College Football - Week 9 (Oct. 30)

[Andy]

Top 25 games

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Florida vs (1) Georgia - in Jacksonville (3:30 pm, CBS)

(2) Cincinnati at Tulane (12 pm, ESPN2)

Texas Tech at (4) Oklahoma (3:30 pm, ABC)

(20) Penn State at (5) Ohio State (7:30 pm, ABC)

(6) Michigan at (8) Michigan State (12 pm, FOX)

Colorado at (7) Oregon (3:30 pm, FOX)

(9) Iowa at Wisconsin (12 pm, ESPN)

(10) Ole Miss at (18) Auburn (7 pm, ESPN)

North Carolina at (11) Notre Dame (7:30 pm, NBC)

(12) Kentucky at Mississippi State (7 pm, SEC Network)

Duke at (13) Wake Forest (4 pm, ACC Network)

Kansas at (15) Oklahoma State (7 pm, FS1)

Texas at (16) Baylor (12 pm, ABC)

Miami at (17) Pittsburgh (12 pm, ACC Network)

(19) SMU at Houston (7 pm, ESPN2)

Fresno State at (21) San Diego State (10 pm, CBSSN)

(22) Iowa State at West Virginia (2 pm, ESPN+)

Troy at (24) Coastal Carolina (7:30 pm Thursday, ESPN2)

Virginia at (25) BYU (10:15 pm, ESPN2)

 

Other nationally available games

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Thursday

South Florida at East Carolina (7:30 pm, ESPN)

 

Friday

Navy at Tulsa (7:30 pm, ESPN2)

UNLV at Nevada (10 pm, CBSSN)

 

Saturday TV

Rutgers at Illinois (12 pm, BTN - Regional)

Indiana at Maryland (12 pm, BTN - Regional)

Texas State at UL Lafayette (12 pm, ESPNU)

Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (12 pm, Regional Sports Networks/ESPN3)

Bowling Green at Buffalo (12 pm, CBSSN)

Washington State at Arizona State (3 pm, FS1)

Missouri at Vanderbilt (3 pm, SEC Network)

Florida State at Clemson (3:30 pm, ESPN)

Purdue at Nebraska (3:30 pm, ESPN2)

Minnesota at Northwestern (3:30 pm, BTN)

TCU at Kansas State (3:30 pm, ESPNU)

Boston College at Syracuse (3:30 pm, Regional Sports Networks/ESPN3)

Louisiana Tech at Old Dominion (3:30 pm, CBSSN)

Wyoming at San Jose State (4 pm, FS2)

Arizona at USC (7 pm, ESPNU)

Boise State at Colorado State (7 pm, CBSSN)

Oregon State at California (7 pm, Pac-12 Network)

Louisville at NC State (7:30 pm, ACC Network)

UCLA at Utah (10 pm, ESPN)

Washington at Stanford (10:30 pm, FS1)

 

Saturday Streaming

UMass at Liberty (12 pm, ESPN3)

UCF at Temple (12 pm, ESPN+)

North Texas at Rice (2 pm, ESPN3)

Florida International at Marshall (3:30 pm, Stadium)

Southern Miss at Middle Tennessee (3:30 pm, ESPN+)

UL Monroe at Appalachian State (3:30 pm, ESPN+)

Charlotte at Western Kentucky (4 pm, ESPN+)

Arkansas State at South Alabama (5 pm, ESPN+)

Georgia State at Georgia Southern (6 pm, ESPN+)

UTEP at Florida Atlantic (6 pm, ESPN+)

[Derwood]

Ohio State by 100 points

[OleMissCub]

 

What a stat

[NewUserName]

 

What a stat

 

 

I have yet to watch Clemson this year so I know nothing. This is certainly not just bad QB play, is it?

[OleMissCub]

 

What a stat

 

 

I have yet to watch Clemson this year so I know nothing. This is certainly not just bad QB play, is it?

 

Yeah, something else must stink over there because even with a bad QB you'd expect a HELL of a lot more from a team that for the last 4 years had recruiting classes ranked 8th, 9th, 2nd, and 7th.

[Andy]

 

What a stat

 

 

I have yet to watch Clemson this year so I know nothing. This is certainly not just bad QB play, is it?

 

Yeah, something else must stink over there because even with a bad QB you'd expect a HELL of a lot more from a team that for the last 4 years had recruiting classes ranked 8th, 9th, 2nd, and 7th.

I've said it before but their offensive lines have never been that good by CFB Death Machine standards. Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence could paper over it, but that doesn't work out every time. You're right though that there's got to be more to it than that.

