College Football

[R_of_G]

So far this has been a very exciting season for college football, at least for me. As the polls currently stand, my alma mater, University of South Florida, is ranked #2. This means that should USF "run the table" and complete their season unbeaten, they should earn the right to play for the national title.

Should this happen, USF will make history becoming the first so-called "directional school" to win a national football championship. Before the corrections start on that one, University of Southern California and Southern Methodist University do not count as the term "directional school" is only applicable to public schools that are part of an overall state university system. Both of those schools are private universities.

That said, there are still challenges to USF remaining undefeated and getting this chance. Tomorrow [Thurs] they play Rutgers [at Rutgers] which will be a tough game. Additionally, #15 Cincinnati is just three weeks away.

The excitement keeps building. I can't wait to see how it plays out.

Go Bulls!ude:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Go Nebraska!

I'm not much of a football watcher although I do enjoy getting the time to sit down and watch it with friends or family. I don't actively go out and look for the time to do it though. I'd rather play my guitars or go fishing...but yeah College football is da *****. Those guys PLAY FOOTBALL man. They aren't afraid to smash some heads and dive for those long passes or dive into the end zone all crazy. They make some spectacular plays. The kids are energetic, young, strong and broke and the fan base is just nuts. Far better candidates for REAL football than any pro team players.

 

[R_of_G]

Go Nebraska!

Maybe bringing back Osborne [this time as A.D.] will get you back on the right track.

 

[marnold]

Well, I'm a big Michigan fan. It's the one team I've rooted for that has always been easy to root for (my other teams are the various Michigan franchises: Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons). Their last losing season was the one before I was born (1967). The next year they hired a guy named Glenn Schembechler and the rest is history. Thus, I'm a fan of a traditional football powerhouse--the one that holds the NCAA Division IA all-time record for victories.

Having said that, I'd love to see USF do well. This isn't just because the more top teams that get bumped off, the better Michigan's disastrous loss to Appalachian State looks. I like it partially because new teams make things more exciting, so it's not always USC, LSU, et al at the top. I also like it because it gives most college football commentators seizures and shows how hopelessly stupid the writers' and coaches' polls are.

USF isn't like Boise State last year who basically played no one until they beat Oklahoma and one of the most wonderful plays ever. They've already beaten West Virginia and Auburn at Auburn. Granted, their schedule isn't exactly murderer's row either, but then again Ohio State could very well make it to the national championship game without playing a ranked opponent (assuming Michigan would slip up before that). Why not USF?

 

[R_of_G]

Well, I'm a big Michigan fan. It's the one team I've rooted for that has always been easy to root for (my other teams are the various Michigan franchises: Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons). Their last losing season was the one before I was born (1967). The next year they hired a guy named Glenn Schembechler and the rest is history. Thus, I'm a fan of a traditional football powerhouse--the one that holds the NCAA Division IA all-time record for victories.

Having said that, I'd love to see USF do well. This isn't just because the more top teams that get bumped off, the better Michigan's disastrous loss to Appalachian State looks. I like it partially because new teams make things more exciting, so it's not always USC, LSU, et al at the top. I also like it because it gives most college football commentators seizures and shows how hopelessly stupid the writers' and coaches' polls are.

USF isn't like Boise State last year who basically played no one until they beat Oklahoma and one of the most wonderful plays ever. They've already beaten West Virginia and Auburn at Auburn. Granted, their schedule isn't exactly murderer's row either, but then again Ohio State could very well make it to the national championship game without playing a ranked opponent (assuming Michigan would slip up before that). Why not USF?

+1 for still being able to admit to being a Michigan fan. I'm still hoping there's a Big 10 team who has it in them to knock off Ohio St. I think USF and Boston College would make for a better title game should both remain unbeaten. It's just refreshing to see some different schools at the top of the pile. My sister is a USC grad and my brother went to Texas so I've had to deal with each of their schools winning titles recently. At least mine is on the map this year.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Well, I'm a big Michigan fan. It's the one team I've rooted for that has always been easy to root for (my other teams are the various Michigan franchises: Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons). Their last losing season was the one before I was born (1967). The next year they hired a guy named Glenn Schembechler and the rest is history. Thus, I'm a fan of a traditional football powerhouse--the one that holds the NCAA Division IA all-time record for victories.

Having said that, I'd love to see USF do well. This isn't just because the more top teams that get bumped off, the better Michigan's disastrous loss to Appalachian State looks. I like it partially because new teams make things more exciting, so it's not always USC, LSU, et al at the top. I also like it because it gives most college football commentators seizures and shows how hopelessly stupid the writers' and coaches' polls are.

