Octopus Overlords

I don’t see Penn State winning if they throw the ball 40 times.

Or maybe they do. Some wide open receivers on some plays.

Welcome to the Ducks, B1G TEN.




what a game... Worst D showing for Oregon this year, they need to get that fixed - but it's a (nother) win!

Yeah, Ducks seemed to be playing a 2-4-5 defense with only two down linemen most of the game, and Penn St ate it up running the ball over and over against it.

The offense was amazing tho, so good to see Tez Johnson playing again.

So, SMU or Alabama?

I've got a feeling we're going to get Alabama at Notre Dame.

I'm really hoping Indiana doesn't get Ohio at again. No first round rematches!

Pyperkub wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2024 2:18 am

So, SMU or Alabama?

I've got a feeling we're going to get Alabama at Notre Dame.

SMU!

Indiana is at ND.

The odds of picking the top four seeds would have been astronomical.

I’m truly shocked they left Bama out.s

All three of Utah’s active QBs entered the transfer portal today. Our 5th and 6th string guys were seniors, so the only QB left on the roster is…Cam Rising (still unclear if he actually has any eligibility remaining).

The transfer portal is wild, yo.

LawBeefaroni wrote:

Pyperkub wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2024 2:18 am

So, SMU or Alabama?

I've got a feeling we're going to get Alabama at Notre Dame.

SMU!

Indiana is at ND.

That's pretty interesting that they've put Indiana so close to home. Sure, it will be a ND crowd and their turf, but there could be quite a bit of red in the crowd. Should be an interesting matchup.

Skinypupy wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2024 4:24 pm All three of Utah’s active QBs entered the transfer portal today. Our 5th and 6th string guys were seniors, so the only QB left on the roster is…Cam Rising (still unclear if he actually has any eligibility remaining).

The transfer portal is wild, yo.

Fresno State’s Quarterback entered the portal after transferring here from the portal two years ago. He had some good games but he also had some terrible games and never really improved after a few good games his first year. The transfer portal really has become a crap shoot.

Apparently. Bill Belichick is in talks with UNC about their open Head Coach job.

I give up trying to figure out college football.

Skinypupy wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 10:51 am Apparently. Bill Belichick is in talks with UNC about their open Head Coach job.

I give up trying to figure out college football.

Nothing in Belichek’s history would make you think that hiring him to coach a college team is a good idea.

Scuzz wrote:

Skinypupy wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 10:51 am Apparently. Bill Belichick is in talks with UNC about their open Head Coach job.

I give up trying to figure out college football.

Nothing in Belichek’s history would make you think that hiring him to coach a college team is a good idea.

It's not his history that's important. It's his name and the caliber of players that would come to UNC just to be around him. NIL and the transfer portal have changed everything.

Agreed. It would create a buzz and that buzz would attract some talent and TV interest.

Sent from my CPH2583 using Tapatalk

In reviewing the CFP rankings and bowls, the lack of divisions made a HUGE difference. Colorado never got a shot at ASU/ISU and lost out on the championship opportunity because of tiebreakers with no head to head games. Miami never got a shot at Clemson/SMU and lost out to Clemson because of tiebreakers, not a head to head result (AND everyone thinks SMU should be out because they didn't play many good teams). Indiana never got a shot at Oregon/PSU because of tiebreakers, not a head to head result (and is also massively dinged for the schedule). Texas had a schedule where they missed most of the best SEC teams. With divisions, everyone gets a shot at at least 1 team in the Conference championship with a chance to go if they are good enough. Now? Your best bet is to hope the schedule is weak.

disarm wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:16 pm

Scuzz wrote:

Skinypupy wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 10:51 am Apparently. Bill Belichick is in talks with UNC about their open Head Coach job.

I give up trying to figure out college football.

Nothing in Belichek’s history would make you think that hiring him to coach a college team is a good idea.

It's not his history that's important. It's his name and the caliber of players that would come to UNC just to be around him. NIL and the transfer portal have changed everything.

But for how long? Maybe he could do what Sanders has done at Colorado, but Belichek ran an NFL franchise and while the portal and NIL may give him more options I don’t see it the same as being GM and coach in the NFL.

Scuzz wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 9:36 pm

disarm wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:16 pm

Scuzz wrote:

Skinypupy wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2024 10:51 am Apparently. Bill Belichick is in talks with UNC about their open Head Coach job.

I give up trying to figure out college football.

Nothing in Belichek’s history would make you think that hiring him to coach a college team is a good idea.

It's not his history that's important. It's his name and the caliber of players that would come to UNC just to be around him. NIL and the transfer portal have changed everything.

