2013 NCAA FOOTBALL THREAD

[rams80]

Gary Pinkel would get my vote for coach of the year. Out ing standing. Took a 5-7 team that turned into an SEC laughingstock, and someone who everyone thought would be in the cellar with Kentucky and Tennessee. Instead, took them to 11-1 an SEC East title, while losing a starting QB midway through their toughest stretch of the season. Also, that 11-1 could very easily be 12-0 and in the midst of the national championship race. Of course Cutcliffe will probably get it, but my vote should got to Pinkel. Hell of a coup by him, and good for Missouri.

I hate to take anything away from Mizzou because the facts are that they finished the regular season 11-1 and will play in the SECCG. However, I don't know if I've ever seen a more perfect storm of favor develop for a team in the SEC.

- Their first 4 opponents were Murray State, Toledo, Indiana, and Arkansas State.

- They play Georgia at their weakest in 50 years...3 starting receivers out and Top 2 RBs out, one of which may be best RB in nation.

- Next they beat a decimated Florida team "ranked" #22 in the nation.

- Lose to Carolina (Shaw was out and played 2nd half injured, we had 3 turnovers and looked horrible)

- Wrap up the season beating Tennessee, Kentucky, and 2 of the SEC's most iffy teams: Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

South Carolina screwed their chances by losing to Tennessee on a miracle one-handed fade route catch on the sidelines.

However, while I think they deserve some credit (11 wins is great in any league, they lost their QB for a few games, and they were the least likely candidate when the season started)...I am skeptical of Mizzou, still- they probably have the weakest resume of any 10+ win team. Then again, maybe it takes a little bit of luck at the right time to make it to big places.

I think am mostly bitter that we have beat the SEC East representative the past 3 years.

Mostly?

Can't you tell?

Yes, but remember Missouri beat UGA, and Florida without their starting QB, same goes for the loss against the Gamecocks. Georgia still had Murray, and that enough made them at least a decent team. Florida hadn't quite gone up in flames yet, all though they were pretty much there, and they gave away the game to South Carolina. Beating Ole Miss and A&M isn't that bad either they're pretty "iffy" because they've lost every game they've played to against a better team.

Speaking of Manziel, he went 0-5 against ranked opponents this year, no way he should even be on the Heisman ballot.

Is it Manziel's fault A&M's defense would struggle to stop a determined high school team?

Gary Pinkel would get my vote for coach of the year. Out ing standing. Took a 5-7 team that turned into an SEC laughingstock, and someone who everyone thought would be in the cellar with Kentucky and Tennessee. Instead, took them to 11-1 an SEC East title, while losing a starting QB midway through their toughest stretch of the season. Also, that 11-1 could very easily be 12-0 and in the midst of the national championship race. Of course Cutcliffe will probably get it, but my vote should got to Pinkel. Hell of a coup by him, and good for Missouri.

I hate to take anything away from Mizzou because the facts are that they finished the regular season 11-1 and will play in the SECCG. However, I don't know if I've ever seen a more perfect storm of favor develop for a team in the SEC.

- Their first 4 opponents were Murray State, Toledo, Indiana, and Arkansas State.

- They play Georgia at their weakest in 50 years...3 starting receivers out and Top 2 RBs out, one of which may be best RB in nation.

- Next they beat a decimated Florida team "ranked" #22 in the nation.

- Lose to Carolina (Shaw was out and played 2nd half injured, we had 3 turnovers and looked horrible)

- Wrap up the season beating Tennessee, Kentucky, and 2 of the SEC's most iffy teams: Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

South Carolina screwed their chances by losing to Tennessee on a miracle one-handed fade route catch on the sidelines.

However, while I think they deserve some credit (11 wins is great in any league, they lost their QB for a few games, and they were the least likely candidate when the season started)...I am skeptical of Mizzou, still- they probably have the weakest resume of any 10+ win team. Then again, maybe it takes a little bit of luck at the right time to make it to big places.

I think am mostly bitter that we have beat the SEC East representative the past 3 years.

