This Week in College Football 10/28 - 10/30

[therealworldschampion 0]

Texas almost lost to Arkansas, had it not been for 2 Matt Jones turnovers. Besides that, who exactly has Texas beaten? Auburn's big win came over a Tennessee team, who went into Athens and beat Georgia, IN Neyland Stadium.

[iggymcfly 0]

What's your point on Arkansas? They're a tough team at home. Georgia was one possession away from losing at Arkansas as well. Texas is a top ten team, just like Georgia and Tennessee.

[therealworldschampion 0]

My point is that Texas is extremely overrated. They get the attention of the media because they're a huge state school that blows out creampuffs by 35, then completely chokes when they have to play a good team(Oklahoma).

 

Look at their season last year, blew out creampuffs, got embrassed at home by Arkansas, got whacked by OU, coasted through mediocre and bad teams last year in the Big XII, and then got beat in their bowl game by Wazzu.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, they were more overrated last year. I'll agree that they're still slightly overrated, as if you'll look at my fascinating weekly rankings thread, you'll see that I only have them at number nine, whereas the national polls have them ranked at six and seven.

 

I'm just saying that they're comparable to Georgia and Tennessee this year, and that if you're comparing Oklahoma to Auburn, you can count the wins as pretty close to the same.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

The way things are going in these threads, I'd be willing to bet by the end of the year some will be pushing for a 1-loss SEC team in the championship game en lieu of an undefeated Oklahoma. And I also await hearing about how Wisconsin and/or Utah should be in the top game instead of the Sooners.

 

Personally, I'm hoping someone finally beats USC (just like how Ohio State got dropped last year after squeeking out many wins at the last second) and Auburn plays Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. After that game there really would be nothing left to say.

[therealworldschampion 0]

I think people are really just hoping OU loses not because of holding anything against the Sooners, but to see Dama have a complete meltdown.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I'm not sure where anyone gets off claiming that Auburn struggled this week. A game lasts 4 quarters. After the half they'd worn Ole Miss down, and they proceed to kick the shit out of them in a stretch of about 10 minutes.

 

I like the Sports folder because I can actually agree with MikeSC. Rock on, Auburn.

 

This was a crazy week for the ACC. The two huge upsets are obviously what everyone's talking about. I was amazed at how well UNC played the Hurricanes. It wasn't a fluke win - it was just a win. Incredible job by the Tarheels, who are somehow 3-2 in the ACC with a very good chance at getting a bowl bid.

 

A little lower on the radar is Clemson stuffing NC State. That brings Clemson up to 4-4...and NC State down to 4-4...and UNC is up to 4-4...and Wake is 4-4...don't forget that Maryland's now 4-4...and Georgia Tech is 4-3. Miami, Virginia, FSU, and Virginia Tech have pretty much shored up bowl bids, but it's going to be fucking ferocious as the rest of the teams battle it out for that prestigious spot in the MPC Computers bowl on Boise's blue field. Interestingly enough, 9 out of the 11 ACC teams received votes in the Coaches' poll, which is wacky.

[iggymcfly 0]

By the way, I can't really say that I understand it or agree with it, but here's something from Sagarin's conference rankings that Damaramu will love.

 

(If I were to guess, I'd say they punished the entire SEC for Auburn's weak non-conference schedule. As for the ACC being below the Big XII, I don't know.)

 

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

 

