Official College Football Thread

[Buehrle>Wood]

Illinois' basketball fans travel as well as anyone out there. I'm guessing the same would be the case for the football team, basketball school or not.

[RockRaines]

As to Illinois next year -

 

say all you want about the schedule, but I'm pretty sure the Illini went into the toughest place in the world to play and simply out played and out coached a superior football team. You know what I've been most happy about following that game: not a single "expert" called it a fluke or said that it was OSU looking ahead to Michigan. Of course OSU will reload nest year and be favored again, but how could you not have Illinois on the short list of conference contenders? Their big three will most likely return (not sure about Mendenhall) and highly ranked recruits are also flooding into Champaign. The difference being that those highly ranked recruits will most likely play whereas at OSU they'll be #2 or #3 on the depth chart. I'd be dumb to say that Illinois is the sure bet when Michigan and OSU are always full of talent, but come on, give Illinois a LITTLE credit.

Yes they won the game. The definately played better, and Tressel made some bad choices, but this wasnt exactly a blow out, it was an upset. They were handed 14 points by Boekman, the officiating especially in the replay booth was questionable. The reason nobody says its a fluke is because Illinois is a good, athletic team and OSU simply was and never was going to be the best team in the country. Ive said it probably 10 times in this thread alone. I was happy they were even top 10 at this point frankly. Its nice to have Illinois, especially led by an Ohio man who is a Miami alum (cradle of coaches) and a former OSU football coach, decide to make their program a contender again. It wasnt too many years ago where OSU went down to Champaign as the underdog. With that said, the Big Ten was down this year, and this was the year for one of the lesser known programs to take the title. Instead its the same ol UM OSU title fight just like it usually is. Next year the Big Ten will as a whole be a TON better. OSU may even be top 3 pre season teams, and Ill, Wisco, and maybe PSU will all be pre season top 25. Its nice to see for the people who love the Big Ten like I do. Now we can all carry on to arguing our asses off about out bball teams because the Big Ten will surely be very wide open this year in that sport as well.

[longshot7]

What I don't understand is some columnists are complaining that LSU is ranked higher than Oregon. I have seen both teams play a lot this year, and it's clear that LSU is better than Oregon. The only game LSU lost was in triple-overtime - Oregon lost clean to Cal, who can't beat USC at home.

[Soxbadger]

Jenks,

 

Im not saying Illinois shouldnt be chosen.

 

I am saying that if you go off history, Wisconsin football travels as good as team in the nation. They get constantly picked over better teams who have fans that are not considered to travel as well. There is a chance that if there was not a rule against 3 BCS teams from 1 conference that Wisconsin would have been a BCS team last year.

 

Bowl games make money by the gate, not by how many people watch the game on TV. They dont get a ratings share bonus or anything, they get money from the tickets. The bowls business is to make money, not to put on the best game.

 

Thus you have 2 options:

 

Option A) Team that sells out every game, including away games. If this team is chosen, it will ask to buy the remainder of the opponents tickets if there should be any remaining.

 

Option B ) Team that did not sell out every game, and is a complete unknown in terms of whether it will get 40K people to travel.

 

In school A, you have a sure thing. You know that it will sell out, thus you will get maximum profit guaranteed.

 

In school B, you have a team that had fans unwilling to shell over less than $100 to see games in the beginning of th season. Now you are expecting that they are going to spend in excess of a thousand to get hotel, airfare, and tickets?

 

I think Illinois would sell it out, but I live in Illinois, I understand its a sleeping fan base. But the people who run the bowls only care about a sell out, and Wisconsin gives you a guaranteed sell out.

Edited November 12, 2007 by Soxbadger

[danman31]

I guarantee you the bowl reps are praying that they can align a Florida/Illinois game. That'd get just as much pub as the NC game (as an aside, did you know that Zooks record at Florida is only one game worse than Meyer in the same amount of time? It's like 16-8 to 17-7 - obviously the NC helped, but so did getting a ridiculously talenting roster handed to you....but anyway).

