Official College Football Thread

[AustinHoya03]

sfhoya99 said:

I agree totally, Austin. And while I agree with the philosophy of Bohl's statement, it just ain't convincing coming from an Austin columnist.

You'd probably find it even less convincing if I told you Bohls was one of the AP voters that helped keep Cal out of the Rose Bowl last year...

[SFHoya99]

LOL.

Well, Cal laid enough of an egg so that he can sleep well at night.

I'm very guilty of applying past to present teams. For example, I still expect this Texas team to lay a giant egg in its next big game. Can we get Chris Simms back on the roster?

[AustinHoya03]

Huge win for RDF and FLHoya's 'Canes this weekend. (Huge for my 'Horns, too.) I can't think of a bigger quality win for any team this season than Saturday's near-shutout in Blacksburg. A stumble by SC or TX would obviously put The U in Pasadena. And I would actually love to see Texas-Miami even more than Texas-USC.

Other thoughts:

Purdue finally got a win in the Big Ten. Has there been a more disappointing team this season?

UCLA gets exposed as a Top Ten fraud. Who's next? My pick: LSU (vs Ala. this weekend).

Nebraska almost started the season 5-0. In their last five games they are 1-4, including last week's 15-40 loss at Kansas, and Callahan is (maybe) on the hot seat.

Not sure Vandy would have gotten that 2-pt conversion in the Swamp, but I would have liked to see the Commodores attempt it.

I still don't understand the appeal of Lousiville to poll voters. Reminds me of UMD last season in the basketball polls.

[SFHoya99]

austinhoya03 said:

Huge win for RDF and FLHoya's 'Canes this weekend. (Huge for my 'Horns, too.) I can't think of a bigger quality win for any team this season than Saturday's near-shutout in Blacksburg. A stumble by SC or TX would obviously put The U in Pasadena. And I would actually love to see Texas-Miami even more than Texas-USC.

Bet you would.

Are we seriously going through another season of doubting USC? No, their defense isn't last year's, but what is it with people and the Pac-10? They've whooped all takers for basically four years now.

Sagarin Conference Rankings:
1 BIG TEN
2 ATLANTIC COAST
3 PAC-10
4 BIG 12
5 SOUTHEASTERN
6 BIG EAST

[AustinHoya03]

sfhoya99 said:

Bet you would.

Are we seriously going through another season of doubting USC? No, their defense isn't last year's, but what is it with people and the Pac-10? They've whooped all takers for basically four years now.

Sagarin Conference Rankings:
1 BIG TEN
2 ATLANTIC COAST
3 PAC-10
4 BIG 12
5 SOUTHEASTERN
6 BIG EAST

It's not that I'm doubting SC or the Pac-10 -- I just happen to like the Trojans, generally speaking, more than Miami. Gloating would be more fun if the 'Horns beat the 'Canes in the Rose Bowl. I also think it would be fun to see what the Miami D would do with Vince Young (though I have to say that might not work out well for me).

However, it's not too difficult to make a case for doubting the Trojans if one were so inclined. The last good team they played was Notre Dame (and how good the Irish are is debatable), and they looked entirely beatable in that contest. Since then they've beat up on UW, Wazoo, and Stanford, whose combined record is 8-18. In fact, SC's schedule in general stinks up to this point. SC opponents are a combined 35-43. The Trojans have played just three teams above .500: Oregon, ND, and Arizona State. Out of conference opponents Arkansas and Hawaii turned out to be terrible. Right now SC is hanging its hat on wins at Eugene and South Bend. I don't know how impressive that is. Having said all that, it's not SC's fault it hasn't played two of the tougher Pac-10 opponents yet, and I'm still predicting three W's to finish the season. I just won't be incredibly surprised if I'm wrong.

(By the way, Texas' opponents are a combined 43-35, if you were wondering. And I think the Longhorns' schedule is weak, too.)

[RDF]

Thanks for compliments Austin. I think Miami blew their opportunity at the Rose Bowl this year by losing to a terrible FSU team--if you look at Noles schedule, they could lose their last 5 games and I think it'll happen IF they don't beat Clemson this weekend--they finish with Clemson and Florida on the road, the ACC Title Game, and whatever Bowl game they go to. I got my wish and if UM takes care of business the Noles will get the butt kicking they should've received on Labor Day.

