[Maxvla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, that should settle the debate. Florida limited Oklahoma to 14 points. Ohio State limited Texas to 24 points. Ole Miss shamed Texas Tech. The Big 12 is a league with average or slightly above average offenses and crap defenses. Its level of talent is roughly comparable to the Pac-10. Good game.

So OU limiting Florida to 14 points in 3 quarters is bad defense? Did you even watch the game? Except for 2 big runs the Sooners had Florida's running game contained. The game I watched had the best Big12 team and the best SEC team literally tied up until the last few minutes of the game.

You also have to consider that most Big12 teams use less clock than other teams so when they play each other they get more plays in per game. More plays per game means more scores. Match up a Big12 team versus a team that snaps the ball with 1 sec on the clock every snap and you end up with a lower scoring game. They even showed during the game the average plays per game is 60 NCAA wide. OU averages 80 and was able to get something like 96 in one game.

The month long wait also always helps the defenses more than offenses, tips the scales away from the Big12 by default.

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, that should settle the debate. Florida limited Oklahoma to 14 points. Ohio State limited Texas to 24 points. Ole Miss shamed Texas Tech. The Big 12 is a league with average or slightly above average offenses and crap defenses. Its level of talent is roughly comparable to the Pac-10. Good game.

I don't know if I'd call Oklahoma's defense "crap." They may have given up 24 points, but it's not like they were playing Duke. Florida has a really good offense, and given what most of us were expecting out of the Sooners on defense, I for one have to say they performed quite well and I'm beginning to wonder if Oklahoma's defense really wasn't that all that bad. The offense, as I thought, didn't really have much to show. I knew Florida was going to be able to slow down OU, but only 14 points? I'm left to wonder how much impact not playing for a month had on both teams. In any case, it was a good game.

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxvla /img/forum/go_quote.gif The month long wait also always helps the defenses more than offenses, tips the scales away from the Big12 by default.

In all fairness, it would seem that the layoff wasn't too kind to Florida's offense either. They didn't exactly blow OU out.

 

[Skylab]

I was actually pretty impressed with OU's defense. They played better on defense than I expected. OU is a very, very good team, no doubt. They beat some good OOC opponents this year, and played a strong Florida team tough.

But I do think that the completion percentages put up by Bradford/McCoy/Harrell/Daniel would not happen outside of the Big 12. The Big 12 does not appear to hold up defensively. Florida's D *caused* the turnovers last night - they were not bad mistakes by OU - it was good play on D.


I agree it was not the best bowl game - the best of the BCS bowls was clearly tOSU v Texas. And I agree that the commentating was weak. I too listened to music during the second half - definitely helped

I also think, sadly, that it may well be that the two best teams RIGHT NOW are Utah and USC. As a Bowl Backer, that is a tough pill to swallow, but it may be the case. The Utes will have to settle for ending at #2 - still pretty darned good - maybe the best finish ever for a school outside the current BCS conferences since BYU won the 84 title?

Well, next year will be next year!

 

[ronnielee54]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif I also think, sadly, that it may well be that the two best teams RIGHT NOW are Utah and USC. As a Bowl Backer, that is a tough pill to swallow, but it may be the case. The Utes will have to settle for ending at #2 - still pretty darned good - maybe the best finish ever for a school outside the current BCS conferences since BYU won the 84 title? Well, next year will be next year!

Skylab, I will always praise you for your reviews and knowlege on amps, but I cannot believe that statement you made. Do you honestly believe in your heart that the Utes could have hung in that game last night. They beat an Alabama team whose offensive line was not even close to 100%. How many of the Utes regular season wins could honestly be called quality wins. Okay, they went 12-0, but against what. The 2 best teams in the country played last night and the best 1 won. The only travesty I see is Utah being rated #2. I would place them 5th at best.

1 Gators
2 Texas
3 OU
4 USC
5 Utah

 

[Skylab]

Dude, Utah *dominated* Alabama. If we allow that the SEC is the best conference, which I think we pretty much have to, that is a very impressive win. There were no major injuries on Alabama's D, which had been VERY good. The Utes also beat quality teams in Oregon State, TCU, and BYU. They also beat Michigan at Michigan, which in spite of the bad year by the Wolverines is not an easy feat I assure you. I think a case for their being #2 is quite easily made, and clearly I am not the only one who thinks that

 

[ronnielee54]

I'll give you Alabama , but I just can't go with the TCU and BYU from the MWC and beating the 3rd best team in the Pac 10 being enough to propel them to #2 in the nation. I still don't think Utah could have hung with either team last night. I am not even sure Utah could beat Texas, Ohio State, or even Ole Miss. But with the current system in place, we will never know this.

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronnielee54 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Skylab, I will always praise you for your reviews and knowlege on amps, but I cannot believe that statement you made. Do you honestly believe in your heart that the Utes could have hung in that game last night. They beat an Alabama team whose offensive line was not even close to 100%. How many of the Utes regular season wins could honestly be called quality wins. Okay, they went 12-0, but against what. The 2 best teams in the country played last night and the best 1 won. The only travesty I see is Utah being rated #2. I would place them 5th at best.

Utah beat Alabama pretty soundly. You can't honestly tell me that after completely dominating Alabama that Utah couldn't hang with Florida or OU? I don't know for sure if Utah would be able to beat Florida or OU, but they could definitely make a game out of it.

 

[Samgotit]

1. Florida
2. Utah
3. Texas
3. OU
4. USC

Can I do that?

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigglybootch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Utah beat Alabama pretty soundly. You can't honestly tell me that after completely dominating Alabama that Utah couldn't hang with Florida or OU? I don't know for sure if Utah would be able to beat Florida or OU, but they could definitely make a game out of it.

Right. But whatever. I wasn't trying to say the NCG wasn't the right 2 teams - under the circumstances, I think it was. It was an odd set of circumstances this year.

 

[SweetAdeline]

This has since been edited, but at one point today Thom Brennaman's (last night's play by play man) wikipedia said this- check the last line.

 

[Skylab]

LOL! I do think of Brennaman as baseball guy, not a football guy. Normally he doesn't bother me, but last night...sheesh...

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right. But whatever. I wasn't trying to say the NCG wasn't the right 2 teams - under the circumstances, I think it was. It was an odd set of circumstances this year.

Indeed.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Waiting for a playoff....what more can be said?

Florida was utterly underwhelming last night on offense. Oklahoma's defense is pretty good, but part of that "mere" 24 points has to fall on the Gators as well. Depending on fluky luck, or kicking quality, it could have easily been 24-23, if not a win for the Sooners. All in all, I was not that impressed by either team.

As to whom is the best team in the land....I still don't know. If I were a voter, I'd have to vote for Utah, based on their record. If there were a playoff, I'd have to favor USC, based on their defense being the best (not trying to be a homer here, just look at the stats). I don't doubt that they could have shut down Florida, and scored enough to pull it out. But really, we know very little more about which team is best, than we did before the game, and if given the chance, any of the top five teams, if not more, could have risen to the chance and claimed the title legitimately.

But we'll never know, will we? Just as we will never know if Boise St. could have gone all the way a few years ago. Hopefully somewhere after economic stimulus and healthcare reform, Mr. Obama can turn the barrels of the Justice and Education Departments onto the BCS.

 

[SweetAdeline]

Top for National Signing Day tomorrow.

How is everyone's future looking?