NCAA Footbal 09 Season Thread

[ROC]

I'm sure everyone's heard about more Pete Carroll bitching today. >_>

Thorns exposed in Rose

By Josh Peter, Yahoo! Sports Jan 2, 1:30 am EST

PASADENA, Calif. – Joe Paterno wore his traditional horn-rimmed glasses Thursday, but he should’ve traded them for a blindfold.

It was that ugly.

A second-half rally by Penn State in a 38-24 Rose Bowl loss to Southern California was a mirage – just like the notions that the Big Ten deserves its reputation as an elite football conference and that the Bowl Championship Series can provide a satisfying ending to the college football season. On this day, on a national stage, the culprits were exposed together.

We’re referring to the Big Ten and the BCS, who deserve each other because they no longer can mask their imperfections.

During the postgame trophy presentation, ABC’s John Saunders congratulated USC coach Pete Carroll and then cut to the chase.

What if the Trojans were to play either Florida or Oklahoma, the teams matched up in the BCS title game to be played next Thursday?

“With all due respect, those are two great programs,” Carroll said. “But I don’t think anybody can beat the Trojans this year.”

Actually, somebody already did beat the Trojans. Oregon State, on Sept. 25, a 27-21 shocker that has left Carroll declaring something he couldn’t prove. And then there was USC running back C.J. Gable, taking it one step further.

“We know we would crush Florida and Oklahoma,” he said. “We know that.”

Outrageous? Perhaps. But don’t blame the Trojans. Blame two entities that deserve it – the Bowl Championship Series and the Big Ten.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany wasn’t in the press box during the game. He was somewhere in the stands, according to a Rose Bowl official, and presumably wearing a fake mustache, dark glasses or some suitable disguise. Those who know the inner-workings of college football know that Delany is one of the fiercest opponents of a playoff. And if Delany thinks USC’s lobbying for a playoff was shrill, just wait.

It’ll get worse when Texas beats the daylights out of Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Monday. Wait for the game to be played if you must, but it’s worth noting that Penn State’s loss to USC dropped the Big Ten to 1-5 in bowl games this season. Of course the only way to guarantee the Buckeyes would lose would be to put them in the BCS title game, where they got clobbered each of the past two years.

USC made a strong case that it deserves to contend for a national championship after Mark Sanchez threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns and the Trojans piled up 474 yards in offense against a defense that statistically ranked as one of the best in the nation. But oddly enough, no one makes a better argument for an eight-team playoff than the BCS rankings.

The top five teams – Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Alabama and USC – all entered the bowl season with one loss. No computer system can convincingly or satisfyingly determine the best among those five. Nor should it deny a chance for the next three teams in the rankings – unbeaten Utah, one-loss Texas Tech and even one-loss Penn State – to contend for the title.

But if you’re tired of hearing people rail about the BCS, let’s move on to the Big Ten.

By Big Ten standards, Penn State’s two-touchdown loss here was a nail-biter. Pounding one of the purported powers from the Midwest has become as much a tradition here as the Tournament of Roses Parade. Last year, USC drilled Illinois 49-17 and the year before that pummeled Michigan 32-18. The Big Ten hasn’t won a Rose Bowl since 2000.

USC fans should relish the victories and the fact that the Trojans became the first school to win three consecutive Rose Bowls. They also should mark their good fortune in playing a Big Ten school. Rightfully, critics called Ohio State undeserving of a spot in the national championship game after lopsided losses to SEC powers LSU and Florida. But the Big Ten’s problems go beyond Ohio State. They permeate the entire conference, and Penn State provided the latest and starkest evidence.

Matched up against USC’s swift receivers, Penn State spent most of the day chasing in vain.

“I don’t think our secondary scheme is at fault,” Paterno said after the game, and he’s right.

The problem is the Big Ten doesn’t have players good enough and fast enough to match up with the likes of USC’s Damian Williams, who caught seven passes for 127 yards and a touchdown – in the first half . He finished with 162 yards, 10 catches and perhaps with the idea that playing Big Ten teams on a weekly basis could put him in position to win the Heisman Trophy. Particularly in the secondary and among the linebacker corps, the Big Ten personnel is a step slow.

“Our overall team speed, we knew that we could get guys down the field in our vertical passing game,” Sanchez said. “We told our receivers all week that you’re going to be able to make a catch downfield and be ready to get down and secure the ball, because they’re going to be flying to the ball like they always have.”

Flying, but against the nation’s top teams, arriving too late.

Picking up on USC’s superior speed couldn’t have been any clearer had you watched the game through Paterno’s prescription glasses. But deficiencies for Penn State and the Big Ten go beyond that.

“I didn’t think our pass rush was particularly strong either,” Paterno said.

