# College football: October 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 1, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281 "2009-10-01T21:00:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/81 "2009-10-18T16:08:12Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > As I recall, Bama - Auburn was played in Birmingham for a long time. Correct, I forgot about that, perhaps, partly due to the fact that 'Bama used to play a lot of home games in Birmingham. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/82 "2009-10-18T18:18:56Z")
Oklahoma (3-3) is still ranked? #25? Isn’t it a wee bit early to have 3-loss teams in the top 25? ---
**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:** [October 18, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/83 "2009-10-18T18:23:19Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Oklahoma (3-3) is still ranked? #25? Isn’t it a wee bit early to have 3-loss teams in the top 25? Depends who you are. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/84 "2009-10-18T21:57:08Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > In all fairness to Boise St, I believe that they do try to get top ranked opponents. But no team in their right mind wants to go home/home with the smurfs on smurf field. > > So BSU (and others, ie Utah) only option is to play those teams on the road only, and I can’t say that I blame them for not doing it. > > The established teams like selling out their 85,000 seat stadium and don’t want to travel to Boise and play in front of 35,000 fans for a reduced payday. (That’s how many fans were at the BSU/Oregon game earlier this year) It is always about money. Delaware State took a forfeit in their league game to get a half mill to play Michigan in the big house. They lost 2 games this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/85 "2009-10-18T22:06:52Z")
1st BCS rankings released! Top 10: 1. Florida 2. Alabama 3. Texas 4. Boise State 5. Cincinnati 6. Iowa 7. USC 8. TCU 9. LSU 10. Miami Thoughts? Personally, I think keep an eye on Iowa. If both teams win out, they will probably jump Boise State based on strength of schedule. I need to look at Cincinnati’s remaining schedule. And I definitely think there is a chance Texas could lose in their conference championship opening the door. They just haven’t looked dominant. Of course, given the SEC officiating this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida and Alabama both win out and then both win the SEC championship game against each other. How is that possible? I don’t know, but I’m going to start scouring the rule book to figure out how they will pull it off. Then they can have their rematch in the championship game (blech! \<— and that’s coming from a die-hard SEC fan). ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/86 "2009-10-19T01:07:29Z")
Yeah, yeah. Roll Tide, bitches! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/87 "2009-10-19T02:31:26Z")
Wow, the computer rankings must not think too much of USC to have the USC’s BSC Standings down to #7. Both Harris (1/3 of the formula) and the Coaches Poll (another 1/3 of the formula) rank USC #4. did they mix them up with South Carolina? (snicker) Upon further review USC computer Rankings: [Sagarin](http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt09.htm) #3 [Anderson](http://www.andersonsports.com/football/ACF_frnk.html) #12 (last week, website has not been updated) [Billingsley](http://www.cfrc.com/Ratings_2009/WK_7.htm) #11 [Colley](http://www.colleyrankings.com/currank.html)#15 [Wolfe](http://prwolfe.bol.ucla.edu/cfootball/ratings.htm#Division_I-A)#9 [Massey](http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm)#8 (last week’s update, website has not been updated) Computer throw out the highest and lowest so USC computer is an average of the middle four. Guess the computers are not has impressed with USC as people are. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/88 "2009-10-19T03:14:12Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Wow, the computer rankings must not think too much of USC to have the USC’s BSC Standings down to #7. Both Harris (1/3 of the formula) and the Coaches Poll (another 1/3 of the formula) rank USC #4. did they mix them up with South Carolina? (snicker) > > Upon further review > > USC computer Rankings: > > [Sagarin](http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt09.htm) #3 > [Anderson](http://www.andersonsports.com/football/ACF_frnk.html) #12 (last week, website has not been updated) > [Billingsley](http://www.cfrc.com/Ratings_2009/WK_7.htm) #11 > [Colley](http://www.colleyrankings.com/currank.html)#15 > [Wolfe](http://prwolfe.bol.ucla.edu/cfootball/ratings.htm#Division_I-A)#9 > [Massey](http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm)#8 (last week’s update, website has not been updated) > > Computer throw out the highest and lowest so USC computer is an average of the middle four. > > Guess the computers are not has impressed with USC as people are. They all have Boise and Cincinnati in the top 10. How can they all be that far off ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/89 "2009-10-19T17:26:57Z")
