS top 10 by the time everythings done) that only lost to USC. That may look very attractive to the Fiesta Bowl. At least Texas Tech lost, so there won't be any ludicrous notions of putting two Big 12 teams in the BCS (because if Iowa State or Colorado manages to win the Big 12 title game, Texas' standing in the polls is going to drop like a rock).



As long as OSU takes care of business against M, it should be OSU v ND in the Fiesta Bowl.  They know twice over in the last 4 years how well Buckeye fans travel.


----------



## fett527

*It's M week!!!!!!!!!!*

*GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!*


----------



## Crothian

Going to be one heck of a game.  Both temas have improvced in the past few games after losing games they should have won.  And the winner can take the Big Ten Title with a Penn State lose.


----------



## Dungannon

Penn State won't lose, so Ohio State-Michigan will be for second place in the Big 11.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Penn State won't lose, so Ohio State-Michigan will be for second place in the Big 11.




More then likely not since MSU imploded after that OSU lose, but if they can somehow pull it together they have a chance.  

But we also have Alabama Auburn, Oregon Oregon State, Arizona Arizona state, South Carolina Clemson, and the not so impressive Stanford Cal match ups as well.  I call the Standford Cal not so impressive since Stanford lost to a AA team this year.


----------



## Dimwhit

Best rivalry game of the week: BOISE STATE V. IDAHO!!!

Just kidding. Boise's a 31-point favorite. I swear, if they lose to Idaho...


----------



## Crothian

The rivalry that reminds people there is another school in the state!!


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> The rivalry that reminds people there is another school in the state!!





Two others, actually, but Idaho State is 1-AA. Of course, so was Boise State 10 years ago. They've done well for being so new to 1-A.


----------



## Crothian

right...next you're going to tell me people actually live there...


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> right...next you're going to tell me people actually live there...



 Dude, there really are people here! I saw a few just the other day...


----------



## Dungannon

Hey, don't knock Idaho, my dad & grandma live there. 

And you forgot the biggest rivalry game of them all, the Apple Cup!  That's right, Washington & Washington State battle it out for last place in the Pac 10.


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Hey, don't knock Idaho, my dad & grandma live there.




Anywhere close to Boise? Maybe I know them.


----------



## Dungannon

They live in a little hole in the wall near the Nez Perce National Forest called Riggins.  My dad has 21 acres that actually borders the National Forest, and my grandma lives in "town".


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, I know Riggins. You have to drive through it to get up to Moscow/Coeur d'Alene. Cool.


----------



## Crothian

okay, so we've proved there are about 6 people in Idaho.....


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Penn State won't lose, so Ohio State-Michigan will be for second place in the Big 11.



PSU winning or losing doesn't matter.  Only *THE GAME * matters.


----------



## Crothian

So, predictions?


----------



## Crothian

Anyone have any idea what the most safities given up in a game is?  Not even through the second quater and Bowling Green has gotten Miami to have 3 safties.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> So, predictions?




Lets see... Ohio State clearly has the better team. Their coach seems to have had the edge in this matchup. The only thing Michigan has going for them is that the games in Ann Arbor.

We'll take Ohio State.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> So, predictions?



Buckeyes 31-17.  Henne will have to throw after the D shuts down Hart and Youbouty, Everett, Whitner, Salley and Jenkins take care of business in the secondary.  Lesson learned against the Gophers.


----------



## fett527

Watching the Buckeye Football Preview right now!   I AM PUMPED!!!!!!!


----------



## Crothian

12 hours till kick off...and I'm supposed to sleep?!?


----------



## Jonas Grumby

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Penn State won't lose, so Ohio State-Michigan will be for second place in the Big 11.




The Buckeyes are co-champs at worst with a win...regardless of what Penn State does.


----------



## fett527

*OH...*


----------



## Crothian

*...IO*


----------



## fett527

Great start- TD and defensive stop.  Would be perfect without that missed PAT.


----------



## Crothian

Its Mich it has to have its little problems.


----------



## fett527

AJ Hawk steppin' up!  He and Schlegel are gonna have to turn it up without Bobby!


----------



## Crothian

hopefully the defense can hold....


----------



## fett527

or not.  Dont think we'll see Wells again.


----------



## Crothian

Field goals are not going to be enough here guys....


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Field goals are not going to be enough here guys....



12-7 at the half.  I'm still satisfied on how the offense is moving the ball, especially Pittman.  The defense has to get some rest and come out with a 3 and out.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, we need some stops and get that return game up and running


----------



## fett527

Ok, great stop after a turnover, now the offense has to get back on track.  They've been driving down the field without the turnovers so we need to finish with a TD right here.


----------



## Crothian

just an ugle game on the OSU side of things....


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, Ohio isn't exactly making things really difficult for Michigan. A lot of untimely mistakes.


----------



## fett527

still life with TD by Homes.  I am absolutely LIVID with the unsportsman like conduct penalty.  This is THE GAME and he was surrounded by 3 defenders.  RIDICULOUS!


----------



## Dungannon

Got to catch most of *The Game* before I had to come to work, very competitive and entertaining.  Wish I was still at home watching the end of it.


----------



## Crothian

Was there a cool MIT prank this year?  I know they used to do one every year but the last few I haven't heard of any


----------



## fett527

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Got to catch most of *The Game* before I had to come to work, very competitive and entertaining.  Wish I was still at home watching the end of it.



Well, it's 21-19 M has the ball and going to try a long field goal or possible pooch punt


----------



## fett527

pooch punt and OSU has the ball deep in their own territory with a chance to drive for the wi


----------



## Crothian

well, this is the last drive into OSU history....one way or another


----------



## fett527

TD PiTTMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Crothian

sigh....and its a win, one of these years we just need to blow these guys out instead if these last second wins


----------



## fett527

*BUCKEYES WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!*


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> sigh....and its a win, one of these years we just need to blow these guys out instead if these last second wins



Are really from Ohio?  We won in the Big House.  It doesnt matter how many points it was by.

GO SPARTY!!!!!


----------



## Crothian

TRessel needs to get a raise   4-1 against that team up North is damned impressive!!


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Are really from Ohio?  We won in the Big House.  It doesnt matter how many points it was by.




Yes it does matter.  A win is good but a crushing defeat that destroys the puny emotions of the enemy and brings shame on their pathetic families for generations to come is so much better


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Yes it does matter.  A win is good but a crushing defeat that destroys the puny emotions of the enemy and brings shame on their pathetic families for generations to come is so much better



OK, I can jive with that!  

Anthony Gonzales is a god!!!!!!


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> TRessel needs to get a raise   4-1 against that team up North is damned impressive!!



Twice in the Big House!


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Yes it does matter.  A win is good but a crushing defeat that destroys the puny emotions of the enemy and brings shame on their pathetic families for generations to come is so much better




Finally you start coming around to my way of thinking...


----------



## Crothian

Well, looks like Bama is just going to collapse...just no offense with a great defense.  I'd hate to face them in a bowl though.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Yes it does matter.  A win is good but a crushing defeat that destroys the puny emotions of the enemy and brings shame on their pathetic families for generations to come is so much better



I do have to say though that I am sure a comeback win at M is just as emotionally devastating!  This is a great day!


----------



## Crothian

Penn State is killing MSU so it looks like they will get the BCS bid, but OSU is in the hunt for a BCS bid


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Penn State is killing MSU so it looks like they will get the BCS bid, but OSU is in the hunt for a BCS bid



Yeah, guess the Spartans don't want to go to a bowl badly enough.


----------



## Crothian

Spartans are showing signs of life...will it be enough?


----------



## Dimwhit

Man, you want a wild game... With 7 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Boise State and Idaho were tied at 21-21. Boise won 70-35. It was a TD explosion during the last quarter and a half.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, that's some scoring....

So, If, and its a big if, USC loses one of the last two games: Do you think they will drop out of the top 2?  Becasue as a 1 lose teams it would be easy to see people saying they are the best one lose team.


----------



## Dimwhit

I don't think USC goes if they lose a game, though I think they should. They've had a really tough schedule this year. But I think Miami slips into the championship game ahead of them in that case.