Uhhh no. Zook went 8-5, 8-5, and 7-5. Meyer is 9-3, 13-1, 7-3. 8 games, 1 game, what's the difference? Zook went 16-8 in the SEC, but 1-2 against Florida State, 0-3 against Miami (one of those 3 being a bowl game), and 0-3 in bowls. Yeah, Meyer is 17-7 in the SEC, but he's 2-0 against Florida St., and 2-0 in bowl games. Lots of coaches have been fired over losing rivalry games and bowl games, and justifiably so. Zook was terrible at Florida, it's that simple.

[whitesoxfan101]

Anybody who has watched Zook coached teams at both Florida and Illinois know that things have worked out very well for him. He's a much different (better) coach now than he was at Florida, and still can recruit like hell. Florida also got a national championship out of a group with a lot of his recruits, and has a great coach who can recruit himself in Meyer. Both sides have ended up VERY happy in this situation and in good shape with their programs, and I don't get why people like to harp negatively on it and say people got screwed. Nobody got screwed here, and both parties are better off with the way it worked out.

[Brian]

This isn't a knock on Illinois at all, but didn't Zook get fired for 3 loss seasons. They just aren't acceptable at Florida. Maybe in the next few years, 3 losses at Illinois won't be acceptable either as they continue to get better.

 

Just a thought I had.

[GoodAsGould]

This isn't a knock on Illinois at all, but didn't Zook get fired for 3 loss seasons. They just aren't acceptable at Florida. Maybe in the next few years, 3 losses at Illinois won't be acceptable either as they continue to get better.

 

Just a thought I had.

 

You forget to mention that Florida has 3 losses this year? Under the great Urban Meyer

[Jenksismyhero]

well we can argue the zook - florida angle all day. I can totally understand a winning program that loses big games will want to get rid of the coach. I just think its unfair to say that zook can't coach. He didn't win a couple of games against FSU and Miami - but he did beat teams like a #1 LSU. So it's not like he always lost the big game. Florida was his first job. Spurrier left little talent on the roster. It's funny how they were an average team for 3 years and then got really good - sorta like how its taken zook three years to turn around the illini program and fill it with recruits. I'm totally fine with how things turned out. I think zook is going to build a powerhouse program at Illinois if he stays long enough. And if he doesnt at least he'll fill the program with top talent for the next guy (though much like Weber, I think he'll be in for the long haul).

 

All I know is that everyone (especially Florida fans) will not want a match-up at Illinois. Not only will that give zook recruiting time with Florida talent for a week or two, but if they win he's got even more ammo - hey come to my program, we're turning it around and will be a big story - oh, and we just beat the best team in the state.

 

Like I said though, regardless of where they end up this year, I'm just happy I was finally able to stomach watching an entire season of Illinois football.

[Brian]

You forget to mention that Florida has 3 losses this year? Under the great Urban Meyer

 

Yup, I don't go to Florida boards but I'm sure there are plenty of fans that want Meyer gone.

 

Who is a better recruiter? Weis or Meyer?

[Soxbadger]

I doubt many people are after Meyer when he won the NC last year.

 

If Zook won the NC, I dont think he gets fired from Florida either.

 

 

[RockRaines]

 

 

 

Ah what might have been.....

 

Same Crew, same problems

 

Posted: November 8, 2007

 

A suspension and possible firings are coming for a Big Ten officiating crew that worked Saturday's game between Purdue and Penn State.

 

A source told me Big Ten coordinator of officials David Parry told Purdue coach Joe Tiller that the crew missed several calls during the game in State College, Pa.

 

"We sent in our usual (report), but there were more than normal this particular game," Tiller said at his weekly press conference. "I have talked with the Big Ten office. They agreed with us on numerous instances.

 

I'm convinced they'll take the proper action."

 

The crew is working a game this weekend but will be suspended for games on November 17, according to my source.

 

I also was told some members of the crew might be fired.