But for how long? Maybe he could do what Sanders has done at Colorado, but Belichek ran an NFL franchise and while the portal and NIL may give him more options I don’t see it the same as being GM and coach in the NFL.

And he's old. I get having the name recognition and all but they just got rid of one old geezer.

Big Ten football grades:

Thought our Michigan peeps might get a kick out of this:

Michigan

You ever skip class for the entire semester, don't do any of the work and then show up to ace the final and get a passing grade? That's Michigan's 2024 season. Listen, on the whole, this was a terrible year for the Wolverines. They went from winning a national title to playing musical chairs at QB with three different three-legged chairs. They got clowned at home by Texas and Oregon. They lost road games to the Washington team they beat in the title game last year as well as Illinois and Indiana. Then they went and beat Ohio State for the fourth straight season to finish the year strong and send the Buckeyes into a tailspin. The last sentence is the only one anybody in Ann Arbor cares about right now

UCLA's is a bit lower than I'd expect, and they completely skip over the fact that in our final 2 losses we were down to our 4th string LT, but TBH, it doesn't look like the grades account for injuries.

Pyperkub wrote: Tue Dec 10, 2024 1:29 pm Big Ten football grades:

Thought our Michigan peeps might get a kick out of this:

Michigan

You ever skip class for the entire semester, don't do any of the work and then show up to ace the final and get a passing grade? That's Michigan's 2024 season. Listen, on the whole, this was a terrible year for the Wolverines. They went from winning a national title to playing musical chairs at QB with three different three-legged chairs. They got clowned at home by Texas and Oregon. They lost road games to the Washington team they beat in the title game last year as well as Illinois and Indiana. Then they went and beat Ohio State for the fourth straight season to finish the year strong and send the Buckeyes into a tailspin. The last sentence is the only one anybody in Ann Arbor cares about right now

I mean it's true. Coming off a national title and being able to stop caring about the playoffs well before half the season is over. And then being handed one of the biggest upset victories in school history.

Zen acceptance and a really really nice gift.



Now time to root for Tennessee and Indiana....

As a Horned Frog, I'm ecstatic we actually qualified for a bowl game. We were looking at a 5-7 season not too long ago, but man did we turn it around at the end of the season. It took moving our best wide receiver to a hybrid RB/QB/WR, but whatever...

But Louisiana? In the New Mexico Bowl? blech.

I feel sorry for Oregon. They are quite clearly the National Champions. They are the only undefeated team and their schedule wasn't all cupcakes like some of the playoff teams. But now they have to play three tough games to be champions making it unlikely (IMHO) that they will finish as the number one team.

And who thought giving conference champions a bye and seeding them so highly was a good idea? They should pick the 12 and then seed them regardless of their conference standings as they do in basketball, and give byes to the BEST teams. Sure, winning the Big 10 or the SEC is quite an accomplishment, and the ACC isn't bad, but the other conferences are so much weaker that it makes no sense to give their champions an automatic berth into the playoffs. All this could be solved by simply choosing the 12 best teams every year. Or just take the top 4 Big 10 teams, the top 4 SEC teams, and then 4 at-large teams and you would have a much more compelling field, IMHO,,,

I think Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia and Texas are a bit above the others and I expect one of them to be the eventual winner. Throw in Notre Dame, Penn State and Tennessee and you have all the teams that actually deserve to be in this playoff. The others are just Affirmative Action inclusions to water down the field and make it more likely that the actual BEST team either loses in an upset or sustains injuries that prevent them from winning the title.

I was disappointed when it first hit me that my state's teams (Auburn/Alabama/UAB) wouldn't be in the playoff until I remembered we're a basketball state now.

My local paper predicts an Oregon vs ND final. Which means both teams probably won't make the final at all. If I had to predict a winner right now I would give it to Oregon but anything can happen. As for Boise State, if their game is even close I'll be amazed, they definitely don't deserve a bye.

Honestly, I'm fine with how this playoff is shaking out. Once you decide to expand beyond 4 or so teams, you're no longer trying to crown the best team - you're trying to crown a tournament champion (like with the bball tournament). Sometimes things will work out and the best team will win, but often they won't for whatever reason. When looking at it that way, I'm fine with having some teams who maybe aren't in the true top 12 (just like there are teams in the bball tournament who aren't in the true top 68). Play it out, root for upsets, have some fun with it.

Apollo wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 12:28 pm I was disappointed when it first hit me that my state's teams (Auburn/Alabama/UAB) wouldn't be in the playoff until I remembered we're a basketball state now.

