*Official* 2007 College Football Thread

[Abagadro]

The polls are on crack this year. BC? Are you kidding me? I know that 24-14 victory over powerhouse U.Mass was impressive, but 6/7?  Kentucky? They beat a mediocre Louisville team that then lost to another crap team and they are 8?

This year shows the inherent weakness of a poll system like this. It's a year with maybe four good teams and then a pack of about 15-20 that are decent, but nothing special and some downright mediocre teams that have risen to the top by sheer luck of playing weak schedules and having better teams ahead of them lose. I have a feeling that the BCS rankings are going to widely diverge from the AP/USA Today polls.

EDIT: To add more outrage.

[Nevermore]

USF #6?  The critics want to see a newcomer crash the party really badly.  Their coaches poll ranking is a bit more sane. 

How many other teams have beaten two top 20 teams, including one in the top 5?  Kentucky has played really well so you could make an argument there, but not BC or Florida.

[Raging Turtle]

My badgers are somehow #5.  That's both hilarious and awesome.   :-D

[Triforcer]

It's a year with maybe four good teams and then a pack of about 15-20 that are decent, but nothing special and some downright mediocre teams that have risen to the top by sheer luck of playing weak schedules and having better teams ahead of them lose.

That's true, but its not like the Oklahomas and Texas's and Floridas of the world are playing other top ten teams and losing to each other, letting the weak schedulers swoop in like vultures.  They all lost games to UNRANKED teams.  There is something to be said about teams (yes, like OSU) that don't lose the retardedly easy games because they are sleepwalking/planning for the big one next week. 

[Abagadro]

Auburn was at least ranked (edit: I mean at one point) and only has one bad loss (to Miss State). K State's only loss is to...Auburn. W.Virginina lost to South Florida, the team that beat...Auburn. Colorado is always a dangerous team with a well-established program.

These teams are at least playing top competition amongst themselves and good programs, not beating up on U.Mass and Akron.

[Triforcer]

Auburn was at least ranked (edit: I mean at one point) and only has one bad loss (to Miss State). K State's only loss is to...Auburn. W.Virginina lost to South Florida, the team that beat...Auburn. Colorado is always a dangerous team with a well-established program.

These teams are at least playing top competition amongst themselves and good programs, not beating up on U.Mass and Akron.

Well, OSU has Purdue, Michigan State, and Wisconsin coming up, all no or one-loss teams.  Also Penn State in Happy Valley, and Michigan in the Big House, and they already have a win over a quality Washington team (see: this week).  If they get through that unscathed, I don't believe you can trot out the "but they didn't play anyone, and in the South its practically like pro teams playing each other" screed.  All the big programs (except maybe Notre Dame) have some fluff in their lineup. 

[Abagadro]

I won't argue that if they get through the Big 10 they are a good team, but not top two (or really even top 5), which is what I am afraid will happen with Cal/USC and Florida/LSU in the offing.  The conference is very down this year IMO so beating Wisconsin or Penn State isn't much of a barometer.

[Paelos]

I disagree here Paelos. Tebow is special: he's a monster sized runner with a huge arm. I watched Tebow singularly keep his team in the game in the second half. I think he's going to be really something in the NFL if he can stay healthy.

I agree he is a special runner. He's an oversized QB who can run a good draw out of the shotgun. It's also one of the most obvious things ever to see coming as soon as they set up in the formation. If I'm a defensive coach, I'm training my linebacker core to key on his ass constantly if they come out in it.

As for the "huge arm" I'm in disagreement here. His completion numbers are high because he's working in the dink and dunk spread offense that Florida plays. He's also reliant on most of his yardage coming after the completion because his receivers are very good. Besides, Tebow didn't keep his team in the game in the second half. He failed to put in a TD on 1st and goal from the 3 in the third quarter. He tossed a pick on the first play of the next drive. He went 3 and out on the next drive. The ONLY thing that kept Florida in this game was the fact that Auburn fumbled the damn ball on the first play at their own 38, giving Florida a short field when they were basically doing nothing but spinning their wheels. If Auburn grinds the ball even halfway down the field and burns down some of that clock, punting it back, Florida couldn't have done diddly shit.

They can't put the entire game and season in Tebow's hands. This is not Vince Young, and this is not the Big 12. If you are that one-dimensional, you'll get stomped into the ground eventually. You know who else rushed the ball that game? 3 other guys for a COMBINED 36 yards.

[cmlancas]

USF #6?  The critics want to see a newcomer crash the party really badly.  Their coaches poll ranking is a bit more sane. 

