# College Football Thread - BCS, Bowls, Conference Championship, Coaching Changes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979 "2007-11-27T23:51:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**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 3, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/241 "2007-12-03T13:52:34Z")
I sure am glad the SEC ALWAYS has such top-notch non-conference games. Alabama: Western Carolina and Louisiana-Monroe Arkansas: Troy, North Texas, Chattanooga, and Florida International Auburn: New Mexico State and Tennessee Tech Florida: Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic. Georgia: Western Carolina Kentucky: Eastern Kentucky and Kent State LSU: Middle Tennessee, Tulane, and Louisiana Tech Mississippi: Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State Mississippi State: Tulane and Gardner-Webb South Carolina: Louisiana-Lafayette and South Carolina State Tennessee: Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette Vanderbilt: Richmond, Eastern Michigan, and Miami (OH) ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/242 "2007-12-03T13:56:54Z")
Now now **Bob** , this is the SEC we’re talking about. They _need_ to schedule patsy OOC games, because the SEC is so tough. How do we know the SEC is so tough, when they don’t schedule OOC games. Well, because they say so, that’s why. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/243 "2007-12-03T14:09:04Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] Ohio State over LSU. No contest here, OSU is simply head and shoulders over any team LSU has played to date. Les Miles later will say, “gee, I’d hate to play Ohio State every year.” [/QUOTE] Very doubtful. [OU is 0-8 all time against the SEC](http://www.secsportsfan.com/ohio-state-vs-sec.html). That ain’t good. The big ten can crow all they won’t, but LSU is going to eat OU alive. It reminds of of last year, actually. “Florida doesn’t deserve to be there, OU is so much better, the Gator’s are going to get killed, Zook will say he’ll hate to play OU again”, etc. etc. How did that turn out for OU? ---
**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:** [December 3, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/244 "2007-12-03T14:26:50Z")
[QUOTE=A Monkey With a Gun] Very doubtful. [OU is 0-8 all time against the SEC](http://www.secsportsfan.com/ohio-state-vs-sec.html). That ain’t good. The big ten can crow all they won’t, but LSU is going to eat OU alive. It reminds of of last year, actually. “Florida doesn’t deserve to be there, OU is so much better, the Gator’s are going to get killed, Zook will say he’ll hate to play OU again”, etc. etc. How did that turn out for OU? [/QUOTE] _psstt!_ o - s - u And RE: OK State v Indiana. Our defense is suspect, but our offense looks stronger than yours. I think OSU wins in a shootout. I think it will be a good game to watch, pity its only on the NFL network. And that I probably can’t go. But, if Indiana was plaing anyone but my team, I’d be rooting for them this year. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/245 "2007-12-03T15:27:34Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] Ohio State over LSU. No contest here, OSU is simply head and shoulders over any team LSU has played to date. Les Miles later will say, “gee, I’d hate to play Ohio State every year.” I see the Big 10 going anywhere from 6-2 to 8-0 in bowl games. [/QUOTE] Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/246 "2007-12-03T15:38:36Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor. [/QUOTE] Shhh. Quiet, **ShibbOleth**. You’ll wake up **Bob**. He seems to be having such a _pleasant_ dream. ---
**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 3, 2007, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/247 "2007-12-03T15:52:29Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Shhh. Quiet, **ShibbOleth**. You’ll wake up **Bob**. He seems to be having such a _pleasant_ dream. [/QUOTE] As Elvis sang, Tell me why, oh why, oh why can`t my dream come true? If the BT goes 8-0, remember where you saw it first. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/248 "2007-12-03T15:53:25Z")
Georgia fans should be worried. Nothing to win if you win that game against Hawaii, but so much to lose if you don’t. OSU-LSU should be a good game. Can’t wait to see if LSU has the great speed advantage against Ohio State like all the SEC fans seem to claim. Tough to win this one for the Buckeyes playing in Louisiana, but I expect a tough one. Illinois will keep it close for a bit against USC, but I just don’t think they have the defense to stop USC’s running game. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/249 "2007-12-03T16:05:57Z")
[QUOTE=RancidYakButterTeaParty] Georgia fans should be worried. Nothing to win if you win that game against Hawaii, but so much to lose if you don’t. [/QUOTE] Hawaii reminds me a bit of Troy. High-powered offense, but on _defense_, eh, not so much. Troy gave Georgia a good game, and I fully expect a good game from Hawaii. I know some Georgia fans are disappointed, but I think it’s kind of fun to have a new face in the Sugar Bowl. And yeah, I do worry about an emotional letdown. On the other hand, last year’s Boise State / Oklahoma game should be a good object lesson for the Georgia coaches as they try to get their team focused. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/250 "2007-12-03T16:13:23Z")
What a horrible matchup for Michigan. ☹ They have proven time and time again that an overall good defense has a massivly exploitable hole vs a running QB. The D just isn’t gonna stop him. The only prayer is that Carr decides to open the playbook up past the first page and lets the Offense run wild in his last game. Any other matchup, and I’d feel pretty good since they will probably be fully healthy for the only time this season. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/251 "2007-12-03T16:30:08Z")
Screw you guys and your whining about BCS bowls. I need to spend the next 4 weeks trying to get excited about the Armed Forces Bowl. The bummer is that I’d actually love to go…I’ve been to 4 straight bowls with Cal, and they’ve all been a blast. But airfare from here to DFW is outrageous. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/252 "2007-12-03T16:39:59Z")