----------



## Dimwhit

I'll tell you what, I think more than any other recent year, THIS would be the year for a playoff. There are so many excellent teams in the top 12 or 16 this year...man, that would be exciting.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I don't think USC goes if they lose a game, though I think they should. They've had a really tough schedule this year. But I think Miami slips into the championship game ahead of them in that case.




Tough schedule?  They had a pretty easy schedule, the PAC 10 was not that good I think this year.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Tough schedule?  They had a pretty easy schedule, the PAC 10 was not that good I think this year.



 I disagree. The Pac-10 has had 6 different teams ranked during the year. They'd have more currently ranked right now, but they all keep beating each other. Plus USC has had a good non-conference schedule.

They've certainly had a much tougher schedule than, say, Texas.


----------



## Crothian

The PAC 10 has 4 teams with winning records, not that good.  Hawaii and Arkansas are not good teams, Notre Dame is good but over rated.  Fresno State is a good smaller conference team but not great.  

I'm not saying Texas had a tough scedule either, but undefeated teams have had an easy time getting there.


----------



## Dungannon

Congratulations to JoePa and the Nittany Lions!  Big 11 Champions!


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Congratulations to JoePa and the Nittany Lions!  Big 11 Champions!




Ya, that's a team you don't want to get paired with in the Bowl Games.....


----------



## Crothian

wow, I figured Miami would be doing a lot better and not so much with the losing....


----------



## The Shaman

Good job, Oregon and Cal.

And as a graduate of the California State University system, if USC is going to lose a game this year, I hope it's to the Bulldogs...


----------



## Crothian

Maimi is really having problems.  And based on the first drives of both USC and Fresno, it might be a close game especially if the ball keeps bouncing to Fresno like it did for their TD score.


----------



## The Shaman

Stat of the day (so far): Auburn racked up 81 yards worth of sacks on Alabama.

Tough day for Brady Croyle.


----------



## Dungannon

Yeah, Alabama's offense all but disappeared when Prothro broke his leg.


----------



## Crothian

And Miami takes the big dive.....


----------



## Dungannon

YES!!!  Miami loses!!  That's worth the 10 points I'll lose in the College Pick-Em.


----------



## Crothian

always a good day when Miami loses, but this can help OSU get the at large pick


----------



## Crothian

And fresno is keeping ahead of USC...I know it doesn't mean much as USC is the second half team from hell, but the Bulldogs are doing what they need to do at the moment


----------



## Dimwhit

Yeah, they're doing great so far. I'm seriously pissed that the game isn't being televised here.


----------



## Crothian

its only on Fox Sports here so luckily I get that station


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> its only on Fox Sports here so luckily I get that station



 Ah, that would explain it. I don't get Fox Sports.


----------



## The Shaman

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Yeah, they're doing great so far. I'm seriously pissed that the game isn't being televised here.



The Bulldogs are executing well on both sides of the ball.

This game could come down to simple conditioning - whoever's line or corners wear down first. Fresno is located in one of the hottest parts of California - let's hope those miserable two-a-days in August allow them to hang with the Trojans, one of the best conditioned teams in college football, for the full sixty.

Hrrrm...does this mean Miami's not going to the Gator Bowl?


----------



## Crothian

Which ACC team goes to the Gaotr bowl?  Is that the number 2 team or 3 or something?  Its hard to tell at this point


----------



## The Shaman

Crothian said:
			
		

> Which ACC team goes to the Gaotr bowl?  Is that the number 2 team or 3 or something?  Its hard to tell at this point



A quick check of CBS Sportsline says ACC No. 2 for the Gator Bowl, so unless something unexpected happens, it looks like they'll keep their bowl-bid.

Did anyone watch Oregon-Oregon State? it was so foggy they used the cameras on the field a number of times because you couldn't see anything from the positions in the stands. Much worse than Oregon State-USC last year.


----------



## Crothian

I flipped some to the Civil War but the angles were bad so I mostly watched other games 

as for the Gator Bowl, if the ACC game is FSU VT, and FSU wins I imagine VT goes to the gator bowl, otherwise probably Miami


----------



## Dimwhit

What is it with USC and the second half? First 5 minutes and they have a 6-point lead. Reggie Bush is making another Heisman statement. 197 yards rushing  early 3rd quarter.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> always a good day when Miami loses, but this can help OSU get the at large pick




Eh. There's still way too much uncertainty to guess at the at-large picks, because the guaranteed bids are too up in the air. Miami's probably out of the mix without an autobid, though; the Hurricanes don't travel well. After losing to Auburn, Alabama's probably out of the at-large picture.

I mean, currently you'd guess

ACC - VT
Big East - WVA
Big Ten - Penn State* (clinched)
Big 12 - Texas
SEC - LSU
Pac 10 - USC

... which leads to
Rose: USC vs. Texas
Fiesta: ? vs ? (probably Penn State or ND vs. Oregon; possibly ND vs. Ohio State)
Orange: VT vs ? (ND or Penn State, whichever one the Fiesta doesn't take)
Sugar: LSU vs. ? (almost certainly WVA)

But if FSU upsets VT, and WVA wins out, then Orange probably takes West Virginia as its anchor over a four-loss Florida State team, which sends FSU to the Sugar (they pick last). Just for a start. Toss out scenarios that involve USC or Texas losing, and it gets really complicated...


----------



## Dimwhit

The Gameday guys are actually picking Penn vs ND in the Fiesta. That would be a great game.


----------



## Crothian

that woulld be a good match up...so would VT verse OSU too


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Eh. There's still way too much uncertainty to guess at the at-large picks, because the guaranteed bids are too up in the air.




Ya, but its more fun this way


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> that woulld be a good match up...so would VT verse OSU too



 Yeah, that was their likely for the Orange Bowl. Unless the Orange Bowl decided they wanted Penn to play against VT, in which case they think the Fiesta might take Oregon, leaving OSU out of the BCS.

Fun to speculate, but who really knows...


----------



## The Shaman

Great catch by Fernandez - Pinegar really threaded the ball in there.

The Dawgs are hanging with the Trojans - those turnovers are the difference at this point.


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> The Gameday guys are actually picking Penn vs ND in the Fiesta. That would be a great game.




The at-large bids are going to ND and Ohio State or Oregon. No one else is really in the mix unless USC loses a close game to UCLA (a Texas loss or a USC loss to Fresno would knock them down too far in the rankings to be considered; Ohio State and ND are by far the most attractive two-loss teams), at which point USC is in the at-large pool.


----------



## The Shaman

And just like that, the Dawgs are up by one!


----------



## drothgery

The Shaman said:
			
		

> And just like that, the Dawgs are up by one!




Make that Trojans up by 5.


----------



## Dimwhit

I cannot believe how well Fresno played against USC. Just amazing.


----------



## The Shaman

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I cannot believe how well Fresno played against USC. Just amazing.



This turned out to be a heckuva recruiting video for Fresno State, but I think Pat Hill's going to have an even harder time getting games against major conference opponents in the future.

One of the announcers was describing how Hill offered to fly the 'dogs to Louisiana when it turned out that LSU had a hole in its schedule - instead the Bayou Bengals scheduled Appalachia State.... After seeing this game, you can kinda understand why LSU didn't want to risk sticking its fingers in the buzzsaw.

I hope Fresno State doesn't take too big a drop in the polls - I think they should still be a top-twenty team.


----------



## Dimwhit

Looks like the coach's poll kept Fresno at 16th, which is a good thing.

Fresno is a BCS killer. I can understand why LSU didn't want to play them. Pat Hill is an awesome coach. In a weird way, I'm glad they beat Boise State this year. BSU-Fresno is going to be a great rivalry in the future, but Fresno needed to win one before it could really be considered a rivalry.

In a similar (but not as severe way) as Fresno, Boise has a hard time getting teams to come to Boise, because they're so tough at home. On the road, not so much, so they aren't nearly the threat as Fresno. But on the blue, Boise's tought to beat.

Man, Boise and Fresno sure would be fun in a newly-formed Pac-12. I can dream, can't I...?


