2011 College Football

[rshetts2]

I was a bit surprised to see there wasnt a College football thread here at GT.  So better late than never eh?   Hows your team doing this year?

Well my favorite college team, seeing as how Im from Michigan is ......   Michigan State.  I lived in the Lansing area for years and since Michigan is the big bully on the block and has been for decades it made it easy to root for them.
 After beating a tough Michigan team last week The Spartans faced an even tougher challenge.  The Wisconsin Badgers were coming into town.  What resulted was one of the best college football games Ive ever seen.  Seriously, if you enjoy football, watch the replay of this game.  It was a classic.

 Its Homecoming weekend in East Lansing and ESPN Gameday has chosen MSU for their game of the week.  #6 Wisconsin vs #16 Michigan State.  Last year MSU ended Wisconsins perfect start with a last second field goal, could they top that this year?  Lee Corso thinks not as he dons a Badger head at the pregame show much to the dismay of the Spartan fans in the crowd.  When it was all said and done, you had both teams over coming 14 point deficits, blocked kicks, great scoring plays by both teams and to end the game, an amazing last second hail mary play by Michigan State that was ruled no score.  But upon further review.........   TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!      The Spartans win a fantastic contest 37 to 31! 

Theres a helluva rivalry building up between Wisconsin and MSU as this is the second year in a row the Spartans have upset the Badgers by ending their undefeated season with a last second score. 

[The Grue]

My team is currently still number one after soundly thumping Auburn.  We have a bye next week and then we take on msduncan's Bama for what should be the BCS title, but unfortunately, because one team will lose, teams less deserving will be able to get to the BCS championship to play for the actual title.  I've been an LSU fan all my life and have seen a lot of teams over that time.  This year's team has been pretty amazing in that we usually like to try to lose the game near the end of it.  Even our recent 2003 and 2007 BCS Champion teams weren't putting the hurt on other SEC teams like we've done this year. Anyway, Geaux Tigers!

[The Grue]

I should point out that I assume they will still be #1 in the BCS standings, since they haven't been released for this week yet.

[Gratch]

So far, our inaugural Pac 12 season has been a disaster of epic proportions.  We have been completely decimated by injury, to the tune of losing 9 starters to season ending injuries, including our QB.  This poses a significant problem since his backup might be the worst QB I've ever seen at Utah in the 30 years I've been watching them play.  While our defense is fantastic, the offense is plagued with turnovers (13 so far in our 4 Pac 12 games), we have zero passing threat at all, and our offensive line is horrific.  It has always been said that the gap between the BCS and non-BCS schools isn't so much with the starters, but with depth.  We're finding out just how true that is.

Sadly, things are looking very bleak right now.  We're 0-4 in conference, and with the way our offense is playing, I'm seriously wondering if we get a single conference win this year.  The lone bright spot for the season was trouncing rival BYU at their place, but that doesn't mean much when we've routinely been getting our asses kicked ever since.

[rshetts2]

Part of what Utah is going through is playing in a much stronger, more physical conference.   Im not too surprised to see whats happened this year.  They will benefit in future years both through recruiting as a PAC 12 school and through the realization that there are no easy opponents any more and they have to be that much more conditioned for the tough road they face.  Theyve got a strong program, headed by smart people.  They will recruit depth  and get over this hump.

[Sarkus]

Utah is surprisingly bad.  Even just a few weeks ago they were favored at home against Washington by quite a margin.  And while Washington is a decent team this year, the game yesterday at Stanford showed they are not exactly a title contender yet.

[Boudreaux]

 

[Sarkus]

Just remember, two words: Midnight Madness.   

[Gratch]

Part of what Utah is going through is playing in a much stronger, more physical conference.   Im not too surprised to see whats happened this year.  They will benefit in future years both through recruiting as a PAC 12 school and through the realization that there are no easy opponents any more and they have to be that much more conditioned for the tough road they face.  Theyve got a strong program, headed by smart people.  They will recruit depth  and get over this hump.

In the pre-season, there were a lot of people picking Utah to come in and immediately contend for the South title this year, which I thought was insane.  I said before the season that I thought we'd go 6-6 or 7-5 if we were able to say relatively healthy, which we haven't.  While there is lots of truth in the tougher week-to-week schedule, it's also been a case of extremely bad luck.  We lost yet another starter yesterday to a blown knee...which is the third in the last 3 weeks.    I do think Coach Whittingham and Coach Chow are good coaches, they simply have nothing to work with this year after getting decimated by injury.

Utah is surprisingly bad.  Even just a few weeks ago they were favored at home against Washington by quite a margin.  And while Washington is a decent team this year, the game yesterday at Stanford showed they are not exactly a title contender yet.

Wish I could argue this, but it's true.  That said, you take 9 starters off most teams (including the QB and best 2 receivers) and they're going to struggle mightily.  We majorly screwed up in our QB recruiting, and had no backup when Wynn went down.  When his replacement is a guy whose only other offer was to a 1-AA program who dropped football, you know you're in big, big trouble.  Thankfully, Wynn should (fingers crossed) be back next year, and we have a couple very good kids coming in as well.  Most of us knew it would take a couple recruiting classes before we could start competing, which is proving to be true.

