BG College Football Pick Em / College Football Thread

[Akiyama]

Well first off, ND is better than Oregon State, and they did it... so yeah. You also have the comparison of ND rocking Michigan while Utah barely pulled out a win against them.

I'm not saying ND is going to beat USC, but seriously to believe a 1 loss Notre Dame team that beats USC on the road and at least 2 other ranked opponents gets left out in favor of Utah, you'd have to not have been paying attention to college football for the last... hundred years?



McCoy is a scrub and I honestly doubt he wins any of the 3, possibly Mizzou.

That's just it. :/ This is all hypothetical. Notre Dame will not beat USC. There is no way in hell. I don't even give them a 1 in a billion.

Also, ND beat Michigan because Michigan turned the ball over SIX TIMES, two or three of those inside their own 20. They'd have to suck complete balls not to take advantage of that. Hell, that's how ND beat UCLA last year; UCLA had a ton of turnovers.

If ND wins out and beats USC, sure, I can see em in a BCS bowl game. Either they'd really deserve it, or USC tossed the game. There's no way it'd happen though.

[Byrd]

Well first off, ND is better than Oregon State

That's debatable. Oregon State played Stanford close on the road in the first game of the year, and Stanford played Notre Dame close on the road. Since the Penn State game (which was post-Stanford), Oregon State's played pretty damn good football, with the obvious exception of the last 2 minutes against Utah. Oregon State always plays crappy football at the beginning of the year, and but the seem to be past that stage now. If they played at Stanford now, they would be favored to win. I'm not sure you can say the same thing about Notre Dame, after last weekend's results.

I'm not saying ND is going to beat USC, but seriously to believe a 1 loss Notre Dame team that beats USC on the road and at least 2 other ranked opponents gets left out in favor of Utah, you'd have to not have been paying attention to college football for the last... hundred years?

Notre Dame also has 4 winnable games against respectable teams left (@ UNC, vs. Pitt, @ BC, @ Navy), so I don't think Akiyama saying their schedule is super-weak is exactly fair. It may not be SEC or Big 12 strong, but it's not completely pathetic. Notre Dame would almost certainly (and deservedly) qualify at 11-1. There's even a decent chance they get in at 10-2, if they put up any sort of fight against USC (or beat USC and lose to someone else). Because if they are eligibile to go to a BCS game, they will go.

Ultimately, as Plow implies, if it comes down to Notre Dame vs. Utah for a BCS bowl, and both teams are eligible but neither automatic, a 9-3 Notre Dame team would get in over a 12-0 Utah team. It may not be fair, but it's economics.

[Byrd]

This week's Pick Em Games with Current Lines provided by vegasinsider.com:

Texas (+7) vs. Oklahoma
Minnesota (+12) @ Illinois
South Carolina (+1) @ Kentucky
Vanderbilt (-3) @ Mississippi State
Michigan St (-2.5) @ Northwestern
Notre Dame (+7) @ North Carolina
Arizona (-5.5) @ Stanford
Oklahoma State (+13.5) @ Missouri
Penn St (-5) @ Wisconsin
LSU (+5) @ Florida

[Stiker]

Wow did I open up a can of worms with an offhand comment.

Stop the speculation now. Only if ND manages to somehow pull off a miracle against USC would they even be considered for a BCS bowl. I highly doubt that will happen.

USC has been upset recently when they roll into a game that they believe they have a no-doubt win against. See: Stanford and Oregan State.

Say whatever you want about the ND/USC rivalry, but the fact is that every time we get together, the two teams come to play. So I highly doubt we would be able to catch USC by surprise at all.

[Kirin]

Id be more concerned with ND breaking .500 for the year before you start even thinking about them in a bowl game...remaining schedule or not this still the same team that finished what, 3-9 last year?

[Byrd]

Stop the speculation now. Only if ND manages to somehow pull off a miracle against USC would they even be considered for a BCS bowl. I highly doubt that will happen.

