College football

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The Aceman
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Re: College football

Post by The Aceman » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:33 am

9-0 University of Utah is ranked 8th in the BCS Standings, here's to hoping they keep their perfect record! On a side note...Utah is the only 9-0 team not ranked in the top 5. Of course USC can get a shutout and still drop 2 positions in the standings. I really wish there was a better "playoff" system for college football.
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Re: College football

Post by JazzGeek » Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:21 pm

The Aceman wrote:9-0 University of Utah is ranked 8th in the BCS Standings, here's to hoping they keep their perfect record! On a side note...Utah is the only 9-0 team not ranked in the top 5. Of course USC can get a shutout and still drop 2 positions in the standings. I really wish there was a better "playoff" system for college football.
There isn't. The BCS is a nice idea, just poorly executed. Their "formula" for rankings is a bit nebulous and convoluted; if you can understand it, please interpret for the rest of us.

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Re: College football

Post by Hostrauser » Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:14 pm

I can't believe I'm defending the current BCS rationale even a little bit, but here goes...

Fact is, 99% of the non-BCS teams don't deserve to be in the Top 5, even if they're undefeated.

People were hyping 8-0 Tulsa, too: a "strong" team from Conference USA that had scored 45+ in seven of their first eight games. The only game on their schedule against a BCS school was this past weekend against a bottom-of-the-barrel Arkansas squad that was 3-5 and already out of the SEC picture.

Arkansas won.

Central Michigan is undefeated in MAC play, but lost to 3-6 Big Ten member Purdue and was absolutely annihilated by Georgia.

Utah's 9-0, but who have they beaten? 2-7 Michigan? 2-7 Utah State? I-AA (excuse me, FCS) Weber State? Right now, their only impressive win was a two point squeaker over 5-3 Oregon State.

TCU, right behind Utah in the rankings and the team that thrashed BYU, has only one loss... but it was a 25-point laugher to Oklahoma.

Bottom-line: with RARE exceptions, middle-of-the-pack BCS schools are still as good as or better than "elite" teams from non-BCS conferences.

Now, that said, I favor a combo playoff/bowl system for a compounded reason: (1) the players can't control the schedule and (2) the scheduling system doesn't allow for improvements. Utah or Boise State could go 12-0 three years in a row: they still wouldn't be invited to join the Big 12 or the Pac-10. Since there is no option of becoming a BCS school, schools do not deserve to be penalized for not being one.

My idea: the Top 8 in the BCS go to a three round playoff (choosing only the Top 4 would still be exclusionary to non-BCS conferences). People complain about the extra games, but SEC and Big 12 schools are already playing 14-game seasons thanks to conference championships. All games are neutral site, and you get to add two more BCS bowl games (for the sake of example, let's just say Cotton and Gator).

Round 1: 8 vs. 1, 7 vs. 2, 6 vs. 3, 5 vs. 4. These four games would be either the Gator, Cotton, Rose, Sugar, Fiesta or Orange Bowls, depending on regional and traditional positioning.

Round 2: 5/4 winner vs. 8/1 winner, 6/3 winner vs. 7/2 winner. Whichever two bowl games weren't used for Round 1.

Round 3: BCS Championship game.

Since the BCS is already solely about money, this format would give even bigger payouts (usually to the BCS conference schools). The Championship game teams/conferences would receive three payouts instead of one. The best part is, the champion would be pretty much indisputable (sorry, but if you have to argue why you should be "8th" to get into the playoff, you have no legitimate argument to the title should you be left out; the top 4 or 5 picks in this system are the vital ones, the remaining are charity). And undefeated non-BCS schools would at least have a chance. Maybe they'd be embarressed like Hawaii, maybe they'd pull a stunning upset like Boise State, or maybe they'd show they're ready to take on anyone like Urban Meyer's Utah team, but at least they'd have a chance.

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Re: College football

Post by JazzGeek » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:41 pm

Your idea makes sense and is logical. However, the BCS will never do it because it makes sense. :twisted:

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Re: College football

Post by crfrey71 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:49 am

The Aceman wrote:9-0 University of Utah is ranked 8th in the BCS Standings, here's to hoping they keep their perfect record! On a side note...Utah is the only 9-0 team not ranked in the top 5. Of course USC can get a shutout and still drop 2 positions in the standings. I really wish there was a better "playoff" system for college football.
Well, they shouldn't have lost to a weak Oregon State team in a weak Pac-10 conference. USC has nobody to blame but themselves.
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Re: College football

Post by crfrey71 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:52 am

I predict the National Championship game will be Penn St Vs. Florida, with Florida winning it all.

