College Football 2012

[B.J.]

1001001 wrote:

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USC gets to play Georgia Tech (6-7).

Yippee.

I'm with you there. Yippee, we get to have another plastering all over the field.

Can we get rid of our coach now, PLEASE?!?

[bullethead]

Well, as anyone with a brain could've predicted, Orange Bowl tickets aren't selling:

When it was announced that Northern Illinois would be Florida State's opponent for the Orange Bowl, it didn't create much excitement the Seminoles' fan base.

The BCS busting matchup isn't likely to generate a lot of ticket sales either.

With Florida State on the hook to sell 17,500 tickets as part of the participating team's BCS agreement with the Orange Bowl, the school is already taking measures to limit the damage in what's expected to be slow sales for the Jan. 1 game.

The face values on Florida State's 17,500-ticket allotment range from $75 to $225, numbers that will be a tough sell considering the matchup. As soon at NIU was announced as FSU's opponent ticket prices plummeted on third-party ticket websites. As of Wednesday, upper deck seats were listed for $11 apiece on SeatGeek.com.

In response, Florida State's athletic department announced Wednesday it would sell Orange Bowl tickets at a 50 percent discount to Seminole Boosters, season ticket holders and FSU students, who can order tickets at a discounted rate between $37.50 and $112.50 per ticket (see chart).

As for footing the bill, Florida State's athletic department will take the brunt of the financial hit. The decision was made to offer more competitive prices in hopes of increasing sales and attendance for FSU's first BCS bowl game appearance since January 2006.

"Our feeling is we'll pay the difference to get the tickets closer to market as a sign of loyalty to our ticket holders and booster members," said Seminole Boosters Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jerry Kutz. "We'll make a benefit of booster membership. Try to turn something negative into something positive ... We don't need to be asking our long term customers to buy from us and pay more."

The discounted rate will be applied retroactively to anyone who fits the criteria that already purchased tickets through FSU at full value.

Even if Florida State is able to sell its entire allotment of 17,500, which is unlikely, it's a guarantee that the school and Seminole Boosters will take a hit financially. Taking an average regular face value price of $138 per ticket - meaning FSU would voluntarily concede $69 per ticket with the discount - the net loss to the school would be approximately $500,000 assuming they can sell at least 8,000 tickets.

According to ACC Associate Commissioner Michael Kelly, FSU is financially responsible for selling the first 6,000 tickets and the league begins to help offset the cost between 6,000 and 17,500. The specifics on how the ACC contributes were not immediately available.

If FSU is unable to sell at least 8,000 tickets, its financial responsibly would be greater than the $500,000 estimate.

How will that loss be absorbed by the athletic department?

"Let's say they were to lose $1 million revenue on ticket sales that's one additional million more we (Seminole Boosters) are going to have to provide to them at the end of the year," said Kutz. "Ultimately we are both in it. They are the first line, it comes out of their budget."

There was chatter earlier this week that the Orange Bowl might cut a deal with Florida State and/or the ACC and lower the price of its tickets but that isn't the case, at least for now.

"This is completely internal thing," said Kutz. "We are going to take less for our tickets and if we lose money, we lose money. Chances we'll sell more tickets if we get the price point down and maybe more people will go."

In addition to increasing ticket sales, the hope is that a good number of Seminole fans will pack Sun Life Stadium and support the team.

"Our responsibility is to help put as many Seminoles in that stadium to support our football team and coaches," said Kutz. "We are doing our best to put a big crowd in there to give them a competitive advantage."

The good news for FSU is that there are approximately 32,000 alumni in the Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties along with thousands of other season ticket holders and FSU boosters well within driving distance to the Orange Bowl. The Seminole Boosters are also hoping that several planned events surrounding the game, including a New Year's Eve and pre-game party, will help drive attendance. What could also help is that former Seminole great Warrick Dunn will be inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of fame.

FSU's athletic department getting screwed by the NIU game is the last thing it needs, since it has to replace two defensive coaches (Stoops and the DE coach).

[tighr]

Yet these schools still cling to the bowl system like a life preserver, not realizing that the ocean is full of sharks.

It completely amazes me how these bowls are set up as "non-profit" entities, and then try and sell their tickets for MORE than an NFL game in the same stadiums.

