The Ladder 2016 Season Thread

[Kodos]

Lotta big games this week. #1 USC at #2 Oregon should be a doozy. Buffalo continues to fight for some respect from the pollsters in vain.

[cartman]

I'm conflicted on my game this week.

[Julio Riddols]

Took down Arkansas State as easily as expected. The team is playing at a high level right now, defense is showing up, offense is eating clock and scoring. Hopefully the recruits at the game saw enough.. Especially the ones I am competing with IU for. Muahaha.

[cartman]

Escaped Austin with a 28-26 win over the Horns. I got a first down with a minute left to seal the win.

[Kodos]

Hopefully the recruits at the game saw enough.. Especially the ones I am competing with IU for. Muahaha.

We shall continue to assail your integrity and your personal hygiene until the end!

[Eaglesfan27]

Defense dominated the USC-Oregon game with the first score being set up by an Oregon interception on the 1 yard line that led to us getting a safety on their HB. That gave us a 2-0 lead and we finally got Colby Johnson open for a big play to give us an 8-0 lead. A quick strike before halftime helped us go into the half with a 15-0 lead and we got the ball to start the 2nd half.

They got the first score of the 2nd half and were threatening to take over the game, but our HB had a huge drive which he capped with an amazing 46 yard TD run in which he made two great cuts to set up his blocks and went untouched. That 22-7 lead caused them to start throwing it and we knocked out their starting QB (for the 2nd time in the game) and we forced a turnover which allowed us to get 1 more score for the final margin of 29-7.

[MacroGuru]

Sometimes this game amazes me. I was on the way to a thorough beat down of Ball State, like 42 - 10 or something like that. Then it decided it wanted to make a game of it. My guys were bouncing off of receivers in the air as they were jumping to make catches. The running back was trucking my guys.

It ended up within 1 score in the 4th when the defense was finally able to make a stop and we pulled out the win....

6-0!

[Kodos]

Undefeated, baby! Keep it up, Macro!

[chesapeake]

I am trying to get my game in this weekend, but events are conspiring against me. I will be done by Monday might, regardless.

[Kodos]

No worries. We can hold until your can get your game in.

[cartman]

Giving advanced notice that I'm going to be out of pocket from the afternoon of Nov. 11th to the evening of Nov. 18th. Going to be out in Vegas!

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by cartman

Giving advanced notice that I'm going to be out of pocket from the afternoon of Nov. 11th to the evening of Nov. 18th. Going to be out in Vegas!

Enjoy! I'll be at Disney with the family from December 2nd to the 9th!

[chesapeake]

I'm done. My defense came to play and we beat TCU 20-3 for our first SEC win. Unfortunately, my next 2 games are on the road against top 10 teams. Welcome to Hollywood.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by cartman

Giving advanced notice that I'm going to be out of pocket from the afternoon of Nov. 11th to the evening of Nov. 18th. Going to be out in Vegas!

Man, there are few times I wish I was still in Utah and out west..Vegas with Cartman would be a blast! (I have family there, so it's a free stay for me

[Kodos]

[Kodos]

We're on to Week 10. Congratulations, Macro! Is another USC-Rice national championship in the making? 1-2 in the BCS rankings.

[MacroGuru]

And Buffalo is finally ranked! We come in at #20 this week...

It's about time!

[CU Tiger]

Well time to line that winnign record up against a top 25 team...lets see how this goes

[cartman]

My last 4 games are all against ranked teams.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Man, there are few times I wish I was still in Utah and out west..Vegas with Cartman would be a blast! (I have family there, so it's a free stay for me

I'm really looking forward to it. During the week I'll be at the Amazon Web Services conference, learning about "the cloud". Then on Friday, a bunch of folks are flying in to celebrate my cousin's wife's 30th birthday over the weekend.

[Julio Riddols]

Big win to put us firmly in the drivers seat for our half of C-USA. If we can win out, maybe we can creep into the rankings by season end.

[cartman]

It was tied 28 all at halftime, but we put away a tough TCU team with a long drive in the 4th quarter, and win 49-35.

[chesapeake]

Too many turnovers. I threw a pick 6 on a dumb play to get down by 14 and then was the victim of a fumble on the next drive at the FSU 10 yard line which was returned for a TD to go down by 21. On my next drive, I threw another stupid interception in the opponents end zone just before the end of the half.

I kept the mistakes to a minimum in the second half, but I couldn't tackle their 98 pound RB, who broke several long runs despite getting hit multiple times on each play. Nothing is more frustrating than calling the right defense and having your guys in position to make plays only to watch them get shrugged off by a dwarf time after time. I scored at will, but so did the AI, and I lost 56-42.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by chesapeake

Too many turnovers. I threw a pick 6 on a dumb play to get down by 14 and then was the victim of a fumble on the next drive at the FSU 10 yard line which was returned for a TD to go down by 21. On my next drive, I threw another stupid interception in the opponents end zone just before the end of the half.

