[Skylab]

Apparently Texas A&M didn't think Mike Sherman didn't want to move to the SEC.

 

[SweetAdeline]

Quote:

And Washington State will never again play a game televised by ESPN. . .
 
EdIt: Speaking of ESPN...Craig James! Ranking those Sooners #17! CJ is deadpan at its finest. 

Yeah well that probably wasn't going to happen anyway.
 
I honestly don't even mean that to try to dig at Wazoo either.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Lots of great football today!
 
The Wisconsin v. Michigan St. game was exciting - I thought the Spartans would pull it out, but will happily watch the Badgers play the Ducks.

 

[grokit]

That was a great game and even though I was pulling for Wisconsin, I thought it ended on a sour note the way it was decided on a penalty.

 

[Skylab]

On the one hand I agree with that, but n the other hand, it's bad coaching by MSU.  You should go punt safe there and Exclusively set up Keshon Martin for the return.  No excuse for having anyone anywhere near the punter.  
 
But MSU got lucky with their first win over Wisco.  So it's kind of karma.  But I also wanted Wisco to win.
 
ACC and SEC championship games were good in the first half, but both turned ugly.  I was a bit surprised to see Clemson crush VaTech like that.
 
I guess the real question is - did OKST make enough of a statement to get into the NCG?

 

[J W]

Quote:

 
I guess the real question is - did OKST make enough of a statement to get into the NCG?

ESPN already decided that a rematch is to played in the NCG. 
 
Does OK State deserve to go, though? Absolutely! OK State has more quality wins than Bama, it has a conference title, and it hasn't already played and lost to LSU. The biggest problem with a Bama/LSU rematch, of course, is if Alabama wins. Would it be fair to LSU to crown Alabama the National Champion?  Would they split the 2011 title or would OK State get votes in the AP if it won its bowl game? 
 
Edit: Also, this whole "who did you lose to" argument is one of the worst out there. It makes about as much sense as ranking Arkansas #3 because its only two losses came from Alabama and LSU. 

 

[Skylab]

Totally agree.  I really think you should have to win your conference to play in the NCG.  I would MUCH prefer a matchup between the Pokes and Bayou Bengals than getting a rematch.  YAWN.
 
I'm seeing some strong rumors that Northwestern may get selected to go to the Meineke Car Care bowl instead of PennScandal, and hat we would play Texas A&M.  Not exactly the matchup I want to see, but would be interesting.  Today's bowl selections should be fun!

 

[grokit]

Punt safe aside, Wisconsin shouldn't have been so conservative in their final possession. They have the most efficient passer in the game, he would have taken care of the ball while getting a first down so they could have just run out the clock. They were lucky to win the game on that penalty, karma issues aside.
 
Wassamatter, you guys aren't looking foreword to another 9 - 6 snoozefest in the NCG? 

 

[wuwhere]

Its set for the BCS title. This time the outcome might be different?
The Pokes have a case but that was before they got Cycloned.

 

[J W]

I think there were circumstances surrounding OKST's loss that should have been considered in greater depth. Some writers/"experts"/coaches did, I'm sure, but I suspect many just read the game's final score. In fact, I keep hearing that Alabama lost in OT, yet few commentators seem to want to recognize that OKST lost in 2 OTs and on the road. Moreover, Iowa State isn't the same old Iowa State. I'd wager a maid-rite that the cyclones could beat a few teams in the almighty SEC. 
 
And ESPN's obsession with the SEC is completely understandable if you ask me. If I had the kind of dough tied up that ESPN has tied up with the SEC, you better believe I'd be obsessed. Please, just don't get me started on Mickey's love for Bevo. 
 
What I really am curious about are the computers and the voters who voted OKST below #3. I'd even say that I'm suspicious. Lots of money from shady places out there and there doesn't seem to be that much monitoring involved. Huh.
 
Stanford vs. Oklahoma State should be a tremendous matchup. KSU/ARKY should be good, though KSU got absolutely hosed by not getting the Sugar bowl at-large bid. That means my Sooners fall to the Insight. Oh my. 
 
I'll be rooting for Alabama against LSU. This thing is ripe for chaos. OKST's super-donor T. Boone Pickens has already threatened to fund an investigation. Viva la huffiness?
 
Bowl pick 'em time, also. Where's Virometal?
 
Virometal, Virometal, Virometal. 

 

[TheWuss]

well, JW.
we all will have our gripes.  The BCS (Bull Crap System) simply doesn't work...
I'm an Auburn fan.  We got left out in 2004.  And i loath the system.
but, that same sword that we died by got us into the bowl last year.
 
that being said, Auburn fan that i am, i still cannot argue against Bama deserving a rematch.
It's not about whether Bama lost to LSU, it's that they are a one-loss team that lost in overtime to the #1 ranked and only undefeated team in the country.
 
