12/03 College Football

[Derwood]

Great Bowden quote:

 

REPORTER: Well it looks like you're going to face another old timer, Joe Paterno.

BOWDEN: Is that what it looks like?

REPORTER: Looks that way.

BOWDEN: Well I might not show up then...

[Andy]

Maybe the national media will lay off ND now that they have Florida State to bash.

 

I'm probably grasping at straws but at least there's hope.

[delroy lindo]

I think FSU will beat the Nits soundly.

[Andy]

Just to note:

 

USC's FB's comments about beating up on those "pansies" proved correct, did it not? And they definitely did not let up, throwing for a TD up 45-6 late in the 3rd.

[Mark_R]

I'm glad USC did that. Put to rest all those "wait, UCLA only lost once, but they're still not very good, but they deserve a BCS" I was hearing.

 

Or something along those lines. Point is. UCLA got exposed badly.

 

Horrible performance.

[stuy119]

This blows. Now we have to spend a month listening to them try to hype a "Bowden vs. Paterno" bowl game. Big woop. I could give two craps about how many career wins these guys have. BCS has let me down.

 

If only Paterno would accept the proposed challenge from Bobby, it could only add to the game.

[stitchface]

I think FSU will beat the Nits soundly.

 

maybe, but VT, FSU and Miami are not top ten teams. I still don't understand how OSU lost to PSU. There is really only one game to watch this January and that one could be great!

[Andy]

I just realized something. ND, Oregon, and OSU are ALL liable to be top-6 BCS teams next week (currently ranked OSU 6, Oregon 7 and ND 8 ), although top-6 at-large teams are supposed to be in automatically.

 

How would that work?

[CP_414]

Apparently (I didn't know this before tonight), the Top 6 in the BCS standings get automatic berths, meaning LSU/VT losses likely pushes ND and OSU into those spots, thus removing any doubt about their participation in the Fiesta.

 

And yes, I think it's lame that Penn State will be playing the Seminoles. Especially if the Lions lose :shock:

 

So it looks like:

 

Rose: Texas vs. USC

Fiesta: ND vs. OSU

Orange: PSU vs. FSU

Sugar: WVa vs. Georgia

 

All of your game predictions are right, but I believe it is the top 4 teams in the BCS who are guaranteed BCS bids. Ohio State should be #4 on Monday, and the Irish will get an at-large bid.

[stuy119]

I think FSU will beat the Nits soundly.

 

Depends on which FSU team shows up - the one that beat Miami, BC, and Va Tech, or the one that lost to Florida, Clemson, and UVA.

 

It also depends on whether or not we can get a few guys healthy. If so, I think we can win a defensive struggle.

 

Should also be interesting to see if Derrick Williams trys to get back to where he can play again. Word going around Tallahassee is that Bowden is pretty angry he didn't show enough respect to even return his phone calls when FSU was recruiting him.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

By the way, why did Dan Fouts spend 5 minutes talking about Harry Potter during the USC-UCLA game (this when the game was actually close)?

[adamb0719]

Apparently (I didn't know this before tonight), the Top 6 in the BCS standings get automatic berths, meaning LSU/VT losses likely pushes ND and OSU into those spots, thus removing any doubt about their participation in the Fiesta.

 

And yes, I think it's lame that Penn State will be playing the Seminoles. Especially if the Lions lose :shock:

 

So it looks like:

 

Rose: Texas vs. USC

Fiesta: ND vs. OSU

Orange: PSU vs. FSU

Sugar: WVa vs. Georgia

 

All of your game predictions are right, but I believe it is the top 4 teams in the BCS who are guaranteed BCS bids. Ohio State should be #4 on Monday, and the Irish will get an at-large bid.

 

Top 6 is only a guarantee for ND. Therefore ND and OSU are in all likelihood guaranteed a spot.

 

Also read today that the Fiesta Bowl is offering the Orange Bowl 2 million to pass on PSU and pick OSU, so the the Fiesta can have a ND/PSU match-up. That was before the VT loss so who knows what will happen now.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Also read today that the Fiesta Bowl is offering the Orange Bowl 2 million to pass on PSU and pick OSU, so the the Fiesta can have a ND/PSU match-up. That was before the VT loss so who knows what will happen now.

 

I think it would be really cool if the NCAA selection committee did this.

 

"Hey Worcester, yeah, Tucson committee chair here. Yeah, we're wondering how much it's gonna take to not put Arizona in your regional. Heck, we're even willing to put in the good word for Boston U as a 14 seed if you help us out. What's that? Boston U went 8-23, and only has 4 players due to most of their team losing a barfight to the BU women's lacrosse team? 5 million then."

