Official College Football Thread - Championship Week

[spleen1015]

Nice play. I'm surprised we don't see that more often

[M GO BLUE!!!]

THAT WAS NIIIIIIIIICE!

Good job, Sparty!

[JPhillips]

I don't think I've ever seen that on a conversion.

[Eaglesfan27]

For all of the arguments that playoffs would make the regular season meaningless, I find myself failing to get hooked in by any of the games this weekend when it seems inevitable that LSU will face Alabama despite what happens today. I hope Oklahoma State somehow sneaks in, but it seems unlikely even with a solid showing tonight...

[mauchow]

What happened to the play calling? Paul Chryst sometimes has no brain whatsoever. We run the ball with authority in first three drives and then turn focus to pass game and go three and out twice in a row. Hmmm

Need a stop on defense now.

[mauchow]

And Johnson makes up for his miscue on the 4th and 1. Attababy. Nice pick, kid.

[SFL Cat]

What makes it worse, if Alabama beats LSU in the rematch, you know LSU fans will be screaming about how unfair it is for the Tide to be the national champions when the teams have essentially split their meetings during the season.

[mauchow]

Not sure what Chryst continues to do - passing on first down. Unreal. If you're going to pass at least do play action and sell it good - Christ, Chryst.

[Tigercat]

Yes! Keep it up Pokes! Let's have a real good time, let's have a real good time! (Damn you and your hypnotism Pitbull!)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

What makes it worse, if Alabama beats LSU in the rematch, you know LSU fans will be screaming about how unfair it is for the Tide to be the national champions when the teams have essentially split their meetings during the season.

If it's a 3 point 'Bama win, much as I dislike LSU, I'd agree they have a point.

I don't think it'll be that close.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

What makes it worse, if Alabama beats LSU in the rematch, you know LSU fans will be screaming about how unfair it is for the Tide to be the national champions when the teams have essentially split their meetings during the season.

I absolutely despise that type of thinking. The BCS championship game is the championship game. The winner is the champion. Everyone knew this well before the season started. Playing these silly mind games is just ridiculous.

[Julio Riddols]

This Wisconsin/Michigan State game has been a blast to watch.

[mauchow]

Boy, oh, boy I knew the Badgers defense was not good but didn't figure them to get beat up this badly all day long. Aye, aye, aye. Need to answer back with a score of our own, even if its just a field goal. Way too reminiscent of the first game against MSU.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

I absolutely despise that type of thinking. The BCS championship game is the championship game. The winner is the champion. Everyone knew this well before the season started. Playing these silly mind games is just ridiculous.

I love how precedent was set that no rematch would be allowed and Florida beat OSU in the title game to prevent a rematch. Wish the same thing would happen here assuming this scoreline holds up. It'll be shame if Oklahoma State doesn't give a shot and a team LSU already beat gets the chance instead.

I still continue to be baffled how this is fair to LSU to have to beat Bama again, after they beat them on the road, and if they don't then it was all for not.

College football...where every game counts...except the ones that don't.

[MJ4H]

I don't think that just because something happens doesn't mean it is precedence for it to always happen.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

I don't think that just because something happens doesn't mean it is precedence for it to always happen.

I'm not sure how that case is any different than what we see here. The #1 team beat the #2 team by a field goal the last game of the season. They gave a one loss Florida team a title shot instead of having a rematch. It's almost identical save that game happened the last week of the B10 season.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by rowech

I love how precedent was set that no rematch would be allowed and Florida beat OSU in the title game to prevent a rematch. Wish the same thing would happen here assuming this scoreline holds up. It'll be shame if Oklahoma State doesn't give a shot and a team LSU already beat gets the chance instead.

I still continue to be baffled how this is fair to LSU to have to beat Bama again, after they beat them on the road, and if they don't then it was all for not.

College football...where every game counts...except the ones that don't.

Agreed. It feels very contrived, particularly when many of the BCS computer polls use unclear criteria.

[Tigercat]

If most voters don't vote OSU #2 after a 10+ win tonight, blame the voters. I can't speak for the computers, they do their own thing. But, subjectively as humans, IF OSU wins big tonight, isn't it a easier subjective case to make that OSU has had a better season?

And I don't think it will be SEC bias that would win the day if they don't move OSU up, I think it would be general stubbornness.

[mauchow]

Okay. This is nuts. First matchup against MSU. Badgers off to a 14 point lead after first quarter. MSU scores 23 in the second while shutting down Wisconsin.

Game two, Badgers up 21-7, 14 points, after one... and what does MSU do for the second quarter? Outscore WIsconsin 22-0.

