College Football Stuff

[László]

Georgia is just a juggernaut.
Like you Les, my heart wants Michigan, but my head says Georgia.

The only caveat I have about Georgia is that their most impressive game (to me) was yesterday's win against LSU. Brian Kelly is very good, but not as good as his SEC competition. His teams haven't been Death Stars like some of the other big time programs. Solid teams, to be sure, for the most part. Not asteroids.

Just thinking back to Michigan's games against Kelly at Notre Dame during the years when Michigan absolutely stunk - during the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke years 2009 through 2014 - Notre Dame was only 2-4 with Kelly at the helm! A constant Michigan meme is a pic of Kelly's face turning an incredible shade of magenta while chewing out his players in the Big House.

A coach who couldn't beat Rich Rod or Hoke-coached Michigan consistently? Tells me a lot.

So my wish-dream here is that Kelly's LSU made Georgia look more scary than they are. BUT:

It's a wish-dream because Thor would have to supernaturally arrive from Asgard and lend Michigan his hammer to beat Georgia, and I don't believe in the supernatural.

I might start believing in that if by some miracle Michigan takes the Natty.

Meantime, Michigan's only close call was against Illinois, a team built like Michigan and like Georgia, only Michigan's a better version of it, and Georgia is a bazillion times better. Another data point that discourages me from having an irrational belief in winding up with the Natty this year.

If I was coaching Michigan, I'd get on the ouija board and ask my mom (RIP) for a note saying I have to be excused from taking the test because I have a doctor's appointment.

"But it's such a special thing to make the Playoffs!"

"It was also a special thing to be the last Arrhinoceratops to see the Chicxulub Asterpoid entering Earth's atmosphere. But a big part of me says that I don't want to be that dinosaur."

 

[bodia]

The only caveat I have about Georgia is that their most impressive game (to me) was yesterday's win against LSU. Brian Kelly is very good, but not as good as his SEC competition. His teams haven't been Death Stars like some of the other big time programs. Solid teams, to be sure, for the most part. Not asteroids.

Just thinking back to Michigan's games against Kelly at Notre Dame during the years when Michigan absolutely stunk - during the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke years 2009 through 2014 - Notre Dame was only 2-4 with Kelly at the helm! A constant Michigan meme is a pic of Kelly's face turning an incredible shade of magenta while chewing out his players in the Big House.

A coach who couldn't beat Rich Rod or Hoke-coached Michigan consistently? Tells me a lot.

So my wish-dream here is that Kelly's LSU made Georgia look more scary than they are. BUT:

It's a wish-dream because Thor would have to supernaturally arrive from Asgard and lend Michigan his hammer to beat Georgia, and I don't believe in the supernatural.

I might start believing in that if by some miracle Michigan takes the Natty.

Meantime, Michigan's only close call was against Illinois, a team built like Michigan and like Georgia, only Michigan's a better version of it, and Georgia is a bazillion times better. Another data point that discourages me from having an irrational belief in winding up with the Natty this year.

If I was coaching Michigan, I'd get on the ouija board and ask my mom (RIP) for a note saying I have to be excused from taking the test because I have a doctor's appointment.

I’ll give Kelly a little more credit. Two years and LSU is going to be #1 bond. His first year at LSU, and it started poorly. Finished on a good note. Not really a fan of his, but I respect his coaching.

As a Big 10 homer, I’ll be pulling for Michigan and Ohio State.

 

[tiboy]

The following is my subjective alternate reality view. I think the choice to keep TCU and add OSU to the playoff mix is the correct decision. In my alternate reality I would have TCU play OSU as the designated “Runner up Game” and pit Georgia against MU as the designated National Championship Game. Georgia and MU are the only remaining undefeated teams. Both are Conference Champions. IMO they earned the right to play for the title. If Georgia and MU were to lose in the first round, their records would be no worse than either TCU or OSU. That leaves me unsettled on a purely subjective level. If either TCU or OSU wins it all it would be equally unsettling that a National Champion would be a team that did not even win its own conference. And in the case of OSU a team that did not even win it own Division.
A title game between OSU and MU may be fine if MU wins. But if OSU wins it would be akin to Ali and Frazier not having a third fight. Unsettling to me. At a minimum I would have MU and OSU play against each other in the first game. At least that would assure a title game between two different Conferences.