USF isn't like Boise State last year who basically played no one until they beat Oklahoma and one of the most wonderful plays ever. They've already beaten West Virginia and Auburn at Auburn. Granted, their schedule isn't exactly murderer's row either, but then again Ohio State could very well make it to the national championship game without playing a ranked opponent (assuming Michigan would slip up before that). Why not USF?

I am a University of Washington Husky fan. Have been since a kid. Had some great years in the 80s and 90s and haven't had a great deal to cheer about since. I think my favorite radio call of a game was listening to the Huskies beat Michigan in the '78 Rose Bowl in the old family wagon on the way back from the ski cabin. (I like Michigan over most other non-Pac-10 teams but not against my Huskies). I also loved the play when the Stanford band came out on the field before the end of the last play in a games aginst Cal, interfering with play, while the Cal player runs in the winning touch down while completely running over a hapless trombone player. LOL!!! I loved it! :rotflmao: ancake

I love college ball way more than Pro, esp. when my Seahawks were "obviously" robbed of the Superbowl by the refs who were "obviously" paid off in a continuation of east coast and Chicago corruption. :reallymad:

Sorry R_of_G, not a big southern football fan. Those guys down there and in Texas tend to be just a little too rabid for this mellow Nor'wester.

 

[R_of_G]

Sorry R_of_G, not a big southern football fan. Those guys down there and in Texas tend to be just a little too rabid for this mellow Nor'wester.

It's ok, I'm not really either. I grew up in the northeast, so I pretty much with the Big 10 and the Pac 10 on tv as those were the national broadcasts. I didn't move to Florida until I was 22, and I grew to rapidly loathe UF and FSU fans [particularly my time spent waiting tables in a sports bar having to deal with those people every saturday]. I attended USF in the earliest years of the football program's existence, so I was enthusiastic that there might some day exist a Florida team worth following. I had no idea that the program would develop this quickly, but it's been great to watch.

Also, you don't have to tell me about college ball being more compelling than the NFL these days. I'm a Jets fan. That pretty much says it all.:rotflmao:

 

[marnold]

Also, you don't have to tell me about college ball being more compelling than the NFL these days. I'm a Jets fan. That pretty much says it all.:rotflmao:

As I posted, I'm a Lions fan, so I win. Or lose. Yeah, lose would be more accurate.

 

[t_ross33]

I'll throw my .02 in here just cuz I'm a fan of the game overall. I also like college ball better, but I have absolutely no freakin' idea what teams are what down in the good ol' U S of A. And how they figure out who gets to play whom for a national title is way beyond me :rotflmao: That said, I love catching games on TV. You folks can be way more enthusiastic about your sports than us generally reserved Canucks (some say you're rabid, but hey it's all in good fun, eh?)

I'm a big fan of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and our own Saskatchewan Roughriders, who BTW are having a fantastic season! The game is slightly different than that played South of the Border, but it is a more exciting game (just my opinion, don't go all rabid on me :AOK: ). I have mixed feelings about Toronto bringing in an NFL franchise. Having lived in the Greater Toronto Area, I think it's great for football fans there - NFL has a big following and I'm sure the market can support it. I am however worried about the impact on smaller markets and our CFL teams.

GO GREEN!
View attachment 1300

As a quick aside, a good friend of mine from Calgary was the developer of Cutters gloves, widely used in most markets now. I remember one Superbowl game, maybe 3 yrs ago - don't remember who was playing - where the receiver fumbled the ball in the end zone, ran back to the bench and removed the "brand name" gloves he had an endorsement contract with and switched to Cutters. The camera caught it all and my buddy was just over the moon! ude: He's a cool cat.

 

[just strum]

My heart was broken last year (football and basketball) but I could not resist this thread.

 

[luvmyshiner]

Well, I'm a Baylor graduate, so as you can imagine, I don't watch much college football.:messedup:

CB bleeds burnt orange though, so I am occasionally forced to watch UT.

GO COWBOYS! Heh, heh.ude:

 

[R_of_G]

So here we towards the end of the most unpredictable college football season I have seen in a long time. USF finished at 9-3 and announced yesterday they will be playing in the Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve [against a yet to be determined PAC-10 opponent]. Though I had visions of a New Year's Day bowl in my head from their early season success, I have got to say that I am very proud the Bulls will be playing in a bowl game for the third straight year in only their 10th year of existence. Now I just hope Missouri can keep it together for one more game so Ohio St doesn't back into a national championship game without having played anyone of consequence.

