This Week in College Football 10/31 - 11/5

[CanadianChris 0]

Updated BCS standings:

 

1 Ohio State

2 Michigan

3 Louisville

4 Florida

5 Texas

6 Auburn

7 USC

8 California

9 Notre Dame

10 West Virginia

11 Arkansas

12 LSU

13 Rutgers

14 Boise State

15 Wisconsin

16 Tennessee

17 Oklahoma

18 Georgia Tech

19 Wake Forest

20 Oregon

21 Virginia Tech

22 Boston College

23 Maryland

24 Oregon State

25 Texas A&M

 

Louisville has a lead of nearly 100 points on Florida. They're actually closer to Michigan than to Florida.

 

Also, I can't believe Cal is still behind USC.

 

Also #2, if they run the table, it looks like Boise State will make the top 12. There's almost no way I can see Arkansas and Rutgers staying ahead of them by the end of the season.

[cabbageboy 0]

I didn't personally see this since I turned off the TV right after I found out U of L was #3 in the BCS, but did Terry Bradshaw and Co. really diss the Cards like I heard? Stuff like Bradshaw saying "I've been brainwashed to watch SEC teams in title games, not the likes of Louisville." And then when the mics should have been off (but weren't) they could be overheard saying "Anyone wanna see Louisville in the title game?" "Oh God, let's hope that doesn't happen."

 

By the way, Jason Whitlock had U of L at #9 in his ballot. Of course, if the Cards beat Rutgers by 2 TDs he MIGHT change his mind.

[CanadianChris 0]

I hate elitist fucks like that. They're a big part of why the BCS is what it is.

[Bored 0]

Another note on Boise State is if the season ended today they would get an automatic bid by having a higher ranking than the ACC champ.

[cabbageboy 0]

It infuriates me since U of L vs. WVU was one of the higest rated ESPN college games ever. So yeah, there are a lot of people who are interested.

 

This crap is taking a lot of the fun out of it for me. If it's not fans of other teams badmouthing U of L, it's the corrupt polls (coaches still have Texas ahead of us...WTF?). Or it's Fox's own broadcasters ridiculing us, as if Brian Brohm should be asking Troy Smith for his autograph.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Also, I can't believe Cal is still behind USC.

 

Why not? They both have one loss and the voters aren't going to vote Cal over USC just yet.

[CanadianChris 0]

Isn't Bradshaw a voter in the Harris poll, too? I'm pretty sure he was last year.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I hate elitist fucks like that. They're a big part of why the BCS is what it is.

Indeed.

 

Either you have a system like we have in place now, that's decided mostly by these "informed" media types. Or, you go back to the old BCS which was mostly decided by non-humans that couldn't decipher that the 2000 Nebraska team should have been nowhere near the title game.

 

Nobody wins.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

USC, Cal, and Notre Dame should all be ahead of Louisville, Florida, Auburn, and Texas.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Okay, anyone else wanna handle that one?

[CanadianChris 0]

We're reaching Dama levels of blind obstinance here.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I just wanna hear how.

[iggymcfly 0]

LSU, Tennessee, Rutgers, and Boise State should all be ahead of USC. I'd probably say that USC's the most overrated team in the country, and the notion that they're underrated is laughable.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

LSU, Tennessee, Rutgers, and Boise State should all be ahead of USC. I'd probably say that USC's the most overrated team in the country, and the notion that they're underrated is laughable.

 

Disagree about LSU and Tennessee but Rutgers and Boise State probably should be ahead of USC.

[Guest Princess Leena]

LSU, Tennessee, Rutgers, and Boise State should all be ahead of USC. I'd probably say that USC's the most overrated team in the country, and the notion that they're underrated is laughable.

I'm siding with Texas being most overrated. I know, their only loss was to OSU. But, 1) they were soundly beaten at home, and 2) they've hardly been dominant. They were very lucky to beat Nebraska, and even more so at scraping by an average Tech team. And that Big 12 is hardly impressive this year.

 

USC, they still have to prove themselves. If they can win their next 4 games, then they deserve to be the top 1-loss team (or arguably 2nd behind a 1-loss SEC winner not Arkansas) with their schedule.

[cabbageboy 0]

I can't see USC beating Cal. I might see them over ND more than Cal, yet ND would want the revenge.

