The Official College Football/College Sports Thread!

[Procurements]

On the bright side, UNO beat Army 5-1 on national TV tonight. Normally UNO craps out on national TV, so it was a refreshing change. The game almost went to midnight... it was a struggle to stay up for it, but hell, it's a Friday, and it's the first college hockey game of the year for my Mavericks. They play Notre Dame tomorrow night at 7. I think I remember hearing that NBC Sports is bringing in their top NHL broadcasters for it, so it'll basically be college hockey called by the best hockey announcers in the US.

[michael j rox]

Procurements

On the bright side, UNO beat Army 5-1 on national TV tonight. Normally UNO craps out on national TV, so it was a refreshing change. The game almost went to midnight... it was a struggle to stay up for it, but hell, it's a Friday, and it's the first college hockey game of the year for my Mavericks. They play Notre Dame tomorrow night at 7. I think I remember hearing that NBC Sports is bringing in their top NHL broadcasters for it, so it'll basically be college hockey called by the best hockey announcers in the US.

Sounded like it was a hell of a game! It's good to hear that they did so well! Grats to 'em.

I also hope they pound the crap out of Notre Dame.

[John Michael Osbourne]

Who would have imagined West Virginia getting shitkicked by Texas Tech 35-7 with still a quarter to go?

[Chibi Halo]

It's official college football fans Ohio State is having a year that any college team would die to have if they weren't ineligible for anything after the end of the season. Then you have Penn State in deep water where they can't do anything after the end of the season. So who has the best overall record in the conference when you pull those two out? That's right, Northwestern at 6-1. Yet, conference wise they're sitting third in their division because they lost one game to a team that can't go to anything after the end of the season. They could have been 3-0 in the conference and on top of their division. That one loss deal doesn't mean squat for Wisconsin because they're going to the Championship game no matter what. Their division sucks big time because it's full crappy teams and probations. Officially, while I'm Big Ten through and through the conference this year sucks.

It's a good thing I'm also a huge Notre Dame fan because at least I have something positive to look forward to when my number one team that I grew up watching in person Saturday after Saturday is dead last in the entire conference. Why for you have to be tanking badly week in and week out Illinois?

[Procurements]

michael j rox

Procurements

On the bright side, UNO beat Army 5-1 on national TV tonight. Normally UNO craps out on national TV, so it was a refreshing change. The game almost went to midnight... it was a struggle to stay up for it, but hell, it's a Friday, and it's the first college hockey game of the year for my Mavericks. They play Notre Dame tomorrow night at 7. I think I remember hearing that NBC Sports is bringing in their top NHL broadcasters for it, so it'll basically be college hockey called by the best hockey announcers in the US.

Sounded like it was a hell of a game! It's good to hear that they did so well! Grats to 'em.

I also hope they pound the crap out of Notre Dame.

They didn't, unfortunately. At least they hung tough in there. I had a feeling UNO would struggle when they started a freshman goalie, and he did. One of the goals was on him, one he was hung out to dry by the defense, and the third was from a really strange bounce from the boards, one that I really wouldn't think would happen if Kansas City had ever hosted hockey before this weekend.

Sweet Jesus, Notre Dame is arrogant, though. They love to talk and gloat, so it made me happy to see my team not take the loss and their chirping laying down and have a nice little brawl with them at the end of the game. Them cross checking one of our guys in the kidneys to break up a centering pass at the end of the game was another thing. What a bunch of punks. I hope we never invite them to this tournament again, and I hope we bring it back to Omaha where it belongs.

[Procurements]

Chibi Halo

It's official college football fans Ohio State is having a year that any college team would die to have if they weren't ineligible for anything after the end of the season. Then you have Penn State in deep water where they can't do anything after the end of the season. So who has the best overall record in the conference when you pull those two out? That's right, Northwestern at 6-1. Yet, conference wise they're sitting third in their division because they lost one game to a team that can't go to anything after the end of the season. They could have been 3-0 in the conference and on top of their division. That one loss deal doesn't mean squat for Wisconsin because they're going to the Championship game no matter what. Their division sucks big time because it's full crappy teams and probations. Officially, while I'm Big Ten through and through the conference this year sucks.

It's a good thing I'm also a huge Notre Dame fan because at least I have something positive to look forward to when my number one team that I grew up watching in person Saturday after Saturday is dead last in the entire conference. Why for you have to be tanking badly week in and week out Illinois?

Northwestern will lose a few more games. They'll lose 3 of 4 to Sparty, Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa. Still, this conference is crap, I'll agree. I think the conference as a whole needs to take a good long look in the mirror and ask themselves just what's going so wrong. It wasn't long ago that they were one of the best in the nation.

[Chibi Halo]

Procurements

Northwestern will lose a few more games. They'll lose 3 of 4 to Sparty, Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa. Still, this conference is crap, I'll agree. I think the conference as a whole needs to take a good long look in the mirror and ask themselves just what's going so wrong. It wasn't long ago that they were one of the best in the nation.

