This Week in College Football 11/14 - 11/18

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, if USC, Florida, or Arkansas finishes the season with one loss, one of them will get in, but I don't think they should. Michigan's the best one-loss team in the country right now.

 

Oh shut up iggy.

 

Michigan played a hell of a game, but they lost at the worst possible time, I think. That loss will be more fresher in the minds of the BCS voters as opposed to USC's or Florida's.

 

How do these statements not mesh with each other. Are you having issues with your reading comprehension? I said that USC and Florida would get in ahead of Michigan. I just said that Michigan was the better team and more worthy.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Oh well, I'm disappointed, but happy to have watched a classic game.

[iggymcfly 0]

I really doubt that Notre Dame will be ranked ahead of Michigan in the polls next week. USC will be #2 if they win and Michigan will either be #3 or #4. If USC loses, I think there's a very good chance that Michigan stays at #2, and the Wolverines will be no lower than #3 in that scenario. If Notre Dame does jump Michigan, it won't be until after the USC game.

 

The computer rankings, lacking the biases toward end of the season losses that the humans show will likely be near unanimous with the top three, going: #1 OSU #2 Rutgers #3 Michigan

[2GOLD 0]

Well, if you listen to ESPN then Rutgers, Florida, and Arkansas do not exist.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Yeah, if USC, Florida, or Arkansas finishes the season with one loss, one of them will get in, but I don't think they should. Michigan's the best one-loss team in the country right now.

 

Oh shut up iggy.

 

Michigan played a hell of a game, but they lost at the worst possible time, I think. That loss will be more fresher in the minds of the BCS voters as opposed to USC's or Florida's.

 

How do these statements not mesh with each other. Are you having issues with your reading comprehension? I said that USC and Florida would get in ahead of Michigan. I just said that Michigan was the better team and more worthy.

 

Because how can you say Michigan is the best? That's such a subjective statement. Personally if everyone that's in the conversation wins out, it should be either USC/Florida getting in. Why should Michigan get another chance? They wouldn't even have won their conference title while USC and Florida would. Really let's drop all the Michigan talk on that basis. As far as I'm concerned, USC/Florida/Arkansas/ND/Rutgers is all that's left to discuss as far as title contenders.

 

edit: In fact I'd be willing to bet most of you guys advocating a Michigan return would be the same fans who was against Oklahoma going to the Sugar Bowl after losing the conference title game to Kansas State. How hypocritical.

[iggymcfly 0]

What does a conference title have to do with anything. All that means is that Michigan has a tougher game on their schedule than any that USC played all year. A loss to Oregon State is about 100x worse than a loss to Ohio State, and I doubt that USC will beat Notre Dame by more at home than Michigan did on the road.

 

USC blew their chance to be in the national title on October 28, and objectively comparing their resume to Michigan's I don't know how you can say USC's is better. If Florida's offense finally comes alive against Arkansas, and they score 40 points or more, I could see them getting the spot over Michigan, but no way in hell should USC get in.

[MFer 0]

Good effort, bad result. Michigan won the turnover battle and still lost. Henne didn't give the ball up, but he did miss some key throws. Hart should've gotten the ball more. I see why Lloyd wanted to be more aggressive but the Buckeyes weren't stopping the run at all. The safeties played like shit with both the run and the pass. Troy Smith just methodically picked the secondary apart, especially in the first half. He didn't even have to run much. I don't think Michigan's run D played all that bad, they just gave up two big plays, and that's all OSU needed. I think the Crable call was dicey at best. As a UM fan, I'm obiviously not opposed to a rematch. It sounds as if the country's pretty much split on a rematch. Personally, I'm tired of Rose Bowls. I want national titles. Once again, Tressel 1-ups Carr. There's no doubt in my mind that UM is the second best team but a lot has to happen for that rematch to occur.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Yes, let's have a team that couldn't win the conference play for a national title.

[Timmy8271 0]

Man i'm so not looking foward to the hype for OSU/Michigan in the BCS final game.

[MFer 0]

Yeah, if USC, Florida, or Arkansas finishes the season with one loss, one of them will get in, but I don't think they should. Michigan's the best one-loss team in the country right now.

 

Oh shut up iggy.

 

Michigan played a hell of a game, but they lost at the worst possible time, I think. That loss will be more fresher in the minds of the BCS voters as opposed to USC's or Florida's.

 

How do these statements not mesh with each other. Are you having issues with your reading comprehension? I said that USC and Florida would get in ahead of Michigan. I just said that Michigan was the better team and more worthy.