Mostly?

Can't you tell?

I'm more amazed that it finally dawned on you that the SEC's current scheduling format leads to wild strength of schedule disparities.

[Kramerica Industries]

Damn, Florida really chose the wrong year to blow chunks, seeing as how Ohio State is now in a NCG spot at the moment.

A 2011 2012 Gator Bowl redux would've been fun.

[bigmike]

I know it is very unlikely to happen as I don't see Duke coming close to beating Florida State but if FSU and Ohio State both lost this weekend and Auburn won, wouldn't we be looking at a Iron Bowl Championship Rematch? Not saying it will happen because I don't think it will but it is still a possibility.

If this doesn't happen I really don't mind a non SEC team National Championship game, I would hate for Auburn to win it, I already have to hear about this unbelievable loss for a year, I don't want to see them bragging about another Championship even if it ends the SEC's streak.

[4_tattoos]

I know it is very unlikely to happen as I don't see Duke coming close to beating Florida State but if FSU and Ohio State both lost this weekend and Auburn won, wouldn't we be looking at a Iron Bowl Championship Rematch? Not saying it will happen because I don't think it will but it is still a possibility.

Probably. But if FSU, tOSU, & Auburn all lose. Would that make the NCG Missouri vs Alabama?

[Still MIGHTY]

The Orange will definitely go for Clemson, the Rose typically likes to pick the highest ranked at-large, so Bama would make that a great matchup. Orange will want Bama to be their #3, but they will pick UCF over Baylor due to potential ticket sales. I don't think Baylor really has the fanbase to travel out to Florida for the game, but UCF while they aren't much better, they're already there. That leaves the Sugar with Baylor and NIU, where they will pick Baylor, and the Fiesta gets NIU.

Incorrect. If you read my post, when given the choice, the Rose Bowl always prefers a Pac-12/Big 10 match-up. Let's go back and look at their choices whenever a Rose Bowl team went to the BCS title game:

2011: #3 TCU vs #5 Wisconsin - Oregon was taken, but a BCS rule stated that the first year the Rose Bowl loses a team and a non-AQ school qualifies, the Rose Bowl must select that team. Despite #4 Stanford being out there, TCU had to be selected. Rose Bowl had no choice in the matter.

2008: #7 USC vs #13 Illinois - Ohio State was taken, so instead of choosing any of #5 Georgia, #6 Missouri, #8 Kansas, #9 West Virginia, #10 Hawaii, #11 ASU or #12 Florida, the Rose Bowl reached for #13 Illinois to keep the Pac-10/Big 10 matchup.

2007: # USC vs #3 Michigan - Ohio State was taken, and obviously Michigan wasn't a reach and they were the next best pick at #3, they still opted for Pac 10/Big 10 over say #4 LSU, #6 Louisville, or #8 Boise State.

2006: Rose Bowl is the BCS Championship. #1 USC vs #2 Texas. Big 10 champion Penn State went to the Orange Bowl.

2005: #4 Texas vs #13 Michigan - USC was taken, and going into the final week of the season Cal was #4 and expected to be the Rose Bowl pick per the tradition, but Cal had a subpar win against in a make-up game against Southern Miss in the final week. (In a game where then Cal coach Jeff Tedford said he would not run up the score just to get BCS votes.) That along with a lot of lobbying from Mack Brown and Texas fans (numerous phone calls and e-mails to voters) made several AP voters and coaches switch Cal and Texas putting Texas in at #4 Then with the 3-4 rule, the Rose Bowl was forced to select Texas.

2003: #6 Washington State vs #7 Oklahoma - Ohio State was taken, and the selection process was different. The Rose Bowl didn't get to pick their replacement first, so the Orange Bowl took #5 Iowa. The Rose Bowl had the next pick and couldn't pick #4 USC for an all-Pac-10 game, so it went with the next best option in Oklahoma. The Orange Bowl would end up with USC and get their own Pac-10/Big 10 matchup, and the Rose Bowl committee was reported as less than pleased.

tl;dr - When given the choice and not locked in to rules and procedure, the Rose Bowl would like the traditional Pac-12/Big 10 matchup.

