2014-2015 NCAA football thread

[cabiness42]

Baylor has a much easier road than most of the teams you have above them.

 

Well, I essentially predicted no losses for any of the top 10 teams except to each other, which we all know isn't how it will turn out, but I didn't want to pick specific upsets. I really just wanted to start some conversation aside from the last two pages on who should be Illinois' next coach.

 

Baylor does play at Oklahoma, TCU has to play at Baylor and all three of them get Oklahoma State at home (what a s***ty draw for them) so all three going 11-1 is not out of the question.

[Dick Allen]

There is zero reason why Illinois can't be like Wisconsin or Iowa or Minnesota or Michigan State. The tier below Michigan and Ohio State in the Big 10, where bowl games are expected and really nice runs and a Big Ten title can happen if everything breaks correctly. All of those programs had 20 year or more stretches that were far worse than any Illinois has had. They just need to hire the right guy. Wisconsin hired Alvarez. Iowa, Fry.

 

Beckman was in over his head since day one and it was pretty obvious. Giving him the 3 year courtesy did nothing but make the wait longer for them to be a good team again. Players he has been recruiting know there is zero chance he will be there in a couple of years.

 

That said, they have to make sure they don't hire a guy who thinks its a stepping stone job. That's why I would look for a guy a little older, maybe pushing 50 or even a little older than that, who can recruit and can bring in a coaching staff where his possible replacement is already there. Even if the assitant leaves in a few seasons for a head coaching job, he will have established a relationshiip. Good coaches almost always have pretty impressive coaching trees.

[LittleHurt05]

OK, trying to find something to discuss aside from the next coach at Illinois. My projections for the playoffs/major bowls:

 

Sugar Bowl/Playoff: #1 Florida State (13-0) vs. #4 Michigan State (12-1)

Rose Bowl/Playoff: #2 Mississippi (12-1) vs. #3 Alabama (11-1)

 

Cotton Bowl: #5 Oklahoma (11-1) vs. #8 Notre Dame (11-1)

Orange Bowl: #6 Auburn (10-2) vs. Georgia Tech (10-3) [Orange Bowl is contractually obligated to take an ACC team]

Fiesta Bowl: #7 Baylor (11-1) vs. #10 Oregon (11-2)

Peach Bowl: #9 TCU (11-1) vs. #12 East Carolina (11-1)

 

If Notre Dame goes 11-1, I don't see how Oklahoma, Baylor, and MSU would be higher than them. The Big 12 isn't that strong and both of those teams played nobody out of conference. MSU would be closer but their two best B1G wins would be home, guess it depends who they play in the conf championship.

 

Well, I essentially predicted no losses for any of the top 10 teams except to each other, which we all know isn't how it will turn out, but I didn't want to pick specific upsets. I really just wanted to start some conversation aside from the last two pages on who should be Illinois' next coach.

 

Baylor does play at Oklahoma, TCU has to play at Baylor and all three of them get Oklahoma State at home (what a s***ty draw for them) so all three going 11-1 is not out of the question.

 

Somehow they all get Kansas State at home too.

[cabiness42]

If Notre Dame goes 11-1, I don't see how Oklahoma, Baylor, and MSU would be higher than them. The Big 12 isn't that strong and both of those teams played nobody out of conference. MSU would be closer but their two best B1G wins would be home, guess it depends who they play in the conf championship.

 

I'm not saying what would necessarily be fair, I'm saying how I think the rankings will turn out. Right now MSU is #8 and OU is #11, and if ND loses to FSU they will fall behind both those teams. Baylor may fall behind ND after losing to OU, but maybe not. Generally with the 1-loss teams, the earlier in the season you lose, the higher you are ranked. That is why MSU is in prime position right now. It doesn't really matter how good they actually are.

[Buehrle>Wood]

RE: MSU vs Notre Dame. I would project MSU with the ever so slightly better wins (we're assuming a FSU loss here) and the fact that the committee will probably want to avoid a rematch if possible, especially if nd gets the doors blown off them.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Buehrle>Wood

[LittleHurt05]

I'm not saying what would necessarily be fair, I'm saying how I think the rankings will turn out. Right now MSU is #8 and OU is #11, and if ND loses to FSU they will fall behind both those teams. Baylor may fall behind ND after losing to OU, but maybe not. Generally with the 1-loss teams, the earlier in the season you lose, the higher you are ranked. That is why MSU is in prime position right now. It doesn't really matter how good they actually are.

 

You do realize that these rankings don't matter whatsoever right? The committee will rank the teams on their own.

[cabiness42]

You do realize that these rankings don't matter whatsoever right? The committee will rank the teams on their own.

 

I think the committee will be heavily influenced by the rankings.

[LittleHurt05]

I think the committee will be heavily influenced by the rankings.

 

I disagree, but if you are right, then everything they have said for the past 12 months has been 99.999999% bulls***.

 

I think their first rankings are due to be released the last weekend of October, so we will see. They will also have said they will scrap all the old rankings and start from scratch each time. Time will tell.

[cabiness42]

I disagree, but if you are right, then everything they have said for the past 12 months has been 99.999999% bulls***.

