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Well, since folks in the SEC hang out on their FRONT porches a lot, and we really didn't have a general topic thread that I could see, stop for a bit and hang out and discuss SEC items.
(https://i.imgur.com/tc7Cn6T.png)
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https://twitter.com/SSN_TAMU/status/1672036716398489601
So apparently LSU had to vacate some wins, so they don't get to keep the wins, but we get to keep the losses.
LSU is 3-4 against A&M in the SEC and A&M is 4-7 against LSU in the SEC.
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Two teams so pathetic they have losing records against each other ,,,,,, jk,
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CWS- SEC vs SEC.
I think we won the series vs Fla earlier this year.
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I'll come back in one year, to chant "SEC SEC SEC" with all of you.
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That's pretty out of fashion now.
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That's pretty out of fashion now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBbo0slWMW4
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Just tryin' to get our new members caught up after beating some Texas team or other 65-7 ...
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Just tryin' to get our new members caught up after beating some Texas team or other 65-7 ...
Scoreboard, beeeyotch!
(https://i.imgur.com/I0RM4w2.jpg)
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Yeah, several times in fact. But one of the losses has to hurt a bit, never should have happened.
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Yeah the 1984 Cotton Bowl was definitely a more important game than the 2019 Sugar Bowl.
Turns out in 1984, we really didn't want to be there anyway.
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Texas leads the series 4-1, I see, which is not much of a series of course. UGA played OU only once so far. So, the upcoming games will be relatively novel, but of course so would have been the scheduled OOC games.
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I'm very excited to see Florida and Texas on the same field. Hasn't happened since 1940.
In 2024, we play:
Texas and A&M
FSU and Miami
LSU
Georgia
Tennessee
.
Fun stuff.
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Yup, in 2024 we get to play Michigan, OU, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Texas A&M. I'm looking forward to it.
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Yup, in 2024 we get to play Michigan, OU, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Texas A&M. I'm looking forward to it.
Me two, that is some solid footballin'.
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https://athlonsports.com/college-football/report-sec-comes-to-decision-on-future-location-of-sec-football-championship-game
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Any blowback from the CCG remaining in Atlanta ? Nashville and Dallas were mentioned as wanting to host. Is this like the CWS always being in Omaha every year type deal?
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My guess is it goes to whoever has the money. I think spreading it around would be fine even though I personally like having it here.
I think having the CFB HoF next door is an edge, and Atlanta usually has OK weather outside relative to Nash/Dallas.
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Does the weather matter much when the game is played inside a dome?
I’m sure that Florida, Texas, and other locations would be just as good.
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I think the weather outside relates to fan comfort if they like walking around a bit. Indy a couple years back was fine in the dome but the weather outside likely precluded some festivities.
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2023 SEC Football Media Days: How preseason order of finish should look (247sports.com) (https://247sports.com/college/georgia/longformarticle/2023-sec-football-media-days-how-preseason-order-of-finish-shoul-212887755/#2197236)
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2024 SEC Media Days to be held in Dallas, Texas.
https://www.si.com/college/olemiss/football/ole-miss-rebels-sec-media-days-2024-texas-longhorns-oklahoma-sooners
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I don't think the SECCG would move unless there was drama with Atlanta.
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I don't think the SECCG would move unless there was drama with Atlanta.
SEC Leadership brought A&M and eventually Texas into the conference for a reason. Many SEC programs already sell out a game per year for a chance to play OOC opponents at neutral sites in Dallas and Houston. It's obvious, that there's some real recruiting value in occasionally playing the SECCG within the borders of the state of Texas.
I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen or that it should happen or that I wish it to happen, but from a business standpoint, it's a slam dunk. And since the primary purpose of CCGs is to generate value for the conference members, I'd be pretty surprised if it doesn't eventually happen, every now and then.
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Yeah, ATL is pretty far east in the SEC map of course, and has been for a while. I agree at some point it will shift to Dallas a time or three.
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a jerryworld/atl rotation makes perfect sense and i think will eventually happen. nashville only if they build a dome.
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Notable game lines
North Carolina (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/153/north-carolina-tar-heels) (-3.5) at South Carolina (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2579/south-carolina-gamecocks)
Saturday Sept 2, 1:30 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
LSU (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/99/lsu-tigers) (-2.5) at Florida State (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/52/florida-state-seminoles)
Sunday Sept 3, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Texas (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/251/texas-longhorns)at Alabama (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/333/alabama-crimson-tide) (-7)
Saturday Sept 9, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
LSU (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/99/lsu-tigers) (-5) at Ole Miss (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/145/ole-miss-rebels)
Saturday, Sept. 30, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
LSU (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/99/lsu-tigers) at Alabama (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/333/alabama-crimson-tide) (-6.5)
Saturday Nov. 4, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Georgia (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/61/georgia-bulldogs) (-8) at Tennessee (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2633/tennessee-volunteers)
Saturday Nov. 18, Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
Florida State (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/52/florida-state-seminoles) (-7.5) at Florida (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/57/florida-gators)
Saturday Nov. 25, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida
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Did anybody see the Netflix Johnny Football documentary? No real surprises there. He partied his way through college, partied his way out of NFL. Massive addiction problems. Personal problems. Frankly I was kinda relieved that it didn't really put A&M in too bad a light, but it's obvious A&M looked the other way on a bunch of stuff ( as does every school I think).
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I did not notice it. I am watching the Lincoln Lawyer Round 2 now.
The book/series was excellent. The series is only loosely based on.
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I liked the first season. The second season, not so much.
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Me as well, but second season was still decent.
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Wife calls it "harmless fluff." I pretty well agree. Nothing ground-breaking or particularly memorable, but it's decent enough to pass some free time in the evenings if you have it.
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I noticed Aaron Murray was calling the LSU game this past weekend. I didn't know he'd gone into broadcasting.
I thought he did quite well. His voice....I mean his cadence, public speech tambre, etc., could use a little work, but overall he nailed it as an analyst, I thought.....or color commentator, whatever you want to call it. He was much better than Dusty Dvoraczk or Greg McElroy when they started out, and they've both improved significantly now to the point I don't mind them.
I think Murray can improve at least that much, in which case I think he's too good to keep on scrub games forever. He'll probably do a couple years on the SECN/+ until he finds his groove and then I expect he'll get better pairings/games.
I haven't always been old enough to remember former players who transition to the booth. It's "interesting" when I can remember the playing days of announcers.
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Murray does some pod cast thing which is about as good as such things go, I think, I watched a few of them, the better ones are his interviews of players.
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(https://i.imgur.com/YKlhpPR.jpg)
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Good run, but it doesn't hurt that the east has been crap salad.
I'm probably just a West homer, but the one-game differential for Saban in the West > Kirby's run in the East.
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Yeah, the East has mostly been mediocre of late, including this season I think. Maybe Mizzou is good, maybe the Vols. USCe is worse than most expected and UK has fallen off, which is kind of normal. Florida has issues yet. Auburn is down, the locked West opponent, and they get Ole Miss at home this year.
Plus they dropped Oklahoma because of stuff.
Tech is pretty bad.
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Starting in about 2010 the East took a sudden nosedive. Florida faltered badly after the Tebow teams, occasionally rising far enough up to be "pretty tough," but nothing like Florida. UGA also had some pretty bad years in there as well, but a few good teams too. Tennessee hasn't been what I used to think of as Tennessee since like 2001. A lot of bad seasons and program management, occasionally some good teams like last year, but not anything that makes me think they're in contention for an NC.
Those are the standard-bearers, the three teams that have the history and resources to be elite. When USC or Kentucky struggles, eh, what else is new. If the Big 3 are down, the whole division languishes.
UGA has been steadily getting tougher and more consistent under Kirby, making that division maybe as hard to play through as the West. However, by definition that doesn't hurt UGA's chances of competing in the division, unless you can somehow get an L in the Spring Game. Missouri seems to be on to something this year.
Conversely, the West is cycling down, at least at the moment. Alabama hasn't been Alabama for a couple years now, LSU fell off a cliff after 2019, A&M is.....A&M, and the Mississippi schools overall haven't been as attention-demanding as in years past. Arguably there's no difference right now between the East and West, and since Georgia is a more complete team than Bama at the moment, you could argue the East is the better division.
