NCAA/College Football - 2015 Discussion

mooreman09

Another crazy weekend. I missed much of it so will be catching up tonight and tomorrow night. Although the ESPN College Drive app is great to keep up.

Well we have two HUGE games this weekend. ND -Stanford and OK - Ok St.

Here's how I think it stands currently.

SEC winner (Alabama) -100% in.
ACC (Clemson) - 100% In
B1G winner - Its complicated
PAC 12 winner - unlikely
Big 12winner - Its complicated
Notre Dame - Needs things to fall right.

I personally think that if Oklahoma win on Saturday they are in. They've finished the season incredibly since their terrible (but close) loss. I think they will jump ahead of ND and that ND will be jockeying for the B1G's spot.

The big 10 has had a weird season. They are ranked very very high on an overall basis. 3 in the top 10 and 5 in the top 25 this weekends in the AP. I find that ridiculous, Iowa are unbeaten but they really haven't played anyone that's on that top 10 level. Michigan State looks a bit flaky, OSU are a complete mess and Mich and Northwestern are just hard working blue collar teams. However because OSU brought in a national Championship, they are all viewed in a better light.

I think Mich State will beat Iowa comfortably in the Championship game and if ND beat Stanford, its between a 1 loss ND and Michigan State.

I don't think either side can win it all.

For me its going to be

Clemson
Alabama
Mich State
Oklahoma

When it comes down to it the committee just won't leave out two Conference champs and put in a 1 loss ND. The Committee is made up of conference guys. Basically they will put a lot of weight in Championship games which will save the B1G and when put side by side if OK win this Saturday, they will have the better record overall.

Its going to be MENTAL!!!

JaMarcusHustle

Looks like Les Miles is out at LSU. Rumours swirling, and has holding a special meeting with the team tomorrow.

Have to say, it's one of the worst firings in recent memory if true. Delusions of grandeur in Louisiana are ridiculous if they think they can do better.

mooreman09

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Looks like Les Miles is out at LSU. Rumours swirling, and has holding a special meeting with the team tomorrow.

Have to say, it's one of the worst firings in recent memory if true. Delusions of grandeur in Louisiana are ridiculous if they think they can do better.

It seems insane.. I can only presume they have a guarantee from Jimbo or someone of his standard. I like Les.

Either way Miles is apparently going to be paid 20mil to leave... That's ****ING insanity....

The money in coaching is sick!!

He'll also walk into another 5mil a year job!!

JaMarcusHustle

Like you, I can only imagine they must have someone lined up. Otherwise its just crazy,and they'll be competing with the likes of Miami, USC and South Carolina who will have first pick of whoever they want.

mooreman09

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Like you, I can only imagine they must have someone lined up. Otherwise its just crazy,and they'll be competing with the likes of Miami, USC and South Carolina who will have first pick of whoever they want.

I'd have thought LSU would have as much or more pull for coaches as any of those.

JaMarcusHustle

Miami and Scar would be debatable. I think those 2 are bigger names but as it stands LSU probably has more to offer but USC is one of the top 3 biggest jobs in college football.

mooreman09

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Miami and Scar would be debatable. I think those 2 are bigger names but as it stands LSU probably has more to offer but USC is one of the top 3 biggest jobs in college football.

UC is a huge job. Tough job though, LSU is probably a more attractive opportunity in the short term. They literally need some QB development!!

The USC job is an interesting story in the offseason I reckon. Would it be beyond the realm of possibility that Carroll has done all he can with the Seahawks??

JaMarcusHustle

Notre Dame drop to number 6 in the new rankings. Oklahoma are in. Michigan State move up also.

1. Clemson
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Iowa
5. Michigan St
6. Notre Dame

I think we'll end up with a top 4 of Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Michigan State.

mooreman09

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Notre Dame drop to number 6 in the new rankings. Oklahoma are in. Michigan State move up also.

1. Clemson
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Iowa
5. Michigan St
6. Notre Dame

I think we'll end up with a top 4 of Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Michigan State.

Agreed

But we both know there'll be carnage somewhere!!!!

polaris68

Notre Dame can't have too many complaints after the performances in the last two games. Up against it now to make the playoffs even if they win at Stanford, a big ask in itself.

Need more carnage - Oklahoma State beating Oklahoma would be a big help.

LuckyLloyd

polaris68 wrote: »

Notre Dame can't have too many complaints after the performances in the last two games. Up against it now to make the playoffs even if they win at Stanford, a big ask in itself.

Need more carnage - Oklahoma State beating Oklahoma would be a big help.

They always had to beat Stanford and they were always unlikely to be selected ahead of an 11 - 1 OU as Big 12 champ.

If ND win on Saturday they'll be poised to make hay if Alabama / Clemson / OU / Michigan St. drop a game unexpectedly. We'll see what happens, but I'm super relaxed about where things are as a ND fan. Very happy to be 10 - 1 with the injuries that have been suffered. It's been a positive year that points at good recruiting and coaching to build up a lot of depth across the roster.

eagle eye

Yeah happy enough with what Kelly has done over the past few years.

