Andy

The argument that LA is the best team and they don't always win and that means Dave Roberts is not the best manager is absurd on its face. We already know how ridiculously random the baseball playoffs are for reasons that rarely have anything to do with the manager. Arizona just made the World freaking Series after winning 84 games. If Torey Lovullo is such a fantastic manager that he can take the 84-win DBacks past much better teams to the World Series, then why didn't he win more games against those teams in the regular season?

You know, when Rosenthal said earlier that a team with an existing manager was hiring Counsell, the thought occurred to me, but... Wow. I completely agree with TT that this is more exciting for what it portends for our offseason plans than for the actual managerial upgrade itself, though that also seems pretty good.

I have to think the Panthers would 'win' that tiebreaker due to the NFC South being atrocious.

3 points in the first half and a back breaking pick 6 while CJ Stroud basically wins a game single handedly, I think the Kyle "actually Bryce Young is getting good and I'm worried about the Bears pick" thing can go away now

Top 25 games Michigan State at (1) Ohio State (7:30 pm, NBC) (9) Ole Miss at (2) Georgia (7 pm, ESPN) (3) Michigan at (10) Penn State (12 pm, FOX) Miami at (4) Florida State (3:30 pm, ABC) (18) Utah at (5) Washington (3:30 pm, FOX) USC at (6) Oregon (10:30 pm, FOX) (7) Texas at TCU (7:30 pm, ABC) (8) Alabama at Kentucky (12 pm, ESPN) Virginia at (11) Louisville (7:30 pm Thursday, ESPN) Stanford at (12) Oregon State (5:30 pm, Pac-12 Network) (13) Tennessee at (14) Missouri (3:30 pm, CBS) (15) Oklahoma State at UCF (3:30 pm, ESPN) Texas Tech at (16) Kansas (12 pm, FS1) West Virginia at (17) Oklahoma (7 pm, FOX) Florida at (19) LSU (7:30 pm, SEC Network) (21) Arizona at Colorado (2 pm, Pac-12 Network) UConn at (21*) James Madison (2 pm, ESPN+) Rutgers at (22) Iowa (3:30 pm, BTN) Tulsa at (23) Tulane (12 pm, ESPN2) Duke at (24) North Carolina (8 pm, ACC Network) Baylor at (25) Kansas State (3 pm, ESPN+) * AP rank, ineligible for CFP rankings Other nationally available games Tuesday Central Michigan at Western Michigan (7 pm, ESPNU) Ball State at Northern Illinois (7 pm, CBSSN) Ohio at Buffalo (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Wednesday Akron at Miami (OH) (7 pm, ESPNU) Bowling Green at Kent State (7 pm, CBSSN) Eastern Michigan at Toledo (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Thursday Southern Miss at UL Lafayette (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Friday North Texas at SMU (9 pm, ESPN2) Wyoming at UNLV (10:30 pm, FS1) Saturday TV Georgia Tech at Clemson (12 pm, ABC) Indiana at Illinois (12 pm, BTN) Vanderbilt at South Carolina (12 pm, SEC Network) Virginia Tech at Boston College (12 pm, ACC Network) Holy Cross at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) NC State at Wake Forest (2 pm, CW) Minnesota at Purdue (3:30 pm, NBC) Northwestern at Wisconsin (3:30 pm, FS1) Pittsburgh vs Syracuse - at Yankee Stadium (3:30 pm, ACC Network) UAB at Navy (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Washington State at California (4 pm, ESPN2) Auburn at Arkansas (4 pm, SEC Network) Cincinnati at Houston (7 pm, FS1) Georgia Southern at Marshall (7 pm, NFL Network) San Diego State at Colorado State (7 pm, CBSSN) Mississippi State at Texas A&M (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Rice at UTSA (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Arizona State at UCLA (9 pm, Pac-12 Network) New Mexico at Boise State (10 pm, FS1) Iowa State at BYU (10:15 pm, ESPN) Fresno State at San Jose State (10:30 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Maryland at Nebraska (12 pm, Peacock) Temple at South Florida (12 pm) Old Dominion at Liberty (1 pm) Appalachian State at Georgia State (2 pm) Memphis at Charlotte (2 pm) Troy at UL Monroe (2 pm) Sam Houston at Louisiana Tech (3 pm) Nevada at Utah State (3 pm, Mtn. West Network) FIU at Middle Tennessee (3:30 pm) New Mexico State at Western Kentucky (3:30 pm) Texas State at Coastal Carolina (3:30 pm) East Carolina at Florida Atlantic (4 pm) Arkansas State at South Alabama (5 pm)

I could give a rat's ass about Brian Kelly most of the time but I really don't want him beating Alabama again the same day ND lays yet another turd burger

I reread that thread every several months or so just to remind myself how great this all can be.

