College Football

First topic message reminder :

Any of you guys looking foward to the start of the season next week, if you like college football, what teams do you like, I myself follow the wolverines and huskers. But only the huskers have an oppportunity for the big one this year. Cant wait for lsu v oregon on the 3rd at cowboys stadium.

It was a great game, seeing off A&M to the SEC in such a painful way is something the Longhorns won't forget in a long while.

Tannehill was pretty terrible with interceptions costing them dearly, the aggies really helped to kill themselves off further with that penalty on the winning drive. The fact this was the last game between these two before the move made it even more emotionally charged with players in tears post-match in the dressing room as the bands exchanged farewell tunes including "thanks for the memories".

Classic stuff.

How was the LSU vs Arkansas game? I ended up giving up on watching it due to the stream being pretty bad.

Anyone watching the Iron Bowl tonight?

I didn't really enjoy the game tbh, some big plays but didnt do it for me. I think bama will dominate but ill still watch it. As a michigan fan, im lookig forward to the game in 15 mins against ohio st. Best college stadium, loudest fans and one of the best rivalries, should be good

Currently watching Georgia @ Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech's option offense must be so boring for the WR's to be a part of, their I would guess 15+ play drive for a touchdown contained only runs. Costly mistake with just 15 seconds left of the 2nd quarter by Georgia WR Tavarres King when he stepped out of the bounds when not under much pressure about a yard short of the 1st down even though he could easily have made it to the 1st down marker, a run on 3rd down fails to earn the 1st down and Georgia go for the field goal. Georgia Tech attempt to ice the kicker and manage to call the timeout before it's snapped, problem is he missed the original kick which got called back and he managed to make Georgia Tech pay by converting the kick at his second chance, taking Georgia in at the half leading 17-10.

Derbyblue wrote:Currently watching Georgia @ Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech's option offense must be so boring for the WR's to be a part of

Calvin Johnson was part of said offence... must have been a bit of a waste (wasn't watching CFB back then!)

crazy_dave23 wrote:

Derbyblue wrote:Currently watching Georgia @ Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech's option offense must be so boring for the WR's to be a part of

Calvin Johnson was part of said offence... must have been a bit of a waste (wasn't watching CFB back then!)

They had a different offensive coordinator when Calvin Johnson was there, currently the head coach Paul Johnson has them using the triple option but according to wikipedia they used a shotgun formation as their base formation when Johnson was playing there. They may be looking to change it before next season though, as their back-up quarterback Synjyn Days came on during the 4th quarter and was more succesful passing the ball but wasn't quite as capable running it as Tevin Washington, either that or they may just try to improve Days ability to run with the ball.

This is just a little bit of speculation, but if they have high hopes for Days I would expect to see it become at least a little bit more pass orientated, then again it all could stay exactly the same.

What games are people watching tonight?

If I manage to get a bit more of my rather boring assignment done then I'm planning to watch the SEC-Championship game Georgia vs LSU, and maybe the ACC-Championship game Virginia Tech vs Clemson as I'm interested in seeing Sammy Watkins, I've heard good things about him and he won ACC Rookie Of The Year.

Will try to catch the OST v OU OST needs to win to be in with a shout of of playing LSU for the BCS Championship OU needs a win to get a decent bowl invatation.

Anyone see this week that former Gators Head Coach Urban Myer will take over as Buckeyes H/C for next season. Meyer is a top coach and has a history of turning teams around by at least the 2nd season he won 2 Championships with the Gators took Utah to a 12-0 season and had winning seaons with Bowling Green.

This would be good for the Div 1 BCS Schools as SEC have dominated in recent years.

Will be dropping in on the second half of Houston vs Southern Miss as it is the CUSA championship game and as it begins in 5 mins. Mainly because I want to have a look at Case Kennum and hope they go undefeated.

Then will be watching the SEC Title game because its the SEC title game and Georgia are one of my teams!

The rest are too late really... I need to sleep at somepoint! That said "Bedlam" aka Oklahoma vs OSU looks like it could be great!

