Official 2011-2012 NCAA Football Thread

[Soxbadger]

I personally think Oregon is one of the better match ups for Wisconsin because Oregon is not built to play a big time running game. And Wisconsin could frustrate them with long drives. Wisconsin's offense can keep up with Oregon if they really need to.Wilson had significantly better passing stats than Oregon's QB.

[Soxbadger]

Only 3 players deserve Heisman consideration, RG3, Ball and Wilson. Because Ball and Wilson are on the same team, I expect RGIII to win.

[Rex Hudler]

There are 10 available BCS slots. Six go automatically to the champions of the six BCS conferences. Two more automatically went to Alabama and Stanford for finishing in the top 4. That left two slots where the bowls could actually pick from among eligible teams.

 

The Sugar Bowl ended up with both of those picks and took #11 Virginia Tech and #13 Michigan. #6 Arkansas and #9 South Carolina were ineligible due to the SEC already having two BCS teams. Eligible teams passed over were #7 Boise State, #8 Kansas State, #12 Baylor, and #14 Oklahoma. I'm not in any way a fan of the Big 12 (minus 2) but they really got doubly screwed over by the BCS this year by not getting OSU into the championship game and by not getting a team ranked #8 into any BCS game.

 

Just as a matter of principle, I'm going to make it a point to watch Boise State and Kansas State's bowl games and not the Sugar Bowl. First of all because the Sugar Bowl didn't pick the most-deserving teams and secondly because Virginia Tech really blows and will probably lose by 20+ points.

 

I'm sorry but are you 12 and this is your college football season? Allow me to introduce you to some facts and history....

 

The SOLE PURPOSE of the BCS when it was created and today is to determine the top two teams to play the NC game. The selection of the bowl participants for the other games has nothing to do with the BCS other than some basic rules set up to protect non-BCS programs (automatic bids, etc). Once eligibility is established, the bowls choose the teams they want based on a picking order that rotates each year. This is the way it ALWAYS has been, even before the BCS was created.

 

Teams that draw more interest and sell more tickets have always been given preference over other teams. Who "deserves" it is one subjective and two NEVER been a factor in those choices.

 

So my recommendation to you is watch whatever games you want, but to act as if this is something new or even BCS related is simply ignorant.

[Rex Hudler]

Sugar bowl was a joke with selections. I don't feel these bcs bowls should get extra significance if they are just going to pick whoever they feel will make the most money rather than reward the best teams that year. That's great Michigan, you made a BCS bowl...because your fans travel more than Kstates. Great resume.

 

It's just like it has ALWAYS been. Get over it. This is nothing new!

[Rex Hudler]

The only reason they made it was because the team that actually won their division lost the CCG. Thus is the BCS

 

It's NOT the BCS. The BCS has nothing to do with these bowl selections after the NC game. The Big Ten chose to have a championship game and it was universally lauded. Now people complain the CG screwed another team. Welcome to the world of championship games other conferences have dealt with for years. It is what it is. I promise you Michigan would have rather played in the Big Ten Championship and had the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl.

[Soxbadger]

Rex,

 

The BCS does have a slight impact on bowl selections. If you arent in the top 14 (or is it 16) you can not go to a BCS bowl game. Thus MSU could have not been selected. I also believe ND must be ranked higher than a certain spot in the BCS to be eligible.

 

So its not a huge one, but it does happen.

[Rex Hudler]

Rex,

 

The BCS does have a slight impact on bowl selections. If you arent in the top 14 (or is it 16) you can not go to a BCS bowl game. Thus MSU could have not been selected. I also believe ND must be ranked higher than a certain spot in the BCS to be eligible.

 

So its not a huge one, but it does happen.

 

Right. I said outside a few parameters to determine eligibility. But MSU isn't the one everyone is whining about. They are whining about K ST, Boise and Baylor. All three of which in the history of bowl games would not have been chosen over Michigan. Personally I would have liked to have seen Baylor against Michigan, but that would have been a worse matchup for UM. I think RGIII vs Denard could have been an intriguing story line.

 

That said, I hope everyone understands that I do realize Michigan got a gift BCS bowl bid this year. Things fell the right way for them. I don't think they are as strong as a "typical" BCS bowl team and their matchup against VA Tech is favorable as well. But at the same time, I was fully prepared that if things didn't fall the way they did and they didn't get into the top 14, I would have been just as happy to go to the Capital One Bowl. After the last few years, any bowl is a treat at this point, especially after that showing in Jacksonville last year that I personally witnessed.

 

The bottom line is the system is what it is and most of the things people are b****ing about are the same things that have always happened. This isn't new stuff.

