Official 2025 College Football Thread

[Danny]

Man I hope the Raiders don't screw this up by winning on Sunday. Mendoza just look the part of a future franchise qb

[GrantDawg]

I really need Indiana to break this curse. I don't want it all to be on Kirby's shoulders.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by 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.

Maybe playing Grambling or whoever wasn't the tune up Ohio State nweded.

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Maybe playing Grambling or whoever wasn't the tune up Ohio State nweded.

Or Texas? This is a weird comment given Indiana's non-conference schedule and they sure as hell don't seem to be negatively impacted.

Speaking of... I still can't get over Indiana doing this. They have Bama in hell at half time in the Rose Bowl. No one could've predicted this 2 years ago. We're living in some kind of bizarro world.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

Or Texas? This is a weird comment given Indiana's non-conference schedule and they sure as hell don't seem to be negatively impacted.

Speaking of... I still can't get over Indiana doing this. They have Bama in hell at half time in the Rose Bowl. No one could've predicted this 2 years ago. We're living in some kind of bizarro world.

Eh, it's Bama with no running game and a middy QB. Unless they get a rhythm (which we've seen them do at times) they're far from the Bama of old.

Simpson is the wrong QB for this iteration of Bama.

With the departure of Saban this kinda WAS predicted in some quarters.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

Or Texas? This is a weird comment given Indiana's non-conference schedule and they sure as hell don't seem to be negatively impacted.

Speaking of... I still can't get over Indiana doing this. They have Bama in hell at half time in the Rose Bowl. No one could've predicted this 2 years ago. We're living in some kind of bizarro world.

I’m not going to pretend ODU and Kennesaw are world beaters but you are talking about the Conference USA Champions and the Sun Belt runner up.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dubb93

I’m not going to pretend ODU and Kennesaw are world beaters but you are talking about the Conference USA Champions and the Sun Belt runner up.

Yeah, let's just not. Kennesaw wouldn't have won a state title in at least 2 (or more) high school classifications in their own state.

[JPhillips]

I don't think you can blame OSU for the schedule. They played the pre-season #1 as an OOC opponent. The problem was the league schedule eded up being really weak, but not beause they didn't play anyone. Washington, Wisonsin, Penn State, Michigan could all have been good, but they clearly weren't.

In the regular season they played one of the other five top six in the conference and I do think they weren't tested enough.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't think you can blame OSU for the schedule. They played the pre-season #1 as an OOC opponent. The problem was the league schedule eded up being really weak, but not beause they didn't play anyone. Washington, Wisonsin, Penn State, Michigan could all have been good, but they clearly weren't.

In the regular season they played one of the other five top six in the conference and I do think they weren't tested enough.

I'm happcy enough to ding pretty much any team for any legitimate reason but scheduling this year isn't one I see a reason to blame tOSU for. Nobody has control of their conference opponents, especially not in the supersized conference era.

[GrantDawg]

I love Alabama getting spanked a little too much.

[JPhillips]

Given the problems teams have had with the layoff, this game is just super impressive in regards to Cignetti.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Yeah, let's just not. Kennesaw wouldn't have won a state title in at least 2 (or more) high school classifications in their own state.

They won a D1 conference and almost beat a 8-4 ACC team. They beat any high school football team in the country comfortably enough to pull their starters by half.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I love Alabama getting spanked a little too much.

This game has become my new porn.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

This game has become my new porn.

I'll be in my bunk...

[Kodos]

These Hoosiers are a joy to root for. Rose Bowl Champs for the first time! Let’s get ready for Oregon round 2.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I love Alabama getting spanked a little too much.

Me too. I wanted to face Bama, and we got ‘em. Paul Finebaum must be having conniptions trying to figure out how to prove that we suck.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dubb93

They won a D1 conference and almost beat a 8-4 ACC team. They beat any high school football team in the country comfortably enough to pull their starters by half.

Zero chance. That was quite possibly the weakest "D1" conference winner in football history.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Zero chance. That was quite possibly the weakest "D1" conference winner in football history.

I mean you know obviously have something against them but the fact remains they played Indiana about as tough as Alabama did.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

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.

My point is the long layoff were not worthy of serious discussion when Boise State, Arizona State and Oregon all lost last year. The layoff was seen as a benefit for Georgia and not the reason for the team only scoring ten points. No one saw those teams as being disadvantaged. At best they were just beaten by better teams. At worst, they were not deserving of the place or their seed going into the round. Remember all the reseeding talk? No one was trying to figure how to give those teams a greater advantage. I don't see why that needed to change after the game last night or Texas Tech's loss to Oregon today.

All I'm saying is

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

My point is the long layoff were not worthy of serious discussion when Boise State, Arizona State and Oregon all lost last year. The layoff was seen as a benefit for Georgia and not the reason for the team only scoring ten points. No one saw those teams as being disadvantaged. At best they were just beaten by better teams. At worst, they were not deserving of the place or their seed going into the round. Remember all the reseeding talk? No one was trying to figure how to give those teams a greater advantage. I don't see why that needed to change after the game last night or Texas Tech's loss to Oregon today.

