NCAA Football 2024 (national discussion)

HoKogan said:
I'm of the opinion that the worst things to happen to UF, FSU and Miami has been the rise to USF, UCF and FIU. 3 additional FBS schools in their state cannot have helped things for them.
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Ding, ding, ding. I think we have a winner.
 
Mal said:
One other aspect will be imbalances in conference schedules. In the B1G this year, for instance, the addition of the 4 new teams drove Penn State off of Indiana's schedule (pretty much a guaranteed loss most years for the Hoosiers) and replaced them with post-national title game Washington, who lost most of their talent and their head coach. Combine that with Michigan being way down from last year, and Ohio State's the only really tall mountain on their schedule. They probably dropped Iowa or Wisconsin in favor of UCLA, too.*

On the flip side, Michigan has both Oregon and Ohio State on the schedule, plus Illinois in a very good year for them and Indiana in an historically good year (and Texas out of conference). If they hadn't been decimated by graduation after last season and were still good, they'd be talking about how hard the gauntlet is they need to run, and grumbling that Iowa only plays one ranked team all year.

I don't follow it as closely, but I'm sure some of this is happening in the SEC as well. Somebody lost out on a Miss State matchup and has to play Texas instead, but someone else is perfectly happy to be getting Oklahoma instead of LSU this year. Can't believe I'm saying that about Oklahoma.

* FWIW, based on what I've seen, I think if Rourke's injury only keeps him out a week, Indiana will beat Michigan State and Michigan, be competitive with OSU and be slotted as the #3 or 4 B1G team depending on how Oregon, OSU and PSU finish out, which gives them an outside shot at the playoffs. Which is crazy; this is Indiana we're talking about. They just absolutely trashed Nebraska, who is not a bad team, 56-7. That offense is legit. Will be interesting to see how long Cignetti's there and where he ends up - I would assume after next season at the latest he's moved on to a bigger perch somewhere.
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Ol' Sage's granddaughter is a sophomore at IU. As Frost wrote, "And that has made all the difference."
 
sagegrouse said:
Ol' Sage's granddaughter is a sophomore at IU. As Frost wrote, "And that has made all the difference."
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Awesome! I only have been following their season more closely than "Wait, wtf, IU is undefeated?" because ol' Mal's son could end up there next year.
 
JasonEvans said:
I get what you are saying when it comes to something like Bama losing to Vandy... but for Texas to not get up for Georgia?!?!? How do you not get up for a home game against arguably the most dominant team in the sport over the past several years? It isn't like Texas has gone through this gauntlet of tough games and just had nothing left in the tank for UGA. For a SEC team, Texas' schedule this year is absurdly easy (no Bama, no Ole Miss, no Tennessee, no LSU, no Mizzu).
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Wait, what?? When Texas played Georgia on Saturday they were coming off of having just played their biggest rival, Oklahoma, in what amounts to a road game. Texas anticipates playing Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry for an entire year. You don’t understand if you aren’t a University of Texas alum (like I am) or an Oklahoma alum.

This game is a big big deal — much bigger than playing the Bulldogs. It was inevitable that Texas wouldn’t be at 100%. They should always try to schedule an average or worse opponent after the Oklahoma game. It’s crazy to schedule a top 5 opponent like Georgia the following week.

And even in a game where Georgia was more ready to play than Texas, the Longhorns were still only down by one score entering the 4th quarter. Had a couple of plays then gone their way they might well have won this game.

It is because of games like this past Saturday that I’m so thankful the CFP has expanded to 12 teams. Texas will be back. They’re loaded with NFL talent on both sides of the ball, just like last year. There is still plenty of season left with which to fully right the ship.
 
Steven43 said:
Wait, what?? When Texas played Georgia on Saturday they were coming off of having just played their biggest rival, Oklahoma, in what amounts to a road game. Texas anticipates playing Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry for an entire year. You don’t understand if you aren’t a University of Texas alum (like I am) or an Oklahoma alum.

This game is a big big deal — much bigger than playing the Bulldogs. It was inevitable that Texas wouldn’t be at 100%. They should always try to schedule an average or worse opponent after the Oklahoma game. It’s crazy to schedule a top 5 opponent like Georgia the following week.

And even in a game where Georgia was more ready to play than Texas, the Longhorns were still only down by one score entering the 4th quarter. Had a couple of plays then gone their way they might well have won this game.

It is because of games like this past Saturday that I’m so thankful the CFP has expanded to 12 teams. Texas will be back. They’re loaded with NFL talent on both sides of the ball, just like last year. There is still plenty of season left with which to fully right the ship.
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I completely get you on the point that they were playing Georgia right after playing their biggest rival. It would be like Duke playing a top 5 team right after the Carolina game.

I do wonder about your idea that playing in Dallas is equal to a road game.


Full disclosure -- I grew up in Oklahoma, but it wasn't my fault.
 
dlmzzz said:
I completely get you on the point that they were playing Georgia right after playing their biggest rival. It would be like Duke playing a top 5 team right after the Carolina game.

I do wonder about your idea that playing in Dallas is equal to a road game.


Full disclosure -- I grew up in Oklahoma, but it wasn't my fault.
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It’s a road game because Texas has to travel and they’re not playing at their home stadium on their campus. It’s very much a road game — for both. Both schools are completely worn out after the Texas-OU game. There is just not much left in the tank, honestly, for either the players or the fans.