Yes, Big Ten teams are losing the battle of speed, strength and agility. Steve Sarkisian, who will take over full time as head coach at Washington after serving in his final game USC’s offensive coordinator, cited recruiting when asked about the apparent talent discrepancy between the Big Ten and country’s elite teams.

“I’d like to think that coaching has a little bit to do with it, too,” he said with a grin.

But Paterno has proved he knows a thing or two about coaching during a career in which he’s amassed more victories than any coach in college football history. And he’s also shown the wisdom that could have eliminated some of the ugliness here Thursday, when the Trojans interrupted their own celebration to argue they should have a chance to compete for the national championship. Paterno has been lobbying for a playoff longer than any of the players on the field Thursday has been alive.

His campaign started in 1968, leaving one to wonder what it would take to break down the barrier erected by the BCS and other playoff obstructionists.

“Obama,” said Rey Maualuga, USC’s star linebacker.

Indeed, the President-elect has let it be known that he favors a playoff, and Maualuga couldn’t help but hope presidential clout can deliver the postseason college football demands. On a day when the Big Ten and the BCS looked particularly ugly, it was a beautiful thought.

Other than the silly media bias...really? USC, the amazing team that proved themselves so well by beating...uhm...Ohio State? And Penn State? Two teams that got by by being good teams in a conference of shit? Oh, Pete Carroll. You are...dumb.

[HailtotheYo]

That Penn State team destroyed the Oregon State team he lost to, if you remember.

While I'm not a fan of the talk, he really can't be given shit for saying anything. Especially, in a year when NO BCS conference teams came out unbeaten. He's also talking on more than just this year. USC has arguabely been the best team the last 5 or more years. The only other team as dominant as them for that long is maybe OSU, who gets crushed every year in the National Title game. When nobody has any more right to say they deserve to be in the national title game than he does, I don't have an issue with Carroll saying something, especially when he's saying fuck you to the BCS.

[Vendetta]

Utah is up 21-0 right now over Alabama and there is a certain board member here who is probably shitting himself because his Tide seems to be slack.

[ROC]

Utah is up 21-0 right now over Alabama and there is a certain board member here who is probably shitting himself because his Tide seems to be slack.

Which one?

[HailtotheYo]

LOL 'Bama, LOL BCS.

208 total yds, you got your ass kicked and by a "lowly" MWC team at that.

Utah for National Champion.

[ROC]

I wouldn't say that they were ever considered lowly by anyone other than the media. Anyone who's seen Utah stay true to form in the past few seasons could attest to their talent.

Still, yeah, it sucked tonight. It's actually the exact opposite of the Clemson game for us. We came in a heavy favorite and got dismantled from the onset. It was a brilliant performance by Utah and a shitty one by the Tide. It's that simple.

I think it's a great win for the mid-majors and a shitty loss for us. But shit happens.

[HailtotheYo]

I wouldn't say that they were ever considered lowly by anyone other than the media. Anyone who's seen Utah stay true to form in the past few seasons could attest to their talent.

Still, yeah, it sucked tonight. It's actually the exact opposite of the Clemson game for us. We came in a heavy favorite and got dismantled from the onset. It was a brilliant performance by Utah and a shitty one by the Tide. It's that simple.

I think it's a great win for the mid-majors and a shitty loss for us. But shit happens.

Uh huh.

Obviously I was shooting sarcasm at the entire situation with the "lowly" comment. In fact I referenced the conference, not Utah. Hell, I pegged Utah at the start of the year as a team to watch.

[OGpistolpete]

The media shat all over Utah when this bowl was announced. I didn't hear one "expert" give them a chance.

Alabama was never as good as the media says they were. JPW is a mediocre quarterback on a team that lacks that one stand-out playmaker.

This is just a little fantasy of mine, but I hope one day there will be a BCS conference with Boise State, Utah, Nevada, Hawaii, BYU, New Mexico, Fresno State, and some other schools willing to pay up to be apart of the conference. But that will never happen.

[ROC]

The media shat all over Utah when this bowl was announced. I didn't hear one "expert" give them a chance.

Because the media knows fuck all about them. The average fan knows fuck all about them. Whereas the Tide has had at least half of their games on ESPN/CBS/national TV this year. So of course, they'd go for the known team.

Edited January 3, 2009 by ROC

[DMN in the House]

I don't want to hear anymore about the vaunted SEC, or anyone who plays football east of, let's say... Austin. Pac 10 5-0 in the bowl season, and Utah just beat the SEC runner-up, and looks like they could have beaten anyone except 'SC or Florida. The Big XII's vaunted offenses are looking more and more like a product of shoddy defenses, and it will be interesting to see what will happen between OU and UF.

