# 2025 college football season thread

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** football-nfl\
**Created:** [August 31, 2025, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628 "2025-08-31T04:35:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 12

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**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:** [December 9, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/221 "2025-12-09T20:40:53Z")

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When you got season tickets and $10,000 worth of tail-gating gear all stocked and figured out, you go to the game.

Pre-game festivities have become a Lifestyle.

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**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/222 "2025-12-09T21:50:01Z")

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I think Vanderbilt has a legitimate case that they should have been in the CFP. They went 10-2, 6-2 SEC, losing at Texas by 3 and Alabama by 16. They beat LSU, Missouri, and Tennessee, all ranked opponents, and also beat Auburn.

But instead of pissing off home like fucking Notre Dame did because they’re Very Special Boys, they’re playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

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**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:** [December 10, 2025, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/223 "2025-12-10T18:09:39Z")

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I got a stupid idea based on nothing, but I propose that a team with 8+ wins that declines a bowl forfeits any post-season play the following season.

Crazy, huh? 😁

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**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/224 "2025-12-10T19:07:22Z")

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> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> a team with 8+ wins that declines a bowl forfeits any post-season play the following season.

I like it.

Where do I vote?

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**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/225 "2025-12-10T20:12:50Z")

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Thirded. This is a wonderful idea. Notre Dame does not have a sovereign claim to compete for the national title every year by beating 10 cupcakes and losing to 2 contenders.

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**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/226 "2025-12-10T20:39:01Z")

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Sure, but we have no right to demand that a team perform an extra game for our amusement. Bowls have to make it worth a team’s effort.

I’d be fine dropping two games from the regular season, and then have a 64-team single-elimination playoff. No bowl games except for the ones that fit within that playoff.

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**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/227 "2025-12-10T20:54:58Z")

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> [@Pleonast](#):
>
> I’d be fine dropping two games from the regular season, and then have a 64-team single-elimination playoff. No bowl games except for the ones that fit within that playoff.

So, then, 63 bowl games?

Or the first round played at the higher seed, then 31 bowl games?

Or the first two rounds played at the higher seed, then 15 bowl games?

Just asking, because we may be headed in this direction!

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**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/228 "2025-12-10T21:01:45Z")

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To me, a bowl game is an independent organization that hires a pair of teams to play in an exhibition match. A tournament can give special names to various games in the bracket, but that doesn’t make a game a bowl. I have little love for the former, ever since they’ve abandoned tradition. The latter makes a lot of sense to me.

(I’m somewhat surprised the NCAA basketball tournament hasn’t used better game branding. For example, there’s eight “Sweet Sixteen” games that could be given the names of candy or flowers.)

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**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/229 "2025-12-10T22:17:19Z")

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Oops.

> **[Sherrone Moore fired for cause by Michigan amid 'inappropriate relationship'...](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/sherrone-moore-michigan-coach-fired-for-cause/)**
>
> The Wolverines will undergo their second coaching change in three years, releasing Moore after eight years with the organization, including two as head coach

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**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:** [December 10, 2025, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/230 "2025-12-10T22:34:21Z")

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Didn’t see the Moore firing coming, that’s for sure. Move over, Mel Tucker, you’ve got company.

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/231 "2025-12-11T00:29:14Z")

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What. A. Fucking. Idiot.

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**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/232 "2025-12-11T00:54:55Z")

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Now he’s been arrested.

Unclear why. Breaking into a house and Self-harm was mentioned, but nothing official yet.

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/233 "2025-12-11T01:26:40Z")

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Here’s an [ESPN article](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47271571/ex-michigan-coach-moore-detained-police-firing) about it.

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**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:** [December 11, 2025, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/234 "2025-12-11T03:38:08Z")

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Word is he is a guest of the Washentaw County jail tonight.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/235 "2025-12-11T03:47:13Z")

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A little more info:

> **[Michigan coaching fallout grows as Moore taken into custody](https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/wolverines/football/2025/12/10/sherrone-moore-arrest-washtenaw-county-after-firing/87711008007/)**
>
> Sherrone Moore is now in the Washtenaw County jail after his firing, reportedly tied to threats against a staffer.

> New York Times bestselling author and frequent Michigan football insider John U. Bacon notes that the reason for Moore’s arrest was due to threatening the staffer with whom he had the relationship.

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/236 "2025-12-11T03:49:25Z")

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There’s a pic of Moore’s young blonde assistant going around the socials, IDing her as the mistress, along with a rumor that he threatened to kill himself at home with his wife when the story was about to break today, then he left to go to the young woman’s house, broke in, then threatened to kill her and himself. At some point his wife used her location app to let police know where he was, and they picked him up at a nearby church. Apparently, this was the worst kept secret in the UM athletic dept., which, if true, means AD Warde Manuel is going to have some questions to answer, especially since Michigan’s president was forced out for the exact same thing about four years ago.

Even if a fraction of this is true, it’s really fucked up, and his career in collegiate coaching is done. This guy had a plum college coaching gig and he threw it all away (as MSU’s Mel Tucker did a few years ago).

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**Author:** ![Sooner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sooner/32/7875_2.png) [@Sooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sooner)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/237 "2025-12-11T04:07:52Z")

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They are paying for two or three wins a year. In the very weird world of college football , more than a couple losses kills a season. Hence you pay off the first month of the season. With maybe one exception.

Somehow 9-3 with cupcakes, sounds better than 6-5 without.

Makes for a horrible fan experience, and is virtually unwatchable games - outside the cults.

My proposal - nothing outside the big 2, 3 or 4 (whatever the current number that year), first two are preseason.

It is now professional football, let get fully onboard.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/238 "2025-12-11T04:19:14Z")

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> [@Sooner](#):
>
> It is now professional football, let get fully onboard.

It became professional football the moment people started making money from it, whether it was the players getting paid or not.

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**Author:** ![Sooner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sooner/32/7875_2.png) [@Sooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sooner)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/239 "2025-12-11T05:03:16Z")

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It became very odd when coaches became the highest paid state employees

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-football-season-thread/1022628/240 "2025-12-11T05:12:19Z")

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Absolutely.

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