BTW, I enjoyed your Oklahoma comment. Good stuff 😂
 
AGDukesky said:
I see Duke and Washington State if you include the PAC-2. Syracuse also only has 1 loss but is 5-1. I think that is it if my eyes didn’t deceive me.
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Syracuse plays at #19 Pitt Thursday. If they win that they have to be top 25. Should be a good one for the old Big East rivals.
 
Steven43 said:
Wait, what?? When Texas played Georgia on Saturday they were coming off of having just played their biggest rival, Oklahoma, in what amounts to a road game. Texas anticipates playing Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry for an entire year. You don’t understand if you aren’t a University of Texas alum (like I am) or an Oklahoma alum.

This game is a big big deal — much bigger than playing the Bulldogs. It was inevitable that Texas wouldn’t be at 100%. They should always try to schedule an average or worse opponent after the Oklahoma game. It’s crazy to schedule a top 5 opponent like Georgia the following week.
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If Texas can't get ready to play the Georgia Bulldogs or other great SEC teams cause they played an average Okie team the week before; they better go back to the Big XII. The SEC is not comprised of a bunch of average teams similar to the Big XII.
 
Hang on... Texas was emotionally drained by a game they won 34-3?!?! Sure, it was a big rival but the tension in that game was over by halftime.

And, as others have noted, if you cannot get up for a HOME GAME against the biggest bad boy in the sport then what are you doing in the SEC? Texas was gifted a phenomenal schedule this year in its SEC debut. If you have trouble getting up for UGA, what are you going to do when LSU, Tennessee, and Bama are on your schedule one year instead of Miss St., Arkansas, and Vandy??
 
JasonEvans said:
Hang on... Texas was emotionally drained by a game they won 34-3?!?! Sure, it was a big rival but the tension in that game was over by halftime.

And, as others have noted, if you cannot get up for a HOME GAME against the biggest bad boy in the sport then what are you doing in the SEC? Texas was gifted a phenomenal schedule this year in its SEC debut. If you have trouble getting up for UGA, what are you going to do when LSU, Tennessee, and Bama are on your schedule one year instead of Miss St., Arkansas, and Vandy??
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This. Texas’ SEC schedule this year is as soft as it is gonna get. This is the league.
 
arnie said:
If Texas can't get ready to play the Georgia Bulldogs or other great SEC teams cause they played an average Okie team the week before; they better go back to the Big XII. The SEC is not comprised of a bunch of average teams similar to the Big XII.
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You misunderstand. It’s not about how good Oklahoma is in a particular year, it’s about the rivalry. There is an absolutely massive build up to this game. If you haven’t been involved in it you just don’t understand.

And it’s even more psychological than it is physical. And the psychological after-affects have a definite detrimental effect for the next game, which happened to be Georgia. And Oklahoma had a huge letdown this past weekend, too. That’s what this game does to both schools.

And for the record, the SEC has several teams that are not any better than the average teams in the Big XII. And when you’re in the SEC you don’t play ALL of the great teams. You only play a few. Texas will be just fine in the SEC.
 
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JasonEvans said:
Hang on... Texas was emotionally drained by a game they won 34-3?!?! Sure, it was a big rival but the tension in that game was over by halftime.

And, as others have noted, if you cannot get up for a HOME GAME against the biggest bad boy in the sport then what are you doing in the SEC? Texas was gifted a phenomenal schedule this year in its SEC debut. If you have trouble getting up for UGA, what are you going to do when LSU, Tennessee, and Bama are on your schedule one year instead of Miss St., Arkansas, and Vandy??
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My response to your comments were said to Arnie.

And btw, Vanderbilt is ranked in the top 25 and Texas A&M is #14. And Florida and Arkansas are very solid. Yes, the schedule could have been tougher, but it’s still not a cakewalk by any means.
 
Steven43 said:
My response to your comments were said to Arnie.

And btw, Vanderbilt is ranked in the top 25 and Texas A&M is #14. And Florida and Arkansas are very solid. Yes, the schedule could have been tougher, but it’s still not a cakewalk by any means.
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There are no "cakewalks" in the SEC. But everything is relative. Florida has already played #6 Miami, #7 Tennessee, and #18 Texas A&M, and during the next month, the Gators will face #2 Georgia in Jacksonville, #5 Texas in Austin, then host #8 LSU and #18 Ole Miss. As a Texas fan, I think you'll find sympathy in short supply this season.
 
Stray Gator said:
There are no "cakewalks" in the SEC. But everything is relative. Florida has already played #6 Miami, #7 Tennessee, and #18 Texas A&M, and during the next month, the Gators will face #2 Georgia in Jacksonville, #5 Texas in Austin, then host #8 LSU and #18 Ole Miss. As a Texas fan, I think you'll find sympathy in short supply this season.
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My goodness, that schedule is frightening. 😬
 
HoKogan said:
I'm of the opinion that the worst things to happen to UF, FSU and Miami has been the rise to USF, UCF and FIU. 3 additional FBS schools in their state cannot have helped things for them.
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Probably true, but the growth of these other schools (and their athletic programs) was probably inevitable in a state of over 22 Million population

Current enrollment:
USF -- 49,600
UCF -- 68,346
FIU -- 55,609

 
Stray Gator said:
There are no "cakewalks" in the SEC. But everything is relative. Florida has already played #6 Miami, #7 Tennessee, and #18 Texas A&M, and during the next month, the Gators will face #2 Georgia in Jacksonville, #5 Texas in Austin, then host #8 LSU and #18 Ole Miss. As a Texas fan, I think you'll find sympathy in short supply this season.
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Otherwise known as the Billy Napier Death March.
 
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