Official 2023 College Football Thread

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

it may be a rough year in general for the SEC. Nobody has looked good so far honestly.

But GA may go undefeated into the playoffs.

They may also not play anyone in the top 25.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally Posted by cartman

Alabama is 0-8-1 all-time against Texas when the Longhorn's starting QB makes it past the first quarter

Very true. For all of Alabama's chest thumping I would also note that Bob Stoops was 3-0 against the Crimson Tide during his coaching career at Oklahoma. "You just can't score against those SEC defenses." Remember that one, before OU hung 44 on them in the Sugar Bowl?

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

But GA may go undefeated into the playoffs.

They may also not play anyone in the top 25.

They will drop spots if it plays out that way.

[larrymcg421]

They will drop spots, but zero chance an undefeated GA, no matter how bad their schedule, will be outside the top 4 playoff spots.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

They will drop spots, but zero chance an undefeated GA, no matter how bad their schedule, will be outside the top 4 playoff spots.

No, and they shouldn't unless there are 4 other undefeated teams. I think the idea they won't play a top 25 team is silly. Whoever they play in the SEC championship will be at least top 25, so will most likely Tennessee and Ole Miss. Kentucky and Auburn could be as well. It is a easier schedule than they usually have but it isn't exactly a MAC schedule.
Now if they lose any of those games, it will be really hard to get into the playoffs. They have no room for error.

[JPhillips]

I agree it's unlikely, but is there anyone on their schedule that you would be surprised by 3 or 4 losses?

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I agree it's unlikely, but is there anyone on their schedule that you would be surprised by 3 or 4 losses?

Not really, but then 3-4 losses is usually a top 25 team in the SEC.

[GrantDawg]

Mel Tucker fired as Michigan State’s coach, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Secondary coach Harlon Bennett will be MSU’s interim coach w/former coach Mark Dantonio expected to assist in an undefined role. MSU investigating allegations Tucker sexually harassed activist/rape…

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 10, 2023

[RainMaker]

I wonder how much of that was a desire to get out of that bad contract.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I wonder how much of that was a desire to get out of that bad contract.

And think they were very happy he handed them the opportunity.

[bhlloy]

How fucking stupid do you have to be to sexually harass the sexual harassment activist who comes in to talk to your team about sexual harassment.

It’s a miracle he has managed to breathe for so long on this planet, let alone run a Power 5 football program. Jesus H Christ dude.

[bronconick]

Choosing to sexually harass a rape survivor/activist to lose $80 million+ in guaranteed money is galaxy brain level stupidity.

[GrantDawg]

"And this is sexual harassment" *shows graphic*
Mel: " You know what else is sexual harassment? The way that booty pops."

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I wonder how much of that was a desire to get out of that bad contract.

At least 99.99% of it most likely

[bob]

Fairly crappy set of games for week 3

[Edward64]

Some great news.

Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal says All-American safety Kamren Kinchens is in "good shape" after being carted off the field following a scary hit late in the Canes' win over Texas A&M.

Cristobal, in his weekly appearance Monday morning on WQAM radio in Miami, said all test results have been encouraging. Kinchens was released from a hospital Sunday.

Kinchens' family posted on social media a photo of him from the hospital bed, thanking people for their support and saying he was "doing better."

[JonInMiddleGA]

Judge grants temporary restraining order to prevent Pac-12 from meeting - ESPN

This felt like a no-brainer when I saw the story last week.

[SirFozzie]

Just following up on the SMU to ACC story.

Let's just convert the major college teams into Under 22 pro leagues. Make it official that the boosters own the team.

MSN

(this refers to the top booster who put together the package to make up the $200 million that SMU agreed to forego in media money)

When Miller met with the top boosters to seal the move to the ACC, the combined net worth of the room was believed to be about $15 billion.

“It’s a couple hundred million dollars,” Miller said. “I’m not losing sleep over it.”

Let's once and for all time get rid of the "It's all amateurs, really!" bullshit.

[GrantDawg]

Just like the constant stories of the demise of the NFL, college football has also failed to die.

Record TV ratings. Packed stands. Sky-high interest.

ADs, commissioners, NCAA lawyers, old coaches and establishment media claimed NIL and the transfer portal would ruin college football and push fans away.

Wrong then. Wrong now. Maybe next year … https://t.co/n5XqgCDAM9

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) September 13, 2023

[Brian Swartz]

That basically tells me that I'm out of touch, since the sport has pushed me away (both leagues). But that's true on a lot of fronts.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

That basically tells me that I'm out of touch, since the sport has pushed me away (both leagues). But that's true on a lot of fronts.

It's also a narrative being pushed by a source of questionable reliability. With this sort of dollars at stake, nobody with a vested interest is going to admit anything other than rosiness.

