Official 2012-2013 NCAA Football Thread

[witesoxfan]

ISU/NDSU with a Valley championship on the line on Saturday....Go Birds! (No one cares).

 

Really hard to move the ball on the NDSU defense, they are solid all around. The primary key is stopping the run because they have a couple of really good backs. If you can do that and get them in obvious pass downs, then you need to get a good pass rush on Jensen. He has a tendency to lock onto receivers and, while he's accurate and pretty conservative throwing the ball, he will make mistakes if you can force them.

 

Also have to look out for the play action too.

 

For what it's worth, I see NDSU winning it all again this year, but they are certainly a beatable team.

[RockRaines]

Navy, or an upper level MAC team, would beat the worst team on any other Top 10 team's schedule by quite a bit. That is my point.

I dont think that was your point at all, you were saying ND was so great because it didnt schedule MAC teams when it was pointed out that they instead scheduled service academies which are basically MAC teams anyway. Every top school in the nation schedules cupcakes, every single one. This will be changing IMO with the playoff system but as it stands today its a rule to do so.

[cabiness42]

I dont think that was your point at all, you were saying ND was so great because it didnt schedule MAC teams when it was pointed out that they instead scheduled service academies which are basically MAC teams anyway. Every top school in the nation schedules cupcakes, every single one. This will be changing IMO with the playoff system but as it stands today its a rule to do so.

 

I was pointing out that ND's schedule is more difficult year in and year out because they do not load their schedule with cupcakes.

 

Navy is not an elite team but it is also not a cupcake. Navy is better than the worst 2-3 teams on most schedules. There is a big difference. Navy, NIU, Toledo are teams that can beat a Top 20 team if that team has a bad game. Akron, Eastern Michigan, and Coastal Carolina aren't beating a Top 20 team no matter how bad they play.

[RockRaines]

I was pointing out that ND's schedule is more difficult year in and year out because they do not load their schedule with cupcakes.

 

Navy is not an elite team but it is also not a cupcake. Navy is better than the worst 2-3 teams on most schedules. There is a big difference. Navy, NIU, Toledo are teams that can beat a Top 20 team if that team has a bad game. Akron, Eastern Michigan, and Coastal Carolina aren't beating a Top 20 team no matter how bad they play.

First of all thats not what you said, its easy to see up top where you said they rarely schedule second tier schools like the MAC. Navy is a second tier football school. So by "very rarely" you mean they schedule second tier schools every single year. They also add other second tier conference foes from C-USA, and the MWC about every year as well. They have temple, AF, Navy and BYU from "second tier" conferences in 13. Rice, Navy, temple, in 14 and so on. ND is one of the best at putting together decently tough schedules but its almost impossible to not schedule a team from one of the lower conferences. Also these are made so far in advance that who knows what teams will be good, NIU could be s*** in 3 years and Akron could be dominant. They may not "load" their schedule with cupcakes, but no top tier team does because they have to play a conference slate which is difficult regardless of foe since you know each other so well. Look at who some of the SEC teams are playing this weekend.

 

Second, any team can beat any team at any time, especially teams in the second tier schools. Michigan found out that you can actually lose to a non-FBS team as well. I personally think that we will see these schedules get a bit harder as the playoff format expands and we will eventually see schedules split out the tiers of schools from one-another. There wont be much of a benefit of playing a team like EMU for Michigan because padding the record wont count as much. I would love to see the major conferences play each other instead of Western Kentucky, UAB etc.

 

I just noticed this looks harsh but I dont mean it that way. Nobody can defend their schedule as not having easy spots or "breaks" its how they've been designed since the titles were voted upon and especially since the BCS took over for some reason. I fully feel the expanded playoff will really force teams to look at SOS as a way in, which is why my team in particular is trying to schedule non-cons with all good teams instead of one good one and 2-3 s***ty ones (the vest loved throwing money to small ohio schools).

Edited November 15, 2012 by RockRaines

[cabiness42]

Look at the records of Navy & BYU over the last 10 years. Those teams are NOT comparable to the lower half of the MAC, CUSA, WAC, or any of the Sun Belt or FCS teams that other schools play. If Navy and BYU are second tier, then those other teams are third or fourth tier.

[LittleHurt05]

Look at the records of Navy & BYU over the last 10 years. Those teams are NOT comparable to the lower half of the MAC, CUSA, WAC, or any of the Sun Belt or FCS teams that other schools play. If Navy and BYU are second tier, then those other teams are third or fourth tier.

 

Have you ever looked at Navy's schedules? Including Notre Dame, they average maybe 4 games a year against BCS conference teams. Look at their wins the past 3 seasons, not exactly a murderers row.

 

2012: VMI, Air Force, Central Michigan, Indiana, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic

2011: Delaware, W. Kentucky, Troy, SMU, Army

2010: Georgia Southern, LA. Tech, Wake Forest, SMU, Notre Dame, East Carolina, C. Michigan, San Diego St., Army

[cabiness42]

Have you ever looked at Navy's schedules? Including Notre Dame, they average maybe 4 games a year against BCS conference teams. Look at their wins the past 3 seasons, not exactly a murderers row.

 

2012: VMI, Air Force, Central Michigan, Indiana, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic

2011: Delaware, W. Kentucky, Troy, SMU, Army

2010: Georgia Southern, LA. Tech, Wake Forest, SMU, Notre Dame, East Carolina, C. Michigan, San Diego St., Army

 

Yes, Navy is beating the teams that are on the schedules of other Top 25 teams. Shows exactly how weak those other teams' schedules are.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

What's being overlooked here is that Ball State should pretty much be playing in the SEC at this point.

