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Week 15 Final Thoughts

Boise State v Fresno State – It wasn’t a rout. The second half was not that good, but they won and controlled the game. Harsin coached his team. Petersen was not missed this year and I suspect a bid to the Fiesta Bowl against Arizona will be the real test. BSU, when they joined the MWC negotiated a deal that if they were the post season representative; they get the lion’s share of post game money. That’s a lot, not sure how I feel about that.

Oregon v Arizona- Oregon spanked them. Arizona is a real team and RR gets credit this year. Oregon’s defense is never talked about enough because of Mariota, who if anyone cared, has to be the Heisman runaway winner. Arizona never could get started, not because they weren’t prepared or a very good team, because Oregon never let them. Big story is to not play conference championship games at a neutral site. Not sure why they had to try this to know the results.

Florida State v Georgia Tech- FSU did the won thing , the only thing, that every team at the beginning of the season dreams about and says they are going to do. They won all their games. And two years in a row, which needs to be noted, but I am not one that thinks it pertains to this year’s rankings. FSU is the number one team in the nation because they did what the rules of football say you need to do to be declared a winner, how we lose sight of that.

Ohio State v Wisconsin-Spence evaluates football teams as well as any person I know, including those that do it for a living, his comments are always insightful and based on a complete picture, EXCEPT when it comes to Ohio State, then they are worthless! Urban Meyers is the coach of the year, like him or not. That game was textbook. Spence flunked. (But we get it)

UCF v East Carolina- The hail Mary was classic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhHIvh2qwF8

Oklahoma v Oklahoma State-The Sooners must be depressed. They were picked to be in the top four at the beginning of the year. The Cowboys now go bowling and the Sooners are 8-4. Stoops seems like he is just too tired to Coach…In the Words of Barry Goldwater, "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." I think he was really talking about play calling in football.

SMU v UConn-Everybody won a game this year…good for the Mustangs, even though they get two penalties prior to the victory formations at game’s end.

Marshall v Louisiana Tech-Marshall came back and won. They deserve a lot more credit this year than anybody gave them. This only worrying about the top four will only get more devastating for the smaller schools; it sucks.

TCU v Baylor- Other than people that have not life out of football, not sure anyone cares. TCU in the final four would plummet the ratings. On that point alone, the committee will dismiss them summarily.

Missouri v Alabama – Sims is everything a team needs in a QB, good receivers help. Alabama will not win the NC, but depending on the seeding, they will be in the final two. Missouri just was overpowered.
My final four: What it has been since Nov 17.

1. Florida State
2. Oregon
3. Alabama
4. Ohio State

The Big10 hasn't voted an Ohio State coach COY for over forty years. Tressel couldn't win it with a NC team.

If you look I said Cardale had an arm. Wisconsin''s weakness is the defensive backfield and Buckeye receivers made four huge catches on balls that could have just as easily been missed. We also didn't have the turnovers that cost us all year. Cardale played about like I hoped he would. What I didn't see coming was how well the defense did again Gordon. Holding him to 76 yards was huge. Not letting Wisconsin play ball control won the game. That was Ohio State's best defensive game of the season. Best offensive performance as well. I thought Ohio State would win the game 27-24. I also thought the game could be 27-24 the other way. I don't know anyone who saw this coming.

I do think Ohio State did enough to make the playoffs. If they didn't, they weren't in the conversation to start with. I think the three locks are FSU, Oregon, and Alabama. I think if Florida State isn't in the top 4 this whole committee is bogus.

It does bother mr somewhat that the committee is meeting at the Gaylord hotel in Grapevine Texas. I have been there and it is as pro Texas a place as you could find. They have a 100 ft tv screen in the sports bar in the atrium. They can play multiple game on the same screen. I have never seen Ohio State make their big screen. I have been there 4 times during football season.

The UCF -v- ECU game was one of the craziest 4th quarters I have ever seen. I felt bad for ECU, a few plays of "we have this in the bag" gave the win back to UCF. But it was exciting!

I think the final weekend made it very tough to pick the best team among Ohio St., Baylor, and TCU. And that makes Florida State the big winner. They won against a good team and with a tough pick with the other 3 teams...their 0 in the lost column will mean a great deal.

I think Florida State should be a lock. I don't understand how they can win every game and not make it. If they don't make it the committee is a joke.

donovan wrote:Boise State v Fresno State –

1rst --- lemme just say, Kudos to the Mountain West for getting their Conference Championship on CBS mainstream television.

