Official 2015 College Football bowl and awards thread

[ISiddiqui]

It's not the gap that matters, per se. It's that far less people will watch games on New Years Eve - which depresses interest in the Championship.

[Logan]

I posted an article a few days ago about ESPN needing to give $20MM in make goods to advertisers, and there was an article in the Sports Business Journal today about sponsors starting to ramp up the pressure to move it off NYE.

I think the CFP committee is hoping that having NYE fall on a Saturday next year materially improves the numbers before seriously considering a change. Obviously it solves the "work crowd" issue but it could worsen the "alternative plans" component. If it's still way off, they'll give up the charade of calling this a "modest drop" that they're not concerned about.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by digamma

There seems to be so little buzz for this game.

Too much down time between. And you lose the sustained interest of rest of the country outside the south once NFL playoffs begin.

[albionmoonlight]

I'm preaching to the choir, I know, but it still shocks me that anyone who gets paid to think about these things thought that NYE would ever be a good day for marquee games.

Personally, I'd put the semis before Christmas and have the NC the evening of January 2nd. You keep the bowl momentum going, and you take a time that is not currently already busy and jazz it up with huge games.

[albionmoonlight]

dola:

And, to get to Jon's point, having the NC on the 2nd means that you are out before the NFL playoffs.

[ISiddiqui]

Somewhat related:

Clemson-Alabama is cheapest national title ticket in recent years - CBSSports.com

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Ticket prices on the secondary market for Clemson vs. Alabama continued to drop Monday, meaning the second College Football Playoff National Championship will likely replace last year's inaugural game as the cheapest ticket in recent national title history.

• 2016: Clemson vs. Alabama in Arizona -- $675
• 2015: Oregon vs. Ohio State in Texas -- $807
• 2014: Florida State vs. Auburn in California -- $889
• 2013: Alabama vs. Notre Dame in Florida -- $1,640
• 2012: Alabama vs. LSU in Louisiana -- $1,808
• 2011: Auburn vs. Oregon in Arizona -- $1,154

[tarcone]

I forgot it was tonight until a guy at work asked who I was rooting for. It would have been different if Iowa was playing, obviously.
Its too late and the timing needs to be changed.

[digamma]

I've been to three national championship games at the Rose Bowl, plus the Auburn Oregon game in Glendale. By far the toughest ticket was USC-Texas. Alabama-Texas was fine. Auburn-Oregon seemed like a tough ticket, but I think that was in part due to not really knowing the landscape around the stadium and where people were selling. The bottom fell out of the Auburn-FSU market, and you could find tickets outside the game for less than $100, just prior to kick off.

[Logan]

Looks like get in price at Stubhub is $125 right now.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Somewhat related:

Clemson-Alabama is cheapest national title ticket in recent years - CBSSports.com

Just eyeballing that, not inclined to actually Google map it & do the math but ... isn't this the largest combined mileage from schools/venue?

edit: Or at least about the same as FSU/Auburn?

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

dola:

And, to get to Jon's point, having the NC on the 2nd means that you are out before the NFL playoffs.

Yep. My attention this weekend was on the NFL, and I mostly forgot about the championship game.

I don't understand why they don't put the semis in December.

[CU Tiger]

Meh, yall might have forgotten but me, my wife and both my kids have been in AZ since Friday.

About to walk into the stadium now.

With Lawson and Alexander both being out(our severely limited), its going to be a tough climb for my tigers. But win or lose im proud of the season we have had.

Go Tigers

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Meh, yall might have forgotten but me, my wife and both my kids have been in AZ since Friday.

About to walk into the stadium now.

With Lawson and Alexander both being out(our severely limited), its going to be a tough climb for my tigers. But win or lose im proud of the season we have had.

Go Tigers

Good luck!

[tarcone]

Good luck.

Go Clemson!

[CU Tiger]

Be interested to see how it plays on TV it's probably a 60/40 Clemson crowd if not 70/30. Not surprising I suppose since it's so more common for Bama. Hopefully the Clemson faithful are cheering late into the 4th quarter.