[gflore34]

Ohio State by 100 points

 

Easily, Penn State is winning at most, two more games this season, Rut and MD. The MD game is questionable, its at MD, could see them getting blown out or winning a close game.

[Derwood]

Ohio State by 100 points

 

Easily, Penn State is winning at most, two more games this season, Rut and MD. The MD game is questionable, its at MD, could see them getting blown out or winning a close game.

 

It's insane that they beat Wiscy on the road and Auburn at home, but completely turned into a pumpkin against Iowa and can't recover

[UMFan83]

Assuming they lose to Ohio State like usual, absolutely nothing Harbaugh has done this season will matter at all if he loses this game to Sparty. If he loses, the fanbase will be calling for his head no matter what the team does afterwards (again assuming an OSU loss).

[gflore34]

Ohio State by 100 points

 

Easily, Penn State is winning at most, two more games this season, Rut and MD. The MD game is questionable, its at MD, could see them getting blown out or winning a close game.

 

It's insane that they beat Wiscy on the road and Auburn at home, but completely turned into a pumpkin against Iowa and can't recover

 

Clifford being injured and continuing to play while being so has had a big negative effect on their offense, not a surprise. Also, not surprising what the Illini did to them via the ground game, they're best defensive player is out and the Illini just manhandled and pushed them all over the field. If the Illini had a competent QB the game wouldn't have been very close. The games against OSU, U of M and MSU have chance to be real ugly for PSU.

[Derwood]

Yup

[Soul]

The Iowa game is homecoming for the Badgers. The only home win I've seen this year was Army and I was legitimately fighting the urge to fall asleep in the stands.

 

It might get real ugly, both in terms of the game and in terms of the fan reaction.

 

Best bet for the Badgers is to run, run, run and run some more.

[Rex Buckingham]

should PSU sit Clifford against OSU to get him healthy in hopes of salvaging the season after next week?

[UMFan83]

should PSU sit Clifford against OSU to get him healthy in hopes of salvaging the season after next week?

 

Sure you can play for a higher profile exhibition (AKA bowl) game and play for the development of your players etc but unless Clifford is really messed up, I think a win over Ohio State is probably the best thing you can still accomplish this season so I'd play him.

[Andy]

should PSU sit Clifford against OSU to get him healthy in hopes of salvaging the season after next week?

 

Sure you can play for a higher profile exhibition (AKA bowl) game and play for the development of your players etc but unless Clifford is really messed up, I think a win over Ohio State is probably the best thing you can still accomplish this season so I'd play him.

PSU's only chance at playing in a major bowl is beating Ohio State, so might as well take your best shot.

[NewUserName]

Assuming they lose to Ohio State like usual, absolutely nothing Harbaugh has done this season will matter at all if he loses this game to Sparty. If he loses, the fanbase will be calling for his head no matter what the team does afterwards (again assuming an OSU loss).

 

this is actually my biggest fear in this game. The game usually means a lot more to State than it does Michigan, so State usually played with more urgency. I think this year it actually means more to Michigan and Harbaugh. Tucker has established himself and has plenty of rope at MSU at this point, A loss to Michigan will not change that much. I think you are absolutely right about Harbaugh, if he loses to State the only thing that may save his job is a win against OSU

[OleMissCub]

Aside from Georgia, there aren't any real juggernauts this season. The 12 team playoff would be a lot of fun this year. Here's SI's latest "mock playoff". Of course this bracket is silly because OSU isn't finishing 9th. I'm pretty sure they're making the actual playoff.

 

[CubinNY]

Aside from Georgia, there aren't any real juggernauts this season. The 12 team playoff would be a lot of fun this year. Here's SI's latest "mock playoff". Of course this bracket is silly because OSU isn't finishing 9th. I'm pretty sure they're making the actual playoff.

 

Alabama may be off a tick or two from usual, but they aren't going to lose again.

[OleMissCub]

Alabama may be off a tick or two from usual, but they aren't going to lose again.

 

The only possibility of losing again in the regular season for them is Auburn. It's a low possibility, but weird things happen in the Iron Bowl and that game is in Auburn. After that, I think Georgia beats them in Atlanta. Georgia's defense is without question the best defense I've seen for the past decade.

[UMFan83]

Aside from Georgia, there aren't any real juggernauts this season. The 12 team playoff would be a lot of fun this year. Here's SI's latest "mock playoff". Of course this bracket is silly because OSU isn't finishing 9th. I'm pretty sure they're making the actual playoff.