[rams80]

The Orange will definitely go for Clemson, the Rose typically likes to pick the highest ranked at-large, so Bama would make that a great matchup. Orange will want Bama to be their #3, but they will pick UCF over Baylor due to potential ticket sales. I don't think Baylor really has the fanbase to travel out to Florida for the game, but UCF while they aren't much better, they're already there. That leaves the Sugar with Baylor and NIU, where they will pick Baylor, and the Fiesta gets NIU.

I assure you Central Florida does not have a large traveling fanbase. Otherwise they would have been in an AQ conference prior to this season.

[infrared41]

Greg, for me, It was never a question of whether Ohio State would be #2 this week, but now that it is so much closer, I question whether they'll be able to hang on through next week. Especially if your fears are confirmed and the Buckeyes struggle with Sparty and Auburn beats Mizzou.

Again, as long as Ohio State wins next Saturday they will remain at least #2. The point margin won't matter. If it did, then Auburn would have already passed the Buckeyes. The only way Auburn passes the Buckeyes is if Michigan State wins the B1G title game. The voters aren't going to move a one-loss team ahead of an undefeated AQ team. Auburn passing an undefeated Ohio State simply ain't gonna to happen. Period. The BCS has never done it before, why would they start now?

Also, while the computer may not see it, the voters know that Auburn is a fluke bounce away from being a two-loss team. I'm not taking a thing away from Auburn (FTR, they're one of my favorite college teams) but let's look at the reality here. It's not like Auburn has been a super dominant team this season. Their turnaround from 2012 has been incredible, but I think we're placing a little more of a premium on them beating Alabama than we should while ignoring the rest of Auburn's resume. If we're going to start talking Ohio State's margin of victory, "struggling" vs. certain teams, etc., then we need to do the same thing with Auburn. Again, I'm not knocking them, but we should stop acting like the Tigers are Florida State Junior.

If an ACC team and a Big Ten team are the two remaining undefeated AQ teams, that's going to be the BCS title game match-up. We all know it so why are we bothering to debate it? Frankly, I don't think Auburn is better than Ohio State anyway. Are the Tigers as good? Absolutely, but they are not heads and shoulders better.

[DS729]

The Orange will definitely go for Clemson, the Rose typically likes to pick the highest ranked at-large, so Bama would make that a great matchup. Orange will want Bama to be their #3, but they will pick UCF over Baylor due to potential ticket sales. I don't think Baylor really has the fanbase to travel out to Florida for the game, but UCF while they aren't much better, they're already there. That leaves the Sugar with Baylor and NIU, where they will pick Baylor, and the Fiesta gets NIU.

I assure you Central Florida does not have a large traveling fanbase. Otherwise they would have been in an AQ conference prior to this season.

UCF is in Florida... So they wouldn't need to travel: I said that in the post. Thanks for trying to call me out.

[dfwabel]

I don't think Baylor really has the fanbase to travel out to Florida for the game

DScruggy, if TCU can sell out their allotment to both the Fiesta and Rose Bowl games, then Baylor will have no issue in selling seats to their game, regardless of the long going effort to dissolve their Alumni Association from the university. With over 170,000 living alumni and 10,000 undergraduate students paying private schools tuition, those Baptists have disposable income to attend the game and spend money.

[rams80]

The Orange will definitely go for Clemson, the Rose typically likes to pick the highest ranked at-large, so Bama would make that a great matchup. Orange will want Bama to be their #3, but they will pick UCF over Baylor due to potential ticket sales. I don't think Baylor really has the fanbase to travel out to Florida for the game, but UCF while they aren't much better, they're already there. That leaves the Sugar with Baylor and NIU, where they will pick Baylor, and the Fiesta gets NIU.

I assure you Central Florida does not have a large traveling fanbase. Otherwise they would have been in an AQ conference prior to this season.

UCF is in Florida... So they wouldn't need to travel: I said that in the post. Thanks for trying to call me out.

