Colorado vs. #2 Texas
Now is the time to put up or shut up…for the Buffaloes.
I have blogged a few times this year and last year about how I personally felt that the Colorado Buffaloes have seriously underachieved mainly because the team seems to have been built around one person…the coach’s son, who just happens to be the starting quarterback.
Say what you want about Cody Hawkins’ numbers, the fact remains that this team has done very poorly ever since his dad, Dan Hawkins, got the job. I am all for a father looking out for his son, but when it comes at an expense to an entire university, screw that.
I used to be a big fan of Colorado during the Kordell Stewart days, but the changes the university has gone through leave little impression with me. Sometimes a school makes a “righteous” move in coach changes, but the act was less than righteous. So here is Dan Hawkins, a successful coach from Boise State who comes in with the family oriented style of play. But the wins has been as dysfunctional as “The Simpsons”…
(or “Family Guy” if you watch that too)
So here comes Colorado, to visit Texas today, they bring in their 1-3 record, with their only win at home vs. Wyoming. Losses to Toledo, Colorado State and West Virginia have the Buffaloes on the ropes, looking at perhaps another dismal season…which could seriously threaten the head coach’s job…and maybe his son’s position.
Now, I don’t want Colorado fans to think that I am “hating” on Cody Hawkins, that is not true, he is a decent QB, but is that because Dan Hawkins focused all his resources to MAKE him look decent? I mean, he averages about 3-4 wins a YEAR, that does not cut it in a BCS conference.
With 8 games remaining on the schedule for Colorado, they need 5 more wins quick, fast and in a hurry. After Texas they get #16 Kansas at home, #24 Missouri at home (although no longer ranked because of that loss to Nebraska), and they also have Oklahoma State on the road and Nebraska at home…those two teams are ranked too.
Nobody is expecting Colorado to win, but let’s look at Texas anyway…
Texas is #2 in the land, and will have an eye on that Florida/LSU matchup as well as that Alabama/Mississippi game, but they need to focus on crushing Colorado. Their previous games have been expected wins, but nothing stands out to show that this team is for real…I mean, for REALLY real. I have no qualms of them being #2 because they are that good, it’s just that we have not seen them in a big time game yet. They did beat Texas Tech 34-24, so there is some flair there, but they can’t overlook Colorado. I think Texas needs to send a message that they deserve to be either #2, or possibly #1 if they can beat Colorado by more than 21 points. If they do that, the voters might have to reconsider who they think is the best in the land.
Texas as a huge factor going for it…their starting quarterback is not injured as bad as Florida and Oklahoma. Sometimes the best team is the healthiest, and this is a game Texas needs to win big, but stay healthy.
So there is no question, I have Texas winning this by 17 points, but they need a big beat down to impress voters to possibly push them to #1.
Showing posts with label Texas Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas Football. Show all posts
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Why is Texas #2
Why is Texas #2?
Speedblog
There might be a bigger argument about why Texas is #2 than why Florida is #1. I really don’t see any argument about Florida, they are right where they should be, but some will argue about Texas.
The reason why this is debatable is because on the two main polls, Texas as two first place votes. But on one poll, Alabama has 2 first place votes, and on the other poll, Southern Cal has one first place vote. This means we have a debate between three teams as to which is better.
In the whole scope of things, in the second week, this is worthless. Anybody whining about placement after ONE game is Houston Nutz!
(anybody get that joke?)
Yet I can see why some argue about Alabama, of the three teams in question, Alabama did beat a top 10 opponent, whereas Texas and USC did not. So is there a legit argument as to why Texas is ranked ahead of them?
I think the key reason is because they (Texas) still has an excellent quarterback in Colt McCoy. We also know that the head coach (Mack Brown) is a very good coach and has won the BCS recently. We also know that the Big 12 is either the BEST conference or second best to the SEC, so if Texas is the favorite, then they have the inside track to the BCS.
The lost one game last year, that to Texas Tech, and beat Ohio State to cap off an otherwise great season. This is a powerful offense that I think even Florida has to worry about. And with Oklahoma with injured players, this makes them an even bigger favorite to make it to the Big 12 championship.
I gotta tell you, I can appreciate why some think Alabama MIGHT be a better team, but I am really not sold on it yet, I mean, Clemson was highly ranked last year and fell apart like a paper suit in a thunderstorm. I didn’t really understand how they put Virginia Tech in the top 10 to begin with, so the jury is still out on Alabama.
Still, this is only the second week folks, no bowls have been given yet, so there is still much to play…we shall learn much more as the season progresses….
Speedblog
There might be a bigger argument about why Texas is #2 than why Florida is #1. I really don’t see any argument about Florida, they are right where they should be, but some will argue about Texas.
The reason why this is debatable is because on the two main polls, Texas as two first place votes. But on one poll, Alabama has 2 first place votes, and on the other poll, Southern Cal has one first place vote. This means we have a debate between three teams as to which is better.
In the whole scope of things, in the second week, this is worthless. Anybody whining about placement after ONE game is Houston Nutz!
(anybody get that joke?)
Yet I can see why some argue about Alabama, of the three teams in question, Alabama did beat a top 10 opponent, whereas Texas and USC did not. So is there a legit argument as to why Texas is ranked ahead of them?
I think the key reason is because they (Texas) still has an excellent quarterback in Colt McCoy. We also know that the head coach (Mack Brown) is a very good coach and has won the BCS recently. We also know that the Big 12 is either the BEST conference or second best to the SEC, so if Texas is the favorite, then they have the inside track to the BCS.
The lost one game last year, that to Texas Tech, and beat Ohio State to cap off an otherwise great season. This is a powerful offense that I think even Florida has to worry about. And with Oklahoma with injured players, this makes them an even bigger favorite to make it to the Big 12 championship.
I gotta tell you, I can appreciate why some think Alabama MIGHT be a better team, but I am really not sold on it yet, I mean, Clemson was highly ranked last year and fell apart like a paper suit in a thunderstorm. I didn’t really understand how they put Virginia Tech in the top 10 to begin with, so the jury is still out on Alabama.
Still, this is only the second week folks, no bowls have been given yet, so there is still much to play…we shall learn much more as the season progresses….
Friday, September 4, 2009
Handshakes in college football?
Should College Players shake hands?
It all depends.
