College Football 2011

[HapSmo19]

OK, let's try this again cuz there's no real chance of anybody picking it and there's no college ball thread yet.

Pretty simple: Pick two teams from either the AP or USA Today poll below and guess their combined ranking total at the end of the BCS. If the number you pick matches the combined ranking total in the AP or Coaches Poll of the two teams you picked, you win.

Example: #12 Oregon and #6 Stanford(current combined total - 18). I'm gonna say they finish with a combined total of 10.

Rules:
1. Only one team from the top ten can be used per guess.
2. Both teams must be in the top 25 of either the AP or Coaches Poll at the end of the BCS.
3. Final totals must come from a single poll(either AP or Coaches).
4. Change your guess as many times as you want as long as your last edit is on Friday Sept 16th, 2011.
5. In the event that there is more than one correct guesser, the participant that uses the worser rank teams to begin with will get the premium.
6. If I guess right, I'm off the hook for buying anyone else a premium.
7. Good luck.

Current polls:

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

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

I'm gonna guess: #12 Oregon and #6 Stanford for a total of 10.

[whitestazn88]

#13 VT and #6 Stanford at 6

[HapSmo19]

Really?

[whitestazn88]

4 and 2 respectively. although i don't watch any college football really. i already waste all of sunday doing nothing, can't do that all weekend.

[Woodruff]

OK, let's try this again cuz there's no real chance of anybody picking it and there's no college ball thread yet.

I know nobody won it last year, but did anyone end up close at all?

Anyway, I'll go with Baylor and Wisconsin for 22. If I happen to win, am I allowed to donate the premium to someone else (I would give you veto power, if you'd like it)?

[HapSmo19]

You came closest. You picked Oregon and TCU for 8 and they finished with 5.

If you pick it right(which you won't ) I'll gift it to whoever you want.

[rockfist]

Wisconsin and Florida total 3

[Woodruff]

You came closest. You picked Oregon and TCU for 8 and they finished with 5.

Oregon and TCU huh? Whatta maroon!

If you pick it right(which you won't ) I'll gift it to whoever you want.

You're right, I won't. If I do though, I'm running to the lottery store. (To buy a lottery?)

[rockfist]

Someone will invariably comment on picking the Badgers to be #1 or #2 as folly. As for me - I think - why not Wisconsin. Gotta cheer for my team (yes it is wishful thinking, but at least I am not picking Notre Dame or something as foolish as that).

[HapSmo19]

Someone will invariably comment on picking the Badgers to be #1 or #2 as folly...

You never know. Florida on the other hand....

For a free premium, you could at least put Wisconsin @ #1 and Florida where they belong @ #25 for a total of 26

[rockfist]

I have really only been following the Big Ten so far. Oh and the girls in South Bend. I'll have to study up on the rest of the conferences. Write this down...if the girls turn it over five times (as they did in week 1 & 2) against Sparty they will be lucky to keep it within 24 points.

[Woodruff]

I have really only been following the Big Ten so far. Oh and the girls in South Bend. I'll have to study up on the rest of the conferences. Write this down...if the girls turn it over five times (as they did in week 1 & 2) against Sparty they will be lucky to keep it within 24 points.

As a new member of the Big Televewelve, I had to pick a team from the old Big Twelve and the new Big Twelve. Plus, Barry Alvarez was a Husker.

[rockfist]

Nebraska fans are driving up the price of the tickets to that opening game...I've heard although I have not verified it I could get about $1,000 or more for mine, which would just about cover the donation for the year, just not the face value. But I think we will be using them. Tough game for both teams...they could've given you Indiana at home or something...not saying Nebraska won't win...just saying opening on the road at Madison is not the easiest draw...and I think most other fans of teams in the conference would agree.

[Woodruff]

Nebraska fans are driving up the price of the tickets to that opening game...I've heard although I have not verified it I could get about $1,000 or more for mine, which would just about cover the donation for the year, just not the face value. But I think we will be using them. Tough game for both teams...they could've given you Indiana at home or something...not saying Nebraska won't win...just saying opening on the road at Madison is not the easiest draw...and I think most other fans of teams in the conference would agree.

My honest opinion is that Nebraska is not going to be very good this year. Well, that's not quite right...they'll be good, but they won't be as good as Nebraska fans are used to seeing. I don't think they'll be as good as last year. Frankly, our glorified-running back throws like a seven-year-old girl. Runs like the wind, but big damn deal...against a real team, he's honestly a liability. It annoys me that they've stuck with him (to the point that backup QBs with serious upside have left the program).

