General Chat / BOWL GAMES!

Just got back from Boulder, went out there this weekend for the game. Wow, I am still shocked. OU played half asleep for the first half but still managed to go up by 17, then everything went to hell. Horrible play calling and horrible luck. Despite how bad they played, OU still should have won this game, easily. But absolutely everything went wrong at the end without exception and you end up with an upset. Disappointing yes, but the season goes on. I really think this was just a crazy fluke game, Boulder is a rough place to play with the altitude and everything, but OU is going to have to prove it was a fluke this week.

Now I would take exception to some of your rankings... how do you put Florida above OU? Both lost by last second field goals, but OU blew a big lead on the road at a stadium 5,000 feet above theirs, while Florida loses at home. Both CU and Auburn are fairly comparable teams as far as what they have accomplished, and I would say CU's two losses this year are because their best player and essentially their offense, Hugh Charles, was injured. And before you jump on me about the altitude, it makes a huge difference. Not saying it is the only reason, but you go from sea level to mile high and you will have trouble walking uphill without breathing a little heavy. I should know.

And West Virginia, yes they lost to South Florida, but a top five team should be able to lay the smack down on a team that beat them last year. West Virginia has no excuses for their loss, they weren't looking past South Florida at all. They had this game circled, this was revenge, and they still couldn't pull it off. West Virginia also lost in considerably more convincing fashion. It didn't take constant West Virginia mistakes, or a comeback. West Virginia was losing all game.

I actually think this loss was good for OU, not that it is what I preferred would have happened. Should OU have made it to the National Championship this year, they would have in all likelihood gotten stomped. And then people start talking more because OU keeps losing in that game and it just isn't a good scene. Now that is shot to hell, so they can just focus on wining the Big XII, go to a BCS game, and maybe actually win it this year. Again, gotta get past Texas next weekend, but they have a lot more problems.

Stifling defense?? USC was supposed to win that game by THREE touchdowns and they won by THREE points. Allowing Washington to score FOUR times is not stifling....Ohio State held them to 14 points....THAT is stifling...

But wow...you moved USC down to 2??? I'm surprised at you A win is a win, isn't it? Honestly, I have to say at this point that anyone can win this year. I said before there were about three really good teams and everyone else was average....I'm going to say now that there are a bunch of average teams out there and no one is standing out. Sorry, Cork, but USC just does not look any more impressive than other teams this year, LSU and Florida didn't look that good, although I'd still put LSU on top. I never did think Texas or OK were that good to be on top of Ohio State...CAL, I have not seen play yet, so no judgment there.....and RUTGERS...well, I told you they weren't as good as everyone thought. They are going to lose again next week at CINCINNATI...who are going to make people stand up and take notice of the 'other' team in Ohio.

Actually, our DEFENSE was pretty good. But they scored 21 points off of turnovers. Turnovers that gave them tremendous field advantage. The defense actually did well, but our offense gave them about sixty eight and a half chances to win the game. Even a good defense will give up points if consistently put against an offense with good start field position.

On regular possessions, however, the defense generally held Washington at bay, deterring long marches down the field.


And you're right: a win's a win, but when ranking teams (and I *am* using ranking philosophy there, which is why everything under #12 especially doesn't really have to make sense), you factor how they win into this.

Also, OU should stomp Texas. If they don't, I'll be disappointed.

Well, OU should have stomped Colorado too. But they didn't, so now I'm disappointed. But thats the beauty of college football, anything can and does happen.

Yup.

But ultimately, I'm still rooting for USC vs LSU for the BCS title game. That would be a great game.

im looking at a USF vs UF BCS title game

No chance in hell USF makes it to the title game, and they certainly don't deserve to. They just do not have the kind of team that can run the table and they will not jump another 1 loss team.

you havent looked at their schedule then have you? just shows your ignorance. They only have Rutgers left that has a shot of knocking them off

You haven't watched college football this past weekend have you? CU didn't have a shot of knocking off OU, but they still did. South Florida will drop a game just because they do not have the type of team capable of running the table. It takes an extra something, and I don't think anyone has it this year. Whats more, I think their ranking is still vastly inflated and they are no near #6 in the nation. Not saying they don't deserve it for now because of who they beat, but they will not be their at the end of the year. West Virginia is a one dimensional team with a below average defense. That one dimension is good, but not impossible to shut down. West Virginia always losses to decent teams. Auburn.... come on. I know they beat Florida, but Florida has been shaky this year too. Seeing as Auburn squeaked by Kansas State, lost to Miss State, and South Florida I am hardly ready to call the team a world beater. Again, I'm not saying this is a bad South Florida team by any stretch, they have played well this year and won some big games, for them. But this is not a top ten caliber team from what I have seen them do. Any time you turn the ball over four times in a half, you are not a top ten caliber team. Any time your opponent turns the ball over four times in a half and you aren't just destroying them at half time, you are not a top ten caliber team.