EDIT:  And it practically hands then a position in the championship game.  Only four teams ahead of them need to lose for them to get in the big game, and all of the five ahead play quality games.  USF plays nobody the rest of the year (well, Rutgers).

Uh? UCF, Louisville and Rutgers are all not bad teams. Are you going to tell me OSU has a tougher schedule? I'd give it to you that LSU/UF play tougher schedules, but I'd put USC's schedule right on par with USF's.

Let's also not forget that USF has beaten WVU two years straight now. USF isn't some luckyduck chump school. Maybe you missed the Auburn game where USF's defense did what UF couldn't.

USF isn't a newcomer. This has been a year or so in the making.

[Trippy]

Wow.  LSU #1 by 2 points.  Also, Oregon got screwed.  Oh well.  Fuck them.  Cal's #3.  If there are 2 miracles, LSU will lose, and Cal will win its game against USC.  Okay, yea right I know, but a boy can dream.

If it's going to happen this is a year to do it. Cal is playing at home and USC is beat up and not playing all that well.

[Nevermore]

Uh? UCF, Louisville and Rutgers are all not bad teams. Are you going to tell me OSU has a tougher schedule? I'd give it to you that LSU/UF play tougher schedules, but I'd put USC's schedule right on par with USF's.

Don't forget a ranked, currently unbeaten Cincinnati.  The same Bearcats that beat USF last year.  It's not exactly cruise control to a bowl game.

[Paelos]

USF #6?  The critics want to see a newcomer crash the party really badly.  Their coaches poll ranking is a bit more sane. 

EDIT:  And it practically hands then a position in the championship game.  Only four teams ahead of them need to lose for them to get in the big game, and all of the five ahead play quality games.  USF plays nobody the rest of the year (well, Rutgers).

Uh? UCF, Louisville and Rutgers are all not bad teams. Are you going to tell me OSU has a tougher schedule? I'd give it to you that LSU/UF play tougher schedules, but I'd put USC's schedule right on par with USF's.

Triforcer's completely whacked on his opinion that the Big Ten is at all relevant this year. Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State are unranked shadows of what they used to be, and one of them is the biggest joke in the NCAA this season. Ohio State's played 5 nobodies in a row and is starting to get all uppity because they are 5-0 in a season where everyone is getting upset. Hell, my money is on Purdue next week. You heard it here first.

Wisconsin plays ONE ranked team this year, barring Michigan clawing its way back from total shame, and you don't get big points in the national eye for letting The Citadel hang 31 on your defense. They have to play each other in the end of the year slap fight that will knock one out, but you want to know what the funny part is? Michigan is still tied for first in the Big Ten and could easily win it late.

Still, with all that said, Louisville blows. They don't just blow, they manage to both suck and blow at the same time. I think they've actually created a portal of negative defense on the field when they play. They gave up 131 points in 5 games against unranked opponents. They are a joke, and I personally can't entertain the thought they will even be above .500 in the conference. Rutgers lost to Maryland. MARYLAND! I'd be shocked if Rutgers can beat Cincy.

USF has one stumbling block left, and I think it's the Cincy game in November.

[Abagadro]

Watch Louisville shut down the craptastic Utes this Friday.

[Montague]

What a weird year so far.

West Va. and Louisville have been exposed, finally.

I look at Ohio State at #4 and I think to myself "No way" but I then I look at 5-15 and really who would be favored to beat OSU on a neutral field? Florida I think would win and Oklahoma is a tossup - I think the OSU D could handle Bradford but they would have trouble scoring on the Sooners. Whoever voted OSU #1 in the USA Today poll has some issues though...

Notre Dame is 0-5 and rising. Reading some of the Domer forums is amusing - did you know that Ty Willingham is the reason that Charlie Weis can't win a game this year?

Michigan sucks out loud. The one clip where that slow-ass Northwestern running back that got something like 10 yards against the OSU defense outrunning a Michigan linebacker was classic. Penn State is being held back because JoePa would rather lose with his 80's style football than take a chance on a more modern approach - pretty sad.

LSU is indeed a gorilla with a chainsaw penis, but I think Les Miles loses a game for them somewhere down the line.

[WayAbvPar]

Notre Dame is 0-5

[Montague]

USF #6?  The critics want to see a newcomer crash the party really badly.  Their coaches poll ranking is a bit more sane. 

EDIT:  And it practically hands then a position in the championship game.  Only four teams ahead of them need to lose for them to get in the big game, and all of the five ahead play quality games.  USF plays nobody the rest of the year (well, Rutgers).

