Official 2025 College Football Thread

[albionmoonlight]

Maybe just

Division 1A--best 60 to 80 of the current top group (p4ish)
Division 1B--Rest of the top group
Division 1C--Current FCS
Division 2
Division 3

And they all have their own playoffs

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Maybe just

Division 1A--best 60 to 80 of the current top group (p4ish)
Division 1B--Rest of the top group
Division 1C--Current FCS
Division 2
Division 3

And they all have their own playoffs

60 to 80 is about right.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

So the narrative leading up to last night's game at Michigan is "if Alabama loses, we talk to DeBoer, if Alabama wins, we go for Dillingham." Alabama won, and now this morning Dillingham signed an extension with ASU, so we're back to knowing nothing.

I don't mean this to come off in a disrespectful way but Michigan just moved on from Sherrone Moore. Not Jim Harbaugh. Not James Franklin or even Brian Kelly. I get that Moore was the successful interim coach that ended up becoming the full time hire but still he is still just Sherrone Moore in the coaching world. Before that, the Rich Rod and Brady Hoke hires seem to suggest that non Michigan men need not apply. I hear you. What about Harbaugh? His record speaks for itself including the part of him being one of their own.

I am not saying that Michigan is not worthy or capable of attracting the best of the best when it comes to coaching even those who are not a part of the alumni. I just have not seen them do it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Happy about the Ole Miss win, a little extra happy for Golding making sure that the team largely exactly what it should have done and definitely needed to do.

[GrantDawg]

Interesting factoid. This will only be the 4th all SEC Sugar Bowl in history, and all 4 has included Ole Miss. 1952, 1959, 1963, and this year.

[GrantDawg]

This game starting just like the last.

[GrantDawg]

These last two games prove that you can put together a serviceable offense on lessor talent, but it is much hard to play defense with a huge athletic gap.

[dubb93]

Hopefully this is the end of this. The top teams are the top teams. Group of 5 conference champions are now 0-3 with 3 blowouts in two years. The most important factor should be that this crap just isn’t watchable.

[Ghost Econ]

You guys are crazy if you think the consolidation stops at 60-80 teams

The end goal is an NFL sized league and some of the current Big Ten/SEC are going to get left out. Heck, there's no chance Indiana would be having this story right now if the powers that be had their way.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by dubb93

Hopefully this is the end of this. The top teams are the top teams. Group of 5 conference champions are now 0-3 with 3 blowouts in two years. The most important factor should be that this crap just isn’t watchable.

CFP committee selected games decided by 17 points or greater. (Thanks Ore vs JMU for the baseline)

2014 Oregon 59, Florida State 20
2015 Clemson 37, Oklahoma 17
Alabama 38, Michigan State 0
2016 Alabama 24, Washington 7
Clemson 31, Ohio State 0
2017 Alabama 24, Clemson 6
2018 Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3
2019 LSU 63, Oklahoma 28
2020 Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14
Ohio State 49, Clemson 28
2021 Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6
Georgia 34, Michigan 11
2024 Penn State 38, SMU 10
Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17

There's been a lot of unwatchable football that has little to do with G5 football. Most years there's more like 2-4 "worthy" teams at best.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I don't mean this to come off in a disrespectful way but Michigan just moved on from Sherrone Moore. Not Jim Harbaugh. Not James Franklin or even Brian Kelly. I get that Moore was the successful interim coach that ended up becoming the full time hire but still he is still just Sherrone Moore in the coaching world. Before that, the Rich Rod and Brady Hoke hires seem to suggest that non Michigan men need not apply. I hear you. What about Harbaugh? His record speaks for itself including the part of him being one of their own.

I am not saying that Michigan is not worthy or capable of attracting the best of the best when it comes to coaching even those who are not a part of the alumni. I just have not seen them do it.

No worries about disrespect, and I'll try to answer without seeming like too much of a homer. I think the accepted story is a combination of two things. Harbaugh left for the NFL on January 24th -- a much later spot in the coaching cycle, and he suggested Moore. I don't even know if it's true that Harbaugh suggested Moore for the job once he left -- he did make comments earlier in the year that Moore should be Michigan head coach in the future, though.

I don't think the Rich Rod and Brady Hoke hires suggest that non Michigan men need apply. I think the disaster of the Hoke hire put that to bed. I could be wrong, though -- it's hard to tell at this point who's even making the decisions, let alone what their thoughts are.

We lucked out with Harbaugh. I don't think there's a single coach who could have pulled Michigan out from what it was other than him And I agree that at that time, we really would not have been able to attract the best of the best.

