This Week in College Football 12/20 - 12/24

[Art Sandusky 0]

I shoulda known. Did Ebell even play tonight? I just go on these less prominent schools based on a couple of times I see them, to be honest. Probably should have picked the MAC champions even if the conference is down.

[Guest]

The conference is so down that you didn't know that Toledo didn't win the MAC title. It was Akron.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Haha, see?

[Bored 0]

Goooo Stormin' Mormons. Fuck Cal.

[Bored 0]

 

History

2004: Cincinnati 32, Marshall 14

2003: #17 Boise State 34, #18 TCU 31

 

Kansas (6-5)

 

Last Bowl Appearance: 2003 Tangerine Bowl (lost to N.C. State 26-56)

Last Bowl Win: 1995 Aloha Bowl (def. UCLA 51-30)

 

All Big XII Players

 

First Team

Charles Gordon, Kick Returner

Charlton Keith, Defensive End

 

Second Team

Jeremial Ashley, Defensive End

Charles Gordon, Defensive Back

 

Honorable Mention

Rodney Allen, Defensive End

Banks Floodman, Linebacker

Rodney Fowler, Safety

Charles Gordon, Wide Receiver

Clark Green, Running Back

Kevin Kane, Linebacker

David Ochoa, Center

Brandon Perkins, DL/LB

Mark Simmons, Wide Receiver

Aqib Talib, Cornerback

Kyle Tucker, Punter

Bob Whitaker, Guard

 

Houston (6-5)

 

Last Bowl Appearance: 2003 Hawaii Bowl (lost to Hawaii 48-54)

Last Bowl Win: 1980 Garden State Bowl (def. Navy 35-0)

 

All Conference USA Players

 

First Team

Ryan Gilbert, Running Back

Vincent Marshall, Wide Receiver

 

Second Team

Kade Lane, Defensive End

 

Third Team

Kevin Kolb, Quarterback

SirVincent Rogers, Tackle

David Douglas, Guard

Wade Koehl, Linebacker

Rocky Shwartz, Safety

Vincent Marshall, Punt Returner

[iggymcfly 0]

Watching the Pointsettia Bowl reminds me how much I love the option. Honestly, it's too bad all the homogenized pussies at the major schools have decided it's passe, because it's still an extremely effective offense. Now that Nebraska's all about the passing game, I'm afraid we might never again see an option team reach a BCS game.

[Gert T 0]

I just think defenses have gotten too athletic. DE and LB's are running at speeds that only corners did 20 years ago. That being said I fucking love watching Navy play.

[iggymcfly 0]

I still don't quite buy the argument that defenses have "just gotten too athletic" for the option. Ten years ago, Nebraska was the most dominant team in the nation, running the option.

 

In 2001, Eric Crouch led Nebraska to the BCS title game and won the Heisman winning the option.

 

If you recruit good linemen and backs, it's an effective offense no matter what year it is. Tell me USC wouldn't be undefeated if they had a running QB instead of Leinart, and had LenDale White and Reggie Bush running the Wishbone. I think they might be even more dominant than they are right now.

 

I can kind of see the argument at the NFL level, but even then I'm not sure. If the Falcons were running the option instead of having Vick sit in the pocket and throw picks, would they really be worse? They could be, but they could just as easily be 10-4 and in the driver's seat in the NFC South.

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

I still don't quite buy the argument that defenses have "just gotten too athletic" for the option. Ten years ago, Nebraska was the most dominant team in the nation, running the option.

 

In 2001, Eric Crouch led Nebraska to the BCS title game and won the Heisman winning the option.

 

If you recruit good linemen and backs, it's an effective offense no matter what year it is. Tell me USC wouldn't be undefeated if they had a running QB instead of Leinart, and had LenDale White and Reggie Bush running the Wishbone. I think they might be even more dominant than they are right now.

 

I can kind of see the argument at the NFL level, but even then I'm not sure. If the Falcons were running the option instead of having Vick sit in the pocket and throw picks, would they really be worse? They could be, but they could just as easily be 10-4 and in the driver's seat in the NFC South.