It seems often two rivals don't reach full potential at the same time. But it is possible and sometimes it happens, like several of the LSU/Bama teams that were loaded. It's possible for Florida be all the way back even with UGA holding its current serve. I'm on record as wondering if Tennessee can ever be the old Tennessee again, but maybe they can, and boy, the East would be something to watch if UGA, UT, and UF were all elite at the same time. If nothing else, Bama wouldn't win so many SEC titles.
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That's what I want to see.....a Florida team as strong as, say, 2008/2009, playing the Cocktail Party against 2021/2022 UGA. And then they both have to play late 90's Tennessee.
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UGA "rose" to being pretty good under Mark Richt of course, a lot of 10 win seasons, which isn't getting "it" done. Smart had a "down" first year of course at 8-5, and the COVID year was 8-2, otherwise, they've been in the hunt somewhere, being at CFP 5 twice and 9 once (COVID). It's certainly their best run ever.
There is always some "luck" involved, sometimes it goes against you, as in 2017. The 1980 team had a lot of near miss games, they had the luck on their side that year.
This year's edition remains a bit of a mystery to me, they have looked solid and then very mortal at times, often in the same game. I'd guess there is a slip somewhere.
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I've watched UGA half-assed this year, mainly switching in and out of their games while keeping an eye on others as well, so my opinion may not count for anything. What it looks like to me is UGA gets better as they turn Beck loose more and more. Earlier on they weren't willing to do that as much, as of late they've begun trusting him more and he's rewarding that trust. Offense seems to be rounding into something quite good. Defense is a step back from recent years but still very good.
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Guesses on A&Ms next coach? Cuz I got nothing.
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Iowa Offensive Coordinator.
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Kind of dreary here this AM. A bit of rain and chilly, I think they had snow in the mountains.
I'm off to Florida on Monday for baseball, again.
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Bright sun and 60s today. But we may be getting a polar vortex hit here soon. Or not.
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https://twitter.com/ClowESPN
Saban Retiring. Wow.
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https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/status/1752390471635148972
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https://twitter.com/ByPatForde/status/1752373512088465758
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https://www.cfb51.com/area-51/message-to-ncaa-from-tennessee-over-new-investigation/
The NCAA can kiss our Big Orange Asses.
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Whatever takes the focus off of Florida...
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I root for chaos, so another UT investigation and thrashing would be entertaining.
But I also root for the inevitable destruction of the NCAA, and for bitch-slaps, the latter of which Chancellor Plowman just delivered in force to the weasels in writing.
I think I'm good either way this goes.
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If somehow the NCAA goes away, something similar would replace it.
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If somehow the NCAA goes away, something similar would replace it.
Yup. There's always going to be a governing body that must create rules, and there's always going to be schools that like the rules, schools that don't like the rules, schools that obey the rules, and schools that break the rules.
Even within the two big conferences remaining, there are schools that will thrive under certain sets of rules, and schools that will suffer. It's silly to assume that Vanderbilt and Northwestern are going to share all the same values and concerns that Alabama and Ohio State have, and therefore it's silly to believe they're all going to move lock-step in making a unified ruleset that pleases everyone.
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(https://i.imgur.com/xCHS5AI.png)
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Yup. There's always going to be a governing body that must create rules, and there's always going to be schools that like the rules, schools that don't like the rules, schools that obey the rules, and schools that break the rules.
Even within the two big conferences remaining, there are schools that will thrive under certain sets of rules, and schools that will suffer. It's silly to assume that Vanderbilt and Northwestern are going to share all the same values and concerns that Alabama and Ohio State have, and therefore it's silly to believe they're all going to move lock-step in making a unified ruleset that pleases everyone.
absolutely. and from there it gets more layered than that. within the schools that follow the rules let's say at an institutional level there will always be some people (who are in a position to have some sort of impact) that don't & then all of it has the potential to ebb over time at least at certain places. i'm not a ncaa hater but at the same time have no regard for the way it's been run as its become increasingly spineless & cowardly in recent years.
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So what's going on here on the Front Porch? I just pulled up a chair, hope I don't crowd the circle. Y'all got any lemonade? I'm not much for sweet tea.
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My wife adores sweet tea. Other Southern things she has grown to like a lot include grits, boiled peanuts, fried chicken, barbecue, and me.
She does NOT like fried oysters and views them as a complete sacrilege. She does not like beefstick or breakfast sausage.
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https://twitter.com/SECShorts/status/1807761069714415861
These guys are tip top.
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I'm a big fan of boiled peanuts, discovered them from my sister when she was living in Florida.
I'm not a big fan of breakfast sausage, and I have no idea what "beefstick" is, unless we're talking about SlimJims?
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(https://i.imgur.com/ecgvvod.png)
I loved this stuff when I was a teen.
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Hmm well I do like summer sausage, if this stuff is indeed the same thing.
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Marcus looks like a decent chance the remnants of Hurricane or Trooicsl Storm Beryl will pass through cen Tex and dump some needed rain.
We don’t need it here, but I hope it fills the lakes up your way.
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Thanks! We definitely need it here. Obviously hoping it's not so intense that it causes harm and damage to the coastal areas.
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(https://i.imgur.com/ecgvvod.png)
I loved this stuff when I was a teen.
Yep. Sliced thick on a Ritz cracker.
A cursory Google search does not turn up that product. Has it gone the way of the Dodo?
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My wife adores sweet tea. Other Southern things she has grown to like a lot include grits, boiled peanuts, fried chicken, barbecue, and me.
She does NOT like fried oysters and views them as a complete sacrilege. She does not like beefstick or breakfast sausage.
She sounds like a keeper!
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I really, really loathe sweet tea.
It was never even a thing here in Central Texas until maybe 15-20 years ago. "Tea" just meant iced tea and if you wanted it sweet, there were sugar packets or sweet n low or equal or whatever, on every table.
Now some yahoos decided sweet tea needed to be a thing around here, and so whenever I ask for tea, I'm forced to answer the question "sweet or un?" What a hassle.
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Welcome to the SEC, Land of the Sweet Tea.
Where Vandy fans and look and see
An all time winning record against UT.
And OU fans got very blue
When the Dawgs win a victory too.
And they think it very fine
When the Cotton Bowl ended 10-9.
But the "Horns are out for revenge
Hoping success doesn't hinge
On whether their tea is sweat or not
But whether the talent they got
Is enough.
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(https://i.imgur.com/09igQNw.png)
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Grew up drinking sweet tea. Always brewed at home by mom or grandma.
Most of the stuff you can buy in a store sucks. I approve of Gold Peak. The worst I've tasted is Milo's.
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I like regular tea just fine but typically I just drink water. I used to drink a lot of coke but mostly kicked the habit after college.
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The amount of sugar in Coke or sweet tea is astonishing to me, and not good for us. Fructose especially is problematic, I think. I stopped eating dessert except on special occasions, and even then I try and avoid it. The emptiest of calories, soft drinks.
I think our diet here is pretty good, usually, except I get into wine too often, not enough for a hangover, but it's my one major diet problem I think. We had lentils last night for dinner, which is a bit odd for us, but I like lentils.
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Yeah it's a ton of sugar. That's why I dropped the habit. I did diet coke for a while but that stuff's probably even worse for you.
I'm cool with lentils. Don't eat them very often.
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Hey I've got an idea for this here SEC Front Porch-- let's try and name a food item or dish that is most representative of each of our SEC schools, or the towns in which they reside.
For example for Texas, I'd say it's either BBQ brisket, or Tex-Mex enchiladas.
(https://i.imgur.com/d3WSVeD.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Emljati.jpeg)
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I grill lamb chops from Costco every so often, and use the leftovers cut up in lentils. My wife buys these "French lentils" she claims are better, fine with me.
I like legumes broadly speaking, she's not a fan of things like Navy beans or black beans. I did learn the hard way to soak and wash such beans before cooking, and dispose of the wash water. Oligosaccharides.
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I love black beans. So rich and tasty. I definitely soak them, and although most recipes don't call for it with black beans, I also cook with a ham hock or two in there, same way I do pinto beans. Adds to the richness and depth of flavor IMO.
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Man, I would weight 500 pounds if I lived in Texas.
I'm not svelt here. I don't think Athens, or Georgia, has some unique food staple. This of course is pretty common:
(https://i.imgur.com/NpB7z0X.png)
But I'm going to go with boiled peanuts as being somewhat of a Georgia specialty. I have a recipe somewhere.
Athens is known for the music scene which is somewhat unique.
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I like regular tea just fine but typically I just drink water. I used to drink a lot of coke but mostly kicked the habit after college.