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

If LSU misses out on a BCS bowl which is likely, they'll go to the Cotton or Peach. Alabama will go to the one that LSU doesn't go to. Speculation is Alabama to the Cotton and LSU to the Peach.

 

Are you sure they're not gonna come to our crappy little game in S'port to play Oklahoma?

 

I'm positive. Both the Cotton and Peach payout much more than the Independence Bowl. LSU will not fall so far that they have to play in the Independence Bowl. My guess is the Peach.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

OU to the Independence Bowl? How are they not in the Alamo Bowl, and who is if they aren't? My understanding was:

 

BCS: Texas

Cotton: Texas Tech

Alamo: Oklahoma

Holiday: Probably Nebraska

 

Indepence/Houston/Fort Worth/Champs Sports: Free for all between Colorado, ISU, Mizzou, and Kansas

[CuseCubFan69]

Apparently (I didn't know this before tonight), the Top 6 in the BCS standings get automatic berths, meaning LSU/VT losses likely pushes ND and OSU into those spots, thus removing any doubt about their participation in the Fiesta.

 

And yes, I think it's lame that Penn State will be playing the Seminoles. Especially if the Lions lose :shock:

 

So it looks like:

 

Rose: Texas vs. USC

Fiesta: ND vs. OSU

Orange: PSU vs. FSU

Sugar: WVa vs. Georgia

 

All of your game predictions are right, but I believe it is the top 4 teams in the BCS who are guaranteed BCS bids. Ohio State should be #4 on Monday, and the Irish will get an at-large bid.

 

Top 6 is only a guarantee for ND. Therefore ND and OSU are in all likelihood guaranteed a spot.

 

Also read today that the Fiesta Bowl is offering the Orange Bowl 2 million to pass on PSU and pick OSU, so the the Fiesta can have a ND/PSU match-up. That was before the VT loss so who knows what will happen now.

 

That's not true. Utah was a top 6 last year and they were guaranteed a spot.

[adamb0719]

Apparently (I didn't know this before tonight), the Top 6 in the BCS standings get automatic berths, meaning LSU/VT losses likely pushes ND and OSU into those spots, thus removing any doubt about their participation in the Fiesta.

 

And yes, I think it's lame that Penn State will be playing the Seminoles. Especially if the Lions lose :shock:

 

So it looks like:

 

Rose: Texas vs. USC

Fiesta: ND vs. OSU

Orange: PSU vs. FSU

Sugar: WVa vs. Georgia

 

All of your game predictions are right, but I believe it is the top 4 teams in the BCS who are guaranteed BCS bids. Ohio State should be #4 on Monday, and the Irish will get an at-large bid.

 

Top 6 is only a guarantee for ND. Therefore ND and OSU are in all likelihood guaranteed a spot.

 

Also read today that the Fiesta Bowl is offering the Orange Bowl 2 million to pass on PSU and pick OSU, so the the Fiesta can have a ND/PSU match-up. That was before the VT loss so who knows what will happen now.

 

That's not true. Utah was a top 6 last year and they were guaranteed a spot.

 

Excuse me. top 6 for ND and non-BCS teams. BCS teams who are top 6 are not guaranteed. Also if a non-BCS team is top 6, then ND becomes guaranteed if they are top 8.

[Derwood]

If I were a betting man (which I'm not), I would predict this for your bowl game slate (note, I did this in like 5 minutes, so I'm probably WAY off. I also haven't looked at any articles predicting bowl placement, so this is why I'm not placing any wagers:) ).

 

Teams in bold are already locked in:

 

Rose Bowl: USC vs. Texas

 

Orange Bowl: Florida St. vs. Penn St.

 

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Ohio St.

 

Sugar Bowl: West Virginia vs. Georgia

 

Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Auburn

 

Gator Bowl: Louisville vs. Virginia Tech

 

Outback Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Florida

 

Capital Bowl: Michigan vs. LSU

 

Houston Bowl: TCU vs. Miami

 

Liberty Bowl: Tulsa vs. Fresno St.

 

Meineke Car Care Bowl: South Florida vs. Boston College

 

Peach Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Alabama

 

Independence Bowl: South Carolina vs. Iowa St.

 

Sun Bowl: UCLA vs. Northwestern

 

Music City Bowl: Minnesota vs. California (SEC doesn't have 6 bowl eligible teams)

 

Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs. Oklahoma

 

Emerald Bowl: Utah vs. ??? (Pac-10 doesn't have 6 bowl eligible teams)

 

Alamo Bowl: Iowa vs. Colorado

 

MPC Computers Bowl: Boise St. vs. Clemson

 

Insight Bowl: Rutgers vs. Arizona St.

