NCAA Football 2008 Discussion - It All Starts Here.

[Mallory]

Oh man, Michigan won a football game! I'm so happy!

Congrats CV, Michigan looked pretty good today. You should have some hope for next season. I got to bounce back and forth between Michigan/Minnesota and Ohio State/Northwestern here this morning, and frankly the Michigan/Minnesota game was more fun to watch.

Hey, I want my chance to go a Rose Bowl after the BS from 2004. While it is pretty unlikely that Cal will win, I do want to hope. It has been the stylish thing to do this year.

Boy, if you guys do win today, it's going to make that Oregon State game awesome. Good luck!

 

[tomalak301]

I don't knwo if you really shoudl want that or not. Seems as if whenever USC shuts out an opponent these days, they drop inthe BCS poll.

Honestly, I'm not worried about that. There are too many good teams for USC to be thinking BCS Title game. That loss against OSU sticks out like a sore thumb, and I know it.

All I want is a win today. Not worried about a shutout.

Hopefully, someone can help us out in the Pac Ten, and I can make a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Hey, I want my chance to go a Rose Bowl after the BS from 2004. While it is pretty unlikely that Cal will win, I do want to hope. It has been the stylish thing to do this year.

Hey, if Oregon St can beat USC, so can Cal. Keep the faith man, Keep the faith.

 

[1001001]

I very much hope Ohio State doesn't make the Rose Bowl.

Been there, done that.

As for Cal tonight....I understand Longshore is starting for them?

Fantastic.

He's one of our favorites.

 

[Mallory]

Ohio State, Rose Bowl, Bleh...

 

[JM1776]

That was unfortunate: A flag that should barely have qualified as running into the kicker was called a rough, and the Nittany Lions are given a first down they don't deserve late against Iowa, with the Hawkeyes breathing down their necks at 23–21.

Edit: Iowa picks off a pass and ends the Lions' threat. Justice is served.

Further edit: Tough loss for PSU, but ... the Rose Bowl is still in reach, so it's not a complete disaster.

 

[TheBrew]

I very much hope Ohio State doesn't make the Rose Bowl.

Been there, done that.

As for Cal tonight....I understand Longshore is starting for them?

Fantastic.

He's one of our favorites.

A good gameplan would be to let Longshore play the first half and then yank him before he screws up the 2nd half.

 

[Mallory]

And the Oregon Ducks snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with just 15 seconds left to go in the game. Whew! Now I REALLY need a beer.

And Iowa beat Penn State...shocking!

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Go Cowboys. They score first on T-Tech after a fumble.

 

[JM1776]

But the Red Raiders counter with two scores of their own.

It's going to be interesting. I'm not sure Oklahoma State can come back if they get down more than 14. It would force them out of that wonderful balance they have.

Still early, though.

 

[Neroon]

Ohio State, Rose Bowl, Bleh...

Why? That'd be a trip back in time to the great OSU/USC Rose Bowl matches of the 70's.

But after Penn St. loss today, I'd say it will be PSU in there what with the PAC-10/Big-10's penchant for traditionalism. And they'd probably provide the best matchup for whoever the PAC-10 sends.

 

[Neroon]

But the Red Raiders counter with two scores of their own.

It's going to be interesting. I'm not sure Oklahoma State can come back if they get down more than 14. It would force them out of that wonderful balance they have.

Still early, though.

I think they just passed that point of no return from the dead. 35-14 TT! To show how badly things are going for the Cowboys, it looked like Bryant would have had that hail Mary TD at the end of the first half, but a teammate also went up for the pass and seemed to disrupt the catch.

For all of the (deserved) talk about Harrell and Crabtree and the Raiders vaunted offense, it's been their defense that has closed the deal this season. It's made them a even tougher to beat, because it makes things so much harder when trying to come back from a deficit, as you alluded to.

Edit: If I had a vote in the polls, I think I might give TT my #1 spot. There's no denying Bama's big win over LSU, and it's two biggest wins this year were on the road. But TT's wins in consecutive weeks over two such high quality teams as Texas and Okla. St. ...... man, it'd be hard for me to not give them the #1 spot.