All I got from that is you had a nasty coke habit but was able to kick it after college.
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I've been to Lexington, Knoxville, Oxford for games. I don't think they have any unique food items of note either.
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Outside of Austin, I'm obviously most familiar with College Station, but I'd rather hear Gigem make commentary on that.
I've been to Baton Rouge, though never been to a game there. Was planning on going to the UT-LSU game in 2020, but of course that never happened...
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If you ever think about going to a game in Athens, I can fix you up, but ticket prices will be hefty.
We have a place you can stay at least.
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Coolio, thanks. I definitely love the idea of it. I'd love to see games in Athens, Knoxville, Oxford, and Baton Rouge for sure. Probably Gainesville too.
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I hear Auburn is a great venue as well. It's about a 70 mile drive from here to Athens, usually not too bad on traffic going, not great returning. Go early, walk around town, have lunch, see a game, have a beer, if they serve beer anywhere there.
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Outside of Austin, I'm obviously most familiar with College Station, but I'd rather hear Gigem make commentary on that.
I've been to Baton Rouge, though never been to a game there. Was planning on going to the UT-LSU game in 2020, but of course that never happened...
Food specialties in College Station ?
I honestly haven’t spent any meaningful time there in 24 years. There’s some really good barbecue joints around town. Nothing like a burger at the Dixie Chicken of course.
A lot of the places I used to frequent are closed down now.
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Yeah i really like the burger at the Chicken.
I wasn't trying to make it strict, it could also be something like, a traditional or common tailgate item? The most famous chef or restaurant or bar or must-do activity in the town?
Just trying to get some info on the culture of the places around the SEC.
Going back to old B12, Nebraska had their runzas. Baylor has margaritas at the Big O's. Oklahoma has meth.
You see what I'm getting at?
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I was in Chapel Hill nearly five years, I don't think they had much of a restaurant calling, though if pressed I'd go with Eastern Carolina BBQ (which is an aquired taste I think), and hushpuppies and cole slaw. I guess like Austin, the food type is more general to the region than the town.
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The sort of "go to" thing in Athens would be the music scene, the Georgia Theater for a concert. You could also see the "tree that owns itself" and the double barreled cannon, those are major landmarks.;)
The "epic thing" on campus is this below, tradition was freshmen shouldn't walk through it. Georgia was the first public university to receive its state charter in 1785, but not the first to open its doors, that would be UNC. This area was "unsettled" in 1785. The town didn't exist yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/2dvJhel.png)
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Does this count as a food group, or a unique, regional specialty? :)
(https://i.imgur.com/v2ASb7W.png)
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Does this count as a food group, or a unique, regional specialty? :)
[img width=500 height=280.994]https://i.imgur.com/v2ASb7W.png[/img]
Absolutely! Is this your setup or someone else's? Or, can you not tell me for, you know, reasons...? :)
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Absolutely! Is this your setup or someone else's? Or, can you not tell me for, you know, reasons...? :)
I can tell you exactly where to see it, if that counts.
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Welcome to the SEC, Land of the Sweet Tea.
Where Vandy fans and look and see
An all time winning record against UT.
And OU fans got very blue
When the Dawgs win a victory too.
And they think it very fine
When the Cotton Bowl ended 10-9.
But the "Horns are out for revenge
Hoping success doesn't hinge
On whether their tea is sweat or not
But whether the talent they got
Is enough.
Sweat tea does not sound very tasty. Or thirst-quenching.
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Sweat tea does not sound very tasty. Or thirst-quenching.
It's so gross.
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It's so gross.
another gift from the south east
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Y’all better learn to lak it.
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I like plenty of southern grub. But that is one thing I'll never, ever drink.
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I like plenty of southern grub. But that is one thing I'll never, ever drink.
What are your favorites of southern grub? Good fried chicken? There is a lot of mediocre running around of course. Cole slaw? Greens of collards? Bread of corn? Okra? Soup beans? Vidalia onion? Chicken fried chicken? Fried catfish? Hushpuppies? Green beans cooked with fat back? Grits?
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It's so gross.
Yes.
OTOH, I can take or leave sweet tea.
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What are your favorites of southern grub? Good fried chicken? There is a lot of mediocre running around of course. Cole slaw? Greens of collards? Bread of corn? Okra? Soup beans? Vidalia onion? Chicken fried chicken? Fried catfish? Hushpuppies? Green beans cooked with fat back? Grits?
Good fried chicken - food for the gods
Cole slaw - complex category, but generally good
Collard greens - not on a train, not in the rain, not in a box, not with a fox
Cornbread - 3 cheers
Okra - offal, worse than collard greens
Soup beans - Navy? Pinto? Kidney?
Vidalia onions - not really a fan of onions, Vidalia or otherwise
Chicken fried chicken - yes, can be very good
Fried catfish - catfish should not be eaten at all
Hushpuppies - OK
Green beans with fatback - no experience
Grits - they are nothing to me
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What are your favorites of southern grub? Good fried chicken? There is a lot of mediocre running around of course. Cole slaw? Greens of collards? Bread of corn? Okra? Soup beans? Vidalia onion? Chicken fried chicken? Fried catfish? Hushpuppies? Green beans cooked with fat back? Grits?
Love fried chicken and chicken fried chicken. Chicken fried steak too, with cream gravy of course.
Cole slaw I can take or leave, but I love most greens-- collard, turnip, spinach, and all the rest.
Cornbread, absolutely. My mom likes to put it in a glass of milk and spoon it out.
Okra is great, I like most beans, obviously none of them belong in chili.
We have 1015 onions here, the Aggies invented them. They're tasty.
Fried catfish is delicious, gotta have hushpuppies alongside of course.
Green beans are good as long as they're fresh-snapped. Canned grean beans gross me out.
And yes of course I like grits. Did you know that some weirdo yankees and foreigners call that stuff "polenta?"
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Don't go callin' grits no "poluntah" around heah.
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Don't go callin' grits no "poluntah" around heah.
I'm not, I didn't-- that's the point.
It's the yankees that erroneously call grits "polenta." No idea why they do that.
:)
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Y’all might fit in ok. Eventually.
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Probably not. But we're all gonna have a lot of fun, anyway!
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https://youtu.be/3-YzCxEv92E (https://youtu.be/3-YzCxEv92E)
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The Texas dude doesn't look like much of an athlete, to me. ....
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The Texas dude doesn't look like much of an athlete, to me. ....
The OU guy is wearing a Nebraska-ish shade of red. It should look like Bama's crimson.
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https://flywareagle.com/posts/big-ten-notre-dame-want-into-state-texas-realignment-covet-texas-am
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https://flywareagle.com/posts/big-ten-notre-dame-want-into-state-texas-realignment-covet-texas-am
How would you feel about that, Gig'em?
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How would you feel about that, Gig'em?
I love being in the SEC. I would think that the Texas A&M I knew would be a major misfit in the B1G. I always thought Texas was a better fit, I would love to know if they had an offer and chose the SEC instead.
Mostly, I think the article is nothing more than click-bait. Amusing, but no chance.
The old, original Big 12 from 1996-2010 was really a great conference. Still not clear why we couldn't make it work. Helmet teams NU, OU, Tex, near helmets A&M, CU (at times), Mizzou. Great BBall with KU. Decent programs like TT and oSu. Up and comers like KSU.
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I love being in the SEC. I would think that the Texas A&M I knew would be a major misfit in the B1G. I always thought Texas was a better fit, I would love to know if they had an offer and chose the SEC instead.
Mostly, I think the article is nothing more than click-bait. Amusing, but no chance.
The old, original Big 12 from 1996-2010 was really a great conference. Still not clear why we couldn't make it work. Helmet teams NU, OU, Tex, near helmets A&M, CU (at times), Mizzou. Great BBall with KU. Decent programs like TT and oSu. Up and comers like KSU.
For me personally, I hope the article is just a bunch of bunk. I like having A&M in the SEC.
Mizzou can go, however. They don't fit at all, IMO.
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The thought of A&M in the B1G is certainly strange. TAMU has felt like a great fit in the SEC, to me.
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For me personally, I hope the article is just a bunch of bunk. I like having A&M in the SEC.
Mizzou can go, however. They don't fit at all, IMO.
Mizzou wanted very much to go into the B1G in the 2010 realignment. The B1G didn't issue an invitation, so Mizzou went to the SEC instead.
