Great Day for College Football

[OldRightHander]

Well, looks like BC is going down.

[OnBaseMachine]

BC loses. Matt Ryan threw his third INT of the night, with the last one being returned for a TD.

My top three would be:

1. OSU
2. Oregon
3. LSU

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

In the SEC and PAC 10 different games every week effect the SEC race. Some weeks it involved KY, some involved LSU, on and on. But in the Big Ten what game really means anything other than OSU-MI?

I see what you're saying and you have a point. However, all those SEC games do is set up a championship game where you could have an undefeated team and if they just happen to lose that championship game by a fluke, they can't play for the BCS championship. It almost makes the regular season meaningless. I'm not saying the SEC isn't a good conference. It's arguably the best conference this year and it would be a shame to see a 1 or 2 loss team not being able to come out of there and not get to play for the BCS championship because teams from weaker conferences are undefeated.

[Javy Pornstache]

I've been saying for weeks that Oregon and West Virginia are the darkhorses in this national championship chase as a lot of the focus has been on OSU, LSU, Okla, and in recent weeks, BC and South Florida. It's hard to call them darkhorses now that WV's back near the top five and Oregon's already made it there, but as teams continue to get picked off, it's hard to ignore these two. Obviously, OSU-Michigan will likely determine whether the Buckeyes play for the title, and I still think LSU is one of the very best teams in the country, but the SEC is so brutal. They still have one moderately tough regular season game left (Arkansas) but an SEC Championship that should be a real battle with any of five teams (Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky). There's a real chance for either of these two to get into the championship game.

[Cedric]

Mike Hart will be remembered just like Jake Long and Chad Henne. First four time losers to Ohio State.

I'm sure after the game he will talk about how he is better than Wells and how Michigan lost the game. His mouth is bigger than his game. Hart wasn't even the best running back playing on that field today. Ringer is a much better player on a worse team and Oline.

[GAC]

Originally Posted by MWM

What a great college football day. Lots of good games, lots of meaningful games.

Amen brother! And to echo your last line..... "Boy do I love college football."

I was watching the Michigan-MSU game and my cable box, which has been acting up, went out again. So I'm scrambling around like Carson Palmer unhooking the box and going with a direct feed into the TV so I can at least get the lower tier channels and get the game(s) back on.

Charter says there is nothing wrong with the box, but that's it for me with Charter Communications. Plus, they have no plans to carry the Big Ten Network or Hi-Def. I mean, I got a 55" HD TV, and it may as well be a 13" black and white.

We learned a couple of things about Ohio State, even though I wouldn't consider this a real test. First, we learned that the defense is more vulnerable than some thought.

Deja Vu Mike? They're good; but have they really (and I do mean "really") been tested? They have shut down what was, at the time, two of the Big Ten's top offenses in Purdue and Michigan State.... but I am still unconvinced.

There were times in the game where Wisconsin moved it pretty easily. Second, we learned that they're capable of bouncing back after some adversity. After the 3 and out following Wisconsin's go ahead TD, I was seeing 1998 Michigan State all over again. Boy was I wrong. They completely took over the game with theri O and D lines and dominated a decent Wisconsin team from there on out.

I think this was the first game where it appears they came out and didn't follow their normal gameplan, which is.... run the ball to establish the passing game. OSU this year has had a very balanced attack. They didn't utilize that in the first half. Why? I have no idea. Tressel experimenting, taking a harder look-see at how good/capable Boeckman is in leading a team? Anyone's guess.

But Chris Wells is one heck of a runner IMO.

Folks, LSU is not THAT good. I'm not suggesting they're a bad team or that there are a lot of teams better, but they're not the juggernaut many thought they would be. They're incredibly undisciplined as a team and Les Miles is, well, just insane. Seriously! I think the guy is whacko. They're capable of beating anyone in the country with the talent they have, but they're also capable of losing to a lot of teams they should beat. I don't think they're well coached and they've been INCREDIBLY lucky to squeak out a few of their victories (see incredibly boneheaded play by Albama QB to ive them the ball on the 3 yard line). I wouldn't at all be surprised to see them falter at some point to a team they should easily beat (like UK). I just don't have any faith in their coaching.

I actually picked Alabama to win this game. And they should have IMO. I'm not too impressed with the defensive play of some of these SEC teams.

With the BC loss yesterday, it looks like LSU (the darlin' of ESPN) will become #2, while the Mighty Ducks will be #3.

And yes, a OSU-LSU matchup in the NC game does scare me, regardless of Mile's reckless coaching.

It's nice to see Michigan State is still Michigan State, even with D'Antonio. Once again, they lose a game they had well in hand. That team should never play with a lead. There's must be something in the water there in East Lansing that makes them fold once they have a game in hand.

On our Big Ten thread, they have screwed me 2-3 times early in the season with their erratic/inconsistent play. You have no idea which team is going to appear on Saturday. I no longer pick them to win anything.

Michael Hart is a special football player and, in my mind, is a great representation of all what college football is about. The guys plays with such a passion that's rare. And his balance is off the charts unreal. The play of the game today that allowed Michigan to sustain their final drive was a play where Mallett fumbled and he picked it up, completely dodged Spartan defender and wound up with a first down. It's was an amazing play, and I doubt Michigan wins the game had they lost that fumble; or even if they hadn't gotten that first down.

And I thought "hobblin'" Henne also had a very gutsy game. When he went out, being 10 pts down, and they brought in that freshman QB, I thought it was over for Michigan. Having that protective leg brace on, Henne was still able to plant and throw some excellent passes in late, pressure situations. And kudos to Manningham also. What a gifted receiver.