Personally I think Miami would do exactly what they did to Va Tech to Texas--and as they used to do to then Big 8 teams Oklahoma and Nebraska on a regular basis, but Miami's offense isn't nearly as potent as the teams of the past were, so it wouldn't be as lopsided, but I don't see Vince Young running freeze option for 85 yards against Canes.

As I stated in beginning of thread, I'd love to play USC in Rose Bowl, but Texas would do fine as well, just anything but Bama to ruin that game--watching their offense is like watching paint dry.

USC's got a tough game this weekend--for whatever reason Cal matches up well with them and I don't belittle the Pac 10 at all---it's toughest league to AVOID upsets and before you think I'm off deep end, hear me out. Reason I say this is the entire league can put up points on consistent basis and move the ball and for an upset to happen, you have to capitalize on mistakes of other teams with TD's. Most teams can't do that in other leagues top to bottom, in Pac 10 they can. I don't think it's best league in Country, but it's very sophisticated football and why so many kids are well prepared for NFL at any position because they see NFL style offensive attacks consistently. Also, Trojans are playing and getting everyone's best shot and have to play at a higher level then anyone--believe me I understand this as Miami had the longest streak thing going recently and you take people's best shot weekly and Texas is building their own streak, so you'll see this too Austin. Props to USC for that.

My take is that if USC wins this weekend and I think this is their last tough game BEFORE the Bowls, they'll make it to Pasadena--two home games with respectable Fresno State, and rival UCLA in the Coliseum don't strike me as tough as what they'll see in Berkley this weekend but I've been wrong MANY times and could very well be again. Anything can/will happen in CFB and it's why it's a great sport.

[the_way]

How about my man, Steve Spurrier!!!!! He made history 3 times in a row the past 3 weeks.

1. First time South Carolina beat Tennessee on the road, ever.

2. First time South Carolina beat Arkansas on the road since joining the SEC.

3. First time South Carolina beat Florida since, *gulp*.... 1939!!!?

I know these teams are not what they should be this year, but I don't think anybody expected South Carolina do this, THIS SOON. Heck, they almost beat Georgia when Georgia had their starting QB. This is freaking South Carolina were are talking about here. I mean Spurrier kicked off their best players on the team from last year. He wasn't suppose to win this year. I saw them play earlier, and they looked terrible, especially the defense and offensive running game. They stilll need a lot of players to really be competitive.This will only help his recruiting, which South Carolina needs badly. Once he gets some recruits, DAMN! Look out!


Oh yeah, Urban Meyer, I don't know? Double overtime with Vanderbuilt last week!? (thanks to that bogus unsportsmanlike call on Vanderbuilt. And by the way, that Vandy QB is not bad at all). Happy cuz you beat Georgia without their starting QB!? I don't know about Meyer. I always thought Butch Davis would have worked out better for Florida, but I think Davis had the Canes allegience thing going. I don't know. You gotta give things time, but Meyer is getting a crash course at what its like in Big Time college football and coaching at a Florida school.

[TigerHoya]

S. Carolina always plays UGA tough (even the year they went 0-11.)

I expected them to win 6 this year, just not necessarily the combination they've won them in this year.

The Florida win is probably the best one of those 3 for them. Tennessee was losing to Memphis last I heard today. Vandy's bowl hopes were going up in smoke today against Kentucky which is too bad. If they hadn't let MTSU get them they'd be as big of a story now as they were after starting 4-0.

I'm thinking some network execs are kicking themselves for already deciding not to pick up Clemson @ South Carolina (first time since 1986 it hasn't been on broadcast or cable) now after what both teams did today.

[Joe Hoya]

So where does South Carolina end up breaking into the polls? 20? 15? I mean, if Notre Dame is a Top Ten team, why not the 'Cocks?

I like USC for some reason (I think it's because Leinart stayed in school for four years...I have an irrational fondness for those guys who graduate no matter where they play...well, almost). That said, I want them to lose to SOMEBODY. I'm also hoping Texas is victimized by the near-annual "Big XII Championship Favorite Lays A Giant Egg in the Game" syndrome. With Alabama's loss, if the unbeatens lose...Penn State vs. Miami!!!

