The College Football Thread
- Thread starter Commander Vaughn
- Start date
Aragorn has it right. The PAC-10 winner goes to the Rose Bowl, the second place team goes to the Holiday Bowl, third to the Sun Bowl and so on. If two (or more) teams are tied, then the bowl selection committee can choose to invite any of them and the rest are available to the next bowl. The PAC-10 has a contractual obligation with these bowls to provide teams as long as they are bowl-eligible.
Not quite - the Holiday Bowl gets second pick of Pac-10 teams, but they are not obligated to pick the second-place team. There's a good chance that USC will be the second team picked, regardless of where they end up in the standings, simply because of economics (larger fan base = more money and greater TV ratings, theoretically).
JM's Top Twenty-Five, Week Ending November 28th, 2009
1 – Florida (12-0)
Does a rivalry game against Bowden's Boobies count as a quality win?
2 – Texas Christian (12-0)
Until now, I wasn't sure they'd beat 'Bama. Now I am.
3 – Alabama (12-0)
Really starting to think that SEC officials have given 'Bama and the Gators strategic boosts to assure this latest "Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny."
4 – Cincinnati (11-0)
This game against Pitt is a de facto Big East championship. They have wins over Oregon State, West Virginia, Rutgers, UConn and South Florida. That's a pretty good resume, with Pitt still to come.
5 – Texas (12-0)
Don't give me any of this "rivalry game" horseshit: They struggled against Texas A&M, and if not for a fortuitous kickoff return (which also saved them last year against Oklahoma), they probably lose this one. This team has zero high-quality wins this year. [And anyone who puts forth either five-freakin'-loss Oklahoma or the Oklahoma State Cowpies as a high-quality win will be laughed out of this thread.] No way they deserve the BCS national championship berth over Texas Christian or Cincinnati. I actually gave serious thought to dropping them to sixth.
6 – Boise State (12-0)
That was a nice win over Nevada, and gives them a trio of quality victories, along with Fresno and the monster upset of Oregon.
7 – Oregon (9-2)
If you rank Oregon over Boise State, you're a hypocrite, not to mention an idiot.
8 – Brigham Young (10-2)
Monster win for the Cougs over Utah.
9 – Ohio State (10-2)
I can't believe they're back in the top ten. Arrgh.
10 – Louisiana State (9-3)
Fortunately, clock management was not a factor.
11 – Georgia Tech (10-2)
Give the Dawgs credit; they came to play. At least the Jackets showed some fight and rallied. What's really pathetic, though, is that the ACC championship is now a certifiable joke, what with a humbled GT playing Clemson—which just lost to the first USC. Even SEC also-rans beat the elite of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Like someone said, there are plenty of good teams in the ACC, and zero great ones.
12 – Iowa (10-2)
Ah, what might have been.
13 – Virginia Tech (9-3)
Groh's out ... pun intended.
14 – Miami, Florida (9-3)
I'd have been more impressed if RU hadn't already started USF's annual nosedive.
15 – Penn State (10-2)
Hey! I know! How about a bowl game between Pitt and Penn State? What's that? JoePa's rolling over in his hyperbaric chamber? Darn.
16 – Pittsburgh (9-2)
Actually, the resume's starting to look a little thin. Good thing two of their toughest games end the season. Now when Cincinnati thrashes them and they drop off the national radar, they'll still have gotten a season's worth of "Wannstedt's a genius!" out of it.
17 – Oregon State (8-3)
They have a real chance. Anyone who doesn't think so is daft.
18 – West Virginia (8-3)
I hate these guys ... and I fear they're going to come into Piscataway and just thrash my Knights for like the 1,700th consecutive time.
19 – Nebraska (9-3)
If A&M can give UT a game, the 'Huskers can absolutely win. Whether they will or not is another matter.
20 – Houston (10-2)
How about a Cougars-Cowboys rematch in some meaningless bowl? Nah. I don't think Oklahoma State wants any part of Houston a second time.
21 – Utah (9-3)
It's amazing that they're sorely disappointed with 9-3. Shows you how far this program has come.
22 – Southern California (8-3)
A game for mid-tier bowl positioning. How the mighty have fallen. Heh heh heh.
23 – Central Michigan (10-2)
Do I really think they'd beat Cal and Oklahoma State? Yeah, I kinda do.
24 – California (8-3)
They and Oklahoma State should be charter members of a new conference: The Irrelevent Ten, or some such.
25 (tie) – Oklahoma State (9-3)
Once again, stillborn in Stillwater. What a surprise.
