NCAA Football 2012 Season Catch-All

Definitely can't wait for the four-team playoff. Definitely didn't expect Auburn to fall apart this year. That's nothing to do with expansion, which has been a wash for the SEC - one of the teams added is near the top, one of the teams added is near the bottom.

I think Jayhawker had a good point. It's not about the overall talent of the SEC, but rather that smaller conferences force every team to play each other, thus giving you a better sense of who is the best team. 12 teams is pushing it, but at least most major powers played each other. You can't swap LSU for Missouri and still claim the same SOS.

Also wasn't A&M a mediocre team. I like Johnny Football, but if a mediocre team from another conference enters your conference and starts beating perennial champions it looks fishy. Regardless of talent the Aggies added.

DSGamer wrote:

I think Jayhawker had a good point. It's not about the overall talent of the SEC, but rather that smaller conferences force every team to play each other, thus giving you a better sense of who is the best team. 12 teams is pushing it, but at least most major powers played each other. You can't swap LSU for Missouri and still claim the same SOS.

Also wasn't A&M a mediocre team. I like Johnny Football, but if a mediocre team from another conference enters your conference and starts beating perennial champions it looks fishy. Regardless of talent the Aggies added.

I think A&M has proved to be more than a mediocre team. They are clearly a much better team now than they were at the beginning of the year. I'm just glad we played them when we did and not now later in the year!

Started to reply to DSG, realized his "mediocre" comment had already been refuted by a couple non-Aggie posters and the entire college football world...

Just gonna bask at being ranked 8 in the country right now.

Jayhawker wrote:

But that disappointing season allowed them to land a difference maker, and that freshman QB has played like a senior. With all of that, I expect them to compete really well with Texas for recruits.

I was reading somewhere a comment on A&M recruiting that effectively said that before moving to the SEC, they didn't have that much that differentiated them from other Texas teams trying to recruit within the state. Now, they have not only that SEC-brand to hang their proverbial hat on, but that distinguishes them from all the other TX schools. No longer are they a little brother to UT, but they have something to brag about that UT doesn't.

And, I'd you're right that their success this season will really help improve their prospect pool.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Started to reply to DSG, realized his "mediocre" comment had already been refuted by a couple non-Aggie posters and the entire college football world...

Just gonna bask at being ranked 8 in the country right now. :grin:

Actually I wasn't talking about them being mediocre now, but rather before entering the SEC. And unsure of where they actually were now. The problem is that I don't know. I feel like they're good now, but did they make that big of a leap between last year and this year? I didn't follow them last year.

Last year we were a pre-season top ten pick that ended up 7-6 (inc. bowl win) after pooping the bed and blowing umpteen halftime leads.

Different team. Literally every coach replaced, schemes changed, freshman QB.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Last year we were a pre-season top ten pick that ended up 7-6 (inc. bowl win) after pooping the bed and blowing umpteen halftime leads.

Different team. Literally every coach replaced, schemes changed, freshman QB.

Ah. Didn't know that. I knew the QB and head coach were new. Not much beyond that.

I think A&M, LSU, and Bama are all very good teams. But it is a really weak circular argument to say that their records against each other say anything about how great they are.

As for A&M, I think Sumlin is proving to be an awesome hire. The toughness of that team, along with what looks like great gameplanning is making all the difference. It was such a perfect place for him to land for both parties.

This season is going to bode really well for A&M recruiting. I had said before I thought their recruiting might suffer since their number of games in Texas would be diminished, and I thought A&M would struggle in their first season in the SEC. They lost a lot of players and going with a freshman QB meant this should have been a rebuilding year on the heals of a really disappointing final season in the Big 12.

But that disappointing season allowed them to land a difference maker, and that freshman QB has played like a senior. With all of that, I expect them to compete really well with Texas for recruits.

Well 2 days late and much conversation has already taken place, but just want to give my post-Cal commentary.

We played a good 2.5 quarters with Oregon, trailing only by 7 into the 3rd including what I believe was 2 or 3 3-and-outs for Oregon (is that a record this season?), but a turnover on our side of the field and a quick strike TD for Oregon basically took all the wind out of our sails and Oregon poured it on after that. With an 8am flight the next morning to get to a wedding I broke my rule and left early, once Oregon pulled ahead of the spread.