[Solecismic]

Once the games begin, I tend to forget whatever it is that might or might not have pushed me away.

Life keeps intervening. There's the rape case with the Alabama walk-on, Mel Tucker's expensive abusive behavior in East Lansing, for NBA fans the brutal beating of the sister of Dwayne Haskins' widow by that Rocket player.

That's this week's off-field news. It makes you think. But sports is an escape. It remains an escape, as long as the leagues draw some line somewhere. Or at least say they will.

Despite all the available entertainment out there, and TikTok's formula of never-ending video crack, I think people still crave appointment entertainment in some form. But the scripted sitcoms and dramas are too conveniently binged and there are no more water-cooler shows, like Seinfeld. Plus the Hollywood strike means no new stuff, not that many were watching what was there.

Sports fits. It has to be consumed live. And football has become our sport. So we'll consume it eagerly each fall (sorry, USFL and XFL, we just aren't connected to second-best, or spring football). College football isn't dying by any means, but when you look at the top television ratings for the year, most of it (entertainment, sports, everything) is NFL.

[Edward64]

Just another one of those opinion pieces. I don't really have a strong opinion either way but think I prefer if Jimbo given till the end of the season and see how it plays out.

9 & 8 win seasons ain't bad but get he's paid to win a lot more.

Texas A&M football: After Miami debacle, should Jimbo Fisher stay or should he go?

The end of the Jimbo Fisher Era could be near at Texas A&M.

ESPN college football analyst and talk show host Paul Finebaum illustrated on The Matt Barrie Show what could be the driving force.

In addition to his failure to lift the Aggies to elite status, far from it in fact, Fisher could ultimately fall victim to Texas’ surge into the spotlight after the Longhorns’ dismantling of an Alabama program that has been the measuring stick for all others for at least the past decade.
:
It’s time to pull the plug on this experiment. It isn’t going anywhere. It’s reached its ceiling.

It'd be tough for Petrino to take over mid-season. I'd root for him but best if Jimbo takes the heat this year. Then next year ...

It was a nice try; it just didn’t work out. And would it be just too easy to slide new OC Bobby Petrino down from the press box to the playing field as the Aggies’ interim head coach for the remainder of this season?

It’s becoming clear that this is the path the Aggies should take.

[GrantDawg]

He might not get fired right now, but another big loss then he is probably done.

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[JonInMiddleGA]

I can think of 76.8 million reasons why Fisher isn't likely to be fired unless they lose to UL-Monroe in their third game or to Abilene Christian in their 11th game.

Suffer through til Jan 1, 2024 and there's only 67.55 million reasons

[Edward64]

Nice quote.

“At the end of the season, if A&M is looking at a mediocre record, that $75 million will not be a factor,” Paul Finebaum recently said. “Presidents don’t make those decisions in places like Texas A&M. It’s the guys with the cowboy hats.

[Ghost Econ]

I think it's almost like a point of pride for these rich assholes to spend more money to fire a coach just so they can brag to their other rich friends.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Tell what would be kinda interesting.

Let's assume they buyout Jimbo.

Does the money come from the same idiots who ponied up to buy him in the first place? Or does it come from a different faction?

And if you spend the buyout money, what faction ponies up for a replacement?

[Edward64]

You're thinking like a normal person.

When we're talking multi-billions of net worth, who cares.

[Breeze]

I would not want to be Jimbo relying on Petrino to call plays while rumors are circulating that he’s in line to step in and take your job. I mean it’s not really a stretch to believe Petrino might sabotage things to be the head coach. This is like a psychological thriller in the making.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Tell what would be kinda interesting.

Let's assume they buyout Jimbo.

Does the money come from the same idiots who ponied up to buy him in the first place? Or does it come from a different faction?

And if you spend the buyout money, what faction ponies up for a replacement?

What I have always wonder is how do they write this money off? I guarantee these guy find a way to make it business loss.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Edward64

You're thinking like a normal person.

When we're talking multi-billions of net worth, who cares.

Unless you get that rare bird like Oregon or Oklahoma State, most of 'em have a limit.

It's a high ass limit, but there's a figure in their head.

[cartman]

at A&M, no price is too high for the committed boosters to try and get one over on Texas. They would rather bankrupt themselves.

[Ghost Econ]

Iowa is favored by 28.5 over Western Michigan. As we all know, the Fightin Ferentz's have to average over 25 so Brian can keep his job.

Do you bet Western Michigan to cover?
Can Iowa win 20 to -9 to cover??
Could Iowa figure out how to score 1/2 points?