Plus, their schedule is hardly a one game season. Cincinnati has been playing very well this year (ranked higher than Rutgers right now). Louisville is still dangerous despite having no defense. Hell, UConn might actually be decent this year, they haven't played anyone but haven't lost either. And Pitt is no slouch. I'm sorry if I look at that schedule and don't see a guaranteed undefeated season, but seeing as I watch every college football game I get on tv from 10 am to 11 pm on Saturday, plus Friday and Thursday night games I would watch who I call ignorant about college football. I even watched Memphis versus Marshall last night... that is just sad.

seeing as I watch every college football game I get on tv from 10 am to 11 pm on Saturday, plus Friday and Thursday night games I would watch who I call ignorant about college football.

Lets end this right here. FIU is the best and will win the national championship despise being 0-5 and the fact that offensively in Division 1-A NCAA football, FIU ranks last in: first downs, third and fourth down conversions, scoring, and second to last in passing yards.

Golden Panthers Rule!

They only have Rutgers left that has a shot of knocking them off

Do not doubt my Scarlet Knights

I watch every college football game I get on tv from 10 am to 11 pm on Saturday, plus Friday and Thursday night games I would watch who I call ignorant about college football.

And here I thought I was the only one ....

And here I thought I was the only one ....

Isn't this the best time of the year? All day football, cold beer, and grill up some brats around 2-3ish. Its like a mini heaven every Saturday. My only complaint is regional games. Because I try to watch every game that is on for each time slot flipping back and forth, and I hate when ABC gets all the good games and makes them regional. So you get some shitty game with teams close to you rather than the one with national implications. Alas, don't have money for Gameplan. I also miss TBS having games on, they normally got decent Big XII games so that was one more channel to thumb through.

And Kumba, you are absolutely right. I have held for a few weeks now that FIU were dark horses in the national title race, and are really going to surprise some people this year. At least you have some Miami fandom left in you (still are a Cane fan aren't you?).

Through week five, my college rankings:

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Cal
4. Ohio State
5. Wisconsin
6. South Florida
7. Boston College
8. Florida
9. Kentucky
10. West Virginia
11. Oregon
12. Oklahoma
13. Georgia
14. Virginia Tech
15. Hawaii
16. Texas
17. Missouri
18. Clemson
19. Rutgers
20. Nebraska

This doesn't mean necessarily that overall I think that Florida isn't as good as, say, Boston College. But I feel that rankings are relative to the week they're on, and not necessarily overall.

No South Carolina?

They beat UGA who you have at 13, but they dont make the top 20 for you?

While South Carolina doesn't exactly have a world beater of an offense I really like them to do well this year. I bet they finish in the top ten as a two loss team. I actually really like them to beat Florida. South Carolina has played them very well the last two years, wining once and losing by one. The only other game that I would be worried about for the gamecocks is Arkansas.

Right now, if you look at strength of team, Wisconsin has no business in anybody's top 15. After the way they have played week in and week out, they are just a thoroughly mediocre football team.

I think Boston College is good this year, but they won't finish in the top ten. They always start out strong and flounder. The end of the year stretch is brutal, look for them to drop at least two between Va Tech, Florida State, Maryland, Clemson, and Miami.

Same goes for South Florida. They lose two, with one loss coming to Rutgers and the other to either UConn, Cincinnati (most likely), Louisville, or Pitt.

Florida finishes as the highest three loss team and jumps a lot of two loss teams to possibly crack the top five because they beat LSU. However, they also lose to LSU once (regular season or championship game), and lose to South Carolina.

Oklahoma lower than West Virginia and Florida is a joke. You might be able to sell me that you think West Virginia lost to a better team (they did), but they also performed far worse in that loss. West Virginia's loss looked like a thorough drubbing, OU's loss looked like a nasty momentum swing and a crazy college upset where everything goes wrong at the end and a team collapses. That screams fluke more to me than getting straight up outplayed all day. Same goes with Florida. Florida was flirting with losing when they beat Ole Miss by three on the road. Then they proceed to lose to a terrible Auburn team at home. That tells me it wasn't an aberration, they have legitimate problems.

Nebraska does not deserve to be within the top 20 at all, and the fact that they are is testament to name branding in college football. They got destoryed by USC, can't hold that against them per say, but USC couldn't do to Idaho what they did to Nebraska. And they also didn't look too flashy against Washington or Washington State either. Furthermore, you just don't barely win against Ball State and Iowa State and get ranked as a top 20 team in the country. Kansas, Kansas State, and Colorado all from Nebraska's division are playing better and deserve to be ranked higher than the Huskers.

But how about some teams I actually like. Oregon deserves to be up their because they really should still be undefeated and have been playing very well. I like the way Cincinnati has looked so far, but am curious to see them against stiffer competition. They really dominated both sides of the ball against Oregon State though. From the Big XII, Kansas State and Colorado both got big wins and I am curious to see how legitimate those actually were. Colorado particularly, their losses were without half their offense (Hugh Charles), and they could make a splash in the north. Mizzou has been explosive as always on offense so far, but I will hold reservation because now is about when they always collapse. However, if they continue, they could turn some heads by the end of the year.