As usual, I will edit this post to reflect the CFP committee rankings once they drop Tuesday and each time going forward. Top 25 games (1) Ohio State at Rutgers (12 pm, CBS) (12) Missouri at (2) Georgia (3:30 pm, CBS) Purdue at (3) Michigan (7:30 pm, NBC) (4) Florida State at Pittsburgh (3:30 pm, ESPN) (5) Washington at (20) USC (7:30 pm, ABC) California at (6) Oregon (5:30 pm, Pac-12 Network) (23) Kansas State at (7) Texas (12 pm, FOX) (14) LSU at (8) Alabama (7:45 pm, CBS) (9) Oklahoma at (22) Oklahoma State (3:30 pm, ABC) Texas A&M at (10) Ole Miss (12 pm, ESPN) (11) Penn State at Maryland (3:30 pm, FOX) Virginia Tech at (13) Louisville (3:30 pm, ACC Network) (15) Notre Dame at Clemson (12 pm, ABC) (16) Oregon State at Colorado (10 pm, ESPN) UConn at (17) Tennessee (12 pm, SEC Network) Arizona State at (19) Utah (2 pm, Pac-12 Network) (20) UCLA at Arizona (10:30 pm, FS1) (21) Kansas at Iowa State (7 pm, ESPN) (23*) James Madison at Georgia State (3:30 pm, ESPN2) (24) Tulane at East Carolina (3:30 pm, ESPNU) (25) Air Force vs Army - in Denver (2:30 pm, CBSSN) * AP rank - ineligible for CFP ranking Other nationally available games Tuesday Northern Illinois at Central Michigan (7 pm, ESPNU) Buffalo at Toledo (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Wednesday Ball State at Bowling Green (7 pm, ESPN2) Kent State at Akron (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Thursday TCU at Texas Tech (7 pm, FS1) Wake Forest at Duke (7:30 pm, ESPN) South Alabama at Troy (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Friday Boston College at Syracuse (7:30 pm, ESPN) Colorado State at Wyoming (8 pm, CBSSN) Saturday TV Arkansas at Florida (12 pm, ESPN2) Nebraska at Michigan State (12 pm, FS1) Wisconsin at Indiana (12 pm, BTN) Jacksonville State at South Carolina (12 pm, ESPNU) Campbell at North Carolina (12 pm, ACC Network) Georgia Tech at Virginia (2 pm, CW) UCF at Cincinnati (3:30 pm, FS1) Illinois at Minnesota (3:30 pm, BTN) Auburn at Vanderbilt (4 pm, SEC Network) Marshall at Appalachian State (6 pm, NFL Network) Louisiana Tech at Liberty (6 pm, CBSSN) BYU at West Virginia (7 pm, FS1) Utah State at San Diego State (7 pm, FS2) SMU at Rice (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Kentucky at Mississippi State (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Miami at NC State (8 pm, ACC Network) Stanford at Washington State (9 pm, Pac-12 Network) Boise State at Fresno State (10 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Kennesaw State at Sam Houston (1 pm) Navy at Temple (2 pm) Florida Atlantic at UAB (3 pm) UL Lafayette at Arkansas State (3 pm) South Florida at Memphis (3 pm) UTSA at North Texas (3 pm) Iowa vs Northwestern - at Wrigley Field (3:30 pm, Peacock) Houston at Baylor (3:30 pm) Coastal Carolina at Old Dominion (3:30 pm) Merrimack at UMass (3:30 pm) Charlotte at Tulsa (4 pm) UL Monroe at Southern Miss (4 pm) Middle Tennessee at New Mexico State (6 pm) UNLV at New Mexico (6 pm, Mtn. West Network) Georgia Southern at Texas State (7 pm) Western Kentucky at UTEP (9 pm)

CFB in a nutshell: ND loses pretty decisively to Louisville. Louisville then loses at Pitt. Then ND hands Pitt their ass. Also, it's crazy how ND is one stop against Ohio State from being a legitimate CFP contender with the best win in the country right now, but might end up boxed out of the major bowls because they're not going to have a single win over anyone worth a damn.