 

Champs Sports Bowl: Nebraska vs. NC State

 

Motor City Bowl: Akron vs. ??? (If OSU goes BCS, there isn't a #7 Big 10 team with 6 wins)

 

Hawaii Bowl: Nevada vs. Central Florida

 

Forth Worth Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Mizzou

 

Poinsettia Bowl: Navy vs. Colorado St.

 

Las Vegas Bowl: Arizona St. vs. BYU

 

GMAC Bowl: UTEP vs. Toledo

 

New Orleans Bowl: Arkansas St. vs. Memphis

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Your Sun Bowl looks about right, Derwood. Bring it on, Jon?

[TruffleShuffle]

I think FSU will beat the Nits soundly.

 

I think you drank way too much before you made this post.

[adamb0719]

FSU and Georgia are both locked in as well.

 

 

The new USA Today Poll

 

1. Southern California

2. Texas (7)

3. Penn State

4. Ohio State

5. Oregon

6. Notre Dame

7. Auburn

8. Georgia

9. Miami (Fla.)

10. LSU

11. West Virginia

12. Virginia Tech

13. Alabama

14. TCU

15. Texas Tech

16. Louisville

17. UCLA

18. Florida

19. Boston College

20. Wisconsin

21. Michigan

22. Florida State

23. Clemson

24. Georgia Tech

25. Iowa

 

Oregon continues to climb, even as their schedule gets weaker. Now it is my turn, I think Oregon is overrated :D . Any chance they will jump OSU in the BCS and get the automatic bid, leaving OSU out of a BCS game?

[Jon]

Your Sun Bowl looks about right, Derwood. Bring it on, Jon?

I guess. That should be the matchup. If Ohio State were to be left out, it sounds like Iowa would most likely fall to the Music City Bowl with Minnesota going to Detroit.

 

These teams look quite similar. But there are several factors that are going to get UCLA favored by a significant margin.

 

1) Our offense hasn't really done much since October 22nd. They did nothing against Michigan, Iowa (minus the last three minutes), or Ohio State. And the 38 they put up on Illinois is nothing to write home about.

 

2) The defense depends on turnovers but Olson isn't the guy who's going to give up many.

 

3) Special teams. UCLA's return game is good. Northwestern's return coverage doesn't...tackle...at all. If we have to punt more than 4 times, it's not going to be pretty, especially since neither punter is any good in terms of yardage, hangtime, and kicking towards the sideline. Also, expect pooch kicks like USC did. We've done that a couple of games already and the results have been pretty meh. Some good kicks, some bad ones. Either way, UCLA will likely get good field position all game long.

 

With that said, it could be a really good game. I'm not sure if UCLA is getting any defensive starters back, but Heinz will play his first game of the year in the secondary for Northwestern. Hopefully he'll boost the unit up from to . And OC Mike Dunbar, who could be making me swear for the last time if he accepts a position elsewhere for next season, absolutely has to run the ball. The running game needs to set up the passing game, unlike what's been done the past 4 or 5 games.

 

CBS is going to really be able to market a Basanez/Olson matchup.

[TruffleShuffle]

Oregon continues to climb, even as their schedule gets weaker. Now it is my turn, I think Oregon is overrated :D . Any chance they will jump OSU in the BCS and get the automatic bid, leaving OSU out of a BCS game?

 

Does anyone aside from a die-hard Oregon fan really think that if Oregon had hosted Texas and traveled to Penn State, that the Ducks would really be a one-loss team? O$U suffered close losses to two of the top three teams in college football, whereas Oregon got trashed at home by USC. Oregon isn't as good as Notre Dame or O$U, I feel pretty confident about that.

[Careless]

What did happen to "our" offense late in the season, jon? I didn't watch much after michigan state.

[adamb0719]

Oregon continues to climb, even as their schedule gets weaker. Now it is my turn, I think Oregon is overrated :D . Any chance they will jump OSU in the BCS and get the automatic bid, leaving OSU out of a BCS game?

 

Does anyone aside from a die-hard Oregon fan really think that if Oregon had hosted Texas and traveled to Penn State, that the Ducks would really be a one-loss team? O$U suffered close losses to two of the top three teams in college football, whereas Oregon got trashed at home by USC. Oregon isn't as good as Notre Dame or O$U, I feel pretty confident about that.

I agree. There "good win" lost three straight, and they played a disgraceful non-conference schedule. The only reason I would like to see them in a BCS is because I am confident ND would defeat them, whereas with OSU, it is very likely that ND will stuggle, and (I hate to say it) lose.

 

 

I also think that the way they are begging the Fiesta to take them is a bit too much.