----------



## Dungannon

That was a monster game by Bush, one that could vault him above Vince Young for the Heisman.  If I were voting, Bush would be #1, Young #2 and Jerome Harrison #3.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, that probably won him the Heisman


----------



## The Shaman

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Looks like the coach's poll kept Fresno at 16th, which is a good thing.



They held steady in the AP poll as well.

It's hard to justify moving team up even in a tough loss, but I certainly didn't want to see the 'dogs move backwards after playing a mostly-great game.

Fresno State has some hard hitters on both sides of the ball - if Pat Hill can recruit a bit more team speed, they'll really do some damage.


----------



## fett527

So, what's your prediction on the other at-large bid?  ND and who else?  Assuming VTech wins the ACC, LSU wins the SEC.

My pick is obviously the Buckeyes a 2-loss whose losses were both close games to top 5 teams.


----------



## Crothian

I think its going to be OSU.  One big factor for the at large bids is filling seats, and Buckeye fans travel in the tens of thousands.


----------



## drothgery

I'd go with Oregon; they're going to end up the only one-loss major conference team that didn't win their conference, and that loss was to USC. Besides, that win over Fresno State looks a lot better now...

It's pretty safe to say any rationally expected Fiesta Bowl will be a sell-out (Notre Dame - Oregon, Notre Dame - Ohio State, Penn State - Oregon), so selling tickets is something of a non-factor. I'm expecting Penn State-Oregon.


----------



## Dimwhit

It's a tough call. I think Oregon and OSU both deserve it. Between the two of them, their three losses are against current Top-5 teams. That's impressive. And they're both great teams. To bad they can't play each other, with the winner going to the Fiesta Bowl.

Personally, I'd like to see Oregon, but I have a very open and admitted bias toward the West Coast leagues.


----------



## Jonas Grumby

Oregon should be banned from postseason play for no other reason than their hideous Nike designed arena league "uniforms" (and I use that term loosely).


----------



## Dimwhit

Jonas Grumby said:
			
		

> Oregon should be banned from postseason play for no other reason than their hideous Nike designed arena league "uniforms" (and I use that term loosely).



 Could be worse. They could look like the Wyoming uniforms.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> I'd go with Oregon; they're going to end up the only one-loss major conference team that didn't win their conference, and that loss was to USC. Besides, that win over Fresno State looks a lot better now...
> 
> It's pretty safe to say any rationally expected Fiesta Bowl will be a sell-out (Notre Dame - Oregon, Notre Dame - Ohio State, Penn State - Oregon), so selling tickets is something of a non-factor. I'm expecting Penn State-Oregon.



Selling tickets isn't the only factor.  TV ratings my friend and OSU will get higher ratings than Oregon hands down.  ND vs OSU would rival the championship game for ratings.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Selling tickets isn't the only factor.  TV ratings my friend and OSU will get higher ratings than Oregon hands down.  ND vs OSU would rival the championship game for ratings.




Not necessarily. For one, I'm not sure there'd be much difference in the ratings between ND vs. South Bend High School and ND vs. Ohio State. For two, 2:30 pm Mountain (i.e. 1:30 Pacific/4:30 Eastern) is a rotten timeslot for an eastern time zone team (Ohio State); it's a great timeslot for a Pacific timezone team, and not too bad for a central time zone team (ND).

Then there's bowls inherrent bias against selecting the same team over and over again, which weighs against both ND and Ohio State in the Fiesta's case.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> Not necessarily. For one, I'm not sure there'd be much difference in the ratings between ND vs. South Bend High School and ND vs. Ohio State. For two, 2:30 pm Mountain (i.e. 1:30 Pacific/4:30 Eastern) is a rotten timeslot for an eastern time zone team (Ohio State); it's a great timeslot for a Pacific timezone team, and not too bad for a central time zone team (ND).



Time slot will not matter.  We watch the Buckeyes any day, any time.  I'm sorry, but you do realize that OSU v M is always broadcast nationwide right?  ND v OSU will garner more viewers and more ratings than ND v Oregon.  It would be the same way if it was M if they didn't play every year anyway.

From collegefootballnews.com:

"Oregon (10-1) All the posturing that’s been done and likely will be done over the next two weeks probably won’t be enough to get the Ducks a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.  A Stanford upset of Notre Dame sure would help the cause, but don’t count on it.  Playing with a chip on its shoulder, Oregon staked its claim to a BCS invite with a 56-14 mauling of Oregon State, but still appear destined for San Diego and the Holiday Bowl. "



> Then there's bowls inherrent bias against selecting the same team over and over again, which weighs against both ND and Ohio State in the Fiesta's case.




The match up is too good to pass up: would be only the fifth meeting between the two powerhouses, both have 2 losses, one lost to the #1 team the other to the #2 team.  The Fiesta will take ND hands down, you just don't pass up that audience, I believe they will take OSU.


----------



## Dimwhit

I'm still not convinced it will be ND in the matchup. I'm still thinking ND/Penn, which would, IMO, be the best possible matchup outside of the Championship game.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'm still not convinced it will be ND in the matchup. I'm still thinking ND/Penn, which would, IMO, be the best possible matchup outside of the Championship game.



I agree this is a compelling match up as well and I would root for the Lions.  I still believe the Buckeyes and Irish would be a better game and more appropriate.  PSU should play VT.  1 loss v 1 loss, 2 loss v 2 loss.  (Still assuming the top teams take care of business.  VT vould very well stumble against FSU and the Trojans have to contend with a UCLA rivalry game)

also from collegefootballnews.com:

"And no one cares how good you were 2001 ... Oregon fans, are you going to be jacked up to watch West Virginia play in the Sugar Bowl? West Virginia fans, are you going to make the Fiesta Bowl appointment television if Oregon gets in? Now you know how 94% of the college football world feels about watching your team, deserving as it may be, play in the BCS."


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> "And no one cares how good you were 2001 ... Oregon fans, are you going to be jacked up to watch West Virginia play in the Sugar Bowl? West Virginia fans, are you going to make the Fiesta Bowl appointment television if Oregon gets in? Now you know how 94% of the college football world feels about watching your team, deserving as it may be, play in the BCS."




That could be said to a lot of teams, though. Include OSU. Everyone is more interested in teams from their area play. I'd be much more likely to watch Oregon than OSU or West Virginia. That's just the way it goes. I'm sure there are still a large number of people who still don't think USC should be #1 because of the whole East Coast bias thing.

I'm trying not to bring up the 'P' word but...dammit, I want a playoff!!!


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'm still not convinced it will be ND in the matchup. I'm still thinking ND/Penn, which would, IMO, be the best possible matchup outside of the Championship game.




Maybe, but that's almost guaranteed not to happen. The Orange picks in between the two Fiesta picks, and they'll certainly take whichever of ND/Penn State that the Fiesta doesn't take.

The best matchup (including the championship game; ask Iowa, Michigan, and Oklahoma about playing USC in a major bowl game) is probably going to be the LSU vs West Virginia Sugar Bowl (assuming no upsets in the ACC or SEC title games; an FSU upset in the ACC title game would send the Mountaineers to the Orange) game that nobody will watch.

Also, Ohio State vs. Michigan wasn't shown nationally this year, at least not in any rational fashion. In the west, it was relegated to ESPN, because it was a 10am game and there are limits on how often Saturday morning network programming can be pre-empted for football.


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> That could be said to a lot of teams, though. Include OSU. Everyone is more interested in teams from their area play. I'd be much more likely to watch Oregon than OSU or West Virginia. That's just the way it goes.




I'm from Ohio, even if I live in SoCal now. I'd rather watch Ohio State. But the Ducks are more deserving. Of course, the Buckeyes are more deserving than ND, so if it were up to me, it'd be Oregon-Ohio State.



			
				Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'm trying not to bring up the 'P' word but...dammit, I want a playoff!!!




Join the club.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> ...Also, Ohio State vs. Michigan wasn't shown nationally this year, at least not in any rational fashion. In the west, it was relegated to ESPN, because it was a 10am game and there are limits on how often Saturday morning network programming can be pre-empted for football.