25 (tie) – Rutgers (8-3)
Well, we'll find out just about everything we need to know about these Knights on Saturday. Barring a quality bowl matchup, West Virginia will make or break the season.
I just can't figure RU out: Thrashed by Cincinnati ... a tough out against Pittsburgh ... miracle win over UConn ... administers a beatdown of USF ... loses to freakin' Syracuse ... then whups the team that just beat the Orange. They are the little girl with the curl.
1 – Florida (12-0)
Does a rivalry game against Bowden's Boobies count as a quality win?
2 – Texas Christian (12-0)
Until now, I wasn't sure they'd beat 'Bama. Now I am.
3 – Alabama (12-0)
Really starting to think that SEC officials have given 'Bama and the Gators strategic boosts to assure this latest "Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny."
4 – Cincinnati (11-0)
This game against Pitt is a de facto Big East championship. They have wins over Oregon State, West Virginia, Rutgers, UConn and South Florida. That's a pretty good resume, with Pitt still to come.
5 – Texas (12-0)
Don't give me any of this "rivalry game" horseshit: They struggled against Texas A&M, and if not for a fortuitous kickoff return (which also saved them last year against Oklahoma), they probably lose this one. This team has zero high-quality wins this year. [And anyone who puts forth either five-freakin'-loss Oklahoma or the Oklahoma State Cowpies as a high-quality win will be laughed out of this thread.] No way they deserve the BCS national championship berth over Texas Christian or Cincinnati. I actually gave serious thought to dropping them to sixth.
6 – Boise State (12-0)
That was a nice win over Nevada, and gives them a trio of quality victories, along with Fresno and the monster upset of Oregon.
7 – Oregon (9-2)
If you rank Oregon over Boise State, you're a hypocrite, not to mention an idiot.
8 – Brigham Young (10-2)
Monster win for the Cougs over Utah.
9 – Ohio State (10-2)
I can't believe they're back in the top ten. Arrgh.
10 – Louisiana State (9-3)
Fortunately, clock management was not a factor.
11 – Georgia Tech (10-2)
Give the Dawgs credit; they came to play. At least the Jackets showed some fight and rallied. What's really pathetic, though, is that the ACC championship is now a certifiable joke, what with a humbled GT playing Clemson—which just lost to the first USC. Even SEC also-rans beat the elite of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Like someone said, there are plenty of good teams in the ACC, and zero great ones.
12 – Iowa (10-2)
Ah, what might have been.
13 – Virginia Tech (9-3)
Groh's out ... pun intended.
14 – Miami, Florida (9-3)
I'd have been more impressed if RU hadn't already started USF's annual nosedive.
15 – Penn State (10-2)
Hey! I know! How about a bowl game between Pitt and Penn State? What's that? JoePa's rolling over in his hyperbaric chamber? Darn.
16 – Pittsburgh (9-2)
Actually, the resume's starting to look a little thin. Good thing two of their toughest games end the season. Now when Cincinnati thrashes them and they drop off the national radar, they'll still have gotten a season's worth of "Wannstedt's a genius!" out of it.
17 – Oregon State (8-3)
They have a real chance. Anyone who doesn't think so is daft.
18 – West Virginia (8-3)
I hate these guys ... and I fear they're going to come into Piscataway and just thrash my Knights for like the 1,700th consecutive time.
19 – Nebraska (9-3)
If A&M can give UT a game, the 'Huskers can absolutely win. Whether they will or not is another matter.
20 – Houston (10-2)
How about a Cougars-Cowboys rematch in some meaningless bowl? Nah. I don't think Oklahoma State wants any part of Houston a second time.
21 – Utah (9-3)
It's amazing that they're sorely disappointed with 9-3. Shows you how far this program has come.
22 – Southern California (8-3)
A game for mid-tier bowl positioning. How the mighty have fallen. Heh heh heh.
23 – Central Michigan (10-2)
Do I really think they'd beat Cal and Oklahoma State? Yeah, I kinda do.
24 – California (8-3)
They and Oklahoma State should be charter members of a new conference: The Irrelevent Ten, or some such.
25 (tie) – Oklahoma State (9-3)
Once again, stillborn in Stillwater. What a surprise.
25 (tie) – Rutgers (8-3)
Well, we'll find out just about everything we need to know about these Knights on Saturday. Barring a quality bowl matchup, West Virginia will make or break the season.