Uh? UCF, Louisville and Rutgers are all not bad teams. Are you going to tell me OSU has a tougher schedule? I'd give it to you that LSU/UF play tougher schedules, but I'd put USC's schedule right on par with USF's.

Triforcer's completely whacked on his opinion that the Big Ten is at all relevant this year. Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State are unranked shadows of what they used to be, and one of them is the biggest joke in the NCAA this season. Ohio State's played 5 nobodies in a row and is starting to get all uppity because they are 5-0 in a season where everyone is getting upset. Hell, my money is on Purdue next week. You heard it here first.

I agree the Big 10 sucks this year, but OSU had no problems with a Washington team that almost beat USC. If I was a betting man I wouldn't go with Purdue. Tiller tends to freeze up against Tressel and the OSU defense can actually defend the spread. OSU's 3 most likely losses are Wisconsin, which plays well at the Horseshoe, Penn State because Tressel tends to freeze up against JoePa, and Michigan because despite UM sucking that will likely be Carr's last regular season game and anything can happen.

What I think you'll see is when OSU or Wiscy lose, they will drop from the rankings like a stone. If OSU lost to Purdue my guess is they would drop down to like 16 or 17 because of the weakness of the Big 10.

[Paelos]

I agree the Big 10 sucks this year, but OSU had no problems with a Washington team that almost beat USC.

I knew somebody would bring it up eventually, but I'll say this. This ain't the USC you remember. This isn't the overwhelmingly dominant team of the past that is gonna roll over everyone and look scary all year long. This is the USC that is only #1 in some polls because they started that way. This is the team that played a hugely overhyped Nebraska on the road and won. That's pretty much it for them for a while. They are going to be looking past everyone else until Oregon because they all suck. Stanford, Arizona and Notre Dame? Yeah, I'd love the schedule going into my big end of the year games. Then, either Oregon or Cal is gonna rock their socks off, and LSU will end up at #1 on the year.

I will also say this, the Pac-10 has more parity in this current environment of craziness and upsets than it has had in years. This is the first time I've put it on par with the SEC in terms of not knowing who will emerge. There is almost no way anyone there is going to go undefeated, because all those teams at the top echelon are all playing at a very similar level of football. It's not dominate "oh my god watch out everyone" kind of football, but it's much more fun to watch than the past years. The only team playing scary good football right now is LSU, but they still have to take on Florida. Should they lose, it's anybody's conference to win in the SEC.

Also, on a new topic, how shitty is the Big 12 this year? #14 Nebraska, #4 Texas, and #8 OU at the beginning of the season. The top 10 teams took embarrassing losses to unranked teams. Nebraska got stomped on at home letting USC score more points against them than any other unranked team USC has faced this season. In 5 games, those top contender teams have dropped a combined 28 positions on the AP poll. Yikes.

[Hoax]

I still don't see why the Big10 is "terrible" this year.  By the same logic you just used to say the Pac-10 is finally good the Big10 has always been good.

Admittedly I haven't watched the fuck out of CFB this year so far but here's a fun little game..

Top 7 from each conference (admittedly this should wait until about week8-10 for more relevence).

LSU > Ohio State > UCLA
Florida > Wisc > ASU
Cal > Georgia > Illinois
USC > UM > Alabama
Oregon > S.Car > Purdue
Kentucky > Arizona > Indiana
Mich. State > Vandy > OSU

Admittedly I'm making tons of stuff up there but whatever.  Here are the 5 games I would most like to see from that list:

1. UM v Alabama - Alabama lost so much credit with me watching them not be able to beat a shakey Dawgs team.  Mike Hart & McFadden force you to root for them because they get fucking no help...

2. Oregon v Purdue v S. Carolina - Any matchup of these 3 would be damn fun I'd imagine.  Unless Purdue plans on choking on dick again in the coming weeks.  Carolina and Oregon would be great for sure though.

3. Cal v Georgia - Cal crushing another SEC "powerhouse" = 4tw.

[Paelos]

Hoax, you're effectively smoking crack. At least compare apples to apples.

From top to bottom it would be:

LSU - USC - OSU: This will be decided for sure, but there's no way to decide it on paper. I'd say USC is the only one to show any signs of weakness thus far, and LSU has a top 10 destruction of VA Tech (who was obviously overrated) and South Carolina (who is not). Advantage at the moment is with LSU. A Florida victory makes this undeniable.

Florida - Cal - Wisconsin: Cal is undeniably the best of the second tier teams, having faced a tough test already and winning.