I've read about the woes on the broadcast on the West Coast but it was still broadcast on ABC across the country and then part of the country switched to ESPN.  But that's Disney/ABC/ESPN's fault.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, ND is overrated this year.  They have a good lose and a really bad lose.  MSU is a not a good team and had their usually second half implosion.  That bit about Oregon fans trying to make up for 2001 needs to be told to all the people voting in ND.  ND is only there becasue of past glories.  Sure they had a good season this year, they did better then most expected, but they don't deserve a BCS at large bid.


----------



## Dimwhit

drothgery said:
			
		

> (including the championship game; ask Iowa, Michigan, and Oklahoma about playing USC in a major bowl game)




What do you mean? Has USC blown them all away or something? Just wondering.

The championship game this year, barring an upset beforehand, has the potential to be a pretty exciting offensive shootout, unless one of the defenses steps up in a big way.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> What do you mean? Has USC blown them all away or something? Just wondering.




In former bowl games but that was years past and differnet teams


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> What do you mean? Has USC blown them all away or something? Just wondering.




Yes. And these weren't pushovers; they were top-5 teams.



			
				Dimwhit said:
			
		

> The championship game this year, barring an upset beforehand, has the potential to be a pretty exciting offensive shootout, unless one of the defenses steps up in a big way.




That's what they said about USC-Oklahoma. I'll be shocked if Texas stays within two touchdowns of USC.


----------



## Crothian

Bowling Green jumps on arch rival Toledo!!!  In a rivalry game that matches OSU Michigan....if you went to one of the schools or happen to be from north west Ohio


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Bowling Green jumps on arch rival Toledo!!!  In a rivalry game that matches OSU Michigan....if you went to one of the schools or happen to be from north west Ohio



 Hey Crothian, would it be in poor taste for me to mention what Boise and Fresno did to those two teams this year?


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Hey Crothian, would it be in poor taste for me to mention what Boise and Fresno did to those two teams this year?




Ya, they didn't win the big games like they should have but its a down year for the MAC


----------



## Dimwhit

Well, if it's any consolation, beating Bowling Green was the best achievement for Boise this year. I'm pulling for them tonight.


----------



## Crothian

Bowling Green can still win the MAC so our hope is not completely lost this year.


----------



## fett527

Toledo pulled it out in overtime.  Fun game.


----------



## Crothian

not as fun as if the Falcons won...stupid rockets


----------



## Crothian

and the Back Yard Brawl!!!  Nice game so far, interesting teams looks like fun


----------



## Crothian

Well, Texas A&M is going to try to beat Texas its seems


----------



## Dimwhit

I'm torn over who I want to win this game. A USC/Texas Rose Bowl would be great, but it Texas loses, Penn State would likely go, and then we'd have a Pac-10/Big-10 Rose Bowl.

Tough choice...


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'm torn over who I want to win this game. A USC/Texas Rose Bowl would be great, but it Texas loses, Penn State would likely go, and then we'd have a Pac-10/Big-10 Rose Bowl.
> 
> Tough choice...



For OSU's BCS bowl chances I really want Texas to win.  Course I can't help rootin for the underdog.  22-21 A&M.


----------



## Dungannon

Texas-Texas A&M has been a very intertaining game, although Vince Young has done nothing to help his Heisman chances.


----------



## Dimwhit

So I'm reasonably confident that Fresno will come back and beat Nevada, but if they don't, does the Liberty Bowl got to rescind their invite to Fresno? 

I still can't believe they invited Fresno when they still had 2 conference games to play.


----------



## Dungannon

Hasn't Fresno State clinched their conference title already?


----------



## Crothian

Fresno would be a popular draw and that's all they care about.  ND not looking to great


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Hasn't Fresno State clinched their conference title already?



 Not even close. Boise finished 7-1. If Nevada pulls off the upset, they would also be 7-1. Fresno would be 6-1 with a game still against LA Tech. Fresno could conceivably finish tied for 3rd in the WAC. I still figure them to win tonight and next week, but it was still risky for the Liberty Bowl. Fresno is a nice draw if they finish 8-0 in the WAC, but not so much at 7-1 and not at all at 6-2.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, ND misses the chip field goal...can Stanford actually score and take this game??


----------



## fett527

They scored, but ND is already inside the 20.  GO CARDINAL!!!!!


----------



## fett527

ND scores, 55 seconds for Stanford to do something.  Maybe another return....


----------



## Crothian

Standford needs to learn to tackle...they just couldn't slow ND down at the end


----------



## Dimwhit

Well, Fresno lost. The good news is that this gives Boise their 4th straight WAC title.  (Although it will be a share this time--probably a three-way.)

I still think the Liberty Bowl is kicking themselves now.


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Standford needs to learn to tackle...they just couldn't slow ND down at the end



Oh well.  Would have been nice to see ND lose and out of the BCS.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Oh well.  Would have been nice to see ND lose and out of the BCS.




Although it's always nice to see ND lose, as a Big East fan, I prefer that ND be in the BCS or not bowl-eligible at all and in any case not taking up a perfectly good Big East bowl bid.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Although it's always nice to see ND lose, as a Big East fan, I prefer that ND be in the BCS or not bowl-eligible at all and in any case not taking up a perfectly good Big East bowl bid.




How many bowlk bids does the Big East get?  They only have 4 (maybe 5 if Uconn wins next week) bowl eldigible teams.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> How many bowlk bids does the Big East get?  They only have 4 (maybe 5 if Uconn wins next week) bowl eldigible teams.




Four; they've got ties to the BCS, Gator, Insight, and Meineke Car Care right now. Next year it's BCS, Gator/Sun, Houston, Meinkeke Car Care, and Toronto/Motor City if Toronto gets approved. Long term plan, if the Giants/Jets get a retractable-roof stadium built, is to get a NYC bowl set up as the Big East "anchor" bowl in the BCS.


----------



## Crothian

Roof??  we need more bowl games in the north and cold weather!!


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Roof??  we need more bowl games in the north and cold weather!!




I'm not a fan of bowl games that look awful on TV. Bowl games should be played indoors or in places where bad weather is extremely unlikely (no, I'm not angling for more games in SoCal... really).


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> I'm not a fan of bowl games that look awful on TV. Bowl games should be played indoors or in places where bad weather is extremely unlikely (no, I'm not angling for more games in SoCal... really).




Look awful??  They look great!!


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Look awful??  They look great!!




Not if there's enough snow falling that you can't see the game, enough ice that no one can get traction to run, or enough wind that passing and kicking are extremely high-risk manuevers.

And the cheerleaders wear entirely too much in sub-zero temperature games


----------



## Dimwhit

OK, I was going to wholeheartedly agree with Crothian, but you do have a point about the cheerleaders...


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Not if there's enough snow falling that you can't see the game, enough ice that no one can get traction to run, or enough wind that passing and kicking are extremely high-risk manuevers.




It is rare that there is so much snow you can't see the game, the ice is never a problem unless the grounds keepers mess up, and wind can happen anywhere.


----------



## fett527

Anyone else watchig the MAC championship game?  Good game tied at 10 at the half.  Northern Illinois v Akron.


----------



## Crothian

flipping between that and other things


----------



## fett527

Good defense by both teams to start the 2nd half.


----------



## Crothian

wow, what an ending!!  Akron with the great come back, NI only able to get field goals and now losing by 1 point.  Wow!!!  Go Akron!!


----------



## fett527

A lot of fun.  That was a great throw and catch for the final score!


----------



## Crothian

Ya, impressive last drive


----------



## Dungannon

So who won?  I was rooting for NIU.


----------



## Crothian

Akron Zipps!!


----------



## Dimwhit

Holy crap! Fresno is down 26-3 at half!

And the Liberty Bowl gets even more uncomfortable...

The bright side is, if they lose, Boise only has to share the WAC title with Nevada, and they destroyed Nevada a few weeks ago.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, that great win USC had over Fresno is looking like a game they should have won by a lot more.....


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Wow, that great win USC had over Fresno is looking like a game they should have won by a lot more.....



 I'm thinking it's more that Fresno needed to remember they still had two games to play after the USC game.


----------



## Crothian

While that might be the case, it still makes what looked like a close good win by USC look like a close bad win by USC.  Not that it will make much if any difference for USC.


