# 2014 College Football General Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 30, 2014, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937 "2014-08-30T03:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/502 "2014-11-09T05:11:35Z")
Roll Tide. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Goliath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rex\_Goliath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Goliath)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/503 "2014-11-09T05:16:53Z")
Roll Tide ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/504 "2014-11-09T05:25:20Z")
Roll tide! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/505 "2014-11-09T05:48:44Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > How often is there a 14 point swing in one play? Happened to Cal a few weeks ago, vs Washington. Cal ball in the 1 yd line. QB sneak, dives over the pile. Ball flies out of his hands and into the arms of a UW player who takes it 100 yards for a td. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/506 "2014-11-09T05:52:48Z")
Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/507 "2014-11-09T15:40:01Z")
Wow, what a day! Down goes Sparty! Down goes Auburn! Down go the Irish and K-State! I predict that within the next 24 hours, some pundit will write “should a 2-loss team be in the playoffs?” Hopefully everyone will point & laugh & throw things. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/508 "2014-11-09T16:31:02Z")
This was the best weekend my Gamecocks have had in a while! ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/509 "2014-11-09T18:54:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Well dang it, Ohio State came up here and played one hell of a game. I hope they make the playoff, after a sloppy first half they really played lights out in the second. Aw,\*\* Bob\*\*, you let me down! As an Oregon fan I was looking forward to your explanation of why this loss shouldn’t count against MSU, either! Guess you only provide that service for interconference games;). ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/510 "2014-11-09T21:19:22Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Aw,\*\* Bob\*\*, you let me down! As an Oregon fan I was looking forward to your explanation of why this loss shouldn’t count against MSU, either! Guess you only provide that service for interconference games;). Not clear to me why an Oregon fan should gloat over the MSU loss. The higher they’re ranked, the better Oregon looks. ETA: However, I will enthusiastically join anyone who wants to gloat over the Notre Dame loss to ASU. How could a lowly Pac-12 team demolish the team that FSU just barely beat? ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/511 "2014-11-09T22:02:30Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > ETA: However, I will enthusiastically join anyone who wants to gloat over the Notre Dame loss to ASU. How could a lowly Pac-12 team demolish the team that FSU just barely beat? Because FSU’s win margin is not an indicator of the opponent’s quality. For some reason, FSU is only playing good enough to win this year. I think they’re pacing themselves. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/512 "2014-11-10T15:33:41Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > Lou Holtz just said ND should have won that game, the other two just laughed at him and pointed out it was 55 to 31. Sure, but ASU had, what three interceptions off of crazy deflections that happened to land right in a DB’s arms? And depsite the first three turnovers, ND was driving for the lead when the last one happened). If any one of those turnovers didn’t happen, ND would have scored another TD, most likely given how ASU couldn’t stop them, and ASU would have had one less TD, plus there would not have been a final garbage-time/ND desperation TD for ASU. That’s basically a tie game right there. Outside of turnovers, ND pretty much dominated statistically. So, if one team needed four turnovers, at least three of which were pretty flukely, to win, then yeah, I think it’s fair to say the other team should have won. [Though I have to admire the balls of ASU, after ND’s game against FSU, calling a blatant (uncalled) OPI pick-play to score their first TD] ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/513 "2014-11-10T15:50:38Z")
Right. If it hadn’t been for lucky bounces, we would’ve won. If our best player hadn’t been injured, we would’ve won. If the refs hadn’t missed an obvious call, we would’ve won. All quite possibly true in every game ever played. But excuses are for losers. You take the results on the scoreboard. Auburn and their fans are going to spend the whole off-season saying that if the center hadn’t snapped the ball when the QB wasn’t looking, they’d be playing for the championship. Quite possibly true. And if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/514 "2014-11-10T15:52:25Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Sure, but ASU had, what three interceptions off of crazy deflections that happened to land right in a DB’s arms? When the defense tips the ball and then another defender catches the ball, that’s because the defense is playing well, that’s how tips happen. ASU was applying pressure all night. > [@](#): > > So, if one team needed four turnovers, at least three of which were pretty flukely, to win, then yeah, I think it’s fair to say the other team should have won. Lou, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/515 "2014-11-10T16:34:55Z")