I know this goes against my long held belief that game(s) are played and won on the field. I know this goes against history ie two teams from the same Conference playing for the title. But I’m pontificating with my subjective alternate reality voice.

On a related topic, I can’t wait to see if Caleb Williams lost the Heisman because of an untimely injury or if Max Dugan won the Heisman with his gutsy performance on the national stage.

 

[László]

The following is my subjective alternate reality view. I think the choice to keep TCU and add OSU to the playoff mix is the correct decision. In my alternate reality I would have TCU play OSU as the designated “Runner up Game” and pit Georgia against MU as the designated National Championship Game. Georgia and MU are the only remaining undefeated teams. Both are Conference Champions. IMO they earned the right to play for the title. If Georgia and MU were to lose in the first round, their records would be no worse than either TCU or OSU. That leaves me unsettled on a purely subjective level. If either TCU or OSU wins it all it would be equally unsettling that a National Champion would be a team that did not even win its own conference. And in the case of OSU a team that did not even win it own Division.
A title game between OSU and MU may be fine if MU wins. But if OSU wins it would be akin to Ali and Frazier not having a third fight. Unsettling to me. At a minimum I would have MU and OSU play against each other in the first game. At least that would assure a title game between two different Conferences.

I know this goes against my long held belief that game(s) are played and won on the field. I know this goes against history ie two teams from the same Conference playing for the title. But I’m pontificating with my subjective alternate reality voice.

On a related topic, I can’t wait to see if Caleb Williams lost the Heisman because of an untimely injury or if Max Dugan won the Heisman with his gutsy performance on the national stage.

I'm inclined to agree, though I'd also note that Blake Corum's untimely injury may also have cost him the Heisman.

Note: Not that it's a big deal, and I hope I'm not being a gigantic PITA, but Michigan is University of Michigan, and thus is usually referred to as U of M, M, or just 'Michigan', not MU.

 

[tiboy]

I'm inclined to agree, though I'd also note that Blake Corum's untimely injury may also have cost him the Heisman.

Note: Not that it's a big deal, and I hope I'm not being a gigantic PITA, but Michigan is University of Michigan, and thus is usually referred to as U of M, M, or just 'Michigan', not MU.

Let me first say I’m a Corum fan. But, given the numbers posted by his replacement (cast on his hand and all) leads me to believe it is the O-line that makes the runner in U of M’s case. Moreover, statistically Corum is not even the top back in the Big Ten. Because of the O-line the U of M backs seem somewhat fungible whereas USC is largely, if not completely, reliant upon a fully functioning Williams. We will never know if a healthy Williams would have changed the outcome of the PAC12 title game. No griping here. Injuries are part of the game. Complete teams overcome. Michigan did; USC did not.

As a lover of the underdog, my rooting interest probably are with TCU. If it comes down to Georgia vs OSU, I’m rooting for Georgia. If it’s Georgia vs Michigan (at present subject to change) I’m rooting for a game that goes down to the last play.

I never mind being corrected when I’m wrong, especially by an especially qualified (U of M alum) corrector. BTW, I love PITA with a fine hummus and Cabernet.

 

[László]

Let me first say I’m a Corum fan. But, given the numbers posted by his replacement (cast on his hand and all) leads me to believe it is the O-line that makes the runner in U of M’s case. Moreover, statistically Corum is not even the top back in the Big Ten. Because of the O-line the U of M backs seem somewhat fungible whereas USC is largely, if not completely, reliant upon a fully functioning Williams. We will never know if a healthy Williams would have changed the outcome of the PAC12 title game. No griping here. Injuries are part of the game. Complete teams overcome. Michigan did; USC did not.

As a lover of the underdog, my rooting interest probably are with TCU. If it comes down to Georgia vs OSU, I’m rooting for Georgia. If it’s Georgia vs Michigan (at present subject to change) I’m rooting for a game that goes down to the last play.

I never mind being corrected when I’m wrong, especially by an especially qualified (U of M alum) corrector. BTW, I love PITA with a fine hummus and Cabernet.

All this stuff is hard to prove one way or the other, and that's part of the fun of talking about sports.