Observations:

- Holy crap is Oregon fast. I haven't watched any of their games on TV, but seeing those guys run live (esp. Marriota) in the open field is scary. Every team has a few fast guys, but this like playing a track team. Everyone knows the speed they have but seeing it is ridiculous. We were giving their WRs 10-12 yard cushions on the line and they still ran by us.

- Speaking about that, I'm not sure why Oregon doesn't go down field more often. For the 2.5 quarters we were getting beat downfield, but for the most part containing their run game (except for Marriota). Even in that crazy USC game last week, they still ran for more yards than they passed. Marriota is accurate enough, and their guys have so much speed that they get open all of the time.

- Oregon is susceptible to rushes up the middle. Cal's offensive line has had a few great running games (UCLA and WSU), but we're hardly a strong physical O-Line. We were almost running at will getting 5-10 yards per carry in the 2nd and early 3rd quarter. If we didn't abandon it so fast, I think we could have kept the game a little closer.

- On rushing, it gets lost in the 32 point loss, but Cal outrushed Oregon, 236 to 180, the only time they've been outrushed this season, and the only time Oregon has been held under 290(!) yards rushing all season. Again, I'm not sure why they don't go down field with the pass more often.

- That will make for a very interesting matchup next week against furd. I think (and I hope) Oregon will pull it off, but Stanfurd basically plays a straight down the middle run game with a very physical offensive line. I'm not sure how well Oregon will be able to stop it. However, believe it or not I think Cal's D is actually better than stanfurds so I think Oregon will just get ahead quick and furd will be forced to throw, ending the game.

Anyways enough of that.. skimming it looks like all of you are beating up on DSGamer.. so I'll take all of your juju and Cal will go up to Corvallis and upset the Beavers and you can say how awful the Pac-12 is.

Regarding Cal and Oregon:

The weird thing about Oregon is how easy they make it look on paper. If you don't actually watch them play you don't realize two things.

#1 - They have an opportunistic defense that creates turnovers and points.

#2 - They're primarily a running team, much closer to the Nebraska Wishbone than the Run and Shoot.

#3 - Their tempo really matters.

The last one is the most important one. You watch a lot of Oregon games and you see the same pattern. A team will hang with them for a quarter or two and they doggedly run the same uptempo, no-huddle read-and-react offense. The intent of that is to get more plays off and to tire out the other team. That's why in most of their wins they'll be a touchdown or two ahead or tied and then they'll score 28 points in 6 minutes of game time. That's by design.

Cal hung in there and looked really really good against them. I thought they might pull it off. And then just like that...

firesloth wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

But that disappointing season allowed them to land a difference maker, and that freshman QB has played like a senior. With all of that, I expect them to compete really well with Texas for recruits.

I was reading somewhere a comment on A&M recruiting that effectively said that before moving to the SEC, they didn't have that much that differentiated them from other Texas teams trying to recruit within the state. Now, they have not only that SEC-brand to hang their proverbial hat on, but that distinguishes them from all the other TX schools. No longer are they a little brother to UT, but they have something to brag about that UT doesn't.

And, I'd you're right that their success this season will really help improve their prospect pool.

Eh you still have to have good coaches. UK has that "SEC-brand advantage" but is getting their ass kicked by Louisville on and off the field.

I was more nervous watching the first half of the game against Cal than I was against USC. Carlbear is right - both USC and Cal showed the weakness of our defense allowing runs up the middle. Cal obviously wanted an ugly game and it got ugly by halfway through the first quarter. USC on the other hand benefited from numerous iffy pass interference calls and two ridiculous 50+ yard throws.

I'm glad the flaws in the defense are getting exposed now rather than in another month though. The defense is a definite improvement over years past but there's still a way to go before being able to smother teams. The early season schedule was against weak competition (no surprise there) and we broke the morale of the other teams early - then our defense jumped in and forced turnovers. Neither USC nor Cal broke early, and the other good teams aren't likely to either.

I'm happy with the #2 ranking but playoffs in 2014 can't come soon enough. Hopefully SEC fans will start lobbying for expanded playoffs as well.