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Yes Leeds I had saw the Urban Meyer hiring. I personally dont like Ohio State and that has nothing to do with the scandals of recent times (though it dont help them in my mind). Meyer should be able to turn them round though... after all he got Tebow drafted in the first round... must have been good :p

crazy_dave23 wrote:Meyer should be able to turn them round though... after all he got Tebow drafted in the first round... must have been good :p

I saw a few tweets which made me think it had finally been confirmed but after the amount of times it had been reported previously for Meyer to then deny he had signed I wasn't sure.

Well that was strange, onside kick 4 minutes into the 1st quarter I guess Georgia want to build a lead quick.

Georgia are going to regret only getting 3 off those two drives

crazy_dave23 wrote:Georgia are going to regret only getting 3 off those two drives

Some shocking mistakes on that final drive, not sure of his name but one of the receivers didn't even turn around for the ball so it hit him on the back and I think they said his name was Mitchell should never have dropped that catch.

Two big punts there from the Georgia Punter (don't know his name), what was the point in Mathieu not just fair catching the second one letting it bounce puts his team about 10 yards further back.

No onside kick this time. Georgia leading 10-0 at the end of the 1st Qtr. Their only problem really they need to stop dropping passes and wasting good chances.

So its 10-7 and LSU still don't have a single first down. I fear Georgia will regret this...
Starting to feel redeemed that I put Tyran Matthieu ahead of Maurice Claibourne though... simply the punt returns! LSU is obviously good at CBs turned KRs what with Patrick Peterson!

EDIT: So it turns out Matthieu threw the ball to the official on the punt return before crossing the goal line but it wasn't spotted.
Also LSU becomes the first SEC team since 2002 to go a whole half in any game with 0 first downs (a whopping 12 yards total offence)

Claibourne is better at the CB's real job though, given up on watching it trying to do work but reading about accounting practices is even more boring than having to listen to them.

Well an interesting night in terms of games and BCS scenarios.

I sort of think Georgia blew it. They had LSU on the ropes early, but once the Tigers figured them out it was plain sailing. If the Dawgs had scored on the first two positions rather than getting a FG and a missed kick it could have been 21-7 at the half... hey if they covered kicks it would have been 21-0 and the second half would not have seen LSU score 42 unanswered. At least it saves the National Title game from having 2 teams that didn't win their own conference playing each other.

Houston also blew it when it mattered the most. Horrible defense that kept giving up big plays and gave the offence too much to do. Southern Miss will be the most hated team in the CUSA next year for knocking Houston out of the Sugar Bowl because its cost the league somewhere between $11-17m for next year (ESPN is still calling it $17m, but the broadcast commentators lowered it to $11m when someone from the BCS called them!).

So where does that leave us...
All State National Championship Game: LSU vs Alabama
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State (Big12) vs At Large
Vizio Rose Bowl: Wisconsin (Big10) vs Oregon (Pac12)
All State Sugar Bowl: At Large (SEC) vs At Large
Discover Orange Bowl: Clemson (ACC) vs West Virginia (Big East)

Now the word on the street is that the Fiesta Bowl has the first "at large" pick and will take Stanford at its the highest ranked team, thus leaving the Sugar Bowl since its lost it's SEC participant to the Title game and has an at large birth anyway.

So, Houston had a place sealed until it lost which raises an interesting conundrum. This was because a non-AQ school gets an auto bid if it is ranked inside the top 16 (and ahead of an AQ champ - here West Virginia who wont crack the top 16)... however they also must be a conference champion. So if Houston stays top 16 it wont get it, neither will Boise State who could end up ranked 5/6/7 given Houston and Virginia Tech's Losses.

Enter TCU who could crack the top 16 if it gains two spots. It probably wont jump over Baylor as they just beat a ranked team whereas TCU beat some no hopers, but Michigan State, Oklahoma, Georgia and Houston could fall and the Horned Frogs will get a bit of a rise given that they are a conference champ. So lets say that happens and TCU gets into the Sugar bowl... we have one place left and this is where the BCS gets stupid and why a different system should be in place.