[Abe Sargent]

Let's go Clemson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Abe Sargent]

So if I were to sign someone to come in and do teh national anthem for a game like this, I'd want someone with some cache, but some serious pipes. Probably Jill Scott. Yeah, Jill Scott.

[JonInMiddleGA]

STrictly so that I'm on the record with an official prediction, this c&p from my social media

So, Bama vs Clemson. I'm predicting Bama, by around two touchdowns & possibly more. I think size/strength up front advantage overcomes the potential issues of a vulnerable secondary. That's my prediction for the record.

But how I'm rooting.? Honestly, I don't know that I am. It's more fun to watch people nationally melt down when Bama wins. I can make an argument about "what's better for the game" in both directions. Dynasties are more interesting than the lack of them but Clemson finally getting the job done isn't a horrible storyline either. Both have some top-notch players. I'm an ACC guy by history & nature but Clemson isn't a particular fave of mine within the conference.

Rooting interest? Honestly I hope that when the game ends fans on both sides can walk away saying "the better team won the game, props to them" and that we don't get some screwy officiating or injuries that play a big role in the outcome. That's about all the rooting I feel coming for me in
this one.

[JonInMiddleGA]

If a walk-on is the eventual star, that's a darned good story I have to admit

[JonInMiddleGA]

And, yes, Clemson has now matched my expectation for their scoring.

[jbergey22]

Clemson going through this Alabama defense like a hot knife on butter.

[jbergey22]

Henry is a man amongst boys out there.

[bhlloy]

Clemson may have missed their chance to pull away. Just get the feeling the momentum has turned

[TroyF]

Clemson got royally screwed at the end of the first half. They could have had another player to get a few more yards and make that field goal easier. I don't think the announcers are making a big enough deal about that. If they lose this game by three, it will be the story of the game for me.

The refs MUST do a better job of that.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Clemson got royally screwed at the end of the first half. They could have had another player to get a few more yards and make that field goal easier. I don't think the announcers are making a big enough deal about that. If they lose this game by three, it will be the story of the game for me.

The refs MUST do a better job of that.

I was likewise confused about why no review of the spot on that Bama 3rd down at their own 20. It worked out for them on the next play but it seemed odd not to check that in a game of this magnitude (yeah, that shouldn't matter but ...)

[MrBug708]

#pac12refs

[JonInMiddleGA]

Isn't that at least the third time a receiver on that side has been not just open but wiiiiiide open?

[cuervo72]

Seriously, how do teams that are this good let guys THAT wide open?

[TroyF]

Memo to the announcers, what you are calling a fantastic defensive play is pass interference. I'm sorry that you, like the refs, cannot see that the Bama player clearly grabbed the WR arms before the ball got there. Unless you are a member of the Seattle Seahawk secondary, that is a penalty.

Just thought you'd like to know,

TroyF

Note: I'm not upset the refs missed the call. In real time it would have been difficult to see. (though I think they should have seen it) Those things happen. You, on replay, should be able to see what happened there. You are idiots. Thanks.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Memo to the announcers, what you are calling a fantastic defensive play is pass interference. I'm sorry that you, like the refs, cannot see that the Bama player clearly grabbed the WR arms before the ball got there. Unless you are a member of the Seattle Seahawk secondary, that is a penalty.

Just thought you'd like to know,

TroyF

Note: I'm not upset the refs missed the call. In real time it would have been difficult to see. (though I think they should have seen it) Those things happen. You, on replay, should be able to see what happened there. You are idiots. Thanks.

There's no shortage of defensive holding on a LOT of these plays.

And aside from any penalty (I wasn't looking that far back in the play tbh) I'm not convinced that was a great defensive play so much as his arm just happened to get tangled up in everything. It didn't look all that intentional to me.

edit to clarify: I wasn't suggesting a def. holding occurred on that play. I was referring to some pretty obvious ones that occurred earlier in the game, never mentioned, just visible on routine replays.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Isn't that at least the third time a receiver on that side has been not just open but wiiiiiide open?