DSGamer wrote:

Regarding Cal and Oregon:

The weird thing about Oregon is how easy they make it look on paper. If you don't actually watch them play you don't realize two things.

#1 - They have an opportunistic defense that creates turnovers and points.

#2 - They're primarily a running team, much closer to the Nebraska Wishbone than the Run and Shoot.

#3 - Their tempo really matters.

The last one is the most important one. You watch a lot of Oregon games and you see the same pattern. A team will hang with them for a quarter or two and they doggedly run the same uptempo, no-huddle read-and-react offense. The intent of that is to get more plays off and to tire out the other team. That's why in most of their wins they'll be a touchdown or two ahead or tied and then they'll score 28 points in 6 minutes of game time. That's by design.

Cal hung in there and looked really really good against them. I thought they might pull it off. And then just like that...

I'm just not sure why they are such a running team. Could be because they are always ahead so that's what the stats show, but Mariota has an accurate and strong arm and those receivers can get open.. I think he would be just as successful in a more traditional offense.

Also, yes their tempo is crazy... honestly (ok maybe more biasedly) I think their line false starts a lot more than they get called for, but they've got the referees huffing and puffing like the opposing team and they just don't see it because they snap it so quick. That's not really clear when watching on TV as the camera doesn't see everything going on pre-snap, but when you see it live it really is a well oiled machine.

They're such a running team because that's the offense. Ever since Chip Kelly became offensive coordinator they've been in the top 10 every year and usually in the top 5. Check this out going back to 2007ish.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/sort/rushingYards

The offense is essentially read and react, not that different than the old wishbone, but with more wrinkles and the increased tempo. This guy (random blogger) does an excellent job of breaking it down.

http://fishduck.com/the-chip-kelly-oregon-spread-offense-analysis/understanding-the-oregon-offense/

The funny thing is that UCLA, Arizona, Washington and Ohio State are all running versions of this offense. So just like the standard spread people are catching on.

Carlbear95 wrote:

Anyways enough of that.. skimming it looks like all of you are beating up on DSGamer.. so I'll take all of your juju and Cal will go up to Corvallis and upset the Beavers and you can say how awful the Pac-12 is.

I hope it doesn't look like I'm beating up on DSG, one of my favorite Goodjers!

In fact, I realized on the drive home today that I need to chill out on defending the SEC so that DSG can fully embrace the carnival of fun that is Johnny Football and the Fightin' Texas Aggies!

I'll let the SEC strength debate die down a little bit and spend a couple days contemplating how to explain the culture of A&M and what things are like here in Texas.

boogle wrote:

If we wish to talk meaningful metrics, I suggest football outsider's FEI.

#36, Female Doggoes!

*Legion* wrote:
boogle wrote:

If we wish to talk meaningful metrics, I suggest football outsider's FEI.

#36, Female Doggoes!

Yeah, maybe I should have suggested FEI on a week where OU wasn't ranked 4...

New details decided today for BCS Playoff future.

The national semifinals will rotate through the six bowl games, setting up two playoff games and four major bowl games each season. The national title game will be bid out each year through a separate process similar to the Super Bowl.

The six games will include three "contract bowls" and three "host bowls." The spots in the contract bowls are reserved for teams that have deals with those bowls.

The contract bowls are: Rose (Pac-12 versus Big Ten), Sugar (SEC versus Big 12) and Orange (ACC versus Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame).

With the "Group of Five" earning an automatic bid, that will lock up seven of the 12 berths in the six access bowls. The other five berths will be filled with at-large teams chosen, based on their final rankings, by a yet-to-be-formed selection committee.
As far as the "Group of Five" not getting the same access or revenue as the "Power Five" leagues (Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC), Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman said the Presidential Oversight Committee unanimously approved it.

"They did it with a smile on their faces," Perlman said. "They thought it's fair."

So... Jayhawker, you still got a spot in the Big 12? Looks like it's time to GTFO of the Big East.

Not even sure what the point of adding Boise, etc is next year if we're getting relegated down.

I'm 100% down with Louisville joining. Great for football and basketball. Great location.

