Official 2015 College Football Week 9 thread
 

Only one match up again this week between AP Top 25 Teams:

Notre Dame at Temple

Coastal Carolina faces its perhaps toughest challenge to its #1 ranking this week as they head to Charleston to play rival Charleston Southern. They are also undefeated in the conference, and just seem to have Coastal's number the last few years-you know that one team that beats you despite their talent year in and year out. Win and their road to keeping their #1 ranking becomes easier the rest of the way. Lose and then losing to Liberty or other Big South team could knock them out of the playoffs altogether.

Thomkal, I thought it was interesting watching the Panthers-Eagles game last night, that they mentioned that Josh Norman didn't even have a scholarship for at least some time (the whole time?) at Coastal Carolina. Was he kind of a late blooming talent?

This article will explain all that. He walked on after no one was interested in him in primarily because his SAT scores were not good (Georgia was ready to give him a scholarship if he met a certain score-he did not). He had a lot of growing up to do (still does if you watch his antics on the field sometimes), and the position was still very new to him at Coastal. He needed time to learn it and the rest is history. He should make a lot of money this off-season.

Who is Josh Norman? Panthers corner took winding road to the NFL - News - Gaston Gazette - Gastonia, NC

I watched UMass nearly knock off Temple. Either that was Temple's worst game by a mile or ND should win comfortably (barring 5+ turnovers.)

UMass is fiesty this year. They led #20 Toledo 28-10 at halftime. Lost 56-35

Baylor just announced their starting QB, Seth Russell, will need neck surgery and will miss the rest of the year.

Chris Clark is already leaving Cuse

Technically the ND game was close too (21-20 late 2nd Q before ND woke up), but it was an obvious athletic mismatch. Meanwhile Temple's big win was vs Penn State before people realized Penn State (and Hackenberg) still isn't good - I'd probably put them 4th out of the 4 undefeated teams (and throw Bowling Green above them too), although I'd give them a shot vs any of the others. Temple's well coached, and plays a style that keeps them in the game vs most teams, but I just see ND dominating enough 1v1 matchups that we'll win even if we're a little sloppy. The injuries obscure it a little, and Ohio State/Alabama/maybe LSU are close, but I don't think there's a more athletic/talented team outside of the QB position than ND - I think McShay has them with them like 11 out of the top 150 eligible NFL draft prospects.

Btw, fwiw after UMass threw that pick at the goal line to end the first half I offered any of the 20 people I was there with odds against them winning (me picking Toledo), and not a single person would take them even when I went up to 2 to 1. It's still light years better than it was 2 years ago, but take away Tajae and we won't beat you.

Iowa hosts Maryland. I'm nervous about Iowa. I so much want them to run the table. But there is always that little voice in the back of my mind that is saying "Iowa always loses one it should win".

Go Hawks!

Lmao

And we never even got the chance to debate whether he's a system Quarterback yet. ;) Stidham does have the hype, and it's not like TCU or Oklahoma State's been stopping anybody with a pulse (don't really have a read on Oklahoma's D, and I'm not sure anyone knows what Texas will be like in a month) so as good as Russell's been I don't think it knocks them out of being a playoff favorite.

Iowa is really under rated from my perspective.
They are Pitt's only loss.
Plus somehow both polls have Stanford ahead of Iowa despite the NW results.

Question for those that know Iowa and / or Michigan - was Jake Rudock slated to be the Iowa starting QB this fall before leaving? Was he last year?

Im sure I have the best perspective.

Ferentz did an unusual thing this Winter. He published a 2 deep in early January.
He was feeling pressure from the fan base. And back up CJ Beathard. CJB and his Dad went to the press before Iowas bowl game last year and, basically said, start me or Im gone.

Rudock is a great kid. Super smart and will make tons more money in his medical career then an NFL player will see.

Ferentz was giving Rudock an out and giving the fan base what they wanted. Rudock was a graduate transfer. Michigan has an outstanding medical program, as does Iowa. But Ferentz and Rudock would have been blasted had Rudock started again.

Rudock never had the weapons at Iowa that he has at Michigan, esp. last season. Iowa started a FB at RB. No WRs. And Rudock played like he did the first game of this season all last season. He needs a run game to make him more effective. And Iowa didnt have that last season. And JR isnt a win a game by himself type QB.

