2012 NCAA Football Thread

[emzie]

Notre Dame is at least as good as 2002 OSU No way Alabama or Georgia are as good as Miami.

Doesn't mean lightning strikes twice, but people who are comparing this Notre Dame team to 2006 are blind.

Their goal line stand, with the ball placed like 2 inches from it, made my jaw kinda drop. I'd not want to play that team.

I'd be onboard with a Te'o Heisman. I think it's time to remember that best player can be something other than an RB or QB.

edit: Brian Kelly said it better

"If a guy like Manti Te'o's not going to win the Heisman, they should just make it an offensive award," Kelly said. "Give it to the offensive player every year and let's just cut to the chase. He is the backbone of a 12-0 football team that has proven itself each and every week, and showed it tonight again with another key interception and a great play in the end zone on (USC receiver) Marqise Lee to save another touchdown.

 

[downtown]

I was a little embarrassed for Ohio State's standing O for Tressel.

He's the modern father of the program. He won a national title, did nothing but dominate the Big Ten and send guys to the NFL. He also OWNED Michigan.

Scandal aside, Tress set the foundation for another decade of dominance by Ohio State.

 

[Azale]

I'd be onboard with a Te'o Heisman. I think it's time to remember that best player can be something other than an RB or QB.

edit: Brian Kelly said it better

Me too. The competition is a little light this year. Marqise Lee is playing for a 7-5 team, Johnny "Football" ( ) had some stinkers especially against LSU and if Peterson couldn't win the Heisman than neither should Manziel, Klein choked against Baylor, etc.

Te'o deserves it. So did Suh.

 

[ummmm........]

Their goal line stand, with the ball placed like 2 inches from it, made my jaw kinda drop. I'd not want to play that team.

ND's defense is unquestionably for real. Definitely SEC caliber. Nationally, they're second only to Alabama in several significant defensive categories, though a bit more distant in some others.

Offensively, they're not quite as competitive.

I'm certainly not saying they can't win. There's a reason defense wins championships and it's because it keeps you in every game. If they get lucky with the turnover margin they've got a good shot.

Nonetheless, this weekend's SEC title game -- whichever team wins -- is going to be more competitive than the national title game.

Speaking of that SEC title game, there's a little news of note today from the Alabama camp. With Bell out, we're considering pulling the redshirt off Chris Black for the last two games of the season. It seems crazy given that Black's only been back practicing for a couple of weeks and hasn't taken any contact, but given his talent and position it's unlikely he'll stay past his third year whether he takes a redshirt or not. Also, if we can get past UGA this weekend, having two freshman phenoms at WR would only increase our advantage vs. ND's weak secondary.

Fun fact!: This weekend's SEC title game features the best two passer ratings in FBS, so all you offense-first types should have your eyes glued to the set.

Fun fact II!: Kent State, 33 point losers to two-win Kentucky, is 18th in the country with a shot at the Sugar Bowl. I love this country!

He's the modern father of the program. He won a national title, did nothing but dominate the Big Ten and send guys to the NFL. He also OWNED Michigan.

Scandal aside, Tress set the foundation for another decade of dominance by Ohio State.

Exactly. "Yeah, he cheated and lied -- to the fans, his own administration and the NCAA -- but he won." That's the sentiment that I found embarrassing. And that's not a dig at OSU. I think any major program fanbase would react that way, and I think it's sad.

Hopefully the NCAA's new discipline guidelines will be effective at deterring similar outcomes in the future . . .

EDIT: Sorry, forgot to give input on the Heisman talk, perhaps because it's irrelevant. It's an individual award in a team sport, given before the season is finished, is stat driven, undervalues defensive players -- as y'all have pointed out -- and even given it's own limitations and skewed criteria, it still manages to get it wrong more often than not.

 

[Azale]

I think Richt will lay a massive egg this weekend. Just a feeling.

 

[ummmm........]

That is the Georgia way. But this year feels a little different to me. They're sort of peaking late in the season while we're sort of limping in on a downslide. OTOH our defense has been more consistent than theirs. Also their tough games were earlier in the season than ours, so that may account for the seeming opposite trajectories here lately. I don't know. I think it's going to be a pretty good game. Better than Georgia's recent efforts against us and LSU anyway.

 

[dgfred]

Georgia gets thumped.

 

[emzie]

Me too. The competition is a little light this year. Marqise Lee is playing for a 7-5 team, Johnny "Football" ( ) had some stinkers especially against LSU and if Peterson couldn't win the Heisman than neither should Manziel, Klein choked against Baylor, etc.

Te'o deserves it. So did Suh.

...why did you change my name?

 

[Azale]

...why did you change my name?

Whoah WTH. I didn't do that!

 

[ummmm........]

I think Richt will lay a massive egg this weekend. Just a feeling.

Georgia gets thumped.

Aw, y'all are just setting me up now aren't you? Manziel had like one incompletion until late in the third or something. We made Mettenberger look like one of the Mannings out there. And you don't think we need to worry about what Aaron Murray's going to do to us?