Assuming Iowa scores over 28.5, do they use this game to run up the count to goose the >25 ppg. If they can get to 70, that essentially gives them 4 points per game to work with the rest of the season.

[cartman]

"So I wanted to ask you, 'What the hell is going on?'"

- Coach Saban during epic rant on Hey Coach while taking call from Peewee #RollTide | @Alfa_Insurance pic.twitter.com/1fZeJdExRE

— Crimson Tide Sports Network (@UA_CTSN) September 15, 2023

[GrantDawg]

I usually can't stand Saban, but that was the best.

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[Edward64]

Looks like Alabama is making a QB change.

Tyler Buchner expected to start for Alabama at USF, sources say - ESPN

Sophomore Tyler Buchner is expected to start over Jalen Milroe when the 10th-ranked Crimson Tide play at South Florida on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), sources told ESPN's Chris Low. Buchner, who transferred from Notre Dame in the spring, took the majority of first-team reps in practice this week, sources said.

Milroe started the Crimson Tide's first two games, but he threw two interceptions in Alabama's 34-24 loss to Texas last week.

Buchner played under Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees last season when both were at Notre Dame. He played in mop-up duty during Alabama's season-opening 56-7 win over Middle Tennessee, completing 3 of 5 passes for 27 yards.

If I was a NFL QB1 and this happened, I'd be PO'd but I'd laugh all the way to the bank. Can't help but feel sorry for a college QB though. I am glad the portal nowadays allows a bigger "marketplace" where college kids can transfer to other schools that may consider them an upgrade.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Can't help but feel sorry for a college QB though. I am glad the portal nowadays allows a bigger "marketplace" where college kids can transfer to other schools that may consider them an upgrade.

In this case Milroe really doesn't have anyone to blame but himself. The performance simply wasn't there.

That said, I don't believe this is an upgrade and either Milroe or someone else on the depth chart will get a shot at the job soon enough. (Probably not today, but soon)

[bob]

Copied this from reddit. Buchner has a really weird career arc:

• As a freshman in high school he only threw 37 passes and had 20 carries for 274 yards and 4 TDs.
  
• He tore his ACL his sophomore year on the 4th play of the season and missed the whole year.
  
• His junior year (over 13 games) he had 4474 passing yards on 66 completion % with 53 TDs and 6 INTs along with 128 carries for 1610 rushing yards and 28 rushing TDs.
  
• He missed all of his senior year in 2020 due to COVID.
  
• He was the backup in 2021 at ND behind senior Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan.
  
• In 2022 he beat out Drew Payne to be the starter but injured his shoulder in game 2 against Marshall and missed the rest of the regular season. He started in the bowl game against South Carolina but only because Payne (now the backup QB at Arizona State) entered the transfer portal.
  
• He lost the QB competition at Alabama to Milroe despite having the advantage of knowing the offense Rees runs ahead of time since they had been together at ND.
  
• In his now third season of college he is 70-123 (56.9%) for 976 yards with 6 TDs and 8 INTs over 14 games with 3 starts. Also, is 83 for 468 with 8 TDs rushing.

So he has thrown 562 passes in games since 2017 (freshman year of high school) until now. 402/562 (71.5%) of those passes came when he was a junior in high school in 2019.

I was surprised that he went with Rees given he wasn't guaranteed the starter job. If he had stayed at ND, he would have been clear option #1 for next season and would have graduated with a ND degree.

[Edward64]

Rattler making it look easy in first series.

Dawgs defense looking squishy. That TD run was weird.

[bronconick]

Rest of FSU's scheduled opponents now digging for a dual threat QB to savage the defense

[GrantDawg]

Nothing I can say right now would be from a rational mind, except it is really hard to keep a team motivated at the elite level that is required to win three titles in a row. Eventually, that feeling that you can just win by showing up is going to catch you right in the ass.

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[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Nothing I can say right now would be from a rational mind, except it is really hard to keep a team motivated at the elite level that is required to win three titles in a row. Eventually, that feeling that you can just win by showing up is going to catch you right in the ass.

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Or, you know, just suddenly remember that a) Brock Bowers is on the roster and b) passes more than 5 yards downfield are legal

[Edward64]

Everyone gets to have a mediocre game (or two)

It’s tough to be king

[GrantDawg]

Spencer Rattler throws a good ball while being hit. You have to give him that.

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[RainMaker]

This Alabama offense is something else.

[Lathum]

I’m enjoying this huskies game. We are absolutely a title contender.

[GrantDawg]

The second I turn it over to Alabama they score. Maybe I should watch something else.

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[Edward64]

Wow, congrats to the Mizzou kicker.

He's going to get laid tonight.

[GrantDawg]

A USF Bull has 3 sacks in a game versus Alabama. That just seems wrong.

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