I think the job is more attractive now. There's been more recent success and more NIL resources. Is that enough to pull the best of the best from their situations? I have no idea.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

I think the job is more attractive now. There's been more recent success and more NIL resources. Is that enough to pull the best of the best from their situations? I have no idea.

At this point looking at the current landscape, who would you consider "the best?" From what I have seen of the fan comments, they are still expecting a top tier experienced head coach, but there are not many of those laying around. Most balk at the idea of a top tier coordinator in his first head coaching role, but that might be the most realistic option at this point. I know Glenn Schumann is being tossed around (Georgia DC), but he is young (35) and has only coached at Alabama and Georgia. He has the Saban/Kirby pedigree (like Dan Lanning), and there is reason Kirby has done things to keep him around. I do think there is legitimate worry about him taking on a job that big right of the gate. Plus his inexperience working in the region, though He does work nationally at Georgia and Michigan is a national brand.
I think the more palatable hire if they go coordinator would someone with a Big 10 background. I know one of the Indiana coordinators is being bandied about as well.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by bronconick

There's been a lot of unwatchable football that has little to do with G5 football. Most years there's more like 2-4 "worthy" teams at best.

This is what I've been screaming from the get go. It's why I've opposed the playoff from day one, it's why expansion of it is the most ridiculous thing I've seen in sports.

I'm happy Miami won yesterday. I'm thrilled Ole Miss won yesterday.
Neither team is all that good frankly.

I'd defend both as "playoff teams" in the sense that the current misbegotten system says they need 12 and I believe both deserve to be in that number ... there is no defense for the number being so large. That's purely greed.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

You guys are crazy if you think the consolidation stops at 60-80 teams

The end goal is an NFL sized league and some of the current Big Ten/SEC are going to get left out. Heck, there's no chance Indiana would be having this story right now if the powers that be had their way.

I think your wrong. The goal is to squeeze the money out of any school with a big enough and rich enough fan base. The Utah private equity deal and the affore mention Indiana are proof that is beyond just a hand full of schools. Dropping the smaller and less valuable schools makes sense, but including school in every area of the country with the largest alumni base also makes sense.

[sovereignstar v2]

Pretty nice Xmas Eve game tonight. Go Rainbow Warriors

[Ghost Econ]

Not sure I get the consensus that Whittingham to Michigan is going to be a rousing success. They keepbpointing how his success and culture, but hiring a guy in their mid 60s or later hasn't really led to lasting success in the past after their gone. The recent examples are Bellicheck, Herm Edwards, Butch Davis, Terry Bowden, Les Miles, Mack Brown. The only one mildly successful was Bill Snyder at K-State.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

Not sure I get the consensus that Whittingham to Michigan is going to be a rousing success. They keepbpointing how his success and culture, but hiring a guy in their mid 60s or later hasn't really led to lasting success in the past after their gone. The recent examples are Bellicheck, Herm Edwards, Butch Davis, Terry Bowden, Les Miles, Mack Brown. The only one mildly successful was Bill Snyder at K-State.

Not to mention the rumor on why he left Utah is he felt the program had peeked and he didn't want to put in the work required to maintain success at a place like Utah. He was looking for an easier job.

[dubb93]

I guess my problem with that hire is that his results at Utah would largely not be acceptable at Michigan. Let’s ignore the shortened season (where Utah was just 3-2 BTW,) in his 20 seasons at Utah he had 3 losing seasons and 11 times failed to win 10 games. I’d say 10 is probably the bar of what they are looking for at Michigan as 10 wins likely gets them in the CFP every year. But he failed to do that more than half the time at Utah. I’d imagine it would be even lower if I looked into it and excluded bowl wins but I’m not doing that right now.

[miami_fan]

I don't know. Given what they just went through, I don't think they could have hired a better coach than Kyle Whittingham. They have a coach with 40 years of coaching experience who won two thirds of his games at Utah. That is not necessarily a national football powerhouse when compared to Michigan. More importantly at this point for Michigan, they are also have a coach who will walk in with married(faithfully?) to the same woman for the last 42 years and does not have any section of his Wiki page addressing any sort of scandal.

I don't know if he is capable of winning a national championship or a Big Ten title with Michigan but he probably won't cause the program to fall further than they currently are on the field. He definitely will improve the program off the field for no other reason than I presume that there will not be the same sort of open secrets around Ann Arbor that were around with the previous coach.

[Ghost Econ]

BYU showing why the prevent defense exists.