Everyone is talking Michigan... Why? I presume because of their heritage and fan base and the money they will bring. However lets look at things. They finished below Michigan State due to losing to them in the regular season. Okay State now has 3 losses to Michigan's 2 because they played in the Big10 Title game, but does a team deserve to be punished because it made the title game and thus had the extra game in which one 10-2 side had to lose.
Then you look at who isn't mentioned in consideration... 2 loss Arkansas who lost two the two best teams in the country and will likely end the year ranked 5... one loss Boise State who may finish ranked 6...2 loss Kansas State who will finish around 10... maybe poor old one loss Houston who could finish top 16 given that Southern Miss was at least a ranked opponent... I also think Michigan is going to go down in the rankings because of Baylor and TCU's wins (there has been a whisper that this might make them ineligible for a bowl - I presume there is a specific ranking cut off that I cant currently find the reference too).
If Michigan gets a BCS bowl bid it will be a total injustice in my opinion...

Great game for lsu,they just get stronger as the game goes on. Their secondary is great, i've said for a while that claiborne is a better corner than pp7, and when you have mathieu, reid etc with him, very few receivers will have good games

Niner, whats your opinion on the at large bowl bids and who gets them?

Im not great with these predictions but i think stanford/oklahoma st , not too sure about the sugar bowl, really happy michigan finished strong but there is a number of teams they could play and they could also play in the fiesta depending on what the rankings are. Ill say michigan v kansas st in the sugar bowl

Is it normal for a few players to transfer to a new college when a new coach is announced? I've just seen that Maryland are losing Running backs Rahsaan Moore, Jeremiah Wilson, D.J. Adams, O-lineman R.J. Dill and Defensive back Titus Till.

I wouldn't say its normal in the sense that college football has such a large number of active players ans its just the odd few that transfer.

Coaches will play a part as theses guys are recruited out of high school by those coaches specifically for football and wont necessarily feel at all attached to a specific degree course or anything.

Some players just move to get a starting spot and others just for a change (see Joe Flacco who moved from Pitt to Delaware because Tyler Palko was keeping him out of a job, or Russell Wilson who this year transferred from NC State to Wisconcin for a reason which I cant determine...)

two really good games today, not on too late either. In nebraska/south carolina, Melvin ingram, Alfonso Dennard, Alshon Jeffery, Devin Taylor, Stephon Gilmore, Lavonte David will alll be drafted in the 1st 2 rounds. Oregon/Wisconsin will also be a good clash of styles

loving the capital one bowl. Can't believe that jeffery has almost 150 yards and a 50 yard hail mary td to end 2nd half even though dennard has played him amazingly 90% of the time.

Lamichael James seems to be the one to watch for Oregon. A bit small from what I hear but electric and probably a 3rd round pick up.

LaMichael James is indeed rather small, but he is still very good and very fast and I think the success that the Saints have had this year with Darren Sproles may help his draft stock... 2-3rd i'd say?

I'm not sure what to think of him, he is very talented but I think that any fast, explosive player could do well in that offense as they always have ways to get him into space

Auburn reportedly grants Michael Dyer a release
"According to AuburnUndercover.com and the Birmingham News, Dyer has been given a conditional release from his AU scholarship by the school. While the release is conditional, Arkansas State is reportedly one of the schools to which the Tigers will permit the running back to transfer.

Neither report explicitly stated Arkansas State is where Dyer is headed, although that certainly appears to be the direction this situation is headed. The other schools to which Dyer would be permitted to transfer were not named.

As ASU is a Div. 1-A (FBS) school, Dyer would be forced to sit a season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules unless he were granted a waiver. It’s believed Dyer will pursue that tack, although it’s unclear on what grounds the appeal to the NCAA would be based.

Dyer has rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of his two seasons with the Tigers, and was a first-team All-SEC performer this year, but has found himself ensconced in Gene Chizik‘s doghouse of late. The sophomore was suspended Dec. 11 for violating unspecified team rules and did not play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl win over Virginia.

Even as rumors of a potential transfer began to gain steam in recent weeks, the head coach said recently that there has been no change to the running back’s status."

Does Dyer have a chance to make it to the NFL? If he does then should he not just go along with it for a year and enter the draft when he can?

Dyer has always been considered a 1st rounder ever since his freshman year.

If he has always been considered a 1st rounder then could he not simply try to work out whatever differences he has with the coach and then leave for the draft at the end of the season, of course if he can get the waiver then it doesn't really affect him but I just think it could be risky taking the year out.