Imagine a semi-finals of this...

OU/UF winner versus UT/OSU winner (aka, Florida versus Texas >_>)

USC versus Utah

I don't know if I could pick a clear winner out of that. USC probably has the best talent on paper, but gets disinterested at times, Texas is pretty much the Colt McCoy show (although its a nice show), same with Florida and Tebow, and after last night, I'm convinced that Utah would give ANYONE up to and including the Detroit Lions a game.

[HailtotheYo]

This is just a little fantasy of mine, but I hope one day there will be a BCS conference with Boise State, Utah, Nevada, Hawaii, BYU, New Mexico, Fresno State, and some other schools willing to pay up to be apart of the conference. But that will never happen.

Actually, if just Boise St and Fresno St joined the MWC then the MW almost couldn't be ignored anymore. I mean without those two teams they absolutely owned the Pac 10 this season. If you put those two teams in the MW mix, you've got a legit BCS conference.

Hell, I've already stated that the MWC is probably just as good as 1/2 of the BCS conferences, if not three.

DMN - *waves* hey buddy. Yeah, I agree with you about the SEC. Up until this year they'd been cock of the walk but they found some reality this year. The Big 12 I think is a product of the system as a whole. They changed into what was needed to get noticed (which is points). A few years ago there were teams that played defense and they weren't viewed as strongly because their offenses 'couldn't get it done.' So the changed. I'd still argue the conference is one of the two best, if not the best this year. Of course it's debatable though.

[DMN in the House]

I think that the SEC is still one of the top three conferences (SEC, Big XII, Pac 10, order is arguable). I think they have the top defenses, although that could be put up to shoddy offenses, while the Big XII has the top offenses, again, maybe that has to do with bad defense. I think the Pac 10 has the best mix, but thats probably down to homerism.

[DMN in the House]

Oh, and I'm announcing that I'm adopting the New Mexico State Aggies as my second favorite team, due to their hiring of, now former, UCLA Defensive Coordinator DeWayne Walker. Walker brought what I hope will continue to be a emphasis on defense to UCLA, and I hope he does amazing in what is a really shitty situation in Las Cruces.

[sahyder1]

What a great finish to the Fiesta Bowl.

[CQI13]

Well, at least OSU showed up (in the 4th quarter).

[HailtotheYo]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH LOL BCS some more but even better LOL Ohio State

Seriously, Texas played their second worst game of the year last night and still pulled it out against Ohio State. Boise St/TCU probably would have beaten them the way they played last night

Seriously, I hope the NT game is a shitty game just because. I'm talking 3-2 or some dumb shit. Just to cap off a great FU to the BCS season.

[JStarr]

The wife is jonesing to go to Buffalo Wild Wings tonight for beer, wings, and the BCS title game (yes, I married one hell of a woman), so here we go. I ask you, EWB: Who ya got, and by how much?

I'm calling OU 37, UF 27. Nobody yet has been able to stuff Oklahoma, and Florida's defense always seemed a little bit underchallenged by the SEC's iffy offenses. Florida's biggest hope is that the Sooners can't get a running game going without DeMarco Murray, but since Chris Brown also ran for 1000, that might not be as likely as it might look. If Harvin's 90%, as Urban's claiming, then he, Rainey, Demps, and James will be able to run by some people for some scores, but I'm not sure it's enough.

I did have to laugh at this from Pat Forde on ESPN.com:

1. Tim Tebow is mad. Mad that he didn't win the Heisman Trophy. Mad that Oklahoma defensive back Dominique Franks ranks him lower than three QBs in the Big 12. Giving freakishly competitive Tebow extra motivational fuel is like giving John Daly the keys to a Krispy Kreme bakery and a bottle of scotch. Very bad idea. Tebow will be so jacked, he'll probably lobby Meyer for a spot on the kickoff coverage unit so he can blow somebody up. He'll blow up the Sooners just fine playing only offense, though.

If Tebow has a five-TD game against this team in this setting, he'll lock his place in the College Football Hall of Fame whether he tries the NFL or not. Guy may not set the League on fire (at least not as a QB), but as a college player, he'll end up in the top 100 even if he's done after tonight.

[HailtotheYo]

I say OU 41 UF 31 because why the hell not. I see somewhat of a track meet, but also a very dull THUD at some point during the game for one of the teams (my bias has it being Florida).

I can see this thing going about a hundred different ways because of the volatility of these offenses. They're scary good when on. Which defense will grow some nuts for a few series ? I say OU's

[naiwf]

Florida 45, Oklahoma 28. This game will be over by the middle of the 3rd quarter.

[Lowerdeck]

Winner gets at least 40, I'm saying Oklahoma.

OK 45, FL 31