 

 

Isn't OSU 9th because currently they are not in line to win the Big Ten? I'm assuming they are basing it on a 'if the season ends today' model. I mean we all know they are going to curb stomp them (this is part of my way to pre-cope with the annual loss) but right now Michigan is the highest ranked team that's in a position to play in the Big Ten Championship game.

 

Either way yes this is why the 12 team rocks. And in years where there is a clear cut top 3-4, the 12 team still rocks IMO because it keeps interest in the season alive. I heard someone on the radio say 'Michigan/Michigan State is an example of why the 4 team playoff is awesome because the loser of that game is out of the playoffs, making it essentially a playoff game. OK that's fine but a) even in a 12 team, losing that game is a serious dagger to your playoff hopes because both teams still have to play Ohio State and b) If Michigan loses this game, I will immediately lose interest in the season and will follow the subsequent games from afar and maybe watch the Ohio State game until they are down 3 scores. I can't be the only one that loses interest as soon as the playoffs are out of the equation. I know people care about the NY6 Bowls, but they are meaningless exhibitions IMO (yes even the Rose Bowl). Great so you beat a 10-3 Oregon team with 3 players sitting out to prevent injury before the draft, good job.

 

One final 12 team defense. Lets say that is the final bracket. Ohio State is clearly one of the 4 best teams IMO. They lost in the regular season though and now they have to go on the road to beat Ole Miss. Yes the punishment for losing is not 'you are out of the playoffs', but now they have to win in a hostile environment and play an extra game in order to win a championship. That would be awesome to watch.

[OleMissCub]

I know people care about the NY6 Bowls, but they are meaningless exhibitions IMO (yes even the Rose Bowl). Great so you beat a 10-3 Oregon team with 3 players sitting out to prevent injury before the draft, good job.

 

Just make those bowls become playoff games now and they rotate every year and play the 4 playoff games on New Years Day. It would be the greatest sports day in America every year.

On this scenario it would go:

Peach Bowl 12pm (EST)

Sugar Bowl 3pm

Fiesta Bowl 6pm

Rose Bowl 9pm

 

[UMFan83]

I know people care about the NY6 Bowls, but they are meaningless exhibitions IMO (yes even the Rose Bowl). Great so you beat a 10-3 Oregon team with 3 players sitting out to prevent injury before the draft, good job.

 

Just make those bowls become playoff games now and they rotate every year and play the 4 playoff games on New Years Day. It would be the greatest sports day in America every year.

On this scenario it would go:

Peach Bowl 12pm (EST)

Sugar Bowl 3pm

Fiesta Bowl 6pm

Rose Bowl 9pm

 

 

I also wouldn't mind if some of the lesser bowls combined into an NIT like tournament. Lets say 8 teams to prevent too many extra games being played. 3 teams are the 3 highest remaining conference champions not selected to the playoff the last 5 are at larges. The games are still ultimately meaningless, but it might add some additional enjoyment for teams compete to win the consolation tournament. I'd rather see Michigan in a bracket like that then play in the Rose Bowl, though I'm sure many would disagree.

 

Just playing this out, I project these teams:

 

CUSA champ - UTSA

Mountain West champ - San Diego State

Sun Belt Conference champ - Coastal Carolina

At-Large #1 - Iowa

At-Large #2 - Texas A&M

At-Large #3 - Oklahoma State

At-Large #4 - Baylor

At-Large #5 - Pittsburgh (wow didn't realize they were doing well this year)

 

(left out conference champ: MAC champion NIU)

 

1. Iowa vs. 8. Coastal Caronlina

2. Texas A&M vs. 7. UTSA

3. Oklahoma State vs. 6. San Diego State

4. Baylor vs. 5. Pittsburgh

 

OK that looks like a boring bracket but I bet it would be good in other years. From an interest standpoint I love it but I know its ultimately about money and I'm not sure if this brings in more money and interest than regular bowl games.

[soccer10k]

I can't be the only one that loses interest as soon as the playoffs are out of the equation.

 

So you lose interest before the season starts because Michigan loses to OSU every year?

 

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

[UMFan83]

I can't be the only one that loses interest as soon as the playoffs are out of the equation.

 

So you lose interest before the season starts because Michigan loses to OSU every year?

 

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

 

No I'm the idiot that constantly talks all year about how badly Michigan is going to lose to Ohio State but secretly can't sleep the night before the game hoping that somehow this year will be different.

[UMFan83]

Stupid horsefeathering referees. 4 different 50/50 reviews go MSUs way and then a blatant PI on 4th and game to lose it