2011 NCAA Football Thread

[Polis4rule]

Because it's never too early for college football. Additionally, I like the sport.

Well, we can virtually guarantee that Auburn was one and done, especially losing Newton. They're going to have to do some good rebuilding and hope that their next QB is a Newton-esque player in order to sustain success. But thus is the life of a option oriented spread offense. Oklahoma and Alabama look poised to be prepared to go to the championship game, but I would count out other teams as well. FSU, if they can get good production from their players, could be another top candidate as they face off against Oklahoma this year again (I believe it's at Tallahassee as well). Oregon is coming back with some talent and success, and LSU looks quite loaded as well (if they can get some production from their QB). It's shaping up to be an exciting season (also, inb4 someone complains about mid-majors not getting respect).

AP Poll Week 3

1 Oklahoma (37)
2 LSU (14)
3 Alabama (7)
4 Boise State (2)
5 Stanford
6 Wisconsin
7 Oklahoma State
8 Texas A&M
9 Nebraska
10 Oregon
11 Florida State
12 South Carolina
13 Virginia Tech
14 Arkansas
15 Florida
16 West Virginia
17 Baylor
18 South Florida
19 Texas
20 TCU
21 Clemson
22 Michigan
23 USC
24 Illinois
25 Georgia Tech

Of course, this is an early preseason ranking, and one that's from one writer.

 

[Nozizaki]

Ah, my favorite sport.

First off, as I saw the Blue & Orange Spring Game live, I can personally say, that the Quarterback conundrum at Florida is continuing. Brantley was average at best, and most analysts who cover the agreement expect Driskel to be starting by the end of the year. Also, WTF Janoris Jenkins! Arrested for SELLING pot? I sure hope he doesn't get kicked off the team.

Finally, there are a ton of pretenders on that Top 25. TCU has lost simply too much on offense, the defense will always be there, but that offense will fail them in games like against Boise State (Who will again contend, but will BcS'd out). Ohio State is screwed for 5 games. Arkansas is losing Mallet, who was their everything on offense. Notre Dame is Notre Dame, as in never again. Auburn will be lucky to become bowl eligible. And V-Tech will be good at the end of the season, but struggle out of the gate, but they are in the WeakCC.

 

[Killah]

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Florida State
4. LSU
5. Oregon
6. Ohio State
7. Stanford
8. Boise State
9. TCU
10. Oklahoma State
11. Arkansas
12. Texas A&M
13. Wisconsin
14. Notre Dame
15. South Carolina
16. Michigan State
17. Auburn
18. Georgia
19. Texas
20. Florida
21. Missouri
22. Virginia Tech
23. Arizona State
24. Nebraska
25. Mississippi State

Of course, this is an early preseason ranking, and one that's from one writer.

lolwut

Obviously Auburn's lost several major players to the draft, but they have a redshirt sophomore (junior?) that's been studying up on the system for a few years and just barely lost to (S)Cam Newton last year, if I remember correctly. That's an awful long way to fall for just losing a few players, but perhaps they had a good reason. Florida was preseason #4 this year after losing Tebow and took quite a tumble.

Honestly I have no idea what Florida State is doing in the top 5??? I honestly don't follow College Football a ton, but they lost Ponder and went 2-2 against ranked teams last year with two losses to unranked teams. 10-4 against the ACC. Does anyone really think they have a decent chance against Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU, Oregon, or anyone else in the top 10? (Well, I guess someone does!)

UGA's a pretty funny story, but I don't think they belong in the top 25 without proving anything. Last season, in their final 7 games regular season, they scored 41, 43, 44, 31, 55, 31, and 42 points and still only went 5-2 despite having the #36th ppg (22.1) allowed. Not only that, but they lost their #1 playmaker (by far) AJ Green to the draft. They might be able to post a good season at 9-3 and make a good bowl, but I kind of doubt they could get past SC and Florida in the SEC East.

Dunno much about ND this year, but they seem a bit high what with their recent track record of failing at any given moment. They only played 2 ranked teams (Stanford and Utah) last season, splitting the two, and only went 7-4 against unranked teams. Not only that, but they were in the bottom half for points per game and 92nd in rushing yardage.

