2014 NCAA Football Thread

[hailstateunis]

How did Mississippi State jump Michigan State in the last poll? Nobody that either team played, save for Oregon, Ohio State, and Alabama, played this last weekend and really, Ohio State moving up would only help Michigan State. Somehow, though, Mississippi State jumped up three spots ahead of Michigan State.

I know it doesn't really matter, but it seems to prove the committee was just making up on the fly, right?

My theory is that in the next to-last rankings, they spent too much time on deciding the top-4 (putting TCU at #3) and basically mailed in 5-25.

Then on Sunday, they decided the top-6 by 11:30 and had two hours to decide 7-25 alone. At this point, they took their time to compare resumes and (correctly) determined that Mississippi State should have been #7.

[crashcarson15]

Also, Mississippi State jumping to #7, I believe, gave the Big Ten enough spots to send every bowl-eligible team to a bowl.

Had Michigan State stayed above of Mississippi State, they'd have gone to the Orange Bowl and the conference would've lost their spot in the Citrus Bowl, meaning that Illinois was perhaps getting left out.

Wouldn't be shocked if that had something to do with it.

[infrared41]

I know I'm in the extreme minority here, but am I also the last person around who would prefer going back to the pre-playoff, pre-BCS, pre-BCA system of bowls? This will be the first year since 1982 I have not watched the Rose Bowl, because I simply have no interest in it anymore.

You don't have interest in the National Semifinal?

Sounds like you're the last one, yeah.

Actually, he's not the last one. Don't forget 96 year old Ebenezer Longscrotum of Left Nutt, Arkansas. According to the Left Nutt Daily Holler, even at his advanced age, Mr. Longscrotum still makes it a point to write a letter to the editor once a week in which he bemoans the advent of the forward pass in college football while wistfully recalling the days when there were 7 different polls and 5 different national champions.

[Viper]

I know I'm in the extreme minority here, but am I also the last person around who would prefer going back to the pre-playoff, pre-BCS, pre-BCA system of bowls? This will be the first year since 1982 I have not watched the Rose Bowl, because I simply have no interest in it anymore.

I'd actually be down with this if we still had only the few New Year's Day bowls, which basically required you to either win your conference or finish no worse than 8-3 to be able to go to a bowl at all. But with the ridiculous number of bowls we have nowadays, ending the season with what amounts to a more or less full slate of glorified regular-season games would be a big anticlimax.

Having said that, with all the focus on the playoff, it is sad that one of the best stories of this weekend, indeed this entire season, has gotten very little notice from the national media: For the first time in 52 years - fifty- -two years! - Minnesota will be playing on New Year's Day (vs. Missouri in the Capital One Bowl).

[pianoknight]

I know I'm in the extreme minority here, but am I also the last person around who would prefer going back to the pre-playoff, pre-BCS, pre-BCA system of bowls? This will be the first year since 1982 I have not watched the Rose Bowl, because I simply have no interest in it anymore.

You don't have interest in the National Semifinal?

Sounds like you're the last one, yeah.

Actually, he's not the last one. Don't forget 96 year old Ebenezer Longscrotum of Left Nutt, Arkansas. According to the Left Nutt Daily Holler, even at his advanced age, Mr. Longscrotum still makes it a point to write a letter to the editor once a week in which he bemoans the advent of the forward pass in college football while wistfully recalling the days when there were 7 different polls and 5 different national champions.

I thought he was from Mint Julep, Tennessippi.

[infrared41]

I know I'm in the extreme minority here, but am I also the last person around who would prefer going back to the pre-playoff, pre-BCS, pre-BCA system of bowls? This will be the first year since 1982 I have not watched the Rose Bowl, because I simply have no interest in it anymore.

You don't have interest in the National Semifinal?

Sounds like you're the last one, yeah.

Actually, he's not the last one. Don't forget 96 year old Ebenezer Longscrotum of Left Nutt, Arkansas. According to the Left Nutt Daily Holler, even at his advanced age, Mr. Longscrotum still makes it a point to write a letter to the editor once a week in which he bemoans the advent of the forward pass in college football while wistfully recalling the days when there were 7 different polls and 5 different national champions.

I thought he was from Mint Julep, Tennessippi.

It's a common mistake.

[HedleyLamarr]

To that guy's defense, the Rose Bowl has never been that much of a must-see for me. I tend to watch bits and parts of it, but rarely have I sat through the entire game. It's a game between two teams I didn't watch much of and don't give two poops about.

For the most part, Georgia's also played on the same day as the Rose Bowl Game, so that game would get top-billing and uninterrupted viewing for me and I'd watch the Rose Bowl if I weren't doing anything. And the game itself has been mostly "Who's gonna pants the Big Ten rep this year?" for like the last 10-15 years.

I can't remember the last Rose Bowl game I was excited about watching...wasn't the USC-Texas championship game played there?

That said, now that the Rose Bowl is the semifinal game this year, I'll probably watch the game.

[Sport]

I did like the traditional bowl matchups and growing up in Big Ten country the Rose Bowl was a huge deal all season. I was excited for Northwestern in 1995 because them just playing in that stadium was akin to the Cubs winning the World Series.

