Crazy college football Saturday

[Caveat Emperor]

The Big 12 is very weak this year, but Texas is hardly overrated.

Who have they played? They barely beat an Ohio State team with it's starting QB seeing his first game action of the year (I've got no love for the Buckeyes, but even I think if you play that game again now, they win), and they stomped a Texas Tech team that might've been the softest October Top-10 team I've ever seen (big rough schedule they'd played to go unbeaten to that point: Fla Int'l, Sam Houston, Indiana State, Kansas, Nebraska, K State).

Further, look at Oklahoma last year -- they smacked around everyone on their schedule and then got embarassed in the national title game, and they had a better running back than Texas has and a more efficient passer than Texas has. They even had a better coach than Texas has right now. Although he is a great recruiter, Mack Brown might be the worst "big game" game day coach in the nation. I see the exact same thing happening this year as happened last year: giant USC blowout in the national title game.

Penn State and Alabama would both give USC a tougher title game than Texas.

[GAC]

Smith is blah.

His 'great' performances have come against Michigan State, Indiana, Minnesota, and Illinois. Color me unimpressed. When it mattered he couldn't/didn't come through and now he's running up his numbers against the Reds pitching staff of College football defenses.

You may be right ochre - I thought the same. But I also put some of the blame on their offensive scheme amd play calling, which is Tressel's fault. We still should have beaten Texas earlier in the year. That game, and the way it was called, still infuriates me.

In fact, both of our losses were to two very good teams. And we were in both games, and IMO, could've/should have won them. Tressel gave those games away because of his over reliance on defense and special teams to put up the points versus his offense. There is more to offense them simply ball control.

[ochre]

You may be right ochre - I thought the same. But I also put some of the blame on their offensive scheme amd play calling, which is Tressel's fault. We still should have beaten Texas earlier in the year. That game, and the way it was called, still infuriates me.

In fact, both of our losses were to two very good teams. And we were in both games, and IMO, could've/should have won them. Tressel gave those games away because of his over reliance on defense and special teams to put up the points versus his offense. There is more to offense them simply ball control.

I hope I'm wrong, but I see the same mistakes that were devastating against the better defenses being repeated against these bad teams, but the bad teams aren't able to take advantage of the situations. Smith seemed to spread the ball around a little better the last few games, but I am concerned that is more a function of the bad defences.

[MWM]

Count me in the Texas is WAY over-rated camp.

[LincolnparkRed]

I will say that I also agree that Texas is overrated, OSU settled for field goals too many times and Vince Young really only bailed himself out after making a lot of dumb decisions in that game.

I did watch USC for part of Saturday and they will get beat by the long pass but their offense just looks like they run at another speed vs. everyone but Notre Dame(who seems to have caught every opponenent in their worst game of the year).

As for the buckeyes, they should beat both NU and UM but they have a way of disappointing late in the season. Also remember that in '02 they were predicted by SI to be a year away as well.

[Blimpie]

Vandy has a QB that will play a LONG time on Sundays..I don't give a flip if it's Vandy...great game and I'm glad I can breath again

Krono: I'll have you know that once the Gators went up 14 with four minutes remaining, I turned it off and started doing some yard work. Good thing, too....'cause I dunno if my heart could have taken it.

[Unassisted]

Those of you who think Texas is overrated would really hate watching the local news down here. Now that the Longhorns are a title contender, we are treated to nightly doses of snarkiness from Mack Brown. I can't imagine that there's a coach in college football today who comes off on TV as a bigger jerk than Mack. I have reached the point where I just cannot stand to hear the guy speak. I'm sooooo ready for these guys to lose a game.

Between that and the indigestible spoonfuls of half-baked wisdom dispensed by Bill Parcells, I usually end up turning off the local news after the weather at this time of year.

[KronoRed]

Krono: I'll have you know that once the Gators went up 14 with four minutes remaining, I turned it off and started doing some yard work. Good thing, too....'cause I dunno if my heart could have taken it.

