BG Bowl Pick Em

[Ryany]

Carr has been head coach at Michigan since 94 or 95. (can't remember the exact year Moeller got canned) He hasn't won against Ohio State in the last few games, but I believe he has a winning record against them by multiple games in his career. (Michigan won almost every year when Ohio State had John Cooper)

...but yeah, I'd agree that he hasn't been impressive in bowls or against Ohio State recently.

[Ohemgee]

Brady Quinn #1 draft pick in the NFL

[archibaldcrane]

You cannot see that it's damn near impossible to go undefeated in any major conference in the NCAA

When only one major conference team does something each year, I call whatever that thing is "damn near impossible".

[LAGUNA]

Roflmao. I totally called like 6 pages ago that I'd come in 2nd. 2nd in BG fantasy football, 2nd in BG Bowl. Not bad I guess.

Not anymore

[Akiyama]

Haha, nice job Laguna. Hey, I'm #4. o.O Nice.

Also yeah, I wouldn't far as saying SEC beats up on themselves by statement of injuries. They just beat themselves because every year there is usually more than 3 or 4 contenders unlike the some others where usually you have a static 2 or 3 contenders. SEC has Tennessee (unless they have an off year like a couple years ago) and Auburn, LSU, Florida, Spurrier is doing a good job with South Carolina so Ithink they'll come on soon, Kentucky played hella good this year.

Anyway, I'm not tooting their horn. Every conferance is different and has it's own strengths and weaknesses. Am no where near defending the SEC's choice of scheduling sometimes, I think it's hard to compare two good teams like Ohio State and Florida based on scheduling alone.

[Tyche]

Acutally i was wrong, carr has lost his last 4 bowl games, not last 3. And he has beat ohio state once under jim tressel. Still, they've been blowing the big games. Whether or not wisconsin and penn state are actually "big games" is up in the air, but i can pretty much assure you that the program boosters and alumni aren't thrilled this season that they "won the big games against wisconsin and penn state" and lost to Ohio state, again, and USC.

Anywho, as far as the whole SEC, injuries as an excuse or whatever...I find it ironic that the 3 games before ohio state, michigan played cupcakes, and came into ohio state with zero injuries...coincidence the schedule was like that? You cannot do that in the SEC, you don't get "cupcakes" before you play BCS bowl caliber teams, because half the teams can reach that mark any given year.

[Gregorio]

What's Michigan's record in bowl games under lloyd carr? Like, 0-3? How many time's have they beat ohio state under lloyd carr? Zero? Those are big games. Those are the games you are hired in as a coach to win. Michigan is a program that recruits itself. It goes without saying that you are SUPPOSED to win games against wisconsin and penn state. Everyone always points to carr's 75% winning record or whatever at michigan. That's under achieving. YOu should win 90% there. I could probably coach michigan to winning 3/4 games. Michigan blows big games buddy.

I stated a while ago, may have been this thread, that i thought wisconsin was a really good team. Better than michigan in my opinion. So i really have no qualms with their schedule being easy. You act as if there aren't really good teams that end up playing weak schedules that do not at least deserve a shot at a champioship in a playoff system. In the current system, i'll agree. I wouldn't give boise state a national championship over florida or ohio state, but i'd like to see them get a shot in the playoffs.

As far as laughing at the SEC, that's funny. You cannot see that it's damn near impossible to go undefeated in the SEC because half the schools there are capable, any given year, to be a BCS bowl caliber team. That's far from excuse, that's fact. I don't know if you're jus a big ten homer or a SEC hater, but it's glaringly obvious the SEC is brutal.

If the only games you consider big games are bowl games and when they play OSU, then that's pretty silly since more than 2 games make up a season.

And as far as laughing at the SEC, I wasn't laughing at the conference, I was laughing at your excuse as to why nobody's undefeated in there. The SEC is a great conference, but don't pretend no other conference can match up with them, has no injuries, or has multiple BCS or national championship contenders every year. 2 years in a row the Big 10 has had 2 teams in BCS bowls. Winconsin should have been in one this year too, but the 2 team per conference rule owned them. OSU, Michigan, PSU, Wiscy, Iowa, even Purdue are consitantly ranked high throughout the season and in positions to play in big bowl games.

Back to bowl games, for 2 years straight we've had 2 teams in BCS games. Last year we won both BCS games, and also last year Wiscy beat Auburn in the Cap One Bowl when Auburn was supposed to roll over them. OSU won a national championship a couple years back. Also, the Big 10 is 2-0 in head to head bowl matchups with them so far. Given the SEC has an overall better bowl record, but the Big 10 has been in some bowl matchups that were stacked pretty high in the opponents favor, and played well in all of them save the Rose. If OSU beats Florida in the National Championship will you acknowledge the Big 10's superiority?

