This Week in College Football 9/23 - 9/25

[Guest GreatOne]

If he keeps up we can start calling him Good 'ol JR:

 

'OKLAHOMA! OKLAHOMA! OKLAHOMA! BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!!!!!! WE'RE BETTER THAN GOLDBERG AND ROCK'S ALMA MATERS BY GAWD!!!!!!!!'

[therealworldschampion 0]

I'd hate to see what he's like if they lose to Texas.

[Guest GreatOne]

I don't know about Dam but as far as JR goes can we say Coach in the Ricky Williams' jersey?

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

At least if they lose to Texas, we won't have to listen to his waterworks when they're not #1 over USC.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Tennessee-Auburn is going to be a war next week. If Tennessee can split these next two games with Auburn and Georgia, they can definitley start thinking about a BCS bowl. If Auburn wins, Georgia at home in November may be their only obstacle to an undefeated season.

I think if we can take Auburn out, we have a very good chance against Georgia. Only problem is that two of our Big Three games (Florida, Auburn, Georgia) are at home, with the hardest one being between the hedges.

 

Point is, this week's a revenge game for us. Last year we were in the same position. Cracked the Top 10 for the first time after a tremendous win in Gainesville, then went down to Auburn and let Cadillac run all over us, not even getting an offense together until the 4th quarter, by which time it was too late. We never really recovered from that game.

 

Tennessee might have its own perceived weakness as its greatest asset. I certainly didn't think of it, but the rebuilding year a lot of fans envisioned is letting us run under the radar somewhat. People are so worried about the teams that are supposed to be good now that they forget all about the Vols. The LSUs, the Georgias, and the like are all proving to be somewhat underwhelming (although LSU is still better than Georgia) while we sneak in the back door.

 

Like I said before, the Florida game is our whole season every year. A great win against them and at home no less has us ready to take on the world.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Tyler, I take it you didn't follow our college football chatter last year. This is nothin' new.

 

My ACC thoughts for the weekend:

 

Clemson is officially in total meltdown territory. Whitehurst turns the ball over five times, and the Tigers put up 7 points on offense for the whole game. The kick returns (same gent ran two back for touchdowns) were obviously great, but the Tigers are dying. 1-3 now, and their next game? At Virginia. #8 and #12 back to back isn't exactly the way to get your season back on track. FSU looked the best it has so far this season, with Chris Rix on the sideline. Funny how that works.

 

As for the other top ACC contender: Miami's offense looked anemic against Houston, except of course for Tyrone Moss. But it didn't matter - between a good rushing day and defensive touchdowns out the ass, the Canes rolled. Next week they're at Georgia Tech, so who knows what happens in Atlanta.

 

I was at the UVA/Syracuse game, and it was a good win for the Cavs. Marques Hagans was astonishing - 11 of 12 for 202 yards and a TD, and another 88 yards rushing for two scores. At first I thought that Virginia wasn't playing very impressively - neither lines looked very strong, and it seemed the d-line especially wasn't giving any pressure. Still, they held them to 10 points, 240 yards, and no big plays - that was the big thing. We've got our asses handed to us in the past on 70 yard passes, 50 yard runs, and I don't think the Orange managed anything bigger than 15 yards. Hagans finally made some big passes, connecting for over 50 yards twice, and the running game continues to push ahead. Good win against a better team than the first week cupcakes, but I'm still hesitant until we go to Tallahassee.

 

A missed field goal and NC State guts it out over Virginia Tech. Suckas. Jay Davis still isn't much at all at quarterback, but only 1 turnover and 10 sacks makes a big difference between this week and last.

 

Wake Forest pulls off the upset against Boston College, and suddenly the Demon Deacons are off to a surprising 3-1 start. Of course, NC State, VT, and FSU in the next 3 weeks probably won't help.

 

The wrap-up: Maryland murders Duke, unsurprisingly, and North Carolina gets waxed by Louisville, making Georgia Tech like even bigger scrubs for letting the Tar Heels kill them by three touchdowns.

[Damaramu 0]

If they lose to Texas then they aren't as good as I thought they were. But I doubt they'll lose to Texas. Mack Brown doesn't have the mind to beat Bob Stoops. He's proved it for the past 4 years.

They don't play anybody worth a damn? At least they don't play in the weakest conference in College Football(the Pac 10).

I'm not saying they should be #1 over USC right now. USC earned it by being National Champs last year. But if USC were to lose a game then OU should rightfully be #1. And I think USC should lose some first place votes. Not saying they should drop out of first place. But they should lose some votes. I'm just going off the fact that they lost 1 vote after the VA Tech game.

 

And by the way most of you know this but my name IS JR.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Man, I guess Kyle Orton isn't going to get any love here either.