Good point about the Michigan O-line, heck, the rushing game is what they excel at!

However, what you say is true of all Heisman winners! They play for great teams with winning records, and all of the skill players who win them have had terrific supporting casts, especially the guys in the trenches. Football is a team sport, even the best players need a good team to get noticed.

Quarterbacks don't win Heismans without OLs who give them time to throw, excellent receivers who run good routes and can catch the ball, and coaches who develop/train them, and make the right in-game calls.

It was fun seeing Edwards juke some dude out of his shoes last night on one of his long runs, where he appeared trapped behind the line by the defsnse, and to have seen Corum dragging five or six tacklers for extra yards all season. There's a lot of individual effort involved, whether it's a running back, quarterback or any other position. But I'm the first to agree that none of these players can do it on their own, without a good team.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I find it interesting that many people are saying OSU doesn’t deserve to be in the playoffs, considering:

- our #1 receiver, and one figured to be the best in the nation and a top draft pick, missed almost the whole season and was injured when he did play. Add him in the mix, and our receiving crew is just as incredible as last year
-our number one running back (another gonna be first round draft pick) was out almost all season, and again, was hurt and much less effective when he did play.
- our backup running back is a hammer, but not a game breaker like the one we lost. He played GREAT all year, but was hurt the week before and barely played against TTUN.
-our two starting corners (again both top players at their positions) were either out, or playing hurt all year. Both starters and the highly touted backup that was so good he was supposed to challenge one of them for a starting spot, played less than 1/3 of the snaps this season, and were hampered with injuries even when they were in. Our secondary got torched for big plays in “the game” and we had 2nd and 3rd backups back there, in a high risk defense which required them to guard solo and tackle solo “OR ELSE” and they got SMOKED.
-I mentioned the running backs above… if any of you wonder why you’ve never heard of the guy who played running back agains’t TTUN, it’s because he was so far down the depth chart at running back, they converted him to a linebacker. But by “the game, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string backs were all hurt, so he had one week of prep and got moved back to running back.

All that aside, our defense was playing very well except for allowing the big play, for most of the game. Blown coverages and blown signals and they had, what 5-6 touchdowns of 45 yards or more and at least 4 over 70 years? Bucks haven’t let anybody come close to something like that. It was a combinations of blown plays/coverages, and their QB making plays that he hasn’t made all year. Scrambling out of pressure that broke down coverage and then when coverages pursues, suddenly someone is open 20 yards down field with nobody near them… and he hits them every time! He missed people last night against Purdue on less stressed passes than he made against OSU and he hit them ever time against us. They got VERY lucky in a serious of touchdown plays. You review the play, the defense was stellar for many seconds, and only broke down after seconds of having everyone covered. Like he’s scramble, a D back would see him, and lose his received. I saw mistakes I haven’t seen all year,and the killer was EVERY SINGLE TIME that happened, he found them and it was a touchdown. Like under duress, the guys scramble, that’s what they’re supposed to do when the QB scrambles, and every time someone would get lost, open and SCORE! That, and a few times a running back hits a hole that the linebacker left on a blitz and is gone…. That happens, it’s all luck of the draw. What play is called on offense vs. what play is called on defense. High risk/high rewards plays and we had almost every one of them backfire. That’s not just skill or one team dominating. It’s the right play at the right time and a running play is suddenly an 80 yard touchdown, or a 5 yard loss if all the DB’s they sent in get to the ball.. but if not, there’s nobody left back there to tackle.

Say what you want. Fan talking, blah blah blah. I’ve never seen a game where every time those type of things happened, it ended in a touchdown. And the more pressure we had on him, the worse we got burned when we didn’t get him. All I can say is, any OSU fan that’s not a frontrunner, wants them again. BAD! We get either DB and our starting running back back, and we’ll take our chances against anyone. We get our receiver, DBs, and RBs back… watch out boys.

 

[bodia]

I'm inclined to agree, though I'd also note that Blake Corum's untimely injury may also have cost him the Heisman.

Note: Not that it's a big deal, and I hope I'm not being a gigantic PITA, but Michigan is University of Michigan, and thus is usually referred to as U of M, M, or just 'Michigan', not MU.