Kind of a shame what has happened to Florida without Tebow, as the SEC East has kind of become a joke. Tennessee was pretty bad the past two years, UGA worse, and UK and Vandy might never be good enough to beat the other four and win the East. That leaves Florida and South Carolina left, which should improve enough so that the winner between the two would win the SEC East. But between LSU/Bama/Auburn/Arkansas, it'll probably be a few years before the East wins another crown.

Also I thought Stanford (thanks to Luck staying) should have been ranked higher, but I don't really know much about the players they actually lost to argue that :o

 

[Polis4rule]

Yeah, I can see from the top 25 that there are plenty of overrated teams (get Notre Dame off of that list!)

Definitely look out for OK, LSU, and Alabama. Those are the teams to beat. I'd say also look out for Oregon, OK State, Arkansas, and Boise State. Oregon has a good chance at running the table in the Pac-12 (their only tough competition is Stanford, that lost a good number of players). OK State might find it's way into a BCS bowl game. Arkansas is the dark horse of the SEC, and could potentially win the West with a win over Alabama and/or LSU. Boise State is Boise State. Who knows how they'll end up.

But yeah, lots of pretenders will be ranked.

 

[.I Wish You Well.]

Why the hell is Notre Dame always ranked in the preseason polls when they always under preform even when the soften their schedule.

Go USC!

 

[Myzozoa]

A little surprised that oregon state didnt make it, at the very least we know that theyll fuck one, two or all 3 of the other pac 10 teams that are ranked in the op. Also I'm continually amazed that the Big Ten continue to get respect, I guess some things never changed.

 

[Mr.E]

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[Polis4rule]

Lol Jim Tressel

FUCK YOU OHIO STATE AND YOUR LEGIONS OF BANDWAGON FANS THAT INFEST THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA

 

[Killah]

there's only one thing you have to say to those fans

2007 BCS National Championship

 

[Honus]

T-Rich is going to be big this season, he's more talented than Ingram and he's going to get enough playing time to get an impact.

Whether McCarron or Sims gets the job (hoping Sims does), I'm sure they'll do a hell of a lot better than McElroy, he was terrible.

Nice to see the Seminoles at the top of the polls, hopefully they can begin their resurgence this season.

 

[asadali0000]

Wow, there are a lot of 2 and 3 star guys in that first round.. Of course rankings mean something, but not everything. Every 5* kid is expected to go in the first few rounds. Where the recruiting rankings mean very little is between a mid to low 4* and a high 3*. Yet that cutoff seems to mean everything to some people.

 

[Delebird]

Guys i bet you that boise state will come back again to the top 3

 

[Polis4rule]

Plasmas + mansions + sex parties + yachts + paid abortions = 0 ACC championships, 1 bowl win, and the beginnings of a death penalty. Go Canes.

 

[Shining_Latios]

Let's go Boston College and UConn.

 

[Steamroll]

Good Job Canes, way to take the SMU route...

Also, I am a VT fan and I enjoy them very much; but I still don't understand why they're always 20-25 at the start of every season. They stay there for the first two games and then they're gone. I also do not understand why FSU is #3 and even ND is on the rankings... higher than VT... When VT did much better than them....

 

[Nozizaki]

So, I read this week's SI, and they ranked the top 25 in College Football... and wow, they are simply off, IMO. I'll simplify this, green if they should be rated higher, red if they should be lower.

1.Alabama
2.Oklahoma
3.LSU
4.Stanford
5.Oregon
6.FSU
7.South Carolina
8.Boise State
9.Nebraska
10.Texas A&M
11.Wisconsin
12.Oklahoma State
13.Michigan State
14.Notre Dame
15.V Tech
16.Arkansas
17.Arizona State
18.TCU
19.Ohio State
20.USC
21.Mississippi State
22.Missouri
23.West Virginia
24.Auburn
25.Florida

They also went on to a "Where they will finish" section, which just has their W-L by Ranking of team. Pretty silly. Also they claimed Luck will win Heisman, which I didn't not agree with.

 

[Polis4rule]

The official USA Today Preseason Top 25 poll.