[Gregorio]

Anywho, as far as the whole SEC, injuries as an excuse or whatever...I find it ironic that the 3 games before ohio state, michigan played cupcakes, and came into ohio state with zero injuries...coincidence the schedule was like that? You cannot do that in the SEC, you don't get "cupcakes" before you play BCS bowl caliber teams, because half the teams can reach that mark any given year.

Michigan and OSU always play eachother the last game of the year. And you said it yourself (I think it was you) that schedules are made years in advance. There's one cupcake, and 2 in conference games. You think Michigan anticipated that few Big 10 opponents would be having down times years ago when the schedule was made?

And again, the SEC isn't the only conference with multiple BCS contenders every year.

[Tyche]

When you take a storied tradition like michigan, you are EXPECTED to do 2 things. Win against your rival (ohio state) and win some bowl games. When nick saben took the job at bama, they told him they wanted him to do 2 things...beat auburn more times than they beat you, and win bowl games. Yeah, there are countless other team in your conference, but when you are michigan, beating wisconsin and penn state are games that you are supposed to win. Do you honestly think the boosters and alumni thought this was a successful year for michigan...ok, i guess that's why a lot of michigan fans are calling for carr's head.

As far as "well, they made that achedule 3 years ago, michigan didnt know they were scheduling cupcakes". Give me a fucking break dude...they scheduled northwestern, who haven't had a "up year" in like a fucking decade...Ball state, who i think may have turned in one .500 season this century, and indiana (a basketball school in a basketball state that has more 10 loss teams this century than 5 win teams.). "GOD, MICHIGAN HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WERE SCHEDULING CUPCAKES BEFORE OHIO STATE". You that damn naive? The fact that you refer to the big 10 as "us" defines a whiney ass homer. I can't argue with someone like that...I don't even support any teams in the SEC, i hate kentucky, i hate nick saben, but i can look at that conference with non-bias eyes. Ohio state, is leaps and bounds above other teams in the big 10. Michigan is an underachieving program in the past 5 years, Penn state has had one really good season when they returned like 10 5th year seniors. Wisconsin was really good this year, but aren't consistant contenders. Purdue...lol for bringing them up. SEC, who contends there? I dunno, Bama really soon, LSU, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia (had a down year). Yeah, ok.

[Tyche]

Oh, and as far as Big 10 >>>> SEC or whatever your dillusional mind sees, i'll play your game. If Ohio state (who i actullay picked in BG bowl, and think is a better team) beats Florida, i'll put in my sig anything you want until after the superbowl. But if florida beats ohio state, you hafta do the same. Seems like a nice gentleman's bet.

[archibaldcrane]

Wisconsin was really good this year, but aren't consistant contenders.

In the last 13 years, Wisconsin has won 3 Big-Ten (co)Championships, is 3-0 in the Rose Bowl, and has gone 9-3 in their bowl games.

In the same time period, Michigan has 5 Big-Ten (co)Championships, is 1-3 in the Rose Bowl, and has gone 7-7 in their bowl games, and has one national co-championship.

Ohio State has 6 Big-Ten (co)Championships, is 1-0 in the Rose Bowl, has gone 7-5 in their bowl games, and has one national championship.

I'm cherry picking stats here a little, but Wisconsin holds it's own. If you mean "consistant contenders" for the national championship, sure. But if you mean in the Big-10, I'd disagree.

[Gregorio]

As far as "well, they made that achedule 3 years ago, michigan didnt know they were scheduling cupcakes". Give me a fucking break dude...they scheduled northwestern, who haven't had a "up year" in like a fucking decade...Ball state, who i think may have turned in one .500 season this century, and indiana (a basketball school in a basketball state that has more 10 loss teams this century than 5 win teams.). "GOD, MICHIGAN HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WERE SCHEDULING CUPCAKES BEFORE OHIO STATE". You that damn naive? The fact that you refer to the big 10 as "us" defines a whiney ass homer. I can't argue with someone like that...I don't even support any teams in the SEC, i hate kentucky, i hate nick saben, but i can look at that conference with non-bias eyes. Ohio state, is leaps and bounds above other teams in the big 10. Michigan is an underachieving program in the past 5 years, Penn state has had one really good season when they returned like 10 5th year seniors. Wisconsin was really good this year, but aren't consistant contenders. Purdue...lol for bringing them up. SEC, who contends there? I dunno, Bama really soon, LSU, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia (had a down year). Yeah, ok.