[cabiness42]

Not sure about Ball State, but NIU could probably beat 3-4 SEC teams.

[LittleHurt05]

Yes, Navy is beating the teams that are on the schedules of other Top 25 teams. Shows exactly how weak those other teams' schedules are.

 

I don't see very many Pac-10 or Big 12 or SEC or Big 10 (Indiana doesn't count) teams on that schedule.

[cabiness42]

I don't see very many Pac-10 or Big 12 or SEC or Big 10 (Indiana doesn't count) teams on that schedule.

 

No, you see a lot of teams that Top 25 teams schedule as their non-conference games. So the worst teams on ND's schedule are beating the snot out of the worst teams on everybody else's schedule. That's what makes ND's schedule strength so much higher. Plus factor in that every conference has 1-3 teams like Indiana that they get to play on top of the weak non-conference opponents.

 

Even in a year where Oklahoma, Stanford, Michigan, Michigan State, and USC were all worse than anticipated, ND's schedule is still going to rate as tougher than KSU or Oregon. Navy doesn't drag the schedule strength down nearly as far as all those directional schools.

 

 

[fathom]

No, you see a lot of teams that Top 25 teams schedule as their non-conference games. So the worst teams on ND's schedule are beating the snot out of the worst teams on everybody else's schedule. That's what makes ND's schedule strength so much higher. Plus factor in that every conference has 1-3 teams like Indiana that they get to play on top of the weak non-conference opponents.

 

Even in a year where Oklahoma, Stanford, Michigan, Michigan State, and USC were all worse than anticipated, ND's schedule is still going to rate as tougher than KSU or Oregon. Navy doesn't drag the schedule strength down nearly as far as all those directional schools.

 

After this weekend, Kansas St's schedule is going to be rated harder than Notre Dame's.

[cabiness42]

After this weekend, Kansas St's schedule is going to be rated harder than Notre Dame's.

 

And then next week ND plays USC and it will flip back. KSU is also in a conference without divisions so they have to play every good team in their conference. Alabama did not play Florida, South Carolina, or Georgia yet somehow gets to brag about how difficult it is to play in the SEC.

[fathom]

And then next week ND plays USC and it will flip back. KSU is also in a conference without divisions so they have to play every good team in their conference. Alabama did not play Florida, South Carolina, or Georgia yet somehow gets to brag about how difficult it is to play in the SEC.

 

With Texas being ranked higher than USC, K St. will stay higher than them in SOS.

[cabiness42]

With Texas being ranked higher than USC, K St. will stay higher than them in SOS.

 

Next week, ND's SOS will be higher than KSU.

[fathom]

Next week, ND's SOS will be higher than KSU.

 

How do you figure? ND is 28th, K St is 29th. Baylor is ranked significantly higher than Wake Forest and Texas is ranked higher than USC. Now if Stanford beats Oregon, then ND's SOS would probably stay higher.

Edited November 15, 2012 by fathom

[LittleHurt05]

No, you see a lot of teams that Top 25 teams schedule as their non-conference games. So the worst teams on ND's schedule are beating the snot out of the worst teams on everybody else's schedule. That's what makes ND's schedule strength so much higher. Plus factor in that every conference has 1-3 teams like Indiana that they get to play on top of the weak non-conference opponents.

 

Even in a year where Oklahoma, Stanford, Michigan, Michigan State, and USC were all worse than anticipated, ND's schedule is still going to rate as tougher than KSU or Oregon. Navy doesn't drag the schedule strength down nearly as far as all those directional schools.

 

I realize how strength of schedule can be worked in your favor by avoiding FCS teams. I still don't see how Navy is any more respectable than playing a directional MAC school. They essentially play the same schedule as those teams do.

[cabiness42]

How do you figure? ND is 28th, K St is 29th. Baylor is ranked significantly higher than Wake Forest and Texas is ranked higher than USC. Now if Stanford beats Oregon, then ND's SOS would probably stay higher.

 

After next week's games, ND's SOS will be higher than KSU, and I'm sorry that it's so hard for you to figure out why.

[fathom]

After next week's games, ND's SOS will be higher than KSU, and I'm sorry that it's so hard for you to figure out why.

 

What proof do you have of this? Are you going off the SOS that shows ND is 28th and K St. is 29th?

Edited November 15, 2012 by fathom

[cabiness42]

I realize how strength of schedule can be worked in your favor by avoiding FCS teams. I still don't see how Navy is any more respectable than playing a directional MAC school. They essentially play the same schedule as those teams do.

 

Navy wins more against the same schedule than those teams. That's what makes them higher-rated. A team that goes 8-4 against a crap schedule is better than a team that goes 4-8 against the same schedule.

[cabiness42]

What proof do you have of this? Are you going off the SOS that shows ND is 28th and K St. is 29th?

 

Yes, that's what I'm using.

[fathom]

Yes, that's what I'm using.

 

So how would ND stay ahead of K St. if it's that close already and K St. is playing a top 35 team while ND is playing a team in the 70-80 range?

[cabiness42]

So how would ND stay ahead of K St. if it's that close already and K St. is playing a top 35 team while ND is playing a team in the 70-80 range?

 

ND won't stay ahead of KSU after this week's games, but they will go back ahead after next week's games.

[fathom]

ND won't stay ahead of KSU after this week's games, but they will go back ahead after next week's games.

 

So if ND is below KSU after this week, how would they then go ahead after Texas is ranked higher than USC?

[cabiness42]

So if ND is below KSU after this week, how would they then go ahead after Texas is ranked higher than USC?

 

Texas is irrelevant to the rankings after next week's games.