2014 College football
 

Ok everybody argue away about why your alma mater is better than the previous posters and bring out the totally biased opinions, its COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON!

Let's keep it to the top 4 for the playoff, who will be there and who should be there.

I've got it like this:

1. Florida State (this team finds ways to win, even without their leader)
2. Alabama (very prolific offense against UF, also Blake Sims emerged as a gunslinger)
3.Oregon (fast paced offense that will hurt you quick, not sure they can play with schools like FSU or Bama though.)
4.Oklahoma (Samaje Parine is here and he's a stud)

Some may disagree with FSU at #1, but a lot of folks don't take in to account the target you have on your back as the number one team. Everybody that plays you literally has nothing to lose. So when you play these teams you are getting their no holds barred effort from start to finish. It is easier to overtake the number one spot than it is to go wire to wire with the exact same schedule because of this fact. For FSU to find ways to win against a very underrated OSU team and a Clemson team that had it's front four healthy on D (which was not the case against UGA) and against Clemson to do it without Winston and without a few key players on D speaks a lot about the resolve of this team. I've got them at number one and I see them going all the way to championship game this year. They've got one ranked team left on the schedule, #8 Notre Dame who I'm not completely sold on at the #8 spot but that's just me.

Looking forward to watching this season unfold!

Texas A&M is the best team in the $EC.

Just happy Utah went into the Big House & dominated the Woverines.

Oregon's offensive line looked really bad on Saturday. Hopefully their defense gets it together as well. Luckily they can score a lot to cover up their mistakes. Sadly, that doesn't work in big games.

I don't like Oregon against more physical teams like FSU or Alabama and I don't think they could stop Oklahomas running game either. I would not be surprised to see the, knocked out in round one.

ECU is playing great ball right now!

Big scare to my Ags this weekend but still undefeated and climbing. There are going to be a couple of 1 to 2 loss teams in the SEC West that could beat anybody else in the country.

Maybe Alabama, but that's it. FSU playing as awful as they are would still win the SEC pending a game with BAMA. Once this team puts it together nobody will be able to touch them. I'm guessing they will emerge and make their statement against ND.

Let's tap the brakes on ND being some big test. They haven't played anybody yet.

And not just Bama...Auburn, Texas A&M, and Miss State are all up there. Ole Miss and LSU aren't slouches here. Toughest division...period.

I expect ND to win this week.

^^^^^. Typo that I cannot edit, that should say "I expect ND to lose this week." Though I don't think Stanford is a World beater, ND....as always, is overrated.

Hope the Utes show well @ UCLA, which I think they will.

Ouch for Oregon.

Not surprised by Oregon losing, they are incredibly soft up front and defensively not very physical. Teams like FSU and Alabama would have a field day.

^^^^ Logan, you keep referring to FSU & Alabama like they are equals..... FSU pulled squeakers against Clemson and NC State.... Not to mention the OSU game.... They are not physically dominating anyone...not to mention that none of those teams are considered physical teams....:rolleyes:

FSU is playing in a weak ash conference, probably the only reason they are a shoe in for the final four.... If they were in the SEC or PAC12, different story.....they'd actually have to play a real schedule. Might as well be playing in the Mountain West Conference.

Agreed EJ. FSU would be a 3 loss team in PAC, SEC, or Big 12

It's funny to me that everybody acts like the ACC is so week yet FSU and Clemson both won BCS bowls last season. Lets look at the conferences and the amount of teams sent to the 5 BCS games last season and their records.

ACC sent 2 teams, 2 victories. (defeated SEC and B1G teams)
AMERICAN Sent 1 team, 1 victory. (defeated Big 12)
B1G sent 2 teams, 1 victory. (defeated PAC 12 lost to ACC)
Big 12 sent 2 teams, 1 victory. (defeated SEC lost to AMERICAN)
PAC 12 sent 1 team (lost to B1G)
SEC sent 2 team, ZERO victories. (Lost to ACC and Big 12)

So you're saying that SEC and PAC 12 are so superior yet they did not win a single BCS game last season, ACC won two. As a whole it is undeniable that the SEC is superior, yes. But it is laughable to say FSU isn't the best team in the country, here's what is funny about people that bring up NC State but know nothing other than a box score. FSU was picked to win by 17, they won by 15. NC State ran stuff the whole first quarter that they hadn't shown all season, FSU was literally game planning during the game and allowed ZERO drives for TD's after the first quarter, all scores in 2nd to 4th were turnover related not full on drives. And NC State has a future NFL draft pick at QB.