In a way it's sad that that era is over and I'll look back on it with fond memories, but I think we're in a better place for the sport. For example: In the 96 season It was dumb that Ohio State beat an undefeated Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, while Florida got a second crack at Florida State yet they were voted national champs. Even the BCS was better than that system.

[FiddySicks]

Ooh don't ever bring that year up around here. People still get red in the face over that one.

[ninersdd]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

[Kramerica Industries]

I did like the traditional bowl matchups and growing up in Big Ten country the Rose Bowl was a huge deal all season. I was excited for Northwestern in 1995 because them just playing in that stadium was akin to the Cubs winning the World Series.

In a way it's sad that that era is over and I'll look back on it with fond memories, but I think we're in a better place for the sport. For example: In the 96 season It was dumb that Ohio State beat an undefeated Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, while Florida got a second crack at Florida State yet they were voted national champs. Even the BCS was better than that system.

I don't disagree with you at all, but Florida beating Florida State for the national championship is almost certainly my favorite college football game ever and nothing is going to devalue that!

[PSUcelticsWON95]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

[OnWis97]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

[DustDevil61]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

Now the question is whether Wisconsin cherry-picks another Utah State head coach.

[dfwabel]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

Andersen didn't waste time to leave, so he wanted to leave and has his agent go to work. Therefore he left because...

A. Something external like a family issue, or just location (not that he enjoyed Madison, but as a guy from west of the Mississippi, he/his family enjoy that environment more and Corvallis and Logan, UT are basically the same town.

B. Something internal with the administration. Recall, the financial pool for assistants was one reason why Bret Bielema left for Arkansas in 2012. Plus, it probably does not help that his boss, Barry Alverez, is effectively gone three days each week dealing with the Playoff Committee and passing off duties to the Associate ADs and the SWA. He may have felt he was being ignored.

Of the ADs on the Playoff Committee, Clemson's Dan Radakovich was looked at more to have Dabo leave than Alvarez.

[CLEstones]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

B. Something internal with the administration. Recall, the financial pool for assistants was one reason why Bret Bielema left for Arkansas in 2012. Plus, it probably does not help that his boss, Barry Alverez, is effectively gone three days each week dealing with the Playoff Committee and passing off duties to the Associate ADs and the SWA. He may have felt he was being ignored.

When I initially saw this, 2 different coaches in 3 years... it makes me think the AD may start being more of a problem than people want to admit. Alverez cast a big shadow in Nebraska and its hard for these coaches to get out of that shadow. Having a legendary coach as your AD may not be the best structure for the success of your legendary football program.

If the B1G wants to start competing again, they have to open up the bank for assistant coaches. I'm not sure what the revenue from the B1G TEN Network is being used for, but its upwards of $20 million+ per school. Kids these days choose colleges based on coaches. Its no longer the tradition of the programs. Its the coaches and assistance coaches.

[pianoknight]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

B. Something internal with the administration. Recall, the financial pool for assistants was one reason why Bret Bielema left for Arkansas in 2012. Plus, it probably does not help that his boss, Barry Alverez, is effectively gone three days each week dealing with the Playoff Committee and passing off duties to the Associate ADs and the SWA. He may have felt he was being ignored.

When I initially saw this, 2 different coaches in 3 years... it makes me think the AD may start being more of a problem than people want to admit. Alverez cast a big shadow in Nebraska and its hard for these coaches to get out of that shadow. Having a legendary coach as your AD may not be the best structure for the success of your legendary football program.

If the B1G wants to start competing again, they have to open up the bank for assistant coaches. I'm not sure what the revenue from the B1G TEN Network is being used for, but its upwards of $20 million+ per school. Kids these days choose colleges based on coaches. Its no longer the tradition of the programs. Its the coaches and assistance coaches.

Think you meant Wisconsin, but Alvarez did play for NU under Bob Devaney.

I'm starting to think that Barry might be part of the issue as well. Wisconsin's assistants are also grossly underfunded, if you believe what Bielema griped about. I can see a coach getting burned out when you're put into a situation where the pressure to win is big (UW's recent success, big athletes like Melvin Gordon, etc) but they're lowballing your assistants. Hard to keep that turd afloat for long.

[kewp80]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

B. Something internal with the administration. Recall, the financial pool for assistants was one reason why Bret Bielema left for Arkansas in 2012. Plus, it probably does not help that his boss, Barry Alverez, is effectively gone three days each week dealing with the Playoff Committee and passing off duties to the Associate ADs and the SWA. He may have felt he was being ignored.

When I initially saw this, 2 different coaches in 3 years... it makes me think the AD may start being more of a problem than people want to admit. Alverez cast a big shadow in Nebraska and its hard for these coaches to get out of that shadow. Having a legendary coach as your AD may not be the best structure for the success of your legendary football program.

If the B1G wants to start competing again, they have to open up the bank for assistant coaches. I'm not sure what the revenue from the B1G TEN Network is being used for, but its upwards of $20 million+ per school. Kids these days choose colleges based on coaches. Its no longer the tradition of the programs. Its the coaches and assistance coaches.