I just can't figure RU out: Thrashed by Cincinnati ... a tough out against Pittsburgh ... miracle win over UConn ... administers a beatdown of USF ... loses to freakin' Syracuse ... then whups the team that just beat the Orange. They are the little girl with the curl.
They didn't play in Stillwater. They played in Norman. Allegedly played, but in Norman. I was stunned that they couldn't score against a pitiful Sooner team. It was as if they didn't show up. That Robinson wasn't healthy didn't help. It was as if they lost all their confidence because they knew he could barely throw; they seemed paralyzed. His shoulder was a lot more messed up on that last hit in the Tech game then they let on. It's why the passing game was so limited. Without Robinson at full strength the offense was a disaster.
Why? Is it also hypocritical to rank USC above Stanford? BYU above Florida State?
College Football Ranking Comparison (Through 28 Nov 2009):
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. TCU
5. Oregon
6. Cincinnati
7. Boise State
8. Georgia Tech
9. Ohio State
10. Virginia Tech
11. Penn State
12. Pittsburgh
13. Iowa
14. LSU
15. Miami
16. USC
17. Oregon State
18. Oklahoma State
19. Nebraska
20. Clemson
21. BYU
22. California
23. Stanford
24. Arkansas
25. Mississippi
Wasn't referring to where they played Oklahoma, but instead making a bad pun.
After yesterday's debacle, all humor's lost on me. What a pitiful display. It was like the offense forgot how to play football. Amateur hour, and it wasn't as if they were playing top flight competition. People talk about OU's home streak, but OSU was the last team to beat them at home. OU's no great shakes this year; they shouldn't be that intimidating. They shouldn't have been able to do that to State. They didn't and they aren't, really. State did it to themselves. Maybe they got arrogant. I don't know. It was 27-0 and the game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Pitiful.
On the upside, the mens basketball team is 6-0 to start.
On the upside, the mens basketball team is 6-0 to start.
Succinctly, Boise State defeated Oregon handily. Boise State is undefeated, while Oregon has not one, but two losses, one to a four-loss Stanford. That's more than enough to not only justify, but make unquestionable except by the not-particularly-discerning and those with an agenda, that Boise State should outrank Oregon.
No one would question that Oregon's schedule is significantly more difficult than Boise State's ... but the Broncos have done everything asked of them, and looked impressive doing it. If they slip up, well ... that's a whole other argument. But until and unless they do, BSU should serve as an absolutely impassable barrier to Oregon's ascent up the rankings.
No. USC has one fewer loss than Stanford (not, like Oregon, two more than Boise State) and has played a somewhat more difficult schedule. [Both played Pac-10 schedules and San Jose State, but USC handled Ohio State in the Horseshoe, while Stanford struggled at Wake Forest.]
Strength of schedule does customarily trump head-to-head ... but not in the extreme circumstances involving Oregon and Boise State. If there were a zero or even one-loss difference between the two, it would be strongly or reasonably arguable, respectively. If Oregon hadn't had over fifty points laid on it in a cornholing by Stanford, again, maybe. If the USC win was still as impressive as it had been when it occurred ... possibly.
All these factors, when considered, though, make it obvious that, over the season's course, Boise State has been the better team. The body of work, despite the strength of schedule disparity, is clearly superior.
[Oh, and ... I like the Ducks better than I do Boise State. That doesn't mean I'm going to ignore the fact that the Broncos are demonstrably the more formidable team.]
Why would it be wrong to rank a 10-2 team over a 6-6 team? I mean, are you also saying that 8-3 Rutgers is worse than 4-8 Syracuse simply because the Knights shit the bird one time?
One could make the same argument for Oregon against BSU, if it had been a one-time occurrence—an aberration. But the Ducks have shown that they're capable of, more than once, going out and looking like absolute crap along with being world beaters—though, again, the USC disintegration is no longer the awe-inspiring feat it was. Oregon's best win is a toss-up between, USC, Utah and Cal—none of which are truly elite teams this year. If everyone's so bullish for Oregon, including the pollsters from the rankings you posted (assuming they're not your personal rankings), then Boise State's best win is better than anything U of O's done, ain't it?
[I'd also love to hear the justification for ranking a two-loss Oregon over Cincinnati, a BCS conference team that's undefeated, having won at Rutgers, against Fresno State, vs. West Virginia, at South Florida, and over UConn, as well as sporting a win at 8-3 Oregon State, a notoriously difficult place to play. Just ask USC.]