Illinois having a new coach shouldn't be an excuse for crappy play. I mean look at Ohio State. They have a new coach and are having a great year but because they players did things that broke NCAA rules they can't go to the Championship game or a bowl game. Penn State is having an okay year record wise but again they can't qualify for a bowl game. Northwestern did what they could to qualify for a bowl game but it won't be a major one. They're guaranteed a win against Illinois unless a miracle happens. However, it's the Nebraska and Iowa games coming up that they really need to focus on. The Big Ten has always been a collective of AAU research schools first and athletic schools second. The academic is great but they need to kick it up on the athletic or they're going to slip into Atlantic Sun levels of meritocracy.

[Procurements]

Chibi Halo

Procurements

Northwestern will lose a few more games. They'll lose 3 of 4 to Sparty, Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa. Still, this conference is crap, I'll agree. I think the conference as a whole needs to take a good long look in the mirror and ask themselves just what's going so wrong. It wasn't long ago that they were one of the best in the nation.

Illinois having a new coach shouldn't be an excuse for crappy play. I mean look at Ohio State. They have a new coach and are having a great year but because they players did things that broke NCAA rules they can't go to the Championship game or a bowl game. Penn State is having an okay year record wise but again they can't qualify for a bowl game. Northwestern did what they could to qualify for a bowl game but it won't be a major one. They're guaranteed a win against Illinois unless a miracle happens. However, it's the Nebraska and Iowa games coming up that they really need to focus on. The Big Ten has always been a collective of AAU research schools first and athletic schools second. The academic is great but they need to kick it up on the athletic or they're going to slip into Atlantic Sun levels of meritocracy.

I'm not making excuses for Illinois's new coach. He was a winner at Toledo, and generally winning in the MAC translates to winning outside of the MAC. Also, he knows the spread, which Illinois runs. I think some of the problem's just that, well, it's Illinois. They've been bad since time immemorial. There was a year that they made the Rose Bowl I remember, but outside of that... it's really unfair to compare them to Ohio State. Illinois is devoid of football talent for whatever reason, and Ohio has enough talent to support 10 FBS schools or however many they have.

Iowa's been doing alright so far, certainly rebounding from the rough road they were on in OOC play. Nebraska... well, let me just say this. If things continue how they are, Illinois and Ohio State won't be the only ones with new coaches to talk about.

Oh, I'm somewhat familiar with the AAU, especially with the bullshit they pulled in tossing Nebraska out. The image that I got of them was that they're all about bowtie-and-pocket protector sciences, such as engineering and physics, and that instead of trying to improve their members and grow through encouraging new ideas and modern fields, they believe in addition by subtraction. They recently chased Syracuse out for focusing on the wrong fields (urban affairs and public administration), and they tossed out Nebraska for being too focused on agriculture and not having an on-campus medical center. It was implied that they even took into consideration that Nebraska had a unique situation with their Medical Center, in that it was a separate entity meant to serve all three state universities, but they were punishing the university for not having it on campus. Keep in mind that Nebraska was either a charter member, or a member for over 100 years at the time. Also, Nebraska's not getting back in, since their rules for admission require you to be more prestigious than half of their current members. To me, it just seems like a big circle jerk, especially when you consider that Tufts, Dartmouth, and Notre Dame aren't members.

[Chibi Halo]

Procurements

I'm not making excuses for Illinois's new coach. He was a winner at Toledo, and generally winning in the MAC translates to winning outside of the MAC. Also, he knows the spread, which Illinois runs. I think some of the problem's just that, well, it's Illinois. They've been bad since time immemorial. There was a year that they made the Rose Bowl I remember, but outside of that... it's really unfair to compare them to Ohio State. Illinois is devoid of football talent for whatever reason, and Ohio has enough talent to support 10 FBS schools or however many they have.

Iowa's been doing alright so far, certainly rebounding from the rough road they were on in OOC play. Nebraska... well, let me just say this. If things continue how they are, Illinois and Ohio State won't be the only ones with new coaches to talk about.

Oh, I'm somewhat familiar with the AAU, especially with the bullshit they pulled in tossing Nebraska out. The image that I got of them was that they're all about bowtie-and-pocket protector sciences, such as engineering and physics, and that instead of trying to improve their members and grow through encouraging new ideas and modern fields, they believe in addition by subtraction. They recently chased Syracuse out for focusing on the wrong fields (urban affairs and public administration), and they tossed out Nebraska for being too focused on agriculture and not having an on-campus medical center. It was implied that they even took into consideration that Nebraska had a unique situation with their Medical Center, in that it was a separate entity meant to serve all three state universities, but they were punishing the university for not having it on campus. Keep in mind that Nebraska was either a charter member, or a member for over 100 years at the time. Also, Nebraska's not getting back in, since their rules for admission require you to be more prestigious than half of their current members. To me, it just seems like a big circle jerk, especially when you consider that Tufts, Dartmouth, and Notre Dame aren't members.