A&M seems like a better fit in the SEC than it would be in the B1G.
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Mizzou wanted very much to go into the B1G in the 2010 realignment. The B1G didn't issue an invitation, so Mizzou went to the SEC instead.
A&M seems like a better fit in the SEC than it would be in the B1G.
Yup.
Although I also think the idea of "fit" in a conference is sort of antiquated and silly at this point. It's all about money, the rest is just internet message board fodder.
I don't think Texas is a particularly good fit for the SEC, or at least what the SEC was 15-20 years ago, but at this point, with it already being stretched beyond its original Deep South roots, what does that really mean, and who even cares?
Nobody asked me about realignment, I didn't have any say in it, so all I can do is watch the matchups that appear on the schedule, however that schedule might have been decided. And for me personally at least, I think watching Texas sports play in the SEC, is going to be a lot of fun. Some new faces, and some old ones. It's supposed to be entertainment and that's what I'm looking forward to.
Yes that's a sentence-ending preposition, poor grammar. Maybe we WILL fit in with the SEC after all.
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Yup, I suppose conferences once had teams from places with similar cultures. The ACC kind of broke that rule, if it still existed, by having BC and Miami, et al.
Missouri is a different thing for us old timers, but they play hard nosed football and have some talent. Drinkowitz is a very good coach I think. I thought Stoops did well at Kentucky but he may have maxed them out. At least they aren't Vandy now.
South Carolina had a run with Holtz and Spurrier but they seem unable to recruit.
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The SEC schools at least still touch.....so there's that.
And no one else can say it.
Grab UNC and UVA .... still intact.
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I much prefer conferences to have some sort of geographic congruity and cultural similarities, but $$$.
I presume the ACC's TV contract will be their doom at some point. We might see the "Big East" come back with NE schools?
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https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/1830368695061000414?s=61
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The Longhorn Band did its always great job last Saturday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0PRsrGbLgY
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New Anchor down edition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgRJ1vNOVw8
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Ranking the most iconic SEC football stadiums from worst to first (usatoday.com) (https://ugawire.usatoday.com/lists/ranking-most-iconic-sec-football-stadiums-from-worst-to-first-georgia-bulldogs-alabama-crimson-tide-tennessee-vols-lsu-tigers-florida-gators/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawFKpWZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcSn11gw4YshmRwcCzzn1FW6-44FcN3W5CYhsNbXwrNrwpqPCxfADkQXCg_aem_Jo2YIqbLuCOegVSdbfahWw)
Not far from just ranking seating capacity, but some nice photos.
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Take it to the rankings thread! :)
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(https://i.imgur.com/Bvr4GfJ.png)
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Ooof. That's rough.
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(https://i.imgur.com/Bvr4GfJ.png)
Couldn't happen to a better bunch.
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They will probably snag one of the under 50% games (probabilitistically). But, their final record likely won't be better than 4-8. One might think any of us could coach that well at Florida. I'm available.
I've "read" that Big Donors are already assembling the buyout check, but then who do you hire? Jimbo? Steve?
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Maybe Urbz would come back.
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My guess is they'd need to pull up a lower level coach or OC/DC type. Urban won't need the money nor the aggravation, SoS seems comfortable, Saban? Nope.
I'd personally stay put for one more season. They have a good looking freshman QB who could do some stuff if they can get better line play.
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They will probably snag one of the under 50% games (probabilitistically). But, their final record likely won't be better than 4-8. One might think any of us could coach that well at Florida. I'm available.
I've "read" that Big Donors are already assembling the buyout check, but then who do you hire? Jimbo? Steve?
I go get Alex Golesh at USF.
Don't tell the Gators.
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People forget how well the gators are protected in the swamp, especially against marque teams.
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Florida will get very interesting if A&M beats them Saturday.
It's not really the same, but imagine if Alabama or Georgia were looking at a 3-9 kind of season in a few years.
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I really don’t see us winning. I think we’re very evenly matched, so I give Florida home field advantage.
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60% vs UK and 40% vs Miss St tells me all I need to know about that garbage.
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Very pleased with A&M’s win at the swamp. That’s very rare. Plus, we broke our road loss record (10 road losses in a row). I think most were surprised with the play of the backup QB as our QB1 was out. Defense played tough as well.
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Yeah the ags looked really good in all phases yesterday. I feel like that was a must-win for both programs and obviously only one could win. I'm not sure where the Gators go from here.
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if it’s me reed is qb1 moving forward after that performance.
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if it’s me reed is qb1 moving forward after that performance.
Agreed. Easy decision.
Weigman is garbage.
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But so is Florida's defense.
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Was any legit reason given for Wake Forest canceling next years game with Ole Miss? I know it's been talked about by Kiffin a lot, but why in the world would they do that? Is there an outside force at play, like conference re-alignment, or do they just not want to face the Rebels again? I'd have to think that WF would be used to getting the shit kicked out of them, even in the ACC.
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https://twitter.com/volsofficial/status/1836348231380251070?s=61
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Was any legit reason given for Wake Forest canceling next years game with Ole Miss? I know it's been talked about by Kiffin a lot, but why in the world would they do that? Is there an outside force at play, like conference re-alignment, or do they just not want to face the Rebels again? I'd have to think that WF would be used to getting the shit kicked out of them, even in the ACC.
I'm not ignoring you, I just don't know anything about this. Seems like Ole Miss should be a good draw for Wake as a home game, and it's not like they're going to be in the playoff discussion and one more loss OOC isn't going to kill their season, so I'm not sure why they'd cancel unless there was a good reason.
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I'm not ignoring you, I just don't know anything about this. Seems like Ole Miss should be a good draw for Wake as a home game, and it's not like they're going to be in the playoff discussion and one more loss OOC isn't going to kill their season, so I'm not sure why they'd cancel unless there was a good reason.
My brother, and sis-in law, are trying to goad the wife and I to go to the Egg Bowl with them Thanksgiving weekend.
She's an Ole Miss grad. Gonna have to pass on that game as well. Maybe if MS St. wasn't one of the worst teams in the country, but as it stands, we're looking at a 55-3 type beat down.
I think I'll ass up on the couch instead.
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I'm not ignoring you, I just don't know anything about this. Seems like Ole Miss should be a good draw for Wake as a home game, and it's not like they're going to be in the playoff discussion and one more loss OOC isn't going to kill their season, so I'm not sure why they'd cancel unless there was a good reason.
Well, it wasn't directed in any person in particular, just as a general question to the group. Usually someone here has good insights.
The media has made out a lot about WF getting scared to play OM, but I don't buy it. They canceled the game before their last game, I've heard two weeks before the last game. Plus, there's a good chance Kiffin won't be there.
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Well, it wasn't directed in any person in particular, just as a general question to the group. Usually someone here has good insights.
The media has made out a lot about WF getting scared to play OM, but I don't buy it. They canceled the game before their last game, I've heard two weeks before the last game. Plus, there's a good chance Kiffin won't be there.
Oh yeah I know you weren't talking directly to me, I just felt bad that nobody had responded.
The idea that a school cancels a series because "they're scared" sounds like typical message board bulljive to me.
Like when my Aggie father-in-law saw me a couple months ago and asked me why Steve Sarkisian was getting a divorce, and if it was because his wife was hooking up with a current Longhorn player?
I just laughed and told him he spends WAY too much time on Texags. :)
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Oh yeah I know you weren't talking directly to me, I just felt bad that nobody had responded.
The idea that a school cancels a series because "they're scared" sounds like typical message board bulljive to me.
Like when my Aggie father-in-law saw me a couple months ago and asked me why Steve Sarkisian was getting a divorce, and if it was because his wife was hooking up with a current Longhorn player?
I just laughed and told him he spends WAY too much time on Texags. :)
Supposedly that was Jimbo Fisher's dilemma. There was definitely something to it. Her name? "Candy".
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Supposedly that was Jimbo Fisher's dilemma. There was definitely something to it. Her name? "Candy".
I heard that rumor too. Sounds made up to me, but truth is stranger than fiction as they say, so who knows?
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I heard that rumor too. Sounds made up to me, but truth is stranger than fiction as they say, so who knows?
Doesn't seem too far fetched. In the SEC, good trim just means more.
(https://i.imgur.com/1uxAqzU.png)
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I heard that rumor too. Sounds made up to me, but truth is stranger than fiction as they say, so who knows?
I never really thought too much about it, but I did think it was true. It supposedly was one of the reasons he left Florida State.