Pat McAfee. He was the Colts punter at one point. At some point he retired and started his own show on something called DAZN, and it became a big enough hit that ESPN decided to sign basically its entire network over to him.

One of the first things I wondered once this started floating around is what happened with the TCU playoff game where the Frogs dropped 50 points on Michigan (14 of them on pick-6's, granted). Now, apparently, we know. They were tipped off by several teams (Dellenger specifically points out Ohio State, no surprise they were one) and turned it around on the Wolverines. That's the sort of thing you can do in a month that you can't do in a week.

I legitimately have no idea who Keith Ginkel is but apparently he's now the best pitcher in the game

It's nice not to have to half-dread the outcome of a championship round after spending (personally, at least) the bulk of the last 15 years dealing with that across several sports.

Never leave a paper trail

Top 25 games Florida vs (1) Georgia - in Jacksonville (3:30 pm, CBS) (3) Ohio State at Wisconsin (7:30 pm, NBC) (4) Florida State at Wake Forest (12 pm, ABC) (5) Washington at Stanford (7 pm, FS1) (6) Oklahoma at Kansas (12 pm, FOX) BYU at (7) Texas (3:30 pm, ABC) (8) Oregon at (13) Utah (3:30 pm, FOX) Indiana at (10) Penn State (12 pm, CBS) (11) Oregon State at Arizona (10:30 pm, ESPN) Vanderbilt at (12) Ole Miss (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Pittsburgh at (14) Notre Dame (3:30 pm, NBC) (17) North Carolina at Georgia Tech (8 pm, ACC Network) (20) Duke at (18) Louisville (3:30 pm, ESPN) (19) Air Force at Colorado State (7 pm, CBSSN) (21) Tennessee at Kentucky (7 pm, ESPN) Colorado at (23) UCLA (7:30 pm, ABC) (24) USC at California (4 pm, Pac-12 Network) Old Dominion at (25) James Madison (8 pm, ESPNU) Other nationally available games Tuesday New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech (7 pm, CBSSN) Liberty at Western Kentucky (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Wednesday Jacksonville State at FIU (7 pm, CBSSN) UTEP at Sam Houston (8 pm, ESPN2) Thursday Syracuse at Virginia Tech (7:30 pm, ESPN) Georgia State at Georgia Southern (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Friday Florida Atlantic at Charlotte (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Saturday TV South Carolina at Texas A&M (12 pm, ESPN) Houston at Kansas State (12 pm, ESPN2) West Virginia at UCF (12 pm, FS1) Maryland at Northwestern (12 pm, BTN) Tulsa at SMU (12 pm, ESPNU) UConn at Boston College (12 pm, ACC Network) UMass at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) Clemson at NC State (2 pm, CW) Purdue at Nebraska (3:30 pm, FS1) Michigan State at Minnesota (3:30 pm, BTN) Mississippi State at Auburn (3:30 pm, SEC Network) Virginia at Miami (3:30 pm, ACC Network) Miami (OH) at Ohio (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Tulane at Rice (4 pm, ESPN2) Wyoming at Boise State (5:30 pm, FS2) Marshall at Coastal Carolina (6 pm, NFL Network) Cincinnati at Oklahoma State (8 pm, ESPN2) Washington State at Arizona State (8 pm, Pac-12 Network) UNLV at Fresno State (10:30 pm, FS1) New Mexico at Nevada (10:30 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+) Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan (1 pm) Memphis at North Texas (3 pm) Iowa State at Baylor (3:30 pm) East Carolina at UTSA (3:30 pm) Southern Miss at Appalachian State (3:30 pm) UL Lafayette at South Alabama (5 pm) Arkansas State at UL Monroe (5 pm) Troy at Texas State (7 pm)

Washington barely escaped 1 win Arizona State. No one is good except Michigan.