----------



## Dungannon

And now the WAC has 4 teams bowl-eligible, which is the same as the Big East.  The Mountain West has 5, Conference USA has 6, and the MAC has 7.  Which just goes to prove my theory that the _only_ reason the Big East was ever included in the BCS was because of Miami U.


----------



## Crothian

The Big East had bowls that were bigger then the other leagues.


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And now the WAC has 4 teams bowl-eligible, which is the same as the Big East.  The Mountain West has 5, Conference USA has 6, and the MAC has 7.  Which just goes to prove my theory that the _only_ reason the Big East was ever included in the BCS was because of Miami U.



 Yep.

From what I hear, there will be 6 bowl-eligible teams that won't get a bowl this year. The WAC only has 2 tie-ins, but with Fresno getting the Liberty Bowl, only one WAC team gets the shaft--Louisiana Tech. Unless Oregon goes BCS. I think Conference USA will have even more teams not getting a bowl.


----------



## Crothian

So, the big game is about to start.  Can Tulsa win or will UCF complete this miracle season?


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And now the WAC has 4 teams bowl-eligible, which is the same as the Big East.  The Mountain West has 5, Conference USA has 6, and the MAC has 7.  Which just goes to prove my theory that the _only_ reason the Big East was ever included in the BCS was because of Miami U.




It's definetly a down year in the Big East. But when the BCS was founded, Miami, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech had about equal chances of winning the conference in any given year. And Pitt, West Virginia, and BC were dangerous spoilers (lets not talk about Rutgers until very recently and Temple ever); it wasn't Miami and the seven dwarfs.

1) *There are only 8 teams in the Big East.* UConn could become bowl-eligible by upsetting Louisville to give the Big East 5 bowl-eligible teams; which would be proporiantely better than C-USA (6 of 12), the MWC (5 of 9), the MAC (7 of 12), the Pac 10 (5 of 10), SEC (6 of 12), the Sun Belt (2 of 8), or the WAC (4 of 9), and only percentage points behind the Big Ten's 7 of 11. Heck, getting half of its teams bowl-eligbile is exactly what happened in C-USA, the Pac 10, and the SEC. Only the ACC, Big 10, and Big 12 got better than 5/8ths of their teams in bowls... and I think I can safely say that this year's Big 12 or ACC is not something the Big East wants to emulate.

2) If you think UConn or Pitt wouldn't be bowl-eligible in C-USA or the MAC (and probably contending for the conference title), you're on crack.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> 2) If you think UConn or Pitt wouldn't be bowl-eligible in C-USA or the MAC (and probably contending for the conference title), you're on crack.




Pitt couldn't beat Ohio, an average MAC team.  MAC is a bit stronger then people think.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Pitt couldn't beat Ohio, an average MAC team.  MAC is a bit stronger then people think.




Pitt improved a lot over the course of the season; they started poorly, but recovered to finish 5-6. And Akron won the MAC championship this year after a 6-5 regular season; this wasn't a good year for the MAC.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Pitt improved a lot over the course of the season; they started poorly, but recovered to finish 5-6. And Akron won the MAC championship this year after a 6-5 regular season; this wasn't a good year for the MAC.




MAC played good, they just didn't have any really dominate teams.


----------



## Dimwhit

Reggie Bush is no a man...he's a machine. 14 carries, 198 yards, 1 TD, a hurdle, a high jump...all with 10 minutes left in the second quarter. Amazing.


----------



## Crothian

well, its not like the Bruins are known for their run defense....in fact they are known for their utter lack of one.  So, ya a good day but not a suprise.


----------



## Jonas Grumby

Replace "Bruins" with "PAC-10" and the picture is a whole lot clearer.


----------



## Dimwhit

What bodes will for USC, maybe, is that their defense shut down a very good UCLA offense. Not that they'll be able to do that against Texas, but it's still a good sign.


----------



## Dimwhit

Way to go, Georgia!!

I don't think I heard one sportscaster/commentator who gave Georgia a chance...


----------



## Dungannon

Now the question is, does LSU deserve an at-large bid?


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Now the question is, does LSU deserve an at-large bid?




No. And Virginia Tech doesn't either. Of course, neither does Notre Dame; on merit, the at-large bids would go to Oregon (at the end of the day, the only one-loss major conference team that didn't win their conference) and Ohio State.


----------



## Dimwhit

This would be why I don't like the BCS. Un-ranked Florida State and 13th ranked Georgia get a BCS game ahead of more worthy teams. Go ahead and throw in 11th ranked West Virginia for kicks. Despite that, I am glad Georgia won...


----------



## Dungannon

ESPN is predicting the matchups as follows:

Rose Bowl: Texas vs. USC
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
Orange Bowl: Penn State vs. Florida State
Sugar Bowl: West Virginia vs. Georgia


----------



## Crothian

Wow, with those loses OSU should move to number 4 in the BCS and doesn't that mean they get a bid automatically?


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Wow, with those loses OSU should move to number 4 in the BCS and doesn't that mean they get a bid automatically?



Yes. Confirmed that watching Gameday final this morning. OSU should get to 4 in the BCS rankings and any team in the top 4 without an automatic conference bid gets an at-large automatically.


----------



## Dimwhit

I still wish they'd take Oregon instead of Notre Dame. Then the Fiesta would be a Rose Bowl-like matchup. But that certainly won't happen.


----------



## Crothian

I agree, it would be great to see the Ducks get in.


----------



## Jonas Grumby

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Way to go, Georgia!!
> 
> I don't think I heard one sportscaster/commentator who gave Georgia a chance...




Which tells you quite a bit about sports "journalists" as a whole. I don't think anyone who actually watched Georgia & LSU play this season would have picked the Bayou Bengals.


----------



## Crothian

Jonas Grumby said:
			
		

> Which tells you quite a bit about sports "journalists" as a whole. I don't think anyone who actually watched Georgia & LSU play this season would have picked the Bayou Bengals.




Lots of people who saw both teams still picked LSU.  Its not like LSU had been playing bad and no one noticed.


----------



## Dungannon

Looks like the Ducks will be facing Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl.


----------



## Crothian

ND's special treatment gets them in automatically over Oregon.....


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> Looks like the Ducks will be facing Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl.




So the Sooners get to get to come to SoCal and get destroyed by a much better Pac 10 team twice in the same season, after ending last season that way? Can't be fun


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> ND's special treatment gets them in automatically over Oregon.....




ND's special treatment by the pollsters got them into the BCS top 6, and at that point there were no decisions to be made. Any team that's not in the BCS conferences and is in the top 6 in the BCS rankings automatically gets an at-large bid.

I almost think the pollsters set things up this way on purpose (ND at #6, Ohio State at #4) to give the BCS cover when the Pac 10 complains that for the third time in a row, they've managed to give a Pac 10 team the shaft (leaving USC out of the BCS title game three years ago, excluding a one-loss Cal team last year, and excluding a one-loss Oregon team this year).


----------



## Crothian

I don't think the pollster did it specifcally for that, I think they just really favor ND since they get a lot of coverage and everyone loves them and the PAC 10 teams don't.


----------



## Dungannon

And the rule is top 4, not top 6.  If it was top 6 then Oregon would've gotten the at-large bid over Notre Dame since they finished #5.


----------



## Dimwhit

Woohoo!! We've got Boston College coming to town to play Boise State. I was expecting N.C. State. Didn't think we'd get a team as good as Boston College. I'll be at that game, and I'm incredibly excited. 

As for the whole ND/Oregon issue...there's always been a bais against West Coast teams, so this comes as no surprise at all. Must kill people that USC has done so well for so long...


----------



## Crothian

Its not East Coast bias because of USC, its East Coast bias becasue they don't care about the PAC 10


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Its not East Coast bias because of USC, its East Coast bias becasue they don't care about the PAC 10



 Right. That's what I meant, sorry. The Pac-10 seems to be an unwanted portion of the BCS formula, and they're not given close to the respect of the other conferences. Just one of those things, I guess. My point about USC is just that those that don't care about the West Coast football must hate that UCS is so good right now.


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> And the rule is top 4, not top 6.  If it was top 6 then Oregon would've gotten the at-large bid over Notre Dame since they finished #5.




