RFL 2008, Wk 2: Preview/Results--File due by Wednesday (8/13) at 10 pm EST

[Kodos]

Here is Week 2's slate:

[Galaxy]

Here is the Top 25 going to Week 2:Top 25.xls

[cartman]

Man, I took a beating both on the field and in the polls.

[Galaxy]

I've having a hard time figuring out how to post it directly from Excel to the thread without the lining getting all screwed up.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by cartman

Man, I took a beating both on the field and in the polls.

For beating the #10 team in country in the first week of the season, we didn't get one single vote.

[Bigsmooth]

Just wrapped up a 35-21 victory at home over #18 BYU. We were down 14-0 pretty quickly and just could not stop their passing attack in the first half. They threw for almost 250 yards in the half. We stayed patient and kept grinding the ball, running the option with Locker, who basically just took over the game in the 2nd half. On defense, I finally stopped being stubborn and dropped into nickel and dime coverages and really started confusing their QB. Good win for the Huskies.

Very much looking forward to playing a human next week. Bring on Sparty!

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Bigsmooth

Just wrapped up a 35-21 victory at home over #18 BYU. We were down 14-0 pretty quickly and just could not stop their passing attack in the first half. They threw for almost 250 yards in the half. We stayed patient and kept grinding the ball, running the option with Locker, who basically just took over the game in the 2nd half. On defense, I finally stopped being stubborn and dropped into nickel and dime coverages and really started confusing their QB. Good win for the Huskies.

Very much looking forward to playing a human next week. Bring on Sparty!

That is good for us in terms of boosting our strength of schedule. Did you find BYU to be a Top 25 team in terms of talent, or just a good mid-major program?

[Bigsmooth]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

That is good for us in terms of boosting our strength of schedule. Did you find BYU to be a Top 25 team in terms of talent, or just a good mid-major program?

Hmmm....good question. I didn't really look over their roster so I'm not sure how they were rated. Defensively, I would say they weren't even in the ballpark with Oregon. I had guys running open a lot and my tackles were able to seal the edge on option plays pretty well. It seemed like they spent a lot of time in a 3-3-5 and payed for it. Offensively, I couldn't get near their QB on the pass rush and he was pretty much in Robo mode. Overall, I'd say they were just a good mid-major.

[SirFozzie]

BC comes back from 27-17 down in the fourth quarter to win, 31-27. Two highlights coming soon

Edit:

The score that put us up 4 with 1:00 to play.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

And then 4th and inches with 0:35 to play, GTech Ramblin Wreck their chances of winning with a... curious play call.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

[Kodos]

Hmmm. Thunderstorm coming, we tend to lose power in thunderstorms. But I really want to play. I'm gonna risk it!

[Kodos]

Crazy, crazy game against Ball State.

We opened the scoring in the first quarter with an 84-yard punt return for a TD by senior RB Marcus Thigpen. Ball State answered with two Gilmore passes for touchdowns to lead 14-7 after 1. We tied it back up midway through the second with a 1-yard run by senior Bryan Payton, but they took back the lead a minute later with another Gilmore passing TD. We went into the half trailing 21-14.

Bryan Payton provided the only score of the third quarter with an 8-yard TD reception that came just before the end of the period and tied things up at 21-21.

Midway through the 4th, Ball State took the lead once more with a 77-yard TD run off of the option by D. Walker following an interception thrown by junior Kellen Lewis in the end zone.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Less than 20 seconds later, Lewis made up for the gaffe with a 72-yard option-keeper TD run.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Incredibly, star kicker Austin Starr missed the extra point to keep us behind 28-27 with 3 minutes remaining.

Ball State tried to kill the clock with a couple runs, but on third-and-7 with 2 minutes remaining, Gilmore made an ill-advised throw, and senior free safety Nick Polk was there to pick it off and take it home for 6. Kellen Lewis scrambled for the 2-point conversion to put us up 35-28 with 2 minutes left.

Gilmore moved the Cardinals down the field once more, completing 4 of 5 attempts and hitting Muhammad for a 9-yard score with 36 second left to knot the score up again. Our attempt to move into field goal range failed, and the game went to overtime.

Ball State won the toss and inexplicably chose to be on offense first. Here is the game-winner:

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Senior cornerback Bruce Hampton redeemed himself after missing a tackle on Ball State's 77-yard TD run in the 4th with the game-winning interception that he returned for a TD on Ball State's first offensive snap in OT.