OK, let me rephrase that.

There isn't a large fanbase. Period.

[DaRadniz29]

I know it is very unlikely to happen as I don't see Duke coming close to beating Florida State but if FSU and Ohio State both lost this weekend and Auburn won, wouldn't we be looking at a Iron Bowl Championship Rematch? Not saying it will happen because I don't think it will but it is still a possibility.

Probably. But if FSU, tOSU, & Auburn all lose. Would that make the NCG Missouri vs Alabama?

Why not look at the possibly impossible:

Scenarios:

Scenario #1

-Florida State beats Duke

-Ohio State beats Michigan State

-Auburn beats Missouri

*BCS National Championship Game: Florida State (13-0) vs Ohio State (13-0)

*******************

Scenario #2

- Florida State beats Duke

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Florida State (13-0) vs Auburn (12-1)

*******************

Scenario #3

- Florida State beats Duke

- Michigan beats Ohio State

- Missouri beats Auburn

BCS National Championship Game: Florida State (13-0) vs Missouri (12-1)

*******************

Scenario #4

- Duke beats Florida State

- Ohio State beats Michigan

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Ohio State (13-0) vs Auburn(12-1)

*******************

Scenario #5

- Duke beats Florida State

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Auburn (12-1) vs Alabama (11-1)

*******************

Scenario #6

- Duke beats Florida State

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Missouri beats Auburn

BCS National Championship Game: Mizzouri (12-1) vs Alabama (11-1)

*******************

If Scenario #6 occurs, we would have Florida State, Ohio State and Missouri all at 12-1, with Alabama at 11-1, and Auburn at 11-2. I'm pretty sure the BCS favors teams from power conferences that win their Championship game. If that's true that locks Mizzou in the Title Game. For their opponent, there are now two teams from power conferences that appeared in but lost their Conference Championship: Florida State and Ohio State, but they have one more win at 12, to Alabama's 11. From what I've gathered from previous seasons is that BCS computers and most poll voters seem to believe that the SEC is the best and top conference in College Football, so the logical choice would be to put Alabama in the NCG. The only thing I could see is if people feel Ohio State, or Florida State are better than Alabama? That's very unlikely.

*Also, look at Scenario #1: If Florida State beats Duke, they're in regardless of how they beat Duke. However, if Ohio State wins and Auburn wins, but the Buckeyes are unimpressive and the Auburn Tigers takes care of business it could sway the voters and Auburn could jump Ohio State. While I think it's unlikely that Auburn would pass Ohio State if the Buckeyes win, but the BCS Computers like SEC Champs, so it would be wise for Ohio State to win impressively just to end all doubt.

However Auburn beating Missouri is easier said than done. Don't sleep on Mizzou and Ohio State beating Michigan State isn't a given either. Duke beating Florida State isn't impossible, just a much more difficult task.

[dbadefense1990]

I know it is very unlikely to happen as I don't see Duke coming close to beating Florida State but if FSU and Ohio State both lost this weekend and Auburn won, wouldn't we be looking at a Iron Bowl Championship Rematch? Not saying it will happen because I don't think it will but it is still a possibility.

Probably. But if FSU, tOSU, & Auburn all lose. Would that make the NCG Missouri vs Alabama?

Why not look at the possibly impossible:

Scenarios:

Scenario #1

-Florida State beats Duke

-Ohio State beats Michigan State

-Auburn beats Missouri

*BCS National Championship Game: Florida State (13-0) vs Ohio State (13-0)

*******************

Scenario #2

- Florida State beats Duke

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Florida State (13-0) vs Auburn (12-1)

*******************

Scenario #3

- Florida State beats Duke

- Michigan beats Ohio State

- Missouri beats Auburn

BCS National Championship Game: Florida State (13-0) vs Missouri (12-1)

*******************

Scenario #4

- Duke beats Florida State

- Ohio State beats Michigan

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Ohio State (13-0) vs Auburn(12-1)