Updated Best Win / Worst Loss rankings! (I decided to use the AP for rankings instead of waiting for the Committee’s version, tomorrow). As before, please note any errors. It’s possible somebody’s best win may have changed and I missed it. I only bothered ranking undefeated and 1-loss teams (I’m assuming we won’t need to get into 2-loss teams, but one never knows.) Best Win: 1. Baylor (#5 TCU) 2. Miss St (#9 Auburn) 3T. Oregon (#12 Michigan State) 3T. Ohio State (#12 Michigan State) 3. TCU (#13 K State) 4. FSU (#15 Notre Dame) 5. Arizona State (#15 Notre Dame) 6. Alabama (#20 LSU) 7. Nebraska (None) Loss: 1T Miss St, FSU (none) 3. TCU (#6 Baylor) 4. Alabama (#10 Ole Miss) 5. Nebraska (#12 Michigan State) 6. Arizona State (#14 UCLA) 7. Oregon (#17 Arizona) 8. Baylor (UR West Virginia) 9. Ohio State (UR Virginia Tech) Average: 1. Miss St 1.5 2. FSU 3.5 3. TCU 4 4. Baylor 4.5 5. Oregon 5 6T. Alabama 6 6T. Ohio State 6 6. Arizona State 6.5 7. Nebraska 7 ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/516 "2014-11-10T19:54:32Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Not clear to me why an Oregon fan should gloat over the MSU loss. The higher they’re ranked, the better Oregon looks. > > ETA: However, I will enthusiastically join anyone who wants to gloat over the Notre Dame loss to ASU. How could a lowly Pac-12 team demolish the team that FSU just barely beat? Not gloating at all, I was sorry to see MSU lose and would have been rooting for MSU even without the Oregon SoS angle because I think they are a class act. I was just ribbing **Bob** for his many comments upthread indicating a high degree of denial about his team getting spanked in Eugene earlier in the season. And the answer to your question is: because the Pac-12 ain’t lowly and FSU and ND are both possibly overrated; ND has no wins against currently ranked teams, and FSU’s only win against a current Top 20 team is ND. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/517 "2014-11-10T22:54:32Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > And the answer to your question is: because the Pac-12 ain’t lowly and FSU and ND are both possibly overrated; ND has no wins against currently ranked teams, and FSU’s only win against a current Top 20 team is ND. #18 Clemson doesn’t count? Huh. It’s certainly possible (even probable) that FSU was overrated coming into the season. They have however, unquestionably remained one of the two undefeated teams in the country. While quality of loss should certainly be considered when comparing teams with the same number of losses, NOT losing is ultimately the goal of the game and should trump a quality defeat. I mean, just to take a crazy hypothetical, would you accept an 0-12 team if all 12 games were against Top 5 competition and all were close (or even OT) losses as being a great team worthy of consideration for top tier bowl play? If not, find the spot on the slippery slope up to 1 loss where you stop. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/518 "2014-11-10T23:23:35Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > It’s certainly possible (even probable) that FSU was overrated coming into the season. They have however, unquestionably remained one of the two undefeated teams in the country. Marshall says “hi”. Yeah, OK, probably not really a playoff contender but still undefeated. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/519 "2014-11-10T23:57:22Z")
**Zakalwe** , I was looking at the committee’s rankings. You are correct that the AP and coaches polls have Clemson in the low teens. Beyond that, you seem to be rebutting some argument I’m not making. I’m not saying that FSU\* is\* overrated, I’m just saying that their relatively weak schedule makes it difficult to know how good they really are. It seemed to me that **TonySinclair** (and apparently many of the poll voters) is making a circular argument; ND must be good because they played the elite FSU team close, but the best evidence that FSU is indeed an elite team is its win over…Notre Dame! The “crazy hypothetical” that would be more relevant to this discussion would be what **Zoog** pointed out; how weak does a team’s schedule have to be before going undefeated isn’t good enough to convince people that it is an elite team? I personally think that FSU deserves to be in the playoff if it wins out, and Marshall doesn’t, but it’s a matter of where to draw the line on a slippery slope. If FSU does drop a game, however, I think it will be very difficult to argue that they are one of the best one-loss teams. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/520 "2014-11-11T03:40:19Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Updated Best Win / Worst Loss rankings! > > 1. Miss St 1.5 > 2. FSU 3.5 > 3. TCU 4 > 4. Baylor 4.5 > 5. Oregon 5 > 6T. Alabama 6 > 6T. Ohio State 6 > 6. Arizona State 6.5 > 7. Nebraska 7 There’s my Huskers, the least-respected 1-loss team. They’ll use this lack of respect to show those doubters and naysayers a thing or two. No one thinks we belong and it’s an ESPN media bias conspiracy. It’s us against the world, baby! KIDDING! We’re reserving all those complaints until we actually play somebody. We beat Miami, but lost to Michigan State. The attitude seems to be that no one trusts Coach Bo Pelini on the road in big games. #22 Wisconsin in Madison certainly fits that model, and most Husker fans are very apprehensive. It feels like we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. Rose-colored glasses? Six straight 4-loss seasons by Pelini has smashed them. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/521 "2014-11-11T08:36:52Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > It seemed to me that **TonySinclair** (and apparently many of the poll voters) is making a circular argument; ND must be good because they played the elite FSU team close, but the best evidence that FSU is indeed an elite team is its win over…Notre Dame! Not my point at all. I was saying that both ND and FSU are overrated, and that the better Pac-12 teams, other than Oregon, are underrated. Heck, even Oregon is underrated. On Saturday night, some expert on ESPN gave his new top four teams for the playoffs, after watching #4 Oregon beat the #17 team 51-27, and #5 Alabama squeak out a win in OT against the #16 team. He put Alabama at #3, TCU at #4, and had Oregon dropping out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937.md?page=27)