This year just has so much parity looking at everyone's schedule. It has been nutty so far, and I honestly believe nobody gets through the year unscathed after the insanity of last Saturday. I actually would be shocked if there are more than 4 one loss teams.

This year just has so much parity looking at everyone's schedule. It has been nutty so far, and I honestly believe nobody gets through the year unscathed after the insanity of last Saturday. I actually would be shocked if there are more than 4 one loss teams.

We were just talking football today and said the whole top ten is beatable...so yes, its an interesting year...but will make for some great football saturdays!

Kentucky vs South Carolina tonight everyone
I'd like Kentucky to win myself...

by the way CORK...USC has allowed 79 pts in 4 games (avg 20/game), LSU has allowed 32 pts in 5 games (avg 6/game), Ohio State allowed 36 pts in 5 games (avg 7 pts/game)...enough with USC defense...they are #15 in the nation with LSU 1st and Ohio State 2nd...

Are you just realizing how this works Buckeye Becky? If ESPN says two teams are #1 and #2, then they are #1 and #2.... period. Until they lose. Nobody will ever pass a preseason top 2 seed until one of those two teams losses. Plus, Ohio State has the worst chance to jump anybody just because of what happened last year in the title game. Voters don't forget. Mostly because they are stupid. And few of them watch as much football as any regular fan. They watch the Sportcenter highlights. So its almost, just almost, like ESPN controls the polls.

Are you just realizing how this works Buckeye Becky? If ESPN says two teams are #1 and #2, then they are #1 and #2.... period. Until they lose. Nobody will ever pass a preseason top 2 seed until one of those two teams losses. Plus, Ohio State has the worst chance to jump anybody just because of what happened last year in the title game. Voters don't forget. Mostly because they are stupid. And few of them watch as much football as any regular fan. They watch the Sportcenter highlights. So its almost, just almost, like ESPN controls the polls.

Are you for real? I am old enough to be your mother...I think I got the rankings figured out and please....read my post [insert word a mother would not use (but in her head)]....

I was talking about Cork's post a ways back about USC defense....and I have never said anything ever in this forum about Ohio State jumping anyone on the rankings...

Actually, our DEFENSE was pretty good.

I am talking about the NCAA statistics on defense...not team rankings

HERE

but um yeah...thanks for that explanation on rankings...I'm sure it helped some one out there

Edited by Buckeye Becky, 05 October 2007 - 04:44 PM.

I guess I am just so used to most college football fans spewing what they hear on ESPN, that essentially anyone's opinion is whatever ESPN tells them to think. It's sad, but more or less true. That is the reason people are shocked when West Virginia drops a game, because they were #5. Never mind they are one dimensional with a bad defense. Same will be true for South Florida when they play a real team. Point being, people believe USC's defense is tops in the nation because ESPN says it is so. So I would be including Cork in that. But I guess that is more of a its his team, and with your team it is more than acceptable to inflate yourself at every position.

This early in the year however, defensive rankings are still kinda hard to put too much stock in. For example, do you believe Kansas and Wyoming are better than USC defensively? Teams have only played a limited selection of other teams and it is hard to know the quality of the competition. To me, the schedules seem about on par so far, but you never know. I would say however, look at the common competition. Ohio State gave up less points, but significantly more yards to Washington than USC did. Washington put up 204 in the air and 142 on the ground, but only managed 14 points. USC gave up 24 points to Washington, but only allowed 90 yards in the air and 100 yards rushing. Both were at Washington.

Point being, it is still too early to say who is better than who on defense.

On an unreleated note, this weekend the upset I like is Illinois over Wisconsin. Watched Illinois against Mizzou (at the game) and Penn State this year and they have some talent on offense. Showed some big game ability last year taking Ohio State to the wire also. Wisconsin has been getting far too lucky far too often this year and it catches up with them this weekend unless they can come out and just punch Illinois in the mouth and make the game too physical for Illinois to handle. Also going to go ahead and say Florida has a good shot against LSU. Coming off the loss, Florida will be fired up and should come together a little more. LSU is looking for revenge after last year, but have been shaky the last two weeks. Florida can blow up on anybody, and I think they have what it takes to spread the LSU defense out and make them play on their heels. The talented but inexperienced Florida D should be just enough to slow down the hit or miss LSU offense. OU, Mizzou, and Ohio State roll in other big match ups of ranked teams.

Obviously, you think I'm just some woman who knows very little about football and just watches ESPN and then as you put it...."spews"... but I actually watch football and lots of it...and have for many many years...so I think I know as much about football as anyone on here, you included.

Well, of course its too early to go by stats and rankings, whether its defense or offense or overall rankings. This year especially because in my opinion anyone in that top ten could fall by seasons end. I could argue with your argument about OSU/Wash vs USC/Wash using a number of other factors such as OSU doesn't regularly play Washington like USC, we had a long flight out there and USC had a road trip ...but whats the point? The only point I was trying to make to CORK was that USC isn't as great on defense as he thinks...not who was better than who.

Illinois/Wisconsin is an easy pick for an upset and I agree with you there. I'll take LSU for the win though and I think the Cincinnati/Rutgers game will be fun to watch.