# 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:** 65
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1282 "2015-01-13T18:43:54Z")
Hail to the Buckeyes! Now I am fully and righteously justified in being an insufferable braggart and prick, just as so many of you have claimed Ohio St. fans to be, so I might as well enjoy it. There’s a lot to admire about Oregon’s program, but let’s be real: their roster is a bunch of 3 star recruits that USC, UCLA, and Cal passed over. Now it’s not like they don’t know this. Their system reflects the fact that they have to be smart and efficient, and maximize their opportunities on the field, to overcome their talent deficit. In my opinion, their offense is as much a psychological attack as an offensive attack. They want the ball to start the game, and they want to immediately put you on your heels. They’re damn near unstoppable on opening drives. They want to march right down the field on you and leave your defense questioning everything the coaching staff has told them in practice. This works great when they’re playing Jimbo Fisher. It was much less effective against Urban Meyer. And like Desmond Bryant said after the game, with all the analysis and Xs and Os, you can’t forget that football comes down to physicality, and Ohio St. was just more physical on both sides of the ball. Oregon’s poor NT got beat up all game, even by Cardale Jones. A decisive win, and with that, sanity has been restored to college football. And America. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1283 "2015-01-13T19:02:04Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Auburn reached the BCS game last year. > > And they started the season unranked. They didn’t receive one single vote in the USAToday Coaches Poll. > > [2013 AP Poll College Football Rankings, Final Rankings - ESPN](http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings/_/year/2013/week/1) Agreed; it can happen. But why should a team have to overcome a disadvantage, and “climb the mountain” out of the unranked pit? Why not start the season with a level playing field? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1284 "2015-01-13T19:05:27Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > … > > There’s a lot to admire about Oregon’s program, but let’s be real: their roster is a bunch of 3 star recruits that USC, UCLA, and Cal passed over. USC and UCLA probably; Cal, definitely not. There’s nobody on Oregon’s roster that Sonny Dykes wouldn’t take in a heartbeat. (One of their top recruits of recent years, Arik Armistead, was a soft verbal to Cal but jumped to the Ducks at the last minute.) > [@](#): > > …Ohio St. was just more physical on both sides of the ball. Oregon’s poor NT got beat up all game, even by Cardale Jones. I couldn’t believe what I saw when that happened. Once the pain and disappointment is over, that guy’s teammates are going to get a lot of mileage reminding him how he got run over by a QB. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1285 "2015-01-13T20:05:57Z")
I didn’t see that comin’! Good job, Bucks, you earned that. I was hoping for the Pac to bring home the championship, but now just happy is wasn’t the SEC. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1286 "2015-01-13T20:11:29Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > There’s a lot to admire about Oregon’s program, but let’s be real: their roster is a bunch of 3 star recruits that USC, UCLA, and Cal passed over. Cal? That’s kind of weird to include Cal in that sentence. Ohio State certainly recruits more talent than Oregon, but I think your comment is overstating the situation, they are usually somewhere between 15 and 25 for class ranking and typically have a substantial number of 4 stars (e.g. 10). > [@](#): > > This works great when they’re playing Jimbo Fisher. It was much less effective against Urban Meyer. And like Desmond Bryant said after the game, with all the analysis and Xs and Os, you can’t forget that football comes down to physicality, and Ohio St. was just more physical on both sides of the ball. Oregon’s poor NT got beat up all game, even by Cardale Jones. > > A decisive win, and with that, sanity has been restored to college football. And America. I agree with this and I said it before the game, Oregon has a great offense and a decent defense, but if they play a team with a really good defense they will lose. It’s the same reason they lost to Auburn, and it’s the same reason I don’t think TCU or Baylor would have made it to the NC, a really good defense really does shut down a great offense. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1287 "2015-01-13T20:38:07Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Agreed; it can happen. But why should a team have to overcome a disadvantage, and “climb the mountain” out of the unranked pit? Why not start the season with a level playing field? IMO, they do. Every team starts the year 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:** [January 13, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1288 "2015-01-13T20:58:11Z")
Well, that was very disappointing. At some point it will be possible to look back on this amazing season – Pac-12 champions, Rose Bowl champions, Heisman Trophy – but today just really sucks. [Butters said it best.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G1lj8MBRpQ) Nothing to do now but wait for the next near-inevitable kick in the balls when Mariota leaves for the NFL. Have to give all the credit to Ohio State, they dominated both lines of scrimmage the whole game. Statistically over the course of the season their defense wasn’t any better than some teams we dropped 50 on, but clearly they peaked at the right time. Congratulations to the Buckeyes and their fans. 235 days until Eastern Washington at home. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1289 "2015-01-13T21:22:14Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Very true (and still a flaw in the whole CFB system): pre-season pre-conceptions still matter. > > What’s scary, is that Urban Meyer has said that he thought he had a team that could make a run in 2015: so apparently, everyone’s coming back, which would make them undoubtedly the pre-season #1. Cardale Jones, Tj Barrett, Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliot are all underclassmen who will be back. OSU has a lot of young talent at DL, DB and LB to keep the defense up. The only big loses next year will be Braxton Miller, who despite having a year left of eligibility, has found himself a third wheel at QB and is already looking to transfer. Devin Smith at WR, Heuerman at TE and Hale from the OL. Being National Champions should help the next recruiting class as well. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1290 "2015-01-13T22:12:37Z")