[QUOTE=wolfman] What a horrible matchup for Michigan. ☹ They have proven time and time again that an overall good defense has a massivly exploitable hole vs a running QB. The D just isn’t gonna stop him. The only prayer is that Carr decides to open the playbook up past the first page and lets the Offense run wild in his last game. Any other matchup, and I’d feel pretty good since they will probably be fully healthy for the only time this season. [/QUOTE] The good news for Michigan fans: Tebow has a broken hand. The bad news for Michigan fans: It’s his right hand, and he had five touchdowns against FSU, even though he broke his hand on the first touchdown. > [@](#): > > Tebow has played through injuries before. > > Not only did he finish a high school game on a broken leg, he bruised his right shoulder Oct. 20 against Kentucky and stayed in the game. Instead of taking some time off to heal, Tebow opted to receive painkilling shots before the next four games. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/253 "2007-12-03T16:42:39Z")
[QUOTE=RancidYakButterTeaParty] Illinois will keep it close for a bit against USC, but I just don’t think they have the defense to stop USC’s running game. [/QUOTE] Our defense, especially against the run, is very good. I think we’ll hold our own there. I’m more concerned with the passing game, we tend to play a lot of man-to-man on the edges and stack the box and I think the USC WRs are going to be a lot better than anything we’ve seen so far. Michigan had the best corps we saw and they made enough big plays to beat us late. On the flipside, we simply don’t throw the ball downfield enough. I think we are capable, and when we’ve needed plays we’ve generally gotten them, but I don’t like the prospect of having to mount a comeback should we fall behind early. Really this entire game will be decided on the backs of Mendenhall and Juice Williams. If they move the chains, eat the clock and abuse the USC defense I think we’ll be in good shape. If we have too many 3-and-outs and are forced to get away from the run we’ll be in trouble. I hope the Zooker has a couple tricks up his sleeve. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/254 "2007-12-03T16:44:36Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] The good news for Michigan fans: Tebow has a broken hand. The bad news for Michigan fans: It’s his right hand, and he had five touchdowns against FSU, even though he broke his hand on the first touchdown. [/QUOTE] For the record, in this one matchup I want the SEC to pound the piss out of the Big Ten. Fuck Michigan. And I tend to think that’s whats going to happen, Michigan just isn’t that athletic outside of Hart and Manningham. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/255 "2007-12-03T17:23:58Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] Our defense, especially against the run, is very good. I think we’ll hold our own there. I’m more concerned with the passing game, we tend to play a lot of man-to-man on the edges and stack the box and I think the USC WRs are going to be a lot better than anything we’ve seen so far. Michigan had the best corps we saw and they made enough big plays to beat us late. On the flipside, we simply don’t throw the ball downfield enough. I think we are capable, and when we’ve needed plays we’ve generally gotten them, but I don’t like the prospect of having to mount a comeback should we fall behind early. Really this entire game will be decided on the backs of Mendenhall and Juice Williams. If they move the chains, eat the clock and abuse the USC defense I think we’ll be in good shape. If we have too many 3-and-outs and are forced to get away from the run we’ll be in trouble. I hope the Zooker has a couple tricks up his sleeve. [/QUOTE] I’m not arguing that your run defense is good, but USC’s running attack is killer. Trust me, I would love for Illinois to be in this game–but after having watched USC play a few times this year–I think they could run over anyone in the country if they put their mind to it. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/256 "2007-12-03T17:40:41Z")
[QUOTE=RancidYakButterTeaParty] I’m not arguing that your run defense is good, but USC’s running attack is killer. Trust me, I would love for Illinois to be in this game–but after having watched USC play a few times this year–I think they could run over anyone in the country if they put their mind to it. [/QUOTE] If USC chooses to turn this into a ground game I’ll be thrilled. We were 5th in the nation rushing and averaged 80 more yards a game on the ground against stiffer run defenses than USC. That’s a matchup I think we’ll win, especially since our offense is similar to Oregon’s, a team that gave the USC defense fits. Memo to Pete Carroll…you can run the ball on us, keep pounding it please. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/257 "2007-12-03T18:11:55Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] I would have loved to see UGA matched against Oklahoma or Southern Cal. It could have been a sort of _shadow_ national championship, between teams currently playing better than the teams in the BCS title game. Well, Hawaii plays in a tougher conference… 😃 [/QUOTE] You know, I did find it odd that Michigan, after losing to App State & Oregon, was able to cruise through most of its conference :eek: GO 'BOWS! Err… I mean “Go Warriors”\* \*From the UH media guide: “When referring to the UH football team, please use the nickname “Warriors.” Other UH teams go by the nickname “Rainbow Warriors” or “Rainbow Wahine” however, the football team prefers the nickname Warriors.” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/258 "2007-12-03T18:26:19Z")
Speaking of which…it’s MHO that the bowl games are the best way to measure the hotly debated topic of relative conference strength. I’ve come up with an algorithm for a bowl game conference scorecard (involves assigning a point value to each game based on conference standings of the participants), that I’d be happy to share & post the results here, if anybody says “cool idea”. If I get nothing but crickets…I’ll do it anyway and keep it to myself. ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/259 "2007-12-03T18:49:59Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] OSU had essentially a home game in the National Championship last year and got blown out by the Gators. [/QUOTE] How do you figure? Was the National Championship played in Dayton last year, and I just managed to forget that fact? Because that’d be the equivalent of LSU playing in New Orleans. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/260 "2007-12-03T18:58:25Z")
[QUOTE=aliquot] How do you figure? Was the National Championship played in Dayton last year, and I just managed to forget that fact? Because that’d be the equivalent of LSU playing in New Orleans. [/QUOTE] He’s basically saying that anything not played in an SEC teams backyard is a horrible road game. :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979.md?page=14)