Texas Tech has the gauntlet schedule that Texas almost got through now. They have Okla St and Oklahoma the next 2 games.
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Re: College football

Post by Hostrauser » Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:47 pm

Terry Bowden wrote:Who would have thought that USC would suffer from a lack of fair and unbalanced coverage?

The Trojans are the media darlings in the media mecca of Los Angeles, yet they are getting no love from the national writers and voters in regard to their position in the race for the national championship...

Although once you lose a game you also lose the perfect argument you may have in this mythical title chase, you still have to wonder what USC has done to deserve such disdain. If it is a beauty contest you are looking for, then nothing should catch the eyes of the voters more than having the drop-dead most gorgeous defense in the country. The Trojans are ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 7.1 ppg. This is a whopping four points per game lower than the next best defense of all the teams ranked higher than them in the BCS. In spite of all this infatuation with high scoring spread offenses, the greatest and most consistent indicator of a national championship team is still scoring defense.

However, if you do love high scoring offenses, Southern Cal is no slouch in that category. The men of Troy are averaging 40.3 ppg, which is good enough to put them in the top 10 in that category as well. If you want to get picky and look at the margin of victory – which we all know is what most of the voters subjectively look at first anyway – USC is also ranked No. 1 with an incredible 33.2-point scoring difference over their opponents.

Isn't that what we are talking about when we get to the crux of the problem we have with USC – the quality of their opponents. Fairly or not, we are punishing Southern California because we don't think the Pac-10 is very good this year... Although I agree that the conference is not as strong as usual – though no worse than the Big Ten and the ACC – it isn't like we're talking about a bunch of guppies. I have said many times that the quality of talent in the Pac-10 is as good as any league in the country. Just last year, the conference had more players drafted into the NFL – per team – than any other conference in the BCS. And, like I said before, if the conference is not as strong from top to bottom as usual, at least USC is winning its games by the highest margin of victory in the country.

As for their non-conference schedule, no one can question the intent of the Trojans to schedule nothing less than top quality BCS conference teams. Virginia, Ohio State and Notre Dame all have winning records and were considered BCS bowl contenders when scheduled. You won't see any mid-major or I-AA fodder on their schedule like Western Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Coastal Carolina, The Citadel, Florida Atlantic or Chattanooga (feel free to connect the dots to the appropriate top six ranked BCS teams).

As for all those folks who cannot get that one loss to Oregon State out of their mind, you need to take a little closer look at the Beavers (5-3, 4-1). After a tough opening loss to up-and-coming Stanford, their only two other defeats were to Penn State and Utah, which are ranked third and eighth in the BCS. What makes that loss to Oregon State any worse than Florida's loss to unranked Ole Miss?

...After Southern California's loss to Oregon State on Sept. 25, they have outscored their opponents 214-20.

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Re: College football

Post by crfrey71 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:49 pm

The Pac-10 is 1-6 vs. the Mountain West (non-BCS) conference.
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Re: College football

Post by Hostrauser » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:37 am

And?

The Big Ten is 1-3 against the Pac 10. So are you arguing that Utah should above USC, Penn State and Ohio State in the rankings?

Besides, as Terry said: "...if the [Pac 10] is not as strong from top to bottom as usual, at least USC is winning its games by the highest margin of victory in the country."

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Re: College football

Post by tSz42 » Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:09 am

I like this stat:
John Nadel wrote:The Trojans have allowed only 13 points in the second half.
Also, on rivals.com's forums, there was a link stating that unbiased Vegas sports has USC as having the toughest schedule this season. They may be in a weak conference this season, but at least they aren't playing non-BCS teams as other top 10 teams are.

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Re: College football

Post by Hostrauser » Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:17 pm

Here's the non-conference schedules for the Top 10 teams in the AP Poll. BCS opponents are in bold, I-AA (FCS) opponents are italicized.