Kentucky - Oregon - Purdue: Kentucky was "tested" against Louisville and won, thus putting them on top as the only undefeated program on the list to face a top 10 and walk away a winner, so they get the top bill; Purdue could easily make a huge move with an OSU win, or we'll never hear from them again.

Georgia - Arizona State - Illinois: That sound you hear is the Big Ten falling out of the top 25 in the rest of these battles. Personally, I'd love to see a UGA versus Arizona State game simply because they suffer from the same OSU illusions of grandeur that beating teams like Stanford, San Diego State, and San Jose provides. I give Georgia the nod if the game was on the road. Mark Richt doesn't lose on the road.

South Carolina - UCLA - Michigan: Michigan starts to show up late in the year and they might turn it around, but we'll always remember Appalachian State. Right now South Carolina is the best in this group and I believe they can beat Kentucky next week to move further up. UCLA's awful loss to Utah 44-6 knocks them out of contention here.

[Triforcer]

Re Michigan:  I think that they could win out, and this game in the Big House is OSU's most likely loss.  By that point, Michigan will have crawled back to #20 or so, and will have literally nothing to lose going against OSU.  Michigan is, right at this moment I believe, still a top 15 team.

[cmlancas]

USF in the Nat'l Championship.



That is all.

[Paelos]

USF in the Nat'l Championship.



That is all.

You need to stop smoking what Hoax is smoking.

[Mandrel]

Re Michigan:  I think that they could win out, and this game in the Big House is OSU's most likely loss.  By that point, Michigan will have crawled back to #20 or so, and will have literally nothing to lose going against OSU.  Michigan is, right at this moment I believe, still a top 15 team.

I can't wait until Michigan wins the Big 10 and goes to a BCS game.  All the internet arguing will be fun!

[Hoax]

Paelos, if you looked closely you would know I was going off fucking standings which is why I said this will be much more meaningful/fun in a few more weeks once the conference games are truly under way.

I'm not so stupid as to think UCLA is the best of the pac-10 but they are 1st in the pac-10.  W/e though I don't expect much from you ever.  I was bored at work so figured I would do the only useful/fun test of conference v conference which is a total waste of time if you start pickign who each person decides the "best" teams are.

[Paelos]

Paelos, if you looked closely you would know I was going off fucking standings which is why I said this will be much more meaningful/fun in a few more weeks once the conference games are truly under way.

I'm not so stupid as to think UCLA is the best of the pac-10 but they are 1st in the pac-10.  W/e though I don't expect much from you ever.  I was bored at work so figured I would do the only useful/fun test of conference v conference which is a total waste of time if you start pickign who each person decides the "best" teams are.

Yeah, the conference standings. I noticed that, even though for some reason you sort of just tossed Kentucky down at the bottom when they lead the SEC East currently. As you probably notice, I just went down the list of the AP poll and paired teams up based on that, which at least takes into account overall records instead of pure conference. If you want to just want to banter about games we'd love to see to prove the worth of the conferences, I'll give you my top 5 this year.

1 - USC v. LSU - it will be glorious should things hold up
2 - Georgia v. OSU - why the hell not? We'd probably lose but it would show some balls on OSU's part to try it instead of that other non-conference crap they pull.
3 - Cal v. Oklahoma - Personally, I'd do this just because OU would probably lose, and I hate everything about the Big 2, I mean 12
4 - USF v. Florida - Can you imagine? Can you? Insanity.
5 - South Carolina v. Boston College - The old ACC/SEC rivalry doesn't get much respect anymore, but I'd like to see the Old Ball Coach take on BC.

EDIT: Plus you insulted my Dawgs, I can't stand for that!  :-D

[Montague]

Paelos, if you looked closely you would know I was going off fucking standings which is why I said this will be much more meaningful/fun in a few more weeks once the conference games are truly under way.

I'm not so stupid as to think UCLA is the best of the pac-10 but they are 1st in the pac-10.  W/e though I don't expect much from you ever.  I was bored at work so figured I would do the only useful/fun test of conference v conference which is a total waste of time if you start pickign who each person decides the "best" teams are.

Yeah, the conference standings. I noticed that, even though for some reason you sort of just tossed Kentucky down at the bottom when they lead the SEC East currently. As you probably notice, I just went down the list of the AP poll and paired teams up based on that, which at least takes into account overall records instead of pure conference. If you want to just want to banter about games we'd love to see to prove the worth of the conferences, I'll give you my top 5 this year.