1 PAC-10 (A) = 78.79 79.47 ( 1) 10

2 BIG 12 (A) = 77.69 78.49 ( 2) 12

3 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 76.76 76.89 ( 3) 11

4 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 76.56 76.56 ( 4) 2

5 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 75.62 75.48 ( 5) 12

6 BIG TEN (A) = 74.56 74.18 ( 6) 11

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 72.20 73.18 ( 7) 8

8 BIG EAST (A) = 69.20 69.20 ( 8) 7

9 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 67.26 68.15 ( 9) 11

10 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 66.27 67.46 ( 10) 10

11 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 65.34 64.83 ( 11) 12

12 SUN BELT (A) = 62.82 62.95 ( 12) 9

13 GREAT WEST (AA)= 59.42 59.42 ( 13) 6

14 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 56.95 56.79 ( 15) 6

15 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 56.73 57.32 ( 14) 14

16 BIG SKY (AA)= 56.60 56.36 ( 16) 8

17 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 55.79 55.63 ( 18) 8

18 SOUTHERN (AA)= 55.11 55.90 ( 17) 8

19 GATEWAY (AA)= 54.24 55.47 ( 19) 8

20 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 52.25 51.35 ( 20) 7

21 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 49.53 49.61 ( 21) 5

22 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 47.63 47.48 ( 22) 9

23 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 42.77 42.78 ( 24) 5

24 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 42.45 42.81 ( 23) 8

25 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 39.84 38.89 ( 25) 10

26 NORTHEAST (AA)= 38.81 38.55 ( 26) 8

27 PIONEER (AA)= 31.32 32.09 ( 27) 9

28 METRO ATLANTIC (AA)= 26.27 27.49 ( 28) 5

29 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -90.00 -90.00 ( 29) 1

[Damaramu 0]

I'd rank the BCS conferences like this:

 

1) SEC

2) ACC

3) Big XII

3) Pac 10

5) Big Ten

6) Big East

 

That's right I think the Pac 10 and Big XII are on the same level.

 

Oh and if OU were to lose....I wouldn't really have a complete meltdown. Well I might freak if they lost b/c of incompetence. But if they just got outright beat I'd be like "Well guess they weren't as good as I thought...."

 

Hell OU is probably going to a BCS bowl even if they lose once.

 

Funny thing about OU is that they always screw Texas over in one way or another.

Not only do they beat Texas every year but they also keep them out of the conference title game. Another funny thing is that last year OU losing to KSU screwed Texas over. Texas was primed for an At-Large BCS bid and OU lost to KSU making KSU the Big XII winner going to the bowl and OU the other at-large team screwing Texas over.

Texas looks to be heading for an at-large bid. If OU loses to A&M but still makes a BCS bowl......Texas is screwed again.

It's kind of funny actually.....

[therealworldschampion 0]

Texas isn't getting anywhere near a BCS bowl if Cal and Utah win out, since the Rose Bowl is dead-set on having Cal if USC goes to the Orange Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl has reportedly had a ton of interest in giving Utah an invite if they win out.

[Damaramu 0]

So where does that leave Michigan?

I agree though. If Cal wins out for the rest of the season they'd better be in a BCS bowl.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Michigan's staring right at the Capital One Bowl (Big Ten #2 vs. SEC #2) against whoever loses the SEC championship game, most likely. Unless Wisconsin loses, in which case they'll probably flip.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

As a Big Ten fan I have to say that the conference is fairly weak this year, and the fact that the only two good teams won't play hurts its credibility. Personally, I think that conferences should be allowed to hold a championship game even if they regularly don't do so, in the event that two teams go undefeated in the conference, to prevent situations like this from happening. But really, Purdue and Minnesota have been exposed as mediocre squads after receiving a lot of hype, while Ohio State has done nothing all season. I'm really hoping a few other teams lose because I'd love to see Michigan get to a BCS game, but unlike other fans I won't be crying if they don't. The formula to get a big game is pretty simple in my opinion: don't lose, and especially don't lose inside your conference.

[lomasmoney 0]

My thing with Michigan they lost to a decent Notre Dame team on the road early in the year in a rivalry game with two true freshman in the backfield. Now if they win out who is to say they are not on par with the other one loss teams like Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Cal, and Miami. I think that Cal gets in the Rose Bowl hands down if they win out and I could see Michigan also getting an at large bid if they win out. I think a Cal-Michigan matchup would be a great Rose Bowl, even though Michigan would be shuttled to the Sugar or Fiesta if Wisconsin wins out. Here is another interesting scenario. If all the unbeatens sans USC lose, and Cal wins out, could we see a Cal-USC rematch in the Orange Bowl

[Damaramu 0]

For some reason I just always think about how close Michigan got with SDSU and I cringe. Of course they've more than proven themselves since then.

But honestly I don't think they're better than Georgia or Cal. Yeah they're probably better than Texas and Tennessee and Miami is really up in the air as they look great one week and crappy the next.

[CanadianChris 0]

My thing with Michigan they lost to a decent Notre Dame team on the road early in the year in a rivalry game with two true freshman in the backfield. Now if they win out who is to say they are not on par with the other one loss teams like Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Cal, and Miami.