The rule's different for independents and members of non-BCS conferences. The BCS bowls give out autobids like so...

1) The champions of the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and Pac 10 get bids.
2) Anyone from outside the BCS conferences that's in the top 6 gets an at-large bid.
3) If there are any spots left after #2, anyone who hasn't already been selected and is in the top 4 gets an at-large bid.
4) If there are spots left after #3, the BCS bowls can select any team with at least 9 wins and in the BCS top 12 for an at-large bid.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Right. That's what I meant, sorry. The Pac-10 seems to be an unwanted portion of the BCS formula, and they're not given close to the respect of the other conferences. Just one of those things, I guess. My point about USC is just that those that don't care about the West Coast football must hate that UCS is so good right now.




Pac 10 I think is still given more respect then the Big East.  I don't think anyone has a probelm with USC its not like they aren't deserving.


----------



## Dimwhit

I'll give you that. The Big East is suffering big time since their top teams bolted. And rightly so.

Personally, I think the BCS should change the Big East's automatic BCS berth and give it to whichever non-BCS teams is the best (including the Big East in that). But I suppose that's a completely different discussion.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'll give you that. The Big East is suffering big time since their top teams bolted. And rightly so.
> 
> Personally, I think the BCS should change the Big East's automatic BCS berth and give it to whichever non-BCS teams is the best (including the Big East in that). But I suppose that's a completely different discussion.




If we did that then they would or should organize more of these confercenes playing each other so people have an easier time judging who would be best.  The BCS has taught us that judging teams that haven't played each other is a mess and nearly impossible without controversy.  I do thinmg West Virgina though this year is worthy, they have a good team.


----------



## drothgery

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'll give you that. The Big East is suffering big time since their top teams bolted. And rightly so.




They're suffering more than they deserve, IMO. It's insane that _six_ two-loss teams are ranked higher than West Virginia in the coach's poll. At least there aren't any three-loss teams ahead of Louisville (though only UCLA is behind them). And Rutgers gets all of one vote for #25? At least if it were Syracuse or Pitt sitting at 7-4 and third in the Big East, they'd probably be ranked, but still...


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> ...leaving USC out of the BCS title game three years ago...



Yeah, two undeafeated teams should never have been in that game over a one loss USC team.  :guesswhatsmileyIwouldusehere:


----------



## Dimwhit

Anyone catch the 1-AA Championship game? What a game!!! Northwest Missouri State came 5 yards from a huge upset. Two plays earlier, they dropped the title-winning TD catch. Bounced right off the guy's chest.

Impressive game.


----------



## drothgery

fett527 said:
			
		

> Yeah, two undeafeated teams should never have been in that game over a one loss USC team.




You know I meant the split national championship 2002 season (major bowls played in 2003), right?

I'm pretty convinced that Carson Palmer's Trojans would have won a playoff the year before (they lost early and so weren't in the title game picture, but anyone who follows college football closely and thinks they weren't the best team at the end of the year is a pretty devoted Ohio State fan), but there was nothing wrong with keeping them out of the BCS title game in '02.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Anyone catch the 1-AA Championship game? What a game!!! Northwest Missouri State came 5 yards from a huge upset. Two plays earlier, they dropped the title-winning TD catch. Bounced right off the guy's chest.
> 
> Impressive game.




Ya, that was a good game.  I like to watch actually football playoff games when I can.


----------



## fett527

drothgery said:
			
		

> You know I meant the split national championship 2002 season (major bowls played in 2003), right?
> 
> I'm pretty convinced that Carson Palmer's Trojans would have won a playoff the year before (they lost early and so weren't in the title game picture, but anyone who follows college football closely and thinks they weren't the best team at the end of the year is a pretty devoted Ohio State fan), but there was nothing wrong with keeping them out of the BCS title game in '02.



Sorry, you said 3 years ago and I counted back from 05. :\


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Anyone catch the 1-AA Championship game? What a game!!! Northwest Missouri State came 5 yards from a huge upset. Two plays earlier, they dropped the title-winning TD catch. Bounced right off the guy's chest.
> 
> Impressive game.



Very impressive and fun to watch.  It was the Division II championship actually so we still have the I-AA to championship game to come


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> Very impressive and fun to watch.  It was the Division II championship actually so we still have the I-AA to championship game to come



 Huh, I didn't realize that. I though it was the 1-AA. Sweet, that means even more football!


----------



## Krieg

drothgery said:
			
		

> I'm pretty convinced that Carson Palmer's Trojans would have won a playoff the year before (they lost early and so weren't in the title game picture, but anyone who follows college football closely and thinks they weren't the best team at the end of the year is a pretty devoted Ohio State fan), but there was nothing wrong with keeping them out of the BCS title game in '02.




Oh please, maybe if USC wanted more respect they should have beaten a Washington St team that the Bucks dismantled. USC "playing the beat at the end of the year" bandwagon is definitely a case of rewriting history. No one was saying that before the Fiesta Bowl, they were too caught up in how the Miami juggernaut was unstoppable and would blow out the poor slow northern Buckeyes. 

The bottom line is that USC is the flavor of the moment. They are not playing for a "three peat", if they beat Texas then this will be (arguably) their second in a row. LSU was the BCS champ in 03-04, the AP poll no longer matters...as evidenced by the fact that the poll itself has removed itself from the equation. Not to mention that the fact that the Trojans dodged the best team in the country in 04-05...Auburn would have brought the immovable object (as would the Bucks in '02) that USC's unstoppable offense hasn't had to face (and as history has shown time and time again would not be able to overcome).

USC's "greatest team of all time" label is little more than media hype...how soon we forget that just a few short years ago the media outlets were fawning all over the Canes in the exact same matter.

USC is a damn good team...but their path to glory has been has been eased considerably by not having to face any actual obstacles.

Now if you'd like to talk about rampant homerism, we can discuss whether South Florida would have been in contention for a conference championship in the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, ACC or PAC 10...



			
				fett527 said:
			
		

> Sorry, you said 3 years ago and I counted back from 05. :\





Actually he's advocating that a TWO loss USC team should have played for the national title over two undefeated teams.


----------



## drothgery

Krieg said:
			
		

> Oh please, maybe if USC wanted more respect they should have beaten a Washington St team that the Bucks dismantled. USC "playing the beat at the end of the year" bandwagon is definitely a case of rewriting history. No one was saying that before the Fiesta Bowl, they were too caught up in how the Miami juggernaut was unstoppable and would blow out the poor slow northern Buckeyes.




No it's not. They didn't finish #3 in the polls for nothing, the Iowa team they blew out in the Orange Bowl rolled through the Big Ten just as easily as the Buckeyes did (one of ESPN's talking heads insisted until after the BCS title game that the Hawkeyes were better than the Buckeyes, and that Ohio State was lucky not to play them), and they clearly turned it up a notch late in the season; at midseason no one was giving Palmer serious Heisman consideration. The WSU point is spurious; WSU lost to the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe, and beat USC (by a field goal) in Pullman; I don't put too much stock in the results of regular-season games where you had to fly cross-country, as the home-field advantage is seriously magnified.

And at the time I said that was nonsense that Miami was heavily favored. Miami and Ohio State were very similar great-defense/run-oriented offense teams that year, the main difference being that the Buckeyes never really put anyone away, but played a tougher schedule (and Miami never played anyone with a great defense). Both could stop almost anyone most of the time. But they weren't great passing teams, USC was (and is), and no one in the Big Ten or Big East that year was.



			
				Krieg said:
			
		

> The bottom line is that USC is the flavor of the moment. They are not playing for a "three peat", if they beat Texas then this will be (arguably) their second in a row. LSU was the BCS champ in 03-04, the AP poll no longer matters...as evidenced by the fact that the poll itself has removed itself from the equation. Not to mention that the fact that the Trojans dodged the best team in the country in 04-05...Auburn would have brought the immovable object (as would the Bucks in '02) that USC's unstoppable offense hasn't had to face (and as history has shown time and time again would not be able to overcome).