[GrantDawg]

What a heartbreaking way for Haynes King's college career to end.

[JPhillips]

Ready to believe after that long pass on fourth down.

[JPhillips]

dola

I'm an OSU fan, so I'm obviously rooting for them, but I would also accept Ole Miss winning the championship just as a kind of Greek tragedy punishment for Kiffen

[bob]

I swear the average 5th grader that plays Madden can manage the clock better than college football coaches.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I've endured Derek Doofus and Matt Luke on gamedays and still think Brent Key might be the worst in-game coach I've ever seen. And I've seen quite a bit of Mario Cristobal lately as well.

Motherfucker can't have an IQ above freezing, and it's not showing any signs of improvement.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I've endured Derek Doofus and Matt Luke on gamedays and still think Brent Key might be the worst in-game coach I've ever seen. And I've seen quite a bit of Mario Cristobal lately as well.

Motherfucker can't have an IQ above freezing, and it's not showing any signs of improvement.

That clock management over the last 2 minutes was something. I don't know how you let a full minute run off the clock over 2 plays while still using a timeout.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Atocep

That clock management over the last 2 minutes was something. I don't know how you let a full minute run off the clock over 2 plays while still using a timeout.

I really do think he's simply not very bright. Been getting Matt Luke vibes for a while now.

And his post-game presser was as bad, if not worse, than his clock management. "I'm going to hibernate for a couple days" -- muthafucker how bout you find an OC -- and "we know you can't control the outcome of games" -- then what the fuck are you ever getting paid to do?

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I really do think he's simply not very bright. Been getting Matt Luke vibes for a while now.

And his post-game presser was as bad, if not worse, than his clock management. "I'm going to hibernate for a couple days" -- muthafucker how bout you find an OC -- and "we know you can't control the outcome of games" -- then what the fuck are you ever getting paid to do?

I'm pretty sure he has a OC. It looks more and more like it is going to be Chris Weinke. I'd actually be pretty surprised if it isn't.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by dubb93

I guess my problem with that hire is that his results at Utah would largely not be acceptable at Michigan. Let’s ignore the shortened season (where Utah was just 3-2 BTW,) in his 20 seasons at Utah he had 3 losing seasons and 11 times failed to win 10 games. I’d say 10 is probably the bar of what they are looking for at Michigan as 10 wins likely gets them in the CFP every year. But he failed to do that more than half the time at Utah. I’d imagine it would be even lower if I looked into it and excluded bowl wins but I’m not doing that right now.

He'll be there 5 years, be in the mix to make the 12/14/16/29 team playoff, and not have a whiff of scandal. That's pretty much what Michigan needs right now after a dozen show cause penalties and a horny idiot.

[GrantDawg]

Gary Danielson is retiring at the end of the Sun Bowl. Love him or hate him, he has been a part of some the biggest games in the last several decades.

[Ghost Econ]

That interception was sexy

[dubb93]

If Miami wins this we are really verging on having a serious conversation about giving these teams that earn a bye a month off while the other teams play. If Miami wins that would put teams with bye at 0-5 since we went to this format.

[JPhillips]

Sayin has really looked like a first year starter the last two games.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Sayin has really looked like a first year starter the last two games.

Ohio State’s offensive line has been dominated for the last 6 quarters for sure.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by dubb93

If Miami wins this we are really verging on having a serious conversation about giving these teams that earn a bye a month off while the other teams play. If Miami wins that would put teams with bye at 0-5 since we went to this format.

It is not making me comfortable about tomorrow night. Dan Lanning is right. These playoffs need to be over by the Jan 1st bowls.

[JPhillips]

I wonder how much of a difference in the offense is due to Hartline leaving. They just haven't looked at all dangerous the last two games.

[Kodos]

I hate seeing Miami win, but I love seeing OSU lose.

[Danny]

If you're going to let them score why not do it on first down or call timeout and save 40 seconds

[JonInMiddleGA]

One heck of a football game.

I wouldn't have given you a nickel for the chance of this team -- with this HC and this QB -- being in this position.

Proved my ass wrong.

[bronconick]

ESPN playing a golden flash to update down and distance every play is going to piss me off. You think it's a penalty every time. Nope.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by bronconick

ESPN playing a golden flash to update down and distance every play is going to piss me off. You think it's a penalty every time. Nope.

Same. It's annoying.

[miami_fan]

Are we sure that it is solely related to the bye week? I don't remember Boisie State, Oregon or ASU getting the benefit of having the bye week as a reason for them losing. Georgia benefited from the bye week because they had to bring the backup QB up to speed. This may sound bitter as a Miami fan but maybe the teams who had the bye all lost to teams that were better on the day and it does not have to be any more than that.