*******************

Scenario #5

- Duke beats Florida State

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Auburn (12-1) vs Alabama (11-1)

*******************

Scenario #6

- Duke beats Florida State

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Missouri beats Auburn

BCS National Championship Game: Mizzouri (12-1) vs Alabama (11-1)

*******************

If Scenario #6 occurs, we would have Florida State, Ohio State and Missouri all at 12-1, with Alabama at 11-1, and Auburn at 11-2. I'm pretty sure the BCS favors teams from power conferences that win their Championship game. If that's true that locks Mizzou in the Title Game. For their opponent, there are now two teams from power conferences that appeared in but lost their Conference Championship: Florida State and Ohio State, but they have one more win at 12, to Alabama's 11. From what I've gathered from previous seasons is that BCS computers and most poll voters seem to believe that the SEC is the best and top conference in College Football, so the logical choice would be to put Alabama in the NCG. The only thing I could see is if people feel Ohio State, or Florida State are better than Alabama? That's very unlikely.

*Also, look at Scenario #1: If Florida State beats Duke, they're in regardless of how they beat Duke. However, if Ohio State wins and Auburn wins, but the Buckeyes are unimpressive and the Auburn Tigers takes care of business it could sway the voters and Auburn could jump Ohio State. While I think it's unlikely that Auburn would pass Ohio State if the Buckeyes win, but the BCS Computers like SEC Champs, so it would be wise for Ohio State to win impressively just to end all doubt.

However Auburn beating Missouri is easier said than done. Don't sleep on Mizzou and Ohio State beating Michigan State isn't a given either. Duke beating Florida State isn't impossible, just a much more difficult task.

The fact that Alabama still has a 33% chance of getting to Pasadena on January 6th makes me want to throw up on the inside, even after this whole weekend. Seriously, what the hell will it take to put this team away, once and for all?

And boy are ESPN's executives praying for Scenario #5 to come to full fruition.

[Still MIGHTY]

One final news item for this week in college football:

[Cujo]

Scenario #5

- Duke beats Florida State

- Michigan State beats Ohio State

- Auburn beats Missouri

BCS National Championship Game: Auburn (12-1) vs Alabama (11-1)

I'm almost rooting for this scenario to play out just for the non-stop coverage it will receive on "The Worldwide Leader". It'll be Tebowfavrebron times a million!!!!

[DaRadniz29]

Well the scenario BCS NCG are just probables, obviously not set in stone and I'm really just guessing. The way the BCS has gone in the last week of the season most years I wouldn't be surprised if FSU and Ohio State get in to the NCG even if both lose their CC games. Auburn and Missouri muck it up in the SEC Championship Game, with each team having 6+ turnovers and playing sloppy. If FSU and Ohio State lose and still make it to the NCG, people will go nuts especially in Auburn, Missouri and Alabama. I don't see any scenario where this happens, but it is the BCS… so I guess it's not impossible.

[NJTank]

Prediction Alabama still gets in the BCS as Mizzou cries BS after beating Auburn. Meanwhile Sparty ruins Ohio States party.

[Sport]

I'm glad some sanity prevailed and the two undefeated teams are ranked 1 and 2. Good job voters.

Auburn for as awesome as that win over Alabama was has a loss so they shouldn't even be in the discussion until there aren't two undefeated teams. Sorry.

edit: I agree with this guy and it's the reason Auburn shouldn't be in the top two right now.

http://www.thepostgame.com/commentary/201208/better-without-em-northern-manifesto-southern-secession-chuck-thompson-sec-bcs

[FiddySicks]

One final news item for this week in college football:

YES. I absolutely LOVE that intro. People went NUTS on Saturday night when Sparky crushed that bus. Now I'm gonna have Thunderstuck running through my head all day, and that's never a bad thing.

[infrared41]

From the article McCarthy cited - In the BCS era: SEC vs. Big 10 bowl games: 19-19

[Kramerica Industries]

NCAA football really does bring to light, more-so than any other sport on this site, just how much of a civil war we have between the North and the South fans here. It's pretty unreal.