 

USC hasn't looked all that great since the first game against Arkansas that I've seen. They barely edged both Washington teams, scraped by Arizona St., finally lost to Oregon St. For fun let me remind everyone Boise St. beat OR St. 42-14.

 

I honestly don't think ND is all that hot either, but aside from Michigan stomping them they have at least won. Their defense is dubious, and really they should have lost to Michigan St. as well.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Cal/USC seems like a toss-up to me. Cal's defense isn't so hot, either. They can be run over because of poor tackling, and I can easily see Washington putting up a big game against them. Plus, we saw what happened the last time Cal had a tough road game.

 

Even if USC looks weak in these last games, if they win, it's hard to deny them.

[Guest]

I want Louisville to lose so that this turns into a gigantic clusterfuck.

 

I'm not talking about USC, this team is so underwhelming and so unpredictable that I don't know what the fuck they're going to do down the stretch.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, Texas is a little overrated too. I can't understand how anyone would put them ahead of Florida after honestly evaluating both of their schedules. I still don't think they're as overrated as USC though. They beat Arkansas when they were nowhere near as good as they are now, they lost to Oregon St., and they haven't played anyone else in the Top 25. In addition, they struggled against mediocre teams in Washington and Arizona State.

 

Now sure, if they beat Cal, Oregon, and Notre Dame, it would be a different story, but that's like saying Rutgers is underrated because they'd belong in the championship if they beat West Virginia and Louisville. I think USC would be extremely lucky to get through that stretch 10-2 and could easily finish 9-3.

 

Edit: Wrote this response an hour and a half ago and just now hit submit. Sorry if it sounds out of context/repeats what cabbageboy said.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

We're reaching Dama levels of blind obstinance here.

That's about the deepest personal attack that could be made on the Sports Forum. It's the furthest thing from the truth, and I have done absolutely nothing to warrant that. I calmly state what I think, I back it up, and I don't jump down someone else's throat when they say something I don't like.

 

No Big East team should be ranked any higher than Boise State, and Boise State is ranked exactly where they should be. While I think Cal, Notre Dame, and USC are better than Florida, Auburn, and Texas, The Gators, the Tigers, and the Longhorns would wipe the floor... I mean absolutely destroy any Big East team. Don't cite Georgia as an example from last year. They handed that game to West Virginia. The Big East teams are inferior, and it's obvious, plain as day, when you see how weak their defenses are. I didn't say USC was the third-best team, but they along with Cal and Notre Dame should be ranked ahead of anyone but Ohio State and Michigan. It's absolutely unbelievable how a seven-point victory over Illinois, an eight-point victory over Ball State, a six-point victory over Vanderbilt, and undefeated records against subpar competition are excused at this point in the season. Washington State and Washington are better competition than the aforementioned teams, Arizona State is equal competition... yet close calls against those teams are considered flaws in USC's résumé. Whereas close calls this past week are viewed as strategy, give me a break.

 

I won't stand for that condescending bullshit. I don't think USC is the best team in the country, I think they have a long way to go to prove why they should be in the conversation, and I've never posted differently.

[CanadianChris 0]

You're right, the remark was uncalled for. I apologize.

 

You still can't make a case that any of the teams you've mentioned should be ranked ahead of Louisville, though. USC hasn't played a good game since beating Nebraska, with the exception of the Stanford game (which isn't an indicator of anything except the fact they were playing Stanford). Cal got stomped in their biggest game of the year, although they've come back exceptionally well. Notre Dame got stomped by Michigan, who has turned out to be better than expected, but they haven't played anyone else of note except Georgia Tech. Hell, they couldn't blow out the second-worst team in the worst BCS conference out there on their own field! Louisville, meanwhile, thoroughly embarrassed Miami, and has the biggest W of the year of anyone so far over West Virginia.

 

At this point, I put Louisville a smidgen ahead of Cal, and clearly ahead of USC. Frankly, Notre Dame isn't even in the discussion for me.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Thanks for apologizing, I appreciate it.

 

I'll just agree to disagree.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Hey Edwin, you're a big Dama. No, I won't apologize.