Fresno State missed some chances in the first half. They simply could not capitalize in Boise territory. The plays were there, too. Just, lack of execution kept them from making this a closer game.

Boise State, on the other hand. They were in form last night. Quick strikes & Big plays were their first half. And, though they only managed to score once in the second half, it was enough to finish with a 2 touchdown win.

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donovan wrote:Oregon v Arizona-

Oregon looked like a juggernaut last night.

I was disappointed that Arizona did not try to adjust their offense when nothing seemed to be working for them. But, hats off to the ducks, they finished with pizazz.

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donovan wrote:Florida State v Georgia Tech-

You & I share a sentiment here, where, what happened last season is not this season. If it were, then FSU would have walked all over most of their opponents.

And yet, even though they were not the dominant team they were last year, they did finish this year with an undefeated regular season.

They did what they could, and that is more than the rest of the country did.

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donovan wrote:Ohio State v Wisconsin-

No doubt --- there is taking caution not to get too excited about your team, there is Superstitious not wanting to say anything too confident in hopes that you do not jinx your team --- then there is Spence.

Ohio State is, in my opinion, one of the top four teams.

They have come together as a program, and built themselves into a force. They play well on both sides of the football, and are coached by a winner --- a smug, arrogant, yuppie of a winner.

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donovan wrote:UCF v East Carolina- The hail Mary was classic.

WoVeU wrote:The UCF -v- ECU game was one of the craziest 4th quarters I have ever seen. I felt bad for ECU, a few plays of "we have this in the bag" gave the win back to UCF. But it was exciting!

Yep, I tuned out after ECU's last score, thinking, Game Set & Match ... I checked the final score yesterday when the Cincinnati/Houston final ... Then I was all, "I can't believe I shut the friggin' game off".

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donovan wrote:Oklahoma v Oklahoma State-

Well, Okie State has a tendency of toppling the Sooners when no one expects them to.
In 2001, it knocked them out of the Big 12 Title game, and the National Championship picture.
Happened again a couple years later.

This game is named Bedlam for a reason.

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donovan wrote:SMU v UConn-Everybody won a game this year…good for the Mustangs, even though they get two penalties prior to the victory formations at game’s end.

Yep, they lined up as if they don't know how to win.

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donovan wrote:Marshall v Louisiana Tech-Marshall came back and won. They deserve a lot more credit this year than anybody gave them. This only worrying about the top four will only get more devastating for the smaller schools; it sucks.

As I have stated before, I believe the Power 5 are looking to separate themselves, and eventually cut out the smaller conferences altogether.

There will be another division created soon enough (and yes, it sucks).


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donovan wrote:TCU v Baylor- Other than people that have not life out of football, not sure anyone cares. TCU in the final four would plummet the ratings. On that point alone, the committee will dismiss them summarily.

I think the media keeps the frustration fresh enough, the complainers will be heard.
On a side note: did anyone else watch Herbstreit & Fowler discuss the selection field the committee will have to choose from. Fowler was almost prancing in his place with glee over the controversy. His smile kept showing through, and he simply couldn't hold back his giddiness, as he started several times to laugh.

No talk of how we should have a larger bracket for the playoff came up.
Fowler was beyond pleased, because this is exactly what he wanted.

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donovan wrote:Missouri v Alabama – Sims is everything a team needs in a QB, good receivers help.

And Sims was the last QB Kiffin recruited at Tennessee.

Many have voiced their opinions about Kiffin ... quite a few about how the Alabama players look confused by whose direction they are supposed to follow.

I will say this --- I don't really have an opinion of the guy, other than he is not an elite program head coach --- Lane is right where he needs to be, and with the way Alabama has become a polished offense over the course of this season, Saban was right to bring him in.

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donovan wrote:My final four: What it has been since Nov 17.

1. Florida State
2. Oregon
3. Alabama
4. Ohio State

Well, that nearly mirrors mine:

Florida State
Alabama
Oregon
Ohio State

Either way, the Tournament would still be played the same.

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It is hard to say who should be four. I think Ohio State did enough yesterday. But who is to say TCU and Baylor could win head to head? Who is to say they all wouldn't beat Alabama or Oregon? My opinion is that this subjective committee crap is just that --- crap. If they are going to have a playoff, then put in all conference champs and play them off. You say we may not get the best teams in....well are we guaranteed that now? No, so it doesn't matter. Putting all the conference champs in gets rid of the argument. If you want to win, win your conference. It is fair to the small conferences. It is a completely objective way to pick teams.

