Andy

He has a great reputation as an offensive coach (he's only going to be their OC). It's a pretty decent gamble for SC. If it doesn't work everyone's fired anyway.

Fact that probably only interests me: Since Carolina is a virtual lock to go no better than 8-8 (there is no universe in which I see them beating New Orleans and they have to play them twice in 13 days to end the season), they are going to go their first 25 seasons of existence without consecutive winning records. Truly amazing.

No, this interim coach is Jim Boylen, different from the Jim Boylan that was interim head coach 10 years ago. Is this the worst run organization in pro sports? It's definitely on the short list, but I think the Bulls are safe from the top spot as long as the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Sacramento Kings, Miami Marlins, and probably a couple others I'm forgetting are still around.

It's interesting, because neither team has faced an opponent that could really threaten them talent wise since September. It might come down to who adjusts to the higher level of play quickest (Dabo is a better coach than Kelly, so that idea doesn't fire me up much). Common opponents don't reveal much. Of the 4, both teams blew out 2 (Clemson's margins were bigger but I'm not totally sure how much it matters beyond 4-TD spreads), while ND was way better vs Syracuse and Clemson was way better vs Pitt. Both teams have really good defensive lines (Clemson's is ridiculous), so whichever QB is able to work around the pressure might have the advantage. Book has been really good at adjusting to what he sees from defenses. I can't speak to Lawrence, but I'm guessing he hasn't seen a ton of pressure. I'll be interested to see what ND's DC decides to do against him. I love both of ND's coordinators, they've done a tremendous job figuring teams out in-game all year. I expect it to be a pretty good game and if I were forced to bet the line (10.5-12) I'd take ND. This isn't 2012 - the Irish have a much more complete team than that one, and this Clemson team isn't the death machine that that Bama team was. I think Clemson will win but I'd obviously love to be surprised.

I think most of the games after Christmas are at least worth having on, which is really all I'm looking for.

They have to take the highest ranked teams. Except for the conference-tied Rose and Sugar, who get a team from those leagues no matter how high they are ranked. That's why Texas is in the Sugar.

AutoNation Cure Bowl in Orlando, FL – 12/15, 1:30 pm (CBSSN) UL Lafayette vs Tulane New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, NM – 12/15, 2 pm (ESPN) North Texas vs Utah State Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl in Las Vegas, NV – 12/15, 3:30 pm (ABC) (21) Fresno State vs Arizona State Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, AL – 12/15, 5:30 pm (ESPN) Georgia Southern vs Eastern Michigan R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans, LA – 12/15, 9 pm (ESPN) Appalachian State vs Middle Tennessee Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl in Boca Raton, FL – 12/18, 7 pm (ESPN) Northern Illinois vs UAB DXL Frisco Bowl in Frisco, TX – 12/19, 8 pm (ESPN) Ohio vs San Diego State Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl in St. Petersburg, FL – 12/20, 8 pm (ESPN) Marshall vs South Florida Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl in Nassau, BS – 12/21, 12:30 pm (ESPN) Toledo vs Florida International Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, ID – 12/21, 4 pm (ESPN) Western Michigan vs BYU Jared Birmingham Bowl in Birmingham, AL – 12/22, 12 pm (ESPN) Memphis vs Wake Forest Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, TX – 12/22, 3:30 pm (ESPN) Houston vs Army Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, AL – 12/22, 7 pm (ESPN) Buffalo vs Troy SoFi Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu, HI – 12/22, 10:30 pm (ESPN) Hawaii vs Louisiana Tech ServPro First Responder Bowl in Dallas, TX – 12/26, 1:30 pm (ESPN) (25) Boise State vs Boston College Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, MI – 12/26, 5:15 pm (ESPN) Georgia Tech vs Minnesota Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix, AZ – 12/26, 9 pm (ESPN) TCU vs California Walk On’s Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA – 12/27, 1:30 pm (ESPN) Temple vs Duke New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York, NY – 12/27, 5:15 pm (ESPN) Wisconsin vs Miami Academy Sports & Outdoors Texas Bowl in Houston, TX – 12/27, 9 pm (ESPN) Vanderbilt vs Baylor Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl in Nashville, TN – 12/28, 1:30 pm (ESPN) Purdue vs Auburn Camping World Bowl in Orlando, FL – 12/28, 5:15 pm (ESPN) (16) West Virginia vs (20) Syracuse Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, TX – 12/28, 9 pm (ESPN) (24) Iowa State vs (13) Washington State Belk Bowl in Charlotte, NC – 12/29, 12 pm (ABC) Virginia vs South Carolina Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl in Tucson, AZ – 12/29, 1 pm (CBSSN) Nevada vs Arkansas State Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, TX – 12/31, 12 pm (CBS) Pittsburgh vs Stanford Military Bowl in Annapolis, MD – 12/31, 12 pm (ESPN) Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech Redbox Bowl in Santa Clara, CA – 12/31, 3 pm (FOX) Michigan State vs Oregon AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, TN – 12/31, 3:45 pm (ESPN) Oklahoma State vs (23) Missouri San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl in San Diego, CA – 12/31, 7 pm (FS1) (22) Northwestern vs (17) Utah TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL – 12/31, 7:30 pm (ESPN) (19) Texas A&M vs NC State Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL – 1/1, 12 pm (ESPN2) Iowa vs (18) Mississippi State VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL – 1/1, 1 pm (ABC) (12) Penn State vs (14) Kentucky “New Year’s 6” Games: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, GA – 12/29, 12 pm (ESPN) (10) Florida vs (7) Michigan PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ – 1/1, 1 pm (ESPN) (11) LSU vs (8) UCF Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA – 1/1, 5 pm (ESPN) (6) Ohio State vs (9) Washington Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA – 1/1, 8:30 pm (ESPN) (5) Georgia vs (15) Texas Playoff: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Semifinal in Arlington, TX – 12/29, 4 pm (ESPN) (3) Notre Dame vs (2) Clemson Capital One Orange Bowl Semifinal in Miami, FL – 12/29, 8 pm (ESPN) (4) Oklahoma vs (1) Alabama College Football Championship Game in Santa Clara, CA – 1/7, 8 pm (ESPN) Semifinal Winners