Geographically, I'd take Cincinnati, too. But I don't think that is in the cards. But Louisville should make it in once the Big 12 accepts that they whiffed on FSU and Clemson, and Texas gives up on Notre Dame.

What the Big East did is what the Big 12 was smart not to do. You don't just go adding whoever you can to get your numbers up. The only reason the Big East go hurt by realignment was because of the way they tried to recover. They panicked and added teams that hurt the brand and teams that spread the footprint so large it left everyone scratching their heads.

Heck, I wanted KU in the Big East when it looked like the Big 12 was done. All I really want, even though I like football. is for KU to have a strong conference to maintain their basketball program. I'm all for any improvements to football they can muster. But I'm not crazy, it's a basketball school, and that's plenty for me to root for. But if they were fall out of a power conference, basketball would take a hit.

Stele wrote:
firesloth wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

But that disappointing season allowed them to land a difference maker, and that freshman QB has played like a senior. With all of that, I expect them to compete really well with Texas for recruits.

I was reading somewhere a comment on A&M recruiting that effectively said that before moving to the SEC, they didn't have that much that differentiated them from other Texas teams trying to recruit within the state. Now, they have not only that SEC-brand to hang their proverbial hat on, but that distinguishes them from all the other TX schools. No longer are they a little brother to UT, but they have something to brag about that UT doesn't.

And, I'd you're right that their success this season will really help improve their prospect pool.

Eh you still have to have good coaches. UK has that "SEC-brand advantage" but is getting their ass kicked by Louisville on and off the field. ;)

UK doesn't recruit Texas. Sumlin can say "Look, you can stay in Texas, be around your family and compete in SEC." It is a recruiting advantage against Texas, Arkansas and LSU.

The SEC West is certainly down, but the East with the exception of Tennessee is stronger then ever. Chizik has been exposed at Auburn hr can't win without Cam and/or Gus Malzahn (who wrote the book on HUNH btw). Arkansas fired Petrino which explains our season. Everyone else is doing as or better than expected.

Next year's SEC West should be interesting as Alabama will enter a "reloading" year on defense. LSU and A&M should be better with more experience on both sides. Ole Miss and Miss St. will be about the same. Arkansas will be a toss up depending on the hire and his system. There is going to be a lot of rebuilding and I don't think we have a Johnny Football waiting in the wings to save us.

Apparently DSG is not the only awesome, Manziel-loving Beaver up there! According to Cecil Hurt, Oregon State fans at a basketball game vs Alabama chanted "Johnny Football"!

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Apparently DSG is not the only awesome, Manziel-loving Beaver up there! According to Cecil Hurt, Oregon State fans at a basketball game vs Alabama chanted "Johnny Football"!

Nice. Well done, Oregon.

Quiet around here...it's almost like there's no football tomorrow.

I think I've found a way to stream the NBC Sports stream to watch a bit of the ND game while in Chile. I know there are better things to do, but...

Louisville is on bye this week.

Although I will be very interested in the Cincinnati-Rutgers game. Very important to our BCS scenarios.

Aggies are playing an FCS team this week. In our defense, we wanted to keep out series against the longhorns. And even still, I read that we have the 3rd-hardest schedule in Division 1.

I'm very nervous for the Iowa State/Kansas game tomorrow. If we win we become bowl eligible, but the way both teams have been playing the last few weeks I wouldn't be shocked if we choke away the game. Can you tell I'm a long suffering ISU fan?

Jucofett wrote:

I'm very nervous for the Iowa State/Kansas game tomorrow. If we win we become bowl eligible, but the way both teams have been playing the last few weeks I wouldn't be shocked if we choke away the game. Can you tell I'm a long suffering ISU fan?

Damn, that IS a long-suffering fan base. Much improved in recent years, though! Enough that I wouldn't have guessed you'd be worried about a game against Kansas.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Aggies are playing an FCS team this week. In our defense, we wanted to keep out series against the longhorns. And even still, I read that we have the 3rd-hardest schedule in Division 1.

I know Texas is bad, but saying they're an FCS team is harsh.

Also, quiet on my end because I'm traveling to see relatives. The most football I might see tomorrow is with my nephews.