[Rowand44]

The bottom line is the system is what it is and most of the things people are b****ing about are the same things that have always happened. This isn't new stuff.

And the bottom line is that it f***in sucks.

[Soxbadger]

I thought people were saying MSU should be in over Michigan because they beat Michigan head to head and would been the BCS selection but for losing a CCG against Wisconsin that Michigan didnt have to play.

 

As for the other schools, bowl games need to sell tickets. Its hard enough to sell out games to teams with hundreds of thousands of fans. I doubt many casual fans are going to take a vacation to see Boise State play K-State.

[Rex Hudler]

Only 3 players deserve Heisman consideration, RG3, Ball and Wilson. Because Ball and Wilson are on the same team, I expect RGIII to win.

 

I really don't like the Heisman any more. There is way too much hype early in the season. Remember recent Heisman frontrunners Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson? I hate that teams promote Heisman candidates (Oregon billboards in Times Square) and that we evaluate the Heisman week in week out.

 

If the Heisman hype didn't exist or at least wasn't so in your face, I think it would be fun trying to figure out who is most deserving toward the end of the sason. I definitely would give serious consideration to Ball, RGIII and even Mathieu. Mathieu being suspended for a game won't help his chances. But I don't think I could argue against him being the most impactful non-QB/WR/RB since Charles Woodson. I sure as hell wish Michigan had someone that could return punts like he can, not to mention his ability to make plays on D.

[Rex Hudler]

I thought people were saying MSU should be in over Michigan because they beat Michigan head to head and would been the BCS selection but for losing a CCG against Wisconsin that Michigan didnt have to play.

 

As for the other schools, bowl games need to sell tickets. Its hard enough to sell out games to teams with hundreds of thousands of fans. I doubt many casual fans are going to take a vacation to see Boise State play K-State.

 

Michigan State fans are whining. And I would probabaly feel a little cheated if the situation were reversed. But I'm objective enough to understand the system and know sometimes it works for you and sometimes it doesn't.

 

Think about it this way. If Houston would have won and Oklahoma doesn't get blasted, Michigan probably doesn't get into the top 14. Baylor jumped Michigan this weekend. Baylor would have likely been at #14 in that scenario. If that happened I would have been fine going to the Capital One Bowl, even thought it would have sucked getting jumped by a 3-loss team in Baylor.

[LittleHurt05]

The cheapest ticket for the BCS champ. game on StubHub is $1,350.

[Rex Hudler]

And the bottom line is that it f***in sucks.

 

Whatever. Get a new system and you and everyone else will find something else to b**** about. The system we have now is better than anything that has ever existed. The most fairly perceived system isn't always the best. Ask ss2k about class basketball in Indiana.

[Soxbadger]

I just think that there is something stupid about having such a stringent rule as 14th team. Why not just amend the rule to 14th team or team to lose a CCG. That way they could have taken MSU if they thought they were deserving.

 

I dont really care that Michigan got in, hopefully they dont play bad is all I care about.

[RockRaines]

Right. I said outside a few parameters to determine eligibility. But MSU isn't the one everyone is whining about.

Nope, actually thats exactly what I was referring to when you incorrectly stated that the BCS had nothing to do with bowl selection. Michigan as the 3rd or 4th best Big Ten team made a BCS bowl by doing nothing but watching a team that beat their ass lose the championship game that they themselves werent good enough to make. Your opponent is the worst AQ school to be in a BCS bowl in the history of the system, but hey, the BCS has them #11 while actual rankings have them 17th.

 

As for BSU and K-state, both should have been given a shot at the Sugar Bowl, unfortunately fan base was the main factor and UM is the obvious choice, and that probably had nothing to do with BCS rankings whatsoever. Thats a straight money game.

[Rex Hudler]

I just think that there is something stupid about having such a stringent rule as 14th team. Why not just amend the rule to 14th team or team to lose a CCG. That way they could have taken MSU if they thought they were deserving.

 

I dont really care that Michigan got in, hopefully they dont play bad is all I care about.

 

The eligibility rules are in place more for the non-AQ schools than anything. Why they chose 14 as the cut off, I don't know. But they can't make the eligibility rules based on anything that happens in the conference championship games because not all conferences have them. The conferences choose to have the CG because of $$. Until this year, it would have gone the other way for MSU, most likely. I just don't see how you can make rules to exclude something from negatively affect a team when their own conference voluntarily chose to have said game.

[Rex Hudler]

Nope, actually thats exactly what I was referring to when you incorrectly stated that the BCS had nothing to do with bowl selection. Michigan as the 3rd or 4th best Big Ten team made a BCS bowl by doing nothing but watching a team that beat their ass lose the championship game that they themselves werent good enough to make. Your opponent is the worst AQ school to be in a BCS bowl in the history of the system, but hey, the BCS has them #11 while actual rankings have them 17th.

