Board 8 > College Football Discussion Topic Week 8-Who are these guys?

(+) Yeah! (+)

So for my ladder contest, I always pick out 5 "marquee games"-- prioritizing ranked vs. ranked, then ranked vs. ARV, and if necessary, ARV vs. ARV.

This week was, uh... Well, it was nice and spread out. 5 conferences were represented, 6 if you include Notre Dame as an ACC team. And USC-ND and Michigan-Penn State being marquee games is normal.

But Central Florida-Navy? Kentucky-Mississippi State? Iowa State-Texas Tech? seriously. This season has lined up in such a weird way that not only is a Group of Five game on the "marquee" (Navy's second straight week there, mind you), but the SEC and Big 12 are represented by matchups of teams that are generally at the bottom of the conference.
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Also, Rutgers was scheduled to play their November 4th game against Maryland at Yankee Stadium; yesterday they announced that because of the Yankees' deep postseason run, they're moving it to their home stadium. The World Series would end November 1 even if it goes the full 7 games.
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Rutgers with their first back-to-back conference victories since joining the Big Ten.

Looking ahead at the schedule, that awful call at the end of the Eastern Michigan game could loom large. Rutgers needs 3 more wins to make a bowl; I only see at most two winnable games. I almost want Rutgers to lose one of those games, because I'd rather they miss out on a bowl because they legitimately didn't deserve one than because the refs didn't call any penalty on a play that should've been reviewed and ruled to be targeting. Yes, I know there's no guarantee that Rutgers wins if the penalty extended that drive, but it's a horrible way to lose a football game.

Except it's been, what, three years now since there were actually enough 6-6 teams to fill out the bowls? Rutgers always has pretty good APR, so 5-7 actually is a potential bowl season for them.
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I have a standing bet with War that Rutgers would win over 4.5 games this season following the Washington loss

If Rutgers hadn't lost that Eastern Michigan game I would be in REALLY good shape

I hope we murder Michigan tonight.
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ExThaNemesis posted...

we

you went to Penn State now?
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I know they're playing Alabama and all, but it really is starting to feel like Tennessee is just trolling GT with how bad they're making that loss look.
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I just took a good look at the remaining schedules for USF and UCF.

There's still some okay teams, but it really does look like if UCF gets out of this game with a win, they'll probably both still be undefeated entering their game at the end of the regular season.

I would love to see GameDay go to Orlando for Thanksgiving weekend. It would be absurd. And where else would you find a game with two unbeaten teams?

...Ah, darn it, the game's on Friday, not Saturday. And there doesn't appear to be any shortage of potentially relevant games; based on current rankings, there are 5 ranked-v-ranked games on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, in addition to the one on Friday.
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...Oklahoma is down by two touchdowns I the first half.

I was really on the edge of maybe giving them some credit that their massive upset might've not been as damaging as it appeared at the time, because ISU is probably on the verge of entering the Top 25. But, nope, OU doesn't have it.

I suddenly have this sneaking feeling that if Georgia and Alabama are both undefeated going into the SEC Championship Game, they'll both make the playoff. It's no lock-- Miami and TCU can still keep the SEC runner-up out--but I feel like if there are only three undefeated Power Five conference champions, a 12-1 Georgia (we'll just assume the Alabama win for convenience) would get the nod over a 12-1 champion from the Pac-12 or whoever comes out of that ACC mess. (Clemson might be able to get in if they run the table, but if NC State beats Clemson but loses to Notre Dame...well, maybe Notre Dame themselves can...oh, right, even if they wind up 11-1, their loss was to Georgia. So they're useless for stopping the SEC unless Georgia beats Alabama more convincingly than they beat Notre Dame.)
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I'm hoping Auburn saves us from this mess. Everyone loves to forget that Georgia is in one of the easiest divisions in P5 to run the table in because the SEC is "so good".

Oh, but wait, they have that Notre Dame win they barely managed. And Notre Dame is ranked 13 because, um, why? Seriously, can anyone explain that bullshit to me?

Now I'm in the weird position of hoping USC wipes the floor with Notre Dame. This is really the only time I typically root for Notre Dame.
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Notre Dame is ranked #13 because they went on the road and crushed Michigan State, and then Michigan State won at Michigan and has only the one loss against Notre Dame.

But fear not, kev, Notre Dame has plenty of other losable games on their schedule. They still have to play #8 Miami and #16 NC State. Honestly, if Notre Dame actually does wind up 11-1, they're probably just about a lock for the playoff, because they certainly would get the nod over the Pac-12 champ and they'd almost definitely get the nod over the ACC champ (Clemson might get the edge over them, but they could easily fall short entirely).
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It'll never stop being weird to me when any of the ACC teams in North Carolina have a good football year, even if when factoring them all in it isn't all that uncommon.
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I actually think, based on the merits of schedules alone, Notre Dame is actually underranked, which is very unusual for them.

Of course, part of the reason ND's schedule is good is losing to Georgia, and Georgia's is good because they beat ND, so it's a bit cyclical and could unravel if either decide to start having a bad day, but both Notre Dame and Georgia have some really strong wins on their resume. Georgia getting the win over ND on the road is huge too.