1 Oklahoma (42)
2 Alabama (13)
3 Oregon (2)
4 LSU (2)
5 Florida State
6 Stanford
7 Boise State
8 Oklahoma State
9 Texas A&M
10 Wisconsin
11 Nebraska
12 South Carolina
13 Virginia Tech
14 Arkansas
15 TCU
16 Ohio State
17 Michigan State
18 Notre Dame
19 Auburn
20 Mississippi State
21 Missouri
22 Georgia
23 Florida
24 Texas
25 Penn State


FSU should be top 10, not top 5. South Carolina needs to be lower now, along with Ohio State. Otherwise, I agree with their poll.

 

[Steamroll]

VT is not 13th lol. They should be about 20.

 

[Nozizaki]

So, what do you guys make of LSU after they've got 2 starting Offensive skill positions out for the opener against Oregon? I'm not sure they can win, which is a shame, I still think they are the best team in the country when their starters play.

 

[Mr.E]

LSU gets a slap on the wrist for their NCAA violations because they play in the SEC. Ohio State gets ranched because some of their players sold their own stuff.

I make of it, "Hahahahahahahahahaha, fuck LSU. They fucking deserve it."

 

[Tayla]

Anyone seen the buzz of Texas A&M moving to the SEC? Texas fans sure are butthurt about it over at ESPN.

 

[Killah]

Well, it could possibly cause the entire Big 12 to collapse.

Kind of a big deal.

LSU gets a slap on the wrist for their NCAA violations because they play in the SEC. Ohio State gets ranched because some of their players sold their own stuff.

As far as I'm aware, the Ohio State players sold/traded memorabilia on more than one occasion. A five game ban for the offending players is in line with a four game ban on AJ Green last season for the same reason, a fifth game possibly added due to a more severe violation or to act as a deterrent for future players.

I believe the NCAA has not acted on the LSU players because they are under indefinite suspension at the moment, and even so a ban would not take place until there is significant evidence that the two are guilty. Again in reference to Green's case, the actual ban was not made until a couple weeks into the season after he had already been held out because the investigation was not finished; I expect the same to happen for the LSU players should they be found guilty.

 

[Tayla]

Yes, but generally from what I've seen it's just UT and TAMU fans being bitches to one another. I don't think Texas has anything to worry about if it has to go Independant or shift conferences, but schools like Baylor and KSU could easily have to move to something like C-USA or the Sun Belt.. The Big 12 has definently been hit the hardest by conference shifts. Lost Colorado and Nebraska last year, now possibly A&M.

If A&M does move to the SEC, that leaves room for one more team to even out the East and West.

 

[tennisace]

Just a hunch but maybe TCU is regretting their hasty move to the Big East? Even if A&M leaves the Big 12, Texas/Oklahoma/OKST/Texas Tech are still big draws, and it's a lot easier to compete when the farthest school from you geographically is Kansas iirc, instead of UConn.

I feel like A&M is going to cause a huge domino chain in both football and basketball. If they go to the SEC like everyone knows they will, that gives them 7 in the already crowded west and 6 in the weak east. SO, who do you think will be the 14th team? Or, even more outlandish but not so crazy, 14-16? My money is on Texas Tech or maybe even FSU? FSU could crush the weaker SEC East year after year, easily getting to the SEC title game/BCS bids.

 

[Killah]

Supposedly the SEC is not looking at FSU, but rather another team to the west. I've heard Missouri, Oklahoma, and Memphis as possibilities. If they do add another team, Auburn would shift from the SEC West to the SEC East.

The SEC East is not as bad as you make it sound. Vanderbilt and Kentucky probably won't ever compete for the title, and Tennessee is still in the middle of rebuilding. Florida only needs a spark to get rolling again; they have an astonishing number of players with the physical skills in place, and only need it all to click together. South Carolina probably has the best chance of running the table in the East, but Georgia can be a dark horse in the 2nd year under a new defensive coordinator and quarterback. Compared to the West's Bama/LSU/Arkansas/Auburn it might not stack up, but they'll definitely have a better season than they did last year.

I don't think Oklahoma and Texas will go to different conferences, but if another team jumps the gun and abandons the Big 12 they might have to. If the Big 12 doesn't want to collapse, it will have to send out invitations to new schools soon.