Thanks for Cade McNamara….

 

[Tucson Thump]

Note: Not that it's a big deal, and I hope I'm not being a gigantic PITA, but Michigan is University of Michigan, and thus is usually referred to as U of M, M, or just 'Michigan', not MU.

I'm happy to comply but you'll have to talk to the OP about his original post.

 

[László]

I find it interesting that many people are saying OSU doesn’t deserve to be in the playoffs, considering:

- our #1 receiver, and one figured to be the best in the nation and a top draft pick, missed almost the whole season and was injured when he did play. Add him in the mix, and our receiving crew is just as incredible as last year
-our number one running back (another gonna be first round draft pick) was out almost all season, and again, was hurt and much less effective when he did play.
- our backup running back is a hammer, but not a game breaker like the one we lost. He played GREAT all year, but was hurt the week before and barely played against TTUN.
-our two starting corners (again both top players at their positions) were either out, or playing hurt all year. Both starters and the highly touted backup that was so good he was supposed to challenge one of them for a starting spot, played less than 1/3 of the snaps this season, and were hampered with injuries even when they were in. Our secondary got torched for big plays in “the game” and we had 2nd and 3rd backups back there, in a high risk defense which required them to guard solo and tackle solo “OR ELSE” and they got SMOKED.
-I mentioned the running backs above… if any of you wonder why you’ve never heard of the guy who played running back agains’t TTUN, it’s because he was so far down the depth chart at running back, they converted him to a linebacker. But by “the game, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string backs were all hurt, so he had one week of prep and got moved back to running back.

All that aside, our defense was playing very well except for allowing the big play, for most of the game. Blown coverages and blown signals and they had, what 5-6 touchdowns of 45 yards or more and at least 4 over 70 years? Bucks haven’t let anybody come close to something like that. It was a combinations of blown plays/coverages, and their QB making plays that he hasn’t made all year. Scrambling out of pressure that broke down coverage and then when coverages pursues, suddenly someone is open 20 yards down field with nobody near them… and he hits them every time! He missed people last night against Purdue on less stressed passes than he made against OSU and he hit them ever time against us. They got VERY lucky in a serious of touchdown plays. You review the play, the defense was stellar for many seconds, and only broke down after seconds of having everyone covered. Like he’s scramble, a D back would see him, and lose his received. I saw mistakes I haven’t seen all year,and the killer was EVERY SINGLE TIME that happened, he found them and it was a touchdown. Like under duress, the guys scramble, that’s what they’re supposed to do when the QB scrambles, and every time someone would get lost, open and SCORE! That, and a few times a running back hits a hole that the linebacker left on a blitz and is gone…. That happens, it’s all luck of the draw. What play is called on offense vs. what play is called on defense. High risk/high rewards plays and we had almost every one of them backfire. That’s not just skill or one team dominating. It’s the right play at the right time and a running play is suddenly an 80 yard touchdown, or a 5 yard loss if all the DB’s they sent in get to the ball.. but if not, there’s nobody left back there to tackle.

Say what you want. Fan talking, blah blah blah. I’ve never seen a game where every time those type of things happened, it ended in a touchdown. And the more pressure we had on him, the worse we got burned when we didn’t get him. All I can say is, any OSU fan that’s not a frontrunner, wants them again. BAD! We get either DB and our starting running back back, and we’ll take our chances against anyone. We get our receiver, DBs, and RBs back… watch out boys.

Excuses? Come on. That's just like last year's 'the team had the flu'.

OSU took the field loaded with 4 and 5 star recruits. If a player goes down - at least what UM's coaches say - it's 'next man up'. Michigan's players came in far less highly rated than OSU's except our QB (who by the way missed spring and part of summer practice due to injury).

Michigan had three of its star players out with injuries, including a Heisman candidate running back; our second string running back played with a broken hand and tore your team a new a-hole. Our star pass rusher was injured and didn't play. Two of our star tight ends were out with injuries.

UM beat OSU without its star pass rusher (Mike Morris), Heisman candidate running back (Blake Corum), and star tight ends (Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker).

Donovan Edwards, who ran for the two long TDs, played with a broken hand.

Colston Loveland, who caught a TD pass and blocked like a champion, is a third string Freshman.