What was Clemson’s? Texas A&M? Not really the point. If people really want Georgia in, what do they have to base that on besides the eye test. I would have been against Alabama getting in if Georgia had won.Not only would Alabama have gotten in with a loss yesterday, they'd have been seeded 3rd. I think Georgia would've vaulted to 1 with Clemson at 2 and ND 4. Thankfully, the committee decided "who'd be favored on a neutral field" is less important than "the actual results of the games that were really played".

Fun fact: you are older than any of the conference championship games. It's absolutely amazing to me that people act like these stupid money grab title games (two of which today featured teams ND has already beaten, for the record) are now sacrosanct. lol who said anything about them being holy? A 13th game is still a 13th game. Doesn’t matter I suppose. If ND has to play Bama it’s going to look the same as it did last time they played. All the games yesterday except Alabama vs Georgia were a complete waste of time - either because they already happened or because they were complete mismatches set forth by dumbass division structures - and people like you are advocating that the committee make that one a complete waste of time too by ignoring the result. And no one on ND and Bama's teams except the head coaches are the same as last time, so 2012 has less than nothing to do with what happens if they meet again, though unless the committee rigs it otherwise, ND will have to beat Clemson, another team I assume you think will kill them, to get there.

I just think they’re better than OSU and Oklahoma They are. But you can’t justify it based on the current metrics the committee uses. Speaking of which, today was a good example of why ND needs to be left out of the playoffs based on principle. - Bama plays a 13th game and their Heisman QB leaves on a cart. - Notre Dame players are sitting in their apartments playing Red Dead Redemption. Fun fact: you are older than any of the conference championship games. It's absolutely amazing to me that people act like these stupid money grab title games (two of which today featured teams ND has already beaten, for the record) are now sacrosanct.

Because they blew a lead against Bama? Because they beat...Florida? Georgia getting in the playoff is the "Charlie Weis ALMOST beat USC, let's extend his contract a bazillion years" of 2018

The SEC could scarcely have rigged that any better. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if the committee tossed resume out the window and put Georgia in over OU.

The Rose takes the next highest ranked B1G team, I believe, which would be Michigan. The only bowl tie in that does require the title game loser be picked is, apparently, the Big 12/Sugar. Texas will go to New Orleans regardless of outcome Saturday (if OU is in the playoff of course).

That was a pretty good Wisconsin team, and TCU played 3-9 Iowa State that year in the final week. The committee also had the out of OSU being outright conference champs, while the Big 12 refused to declare either of their tied schools as champions. This year, the committee would have to vault Ohio State past an OU team that would've beaten a better opponent than the Buckeyes did the same week (and avenged their only loss in the process). Never say never with this committee, but it would surprise me.

Looks like Oklahoma and Georgia are in with wins and the other spots are set. Ohio State needs OU and Georgia to lose. The only way anything truly unforeseen could happen is Clemson losing.

MAC Championship Game in Detroit (7 pm Friday, ESPN2) Northern Illinois vs Buffalo Pac-12 Championship Game in Santa Clara, CA (8 pm Friday, FOX) (11) Washington vs (17) Utah Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, TX (12 pm, ABC) (14) Texas vs (5) Oklahoma Sun Belt Championship Game (12 pm, ESPN) UL Lafayette at Appalachian State Conference USA Championship Game (1:30 pm, CBSSN) UAB at Middle Tennessee American Championship Game (3:30 pm, ABC) Memphis at (8) UCF SEC Championship Game in Atlanta (4 pm, CBS) (1) Alabama vs (4) Georgia Mountain West Championship Game (7:45 pm, ESPN) (25) Fresno State at (22) Boise State ACC Championship Game in Charlotte (8 pm, ABC) (2) Clemson vs Pittsburgh Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis (8 pm, FOX) (6) Ohio State vs (21) Northwestern Other games --------------------------------------------------- Drake at (23) Iowa State (12 pm, Cyclones.TV) Akron at South Carolina (12 pm, SEC Network - Alternate) East Carolina at NC State (12 pm, ESPN3) Marshall at Virginia Tech (12 pm, ESPN3) Norfolk State at Liberty (2 pm, ESPN3) Stanford at California (3 pm, Pac-12 Network) Dec. 8 Army vs Navy - in Philadelphia (3 pm, CBS)

It's too bad the CFB congoscenti is going to spend the next week rehashing the close SC win and not the three blowouts and one fairly easy win that preceded it, but being in is cool.

