The College Football Discussion Thread Part III: Back to School

[Kurosawa Fan]

I don't know if you've had a chance to look ahead to 2014 season, KF, but the home schedule is downright dire. With the last home Notre Dame game this year, they've rotated MSU to correspond with OSU home/away years. It's even harder to justify the inflated prices in those years where our only interesting home game is a scholarship-depleted Penn State.

That said, my girlfriend and I splurged and got alumni tickets for Under the Lights II this fall, you should StubHub it up and come join us!

Yeah, the 2014 schedule is pathetic. Definitely not worth the money. But 2015 would be amazing. I could justify the cost of season tickets if every other year is spectacular. I'd just probably sell a few tickets in the off-years.

You have no idea how much I want to go to that game, but it's about $400/ticket right now on StubHub. I just can't spend that kind of money. We are spending a week in NYC at the end of July that will completely kill my bank account for the rest of the year, I'm sure.

[Ezee E]

In case you didn't hate Oregon enough already...

Their football training facility

That's impressive.

[MadMan]

I saw the photos in the latest SI issue. Lucky bastards. Goddamn Oregon.

Oh and thoughts on the latest poll? I don't disagree with most of the picks although I'm wary of Clemson since they've been featured in the Top 20 before only to disappoint during the regular season. Of course having a stud duel threat QB always helps.

[MadMan]

This is why I love Dan Wetzel: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--...230350855.html

At the same time Johnny Manziel's reckless behavior is why I wouldn't want the Chiefs or the Packers to draft him if they had the chance. I don't think he will ever learn from his mistakes, and his height and size are also issues as well.

[MadMan]

Heh I posted my ESPN Pick 'em picks on my blog this year. I guess even I've abandoned my own thread. But I'm glad that college football is back. Also this season I'm basically rooting for all Iowa teams but I've largely switched my allegiance to Arizona. Figured I like 'em in basketball I might as well get on the bandwagon. Ka'Deem Carey is a beast.

[shaun]

We'll see what Teddy Bridgewater brings today but Tajh Boyd and Marcus Mariota are both going to be in the discussion for very high draft picks in April.

[MadMan]

Screw Iowa, and I'm laughing at ISU for losing to UNI. Go Panthers go! David Johnson was a beast for the Panthers last night, rushing for 199 yards, 2 rushing TDS plus he also caught two TDs. Awesome. So right now UNI is the best school in the state heh.

The Good from Yesterday:

*Clemson-Georgia lived up to the hype. Holy crap. What a game, ending with the Tigers barely holding on to win by 3 points at home against the #5 team in the country. We need more games like this early in the season.

*Iowa-NIU was entertaining, something I didn't expect. The end result was shitty but points were scored. I'm glad I tuned in.

*OSU-EWU. I'm worried about Spinal. I really am. I hope he didn't drink himself to death or something over this one, but I can't believe another major upset this weekend after KSU lost to NDS. Crazy.

The Bad:

Too many games were unfortunately one sided, which is what happens in the first weekend. But come on schools don't you have any guts? At least some major schools dared to play good or at least decent competition. Meh.

The Ugly:

*Oregon massacring some helpless school that badly needed the money. What was the point? Come on Ducks man up. The same can be said of a few others, but this was just sad.

[shaun]

Ok State is going to get exposed pretty badly.

@ChuckCarltonDMN
-Sports Illustrated email indicates first story in a five-part investigative series on Oklahoma State football breaking Tuesday.
-SI says Oklahoma St series will report direct payments to players, academic misconduct, drug use and sex with recruiting hostesses.

@NewsOKVideo
Video: OSU Football: Mike Gundy releases statement about Sports Illustrated
http://newsok.com/multimedia/video/2660416810001

[MadMan]

Yeah I heard about that. Wow.

Oh and UNI winning was nice, but it came against Drake, who they usually beat anyways. I'll be missing ISU-Iowa next weekend but after last season's godawful game I'm not sure I care. Arizona rolled against UNLV which I expected.

[MadMan]

Between the Oklahoma State story and this one: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--...202513237.html

Its not been a good couple of weeks for the NCAA.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Promise I'll start contributing to this thread this week. Was too busy tailgating and then yelling myself hoarse at Michigan - Notre Dame last weekend.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Promise I'll start contributing to this thread this week. Was too busy tailgating and then yelling myself hoarse at Michigan - Notre Dame last weekend.

You were at the game? Bastard. I'm so jealous. I'll be at the Indiana game, but that's about all I could afford.

[MadMan]

Promise I'll start contributing to this thread this week. Was too busy tailgating and then yelling myself hoarse at Michigan - Notre Dame last weekend.

Its all good. I kind of killed off this thread by saving my ESPN College Pick 'Ems for my blog instead.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I don't understand what happened to this Michigan team.

[MadMan]

They won. A win is a win. That's all that matters.

UNI won a little ugly today, but they still blew out some team I've never heard of. 3-0 wahoo.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

One of the weirdest feeling 4-0 records possible. Destroyed cupcake week one, hard-fought win over a good Notre Dame team, and then two borderline pitiful performances in should've been blowouts.

Gardner looks shook out there, but his flashes of brilliance in the first few games has me cautiously optimistic that they can somehow put the pieces back together in the bye week. Otherwise we're looking at a 7-5 season, even WITH how shitty the Big Ten looks.

[MadMan]

I can see the Wolverines winning 8 or 9 games. The Big Ten is wide open save for the Buckeyes, and they need Braxton Miller back if they want to have a shot at the national title.

[Gizmo]

I can see the Wolverines winning 8 or 9 games. The Big Ten is wide open save for the Buckeyes, and they need Braxton Miller back if they want to have a shot at the national title.

I think they need the defense to play better for a realistic title shot (which will still be dependent on other teams taking losses because OSU will not move up in the polls without help). I think Braxton is the better big play threat, but Guiton is the more well rounded QB and less likely to make a dumb mistake.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Dudes, turn into this LSU/Georgia game now. Been great, and primed for an even better finish.

[MadMan]

I think they need the defense to play better for a realistic title shot (which will still be dependent on other teams taking losses because OSU will not move up in the polls without help). I think Braxton is the better big play threat, but Guiton is the more well rounded QB and less likely to make a dumb mistake.

The defense played well enough to beat the Badgers this weekend. We'll see how they do against Northwestern next week.

LSU-Georgia was a great game-too bad I didn't get to see all of it. And hey Iowa, ISU, and UNI all won this weekend. Too bad the Wildcats got blown out by Washington. I'm sure that DavidSeven is really happy about them being ranked and playing well this season.

[shaun]

As good as Bortles has looked this year, he just melted down in the 2nd half of the UCF-SC game.

Morale victories suck and/or dont exist because I only feel disappointment in blowing a halftime lead versus Spurrier.

[Dukefrukem]

LOL

[MadMan]

That is amazing. And hilarious. Best new meme of the college football season. Popcorn Guy rules.

[Raiders]

Is Clowney the first high-profile example of a college athlete completely tanking and mailing in their season in order to avoid injury under the asinine draft rules? It has always come up for discussion, but I can't remember seeing it playing out so obviously before.

[MadMan]

I wonder if there was someone else who did it. Considering how awful the Giants defense has been I think that Clowney has to know at least NY will consider taking him with their sure to be really high draft pick next year.

Also I don't think that the Buckeyes want to see Northwestern again. I'm pissed that I missed that game because of work. Oh and Iowa football was awful this weekend: all three major schools went 0-3. UNI losing by 1 point is just....urgh. ARGH.