It was you! you are not allowed to turn games off till the end!!!

[BuckeyeRed27]

I don't think Texas is overrated. That being said when they play USC it will have been about 5 months since they had a real test and a big game. USC had the ND game and I still think UCLA will give them some sort of a fight (at least better than the Sooners gave Texas). I think it will be a situation where Texas is a better team and if they can avoid giving up big plays and making turnovers early they will win. Thats why Oklahoma lost last year.

Also I don't think that USC and Texas are the two best teams in the nation. However they have earned the right by getting the breaks at the right time to play for the national title (assuming they win out of course). I think OSU and Miami could beat both of those teams if they played them now. If Georgia has Shockley I think they can beat them too.

[OnBaseMachine]

OSU has already lost to Texas at home and at Penn State, what makes you think they can beat a better team in USC? The lack of respect USC gets in amazing.

Georgia beat Arkansas by 3 points, a team that USC beat 70-17. They don't have the offense to hang with USC. No one does, imo.

[Caveat Emperor]

Georgia beat Arkansas by 3 points, a team that USC beat 70-17. They don't have the offense to hang with USC. No one does, imo.

Brady Quinn says "Hi!"

Incidentally, I think that USC has really yet to face a "hit you in the mouth" defense of the type that Alabama plays. I'd be interested to see how they fare against that kind of team.

[Blimpie]

It was you! you are not allowed to turn games off till the end!!!

I learned my lesson. This is NOT your father's Vanderbilt team. Not that this is a sign of the apocalypse or anything, but Vandy is a (gulp) 12 point favorite against UK this weekend.

Jay Cutler = Best QB in SEC

[OnBaseMachine]

Brady Quinn says "Hi!"

Incidentally, I think that USC has really yet to face a "hit you in the mouth" defense of the type that Alabama plays. I'd be interested to see how they fare against that kind of team.

That's what they hear every year.

USC has yet to face a smashmouth defense...We heard the same thing in 2002, 2003, and again last year. Iowa was supposed to have this smashmouth D to shut them down in 2002. The result was a big USC win. 2003, Michigan's D is too physical for USC...same result, USC wins big. Last year Oklahoma was supposedly the best defense USC has ever faced. USC hung 55 on them.

Good point about Notre Dame. Completely forgot about that game, but I think if the two teams were to play on a neutral field USC would win by two touchdowns.

[BuckeyeRed27]

That's what they hear every year.

Good point about Notre Dame. Completely forgot about that game, but I think if the two teams were to play on a neutral field USC would win by two touchdowns.

Well you're wrong.

USC is a good team, but they aren't a dominate team. They could have easily lost to Notre Dame (and probably did if you enforce the rules of the game) and could have last to Arizona State. They caught the breaks.

Texas could have easily lost to OSU. They won that game because OSU coudln't quite figure out how to win it despite being a better team and outplaying Texas. But they didn't lose..they caught the breaks.

Lets see you also asked me why I thought OSU could beat Texas, Penn State and USC. Well first let me say if those 3 games were to take place again they could be very good games. Overall however I think OSU is a better team. If both teams play well OSU wins. OSU lost to 2 of those 3 on a combination of playing poorly and being unlucky.

You also said because Georgia only beat Arkansas by a field goal they can't beat USC. Well using similar opponents is always a flawless way to determine who is a superior team.
Here we go:
Michigan State beat Notre Dame by 6.
USC beat Notre Dame by 3.
Clearly Michigan State is better than USC.
It's not that I don't see your point about the point spread. I just really hate when people say that to compare teams. If USC and Georgia (with DJ) played it would be a good game and I think Georgia would have a good shot at winning.

[OnBaseMachine]

Gee, if OSU is as good as you say, shouldn't they be playing in the NFL? Or atleast in the National Championship game?

USC isn't a dominant team? 31 game win streak, five games this season of scoring 50+ points, tough road wins at ASU, ND, and Oregon, back to back National Champs. I consider that dominant.