If Notre Dame gets to 10-1 (unlikely, but not impossible), they will be ranked. Depending on what happens to teams above them, they could be BCS eligible. Even putting up a fight against a likely Top 5 team in USC at that point could keep them in top 14 at 10-2. Is it unlikely? Sure. But it's possible, and they might as well get an automatic bid if they finish in the top 14.

Id be more concerned with ND breaking .500 for the year before you start even thinking about them in a bowl game...remaining schedule or not this still the same team that finished what, 3-9 last year?

They're 4-1 with games remaining against Syracuse and Washington. Even in the worst case scenario, they'll go 6-6, making them bowl eligible. The only game they'll be more than a TD underdog is @ USC, they could go 10-2, more likely about 8-4 or 9-3. They're considerably better than last year's team, with a more favorable schedule.

[Plow]

Stop the speculation now.

Why? It's nice to have a conversation that's not "well he had a .07% higher ratio of carries to fumbles and blah blah.

Also, it's fun to talk about because we can all agree that the system is retarded.

[Byrd]

Also, it's fun to talk about because we can all agree that the system is retarded.

While the system is retarded, it sure makes for good conversation. Which is something March Madness doesn't have going for it, at least in the same magnitude. Everyone cares about the #2 team vs. the #3 team in the nation; only the teams directly involved care about the whether the #7 Big Ten, the #4 Mountain West, or the #2 Horizon team got screwed by getting left out of the tournament. Although a playoff proponet, I would miss much of the conversation and discussion the BCS provides.

[Remyo]

Vandy only 3 point spread? wth I think they'll do much better against MSU, and wow at florida supposed to beat LSU by 5?

[Plow]

While the system is retarded, it sure makes for good conversation. Which is something March Madness doesn't have going for it, at least in the same magnitude. Everyone cares about the #2 team vs. the #3 team in the nation; only the teams directly involved care about the whether the #7 Big Ten, the #4 Mountain West, or the #2 Horizon team got screwed by getting left out of the tournament. Although a playoff proponet, I would miss much of the conversation and discussion the BCS provides.

Oh, but that's easy.

4 team playoff, plenty of room to continue screwing people!

[Stiker]

Id be more concerned with ND breaking .500 for the year before you start even thinking about them in a bowl game...remaining schedule or not this still the same team that finished what, 3-9 last year?

If you seriously think ND can't at least be bowl eligible with the remaining schedule, you are out of your mind.

And with the way they are playing, I think it is safe to say this is not the same team that got their asses handed to them last year. You can tell me all you want that they beat horrible teams, but keep in mind those games were the very same ones we were losing constantly last year. Let me break it down:

SD State - Horrible team, should've crushed them, went down to team, last years team couldn't get come back going against anyone last year, including teams like Air Force.

Michigan - Turnovers went they way of the Irish. The noticeable improvement here though is that they cashed in on damn near every one. Last year, if our defense didn't put it in the endzone themselves, it was likely a 3 and out or another turnover by us.

MSU - Lost because we felt like running into a wall over and over. Opening it up later in the game actually got us going. This game delivered the slap in the face our coaching staff needed to set our offensive identity to a strong passing team and not power running.

Purdue - First actual solid ass kicking ND has had in a while.

Stanford - Despite allowing them to come back ND did two huge things here. First, they didn't have a "Oh shit, not again" moment like they would last year and held their ground on defense and secured the win (and putting together some nice sacks and turnovers as well). Second, this was the first 300+ yard passing performance of Clausen's career and a game like that shows me he is starting to put things together.

I'm not saying we are about to shock the world, but just that things are remarkably different this year under the golden dome.

Since I'm off on this tangent, my actual predictions for the rest of the season:

@UNC - loss (can't see us stopping Tate all game long)
@Wash - win (lolTy)
Pitt - win (give it to us with the home field and success there this year, should be close)
@BC - win (just not the same team w/o Ryan)
Navy (neutral site) - win (time to start up another streak)
Syracuse - win (they are just God awful)
@USC - loss (do I really need to explain this?)

