General Chat / COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2005

HOLY SHIT!


that sucks.

WOW Vince Young < Mick Vick

I got to admit I thought USC was unbeatable, but shit a QB like that is unstopable.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH BITCHES!!!!!

WHAT NOW!!!!??11111!!!111





how 'bout reggie bush throwing the ball away like a fool?!!

shows how much all the "experts" know....usc the best team ever....lol...they're not even the best team this year...hahahaha....and I'm sorry if they lost, but after a great game like that, being won by the longhorns, I'd like to hear from the victors, not every usc loser they can find....i didnt see one longhorn being interviewed until the trophy cermony...sorry espn they didnt win...get over it.

god, I can not wait for vs.
Vince Young vs. Troy Smith

I hope USC isnt still crying on t.v. tomorrow...but they most certainly will be...I mean they are the best losing team in history right?

Yeah, had he not done that, I think the game may have actually gone USC all the way. It would've been 14-0 at the time, and really put down Texas.

woulda, coulda, shoulda.....but they didnt and they lost....actually, to put it better, they were beaten by the better team

Edited by AustinPowers, 05 January 2006 - 12:50 AM.

I've had about an hour and a half to collect my thoughts... mostly because I was at a friend's house for a viewing party and then had to drive home and take a shower.

So here goes.

It was a great game that lived up to the hype. Except for the end. But that's because I'm a Trojan.

There are a lot of ways I can respond. No doubt, we will have Trojans playing the "what if" game. What if Bush hadn't tried that foolish lateral? What if that Vince Young lateral had actually been called down like it really was? What if that Texas fumble that wasn't called a fumble had been reviewed and the officials had awarded the ball back to USC like they should have? What White had made the extra foot? What if we had given the ball to Bush instead? What if we had punted instead? What if we had passed instead? What if we didn't have that idiotic facemask penalty when Texas had it at midfield and fourth down? What if we had stopped Young on 4th and 5? What if Leinart hadn't used up all 8 remaining seconds looking aimlessly then throwing to the sideline?

After a while you start stretching. And really, had the game gone the other way, Texas fans would have similar beefs. What if that pass Leinart threw where the Texas defender caught it in midair, then hit the ground, then lost it, had actually been ruled an interception like it actually was (ground cannot cause a fumble)? What if Texas hadn't missed the extra point? Or the field goal?

It goes both ways. Had Bush completed that lateral, he would have been hailed as a genius for thinking quickly on the fly. If White had completed the 4th and 2, Carroll would be hailed for being bold and going for it despite being near midfield. But we didn't make the plays. And don't forget, Texas had that fumble at the start of the game. They fumbled three or four more times afterwards.

What it call comes down to is defense. If you still don't believe defense wins championships, then this was your lesson 101. When the game was on the line, Texas' D came up big. Ours did not. They stopped White. We could not stop Young. Heck, you look at our whole game, and it was the defense that proved to be the weak link. Some horrendous missed coverages, and blown tackles galore. Texas had several plays that should have gone for only three or four yards, but ended up going for 20 or 30. We simply couldn't tackle.

And it didn't hurt that they had Vince Young, who was Leinart and Bush in one package tonight.

---

It hurts. I was stunned. I really thought we could have won. Should have won. Would have won. And looking back, yeah, we could have and we should have. But we didn't. It hurts to say it, but Texas outplayed us. At the end of the day, I have no excuse but to say they outplayed us. They were the better team tonight. And congratulations for that.

I think it was ECC who, at the end of last year's NBA Finals, made the argument that Detroit was the better team despite losing. I headed a counterargument that said if you lose in the big game[s], then there's no excuse. Well, after tonight, I can kind of see his point of view a little better, but I honestly believe we SHOULD have won that game. I do feel that while both sides got some questionable calls, Texas benefitted more. And the NBA analogy uses a seven game series, while tonight was only one game. It's much more convincing to win four games out of seven than to win one. Maybe it's a sense of denial. But as a die-hard Trojan fan and a die-hard Trojan student, I really thought we would win... even at the end, with 19 seconds left.

It ain't over till it's over, or till the fat lady sings.

But then it was over, and just like that, the streaks were gone. 34 games, now history, as is the AP #1 ranking streak and a slew of others.

But you know what? The immature fan will make the excuses and the blame game. As easy as it would be to use all those excuses I pointed out above to say we got "screwed" or "they got lucky" or whatever, the fact remains that they came back from a 12 point deficit and won the big game on the big night.

So to put it plainly: we got beat. So a begrudging tip of the cap to Texas for winning the 2005-06 NCAA Football National championship.

---

Next year is a "rebuilding" year for 'SC. Leinart is gone. Bush and White are most likely gone. We lose a good part of our offensive line in all likelihood, so our offense will be raw. I don't know if we can quickly get back to the absolute elite next year. It will probably take another year, although the last time we were in this situation, a guy named Matt Leinart stepped up and began one of the greatest college careers in history.