I kept the mistakes to a minimum in the second half, but I couldn't tackle their 98 pound RB, who broke several long runs despite getting hit multiple times on each play. Nothing is more frustrating than calling the right defense and having your guys in position to make plays only to watch them get shrugged off by a dwarf time after time. I scored at will, but so did the AI, and I lost 56-42.

Games like this make me clench my fists a little bit. We had one earlier this season and like 3 of them last year.

[MacroGuru]

We allowed to many points to Central Michigan but still destroyed them 60 - 30 Something. My freshman QB had a field day throwing 6 TDs and we even managed to get the option game going against them as well....

What can I say, 7-0!

[CU Tiger]

Before the game we got 2 minor committments, then we went out and shocked the #24 team....played keeep away from an option team as we amassed over 300 yards of rushing.

[Eaglesfan27]

Utah gave us a suprisingly tough game as our star WR dropped a sure TD early in the game and then our offense sputtered all half. They took a 7-0 lead on a busted coverage late in the 1st quarter. Their pass rush was really strong and took away our deep passing game and completely shut down our offense the first half. We went into the half down 7-0.

Late in the 3rd quarter, our QB had his bell rung and we brought in the mobile young backup QB. He was able to scramble away from their pressure and led us on 2 TD's drive before he got hurt and had to leave the game. Our starter came back to lead us to a FG midway through the 4th which gave us a 17-7 lead. That was clutch because they marched down the field and made it 17-14 with a minute left.

Fortunately, we recovered the onside kick (I was sweating that one out) and managed to run for a 1st down which iced the game away. 17-14 win in a surprisingly tough battle at Utah.

[Kodos]

In a surprising development, my game froze again. Of course, I was winning...

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Kodos

In a surprising development, my game froze again. Of course, I was winning...

Just a heads up.
I had some network issues surrounding Uverse internet...in the process of fixing those I took the disk out and laid in on the shelf, it ended up on the hardwood floor face down and getting caught under a sock slide from the kids...game was destroyed.

Went to gamestop and grabbed a $9.99 used disk without box or manual or whatever...and since using it...knock on wood...have not had a single freeze.

Weird thing is I didnt delete/reinstall or anything like that just launch off a new disk, despite the fact that I "play off Hd"...may be worth a shot. I know how frustrating it is.

[Kodos]

Well, the rematch worked out okay. Their QB was playing pitch and catch with our DBs.

[gstelmack]

This was a game I was never going to win. The first hint came when my CB beautifully undercut a pass to their TE in the flat, but never bothered to reach for the ball. The next came when their QB decided to scramble, spent 2 seconds running into the back of his OG, and still no one came after him so he went on a 10 yard romp. The third was the 4th-and-Goal at my 1, he throws a swing pass where I have a defender beautifully lined up to make a stop in the backfield, but he never gets a hand on him and it's in for the TD. But the straw that broke the camel's back was when my QB scrambled, I hit X to slide, it decides to dive, and in the rain the QB drops the ball untouched recovered by Auburn.

I super-simmed the second half, I'd rather play World of Tanks than continue that torture.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Just a heads up.
I had some network issues surrounding Uverse internet...in the process of fixing those I took the disk out and laid in on the shelf, it ended up on the hardwood floor face down and getting caught under a sock slide from the kids...game was destroyed.

Went to gamestop and grabbed a $9.99 used disk without box or manual or whatever...and since using it...knock on wood...have not had a single freeze.

Weird thing is I didnt delete/reinstall or anything like that just launch off a new disk, despite the fact that I "play off Hd"...may be worth a shot. I know how frustrating it is.

Interesting. $10 might be worth a shot.

[Julio Riddols]

Bought my game used over a year ago and have only had maybe one freeze? Possibly 2.

[Kodos]

Details to come later.

[Julio Riddols]

Had a fun time playing ULL, there was a lot of wind and their kicker missed an XP (it was short). he also missed a couple FG's, both of which we almost returned for scores. Their offense put up a lot of yards, but we were mostly playing simple cover 4 after we built an early lead and they abandoned the run.

[MacroGuru]

Defense was the name of our game, we had two pick sixes, a crushing hit to force a fumble on their 30 and turned around and scored that. 21 points off of turnovers and held them to 14 points.

We started it off with an 82 yard long bomb to a wide open Burke streaking down the sideline.

But the greatest stat I have seen so far is the option I ran out of the pistol, with a pitch out to my running back for a 40 yd TD run....it is recorded as an incomplete pass. I uploaded the highlight, as you can see it is labeled as an incomplete pass.

8-0!

