*Official* 2007 College Football Thread

[Nebu]

Name the two best teams in the land...

The two teams with the most pure talent are clearly LSU and USC.  Since there is no "I" in TEAM, I'll say that the two best teams are Oklahoma and Ohio State.  Yes, I do have a BIG 10 bias.

[SnakeCharmer]

Anyone else appalled at the officiating in CFB? The Pac-1- seems especially bad (remember the screwjob Oklahoma got in the Oregon game last year?), but apparently it is bad all over-

You're not the only one.  Officiating in NC2A football this year has been the worst I've ever seen across all conferences.  Part of me wants to say it's been the worst in the SEC amongst all, but I can't really make that claim because I've admittedly watched more SEC football than anything else, so it would be a bit biased. 

But it's been bad.  Really bad.

[Zar]

As a Missouri native and Mizzou fan it is completely fucking ridiculous that fucking KANSAS was picked over Mizzou for the Orange Bowl.  How can that be justified?  Mizzou has a higher BCS ranking, Mizzou won the Big 12 North over Kansas, Mizzou played a far more rigorous schedule, and Mizzou BEAT Kansas a mere two weeks ago!  And let's not forget that Kansas never played Oklahoma, the only team to beat Mizzou.  According to BCS logic, it seems that both Kansas and Mizzou should have been playing to lose that game to assure themselves a BCS bid, because for some fucking reason, qualifying for and then losing the Big 12 Championship is somehow worse than not qualifying to play in it at all.

Fuck.

[WayAbvPar]

I love it. Not that I want anything bad for Missouri, but every clownshoes decision the BCS  makes dooms it and brings us closer to a playoff.

[SnakeCharmer]

I love it. Not that I want anything bad for Missouri, but every clownshoes decision the BCS  makes dooms it and brings us closer to a playoff.

Won't ever happen.

Too much money to be made by the NCAA with the bowl system.  The top tier schools such as OSU, LSU, UF, and others don't want a playoff system because it makes them too much money. 

The people that complain the most about a lack of a playoff system are the Mizzous'/Hawaiis/Kansas'/Boise States of the college football world.  Teams the typically don't get top billing in voting or bowl selection.

[WayAbvPar]

When the public decides to quit going to and watching bowl games because of the anemic matchups, the money will dry up and they won't be able to switch to a playoff fast enough.

[SnakeCharmer]

In a sense, it's working as intended.

People are talking (bitching?) about it everywhere.  It keeps interest up on a constant basis.  It's talked about in the off season.

The only people that win is the NCAA.  And they aren't concerned with anyone else.

[Nebu]

When the public decides to quit going to and watching bowl games because of the anemic matchups, the money will dry up and they won't be able to switch to a playoff fast enough.

This is the same public that made Jerry Springer and Brittney Spears millionaires.  I'm not holding my breath.

To make this conversation even more volatile, I'll add that I think the NFL needs a farm system  BADLY.  As an ex-college athlete, there is no reason for college football to exist in the big money scheme that it is now.  The whole thing is crooked and full of players with no real desire to get an education.  These athletes should be making a salary for playing rather than attending college under the guise of being a student.  It's more of a joke than any of you could ever begin to imagine. 

[UD_Delt]

  It's more of a joke than any of you could ever begin to imagine. 

O Rly?

[SnakeCharmer]

When the public decides to quit going to and watching bowl games because of the anemic matchups, the money will dry up and they won't be able to switch to a playoff fast enough.

This is the same public that made Jerry Springer and Brittney Spears millionaires.  I'm not holding my breath.

To make this conversation even more volatile, I'll add that I think the NFL needs a farm system  BADLY.  As an ex-college athlete, there is no reason for college football to exist in the big money scheme that it is now.  The whole thing is crooked and full of players with no real desire to get an education.  These athletes should be making a salary for playing rather than attending college under the guise of being a student.  It's more of a joke than any of you could ever begin to imagine. 

College IS the farm system.  Think of Div I A and AA as the AA and AAA minors; Div II and III as the A minors.

As a former college athlete as well, I can say that those that do not take advantage of the free opportunity of a college education only have themselves to blame.  Yes, I know, there are star football players that couldn't spell cat if you spotted them the c and a, but they are the exception rather than the rule.  Eric Ramsey and his lawsuit against Auburn about 15 years ago (IIRC) put a big stop that recruiting studs that can't read/write.  But, no way in hell should they be getting paid more than they already do (free tuition, books, dorm, food...what more do they need?).  I realize that your average college football player on scholarship makes the university more money than a full ride chemistry major scholarship ever will, but if you pay one, you have to pay them all.

Paying athletes would bankrupt schools (or force them to raise tuition even more) because of Title IX, as well.

[Nebu]

College IS the farm system.  Think of Div I A and AA as the AA and AAA minors; Div II and III as the A minors.

Right.  That's my point.  Big money sports and the educational system shouldn't be in bed together any more than religion and politics.  They interfere with the function of eachother. 

Club sports.  There's your answer.  The school I played for brought in more than enough indirect funding from grants to pay for their needs.  As a professor at a research I university I can assure you that the money made from college sports by and large only gets funneled back into the athletic program anyway.  It's little more than a marketing scheme used to attract freshman that are so ill informed, that they often choose a school based on the quality of their sports teams.  Take big money sports off campus and we can focus on quality education and the athletes can get paid for risking their life and limb on the field.  It seems like a win-win to me. 

