Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktIt’s the last weekend before conference play begins, and I, for one, think that this pre-conference play lasts at least one–if not two–weeks too long. But then, I’m a fuddy duddy when in comes to collegiate football, and I’d bag the BCS and the playoff system for a return to the traditional five Real Bowl Games (all but one of which began before my parents were born, let alone me, which truly qualifies me for fuddy duddy-hood) played on New Year’s Day. Hey–you kids! Outta my stadium!!
Pop quiz: who can name the original five bowl games without resorting to The Google?
Anyway, to get back on track, Boise State barely squeaked by BYU on Thursday 7 – 6, and I’m not sure if that means that BSU has fallen off of its BCS-busting pedestal or if going independent has made BYU that much better. I suspect the former. Once again, LA-Monroe just barely lost to a major conference team when Baylor beat them 47 – 42 last night; if they stick to this form I can’t think of a team in their conference that can slow them down. What’s what in ATiM world:
UAB is at osu (line: osu, spread 36.0) This is one of those crazy pre-conference games that just doesn’t really have a good reason for happening. Maybe a sinkhole will open up midfield and prevent osu from winning, but I’m not holding my breath. [Update: osu wins 29 – 15]
UTEP is playing Wisconsin (line: UW, spread 16.0) Go, Badgers! [Update: UW wins 37 – 26]
Miami (FL) is at Georgia Tech (line: GT, spread 12.5) Go, Yellow Jackets! [Update: Miami upsets GT 42 – 36 in OT]
Hapless Eastern Michigan is at MSU (line: MSU, spread 31.5) I’m still feeling just a tad bitter about last week, but Go State! [Update: MSU wins 23 – 7]
Idaho State is playing Nebraska (line: Nebraska, spread 0.0) Another one of those conundrums. Go Huskers, nonetheless! [Update: I’ve highlighted both teams–see Fairlington Blades’ comment below][Update 2: Nebraska smushes ISU with mega #RomneyStrength, 73 – 7]
Temple vs Penn State (line: PSU, spread 9.0) Go, Nittany Lions! [Update: PSU wins 24 – 14]
USF is playing Ball State (line: USF, spread 13.0) Da Bulls! [Update: Ball State wins in a upset, 31 – 27]
Cal is at USC (line: USC, spread 16.0) Why they’re bothering to rank USC when they can’t play in the post-season continues to be beyond me. . . [Update: see Mike’s comment below][Update 2: USC wins 27 – 9]
The Big Game this week is Michigan vs Notre Dame (line: Notre Dame, spread 6.0) C’mon, Wolverines, give me some pay-back here! [Update: Notre Dame in a blowout 13 – 6. The score doesn’t really reflect how ND absolutely dominated UM]
Kansas State takes on Oklahoma (line: OU, spread 16.0) What’s that Sooner cheer again, okie?? 🙂 [Update: KSU also wins in an upset 24 – 19]
Syracuse is at UMinn in intra-ATiM play (line: Syracuse, spread 1.0) I’ll let Scott and bsimon duke it out over this one, but it sounds like it should be a good game. [Update: Minnesota 17 – 10]
Utah vs Arizona State (line: ASU, spread 4.0) I think this one’s a toss-up. Go, Utes! [Update: ASU in a walk, 37 – 7]
Arizona is playing Oregon(line: Oregon, spread 21.5) OK, ‘Cats, prove them wrong! [Update: Oregon 49 – 0. Ouch!]
Off this week are BC, Stanford, and Texas. This week feels more like the pause before the storm than real football, but here’s hoping all the “right” teams win! I’ll be out of the loop at a Race for the Cure luncheon for a chunk of the day, so anyone who wants to should feel free to edit this to update scores and provide commentary.
Note to lms: at least your Angels have a 9% chance of making the playoffs–the Mariners have a 0.0% chance!
Filed under: Fall, Football, Open Thread |
All Things in Moderation 
I actually have a connection to the NU – ISU game. My father earned his PhD at the University of Nebraska. I grew up in Hastings, Nebraska, where Dr. Tom (Osborne) was head coach before joining the staff of Devaney at NU. The two of them earned five national championships.