Oh, and Iowa was worried about ticket sales. A lot of people were saying they werent going to renew. It was ugly last season.

So, Ferentz gave JR an out. Didnt block any schools on his tranfer list. It was a very amicable parting. I think everyone was happy.

Iowa fans got what they wanted. Rudock got out of a no-win situation, Iowa sold some tickets, Ferentz looks like a genius right now.


EDIT: Concerning the depth chart. By unusual, I meant in Ferentz's 17 year career, this was the first time he put one out in January.

You guys probably wont like this. But that's okay. After that ugly video put in the thread about 5 undefeated teams left. I thought I would share this.

FYI as a graduate there is no transfer and no blocking. He has fulfilled the contract obligation and can go anywhere without batting out. I like KF, a lot, but he had no rolein that portion.

I mispoke. It was JRs 4th year of eligibility. So he hadn't fulfilled his obligation.
KF blocked no teams and allowed JR to use the practice facilities until he transferred. He didn't practice with the team in the Spring, but used the Iowa facilities.

it doesnt matter what year he was. He had his undergrad degree. Once you graduate from a school you can transfer anywhere.

You have to be released by your previous school, even as a graduate transfer.

You also can't just transfer anywhere

Jerry Kill retires, effective immediately. Cited his health. Tracy Claeys is the interim.

Graduate transfers don't have to be released if they choose a school that has a grad program their current school doesn't have.

This has been talked about ad nauseam on BYU fan sites because of Taysom and if he is healthy, does he stay or transfer because he graduates in Dec.

That's too bad. I liked what Kill was doing at Minnesota.

They actually do need to be released. But you are correct about the program part

Here is an artcle about the rules
NCAA Transfer Exceptions. College Transfer Waivers.


It's also been discussed at length at UCLA. We had a player transfer to a PAC-12 south rival so it was also discussed.

For graduate transfers, it's more of a formality however.

Since it is a BYE week for BYU. Guys are getting healthy, they are opening more of the playbook up for Tanner this week too.

But as mentioned earlier there is major buzz on some of the fan boards about Taysom and what he will do when he graduates this December. If he comes back to football, just calls it quits.

If he does come back to football, does he stay at BYU and if so...what kind of plan will the school have with him and Tanner and keeping them happy.

OR

Does he transfer and if so where. Right now the consensus is he will either call it quits or transfer and if he does transfer, it would be to Michigan.

Remember the whole Osweiler thing, Bug? I wonder how that would have changed things if Osweiler had been allowed to transfer to UCLA by ASU. Hundley would have been on the bench another year. Might even still be our QB and maybe Rosen is starting somewhere else.

This is a minor aggravating technicality that gets missed everywhere.
Graduate transfers have graduated and started grad school at one program and transfer to another grad program.
Graduate enrollees have graduated undergrad at program #1 but never taken post grad classes. These require no release.

Source: A Div 1 (SEC not ACC HA not who you thought) NCAA Compliance Director I just spoke with.

Dola - Was reading up on NCST for this coming weekends game, Raleigh is a place that always worries me. Clemson has laid some major eggs their over the years.

Anyway I was a huge Dave Doeren fan coming in and have been iompressed by his recruiting chops. Was looking to see how he has done since arriving at NCSU and came across this


Wow.
That surprises me.

Still Clemson better come out firing early and be buckled down. This has the makings of a special season if they just keep playing to the standard.

I'm not sure how far along JR was in his education. Would it matter if he was an undergrad in the Spring when he announced his transfer, or that he is a grad student at the new school in the Fall.
And, I believe, Michigan has the program he wanted and Iowa does not.

Disappointing to see Pitt lose. I was hoping they would continue to bolsget Iowa's resume.

Incredibly ugly and fun game between ASU and Oregon

I didn't need sleep anyway

That game has some of the worst playcalling in a game with 116 points scored

Now, North Carolina also beat Pitt.

The same North Carolina whose only loss is to South Carolina.

The same South Carolina who is so hopeless, their hall of fame coach resigned mid-season because he couldn't take the losing.

So, yeah.

And you haven't seen Iowa play. The team that beat Northwestern by 30 at their place.

Northwestern is the team that held Stanford to 6 points.

Stanford who beat USC.

USC who beat Utah.