This is based off some new rule that the college coaches wanted teams to shake hands before the game. This was met with a LOT of resistance, most notably from the head coach of Oklahoma State…remember folks, he’s a MAN!
(you have to remember the clip of his tirade to get that joke)
But in seriousness, I agree fully with him. I was watching some shows on ESPN and one of my fav shows was “Around the Horn” and “Pardon the Interruption”. On ATH, they debated this issue, and one of the columnists, Jackie McMullen, said that if a coach can’t control his players for just a few seconds then shame on him.
I agree fully with Jackie on that…and the logic is pure, but this is a game of emotions, and for that reason, I can’t fully agree with her. She is basing it on the premise that these guys are going to be nice and clean before the game starts, and that any coach worth his salt can control his team.
I strongly disagree.
Consider what these students go through in the weeks before their first game. And as I talk about it, feel free to add on stuff that Michigan is in trouble for. These young men come to practice many times earlier than NCAA rules say they should, and are worked many times MORE than the rules allow (under cover of discretion).
These young men are taught day in and day out to max out their potential, to strive to do more than their best, to push their bodies and minds to the limit. There is no room for the weak in these often hot and sweaty practices that seem to go on forever. All this is to get the play mentally ready to tear the head off any person NOT wearing their similar uniform. It’s military drilling at it’s best folks.
You get into the mind of these young men long enough, it will begin be what the coach wants it to be, and you are at the will of whatever your coach wants. Every college coach wants their players to be an animal on the field, but off the field we always expect them to be pure gentlemen. And that’s true for most athletes, but remember folks, football is a violent sport…and often times it takes a violent mentality to play it.
You go through this for weeks on end, and you are starving to hit somebody else rather than your teammates…and game time comes, and your level of beast hood is at it’s highest….
And you have to do something gentlemanly like shake hands?
Come on folks, that’s not gonna happen.
I disagree that teams ought to be trained enough to do that, what do you expect will happen if you put Texas and Oklahoma in front of each other like that…or Michigan and Michigan State, or USC and UCLA, or Florida and LSU, or any team like that?
To me it is asking too much to ask a team to do that. Now, if you brought out representatives of the team, no more than 5 from each side, that would be cool. But I like the way one guy on ATH put it, that you might have some guy on the third string that won’t get any playing time, and this is his only way to “vent” his emotions.
Or, you could have what happened at the Oregon/ Boise State game…
The gesture of good will is always important, and sometimes you see teams gather together after a game to pray…always an excellent sign of good will. But right now, at the beginning of a season, with everybody ready to hit one another, not a good idea. For this to really work, it would unfortunately take a serious situation to cause every team to realize how small football is….
Consider what happened after 911.…
Only then did our country, and sports, understand the importance of ALL of us getting along. We might be going through some economical situations, but it has not gotten to the point where many of those teams would consider the whole state of affairs before a game starts.
Now, do I believe shaking hands is a good idea…sure, in theory. But you are asking guys to “break character” before a game, this is not what coaches teach their players. IF you are going to do it, I think it would work best for representatives, not the team, to shake hands.
In all seriousness, I think the only teams that are capable of pre-game handshakes are our military schools, Army, Navy and Air Force. I say that because I believe those guys are more disciplined than a regular school. It would also be a positive show of good will to see our boys in uniform shake hands before a game. But outside of that, I just can’t see Ohio State shaking hands with Penn State or Michigan… I didn’t say it can’t happen, I just don’t see what you gain by doing that. I mean, are all the fans going to say, “awwww, ain’t that cute. The Longhorns are shaking hands with the Sooners….NOW GET OUT THERE AND BEAT THEM TO DUST!”
We’ll see how this rule plays out. I’d like to see gestures of good will in any sport, but the gesture has to come from compliance from both sides, not handed down from some authority. Good will comes from the heart, so if two teams decide to do it, that is far better than if they were told to do it. But again, we shall see how it plays out.
It all depends.
This is based off some new rule that the college coaches wanted teams to shake hands before the game. This was met with a LOT of resistance, most notably from the head coach of Oklahoma State…remember folks, he’s a MAN!
(you have to remember the clip of his tirade to get that joke)
But in seriousness, I agree fully with him. I was watching some shows on ESPN and one of my fav shows was “Around the Horn” and “Pardon the Interruption”. On ATH, they debated this issue, and one of the columnists, Jackie McMullen, said that if a coach can’t control his players for just a few seconds then shame on him.
I agree fully with Jackie on that…and the logic is pure, but this is a game of emotions, and for that reason, I can’t fully agree with her. She is basing it on the premise that these guys are going to be nice and clean before the game starts, and that any coach worth his salt can control his team.
I strongly disagree.
Consider what these students go through in the weeks before their first game. And as I talk about it, feel free to add on stuff that Michigan is in trouble for. These young men come to practice many times earlier than NCAA rules say they should, and are worked many times MORE than the rules allow (under cover of discretion).
These young men are taught day in and day out to max out their potential, to strive to do more than their best, to push their bodies and minds to the limit. There is no room for the weak in these often hot and sweaty practices that seem to go on forever. All this is to get the play mentally ready to tear the head off any person NOT wearing their similar uniform. It’s military drilling at it’s best folks.
You get into the mind of these young men long enough, it will begin be what the coach wants it to be, and you are at the will of whatever your coach wants. Every college coach wants their players to be an animal on the field, but off the field we always expect them to be pure gentlemen. And that’s true for most athletes, but remember folks, football is a violent sport…and often times it takes a violent mentality to play it.
You go through this for weeks on end, and you are starving to hit somebody else rather than your teammates…and game time comes, and your level of beast hood is at it’s highest….
And you have to do something gentlemanly like shake hands?
Come on folks, that’s not gonna happen.
I disagree that teams ought to be trained enough to do that, what do you expect will happen if you put Texas and Oklahoma in front of each other like that…or Michigan and Michigan State, or USC and UCLA, or Florida and LSU, or any team like that?
To me it is asking too much to ask a team to do that. Now, if you brought out representatives of the team, no more than 5 from each side, that would be cool. But I like the way one guy on ATH put it, that you might have some guy on the third string that won’t get any playing time, and this is his only way to “vent” his emotions.
Or, you could have what happened at the Oregon/ Boise State game…
The gesture of good will is always important, and sometimes you see teams gather together after a game to pray…always an excellent sign of good will. But right now, at the beginning of a season, with everybody ready to hit one another, not a good idea. For this to really work, it would unfortunately take a serious situation to cause every team to realize how small football is….