[Damaramu 0]

Man, I guess Kyle Orton isn't going to get any love here either.

Hey that kids good. Real good. I can see him winning the Heisman easily.

[iggymcfly 0]

Hey, last year, the Pac-10 might have been the worst BCS conference in football. Although even then, the way the bowl games went down with Cal beating Va. Tech, WSU destroying Texas, and USC killing Michigan kind of makes me wonder.

 

This year? No way. Arizona State's an extremely solid team, beating one of the better Big 10 squads 41-7, Cal looks legit, Oregon State who's no better than middle of the pack damn near knocked off LSU, Stanford's solid, and USC's the consensus #1 team in the country.

 

Meanwhile, the Big 12 North has no one that looks like they can play football worth a shit. Kansas State got exposed by Fresno, Missouri got stomped by Troy, Nebraska lost to Southern Miss, Kansas is Kansas, Iowa State's mediocre at best, and just from watching Colorado play the Cougs, I can tell that they're gonna suck dick too.

 

OSU, Texas Tech and Texas A&M might win some games here and there, but for the most part, the Big 12 is a two team league. If it wasn't for the Big East (which shouldn't even be able to call itself a BCS conference anymore,) the Big 12 would be the worst major conference in the country.

[teke184 0]

This year? No way. Arizona State's an extremely solid team, beating one of the better Big 10 squads 41-7, Cal looks legit, Oregon State who's no better than middle of the pack damn near knocked off LSU, Stanford's solid, and USC's the consensus #1 team in the country.

Oregon State could turn out to be a LOT better than people think they are...

 

 

They may be 1-3 but their three losses are to:

 

#13 LSU

#21 Boise State

and #24 Arizona State

 

 

That may not seem impressive right now, but Boise State is poised to sweep the WAC and go undefeated, LSU still has a chance to be SEC champion, and Arizona State is definitely poised to take out USC, who underachieved against Stanford.

 

 

People would give them more credit if they didn't have such a pisser of a schedule.

[Damaramu 0]

Hey, last year, the Pac-10 might have been the worst BCS conference in football. Although even then, the way the bowl games went down with Cal beating Va. Tech, WSU destroying Texas, and USC killing Michigan kind of makes me wonder.

 

This year? No way. Arizona State's an extremely solid team, beating one of the better Big 10 squads 41-7, Cal looks legit, Oregon State who's no better than middle of the pack damn near knocked off LSU, Stanford's solid, and USC's the consensus #1 team in the country.

 

Meanwhile, the Big 12 North has no one that looks like they can play football worth a shit. Kansas State got exposed by Fresno, Missouri got stomped by Troy, Nebraska lost to Southern Miss, Kansas is Kansas, Iowa State's mediocre at best, and just from watching Colorado play the Cougs, I can tell that they're gonna suck dick too.

 

OSU, Texas Tech and Texas A&M might win some games here and there, but for the most part, the Big 12 is a two team league. If it wasn't for the Big East (which shouldn't even be able to call itself a BCS conference anymore,) the Big 12 would be the worst major conference in the country.

The conference is tough for the other teams in the conference because they spend the whole season beating on one another. Nobody can really dominate the conference unless they're an elite college football team. Which OU is and that's why they dominate the conference.

The conference is weaker than it should be but it's still tough to play in.

[Bored 0]

I'll echo the improvement of the Pac-10 this year. Just so much deeper this year and USC really lucks out getting both Cal and ASU at home. Washington appears to be the only truly bad team in the conference (although I'm not very impressed with UCLA either) which is amazing when you consider they were the one consistent winner in the Pac-10 during the 90's and early part of this decade. That program has just fallen apart since the whole Rick Neuheisal fiasco.

 

Now as I say that watch Stanford completely lay an egg against them next week.

[Guest GreatOne]

Pac 10 worst conference in America? Yeah and my tuition here at EWU is free all the sudden.

 

Someone needs to lay off the 'Oklahomer' bit...............

[Damaramu 0]

Pac 10 worst conference in America? Yeah and my tuition here at EWU is free all the sudden.

 

Someone needs to lay off the 'Oklahomer' bit...............

Well listening to you guys you'd think OU was the worst team in the country! I get ridiculed for being a fan of my team. It's absurd. Just because you guys don't like OU doesn't mean they suck and that nobody else can like them. I'm sorry but they are actually an elite college football team and one of the best in the country. Like it or not it's true.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Pac 10 worst conference in America? Yeah and my tuition here at EWU is free all the sudden.

 

Someone needs to lay off the 'Oklahomer' bit...............

Well listening to you guys you'd think OU was the worst team in the country! I get ridiculed for being a fan of my team. It's absurd. Just because you guys don't like OU doesn't mean they suck and that nobody else can like them. I'm sorry but they are actually an elite college football team and one of the best in the country. Like it or not it's true.