What a train wreck in Nebraska. Callahan is also a little nuts. Actually, he's a LOT nuts. Goes to show that getting to one Super Bowl doesn't make you a great coach. It also shows that getting an NFL coach doesn't always work (see Pitt for exhibit B, Georgia Tech for Exhibit C, Virginia for D). It's too bad because there are no better college football fans than in Lincoln, Nebraska. They deserve better.

When they first flashed that score across the bottom of my TV screen I thought it was a BB pre-season score.

For all the talk about weak schedules in the Big 10, SEC powerhouses played Tenesse Tech and Troy today. And Georgia struggled a bit against them. Troy gained 485 yards of offense and scored 34 points. I thought this didn't happen in the SEC. I thought they had so much speed, no one else was supposed to be able to play with them.

The SEC has some darn good teams. They are, right now, a "step above" the Big Ten. I'm just tired of some many raggin' on the Big Ten and saying they are weak. I don't think they are as weak as some may contend.

This is the year the Wolverines beat OSU. Mark it down. There's no way Mike Hart loses 4 times to the Buckeyes. It's in Ann Arobr. Manningham is finally looking like Manningham and OSU is vulnerable to the run. My prediction is a close game, but Hart will put on a clinic of how to take over a game as a tailback. He'll go down as one of the greatest Michigan RBs in their storied history.

Ain't gonna happen IMO. Hart is good, but so is Chris Wells. But it's still going to come down, just like yesterday (late), to Chad Henne pulling them through. Manningham scares me more then Hart. But OSU's run defense is still pretty stout (71 yds/game. Michigan allows 129 yds/game) - it's OSU's pass defense that worries me.

Michigan had to comeback yesterday to beat a poor 1-5 (5-5 overall) MSU team. They should have lost to Penn State earlier too IMO.

Lets see how they do next week at Wisconsin.

It's obviously going to be a typical OSU-Michigan game where these coaches are going to be throwing everything but the kitchen sink at each other. But that's the way it always is.

I think it will be a high scoring affair; but OSU's offense will prevail because Michigan's defense, regardless of how "inspired" they may be because it is Ohio State, will let them down.

And WE have Lloyd Carr.

How can Notre Dame be THIS bad? I'm not kidding. I think everyone knew it would be a down year. I have a lot of ND fan friends and they all knew it as well. I figured they'd be a game or two under .500, but for the love of all that is holy, how could this ever happen at ND.

Extend Weiss!

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by MWM

Michael Hart is a special football player and, in my mind, is a great representation of all what college football is about. The guys plays with such a passion that's rare. And his balance is off the charts unreal. The play of the game today that allowed Michigan to sustain their final drive was a play where Mallett fumbled and he picked it up, completely dodged Spartan defender and wound up with a first down. It's was an amazing play, and I doubt Michigan wins the game had they lost that fumble; or even if they hadn't gotten that first down.

That really just makes me want to hurl. Hart is a weinie who can't stay on the field and looks like Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow in The Wiz.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Chip R

I see what you're saying and you have a point. However, all those SEC games do is set up a championship game where you could have an undefeated team and if they just happen to lose that championship game by a fluke, they can't play for the BCS championship. It almost makes the regular season meaningless.

Your point is quite valid but it desn't make the regular season any less compelling because SEC teams have to fight and claw just to get to the Championship game. Your point would make sense if there was an undefeated team in the West and an undefeated team in the East. That gets us back to the Big Ten again. Let's say it was split into a North (with Mich) and a South (with OSU), then you'd be right. The regular season means little.

So the issue is competition w/i the conference. Not how it's setup.

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by MWM

And I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating. University of Michigan - run fast away from Miles. You want not part of that psycho. There's a reason why he's not very popular in Baton Rouge. I think he's exposed himself this year, so I don't see them making a run at him. But if they do, it's going to be a long few years in Ann Arbor.

I think a big strike against Miles getting hired at UM is the outcome from the one time he coached against Tressel. (2004 Alamo Bowl, while Les was at Oklahoma State.) The game was not close (33-7) against a Buckeye team that was minus Troy Smith and had faltered 4 times in the regular season. Small sample size, to be sure, but it's an exceptionally lousy sample.

[OnBaseMachine]

Ahhh yes, the new BCS rankings are out and yet another three loss SEC team enters. That's now FIVE three loss SEC teams in the top 25. Tennessee and Cal are both 6-3. Cal crushed Tennessee. Yet Tennessee is ranked ahead of them. There is something seriously wrong with that picture.

[Highlifeman21]

Go Navy

[15fan]

Go Navy.

For the first time in about 20 years, I will be pulling for Duke when they travel to South Bend. God that would be awesome if ND lost at home to Duke.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Ahhh yes, the new BCS rankings are out and yet another three loss SEC team enters. That's now FIVE three loss SEC teams in the top 25. Tennessee and Cal are both 6-3. Cal crushed Tennessee. Yet Tennessee is ranked ahead of them. There is something seriously wrong with that picture.

Yep. the SEC is clearly the best conference, top to bottom, in the country. But the magnitude of that conference superiority is GREATLY exaggerated by the media and their fans.

[traderumor]

One of the biggest jokes of the rankings this year was the South Florida #2 ranking. I'm not recalling any more embarrassing bandwagon jumping, and some folks were clamoring that they "deserved" to be #1. The rankings really need to move past looking at the undefeated and putting them up by default. It is certainly arguable that LSU is still the best team, all told, even though they tripped up against UK, although 'Bama really should have won that game last night, which makes their #2 more dubious than moving Oregon up based on performance. But then, I think Arizona State really was a pretender. An OU vs. OSU matchup would certainly be interesting.

As for the SEC power, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of D played in that conference from week to week.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by traderumor

That really just makes me want to hurl. Hart is a weinie who can't stay on the field and looks like Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow in The Wiz.

Which means he's a good candidate for the Bengal's first round draft pick.