THat second quarter is all on the OC though - not running the Ball with your Heisman Horse. I gotta believe there is a reason for it - injury perhaps. There can't be another logical reason.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by rowech

I still continue to be baffled how this is fair to LSU to have to beat Bama again, after they beat them on the road, and if they don't then it was all for not.

It's "fair" in the sense that there's a contractual obligation to put two teams in that particular game. There's really no rational choice other than it to be Alabama.

Sucks for LSU, I'll acknowledge that. Then again, that win also assured LSU of a chance to play for the title regardless of what they did today ... although that may have done them no favors for the first quarter this afternoon

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

And I don't think it will be SEC bias that would win the day if they don't move OSU up, I think it would be general stubbornness.

More like reasonable football sense. Want a shot at getting your ass handed to you by LSU? Then don't lay such a gigantic egg against a mediocre team like OkState did, simple as that.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by rowech

I'm not sure how that case is any different than what we see here. The #1 team beat the #2 team by a field goal the last game of the season. They gave a one loss Florida team a title shot instead of having a rematch. It's almost identical save that game happened the last week of the B10 season.

The biggest difference between the two situations is the one you mentioned: time. When Bama lost, they indeed dropped out of the top 2 of the BCS. The difference is they had time for circumstances to allow them to climb back.

In other words, the actual precedence was that the losing team drops. That happened both times.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

More like reasonable football sense. Want a shot at getting your ass handed to you by LSU? Then don't lay such a gigantic egg against a mediocre team like OkState did, simple as that.

Truth is, the way I see it, despite losing to a lesser team, they lost on the road, in OT, on a day they had to deal with a plane crash for the second time to their university.

[MJ4H]

I'm not saying it's not stupid. The whole system is stupid. I'm just telling you that the two situations are not identical, and the difference is the exact reason one team is getting a rematch and the other isn't.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by rowech

College football is a fucking joke.

Yes. Correct.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

More like reasonable football sense. Want a shot at getting your ass handed to you by LSU? Then don't lay such a gigantic egg against a mediocre team like OkState did, simple as that.

If OSU has the best season, they earned that right. I never understand why there is an instinct to go by best team when teams have equal win/loss, nevermind that all wins and losses aren't created equal.

Because if we start going by best team over best season, why even go by win/losses at all? Lets just put in the two teams with the most NFL talent. This system is supposed to award best season, we know this. But somehow, through all these debates, EVERYONE and their mothers seem to forget this and start debating "best team."

[SFL Cat]

MJ4H...I agree. LSU is the undisputed SEC champ. But Alabama is #2 and even if OSU holds on to beat OU tonight (starting to look like a lock) I don't see how they move past Alabama in the polls (or the BSC computer BS). So it's going to be LSU and Alabama for the championship. If LSU takes care of business, no problem...but if the Tide rolls, they win the championship (or at the very least a tie for the title with LSU) despite getting beaten by LSU during the season and NOT participating in the SEC championship game.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by mauboy1

THat second quarter is all on the OC though - not running the Ball with your Heisman Horse. I gotta believe there is a reason for it - injury perhaps. There can't be another logical reason.

Probably don't want to tire Ball out in the first half and they don't have another back they trust against a team like MSU.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by rowech

Truth is, the way I see it, despite losing to a lesser team, they lost on the road, in OT, on a day they had to deal with a plane crash for the second time to their university.

That's why, if they win big tonight, I would give them a slight edge. Bama didn't defend their home in conference, OSU lost away from home. Add back extra subjective points for circumstances surrounding that away loss and add minor points for winning a non championship game conference title, and to me OSU has the better season.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

If OSU has the best season, they earned that right. I never understand why there is an instinct to go by best team when teams have equal win/loss, nevermind that all wins and losses aren't created equal.

Because if we start going by best team over best season, why even go by win/losses at all? Lets just put in the two teams with the most NFL talent. This system is supposed to award best season, we know this. But somehow, through all these debates, EVERYONE and their mothers seem to forget this and start debating "best team."

+1 billion. My biggest pet peeve is that the "polls" don't even have a clearly defined question.

[mauchow]

Well, I'm officially on board with OSU getting the nod over Bama. Why not.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

That's why, if they win big tonight, I would give them a slight edge. Bama didn't defend their home in conference, OSU lost away from home. Add back extra subjective points for circumstances surrounding that away loss and add minor points for winning a non championship game conference title, and to me OSU has the better season.

The "circumstances" surrounding that loss is a nice story, but it's pure fiction in terms of the impact on that loss. If you can find me 10 kids on a football team outside of Knoxville & Storrs who can name their women's basketball coach I'll eat my hat.