Consider what happened after 911.…
Only then did our country, and sports, understand the importance of ALL of us getting along. We might be going through some economical situations, but it has not gotten to the point where many of those teams would consider the whole state of affairs before a game starts.
Now, do I believe shaking hands is a good idea…sure, in theory. But you are asking guys to “break character” before a game, this is not what coaches teach their players. IF you are going to do it, I think it would work best for representatives, not the team, to shake hands.
In all seriousness, I think the only teams that are capable of pre-game handshakes are our military schools, Army, Navy and Air Force. I say that because I believe those guys are more disciplined than a regular school. It would also be a positive show of good will to see our boys in uniform shake hands before a game. But outside of that, I just can’t see Ohio State shaking hands with Penn State or Michigan… I didn’t say it can’t happen, I just don’t see what you gain by doing that. I mean, are all the fans going to say, “awwww, ain’t that cute. The Longhorns are shaking hands with the Sooners….NOW GET OUT THERE AND BEAT THEM TO DUST!”
We’ll see how this rule plays out. I’d like to see gestures of good will in any sport, but the gesture has to come from compliance from both sides, not handed down from some authority. Good will comes from the heart, so if two teams decide to do it, that is far better than if they were told to do it. But again, we shall see how it plays out.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
College Football Playoffs, Scenario 1
College Football Playoffs: Scenario #1
Corporate sponsors, Athletic Directors and television station executives all met to discuss the opportunity to create a playoff for Division 1-A Football. The media whined like baby to get a playoff since every other sport does the same, but many argued that there is no true need to have a playoff because in most cases the best team comes out in the end.
But things have changed and we now look at the playoffs through a time portal of “what if”. What if there WAS a playoff in the Division 1-A? Would it solve anything or would it be the answer to years of debate?
Let’s explore this:
The argument first was about how many teams should be able to compete in these playoffs. The argument for 32 or 16 teams were immediately ruled out because if those teams were never in a position to play for a National Championship anyway, and would be a waste of time and extending a season far longer than it should.
There was heavy debate about having 8 teams, but most argued that in most cases the best teams are in the top 5, so allowing an extra three creates room for a good team to enter the contest when the argument is to get the BEST teams in.
The debate came to two conclusions: A four team playoff or a six team playoff, where the top two seeds get a bye. So we look into the “what if” portal to see how this would play out in a different universe…..
The NCAA recognizes the top 6 teams according to the BCS standings. As it stands the #1 and #2 teams will get a bye while the other teams vie for position. We are not very clear on the times these teams play, and under who’s bowls they will be playing, but we can see into the “what if” portal to see WHO is playing whom.
Alabama would be the #1 seed right now, and thus earn a bye. They would play the winner of the #4 vs. #5 game. Texas Tech, with the slimmest of margins, claims the #2 spot, and would also get a bye and play the winner of the #3 vs. #6 game. The ideology here is that of the lesser four teams, the better of those is paired against the least of the four, and the other two play one another. Thus, the 3 seed plays the 6 and the 4 seed plays the 5. But the playoffs also dictate that the LESSER of the two winner must play the #1 seed, while the GREATER of the two winners play the #2 seed.
It does get a bit complicated, but I’ll address that.
I see also in this portal of this universe that there are other factors to consider as well, but we may get to that in a sec.
The rest of the playoff picture seems to look like this: Because Penn State is currently the #3 team by the BCS standards, they will play the #6 team, that being Oklahoma. This leaves the #4 team in Florida to face #5 Texas.
As the number 1 seed, Alabama would face the lowest ranked team of the four and Texas Tech would face the higher seed. The Penn State/Oklahoma game would be a huge game to see, and many fans believe Oklahoma may have an edge because the Big 12 is a stronger conference and they have seen tougher foes than Penn State has faced. Many see Oklahoma winning that.
On the other side, the Florida vs. Texas game seems to be a classic. A delicious game of the two power conferences in a fight to try to settle this year’s argument of who really is the best conference. Forgive me folks, I just can’t see clear enough to tell you the winner of that one.
But it seems that the winner will face Texas Tech as the #2 seed, since Oklahoma’s win over Penn State makes them the lowest seeded team. They would face Alabama and set up a second match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…I do see Oklahoma winning that one.
So it looks like Oklahoma sits and waits for the winner of Texas Tech vs. either Florida or Texas…I think in either case, Texas Tech falls and you have an interesting scenario.
Oklahoma plays a rematch against Texas, or the rubber match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…hmmmm.
But this “what if” universe is not without controversy. Looking outside the playoff circle, Boise State and Utah scream for equality, claiming that the playoffs are not fair to non BCS conference schools. Both teams are undefeated but ranked #9 and #10 on the BCS rankings. The smaller schools scream “foul” and that they need to increase the number of teams in the playoffs. Even Oklahoma State, who’s only loss came to Texas, wonders why Florida is in the playoffs after losing to an unranked team, while the Cowboys hang their only loss to the then number one team in the nation.
And further still, the Pac-10 argues why their conference champion ranked in the top 10 cannot have a shot at the National Title. USC has one loss and is ranked #7 in the BCS polls.
But the ACC and Big East teams remain silent, knowing this wasn’t their year.
Maybe if we look into this universe next week, we can see if it gets clearer….
Corporate sponsors, Athletic Directors and television station executives all met to discuss the opportunity to create a playoff for Division 1-A Football. The media whined like baby to get a playoff since every other sport does the same, but many argued that there is no true need to have a playoff because in most cases the best team comes out in the end.
But things have changed and we now look at the playoffs through a time portal of “what if”. What if there WAS a playoff in the Division 1-A? Would it solve anything or would it be the answer to years of debate?
Let’s explore this:
The argument first was about how many teams should be able to compete in these playoffs. The argument for 32 or 16 teams were immediately ruled out because if those teams were never in a position to play for a National Championship anyway, and would be a waste of time and extending a season far longer than it should.
There was heavy debate about having 8 teams, but most argued that in most cases the best teams are in the top 5, so allowing an extra three creates room for a good team to enter the contest when the argument is to get the BEST teams in.
The debate came to two conclusions: A four team playoff or a six team playoff, where the top two seeds get a bye. So we look into the “what if” portal to see how this would play out in a different universe…..
