2012 NCAA Football thread

[NEW.ERA]

Who the cares about ESPN and what they think? That's what I have read many times here, yet now we bitch about NIU getting their chance in the sun. We get it, it's flawed. We can propose our own stupid fan boy playoff pictures till we're blue in the face. Guess what! Nobody is listening, I get this is a place where one can vent frustration and have their own say in matters.

We all think we're experts. But it boils down to one thing. We're all fans! It's either we complain that our team didn't get a fair shake, or we shoot down a conference because scheduled some crap FCS team in November. It should be a really simple thing this BCS, but it's not.

So for two more years, we just have to watch and see people here blowup because something didn't go their way.

Welcome to every sports site on the internet.

Oh I know. This college football stuff really gets heated sometimes.

[The_Admiral]

You a Twin Peaks fan, NewEra?

[Billy B]

Northern is going to get rolled in the Orange Bowl. And going in there coachless isn't going to help them any. I want to see that game competitive, but I just don't think there's any way it's going to be.

The Sugar Bowl isn't going to be much fun either. The only reason don't think it'll be a blowout is because Florida can't score any points.

[dfwabel]

LaTech got a little cocky and declined the Independence Bowl bid hoping for a better one, and when it didn't happened they tried to crawl back into it and got laughed at. What a bizarre situation that is. Bulldog fans/players must be irate!

How about the coaching staff who earned bowl bonuses. Will the school honor a bonus if they turned down a bowl invite? Plus they just lost additional practice time.

I guess Sonny Dykes has left Ruston in his rear view mirror after tonight.

[rams80]

No one's trying to dump on NIU just because.

Just that odds are high that Florida State will hammer them big time. Why? Because, regardless of their underachieving nature of the past two years, Florida State has more star power on their bench than NIU has on the field. Colt Brennan's Hawai'i (Rainbow) Warriors were better than this NIU team.

Hawaii may have had a better offense, but I'm pretty sure NIU has a better defense. Hawaii's defensive philosophy could be described as "let them score so we can get the ball back."

[rams80]

Northern is going to get rolled in the Orange Bowl. And going in there coachless isn't going to help them any. I want to see that game competitive, but I just don't think there's any way it's going to be.

The Sugar Bowl isn't going to be much fun either. The only reason don't think it'll be a blowout is because Florida can't score any points.

I know we were all watching that snuff film in Indy last night, but to reiterate, Florida State almost lost to Georgia Tech, got smoked by Florida's previously anemic rush offense, lost to N.C. State, and has Clemson as its best win on the year. If the Seminoles think they're going to cakewalk here, they could be quite surprised.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

You a Twin Peaks fan, NewEra?

I went to the Twin Peaks diner last fall. Well, the remodel of it; the original burned in a fire a couple of years back. There are photos and newspaper clippings all around of Twin Peaks when it was at its, ahem, peak.

The whole thing was kind of sad. I had a tuna melt and it was adequate.

[pcgd]

I know we were all watching that snuff film in Indy last night...

Which one?

Errr....I mean...

[DarkJourney]

What the bowls might look like if the new playoff system were implemented this season:

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. LSU

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Wisconsin

Cotton Bowl: Kansas State vs. Texas A&M

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Georgia vs. Northern Illinois

Semifinals

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Oregon

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Florida

Championship

Semifinal winners meet in Miami

Note: Northern Illinois still gets in based on being the top ranked team in the "Group of Five" conferences: Big East, MWC, MAC, Sun Belt & C-USA.

[Philsphan]

What the bowls might look like if the new playoff system were implemented this season:

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. LSU

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Wisconsin

Cotton Bowl: Kansas State vs. Texas A&M

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Georgia vs. Northern Illinois

Semifinals

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Oregon

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Florida

Championship

Semifinal winners meet in Miami

Note: Northern Illinois still gets in based on being the top ranked team in the "Group of Five" conferences: Big East, MWC, MAC, Sun Belt & C-USA.

I like the matchups, but that's a lot of SEC. Maybe too much to take.

[Kramerica Industries]

They had a 12 win team, two 11 win teams, and three 10 win teams. Can you deny their legitimacy?

I would just wish worthier teams than Wisky or NIU were in that field. Such as Oklahoma and South Carolina.

[Chicageaux]

They had a 12 win team, two 11 win teams, and three 10 win teams. Can you deny their legitimacy?

I would just wish worthier teams than Wisky or NIU were in that field. Such as Oklahoma and South Carolina.

If there's more than two SEC teams, people can't take it. Just wait till the first playoff and two SEC teams make the field, people will be crying even more.

[Cola]

Georgia represents another perennial screw job the system brings. Georgia goes from playing for the BCS title game down to the Capital One Bowl while Florida sits itself into the Sugar Bowl. Georgia beat Florida but because Georgia earned an extra game to play in, it's punished.