 

[just strum]

So here we towards the end of the most unpredictable college football season I have seen in a long time. USF finished at 9-3 and announced yesterday they will be playing in the Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve [against a yet to be determined PAC-10 opponent]. Though I had visions of a New Year's Day bowl in my head from their early season success, I have got to say that I am very proud the Bulls will be playing in a bowl game for the third straight year in only their 10th year of existence. Now I just hope Missouri can keep it together for one more game so Ohio St doesn't back into a national championship game without having played anyone of consequence.

Living in Ohio I am a Buckeye fan, but I don't like to see any team back into a championship game unless there are no unbeaten teams. That said, nothing wrong with a Rose Bowl.

 

[R_of_G]

... unless there are no unbeaten teams. That said, nothing wrong with a Rose Bowl.

There are no unbeaten teams, but, should Missouri defeat Oklahoma on Saturday, they would finish with one loss. Of the teams with one loss, both Missouri and West Virginia played a much more challenging schedule than Ohio St. If Missouri loses, the argument becomes moot and Ohio St. becomes the next best opponent for West Virginia.

As for the Rose Bowl, they won the Big 10 and that is precisely where they should be playing, and that game always means something. Looks like both of our teams will be playing the PAC-10, only neither of us know exactly who until this saturday's games play out. This has been a bizarre season already, so I have no predictions.

 

[just strum]

I thought there was still at least one unbeaten team, I guess I lost touch with the who's who.

Personally I don't think there should be a Championship game with the existing system (the endless argument). It seldom proves anything and an argument will always be made that the wrong teams were selected.

 

[R_of_G]

I thought there was still at least one unbeaten team, I guess I lost touch with the who's who.

Personally I don't think there should be a Championship game with the existing system (the endless argument). It seldom proves anything and an argument will always be made that the wrong teams were selected.

Actually, I believe Hawaii finished unbeaten, but they don't play anybody, so they are ranked below many teams.

I agree that within the current system, the championship game is seldom, if ever, a true match of the country's two best teams. My father, brother and myself discussed this for many hours over the thanksgiving weekend. Nobody seems to have a fix-all solution, but we all agree that ranking teams at all before conference play is pointless and helps tilt the scales in favor of higher ranked teams to maintain those rankings. Personally, I say put the bowls back the way they used to be [ie. the traditional conference rivalries] and put them back on new year's day where they belong. after the bowls are over, have a playoff series similar to college basketball where the winners of all conferences are invited. this actually gives meaning to winning conference titles and may make some conferences [the big 10 for instance] institute a conference title game rather than relying solely on record which would make things more interesting.

all that said, if it turns out to be missori/w. virginia in the title game this year, that's probably as close as we could ask for.

 

[just strum]

Nobody seems to have a fix-all solution, but we all agree that ranking teams at all before conference play is pointless and helps tilt the scales in favor of higher ranked teams to maintain those rankings.

I agree, as much as I like Ohio State, I could not understand the ranking early on or even just prior to the loss.

Personally, I say put the bowls back the way they used to be [ie. the traditional conference rivalries] and put them back on new year's day where they belong. after the bowls are over, have a playoff series similar to college basketball where the winners of all conferences are invited. this actually gives meaning to winning conference titles and may make some conferences [the big 10 for instance] institute a conference title game rather than relying solely on record which would make things more interesting.

Again, I agree. Like politics and religion, it's a subject that will be forever debated.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I have never ever watched college football & probably never will.

I doesn't interest me at all.

Of course, I went to UC Santa Cruz as an undergraduate (no football team & the mascot was/is the bananna slug).

I went to graduate school at UC San Diego, it probably had a football team, but how would I know?

That said, I hope those of you for whom it rings bells enjoy the season!

 

[R_of_G]

With the schools my siblings and I went to it's difficult not to follow college football. Between undergrad and grad schools we have loyalties to USF, USC, Colorado, and Texas. Those teams almost always make it interesting.

 

[bigoldron]

I didn't move to Florida until I was 22, and I grew to rapidly loathe UF and FSU fans [particularly my time spent waiting tables in a sports bar having to deal with those people every saturday].

I'm a "CrimiNoles" fan, even though they SUCK this year (and last year too). I agree, we can be obnoxious, but probably not as much as those Swamp Lizards from Gainesville. If you do have to loathe me, then do it like Elvis sang:

"Loathe me tender, Loathe me true..."