 

[Super Grover]

Wow 56-20!

I wonder if Gundy is going to have another Meltdown.
"I'M A MAN, I'M 40!"

 

[Neroon]

Personally, I think too much has been made over his "I'm a man" rant. It's over and done and the humor seems wrung out of it.

Still..... that game wasn't his team's fault. I suspect he knows they just had their heads handed to them by a team that was just in every way better than his.

 

[Super Grover]

I just like to see meltdowns.

 

[tomalak301]

What an ugly game that USC/Cal game was. I'm not just saying that because Cal lost, but I found it surprisingly sloppy. It seemed Cal had no answer to that defensive line (Which is outstanding by the way) and USC was pretty much there to shut Cal down. In a why it reminded me of the Dirty bird era for the Ravens in I believe 2000 or 1999. Goal of the game is to score just enough but just play the defense and leave the offense at home.

Cal just looked awful whenever they had the ball. Recievers not catching thier passes, Longshore falling over himself, and just USC doing a fantastic job shutting them down all night long. As for the Refs and penalties, well there were some questionable calls, but this game was decided by USC having the best defense in the country and Cal's ineptitude to get anything going. Terrible game to watch, but it looks like it might be another Holiday Bowl or Sun Bowl for Cal.

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

Texas has been sloppy these past two games. It's unfortunate to see them but it's been a long, grueling schedule. Hopefully Tech gets knocked off by Oklahoma.

 

[JM1776]

JM'S Top Twenty-Five, Week Ending November 8th, 2008

1 – Texas Tech (10-0)
2 – Alabama (10-0)
3 – Texas (9-1)
4 – Oklahoma (9-1)
5 – Florida (8-1)
6 – Utah (10-0)
7 – Southern California (8-1)
8 – Boise State (9-0)
9 – Penn State (9-1)
10 – Ohio State (8-2)
11 – Missouri (8-2)
12 – Georgia (8-2)
13 – Oklahoma State (8-2)
14 – Ball State (9-0)
15 – North Carolina (7-2)
16 – Texas Christian (9-2)
16 – Brigham Young (9-1)
17 – Michigan State (9-2)
18 – Pittsburgh (7-2)
19 – Cincinnati (7-2)
20 – Florida State (7-2)
22 – Louisiana State (6-3)
23 – South Carolina (7-3)
24 – Air Force (8-2)
25 – Tulsa (8-1)

 

[1001001]

Well, USC's win was not a good performance by any stretch of the imagination. It was indeed a sloppy, penalty-filled game.

Turner's TD was questionable. I think if it had been reviewed, it would have been overturned. On the other hand, Cal's penalty on the touchdown was very clear once they showed the right replay. The Cal receiver knew the other guy was lined up wrong. You could see him frantically waving the other guy off the line of scrimmage.

Still, the bottom line is USC's defense, which is completely out of control. They've given up 13 points in the last 5 games. They are playing out of their minds.

Much like my Senior prom date, it wasn't pretty, but it worked out in the end.....

 

[Cyrus]

pac-10 officials did their best to mess up the game (for both teams), but I am happy Trojans won. Cal and Jeff Tedford are always a tough opponent. USC defense has been awesome all year, except for the first half against Oregon State.

 

[JM1776]

Thoroughly enjoyable to watch the inbred masses at Morgantown desert in droves, return frantically, and then shuffle off, sullen at WVU's OT defeat. That's what you get for leavin' in the first place, you fair weather hicks.

Hard to believe but, right now, 4-5 Rutgers is the class of that conference. If they'd found their offense (and Teel his swagger) two months ago, they'd be 8-1 and ranked in the top ten, instead of trailing overrated WVU, UC and Pitt—a team they destroyed once they started playing to their potential. They may still run the table and, if things shake out as I suspect they could, win the Big East.

Mark my words: Pat White is the new millennium's Andre Ware, without the broadcasting skills.