As far as Michigan not showing up for big games (in your opinion Ohio and Bowl games), but I consider the entire season as more important than 2 games.

And bashing Michigans 3 games before OSU is funny because you're the one here spewing that mid-major conferences beat the big boys, anything can happen, blah blah blah. If Boise could have a good year why can't Indiana? Your whole argument is that SEC teams can't ever schedule cupcakes before big games cause they're just so damn tough...while Michigan did. Big deal, SEC plays cupcakes too, don't pretend they don't.

I'm a whiney ass homer? Why, because you're trumping the SEC as the best thing to ever hit college football and OSU as leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the Big 10 and I'm calling bullshit? The reality of it is that 2 of the Big 10s teams who aren't OSU won in head to head bowl games vs. the consistantly contending SEC teams. Big 10 is 3-0 vs SEC all season, but you'd probably rather not count Vandy cause the SEC clearly has no bad teams.

PSU has a couple down years and suddenly they're not one of the permier programs in college football history any more. They had some great seasons in the 90s, a good one in 2002 and 2005, and a few down years in between, but don't act like they aren't consistantly in the BCS/National championship picture. I don't feel like going and digging up stats for hours, but Wisconsin was 9-3 in 2004, 10-3 2005 with a win over Auburn in the Cap 1 bowl. Could have possibly been in a BCS bowl too but there were already 2 Big 10 teams there. Not lookin that bad to me. Iowa had a tough last 2 years, but they're still usually in the BCS picture. A bad 2005 Iowa team even gave Florida a run in their bowl game too.

lol at counting bama "really soon"...when they get back in the program then you can count them. I'll give you LSU, Floridas schedule looks just like a lot of Big 10 teams the past couple years, Auburn is usually good, but still lost to a Big 10 team last year, and almost lost to Nebraska this year. Tenn and Georgia are usually decent.

My point is the Big 10 stacks up against the SEC every year, and they're pretty close in all time history of their head to head matchups during the regular season and bowl wins (although historically, SEC is winning in both).

[Gregorio]

Oh, and as far as Big 10 >>>> SEC or whatever your dillusional mind sees, i'll play your game. If Ohio state (who i actullay picked in BG bowl, and think is a better team) beats Florida, i'll put in my sig anything you want until after the superbowl. But if florida beats ohio state, you hafta do the same. Seems like a nice gentleman's bet.

I don't know why I'm dillusional because I think the Big 10 is better than the SEC this year. 2-0 head to head in Jan 1st bowl games, what else do you want? After OSU beats Florida they will be 3-0, and I don't want you to put anything in your sig. I just want you to acknowledge that the Big 10 is better than the SEC this year and is consistantly matching up with them.

Yeah, the SEC's bottom teams are better than the Big 10s, but when it comes to where it matters, the top teams, the Big 10 is clearly better.

[Tyche]

The big ten have as a conference, played 46 top 40 teams...they have won 10 (21.7%) If you take out wisconsin(2-1vstop40), ohio state(4-0), and michigan(3-2), they have beat a total of....ONE top 40 team.

The SEC have played 82 top 40 schools, winning 32 (39%). Outside of the "big 3" LSU(4-2), Florida(6-1), and Auburn(5-2), they still have 17 wins against the top 40.

So yeah, the big ten's top 3 teams have the same winning percentage against top 40 teams as the top 3 SEC teams, cept, the SEC has played nearly TWICE AS MANY. As a conference, it isnt even fucking close, twice as many games, three times as many wins, twice the record. As far as bowl games, i'll make no excuses. Big 10's 3rd best team, Wisconsin is a really good team, and i've said that. They beat an arkansas (had 4th best w/l record in SEC) team that got hot midseason, and closed their season with 3 strait loses. Your 4th best team, Penn state beating the SEC's 5th best team, tenessee was nice, but they about evenly matched anyway, so no shock. Penn state only had 1 win all season against a top 40 team, and tennessee only beat one decent cal team at the beginning of the season.

[Gregorio]

The big ten have as a conference, played 46 top 40 teams...they have won 10 (21.7%) If you take out wisconsin(2-1vstop40), ohio state(4-0), and michigan(3-2), they have beat a total of....ONE top 40 team.