:messedup: :crazyguy: oke:

 

[R_of_G]

I'm a "CrimiNoles" fan, even though they SUCK this year (and last year too). I agree, we can be obnoxious, but probably not as much as those Swamp Lizards from Gainesville. If you do have to loathe me, then do it like Elvis sang:

"Loathe me tender, Loathe me true..."

:messedup: :crazyguy: oke:

It has typically been my experience that Gator fans are FAR more obnoxious than Noles fans, and neither half as much as 'Canes' fans.

 

[Bloozcat]

This post out of necessity, is going to be a little long, but here goes...

There is a solution to finding out who's the best college football team in the country, but the Grand Poobahs at BCS headquarters don't want to accept it. What is needed plain and simple, is a playoff system.

I've heard all the arguements against this, but none of them stand up to further scrutiny. If every other division in NCAA College Football can make a playoff system work, then so can Division 1-A.

The most often mentioned excuses for why a playoff system won't work, can be boiled down to these three:

1) A playoff system would make the season too long.
2) A playoff system would interfere with acedemics/semester finals.
3) A playoff system would cause a loss of revenue for the colleges.

Here's the reality that seems to elude the brain trust at the BCS (and some universities):

1) Almost every team has at least two chump games a season. It's like the college version of the NFL's pre-season. Drop the two chump teams from every schedule. Sorry, the chump teams will just have to find another way to increase their revenue other than by suffering their annual beating-for-cash at the hands of a major conference football team. And for all of those major conference schools who've used these chump teams to enhance their rankings, tough luck, that won't factor in any more. Even the conferences with a conference championship playoff game won't be affected any more than they are now.

2) Well, the season is now two games shorter because we've dropped the unnecessary and meaningless games. So, there's now room for a playoff without further encroaching on acedemics/semester finals, as I'll illustrate further down the line.

3) A playoff system would cause a loss of revenue for the colleges? And here I thought that colleges were institutes of higher learning. The truth is that every playoff game would be a sellout, and very much like a bowl game in and of itself. Just the mere chance that any team in the playoff could go all the way to the big game, would draw fans like flies to garbage. And if the team happens to win in the first round, they advance to the next level, and the frenzy only increases. Keeping in mind that most teams will be eliminated from the playoff rather quickly, there's no reason why there still can't be bowl games to play. Remember, the season has been shortened by two games already, and all but two of the teams will be out of the playoff within those two weeks.

Then there's the logistics of a playoff system. It's pretty simple, actually.

There are currently six major 1-A conferences recognized by the BCS. That has been a point of heated debate as long as there have been ranking systems in 1-A college football - under the BCS and before as well. So, here's their chance to make the system more equitable. Take the six major conferences:

The Big East
The ACC
The SEC
The Big 10
The Big 12
The PAC 10

And add to that list, the two best teams by record from this list of remaining 1-A conferences:

The Mid-America
The Mountain West
The WAC
Conference USA
The Sun Belt Conference

You now have an eight team playoff. Four games first, then two games, then the national championship game. In reality, the non-major 1-A conferences are not really of the same caliber as the six majors. At least not from top to bottom. However, they do seem to produce one or two surprises each year, and allowing these teams a shot at the playoff is the right thing to do. This way a team like Boise State of last year, or Hawaii this year, would have a chance to prove that they belong in the competition. Another solution would be to let the five non-major conference teams have a mini-playoff that would produce the two teams for the national championship playoff. And should these non-major conferences raise the level of play within their conferences in the future, the system could be adjusted to accomodate that reality.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this...

Join a conference Notre Dame. It is the height of arrogance to think that special accomodations should be made for just one team. It's time to trade in the attitude for a conference membership, or enjoy the national championship playoffs from the stands.

OK, so I'm sure that there will still be objections to a playoff system like the one I've illustrated. But it's still light years ahead of the quagmire we currently have to suffer through.

 

[R_of_G]

Bloozcat, I agree with you wholeheartedly that a legitimate playoff system is the only real answer to determining a consensus #1, and that the reaons typically given for avoiding one are not valid. Like I said in my earlier post, I think it could be as simple as inviting the conference champions of every conference this way even a team from the minor conferences who play nobody are then afforded an opportunity to prove on the field whether or not they have what it takes. Doing it by conference championship only eliminates the writers and coaches polling data from the process making it much more objective, you either win your conference or you don't.

Also, +1 for doggin' Notre Dame on the independent status. No team, regardless of what it has done in the past, deserves any special consideration for any bowl games or possible championship series. Of course, if Charlie Weis can't get them to play any better it won't matter.