I could see the argument they were underranked going into Michigan State. Not so much right now.
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This argument sucks for me to make, of course, but they should clearly be ranked ahead of Washington at the very least. Their loss is better and their biggest win is better. Michigan State's only loss so far is getting walloped at home by ND, and they went on to beat Michigan, so you basically need to give ND credit as if they were a high-end Big Ten team right now, more or less, even if the rest of their wins are a little lackluster - but as dominant as they should be if they were top ten. I think they're basically right around Wisconsin's level, and Wisconsin's ranked 5 just because they didn't play and lose to Georgia.

Well, ND is in the process of proving me right, but a USC loss here would absolutely bury the Pac-12's chances of being relevant. This sucks. I think the narrative that the Pac-12 is crap is wrong, but there's no way for them to dispel that myth now.

Well, either way, Tsunami is at least right in that ND will get to prove their position. But at that point if they fall apart it won't hurt Georgia in the slightest. They'll have beaten Florida which we're going to be expected to believe has meaning.

Actually, when you get down to it, Miss State is probably elevating them more than Notre Dame, even though Miss State seems to be more "feast or famine" than necessarily good or bad. But they were certainly thought to be good at the time.
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Agreed. The Pac-12 is most likely going to be on the outside looking in. Right now their best hope is havoc in the Big 12--which is certainly possible, because this new conference championship game of theirs can only backfire and with their lone conference loss being to Texas, Iowa State literally controls their own destiny right now.

Of course, since you only need to be top two, Oklahoma does as well, since running the table would unquestionably put them ahead of anyone other than Iowa State. But it's hilarious to think that Oklahoma can't finish first in the Big 12 without help because Iowa State has the tiebreaker over them.
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And since I took that game in the ladder, now guess I'm switching to hoping Notre Dame continues doing what they're doing. Might as well get some benefit from this game.
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kevwaffles posted...

Well, either way, Tsunami is at least right in that ND will get to prove their position. But at that point if they fall apart it won't hurt Georgia in the slightest. They'll have beaten Florida which we're going to be expected to believe has meaning.

Actually, when you get down to it, Miss State is probably elevating them more than Notre Dame, even though Miss State seems to be more "feast or famine" than necessarily good or bad. But they were certainly thought to be good at the time.

When does Notre Dame ever not have a chance to prove their position? They always play a strong schedule. But this year, they also have immense power to affect the rest of the CFP, because so many of the teams they play are relevant.

I mean, there are a bunch of people who get extremely angry extremely quickly when anyone hints at the possibility of 2 teams from the same conference getting into the playoff, especially if that conference is the SEC (which it usually is), because of some perceived media bias (and if it isn't the SEC, a different set of people get indignant). Michigan State's only loss is to Notre Dame; Miami has no losses and has to play Notre Dame; NC State has no conference losses and gets the best team in their division at home, but has to go on the road to face Notre Dame; and win or lose tonight, USC controls their own destiny in the Pac-12. I'd already been considering the implications from the Pac-12 and ACC, but why not take out one step further? What if NC State and Miami meet in the ACC Championship Game and Michigan State and USC both win their conferences? In that scenario, it would be an absolute joke for Georgia and Alabama to not both be in if they were undefeated going into the SEC Championship Game, along with Notre Dame and either the Big 12 champion if it's undefeated TCU or... well, probably Michigan State.
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First off I'll still be shocked if it's not Clemson in the ACC Championship game.

Second, I in no way agree if you're trying to say a 1-loss Miami ACC Champ shouldn't make it in over the loser of the SEC Championship.
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That said, at this point my money is on Miami reaching the ACC Championship undefeated. Their remaining tough games are at home (though Pitt is known for being giant killers so I can't count them out completely).

It occurs to me that this could lead to the scenario where Georgia loses in the CFP to their former coach. That would be amazing!
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kevwaffles posted...

First off I'll still be shocked if it's not Clemson in the ACC Championship game.

Second, I in no way agree if you're trying to say a 1-loss Miami ACC Champ shouldn't make it in over the loser of the SEC Championship.

If it's Alabama, sure.

There is NO situation in which case a 1 loss Miami with a loss to Notre Dame should get in over a 1 loss Georgia who beat Notre Dame (who would be in the playoff mind you) and their only loss being to Bama.

TsunamiXXVIII posted...

When does Notre Dame ever not have a chance to prove their position?

2012. Only half kidding.

(Ironically that year probably hurt the Big 12's reputation having them get stomped by Alabama more than it did theirs. I think that was one of the years they got bailed out against Stanford, and Michigan and Michigan State just ended up looking bad themselves after that.)
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jcgamer107 posted...

you went to Penn State now?

This is the dumbest response in all of sports discourse.
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Anyway, we proved we're the real deal tonight. What a massacre we put on them tonight. WE ARE. PENN STATE.
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ExThaNemesis posted...

jcgamer107 posted...

you went to Penn State now?