[cartman]

What a wild, crazy game in Lincoln. Nebraska was up 28-7 in the second quarter, and we got a TD before the half. Took the kick off in the 2nd half, and drove for a TD to cut it to 28-21. However, I couldn't get closer than that. It was 42-28, when all hell broke loose. Got a couple of stops, and tied the game at 42 all. They scored to take the lead, and I tied it up. Got them to punt, and with less than a minute left got the winning TD, 56-49. With Wisconsin losing, that should put me back at #2 in the BCS.

[CU Tiger]

Holy heck I am excited after probably the craziest game Ive ever palyed on this title.

Yes it was over lowly Western Kentucky.
Yes it took me overtime to do it, but I am excited and I want to share.

So I audibly groaned when the game started and the announcer said, its going to be tough to hold on the ball in all this rain...but I wont the coin toss for the first time all season and chose to defer.

I knew it was going to be a long day when on first down I dialed up a Mike and Sam blitz up the middle into their hb slam play...first my SR DT hits the rb in the back field and he stumbles but doesnt go down, no worries my 90+tackling MLB is there to clean up the play, only like Bo Jackson in Tecmo bowl the WKU Rb refuses to fall and drags BOTh my MLB and Sam backer are drug for a 6 yard gain..ugh

So WKU drives down the field and scores. On a 39 yard pass, against a Dime Cover 3 with D set to play the pass... We trail 7-0.
We take the kickoff back to the 40 and proceed to set up shop. First play of the game on a handoff my stud QB is injured out out for 2 quarters. He is my only mobile QB not good. Undeterred we slice up there D on chunk run after chunk run until we tie it up. 7-7
Again despite the right defensive calls my team can not tackle Tecmo Bowl Bo and its soon 14-7.
Another return out to the 50, but its brought back by a hold so Ill start first and 10 on the 2. Driving is going well until star Rb coughs the ball up.
In short order I trail 21-7.
Again moving the ball well, hit the TE on an out route he juggles the ball and the CB catches up to him and picks it off (this looked silly on the game, he had a 15 yard cushion, juggles the catch and the CB closes the 15 yards and grans the INT)...28-7.

AT this point I am seriously considering simming the game out.
But Ive got the ball with 17 seconds left in the half , down 21 and I get it to start the 3rd.
A 60 yard bomb makes it 28-14 at the half.
We start the 3rd with a methodical drive and pull within a td 28-21.

Tecmo Bowl Bo isnt so studly anymore and we 3 and out WKU, promptly run the ball right back down the field and its 28-28

Another 3 and out we catch the punt and the star QB is now back in the game having recovered from his 2 quarter concussion (here is betting we never see THAT in a video game again) and play 1 throws a 65 yard pass to secure a 35-28 lead and we are cruising with under 3 to play.

Suddenly WKU switches from a I formation grinder to a Shotgun spread team...but alas the results are the same.

When we boble the fair catch on the punt I get nervous and set the RB to ultra conservative dont fumble. We bob and weave they call time outs and finally its 3rd and 2 with 1 minute to go and they have called their final time out. I call a risky rollout pass where the QB can easily keep itt for the 1st down and salt it away, only as he slides the ball is on the ground. WKU picks it up and returns it 42 yards for the tieing TD...

I get the ball though with 55 seconds plenty of time to try a deep strike like at the end of the 1st half...1st down is a 50 yard pass called back by a holding penalty....second down is a throw away and 3rd down is damn near a safety...lets settle for OT.

We lose the toss go on offense first, and our star QB is knocked out on the first play of OT. (On a running play he hands the ball off and is injured...) Soon I am facing a 3rd and 20+...somehow the back up HB completes it and we go on a few plays later to score a TD...D comes up with a big sack on 1st down and then swats 3 consecutive passes to end the game...

WOW...

Now FAU sits at 5-2 after never winning more than 2 games since I arrived.


Ha.... that was fun and frustrating all rolled into 1

[CU Tiger]

Dola looking at some stats

Their Qb attempted 26 passes, completed 12 and I had 10 swats...
For the 2nd week in aa row my young RB runs for over 200 yards...

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Holy heck I am excited after probably the craziest game Ive ever palyed on this title.

Yes it was over lowly Western Kentucky.
Yes it took me overtime to do it, but I am excited and I want to share.

So I audibly groaned when the game started and the announcer said, its going to be tough to hold on the ball in all this rain...but I wont the coin toss for the first time all season and chose to defer.