I'm calling BS on that one. USC beat Auburn 23-0 the year before (with largely the same players on both sides) at their place. And USC was #1 in both polls going into the BCS title game in the split title year; the coach's poll voters did not have free choice on their post-season ballots (they were and required to choose the BCS title game winner as #1); Oklahoma was #3. And while football isn't transitive, LSU had a lot more trouble with Oklahoma in 2003 (in a virtual home game) than USC did in 2004. Auburn might not have been destroyed like Oklahoma was, but actually winning? Well, it's possible, I suppose, but it's not likely.



			
				Krieg said:
			
		

> Now if you'd like to talk about rampant homerism, we can discuss whether South Florida would have been in contention for a conference championship in the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, ACC or PAC 10...




While a team that went 7-4 in the regular season won the ACC, and I'm sure South Florida could have contended in the Big 12 North (and quite possibly won it), they weren't really in contention for the Big East title (West Virginia had only slightly more difficulty winning the Big East than USC had winning the Pac 10 or Texas had winning the Big 12). South Florida's "run" at the Big East title was caused by the confluence of a freak uspet of Louisville and many of their games being moved to late in the season due to hurricanes.



			
				Krieg said:
			
		

> Actually he's advocating that a TWO loss USC team should have played for the national title over two undefeated teams.




No, I'm advocating that a two-loss USC team should have been in the playoffs with two undefeated teams (and another thirteen teams), and contending that they probably would have won said playoff (which is not the result I would have favored; I'd've been cheering for the Buckeyes, as my Orange would not be involved). That's not the same thing.


----------



## Crothian

A lot of people did feel Iowa was the better team in 2002, but that's because the Buckeye's won "ugly".  No one was realyl given them any creditin any of their games.  Even people around Ohio were saying they just kept getting lucky and didn't really expect them to go undefeated.  So, all the talking heads got that one wrong.  

I also agree that it won't be much of a three peat for USC.  Everyone is claiming that since that sounds cool, but the AP has really not been that important over all.  If the polls were so good the BCS wouldn't have been needed.  The BCS championship is the one that the NCAA seems to like more.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> I also agree that it won't be much of a three peat for USC.  Everyone is claiming that since that sounds cool, but the AP has really not been that important over all.  If the polls were so good the BCS wouldn't have been needed.  The BCS championship is the one that the NCAA seems to like more.




There's no such thing as a BCS Championship. There's a Coach's Poll championship, and an AP Poll championship, with the Coach's Poll contractually bound to give its post-season #1 ranking to the winner of the BCS Championship game. There's never been a time in the history of college football when the AP poll's final #1 team wasn't considered at least co-champion. With the rules in place that force the coach's hands in their final vote, I take the AP more seriously than the coach's poll; sometimes the best team won't be playing in the BCS's title game (though the post-2003 revisions make it very difficult for anything other than #1 in the polls vs. #2 in the polls to happen), and the writers have the freedom to decide that that's the case.


----------



## Crothian

I do't care what they call the championship, only one team gets the nifty crystal football trophy...the Sears thngy.  I think its a bit sad for LSU since everyone talks about USC winning that year but no mention of them.


----------



## Dimwhit

I'm so incredibly bummed. It's looking very good like Dan Hawkins is going to bolt Boise State for Colorado. I suppose it's a move up for him, but it's going to be a blow to Boise. He's very, very well liked.


----------



## Crothian

I felt the same way a few years back when Meyer left Bowling Green to goto Utah.....


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> I'm so incredibly bummed. It's looking very good like Dan Hawkins is going to bolt Boise State for Colorado. I suppose it's a move up for him, but it's going to be a blow to Boise. He's very, very well liked.



I heard it confirmed this morning on ESPN radio.  

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10466268/


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> I heard it confirmed this morning on ESPN radio.
> 
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10466268/



 Well, Colorado is getting one of the best coaches in the country. They'll get to a BCS game within 3 or 4 years at least. He's amazing.

If Boise can hold on to Peterson (his offensive coordinator), we'll be ok. He's the genius behind the offense. It's still sucks for Boise, though, but I guess that goes with the territory of being a lower-tier college team.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Well, Colorado is getting one of the best coaches in the country. They'll get to a BCS game within 3 or 4 years at least. He's amazing.
> 
> If Boise can hold on to Peterson (his offensive coordinator), we'll be ok. He's the genius behind the offense. It's still sucks for Boise, though, but I guess that goes with the territory of being a lower-tier college team.



Yeah, thems the breaks.  Sorry.  OSU is in a situation where Tressel should be around for a long, long time.  There's no where else in College ball he'd rather be and no desire to coach in the NFL.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> Yeah, thems the breaks.  Sorry.  OSU is in a situation where Tressel should be around for a long, long time.  There's no where else in College ball he'd rather be and no desire to coach in the NFL.



 That's the advantage of having a top school. Nowhere else for the coach to go. (Except the NFL.)


----------



## Crothian

man, these bowls games take their time in getting here.....


----------



## Dimwhit

...and there are no bowl games on New Year's Day. That just ain't right...


----------



## Dungannon

It's because New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, and the NFL owns Sundays.


----------



## Crothian

I understand why they did it, it is nice that it just means I get to watch more games.


----------



## Dimwhit

Dungannon said:
			
		

> It's because New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, and the NFL owns Sundays.



 Yeah, but it still doesn't feel right.


----------



## Crothian

I agree it doesn't feel right, but they already ruined Jan 1 when they started moving the Rose Bowl when its Championship game, so after that Jan 1 never seemed the same.


----------



## Dimwhit

No kiddin'. How do you not have the Rose Bowl on Jan 1st?!?!?! It's just...sad.

I'm sure you can't tell that I'm having a hard time letting go of tradition.


----------



## Crothian

Hey, I'm the same way.  I was in the Rose bowl Parade and got to got to the Rose Bowl game that year.  It's a big deal.


----------



## Dimwhit

I grew up in California, so the Pac-10 WAS college football for me. There was no bigger college football game than the Rose Bowl. And that involved watching the Rose Bowl Parade in the morning, followed by the game later that day. That was New Year's Day for me growing up. I remember so many of those games and teams that played in it--USC, Michigan, Ohio State, UCLA... I understand the need to adapt and change, but it's still a bummer.

I feel like I should go light a candle in memory...


----------



## Crothian

I get you, being a Big Ten guy and growing up with all those great Woody lead teams to the Rose Bowl....


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> I get you, being a Big Ten guy and growing up with all those great Woody lead teams to the Rose Bowl....




Huh? You're only a year older than me, and I don't remember anyone before Cooper. Admittedly I didn't follow college ball before high school, but still...

Of course, I mostly remember the Marvin Graves/Donovan McNabb Orange beating everyone except Miami and one other random team every year, and usually landing in the Not Particularly Important Bowl.


----------



## Crothian

drothgery said:
			
		

> Huh? You're only a year older than me, and I don't remember anyone before Cooper. Admittedly I didn't follow college ball before high school, but still...




A lot happened in the year....Actually it was more about hearing the stories and watching reruns of the games.


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> I get you, being a Big Ten guy and growing up with all those great Woody lead teams to the Rose Bowl....



 Outside of the Pac-10 (and to a degree the WAC), all I knew was the Big-10. (I couldn't have cared less growing up about teams like Miami, Nebraska, Florida, Oklahoma, etc.) It was always exciting to see who we'd play in the Rose. I liked the Big-10 (still do, of course). My favorite team from that conference was Michigan, which I realize makes me your enemy. 

I really was rooting for Colorado in the Big-12 champ game (against all hope) so that we'd have a Pac-10/Big-10 Rose Bowl.


----------



## Dungannon

How can you call yourself a Pac-10 fan and say you like Michigan, Dimwhit?  All Big-10 teams are the enemy.  I'm exempting Penn State from this, since they were a longtime independant and have only been a part of the rivalry for a little over a decade.


----------



## Dimwhit

What can I say...I was a kid. Don't get me wrong, I always root for the Pac 10 to wipe the floor with the Big 10. But the Big 10 is, for me, part of the tradition of college football, so I can help but like them. I usually root for them against teams from the other conferences. Except the Pac 10, of course. And through that, I always found myself pulling for Michigan a lot.

I'm a complicated man.


----------



## fett527

I can never look at you the same way Dimwhit.