The NCAA recognizes the top 6 teams according to the BCS standings. As it stands the #1 and #2 teams will get a bye while the other teams vie for position. We are not very clear on the times these teams play, and under who’s bowls they will be playing, but we can see into the “what if” portal to see WHO is playing whom.
Alabama would be the #1 seed right now, and thus earn a bye. They would play the winner of the #4 vs. #5 game. Texas Tech, with the slimmest of margins, claims the #2 spot, and would also get a bye and play the winner of the #3 vs. #6 game. The ideology here is that of the lesser four teams, the better of those is paired against the least of the four, and the other two play one another. Thus, the 3 seed plays the 6 and the 4 seed plays the 5. But the playoffs also dictate that the LESSER of the two winner must play the #1 seed, while the GREATER of the two winners play the #2 seed.
It does get a bit complicated, but I’ll address that.
I see also in this portal of this universe that there are other factors to consider as well, but we may get to that in a sec.
The rest of the playoff picture seems to look like this: Because Penn State is currently the #3 team by the BCS standards, they will play the #6 team, that being Oklahoma. This leaves the #4 team in Florida to face #5 Texas.
As the number 1 seed, Alabama would face the lowest ranked team of the four and Texas Tech would face the higher seed. The Penn State/Oklahoma game would be a huge game to see, and many fans believe Oklahoma may have an edge because the Big 12 is a stronger conference and they have seen tougher foes than Penn State has faced. Many see Oklahoma winning that.
On the other side, the Florida vs. Texas game seems to be a classic. A delicious game of the two power conferences in a fight to try to settle this year’s argument of who really is the best conference. Forgive me folks, I just can’t see clear enough to tell you the winner of that one.
But it seems that the winner will face Texas Tech as the #2 seed, since Oklahoma’s win over Penn State makes them the lowest seeded team. They would face Alabama and set up a second match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…I do see Oklahoma winning that one.
So it looks like Oklahoma sits and waits for the winner of Texas Tech vs. either Florida or Texas…I think in either case, Texas Tech falls and you have an interesting scenario.
Oklahoma plays a rematch against Texas, or the rubber match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…hmmmm.
But this “what if” universe is not without controversy. Looking outside the playoff circle, Boise State and Utah scream for equality, claiming that the playoffs are not fair to non BCS conference schools. Both teams are undefeated but ranked #9 and #10 on the BCS rankings. The smaller schools scream “foul” and that they need to increase the number of teams in the playoffs. Even Oklahoma State, who’s only loss came to Texas, wonders why Florida is in the playoffs after losing to an unranked team, while the Cowboys hang their only loss to the then number one team in the nation.
And further still, the Pac-10 argues why their conference champion ranked in the top 10 cannot have a shot at the National Title. USC has one loss and is ranked #7 in the BCS polls.
But the ACC and Big East teams remain silent, knowing this wasn’t their year.
Maybe if we look into this universe next week, we can see if it gets clearer….
Monday, October 20, 2008
The BCS Standings, first view
The First BCS Rankings of 2008
Now note, this isn’t the FIRST showing of the BCS rankings, I may well be the last guy to talk about it this week, but it is the first poll of the season. I thought we’d take a look at it and see if there is any surprises.
Before the rankings came out, I actually thought there was a chance that Penn State might jump over Alabama. I know both are undefeated, but it seemed like Penn State’s crushing win over Michigan seemed more convincing than Alabama’s win over Ole Miss. I thought there might be a slight chance of that happening, not that it would.
So Texas is number 1, no surprise there. With that big win over Oklahoma and a win over Missouri, this IS the best team in the NCAA…for now. There is no question here, if Texas runs the tables, they are in. But here’s another bit for you, if ANY Big 12 team that is currently undefeated runs the tables, they are in. The conference is just too good to NOT have the Big 12 in the National Championship. Texas scores a .9979 out of a 10, so that is near perfect…as it should be.
Alabama is second with a BCS rating of .9487. I mentioned earlier that I thought there might be a chance of Penn State jumping over them, not that I would argue either way. I think if Alabama sweeps the SEC, they obviously are in… but I will debate the strength of schedule.
Yes they beat Clemson, but where is Clemson now? They’ll be lucky to even make a bowl. Tulane, Western Kentucky and Arkansas aren’t scaring anybody, and we know Arkansas is in a rebuilding year. Granted the Georgia game was incredible, but adding on wins over a Kentucky team that has a soft schedule and ANY Mississippi team, and I gotta tell you, I am just not convinced that this is the second best team in the nation.
That’s not a knock against Alabama fans, because you always cheer for your team, regardless of the situation (CLEMSON) but to me, I don’t agree with the BCS having Alabama here. But IF they sweep, they will have proven that they are the second best team in the nation.
Penn State holds position at #3 with a .8666 and you can now make an argument of the “what ifs”. The media does this every year, stirring questions without giving time for things to play out. What if Texas, Alabama and Penn State finish undefeated?
I thought PSU would jump but when you look at the schedule, I guess I can see why they didn’t. They do have a couple of quality wins, but the Wisconsin game should have helped Penn State out, but they also needed the Badgers to not flop like they are currently doing. And wins against Temple and Syracuse isn’t raising any eyebrows either. They’re gonna have to beat Ohio State and hope Michigan State finishes in the top 25 by the end of the year to have a chance to jump over Alabama. Penn State needs QUALITY wins if the top two teams aren’t budging. But this is the curse of the Big 10, without a conference championship, you don’t get that extra game to make your point.
Oklahoma is 4th with a .8319 and we all know that their loss was against Texas. Now here is something to think about. What if Oklahoma wins the rest of their games and Alabama loses one game? Is it possible that with ranked teams Texas Tech AND Oklahoma State left on the schedule, could Oklahoma jump into a second spot, OVER Penn State?
I mean, it COULD happen. The strength of schedule is in Oklahoma’s favor….
Just thinking out loud…..
USC rounds out the top 5 at a ranking of .7751, a far cry from the Championship game unless things happen. The problem for USC is that currently, NONE of the remaining teams on the schedule are ranked, so we’re looking at a very weak schedule. They may have to crush everybody 69-0 to get some serious looks, but that one loss against Oregon State may have done them in. There is still hope to move up, but they won’t get any help from the remaining teams. MAYBE Cal, and there might be some mercy votes for Notre Dame, but outside of that, they are kinda in the same boat as Penn State. Without a Pac-10 Championship to stir the pot, they are at the mercy of the other teams above them.