Yeah, we can play that game all day.

Iowa has one of the best defenses in the nation and a great running game.

Yeah but UNC's QB had to get paid handsomely for throwing that SC game.

I watched Iowa beat Wisconsin. That was a pretty Iowa game by Iowa standards. If Wisconsin had the type of team they normally have, no way Iowa wins that game.

I also watched Iowa come back and beat Iowa State. Not that whole game, but the part where Iowa turned it on.

I'm not saying Iowa's not good, but their good is always going to be compared to others. We have to play that game, because by the limited schedule that we have in college football and the sheer number of teams, we need something to compare.

The fact that they beat Pitt just lost some luster. Pitt is ok. Iowa is good. North Carolina is somewhere in there, probably closer to ok than good.

Michigan could have used this guy against MSU:

So apparently UGA plans to start 3rd-string QB Fauton Bata vs Florida this weekend. Matters naught to me really but I was curious so I did a little looking. I'll just copy & paste my FB post about what I found

For all the talk about the QB problems at UGA, I'll point out what seems to be overlooked: Lambert has the 4th best completion percentage in the SEC, 5th best QBR.

If you take away the entire 24/25 record setting day he's still in the middle of the pack for conference quarterbacks this season. At worst, he's pretty much the average QB.

As played, his completion percentage is less than 1% different than Aaron Murray's final two seasons, better than Murray's career figure and with a better TD/INT ratio than Murray had in any season of his career. YPA is lower but he has different receivers and a different OC than Murray had.

He sure can look lost at times but his reality is not nearly as bad as the perception.

JT Barrett arrested for DWI last night.

Ohio St. The SEC of the Big Ten.

In a sitcom like situation JT called Cardale to bail him out

Wow, Nebraska is really bad this year. Riley may not make it after this season.

Has a team ever started 3-0 and then went 0-9 ?

I'm sure there were plenty of big conference doormats who beat up FCS teams then lost to every decent team.

Didn't realize Kyler Murray was starting today. Not surprised he tore it up.

If Nebraska could just play 4th quarters they'd be National Champs.

Did I hear an announcer earlier mention "Iowa" and "National Championship" in the same sentence?

There is so much wrong with that video. Iowa has an outstanding defense. One of the bestie the nation.

Screw that guy.






:)

Adoree' Jackson is a delight to watch.

Interesting stat put up during the Iowa game. They were showing how hard it was to get to your present record. Iowa was 6th. Alabama was 1.

And they just showed that stupid video.

And Iowa leads 21-0 at half.

Go Hawks!!!!!!

So, uh, Georgia ... how that's QB change working out?

Great stiff arm by that Clemson WR to get the go ahead TD at the end of the half.

Seems like the obvious place for DWI-O chants and arm signals. Or OVI-O

NCSU coach just hit Clemson QB Deshaun Watson on the sideline. Not a Woody Hayes punch to the face but clearly a push, slap, punch to his back.

At some point it almost feels like CMR is leaving Bauta at QB as punishment or something.

Texas Tech doesn't have a single guy in the secondary that can tackle. They've missed tackles and taken poor angles and missed over and over today.

Ugly win for Iowa. But a win.

We struggled with a running QB which we usually do. And we travel to Indiana next week. Which has an explosive offense. Should be a good one.

The last offensive TD for OSU the DB didn't even try to make a tackle. Dunno if he forgot that it wasn't a footrace (which he wasn't going to win) or if he's scared of contact or what but, damn, at least TRY.

That Jerry Kill resignation speech is tough to watch.

The one before that three DBs started ten yards ahead of the runner and ended up ten yards behind without any of them even making token contact.

It seems all the progress Michigan made during the early part of the season is gone. They're playing with all the intensity of the teams of the last eight years.

And Iowa clearly got the best of our quarterback transaction.

Funny how one play can potentially end a season.

He's probably DAT-Lite

Not looking good for Coastal Carolina, down 27-15 at the half.

Rutgers is unwatchable. I'm literally numb at this point.

I'm not a booster and I don't make a lot of money to fund a buyout or whatever and I've got my own financial problems, but this team is just, it's like watching the Mets when they go into spend no money mode. Just can't do it.

You'll get plenty healthy next week when big bad Rutgers comes to town. Rutgers Defense is going to make Rudock look like the second coming of Elvis Grbac.