I think we're good enough up front to at least contain their RB tandem, and while their defense is potent, it's no more fearsome than others we've faced. But I'm worried about Murray, especially with our injuries at WR really holding us back if it turns into a shootout. (SEC style shootout, I mean. Like more than six or seven total TDs combined.)

Speaking of those WR injuries, Chris Black took off the no contact jersey for the first time this season in practice today. Gamesmanship from Saban? That would seem a little out of character.

Finally, a question: Does anybody feel bad for Florida?

They're 4-1 vs. the top ten without any other losses, which is far and away the best resume in FBS. By the eyeball test, they suck (See La-Lafayette, or their offense all season). Yet the best they can do is the Sugar, and if they are forced to choose Kent State or the Big East champ for an opponent they may pick LSU over Florida just to fill seats.

Every regular season everybody is always clamoring "Play a better schedule, beat somebody", etc.

Last year LSU did it, and it wasn't enough for anyone. This year it's Florida, and they're an afterthought. So I ask again, as I did last year, why should anyone bother . . ?

EDIT: Brainfart! The Sugar has to pick Florida because they'll be top 4. I'm such a silly. Still, question remains. Maybe even moreso, since they may have received a better opponent in a non-BCS bowl . . .

 

[Azale]

Murray seems to fold against pressure. He tried to fold against Florida but the Gators outdid him. UGA hasn't really played anyone else, they've had a pathetic schedule.

 

[madviking]

Tulane to BEast.
Louisville/UConn/Navy to ACC.

 

[dgfred]

Tulane to BEast.
Louisville/UConn/Navy to ACC.

And ECU Football to Big East . Yay... finally.

 

[downtown]

Those ACC moves aren't official, in fact, the Navy Beat writer said it isn't happening. The Big East ones are, making it basically Conference USA, only with SDSU and Cincinnati.

 

[dgfred]

Don't believe the ACC wants Louisville too badly because of academics. Don't think Navy will go. So that leaves UConn... which will be later on IMO.

 

[Kennigit]

I'm just going to jump in this thread to say how hilarious it is to have a 6-6 team fight for a bcs spot #acc swag.

 

[shortguy]

Don't believe the ACC wants Louisville too badly because of academics. Don't think Navy will go. So that leaves UConn... which will be later on IMO.

Looking pretty strongly like Louisville. The academic side is a minus, but the ACC really can't afford to be picky. They have pretty good football with potential, great basketball, the resources to do well, and a new TV market. It also should quiet FSU and Clemson down a little. I don't love it, but it's the best option, and I think the powers that be will see that.

 

[ummmm........]

Murray seems to fold against pressure. He tried to fold against Florida but the Gators outdid him. UGA hasn't really played anyone else, they've had a pathetic schedule.

True, but their talent is undeniable. And I certainly don't want to see us blow them out. That's all we need with five weeks off and nothing else to think about but our inflated egos.

And ECU Football to Big East . Yay... finally.

It's just sad. I've always pitied the Big East, but it just keeps getting worse. At least they're not the WAC, I guess.

I'm just going to jump in this thread to say how hilarious it is to have a 6-6 team fight for a bcs spot #acc swag.

Pac-12 did it last year

It can be tough getting two divisions in shape to field a competitive challenger every year, but unfortunately the NCAA does not allow for a conference championship game in a divisionless conference. Also, scheduling would be more difficult with so many teams and so few conference games.

Silly season's in full swing btw. Miles to Arky! Petrino to Auburn!

 

[downtown]

Looking pretty strongly like Louisville. The academic side is a minus, but the ACC really can't afford to be picky. They have pretty good football with potential, great basketball, the resources to do well, and a new TV market. It also should quiet FSU and Clemson down a little. I don't love it, but it's the best option, and I think the powers that be will see that.

Yeah, they absolutely do not have a choice. They need to bring in another known football quantity to slow down Clemson and FSU, AND win their lawsuit with Maryland to keep the buyout at 50 Million. If they can't, FSU is leaving for more money (and a conference with more aligned athletic goals), and then it is completely open season on the rest of the ACC.

I just can't get over how the ACC was supposed to dominate everybody back in the early 2000s once they added Miami, and now they're Louisville and a courtroom away from being the Big East 3.0.

I should have an article about this up in the next few hours as well. I am particularly wound up over Tulane and Grand Canyon University, the first For-Profit school in D1, which was just admitted to the WAC.

 

[dgfred]

Looking pretty strongly like Louisville. The academic side is a minus, but the ACC really can't afford to be picky. They have pretty good football with potential, great basketball, the resources to do well, and a new TV market. It also should quiet FSU and Clemson down a little. I don't love it, but it's the best option, and I think the powers that be will see that.

Yeah... so much for the student in Student/Athlete .

It is all just a big joke to me... ridiculous.

Yay... the girl's volleyball team from Tulane going all over the map to play. SD players going to the east coast. I mean... it messes with my sense of ORDER!!!

ACC should be East Coast. Big East should at least be eastern half of the US.

It is all just one big money grab. Nothing like a Louisville/anybody rivalry getting started.