Andy

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.

Top 25 games (1) Georgia at Vanderbilt (12 pm, CBS) Indiana at (2) Michigan (12 pm, FOX) (3) Ohio State at Purdue (12 pm, Peacock) Syracuse at (4) Florida State (12 pm, ABC) UMass at (6) Penn State (3:30 pm, BTN) (8) Oregon at (7) Washington (3:30 pm, ABC) (10) USC at (21) Notre Dame (7:30 pm, NBC) Arkansas at (11) Alabama (12 pm, ESPN) (25) Miami at (12) North Carolina (7:30 pm, ABC) (14) Louisville at Pittsburgh (6:30 pm, CW) (18) UCLA at (15) Oregon State (8 pm, FOX) California at (16) Utah (3 pm, Pac-12 Network) NC State at (17) Duke (8 pm, ACC Network) Arizona at (19) Washington State (7 pm, Pac-12 Network) Texas A&M at (19) Tennessee (3:30 pm, CBS) Auburn at (22) LSU (7 pm, ESPN) (23) Kansas at Oklahoma State (3:30 pm, FS1) Missouri at (24) Kentucky (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Note: The two 19s are not an accident, the two teams are tied in the rankings Other nationally available games Tuesday Louisiana Tech at Middle Tennessee (7 pm, CBSSN) Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Liberty at Jacksonville State (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Wednesday UTEP at FIU (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Sam Houston at New Mexico State (9 pm, CBSSN) Thursday West Virginia at Houston (7 pm, FS1) SMU at East Carolina (7:30 pm, ESPN) Friday Tulane at Memphis (7 pm, ESPN) Fresno State at Utah State (8 pm, CBSSN) Stanford at Colorado (10 pm, ESPN) Saturday TV Georgia Southern at James Madison (12 pm, ESPN2) Iowa State at Cincinnati (12 pm, FS1) Michigan State at Rutgers (12 pm, BTN) Temple at North Texas (12 pm, ESPNU) Kent State at Eastern Michigan (12 pm, CBSSN) Illinois at Maryland (3:30 pm, NBC) BYU at TCU (3:30 pm, ESPN) Florida Atlantic at South Florida (3:30 pm, ESPN2) Florida at South Carolina (3:30 pm, SEC Network) Wake Forest at Virginia Tech (3:30 pm, ACC Network) Troy at Army (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Iowa at Wisconsin (4 pm, FOX) Ohio at Northern Illinois (4 pm, ESPNU) Marshall at Georgia State (7 pm, ESPN2) Kansas State at Texas Tech (7 pm, FS1) Wyoming at Air Force (7 pm, CBSSN) UAB at UTSA (8 pm, ESPNU) Boise State at Colorado State (10:30 pm, FS1) San Diego State at Hawaii (11 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Navy at Charlotte (2 pm) Toledo at Ball State (2 pm) Akron at Central Michigan (3:30 pm) Bowling Green at Buffalo (3:30 pm) Miami (OH) at Western Michigan (3:30 pm) UNLV at Nevada (5 pm, Mtn. West Network) San Jose State at New Mexico (6 pm, Mtn. West Network) UL Monroe at Texas State (7 pm)

He is bad. He has no path to be anything but bad unless he gets Dolphins-level weapons around him, and I doubt that would do it. The only 2 reasons Carolina isn't looked at like a laughingstock the way Detroit and Cleveland and (somewhat) Jacksonville are are 1) Cam Newton, which was dumb luck, and 2) the fact that no one gives a horsefeathers about Carolina. There is no path forward for this franchise. It'll be at least 2026 before they're remotely competitive and it will take wholesale changes that they won't make for it to be that quick.

Notre Dame sucks ass and this raises way more questions about Marcus Freeman than the stupid 10-men thing did. I'm also going to go ahead and predict Michigan will win the national championship.

It's an 18-team conference. You're not going to be able to play everyone you want to every year. In any case, I think PSU's athletic department prefers it that way, the rumor is their lack of desire to maintain annual rivalries is why they got 'unrivaled' in the new configuration.

