2009 NCAA Football Thread: Revenge of the Computer Polls

[Immortalfire]

The few Auburn fans I know around these parts, had a general "WTF?" reaction when the hiring was announced...especially one guy who was so certain that Gill would get it.
I got a vibe that AU didn't want to look anymore after Mike Leach and Will Muschamp said no, and just took whoever said yes first. Weird.

 

[Holiday]

Yeah, the Auburn fans that I know were confused and Alabama fans I know were laughing their asses off.

 

[VampElvis]

I had a delusional Aubie tell me today, "This'll be the last Chizik Day, he's gonna win at least 8-10 games this year."

I think I'm gonna buy him a cake with Chizik's record on it for next year's Chizik Day!t:

 

[NotFadeAway]

I'm bored, and curious. Everyone in this thread, if you could take over any major Division 1 football program that has NOT won a National championship in the past 15 years, if ever, who would it be?

My four choices would be Clemson, Colorado, Iowa, or Wisconsin. I'd like a shot at turning any one of those four teams into a national power and consistent conference title contender. And damnit, I would do it with a pro style offense. With Clemson, the ACC title is within reach every year, and there is a passionate fanbase. With Colorado, the Big 12 North is within reach every year, as no team in the North would scare me a lick. With Iowa and Wisconsin, I'm just sick of the Ohio State/Michigan hold over the Big Ten with the occasional Penn State pop up appearence. I've always liked Iowa, and I feel that Wisconsin is one of the most underachieving teams I will see in my lifetime.

And another question, does anyone think Cincinnati is here to stay as a fixture in the Big East title contention, or will they become unheard of once more? It would be nice to see another team from Ohio pop up in big bowl games and national rankings.

 

[VampElvis]

Alabama is building toward a really solid program, but I don't know if I'd want that job. People schedule their weddings to not interfere with the games; some of the fan base is beyond extreme. Also they share a close proximity to the outstanding talent pool in Florida and FSU could rise from the ashes, that might not be a bad place to be. Now'd also be a good time to be at one of the schools in the Big10 with the quagmire Michigan is in.

 

[Kaiser]

I'm bored, and curious. Everyone in this thread, if you could take over any major Division 1 football program that has NOT won a National championship in the past 15 years, if ever, who would it be?

My four choices would be Clemson, Colorado, Iowa, or Wisconsin. I'd like a shot at turning any one of those four teams into a national power and consistent conference title contender. And damnit, I would do it with a pro style offense. With Clemson, the ACC title is within reach every year, and there is a passionate fanbase. With Colorado, the Big 12 North is within reach every year, as no team in the North would scare me a lick. With Iowa and Wisconsin, I'm just sick of the Ohio State/Michigan hold over the Big Ten with the occasional Penn State pop up appearence. I've always liked Iowa, and I feel that Wisconsin is one of the most underachieving teams I will see in my lifetime.

And another question, does anyone think Cincinnati is here to stay as a fixture in the Big East title contention, or will they become unheard of once more? It would be nice to see another team from Ohio pop up in big bowl games and national rankings.

I think Cincinnati can become a major power. Louisville could have done it but Bobby left and that was the end of that. Brian Kelly is a good coach and can sell the program. He seems to really like the city and the fans and university loves him. They are building a bubble for the team to workout in like Kelly asked and they are also expanding the stadium.

I think if Brian is serious about winning championships and its not about money then he should stay at UC. I think UC is the easiest path to a championship game because of the weak conference they play in. I think they play Oklahoma at Paul Brown in 2013... they could build for that year and make a run for a BCS title game.

 

[StorminNorman]

Georgia has been one of the top 5 programs in America, despite not having a National Championship.

 

[Kaiser]

Georgia has been one of the top 5 programs in America, despite not having a National Championship.

No it hasn't

USC,Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, LSU are the top 5. Texas is just outside.

 

[FaT_tONle]

Congress seeks bowls truth
By Dan Wetzel and Josh Peter
11 hours, 6 minutes ago


A congressman said he plans to investigate testimony from Alamo Bowl executive director Derrick Fox at this month’s Bowl Championship Series subcommittee hearing after learning that Fox might have exaggerated by millions of dollars the amount bowl games donate to local charities.

Fox, while representing all 34 bowl games during his appearance on Capitol Hill on May 1, claimed in his argument against a playoff that “almost all the postseason bowl games are put on by charitable groups” and “local charities receive tens of millions of dollars every year.”


In fact, 10 bowl games are privately owned and one is run by a branch of a local government. The remaining 23 games enjoy tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, but combined to give just $3.2 million to local charities on $186.3 million in revenue according to their most recent federal tax records and interviews with individual bowl executives.


“That doesn’t seem like something that’s really geared toward giving to charity, does it?” said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) after being presented with Yahoo! Sports’ findings.