Yes this is wishful thinking, as I'm sure LSU will now jump PSU even though PSU was idle, but this has been a pretty good season so far...it's possible that any or all of the above could happen. I'd also like to see, if the Rose Bowl thing doesn't work out, Penn State play Notre Dame in a BCS game. Gotta beat MSU next Saturday, though.

[AustinHoya03]

joehoya said:

So where does South Carolina end up breaking into the polls? 20? 15? I mean, if Notre Dame is a Top Ten team, why not the 'Cocks?

Answer: 19 in the AP, 21 in the Coaches' Poll

sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/polls

I'd also note that S. Carolina has won 5 in a row. Not sure when the last time that happened was, but it might be long enough to add to the_way's list of historical moments. Also, with all the pundits doing "what if" scenarios with PSU and Miami, I'd like to point one out: if SC had won that close game with Georgia, they'd have clinched an SEC Championship berth last weekend.

The Gamecocks have themselves positioned to be pretty popular with more than a few bowl committees if they can beat Clemson next weekend.

[TigerHoya]

austinhoya03 said:

joehoya said:

So where does South Carolina end up breaking into the polls? 20? 15? I mean, if Notre Dame is a Top Ten team, why not the 'Cocks?

Answer: 19 in the AP, 21 in the Coaches' Poll

sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/polls

I'd also note that S. Carolina has won 5 in a row. Not sure when the last time that happened was, but it might be long enough to add to the_way's list of historical moments. Also, with all the pundits doing "what if" scenarios with PSU and Miami, I'd like to point one out: if SC had won that close game with Georgia, they'd have clinched an SEC Championship berth last weekend.

The Gamecocks have themselves positioned to be pretty popular with more than a few bowl committees if they can beat Clemson next weekend.

Reports around here say the Peach Bowl will want the winner of Clemson-SC if they can get them. Other possibilities for SC include Music City. Clemson could go to Charlotte for the Meineke Car Care Bowl if nowhere else, although Boise for MPC Computers or Orlando for Champs Bowl are possible also. If VT manages to get an at large BCS berth then Clemson beating SC might get them to the Gator.

Also, for the 5 win thing for the Gamecocks - they did it in 84 I know and probably 87 too. '84 they were ranked the highest ever after a hot start and wound up losing to Navy. If UGA chokes against Kentucky then SC would play in Atlanta.

[AustinHoya03]

tigerhoya said:

Also, for the 5 win thing for the Gamecocks - they did it in 84 I know and probably 87 too. '84 they were ranked the highest ever after a hot start and wound up losing to Navy. If UGA chokes against Kentucky then SC would play in Atlanta.

Checked it out: looks like they had 5 in a row in 2001 under Holtz. Gamecocks also won 5+ in a row in '84 and '87, as you said, and they did so in '88, too.

So I guess it's not as impressive as I thought, but if you take away 2001, it would have been 17 years.

[TigerHoya]

austinhoya03 said:

tigerhoya said:

Also, for the 5 win thing for the Gamecocks - they did it in 84 I know and probably 87 too. '84 they were ranked the highest ever after a hot start and wound up losing to Navy. If UGA chokes against Kentucky then SC would play in Atlanta.

Checked it out: looks like they had 5 in a row in 2001 under Holtz. Gamecocks also won 5+ in a row in '84 and '87, as you said, and they did so in '88, too.

So I guess it's not as impressive as I thought, but if you take away 2001, it would have been 17 years.

The '88 streak was broken by The Citadel I think.

[the_way]

austinhoya03 said:

tigerhoya said:

Also, for the 5 win thing for the Gamecocks - they did it in 84 I know and probably 87 too. '84 they were ranked the highest ever after a hot start and wound up losing to Navy. If UGA chokes against Kentucky then SC would play in Atlanta.

Checked it out: looks like they had 5 in a row in 2001 under Holtz. Gamecocks also won 5+ in a row in '84 and '87, as you said, and they did so in '88, too.

So I guess it's not as impressive as I thought, but if you take away 2001, it would have been 17 years.