Every team that play in the quarterfinals will have played one game since the end of the regular season. Some played in their conference championship, others played in the first round of the playoffs. Either way, that is not good for any team's quality of play.

The national championship game should occur the day after the end of the NFL season or the first Monday of the new year whichever comes first. For this season, it would mean 1st round on the weekend of the Dec. 13th-14th, quarterfinals Dec 20-21, semis Dec 27-28 and finals on the 5th of Jan.

[Ghost Econ]

Seeing these stadiums with so many empty seats is depressing. Everything but the final needs to be at the better seeds stadium.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Are we sure that it is solely related to the bye week? I don't remember Boisie State, Oregon or ASU getting the benefit of having the bye week as a reason for them losing. Georgia benefited from the bye week because they had to bring the backup QB up to speed. This may sound bitter as a Miami fan but maybe the teams who had the bye all lost to teams that were better on the day and it does not have to be any more than that.

Every team that play in the quarterfinals will have played one game since the end of the regular season. Some played in their conference championship, others played in the first round of the playoffs. Either way, that is not good for any team's quality of play.

The national championship game should occur the day after the end of the NFL season or the first Monday of the new year whichever comes first. For this season, it would mean 1st round on the weekend of the Dec. 13th-14th, quarterfinals Dec 20-21, semis Dec 27-28 and finals on the 5th of Jan.

I’d say the data is still being collected but if the top seeds all get wiped out again today I’d say that would be a strong argument that the bye month is effecting offenses, especially in the first halves of these games.

Last year halftime scores for example:

Texas 17 ASU 3 (39-31 final)
Ohio State 34 Oregon 8 (41-21 final)
Penn State 17 Boise 7 (31-14 final)
Notre Dame 13 Georgia 3 (23-10 final)

And so far this year:

Miami 14 Ohio State 0 (24-14 final)
Oregon 6 Texas Tech 0

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Are we sure that it is solely related to the bye week? I don't remember Boisie State, Oregon or ASU getting the benefit of having the bye week as a reason for them losing. Georgia benefited from the bye week because they had to bring the backup QB up to speed. This may sound bitter as a Miami fan but maybe the teams who had the bye all lost to teams that were better on the day and it does not have to be any more than that.

Every team that play in the quarterfinals will have played one game since the end of the regular season. Some played in their conference championship, others played in the first round of the playoffs. Either way, that is not good for any team's quality of play.

The national championship game should occur the day after the end of the NFL season or the first Monday of the new year whichever comes first. For this season, it would mean 1st round on the weekend of the Dec. 13th-14th, quarterfinals Dec 20-21, semis Dec 27-28 and finals on the 5th of Jan.

Look, I seen more than one person get butt hurt about that somehow lessening their teams win. Nothing of the sort. They were the better team on the day, but the bye might be (and it is statistically looking like it was) a part of that. They still had to go out play their best, and they obviously did. It still doesn't take away that very long delay between games for the bye team seems to be giving the bye teams more a disadvantage than an advantage. There are many logical reasons for that, from just having 4 weeks between games takes them out of game ready sharpness to the extended time giving them time to get distracted by outside pressures about their future and such.
Main point, something that should be award is apparently not one. I think shortening the delay between games as well as giving home games to the higher ranked teams would be a much better option than the current set up. Of course if they change to a 16 game set up as they are likely to do, there is going to have to be changes.

[GrantDawg]

0-6. That Texas Tech defense was legit. Holding Oregon to 16 points is nothing to sneeze at, especially since their offense completely crapped the bed.

[GrantDawg]

Well that last td was a bit of insult to injury.

[Danny]

People have to remember these are college boys despite them now getting paid, keeping up the focus, intensity and momentum for four weeks I just not possible. I'd actually be surprised if Indiana beats Alabama. Georgia probably does beat Ole miss despite the layoff

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

0-6. That Texas Tech defense was legit. Holding Oregon to 16 points is nothing to sneeze at, especially since their offense completely crapped the bed.

The defense is great but it also turns out that $30 million didn't turn Joey McGuire into a good coach. The guy was on the hot seat prior to this season, they spent $30 mil, and gave him a 7 year extension based on the roster they bought.

[dubb93]

Ole Miss has so many self inflicted distractions that it’s a real shame. I hope the LSU job works out because if I was a major program I wouldn’t touch a guy that abandoned his team leading into the playoffs.