 

Because how can you say Michigan is the best? That's such a subjective statement. Personally if everyone that's in the conversation wins out, it should be either USC/Florida getting in. Why should Michigan get another chance? They wouldn't even have won their conference title while USC and Florida would. Really let's drop all the Michigan talk on that basis. As far as I'm concerned, USC/Florida/Arkansas/ND/Rutgers is all that's left to discuss as far as title contenders.

 

edit: In fact I'd be willing to bet most of you guys advocating a Michigan return would be the same fans who was against Oklahoma going to the Sugar Bowl after losing the conference title game to Kansas State. How hypocritical.

Two differences:

 

1. Kansas State was not the #1 team in the nation.

 

2. Oklahoma got killed on a neutral field.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

The automatic bids have all pretty much been decided for the I-AA playoffs. Here are the teams that should be featured along with a few key results from this week.

 

#2 Montana b. #15 Montana State 13-7.

#7 James Madison b. #24 Towson 38-3.

#3 Massachusetts b. Hofstra 22-16.

#12 Tennessee-Martin b. Murray State 42-14.

#17 Eastern Illinois b. Jacksonville State 28-24.

Lafayette b. Lehigh 49-27.

Texas State b. Sam Houston State 28-21.

 

Automatic Bids decided

Atlantic 10: Massachusetts (unless James Madison's win over Towson pushes them over the edge.)

Big Sky: Montana

Gateway: Youngstown State (Northern Iowa is leading Illinois State 35-20 with 13:00 left in the 4th.)

MEAC: Hampton (Delaware State got upset by Howard)

Ohio Valley: Tennessee-Martin (They beat Eastern Illinois 15-9 in their matchup.)

Patriot League: Lafayette after beating Lehigh convincingly.

Southern: Appalachian State.

Southland: McNeese State (Sam Houston State lost. With a win or loss, McNeese State takes this via winning game matchup if they lose anyway.)

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

This wouldn't have even been close if OSU wouldn't have fucked up the most rudimentary thing about offense. TWICE. Geez.

 

Although any time Michigan loses I have to shimmy with glee. I was really hoping for a blowout, though.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Okay I'll give you that. If Michigan goes to the title game, fine, obviously I'm going to advocate USC as my choice. I just personally think Michigan lost their chance because they lost their conference title, which was what tonight was basically. Right now I'd put USC and Florida about dead even, maybe a slight edge to Florida due to the conference schedule, maybe a slight edge to USC due to the OOC schedule. If USC and Florida wins out, this puts ND (who USC would have then beat) and Arkansas (Florida) out of the picture. Then you have Rutgers who's playing the undefeated card. I cannot put Michigan above those three. I just can't. But hey, if people are so hard up for a rematch, so be it. I'll enjoy USC playing in the Rose Bowl or something if they win out.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

I don't see what the big deal is about an SEC team having a weak non-conference schedule. There has to be some kind of a breather in there between playing great conference teams every weak. USC's conference games(i.e. two-thirds of their schedule) IS their breather. Without ND and Arkansas(a depleted version of the team that playing pretty well right now), their schedule would be nothing.

 

If Florida wins the SEC, no doubt they should play in Tempe.

 

I'm sick of the SEC being punished when it comes to choosing who's in the title game like they are every year just because they kill each other all year and don't wanna schedule anybody else.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I'm kind of hoping for Notre Dame to rope themselves in there somehow, even if OSU would maim and annihilate them.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Yes, let's have a team that couldn't win the conference play for a national title.

 

Yes, let's have a team that lost to an unranked team play for a national title.

 

Yes, let's have a team that lost 50-14 in its opening game play for a national title.

 

Yes, let's have a team that lost by 26 at home to the loser of today's game play for a national title.

 

Yes, let's have a team that scheduled nothing teams for its OOC games play for a national title.

 

You can do this all day, which is why there can't be absolute "rules" as to what eliminates a team from the title game and what doesn't. At this point, Rutgers is the only team who you really can't say anything too negative about (their OOC isn't great, but it's not embarassing) and if they go undefeated they should be there.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Losing the conference title is worse than all the other statements you made. Especially when it comes to NATIONAL title contenders. That's why Oklahoma was blasted in 2003, because you had the other 2 teams that at least won the conference waiting to play in the national title while Oklahoma shat the bed against Kansas State in the conference title.

[Guest Princess Leena]

This wouldn't have even been close if OSU wouldn't have fucked up the most rudimentary thing about offense. TWICE. Geez.

That's my feelings on the game.

 

I know most are still in the post-big game glow, but I have a hard time giving Michigan a rematch after giving up 42 points to an offense that had 2 self-inflicted fumbles (and the INT was a lucky tip catch by the fat D-Lineman).