Alabama: Clemson, Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State

Texas Tech: Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU, Massachusetts

Florida: Hawaii, Miami-FL, The Citadel, Florida State

Texas: Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Rice, Arkansas

Oklahoma: Chattanooga, Cincinnati, Washington, TCU

USC: Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame

Penn State: Coastal Carolina, Oregon State, Syracuse, Temple

Utah: Michigan, Utah State, Weber State, Oregon State

Boise State: Idaho State, Bowling Green, Oregon, Southern Miss

Ohio State: Youngstown State, Ohio, USC, Troy


You'll note that NO ONE other than USC had three non-con games against BCS foes, and every other team had one more non-con game to schedule than USC. USC is also one of only three teams (Alabama and Texas being the others) not to schedule a cupcake FCS team. In fact, USC is one of only about a half-dozen teams to have NEVER scheduled a game against a I-AA/FCS opponent.

You'll also note that USC's one loss came to an Oregon State team that has played three games against the current Top 10 (and is probably the second-best team in the Pac 10, not exactly a "mediocre" team). Indeed, Florida's one loss (AT HOME) to 5-4 Mississippi is more embarrassing than USC's loss.

My personal Top 10:
1. Texas Tech
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. USC
5. Utah
6. Oklahoma
7. Florida
8. Boise State
9. Penn State
10. Oklahoma State

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Re: College football

Post by Chapagne » Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:28 pm

tSz42 wrote:I like this stat:
John Nadel wrote:
The Trojans have allowed only 13 points in the second half.
UCLA scored more points against Cal in Berkeley than USC did against them at home. Granted, one of them was a blocked punt, but still. UCLA's offense is so bad. USC needs to stop whining and realize that they made their own bed, although I got a big kick out of Pete Carroll switching his tune on the BCS from "whatever!" to "it stinks." Who says the political season is over?
Hostrauser wrote:My idea: the Top 8 in the BCS go to a three round playoff (choosing only the Top 4 would still be exclusionary to non-BCS conferences). People complain about the extra games, but SEC and Big 12 schools are already playing 14-game seasons thanks to conference championships. All games are neutral site, and you get to add two more BCS bowl games (for the sake of example, let's just say Cotton and Gator).

Round 1: 8 vs. 1, 7 vs. 2, 6 vs. 3, 5 vs. 4. These four games would be either the Gator, Cotton, Rose, Sugar, Fiesta or Orange Bowls, depending on regional and traditional positioning.

Round 2: 5/4 winner vs. 8/1 winner, 6/3 winner vs. 7/2 winner. Whichever two bowl games weren't used for Round 1.
I don't mind the BCS. Of course, I only enjoy college football. I don't obsess about it. I'm not sure the payouts could be equal to what the teams get now. Assuming last weeks BCS ratings, would Alabama fans flock to a neutral site to see the 8/1 game against Utah in, say, Tuscon? Sure, some of the locals would go to the game, but bowl games are about getting travel dollars. Those people wouldn't be staying in hotels, visiting as many restaurants or buying any tourist schlock. If you make the first few games a lower payout, then there's not much incentive for most of the country to go along with it. Monetarily, it's better to know one team from your conference will get one big payout, pretty much guaranteed.

Also, what if two teams from the same conference get through the playoff and meet in the final? Assume, say, $10 mil per school per bowl. That conference brings home $60 million dollars for its athletic programs? If the SEC is as good as they think they are and stay that way, it could get pretty ugly in terms of equity after not too long.
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Re: College football

Post by Wildabeast » Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:41 pm

crfrey71 wrote:I predict the National Championship game will be Penn St Vs. Florida, with Florida winning it all.

Texas Tech has the gauntlet schedule that Texas almost got through now. They have Okla St and Oklahoma the next 2 games.
Well, Penn St. can now be etched out, courtesy of Iowa. I think Alabama & Texas Tech will hold on and meet for the Gold.
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Re: College football

Post by JediMasterBando » Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:17 pm

Wildabeast wrote:
crfrey71 wrote:I predict the National Championship game will be Penn St Vs. Florida, with Florida winning it all.

Texas Tech has the gauntlet schedule that Texas almost got through now. They have Okla St and Oklahoma the next 2 games.
Well, Penn St. can now be etched out, courtesy of Iowa. I think Alabama & Texas Tech will hold on and meet for the Gold.
I don't know if Tech will be able to beat Oklahoma...
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Re: College football

Post by The Aceman » Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:17 am

I think Utah has a really good chance to make a bowl game! They only have one tough game left on the schedule for them, their last game vs. BYU. A HUGE rivalry game every year, and it won't even be televised here......lame. Not even on versus......(talking about the channel "versus" in case you were confused).
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