[Zarkon]

University of Houston.

Undefeated.

No chance of a BCS shot. 

Fuck you, BCS.

[Lassr]

My team is currently still number one after soundly thumping Auburn.  We have a bye next week and then we take on msduncan's Bama for what should be the BCS title, but unfortunately, because one team will lose, teams less deserving will be able to get to the BCS championship to play for the actual title.  I've been an LSU fan all my life and have seen a lot of teams over that time.  This year's team has been pretty amazing in that we usually like to try to lose the game near the end of it.  Even our recent 2003 and 2007 BCS Champion teams weren't putting the hurt on other SEC teams like we've done this year. Anyway, Geaux Tigers!

and my team is currently ranked #2. It should be an epic battle. Glad it's in T-town this year. Roll Tide!

[Isgrimnur]

My team just beat #3. At home.  You're welcome.

[Greggy_D]

 After beating a tough Michigan team last week

No....they are not "tough".  Not even close.

[Gratch]

University of Houston.

Undefeated.

No chance of a BCS shot. 

Fuck you, BCS.

If you're talking about the title game, of course not.  There will never be a non-BCS team in the title game.  Ever.

But a BCS berth for one of the other games...why not?  Sure, they'd need some rather unlikely things to go their way (biggest of all being Boise State losing), but if that happens and Houston win out, I don't see why they couldn't be in a good position to land an at-large bid.

[The Grue]

My team is currently still number one after soundly thumping Auburn.  We have a bye next week and then we take on msduncan's Bama for what should be the BCS title, but unfortunately, because one team will lose, teams less deserving will be able to get to the BCS championship to play for the actual title.  I've been an LSU fan all my life and have seen a lot of teams over that time.  This year's team has been pretty amazing in that we usually like to try to lose the game near the end of it.  Even our recent 2003 and 2007 BCS Champion teams weren't putting the hurt on other SEC teams like we've done this year. Anyway, Geaux Tigers!

and my team is currently ranked #2. It should be an epic battle. Glad it's in T-town this year. Roll Tide!

Yeah, I definitely wish it was in Baton Rouge.  So tough to play on the road in Tuscaloosa.

[The Grue]

University of Houston.

Undefeated.

No chance of a BCS shot. 

Fuck you, BCS.

Yes, undefeated Houston should definitely get in over an SEC team that wins out playing teams like Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, etc.  Schedule some tougher out of conference games (UCLA is a good start, but not a very good team this year) and we can talk, though to Gratch's point, if you're not a BCS team, no title even if you won game after game against ranked opponents.

[rshetts2]

 After beating a tough Michigan team last week

No....they are not "tough".  Not even close.

Would you feel better if I changed "tough" to "undefeated" ? 

[Zarkon]

University of Houston.

Undefeated.

No chance of a BCS shot. 

Fuck you, BCS.

Yes, undefeated Houston should definitely get in over an SEC team that wins out playing teams like Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, etc.  Schedule some tougher out of conference games (UCLA is a good start, but not a very good team this year) and we can talk, though to Gratch's point, if you're not a BCS team, no title even if you won game after game against ranked opponents.

Houston should go above a 8-3, 9-2, et al SEC team though.   And be serious, every team schedules creampuffs.  main reason UH isn't in Big 12 is due to UT.  Happened when the SWC imploded, and happened again recently.

[The Grue]

Houston should go above a 8-3, 9-2, et al SEC team though.   And be serious, every team schedules creampuffs.  main reason UH isn't in Big 12 is due to UT.  Happened when the SWC imploded, and happened again recently.

Yeah, see there's where it starts to get tough, right?  That 8-3 SEC team might have lost to LSU and Alabama this year.  Would Houston have beaten those teams?  Hard to say.  Would be nice if we had the playoff system to get these kinds of match-ups.

[gellar]

Fight On .

[Scuzz]

Utah is surprisingly bad.  Even just a few weeks ago they were favored at home against Washington by quite a margin.  And while Washington is a decent team this year, the game yesterday at Stanford showed they are not exactly a title contender yet.

They beat Pitt at Pitt. Which perhaps isn't a big deal except to point out how pathetic the Big-East really is. Utah has been crushed by injuries.

[Zarkon]

Houston should go above a 8-3, 9-2, et al SEC team though.   And be serious, every team schedules creampuffs.  main reason UH isn't in Big 12 is due to UT.  Happened when the SWC imploded, and happened again recently.

Yeah, see there's where it starts to get tough, right?  That 8-3 SEC team might have lost to LSU and Alabama this year.  Would Houston have beaten those teams?  Hard to say.  Would be nice if we had the playoff system to get these kinds of match-ups.

I will fully agree with that.  Looking at ESPN today, Houston's path is clear:  Win out, and hope Boise State loses.  *snerk*

[loc-nar]

Go! Orange
Go big blue
Fight!  Fight!
B-S-U.