Final:

Ball State 35
Indiana 41

Not too impressive that they took us to OT... But a win is a win, and the fans saw a great contest.

[Eaglesfan27]

Excellent recap, Kodos.

[DeToxRox]

Wow. Indiana still sucks.

[Kodos]

Yeah. Being taken to OT at home by a team that is rated 10 points lower than you is not very impressive. Just glad we managed a win. Definitely need to practive against the computer some. I've played humans almost exclusively so far.

[DeToxRox]

Oh I kid.

[Kodos]

You kid, but it's true.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Excellent recap, Kodos.

Thanks. It's even better now that I fixed a score-tracking problem. Teams were scoring to tie things up after already being in a tie.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Thanks. It's even better now that I fixed a score-tracking problem. Teams were scoring to tie things up after already being in a tie.

I'll wear down Miami of Ohio for you this week so they're ripe for the picking when you battle them in the Motor City Bowl.

[Bigsmooth]

Nice win. Didn't think you could return turnovers during overtime. Thought the drive just ended and the other team got their shot. Anyhow, did you save the vid of the Lewis option keeper for TD? SOunds sweet.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Bigsmooth

Nice win. Didn't think you could return turnovers during overtime. Thought the drive just ended and the other team got their shot. Anyhow, did you save the vid of the Lewis option keeper for TD? SOunds sweet.

It actually is a pretty boring highlight. He pretty much just goes around the end, breaks free, and then there are a lot of slow guys chasing him. I'll upload it later tonight. Right now, it's Blues Clues time.

[Kodos]

Here is Lewis's keeper. I edited it into my recap above too.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Here is Bruce Hampton missing a tackle the allowed a 77-yard rushing TD.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

[DeToxRox]

An over confident Wolverine squad played a relativley tight ballgame with the Miami Redhawks today, before prevailing 55-36. It was 3-3 after the first quarter until QB Steve Threet hit TE Carson Butler for a 1 yard TD strike to make it 10-3.

Miami would come right back fown the field, punching the ball inside the Wolverine 5, only to be held to three points after a stout defensive stand that saw MLB Obi Ezeh notch three tackles in a row. We would answer with a FG of our own to make it 13-6, and then with 40 seconds to go in the half, Threet would hook up with WR Greg Matthews for the 39 yard score to make 20-6 at the half.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

The second half opened up with Miami of Ohio scoring on an 80 yard TD pass to make it 20-13, and the Wolverines were stunned. Thankfully, HB Brandon Minor brought his A game as he collected an option from Threet and took it 28 yards to the house to put UM up 14.

FR WR Darryl Stonum would add an 18 yard TD pass to put UM up 21, which Miami answered with a FG to cut it to 18. Once again though, Minor would strike on Threet's 4th TD pass of the game, this one a 53 yard screen pass to the house. The explosions continued however as the Miami KR took the ensuing return 98 yards for a TD to make it 41-23 after three.

Michigan would pull their starters for the fourth quarter, where the teams would trade four TD's, bringing us to our final of 55-36.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Backup RB Carlos Brown makes a slick cutback on a 9 yard TD run in the fourth quarter

Michigan QB Steven Threet was solid again, completing 20 of 32 passes for 263 yards and 4 TD in the win. HB Brandon Minor was game MVP with 17 carries for 95 yards and 1 TD rushing, as well as adding 4 catches for 71 yards and a score. WR Greg Matthews had another nice game with 5 grabs for 89 yards and another spectacular TD.

Defensivley, MLB Obi Ezeh was the man with 9 tackles, including 2 TFL, while stud SO CB Donovan Warren had 3 tackles and an INT for the Wolverines.

Michigan now finds themselves with a week to prepare for a big Rivalry showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

[SirFozzie]

Gonna be interesting playing you next week, Kodos

[Kodos]

You're goin' down!

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by Kodos

You're goin' down!

If by going down you mean, Beating you By Double Digits.. couldn't agree more

[cartman]

Kwhit, are you going to be around Sunday morning/early afternoon? I leave Sunday on a business trip, and I won't be back until late Wednesday night, so I have a small window to play this week's game. Unfortunately, I won't be available until really late tonight, as I have to drive to Houston and back, but if you are around late, I can play tonight as well.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Michigan now finds themselves with a week to prepare for a big Rivalry showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Get ready to lose!

The game also will have some interesting backdrops as well (which I won't mention until next week).

