It's Finally Here: The 2010-11 FBS Playoffs in NCAA 11

[DJG]

Quote: Originally Posted by thekodinator

Wow, just stumbled onto this. This is really entertaining to read through and the presentation in very well done. Whatever happened to this? Did the thread continue elsewhere or did it just die?

I'm starting to ask the same thing cause this looks pretty good.

[darksilver2820]

It just died. Sorry for all those who may have been following. School started up and just didn't have time for it anymore. I don't know if anybody would be interested now that the season is a couple months over, but I could restart it back up with more time on my hands now.

[matt314hew]

I would love to see how this will end.

[darksilver2820]

ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY from New Orleans, Louisiana:

Hosted by Chris Fowler, along with Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, and Desmond Howard

Fowler: After a two month hiatus after the NCAA tried to kill the tournament from finishing, the FBS playoffs are back underway with eight more great games on the slate. With Corso, Herbie and Desmond, let's start making out predictions with the afternoon games.



Fowler: The first of two games in the Sugar Pod semifinals in New Orleans pits (14) Oklahoma State and (3) TCU. The Cowboys triumphed over (19) West Virginia in the first round, while the Horned Frogs, the Mountain West champions, and one of three remaining undefeateds, earned a bye. Desmond?

Desmond: I love TCU in this matchup, and I think they're the best team in this tournament. Arguably the best defense in the country, that overshadows a terrific offense led by Andy Dalton. TCU by a couple scores.

Herbstreit: Yeah, this seems like a mismatch to me. Brandon Weeden's high octane offense through star wideout Justin Blackmon may throw a curveball at that TCU defense, but there's too much talent on that side. Horned Frogs move on to the elite eight.

Corso: I see we all agree. TCU big.



Fowler: The first game of the day in Pasadena's Rose Pod has (10) Boise State against (7) Oklahoma, and if it's half as exciting as the barn burner in the Fiesta Bowl a few years back, we're all in for a treat.

Herbstreit: Yeah, I may have heard a quip or two about that game once. But what we have here are two very different teams. While Oklahoma doesn't have that running attack like they had with AP last time these teams met, they still have a powerful offense and I think being battle tested in the Big 12 will help them here, Oklahoma in a close one.

Corso: You ready, Kirk? Not so fast, my friend! Never bet against the Heisman Trophy finalist in quarterback Kellen Moore, and with Chris Petersen calling the shots, defenses can never rest. Boise State takes this one.

Howard: This is a close one but I think the Sooners have really overachieved all year, they won't disappoint now, Oklahoma wins.



Fowler: On ESPN2, the top country in the land starts their championship campaign as (1) Auburn takes on (16) Texas A&M in the Orange Pod.

Howard: Cam Newton. Cam Newton. More Cam Newton. Too much for the Aggies, Auburn rolls.

Herbstreit: Yeah, I've gotta agree there. SEC 2-0 so far in the tournament, make it 3-0 with the Tigers.

Corso: You know how hard it is to agree with you two all the time? Too much talent at Auburn, it should be pretty easy for them.



Fowler: The last game of the afternoon is in the Fiesta Pod as (5) Wisconsin plays (12) Missouri in Glendale.

Corso: The Big Ten had the best top of the conference in the country this year with the Badgers along with Ohio State and Michigan State. But Missouri has the tournament experience already, the Tigers move on.

Herbstreit: I actually like Missouri in this one too. Blaine Gabbert is one of the NFL's top quarterback prospects this year, and he'll lead them to some points.

Howard: Are you guys kidding me? Wisconsin's defense is one of the best in the country. Mizzou won't get past 10 points in this one. Badgers win big.



Fowler: Onto the evening slate of games. This one will be on CBS in the Rose Pod with (18) South Carolina traveling across the country to face the high-octane offense of (2) Oregon.

Herbstreit: I love the Ducks in this one. Too much offense with LaMichael James and Darron Thomas, seemingly missing no beat after the loss of Jeremiah Masoli in the offseason.

Corso: This one will be closer than you think, Oregon won't get to 50 points or anything. Not enough defense for the Gamecocks though. Ducks 43-28.

Howard: This is my upset of the tourney so far. South Carolina will beat the Ducks. Just a hunch.



Fowler: The other game in the Orange Pod pits (8) Arkansas and (9) Michigan State.

Howard: What else can you say about this Mark Dantonio coached team? This team has the most they're playing for in the tournament, and heart alone will be what pushes them past Arkansas.

Herbstreit: It is a great story, but so is Ryan Mallett, quarterback of Arkansas. This guy will be playing on Sundays very quickly here, and will be able to throw the Razorbacks into the elite eight.

Corso: Razorbacks win. That's all.

Fowler: That's it?

Corso: I'm just guessing.



Fowler: Well then on to Glendale and the Fiesta pod, tonight on ESPN, the lowest seed team remaining (20) Florida State takes on Andrew Luck's surprise team out of the Pac 10, (4) Stanford.

Corso: You said the name right there, Luck. No luck needed tonight, Andrew Luck will be able to control the game, and this is the hottest team in the country right now. Cardinal BIG.

Herbstreit: Yeah, and with Owen Marecic a threat on both sides of the ball, there's just too much for Florida State here to overcome.

Howard: Make it a clean sweep, Stanford moves on.



Fowler: And now to the game here in the Superdome tonight as two powerhouses collide with (11) LSU playing (6) Ohio State.

Herbstreit: I don't know what to think of this LSU team. Finished the season 10-2. A bunch of lucky breaks away from being 7-5, but now 11-2. They just seem like the team of destiny here, I have LSU moving on.