 

The Big Ten doesn't comment on specific officiating issues.

 

The crew that worked Penn State's 26-19 victory comprised referee Stephen Pamon, umpire Pat Bayers, linesman Jack Teitz, line judge Robert

Edited November 13, 2007 by RockRaines

[T R U]

Ah what might have been.....

 

Same Crew, same problems

 

Agreed

 

It was that play, 2 minutes into the game, which cost Ohio State.. most certainly

[RockRaines]

Agreed

 

It was that play, 2 minutes into the game, which cost Ohio State.. most certainly

Ooo someone is a little sensitive. Pick up on the tongue in cheek manor that I posted. it certainly would have changed the score as Ill scored 7 right after. Lost by 7, would have been interesting to say the least. I dont need to get into it, but anyone watching that game was questioning some of the officiating.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Ooo someone is a little sensitive. Pick up on the tongue in cheek manor that I posted. it certainly would have changed the score as Ill scored 7 right after. Lost by 7, would have been interesting to say the least. I dont need to get into it, but anyone watching that game was questioning some of the officiating.

 

After reading this, I'm 100% certain you did not mean it in tongue and cheek.

[danman31]

This isn't a knock on Illinois at all, but didn't Zook get fired for 3 loss seasons. They just aren't acceptable at Florida. Maybe in the next few years, 3 losses at Illinois won't be acceptable either as they continue to get better.

No, Zook lost 5 games in each of his 3 years at Florida which I posted earlier.

[T R U]

Ooo someone is a little sensitive. Pick up on the tongue in cheek manor that I posted. it certainly would have changed the score as Ill scored 7 right after. Lost by 7, would have been interesting to say the least. I dont need to get into it, but anyone watching that game was questioning some of the officiating.

 

No, not sensitive.. just tired of seeing Ohio State fans use that as an excuse for why they lost when they were dominated the entire game. Yeah, it was a fumble. They missed it. If Ohio State was the superior team that play shouldn't have even mattered. However, if you were saying it in a joking manner, my bad.

[RockRaines]

No, not sensitive.. just tired of seeing Ohio State fans use that as an excuse for why they lost when they were dominated the entire game. Yeah, it was a fumble. They missed it. If Ohio State was the superior team that play shouldn't have even mattered. However, if you were saying it in a joking manner, my bad.

Dominated....yes. I hope you were also joking when you posted that.

 

Dont confuse me with people who are blaming someone other than my team for the loss. We gave IL 14 points on UNforced turnovers, we didnt call a timeout so the referees could get the fumble call right, we couldnt get our players off the field so IL could punt. We clearly played our worst game of the season and its our fault that we lost.

Edited November 14, 2007 by RockRaines

[T R U]

Dominated....yes. I hope you were also joking when you posted that.

 

No I wasn't joking..

 

Illinois abused the Ohio State defense all night, they only avg giving up what 65 yards.. I don't QUITE remember, but I think Illinois rushed for a wee bit more yards than 65. And the 4th quarter drive that iced it, where Ohio State couldn't stop a 3rd and long to save their life.

 

I do think Illinois dominated that game. And the way OSU defense played the other games of this year compared to what Illinois did to them says enough.

[CanOfCorn]

No I wasn't joking..

 

Illinois abused the Ohio State defense all night, they only avg giving up what 65 yards.. I don't QUITE remember, but I think Illinois rushed for a wee bit more yards than 65. And the 4th quarter drive that iced it, where Ohio State couldn't stop a 3rd and long to save their life.

 

I do think Illinois dominated that game. And the way OSU defense played the other games of this year compared to what Illinois did to them says enough.

 

OSU wasn't dominated, this was a case of Illinois having to play a perfect game (no turnovers, 1 penalty), OSU not playing their usual (260 rushing yards) and some luck (the fumble). I think Illinois still had a very good chance of winning without the missed fumble, but either way, game ended 28-21...done, move on.