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I guess this thread's as good as any for a post of congratulations to the Vols for their 25-15 win over the Sooners tonight. So, Vols, congrats! The game wasn't as close as the scoreboard indicated, IMO.
Josh Heupel has bult a solid team in Knoxville.
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Huep has done a great job. Tennessee has improved tremendously and especially on the defensive side. That QB you guys have is definitely your team's future. He was finding his rhythm tonight right in front of us and in a hostile circumstance. Ou's D is legit.
The refs need work... why it is, year in and year out, the refs are as bad in the SEC as they are is inexcusable and beyond my comprehension. They weren't pro one or the other as they have been from time to time but just sloppy, and weirdly assertive at key moments. They flat blew several calls and completely missed others that could have been very pivotal.
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Doesn't seem too far fetched. In the SEC, good trim just means more.
(https://i.imgur.com/1uxAqzU.png)
BWHAHAHAHA!!! Hopefully we won't come full circle again....
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Huep has done a great job. Tennessee has improved tremendously and especially on the defensive side. That QB you guys have is definitely your team's future. He was finding his rhythm tonight right in front of us and in a hostile circumstance. Ou's D is legit.
The refs need work... why it is, year in and year out, the refs are as bad in the SEC as they are is inexcusable and beyond my comprehension. They weren't pro one or the other as they have been from time to time but just sloppy, and weirdly assertive at key moments. They flat blew several calls and completely missed others that could have been very pivotal.
I know you're not going to believe me, but SEC refs are a lot better than B12 refs. It's a low bar, to be sure.
Congrats to the Vols, that's a heck of a team in Knoxville. Condolences to the Sooners, sure was hoping Texas would be the first to beat you this season. ;)
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Huep has done a great job. Tennessee has improved tremendously and especially on the defensive side. That QB you guys have is definitely your team's future. He was finding his rhythm tonight right in front of us and in a hostile circumstance. Ou's D is legit.
The refs need work... why it is, year in and year out, the refs are as bad in the SEC as they are is inexcusable and beyond my comprehension. They weren't pro one or the other as they have been from time to time but just sloppy, and weirdly assertive at key moments. They flat blew several calls and completely missed others that could have been very pivotal.
Agree with all of that.
Without offensive improvement, OU's legit defense is going to be wasted, like the great 2009 defense was wasted because of an inept offense after Sam Bradford went down.
Yes, the officiating was frustrating--a combo of bad calls and missed calls. Not pro or con, just bad. "Welcome to the SEC," eh?
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Watched the whole OU/Tenn game. It was a great game to watch. OU looks descent, Tennessee looks pretty good. Loving these SEC matchups this year.
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Former Ole Miss QB under Hugh Freeze has some not nice things to say about his former coach.
https://twitter.com/bowallace14/status/1837671233506193888?s=61
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I know you're not going to believe me, but SEC refs are a lot better than B12 refs. It's a low bar, to be sure.
Congrats to the Vols, that's a heck of a team in Knoxville. Condolences to the Sooners, sure was hoping Texas would be the first to beat you this season. ;)
Geez. It’s been too long. But there was this one ref in the Bif 12, he wore these really big glasses. Hated that freakin guy. Seems like maybe his name was Randy.
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Bravo to Vol Fans who came to Norman!
https://twitter.com/Volology/status/1837215725351751812 (https://twitter.com/Volology/status/1837215725351751812)
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Big game Saturday night, I figure Bama wins, again, in the last seconds, with a 50 yard pass on fourth and forever.
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Big game Saturday night, I figure Bama wins, again, in the last seconds, with a 50 yard pass on fourth and forever.
I know this is hyperbole, but damn ain't it the truth.
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I really can't tell how good OU's offense is supposed to be. However, when assessing a defense, there are some telltale signs to look for which can at least rule out abject suckitude. Tennessee was brilliant at one-on-one tackling, tackling in space, or whatever you want to call it. The middle of the line didn't give much, the ends set the edge all night, and linebackers mostly didn't get caught in the trash or blow an assignment by abandoning their reads. I saw a lot of guys patrolling their gaps and not worrying about the adjacent zone.....just trust that the guy next to them was going to be there, make the tackle, and not need their help. That's a helluva recipe.
I can mostly say the same about OU. Consistently tackling and sticking to your assignment is so vital, yet seems so rare.
I suspect neither of those offenses are magnificent (but they could be, by year's end, once the QBs have more games under their belts)....but....I also can't remember when's the last time a Vol defense impressed me like that. OU has had many impressive defenses over the years....this may well be another one.
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UT had two starting guards out... one of which is one of the best in the league. OU was getting through the line almost at will. Tennessee stretched downfield three tines. Three big catches, two for TDs and one for good yardage. One of the TDs was called back.
They proved they "could" play their game if they must, but, they didn't have to.... it was handed over to the D as the O went absolutely vanilla... they ran Sampson eight straight plays at one point.
^that is why all the talking heads are high on both UT and coach heupel right now. That game showed he's matured as more than just a one trick pony and has the roster to make things happen.
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Damn, I have no idea how I missed this. When did they start doing a 2 minute timeout ?
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Damn, I have no idea how I missed this. When did they start doing a 2 minute timeout ?
It's new this season. They call it 2 minute timeout instead of 2 minute warning even though it's clearly copied from the NFL. Sorta funny.
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It's new this season. They call it 2 minute timeout instead of 2 minute warning even though it's clearly copied from the NFL. Sorta funny.
Sorta. Clear trends in this. They may adopt NFL OT rules someday. Remember when the NFL didn't have a 2 point play (beyond safety)?
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So, we’re a good bit into the season. Gee, I wonder what SEC team is in first place in conference standings ?
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Who would've guessed that LSU safety Major Burns was named after Major Applewhite?
I still maintain you never want a guy in your secondary to be named Major Burns, even though it is actually quite fitting for our secondary for the last several years.
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Who would've guessed that LSU safety Major Burns was named after Major Applewhite?
I still maintain you never want a guy in your secondary to be named Major Burns, even though it is actually quite fitting for our secondary for the last several years.
(https://i.imgur.com/XJT2H49.png)
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UGA/Tex should be a great game. UGa has been kinda schizoid this season....big wins vs Clemson, rollercoaster vs Bama, close games vs USC.
I kind of see it as a culling line. Both UGa and Tex are in-place to play for not only the conference championship, but the National championship as well. This is pretty much an in-season playoff game. The kicker is, that if UGa loses, they're probably out of the running for both with 2 conference losses. If Texas loses, they're still in the running for both. Much the same as Alabama is still in the running for both.
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Glad it's an evening game. The crowd is going to be... well lubricated. And the weather should be great too. Kickoff should be lower 80s, dropping into the mid 70s in the second half.
Interesting factoid, this is only the 3rd Top 5 matchup ever, in Austin. That's partly because TX-OU is always at the Cotton Bowl and there have been quite a few top 5 matchups in that series. And over the years we've played Top 5 matchups in numerous Cotton Bowls, Sugar Bowls, and Rose Bowls, plus several regular season away games. But this is only the 3rd time in the AP poll era, that both Texas and its opponent were in the AP Top 5 for a game in Austin.
The second one was the 2006 game against Ohio State, Horns lost 24-7.
And the first was against the pigs in 1970, Texas won that one 42-7.
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Hmm another interesting factoid I just saw, Kirby Smart is 0-3 on the road in AP Top 10 matchups. This is true road games, not neutral site games.
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Texas wins the toss, UGA drives down the field but is called for holding, kicks a FG, up 3-0.
Texas takes kickoff, scores TD, leads 7-3.
UGA gets a first down and is intercepted, returned to the 22, Texas punches it in, up 14-3.
UGA gets another FG, now down 14-6.
Texas scores before the half, now up 21-6. Takes opening KO and scores a FG, up 24-6. UGA scores a TD, goes for 2 and doesn't make it, down 24-12. Texas adds another FG, 27-12. UGA is stopped on fourth down, Texas gets another FG, now 30-12. UGA scores a late TD, down 30-20, on side kick failes, Texas runs out the clock.
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Are you from the FUTURE????
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Texas wins the toss, UGA drives down the field but is called for holding, kicks a FG, up 3-0.
Texas takes kickoff, scores TD, leads 7-3.
UGA gets a first down and is intercepted, returned to the 22, Texas punches it in, up 14-3.
UGA gets another FG, now down 14-6.