How so? Tell me why I should feel that way when they have 2 losses and so does South Carolina (a team that beat the hell out of them)?

Florida finished 11-1.

Georgia also had the easier schedule of the 3.

[Chicageaux]

Georgia represents another perennial screw job the system brings. Georgia goes from playing for the BCS title game down to the Capital One Bowl while Florida sits itself into the Sugar Bowl. Georgia beat Florida but because Georgia earned an extra game to play in, it's punished.

How so? Tell me why I should feel that way when they have 2 losses and so does Florida and South Carolina (a team that beat the hell out of them)?

Georgia also had the easier schedule of the 3.

Florida is only a 1 loss team but that being said I agree with you, UGA just has to deal with it. The extra game either helps or it doesn't. But by saying it shouldn't hurt a team, people are essentially saying the loss shouldn't count, and if that's the case then neither should a win.

[Cola]

Georgia represents another perennial screw job the system brings. Georgia goes from playing for the BCS title game down to the Capital One Bowl while Florida sits itself into the Sugar Bowl. Georgia beat Florida but because Georgia earned an extra game to play in, it's punished.

How so? Tell me why I should feel that way when they have 2 losses and so does Florida and South Carolina (a team that beat the hell out of them)?

Georgia also had the easier schedule of the 3.

Florida is only a 1 loss team but that being said I agree with you, UGA just has to deal with it. The extra game either helps or it doesn't. But by saying it shouldn't hurt a team, people are essentially saying the loss shouldn't count, and if that's the case then neither should a win.

Yeah, I went back and edited that quickly after I posted.

The memory of voters and fans outside the conference can be funny. It is more of a "what have you done for me lately" thing. South Carolina's beating of Georgia was soon forgotten after we lost on the road in two hostile environments (LSU & Florida)...and then Georgia coasted along into the front of sports media.

You wouldn't even hear hardly a mention of their loss to Carolina in a broadcast or analyzing of one of their games. So while apparently some in this forum feel Georgia is getting "screwjob'd", we are wondering how come they didn't fall a spot or 2 behind us now that our schedules seemed to even up?

[Drew22]

For the record, I don't really think UGA got screwed out of the BCS. Everyone knew going into the SEC championship game is was Miami or a New Years Day game in Florida. We have two losses, which isn't going to get you into the BCS as an at large. Simple as that.

[rams80]

They had a 12 win team, two 11 win teams, and three 10 win teams. Can you deny their legitimacy?

I would just wish worthier teams than Wisky or NIU were in that field. Such as Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Sure I can. The aforementioned teams really didn't play each other cross divisions. Classic SEC non-conference scheduling gives you 3-4 guaranteed wins right there if you're competent, and 4 wins in division play in you are decent. If your worst-case scenario is 7-8 wins, how much credit should you really get for 10?

Again, the Big XII was pound for pound the toughest Conference in the land this season. The only problem is that the round robin pretty much guarantees the Big XII 6th place team will have 4-5 league losses while the 6th place SEC team could have only 2 with a few scheduling breaks. And because people are lazy, they don't do that kind of thinking or basic analysis and just assume the SEC is awesome.

[Cola]

They had a 12 win team, two 11 win teams, and three 10 win teams. Can you deny their legitimacy?

I would just wish worthier teams than Wisky or NIU were in that field. Such as Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Sure I can. The aforementioned teams really didn't play each other cross divisions. Classic SEC non-conference scheduling gives you 3-4 guaranteed wins right there if you're competent, and 4 wins in division play in you are decent. If your worst-case scenario is 7-8 wins, how much credit should you really get for 10?

Again, the Big XII was pound for pound the toughest Conference in the land this season. The only problem is that the round robin pretty much guarantees the Big XII 6th place team will have 4-5 league losses while the 6th place SEC team could have only 2 with a few scheduling breaks. And because people are lazy, they don't do that kind of thinking or basic analysis and just assume the SEC is awesome.

Nice try, but no.

First off, your first cry against the SEC is non-conference scheduling. Okay, show me a team in the Big 12 that is just lining up strong non-conference opponents left and right...and then I will show you the reality that they play 3 weak opponents and then their conference lineup. So many of you act like these other conferences are just playing 3 juggernauts plus their conference. Everyone plays a soft OOC schedule in general, quit complaining about it.

Second, the whole setup the Big 12 has now with scheduling is new. Up until last year, they played 5 division games plus 3 across divisions for a total of 8 games. Oh wow- that is so crazy, the SEC teams played that many this year too! 6 in your division and 2 across. Now the Big 12 is only down to 10 teams and the poor guys have to play one extra game...yet somehow in your math, that guarantees a team 4-5 losses every year. No.