[Hawk 34 0]

Does Michigan deserve a re-match? No. While the score was close, Michigan was clearly outclassed by OSU today and when you got 4 other teams waiting in the wings (ND, USC, Rutgers and Florida) and at least 2 of them will still be a one lost team (except one lost will be an automatic elimination for Rutgers). I'll never buy the idea of a team that just lost in a MAJOR game to get another shot at the same team six weeks later with another meaningful prize at stake (and really, this game was bigger for Michigan then the national title game would be, especially given the circumstances). If they couldn't get it done today and they weren't as close as the score indictates, what would be the justification for getting another crack at OSU? A slightly tougher schedule?

 

Let's pass on this rematch idea unless USC, Florida, ND and Rutgers all lose out. That won't happen.

[2GOLD 0]

Well right now, Rutgers is laying an egg against the Bearcats. Cincy is dominating early, up 10-0 and have been having their way with the Rutgers defense.

[iggymcfly 0]

Fuck USC!

 

Good luck getting to the national title game with three losses.

[Hawk 34 0]

Rutgers isn't laying an egg, to me. I expected Cincinnati to beat them. The emotions of a major win going into a tough stingy defense on the road is too much for that team.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Here's what's stupid about a Michigan/OSU rematch. Say Michigan wins. Are they really the national champs? they already lost to Ohio State. To me, that would be sharing the title at best, which is exactly what the BCS was created to prevent.

[2GOLD 0]

Make that 17-0. The Scarlet Knights are finally starting to play like the Scarlet Knights I remember.

[Hawk 34 0]

Here's what's stupid about a Michigan/OSU rematch. Say Michigan wins. Are they really the national champs? they already lost to Ohio State. To me, that would be sharing the title at best, which is exactly what the BCS was created to prevent.

 

Exactly. Everything about a re-match barring the other 4 teams all dropping another game is ridiculous. Put away all the over analyzed breakdowns. Explain how it's logical to re-do a game where the outcome wasn't in doubt. There was no constroversy to justify the re-match. If they couldn't beat them the first time with all that pressure and hype, how the hell would they manage with six more weeks of hype and pressure.

 

Besides, OSU shouldn't have kept the game that close. A rematch would be an ugly blowout. It'll be an ugly blowout against the other three teams in question but it'd least be fresher.

[CanadianChris 0]

17-0 Bearcats. Somewhere cabbageboy is dancing.

[iggymcfly 0]

Well, that sucks that the Cal TD got called back. 10 point swing on that play.

 

As far as the OSU/Mich thing goes, home field is widely considered to be worth three points. Playing in the 110,000 seat Horseshoe, you could easily argue that it's worth more. In that environment, Michigan lost by three. So basically, OSU had the scheduling edge, but the teams looked pretty equal.

 

If they play a rematch at a neutral site, I don't think there would be any question that the winner of that game was the true champion.

 

As far as Rutgers/Cincy goes, I couldn't quite bring myself to take UC in the pick 'em, but I'm not surprised at all. It's a textbook letdown situation, and I did bet Cincinnatti at +6.

[CanadianChris 0]

As far as Rutgers/Cincy goes, I couldn't quite bring myself to take UC in the pick 'em, but I'm not surprised at all.

Probably because it wasn't even on the slate.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Here's what's stupid about a Michigan/OSU rematch. Say Michigan wins. Are they really the national champs? they already lost to Ohio State. To me, that would be sharing the title at best, which is exactly what the BCS was created to prevent.

 

Exactly. Everything about a re-match barring the other 4 teams all dropping another game is ridiculous. Put away all the over analyzed breakdowns. Explain how it's logical to re-do a game where the outcome wasn't in doubt. There was no constroversy to justify the re-match. If they couldn't beat them the first time with all that pressure and hype, how the hell would they manage with six more weeks of hype and pressure.

 

Besides, OSU shouldn't have kept the game that close. A rematch would be an ugly blowout. It'll be an ugly blowout against the other three teams in question but it'd least be fresher.

 

I don't see how an argument for Notre Dame over Michigan can possibly be supported. With Florida/Arkansas or USC, yeah there are arguments that can be made either way. But Notre Dame got destroyed by Michigan on their own field in a definitive game.

[Art Sandusky 0]

That was such a great game that I fell asleep late in the fourth quarter. Fuck a rematch. Michigan was lucky to keep staying in that game as it was, and now all of a sudden you guys want a rematch? Fuck that. Send USC/Florida/someone Ohio State hasn't already beaten.