 

I think their first rankings are due to be released the last weekend of October, so we will see. They will also have said they will scrap all the old rankings and start from scratch each time. Time will tell.

 

For the record, I really, really hope that I'm wrong, but I have this terrible feeling that the final committee rankings will very closely resemble a composite of the two major polls.

[fathom]

RE: MSU vs Notre Dame. I would project MSU with the ever so slightly better wins (we're assuming a FSU loss here) and the fact that the committee will probably want to avoid a rematch if possible, especially if nd gets the doors blown off them.

 

If ND loses to FSU and wins the rest of their games, it's very possible they'll end up with no top 25 wins by the end of the season. Stanford, ASU and USC have 3-4 games remaining where they'll likely be the underdogs. If Utah and Arizona play as well as they've looked so far this year, the PAC 12 standings are going to be a mess.

[cabiness42]

If ND loses to FSU and wins the rest of their games, it's very possible they'll end up with no top 25 wins by the end of the season. Stanford, ASU and USC have 3-4 games remaining where they'll likely be the underdogs. If Utah and Arizona play as well as they've looked so far this year, the PAC 12 standings are going to be a mess.

 

Utah by themselves has the potential to totally wreck ND's schedule strength. I'm not really worried though. Schedule strength is not going to keep a 12-0 ND team out of the playoff nor get a 10-2 team in. The only time it will matter is if ND ends up 11-1, and while getting in the playoff would be nice, unless the loss at FSU is very close I don't see what benefit there is in playing them again.

[RockRaines]

Word has it Gurley is suspended for taking money

[bmags]

Word has it Gurley is suspended for taking money

FOR SATURDAY?!?!?!!

 

If missouri f***s this up oh god plsplsplsplspls

[LittleHurt05]

Word has it Gurley is suspended for taking money

 

$400 for signing 80 items, lol. NCAA is a joke.

 

Probably better for him though, less likely to get a major injury before the draft.

[RockRaines]

$400 for signing 80 items, lol. NCAA is a joke.

 

Probably better for him though, less likely to get a major injury before the draft.

Over 250 items at up to 25 bucks per item.

 

At least it wasn't for tattoos.

[IlliniKrush]

$400 for signing 80 items, lol. NCAA is a joke.

 

Probably better for him though, less likely to get a major injury before the draft.

You can not like the rule (and we know changes have to be made), but until it's changed, Gurley's the joke. They all know they can't sign stuff for money. Stupid mistake, wait a year and you'll have all the money you'll need at this point.

[LittleHurt05]

You can not like the rule (and we know changes have to be made), but until it's changed, Gurley's the joke. They all know they can't sign stuff for money. Stupid mistake, wait a year and you'll have all the money you'll need at this point.

 

How is Gurley the joke? This won't affect his draft stock, he will still get paid and is now less likely to get injured.

 

I guess everyone is trying to hold on to their perfect dream of "amateurism", as fake as it is.

[IlliniKrush]

How is Gurley the joke? This won't affect his draft stock, he will still get paid and is now less likely to get injured.

 

I guess everyone is trying to hold on to their perfect dream of "amateurism", as fake as it is.

Calling the NCAA a joke for enforcing a rule that's known to all players? He's the joke for breaking such an obvious rule.

 

This has nothing to do with agreeing or disagreeing with the rule. NCAA makes an easy decision here if that's what he did.

[bmags]

this was Richt sitting him I believe

[LittleHurt05]

this was Richt sitting him I believe

 

Well of course, that's the easiest way to lose your job nowadays. Your QB gets a free tattoo, next thing you know you are in the administration at a D2 school.

[RockRaines]

Well of course, that's the easiest way to lose your job nowadays. Your QB gets a free tattoo, next thing you know you are in the administration at a D2 school.

Nah. Free tats gets you president at a D1 MAC school.

[Brian]

Do we have to hear about OSU and the free tattoos everytime a kid is suspended? Yes it was dumb but what about the tricked out car Pryor was seen peeling away in on camera. Not like OSU was innocent outside of that instance.

 

If you're going to get caught taking money, be like my man, C-Webb, and go BIG!

[RockRaines]

Do we have to hear about OSU and the free tattoos everytime a kid is suspended? Yes it was dumb but what about the tricked out car Pryor was seen peeling away in on camera. Not like OSU was innocent outside of that instance.

 

If you're going to get caught taking money, be like my man, C-Webb, and go BIG!

His 11k used Nissan? Your memory is bad.

 

And the OSU case is a hilarious look into an overly harsh punishment. Penn State received the same ncaa restrictions for decades of enabling child rape.

 

CWebb was good but Woodson did it better since he didn't even hurt the school.

[LittleHurt05]

Nah. Free tats gets you president at a D1 MAC school.

 

Youngstown St. is still D2 in football.

[Brian]

His 11k used Nissan? Your memory is bad.

 

And the OSU case is a hilarious look into an overly harsh punishment. Penn State received the same ncaa restrictions for decades of enabling child rape.

 

CWebb was good but Woodson did it better since he didn't even hurt the school.

 

Take notes on how it's to be done, than.

 

The car in this article says it's a tad more that $11,000. The writers memory must be bad.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6611808