[thedoctor]

Uhhh no. Zook went 8-5, 8-5, and 7-5. Meyer is 9-3, 13-1, 7-3. 8 games, 1 game, what's the difference? Zook went 16-8 in the SEC, but 1-2 against Florida State, 0-3 against Miami (one of those 3 being a bowl game), and 0-3 in bowls. Yeah, Meyer is 17-7 in the SEC, but he's 2-0 against Florida St., and 2-0 in bowl games. Lots of coaches have been fired over losing rivalry games and bowl games, and justifiably so. Zook was terrible at Florida, it's that simple.

 

i'm not going to make a huge amount of excuses for zook at florida, because i think it's common knowledge that he was as bad of a hire there as he was a good hire for illinois. you don't take a perennially top-15 program and put a guy who's never been a head coach before at the front of it. foley made a bad hire and zook was pretty much doomed from the start.

 

at the same time, i think people have an inaccurate view of the state of the program zook took over in gainesville. his first year, there's no doubt he had some talent that he underutilized. not surprising considering he was a first-time head coach. but look at the talent (or lack thereof) on his roster his last two years. these were not great or talented teams. they produced fewer nfl draft picks than florida had historically enjoyed either before or after zook. this is not surprising, considering spurrier's final two or three recruiting classes were piss-poor and barely ranked inside the top-25 nationally.

 

i won't claim that zook is some great coach. but the idea that he inherited some juggernaut of a team at florida is a myth fueled by bitter gator fans who were pissed he was hired in the first place.

[Soxbadger]

Im not an Illinois fan or OSU fan, but that play changed the game. If OSU gets the ball back at that point it would have entirely changed the game.

 

But, Tressel should be blamed for not calling a time out. Illinois did not rush to the line of scrimmage, the play was replayed on TV prior to the snap, and if he calls a time out they probably review the play and over turn it.

 

 

[thedoctor]

Im not an Illinois fan or OSU fan, but that play changed the game. If OSU gets the ball back at that point it would have entirely changed the game.

 

But, Tressel should be blamed for not calling a time out. Illinois did not rush to the line of scrimmage, the play was replayed on TV prior to the snap, and if he calls a time out they probably review the play and over turn it.

 

i'd be more willing to make excuses for ohio state if they didn't get totally dominated in the fourth quarter of that game and couldn't even get the ball back. all they needed was one stop on numerous third downs when everyone in the stadium knew they were running the ball. they couldn't get one stop, so it's hard to cry about it for them.

 

your thought on what would have happened if dufrene's play is correctly called (it WAS a fumble) is entirely conjecture. i could just as easily say that illinois would have been pissed that it missed an opportunity and completely dominated the game from that point on. there's as much factual basis for that theory as there is for the one that identifies that single play as where things went "wrong" for ohio state.

[Soxbadger]

Of course its conjecture, but thats what happens when a play that results in 7 points is blatantly missed.

 

I dont really see how you could argue that OSU getting the ball there would not have changed the game, but Im pretty sure that regardless of wehther or not it changed the outcome, the game would most likely have been played quite differently. Instead of it being 7-7 immediately, OSU dodges a bullet and Illinois remains down.

 

As I said though, you cant complain about it because in the end the blame is with Tressel.

[thedoctor]

Of course its conjecture, but thats what happens when a play that results in 7 points is blatantly missed.

 

I dont really see how you could argue that OSU getting the ball there would not have changed the game, but Im pretty sure that regardless of wehther or not it changed the outcome, the game would most likely have been played quite differently. Instead of it being 7-7 immediately, OSU dodges a bullet and Illinois remains down.

 

As I said though, you cant complain about it because in the end the blame is with Tressel.

 

oh, i didn't say it wouldn't change the game. there's no question it would. my quarrel is with people speculating how it would have changed the game. to me, that's a stretch, especially since it's mostly buckeye fans theorizing how that single play in the first two minutes of the game was their downfall. let's just ignore what we saw in the other 58 minutes. nothing to see there.

Edited November 14, 2007 by thedoctor