UC Football 2009 Season pt. 2

[Caveat Emperor]

Continue all discussions of or relating to the University of Cincinnati tackle football program here.

[Chip R]

As opposed to the touch football program?

[Revering4Blue]

he players were pleased to dent the rep of another big conference. Illinois isn’t good, but the Big Ten was clearly schooled by a Big East club.

Add this one to UC’s win at Oregon State – which will play Oregon next week for the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl appearance – and it’s not hard to see that conference affiliation doesn’t guarantee success the way it used to.

And those who still snicker at the Big East have some homework to do. Who’s clearly better than the Bearcats at this point? Who knows?

Texas, likely title-game participant? Not necessarily, cowboy.

The mighty Longhorns got all they wanted Thursday from a 6-5 Texas A&M team that had lost by a combined 127-24 to two Big 12 partners, Oklahoma and nondescript Kansas State. The Aggies ran up 532 yards on Texas’ supposedly tight defense. If they’d tackled well, they might have won.

That leaves the SEC and its superiority complex. Could UC tame Tim Tebow and beat Florida? Could the Bearcats muscle up with Alabama? I don’t know. And neither do you.

This is why we need a playoff. Not just to identify a true champion. The BCS does that, more often than not. It’s not just about winning and losing, or shouldn’t be. It’s about having the chance. It’s about letting other worthies into the ring. Whether they play in a pedigreed league or not.

“We shouldn’t be looked at as a conference not deserving of its BCS bid,’’ said Kelly.

He was right, but he didn’t take it far enough. UC deserves a BCS bowl, if it beats Pitt next week. It also deserves a puncher’s chance at a title game.

For now, the Bearcats will have to be satisfied with playing Pitt for a likely trip to the Sugar Bowl, where they’d play either Florida or Alabama. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...rve-title-shot

[paintmered]

The Notre Dame/Stanford game has implications for UC. If Stanford wins, then ND is shut out of the Gator Bowl in favor of the Big East #2. If ND wins, then the Big East #2 is headed to the Car Care Bowl instead.

[cincrazy]

Originally Posted by Revering4Blue

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...rve-title-shot

I'm not sure how the Illinois game puts a dent in the Big 10. Illinois is putrid, and they dropped 37 on UC.

A win is a win, but I don't think this makes the Big 10 look inferior by any stretch.

[WMR]

Those 'mediocre' 'middle of the road' SEC teams that CE and others were talking about showed the truth of the conference today.

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by WMR

Those 'mediocre' 'middle of the road' SEC teams that CE and others were talking about showed the truth of the conference today.

[George Foster]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

I'm not sure how the Illinois game puts a dent in the Big 10. Illinois is putrid, and they dropped 37 on UC.

A win is a win, but I don't think this makes the Big 10 look inferior by any stretch.

Inferior compared to who?

[paintmered]

Now, Rutgers needs to beat WVU to ensure the Gator Bowl doesn't select the 'Eers over a 1-loss UC.

Bottom line, UC needs to beat Pitt because I have a bad feeling that bowl games are all too willing to pass them over. And as ridiculous as it is to think the Big Ten deserves two BCS, the powers that be will select Iowa or Penn State, or even Boise State over UC.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by paintmered

Now, Rutgers needs to beat WVU to ensure the Gator Bowl doesn't select the 'Eers over a 1-loss UC.

Bottom line, UC needs to beat Pitt because I have a bad feeling that bowl games are all too willing to pass them over. And as ridiculous as it is to think the Big Ten deserves two BCS, the powers that be will select Iowa or Penn State, or even Boise State over UC.

Penn State beat only two teams this season with a winning record (Temple and Northwestern). They don't deserve to be anywhere near a BCS bowl, IMO. The same goes for Iowa. It would be a shame if Boise State or Cincy gets passed over in favor of one of those two teams.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Penn State beat only two teams this season with a winning record (Temple and Northwestern). They don't deserve to be anywhere near a BCS bowl, IMO. The same goes for Iowa. It would be a shame if Boise State or Cincy gets passed over in favor of one of those two teams.

Would a one loss Cincy team be anywhere near the draw that Penn State would? No way.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by reds44

Would a one loss Cincy team be anywhere near the draw that Penn State would? No way.

I don't care about that stuff. Cincinnati is more deserving of a BCS bowl.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

I don't care about that stuff. Cincinnati is more deserving of a BCS bowl.

Unfortunately, the bowl system doesn't see it that way. They have bills to pay and money to raise. The (incorrect) perception is that Cincy doesn't travel and so they'll defer to the "established" programs. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day and UC won't climb the mountain overnight. And even if they do, the national media won't recognize it.

It's hard to break into the good 'ole boys club.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by paintmered

Unfortunately, the bowl system doesn't see it that way. They have bills to pay and money to raise. The (incorrect) perception is that Cincy doesn't travel and so they'll defer to the "established" programs. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day and UC won't climb the mountain overnight. And even if they do, the national media won't recognize it.

It's hard to break into the good 'ole boys club.

UC will have an opportunity to help themselves out this weekend if they get a lot of fans to Pittsburgh for the game. I know they sold out their allotment of tickets (~4k) about 3 or 4 weeks ago, and it seems like a lot of people are making the drive to go. I'm sure there will be bowl representatives in attendance to note the visitor presence.

I'm not sure it'll matter, but every little bit helps.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by WMR

Those 'mediocre' 'middle of the road' SEC teams that CE and others were talking about showed the truth of the conference today.

Isn't "looks like crap one week, looks good the next" the very definition of mediocre and middle of the road?