If losing to Iowa State > losing to LSU then I don't know what I can tell you, maybe this just isn't the game for you. And that's before we even get to "better season" versus "better team". Both are factors in the equation, always have been.

[SFL Cat]

What has Alabama done to deserve losing the #2 slot?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

What has Alabama done to deserve losing the #2 slot?

Be in the SEC at the same time the #1 team in the country is also in the SEC apparently.

[DeToxRox]

The Bama fans on here (fan? Matthean) are cool but I would love to see an epic meltdown by a fan base and Bama fans have the ability to make it the best ever if OSU jumped them.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

The "circumstances" surrounding that loss is a nice story, but it's pure fiction in terms of the impact on that loss. If you can find me 10 kids on a football team outside of Knoxville & Storrs who can name their women's basketball coach I'll eat my hat.

If losing to Iowa State > losing to LSU then I don't know what I can tell you, maybe this just isn't the game for you. And that's before we even get to "better season" versus "better team". Both are factors in the equation, always have been.

Jon,

I'm not going to get into a gigantic debate on this, but I'll just say they shouldn't have played the game. Living in Stillwater and knowing the culture, especially after the previous crash, that took A LOT out of the entire OSU program. If you watched the game, you could see OSU wasn't there mentally. Even when they were up big in the 3rd, they were not sharp and were not themselves.

You want to make the case Bama deserves to beat LSU after losing to them on their home field once? Fine. I can understand it. If you want to pretend that the plane crash didn't have a huge effect on the outcome at Iowa State a couple of Friday's ago, you'll be wrong. I'll leave it at that.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by rowech

In the old system, they would have had a tie. Bama wouldn't. Who would have finished 2nd? OT loss is better than regulation loss -- no matter who it's against and especially if on the road and other team's is at home.

Again, complete bullshit.

A regulation loss to LSU is a hell of a lot better than losing to 90% of the teams in 2011 in a bazillion overtimes on a blown call made by officials that were alumni of the winning team & related to the winner's head coach. And I absolutely despise LSU (UGAg is pretty much the only team I can pull for LSU over) and ain't real fond of roughly half the SEC, but that's the way it is.

"Everything that is right" must not include watching the teams play. I'm honestly beyond bewildered that anyone believes there's a team in the country other than Alabama that would stay within two TD's of LSU at this point. Beating up Oklahoma is nice & all, but it's not as impressive as even being competitive against LSU. The gap between the two opponents is simply too big for the comparison to be meaningful.

[JPhillips]

I don't think you should get to the championship without at least playing in your conference championship game. Yeah that might not be fair in a year like 2011.

Life's hard and then you die.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by TroyF

If you want to pretend that the plane crash didn't have a huge effect on the outcome at Iowa State a couple of Friday's ago, you'll be wrong. I'll leave it at that.

We'll just agree to disagree, very strongly. {shrug}

[sterlingice]

Also, we can ignore Stanford, too, btw, because, again, all losses- even to good teams- eliminate teams from the national title hunt. Unless it's to LSU.

SI

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Also, we can ignore Stanford, too, btw, because, again, all losses- even to good teams- eliminate teams from the national title hunt. Unless it's to LSU.

SI

Every game matters! The whole season is a playoff!

(Except for the game hyped as the "Game of the century". The irony is palpable)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Also, we can ignore Stanford, too, btw, because, again, all losses- even to good teams- eliminate teams from the national title hunt. Unless it's to LSU.

Anybody that saw Stanford's loss should understand completely why they aren't in the conversation at all.

It's also why Luck doesn't belong in a serious Heisman conversation either.

[B & B]

Passing on Ok St for the NC game is easier than making the chick with the pony tail throw into the DrPepper 10 can ( the new soft drink for men)

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

More like reasonable football sense. Want a shot at getting your ass handed to you by LSU? Then don't lay such a gigantic egg against a mediocre team like OkState did, simple as that.

I don't think OSU would get their ass handed to them by LSU.. I guess we will never know?

[JPhillips]

I'm happy for D'Antonio. He seems like a good guy.

[Big Fo]

It's kind of amazing that any kind of ranking or system would have considered Virgina Tech the 5th best team in the country.

[mauchow]

Except he's a jackass.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I don't think OSU would get their ass handed to them by LSU.

Then it's probably good that you aren't involved in the process to select the participants.

[DeToxRox]

Bielema is such a bad coach. They aren't running Ball, Cunningham is still always wide open on crossing routes. I told my buddy that going into this game I had MSU up 10-0 based on poor coaching from Wisky. Seems like it's looking like I was right with the assertion.

[k0ruptr]

Oklahoma St. has my vote. Which means nothing