All I'm saying is

Your wrong from the first statement. That was all the discussion from that first quarterfinals week till now. How have you missed it?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Your wrong from the first statement. That was all the discussion from that first quarterfinals week till now. How have you missed it?

+1

I'll say it was mostly up to the point (realistically) of "is this a problem, this needs to be watched closely" but it was definitely a consistent talking point.

[dubb93]

I’d also add that before being blown out by Ohio State last year in the playoffs Oregon actually beat Ohio State in the regular season. I know that different games different situations but considering the other results the thought always lingered.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Clock management:
it's not JUST for coaches

[JPhillips]

Old man opinion: I hate fourth and 1 runs from shotgun.

[Lathum]

Why would Georgia go for it there?

[GrantDawg]

Just not their year. I was surprised after how bad the defense looked early that Georgia was able to turn it around as well as they did. But they are just not a complete, deep team. Gunner is very limited as much as he is a tough son of a gun. The OL has been very mediocre. The clock struck 12 tonight.

[Kodos]

Not yet…

[Kodos]

Tough loss, GD.

[Danny]

Officials got their time in the spotlight

[cuervo72]

48 hours from now: “Wait wait, we found this seldom used rule to give Georgia another chance to win the game. Everyone fly back to New Orleans.”

[JonInMiddleGA]

I can't even. Not after that.

What a job by Pete Golding. Not in the Sugar Bowl but for the last month. Who knows what the future looks like for him in that job but for the situation Ole Miss faced? He's been the right man for the moment. Steve Fisher vibes are strong right now.

And you damned right I'm happy he has two more CFP wins that another p.o.s. I could mention.

Chambliss goes into an unconscious zone and conjures up Manziel's magic. Lacy fights through injury and puts up 99 yards on the ground. A million hours before the finish a 4th string tight end catches a TD on just his 4th catch of the season. Wallace puts up 156 receiving yards, more than he had in any TWO games combined since week two. Stribling's first 100 yard game in an Ole Miss uniform. Carniero hits TWO career long FGs before getting called upon for the game-winner.

And a defense that couldn't get off the field in Athens comes up with just enough, a nearly 200 yard improvement over their lone loss of the season.

Hell yeah, damn right.

[Ghost Econ]

That kid is gonna hit an 80 yarder in the NFL.

[Ghost Econ]

Dola.

And a semi final group of Ole Miss, Miami, Indiana and Oregon. I guess Miami counts as a blue blood but they've been in the wilderness for a while. And Oregon feels like a blue blood but has never gotten over the hump. And then 2 laughing stocks.

[albionmoonlight]

Ole Miss CFP staff uncertain as Kiffin plots LSU transfer period - ESPN

Kiffin considered attending the Sugar Bowl, and lobbied to appear on "College GameDay," or another program during the ESPN game broadcast.

Enjoy your sociopath, LSU.

[JPhillips]

Kiffin is going to sabotage Ole Miss just so he doesn't have to live with them winning it all without him.

LSU really has a handle on picking the worst people in football.

[HerRealName]

This era of college football is weird but it is pretty fun to watch. I'd like to see pace of play pick up, though. Ole Miss - Georgia was nice reminder of the fun that we used to see more often.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Your wrong from the first statement. That was all the discussion from that first quarterfinals week till now. How have you missed it?

Last year, people said all four teams with byes lost. This year we are now saying that teams with byes are 1-7. It is a quirky stat that should make someone say hmm when they see it. It is perfect for a First Take discussion. When you move beyond that to suggest the byes are a disadvantage to the team with the bye or may be the reason for them losing(not that you are saying that last part), it becomes less serious IMO for many of the reasons in this article.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...-format-issue/

If the goal is to create more of an guarantee for the teams with the bye or to put the teams without a bye at more of a disadvantage, that is a different discussion and one that may be that come with playoff expansion. When teams start doing things to not get the bye, then I will believe that it puts them at a disadvantage.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Your wrong from the first statement. That was all the discussion from that first quarterfinals week till now. How have you missed it?

Last year, people said all four teams with byes lost. This year we are now saying that teams with byes are 1-7. It is a quirky stat that should make someone say hmm when they see it. It is perfect for a First Take discussion. When you move beyond that to suggest the byes are a disadvantage to the team with the bye or may be the reason for them losing(not that you are saying that last part), it becomes less serious IMO for many of the reasons in this article.

Debunking the narrative College Football Playoff byes are alarming issue in CFP format - CBS Sports

If the goal is to create more of an guarantee for the teams with the bye or to put the teams without a bye at more of a disadvantage, that is a different discussion and one that may be that come with playoff expansion. When teams start doing things to not get the bye, then I will believe that it puts them at a disadvantage.

[cuervo72]

I hope Miss St gets their ass beat just for wearing all black against a black and gold team.