 

As for BSU and K-state, both should have been given a shot at the Sugar Bowl, unfortunately fan base was the main factor and UM is the obvious choice, and that probably had nothing to do with BCS rankings whatsoever. Thats a straight money game.

 

But it always has been about money. That's my point. The BCS has nothing to do with it. Once the eligible teams are set, the bowls choose the teams regardless of ranking. The Big Ten played a conference championship game voluntarily to make money. I don't want to hear people whine about how they are effected by their own actions.

 

In a wonderful happy world should other teams be there because they "deserve" it? Sure. But it never has and never will be that perfectly wonderful happy world. Last year MSU would have gotten in. Their own conferences choice to have a CG did them in. Oh well.

[RockRaines]

But it always has been about money. That's my point. The BCS has nothing to do with it. Once the eligible teams are set, the bowls choose the teams regardless of ranking. The Big Ten played a conference championship game voluntarily to make money. I don't want to hear people whine about how they are effected by their own actions.

 

In a wonderful happy world should other teams be there because they "deserve" it? Sure. But it never has and never will be that perfectly wonderful happy world. Last year MSU would have gotten in. Their own conferences choice to have a CG did them in. Oh well.

If there is no BCS does MSU make a BCS bowl before Michigan?

[RockRaines]

just saw this:

 

Robert Griffin '11: 4,642 total yards, 45 TDs

Cam Newton '10: 4,327 total yards, 50 TDs

Tim Tebow '07: 4,181 total yards, 55 TDs

 

Griffin 72.4% 6 INT 192.3 QB rating

Newton 66.1% 7 INT 182 QB rating

Tebow 66.9%, 6 INT 172.5 QB rating

 

Kinda made me think about my previous choice.

[southsider2k5]

Whatever. Get a new system and you and everyone else will find something else to b**** about. The system we have now is better than anything that has ever existed. The most fairly perceived system isn't always the best. Ask ss2k about class basketball in Indiana.

 

Everyone into a tournament sounds better than the IHSAA just picking the two best teams out of Indy.

[Soxbadger]

Rex,

 

Why cant they make a rule that only involves conferences with championship games?

 

The NCAA already has rules that only effect those conferences with championship games. It simply would read, "Both team that makes a conference championship where the winner would be entitled to an automatic bid BCS bid will be eligible for BCS game selection."

 

BCS conferences are already limited to 2 teams, so all it really does is allow the bowl games to pick a better team, the spot still is going to a major conference.

 

[Rex Hudler]

If there is no BCS does MSU make a BCS bowl before Michigan?

 

No. Wisky would go to the Rose Bowl and Michigan would likely get the next best bowl. That's the way it was before the BCS too. Again, this isn't something new. It's about selling tickets. Why do you think MSU isn't going to the Capital One this year? Partially because they went last year. But largely because they laid an egg there last year. If they shined last year you don't think the Capital One would have invited them back? Hell yes. It's about selling tickets. Always has been.

[Rex Hudler]

Everyone into a tournament sounds better than the IHSAA just picking the two best teams out of Indy.

 

If they were the best two teams would that be a bad thing?

[Rex Hudler]

Rex,

 

Why cant they make a rule that only involves conferences with championship games?

 

The NCAA already has rules that only effect those conferences with championship games. It simply would read, "Both team that makes a conference championship where the winner would be entitled to an automatic bid BCS bid will be eligible for BCS game selection."

 

BCS conferences are already limited to 2 teams, so all it really does is allow the bowl games to pick a better team, the spot still is going to a major conference.

 

They can do anything they want. But I just don't think its necessary and I would say the same thing if UM lost Saturday night. In fact, I wish UM had that opportunity instead of sitting at home. Conference games can be good or bad. But even if MSU was eligible, they still wouldn't have been chosen over Michigan.

 

Look at this scenario. Let's say Alabama did not make it into the NC game. Do you think runner up Georgia is more deserving of a BCS bid than Alabama just because they were in the weak SEC East? No. What if the losing team in a conference championship game had 4 or 5 losses? Lose a couple out of conference and land in a weak division and win with 2-3 losses and that's possible. Who wants that team to be BCS bowl eligible?

 

There are just too many scenarios that don't make sense. But they can change the rules to however they see fit. They have rules committes for that, right? Those committees would be made up of representatives of schools.

[Soxbadger]

Rex,

 

Im not saying that the loser gets a bid. Im saying that the loser should be able to be considered for a bid.

 

If dont get taken so be it, but I really dont see the problem with making there 3-5 more eligible teams.