I think Wisconsin will win easily enough (not an easy game, but by the end it won't be a nail-biter).

As far as the price goes, that doesn't surprise me at all...Nebraska fans travel like no other, in my opinion.

[HapSmo19]

Here's the best top 25 games to watch and my totally serious predictions for week 3:

LSU(3) 43 @ Mississippi State(25) 10

Oklahoma(1) 37 @ Florida State(5) 20

Missouri State 3 @ Oregon(12) 104

[rockfist]

Nebraska fans are driving up the price of the tickets to that opening game...I've heard although I have not verified it I could get about $1,000 or more for mine, which would just about cover the donation for the year, just not the face value. But I think we will be using them. Tough game for both teams...they could've given you Indiana at home or something...not saying Nebraska won't win...just saying opening on the road at Madison is not the easiest draw...and I think most other fans of teams in the conference would agree.

My honest opinion is that Nebraska is not going to be very good this year. Well, that's not quite right...they'll be good, but they won't be as good as Nebraska fans are used to seeing. I don't think they'll be as good as last year. Frankly, our glorified-running back throws like a seven-year-old girl. Runs like the wind, but big damn deal...against a real team, he's honestly a liability. It annoys me that they've stuck with him (to the point that backup QBs with serious upside have left the program).

I think Wisconsin will win easily enough (not an easy game, but by the end it won't be a nail-biter).

As far as the price goes, that doesn't surprise me at all...Nebraska fans travel like no other, in my opinion.

Wisconsin's passing game is much improved from last year, but the offensive line is not as good...when Oregon State had nine in the box we couldn't run...last year we ran on almost anybody no matter what they put in the box.

Wisconsin fans travel well and it just didn't occur to me in my Wisconsin cocoon that Nebraska fans would (although me and about 15 of my friends are planning a trip to Lincoln for our first road game there), but I guess it makes sense given the historic significance of both the Nebraska program and that game.

Our history of winning only dates back to my days on campus (and no other than being a fan I was in no way associated with that winning). But its getting on 20 years of winning and there are now students there who have never known a truly crappy Wisconsin team (and the teams in the 70's and 80's were legendary for their ineptness).

[oVo]

LSU/Oklahoma = 5

Looking at the College Football schedules I can see either LSU or Alabama representing the SEC in this season's National Championship game. Boise State is the current #4 and faces one of their two remaining big challenges this week with Toledo, the other being TCU later on.

Week 3 has some nice matchups:
#1 Oklahoma @ #5 Florida State
#3 LSU @ #25 Mississippi State
#4 Boise State @ Toledo
#7 Wisconsin @ Northern Illinois UW won last year 28-20
Navy @ #10 South Carolina
Washington @ #11 Nebraska
#15 Michigan State @ Notre Dame Irish could very well start out 0-4 this year
Tennessee @ #16 Florida
#17 Ohio State @ Miami
#18 West Virginia @ Maryland
#21 Auburn @ Clemson
#22 Arizona State @ Illinois
#23 Texas @ UCLA
a few weekend cupcakes
North Texas @ #2 Alabama
UL-Monroe @ #23 TCU
SFA @ #19 Baylor
Coastal Carolina @ Georgia

Best 0-2 Teams might be:
Georgia
ECU
Notre Dame

[AndyDufresne]

Go North Texas Mean Green!

Some alright match-ups, I'll give a couple of those games a watch probably.


--Andy

[Woodruff]

Boise State is the current #4 and faces one of their two remaining big challenges this week with Toledo, the other being TCU later on.

I don't believe TCU's going to be up to the level that they've been in recent years. I believe the slide downward begins this year. Boise State thumps them.

[oVo]

We'll see... I think it will still be tight.

[strike wolf]

LSU/Oklahoma = 5

Looking at the College Football schedules I can see either LSU or Alabama representing the SEC in this season's National Championship game. Boise State is the current #4 and faces one of their two remaining big challenges this week with Toledo, the other being TCU later on.