(We get OU/Bama Bama/IU and NOW a maroon/crimson team decides not to wear effing maroon? Dumb mfers…)

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't think you can blame OSU for the schedule. They played the pre-season #1 as an OOC opponent. The problem was the league schedule eded up being really weak, but not beause they didn't play anyone. Washington, Wisonsin, Penn State, Michigan could all have been good, but they clearly weren't.

In the regular season they played one of the other five top six in the conference and I do think they weren't tested enough.

Don't need to put a bad FCS and MAC school on your schedule. I get that teams schedule like this and succeed but I also think those games are a waste of time and teams gain nothing from it besides some revenue.

They played 2 competent teams at the end of the year and looked completely lost in both. Would some more reps against actual competition have helped prepare them?

[JPhillips]

They almost always play an Ohio school, so if it wasn't Ohio it would have been Miami or Kent St. or Youngstown. That's a way to spread some cash to another Ohio public school.

So you're really only talking about Grmbling, which is a cupcake, but who are they realistically going to schedule five years ago instead? Even if they played Georgia in week 2, I doubt that matters much by the time you get to the end of the season. The real problem was the weak B1G schedule they ended up with.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Last year, people said all four teams with byes lost. This year we are now saying that teams with byes are 1-7. It is a quirky stat that should make someone say hmm when they see it. It is perfect for a First Take discussion. When you move beyond that to suggest the byes are a disadvantage to the team with the bye or may be the reason for them losing(not that you are saying that last part), it becomes less serious IMO for many of the reasons in this article.

Debunking the narrative College Football Playoff byes are alarming issue in CFP format - CBS Sports

If the goal is to create more of an guarantee for the teams with the bye or to put the teams without a bye at more of a disadvantage, that is a different discussion and one that may be that come with playoff expansion. When teams start doing things to not get the bye, then I will believe that it puts them at a disadvantage.

Dan Lanning believes that is a disadvantage, and since he has coached both situations I will take his word for it. It is much like playing a home versus playing away game. It is not a guarantee win, but it definitely is more a hindrance than the benefit it should be. My guess we are about to see a change to move away from long byes, most likely a 16 team expansion.

[miami_fan]

One thing from the Georgia v. Mississippi game. That hit on Georgia's QB. You know THAT hit after he completed the long pass and before the QB sneaked the ball in for the TD. How in the world is that not roughing the passer/unnecessary roughness/targeting? That seemed to fit what I have seen called as a penalty and targeting all season long and that is with acknowledging that the college game allows way more violent hits that the pros.

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

One thing from the Georgia v. Mississippi game. That hit on Georgia's QB. You know THAT hit after he completed the long pass and before the QB sneaked the ball in for the TD. How in the world is that not roughing the passer/unnecessary roughness/targeting? That seemed to fit what I have seen called as a penalty and targeting all season long and that is with acknowledging that the college game allows way more violent hits that the pros.

I'm convinced targeting calls are determined by a coin flip. There's no rhyme or reason for the lack of consistency.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

One thing from the Georgia v. Mississippi game. That hit on Georgia's QB. You know THAT hit after he completed the long pass and before the QB sneaked the ball in for the TD. How in the world is that not roughing the passer/unnecessary roughness/targeting? That seemed to fit what I have seen called as a penalty and targeting all season long and that is with acknowledging that the college game allows way more violent hits that the pros.

Georgia fans have been pointing that out, especially since they gave the targeting penalty to the Georgia player that was clearly leading with his shoulder. There were two facemask penalties missed back to back before that. There is just a complete lack of consistency in the way games are called. You just have to play well enough for those calls for/against you don't determine the game.

[Lathum]

WTF

So just a few days after Demond Williams signs a 4 million dollar NIL deal to come back to UW he now wants to enter the portal and has hired an attorney. His agent has dropped him over this and the school is pursuing all legal action.

NIL has ruined college football.

[Swaggs]

Growing up, when MLB first had free agency, there was always talk about how one proposal was to just let everyone be free agents every year and how chaotic that would have been and that is where the pre-arb and arbitration systems developed from.

Now, college sports are literally putting it to the test and the system is sensational for the coaches and players and absolutely horrendous for the fans.

I can't even imagine how much my net worth would have to be for me to consider giving any money to NIL (and, in particular football NIL - basketball or non-revenue sports, I feel like one or two individual players can make a much greater impact). Like, if I am worth $100M, is there any way on Earth I would consider giving $5-10M to my school, so they could spend it on one year of a guy like the QBs from Washington or Cincinnati (two teams that went 5-4 in their respective conferences)? It is just stupid. It's entertaining, in that it is wildcard event every year, but it makes me less likely to want to get season tickets or donate a dime to contribute.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Now, college sports are literally putting it to the test and the system is sensational for the coaches and players and absolutely horrendous for the fans.

It's great for rich boosters with deep pockets who can buy success which makes it like literally everything else in America these days.

[sovereignstar v2]

I’m wondering if Marty Brown would be the first player to win an FCS and FBS Championship if Miami goes the distance. AI/search has me thinking he would be

[JonInMiddleGA]

Halftime might have to be North Dallas Forty time for Ole Miss / Lacy

edit to add: though would that even work on a hamstring?