Think you meant Wisconsin, but Alvarez did play for NU under Bob Devaney.

I'm starting to think that Barry might be part of the issue as well. Wisconsin's assistants are also grossly underfunded, if you believe what Bielema griped about. I can see a coach getting burned out when you're put into a situation where the pressure to win is big (UW's recent success, big athletes like Melvin Gordon, etc) but they're lowballing your assistants. Hard to keep that turd afloat for long.

Actually I think he meant to say Tom Osborne. Since Alvarez is still casting his shadow on Wisconsin.

[CLEstones]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

B. Something internal with the administration. Recall, the financial pool for assistants was one reason why Bret Bielema left for Arkansas in 2012. Plus, it probably does not help that his boss, Barry Alverez, is effectively gone three days each week dealing with the Playoff Committee and passing off duties to the Associate ADs and the SWA. He may have felt he was being ignored.

When I initially saw this, 2 different coaches in 3 years... it makes me think the AD may start being more of a problem than people want to admit. Alverez cast a big shadow in Nebraska and its hard for these coaches to get out of that shadow. Having a legendary coach as your AD may not be the best structure for the success of your legendary football program.

If the B1G wants to start competing again, they have to open up the bank for assistant coaches. I'm not sure what the revenue from the B1G TEN Network is being used for, but its upwards of $20 million+ per school. Kids these days choose colleges based on coaches. Its no longer the tradition of the programs. Its the coaches and assistance coaches.

Think you meant Wisconsin, but Alvarez did play for NU under Bob Devaney.

I'm starting to think that Barry might be part of the issue as well. Wisconsin's assistants are also grossly underfunded, if you believe what Bielema griped about. I can see a coach getting burned out when you're put into a situation where the pressure to win is big (UW's recent success, big athletes like Melvin Gordon, etc) but they're lowballing your assistants. Hard to keep that turd afloat for long.

Actually I think he meant to say Tom Osborne. Since Alvarez is still casting his shadow on Wisconsin.

Sorry, I DID mean Wisconsin. His coaching shadow is still cast over the program. I think its hard for new coaches to come in and have success with that constantly hanging over their head.

[OnWis97]

Gary Andersen is going from Wisconsin to Oregon State.

My guess is that Barry Alvarez said "yeah, you should take that."

Seems every time the Badgers are involved in a blowout in the B1G Championship Game, the coach leaves.

B. Something internal with the administration. Recall, the financial pool for assistants was one reason why Bret Bielema left for Arkansas in 2012. Plus, it probably does not help that his boss, Barry Alverez, is effectively gone three days each week dealing with the Playoff Committee and passing off duties to the Associate ADs and the SWA. He may have felt he was being ignored.

When I initially saw this, 2 different coaches in 3 years... it makes me think the AD may start being more of a problem than people want to admit. Alverez cast a big shadow in Nebraska and its hard for these coaches to get out of that shadow. Having a legendary coach as your AD may not be the best structure for the success of your legendary football program.

If the B1G wants to start competing again, they have to open up the bank for assistant coaches. I'm not sure what the revenue from the B1G TEN Network is being used for, but its upwards of $20 million+ per school. Kids these days choose colleges based on coaches. Its no longer the tradition of the programs. Its the coaches and assistance coaches.

Think you meant Wisconsin, but Alvarez did play for NU under Bob Devaney.

I'm starting to think that Barry might be part of the issue as well. Wisconsin's assistants are also grossly underfunded, if you believe what Bielema griped about. I can see a coach getting burned out when you're put into a situation where the pressure to win is big (UW's recent success, big athletes like Melvin Gordon, etc) but they're lowballing your assistants. Hard to keep that turd afloat for long.

I don't know. There does seem to be something to the low-payed assistant issue and I'd think UW could address that. As for pressure to win, Wisconsin is, at best the #5 program in the Big Ten (PSU/OSU/MICH/NEB). Maybe #6 (MSU). I think the expectations are to go to a bowl game every year and get to about a third of the Big Ten Title games (and beat OSU in that game once a decade). In 22 years, they have six Big Ten championships, but one is tainted (OSU/PSU punishments) and three of the other five are "co." It's not like they are winning it all the time. As much as most Badger fans could not wait for Bielema to be gone, he was always successful. Alverez had some 2-conference-win seasons; Bielema had a 4-4 but was usually in the race. Was Bielema a monster tool? Yes. But he got it done.

I don't know that, assistant coach pay aside, Barry is otherwise chasing people away. Case-by-case, you have Bielema and rumor has it that after he got married his wife wanted out of Madison because of weather and/or not wanting to be around the town of Brett's legendary bar-room exploits. Regarding Andersen, I think he wanted to get back west and I also think that Alvarez said "yeah, go ahead."

My best guess is that Paul Chryst comes back to Wisconsin. He was Offensive Coordinator up until the year before Bielema left. If so, that would be a decent sign because he knows all about the program and if he's willing to come back, it should work. He'd have been the head coach had Bielema left the year before.