 

Or you could be setting up Mike Vick to get nailed by an NFL football player on nearly every play.

[Guest Leelee]

If the Falcons were running the option instead of having Vick sit in the pocket and throw picks, would they really be worse? They could be, but they could just as easily be 10-4 and in the driver's seat in the NFC South.

 

Yes, they would be worse. The option is all about speed. In college, especially the smaller ones, the best athletes are on the offensive side.

 

I do think the option could be a good play in the NFL, occasionally. I remember Dallas would run it a few times in preseason with Quincy Carter. It worked well, but only when the defense wasn't expecting it.

 

And the bigger problem is getting your QB killed, like Jew said.

[iggymcfly 0]

I remember Lou Holtz talking about this on Gameday a couple months ago (although in reference to the college game, not the NFL). He was saying that when he ran the option at Notre Dame, he only had three or four QBs get injured, and that they all got injured when they were passing the ball.

 

The reason QBs get hurt more than RBs is that they're vulnerable when they're standing still looking for a receiver. As long as they're running away from the defender and in a postion where they can protect themselves, they're relatively safe.

 

Besides, Michael Vick's only real strength is his running ability. If you're going to neuter him by keeping him cooped up in the pocket, it doesn't matter if he gets hurt, because he's not any better than Matt Schaub anyway.

 

Finally, you can't tell me that Navy's QB and RBs have that much of a speed advantage over a team like Colorado State. They just run the option well, and make sure that the DE is committed to the QB before pitching the ball basically neutralizig an extra defender. I'd think Vick, Dunn, and Duckett would have at least as much of a speed advantage over the average NFL team as Navy does over a college team. Furthermore, since they'd be the only pro team running the option, it would make them tremendously difficult to prepare for, especially to seasoned veterans who haven't had to defend an option play in 15 years.

[Damaramu 0]

The Kansas defense looks to be doing pretty well against Houston. Gotta represent the Big XII seems how the rest of the Big XII has some damn tough bowl games.

[Guest Leelee]

Well, someone is watching the Fort Worth Bowl.

[Bored 0]

 

History

2004: Hawaii 59, UAB 40

2003: Hawaii 54, Houston 48

2002: Tulane 36, Hawaii 28

 

Nevada (8-3)

 

Last Bowl Appearance: 1996 Las Vegas Bowl (def. Ball State 18-15)

 

All WAC Players

 

First Team

B.J. Mitchell, Running Back

Caleb Spencer, Wide Receiver

Tony Moll, Tackle

Joe Garcia, Cornerback

Justin Bergendahl, Punter

 

Second Team

Jeff Rowe, Quarterback

Anthony Pudewell, Tight End

Barrett Raznick, Guard

Craig Bailey, Defensive End

Roosevelt Cooks, Linebacker

 

Central Florida (8-4)

 

First Bowl Appearance

 

All Conference USA Players

 

First Team

Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, Center

Paul Carrington, Defensive End

Joe Burnett, Cornerback/Punt Returner

 

Second Team

Kevin Smith, Running Back

Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver

Mike Walker, Wide Receiver

Darcy Johnson, Tight End

[Damaramu 0]

Alright. Kansas blows out Houston making the Big XII 1-0.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

No one really gives a shit, honestly. Shut up.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Now what the hell was that. Get off the guy already.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, lots of people cheer for their conference during Bowl season. Quit being such a fucking troll.

 

If you really want to get on Dama, then just wait a couple pages until he says something that's actually worthy of being flamed.

 

Flaming Dama for noting that Kansas won is just lazy.

[Damaramu 0]

I just wonder where the hell that offense for Kansas was during the season. They were pretty damn good last night but they were awful in Big XII play.

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, they only played poorly on the road. They were undefeated at home including the big win over Iowa State at the end of the season.

 

Apparently being in a bowl game with a lot of their fans down there visiting pumped them up the same way that playing a home game did.

[Damaramu 0]

Actually, they only played poorly on the road. They were undefeated at home including the big win over Iowa State at the end of the season.