I’ll probably get in more detail on this in another blog, as you guys know I am blogging more on Blogspot than on Wordpress and Blogster, Until then….
http://raidersaint.blogspot.com/
Now note, this isn’t the FIRST showing of the BCS rankings, I may well be the last guy to talk about it this week, but it is the first poll of the season. I thought we’d take a look at it and see if there is any surprises.
Before the rankings came out, I actually thought there was a chance that Penn State might jump over Alabama. I know both are undefeated, but it seemed like Penn State’s crushing win over Michigan seemed more convincing than Alabama’s win over Ole Miss. I thought there might be a slight chance of that happening, not that it would.
So Texas is number 1, no surprise there. With that big win over Oklahoma and a win over Missouri, this IS the best team in the NCAA…for now. There is no question here, if Texas runs the tables, they are in. But here’s another bit for you, if ANY Big 12 team that is currently undefeated runs the tables, they are in. The conference is just too good to NOT have the Big 12 in the National Championship. Texas scores a .9979 out of a 10, so that is near perfect…as it should be.
Alabama is second with a BCS rating of .9487. I mentioned earlier that I thought there might be a chance of Penn State jumping over them, not that I would argue either way. I think if Alabama sweeps the SEC, they obviously are in… but I will debate the strength of schedule.
Yes they beat Clemson, but where is Clemson now? They’ll be lucky to even make a bowl. Tulane, Western Kentucky and Arkansas aren’t scaring anybody, and we know Arkansas is in a rebuilding year. Granted the Georgia game was incredible, but adding on wins over a Kentucky team that has a soft schedule and ANY Mississippi team, and I gotta tell you, I am just not convinced that this is the second best team in the nation.
That’s not a knock against Alabama fans, because you always cheer for your team, regardless of the situation (CLEMSON) but to me, I don’t agree with the BCS having Alabama here. But IF they sweep, they will have proven that they are the second best team in the nation.
Penn State holds position at #3 with a .8666 and you can now make an argument of the “what ifs”. The media does this every year, stirring questions without giving time for things to play out. What if Texas, Alabama and Penn State finish undefeated?
I thought PSU would jump but when you look at the schedule, I guess I can see why they didn’t. They do have a couple of quality wins, but the Wisconsin game should have helped Penn State out, but they also needed the Badgers to not flop like they are currently doing. And wins against Temple and Syracuse isn’t raising any eyebrows either. They’re gonna have to beat Ohio State and hope Michigan State finishes in the top 25 by the end of the year to have a chance to jump over Alabama. Penn State needs QUALITY wins if the top two teams aren’t budging. But this is the curse of the Big 10, without a conference championship, you don’t get that extra game to make your point.
Oklahoma is 4th with a .8319 and we all know that their loss was against Texas. Now here is something to think about. What if Oklahoma wins the rest of their games and Alabama loses one game? Is it possible that with ranked teams Texas Tech AND Oklahoma State left on the schedule, could Oklahoma jump into a second spot, OVER Penn State?
I mean, it COULD happen. The strength of schedule is in Oklahoma’s favor….
Just thinking out loud…..
USC rounds out the top 5 at a ranking of .7751, a far cry from the Championship game unless things happen. The problem for USC is that currently, NONE of the remaining teams on the schedule are ranked, so we’re looking at a very weak schedule. They may have to crush everybody 69-0 to get some serious looks, but that one loss against Oregon State may have done them in. There is still hope to move up, but they won’t get any help from the remaining teams. MAYBE Cal, and there might be some mercy votes for Notre Dame, but outside of that, they are kinda in the same boat as Penn State. Without a Pac-10 Championship to stir the pot, they are at the mercy of the other teams above them.
I’ll probably get in more detail on this in another blog, as you guys know I am blogging more on Blogspot than on Wordpress and Blogster, Until then….
http://raidersaint.blogspot.com/
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The BEST college football team
The BEST college football team
With a little more than an hour before the Saturday begins with the college games, I wanted to take a moment to consider who the best college football team really is. I mean, it is actually a theoretical question because nobody can really answer that. Sure we have our rankings and the BCS poll is due out this weekend, so we can get an idea of what the theory is on the best team.
What I mean by “best” is the idea that this team is better than all others, and can beat them more times than they lose. Notice what I said there, in that even the best teams CAN lose. Some of you might argue that it then would not make them best, but that is not correct. I said “best” not “perfect”. Nobody can say who is perfect but we can give our opinions on who is the “best”.
Just look at the polls. There is the AP Poll, the USA Today Poll, the Harris Poll, the Legends Poll, and tons of other polls across the country. This proves that we all have an opinion to what we believe the best team actually is. But remember, it’s just an opinion. And opinions are often based on a bias.
For example, I have nothing against Florida State, and we know they won Thursday against NC State, but if there was a top 30 poll, FSU would be on it. Some say they may make the top 25 this week. I can’t see it.
You’re telling me that a team that beat TWO Southern Conference teams and has beaten no team with a better than .500 record is amongst the top 30 in the nation? I am not convinced. That is not to say it won’t change, because if they sweep the schedule, then they would have proven it. But as of now, I cannot see why some people have them near the top 25.
But that’s their opinion.
And how Notre Dame is even GETTING votes is just insane. You can tell who’s been brown-nosing with votes like that.
Still, the idea is to determine the BEST team in the NCAA. How do you do that without being biased? I mean, how many of you saw Texas beat Oklahoma on television last week? That game influenced a LOT of people, and rightly so. But others felt Alabama was slighted because they did not play last weekend…it also factored in that they had a pretty weak showing in their last game.
In the AP Poll, the #1 team and the #10 team are separated by 518 votes. That’s pretty tight. In the USA Poll, first and 10th are separated by 547 votes. So what really makes a team the “best”?
The easiest thing to say is a team’s record, but that is subject to debate. I mean, really, if records determined the best teams, then Tulsa should be up there in the top 10. I think there are 10 remaining undefeated teams in Division I (yeah I know, FBS, but who cares). And if you ARE going by records as the priority, then any team with a loss should be out of the top 10. That includes USC, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma.
So we have to agree that a team’s record is NOT the deciding factor of whether that team is the best. A second argument would be the strength of schedule, which is quite valid.