Alabama allowed something like 600+ yards to FLORIDA who has arguably one of if not the worst QB's in College football.

Oregon who barely escaped Wazzu, comes out favored by 23 points and loses to Arizona and people just say that's how tough the PAC 12 is. Yet when FSU was against the ropes against NC State (who is every bit as good as Arizona, if you deny that you're foolish) it had everything to do with them being over rated and not that ACC has any real talent. GIVE ME A BREAK, THESE ARE DIVISION 1 BALL PLAYERS, THEY ARE ALL THE BEST PLAYERS IN THEIR HOME TOWN.

Please bring facts and intelligent conversation to this or don't post at all.


By the way, FSU is still #1 ;)

Single games, esp. bowls are relative. Like my team, Utah, beating Alabama in the Sugar or TCU, Boise ect... It's the grind of a real conference schedule. Anyone can get up for a game, when playing cupcakes, week in and WEAK out.... But continue living in your bubble...

PAC12 is the deepest conference in the Country, top to bottom. Love to have FSU playing here....(travel excluded)

Love your numbers though....lol.

Note, by your numbers, the American conference is solid...lol

I always was so, if you win your games, take care of business, you are a team.... Then had a rude awaking when the Utes started playing in the PAC12... Same thing happened to TCU.... Hell, Boise went from the terrible WAC to the MWC and couldn't win an outright title, twice not even a title....

Long story short, if you think the ACC is a tough conference, okay, we can agree to disagree.... But for the love of Christ, please quit comparing FSU to Alabama....and I don't even like Bama...

Ultimately, if you want to run numbers, let the pros do it and look at the conference rankings. ACC Sucks...

But yea, the American Conference....LOL

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf...14/conference/

http://realtimerpi.com/college_footb..._conf_Men.html

holy crap so many upsets this weekend! T A&M got STEAMROLLED! Glad to see ND beat Stanford, but did not see that coming.

Well, 1 for 2 & the only one that counted for me. Great game!!!

Was happy to see ND beat Stanford, I didn't expect it either. FSU needs all the validity they can get when they trounce em.

And also Boston college beat USC and Virginia tech beat OSU at home and Virginia played UCLA very well so when you play a bad ACC team you might wanna pay attention

Hail State!! MORE COWBELL PLEASE!!

Top 4 teams now include 2 Mississippi teams for sure. Hopefully after a win this weekend in Starkville against Auburn FSU will have a lot of competition for the number 1 spot as we already got 2 votes for that spot this week after the demolishing of TAMU.

Roll Tears Roll! Hotty Toddy as well. TSUN (as its referred to by bulldog fans) pulled out a squeaker over the crimson tide and brought up their stock as well. Not as dominate looking as the Bulldogs but a win nonetheless. Can't wait to see what they have in store for the rest of the SEC schedule.

Sure would love the Egg Bowl in November to determine the winner of the SEC West. one of the two MS teams has to be included in your 4 team playoff at this point in the season. Should be an interesting week/weekend.

HAIL STATE!

E J I think you are a little over zealous with this statement. I would think in head to head matchups throughout the SEC (minus Vanderbilt) would come out on top. The PAC teams are not as consistently good year to year.

It is definitely a great year in college football. I love all the upset even though many of them are for teams that I like and root for.

FYI..... I think ND is overrated due to their weak schedule.

My mid season playoff picks in no particular order would be:

Florida State (weak schedule)
Baylor (if their defense shows up every game)
Mississippi State (if they win the Egg Bowl w/ Ole Miss otherwise Ole Miss will be there)
Oregon

The SEC still has the best teams that cannibalize themselves. Georgia, and as much as I hate to admit it Ohio State has an outside shot.