Week 3 has some nice matchups:
#1 Oklahoma @ #5 Florida State
#3 LSU @ #25 Mississippi State
#4 Boise State @ Toledo
#7 Wisconsin @ Northern Illinois UW won last year 28-20
Navy @ #10 South Carolina
Washington @ #11 Nebraska
#15 Michigan State @ Notre Dame Irish could very well start out 0-4 this year
Tennessee @ #16 Florida
#17 Ohio State @ Miami
#18 West Virginia @ Maryland
#21 Auburn @ Clemson
#22 Arizona State @ Illinois
#23 Texas @ UCLA
a few weekend cupcakes
North Texas @ #2 Alabama
UL-Monroe @ #23 TCU
SFA @ #19 Baylor
Coastal Carolina @ Georgia

Best 0-2 Teams might be:
Georgia
ECU
Notre Dame

Georgia has kept within viewing distance of two good teams but I still want to see them correct some mistakes they have been making consistently for the last 3-4 years.

#3LSU+#2ALA=10

[oVo]

It was a dogfight Thursday night in Mississippi, but LSU wore 'em down
and pulled away in the 4th Quarter. 19 - 6

The Tigers visit West Virginia next weekend.

Boise State cruises past Toledo in the second half.
The Oklahoma/Florida State game was a good hitting game, not sure about some of the personal foul calls, but they sort of balanced out. The Seminole receiver sammiched and out cold at the Sooner goal line looked legal --no leading with the helmet by either defender-- and it seemed more like a body blow knockout punch, but drew a really late flag.

It was a good weekend for the ACC as Miami whupped #17Ohio State and Clemson rolled over #21Auburn after spotting them a 14-0 start. Other surprises? Illinois upsets #22Arizona State, Notre Dame upsets #15Michigan State and all fall out of the top 25 along with Miss.State. Washington hung in there for awhile with #11Nebraska and Navy gave #10South Carolina a big enough scare with their rushing attack that the Gamecocks dropped two spots in the polls after a 3 pt. win, while LSU jumped Bama and is now #2.

Georgia get's off the snide beating Coastal Carolina --who I didn't realize had a football team until this game-- by a mere 59-0. No surprise it was not a good weekend for cupcakes, but at least North Texas gets a big payday for letting Alabama abuse their players for sixty minutes.

[oVo]

I'm glad to see more Ranked matchups, LSU's off to a good start with a tough early schedule which has allowed them to jump Bama in the polls. Those two teams are the surest tackling defenses I've seen this year and will sort that out the first week of November in Baton Rouge. Of course there was no shortage of hard hits in the Oklahoma/Florida State game last weekend.

#1 Oklahoma vs Missouri (2-1)
#2 LSU @ #16 West Virginia
#3 Alabama vs #14 Arkansas
#7 Oklahoma State @ #8 Texas A&M
#9 Nebraska @ Wyoming (3-0)
#11 Florida State @ #21 Clemson
#12 South Carolina vs Vanderbilt (3-0)
#15 Florida @ Kentucky
#22 Michigan vs San Diego State (3-0)
#23 USC @ Arizona State
#24 Illinois vs W.Michigan (2-1)
#25 Georgia Tech vs North Carolina (3-0)

Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh
Georgia @ Mississippi

[KingOfGods]

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2 ... transcript

Fake Dan Beebe is amazing.

[strike wolf]

#1 Oklahoma vs Missouri (2-1) Oklahoma by 10
#2 LSU @ #16 West Virginia LSU by 7. Their defense is great but I don't have enough confidence in their offense to run up the scoreboard. I expect a low score.
#3 Alabama vs #14 Arkansas. I think this one will be close but ultimately I'll take Alabama by 5
#7 Oklahoma State @ #8 Texas A&M Texas A&M by 3
#9 Nebraska @ Wyoming (3-0) Nebraska by 11
#11 Florida State @ #21 Clemson Florida State by 1
#12 South Carolina vs Vanderbilt (3-0) S. Carolina by 9
#15 Florida @ Kentucky Florida by 13
#22 Michigan vs San Diego State (3-0) Michigan by 6
#23 USC @ Arizona State Arizona State by 3
#24 Illinois vs W.Michigan (2-1) Illinois by 6
#25 Georgia Tech vs North Carolina (3-0) I think this one will be closer than GT's last few but with the numbers they have put up so far I feel a bit uncertain about rooting against them. GT by 7

Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh Don't know enough about Pitt to make a good guess.
Georgia @ Mississippi Georgia has lost two games but they've played hard through both of their losses and they came against top 15 teams. I think Georgia by 6