And the reign at #1 is over :) Coastal came back to make it a one-possession game, and had chances near the goal line for a tying TD, but could not do it. :( Be interesting to see how far Coastal drops-CSU was ranked this week, so maybe not too far. They can't afford any more losses though if they want to still make the playoffs.

Wow, Minnesota just pure and simple gave a game away

Terrible clock management and play calling by Minnesota.

That was an epic fail. They really outcoached themselves, sometimes you can just get too cute.

Every week I think I see a coach screw up an end of game situation worse than I have ever seen before... That was truly epically awful

Rudock is a great kid, incredibly smart and will do great thing in his medical career. And he played at St. Thomas aquinas in south Florida.

But he is just not a college QB that will win games by himself. Weak arm with no accuracy.
We went through 2 years of him. Most fans were happy to see him go. Though the wished him only the best.

If Temple wins and goes undefeated but doesn't make the playoffs, will we see an 8 team playoff sooner?

Since when are you allowed to review a block in the back call?

Re: Miami/Duke

Miami pulls off a successful Stanford band play without the band but with ACC officials screwing around for 5 minutes

According to Bruce Feldman:

Bruce Feldman on Twitter: "Just spoke to @FOXSports Ref expert Mike Pereira on #Miami finish. He said anything that is an "egregious error" is reviewable/over-turnable"

I didn't know they could review penalties either. Well, the targeting I know, but none of the others.

EDIT: well, there you go.

That was hardly "egregious". That was borderline.

Plus, they barely looked at the guy with the knee down.

I'm not that invested, but it looked like Duke got screwed. There were guys running towards the end zone with no helmet on before the guy crossed the goal line.

They picked up a flag on replay at the Baylor-WVU game last year

How can anyone know what the replay officials looked at? Couldn't checking that guy's knee also have been a reason that the review took so long?

There was definitely a guy for Miami with no helmet running off the sideline onto the field before the runner scored. No question about that one. The rules stickler in me acknowledges that they could have (or perhaps should have) called a penalty there, but it has about as much impact on the play as me sneezing two hours ago. I guess I don't really see the point in calling that particular penalty right there. I mean, I get that they could have, but as a neutral fan in this case, I'm glad they didn't.

Yeah, I guess I can't say they barely looked at anything considering the review took like a half hour.

Terrible clock management was always a hallmark of Jerry Kill coached teams so it looks like he taught his assistants everything he knows.

Shrug after the 4 "questionable" PI calls and the TD I'm not sure was a TD ....Duke can't complain.

This from a guy with 5c on the line for Duke tonight

I didn't get why Minnesota didn't spike it. Leave yourself 16 seconds with a timeout... that's 2 plays to punch it in, then kick on 4th down. That was indeed horrible.

I'm not a rules expert, so I hope I'm not spreading misinformation (apologies if so), but I believe the penalty for that guy running onto the field without his helmet would be a dead ball foul enforced after the play anyway.

I don't think they knew the clock was running

An undeserved win feels only marginally better than a shocking loss. Though it was irrational to think Michigan would be the team they were for a few weeks there. Some people were even saying they should be favored over Ohio State.

I wonder what the deal was with Shane Morris. He was warming up when Rudock was hurt. Wilton Speight has never seemed like someone who would have a meaningful down.

The Duke ending, two weeks after the Michigan ending, is going to have people rethinking how to handle special teams plays when you're leading and you can easily leave the opponent with just one long-distance opportunity on offense.

Not if it was during the play.

I think they did... you could see their coach doing the little "hurry up" circles with his hand when they were about done with reviewing that play.

This will get you ejected in the Big 12.

Dear fucking God... They didn't say that guys knee was down on replay?

Did they really eject that guy?

Yes. Not only was targeting called on the field, but confirmed by replay.

That was about as good a tackle as you can have.
I was iffy about the ND one. But he did duck his head some. But that one in the vid was ridiculous.

Flag football is coming.

There's a knee that appears to clearly be down in the Miami return.

So, what does the ACC say to Duke? Some version of "sorry, not sorry"?

Doug Rhoads is on the phone on ESPN saying the refs did a pretty good job on that replay and they didnt really miss much.

He's the former ACC head of refereeing

People are just realizing that ACC officials are hilariously bad?