No way on GA, they lost to my crappy Gamecocks, would love to see FL St. go down against ND this week

I think you may be right. I'd like to see a one game, top to bottom run and see how it shook out. I agree the top of the SEC, this year, is better than the top of the PAC12. (I try to look at this stuff realistically, not through fan goggles) Not unlike your statement with the SEC cannibalizing their own teams due to strength, I feel like that happens in the PAC12 as well.

Hope the Utes can go into Corvallis tomorrow and get a win. GO UTES!

"and Virginia tech beat OSU at home"
theOSU lost its star quarterback the week before, No other team in the country could rebound like Ohio State did with a new quarterback. If Ohio State wins the BIG, they deserve to be in the playoffs. Notre Dame does not deserve to be in the playoffs because they are Not in a conference, and if they go undefeated, they will probably kick out a one or two loss SEC championship team,so the best team in the country might not even make it to the playoffs! Next year hopefully there will be an eight team playoff tournament, so all the Conference champs can go And any undefeated B- teams that are not in a conference.

I am gonna say maybe on Ohio State reaching the playoffs because they play a pretty light schedule, but the media and everyone else does love them so who knows. That is why I gave them an outside chance.

Notre Dame not being in a major consequence should have no bearing on them being in the playoff. Once again, it is their strength of schedule. They will lose to Florida State this weekend anyway.

What sucks is that if a conference is weak in a particular year the schedule is going to be weaker by default which is a disadvantage. To know for sure about a teams strength these teams would all have to play longer schedules and more out of conference teams. But then we wouldn't have anything to argue about. lol

Guess i was wrong about Baylor.... :rolleyes:

People talk about how the SEC is always ranked highly to start and how they get preference in the polls and I secretly agreed with some of it, but I have to say that the SEC is undoubtedly cranking out the best teams in the land.

I would venture to say that Arkansas may lose every conference game in the SEC west and still beat many top teams in other conferences. :eek:

4 of the teams in the nations top 5 are from the SEC west and Arkansas has kept many of them close.

Them and my poor Tigers who have a chance at redemption the next couple of weeks. :D

You're $EC HONK.... $EC is good, but not that good. Like I said above, would like to see a top to bottom run, see how it played out.

Nice win by the Utes tonight.... A lot of football to play, but winning is better then losing.

Genex3, I'd be interested to hear your take, if your team was from the BIG12....

Funny how TXAM fans were railing against the $EC a few years ago, then, "see, we're rolling", now, deer in headlights....

How many conference games does te $EC play?

Hahahahaha....... I am pretty sure that the SEC IS that good if they have dominated the National Championship race for almost the last decade.


Now maybe the coverage has something to do with rankings and there should probably be no rankings at all until mid season (definitely no preseason), but no more than USC, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and several others that the traditional powers love & get media baby coverage.
It would be nice to see at least one top 20 team out of conference but it is a crap shoot. LSU beat Oregon the last couple of years the first game of the season and didn't finish like I thought they would. I think LSU is a top 10 team but have no chance at the playoff because they don't have a quarterback worth a crap.

It is hard to tell but I think the polls get it right in general about halfway through the season. It will be interesting to see what the committee comes out with.
I don't think the rankings are impacted negatively by conference by midseason. The x factor will be how the committee views things.

I think every conference plays 8 conference games and 4 out of conference games. Why do you ask?

BTW I live in Dallas Texas and would love to see Baylor or TCU get into the playoff. TCU looks like they have a shot but their defense is a questionable factor.

I think everyone but the SEC plays 9 conference games. I think there is a reason for that, both to pad wins & avoid potential losses.

Spoken like a true ANTI SEC HONK! Yeah there is a conspiracy to give SEC teams an advantage..... wth?

If anything it might be to give them a break from killing each other. The SEC west has 5 teams in the top 20. Every other conference has that or less in the whole conference. Are you saying that it doesn't matter that all the polls are so far off just to give the SEC an advantage? I am not sure this discussion is even worth debating with you.

