1078 replies to this topic

[Mike B]

Congrats to Alabama. Third National Championship in 4 years.

[bnickle]

I hate college football, so whatever, but it's embarrassing that this was the NC game. Two teams not even close to being on the same level.

[Mike B]

I hate college football, so whatever, but it's embarrassing that this was the NC game. Two teams not even close to being on the same level.

I love football period, and games like this happen. Saban prepared them perfectly. Alabama is the better team, but it is not embarrassing for the sport, IMO.

[bnickle]

I love football period, and games like this happen. Saban prepared them perfectly. Alabama is the better team, but it is not embarrassing for the sport, IMO.

With a good playoff system if ND had gotten to the NC game and lost like this then I have no problems. They would have earned there way there. I just believe if you had taken the best 8 teams in the country and put them in a "tournament" that ND would have been exposed much sooner and the NC game would likely have been a better game.

[Oriole85]

With a good playoff system if ND had gotten to the NC game and lost like this then I have no problems. They would have earned there way there. I just believe if you had taken the best 8 teams in the country and put them in a "tournament" that ND would have been exposed much sooner and the NC game would likely have been a better game.

I think four teams should've done that. Do they beat Oregon, Ohio State (if eligible), Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, or Stanford on neutral field I doubt. Four teams is a good number, makes every game count, and leaves little margin for error. I'd consider going to 6 (with two byes) or even 8 down the line. I know many have mentioned how great would it be if A&M could've been in this "tournament" this year, I agree it would've been compelling but if they had taken care of business earlier in the year, they could've been playing for the title. What I don't want to see is a three loss team (or more) in this tournament. College football has the most meaningful regular season in sports. The old cliche about "must win" games gets overused like with Oriole games, truly you get that in college football right now. Next season will be the last season where you'll likely have to shoot for perfection, were probably going to see 2-3 one-loss teams in this tournament and that's with only four teams. No number is going to be perfect -- you see that with March Madness. The 69th team feels snubbed -- from personal experience, I was livid when it happened to Colorado in 2011. The thing is this year, there was no controversy with ND and Bama (given that OSU was in probation), now any of the teams I mentioned above (and possibly more) would've had legit cases to be 3/4. The more teams you do, possibly the more problems you get. Some years will be easier than others.

[Mike B]

Norte Dame got manhandled by a strong fast football team last night. Their scheme and speed took away Golson getting outside and doing damage. The Tide Oline dominated the ND strength which was their front 7. All that said, calling a team a fraud based on one game is not right. ND's strength of schedule was 14 and Alabama's was 23.
The Irish got beat bad last night, I think the two best teams I saw all year were Alabama and Georgia. The Irsish fit into that next group. JMO.

[Mike B]

Norte Dame got manhandled by a strong fast football team last night. Their scheme and speed took away Golson getting outside and doing damage. The Tide Oline dominated the ND strength which was their front 7. All that said, calling a team a fraud based on one game is not right. ND's strength of schedule was 14 and Alabama's was 23.
The Irish got beat bad last night, I think the two best teams I saw all year were Alabama and Georgia. The Irsish fit into that next group. JMO.

[Oriole85]

Norte Dame got manhandled by a strong fast football team last night. Their scheme and speed took away Golson getting outside and doing damage. The Tide Oline dominated the ND strength which was their front 7. All that said, calling a team a fraud based on one game is not right. ND's strength of schedule was 14 and Alabama's was 23.
The Irish got beat bad last night, I think the two best teams I saw all year were Alabama and Georgia. The Irsish fit into that next group. JMO.

No disagreement that ND belonged in the "next group." They were the only undefeated eligible and with the only other options loss teams, they deserved to be in. I don't think anyone is seriously going to debate to the contary, atleast prior to last night.

[CrimsonTribe]

Exactly the game I wanted to see. Roll Tide!