Texas, on the other hand, now assumes the mantle that 'SC has ridden for three years. Vince Young, in all likelihood, is coming back (unless he really turns his back on his school; he's already said he'll be back, tho not officially). Their offense AND defense returns intact. And next year, they will get the media title of "greatest team ever." As an 'SC fan, my personal solace might be in taking joy in watching Texas possibly falter. Hopefully, now that the pressure and historic labels go to them, the'll be the ones to lose in the big one, so they can experience the pain we Trojans are going through right now.

The media's fickle. Three hours ago, it was Reggie Bush this and that, and Vince was the up and comer. Now... who's Reggie Bush? It's all Vince Young. And suddenly, Vince is the guy who should leave now, be #1 in the draft, and the Trojans are suddenly forgotten. Texas is in the limelight now.

Texas has won 20 in a row. If they make it back to the big dance next year, they'll have won 32 or 33 in a row. Something about a 30something game winning streak on the line at the national championship game that hasn't been great for teams... just ask Miami.

But you know what? Texas earned it tonight. As much as I do not want to say it (particularly because Texas the state absolutely sucks), Texas is king. But now the pressure's all on you. Lets see how you handle it, and lets see if you can accomplish what we did.

And maybe in a couple of years, we'll be back.

FIGHT ON!

Couple of notes after that article:

- I'll be gracious if you're gracious. If you're a Longhorn and try to rub it in my face arrogantly, acting like you annihilated us, then you'll receively equally harsh treatment. I've got arguments piled up like crazy.

- Right now, my national title game prediction is indeed Texas vs Ohio State. Penn State will be good next year and could knock OSU from the top of the Big 10, but we'll see. Right now, that's my call.

- Maybe this persuades either Bush or Lendale to stay? It'd sure help out Booty next year.

- If Texas was in any other state besides Texas, I wouldn't be so incredibly pissed.

What if that Texas fumble that wasn't called a fumble had been reviewed and the officials had awarded the ball back to USC like they should have?

Actually that wasn't a fumble....(I was watching the game on mute by that time so the "impartial" coverage didn't force-feed a call down my throat)...but other than that I agree with what you said.

Oh yeah...and I doubt Texas will repeat the "amazing" win streak into the thirties....they have the problem of a tough conference...plus they meet The Ohio State next season.

I wasn't listening to the commentary as much, but LOOKING at it, it sure looked like one to me. He had possession. Then the ball got stripped before his knee went down. How's that not a fumble?

And Texas tough schedule? Who the hell do they play? Oklahoma will be well ranked but not THAT good. Not enough to beat Texas. Nebraska? Worse than OU, tho not crappy. Texas Tech? They'll never win big games the way they play. Oklahoma State? Gotta learn to play second halves first. I dunno their nonconference sched., but they have a good chance to go undefeated until the big game. And my point was I hope they DO lose the big game.

Ohio State will be good, altho the Big 10 is tough. Penn State is the major challenger I think, and Michigan will always put up a good fight due to the rivalry. The rest of the conference is sort of hit or miss... depends on what day you play them. But I think OSU has a tougher road than Texas.

But right now, my prediction is those two teams for the collision course.

He had possession.

That's where I disagree...in slow motion he only had it for a split second...and thats not long enough to have possession....if you saw the game speed replay, that really shows he didnt have it for near long enough...though now that I think about it, I may be thinking of another play, there were quite a few fumbles/almost fumbles...

I definitely agree that The Ohio State has a tougher schedule than Texas...but the Big12 is better than a lot of people think...I wasn't really convinced until Texas beat OSU this year...but they've definitely got some up and coming teams....better than that joke of a conference they call the pac-10 anyway

Don't get me started on that argument. I will fervently defend my opinion that Texas played an easier schedule than USC did. People always jump on the whole "Pac 10 sucks" bandwagon just because we have one elite team. But overall, we at the very least compete with the others and in some cases are better. I mean, you can't tell me the Pac 10 was worse than the Big 12 this year. Big 10? That's a harder argument, tho still debatable.

And I think he had it long enough. Yeah, you gotta account for slo mo, but it looked to me like he still had it long enough.

Oh well, like I said at the end, it really didn't matter, because it was in the important play that we came up six or twelve inches short.

What's so bad about Texas... the state?

I'm not a Longhorn fan by any means, but I'm glad they brought it back after all these years... state pride, yeah.

That had to be one of the best college football games I've seen in awhile. How many times did the lead change? Like every five minutes?....damn....

And then some amazing plays made by both sides. The best play had to be that 30yd TD run by Reggie Bush where he just took the corner, blazed down the sideline and scored the touchdown in mid-air. Wow.

I have to agree that reception/strip/fumble call was pretty bad, especially at that critical point in the game for USC. I too thought it was a fumble. Its unforntunate, because the game really came down to that call, even though I think USC kinda blew it with the 19 seconds they had to get a FG. Lienert ran two plays that just killed the clock instead of really trying to move the ball into field goal range. Oh well. Great game nonetheless.

Then there's OSU. Talk about a good football team. And to see them dish out Notre Dame's 8th straight bowl loss was just pure bliss. I can't stand ND. Troy Smith was definitely one of the best QBs this year, probably #3 in my book behind Young and Lienert.