I mean, if you play 11 teams with a losing record, do you really think you deserve a chance to play in the National Championship? Your perfect record is a weak structure of non-competitive games, and does not make for a great team.
But by this measure, this hurts a lot of the smaller conferences. Teams like Ball State are going to be judged by this because their schedule is not nearly as tough as teams like Texas or Florida or Ohio State. Should that take away from their greatness?
Well, sadly, it must.
The sympathetic way to look at this is to just GIVE a team a shot at a national title if they go undefeated, but that is not how it works. The National Championship goes to the two BEST teams in the nation…you have to be the BEST. Ball State is playing very well, no doubt about that, but could you really say that they are one of the two best teams in the nation, even if they go undefeated?
Their conference makes for a weaker strength of schedule, and this isn’t their fault, this is just the nature of the Division I. But we cannot ignore that strength of schedule plays a big role.
And consider this as well, strength of schedule changes weekly, and should be adjusted in the teams.
For example, when BYU beat Washington, many thought this was a big victory for BYU, even though Washington wasn’t very good last year. Then the win over UCLA seemed to indicate that BYU was clearly one of the best teams in the nation. Defeating two Pac-10 teams, whoever they are, is a nice feather.
But as the season went on, we began to see that maybe those two teams wasn’t as good as we gave them credit for. Maybe BYU didn’t beat quality teams and thus were riding opinionated shoulders to the rankings.
Even UCLA is proof of that, they started out their season beating Tennessee, which most saw as a HUGE upset…but Tennessee at this point isn’t as good as we thought, so the idea of their greatness and the actuality are now in great contrast. They just are not the team we thought they were….to kinda twist a phrase by Dennis Green.
Even USC’s big win over Virginia at the beginning of the year proves the every changing strength of schedule. When Southern Cal mopped up Virginia, the media was already crowning the Trojans as the National Champs. I mean, Virginia is a great team, so to whip them like a dog proves that USC was great, right?
But now that same Virginia is struggling just to make it to a bowl, and a loss today to UNC might mark the end of the season. And of course, USC lost that game to Oregon State, and now are praying for a few upsets to get back in the race.
Every game, every weekend changes the strength of schedule for every team trying to make it to that coveted BCS Championship, but right now, two teams are in the driver’s seat: Texas and Alabama. About 40-50 votes separate them, which also brings in a third factor, something they call “style points”.
The NCAA tried to ignore this in their BCS equation, but to me that is foolish. You tell me who gets more consideration and more votes: Texas beats Missouri IN Texas by a score of 35-30, Alabama beats Mississippi IN Alabama 21-6 or Penn State beating Ohio State AT Ohio 35-14.
Tell me who has the greater influence on the voters?
It’s the human element of impressing voters and it cannot be ruled out. I don’t care what anyone else says, the more points you score, the more votes you are going to get. If you crush a team 56-3 and another team beats that same opponent 17-14, you look much better. It proves that you were more dominant against a common foe.
Now, does that mean you are better…not necessarily, but it does give voters a reason to THINK you are.
This is a topic that I think the media will be debating for a long time, which is why some want the playoffs. Personally, I like debate, so it does not bother me at all. But at any rate, it’s something to think about.
Anyway, it’s less than an hour before kickoff, gotta get ready!
With a little more than an hour before the Saturday begins with the college games, I wanted to take a moment to consider who the best college football team really is. I mean, it is actually a theoretical question because nobody can really answer that. Sure we have our rankings and the BCS poll is due out this weekend, so we can get an idea of what the theory is on the best team.
What I mean by “best” is the idea that this team is better than all others, and can beat them more times than they lose. Notice what I said there, in that even the best teams CAN lose. Some of you might argue that it then would not make them best, but that is not correct. I said “best” not “perfect”. Nobody can say who is perfect but we can give our opinions on who is the “best”.
Just look at the polls. There is the AP Poll, the USA Today Poll, the Harris Poll, the Legends Poll, and tons of other polls across the country. This proves that we all have an opinion to what we believe the best team actually is. But remember, it’s just an opinion. And opinions are often based on a bias.
For example, I have nothing against Florida State, and we know they won Thursday against NC State, but if there was a top 30 poll, FSU would be on it. Some say they may make the top 25 this week. I can’t see it.
You’re telling me that a team that beat TWO Southern Conference teams and has beaten no team with a better than .500 record is amongst the top 30 in the nation? I am not convinced. That is not to say it won’t change, because if they sweep the schedule, then they would have proven it. But as of now, I cannot see why some people have them near the top 25.
But that’s their opinion.
And how Notre Dame is even GETTING votes is just insane. You can tell who’s been brown-nosing with votes like that.
Still, the idea is to determine the BEST team in the NCAA. How do you do that without being biased? I mean, how many of you saw Texas beat Oklahoma on television last week? That game influenced a LOT of people, and rightly so. But others felt Alabama was slighted because they did not play last weekend…it also factored in that they had a pretty weak showing in their last game.
In the AP Poll, the #1 team and the #10 team are separated by 518 votes. That’s pretty tight. In the USA Poll, first and 10th are separated by 547 votes. So what really makes a team the “best”?
The easiest thing to say is a team’s record, but that is subject to debate. I mean, really, if records determined the best teams, then Tulsa should be up there in the top 10. I think there are 10 remaining undefeated teams in Division I (yeah I know, FBS, but who cares). And if you ARE going by records as the priority, then any team with a loss should be out of the top 10. That includes USC, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma.
So we have to agree that a team’s record is NOT the deciding factor of whether that team is the best. A second argument would be the strength of schedule, which is quite valid.
I mean, if you play 11 teams with a losing record, do you really think you deserve a chance to play in the National Championship? Your perfect record is a weak structure of non-competitive games, and does not make for a great team.
But by this measure, this hurts a lot of the smaller conferences. Teams like Ball State are going to be judged by this because their schedule is not nearly as tough as teams like Texas or Florida or Ohio State. Should that take away from their greatness?
Well, sadly, it must.
The sympathetic way to look at this is to just GIVE a team a shot at a national title if they go undefeated, but that is not how it works. The National Championship goes to the two BEST teams in the nation…you have to be the BEST. Ball State is playing very well, no doubt about that, but could you really say that they are one of the two best teams in the nation, even if they go undefeated?