I'd still like them to get into the playoffs, I think they deserve a second crack at Clemson. We lost to them by two points in horrendous weather on the road.

I think a good win over Stanford will get them back in. I fancy Penn State could give Michigan State a tough time this weekend and then there is Iowa who haven't really been tested yet. Minnesota got very close to them and they only beat a poor Badgers team by 4 points.

It's going to be a big game between Oklahoma and OK State but I think the rankings have been unfair to OK State. It just annoys me that an early loss is less punishing than a late one. I just don't see how Oklahoma can be in there ahead of OK State who lost to a highly ranked opponent.

How do the rankings work that one out if OK State wins? Does that push Baylor into the top four? It's just impossible to know. Maybe it just eliminates all the big 12 teams from the playoffs.

polaris68

Yes - injuries are now catching up with the Irish in a big way. Have a feeling they have another big performance in them and they have tended to play to the level of their opponents this year.

Just gotta take care of business and see what happens elsewhere.

mooreman09

ND will struggle in the playoff era if they continue with their current independent status.

Realt Dearg Sec

mooreman09 wrote: »

ND will struggle in the playoff era if they continue with their current independent status.

Well they're very unlikely to give it up, can't see them going into a conference, very protective of the independent status for historical reasons as well as money issues.

LuckyLloyd

mooreman09 wrote: »

ND will struggle in the playoff era if they continue with their current independent status.

You can't say that at this stage tbh. Notre Dame just missing out when having a loss or two is nothing really new. Even in the Lou Holtz era they lost out on National Championships in debatable fashion in 1989 and 1993 with a single loss. Anytime they go 12 - 0 they'll be in; and some times they go 11 - 1 they'll be out depending on how things happen around them. However, so long as the former is true there isn't really a major issue - same as it ever was.

These things go in cycles anyway. Ohio State's performance last year and their confident dismissal of Alabama injected a lot of respect back for the Big 10, so much so that we now assume the committee will take any champion from that league which amounts to a conferral of status previously reserved for the SEC. Were the SEC pick to lose in the semis this year again, real questions might start to be asked of a one or two loss SEC champ in future years. And don't forget that it's only a decade since an undefeated SEC Champ was snubbed for the title game. My point is the present assumption that 'any SEC / Big 10 champ will go ahead of a one loss ND' will not necessarily always be true.

What doesn't ever really change is people saying ND need to get into a conference. At the tail-end of the Weis era there was lots of talk about how ND could no longer compete in recruiting; could no longer hope to put a team together to run the table; and that getting into a conference would be their best bet at relevancy - then Kelly got to the Title game within three seasons.

SantryRed

The rankings are insane and the sooner it's moved to top 8 play offs, the better. It's strange to see Clemson at No.1, and a one loss ND at No. 6, even though they lost by 2 points in Clemson, which they had the opportunity to tie as time expired.

LuckyLloyd

SantryRed wrote: »

The rankings are insane and the sooner it's moved to top 8 play offs, the better. It's strange to see Clemson at No.1, and a one loss ND at No. 6, even though they lost by 2 points in Clemson, which they had the opportunity to tie as time expired.

It will eventually be an 8 team playoff, but not for a decade or so. We had the BCS and its limitations for a full 15 years. You need the sands of conference alignment and TV money to shift significantly and anytime that happens you get an opportunity to make a big move.

polaris68

Awful play calling by Mike Riley in the Nebraska Iowa game. 4th and 1, down by 11, in field goal territory and he calls a fade into the end zone.

polaris68

polaris68 wrote: »

Awful play calling by Mike Riley in the Nebraska Iowa game. 4th and 1, down by 11, in field goal territory and he calls a fade into the end zone.

Why not make it a one score game?

polaris68

Tommy Armstrong throws another pick, that should be it. Iowa will go 12 - 0 on the season.

eagle eye

polaris68 wrote: »

Tommy Armstrong throws another pick, that should be it. Iowa will go 12 - 0 on the season.

Yeah they are 12-0 but I'm not sure they are deserving of their ranking.

polaris68

eagle eye wrote: »

Yeah they are 12-0 but I'm not sure they are deserving of their ranking.

Putrid schedule but if they pull off an upset in the Big10 championship game then they are in.

That's the template; run the table and make sure you peak in November with a signature win.

Baylor TCU turning into a cracker. 14-7 to Baylor 7 minutes gone.

Mysterypunter

Baylor TCU heading to OT. 14-14. Scoreless second half.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFDm05xPAKo

polaris68

Cheering for Michigan and Penn State tonight.

Ugh, I need a shower.

polaris68

Buckeyes running all over Michigan. Looking very impressive but will now need help from Penn State.

polaris68

Joey Bosa inflicted gbh on Jake Rudock there, ouch!

Realt Dearg Sec

Alabama just got a touchdown that was a pure work of art. By work of art I mean he Coker cannoned it on the run. It was class.