Not only this game. I've seen that type of blown coverage about 10 times in the last three or four weeks, both NFL and college. Unbelievably poor defense.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

There's no shortage of defensive holding on a LOT of these plays.

And aside from any penalty (I wasn't looking that far back in the play tbh) I'm not convinced that was a great defensive play so much as his arm just happened to get tangled up in everything. It didn't look all that intentional to me.

I agree. I'm not as bothered by the refs missing that as the announcers. That makes two times tonight the announcers clearly missed a key play in real time. The first one they tried to correct after the half. On this one, it was still PI after the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth looks, yet they continued to prattle on about a great defensive play. Sorry, the arms were hit before the ball got there and that isn't like the feet getting tangled up. He interfered with the WR catching the ball. They should be talking about how the freshman got away with one, not how terrific of a play it was.

[jbergey22]

Lets guard Howard, Clemson! Wide open the entire game.

[JonInMiddleGA]

1st half was Watson vs Henry.

Henry has been awfully quiet in q3, poor 1st downs will do that.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

You would make one amazing official. It's a shame the world won't get to see it.

Ya know, if you read my post, I mentioned multiple times I wasn't upset they missed the call. I was upset the announcers screwed it up. I made the point that it was tough to call in real time. I'd like to see them get that one right, but it isn't the end of the world if they miss something that close. It happens. The announcer? On slow motion replay? They shouldn't be missing it.

As far as the screw up at the end of the first half? That's unacceptable in a national title game. You can defend your profession all you want, it was a terribly reffed end of the half and it could have a direct result on the game.

I wouldn't have been a good ref. . . then again, I'm also not paid to be either. I can also be critical of players (though I would also suck as a football player), politicians, journalists (I have a journalism degree, am I allowed to be critical of them?), and even the occasional judge or celebrity. What can I say? I'm a scumbag. I'm sure my scathing opinion of refs have caused many of them to kill themselves in shame. Sorry about that.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

#pac12refs

I actually thought you were kidding. And then I looked it up.

O.M.G.

[kingfc22]

Well played.

[MrBug708]

Ballsy

[MrBug708]

I hope Dabo is pissed at his own team

[JonInMiddleGA]

Umm ... wow.

[Easy Mac]

So what is Dabo upset about?

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Ya know, if you read my post, I mentioned multiple times I wasn't upset they missed the call. I was upset the announcers screwed it up. I made the point that it was tough to call in real time. I'd like to see them get that one right, but it isn't the end of the world if they miss something that close. It happens. The announcer? On slow motion replay? They shouldn't be missing it.

As far as the screw up at the end of the first half? That's unacceptable in a national title game. You can defend your profession all you want, it was a terribly reffed end of the half and it could have a direct result on the game.

I wouldn't have been a good ref. . . then again, I'm also not paid to be either. I can also be critical of players (though I would also suck as a football player), politicians, journalists (I have a journalism degree, am I allowed to be critical of them?), and even the occasional judge or celebrity. What can I say? I'm a scumbag. I'm sure my scathing opinion of refs have caused many of them to kill themselves in shame. Sorry about that.

I didn't call you a scum bag...quit being a drama queen. I was just being a smart ass.

[kingfc22]

Blown coverage again?

[cuervo72]

Again. What the hell are they doing?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Well, there's that secondary issue again.

Honestly, have defensive schemes gotten so complex (and so multiple) that players simply can't execute them any more?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

I didn't call you a scum bag...quit being a drama queen. I was just being a smart ass.

It came off pretty poorly, fwiw. It didn't read with any light-hearted jab at all IMO.

And nearly prompted a major heartfelt response directed at the profession as a whole.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

So what is Dabo upset about?

Should be upset about his players blowing assignments and giving up huge plays.

[bhlloy]

Basic blown coverages are going to cost them this game. I know they have at least one backup in there but the coaches should be able to simplify things so that doesn't keep happening

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

So what is Dabo upset about?

He's trying to argue that his player did not have an unimpeded opportunity to catch the kick and it should have been KCI.

[Easy Mac]

Even with 10 minutes left, id still bet on Clemson to score 2 TDs than Bama to score another.