The SEC have played 82 top 40 schools, winning 32 (39%). Outside of the "big 3" LSU(4-2), Florida(6-1), and Auburn(5-2), they still have 17 wins against the top 40.

So yeah, the big ten's top 3 teams have the same winning percentage against top 40 teams as the top 3 SEC teams, cept, the SEC has played nearly TWICE AS MANY. As a conference, it isnt even fucking close. As far as bowl games, i'll make no excuses. Wisconsin is a really good team, and i've said that. They beat an arkansas team that got hot midseason, and closed their season with 3 strait loses. Penn state beating tenessee was nice, but they about evenly matched anyway, so no shock. Penn state only had 1 win all season against a top 40 team, and tennessee only beat one decent cal team at the beginning of the season.

I'm curious as to how there can be more than 40 top 40 teams. I, and most of the rest of the country, was under the impression that the only rank that matters is the one a team has at the end of the year. For example, ND started off as the preseason #2. They clearly aren't the #2 team in the country everyone thought they'd be...so do teams that beat ND have the right to say they beat the #2 team in the country when all is said and done?

Just out of curiosity, where did you get those numbers, and why did you chose the top 40 when nobody really cares about teams ranked from 26 on?

[Tyche]

You do realize that some conferences teams can play the same top 40 team, hence, how a conference can play 82 top 40 teams. Not 82 DIFFERENT top 40 teams. Edit: those rankings are against the top 40 teams as of 2 days ago, or, the end of the season. Editx2, that stats can be broken down to top 10 and top 20 as well (but im tired), but i figured top 40 since if gives a rather large sample size.

Edit: We'll take the top 3 teams of each conference vs the top 10 because im tired and do not wanna prod for more hours to dig this shit up.

Vs top 10 (incase you are wondering, Notre Dame isn't a top 10 team, and isnt counted for michigan or LSU)

Michigan: 1-2
Ohio State: 1-0
Wisconsin: 0-1

Florida: 1-1
LSU: 0-2
Auburn 2-0

So, when Ohio state beats Florida, i'll admit, the big ten had a better bowl season against equally match and/or lesser talented SEC teams, because lets be real, penn state and tennessee are about equal, wisconsin is a better team than arkansas, and ohio state outclasses florida. I have no qualms with admitting that.

[Lbelle]

I don't understand college football at all. I mean, with the NFL there is one big game at the end of the season, the Superbowl, right? There aren't all these little mini superbowls going on.

What the fuck do all these little bowls mean for college? Why isn't there just one big national championship like in the NFL? I've asked 2 people this and they both couldn't give me a reasonable answer. If your team loses, how are they still going to these bowls and winning a title?

Is the OSU/UF game any different than these other mini bowls that are going on? So confused.

[Tyche]

I don't understand college football at all. I mean, with the NFL there is one big game at the end of the season, the Superbowl, right? There aren't all these little mini superbowls going on.

What the fuck do all these little bowls mean for college? Why isn't there just one big national championship like in the NFL? I've asked 2 people this and they both couldn't give me a reasonable answer. If your team loses, how are they still going to these bowls and winning a title?

Is the OSU/UF game any different than these other mini bowls that are going on? So confused.

Ok, so the college system goes off a "BCS" system. This means, the top 2 teams in the nation as voted upon by...a number of different things, play for the championship. No playoff, they just rate your regular season, and if you had one of the two best seasons, then you play for championship. There are also other "BCS" games, that puts the winners of each "BCS conference" against each other. It isn't for a national title, it's just for some money for the school, and a consolation prize for not being a top 2 team. Louisville, winner of the big east, for example, played Wake Forest, winner of the ACC in the orange bowl.

The pro equivalent to this would be picking the 2 best teams in the NFL, we'll take san diego and Baltimore, and they would play each other in the superbowl. None of the other teams get a chance, because their regular season wasn't as good. However, as a consolation prize, New England patriots can play the colts because they aren't as good as baltimore or san diego, but they did win their conferences. The other winners of their conferences would also play each other. They don't really get anything but a pretty trophy and some money, but hey, you should have played better during the regular season if you want a shot at the superbowl.

There are other bowl games also, but a sponsor pretty much picks teams and invites them to play, even if they may not be good at all. Example, Miami getting to a bowl game with a .500 record. all in all, there are 32 bowl games.

I know that was really fucking confusing, but maybe it helps.

[Lbelle]

eh it kinda clears it up a little bit...thanks!! I'm just gonna watch the UF game because I go there haha.

[Insanecyclone]

For the BCS National game I'm going for Flordia their defense is amazing