Texas scores before the half, now up 21-6. Takes opening KO and scores a FG, up 24-6. UGA scores a TD, goes for 2 and doesn't make it, down 24-12. Texas adds another FG, 27-12. UGA is stopped on fourth down, Texas gets another FG, now 30-12. UGA scores a late TD, down 30-20, on side kick failes, Texas runs out the clock.
Texas gathers by the band and sings The Eyes of Texas
Your either the greatest sandbagger of all time or you drank your lunch
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Three things I can't believe:
- I can't believe Alabama is so Jekyll and Hyde. Sometimes they look amazing and yet the majority of the time they look like they don't know what they're doing.
- I can't believe that by winning yesterday, Florida broke a 3 game losing streak to Kentucky. Yes, this really falls under something I can't believe from last year, but I'm still not over it. Kentucky is not supposed to beat Florida, ever.
- I can't believe LSU finally played a non-heart-attack game vs. Arkansas and I missed it because I let my wife watch.....that. Did the Dallas Cowboys swap places with the Horns, or what?
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College football rankings: ESPN reveals Week 9 FPI Top 25 with Indiana, LSU surge (247sports.com) (https://247sports.com/college/georgia/longformarticle/college-football-rankings-espn-reveals-week-9-fpi-top-25-with-indiana-lsu-surge-238343277/#2519318)
Speaking of weird things.
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Here's more weird:
Vandy is 2-1 in conference, ahead of Alabama, who is 2-2 and tied with Florida and Arkansas. LSU and A&M are in first undefeated ... in conference play. No team is undefeated overall.
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Regarding Alabama, they just finished the best ~15 year period in almost the entire history of CFB, certainly one of the best eras of the "modern" era. Whatever you want to call the modern era, the last 20 years, 30, 40, or 50 years, they've been one of the best ever. So now that St. Nick is gone, suddenly they seem very "human".
When is the last time Alabama had two conference losses by this point in the season? I can't remember when.
It would not surprise me to see them win out, but I think with 2 losses they cannot win the SEC this year. I don't think they could make the playoff either. The funny thing is that if they do win out, they will have a 10-2 season, and the fans will be super disappointed. That Vanderbilt loss may be the difference between winning the SEC and going to the playoff, and going to the Nobody Bowl. Color me NOT SAD.
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Holy cow.....Florida's backup QBs went 8/15, but for 279 yards, being 18.6 ypa and 34.9 ypc.
Talk about making the most of your limited chances.
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When is the last time Alabama had two conference losses by this point in the season? I can't remember when.
2007, Saban's first year at Bama.
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Texas wins the toss, UGA drives down the field but is called for holding, kicks a FG, up 3-0.
Texas takes kickoff, scores TD, leads 7-3.
UGA gets a first down and is intercepted, returned to the 22, Texas punches it in, up 14-3.
UGA gets another FG, now down 14-6.
Texas scores before the half, now up 21-6. Takes opening KO and scores a FG, up 24-6. UGA scores a TD, goes for 2 and doesn't make it, down 24-12. Texas adds another FG, 27-12. UGA is stopped on fourth down, Texas gets another FG, now 30-12. UGA scores a late TD, down 30-20, on side kick failes, Texas runs out the clock.
Your voodoo worked.
There are shamans in New Orleans who would be jealous of that kind of voodoo-ery :88:
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I was pretty close as to the score....
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SEC Hot Seat Watch: Where things stand after Week 8 (saturdaydownsouth.com) (https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/sec-hot-seat-watch-where-things-stand-after-week-8/)
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About SEC officiating
Georgia SHOULD have lost possession, but, that wasn't the call... they literally changed the call because of peer pressure of the crowd?
Bama MAYBE should have been able to substitute players, but, they tried to fake an injury to do so... blatantly... the refs punished them for that, which isn't in the rulebook.
A indicator to me that there is shenanigans present is when the field is littered with yellow tissues- both teams being penalized.... but one team at more critical points and seemingly purposely. This is a epidemic in cfb, and especially the SEC where refs guide a game to whatever ends they choose. The only way to certainly beat a team is to BEAT THEM LIKE STEPCHILDREN and take the zebras out of it.. and... it really bothers me.. NIL or portal killing the game? Refs are doing more damage.
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So am I the only one who thinks maybe Brent Venables is toast after this season? Maybe even before the season is over?
I wonder if Bob Stoops wants to come back to OU to be the HC again? It seems like maybe his kids are older and out on their own somewhat, and he is still coaching football in the XFL. Kinda like Wild Bill did at KSU where he stepped away for a few years and then came back. He's only 65.
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Texas now has a tough road game against a ranked team Saturday, a team that has owned them historically.
Venables is toast.
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- I can't believe Alabama is so Jekyll and Hyde. Sometimes they look amazing and yet the majority of the time they look like they don't know what they're doing.
So nice to watch a Bama team that's like everybody else. Having weeks where penalties get out of hand - 15 yesterday. Weeks where the offense goes cold for long stretches - no scores on their last 4 possessions yesterday. Weeks where the Defense can't get off the field down the stretch. Press conferences where the coach doesn't have answers. And an entire fanbase feeling like its the end of the world because they've lost two games before Halloween.
So am I the only one who thinks maybe Brent Venables is toast after this season?
I absolutely believe Venables gets one more season after this. After going 11-3 last season, Oklahoma extended Venables until 2030. Meaning Venables is too costly to fire this soon. Yes, going 11-3 is good, but Oklahoma went 11-3 with just about the easiest schedule they've had in years. Even at the time a contract extension for that long was unwarranted. Going into this season, 8-4 was a more realistic expectation. Now it appears that can be adjusted down to 6-6 given the rest of the schedule and corps of an offense.
While I don't believe Venables will be fired, OC Seth Littrell and OL Coach Bill Bedenbaugh likely will be. The only way to defend them is to use the uncommonly high amount of injuries to the QB, OL, and WRs as an excuse.
On the defensive side of the ball, Venables has them playing better every year; and recruiting is going well.
edit: Looks like Littrell is already on his way out:
https://twitter.com/SoonerScoop/status/1848130419838816313
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So am I the only one who thinks maybe Brent Venables is toast after this season? Maybe even before the season is over?
I wonder if Bob Stoops wants to come back to OU to be the HC again? It seems like maybe his kids are older and out on their own somewhat, and he is still coaching football in the XFL. Kinda like Wild Bill did at KSU where he stepped away for a few years and then came back. He's only 65.
I think Brent would be gone at the end of the season except for his buyout. He got a 6-year extension after last season.
I don't think Bob Stoops wants to coach CFB again. All the reasons that made him want to leave are bigger/worse now.
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. . .
I absolutely believe Venables gets one more season after this. After going 11-3 last season, Oklahoma extended Venables until 2030. Meaning Venables is too costly to fire this soon. Yes, going 11-3 is good, but Oklahoma went 11-3 with just about the easiest schedule they've had in years. Even at the time a contract extension for that long was unwarranted. Going into this season, 8-4 was a more realistic expectation. Now it appears that can be adjusted down to 6-6 given the rest of the schedule and corps of an offense.
While I don't believe Venables will be fired, OC Seth Littrell and OL Coach Bill Bedenbaugh likely will be. The only way to defend them is to use the uncommonly high amount of injuries to the QB, OL, and WRs as an excuse.
On the defensive side of the ball, Venables has them playing better every year; and recruiting is going well.
edit: Looks like Littrell is already on his way out:
https://twitter.com/SoonerScoop/status/1848130419838816313
OU was 10-3 last year, counting the loss to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl. The Sooners probably should have lost to Texas but they should have beaten Kansas and Oklahoma State. It was much better than the 6-7 debut season under Venables, but disappointing nevertheless. The contract extension was too generous. Stated reason was to help recruiting.
8-4 was realistic this year. Now 5-7 seems likely. I don't see any conference wins in the games remaining. Yesterday's home game with South Carolina was presumed to be the easiest remaining conference game.
Recruiting seems to be going well in terms of star-rankings. Development, not so much.
Thanks for the news on Littrell. I don't think he'll be the only one fired.
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Big news for me. We’re going to try and go to the lsu game this weekend. I haven’t been to a game of consequence since I was a student. And I haven’t been to a night game at Kyle in many, many years either. Now I just have to price tickets and figure out who all is going.
Thinking back, the last important game I went to would’ve been OU in 2000. Great game, we were winning until very late, ou went on to win the MNC.