----------



## Dimwhit

fett527 said:
			
		

> I can never look at you the same way Dimwhit.





If it's any consolation, I always had good thoughts for Ohio State, too. I'm allowed to like Ohio State and Michigan, since I don't live in that neck of the woods.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> If it's any consolation, I always had good thoughts for Ohio State, too. I'm allowed to like Ohio State and Michigan, since I don't live in that neck of the woods.




ACtually, you aren't allowed.  Its the law.


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> ACtually, you aren't allowed.  Its the law.




I think that law only applies to people who have ever lived in a Big Ten state. And no matter what happens, native Buckeyes aren't allowed to support Michigan (and vis versa).


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> ACtually, you aren't allowed.  Its the law.





But  I agree with drothgery. I'm exempt from the law.


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> But  I agree with drothgery. I'm exempt from the law.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> But  I agree with drothgery. I'm exempt from the law.




Not exempt, just out of the jurisdiction at the moment.....


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Not exempt, just out of the jurisdiction at the moment.....



 Aww, you're just still sore over the thumping Bowling Green was dealt when they came to Boise. 

Too bad I'm not loading. Boise travels to Bowling Green next season. It would be fun to come out to that one.


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Too bad I'm not loading. Boise travels to Bowling Green next season. It would be fun to come out to that one.





Its going to be a good one.  BGSU has a some good games lined up I think


----------



## fett527

FYI, the I-AA championship is on tonight.


----------



## Crothian

Ya, I'm going to miss it but hopefully it turns out good!!


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Ya, I'm going to miss it but hopefully it turns out good!!



Gaming?


----------



## Crothian

fett527 said:
			
		

> Gaming?




yes, but not RPG gaming.  It was a night of board games and such with friends.

Well, Mount Union is playing in the Div III championship game.  Mount Union of course being the most dominate College Football team of all time!!  Any division!!


----------



## Dungannon

I tried to watch the Div III Championship, but it was too painful. There was some awful football being displayed.


----------



## Crothian

Its real football.  No scholarships...no million dollar signing bonuses waiting in the NFL for these guys.  They are playing for the love of the game, not for fame or money or anything else.


----------



## Dimwhit

It's actually a pretty good game. At least the second half.


----------



## Crothian

much better then that pro game on the other channel.....


----------



## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> much better then that pro game on the other channel.....



 Yep. Though it's not like you're going to get a very interesting game with New England and Tampa Bay. That's a snoozer from the opening kickoff...


----------



## Crothian

it could have been exciting if Tampa could do anything.....


----------



## Dimwhit

Only 5 of us signed up for the College Bowl Pick'em. Still two days left!

(Of course, there are probably only 5 of us still following this thread...)


----------



## fett527

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Only 5 of us signed up for the College Bowl Pick'em. Still two days left!
> 
> (Of course, there are probably only 5 of us still following this thread...)



I've got to get on that today!

Meanwhile, BOWL GAME TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Crothian

Bowl Game now.....nice drive


----------



## fett527

Crothian said:
			
		

> Bowl Game now.....nice drive



I'm stuck at work right now, I should be leaving soon to catch some of it.  Any good?


----------



## fett527

BYU was hangin' but looks like Cal is tking over now 34-14


----------



## fett527

BYU on the comeback  35-28 with 5 minutes left.


----------



## Crothian

And an OT game on Christmas Eve!!   How cool is this!!


----------



## Dimwhit

The WAC wins their first bowl of the bowl season!!! (Too bad I didn't pick them to win.  )


----------



## Dungannon

I only caught the overtime, but it looked like an exciting game.  I'm glad Nevada won.


----------



## drothgery

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I only caught the overtime, but it looked like an exciting game.  I'm glad Nevada won.




Closer than I thought.


----------



## Crothian

Now time for the little Zips to somehow pull it off aginszt the powerhouse Memphis!!


----------



## drothgery

Crothian said:
			
		

> Now time for the little Zips to somehow pull it off aginszt the powerhouse Memphis!!




Another closer than I thought, but the answer is no. Tigers couldn't stop the pass. Zips couldn't stop the run. Tigers had the ball last (at least, that's what the box score looked like; there's no ESPN from where I'm typing this...).


----------



## Crothian

Zips did very well in the early game, but couldn't last the entire game.


----------



## Dimwhit

So is anyone attending a bowl game this year? I'll be at the Boise State/Boston College game tomorrow. Sitting in the rain. Woohoo! Go Broncos!


----------



## Crothian

nope, the nearest one to me is in Detriot


----------



## Krieg

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> So is anyone attending a bowl game this year?




Yep headed to Phoenix for the third time in four years.


----------



## Crothian

Krieg said:
			
		

> Yep headed to Phoenix for the third time in four years.




Wow, that's cool.


----------



## Dungannon

I have neither the time nor the money to attend any bowl games.


----------



## Crothian

Dungannon said:
			
		

> I have neither the time nor the money to attend any bowl games.




If there was one close I could go, but I don't have the time to fly across country to goto one.  Plus money is always an issue.


----------



## Crothian

When did Rutgers get good??


----------



## Dungannon

Crothian said:
			
		

> When did Rutgers get good??



It happens once every 70 years or so.  They're kinda like the Haley's Comet of college football.


----------



## Crothian

That USC win over ASU is looking not so impressive now......


----------



## Krieg

Crothian said:
			
		

> If there was one close I could go, but I don't have the time to fly across country to goto one.  Plus money is always an issue.




It helps a lot that I have friends who live in Phoenix, can catch a ride with another friend who's a pilot and get the tickets from my alumni uncle.


----------



## Crothian

Wow, you got the connections


----------



## Dimwhit

Man, Rutgers and ASU are playing an entertaining game!


----------



## Crothian

if only Rutgers got get a TD this half!!


----------



## Dimwhit

Unless you're pulling for Arizone State.


----------



## Dimwhit

...and that TD should seal it for ASU. I've been really impressed with their QB. He's been quite accurate tonight.


----------



## Crothian

on side kick!!!


----------



## Crothian

Rutgers should have just let them score.....


----------



## Crothian

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> Unless you're pulling for Arizone State.




In games I don't really care about I pull for the upset.


----------



## Dimwhit

Wow, what a game! Pac-10 is 2-0 in bowl games now.


----------



## Crothian

Well, they should have a good bowl year they are the only Conference favored in every game.


----------



## Dungannon

I was reviewing the College Bowl Pick Em and I must say I'm very disappointed in you, Dimwhit.  You only put 1 point on your Broncos to beat Boston College.  Where's your pride & confidence?


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## Crothian

I'd figure having a that great home field advantage in the Bowl game would warrent more points as well......


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## Dungannon

I can't believe he's actually afraid of the Golden Eagles.   I think he should have to change his avatar if he isn't gonna be more supportive.


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## Crothian

maybe he knew something...24 nothing at the half


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## Dungannon

Yeah, I expected Boise State to put up more of a fight on their home field than this.


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## Crothian

maybe the hail storm will help.....


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## fett527

before i catchup on other posts, this is for you Dimwhit

GO BRONCOS!!!

2:30 left,Boise within a TD


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## fett527

UH-oh BSU inside the 10!


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## fett527

Damn, picked in the endzone.  Valiant effort by the Broncos though.


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## fett527

And now on to M v Nebraska...


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## Dungannon

Yeah, it was an impressive comeback there.  Too bad they couldn't pull it off.


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## Dimwhit

Man, guys, I'm so sore from screaming at that Boise State game. What a game!!! I can't believe how close we got! I was sitting front row behind the goal posts of the endzone that Boise drove to at the very end. We were all jumping up and down and screaming so much after the punt return I almost got sick.

I'm just crushed they didn't win. I have some issues with the last 3 or 4 plays called. But it was still the most exciting game I've been to.

Man, what a game...what a game...

I think I'm sick now from the cold and the screaming.


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## Crothian

Well, it looked like a good game from the warmth and comfort of my couch


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## Dimwhit

Crothian said:
			
		

> Well, it looked like a good game from the warmth and comfort of my couch



 It was actually really warm in the first half. Probably 50 degrees or so. Then the hail came in the third quarter. And the wind. And the rain. And I loved every second of it!!


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