I think Cal has clearly separated themselves from the rest of that pack. They played the #1 team in the country down to the wire, and convincingly beat a good ASU team.

 

I think that Cal gets in the Rose Bowl hands down if they win out and I could see Michigan also getting an at large bid if they win out.

That can't happen unless Utah loses somewhere along the line. Utah is an automatic at-large team if they finish in the top 6, which is a given if they finish undefeated.

 

Here is another interesting scenario.  If all the unbeatens sans USC lose, and Cal wins out, could we see a Cal-USC rematch in the Orange Bowl

Could happen, but I think a one-loss Auburn team would still be ahead of a one-loss Cal team, especially if the one loss was to Georgia this week, and was avenged in the SEC title game.

[Damaramu 0]

I've actually fallen in love with Cal over this season and I hope that they win the Rose Bowl against whoever the hell it is they play. Then I hope to see them winning the Pac 10 and going to the National Title game next season or at least in the next couple seasons.

Hell I wouldn't mind seeing them win a national title.

It's not like my team's going to have a shot in the next couple seasons I mean with the 18 or so seniors we're losing this season. I mean sure OU will win 10 games and be in a BCS bowl next season and such but I mean I doubt they'd go undefeated just b/c of the inexperience that'll be coming to the field.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

As a Wolvies fan I can say that I'm fairly excited with Michigan's potential in the next couple of years, with Henne and Hart both freshmen right now. I'm really hoping Wisconsin loses so we can get into the Rose Bowl, or failing that a bunch of other teams losing, especially Utah, so we pick up an at-large bid.

[Damaramu 0]

Yeah Michigan always seems to be right there but never seems to do it. There are a lot of teams that will be good soon maybe.....you never know. Aside from the elite's who are guranteed to win 10 games every year it's never known. Some people jump into the picture and then quickly jump out.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Here's a questions for the Wolverine fans, when do you think Lloyd Carr is going to retire? I've heard reports about possibly 2009, but if Michigan wins a national title in the next couple of years(very possible with Henne and Hart only being freshmen and doing so well) do you think he'd retire earlier?

[iggymcfly 0]

Could happen, but I think a one-loss Auburn team would still be ahead of a one-loss Cal team, especially if the one loss was to Georgia this week, and was avenged in the SEC title game.

 

Sorry, that's not gonna happen. Even if Georgia beats Auburn, they won't have the tiebreaker with Tennessee, and they still won't make the SEC Championship game. In that situation, Georgia and Cal would probably each have about a 50/50 shot at making the Orange Bowl if the undefeateds lose.

[Damaramu 0]

So then....if OU and Auburn lose who goes to play USC? I'm assuming Auburn.

If Auburn and USC lose who goes to play OU? I assume Auburn again.

If OU and USC lose who plays Auburn? I assume USC.

 

Or else I'm assuming wrong....and this is all assuming Wisconsin loses.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, I think you're assuming completely wrong there. If three unbeatens lose, with Georgia beating Auburn and USC losing, then it would probably be Georgia. If everyone loses but USC, it would probably be Cal. Meanwhile, if USC loses, and Auburn doesn't lose or loses to someone other than Georgia, than I'd guess it would be Utah. It's pretty much up in the air at this point.

 

Of course, I'd be really surprised if there aren't at least two major conference unbeatens left when the season's done, so it's probably a moot point.

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, I might have made it more complicated than it is. Looking at the BCS rankings, if two unbeatens lose, it would probably be Wisconsin, and if three lose, it would probably be Utah. It's only after four out of those five lose, that you would be likely to worry about Cal, Tennessee, or Georgia.

[Damaramu 0]

So let's say OU stays undefeated....and Wisconsin loses to MSU, USC loses to UCLA, and Auburn loses to Georgia.

Who do they face?

[therealworldschampion 0]

I imagine they're playing Cal or Georgia then

[Damaramu 0]

I'd hope for Cal just b/c the game would rock all.

Well ok it'd be an offensive clinic while the Georgia game would probably be a defensive clinic. But I'd rather see the Cal game.

But overall OU/USC will be excellent b/c both teams are pretty balanced on all sides of the ball.