Third, notice this year that all of the SEC teams in the Top 10 of the BCS only have losses to each other. When 2 or 3 teams are serving out most of the losses, it usually provide the results you referred to above. It's a little different this year and unique. Look at past season standings in the SEC...multiple 1 loss and 2 loss teams were not the norm.

[Burkell007]

They had a 12 win team, two 11 win teams, and three 10 win teams. Can you deny their legitimacy?

I would just wish worthier teams than Wisky or NIU were in that field. Such as Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Sure I can. The aforementioned teams really didn't play each other cross divisions. Classic SEC non-conference scheduling gives you 3-4 guaranteed wins right there if you're competent, and 4 wins in division play in you are decent. If your worst-case scenario is 7-8 wins, how much credit should you really get for 10?

Again, the Big XII was pound for pound the toughest Conference in the land this season. The only problem is that the round robin pretty much guarantees the Big XII 6th place team will have 4-5 league losses while the 6th place SEC team could have only 2 with a few scheduling breaks. And because people are lazy, they don't do that kind of thinking or basic analysis and just assume the SEC is awesome.

+1 besides Florida's rivalry game against fsu the only real non conference game the sec played was Alabama vs mich most years its only one y do they keep getting props for lame out of conference games vs fcs sun belt and mac teams?? good thing they play 8 games in conference if they did the 9 they never play a worthy game outta conference!!! they don't leave home for non conference games mostly as well when u have all but one team in bowls(big xii) should that not mean your the better conference??

[Cola]

They had a 12 win team, two 11 win teams, and three 10 win teams. Can you deny their legitimacy?

I would just wish worthier teams than Wisky or NIU were in that field. Such as Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Sure I can. The aforementioned teams really didn't play each other cross divisions. Classic SEC non-conference scheduling gives you 3-4 guaranteed wins right there if you're competent, and 4 wins in division play in you are decent. If your worst-case scenario is 7-8 wins, how much credit should you really get for 10?

Again, the Big XII was pound for pound the toughest Conference in the land this season. The only problem is that the round robin pretty much guarantees the Big XII 6th place team will have 4-5 league losses while the 6th place SEC team could have only 2 with a few scheduling breaks. And because people are lazy, they don't do that kind of thinking or basic analysis and just assume the SEC is awesome.

+1 besides Florida's rivalry game against fsu the only real non conference game the sec played was Alabama vs mich most years its only one y do they keep getting props for lame out of conference games vs fcs sun belt and mac teams?? good thing they play 8 games in conference if they did the 9 they never play a worthy game outta conference!!! they don't leave home for non conference games mostly as well when u have all but one team in bowls(big xii) should that not mean your the better conference??

Okay, let's look at this by strongest OOC opponent for the Big 12:

Texas: Ole Miss? They were 6-6 and 5th place in their division. Not terrible.

Texas Tech: New Mexico? Hard to say between that and Texas State/NW State.

Kansas: Northern Illinois. Nice- BCS team, huh? Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that was planned. They do not deserve a BCS bid.

Kansas State: Miami

Iowa State: Iowa, simple.

Oklahoma State: Louisiana Monroe. 8-4 Sunbelt team...worthy opponent they beat by a touchdown.

Oklahoma: Notre Dame. Again, I have to take this for what it is worth...scheduling a team that is not 12-0 every year. It was a big one this year.

TCU: Virginia. Dead last in ACC Coastal. Pose less of a threat than most Sunbelt teams.

WVU: Maryland. Next to last in ACC Atlantic.

Ranked OOC opponents: Northern Illinois & Notre Dame...ULM?

Let's look at the SEC and compare:

Florida: Florida State. Ranked in Top 15, won their conference.

Georgia: Georgia Tech. Played for ACC Championship.

South Carolina: Clemson. Ranked in Top 15.

Vanderbilt: Northwestern. Ranked in Top 25.

Kentucky: Louisville. Ranked in Top 25, won their conference.

Mizzou: Arizona State or Syracuse

Tennessee: NC State

Alabama: Michigan. Ranked in Top 25.

LSU: Washington. Middle of Pac-10, took their worst beating from SEC team.

Ole Miss: Texas. Top 25.

Arkansas: Tulsa, Rutgers, or ULM. Tulsa won their conference. Rutgers runner-up.

Miss State: Troy

Texas A&M: Lousiana Tech. Top 25.

Auburn: Clemson or ULM. Clemson ranked in Top 25.

Ranked OOC Opponents: Clemson, Louisville, Louisiana Tech, Florida State, Northwestern, Texas, Michigan

7 ranked teams scheduled OOC for the SEC. 2 for the Big 12.

The argument and whining stinks.