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Big news for me. We’re going to try and go to the lsu game this weekend. I haven’t been to a game of consequence since I was a student. And I haven’t been to a night game at Kyle in many, many years either. Now I just have to price tickets and figure out who all is going.
Thinking back, the last important game I went to would’ve been OU in 2000. Great game, we were winning until very late, ou went on to win the MNC.
That's great, have fun, it should be a helluva game!
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I’m seriously trying to remember the last time I went to a night game, and I’m coming up short. I don’t actually remember many night games when I was in school, ‘96-2000. OU 98 was at night during a rainstorm. oSu ‘97 was at night on Halloween ( big comeback win ). I don’t recall if any were at night in 99 or 2000.
Now I get to find out how much tickets cost.
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Good luck with that! :)
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A&M is a 2.5 point favorite.
Missouri goes to Tloosa as a nearly two TD dog. Huh.
Texas at Vandy -17.5.
All six are ranked teams.
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I’m seriously trying to remember the last time I went to a night game, and I’m coming up short. I don’t actually remember many night games when I was in school, ‘96-2000. OU 98 was at night during a rainstorm. oSu ‘97 was at night on Halloween ( big comeback win ). I don’t recall if any were at night in 99 or 2000.
Now I get to find out how much tickets cost.
I went to the Texas/UGA game this weekend with my daughter. We have really crummy seats in the North/Northeast section of the upper deck. Tix in this section usually get scalped to the opposing team's fans.
All that said, this might have been the biggest game I've seen Texas play in person. Texas has played, and won, some important games, but usually they were of the "Texas needs this to continue their struggle to return to relevancy" variety. This was the first game I've seen where Texas was a power, and they were playing a power.
Too bad the actual game itself didn't turn out better! =)
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Too bad the actual game itself didn't turn out better! =)
Yeah, I wanted a shut out ....
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You could have easily had one.
My big question: Did someone call that brain-dead kickoff to start the 2nd half? Did the kicker decide on his own? Was it just a mis-hit?
That was an all-time moronic thing to do. Texas couldn't move the ball against the Dawg defense no matter what. Get the ball deep and wait for the punt or TO. Instead, with a short field at home, Texas scores and makes the 2nd half competitive. When the air is out of the building, don't help bring it back.
Now Texas fans showed up and represented in the stadium. Where my seats are is prime real estate for resellers. That's to say I was seated in the middle of several rows of UGA fans. The ones right behind me said they got their tickets last December, flew from Gainesville, FL to San Antonio on Tuesday, and would fly out on Sunday. They were old(er), and not at all intimidated about giving full throat to their support. Really, the ladies were expert defensive analysts and impressed me.
The 40-something Chads in several rows in front of me were obviously misled by the repeated canard that Texas fans are enraged by "Horns Down". He kept drunkenly turning around to see if he could catch my eye. Eventually my daughter helped take a photo for him with his group, since his attempts were about to lead to someone going over the rail. Also, if "UT-A" means something amongst the SEC cognizati, please put out a pamphlet or something. There's actually a University of Texas Arlington campus, so it's a bit like chanting "UTEP" or "UTSA". Not sure what the idea was there.
Overall, I was among real football fans for the night. The inability of the Longhorns to get Santana's keyboardist to be mic'ed in the FOH was symptomatic of the proceedings!
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You could have easily had one.
My big question: Did someone call that brain-dead kickoff to start the 2nd half? Did the kicker decide on his own? Was it just a mis-hit?
That was an all-time moronic thing to do. Texas couldn't move the ball against the Dawg defense no matter what. Get the ball deep and wait for the punt or TO. Instead, with a short field at home, Texas scores and makes the 2nd half competitive. When the air is out of the building, don't help bring it back.
Now Texas fans showed up and represented in the stadium. Where my seats are is prime real estate for resellers. That's to say I was seated in the middle of several rows of UGA fans. The ones right behind me said they got their tickets last December, flew from Gainesville, FL to San Antonio on Tuesday, and would fly out on Sunday. They were old(er), and not at all intimidated about giving full throat to their support. Really, the ladies were expert defensive analysts and impressed me.
The 40-something Chads in several rows in front of me were obviously misled by the repeated canard that Texas fans are enraged by "Horns Down". He kept drunkenly turning around to see if he could catch my eye. Eventually my daughter helped take a photo for him with his group, since his attempts were about to lead to someone going over the rail. Also, if "UT-A" means something amongst the SEC cognizati, please put out a pamphlet or something. There's actually a University of Texas Arlington campus, so it's a bit like chanting "UTEP" or "UTSA". Not sure what the idea was there.
Overall, I was among real football fans for the night. The inability of the Longhorns to get Santana's keyboardist to be mic'ed in the FOH was symptomatic of the proceedings!
Yeah I did a whirlwind trip from the racetrack to the stadium for the game, and then back to the racetrack afterward. Game atmosphere was really good for the most part. Georgia's dominance in the first half put a damper on it, but the Texas resurgence in the 2nd half brough most of it back. I wasn't really near any Georgia fans so can't comment on their knowledge of the game.
I agree, that weird squib kick (failed onsides kick??) didn't help Georgia at all. But the Texas offense finally put together a string of nice plays, getting the ball out much quicker, and I'm not so sure the Horns wouldn't have scored anyway. For all of the challenges, the game became a one score affair at 23-15 and a Texas comeback wasn't impossible. But Georgia did a really nice job of regrouping and weathering the storm, and then closing it out.
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I just had the epiphany that the Georgia was likely chanting "U-G-A" instead. That makes a ton more sense.
That's what I get for standing in front of amplifiers most of my life.
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Kirby said the kick was a mistake, he wasn't sure what happened, the kicker may have mishit it? He's a very good kicker.
“So the kick was, they have a very different alignment, and that was not the planned kick,” Smart said. (https://www.dawgnation.com/gameday/what-kirby-smart-said-about-earning-100th-career-win-beating-no-1-texas/T5XB5ONSKZFJ3JRRS4EHKYHF4Y/) “It was unfortunate. Peyton missed the ball a little bit. And we weren’t trying to squib that.”
The shortened field led to Texas’ first score of the half, with Texas benefiting from a third-down pass interference call on freshman KJ Bolden.
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Lulz at the loaded language "benefiting from a pass interference call."
Another way to phrase it-- Georgia got caught cheating and was penalized for it.
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I just had the epiphany that the Georgia was likely chanting "U-G-A" instead. That makes a ton more sense.
That's what I get for standing in front of amplifiers most of my life.
Ha! I was wondering what the heck you were talking about. Yeah they were chanting "UGA" in support of their team.
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Lulz at the loaded language "benefiting from a pass interference call."
Another way to phrase it-- Georgia got caught cheating and was penalized for it.
Or the refs constantly tried to give the game to Texas.
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Or the refs constantly tried to give the game to Texas.
ROFLMGDMFSBAO!
That's hilarious. It took a 5 minute delay and a temper tantrum from the student section just to get them to correct an egregious and intentional-seeming error they made in Georgia's favor on a clear Offensive pass interference and potential game-changing play. They're lucky they made it out of Austin alive.
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Which gives rise to a question:
As Texas reviews its procedures to ensure a more streamlined game environment, what procedures are the SEC implementing to ensure the officials get a simple OPI/DPI call correct without relying on a 4 minute crowd initiated delay?
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Which gives rise to a question:
As Texas reviews its procedures to ensure a more streamlined game environment, what procedures are the SEC implementing to ensure the officials get a simple OPI/DPI call correct without relying on a 4 minute crowd initiated delay?
Also raises another question-- if the SEC office is so concerned over sportsmanship and sideline safety, what fines and other reprimands have they issued against Georgia for their grown adult head coach assaulting an opposing 20-year-old player during a fit of childish rage on the sideline a week ago?
We'll be sure to send that $250K check just as soon as they answer that question for us.
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Or the refs constantly tried to give the game to Texas.
This. Not only did the refs cave to the trash, Etienne had to score that last td twice and the 2nd targeting call was as bad as the trash call. The announcers and the officials analyst could not believe what the refs were calling. Did not matter but it was obvious the refs were intimidated.
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It took a 5 minute delay and a temper tantrum from the student section
I was a little disappointed in UT's throw-crap-on-the-field game. At LSU we throw piss bags on the field. You may screw our team temporarily, but the scent of human waste will be with you forever.
I feel like we have a much better caliber crowd-thuggery.