ACC commissioner and BCS coordinator John Swofford is sworn in before giving testimony before the House Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee hearing on May 1.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)


“It’s perjury if it’s knowingly said,” Barton said of the sworn testimony, which he called “misleading.” “It’s also contempt of Congress. You’ve got to give [him] some sort of due process, but ultimately the remedy is to hold [him] in contempt of Congress on the House floor or send it to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution of perjury under oath.”

I don't know who this Congressman is or where he came from.... but this is the only guy in Congress that seems to do something about a playoff. If you are a college football fan... please keep this guy in office as long as possible.

 

[RAMORE]

I want a 8 team playoff system. Take the top 8 ranked BCS teams and let them duke it out. What good team isn't in the top 8?

 

[Immortalfire]

I want a 8 team playoff system. Take the top 8 ranked BCS teams and let them duke it out.

Agreed.

 

[StorminNorman]

No it hasn't

USC,Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, LSU are the top 5. Texas is just outside.

I would put Georgia above Oklahoma and Ohio State. About even with LSU, especially post Saban.

 

[Kaiser]

I would put Georgia above Oklahoma and Ohio State. About even with LSU, especially post Saban.

WHAT?! LSU has won two titles in the past couple of years. Oklahoma has been to three title games the past couple of years. Ohio State has been to two title games in the past couple of years? Besides a VERY brief number 1 ranking and adding an alternate uniform top... what has Georgia done?

 

[StorminNorman]

WHAT?! LSU has won two titles in the past couple of years. Oklahoma has been to three title games the past couple of years. Ohio State has been to two title games in the past couple of years? Besides a VERY brief number 1 ranking and adding an alternate uniform top... what has Georgia done?

I would take back my comment about Ohio State, though I think they have benefited from Big 10 play.

Oklahoma has won 1 bowl game in 6 seasons.

Under Mark Richt, Georgia has 2 SEC Championships, 2 top 3 finishes, 4 SEC East Championships and 2 BCS bowl victories. You cannot ignore the fact that since 2003, the SEC has won 4 of the last 6 BCS Championships.

In the best, most competitive, most talented conference in football - Georgia has been the most consistent team.

The reason I have LSU rated low is because Les Miles is an idiot who, almost literally, stumbled his way into a National Championship. If Saban was still running the program, it would rank much higher.

 

[Addendum]

Yes, the SEC has won a title 4 of the last 6 years. How many were won by Georgia?

 

[StorminNorman]

As many as Oklahoma or Ohio State during that time.

 

[Addendum]

Right. And that point about the SEC winning 4 of the past 6 titles is better suited for discussing "what conference is the best", not "is Georgia a top 5 team in the country"

 

[StorminNorman]

Right. And that point about the SEC winning 4 of the past 6 titles is better suited for discussing "what conference is the best", not "is Georgia a top 5 team in the country"

No, not really. Any fair discussion about a team's performance must take into account the teams they played.

For example: using the claim that "well Ohio State was in the National Championship game, so they were better than Georgia", as Kaiser did, doesn't work when you are forced to consider the fact the National Champion came from Georgia's conference.

 

[Addendum]

I don't think Ohio State is better than Georgia simply because Ohio State was in the "national championship" game, nor do I consider Georgia a better team simply because they're a member of a conference that has the national champion

 

[StorminNorman]

I don't think Ohio State is better than Georgia simply because Ohio State was in the "national championship" game, nor do I consider Georgia a better team simply because they're a member of a conference that has the national champion

I don't consider Georgia one of the top teams simply because they are a member of a strong conference (for example, OSU > Vandy) - I hold them as a top team because they have been the most consistent team in the strongest conference. That's an impressive feat.

 

[El_Citrus]

I want a 8 team playoff system. Take the top 8 ranked BCS teams and let them duke it out. What good team isn't in the top 8?

I feel the same way. I wouldn't even mind a ten team playoff, with the 7 seed playing the 10 and 8 playing 9 to decide the top 8. That would give teams an incentive for not taking a game off and having every game count since losing a game would mean you don't get an extra week off if you drop to the bottom four.

 

[StorminNorman]

College Football can't afford for a potential BCS playoff to be any more than 8 teams. 4 teams might honestly be the most ideal.

College Football has the most compelling, most exciting regular season in major sports. The reason is because every game matters. Losing just one games puts your ability to make the championship game in major risk. If you allow a 10 team playoff, you start allowing 2 and 3 loss teams a chance to win it all, destroying the best aspect of College Football.

 

[Addendum]

I wouldn't limit a playoff format to "BCS conferences". I'd include the other conferences that are part of Division 1 football (or whatever it's called now FBS or something)

 

[StorminNorman]

I would eliminate the idea of BCS conferences.

The Mountain West conference last year was stronger than many BCS conferences.

In 2007, the WAC was stronger than the ACC.

 

[Addendum]

So how about a 12 team playoff, with the conference winners of each of the 11 conferences, plus one of the independents with the best record?