I gave the wrong link for the Massey calculation. Here is the [correct link](http://www.masseyratings.com/rate.php?lg=cf) and USC is #7. The link I gave in the prior post is a comparison/compilation of rankings systems. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/90 "2009-10-19T17:43:26Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Guess the computers are not has impressed with USC as people are. I don’t think anyone other than the pollsters are that impressed with USC. Beat by Washington, squeaked by ND, squeaked by an increasingly unimpressive Ohio State, and beat up on a couple bad teams. The whole “didn’t allow a passing TD” thing was great until Claussen picked apart their secondary. But then, I haven’t put a lot of faith into the pollsters in quite a long time now. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/91 "2009-10-19T18:00:51Z")
The BCS has diminished college football. You have to schedule weak ass teams to keep a good record. Teams have gone overboard. Before the BCS ,teams would argue who has the toughest schedule and they tried to make it themselves. Now everybody figured the game out . They have no level of embarrassment. They schedule games with teams that have no chance. How did Michigan even find Delaware State? They charge full price for the games too. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/92 "2009-10-19T18:38:07Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The BCS has diminished college football. You have to schedule weak ass teams to keep a good record. There’s more to it than that. It isn’t just the BCS at fault, but the bloat in the overall bowl schedule. There’s so many that few fans can even name of them, it only takes a .500 record to get in one anymore, and the NCAA has only made things worse by continuing to authorize even more (and taking the rights fees). That now-joke status of the bowls is behind the rules change that now allows 1 win per year against a 1-AA team to count against the 6 needed for bowl eligibility. That in turn set up a garden industry in 1-AA, where most of the teams now play an annual “guarantee game” - they visit a 1-A team, take their contract-guaranteed cut of the gate, which covers a large part of their annual budgets, and often even win. > [@](#): > > How did Michigan even find Delaware State? They essentially placed an ad in the 1-AA paper looking for a guarantee-game opponent, but not one of the better ones (memories of Appy are plainly still raw up there). > [@](#): > > They charge full price for the games too. The fans did get the thrill of watching a stomping by their team. But it’s way past time for at least a plus-one game in 1-A. Actual playoffs, like in every other division in every other team sport, can follow. A way can be found to make just as much money for the NCAA and the bowls, so they can quit pretending. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/93 "2009-10-19T18:50:07Z")
> [@](#): > > They essentially placed an ad in the 1-AA paper looking for a guarantee-game opponent, but not one of the better ones (memories of Appy are plainly still raw up there). Not really. After the schedule got expanded they went looking for an opponent to fill their previously scheduled bye week. But for money and scheduling reasons they weren’t willing to offer a Home-and Home. They needed a one timer to come to the Big house, with no return game. They wanted a FBS opponent, but out of the few available(not already scheduled to play) none were willing without a return. So they started asking FCS teams. There were none of them available, so they started looking for anybody so desperate they would skip a game for money. Delaware state was the one who bit. They canceled a game they had already had set, to come and get pasted for about $500,000(UM makes a couple million per home game). Delaware state got half a mil to lose twice, because they also got a forfeit from the original game on Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/94 "2009-10-19T18:58:29Z")