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Dude ... it was certainly not my goal to f**k with you. I empathize with the frustration of pulling for a team that can't quite get it done when they need to do so. [Remember, I follow Rutgers, and am still smarting over the freakin' triple-overtime loss to West Virginia that robbed the Knights of their first BCS bowl in 2006.
]I shall lay off the Oklahoma State jokes for the season's duration.
As to the Cowboys' start in b-ball ... they've always got a nice little team, it seems.
USC still looked terrible last night. The offense can't do anything right.
At least the end was amusing. USC signaled their willingness to accept UCLA's surrender and end the game by taking a knee. UCLA calls time out instead. USC throws a 50 yard touchdown. UCLA gets pissy. Boo-fucking-hoo.
That's what you get Neuheisel, you tool.
The monopoly on Los Angeles football is over when Pete says it is!
PS: Since when do you give mercy, JM? You've been riding my Trojan-loving ass for years!!!
At least the end was amusing. USC signaled their willingness to accept UCLA's surrender and end the game by taking a knee. UCLA calls time out instead. USC throws a 50 yard touchdown. UCLA gets pissy. Boo-fucking-hoo.
That's what you get Neuheisel, you tool.
The monopoly on Los Angeles football is over when Pete says it is!
PS: Since when do you give mercy, JM? You've been riding my Trojan-loving ass for years!!!
I wasn't pissed off. Just lamenting. And I'm not a dude. 
Yeah, I know Rutgers' situation. Can't quite get to the top of the mountain. I empathize.
Yeah, I know Rutgers' situation. Can't quite get to the top of the mountain. I empathize.
Dorian Thompson said:And I'm not a dude.
I know. I tend to use "dude" as gender neutral.
I assume you'd prefer that to "baby"?
Since when do you give mercy, JM? You've been riding my Trojan-loving ass for years!!!
Despite their current woes, the Trojans are worthy adversaries—teams worth hating. Same with Ohio State. College football wouldn't be the same without them near the top of the pack. [That's why we're all missing Michigan—even those who loathe them would rather pummel them when they're good. Now, West Virginia, on the other hand ... they should be reclaimed by their Infernal Master in an explosion of fire and brimstone.]
With all due respect to Dorian Thompson ... Oklahoma State? Not so much.
Goooo Dawgs Sic Em. Woof Woof Woof
I'm ready to see Alabama/Florida. I would like Alabama to get the win just so all these obnoxious fair weather fans will shut up.
I'm ready to see Alabama/Florida. I would like Alabama to get the win just so all these obnoxious fair weather fans will shut up.
A minor correction is in order here. The last time they met was in last year's Civil War, when Oregon thumped OSU by the score of 65-38, knocking them out of the Rose Bowl. So there's a revenge component to this year's game.
At least this year's game will be nationally televised on Thursday. I just hope the right Oregon team shows up.
On the minus side for Boise St
- they play in the WAC, a decidedly weak conference by about any standard
- their sole remaining game is against New Mexico St(3-8)
- they were extremely ordinary against Tulsa and La. Tech, two teams they should have thrashed
On the plus side:
- they are undefeated
- they soundly defeated what turned out to be an excellent Oregon team
Arguments for one ranked above the other are understandable... but I'd tend to go with Boise St ahead of Oregon in the polls.
- they play in the WAC, a decidedly weak conference by about any standard
- their sole remaining game is against New Mexico St(3-8)
- they were extremely ordinary against Tulsa and La. Tech, two teams they should have thrashed
On the plus side:
- they are undefeated
- they soundly defeated what turned out to be an excellent Oregon team
Arguments for one ranked above the other are understandable... but I'd tend to go with Boise St ahead of Oregon in the polls.
Heh. Actually, that's not so minor. I had that remembered backwards. For some reason I thought Oregon State had laid out Oregon. I stand corrected. Odd, that. I'm a pretty big Ducks fan. Wonder why I misremembered that? Hmm.
Gettin' old.
I edited the original post. Thanks for the heads-up.
UT the Younger is far, far, far preferable to the brain-melting lovefest that has become Florida and especially the Most Holy Saint Tebow.
Yet despite that, there's no way in hell I root for the Crimson Tide. So I'm counting on the Longhorns to end the reign of Saint Timmy on a sour, painful note.
On a rather different note, who was it in here that follows Grand Valley State in Division II? CommanderVaughn, right?
Hey, CV... ready for your Lakers to lose this Saturday? My Carson-Newman Eagles are headed up there to take your guys down on National Television.
ESPN game, can you believe it?