Since I'm pretty much filled my schedule with RFL teams, it's kind of interesting to root for you guys in games that aren't against us. A BCS and national championship game is dependent on your results as well.

[KWhit]

Originally Posted by cartman

Kwhit, are you going to be around Sunday morning/early afternoon? I leave Sunday on a business trip, and I won't be back until late Wednesday night, so I have a small window to play this week's game. Unfortunately, I won't be available until really late tonight, as I have to drive to Houston and back, but if you are around late, I can play tonight as well.

I just saw this.

I can't usually play during the day as the kids can't seem to leave me alone for more than 15 minutes at a time. When do you leave today?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Well, the Gophers are now 0-2, thanks to a loss at Bowling Green. My next game is scheduled against a team from the FCS. I guess we can sim that one for me, and I'll pick up my own game again in Week 4.

[Kodos]

Nah. You can play them. Don't worry about the FCS rule until next season.

[Galaxy]

Is WVUfan still in the loop?

[Kodos]

I haven't heard from him in a while. He may not be with us much longer.

[Kodos]

Is everyone done but WVU? I couldn't get on to the EA dynasty servers last night.

[Bigsmooth]

All that was left is Cartman vs. KWhit...last I checked.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Is everyone done but WVU? I couldn't get on to the EA dynasty servers last night.

Cartman and KLWhit still have to play. I think cartman is out-of-town on business until Wednesday night. WVUfan hasn't been online since August 1st.

[Kodos]

WVUFAN has been removed from the RFL due to lack of participation. Karlifornia will be joining as the owner of Clemson. Welcome aboard!

[Galaxy]

Welcome abroad Kalifornia! I'm extremely glad I don't have to play Clemson this year (at least in the regular season). The two-headed monster at running back is pretty scary, especially out of that offensive scheme.

[Bigsmooth]

Awesome. Welcome to the league! You sure you don't want to jump in the Pac 10?

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Welcome abroad Kalifornia! I'm extremely glad I don't have to play Clemson this year (at least in the regular season). The two-headed monster at running back is pretty scary, especially out of that offensive scheme.

Thank you for the warm welcome, Galaxy. Yeah, I'm looking forward to whole season of running through the ACC with Spiller, Davis, and Harper. Maybe we can play a game next season?

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Bigsmooth

Awesome. Welcome to the league! You sure you don't want to jump in the Pac 10?

Thank you, smooth. IRL, I'm actually a Stanford fan, so the PAC-10 is very near and dear to my heart. However, I'm the coach of the Clemson Tigers now, so if you want us to come out west and give you a game, I would be more than willing to set that up.

[Karlifornia]

So, week 1 I'm slated to play against FCS Southeast...is that against the rules to play against an FCS team, or do people just do that to avoid the BCS rankings knock?

[DeToxRox]

Karl sux0rz.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

So, week 1 I'm slated to play against FCS Southeast...is that against the rules to play against an FCS team, or do people just do that to avoid the BCS rankings knock?

They've been banned for season 2 (because they are pretty much auto-blowouts), but if they're on your schedule, that's fine this season. Nothing we can do about it at this point.

[Anthony]

we should make it that if you face an FCS team, you have to put your backups in the game.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Anthony

we should make it that if you face an FCS team, you have to put your backups in the game.

I think in this case, it's not a big deal. He came in after the schedules were made and the season started, so it would be unfair to him to tell who to play (if he wants to go for the Heisman and such).

[Kodos]

Yep. If they're on the schedule, play 'em with your starters for as long as you see fit.

[Karlifornia]

Played FCS Southeast....the result was predictable: 59-3, Clemson wins. I kept the starters in until 3 minutes left in the first half, with the score 35-0. I even restricted myself from using the turbo button on offense. I look forward to playing against a real

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Played FCS Southeast....the result was predictable: 59-3, Clemson wins. I kept the starters in until 3 minutes left in the first half, with the score 35-0. I even restricted myself from using the turbo button on offense. I look forward to playing against a real

Did Clemson beat Alabama in week one (which was a computer-run team at that point)?

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Did Clemson beat Alabama in week one (which was a computer-run team at that point)?

Yes, they did! 45-35. BCS here we come

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Played FCS Southeast....the result was predictable: 59-3, Clemson wins. I kept the starters in until 3 minutes left in the first half, with the score 35-0. I even restricted myself from using the turbo button on offense. I look forward to playing against a real

There's a turbo button?