Unusual situation, anyone else going to stay up for the big one tomorrow night, i'm hoping for an lsu win and a good game from claiborne so the vikes have no option but to take him

niner wrote:Unusual situation, anyone else going to stay up for the big one tomorrow night, i'm hoping for an lsu win and a good game from claiborne so the vikes have no option but to take him

I'm not staying up for it, but I've discovered that the ESPN channels are Free on Virgin Media throughout January so I will be able to record it and watch it after work on Tuesday... I'm not sure what I want from the game as i'm not a massive fan of either team in general terms (i'm good with irrational dislike)... probably prefer LSU to be honest

I won't stay up for it but I'm recording it. Really looking forward to this one actually. It seems that this year's draft class is extremely deep.

should be a good game, agree with this being the deepest draft class in a while, I said the best since 2003 yesterday but scratch russell from 2007 and that one was pretty special too. I always struggle to decide whether or not to stay up for games but it is the game of the century so i will.

So National Title Game thoughts?

Game was alright, obviously being defensive and kind of one sided took a dimension away from it.

Credit to the Alabama defense as they were very good, particularly against the run but I do feel LSU shot themselves in the foot offensively.
Jordan Jefferson was hopeless running the option last night as the entire point of the play is to force the linebacker to either commit to you or commit to the pitch guy, not for the QB to make the handoff when the linebacker isn't committed to either and can take whichever player he chooses for no gain. I've also got to question the pass plays that were called. Neither team did anything downfield, however Bama were getting the chain moving 7-15 yard catches whereas LSU seemed obsessed with WR screens which Bama smelt out all day. That playcalling let the game down I feel and it could have been so much more.

Anyone else watch the game?

I couldn't believe LSU just kept running the ball, Bama had that locked.

Good defensive game but can't say im happy I stayed up to watch it

Robert Marve granted a sixth year
The roller coaster that’s been the collegiate career of Robert Marve? It’ll be back for one more run this season.

Purdue announced Wednesday that, thanks to a decision by the NCAA, the quarterback has been granted a sixth year of eligibility. Marve missed his true freshman season at Miami due to injury, and then missed all but four games during his first season at Purdue in 2010 due to a torn ACL.

As a result, Marve’s appeal to the NCAA was approved.

“I am extremely blessed by the NCAA’s decision and proud to be at Purdue for another season,” Marve said. “I’m looking forward to next year and winning games for the Boilermakers.”

Marve started the first four games of his Boilermakers career prior to the ACL injury, with the rehab process keeping him out of the first two games of this year as well. The senior ultimately played in eight games as the backup to starter Caleb TerBush.

“I’m very pleased for Robert, his teammates and all of Boilermaker Nation,” head coach Danny Hope said. “In all of my years of coaching, I’ve never been around a player that has worked so hard at becoming an elite athlete and, because of injury, has seen so little reward for his efforts. This is a big boost to our program getting him back.”

Marve was a four-star member of Miami’s 2007 recruiting class and the No. 8 pro-style quarterback in the country, but transferred from the Hurricanes in 2009 after numerous “issues” with the UM coaching staff and one with local law enforcement.

I'm really happy with all the recruits michigan are getting, I managed to add some of them on facebook and might try and get a chat with them some time

Dymonte Thomas, one of Michigan's top 2013 recruits has agreed to an interview with me in the future, put any questions on here you might like me to ask him when I get around to it

Interview I have just done with Brett Hundley, 5-star QB who may start for UCLA as a rs freshman this year, has a big arm and the great long-stride running of Cam Newton

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1212977-ucla-football-my-interview-with-quarterback-brett-hundley

My interview with Chris Conley, Georgia WR

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1226190-georgia-football-interview-with-wide-receiver-chris-conley

My interview with Nebraska TE Kyler Reed:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1220026-nebraska-football-interview-with-2013-nfl-draft-prospect-kyler-reed

Just finished my Q&A with Tajh Boyd:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1219273-clemson-football-interview-with-tajh-boyd

So how long do we have before the college season starts?

last weekend of August

Does anyone know if ESPN America show any live college games? Just wondering after I saw they have some conference previews on during the week.

Yep, normally 3 or 4 on each week if I remember right. Trying to decide whether ESPN is worth the £10 a month

definitely if you want to watch the college games