Um. As much as I hate to admit it, the ACC showed up the SEC in straight-up play this year, especially during Rivalry Weekend. The ACC is back, though not with any of the powerhouses they thought they were getting from the Big East.
NCAA Football 2008 Discussion - It All Starts Here.
- Thread starter Turbo
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Um. As much as I hate to admit it, the ACC showed up the SEC in straight-up play this year, especially during Rivalry Weekend. The ACC is back, though not with any of the powerhouses they thought they were getting from the Big East.
That's still a winning record, any way you want to look at it. The top of the ACC may not be able to compare with the top of the SEC, but the ACC is still a deeper conference football wise.
Georgia, 45-13. MSU is wildly overrated. They've beaten no one this year, and have been comprehensively thrashed each time they faced an elite squad. They're pretenders through and through.
Their coach does have them headed in the right direction, though, to his credit.
I'd love to see MSU win, not so much because it's against an SEC team but because their head coach is one of my favorites from Tressel's staff. D'antonio does indeed have Sparty headed in the right direction, but they've got a long way to go. They'll get there eventually, though I doubt it will get much further with this bowl game.
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Georgia has a great offense with Matt Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, AJ Green, and Mohamed Massaquoi, but the defense has been atrocious of late allowing 41, 45, and 49 against ALA, GT, and FLA respectively. Normally I would be very confident in this matchup, but with our D struggling mightily and Mich St has a great RB in Javon Ringer. I think the game could go either way and I question whether UGA will be excited or not (which I can't understand) in what will be a shootout.
Much as I love Ringer, he has been completely shut down by the only two decent defenses they've faced all year. While it's true that the Bulldogs have given up a boatload of points, of late.... if they can crowd the line and bottle up Ringer, they will win comfortably. I'm not sure about the Georgia pass D though.... have they had any success, or was that how the large point totals were accrued?
Georgia does not have a physical defense this year. We have a bunch of fast, athletic guys that throw shoulders at people instead of wrapping up to tackle. I hope they rebound for the bowl, but I can't tell if they are fired up or not. Our D coordinator Willie Martinez is under a lot of fire. Only bright spot on D has been LB Rennie Curran who has 100+ tackles. Mich St should be able to run and pass on the UGA D if it is the same as it was in the GT game. On a similar note, I think the Mich St will have all kinds of problems with our offense. Should be interesting.
See.... that' what I'm thinking. The Georgia offense will be able to score decently enough against MSU, to the point where MSU won't be able to keep up. The Spartan defense is getting better, but they still don't have the speed to cover and counter Georgia's. Bu D'antonio is smart, so who knows?
One of the big things I am worried about is the mindset.
Mich State under a 2nd year highly touted coach is looking to continue to elevate their program to a possible 10 win season. They are looking to eventually compete for Big 10 titles with OSU, Mich, and Penn State.
Georgia finished last year 11-2 and #2 in the nation. We were preaseason #1 and have been a huge disappointment with the talent we have at QB and RB (both are projected to leave early and highly touted for the NFL draft this spring).
Mich State under a 2nd year highly touted coach is looking to continue to elevate their program to a possible 10 win season. They are looking to eventually compete for Big 10 titles with OSU, Mich, and Penn State.
Georgia finished last year 11-2 and #2 in the nation. We were preaseason #1 and have been a huge disappointment with the talent we have at QB and RB (both are projected to leave early and highly touted for the NFL draft this spring).
Now that would have been a marketing dream, rematching the participants from three years ago. As it is, I still like the Texas / OSU matchup. OSU is playing much better on defense and should be the toughest defense Texas has faced this year. Even so, Colt McCoy will be the best QB that OSU has face all year, with all due respect to Mark Sanchez.
Texas is going to destroy Ohio State
Penn State has a "punchers chance" against the Trojans
But, I think that on Jan 9th, you will have 3 teams that can lay claim to being the "best team in the nation" in the forms of Texas, USC, and OU (which I think will beat Florida... but I give that one a 51/49 chance)
Penn State has a "punchers chance" against the Trojans
But, I think that on Jan 9th, you will have 3 teams that can lay claim to being the "best team in the nation" in the forms of Texas, USC, and OU (which I think will beat Florida... but I give that one a 51/49 chance)
It would have happened if Oregon State had beaten Oregon.
I think Texas will crush Ohio State, but it won't matter. Facing a two-loss team in a BCS bowl, no one will care.
USC/Texas would have been interesting, but if it's not the BCS Championship, I'd prefer we stick with the Rose Bowl. I love the tradition. And this year, we actually get a worthy opponent...
USC/Texas would have been interesting, but if it's not the BCS Championship, I'd prefer we stick with the Rose Bowl. I love the tradition. And this year, we actually get a worthy opponent...
Quite possibly, but by no means a given.
See above. The Lions' disciplined and experienced defense will be a very good test for the Trojans. I'm not sure that USC's somewhat inconsistence on offense will be exploited enough, but this PSU defense will be their best test yet. The kicker is whether or not PSU's offense can generate anythign against the nightmare known as the USC defense.
Somehow I doubt that whatever Texas and USC do in their respective bowls will have any bearing whatsoever on the final results. Pretty much every poll has OU and UF in the top two spots, don't they? I doubt the scenario exists which would put USC in the top spot. Texas MAY have a shot if they convincingly defeat OSU and Florida weakly defeats Oklahoma. Still, I wouldn't want to bet on that.
It would be funny if that did happen, though.
I know that the top rated team will be the winner of oklahoma/florida
But I do think that both texas and sc have legit claims (and possibly in the polls that are not mandated by the bcs) to being called the "best in the nation"
As for Penn State and SC... I think SC's offense will have a rougher than usual time with Penn State's d... but Penn State's ofense will have no way to beat the SC defense!
But I do think that both texas and sc have legit claims (and possibly in the polls that are not mandated by the bcs) to being called the "best in the nation"
As for Penn State and SC... I think SC's offense will have a rougher than usual time with Penn State's d... but Penn State's ofense will have no way to beat the SC defense!
I think that USC is the real deal, but unfortunately their schedule isn't and they have paid for it dearly.
The only one of consequence that isn't associated with the BCS is the Associated Press, isn't it? They currently have Florida #1. and Oklahoma #2. If Florida wins, even by 1 point, they're the AP champs. If Oklahoma wins in a struggle, and Alabama wins... the AP takes Oklahoma because they beat the team that smacked Alabama in the end. USC is too far back in the polls and playing a lower ranked team, so I can't see the AP taking them. The only team they might elevate to #1 other than those would be Texas, and frankly with the way the AP seems to regard Ohio St (with some justification, I might add), that ought to mitigate even a complete domination by Texas. Would Texas have a legitimate claim? I doubt it. As important as I feel head-to-head is, when all is said and done Oklahoma will have turned in the more impressive performance. Enough so to overcome any edge head-to-head would provide.
That's the way my gut tells me it will go. USC has faced some excellent offenses and shut them down cold. The only real chance is if PSU can stay close enough to where a turnover by the USC offense would tip the balance. It's a decent shot, but a tough one at best.
Speaking of the ACC, their championship game had an attendance of only 27,630 (out of 77,497), and thousands of those were tickets that were given away.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/dec/08/actual-acc-attendance-27360/sports-colleges/
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/dec/08/actual-acc-attendance-27360/sports-colleges/
Good grief.
The ACC played some VERY good ball this season, and that's the best attendance that the crowds can turn out?
