General Chat / BOWL GAMES!

Will you Michigan-goers please stop whining? It's only a game. Stop pretending you're being oppressed for going to Michigan. And stop being all WOW MY SCHOOL IS SO GREAT when you've been going there for 2 weeks. It's so forced.

While I would have liked more of the postgame focus to be on why Appalachian State has an awesome program and less on why Michigan is overrated, I can see why it happened the way it did. Preseason rankings are bullshit to begin with, but Michigan made it into the top 20 by default solely because they're Michigan. Boise State lost 11 seniors and slipped from #5 to #24; Michigan lost 12 seniors and slipped from whatever they were after the Rose Bowl (lower than #3) to #5. The benefit of the doubt is always given to the big-name schools because it's figured they'll find some way to get it done. Just as the college rankings people are having a hard time accepting that Notre Dame is a completely worthless team this year with no big-name players, they are having a hard time accepting that Michigan is merely an OK team this year. App State won because they exploited the fact that the Michigan defense leaves the middle of the field wide open. You don't deserve a #5 ranking with that kind of weakness.

In short, if App State were a BCS team, they would deserve to be ranked higher than Michigan right now and probably for a while after this.

Hehe... sig updated to reflect this year's FB season... and Trojan pride.

It's all in good fun, guys, in case anyone gets all pissy and stuff. (right sig pic was posted on trojanhatersclub.com a few months ago--even they have to admit that more song girls = more good things )

^Nice sig actually. LMAO

Ride6

Free football tickets are amazing. Went to the UT v. ASU game last weekend and heading to UT v. TCU this coming Saturday.

















Oh yeah, fuck Michigan.

Was so happy to see Michigan go down (Parents went to OSU, so OSU is like my #3 team). Been a fun week with some of the Michigan fans I know. Great start to the season really, Michigan and Notre Dame going down in the first week.

What do you think about the game this weekend Kumba? Miami-OU... should be a good one. I like OU's chances though, they answered a lot of their questions this past weekend. I know it was North Texas, a team that completely sucks, but Bradford completed a lot of throws that Paul Thompson wouldn't have. He is a much more capable passer and handled himself remarkably for his opening game, going 21-23 for 350 yards in a half. I don't care who you play, that is impressive.

Miami's defense definitely has me a little worried. They are going to try to tee off on an inexperienced quarterback. And while we know he can make the throws, we have no idea how we will handle the pressure. However, I think OU just has too many weapons for Miami to contain completely. The running game will actually take a step up without Peterson, though not because any back is more talented. The gameplan is much less predictable without him, the OL is better this year, and the rotation of backs we have is just sickening (Patrick, Brown, Murray, Madu). The recievers this year are looking very sharp as well, Kelly being the known and Inglesias seeming to have stepped it up as well. Plus we have a great TE corp, so covering everything is really going to be a challenge for the very good Miami D. I don't think we roll, but I think we put together probably two solid scoring drives, plus the the ball well enough to take advantage of short field.

The matchup that gives me a little less to worry about is the Miami offense versus the OU Defense. I just see Miami being very one dimensional on Saturday. Even against Marshall Freeman only completed 9 passes for 80 yards, that is going to have to get better or it will be a long day for Miami. The backs are excellent, but if OU focuses in on them and makes Kirby beat them, I don't think he can do it. See a lot of short possessions for Miami that will result in OU winning the field position battle and that will be the difference maker in the game.

Curious for the view from a Miami fan.

Should be noted that Michigan has completely dropped out of the top 25 poll now, biggest single game drop in college football history. Also, Clemson beat FSU Monday, which was a pleasant surprise.

Apparently today Michigan continued to get served.

^ beat me to it

Yeah... not a good time to be a Wolverine. It's weird... I feel like there's sort of an NE curse for good football teams east of me. Iris went to Florida St., and they kinda suck now. Geoff goes to Michigan, and they promptly open the season with historic crappiness.

Oklahoma showed they are a national power again by beating Kumba's Hurricanes like Michael Vick beats dog---what... too soon?

And the Pac10 is shaping up to be pretty damn good. Washington upset Boise State (they're gonna be good this year), Oregon won convincingly, and Cal and UCLA are pretty strong. USC might not have as easy of a time as everyone keeps on thinking (well, not if they play like they played vs Idaho).

After today's game all I can say is that I'm really glad that I didn't buy season tickets.

Ride6

Hopefully we will see another Texas v. USC showdown for the national championship. Though are weak schedule will probably prevent such a match up unless we beat down on OU.

Texas hasn't looked that strong so far. OU definitely has the advantage right now, a couple of weeks before the Red River Shootout.

If I were to pick a BCS title game, I'd just stick with USC vs LSU. LSU has looked very, very good, and even though it's ridiculously hard to get through the SEC unscathed, this year's LSU defense might be able to do it. And I'm assuming USC will play much better the rest of the season than vs Idaho. Next week vs. Nebraska will determine a lot. Our offense has a lot to work on, although I'm very surprised and pleased by our running game.

Miami lost Oklahoma looks like the real deal tho, I would not be surprised to see them in the national championship at the end of the season.

I was at the FIU game and had my press pass so I got to get free parking, free food a clean bathroom and a birds-eye view from the front row of the skybox

Still did not change the fact we lost 10 to 26. Also I was just their to take notes on the game and do a later small notebook piece on it, but then I was asked to do the game story which normally ends up on the front page of our colleges newspaper. I think that has to do with the fact that the guy who normally does it has been banned from contact with the football players due to his strong commentary pieces on why we suck so much. Not sure if this means I'll need to do more in the future, I mean that includes road games and I don't really want to go to Arkansas... twice!