This has been the U of Michigan approach for the last 15 years or so, as we've tended to either have a good football team and a bad basketball team or vice versa. Just switch to "basketball school" or "football school" (or that year we were in the College World Series final, "baseball school") as appropriate.

And in Michigan has officially broken the state of Ohio news, someone in the state legislature has put forth a bill that would make it a felony to plant a flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium. Not a good look!

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 1:13 pm

And in Michigan has officially broken the state of Ohio news, someone in the state legislature has put forth a bill that would make it a felony to plant a flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium. Not a good look!

Mr. Fed might have something to say about that.

Since the team conspired would it be a RICO violation?

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 1:13 pm Honestly, I'm fine with how this playoff is shaking out. Once you decide to expand beyond 4 or so teams, you're no longer trying to crown the best team - you're trying to crown a tournament champion (like with the bball tournament). Sometimes things will work out and the best team will win, but often they won't for whatever reason. When looking at it that way, I'm fine with having some teams who maybe aren't in the true top 12 (just like there are teams in the bball tournament who aren't in the true top 68). Play it out, root for upsets, have some fun with it.

But the seeding is ridiculous. Oregon beat Penn State in the championship game to remain undefeated and #1 ranked and are rewarded with the toughest path? Boise State and AZ get byes and 2 & 3 seeds? It's absurd.

The NCAABB tourney uses rankings to develop the seeds. NCAAFB uses unbalanced conference championships.

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 1:13 pm Honestly, I'm fine with how this playoff is shaking out. Once you decide to expand beyond 4 or so teams, you're no longer trying to crown the best team - you're trying to crown a tournament champion (like with the bball tournament). Sometimes things will work out and the best team will win, but often they won't for whatever reason. When looking at it that way, I'm fine with having some teams who maybe aren't in the true top 12 (just like there are teams in the bball tournament who aren't in the true top 68). Play it out, root for upsets, have some fun with it.

Apollo wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 12:28 pm I was disappointed when it first hit me that my state's teams (Auburn/Alabama/UAB) wouldn't be in the playoff until I remembered we're a basketball state now.

This has been the U of Michigan approach for the last 15 years or so, as we've tended to either have a good football team and a bad basketball team or vice versa. Just switch to "basketball school" or "football school" (or that year we were in the College World Series final, "baseball school") as appropriate.

And in Michigan has officially broken the state of Ohio news, someone in the state legislature has put forth a bill that would make it a felony to plant a flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium. Not a good look!

Link

Lawmaker wants to make flag planting illegal at Ohio Stadium after Michigan fight

LawBeefaroni wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:13 pm

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 1:13 pm Honestly, I'm fine with how this playoff is shaking out. Once you decide to expand beyond 4 or so teams, you're no longer trying to crown the best team - you're trying to crown a tournament champion (like with the bball tournament). Sometimes things will work out and the best team will win, but often they won't for whatever reason. When looking at it that way, I'm fine with having some teams who maybe aren't in the true top 12 (just like there are teams in the bball tournament who aren't in the true top 68). Play it out, root for upsets, have some fun with it.

But the seeding is ridiculous. Oregon beat Penn State in the championship game to remain undefeated and #1 ranked and are rewarded with the toughest path? Boise State and AZ get byes and 2 & 3 seeds? It's absurd.

The NCAABB tourney uses rankings to develop the seeds. NCAAFB uses unbalanced conference championships.

Sure, but people are acting surprised that this is happening. We knew this from the start - that was the rule set everyone agreed to:

• 12 teams will be selected to the Playoff field, with the five highest-ranked conference champions earning automatic bids

• The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and each will receive a first-round bye

• Teams seeded 5-12 will play each other in the first round on the home field of the higher-ranked team

As for Oregon getting a tough path, that happens in the bball tournament, too. C'est la vie. Maybe it should be changed going forward. Maybe this works in football because there are just the few power conferences. Change it going forward if needed, but this is how it was designed to work this year.

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:34 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:13 pm

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 1:13 pm Honestly, I'm fine with how this playoff is shaking out. Once you decide to expand beyond 4 or so teams, you're no longer trying to crown the best team - you're trying to crown a tournament champion (like with the bball tournament). Sometimes things will work out and the best team will win, but often they won't for whatever reason. When looking at it that way, I'm fine with having some teams who maybe aren't in the true top 12 (just like there are teams in the bball tournament who aren't in the true top 68). Play it out, root for upsets, have some fun with it.