1 - USC v. LSU - it will be glorious should things hold up
2 - Georgia v. OSU - why the hell not? We'd probably lose but it would show some balls on OSU's part to try it instead of that other non-conference crap they pull.
3 - Cal v. Oklahoma - Personally, I'd do this just because OU would probably lose, and I hate everything about the Big 2, I mean 12
4 - USF v. Florida - Can you imagine? Can you? Insanity.
5 - South Carolina v. Boston College - The old ACC/SEC rivalry doesn't get much respect anymore, but I'd like to see the Old Ball Coach take on BC.

EDIT: Plus you insulted my Dawgs, I can't stand for that!  :-D

OSU's non conference crap? Uh excuse me, we played Texas the past two years.  NC State the two years before that (back when they were pretty good with Phillip Rivers and TA McClendon), and we play USC the next two years. Not to mention that one of each of those games was played on the road. Do I have to go into Georgia's nonconference schedule, particulary their road schedule (or lack thereof) the past few years?

[Trippy]

And which non-conference national powerhouse did you play this year?

[Nevermore]

4 - USF v. Florida - Can you imagine? Can you? Insanity.

USF v. Florida in the Sugar Bowl is actually a very distinct possibility this year.

[Trippy]

The Orange bowl picks their second team before the Sugar Bowl so it's more likely that USF as Big East champs (assumption) will go to the Orange bowl to play the ACC champs. If for some reason the Orange bowl and Fiesta bowl pass over USF then yeah they could play Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

[Montague]

And which non-conference national powerhouse did you play this year?

ehh, Washington was supposed to be our tough game. The games were scheduled in the late 90's when they were pretty good. I admit the schedule is weak this year, but to say that OSU just schedules cupcakes is plain wrong.

[Hoax]

Those Texas games were awesome, fucking CFB world should be thanking us for providing such good games to watch.  Too bad nobody could beat Vince Young when he put his fucking mind to it...  They had that game.

[Paelos]

OSU's non conference crap? Uh excuse me, we played Texas the past two years.  NC State the two years before that (back when they were pretty good with Phillip Rivers and TA McClendon), and we play USC the next two years. Not to mention that one of each of those games was played on the road. Do I have to go into Georgia's nonconference schedule, particulary their road schedule (or lack thereof) the past few years?

I don't care if you played an NFL team LAST year. I'm an SEC guy, and I'd like to see more solid teams play our solid teams. I'm not sure who is the one controlling that, and I'm willing to blame the SEC if it's us. I'm betting it's 50-50 deep down.

What I'm pointing out is that this year your team essentially plays one ranked team. It's a cupcake schedule because the conference is having a shitty year in big non-conference game and the polls. Washington was not big, btw. Do we really need to hash this out more? Do I need to point out how far the teams have fallen out of favor in the top 25? It's OSU, Wisconsin, and maybe Purdue if they beat OSU next week as the ranked teams in that conference. Compare it to the 4-5 in the Pac Ten, or the 5 in the SEC. It's a down year for the Big Ten, let's just face facts.

Georgia's always pissed me off with their non-conference selections, but they are getting better. We're starting to play teams like Colorado, Boise State, and Ok. St. at the beginning of the year. I'm hoping they will continue up that ladder and get more invites. The problem with the SEC is you have to play 8 conference games a year, most likely half of them against ranked opponents. It's hard to convince a program that you should take on more.

[Mortriden]

Right.  I know I'm late to the party and all... FUCK, BALLS, COCKGOBBLING CROTCH FUNGUS!

If you didn't get a chance to watch the UO vs. Cal game you missed a really good game.  Despite the fact that we lost...

A few things bothered me down the stretch.  Why call a short pass play down near the zone when you are trying to run the clock down anyway?  Cal was getting pressure on Dixon for almost the entire second half... just admit it and suck them in with a trap/draw and eat some more time off the clock.  That interception was a result of a bad play call (and a Dixon showing the whole world where he was going to throw... Jesus, I could have read that pass).  Oregon really needed to stay in the hurry-up offence (or that weird "almost" hurry-up they run).  It looked to me that once we got that going Cal wasn't able to find ways to stop the offence as well. 

Yeah, Cal did a good job of recovery in the second half... grumble, grumble.

BALLS! 

[WayAbvPar]

Cal v UO was a fantastic game. Cal kept trying to give it to Oregon, but Oregon kept stepping all over its own genitalia. The fumble at the 1 inch line through the end zone had to be sickening.

Also- DeSean Jackson is AMAZING. The little stutterstep he put on the DB and then blew past him for 6 was otherworldly.

[Hoax]

We'll see him on Sundays, I'm looking forward to it.  Marshawn Lynch is going to do so much for Cal recruiting, too bad the Bills are fucking trash still, goddamn Loserman.