[BSLMikeLowe]

Blowouts in championship games happen. Heck, look at how many years the Super Bowl ended up being a game like this....which goes to show that a playoff doesn't necessarily prevent this sort of thing. I do think ND was overrated because while their schedule was no cakewalk, it wasn't as tough as it looked at the beginning of the season. Several of the teams they played that were expected to be great ultimately weren't that good (Mich, Mich St, Miami, USC). And that they needed a controversial call to beat Stanford at home, and a missed FG in OT to beat Pitt, were also telling signs. But still, they went undefeated, the only eligible team to do so, and thus you can't reasonably argue that they did not deserve to play for the title under the current system.

[Mike B]

Exactly the game I wanted to see. Roll Tide!

Congrats Crimson.
3 out of the last 4 NC's doesn't suck.

A dynasty in today's game is rare.
They may be as good next year.

[Oriole85]

Blowouts in championship games happen. Heck, look at how many years the Super Bowl ended up being a game like this....which goes to show that a playoff doesn't necessarily prevent this sort of thing. I do think ND was overrated because while their schedule was no cakewalk, it wasn't as tough as it looked at the beginning of the season. Several of the teams they played that were expected to be great ultimately weren't that good (Mich, Mich St, Miami, USC). And that they needed a controversial call to beat Stanford at home, and a missed FG in OT to beat Pitt, were also telling signs. But still, they went undefeated, the only eligible team to do so, and thus you can't reasonably argue that they did not deserve to play for the title under the current system.

Seemed that way in the 90s, many years. I don't think many, if any teams could've competed with Bama last night. In terms of ND being overrated? I'm not sure, did they get lucky, sure. I don't see how that team went undefeated, they could've easily lost some -- Stanford and Pitt come to mind as you noted.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Sources: Trojans scuffled after loss

http://espn.go.com/l...eat-sources-say

[DJ MC]

ESPN: Sources: Trojans scuffled after loss

http://espn.go.com/l...eat-sources-say

http://deadspin.com/... ... leys-honor

Yeah, sounds...interesting. Not particularly good for that group of seniors, or Lane Kiffin, though.

[Oriole85]

CBS Sports: Nine-game conference schedule remains contentious issue in SEC

 

http://www.cbssports...ssue-in-the-sec

[BSLMikeLowe]

CBS Sports: Nine-game conference schedule remains contentious issue in SEC

 

http://www.cbssports...ssue-in-the-sec

I would like to see uniformity among the major conferences on this, and the momentum definitely appears to be headed towards 9-game conference schedules. I understand why the SEC (namely their coaches) has been reluctant to do it, but with the expansion to 14 teams, the new playoff system that will (supposedly) place more weight on SoS, and now their own network to think about, I think they'll join the rest. That would leave the ACC as the last of the 5 major conferences that only play 8-games. But if the SEC goes to 9-games, I think the ACC will have to follow and figure out a way to fit that in with their scheduling agreement with Notre Dame.

[Oriole85]

CBS Sports: LSU, Wisconsin finalizing neutral site games in Houston and Green Bay

 

http://www.cbssports...n-and-green-bay

[BSLMikeLowe]

SEC has 10 bowls guaranteed

 

It's not that I find the SEC having 10 bowls interesting, but the article points out the opponents in those games, and it just seems to highlight a pattern that I've noticed with the arrangements for the upcoming bowl-cycle beginning in 2014. There seems to be far fewer matchups that feature one of the current BCS conference teams (sans the AAC) versus one of the remaining five conferences. I'm sure this is no coincidence, as the bowl committees and the power conferences want to get matchups that will pit better-known brands against each other, even if a fair amount of them are still only 7-5 or 6-6 teams.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Spencer Hadley to stay at BYU

 

http://espn.go.com/c...rtied-las-vegas

 

I defended BYU after the Brandon Davies scandal. I don't have a problem here either. You go to BYU, you follow their rules. Want to live like a normal college student, go somewhere else.