Ending record: 9-3, Gator or Cotton Bowl bid

I don't think this is too crazy a prediction. Worse case I believe for this season will be 7-5 (Pitt turns into a loss and we can't get it done against BC and lose yet again on the road).

[Tyche]

A 1loss ND team get's a BCS bowl bid. I don't see how they can't...

(not like it'll matter even after this weekend, Butchy Davis will crush the Irish)

[Ryany]

The "win out" thing is misleading, because you could make that same case for about 50-60 teams at this moment.

If we go by the "win out" scenario just in the Big Ten alone:

Penn State, Northwestern, and Ohio State would likely play in the National Championship if they win out (assuming some upsets of top teams that always seem to happen)

Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, and Wisconsin will likely play in a BCS Bowl if they win out.(all but Wisconsin would go 7-1 in conference if they win out; Wisconsin will have only 2 losses overall if they win out)

So really, 9 out of 11 Big Ten teams are still alive for a BCS Bowl, and 3 are alive for the National Championship. Realistically maybe 2 are alive for the National Title and maybe 2 are alive for a BCS Bid.

Personally, I think Notre Dame is a lock for a BCS Bowl at 10-2 if they don't get blown out against USC since the system is about money and not fairness.

[Plow]

For Ohio State with 1 loss to get in over a 1 loss SEC or big 12 team, Michigan State and Penn State can't lose any other games, and they have to STOMP MSU and be the clear cut better team against Penn State.

Even then they'd have a reeeeal tough time, say what you will about the backfield situation, their offensive line, wideouts, and entire defense did not belong on the same field with USC.

[Byrd]

Personally, I think Notre Dame is a lock for a BCS Bowl at 10-2 if they don't get blown out against USC since the system is about money and not fairness.

They still have to end up in the Top 14 in the final BCS standings to qualify (unless enough teams aren't eligible, in which case Top 18). The pollsters and computers won't conspire to put them there, but if they get there, they are most certainly a lock.

[Akiyama]

Don't underestimate BC. Young teams are noticeably different on the road than home. I think they can win their home games, but road games like BC and UNC could be losses. Don't underestimate Pitt either. They aren't the same Pitt that got beat by Bowling Green in week 1.

[Stiker]

They still have to end up in the Top 14 in the final BCS standings to qualify (unless enough teams aren't eligible, in which case Top 18). The pollsters and computers won't conspire to put them there, but if they get there, they are most certainly a lock.

Actually, with the weaker schedule this season, I think we need to get the automatic bid to get a BCS, meaning a rank of 8 or higher. I can't see us getting the nod over possible undefeated BCS busters or the one and two loss SEC teams that are sure to be ranked in the top 14.

Don't underestimate BC. Young teams are noticeably different on the road than home. I think they can win their home games, but road games like BC and UNC could be losses. Don't underestimate Pitt either. They aren't the same Pitt that got beat by Bowling Green in week 1.

Not really underestimating BC, but I think we have a solid shot to go in and beat them. Pitt, I don't underestimate, but as you said young teams are good at home and ND has been perfect at home this season. Game should be close and I think home field can give us the edge.

[archibaldcrane]

I don't get why Notre Dame fans want to be in a good bowl. They lose their bowl game every single year (because they are placed out of their league talent-wise every single year) - shouldn't they want to finally win one once in a while? I would hate my team ending every season in a loss.

[Stiker]

I don't get why Notre Dame fans want to be in a good bowl. They lose their bowl game every single year (because they are placed out of their league talent-wise every single year) - shouldn't they want to finally win one once in a while? I would hate my team ending every season in a loss.

This is the exact reason I don't want to be in a BCS bowl (check my earlier posts). I'm sick of the bowl loss streak and want it to end.

I don't think we'd necessarily win a Gator/Cotton Bowl matchup either, but at least we'd have a better shot than a BCS bowl.

[Azkarin2]

Auburn is quitting the spread offense it seems. I don't know whether this is good or bad for them. As a UGA fan I was nervous if they could have gotten it working by the middle of November. It seemed like a good idea in theory but it never seemed to pan out.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3632904