Their conference makes for a weaker strength of schedule, and this isn’t their fault, this is just the nature of the Division I. But we cannot ignore that strength of schedule plays a big role.
And consider this as well, strength of schedule changes weekly, and should be adjusted in the teams.
For example, when BYU beat Washington, many thought this was a big victory for BYU, even though Washington wasn’t very good last year. Then the win over UCLA seemed to indicate that BYU was clearly one of the best teams in the nation. Defeating two Pac-10 teams, whoever they are, is a nice feather.
But as the season went on, we began to see that maybe those two teams wasn’t as good as we gave them credit for. Maybe BYU didn’t beat quality teams and thus were riding opinionated shoulders to the rankings.
Even UCLA is proof of that, they started out their season beating Tennessee, which most saw as a HUGE upset…but Tennessee at this point isn’t as good as we thought, so the idea of their greatness and the actuality are now in great contrast. They just are not the team we thought they were….to kinda twist a phrase by Dennis Green.
Even USC’s big win over Virginia at the beginning of the year proves the every changing strength of schedule. When Southern Cal mopped up Virginia, the media was already crowning the Trojans as the National Champs. I mean, Virginia is a great team, so to whip them like a dog proves that USC was great, right?
But now that same Virginia is struggling just to make it to a bowl, and a loss today to UNC might mark the end of the season. And of course, USC lost that game to Oregon State, and now are praying for a few upsets to get back in the race.
Every game, every weekend changes the strength of schedule for every team trying to make it to that coveted BCS Championship, but right now, two teams are in the driver’s seat: Texas and Alabama. About 40-50 votes separate them, which also brings in a third factor, something they call “style points”.
The NCAA tried to ignore this in their BCS equation, but to me that is foolish. You tell me who gets more consideration and more votes: Texas beats Missouri IN Texas by a score of 35-30, Alabama beats Mississippi IN Alabama 21-6 or Penn State beating Ohio State AT Ohio 35-14.
Tell me who has the greater influence on the voters?
It’s the human element of impressing voters and it cannot be ruled out. I don’t care what anyone else says, the more points you score, the more votes you are going to get. If you crush a team 56-3 and another team beats that same opponent 17-14, you look much better. It proves that you were more dominant against a common foe.
Now, does that mean you are better…not necessarily, but it does give voters a reason to THINK you are.
This is a topic that I think the media will be debating for a long time, which is why some want the playoffs. Personally, I like debate, so it does not bother me at all. But at any rate, it’s something to think about.
Anyway, it’s less than an hour before kickoff, gotta get ready!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Texas Football and the BCS
Texas Football and the BCS
In light of the Texas Longhorns becoming the new number one team in the nation, it makes sense for us to kinda look at where this could go as far as the BCS is concerned.
As we all know, Texas recently knocked off then #1 Oklahoma and jumped four spots to take the top position in the NCAA Division I. And again, I know they got a new word for it, but the novice sports fan understands what I am talking about.
So, what are Texas’ chances of playing in the Orange Bowl…oops, the Fed-Ex National Championship…
To see where they may go, we have to jump back and see where they have been.
I think many saw this team as a strong Big 12 team this year, even before the season started. A 10-3 team from last year, with a pretty good quarterback and a great coach…and I’m not just saying that because Mack Brown used to be the head coach of the UNC Tarheels…he brought them great success even then.
Last year they lost 3 games, all coming from conference opponents, and two of those games were home games. They had a quarterback in Colt McCoy who threw ALMOST as many interceptions as touchdowns but was still pretty good. You’d think it would be something to build on as the season started.
Two easy wins with big numbers didn’t hurt Texas, but really didn’t make them stand out either. A 52-10 win over Florida Atlantic and 42-13 win over UTEP were ok because they showed that Texas could put points on the board. But they were not being mentioned in the top 5 elite…at that time.
Two wins with the exact same score gave Texas some ranking cred, crushing both Rice and Arkansas 51-10. Few were putting them in that top 5 still, but at the same time, some of the better teams were knocking each other around, which was moving Texas up that ladder. But we still had to see more from this team.
Things started to change when the went to Colorado and beat them 38-14, but the signature mark came last Saturday when they knocked off #1 Oklahoma 45-35. I think that because the game was played earlier (a noon kickoff) it may have persuaded east coast voters to see how good Texas really was. This COULD have influenced the idea of Texas jumping over Alabama, to which many argue. I still think it’s a moot point, because they would have been #1 and #2 anyway.
But now you’ve got to ask yourself, can Texas win the rest of their games? If they do, they are an easy shoe in for the National Title, but what if they lose one game? We know there are a lot of 1-loss teams ready to take that spot, and then you got teams like Penn State that have yet to lose. Texas is walking a thin line here.
So consider the next few games. Texas has two home games against 2 top 25 teams, the first being Missouri, currently ranked #11 on one poll. Then they play Oklahoma State, currently ranked #8. This Missouri game is going to be big because they got kicked out by Oklahoma State just last week, and all chances for a National Title rest on them winning the rest of their games…no more slipups or the BCS Championship is gone for Missouri. Can Texas bring it for this huge game, coming off the other huge game over Oklahoma?
And IF they can, then they’ve got to meet Oklahoma State, a team that beat Texas last year. It’s real hard to have 3 straight heavyweight fights, and you’d like to think Texas can get through this, but the Big 12 is really tough. You’d have to really believe that Texas is THE best team in the nation to get through these next two games. Can they?
And even after that, they’ve got to see #7 Texas Tech in their house? How can anybody possibly make it through these difficult games and NOT lose at least one? Now granted, the jury is still kinda out on Texas Tech, but we know they put a heck of a lot of points on the board. But then, who doesn’t in the Big 12?
After those tough games, they get Baylor, then they have to meet #16 Kansas before meeting Texas A&M. Another ranked team, and they finish the regular season against a team that beat them last year. Folks, this is gonna be really tough.
And IF they can get through all this, and win the division, they play in the SEC Championship against most likely Missouri, if not Kansas…again. Guys….this is tough!
I am one of those guys that think that nobody in the Big 12 or the SEC can possibly get through undefeated, both conferences are just that good. It’s just hard to imagine Texas going undefeated when they’re looking at playing in all likelihood 5 ranked teams and one team that beat them last year at the end of the season. And at this stage of the season, a loss now makes it harder to climb back in the top positions for the title game. If anything, Texas as the strength of schedule working for them, even if they get one loss.