That 1, BTW, was a slugfest against William & Mary

The rest of the B1G had better hope Michigan was cheating and it was materially helping them because I saw nothing whatsoever to make me think either of these teams are hanging with them

Easy joke fodder, for sure, but I imagine it won't actually change anything that happens this season. The most hilarious part of all this so far is that one Athletic report said MSU briefly considered not playing this weekend for health and safety reasons in response to the heads up about this, which would've been so transparently absurd and petty that I really wish they'd have done it.

Someone on Twitter dug this up and it makes more sense now

Top 25 games (2) Michigan at Michigan State (7:30 pm, NBC) (7) Penn State at (3) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX) (16) Duke at (4) Florida State (7:30 pm, ABC) Arizona State at (5) Washington (10:30 pm, FS1) UCF at (6) Oklahoma (12 pm, ABC) (8) Texas at Houston (4 pm, FOX) Washington State at (9) Oregon (3:30 pm, ABC) Virginia at (10) North Carolina (6:30 pm, CW) (17) Tennessee at (11) Alabama (3:30 pm, CBS) (13) Ole Miss at Auburn (7 pm, ESPN) (14) Utah at (18) USC (8 pm, FOX) Army at (19) LSU (7:30 pm, SEC Network) South Carolina at (20) Missouri (3:30 pm, SEC Network) (22) Air Force at Navy (12 pm, CBS) North Texas at (23) Tulane (3:30 pm, ESPN2) Minnesota at (24) Iowa (3:30 pm, NBC) (25) UCLA at Stanford (10:30 pm, ESPN) Other nationally available games Tuesday Middle Tennessee at Liberty (7 pm, CBSSN) Southern Miss at South Alabama (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Wednesday FIU at Sam Houston (7 pm, CBSSN) New Mexico State at UTEP (9 pm, ESPN2) Thursday James Madison at Marshall (7 pm, ESPN) Rice at Tulsa (7 pm, ESPN2) Friday SMU at Temple (7 pm, ESPN2) Saturday TV Mississippi State at Arkansas (12 pm, ESPN) Memphis at UAB (12 pm, ESPN2) Rutgers at Indiana (12 pm, BTN) Boston College at Georgia Tech (12 pm, ACC Network) Western Michigan at Ohio (12 pm, CBSSN) Oklahoma State at West Virginia (3:30 pm, ESPN) Wisconsin at Illinois (3:30 pm, FS1) Northwestern at Nebraska (3:30 pm, BTN) Pittsburgh at Wake Forest (3:30 pm, ACC Network) South Florida at UConn (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Toledo at Miami (OH) (4 pm, ESPNU) TCU at Kansas State (7 pm, ESPN2) Texas Tech at BYU (7 pm, FS1) Appalachian State at Old Dominion (7 pm, NFL Network) Utah State at San Jose State (7 pm, CBSSN) Georgia State at UL Lafayette (8 pm, ESPNU) Clemson at Miami (8 pm, ACC Network) Nevada at San Diego State (8 pm, FS2) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Baylor at Cincinnati (12 pm) Akron at Bowling Green (2 pm) Charlotte at East Carolina (2 pm) UL Monroe at Georgia Southern (2 pm) Buffalo at Kent State (3:30 pm) Central Michigan at Ball State (3:30 pm) Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois (3:30 pm) UTSA at Florida Atlantic (6 pm) Coastal Carolina at Arkansas State (7 pm) Colorado State at UNLV (7 pm, Mtn. West Network)

I'm trying not to think too much about the fact that if any of about a dozen things went differently vs Ohio State, ND would be in pretty good CFP position even if that ridiculous loss to Louisville had unfolded exactly the same way. Also, Louisville lost to horsefeathers Pittsburgh because of course they did.

I spent all week befuddled why ND was favored and assuming SC would win by 3 scores and I guess that's why Vegas keeps building new casinos.

I'm almost certain Saban did in fact want Brees but either the medical team or ownership didn't sign off on it so it didn't happen and instead he ruined college football by driving everyone else insane with his dominance. ETA - found this link. https://saintswire.usatoday.com/2021/07/23/nick-saban-drew-brees-injury-dolphins-news/ Now, it's entirely possible Saban is embellishing the truth because it's easy to say that in hindsight, but he is on the record in any case.

They 'should' play 162 and go back to a playoff system without half the damn teams in it. Since we know they aren't doing that, I guess yours is a reasonable alternative. But in general I hate the 'oh the playoffs are too big, guess we need to cut regular season games now' of sports.