My father was a professor of sociology at Hastings College and then we moved to Pocatello, Idaho, where he became chair of the department. I’ve been to the Minidome a number of times (the first of its kind). ISU won the national championship of what I think was Division 1A (or 1AA) at the time while we were there. They’ve evidently moved up a division since then.
So, this apparently meaningless match has a bit of meaning for me.
BB
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ULM played well at home, but Baylor actually was up two TDs until ULM scored with less than ten seconds left against the Baylor subs. It was not the hair curler that ULM threw at Arky and Auburn on the road.
Were I a betting man, I’d take K. St. against the spread.
I like the three preconference games, but wish two of them were against real tough teams. That way we really do get some measure of conference strength. The two or three patsy scheduling is an accommodation to giving the patsies a payday and padding the W-L record. If ULM can schedule three BCS teams non-conference than the least the BCS teams can do is schedule two. Texas is going back to scheduling at least 2 BCS teams non-conference, btw, 2015 on. Next year we have only Ole Miss again, plus BYU and NM St. No FCS teams, but flash forward to 2015 and 2016, with ND and Cal, or 2017-18 with USC and MD, and it is more interesting.
I can remember when all the non-conference games were intersectional and tough, on purpose. Of course, UT v. OU was one of those game for both teams before they joined the same conference. But OU would typically add two non-conference power schools besides UT and UT would do the same. Just a few years ago our home and home with Ohio St. to open the season had national championship implications for both teams. Alabama v. Mich. certainly qualified this year. It may turn out that AZ v. Okie lite was important in the national picture and it was an interesting game. Even though K St. slaughtered Miami, when that was scheduled it looked like a goody.
The 4 Jan 1 bowls were Rose, Cotton, Sugar, and Orange.
I like an 8 team playoff best, but the 4 team playoff will be good. Championships should be decided on the field.
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Michi:
I think this is the first year that USC is off of the postseason ban, which is why Barkley came back.
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Mike:
I think this is the first year that USC is off of the postseason ban
You’re right–I forgot that was only two years. They’re still down 10 scholarships for another year and on probation for two more. Thanks!
Mark:
The 4 Jan 1 bowls were Rose, Cotton, Sugar, and Orange
Yup! And what was the fifth “classic” bowl game, that was played at the end of December every year? It started in 1935, along with the Sugar and Orange Bowls (the Cotton Bowl, first played in 1937, is the only one younger than my parents [by one year]).
I don’t like this four weeks of pre-conference play (OU, BC, Stanford, and UT are the only teams from our AtiM group that won’t play four games this year); two too many, and I’d prefer the two that do get played to be meaningful, like the Notre Dame games, or at least potentially important, like the Alabama – UM game was hoped to be.
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Gator.
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Sun. El Paso.
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Sun, of course you are right.
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There is some need for out of conference play. Georgia Tech plays Georgia and both FSU and Miami play Florida. Other regional cross-conference regional rivalries I can think of include South Carolina-Clemson and Maryland-West Virginia. I don’t know the western conferences but I bet there are several like that as well.
But there are two many teams playing Girls School of the Blind teams to pad their record above and beyond the patsies within their own conference. For example, Duke is always a gimme.
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Mike gets the prize!
Hmmmmm–now I have to come up with a prize. . .
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Michi:
Beer.
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Pick a couple and I’ll send them to you! It’s our newest local brewery and excellent beer! It’s were we’ve held a couple of the RFTC Executive Committee meetings. 😀
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My parents called me to let me know that the Yellow Jackets were on television and winning, a reasonably uncommon combination. I’m not sure it was a good idea to tune it as it has invigorated the Miami offense.
Georgia Tech has won the Big Four bowl games.
Rose 1929
Orange 1940
Sugar 1944
Cotton 1955 (lost in 1943)
They currently have a seven year bowl losing streak, encompassing all four years of my son’s attendance.
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YJ, I guess Miami improved since they played K St. I thought GT would win.
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Clearly, as it goes into OT, you shouldn’t have tuned in!
That’s quite a bowl record! And I didn’t think you were old enough to have had a kid graduate from college.
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Pick a couple and I’ll send them to you!
I’ll trade you some from Heavy Seas.
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