And yet, Michigan won. By 22 points.

Incidentally, you can talk about your rematch against Michigan, but FIRST there's that little matter of beating Georgia.

Not that I think Michigan will have an easy time with TCU. I think that'll be a tough contest, our D will not have an easy time of it against that offense.

 

[László]

Thanks for Cade McNamara….

He's a good QB. With any luck, he'll have the pieces around him to show his stuff.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Excuses? Come on. That's just like last year's 'the team had the flu'.

Interesting response to a thread headed by this...

I find it interesting that many people are saying OSU doesn’t deserve to be in the playoffs, considering:

And side note: over 1/3 of the teams was sick when we played them last year and that was known BEFORE the game.

If you want to debate who has the most talent out hurt, wait til they get drafted and compare where they go.

if you don't think that individual games have their own dynamics and swings determined by play calls, blown plays, or literally the luck of the draw on play calls, then I don't even know what to tell you because there is a whole history of sports data to prove it. Comparative scores, for example. How does one team beat, or play a very close game with, a team that is supposed to be way better? How do two "equal" teams play a common opponent and have radically different results? ha, how does a really close game with a few minutes left, end up looking like a solid win by the team that pulls away at the end? In a close game with 8 minutes left, one team gets a break, calls the right play, makes a great play or whatever and suddenly gets a lead. The other team presses, changes what they are doing, and suddenly has a quick 3 and out or worse, a turnover, and the winning teams scores again. With 4 minutes left, the losing team presses even harder on offense, and again stalls or turns over... and then gambles more on defense BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OR ELSE, and the winning team scores again and suddenly a 3 point game has oen team winning by 24 points. Happens ALL the time.

And, if those dynamic swings, and breaks, and "right play call at the right time" or vise versa DON'T affect the games, then how do you explain comparative scores? I mean, if Michigan is really 22 points better then OSU, how do you explain this?

Common opponents this year, score margins.
Rutgers - OSU +39, M+35
Mich. State- OSU +29, M + 22
Penn State - OSU +13, M + 24
Maryland - OSU +13, M + 7
Indiana - OSU +42, M + 9
Iowa - OSU +44, M + 13

There are some pretty even score margins there, Then there are games of complete domination vs. close games. How do you explain that if what I said is incorrect? Ever notice at the end of a close basketball game, the losing team starts fouling and jacking up 3's. Time and time and time again, either a close game becomes a wide margin (missed 3s and made free throws) or stays close (both teams making their shots) or one team overcomes the other (made 3s, missed foul shots) but the point is, the whole dynamic of a game that was close for 36 minutes can completely change in the last 3, And one team can outplay the other most of the game and get beat by a few 3s in a row that go in at the end. This is not news. It's the same in football. Last night, the Saints outplayed the Bucs ALL GAME and were ahread 16-3 with 4 minutes left. They went into a "conservative" defense, Bucs scored. Saints went conservative on offense... 3 and out! Bucs score again at the end and win the game. That whole game the Saints played better and their choice to go conservative at the end on both sides of the ball, completely cost them the game.

OSU is used to having all american corners, and playing a high risk defense works because they're so good. Michigan broke big play after big play after big play against the third team dbacks we had in. That's not an excuse, it's a fact. The fact that out 1st, 2nd and 3rd string running backs were all out of the game is also not an excuse for anything. It's a fact. Look it up.

Also, look up the post above. I didn't say "this is why we lost to Michigan." It was addressed at people saying OSU didn't deserve to make the playoffs. The people selecting who gets in KNOW all the stuff I said above. They know that a few of the players should be back by then. As to what that means, it's simple. They know the Buckeyes even at less than 100% are one of the best 4 teams. The rest will be settled on the field.

 

[László]

Interesting response to a thread headed by this...


And side note: over 1/3 of the teams was sick when we played them last year and that was known BEFORE the game.