[Murgos]

It's little more than a marketing scheme used to attract freshman that are so ill informed, that they often choose a school based on the quality of their sports teams.

Ill informed?

A degree helps you get a job.  Where your degree is from helps you get your first job (sometimes it helps arbitrate between very similar resumes for interviews).

How your school does in Football?  A life times worth of entertainment and contacts via alumni orgs.

[Nebu]

Ill informed?

A degree helps you get a job.  Where your degree is from helps you get your first job (sometimes it helps arbitrate between very similar resumes for interviews).

How your school does in Football?  A life times worth of entertainment and contacts via alumni orgs.

Touche.   

[Margalis]

A playoff system is already in the works. It's a matter of when.

[Paelos]

A playoff system is already in the works. It's a matter of when.

This bullshit season just bumped up the timetable. I had plans to follow Georgia whereever we went, but I'm boycotting our selection to the Sugar Bowl against Hawaii. We've cancelled our travel plans and will watch the game from home. Also, I refuse to watch one second of the Rose Bowl, even if it is the only game on at that timeslot. We'll be eating dinner out then or something.

[Wershlak]

There is one bowl game that matters, the other games are merely exhibition games and the participants are chosen as much for economic reasons as for the teams play on the field. I really don't understand why anyone would bother watching. I won't be watching my choking dog Mountaineers 

I would think the increased popularity of the sport and the increased television revenue that meaningful playoff games would generate in the long term would compel the powers in the NCAA to make a change. 

[Paelos]

People with their hands in the money bowl hate change. Always and forever. You have to beat the hell out them to get that change, and when you finally get what you want it's their idea.

[Margalis]

Yep pretty much. It's hard to imagine a playoff being less popular than random bowl games. By definition every game in the playoff is a critical game.

[Murgos]

A very good write up of the BCS and how it shook out this year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/071204

[El Gallo]

I have long been a playoff proponent.  But it was great watching games this season like Pitt beating WVU and Stanford beating USC.  With a playoff, those games mean jack.  You won't see Mountaineer fans bawling in the stands.  Hell, you wouldn't even see Mountaineer starters in that game at all, because it would basically be an exhibition match.

[Nebu]

Playoffs: YES.

BCS: NO

If I were to go into any more detail beyond this, my head would explode from rage.

[Paelos]

Who's seriously not a playoff proponent? Find me 1 in every 100 college football fans with an IQ above 70 that doesn't think the bowl system sucks. I'm constantly amazed that it's not moving faster.

[Nevermore]

As the article points out, it has nothing to do with what the fans want and everything to do with the money the bowls and schools get.

[Paelos]

As the article points out, it has nothing to do with what the fans want and everything to do with the money the bowls and schools get.

So the only thing the fans can do is stop going to bowls. I'm doing my part this year not following Georgia to the Sugar Bowl.

[Murgos]

One of the other things pointed out was that a playoff system would be a logistical nightmare for planning purposes.  Are you going to pay in advance for Rose Bowl tickets to watch #1 play #2 when you won't know who is #1 or #2 until a few days before the game?  How are you going to get there if you wait until the last minute to be sure your team makes it?  Where are you going to stay?  The airlines and hotels will be booked solid.

It's a good point that even though the bowl system sucks for finding out who is really the best team in the land it does work well for letting people actually watch their team (i.e. make the bowls and the teams lots of money).

[Paelos]

Simple. You make them home or away based on standing, like the NFL. Then, you do what most universities do before the bowl selections are made. They send out sheets to the fans and let them pick how many tickets they'd like for each possible bowl selection. It's really not that different than what they do now, other than the fact that playoff tickets would be picked up weekly at a common location.

[Abagadro]

I'm officially going through the no college football DTs.

[Paelos]

I'm officially going through the no college football DTs.

Yeah, this sucks. I'm watching Georgia play Basketball. It's not the same AT ALL.

[SnakeCharmer]

I'm officially going through the no college football DTs.

Absolutely.

I called up a buddy to see where we were watching the games at (his house or my house) before I realized that there are no college football games on today.

Damnit.

[Paelos]

I'm watching the Divsion I playoffs now to sooth my football needs.

[SnakeCharmer]

Delaware and SIU?

[Paelos]

Delaware and SIU?

Yes, currently Delaware is leading 14-10.

[SnakeCharmer]

They got it right.  Tebow wins the Heisman.

If *anyone* brings up the 'system quarterback' argument, I'll drive a golf club through your eye.

[Hoax]

What a stupid heisman vote, anyone with half a brain knows that Dixon deserved this.

His team never lost a game he played, he was fucking fantastic and he runs the spread x10 better then Tebow with way less of a supporting cast.  But lets punish the kid for having a season ending injury...   

P.S.

NEW GAME.  Top3 bets for the bowl season, also top5 most confident bowl winner selections.

Bets:
1.Fresno State over GTech +4.5
2.Hawaii over Georgia +8.5
3.Va Tech over Kansas -3.5

I also like the under on Oaklahoma versus WVU at 64.5

These were taken from bet365

[Abagadro]

Well, Oregon did lose to Cal when he played.

As for a comparison:

Tebow:

# Pass Yds 3132
# Yds/G 261
# TD 29
# QB Rating 122.9

Dixon:

# Pass Yds 2136
# Yds/G 213.6
# TD 20
# QB Rating 113.2

EDIT: Plus 22 TDS vs. 9 TDS rushing.