The B12 (XII) Forum, home of the 'Front Porch, y'all' at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

Congrats to the Horns on the big win over Utah.  That may be the Big 12's only win in what has become a terrible bowl season.

It's going to be hard to root for Baylor--a school that in a just universe would be swallowed by a giant opening in the earth--but I guess I will.

I give you a hard time CD, but I absolutely agree that motivation plays a factor in bowl games.  I just like to stir the pot occasionally.

Sometimes teams really don't want to be there.  It might be that they were close to  a CFP and had a heartbreaking loss and feel like their bowl-- or bowl opponent-- is too lowly for them.  It might be that there are a number of players that plan to be NFL-bound and their thoughts are elsewhere.

There are a lot of other factors, too.  There are some coaches that don't do much bowl prep at all, instead using those extra practices to prepare for the next season.  There are players that have spent time on the awards circuit and get out of shape.  There are players that sit out for various reasons.

I've long said that aside from a couple that might determine the MNC, bowl games are meaingless exhibitions.  I'd always rather win than lose, but they're a pretty terrible way to determine relative conference strength, which is what so many people attempt to do.

IMO, early regular season OOC are far more indicitive of relative conference strength, but those matchups are so few that we're tempted to use the bowls, since supposedly, they're matching up roughly equal teams from various conferences.  In reality, it simply doesn't work out that way.

Its also quite possible UTs opps take them too lightly including Vegas

Playing with a chip on your shoulder does wonders

As the saying goes only mad folks win football games

Tom Herman has a real ability to get his teams up for bowl games and I like it

Our def front line played the best game of the year

We played a 4-man front for a change.  It was glorious.  I won't say it's always the best, but given our young and studly d-line personnel, and our few but talented LBers, it's the right way to go for now.

Also, Utah didn't give us many spread looks, they kept it tight with 2 RBs fairly often.  That plays directly to our team strengths, unlike the majority of B12 teams that play to our current personnel weaknesses.

Hopefully injuries won't hit us so hard next year.  

You sound 3.

OK.  You sound stupid.

I haven't been watching much, as I'm doing some work-work on my computer.  But I've checked in from time to time.  Baylor looked like the better team for the first couple of possessions, but it's been all downhill for them since then.

One good thing about playing all these young kids is that they want to play and it shows.  They probably are doing better than the guys who bailed who would not have been nearly as motivated, and this is good experience.  26-7, still not over, I think Baylor should have punted.