I think for Spurrier, the record set this year was the first time the Gamecocks won 5 straight in the SEC, no?

[TigerHoya]

theway said:

austinhoya03 said:

Checked it out: looks like they had 5 in a row in 2001 under Holtz. Gamecocks also won 5+ in a row in '84 and '87, as you said, and they did so in '88, too.

So I guess it's not as impressive as I thought, but if you take away 2001, it would have been 17 years.

I think for Spurrier, the record set this year was the first time the Gamecocks won 5 straight in the SEC, no?

I would think 5 straight SEC games would be a record - especially with them beating 2/3 of what used to be the Orange Crush part of their schedule (Arkansas broke up the combination they used to finish with of UT, UF and Clemson for the last 3 games.)

The last Clemson-SC game with this much hype was probably 2000. At least that one was on TV (even if it was just a split feed for JP in the state of SC.)

I'm looking at paying 29 bucks PPV, going to a sportsbar or going to watch it in Clemson at the coliseum on the videoboard. I may have some leads on some tickets by midweek but going to this game in Columbia (or Clemson) is a pain without a parking pass somewhere decent. The last time I dared go to a Clemson-SC without ticket in hand was 2001. Face value has skyrocketed since then for both schools so I don't know that I'd ever try that again now.

[AustinHoya03]

theway said:

I think for Spurrier, the record set this year was the first time the Gamecocks won 5 straight in the SEC, no?

That is correct. The Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992, and their five game win streak in 2001 included Boise State.

[AustinHoya03]

tigerhoya said:

The '88 streak was broken by The Citadel I think.

The Citadel loss (in Columbia) was in 1990. The '88 streak was broken when Ga. Tech blanked the Gamecocks in Atlanta, 34-0. (It was still an embarrasing loss -- the Yellow Jackets' only other wins that season came against UT-Chattanooga and VMI.)

[TigerHoya]

GT had some big upsets with Sean Jones under center. They ruined Clemson's homecoming in '89 or '90.

[AustinHoya03]

This might turn into a bit of a rant, but I wanted to post on Barry Alvarez and Bill Snyder, two coaches who built succesful football programs out of nothing.

Snyder arrived in Manhattan in 1989, Alvarez in Madison in 1990. At that point, Wisconsin hadn't won a conference championship since '62, KSU since '34. Both coaches went 1-10 in their first season, then both programs turned the corner, posting 5-6 records in their coach's second year. Alvarez won the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl in his fourth season. Snyder had his team contending for conference and national championships by the mid '90s.

What's really impressive is that both coaches started with so little and acheived so much. Both coaches took over perennial conference doormats. Both programs are in states that produce very few blue chip recruits out of HS. Recruiting-wise, both coaches never approached the level of success that teams like Nebraska had under Osborne and Michigan had under Moeller/Carr. Neither coach was considered an offensive or defensive genius. Yet I read today that Synder has 135 W's in his 16 years at K-State. In the 52 seasons prior to Snyder's arrival, the school managed just 134 victories. Alvarez won three conference championships in six years for Wisconsin.

The question now is: will these schools slide back into irrelevance or have Snyder and Alvarez created a lasting legacy? K-State has slipped in recent years -- is the head coaching job there still a big job? Even Snyder couldn't get the players he wanted in Manhattan after the NCAA tightened the rules on JuCo transfers. Barry has annointed his successor at Wisconsin and will still be the AD next season. Are we going to see a Frank Broyles/Houston Nutt scenario as Wisconsin (where the coach constantly underacheives yet remains the AD's favorite son)?

I think one reason I like these guys so much is that Georgetown is currently trying to do what these coaches did (albeit on a much smaller scale): build a successful football program out of thin air.

One other thing I read today: K-State's stadium will be named Bill Snyder Family Stadium beginning next year. That's pretty cool.

[hoyarooter]

I have nothing bad to say about Alvarez.

The one knock on Snyder is that his OOC scheduling was usually the far side of pathetic. While he might occasionally schedule one decent game (KState did play Southern Cal twice), he usually scheduled the likes of Little Sisters of the Poor Junior College. He scheduled more patsies than Esherick.