No one said a thing about OU in this thread until realworldschampion said he thought they were the only huge power in the Big XII. Which really isn't that big a knock. No sweat.

 

The Sooners didn't even play this weekend and not everything in the college football world has to relate back to them. Being a fan is cool but this got old in the lead-up to the Sugar Bowl. They're obviously one of the best teams in the nation, and they're gonna get scrutinized as a result. Cope.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Well listening to you guys you'd think OU was the worst team in the country! I get ridiculed for being a fan of my team. It's absurd. Just because you guys don't like OU doesn't mean they suck and that nobody else can like them. I'm sorry but they are actually an elite college football team and one of the best in the country. Like it or not it's true.

 

Don't get me wrong, Oklahoma is probably a top 3 team this year. I just think that they're going to benefit schedule-wise(outside of the games against Texas and possibly going to Oklahoma State)because of the Big XII being down this year. I'm also not crazy about Oklahoma's non-conference schedule this year either (Bowling Green is mediocre, Houston is crap, and Oregon lost to Indiana at Autzen.) I think a ton of respect would be gained for OU if they were to knock off a big-name opponent on the road(much like how Florida State won those huge games in the 80s against Nebraska in Tallahassee and then in Lincoln.) Though I do understand that OU is going to Autzen next year and scheduled a home-and-home series with Notre Dame down the road. I just think the Pac 10 proved to be above the Big XII last year in the bowl games and I think the power trio of the Pac 10(USC,Cal,and Arizona State) is just a notch above the Big XII's power trio (OU(elite team), Texas (good team but overrated), and I would say Oklahoma State.)

 

Edit: Also I wanted to add that USC has been tested, they went on the road and beat a decent Virginia Tech team(in a definite road environment), BYU in Provo(a solid team despite their record, they beat Notre Dame and was a missed FG away from beating Boise State), and a Stanford team on the road that seems to have improved from last year. That's why they're still #1.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Man, I guess Kyle Orton isn't going to get any love here either.

 

If Purdue wins the Big Ten and can finish in the Top 10 at the end of the regular season, you might as well hand him the Heisman.

[Damaramu 0]

So then what if they win the national title and knock off USC or Miami in the process? Is everyone still going to give them crap about playing an easy schedule and not beating anybody. Because the same thing happened in 2000. They went undefeated and bitch slapped Florida State in the title game and were still questioned as the true national champions.

 

The OU AD said that he scheduled those 3 teams b/c they all played in bowl games last year and all were good teams. Who knew they would suck ass this year?

[therealworldschampion 0]

If they go undefeated in the regular season and win the Big XII title game, then they deserve to be in the Orange Bowl, no question about that. The only way there will be a shitstorm about an undefeated team with an easy schedule is if West Virginia goes undefeated and gets into the Orange Bowl with the Big East schedule. If OU goes undefeated and wins the Orange Bowl, it won't be anywhere near the uproar about BYU's national title in 1984, where they played one of the weakest schedules in the country then beat an unranked Michigan team 9-7 in the Holiday Bowl, but won the national title because they were the sole undefeated team in the country.

 

In Bowling Green's case, they're like the mid-majors who seem to have one great year and then have 3 bad ones because they can't reload like Oklahoma, Miami, and USC can. Houston was a team who went .500 and went to a shit bowl because they won 6 games due to last year's 12-game schedule. Oregon should have been good this year, but they lost to Indiana and may probably get bombed this week by Arizona State as well.

 

USC was a whole different case about scheduling last year because Auburn was ranked #6 to start the year and completely flamed out and Notre Dame just had a bad year, but was ranked #20 I believe to start the year.

[Damaramu 0]

The point is that Joe Castiglione(or however you spell it! OU's AD) had a really weak non-conference schedule in place. He had OU playing like Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, and then some other really weak team.

Then OU got a bunch of crap for a weak schedule last year so he went out and changed the schedule around looking for teams that were in bowls.

So he kept Bowling Green. Ditched FA and picked up Oregon and then picked up Houston from LSU.

[cabbageboy 0]

Damaramu, it's not that people begrudge your loyalty to your team, but right now isn't really the greatest time to hype OU. After the way they crashed and burned last year against Kansas St. and yet still got to the nat. title game (where they again crashed and burned against LSU), people simply don't want to hear about these guys at the moment. It'll probably take running the table and winning the Big 12 title game to get people off their backs...an insanely high standard perhaps, but a standard they get for being an elite program.

 

I also think there is some resentment towards Jason White for winning the Heisman, given his dreadful outings in the last two games. Certainly few people want to hear about him trying to repeat as Heisman winner.

[Art Sandusky 0]

I want an Oklahoma/Tennessee game, just because they're two perennial powerhouses and never really seem to interact much.