Good post Bloozcat.

 

[Bloozcat]

Thanks R_of_G...

I agree that all 1-A champs from every conference should be represented in the playoff. But the logistics would be more difficult with 11 teams, and the detractors who would say that it would make the season too long, might have the excuse they need to kill the playoff before it ever gets going. But, including all conference champs would be the fairest way of doing it. There would have to be some way to seed the teams to determine the match-ups as well.


One thing seems pretty certain, though. A playoff system with some bugs to work out, is far better than the nothing but bugs BCS.

 

[R_of_G]

Well, here's how you could take the 11 and make it interesting. Take the 12th team from what is now called Division I FCS [what used to be Div 2]. If possible, the Div I FCS championship could be scheduled to be completed in time to put the winner in the 12 seed for the NCAA title. They'd be a major underdog, but no more so than the 16 seed in any college hoops bracket come March Madness. So that gives you 12 teams. Of course another way is to just take the 11 and give someone a bye, but what criteria do you use to determine that?

As for the scheduling, there is currently almost the entire month of december available to them. Have the tournament, pick a winner, then play the bowls for fun and school pride.

 

[Bloozcat]

Well, here's how you could take the 11 and make it interesting. Take the 12th team from what is now called Division I FCS [what used to be Div 2]. If possible, the Div I FCS championship could be scheduled to be completed in time to put the winner in the 12 seed for the NCAA title. They'd be a major underdog, but no more so than the 16 seed in any college hoops bracket come March Madness. So that gives you 12 teams. Of course another way is to just take the 11 and give someone a bye, but what criteria do you use to determine that?

As for the scheduling, there is currently almost the entire month of december available to them. Have the tournament, pick a winner, then play the bowls for fun and school pride.

Yep, it's workable. It's just a matter of logistics. The big obstacle is the mental block, and that's hard to fathom.

 

[just strum]

Who would have thunk it!!!

Well, two weeks of "Decision" games are in the books and it appears Ohio State is on their way to the Championship game. Everyone seems to have them as a lock and their opponent is up in the air for the moment.

I enjoy the Ohio State season every year and watch very little other college football due to available time, however this is not the way I would choose to have them selected for the big game. I will cheer them on, but the true excitement will be lacking.

If the game really sucks, I can always practice playing guitar and if my guitar playing sucks, well I can always wash the dogs, paint a room, clean the basement...

 

[R_of_G]

Who would have thunk it!!!

The way this season has gone, nothing surprises me anymore.

... it appears Ohio State is on their way to the Championship game. Everyone seems to have them as a lock and their opponent is up in the air for the moment.

From the talk, it sounds like the pollsters are gearing up to give LSU one more crack at it. There's also a lot of speculation it coud be Virgina Tech after winning the ACC handily over BC yesterday. I've also heard USC as well, but that seems far fetched.

At this point, I say just let Hawaii play for it. They are undefeated, and while it would be highly unlikely that they would beat Ohio St., it was also highly unlikely that Boise St. would be Oklahoma last year until it happened. That's why they play the games. I actually stayed up until 3 last night to see the end of the Hawaii/Washington game, and while Hawaii can't play much defense, they sure can score points in a hurry.

Now the real question for today is who wins the Heisman. I say it has to be McFadden.

 

[Childbride]

Strum, good on your boys, bud, that's wicked cool. :AOK:

this rabid dog 'horn is still limping on three legs after thanksgiving's game. [sigh] i actually turned it off at half time. [gasp... i just admitted to Sacrilege... i'll never be forgiven! :spank: ]

my favorite team is anyone who beats A&M. oke: [just kidding... i think...]

 

[R_of_G]

Strum, good on your boys, bud, that's wicked cool. :AOK:

this rabid dog 'horn is still limping on three legs after thanksgiving's game. [sigh] i actually turned it off at half time. [gasp... i just admitted to Sacrilege... i'll never be forgiven! :spank: ]

my favorite team is anyone who beats A&M. oke: [just kidding... i think...]

CB, I watched that game with my brother [who went to UT law school]. I'll give him credit for being faithful, he kept telling me right up until the 4th quarter "ok, they'll start the comeback on this drive." I have followed the Big 12 since he went to undergrad at Colorado, but this was the first time I got to watch the UT/A&M game with him, and in Houston. If only UT had won. I can tell you this about A&M... they must be crazy to fire a coach who's beaten UT two years running.