But the seeding is ridiculous. Oregon beat Penn State in the championship game to remain undefeated and #1 ranked and are rewarded with the toughest path? Boise State and AZ get byes and 2 & 3 seeds? It's absurd.

The NCAABB tourney uses rankings to develop the seeds. NCAAFB uses unbalanced conference championships.

Sure, but people are acting surprised that this is happening. We knew this from the start - that was the rule set everyone agreed to:

• 12 teams will be selected to the Playoff field, with the five highest-ranked conference champions earning automatic bids

• The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and each will receive a first-round bye

• Teams seeded 5-12 will play each other in the first round on the home field of the higher-ranked team

As for Oregon getting a tough path, that happens in the bball tournament, too. C'est la vie. Maybe it should be changed going forward. Maybe this works in football because there are just the few power conferences. Change it going forward if needed, but this is how it was designed to work this year.

Yeah, my biggest issue with the conference champs is that I think that ANY conference champ who gets delegated to the first round (Clemson this year) should get that first game at home. They actually earned it, as compared to the at large team who didn't win their conference championship.

In most years (in theory), this means that the G5 Champion would get a home game, which I think is a reasonable reward for winning their conference, especially since the team they will play will NEVER, EVER play a home and home with them. This is more for the fans/students/season ticket holders who never get to play a big time team at home. And has the side benefits of:

a) increased ticket/tourism revenue for that G5 Team/location
b) power4 fans who want to travel for the game get to go somewhere they've probably never seen a game before. Heck, even this year, I doubt any Texas fans have ever gone to a game in Clemson's Death Valley.

drawback? Most years I think this game will be in Idaho! on the smurf turf in freezing temps

Pyperkub wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:10 pm Yeah, my biggest issue with the conference champs is that I think that ANY conference champ who gets delegated to the first round (Clemson this year) should get that first game at home. They actually earned it, as compared to the at large team who didn't win their conference championship.

I could totally go for that idea.

Pyperkub wrote: drawback? Most years I think this game will be in Idaho! on the smurf turf in freezing temps

Why are you calling what is clearly a bonus a drawback?

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:40 pm

Pyperkub wrote: drawback? Most years I think this game will be in Idaho! on the smurf turf in freezing temps

Why are you calling what is clearly a bonus a drawback?

There are few things in the world more unwatchable than a game on the Smurf Turf.

Skinypupy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:57 pm

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:40 pm

Pyperkub wrote: drawback? Most years I think this game will be in Idaho! on the smurf turf in freezing temps

Why are you calling what is clearly a bonus a drawback?

There are few things in the world more unwatchable than a game on the Smurf Turf.

It would be fun to go see a (really) meaningful game there tho! (tho ESPN would probably schedule it as a night game, just to freeze everyone's asses off!)

This just sucks for both teams. Heard Marshall lost 30 players to the portal when the coach announced he was leaving.

Hunter wins the Heisman in the closest race in several years. Kid’s an incredible athlete, to be sure.

Skinypupy wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2024 1:14 am Hunter wins the Heisman in the closest race in several years. Kid’s an incredible athlete, to be sure.

I don’t often have an opinion on the Heisman, but even with the great year the Boise RB had it s hard to think Hunter wasn’t worthy.

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 4:39 pm Herd Marshall lost 30 players...

FTFY.


Though it looks like La Tech may be up for it.

Marshall is opting out of the Independence Bowl against Army while Louisiana Tech has been tabbed to step in as a replacement, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd. The Thundering Herd have already lost over 25 players to the transfer portal, and because of the exodus, they will no longer participate in the bowl game on Dec. 28.

...

To determine a replacement for Marshall, it came down to sifting through a ranking of NCAA APR scores of teams that finished the 2024 season with a 5-7 record. Top of the list were the likes of Cincinnati, Wisconsin and Air Force, but the committee ultimately landed on Louisiana Tech, who landed 16th out of 17 teams among the group.

Hope so, Army deserves a game.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2024 11:59 am

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 4:39 pm Herd Marshall lost 30 players...

FTFY.

I feel like this whole bowl thing may have jumped the shark…

Pop-Tarts Bowl GE Appliances = the NEW Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy with a built-in WORKING (!!!) toaster

Last year, they ate the mascot. And a toaster in the trophy is your line?

Skinypupy wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2024 11:00 am I feel like this whole bowl thing may have jumped the shark…

Pop-Tarts Bowl GE Appliances = the NEW Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy with a built-in WORKING (!!!) toaster

This Bowl is Toast!

Isgrimnur wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2024 11:02 am Last year, they ate the mascot. And a toaster in the trophy is your line?

See, that was hilarious.

This is just silly.