I knew it was going to be a long day when on first down I dialed up a Mike and Sam blitz up the middle into their hb slam play...first my SR DT hits the rb in the back field and he stumbles but doesnt go down, no worries my 90+tackling MLB is there to clean up the play, only like Bo Jackson in Tecmo bowl the WKU Rb refuses to fall and drags BOTh my MLB and Sam backer are drug for a 6 yard gain..ugh

So WKU drives down the field and scores. On a 39 yard pass, against a Dime Cover 3 with D set to play the pass... We trail 7-0.
We take the kickoff back to the 40 and proceed to set up shop. First play of the game on a handoff my stud QB is injured out out for 2 quarters. He is my only mobile QB not good. Undeterred we slice up there D on chunk run after chunk run until we tie it up. 7-7
Again despite the right defensive calls my team can not tackle Tecmo Bowl Bo and its soon 14-7.
Another return out to the 50, but its brought back by a hold so Ill start first and 10 on the 2. Driving is going well until star Rb coughs the ball up.
In short order I trail 21-7.
Again moving the ball well, hit the TE on an out route he juggles the ball and the CB catches up to him and picks it off (this looked silly on the game, he had a 15 yard cushion, juggles the catch and the CB closes the 15 yards and grans the INT)...28-7.

AT this point I am seriously considering simming the game out.
But Ive got the ball with 17 seconds left in the half , down 21 and I get it to start the 3rd.
A 60 yard bomb makes it 28-14 at the half.
We start the 3rd with a methodical drive and pull within a td 28-21.

Tecmo Bowl Bo isnt so studly anymore and we 3 and out WKU, promptly run the ball right back down the field and its 28-28

Another 3 and out we catch the punt and the star QB is now back in the game having recovered from his 2 quarter concussion (here is betting we never see THAT in a video game again) and play 1 throws a 65 yard pass to secure a 35-28 lead and we are cruising with under 3 to play.

Suddenly WKU switches from a I formation grinder to a Shotgun spread team...but alas the results are the same.

When we boble the fair catch on the punt I get nervous and set the RB to ultra conservative dont fumble. We bob and weave they call time outs and finally its 3rd and 2 with 1 minute to go and they have called their final time out. I call a risky rollout pass where the QB can easily keep itt for the 1st down and salt it away, only as he slides the ball is on the ground. WKU picks it up and returns it 42 yards for the tieing TD...

I get the ball though with 55 seconds plenty of time to try a deep strike like at the end of the 1st half...1st down is a 50 yard pass called back by a holding penalty....second down is a throw away and 3rd down is damn near a safety...lets settle for OT.

We lose the toss go on offense first, and our star QB is knocked out on the first play of OT. (On a running play he hands the ball off and is injured...) Soon I am facing a 3rd and 20+...somehow the back up HB completes it and we go on a few plays later to score a TD...D comes up with a big sack on 1st down and then swats 3 consecutive passes to end the game...

WOW...

Now FAU sits at 5-2 after never winning more than 2 games since I arrived.


Ha.... that was fun and frustrating all rolled into 1

Definitely a great feeling as you build your team into a winning program. I have gone the last couple of seasons with bowl games but this season is going quite well.

Congrats on the win! And 1 more for bowl eligibility!

[Eaglesfan27]

We dominated Ohio State in all phases. Only 1 big play given up by our defense. Our offense had over 200 yards rushing by our star HB and over 200 yards passing by our QB. Our freshman CB had 2 picks. We cruised to a 52-7 win.

[Kodos]

Nice game, CU. Glad you overcame all of the setbacks!

[chesapeake]

The Longhorns took my lunch, shoved me to the ground, and stood on my neck and ate it, pausing from time to time for a snarky laugh.

My defense deserves a lot of credit. They kept the game within striking distance, but my offense couldn't make any plays. Texas played M2M just about the whole game and my WRs simply aren't good enough to gain any separation from a good DB. Those passes that weren't defensed were usually dropped -- I had 8 completions and 7 drops. Tough game all around.

I have a brief "respite" in my upcoming schedule, in that I don't have an opponent in the top 10 until I head back out on the road in 3 weeks.

[gstelmack]

Had my first lockup as we entered halftime against Clemson down 17-10. We had just squandered an opportunity to put points on the board, and I was mashing buttons as the clock ran out trying to get a play run. Locked up as it left the game to go to halftime. Will try again tomorrow.

[Kodos]

Freezes suck.

[gstelmack]

This one started about the same (although no rain) - Clemson jumped out to a 14-0 lead, we got some turnovers, started clawing back in, chipping away, a couple of FGs including a 51-yarder, a 2-point conversion, and we ended up tying it at 35 with 29 seconds left.

It took Clemson 15 of those seconds to drive 80 yards and score the go-ahead TD.

It took me one play to get to their 11 with 2 seconds left.

And the game ended on a sack.

Sigh.

[Kodos]

[Kodos]

We're on to Week 12!

[CU Tiger]

FAU is on a roll beating #24 Troy!

We went up 14-0 early, but then forgot how to move the ball and led 14-10 with 2 to go in the game...ended up 28-10.

Pretty sure 7 wins guarantees a Bowl spot, no?

[Kodos]

Pretty much, yes.