I have nothing but sympathy for the University of Houston.

[gellar]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

[Sarkus]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

Assuming they get by Oregon they have a good shot at a spot in the title game.  But if the remaining undefeated teams win out, then they are probably screwed because the Alabama/LSU winner is a lock if they win out and right now Oklahoma State is ranked higher then Stanford.  So one of those has to lose for Stanford to get its shot. 

I'm sorry for Boise State and Houston.  Though it would be interesting if those two ended up undefeated and everyone else ended up losing a game . . . 

[Gratch]

We won a Pac 12 game!!   

[leo8877]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

What a crazy game. I thought Stanford was toast.

[Pyperkub]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

Assuming they get by Oregon they have a good shot at a spot in the title game.  But if the remaining undefeated teams win out, then they are probably screwed because the Alabama/LSU winner is a lock if they win out and right now Oklahoma State is ranked higher then Stanford.  So one of those has to lose for Stanford to get its shot. 

I'm sorry for Boise State and Houston.  Though it would be interesting if those two ended up undefeated and everyone else ended up losing a game . . . 

Big ' if' there.  I don't think Oklahoma State has ever beat OU when it really mattered to them.

For that matter, I wouldn't count on the sec showdown winner staying undefeated either.

Epic 4g/Tapatalk

[leo8877]

What a friggen dud this "game of the century" is. 

[Ralph-Wiggum]

What a friggen dud this "game of the century" is. 

Why? Because it's a defensive game? What do you expect when two of the best defenses in the country play each other?

[leo8877]

What a friggen dud this "game of the century" is. 

Why? Because it's a defensive game? What do you expect when two of the best defenses in the country play each other?

Yep.  If any NFL game is 6-6 it's the most boring game of the week.  It's no different in college. 

[The Grue]

It wasn't boring to me since I had a dog in the race. GEAUX TIGERS!

[Ralph-Wiggum]

What a friggen dud this "game of the century" is. 

Why? Because it's a defensive game? What do you expect when two of the best defenses in the country play each other?

Yep.  If any NFL game is 6-6 it's the most boring game of the week.  It's no different in college. 

Not true. If it's a 6-6 game because the teams suck (like a Indy vs. Seattle game), then I agree. If it's a 6-6 game because both defenses are awesome (e.g. Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh game), then it can be very exciting. I thought this game was highly entertaining. Both defenses are much better than the offenses and it showed. Guys were flying around the field laying the smack down. It was very intense.

[rshetts2]

Heres some quotes from ESPN regarding the hyped up "Game of the Century"

If that was The Game of the Century, then I want my 100 years back.

Top-ranked LSU's 9-6 overtime win against No. 2 Alabama Saturday evening wasn't the game of the century, decade or season. I'm not even sure it was the game of the day.

Classics don't have four interceptions, four missed field goals, 13 penalties, one fumble, one botched punt return and zero touchdowns. A punter shouldn't be the best player on the field in a classic.

Bottom line: Only a classic is worthy of a Jan. 9 rematch in New Orleans. And this wasn't one of them.

 Instead of The Game of the Century, we got the Al Capone's Vault Bowl.


Its nice to see some defense but unless you had a dog in this fight, the game was a mistake ridden bore fest.  Yes the defenses forced some of those mistakes but certainly not all of them. 
  LSU comes out of this looking good now but Bama has nothing but regrets.  Far too many missed opportunities and penalties killed Bama who had plenty of chances to win this game.    Bama needs a lot of luck to get a shot at the National Championship but if they do manage to get there and get a rematch with LSU, I sure hope its a far better game than this one was.

[gellar]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

Welp, there went that shot.  Way to not play any defense at all tonight, Stanford.

[theohall]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

Welp, there went that shot.  Way to not play any defense at all tonight, Stanford.

Stanford turning the ball over multiple times certainly didn't help the Stanford defense any.  Luck looks like crap tonight.

[leo8877]

USC/Stanford was probably one of the best football games I've ever seen, period.  I'd really like to see Stanford get a shot for NC this year solely for the reason that this might be their only legit shot in the next 50 years.  It'd be a great story.

Welp, there went that shot.  Way to not play any defense at all tonight, Stanford.

Stanford turning the ball over multiple times certainly didn't help the Stanford defense any.  Luck looks like crap tonight.

They've given Oregon like 5 x 50+ yard plays, its silly.

[Zarkon]

Wow.  Now suddenly Houston is one of 3 undefeated teams in the country.  Just need to win out.

[rshetts2]

And Bama gets alot of help this weekend.  The Oklahoma State/Oklahoma game is going get a whole lot of viewership in the state of Alabama, thats for sure.

[soulbringer]

And Bama gets alot of help this weekend.  The Oklahoma State/Oklahoma game is going get a whole lot of viewership in the state of Alabama, thats for sure.

Well Bama better hope that OU loses again before that game or that the voters really really want a rematch.  Cause if OU wins out they may just jump Bama. Still a lot of football left however, hell LSU may lose to the hawgs.