BG College Football Bowl Pick Em (and Bowl Discussion Thread)

[Ryany]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4808557

The talk that Carroll is interested in the Seahawks makes me think Carroll asked himself the question "What would John Calipari do?" I think he is worried about an investigation from the recent findings about his football program.

[Roranora]

Or he's just demoralized since he's lost all of his elite assistant coaches and likes the idea of a fresh start in the NFL. It's not like the NFC West is full of powerhouse teams.

[Zoolander]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4807719

TAMPA, Fla. -- South Florida fired football coach Jim Leavitt after a school investigation concluded he grabbed one of his players by the throat, slapped him in the face and then lied about it.

"Coach Leavitt committed a serious violation of our standards of conduct regarding treatment of students," university president Judy Genshaft said Friday, adding a national search for a replacement will begin immediately.

Reached by telephone, the only coach in the program's 13-year history told The Associated Press he was "disappointed" and the allegation was "absolutely false."

As someone who goes to USF...I have mixed feelings about it. I think honestly, Leavitt reached the ceiling of what he could do at USF. I'm not sure we could have taken the next step everyone keeps expecting us to take without some kind of change. The big thing of course is how this impacts recruiting in Florida, where we had done pretty well. Yet another coach getting canned for treating his players poorly, kinda crazy.

Leavitt has always been a passionate and nice guy though, so I feel bad that it is ending this way. The guy built this program from absolutely nothing, the only coach we've had. I honestly have no idea what kind of chance we have of getting a solid coach. USf obviously isn't a program with a rich history, but it is a school that has been on the rise for some time. Kinda sucks this is all so late too, a lot of coaching changes have already happened, leaving the market a bit drier than if this was done a while ago.

[Bregor]

Florida at #3 is surprising in the final polls, how soon we forget the SEC Championship. Boise still can't catch a break. Happy to see Texas at #2 though, I think they deserve that ranking. I'm not going to get into the "what if"s with McCoy, I mean he couldn't do anything about allowing two 100-yard rushers, amirite? But it obviously would have been a much different game if he had played and I still think they're the second best team in the country.

A big what the fuck about Leavitt, players are just becoming crybabies. If he slapped the shit out of you, you probably deserved it. The man builds that program from literally nothing and he gets fired for this?

Also, lolUSC. So long, Carroll.

[Moss]

Florida raped Cincinatti and personally I think they are better than Texas, but of course no one really knows. Who would you put ahead of them other than Bama and Texas?

[Byrd]

The LA Daily News already made a list of potential Carroll replacements: "1. Mike Riley. 2. Jeff Fisher. 3. Jack Del Rio."

So "my" Seahawks could steal a failed NFL coach to fail again in the NFL (don't they remember the Dennis Erickson experiment?). USC in turn could steal Mike Riley, the most successful coach in Oregon State history, thereby fucking both my favorite pro team and my alma mater at the same time? FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU

Although I could see Mike Leach ending up at OSU if that happened, which might not be terrible.

Seriously, though, isn't Pete Carroll's biggest strength his recruiting ability, which is pretty much non-existent in the pros? He just doesn't seem like a good pro hire to me.

[Moss]

I agree, I think Carroll is a better fit as a college coach. Crazy how some of these college coaches can have such great jobs, yet they bail for the NFL just like that(Saban also comes to mind).

[Plow]

The Big12 should not be allowed to step foot on the big stage again. I'm already sick of the hypothetical "If McCoy...", "Man had Colt not got hurt.." bullshit this morning. Fuck that shit, if Oklahoma had Bradford they wouldn't have lost. If Tech hadn't lost Crabtree and Harrell they would have beat Texas.. blah blah.

Like Mack Brown said when he was lobbying for his team to play in the Championship "We did what we had to do, I wont apologize for players on other teams getting hurt. There are 50 other guys there on scholarship and suit up on Saturdays..."

Fuck you UT fans, suck it up and practice what you preach. This is the same shit the Sooners have been screaming all season long, now its somehow different because its you? lol @ you.

Who are the actual UT fans? For me personally they're like my 5th favorite just inside the big 12.