They were too gunshy to play a 1-AA team _at all_ until they were out of options? Well, I don’t blame them, really. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/95 "2009-10-19T19:28:14Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > They were too gunshy to play a 1-AA team _at all_ until they were out of options? Well, I don’t blame them, really. After getting embarrassed by App. State a few years ago, sure. Losing two games to 1-AA teams in that short a period will get a whole mess of people fired. Used to be that wins over 1-AA teams didn’t even factor into the BCS computer polls (and losses) - is that still the case? I think it was maybe only when they did Strength of Schedule. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/96 "2009-10-19T19:35:47Z")
After watching #1, #2 and #3 (Florida, Bama, Texas) the past 2 weeks, and seeing that #4 and #7 got beat again…I’m not sure who the hell \*is \*looking impressive. As much as I hate the Holtz & May thing on ESPN, they may have a point: let’s just skip #1-#3 this week, and start with #4. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/97 "2009-10-19T19:41:33Z")
Saw this on another board, found it pretty interesting. Non-conference games of some selected team 1985 vs 2009 Michigan 1985-Notre Dame, South Carolina, Maryland 2009-Notre Dame, W. Mich, E. Mich, Delaware St Ohio State 1985-Pittsburgh, Washington St, Colorado 2009-USC, Toledo, New Mexico, Navy Florida 1985-Miami, Rutgers, La Lafayette, Va Tech, FSU 2009-Charleston So, FIU, Troy, FSU LSU 1985-UNC, Colo St, Notre Dame, East Carolina, Tulane 2009-Wash, La Lafayette, Tulane, La Tech Texas (Southwest Conference in 1985) 1985-Missouri, Stanford, Oklahoma, 2009-La Monroe, Wyoming, UTEP, Central Florida Nebraska (Big 8 in 1985) 1985-FSU, Illinois, Oregon, New Mexico 2009-FAU, Ark St, Va Tech, La Lafayette USC 1985-Illinois, Baylor, Notre Dame 2009-Notre Dame, San Jose St, Ohio St Oregon 1985-Colorado, Nebraska, San Diego, San Jose 2009-Boise St., Purdue, Utah Clemson 1985-Va Tech, UGA, Ga Tech, Kentucky 2009-Middle Tenn, TCU, Coastal Carolina, South Carolina North Carolina 1985-Navy, LSU, VMI, Ga Tech 2009-Citadel, UConn, ECU, Ga Southern Ga Tech was part of ACC conference in 1985, but they were not playing a full ACC schedule so those games were not counted as ACC conference games. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/98 "2009-10-19T20:10:14Z")
OSU looked good against a fair looking Missouri team. Trap game at Baylor next weekend. On Halloween, we play UT at 7 on ABC/ESPN2. I’m betting on ABC + Gameday. The Horns look pretty beatable. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/99 "2009-10-19T20:24:04Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > On Halloween, we play UT at 7 on ABC/ESPN2. I’m betting on ABC + Gameday. The Horns look pretty beatable. You might be right. Gameday doesn’t usually head out West Coast because of the time difference, but USC (BCS #4) is playing Oregon (BCS #11) that day. However, USC/Oregon will probably decide the PAC-10 and IMO the game of the day. How many times does Gameday have an opportunity to go to Eugene for the Game of the Day? Wasn’t **Animal House** filmed in Eugene? Okie St/UT and USC/Oregon are the only top 25 matchups. Apparently GameDay is headed to BYU this weekend for the BYU/TCU game. That “might” work against Eugene. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281/100 "2009-10-24T01:25:56Z")
I guess we got too many good games last week, as this weekend is looking like a dud. The only matchup btwn top 25 team is TCU/BYU. ESPN Game Day has an early wakeup call at BYU. Best game in each BCS Conference: **ACC:** _Ga Tech at UVa_- IMO Game of the day. UVa is undefeated in Conference play but they lost to William/Mary. My Jackets should win, but they haven’t won in Charlottesville in nearly 20 yrs. **Big East:** _South Florida at Pittsburgh_ - Next to GT/UVA this is the game I most interested in. I think South Florida pulls an Upset **SEC:** _Tenn @ Bama_ - This is usually one of the must see games of the year, tomorrow, not so much **Big 10:** _Penn St @ Mich_ - Much like the Tenn/Bama game, usually a must see but tomorrow not so much. Michigan should be more competitive than Tenn though, and played in the Big House **Big 12:** _OU @ KU_ should be the most interesting in a boring week. **Pac 10:** _UO @ Wash_: Which Huskie team will show up? If Oregon can win, they probably win the coin flip for ESPN Game Day next weekend. What say you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-october-2009/512281.md?page=6)