Sounds like a great opportunity, Kumba.
you should definitely do it.

You can't even be thinking about a national title run for Texas right now Chapel.... they have looked terrible so far this year. Struggling so much against a decent TCU team and then straight up sucking against Arkansas St. Colt is going to get rocked now that his line is gone and the defense is suspect at best. Texas has a lot of issues right now. That and OU is rolling right now. OU has looked so good so far this season. The only question mark coming into the season was Bradford and he has been playing beyond what anyone could have hoped for. Plus, Mack Brown is still your coach and now that Young's aura has faded from the program it will be back to him being the sole reason for two losses a season. More thoughts tomorrow when it isn't 5:30 in the morning and I am a little more sober.

I can't say OU is in the national title game either... they beat Miami, but unless this was five years ago, that doesn't really mean much. Good showing, though, and they're in the picture--just not quite up there with USC, LSU, and um... maybe that's it? lol

Right now, simply based off of the first two weeks (and I can't necessarily assume that USC was lackluster against Idaho just because they didn't want to show all their cards), I'd have my BCS picture like this:

THE ELITE:
1. LSU
2. USC

THE CONTENDERS:
3. Florida
4. West Virginia
5. Oklahoma

THE POTENTIALS:
6. Louisville
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
9. California

THE DARK HORSE:
10. Hawaii (only because they're super fun to watch and *could* pull a Boise State... tho seriously, I know they wouldn't stand a chance in the BCS Title Game due to their complete and utter lack of defense)

Alright, if I had to rank teams based on actual talent right now it would look like this:
1. LSU- Great defense, but I think they looked a titch inflated against an anemic and hopeless Hookie attack. The offense flexed its muscle little against Va Tech, but still appears beatable.
2. USC- Most talented team in the nation hands down. Extremely well coached also. However, I don't know why, but I don't like the feeling of the team. They just don't seem to have any emotion, drive, or heart. They are going to roll over a lot of people this year, but if someone plays them close early I don't like USC's chances in a tight late game. Booty doesn't have the leadership and drive to win that Leinart did.
3. OU- I know it was Miami, but they do have one of the better defenses in the country. Bradford is performing beyond anyone's expectations and their are just too many weapons on the offense to contain. The offensive balance is almost perfect and our line gives the QB all the time in the world. The defense has looked good so far, but doesn't have the ability to totally shut down teams like I have seen in LSU.
4. Florida- They might be better than this, but I think they still have some problems. They are replacing way too much on defense, lost almost all their big threats, and Tebow is a good quarterback but I don't think he can do what Leak did last year.
5. Wisconsin- Not flashy, and still hasn't managed to prove it is up to the level of Michigan or Ohio State (any other year but this one). However, a very solid team with a great ground game and a tough defense.
6. California- Cal's offense looked dynamite against a good Tennessee team and the defense did a solid job of containing them. A lot of team speed and a game breaker on special teams with Jackson.
7. West Virginia- One of the most difficult offenses to stop in the nation. The running ability of Slaton and White coupled with the threat of a pass, its tough to plan against. But not impossible. Teams have managed to contain them, and their defense is way too suspect.
8. Louisville- Same thing as West Virginia, great offense, lousy defense. After seeing them struggle against Middle Tennessee, their is no way they can hang with the top programs. Brohm is a great quarterback, and the running game is above average, but the defense will cost them games this year.
9. Texas- Way too many question marks probably to even justify them this high. Without the wall of a line he had last year Colt gets nowhere close to his numbers last year. The running game is fairly average, and the defense has been average. Just too many ugly games against moderate to bottom feeder teams (TCU and Arkansas St). By all accounts, the Arkansas St game should have been a loss, outgained, Arkansas St missed opportunities, and the refs screwed them out of the recovered onside kick with an imaginary penalty that the Big XII apologized for.

Now, if I had to rank who has the best shot of making it to the national title game, combing who they have to play with how good the team is:
1. OU
2. USC
3. Wisconsin
4. LSU
5. West Virginia
6. California
7. Texas
8. Louisville

OU has the easiest road to the national title, as evidenced by all the Big XII teams struggling early this year. Miami has a top five preseason ranked defense by a lot of services, and is the toughest OU will face all year. OU should roll through Big XII play with a big win over Texas. All of the toughest games are at home with MIzzou, A&M, and OK State all coming to Norman. USC is going to have a tough time finishing the year without droping one of their last four games, playing at Oregon, Cal, and Arizona State before getting UCLA at home. Any of those teams can catch USC on a down game and give them all they can handle. Wisconsin gets to play in a weak Big 10, with Michigan looking like a shadow of itself. The two toughest games are road games though, at Penn State and Ohio State. Ohio State is going to struggle offensively to replace Troy Smith, and Penn State's QB is inconsistent and best, letting a bad Notre Dame team hang in the game too long. LSU's schedule of course is brutal. However, all the tough games are at home. At any rate, getting through South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and Arkansas should prove more than LSU can handle. Alabama is a trap game, pitting LSU against Saban with Alabama at home.

Yeah, Carrol's undefeated November record will face a serious test this year with the Oregon/Cal combo. Arizona State is definitely beatable, though (side note: I find it weird they're playing on Thanksgiving Day. When's the last time USC didn't play on a Saturday? lol).

But you have a great point about OU's road to the BCS, Matt. The Big 12 is weak, and Texas and Nebraska are OU's only real challenges, as far as I can tell.

Big 10 is normally decent at worst but without a solid game out of Michigan (which just isn't happening) then the whole mystique of the thing is lost.

Really sucks.

If we (being Michigan) loose to ND this week I'm officially banning myself from even watching the remaining games.

Ride6