Somebody please explain to me why Bush is so much better than White. I've watched plenty of games and it almost seems like White is the favored rusher, especially in end zone situations. Sure enough, their carries are almost split (200/197) and White ran in 24 touchdowns to Bush's 16. If Bush is the best running back ever to play college football, like it seems he's made out to be, why don't they give him the ball more?

hehehehehehehe..

Somebody please explain to me why Bush is so much better than White. I've watched plenty of games and it almost seems like White is the favored rusher, especially in end zone situations. Sure enough, their carries are almost split (200/197) and White ran in 24 touchdowns to Bush's 16. If Bush is the best running back ever to play college football, like it seems he's made out to be, why don't they give him the ball more?

My guess is to avoid injury. He can smell that juicy $NFL$ contract and a mere championship game like this isn't worth risking millions of dollars for.

Its really amazing how many new texas fans I have met since last night....bandwagoners.

Somebody please explain to me why Bush is so much better than White. I've watched plenty of games and it almost seems like White is the favored rusher, especially in end zone situations. Sure enough, their carries are almost split (200/197) and White ran in 24 touchdowns to Bush's 16. If Bush is the best running back ever to play college football, like it seems he's made out to be, why don't they give him the ball more?

I'll clarify this.

Bush is hyped as the media darling (well, he was until they found a new penis to suck in the name of Vince Young) because of his explosiveness and potential for a huge play literally every time he touches the ball. He's had some amazing plays these past three years where you think he's stopped, then he takes it an additional 60 yards for a touchdown. He's "better" than White because he can score a TD every time he touches the ball if he finds the right hole.

In reality, I believe neither back would have the success they've had without the other. Bush is lightning, but I like to compare him to a dagger. He shreds defenses by slipping through holes and cutting through the field. White is thunder, and I like to call him our hammer. He's almost guaranteed 3-4 yards at least each carry, and he powers through the offense, dragging defenders with him after a tackle.

USC's success has depended on both weapons. You give it to Bush, who makes a sensational play, and suddenly the defense is on its heels. Then you give it to White to just push them back while they're down. Then, while they try to defend against the power game, you give it to Bush again and suddenly, you've cut through the wall again.

White is our go-to guy. Bush is our playmaker. Bush has simply been publicized more than White because he's on ESPN's highlight reels more. White just goes about his job and knocks over the opponents. He's got the USC alltime TD record because when it comes to needing a score in the red zone, his strength is almost always unstoppable. Statistically, you're much more likely to score from up close with power than to pull off a huge 65 yard run.

But that big run will get more attention because it's flashier. It's like in baseball, where a power hitter will always get more attention than one with a great batting average, but that doesn't mean the slugger truly is "better."

Truth is, if we didn't have White, defenses could completely swarm Bush, sort of like how Texas did last night. If we didn't have Bush, they could just concentrate on White and reduce us to a passing team.

So we need both. And the reason Bush doesn't get the ball all of the time is because White is there as the other running threat with a different style. It's the COMBINATION of both that keeps opponents on their heels and allows both to be as successful as they had.

Also, last night, White had a great game because Bush was the primary target, and Texas wasn't as ready for White (except for at 4th and 2 ).


Oh, hilarious article from The Sports Guy, despite the Carroll bashing.
http://sports.espn.g...=simmons/060105

Here's MY final rankings of the year. They do NOT match the AP/USA polls exactly, because they're my opinion.

1. Texas ("Hook 'em Horns" is still the gayest slogan I've ever heard)
2. USC (despite the loss, their performance assure them of no lower than a 2nd place finish)
3. Ohio State (strong win over ND puts them over Penn State IMO)
4. Penn State (great game vs FSU, but OSU played better)
5. LSU (geez, what a mauling)
6. West Virginia (I had a feeling they'd beat Georgia)
7. Virginia Tech (solid win over Louisville)
8. Alabama (they play ugly, but they win...)
9. TCU (they've still gotta be kicking themselves over that loss to SMU)
10. Georgia (that near comeback means they don't drop as much)
11. Notre Dame (*sigh* I thought they could validate themselves, but maybe they were a little overrated)
12. Wisconsin (way to beat a solid Auburn team and end Barry Alvarez's coaching career on a high note)
13. UCLA (OMG they won a Bowl game!!!!)
14. Oregon (I so expected them to lose to OU)
15. Auburn (they're better than their Gator Bowl performance, but the loss drops them)
16. Florida State (I still say they're underrated; just because they lost three games in a row doesn't mean their BCS-contending performance earlier in the year and late in the year should be forgotten)
17. Florida (quietly ended the year on a high note)
18. Boston College (no one cares about you)
19. Texas Tech (great defense beats great offense)
20. Miami (ouch)
21. Louisville (lost their aura after that loss to South Florida)
22. Oklahoma (ended the year on a high note and quietly popped back into the ranks; they'll be good next year, though not awesome)
23. Nebraska (see above)
24. California (at least they didn't throw a hissy fit then lose their bowl game this year)
25. Nevada (Fresno State should have this spot... if it didn't go out and forget how to play after losing to USC a month and a half ago)