Also if you think Harrell had any effect on anything, you're more clueless than I thought ;p

Tech last year was 100% Crabtree.

Agreed. Auburn's schedule was especially too cupcakey this year. Sure they had WVU, but their other scheduled non-conference opponents were almost as sad as Florida's this year.

Now I'm not saying teams should go out and get 3 major teams from other conferences, but at least one good opponent. Alabama's done well the last couple years with Clemson and Va Tech, and next two years with Penn State. How long Saban actually stays for those games is totally up to him, but still a good job by the university to push to play Joe Pa.

As far as Auburn goes, they better schedule something harder. Next year's schedule is also a joke. :/

Anyway, the SEC has proven to be tougher than other conferences and teams don't like to leave the south obviously, so they do what they can. Should we bring up Texas's non-conference opponents? That Wyoming game must've been a quality opponent since they won their bowl game, right?

Yes, Aki, you should point out how the SEC isn't bad, then call out a team whose schedule looked particularly bad because an SEC team backed out of it...


Anyway, I'm not too disappointed really, regardless what people are saying out loud I don't believe for a second that anyone around here actually thinks Bama had a chance if Colt didn't go out.

[Moss]

Anyway, I'm not too disappointed really, regardless what people are saying out loud I don't believe for a second that anyone around here actually thinks Bama had a chance if Colt didn't go out.

Bama didn't have a chance if Colt didn't go out? Are you serious? Bama threw 11 passes the whole game and scored 37 points. Who is to say Bama wouldn't have gone easy on the gas in the 3rd quarter if Colt had been in? It's pure speculation, the sequence of events after an injury is too complex to say "Oh, Colt McCoy > Gilbert is like a 31 point difference! Texas wins!" Obviously McCoy would have made a difference, but saying it would have made it an easy win for Texas is a fucking homerist(new word) joke.

[Dimmauk]

The comparison of No Bradford for the Texas game doesn't even compare to the no Colt during the Bama game. Bradford had already been hurt, and Landry Jones had way more time to prepare for playing in an actual game. Jones even won a couple games. That isnt the same a Gilbert coming into the BCS championship game. The guy had never even thrown a pass in a college game before.

[Moss]

That's fine... but saying Bama had "no chance" against a healthy McCoy is absurd.

[Zoolander]

That's fine... but saying Bama had "no chance" against a healthy McCoy is absurd.

^This

Seriously, you cannot possibly believe such a thing. I am hardly an Alabama fan lol, but they would have obviously played the game out differently on offense if things were closer. Of course the Texas Defense did step up, but Alabama was in "run the clock out" mode for the last two quarters (which was a mistake on their part, almost cost them a national championship). Could Texas have won? Of course, that is obvious. Did they play better than a lot of people expected? Absolutely.

[Plow]

Colt was fucking completely abusing Bama, and Bama had -13 yards and a turnover at that point.

It was going just like Utah, except worse.

And if you're honestly not seeing the 3 td difference when the backup qb straight up gave away 3 td, you're just kidding yourself.


Like I said, say what you will, you all know as well as I do Texas was out there smashing.


HERP DERP BUT DEY WUN BY SO MUCH! NEVERMIND IT BEING A 3 POINT GAME WITH 2 MINS TO GO AND TEXAS WITH THE BALL WITH A RIDICULOUS REPLACEMENT!

[noblemountain]

Colt was fucking completely abusing Bama,

Yeah...those 5 plays were hardcore.

[Moss]

McCoy was 2/2 for 9 yards. "fucking completely abusing" alright.

I guess if Bama had -13 yards through the first 2 minutes, you can just multiply that by 30 and they would have finished with -390 right? What does McCoy do for the defense again?

Good coaches make adjustments, some guys are going to be nervous at the beginning of a National Championship. I guess if a team has a bad first drive they are doomed for all eternity.

Texas gets props for the comeback, but as Zoolander said Bama was too conservative in the 2nd half and it almost cost them. If you really think Bama's gameplan didn't change when Gilbert came in at QB, you really have no idea what you're talking about. Enjoy the imaginary NC though.