This is the dumbest response in all of sports discourse.

so no, then. don't you root for Kentucky or Duke or someone in basketball?
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jcgamer107 posted...

ExThaNemesis posted...

jcgamer107 posted...

you went to Penn State now?

This is the dumbest response in all of sports discourse.

so no, then. don't you root for Kentucky or Duke or someone in basketball?

Duke.

I'm Kentucky

jcgamer107 posted...

so no, then. don't you root for Kentucky or Duke or someone in basketball?

What is the difference between me saying "we" and "the team that I cheer for"?

Fundamentally nothing, you're just being an asshole.
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it's weird to me to pick college teams a la carte to root for. with pro teams it's kinda different but with college you can be enrolled in the school which would give you a bit of a right to say "we".
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Well my mother was a Penn State alum and I have been rooting for them since I was a child and the university I went to doesn't have a football team.

And none of this really matters because I shouldn't have to explain myself about this.

I'm extra surly tonight coz the Yankees lost, but it INFURIATES ME when some snarky piece of garbage goes

"huehuehue WE? I didn't see you out there on the field"

Like fucking obviously.
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Basketball, I did pick Duke a la carte, but I'm gonna still say "we" because it's less typing than saying "the team that I cheer for" every time

and people with brain cells know I don't literally mean I'm part of the team.
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ExThaNemesis posted...

"huehuehue WE? I didn't see you out there on the field"

that isn't what I said. I'm probably extra aware about it since people around here get shit on for rooting for Michigan if they didn't go there.

ExThaNemesis posted...

and people with brain cells know I don't literally mean I'm part of the team.

they might think you went to Duke, which is my point
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jcgamer107 posted...

they might think you went to Duke, which is my point

I can see that, that's fair. I just snapped coz I was upset about the Yankees. I didn't know you were also a Michigan fan which would explain you reacting badly, considering the absolute thumping we put on you guys tonight. =P
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So how about that cupcake Fresno State, eh?

the Aztecs sure shittanked
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kevwaffles posted...

First off I'll still be shocked if it's not Clemson in the ACC Championship game.

Second, I in no way agree if you're trying to say a 1-loss Miami ACC Champ shouldn't make it in over the loser of the SEC Championship.

Oh, Clemson is probably still the favorite, but I wouldn't be too quick to count the Wolf Pack out.

On another note, I took a look at ESPN's "Bowl Projections" and after looking at the 4 teams they have in the playoff (They think Clemson will win the ACC, too, and get the 4-seed), I jumped down to the bottom for the other four NYS games, and at the bottom I noticed a footnote that an asterisk denoted a team that had already accepted a bid. My first thought was that it's way too early to have that note, but then I stopped and realized that there probably was one...

...Yeah. You never get teams from conferences accepting bids before the end of the regular season at earliest, if not after the conference championship games, but independents outside of Notre Dame are pretty much locked to a specific bowl unless they stand a chance at getting one of the big ones (which they pretty much never will). And...yesterday's overtime win over Temple brought Army to 6-2. They've clinched their bowl, and there's still another full week left in October. Don't think I've ever seen it happen this early--certainly not with Army. Navy might've clinched this early back when they were still an independent. BYU got off to a hot start a few years ago and even got ranked, but I think they fell apart after that and still only barely limped into bowl eligibility at like 7-5 or something. So congrats to Army.

On the subject of teams that were once ranked that may not get bowls, I can't help but wonder, what's the highest preseason ranking by a team that failed to make a bowl entirely? I know there have been preseason Top 25 teams that have missed out on bowls, but Florida State was, what, #3 in the preseason? And now they're 2-4. They've still got one cupcake left, but they also still have a game at Clemson, so we can assume that neither 7-4 nor 2-9 is a possibility. (Remember, one of their nonconference games got eaten by Hurricane Maria). That leaves as the three games in question: at Boston College, home vs. Syracuse, and at Florida. Now, based on precedent, I have to assume that if they wound up 5-6, they'd apply for a special waiver and probably get it, although given the past two years, there probably won't be enough teams at 6-6 or better anyway and they'd probably get preferential treatment over 5-7 teams. So...2-1 in those questionable games will probably be sufficient, though 3-0 would be the only way to make it a certainty. Can FSU pull that off? I'm not so sure. I'm not exactly impressed with Florida, but they should be favored over FSU at home, and Syracuse...Syracuse is not to be trifled with. They're only 4-4, but they've yet to get blown out and they have that upset of Clemson. And BC is no easy out either--just ask Louisville or Virginia.
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I think USC was preseason #1 some time in the past decade or so when they "surprisingly" collapsed, though they may still have made a bowl game.
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...isn't that every year?
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They're not always #1. But the worst they did as preseason #1 (at least in that timeframe) was when they went 7-5 and played and lost to GT, which I should have remembered. It's why I hate them, after all.

(They skipped the banquet both teams were supposed to attend because they thought they were too good for us or the bowl game they got. Jack asses.)
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Genuinely do not understand how anyone who has watched the games can have USF above UCF. Not likely to matter year end but annoys me nonetheless

I agree. Will be kind of fun if they're both undefeated going into their matchup.
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