College Football Stuff

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Only Human
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I started the season disappointed with the state of college football. Seems more like pro football now, and I was thinking, why do colleges and universities sponsor professional football teams? Is that a good idea? I decided it wasn't.

So I decided not to watch. Then I decided I'd tune in for the season-opening kickoff (I'm a Michigan alum and have always followed the team). As you might guess, I got bitten by the bug; I couldn't turn off that game or any other Michigan game. I'm hopeless, a complete sucker for the tradition and pageantry of Michigan football in particular, and college football in general.

Sure, "Playing for the School" is largely mythology. But in the absence of anything else, it seems good enough for me.

"You were around in 1879 when they started playing weren't ya?"

"Yes, but I was still reeling from the effects of the Civil War, after all, it was only 14 years after the end of the Civil War, and I didn't pay much attention to football until Fielding Yost started coaching the team. Back then, the main rivalries were with University of Chicago and Minnesota, though the Michigan-Harvard games were pretty good and the series was even by the 1920s. But heck, after graduating in 1881, I was a bit old to be ga-ga over college football by then.

Yet here we are.

This past weekend Michigan had a nice win against Ohio State, in spite of the odds. But who makes this odds sh!t up anyway? It's silly.

The Rivalry has been resuscitated from life-support. Two M wins in a row have reinvigorated things, and I think that's pretty good for these two programs, if not for the Big Ten as a whole. When it's all one team, year after year, things are a lot less interesting in the college football world.

Then I began thinking, if either TCU or USC lose their championship game this weekend, who should get into the playoffs? I mean, the pundits say Georgia and Michigan are in, regardless. I dunno, but OK for now, though a Michigan loss to Purdue would look pretty bad to the NC Committee. They aren't called the Spoilermakers for nothing, and they always play Michigan tough. But, whatever.

Based on resume, schedule, talent and quality of play, my thinking is that Ohio State is the only non-conference-champ contender whose resume meets Playoff criteria. I realize that other schools will make that claim, but OSU's wins were by wider margins, against better competition, and their overall play has been very impressive, etc. I mean, CJ Stroud is one helluva QB, and Harrison Jr. will be a star in the NFL.

I almost feel badly for these two extraordinarily talented guys that they lost last weekend, but...I don't quite go that far. ;)

I'm no Big Ten homer. I honestly think OSU has earned a place in the firmament should USC or TCU falter. I don't relish playing them again, so this isn't about that. It's about fairness. OSU belongs in if another one-loss team falters.

Perhaps I'm bending over backwards to be fair, but OSU is a very powerful and dangerous team, and they've proven that over the course of the season. Could Michigan beat them a second time? Who the hell knows.
 
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You just became DTR’s best friend.:p:D
If there isn't already - and in my opinion there isn't enough respect due to a history of residual frustration - there ought to be a sh!t-ton of respect between these two programs! In the annals of college football, they've both been pretty freaking impressive, though sometimes that's run in streaks.

It pains me to see sportsmanship break down between any two schools, but especially between these two great programs, with SUCH history. I mean, Michigan State? Who even cares. A secondary rivalry. Minnesota? Hasn't been especially relevant since 1960 or whatever. In the Big Ten, there's no one else who's particularly relevant, except, a good argument can be made for Wisconsin since the '90s.

Fine, I see you, Penn State. You're a definite maybe. too. Get in line. Nebraska? Seriously? WTF happened?

I think that on a good day, OSU has the ability to beat anyone. That's what makes Michigan's win on Saturday a big deal. If one says that Michigan's win guarantees them a playoff spot, then one has to acknowledge the excellence of the opposition, and that's Ohio State, whose skill position talent is off the chart.

Does anyone seriously think that a TCU or even USC could beat Ohio State in a matchup?
 
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I agree with your assessment of the state (decline) of college football. Notwithstanding this position I continue to be an avid college football fan. I agree wholeheartedly that if either TCU or USC falters, OSU should be in the playoffs. I also think Caleb Williams should win the Heisman.

Yes, I seriously think TCU or USC could beat OSU. The operative word is “could”. I think it unlikely. But there is a reason why they still play the game on the field.
 
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I agree with your assessment of the state (decline) of college football. Notwithstanding this position I continue to be an avid college football fan. I agree wholeheartedly that if either TCU or USC falters, OSU should be in the playoffs. I also think Caleb Williams should win the Heisman.

Yes, I seriously think TCU or USC could beat OSU. The operative word is “could”. I think it unlikely. But there is a reason why they still play the game on the field.
I clearly overstated the case with 'could'. I agree with you, it'd be a long shot based on what we know about these teams.

Caleb Williams is pretty awesome. Everyone who's been elevated to that Heisman pedestal is a great player. However, I don't think the Heisman should be limited to a QB race this year. As good as Williams is, has he truly separated himself from the pack vs Stroud and some of the others? Stroud beat ND by 11 points, so did Williams, and that's USC's best win by a considerable margin.

Trouble is, Notre Dame, beaten by OSU, Marshall, Stanford and USC in 2022, wasn't all that good this year. It's simply not that good a win.

Then too, why is a running back like Blake Corum suddenly out of the hunt, simply because he missed one game due to injury? There are other quality backs who should be considered, too. I understand what the Heisman is - a temporary popularity/hype/what-have-you-done-for-me-lately contest and fictional setting for car ads. Humbug!

"Les, you do car ads yourself."