If you want to debate who has the most talent out hurt, wait til they get drafted and compare where they go.

if you don't think that individual games have their own dynamics and swings determined by play calls, blown plays, or literally the luck of the draw on play calls, then I don't even know what to tell you because there is a whole history of sports data to prove it. Comparative scores, for example. How does one team beat, or play a very close game with, a team that is supposed to be way better? How do two "equal" teams play a common opponent and have radically different results? ha, how does a really close game with a few minutes left, end up looking like a solid win by the team that pulls away at the end? In a close game with 8 minutes left, one team gets a break, calls the right play, makes a great play or whatever and suddenly gets a lead. The other team presses, changes what they are doing, and suddenly has a quick 3 and out or worse, a turnover, and the winning teams scores again. With 4 minutes left, the losing team presses even harder on offense, and again stalls or turns over... and then gambles more on defense BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OR ELSE, and the winning team scores again and suddenly a 3 point game has oen team winning by 24 points. Happens ALL the time.

And, if those dynamic swings, and breaks, and "right play call at the right time" or vise versa DON'T affect the games, then how do you explain comparative scores? I mean, if Michigan is really 22 points better then OSU, how do you explain this?

Common opponents this year, score margins.
Rutgers - OSU +39, M+35
Mich. State- OSU +29, M + 22
Penn State - OSU +13, M + 24
Maryland - OSU +13, M + 7
Indiana - OSU +42, M + 9
Iowa - OSU +44, M + 13

There are some pretty even score margins there, Then there are games of complete domination vs. close games. How do you explain that if what I said is incorrect? Ever notice at the end of a close basketball game, the losing team starts fouling and jacking up 3's. Time and time and time again, either a close game becomes a wide margin (missed 3s and made free throws) or stays close (both teams making their shots) or one team overcomes the other (made 3s, missed foul shots) but the point is, the whole dynamic of a game that was close for 36 minutes can completely change in the last 3, And one team can outplay the other most of the game and get beat by a few 3s in a row that go in at the end. This is not news. It's the same in football. Last night, the Saints outplayed the Bucs ALL GAME and were ahread 16-3 with 4 minutes left. They went into a "conservative" defense, Bucs scored. Saints went conservative on offense... 3 and out! Bucs score again at the end and win the game. That whole game the Saints played better and their choice to go conservative at the end on both sides of the ball, completely cost them the game.

OSU is used to having all american corners, and playing a high risk defense works because they're so good. Michigan broke big play after big play after big play against the third team dbacks we had in. That's not an excuse, it's a fact. The fact that out 1st, 2nd and 3rd string running backs were all out of the game is also not an excuse for anything. It's a fact. Look it up.

Also, look up the post above. I didn't say "this is why we lost to Michigan." It was addressed at people saying OSU didn't deserve to make the playoffs. The people selecting who gets in KNOW all the stuff I said above. They know that a few of the players should be back by then. As to what that means, it's simple. They know the Buckeyes even at less than 100% are one of the best 4 teams. The rest will be settled on the field.

Well. Transitive comparisons against other teams, on other days, are pretty meaningless.

Our team beat your team head-to-head, that's it. That game can't be replayed. It's in the record books. That counts. The other stuff doesn't when it comes to this year.

I'd say myself that OSU is stocked with better athletes than Michigan. More five stars and four stars. Great players. And both teams had key players out, so what does that tell you?

Maybe...coaching? Scheme? Play calling?

Maybe the two teams just match up in an unusual way where Michigan's won the last couple of games.

Maybe it's pure luck that Michigan's won the last two games by a lot of points. I'll take that gladly!

OSU might get Michigan in the playoff if you beat Georgia. OSU might not, because Michigan might lose to TCU. Or OSU might lose to Georgia. No one's got a crystal ball that I'm aware of. I wouldn't mind an OSU-Michigan rematch. It'd be fun to watch.

Plus if by some miracle Michigan was to win a rematch, it'll be fun to read the online excuses on 11 Warriors, as it was last year, as it was this year. Lots of great whining and complaining about a myriad of things.

Oh, by the way, Michigan fans also whine and complain, even when the team wins. It's one of the weirdest thing about Michigan fans, they're never happy. Know why? There's a black pit of negative expectations among the fan base, based on the Rich Rod and Hoke years, where things always went sideways.

As to whether OSU belongs in the playoff, this is a direct quote from my previous post on the first page of the thread, after OSU was ranked 4:

"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."

Truth is, I like Ohio State. I respect Ohio State. I even like Columbus. It's a nice town!