Ohio State won the first \*\*ever \*\*Championship, and that is something the pro BCS haters can never take way from us. (I’m looking at you, ESPN analysts) That makes me a very happy panda. _walks away whistling Hang on Sloopy_ ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1291 "2015-01-13T23:15:15Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > Ohio State won the first **ever** Championship, and that is something the pro BCS haters can never take way from us. It’s the first ever “College Football Playoff” championship. The NCAA treats it the same as the other “college football championships” OSU has won over the years. In fact… > [@RaftPeople](#): > > Regarding the final AP poll: > Does it matter anymore? Only as a technicality; in terms of “who can give out national championship rings”, the NCAA says that “only the teams named National Champions by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) or ‘a national wire-service poll’ (i.e. the AP) can”. BCS had a deal with AFCA where its voters had to vote the BCS champion #1, but as far as I know, there is no such deal with CFP, although I doubt one is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1292 "2015-01-13T23:34:11Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > The only big loses next year will be Braxton Miller, who despite having a year left of eligibility, has found himself a third wheel at QB and is already looking to transfer. Since Ohio State has three #1 QBs coming back next year, I certainly do expect at least one of them to go elsewhere. What I find ridiculous is the media panting about whether Jones will declare for the NFL. He’s played three games. Big games? Yes. Played great? Yes. Three starts even at the very highest level of college football does not make him ready for the NFL. ---
**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:** [January 14, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1293 "2015-01-14T00:31:29Z")
[This](http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011315aaa.html) just in from the Department of You’ve Got To Be Freaking Kidding Me. Link goes to Auburn football homepage, which in turn links to no less than SIX pre-pre-preseason rankings for 2015! Can’t we even wait for our hangovers from last night to go away?? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1294 "2015-01-14T00:57:54Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > [This](http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011315aaa.html) just in from the Department of You’ve Got To Be Freaking Kidding Me. Link goes to Auburn football homepage, which in turn links to no less than SIX pre-pre-preseason rankings for 2015! Can’t we even wait for our hangovers from last night to go away?? I’ve already got 2016 mapped out - you won’t believe who is coming in at #1! ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1295 "2015-01-14T01:13:46Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I’ve already got 2016 mapped out - you won’t believe who is coming in at #1! Just tell me it isn’t Ted Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1296 "2015-01-14T02:26:42Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > [This](http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011315aaa.html) just in from the Department of You’ve Got To Be Freaking Kidding Me. Link goes to Auburn football homepage, which in turn links to no less than SIX pre-pre-preseason rankings for 2015! Can’t we even wait for our hangovers from last night to go away?? What, are you kidding? Sports Illustrated almost always publishes a Top 5 list for the following year the week after the championship game…in _women’s basketball_. Besides, National Letter of Intent day is coming up, and the schools want players to know that their school has a decent shot of winning the championship, “especially with you here.” ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1297 "2015-01-14T03:00:20Z")
Chris Fowler, who did the play-by-play for ESPN absolutely sucked. How did he ever get the job? He just kept making mistakes. I don’t think he even knew where the field marks were. “That will make it third and short.” (With 4 yard to go.) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1298 "2015-01-14T12:34:09Z")
Just curious which ESPN coverage of the title game everybody watched. I really enjoyed the version with no commentators, just the sounds of the game as if you were in the stadium. They even showed the bands at halftime. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1299 "2015-01-14T20:12:25Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Just curious which ESPN coverage of the title game everybody watched. I really enjoyed the version with no commentators, just the sounds of the game as if you were in the stadium. They even showed the bands at halftime. I started watching one of the “talking heads” channels - I think it was the one with the ESPN personalities - but when they spent too much time talking about the details of a play and not enough time mentioning what actually happened, I switched to the main broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1300 "2015-01-14T23:38:31Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I’ve already got 2016 mapped out - you won’t believe who is coming in at #1! And then there’s [this](http://www.goodbullhunting.com/2015/1/13/7538117/early-top-25-3015-college-football-alabama-south-bend-lifetime-ohio-penal-qatar-peking-austin). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937/1301 "2015-01-15T02:28:49Z")
I have been very busy working long hours at work lately, and I did not get a chance to see the game, but I did want to say congratulations to the OSU Buckeyes. Well done! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937.md?page=64) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-college-football-general-thread/696937.md?page=66)