All the pro SEC and anti SEC talk cracks me up. Yes, if you have more good teams on your schedule and win you will be given preference and ranked higher. If you have maybe 2 tough games all year unfortunately those games define your season. (Your welcome Notre Dame.) I feel sorry for Arkansas who probably had the toughest schedule of anyone in the nation and has been in every game but come out on the losing end of most. If they had Notre Dame's schedule or even dare I say Florida State's schedule they would easily be in the playoff talk right now.

I'm unabashed in my hate of the SEC.

It's not a conspiracy, it's just the conference making a decision that benefits them. You are correct, it gives them a break.

Polls are polls, I don't put too much energy worrying about them.

No need to respond, I'm confident it's not worth debating with me.

I am guessing that you think your beloved Utes deserved to be ranked higher than LSU?

Again, I don't worry too much about the polls and rankings. The Utes may very well lose more games than they win, the rest of the season....so where they are ranked today isn't going to matter.

I love to see them play LSU.

EJ, Your thoughts on the SEC west dominating the new rankings? Is there a conspiracy across the board from everyone associated with college football?

My only real surprise is that Notre Dame is in the top 10. (barely) Once again, they are not as good as their record.

My thoughts are that it's a joke....

Yes, conspiracy across the board. Any coincidence that every member of the College Football Selection Committee was also a member of the Warren Commission, I think not!

Not losing any sleep over it, we're in October.

Losing Dres Anderson is going to hurt the Utes moving forward. Dad news....

Florida State currently down 17 points...

Make that 10...quick strike!

21 straight for FSU, what a comeback!

Then Louisville storms back with a TD... What a great game!

Good read.

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/...5jLnJyLmNvbQ==

Hahahah..... yeah.....Believe the "SEC bias" articles like this but people with college football knowledge that are not delusional would undoubtedly admit the SEC is the best conference not just based on accomplishments that were supposedly won under a biased media but by just looking at the athletes and head to head matchups that do exist and have been played.
Does it makes a sense for ESPN to promote SEC bias since having teams doing well from all over the country would help their profits also? Why only have the Southeast do well where there is a smaller television audience? Does it make sense to limit their viewing audience? No. How does ESPN make money from limiting coverage to a particular conference?
Their philosophy should be to sensationalize whomever is at the top of their game. That is what gets people interested. That or polarizing everyone from different conferences so that we all have something to bitch about. (kinda like politics) Hahahahaha!

Rolling Stone has been known to stir the pot to stay relevant for years. There were so many unfair comparisons and factless quips it almost makes the article seem strange to read from a layman's perspective.

My most recent first hand "head to head" match-up, the Utes stomped Alabama in the Sugar Bowl....;)

But, to add some meat to this head to head results....here is PAC12 vs SEC since the year 2000.

http://seattletimes.com/html/thebrew...vs_sec_fo.html

Here ya go, # of NFL players from each major college. Looks like the SEC has quite a few players going to the NFL...which means they are producing some of the best players which would mean that's who you would want to watch on TV.
http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/st...-college/2014/

Timmy, talking best teams... Not best talent. Not sure the Utes Sugar bowl team has more kids on NFL teams right now(they may though), but they kicked the trash out of Alabama. Talent alone, doesn't roll wins/losses. It's kids dialing in, sometimes giving up stats for a system. There are kids that can't buy into that, hurt the team, still rolling into the League. Not saying your link is worthless, but head to head is probably more significant. Both are not exactly crazy skewed anyway... Just more evidence that the $EC is awesome, but not exactly them and everyone else.

I do appreciate the effort.

I'm enjoying this forum battle as my Wildcats slowly creep up the ranks. Thanks to Auburn for helping open up a spot in the Top 4 last night.

So here is the question, if the SEC is in fact without a doubt the best conference in the NCAA and has been throughout the history of colloege football, what gives them so much of an advantage over everyone else? Why is this ONE conference so dominate when you have schools like UT who spend more money than any school in the SEC?? (I despise UT btw, just an example because I believe they have the largest budget of any school in the NCAA for athletics)

SEC has solid coaches and a very fertile recruiting ground. Seems like top Southeastern talent stays in the SE, while Texas talent is split between a ton of schools. SEC also values defense and speed. I am scared of what Texas would do if they ever got a great coach in there.