"True, but I don't necessarily buy into them!" ;)
 
Everything kind of dies with money. And it is the natural evolution of something popular/succesful. There js always this one guy who comes up with a businessmodel.

//europeancommieout
 
Apparently Ohio State is ranked 5 by the playoff people, implying that if USC or TCU falters in their conference championship game, OSU has a good chance of getting into the playoff.

After giving up 63 points to South Carolina in a clobbering for their second loss of the season? Nope. Excellent team, but not in the playoff hunt this year.
 
I've been mostly happy with this year in college football. My alma mater, Kansas State, is having a good year. It should have gone a little better, but overall I'm happy. They've made the championship game and I believe have a real shot at winning it. Win or lose, they should end up in the Sugar Bowl. That's good. Most likely against Alabama. That's bad. K-State is currently ranked 10th, but I think that is a bit higher than they really should be. I just hope they don't get embarrassed by 'Bama.
 
I’m rooting for TCU and USC to win their conference title games simply because I like the idea of 4 different conferences being represented in the playoffs.
I think that'd be great.

I've been mostly happy with this year in college football. My alma mater, Kansas State, is having a good year. It should have gone a little better, but overall I'm happy. They've made the championship game and I believe have a real shot at winning it. Win or lose, they should end up in the Sugar Bowl. That's good. Most likely against Alabama. That's bad. K-State is currently ranked 10th, but I think that is a bit higher than they really should be. I just hope they don't get embarrassed by 'Bama.
K State is having a year to remember!
 
Looks like Ohio State has the best shot of making the playoffs after USC's loss last night. I guess we'll see.

Tonight Michigan plays Purdue. Purdue's a good team. I'm hoping M doesn't let up after the win last week. You know, the one where OSU was run out of their very own stadium. Michigan might think they can coast now. They can't.

Lots of Michigan fans are freaked out over the possibility of having to play OSU a second time. I'm not. This year OSU only did a little better against Michigan than Rutgers.

I mean, would I be worried about playing Rutgers again?

Hey, is that steam I spy coming out of your ears, DTR? ;)
 
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I like your post, but honestly, I have zero idea who Bill Compton is. Or was.
New-bill-compton.jpg
 
The Powers That Be have selected Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State to go to the Playoff. I think they made the right calls.

I watched the first half of Georgia v LSU yesterday. Georgia was ridiculously impressive. Georgia is The Chicxulub Asteroid Entering The Earth's Atmosphere of college football. Grown-ass men playing against high school teams. Terrifying.

Riley's USC team was...not terrifying. In essence, USC was built like a good Big 12 team, ie, great offense, zero defense. See ya.

TCU was a lot like USC, only the offense seems a bit more explosive, but again, their defense couldn't stop K-State. Dangerous, but two of the four teams in the playoffs have stellar defenses and rushing games built to beat teams like that (Georgia and Michigan).

My eyeballs tell me that Ohio State should be sitting at 3 instead of TCU, but I understand why the committee doesn't want to see a rematch in the first round, plus that's their M.O. Ohio State is a really fine team.

"So what's your prediction, Les?"

"In the first round, Michigan will have its hands full with TCU, and if they have a slow start (Michigan's a second-half team) they could find themselves in a hole by halftime. They have to keep the first half close, as they did with Ohio State. Georgia is Michigan, only better. I think Ohio State needs Stroud to go absolutely wild to beat them, but OSU is going to have its hands full with the Georgia running game. I think Michigan gets by TCU if the defense plays well, and that Georgia should win against OSU. If I'm right and both Michigan and Georgia have good games, it's Georgia-Michigan in the final, but it won't be close. Georgia is the asteroid, and Michigan is the dinosaurs. In such cases, the asteroid usually wins. I mean, Go blue, and all that, but I'm not ready run out and buy a Michigan National Champions hat just yet. Great season, though."
 
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The Powers That Be have selected Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State to go to the Playoff. I think they made the right calls.

I watched the first half of Georgia v LSU yesterday. Georgia was ridiculously impressive. Georgia is The Chicxulub Asteroid Entering The Earth's Atmosphere of college football. Grown-ass men playing against high school teams. Terrifying.

Riley's USC team was...not terrifying. In essence, USC was built like a good Big 12 team, ie, great offense, zero defense. See ya.

TCU was a lot like USC, only the offense seems a bit more explosive, but again, their defense couldn't stop K-State. Dangerous, but two of the four teams in the playoffs have stellar defenses and rushing games built to beat teams like that (Georgia and Michigan).

My eyeballs tell me that Ohio State should be sitting at 3 instead of TCU, but I understand why the committee doesn't want to see a rematch in the first round, plus that's their M.O. Ohio State is a really fine team.

"So what's your prediction, Les?"

"In the first round, Michigan will have its hands full with TCU, and if they have a slow start (Michigan's a second-half team) they could find themselves in a hole by halftime. They have to keep the first half close, as they did with Ohio State. Georgia is Michigan, only better. I think Ohio State needs Stroud to go absolutely wild to beat them, but OSU is going to have its hands full with the Georgia running game. I think Michigan gets by TCU if the defense plays well, and that Georgia should win against OSU. If I'm right and both Michigan and Georgia have good games, it's Georgia-Michigan in the final, but it won't be close. Georgia is the asteroid, and Michigan is the dinosaurs. In such cases, the asteroid usually wins. I mean, Go blue, and all that, but I'm not ready to invest in a Michigan National Champions hat just yet. Great season, though."
Georgia is just a juggernaut.
Like you Les, my heart wants Michigan, but my head says Georgia.
 
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