Not making a comparison there at all. It's more or less an example of two programs with new coaches and how a new coach doesn't mean jack one way or another if the program they're taking over is jack s**t. And thanks to those jack s**t years in the 80s when barely nobody wanted to attend those Illinois games I got to go to a lot of college football on Saturdays. Illinois was never a top ten football team (they've had better years with basketball) but it sure is a fun place to spend a Saturday.

I wonder how many of those MAC coaches have transitioned into BCS member programs.

[Procurements]

Chibi Halo

Not making a comparison there at all. It's more or less an example of two programs with new coaches and how a new coach doesn't mean jack one way or another if the program they're taking over is jack s**t. And thanks to those jack s**t years in the 80s when barely nobody wanted to attend those Illinois games I got to go to a lot of college football on Saturdays. Illinois was never a top ten football team (they've had better years with basketball) but it sure is a fun place to spend a Saturday.

I wonder how many of those MAC coaches have transitioned into BCS member programs.

True, true... I don't know. I think Beckman will be fine, as long as the program keeps its expectations tempered, and just wants to beat Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue and make a bowl game. They're never going to light the world on fire. That's not them. They don't have the resources or tradition that an Ohio State or a Michigan does.

I'm sure there's a list out there somewhere. I know off the top of my head that Nick Saban was at Toledo, Jerry Kill was at NIU, Urban Meyer was at Bowling Green, and Brady Hoke was at Ball State. I also know Miami-Ohio prides itself on having a great coaching pedigree. It's a great conference for coaches, it just never gets to keep them.

[PHO DAC BlET]

Watching my TCU Bullfrogs' season
going down the drain is a bit heart-wrenching to say the least.

They'll still be a good-quality Big 12 team though. Given a few more years to improve their roster.

[Procurements]

PHO LlFE

Watching my TCU Bullfrogs' season
going down the drain is a bit heart-wrenching to say the least.

They'll still be a good-quality Big 12 team though. Given a few more years to improve their roster.

I had a feeling this would happen with them. Jumping from the MWC, where you can take weeks off against the UNLVs and New Mexicos of the world, to the Big 12, which is the nastiest gauntlet in college football right now, isn't something you can transition to overnight. Just ask West Virginia, who just had their national championship hopes blown up by Texas Tech.

[PHO DAC BlET]

Procurements

I had a feeling this would happen with them. Jumping from the MWC, where you can take weeks off against the UNLVs and New Mexicos of the world, to the Big 12, which is the nastiest gauntlet in college football right now, isn't something you can transition to overnight. Just ask West Virginia, who just had their national championship hopes blown up by Texas Tech.

I completely agree.

As of right now, I think the biggest and in my mind the only concern we need to address is our QB position. With Casey Pachall gone, TCU needs to find a good-quality QB that can lead their spread offense, so that they're up to tempo to that top-ranked defense that Gary Patterson seems to produce on a yearly-basis.

[Spirit of the Westside]

This game was embarrassing and HUMILIATING.

Well another promising season down the toilet.

I've already accepted the fact that Northwestern will never be a National Title contender thanks to the SEC and Ohio State. But dont tease me when you start the season 6-0 only to finish 6-6 or 7-5 and get blown out at whatever lousy bowl game the Wildcats have to beg to get in.

Northwestern: Chicago's Big Ten Team....

Thats nothing to be proud of.

[michael j rox]

Procurements

michael j rox

Procurements

On the bright side, UNO beat Army 5-1 on national TV tonight. Normally UNO craps out on national TV, so it was a refreshing change. The game almost went to midnight... it was a struggle to stay up for it, but hell, it's a Friday, and it's the first college hockey game of the year for my Mavericks. They play Notre Dame tomorrow night at 7. I think I remember hearing that NBC Sports is bringing in their top NHL broadcasters for it, so it'll basically be college hockey called by the best hockey announcers in the US.

Sounded like it was a hell of a game! It's good to hear that they did so well! Grats to 'em.

I also hope they pound the crap out of Notre Dame.

They didn't, unfortunately. At least they hung tough in there. I had a feeling UNO would struggle when they started a freshman goalie, and he did. One of the goals was on him, one he was hung out to dry by the defense, and the third was from a really strange bounce from the boards, one that I really wouldn't think would happen if Kansas City had ever hosted hockey before this weekend.

Sweet Jesus, Notre Dame is arrogant, though. They love to talk and gloat, so it made me happy to see my team not take the loss and their chirping laying down and have a nice little brawl with them at the end of the game. Them cross checking one of our guys in the kidneys to break up a centering pass at the end of the game was another thing. What a bunch of punks. I hope we never invite them to this tournament again, and I hope we bring it back to Omaha where it belongs.

As long as they tried! Hopefully, the rest of the season they'll play against a team who aren't completely full of themselves. Notre Dame's not worth it if they're going to behave like a bunch of dicks.