[lomasmoney 0]

I want to see Oklahoma on the road vs any big-time powerhouse non conference opponent meaning I want to see them play Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, USC, or the like. Because looking back, I can't remember the last time Oklahoma won a big game on the road out of conference.

[teke184 0]

Damaramu, it's not that people begrudge your loyalty to your team, but right now isn't really the greatest time to hype OU. After the way they crashed and burned last year against Kansas St. and yet still got to the nat. title game (where they again crashed and burned against LSU), people simply don't want to hear about these guys at the moment. It'll probably take running the table and winning the Big 12 title game to get people off their backs...an insanely high standard perhaps, but a standard they get for being an elite program.

 

I also think there is some resentment towards Jason White for winning the Heisman, given his dreadful outings in the last two games. Certainly few people want to hear about him trying to repeat as Heisman winner.

True dat. OU was hyped out the ass last year as one of the best teams of all time before they walked into the Big 12 title game.

 

 

As much as I respect OU, the only challenge they have on their schedule before the B12 title game is Texas and Texas is well known for choking under hack, er, Mack Brown.

 

 

 

Given that the B12 North sucks this year from all indications, OU is set up to run the table until the Orange Bowl, at which time they'll probably face West Virginia due to the Big (L)East's pathetic schedule this year.

 

(West Virginia's OOC schedule isn't the problem... they play both Maryland and Virginia Tech. However, having conference games against Rutgers, U-Conn, an underachieving Syracuse, Temple, and Boston College doesn't sit well with me).

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I'm just hoping that Virginia Tech k-o's West Virginia. It will be one of the rare times I root for the Hokies. If either them or one of the decent Big East teams (namely BC) can knock off the Mountaineers, then we won't have to deal with any nonsense controversy.

[Damaramu 0]

I want to see  Oklahoma on the road vs any big-time  powerhouse non conference opponent meaning I want to see them play Ohio State, Michigan, Florida,  USC, or the like.  Because looking back,  I can't remember the last time Oklahoma won a big game on the road out of conference.

They won the Orange Bowl in 2000 against Florida State. And they pretty much KO'd them in that game as FSU's offense couldn't do shit to OU.

They won the Rose Bowl against WSU in 2002 dominating the game.

 

Oh and by the way they didn't crash and burn against LSU. LSU was better. They just got beat by a better team.

 

And on top of all that Jason White did deserve the Heisman. He put up some of the best numbers last season with an 8 to 1 TD/INT ratio and was INJURED during the last two games. His hand was broken and so was his foot. He had to have surgery on both after the season ended. Plus his knees were still bad. He would've had good games if he hadn't been injured. He proved all season he was good. And don't give me that "Well real warriors fight back" b/c he tried to fight back and he tried his damndest in those last two games but just couldn't do it physically. Mentally he was all there. But when you have a broken hand, foot, and two bad knees you tend not to be able to get things done no matter how hard you try.

 

Oh and btw they asked USC to play them this year and USC turned them down. So there goes that "Never trying to play an OOC powerhouse" argument. And OU's AD is working with LSU's AD to set up an OU/LSU series sometime down the line. So there's that to.

 

 

Oh and Texas doesn't choke against OU. We're better than them.

[teke184 0]

If West Virginia runs the table and ends up in the title game, I can pretty much guarantee yet ANOTHER retooling of the BCS.

 

 

Hell... there will be one if they go undefeated, whether or not they even get into the Orange Bowl.

 

The question is whether a 1-loss USC, Oklahoma, LSU, Georgia, etc. deserves to be in over an undefeated team that plays in one of the worst conferences in the country and I'm willing to bet that 5 out of 6 computer rankings will say that an undefeated West Virginia would barely be in the top 10. (The New York Times is still involved, so no one can guess where THEY would rank them.)

[therealworldschampion 0]

If West Virginia gets into the title game undefeated, it's 1984 BYU all over again

[Guest GreatOne]

The point is that Joe Castiglione(or however you spell it! OU's AD) had a really weak non-conference schedule in place. He had OU playing like Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, and then some other really weak team.

Then OU got a bunch of crap for a weak schedule last year so he went out and changed the schedule around looking for teams that were in bowls.

So he kept Bowling Green. Ditched FA and picked up Oregon and then picked up Houston from LSU.

BTW Florida Atlantic's gonna be in pretty good shape in the next few years, I know Howard and Schnellenberger are dirty words in Oklahoma but shit.........

 

Oregon is a decent 'name' team, and as Michigan can tell you is capable of pulling off the upset (in Autzen), but has honestly been disappointing ever since Harrington left, not that I minded bitchslapping them last year and if the offense gets their shit together, will do the same October 9.

 

And you're not seriously trying to convince of Houston's anything-better-than-mediocreness are you?