But will a l-loss Texas team be able to play for a National Title? I think right now Penn State could be sitting in the driver’s seat because they don’t have a conference championship, so if either Alabama OR Texas lose one game, Penn State would have a nice seat for that Fed-Ex bowl game…barring they not lose ANY games.
Personally speaking, I think Alabama may lose 2 games, which may take them out of the National Title, but in doing that, I also have to believe that not even Texas can go undefeated. Does Oklahoma jump OVER Texas for that title game, even though they lost to Texas? I can see this IF Texas loses 2 games and Oklahoma runs the table to the Big 12 Championship. But what of other teams lurking in the background?
Florida and BYU are big threats to Texas, although I think strength of schedule might keep BYU out unless everybody else loses 2 games. But if Florida manages to finish off their remaining games and win the SEC Championship, would they deserve a trip to the National Championship? I gotta be honest, their remaining schedule compared to Texas is softer. If for example Penn State finished undefeated, they are in, but if I had to choose between Texas and Florida, I’d have to take Texas because they had a tougher schedule. No knock against Florida, mind you.
So the Texas Longhorns have to handle business the old fashioned way…just win. If they do that, they are guaranteed a National Title game. Lose just ONE game, and it falls on the fates…beware.
In light of the Texas Longhorns becoming the new number one team in the nation, it makes sense for us to kinda look at where this could go as far as the BCS is concerned.
As we all know, Texas recently knocked off then #1 Oklahoma and jumped four spots to take the top position in the NCAA Division I. And again, I know they got a new word for it, but the novice sports fan understands what I am talking about.
So, what are Texas’ chances of playing in the Orange Bowl…oops, the Fed-Ex National Championship…
To see where they may go, we have to jump back and see where they have been.
I think many saw this team as a strong Big 12 team this year, even before the season started. A 10-3 team from last year, with a pretty good quarterback and a great coach…and I’m not just saying that because Mack Brown used to be the head coach of the UNC Tarheels…he brought them great success even then.
Last year they lost 3 games, all coming from conference opponents, and two of those games were home games. They had a quarterback in Colt McCoy who threw ALMOST as many interceptions as touchdowns but was still pretty good. You’d think it would be something to build on as the season started.
Two easy wins with big numbers didn’t hurt Texas, but really didn’t make them stand out either. A 52-10 win over Florida Atlantic and 42-13 win over UTEP were ok because they showed that Texas could put points on the board. But they were not being mentioned in the top 5 elite…at that time.
Two wins with the exact same score gave Texas some ranking cred, crushing both Rice and Arkansas 51-10. Few were putting them in that top 5 still, but at the same time, some of the better teams were knocking each other around, which was moving Texas up that ladder. But we still had to see more from this team.
Things started to change when the went to Colorado and beat them 38-14, but the signature mark came last Saturday when they knocked off #1 Oklahoma 45-35. I think that because the game was played earlier (a noon kickoff) it may have persuaded east coast voters to see how good Texas really was. This COULD have influenced the idea of Texas jumping over Alabama, to which many argue. I still think it’s a moot point, because they would have been #1 and #2 anyway.
But now you’ve got to ask yourself, can Texas win the rest of their games? If they do, they are an easy shoe in for the National Title, but what if they lose one game? We know there are a lot of 1-loss teams ready to take that spot, and then you got teams like Penn State that have yet to lose. Texas is walking a thin line here.
So consider the next few games. Texas has two home games against 2 top 25 teams, the first being Missouri, currently ranked #11 on one poll. Then they play Oklahoma State, currently ranked #8. This Missouri game is going to be big because they got kicked out by Oklahoma State just last week, and all chances for a National Title rest on them winning the rest of their games…no more slipups or the BCS Championship is gone for Missouri. Can Texas bring it for this huge game, coming off the other huge game over Oklahoma?
And IF they can, then they’ve got to meet Oklahoma State, a team that beat Texas last year. It’s real hard to have 3 straight heavyweight fights, and you’d like to think Texas can get through this, but the Big 12 is really tough. You’d have to really believe that Texas is THE best team in the nation to get through these next two games. Can they?
And even after that, they’ve got to see #7 Texas Tech in their house? How can anybody possibly make it through these difficult games and NOT lose at least one? Now granted, the jury is still kinda out on Texas Tech, but we know they put a heck of a lot of points on the board. But then, who doesn’t in the Big 12?
After those tough games, they get Baylor, then they have to meet #16 Kansas before meeting Texas A&M. Another ranked team, and they finish the regular season against a team that beat them last year. Folks, this is gonna be really tough.
And IF they can get through all this, and win the division, they play in the SEC Championship against most likely Missouri, if not Kansas…again. Guys….this is tough!
I am one of those guys that think that nobody in the Big 12 or the SEC can possibly get through undefeated, both conferences are just that good. It’s just hard to imagine Texas going undefeated when they’re looking at playing in all likelihood 5 ranked teams and one team that beat them last year at the end of the season. And at this stage of the season, a loss now makes it harder to climb back in the top positions for the title game. If anything, Texas as the strength of schedule working for them, even if they get one loss.
But will a l-loss Texas team be able to play for a National Title? I think right now Penn State could be sitting in the driver’s seat because they don’t have a conference championship, so if either Alabama OR Texas lose one game, Penn State would have a nice seat for that Fed-Ex bowl game…barring they not lose ANY games.
Personally speaking, I think Alabama may lose 2 games, which may take them out of the National Title, but in doing that, I also have to believe that not even Texas can go undefeated. Does Oklahoma jump OVER Texas for that title game, even though they lost to Texas? I can see this IF Texas loses 2 games and Oklahoma runs the table to the Big 12 Championship. But what of other teams lurking in the background?
Florida and BYU are big threats to Texas, although I think strength of schedule might keep BYU out unless everybody else loses 2 games. But if Florida manages to finish off their remaining games and win the SEC Championship, would they deserve a trip to the National Championship? I gotta be honest, their remaining schedule compared to Texas is softer. If for example Penn State finished undefeated, they are in, but if I had to choose between Texas and Florida, I’d have to take Texas because they had a tougher schedule. No knock against Florida, mind you.
So the Texas Longhorns have to handle business the old fashioned way…just win. If they do that, they are guaranteed a National Title game. Lose just ONE game, and it falls on the fates…beware.
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