 

Apparently being in a bowl game with a lot of their fans down there visiting pumped them up the same way that playing a home game did.

 

True. But then again the game against OU at Arrowhead was considered a home game. That game I watched right after the awesome USC/ND game and it featured the worst offensive performance of the year by both teams. I thought I was going to cry or fall asleep while I was watching it.

[therealworldschampion 0]

I just wonder where the hell that offense for Kansas was during the season. They were pretty damn good last night but they were awful in Big XII play.

 

Mangino must've coached like Houston stole his Twinkies or something...

[Bored 0]

Next to Arkansas State, Houston was the worst team in the bowls this year so I wasn't surprised at all that Kansas handled them.

[Damaramu 0]

Really? Because all I read about(not on this board b/c nobody mentioned it) was how the high powered Houston offense would easily handle the Big XII defense.

[Damaramu 0]

I would also like to say that this ESPN series they're doing where they match USC up against the best teams of all time is pretty cool and I think it's a good idea but why the fuck did they put Mark "USC can drop a nuclear bomb on my house and I would still bend over for them" May on it? He refuses to give any of these other teams any credit at all and just keeps predicting absurd USC blowouts.

[Guest Leelee]

Outside of Lawrence, Houston, and totally addicted degenerate gamblers... who talked about this game?

 

And I doubt any of them would have slighted KU's defense. Outside of the Texas blowout, they were pretty good.

 

The funniest part to me was ESPN trying to explain how Houston was worthy to make a bowl game. Both KU and Houston won their last game to make this bowl! Yay, wow, Houston beat Rice!

[DangerousDamon 0]

Outside of the Old-timer teams that wouldn't have the speed to keep up with the modern teams, I would say that USC wouldn't blow out any of these teams. These teams were all time greats for a reason. Does anyone really think that 97 Michigan with that defense would have gotten blown out . If they predict that USC would handle 95 Nebraska or 2001 Miami then they are crazy. Both of those teams are probably 1a and 1b for the best I have ever seen, counting this yr's USC team. Also, why the hell are they sucking off SC so hard right now, don't they realize there is a Texas team who is unbeaten and has been kicking the shit out of teams just as much. I hate when ESPN front runs, and then if USC loses they will totally start slurping off Texas

[therealworldschampion 0]

I would also like to say that this ESPN series they're doing where they match USC up against the best teams of all time is pretty cool and I think it's a good idea but why the fuck did they put Mark "USC can drop a nuclear bomb on my house and I would still bend over for them" May on it? He refuses to give any of these other teams any credit at all and just keeps predicting absurd USC blowouts.

 

Come on Dama, it's Mark May, it's not like intelligence is a high point for him. It was funny on ESPN's website seeing Herbstreit pick the 2002 Ohio State team over this year's SC team. Then again, OSU had a great defense that year and if they got the usual luck they had that year they could beat the 2005 SC team.

Edited December 24, 2005 by therealworldschampion

[Damaramu 0]

I would also like to say that this ESPN series they're doing where they match USC up against the best teams of all time is pretty cool and I think it's a good idea but why the fuck did they put Mark "USC can drop a nuclear bomb on my house and I would still bend over for them" May on it? He refuses to give any of these other teams any credit at all and just keeps predicting absurd USC blowouts.

 

Come on Dama, it's Mark May, it's not like intelligence is a high point for him. It was funny on ESPN's website seeing Herbstreit pick the 2002 Ohio State team over this year's SC team. Then again, OSU had a great defense that year and if they got the usual luck they had that year they could beat the 2005 SC team.

 

I'm just waiting for Mark May to predict that USC will blow out 95 Nebraska 52-14 behind 4 rushing TDs by Reggie Bush.

[JHawk 0]

Also, why the hell are they sucking off SC so hard right now, don't they realize there is a Texas team who is unbeaten and has been kicking the shit out of teams just as much.

 

A Texas team that also plays in a tougher conference and had a tougher non-conference schedule? Seriously, when was the last time USC played a team anywhere near the caliber of Ohio State in non-conference play?