The fact that they face off again is just the result of that appraisal, and not the mechanism that got them there.
 
i firmly believe that OKST's poor defense would allow LSU to score probably 60 points or more.
Okie state allowed 25.8 points per game this sean.  And their only dominating defensive performance was against Texas Tech.
 
Conversely, we can see what Bama's defense has done this year.
They have only allowed 8.3 points per game.  And played 5 opponents that are still ranked in the top 25 at the end of the season.
And kept LSU out of the end zone for an entire game.
 
So, it might be darned frustrating.  But I simply can't argue against Bama at #2.
 
sorry...

 

[J W]

Quote:

 
 
i firmly believe that OKST's poor defense would allow LSU to score probably 60 points or more.
Okie state allowed 25.8 points per game this sean.  And their only dominating defensive performance was against Texas Tech.
 
Conversely, we can see what Bama's defense has done this year.
They have only allowed 8.3 points per game.  And played 5 opponents that are still ranked in the top 25 at the end of the season.
And kept LSU out of the end zone for an entire game.
 
So, it might be darned frustrating.  But I simply can't argue against Bama at #2.
 
sorry...

 
Heh. It's a slow day for me, so . . .
 
OK State may have given up 25.8 points a game, but shall we consider the opposition with which they had to contend? 
 
First, the average offensive ranking of Alabama's opponents this season is #92. LSU's offense is only ranked #75 (and interestingly enough is the second best offense, according to the statistics, Alabama played this year). 
 
The average offensive ranking of OKST's opponents is #37. OK State gave up 24 points to Baylor's #2 rated offense, but 21 of those points came in the 4th quarter when OSU was playing its subs (Pokes won 59-24). OK State also held OU's 4th ranked offense to 10 points, Texas AM's 7th ranked offense to 29 points (third lowest behind the 25 points each Texas and OU allowed), and MIssouri's 12th ranked offense to 24 points. For good measure, Texas Tech's offense is rated #14 (OK State held the red raiders to 270 yards and 6 points -- the game was in Lubbock); Arkansas, the best offense Alabama faced, statistically, is ranked #27 (Alabama held the hogs to 14 points and 226 yards -- the game was in Tuscaloosa). 
 
The big 12 puts up points and moves the ball: It's a different type of league than what the SEC is. The SEC plays defense, but what about offense?  
 
I'm also curious about the "five opponents that are still ranked in the top 25"?  Penn State is ranked #22, while Arkansas is #6, LSU #1 (played but obviously lost), and Auburn #25. Is Georgia Southern some kind of top 25 power in Division IAA? Unless you were referring to Top 25 defenses based on points allowed per game. In that case, Alabama has played 4 in the top 25 and 5 in the top 26. 
 
And similarly to you, I'm a fan of the rival. Though I may root for OU, I'm not blind to the fact that OSU was left out for reasons not pertaining 100% to performance on the football field. 
 
 
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/stats/byteam?cat1=offense&cat2=Total&conference=I-A_all&year=2011&sort=524

 

[grokit]

My only gripes with the NCS matchup is the fact that Bama didn't win their conference, and that they come from the same conference. But I understand them getting in within the context of the "system", just another argument for a top 4 or even a top 8 playoff system I suppose. A top 6 playoffs with the top two teams getting byes might make the most sense.
 
Having said that, OSU/Stanford should be a great game. My gripes are more about some of the other matchups anyways. There are some very good bowls scheduled, but there are some real head-scratchers as well.
 
For example, Boise should be playing Old Miss (although the Broncos deserve a rematch against TCU as much as Bama does against LSU within said system), and Nevada should be playing Arizona State to keep it simple. Sour grapes I suppose, as there there seem to be more great games scheduled than there are duds.
 
I just hope the LSU/Bama offenses are both able to assert themselves a litter better than they did last time so we have a more entertaining game to watch this time around.

 

[SweetAdeline]

So floyd, is it true- June Jones to ASU?
 
Youlike?

 

[grokit]

"NEW YORK (AP)—The Big East [Conference]...is preparing to announce the additions of Boise State and San Diego State as football-only members and Houston, Central Florida and SMU for all sports as soon as Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The five schools will join in 2013.
 
"The grand plan is to have Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, SMU and possibly current member Louisville in the west division. The east division would have current members South Florida, Rutgers,Connecticut and Cincinnati, along with UCF."

 
Looking forward to the Boise-Houston rivalry at the top of this heap. Too bad TCU and WVU bailed to the Big 12. San Diego lol:
 
"San Diego is 3,067 miles away from the Big East office in Providence, R.I."