Some awesome fun for thought!

First and few graphs, thanks to Jt on the other site....

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...-much-sec.html

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/...ps51f95753.jpg

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4ff2b1dc.jpg


Then this little gem! It's a guess as to what will be happening on Game Day this Saturday with Ohio State and Michigan State....which is super good....:D Thanks to WakeboarderDave.

http://www.elevenwarriors.com/colleg...michigan-state

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...mming-national

whoops

Brutal turn of events.... When down 3 in the 4th, should have been up 11...:banghead: total game changer.

That said, if someone would have ask me in August, if I'd take 6-3 at this point, I'd have jumped on it. Vegas over/under was 4.5 games for the Utes this year. May win 8... Everything is gravy now.

Not to say they aren't snake bit. Tonight, last week arguably one of the best kickers in the Nation misses a 35 yard FG & Washington State, all pac12 receiver drops a game winner...ugh.

Great win for the Utes on the farm today.... Sweeping their California schedule(UCLA, USC & Stanford).

Now if Miami can finish off FSU!!!

Quiet as a church mouse...

Big win on the farm last week for the Utes. At this point, every win is cake as the talking heads had them at 4-5 wins. That said, now thinking 8-9 is in reach. When I say in reach, Arizona & Colorado were supposed to be wins 5 & 6....in a perfect world.

Crazy season for the Utes.

I'll add, the Utes are all old school SEC.... Monster D, running game, passing is wanting....

Add, no problem where they are ranked or all that.... Just talking out loud.

Bet a $.05 they could beat LSU

*****in fire sale.... Tough night.

Don't count your chickens yet, seems like the only game the buffs get up for is the new "rivalry" with the utes and I feel like they might be finally getting back, though I have been saying that a long time now...

Colorado played a great game. Utes were fortunate to get out of there with a win. Utah's calling card has been their D, but it's been thrashed the past two weeks.

8 wins was unthinkable at the start of the year. Fine Job, Utes!

Eh classic sign of an average to below average team we can get close but never get over the hump. oh well there's always next year...

More importantly I'm really digging the college football playoff and looking forward to seeing how this championship weekend shakes out. Any predictions for the final 4?

The Ohio State University Should Now be In the Final Four! They have No losses to Any team in the Big Ten.

Love watching TCU hand OM their ass. TCU should have been in the playoff.

Holy smokes TCU is taking it to Ole Miss.....

Beat down by TCU. "Bad" Bo came to give the ball away. Receivers looked like they were playing on hangovers. Awful.

Now Boise State is taking Arizona behind the woodshed.

"@KirkHerbstreit: The Bear just informed me that 3 of the 4 SEC ranked teams have lost their bowl games. All 3 losses from SEC West. Still have Bama & Auburn."

Tcu should not be in the playoffs there are only Four playoff spots so each conference can only send One Team, Baylor beat tcu head to head, so Baylor goes to playoffs if any team from big 12 goes.

Apparently you don't understand the playoff & how the committee selects teams. It's the best 4 teams, period. There is NOTHING that stipulates only one team per conference or each conference is getting a team in.

But Baylor was ranked ahead of TCU in the final poll, the highest ranked BIG12 team. So if the BIG12 was getting a team in, guess it would have been Baylor.

How the committee had TCU at #3, watched them crush Iowa State 55-6, then dropped them 3 spots(1 below the static Baylor), well....you'd have to ask them....

Wisconsin vs Auburn game has been awesome. OT!

Great game.... SEC now 4-4 in bowl games, 4 of 5 ranked SEC teams have lost their bowl games.

Mizzu wins. SEC now 5-4, 4 of 6 ranked teams have lost.

Excited for tonight!

P.S. Great Winter Classic finish!

Wondered of Logan still thought FSU was so superior to Oregon...;)

football
 

Deuce, if the big 12 had a championship game and tcu beat Baylor in it there wouldn't be any discussion. You better believe conference championships matter especially this year with only 4 teams in the playoffs. tcu was co champs with baylor, let's see if they have a championship game next year because championship games Do matter.