 

EDIT SO THIS POST HAS CONTENT: Arian Foster and two other Tennessee players were involved in a fight at a bar a few hours after the LSU loss. Just what we needed while Coker is still hurt and Hardesty was knocked out of the game on Saturday. Depth at running back doesn't mean anything when you run out of players.

[cabbageboy 0]

It's easy to say Florida, Texas, and Co. would smack around the Big East teams (and to be honest I think those teams would definitely beat Rutgers). But you don't think U of L and WVU can play with the SEC? It's not a big sample size, but U of L stomped UK by 31 this year, WVU crushed Miss St. by 28 on the road. Not exactly elite SEC teams, but UK may at least make a bowl.

 

In fact, the Big East has the best non conf. winning percentage. I'll put it this way: If U of L had to play Florida, Texas, or Auburn on the road, chances are they would beat us. If those teams came to Papa John's, then likely U of L wins.

[Guest Princess Leena]

They handed that game to West Virginia. The Big East teams are inferior, and it's obvious, plain as day, when you see how weak their defenses are.

How many Louisville games have you seen this year outside of the WVU game? Outside of the WVU game, they haven't given up more than 21 this year. And that 21 was after they led Kentucky like 35-0. Part of this has to go to WVU having an extremely fast and talented offense.

 

I didn't say USC was the third-best team, but they along with Cal and Notre Dame should be ranked ahead of anyone but Ohio State and Michigan.

Notre Dame was handed the game by MSU. I like Cal, but their only good wins so far are against middle Pac 10 teams. Teams I don't believe are significantly stronger than the top teams in the Big East.

 

It's absolutely unbelievable how a seven-point victory over Illinois, an eight-point victory over Ball State, a six-point victory over Vanderbilt, and undefeated records against subpar competition are excused at this point in the season.

What's supposed to happen with OSU and Michigan? Drop in the polls? Stupidly enough, some voters are putting Texas ahead of Michigan. Vanderbilt is not the easy game it used to be. Besides, USC didn't drop in the rankings until they lost.

[iggymcfly 0]

It's absolutely unbelievable how a seven-point victory over Illinois, an eight-point victory over Ball State, a six-point victory over Vanderbilt, and undefeated records against subpar competition are excused at this point in the season.

 

This is absolutely ridiculous, and makes the charges of "Dama-level blind obstinance" have some merit. The best win by any team in the country this season was Ohio State's 17 point road win at otherwise undefeated Texas. The second best win by any team in the country was Michigan's 26 point road win over otherwise undefeated Notre Dame. Michigan has beaten not one, but two otherwise undefeated teams this year, as they also beat 9-1 Wisconsin 27-13.

 

Saying that Ohio State and Michigan have played nothing but subpar competition is absolutely ridiculous. Also, it seems pretty ridiculous to take Ohio State to task for playing Illinois close when they led 17-0 at the half, and it was the first game all year that they won by less than 17.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

First, USC beat otherwise undefeated Arkansas at exactly the same time of year and Arkansas has a legit case to be ranked ahead of Texas.

 

Second, that statement that you bolded was in reference to the Big East. Third, I've said countless times that Ohio State and Michigan are the best two teams in the country right now. Finally, they have not played subpar competition but their level of competition has been equal to USC's. Losing takes the Trojans out of the picture for now, but it will have to be re-examined at the end of the season.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Part of it is who beat USC, too. Oregon State's okay but far from a great team. They'll probably finish with 7-8 wins in the middle of the Pac 10, a borderline top 25-35 team. I'd argue that teams like Cal, Texas, Florida, Auburn, etc. are all more impressive than USC right now, having suffered their single losses against top 15 teams who'll probably still be in the top 15 by the end of the season. I commend USC for putting together a strong out of conference schedule, though. Notre Dame, of the giving up 26 points to North freakin' Carolina and looking like they're gameplanning at half speed, has no place in this discussion.

 

I really don't think you can say that WVU and Louisville would get thrashed by all those teams. Statistically there's no reason to think that, and having watched several games featuring all these teams, I see noticeable differences across the spectrum but nothing that outs Louisville as a pretender. Their defense is good if not an iron wall, and their offense is explosively delicious. If they lose to Rutgers, then yes, maybe they can't stand up to steady competition. I'll wait till that happens to throw them under the bus, though.