Howard: Quarterback play may be the difference here. Jefferson for LSU is out for the tournament, while Pryor seems to finally be finding his stride at OSU. Buckeyes to the next round.

Corso: You know I love my Buckeyes... Brutus! Ohio State big!

[darksilver2820]

SportsCenter update with Dari Nowkhah

Nowkhah: We have breaking news out of the college football tournament. Over on ESPN, TCU starting quarterback Andy Dalton has been removed from the game, and is out for the rest of the tournament with a torn groin.



This happened in the second quarter after a sack caused a fumble. We'll have more for you on ESPN2 or tune over to ESPN for the conclusion of the game.

[darksilver2820]

ESPN COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY

In the Studio with John Saunders, Mark May, and Lou Holtz

Saunders: Welcome back to the ESPN College Football Saturday studio as the second round of the inaugural FBS Championship tournament has its first game in the books, where Mountain West champ and undefeated (3) TCU would face (14) Oklahoma State. Let's go to the highlights.



Saunders: And let's say that things start off pretty well for TCU. Oklahoma State won the coin toss, elected to receive, but on the first play from scrimmage, Josh Cooper would catch the ball on the slant from Brandon Weeden but put it on the ground, and into Jason Teague and the Horned Frogs' possession inside the Cowboys' 25.

May: Great play by Teague in getting his hand in there to jar the ball loose and then the presence of mind to find the ball and jump on it himself.

Saunders: It would not take long for TCU to capitalize on the turnover as on the third play of the ensuing drive, Andy Dalton found Antoine Hicks in the endzone for a 13 yard TD pass.

Holtz: Andy Dalton had all day in the pocket as his offensive line protected him for about 6 or 7 seconds before he found Hicks open in the back of the end zone.

Saunders: The two teams would swap field goals to make it 10-3 TCU. In the second quarter, Oklahoma State would keep it close with a long drive of their own, capped off by Weeden finding Justin Blackmon in the endzone from 20 yards out to tie it up at 10.

May: Simple stop and go route by Blackmon, and he's been making the "go" part of that work all year.

Saunders: But maybe the biggest story of the game, and possibly the tournament would come on the next drive when Cowboy Orie Lemon would sack Dalton from behind jarring the ball loose, and ending the tournament for Andy Dalton. He has a torn groin muscle and will be out of action until summer.

May: A devastating blow to the Horned Frogs' title chances.

Saunders: Hold on with that sentiment though, Mark. Because it was redshirt freshman Casey Pachall coming to the rescue. After a missed Okie State field goal, Pachall from the Cowboys' 49 yard line finds Hicks on the fly route wide open, for a touchdown! Not bad for the freshman's debut in the biggest game of his life.

Holtz: Casey hits Hicks in stride perfectly down the sideline and there was nothing the secondary could do once he got past them.

Saunders: TCU would get the ball back right before halftime, and a Pachall led drive ended up resulting in a Ross Evans 32 yarder to make it 20-10 at halftime. Little did we all know, that an Andy Dalton-less Horned Frogs team brought the rout on. Ross Evans would tack on another 3 to make it 23-10, and on the ensuing kickoff, Victor Johnson would lose the ball and Alex Ibiloye would take advantage. He scoops up the ball and strolls into the endzone untouched. 30-10 TCU.

May: Turnovers absolutely killed Oklahoma State today. You can't expect to win any games when you turn the ball over five times, including three fumbles, all of which led to TCU touchdowns.

Saunders: The third fumble you talk about came with Oklahoma State driving, into Horned Frog territory when Kendall Hunter lost control of the ball at the 25 yard line, and big end Stansly Maponga with an envoy took it 75 yards to the house. And that's how the game would end at 37-10.



Saunders: The win is great, a huge win in a tournament is always a good sign, but the big story of the game, unfortunately, is the loss of Andy Dalton. Let's take a look at the updated Sugar Pod bracket and then throw it down to the guys down in New Orleans who had the game, Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit.



Musberger: Thanks, John. Well Herbie, no big surprise here I'd think with undefeated TCU moving on in the Sugar Pod.

Herbstreit: No, not really. I thought it would be a much closer game though, Oklahoma State is a much better team than what they showed today. Hunter never really got going on the ground, and like they said back in the studio, with five turnovers, and two interceptions that really were bad by Brandon Weeden, not much is going to go your way.

Musberger: Casey Pachall came in a did a fine job, not spectacular, but it was serviceable. The defense really seemed to rally around the adversity.

Herbstreit: Yeah, two fumble returns were huge, and Pachall did show signs of promise throughout the game, but there were also those plays that left you wondering, well what exactly was he thinking? Obviously, those are nerves. I don't think anyone in the stadium, Casey included, thought he would be playing today. Only time will tell what this means for their future in the tournament. But it doesn't look good when the team they will face next is either Ohio State or LSU.

Musberger: No, not at all, pardner. That's all from the Superdome for now, back to you in the studio.

Saunders: Again, a great loss for TCU. Two other games underway in the tournament as we speak. The first game down in Pasadena features a matchup that will make you have a little deja vu, Oklahoma and Boise State over on CBS, with the Sooners holding a slight lead at the half.



Holtz: Watch out fellas, I think we're in store for another close one between those two teams.

Saunders: Sure looks that way so far. The other game is in the Orange Pod, with the top team in the land Auburn facing off against Texas A&M, and this game is also close, in fact, it's tied in the second.



Saunders: That's all for now, stay tuned for more updates on the inaugural FBS championship tournament.

[DJG]

So gald you're able to get this up & runnin again. This kinda has a March Madness feel to it thats very unique. Keep it up.