College Football 2014 Season

[razorback447]

Somehow, Russell still makes the worst uniforms in CFB.

Russell just needs to go away. Period.

Just two years ago they made one of the top 5 uniforms in college football IMO:

But look what replaced those.

I blame Petrino

That is definitely a Petrino calling card. He loves "modern" uniforms because he thinks it helps recruiting. He was behind our uniforms of the past two years and is already making changes at Louisville again.

[Burkell007]

The bigger problem is that Tech only has six home games

They play 12 games total, how is 6 home games a problem?

[Tracy MidGrady]

The bigger problem is that Tech only has six home games

They play 12 games total, how is 6 home games a problem?

Don't most teams play 7-8 home games.

[GeauxColonels]

The bigger problem is that Tech only has six home games

They play 12 games total, how is 6 home games a problem?

Don't most teams play 7-8 home games.

Schools is larger conferences, yes. But many of the mid-major conferences play less.

[Burkell007]

The bigger problem is that Tech only has six home games

They play 12 games total, how is 6 home games a problem?

Don't most teams play 7-8 home games.

Schools is larger conferences, yes. But many of the mid-major conferences play less.

With the playoff I'd like to think that 6-7 will be the norm for all conferences, cause of SOS

[oldschoolvikings]

The bigger problem is that Tech only has six home games

They play 12 games total, how is 6 home games a problem?

Don't most teams play 7-8 home games.

It's simple math... not everybody can play 7 or 8 home games.

[pianoknight]

The bigger problem is that Tech only has six home games

They play 12 games total, how is 6 home games a problem?

Don't most teams play 7-8 home games.

It's simple math... not everybody can play 7 or 8 home games.

Sometimes road games pay more for the little guys, too. Southern Miss essentially "sold" Nebraska a home game (and easy win) to get out of a financial pickle last year:

What's the market price for an easy home win in college football? The Southern Miss Golden Eagles have made a deal to move next season's opener—a long-anticipated matchup against Nebraska in Hattiesburg—to Nebraska instead. In a letter between the schools' athletic directors dated last week, which was viewed by Deadspin, Southern Miss agreed to sell home-field advantage to the Cornhuskers for $2,125,000, which is almost exactly the amount Southern Miss owes to its newly fired football coach.

http://deadspin.com/5964003/to-buy-out-failed-coach-southern-miss-sold-home-field-advantage-back-to-nebraska-for-21-million

[guest23]

I think every team college team should have at least 60% of their games at home. It just seems fair.

[Red Wolf]

I think every team college team should have at least 60% of their games at home. It just seems fair.

Which is obviously impossible beyond scheduling tons of FCS schools.

[guest23]

I think every team college team should have at least 60% of their games at home. It just seems fair.

Which is obviously impossible beyond scheduling tons of FCS schools.

well if the sec does it then everyone should be afforded the same advantage right? sports are all about fairness and an equal playing field.

[MJWalker45]

The issue with this, which is crap in my opinion, is that the bigger schools will not travel to the smaller schools. When Ohio State played at Toledo it was played in Cleveland. Not really a home game for the Rockets since the stadium was mostly Buckeyes fans. And even though Navy is a well respected school, Notre Dame plays them in Baltimore. It really comes down to the fact that they can fit more butts in the seat for the big name schools rather than the big schools requiring a bigger stadium. If the playoff the people gave away games at actual school stadiums more weight than neutral sites you might see more big schools go to the little schools place to play.

[dfwabel]

LOL Purdue.

*hunts for picture of Kevin Wilson with Old Oaken Bucket*

That is awful.

[JPDesign]

I think every team college team should have at least 60% of their games at home. It just seems fair.

Which is obviously impossible beyond scheduling tons of FCS schools.

well if the sec does it then everyone should be afforded the same advantage right? sports are all about fairness and an equal playing field.

False. Sports are about money.

Big schools benefit from playing more home games because they get the concessions/merch/etc.

Little schools benefit from more road games because they get a big fat check every time they round up their band if misfits to go get beat on by a Power 5 school.

Win-win.

[guest23]

I think every team college team should have at least 60% of their games at home. It just seems fair.

Which is obviously impossible beyond scheduling tons of FCS schools.

well if the sec does it then everyone should be afforded the same advantage right? sports are all about fairness and an equal playing field.

False. Sports are about money.

Big schools benefit from playing more home games because they get the concessions/merch/etc.

Little schools benefit from more road games because they get a big fat check every time they round up their band if misfits to go get beat on by a Power 5 school.

Win-win.

Until the top 5 conferences squeeze the mid majors out out with the next round of tv contracts. They will no longer be financially viable as the ooc games will actually be competitive (eg sec vs big 10) leaving no need for this kind of scheduling. Combine that with paying players and potential concussion lawsuits your're going to see 50+ schools drop football due to finances. Say hello to semi-pro football sponsored by big money universities.

Win (few) - Lose (many)

[pianoknight]

I'm guessing that Purdue helmet is supposed to be camouflage, but it looks like a corkboard.

Someone tell me that's a concept and not a production helmet.

[MJWalker45]

I really hope the Big 5 leagues realize that as soon as they cut out the smaller leagues they are hurting themselves. The interleague contests will make it near impossible for any team to run the table and there will be logjams for the playoff spots. The old D 1-A teams will drop down to 1-AA and they may end up in better shape because ESPN and the rest of the cable systems will need to fill in the rest of their schedules. Granted they will share with more teams. It'll be the English Championship all over again.