[Bregor]

Colt was fucking completely abusing Bama

lol

To that point, the game was:

- Bama three-and-out, horrific fake punt.
- Two short passes by McCoy, and one big run by Newton.

ABUSING

No matter what you think about McCoy, and the complexion of the game after he went out, the men most responsible for Texas losing was whoever took that timeout and called a fucking shovel pass with fifteen seconds left in the first half.

[FNH]

Colt was fucking completely abusing Bama, and Bama had -13 yards and a turnover at that point.

It was going just like Utah, except worse.

And if you're honestly not seeing the 3 td difference when the backup qb straight up gave away 3 td, you're just kidding yourself.


Like I said, say what you will, you all know as well as I do Texas was out there smashing.


HERP DERP BUT DEY WUN BY SO MUCH! NEVERMIND IT BEING A 3 POINT GAME WITH 2 MINS TO GO AND TEXAS WITH THE BALL WITH A RIDICULOUS REPLACEMENT!

AHAHAHAHA blaming giving up 3 tds on the hurt QB and the replacement? no that was the stout defense that did that. How many rushing TDs did that #1 rushing D give up? and if he was a ridiculous replacement, why didn't they recruit or have a better 2nd string waiting?

[Plow]

What does McCoy do for the defense again?

A. Doesn't waste away tremendous momentum by going 2 predictable runs and a 1 read pass that goes "see if he's open and throw it away if not".

B. Doesn't further waste away tremendous momentum by going 3 and out after the tremendous fuckup caused by said momentum which hadn't completely wasted away after the stolen kick.

C. Doesn't finish the first quarter with 2 minutes of top when given the ball twice more.

D. Doesn't literally hand off a touchdown to bama with 20 seconds left in a half.

E. Doesn't miss a rusher off the edge and give up a ridiculous fumble at his own 5 having the ball down by 3 with <3 minutes left.

etc. etc.

AHAHAHAHA blaming giving up 3 tds on the hurt QB and the replacement? no that was the stout defense that did that. How many rushing TDs did that #1 rushing D give up? and if he was a ridiculous replacement, why didn't they recruit or have a better 2nd string waiting?

You're right, the INT returned for a td, the idiotic fumble on his own 5, and the trash int that led to a trash td, those plays CERTAINLY can't account for a 3 score difference. Let alone the multiple pathetic 3 and outs that put the defense on the field for 20 minutes in the first half.


Anyway, not going to keep arguing about it, you all know it as well as I do anyway.


herp derp bama with their defense looking completely lost would totally stop colt while giving up 2 onside kicks and an int inside their own 40

shipley's trademark crossing route definitely wouldn't have destroyed them for 100+/2td a half or anything if he was in there

[Akiyama]

I love how you think the Bama that everyone saw in the second half was the same Bama D that would have been there if they ACTUALLY HAD TO TRY in the second half. Everyone's said that they came out flat. Wouldn't you if you were up 24-6 against a backup? I sure as hell wouldn't take it seriously..

Q_Q moar, Plow.

Also, Colt should've been MVP really. That epic 2-2 for 9 Yards and amazing hand off for a run to the outside was just absurd. Totally torched Bama and made them look silly.

Also, I bagged on the SEC for scheduling, so I bagged Texas for scheduling. What's wrong with that? Who was Texas's tough OOC opponent like Auburn and Alabama had, eh? UCF? UTEP? Wyoming? Sure it's no F_U, North Texas, Furman, etc.. but lol.

[noblemountain]

Hey now Aki and FNH...hypothetical situations can only be applied to Texas...Alabama would've played the exact same way no matter what. lol

The level of butthurt in this thread is reaching a hilarious level.

So...now that the season is over...who do you guys expect to win next year? I think 'Bama is going to lose at least one maybe two...win the SEC and miss out on the National Championship. I think Ohio State will have a good year and make it to the game...the winner of Va Tech and Boise St has a good chance to go all the way also, though it will be harder for Va Tech to stay undefeated. Nebraska should win the Big 12 next year...picking Oregon in the PAC 10, Pitt in the Big East, Va Tech in the ACC, Bama in the SEC, Ohio State in the Big 10.