So it's gonna be like this, huh

Pretty good chance IMO, but you never know with the committee. OU wouldn't have any wins as impressive as this one and their defense is really really awful. On the other hand, Purdue and Maryland.

Top 25 games ------------------------------ Auburn at (1) Alabama (3:30 pm, CBS) South Carolina at (2) Clemson (7 pm, ESPN) (3) Notre Dame at USC (8 pm, ABC) (4) Michigan at (10) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX) Georgia Tech at (5) Georgia (12 pm, SEC Network) (6) Oklahoma at (13) West Virginia (8 pm Friday, ESPN) (7) LSU at (22) Texas A&M (7:30 pm, SEC Network) (16) Washington at (8) Washington State (8:30 pm Friday, FOX) (9) UCF at South Florida (4 pm Friday, ESPN) (11) Florida at Florida State (12 pm, ABC) Maryland at (12) Penn State (3:30 pm, ABC) (14) Texas at Kansas (12 pm Friday, FS1) (15) Kentucky at Louisville (7 pm, ESPN2) BYU at (17) Utah (10 pm, FS1) (18) Mississippi State at Ole Miss (7:30 pm Thursday, ESPN) Illinois at (19) Northwestern (3:30 pm, BTN) (20) Syracuse at Boston College (12 pm, ESPN) (21) Utah State at (23) Boise State (10:15 pm, ESPN) (24) Pittsburgh at Miami (3:30 pm, ESPN) Kansas State at (25) Iowa State (7 pm, FS1) Other nationally available games --------------------------------------------------- Northern Illinois at Western Michigan (7 pm Tuesday, ESPNU) Colorado State at Air Force (3:30 pm Thursday, CBSSN) Houston at Memphis (12 pm Friday, ABC) Nebraska at Iowa (12 pm Friday, FOX) Buffalo at Bowling Green (12 pm Friday, ESPNU) Akron at Ohio (12 pm Friday, CBSSN) Eastern Michigan at Kent State (12 pm Friday, ESPN3) Central Michigan at Toledo (12 pm Friday, ESPN3) Arkansas at Missouri (2:30 pm Friday, CBS) Virginia at Virginia Tech (3:30 pm Friday, ABC) East Carolina at Cincinnati (3:30 pm Friday, CBSSN) Oregon at Oregon State (4 pm Friday, FS1) Purdue at Indiana (12 pm, ESPN2) Baylor vs Texas Tech - in Arlington, TX (12 pm, FS1) Navy at Tulane (12 pm, ESPNU) Western Kentucky at Louisiana Tech (12 pm, CBSSN) Marshall at Florida International (12 pm, Facebook) NC State at North Carolina (12:20 pm, ACC Network/ESPN3) Wake Forest at Duke (12:30 pm, FSN/ESPN3) New Mexico State at Liberty (2 pm, ESPN3) Stanford at UCLA (3 pm, Pac-12 Network) UAB at Middle Tennessee (3 pm, ESPN3) Minnesota at Wisconsin (3:30 pm, ESPN2) Arizona State at Arizona (3:30 pm, FS1) Temple at UConn (3:30 pm, ESPNU) SMU at Tulsa (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Rutgers at Michigan State (4 pm, FOX) Tennessee at Vanderbilt (4 pm, SEC Network) Arkansas State at Texas State (4 pm, ESPN3) Charlotte at Florida Atlantic (6 pm, Stadium) San Jose State at Fresno State (7 pm, ESPNU) Colorado at California (7 pm, Pac-12 Network) Oklahoma State at TCU (8 pm, FOX) Nevada at UNLV (9:30 pm, CBSSN) Hawaii at San Diego State (10:30 pm, ESPNU)

If they beat top 20 teams 36-3 every time, they can wear tie-dye for all I care.

Stanford-Cal has been moved to conference championship weekend because of air quality issues after the fires in California.

I haven't had Jet's specifically, but I'm a big fan of the square deep dish style. Very underrated.

I hope numbering the bleacher areas isn't a precursor for getting rid of general admission.

This isn’t last year. Voters have viewed BAMA on a different level all season, and one loss won’t kick them behind either the Big10 or Big XII champs, must less both. If anything, sneaking into the playoffs and winning it all last year only bolsters their case. Yeah, if Georgia pulled it off (they won't), I have a feeling Michigan would get squeezed out. They'd justify it by pointing to a comparatively meh victory over Northwestern in the league title game.