[gdu]

I'm guessing that Purdue helmet is supposed to be camouflage, but it looks like a corkboard.

Someone tell me that's a concept and not a production helmet.

Look at the picture again. They are putting small pics of students and season ticket holders in the logo.

I really hope the Big 5 leagues realize that as soon as they cut out the smaller leagues they are hurting themselves. The interleague contests will make it near impossible for any team to run the table and there will be logjams for the playoff spots. The old D 1-A teams will drop down to 1-AA and they may end up in better shape because ESPN and the rest of the cable systems will need to fill in the rest of their schedules. Granted they will share with more teams. It'll be the English Championship all over again.

You can't be serious. You would rather Ohio State play Akron and Directional U than watch them play Miami or even Kentucky because you are concerned about their ability to go undefeated? And you think it would be better for D1-A teams to drop down because they might do better and get on ESPN more????

[vmd9]

I'm guessing that Purdue helmet is supposed to be camouflage, but it looks like a corkboard.

Someone tell me that's a concept and not a production helmet.

Look at the picture again. They are putting small pics of students and season ticket holders in the logo.

I really hope the Big 5 leagues realize that as soon as they cut out the smaller leagues they are hurting themselves. The interleague contests will make it near impossible for any team to run the table and there will be logjams for the playoff spots. The old D 1-A teams will drop down to 1-AA and they may end up in better shape because ESPN and the rest of the cable systems will need to fill in the rest of their schedules. Granted they will share with more teams. It'll be the English Championship all over again.

You can't be serious. You would rather Ohio State play Akron and Directional U than watch them play Miami or even Kentucky because you are concerned about their ability to go undefeated? And you think it would be better for D1-A teams to drop down because they might do better and get on ESPN more????

How is it fair to the smaller schools? Just because you don't have a stadium that seats 100,000 and coaches making $7 million a year, they don't get a chance? Do we really want to get rid of the underdogs like UCF, Boise, NIU, etc? I'm sure if TCU were still in the Mountain West you'd feel the same way. It's because of the current structure that TCU had the chance to move up to the Big12.

I agree that there are plenty of schools that the MAC, CUSA, and Sun Belt never should have let in. UMass, Georgia Southern, Charlotte? What did they do to deserve to move up? FBS should be made up of 6-7 conferences and that's it. If a school feels they deserve a shot they should have to prove it on the field as an independent or FCS success.

[guest23]

I'm guessing that Purdue helmet is supposed to be camouflage, but it looks like a corkboard.

Someone tell me that's a concept and not a production helmet.

Look at the picture again. They are putting small pics of students and season ticket holders in the logo.

I really hope the Big 5 leagues realize that as soon as they cut out the smaller leagues they are hurting themselves. The interleague contests will make it near impossible for any team to run the table and there will be logjams for the playoff spots. The old D 1-A teams will drop down to 1-AA and they may end up in better shape because ESPN and the rest of the cable systems will need to fill in the rest of their schedules. Granted they will share with more teams. It'll be the English Championship all over again.

You can't be serious. You would rather Ohio State play Akron and Directional U than watch them play Miami or even Kentucky because you are concerned about their ability to go undefeated? And you think it would be better for D1-A teams to drop down because they might do better and get on ESPN more????

How is it fair to the smaller schools? Just because you don't have a stadium that seats 100,000 and coaches making $7 million a year, they don't get a chance? Do we really want to get rid of the underdogs like UCF, Boise, NIU, etc? I'm sure if TCU were still in the Mountain West you'd feel the same way. It's because of the current structure that TCU had the chance to move up to the Big12.

I agree that there are plenty of schools that the MAC, CUSA, and Sun Belt never should have let in. UMass, Georgia Southern, Charlotte? What did they do to deserve to move up? FBS should be made up of 6-7 conferences and that's it. If a school feels they deserve a shot they should have to prove it on the field as an independent or FCS success.

This is a simple game of the haves and have nots. The goal is for this new cartel of elite conferences to maximize revenue via tv contracts and divide that by as few members as possible. That target will be around 64-72 schools. Everyone else will be completely shut out and they will likely be forced to shut down because they won't have access to the revenue required to cover the operating expense of D1 football and they will likely not have the appetite to downscale expenses to D1AA levels. The only thing that will save the mid major programs is if somebody like comcast-nbc or fox offers a decent tv package out of the need to fill cable tv programming (as opposed to aussie rules or horse racing etc.)

The one interesting play that could come of this is that while the mid majors are small in terms of recognition a comcast or fox could really invest and brand this 2nd tier of cfb like the AFL of the 1960's as an upstart brand of college football that's an exciting tv product for the casual fan (and bettor) as opposed to the big conferences that are simply banking on alumni and past glory for the built in audience.

One thing is for certain. We are in a new era of semi-pro university football.

[nicklas]

The issue with this, which is crap in my opinion, is that the bigger schools will not travel to the smaller schools. When Ohio State played at Toledo it was played in Cleveland. Not really a home game for the Rockets since the stadium was mostly Buckeyes fans. And even though Navy is a well respected school, Notre Dame plays them in Baltimore. It really comes down to the fact that they can fit more butts in the seat for the big name schools rather than the big schools requiring a bigger stadium. If the playoff the people gave away games at actual school stadiums more weight than neutral sites you might see more big schools go to the little schools place to play.

Michigan State played at Central Michigan in 2012 and will play at Western Michigan in 2015. MSU also tried to play at Florida Atlantic in 2010, but FAU's new stadium wasn't ready so FAU moved the game to Detroit.