If we're being real, any playoffs after 162 games is stupid if your angle is fairness. But since we're light-years past the Rubicon on that issue, I don't really give a crap how long the series are. I liked the one-game playoff, honestly.

Maybe we could send them video of PCA's at-bats this September and that would make them feel better?

I can't decide whether it's more gratifying or annoying that the Marlins' ridiculous run of good luck has come to a screeching halt now that they can't screw our team with it.

Much more informed work here than my repeatedly calling the decision to trade up for Young an unmitigated disaster. Bryce Young so far is basically Jimmy Clausen with better PR. The difference is Clausen sucking got Carolina Cam Newton, while Bryce sucking is going to gift the Bears a blue-chip draft pick.

Definitely not easy, but Penix won't be at UW next year, Caleb probably won't be at USC, and UCLA, Wisconsin and MSU aren't good enough to be too concerned about at the moment.

Double post

The B1G is horrifyingly bad this year. This week you get Minnesota who lost to Northwestern, then it's IU who needed a miracle to beat Akron. Essentially a 3 team conference, maybe 3.5 depending on what Maryland does against the other 3.

Top 25 games (20) Kentucky at (1) Georgia (7 pm, ESPN) (2) Michigan at Minnesota (7:30 pm, NBC) (12) Oklahoma vs (3) Texas - in Dallas (12 pm, ABC) Maryland at (4) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX) Virginia Tech at (5) Florida State (3:30 pm, ABC) Arizona at (9) USC (10:30 pm, ESPN) (10) Notre Dame at (25) Louisville (7:30 pm, ABC) (11) Alabama at Texas A&M (3:30 pm, CBS) (13) Washington State at UCLA (3 pm, Pac-12 Network) Syracuse at (14) North Carolina (3:30 pm, ESPN) (15) Oregon State at California (10 pm, Pac-12 Network) Arkansas at (16) Ole Miss (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Georgia Tech at (17) Miami (8 pm, ACC Network) (23) LSU at (21) Missouri (12 pm, ESPN) (24) Fresno State at Wyoming (8 pm, FOX) Other nationally available games Wednesday Jacksonville State at Middle Tennessee (8 pm, ESPNU) FIU at New Mexico State (9 pm, CBSSN) Thursday Sam Houston at Liberty (7 pm, CBSSN) Western Kentucky at Louisiana Tech (8 pm, ESPNU) Friday Kansas State at Oklahoma State (7 pm, ESPN) Nebraska at Illinois (8 pm, FS1) Saturday TV William & Mary at Virginia (12 pm, ACC Network) Toledo at UMass (12 pm, ESPNU) Western Michigan at Mississippi State (12 pm, SEC Network) Boston College at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) Marshall at NC State (2 pm, CW) Howard at Northwestern (3 pm, BTN) Texas State at UL Lafayette (3:30 pm, ESPNU) Wake Forest at Clemson (3:30 pm, ACC Network) North Texas at Navy (3:30 pm, CBSSN) UCF at Kansas (4 pm, FOX) South Florida at UAB (4 pm, ESPN2) Vanderbilt at Florida (4 pm, SEC Network) Colorado at Arizona State (6:30 pm, Pac-12 Network) Texas Tech at Baylor (8 pm, ESPN2) TCU at Iowa State (8 pm, FS1) San Jose State at Boise State (8 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Rutgers at Wisconsin (12 pm, Peacock) Central Michigan at Buffalo (2 pm) UTSA at Temple (2 pm) Purdue at Iowa (3:30 pm, Peacock) Ball State at Eastern Michigan (3:30 pm) Northern Illinois at Akron (3:30 pm) Bowling Green at Miami (OH) (3:30 pm) Kent State at Ohio (3:30 pm) Arkansas State at Troy (4 pm) UConn at Rice (5 pm) Tulsa at Florida Atlantic (6 pm) Old Dominion at Southern Miss (7 pm) South Alabama at UL Monroe (7 pm)