[B.J.]

Reposting this from Misc:

My wife got to meet Auburn's new head football coach Gus Malzahn yesterday when he came by her school to talk with a student who has committed there. She's an Auburn alum, so she was rather giddy about getting to meet him face-to-face.

[Neroon]

Johnny Football wins the 2012 Hypesman Award.

Yeah, I'm a little bit jaded about the award, but even so I like the choice. Any of the three finalists would have been worthy winners, really. Manziel is still a great choice, imho

[Caligula]

I also like the choice. A lot of people are voicing their complaints, ranging from things like race (which is weird, considering the last three winners were all African-American), thinking Te'o only lost because he plays defense, he only won the Heisman because of one game (vs. Alabama), and just a general disdain for the SEC.

The Heisman has ALWAYS been a popularity contest. Johnny Manziel has been the most talked about player in the country, particularly since after Texas A&M beat Alabama. Personally, I think that win combined with the record-breaking statistics he put up sufficiently qualified him. I'm still bitter about Charles Woodson winning over Peyton Manning in '97, to the point of cheering against the Packers simply because Woodson plays for Green Bay, but what that vote came down to ultimately was whose team won against their fiercest conference foe. Michigan beat Ohio State on the way to a share of the national championship, while Tennnessee lost to Florida (AGAIN!), making Peyton 0 for 4 against the Gators. There's no way Woodson would have won otherwise. As for last night, the award was Colin Klein's to lose... and he lost it as soon as Kansas State lost to Baylor and he had his worst game of the year in terms of individual stats.

[tighr]

I agree. Manziel deserved the award over both of the other finalists. Manziel deserved the award over the next 9 finalists. It stands to reason that Manziel deserved the award over all other football players this year, and not because of his popularity, but because he did what the award requires him to do: be the "most outstanding player in collegiate football".

Te'o lost the award (and was ranked higher than he should be) because he really was not that outstanding of a player. He had intangibles, sure. But the award isn't about his intangibles, its about his accomplishments on the field. He only had 9 takeaways, several of which were on tipped passes that he was in the right place at the right time. He did not score a single touchdown on any of those takeaways (which to me is a real travesty). I think had he scored a pick-6 even ONE time, that may have been the fuel needed to push him over the edge and win. But there are special teams players, punt returners, kickoff returners who did more impressive things than Te'o did.

As far as Klein, Manziel had a statistically better season than Klein in every column other than record. Since they play the same position, that's a fair comparison.

[Neroon]

Manziel's biggest detriment is that he went 1-2 against ranked competition. In those two losses he was very average. Still, in my mind he was outstanding for several reasons in the biggest game, against the #1 team at the time. I would sincerely have been happy with any of the three fine young men who were finalists, but I am happiest with Manziel winning.

[1001001]

ESPN is reporting that Matt Barkley will not play in the Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech due to his continuing shoulder injury.

It's sad to see his college career end the way it did.

[Neroon]

Yeah, it is. Here's hoping he can overcome the negatives from this year and make a good pro career. It's going to be harder, given the lower draft stock... but maybe the lower expectations will help.

[B.J.]

Well, I have to say I'm surprised! Go Jackets!

[1001001]

Wittek is atrocious. What an awful performance, especially after having nearly three weeks to prepare for this opponent.

I feel bad for the seniors who have to go out like that.

USC has the #1 high school quarterback in the nation committed for next year. Thank God for that.

Glad this season is finally over.

[Enterprise is Great]

Argh...USC. Hopefully next season is loads better.

[R. Star]

Neroon wrote:

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Manziel's biggest detriment is that he went 1-2 against ranked competition. In those two losses he was very average. Still, in my mind he was outstanding for several reasons in the biggest game, against the #1 team at the time. I would sincerely have been happy with any of the three fine young men who were finalists, but I am happiest with Manziel winning.

Being from College Station, this was really an exciting season for us. Our best season in 14 years, we freaking beat Bama(most excited I've gotten over a football game in ages), and Manziel brings home the Heisman. Looking forward to a great game with Oklahoma this Friday.

[B.J.]

Wow. Just saw the end of LSU-Clemson. That was a good game!