Rivalries are fun, but they're only fun if the outcome of the games isn't predictable as hell. It's nice that Michigan snagged a couple of wins. It's good for the rivalry, good for the Big Ten, and frankly, good for both schools to attract the largest viewing audience in at least a decade.

If that's not good enough for ya, so be it.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Well. Transitive comparisons against other teams, on other days, are pretty meaningless.

Our team beat your team head-to-head, that's it. That game can't be replayed. It's in the record books. That counts. The other stuff doesn't when it comes to this year.

No, they prove the dynamics of a game, just like I said they do. And I never disputed that the game was over and the results were counted. Remember, my WHOLE post was about those who said OSU didn't deserve to get into the playoffs, NOT "here's why we lost to Michigan."

As to whether OSU belongs in the playoff, this is a direct quote from my previous post on the first page of the thread, after OSU was ranked 4:

"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."

Yes, Is a saw that, but in response to my post, your first word was "Excuses." Again, as if I posted "here's why we lost that game." Just because I said that if we get a few players back, we'd sure like another shot at them doesn't change what the post was about.

If that's not good enough for ya, so be it.

I don't even know what this means. You may think we're debating who should have won the game. I'm not. I was discussing the dynamics of the game itself (all games), how various factors change the outcome of a game, and how many players were out with injury.

 

[László]

I don't even know what this means.

It means that other than a little teasing about Michigan's win, I've shown a great deal of respect for Ohio State, and I hoped you'd appreciate that. But if that still doesn't convince you that my posts have been in the spirit of friendship with a little humor on the side, there isn't anything that will.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

It means that other than a little teasing about Michigan's win, I've shown a great deal of respect for Ohio State, and I hoped you'd appreciate that. But if that still doesn't convince you that my posts have been in the spirit of friendship with a little humor on the side, there isn't anything that will.

Losing HURTS, Les. Especially when you were supposed to win. You should know that!

Yes, I know what you were doing and know you pointed out things about OSU.

On the subject of "in game dynamics" and things like that, there are some really interesting examples in the history of sports about how one simple factor, motivation, can COMPLETELY change the on field results. Back in the 80s, the Houston Oilers and their coach Jerry Glanville had a history of really doing multiple things to tick the Bengals off. Bad mouthing them in the press, insulting the coach and players, etc., etc. One time it got especially bad with their coach insulting ours in the press, taking cheap shots on the field and while players "talk" they were known to get especially trashy with their jawing. Read this article, as an example of what happens when two relatively equal teams play, but one is truly pissed off and ready to make someone pay for it. I will note, each sport of course has it's own dynamic. A "mad" player who wants to make someone pay probably won't do much in baseball... getting mean doesn't make you hit 100mph fastballs or 92mph sliders better. But in football especially, one team playing "mad" definitely changes the game. Check this out about the Bengals vs. Oilers after a bunch of these things happened.

Game

 

[tiboy]

OSU vs U of M in 2022/2023. Both of you should be grateful that your team did considerably better than my OK Sooners.

 

[László]

OSU vs U of M in 2022/2023. Both of you should be grateful that your team did considerably better than my OK Sooners.

Michigan certainly had its years in the wilderness of mediocrity, so I can definitely relate.

What do you think of the move to the SEC? Kinda tough to be a top dog in that league compared to the Big 12. OK and Texas will have some work to do.

 

[tiboy]

Michigan certainly had its years in the wilderness of mediocrity, so I can definitely relate.

What do you think of the move to the SEC? Kinda tough to be a top dog in that league compared to the Big 12. OK and Texas will have some work to do.

My initial thought is that OK will reside mid-pack in the SEC. However the transfer portal changes everything for all. Teams are no longer limited to recruiting out of high school and developing players. Now recruiting will be more, or at least equally, focused on poaching proven talent from other programs. I call it the Steinbrenner effect: why develop talent when you can just buy it? I hate what the transfer portal and endorsement money is doing to the college game.

 

[11top]

Hoosiers in national championship game Monday night! Isn’t football great?!

Indiana men's soccer shuts out Pitt, advances to NCAA championship game

Follow along as the Hoosiers and Panthers battle for a chance to play in the 2022 DI men's soccer national championship game.

www.ncaa.com