The way I see it, no matter who makes it in today, a couple teams get screwed. No matter what our opinions are, Florida State, Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State, Baylor, and TCU all have an argument to make it and most have an argument against them making it. I'm tired of the talking heads, conference presidents, and the NCAA trying to control CFB. Time to let the school's play determine the outcome - or just go back to the old bowl system and let everyone argue about it.

At least TCU had a Power Five opponent in their non-conference schedule, albeit SMU and Samford were their other pre-con matchups. Baylor needs to play a Power Five in their non-con to be taken seriously in 2015, but that lineup is at SMU, hosting Lamar and Rice...In 2015, TCU is at Minnesota and hosting Stephen F. Austin and SMU.

The XII and the B1G have been less than impressive depthwise in 2014. But the Buckeyes...good night...what a statement. How do I argue with them being fourth? They will likely get rolled by Alabama the same way they rolled Wisconsin, but masterful coaching and use of talent by Ohio State. Now the challenge is replicating 3/4 of Cardale's performance against Wisconsin for the Alabama game. A third string QB has had an enormously unlikely game and he needs to remain confident, but not overly so.

KEEP IT AT FOUR. The cream of the crop all played urgently to maintain their final four status in the conference championship games for Power Five schools. If this goes to eight, well, you get the idea...The object is to crown FBS football's national champion, nothing more. Four covers a situation such as Auburn's 13-0 2004 season and quite possibly Boise's 2009 season. As far as this season goes, there is a notable falloff after #3. As far as I'm concerned, years where there are four teams that could actually win a National Champion are less likely than years where there are three.

I do believe Florida State is still a dangerous team and that matchup against Oregon has got mad scientist quality to it. Both these teams with their uber-athleticism and interesting offenses. Oregon could be a real matchup problem for FSU, but I'm very curious how Fisher and the gang handle it. There is no way I will underestimate last year's champs.

armchairqb wrote:At least TCU had a Power Five opponent in their non-conference schedule, albeit SMU and Samford were their other pre-con matchups. Baylor needs to play a Power Five in their non-con to be taken seriously in 2015, but that lineup is at SMU, hosting Lamar and Rice...In 2015, TCU is at Minnesota and hosting Stephen F. Austin and SMU.

The XII and the B1G have been less than impressive depthwise in 2014. But the Buckeyes...good night...what a statement. How do I argue with them being fourth? They will likely get rolled by Alabama the same way they rolled Wisconsin, but masterful coaching and use of talent by Ohio State. Now the challenge is replicating 3/4 of Cardale's performance against Wisconsin for the Alabama game. A third string QB has had an enormously unlikely game and he needs to remain confident, but not overly so.

KEEP IT AT FOUR. The cream of the crop all played urgently to maintain their final four status in the conference championship games for Power Five schools. If this goes to eight, well, you get the idea...The object is to crown FBS football's national champion, nothing more. Four covers a situation such as Auburn's 13-0 2004 season and quite possibly Boise's 2009 season. As far as this season goes, there is a notable falloff after #3. As far as I'm concerned, years where there are four teams that could actually win a National Champion are less likely than years where there are three.

I do believe Florida State is still a dangerous team and that matchup against Oregon has got mad scientist quality to it. Both these teams with their uber-athleticism and interesting offenses. Oregon could be a real matchup problem for FSU, but I'm very curious how Fisher and the gang handle it. There is no way I will underestimate last year's champs.

The Buckeye's got a perfect storm type game against Wisconsin. In any football game you want to take away the strength of the other team and make them one dimensional. Ohio State took Gordon out of the game and made their QB's beat them. This has always been the blueprint to beat Wisconsin, but usually it is easier said than done. I think they fact that Elliot ran good early and Smith and Thomas made some outstanding catches early took the heat off Jones and set the snowball rolling down hill.

I think the B-12 commissioner took his teams out of play by not having a champ. He didn't want to name Bayor because he believed them to be the weakest of the two teams. TCU had that "same record, lost head to head problem". I think either team named champ would have had a good chance to beat out Ohio State.

I think the fact that Ohio State had the big game, big12 wouldn't name a champ, and Ohio State's drawing power game the committee a reason to put them in. I think the difference between all the teams is marginal, even though if Ohio State loses to Alabama or whoever whens the 2/3 matchup, Baylor and TCU fans will say I told you so. Probably more people than that.