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Also raises another question-- if the SEC office is so concerned over sportsmanship and sideline safety, what fines and other reprimands have they issued against Georgia for their grown adult head coach assaulting an opposing 20-year-old player during a fit of childish rage on the sideline a week ago?
We'll be sure to send that $250K check just as soon as they answer that question for us.
They did nothing of course, as I noted last week. If they had done something perhaps it would have been a "big deal". As it is, it's forgotten, by most.
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. . . The shortened field led to Texas’ first score of the half, with Texas benefiting from a third-down pass interference call on freshman KJ Bolden.
Funny how that happens. The botched 2nd-half kickoff led to Texas' first score of the 2nd half.
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8-4 was realistic this year. Now 5-7 seems likely. I don't see any conference wins in the games remaining.
So, you wanna just cancel Thanksgiving weekend, or what?
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They did nothing of course, as I noted last week. If they had done something perhaps it would have been a "big deal". As it is, it's forgotten, by most.
Yes we all know you don't believe it was a problem, and we all knew the SEC wouldn't do anything about it. I think that says it all, right there.
I was a little disappointed in UT's throw-crap-on-the-field game. At LSU we throw piss bags on the field. You may screw our team temporarily, but the scent of human waste will be with you forever.
I feel like we have a much better caliber crowd-thuggery.
It was only our second "real" SEC game, you'll have to give us a little time to learn the proper SEC way of doing things. :)
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This. Not only did the refs cave to the trash, Etienne had to score that last td twice and the 2nd targeting call was as bad as the trash call. The announcers and the officials analyst could not believe what the refs were calling. Did not matter but it was obvious the refs were intimidated.
I didn't think it was a particularly poorly officiated game. Re: the flag the refs picked up, maybe they were scared or caving to pressure, but the flag never should've been thrown, so justice was done.
I can't remember a flag being picked up since our 2006 anger-fest against Auburn.
I agreed with the targeting calls. Only one that surprised me this weekend was our LB who was flagged for targeting but got a reprieve on review. It was the kind of hit I hate to see called, but I've seen it called dozens of times, I think it was technically targeting, and I thought for sure he was gone.
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It was only our second "real" SEC game, you'll have to give us a little time to learn the proper SEC way of doing things. :)
I think it's just us.
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I view a thing as a "Big Deal" if it has repercussions. That doesn't mean I think it was a good or bad thing, just not a Big Deal as I understand the term. Without some kind of reaction or response or official act, it just is something that happened that passed in the night. And maybe something SHOULD have happened, but it didn't.
Ergo, tree falling in forest etc.
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Yes, we all know you're choosing to dismiss the assault on the sideline. You really don't need to tell us for the 57th time.
My point remains, that I'll believe the SEC is serious about sportsmanship and sideline safety, when they do something about that incident. Unless/until they do, I remain hilariously entertained by the "penalty" they've assigned to the Texas student section.
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There are penalties for the piss bags we throw?
I thought carrying the things around was penalty enough.
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There are penalties for the piss bags we throw?
I thought carrying the things around was penalty enough.
Perhaps if Texas students had thrown piss like a proper SEC team there'd have been no penalty? :)
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Again, I think that one is just us.
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Again, I think that one is just us.
Oh yeah, the other fan bases throw mustard bottles and batteries. Sorry I forgot about that stuff. I'm still learning.
I was just proud of the students for throwing their $5 waters instead of their $13 beers. Smart kids.
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They didn't get admitted into UT for nothin'....
Lost in the lopsided flow of the game, Carson Beck was a dismal 23/41, 175, 0 TDs against 3 INTS, for 4.3 ypa. Dismal doesn't hardly begin to cover it. Not sure I've ever seen a QB perform that badly whose team still dominated. Maybe Greg McElroy in the 2009 NC game, but these numbers vs. that outcome is hard to top.
Ewers comp% and ypa were barely any better, but the rest of his stats look better than Beck's. But the game never really felt like Ewers was outplaying Beck.
Except for those 3 INTs. Yeesh.
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UT defense was given short fields to defend all game long. They actually did a decent job. I'd say both Beck and Ewers severely diminished their draft prospects during that game.
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Beck has not played nearly as well as he did last season. Part of it could be the absence of Bowers and McConkey, part could be the Big Head, etc. He has dropped from a top five to maybe Day 2-3. Bowers was an absolute go to guy in college if you threw it anywhere near him. Beck had a few drops against Texas, but still, he was "mediocre" at best.
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This made me laugh:
https://twitter.com/jerrylawless3/status/1849102183804850455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1849102183804850455%7Ctwgr%5E023f70587434d110c979fa10913e67f0f5498c30%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlyhorns.com%2Fboard%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fjerrylawless3%2Fstatus%2F1849102183804850455%3Fs%3D46
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They should spend their efforts on finishing their dang stadium instead. They're nearly a new joke at this point...."How many Vandy admins does it take to complete a stadium renovation?"
The SEC Shorts Vandy character has been fun this year.
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They should spend their efforts on finishing their dang stadium instead. They're nearly a new joke at this point...."How many Vandy admins does it take to complete a stadium renovation?"
The SEC Shorts Vandy character has been fun this year.
Pimp Vandy is awesome. It's sad that I must root for putting him back in his coffin this week, but them's the breaks.
Regarding the stadium netting above, I'm fairly certain it's a joke. And it's a good one!
But in reality, since their entire stadium is the "visitor's section" they'd need a lot more netting to be effective...
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At least Vandy is in Nashville, which is somewhat akin to Austin on a smaller scale, but still interesting.
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At least Vandy is in Nashville, which is somewhat akin to Austin on a smaller scale, but still interesting.
I really would have liked to have gone to this game. Wasn't in the cards.
Instead, all day long on Saturday, I'll be doing parent-volunteering for my kids' high school marching band. This is the Area competition, which determines who will go on to compete at State.
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I'll be watching on tv, but only til maybe the 4th quarter or so. The game starts late for the afternoon slot, so it will run into the LSU game at 6. Hopefully Texas takes care of business early and doesn't leave it interesting late. Because I gave Mrs. DT tv rights last week, missing us finally play a non-heart-stopping game vs the pigs, so that we could watch Texas do.....that. I'm not relinquishing viewing rights this weekend after that :96:
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I really would have liked to have gone to this game. Wasn't in the cards.
Instead, all day long on Saturday, I'll be doing parent-volunteering for my kids' high school marching band. This is the Area competition, which determines who will go on to compete at State.
I have "Zoo Boo" to attend Saturday night at the Memphis Zoo, with the wife, daughter and grandkids.
Tennessee is on a bye week -- the only reason I got the invitation. :)
But, I didn't know A&M and LSU would be this big of a game. I'd love to watch it.
Would it be crass to watch it on the ESPN App on my phone while walking around the zoo? Don't matter -- I'm doing it.
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I'll be watching on tv, but only til maybe the 4th quarter or so. The game starts late for the afternoon slot, so it will run into the LSU game at 6. Hopefully Texas takes care of business early and doesn't leave it interesting late. Because I gave Mrs. DT tv rights last week, missing us finally play a non-heart-stopping game vs the pigs, so that we could watch Texas do.....that. I'm not relinquishing viewing rights this weekend after that :96:
I have an extra TV not being used. I could ship it to you.
You either need the TV, or you are quite a bit more gentlemanly than I. LOL
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Last week I started a university job, so I technically work for the state now. The benefits are quite good, but yet I'm currently unable to get on here to kill/waste time. At the moment I check in from my phone at lunch.
What is the point of being a gub'ment employee if you can't excel at wasting time?
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Last week I started a university job, so I technically work for the state now. The benefits are quite good, but yet I'm currently unable to get on here to kill/waste time. At the moment I check in from my phone at lunch.
What is the point of being a gub'ment employee if you can't excel at wasting time?
I thought it was a pre-requisite?
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TVs are cheap MDT, you could get a second one, you know!
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I have "Zoo Boo" to attend Saturday night at the Memphis Zoo, with the wife, daughter and grandkids.
Tennessee is on a bye week -- the only reason I got the invitation. :)
But, I didn't know A&M and LSU would be this big of a game. I'd love to watch it.
Would it be crass to watch it on the ESPN App on my phone while walking around the zoo? Don't matter -- I'm doing it.
I believe it would be crass NOT to do so...
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I have "Zoo Boo" to attend Saturday night at the Memphis Zoo, with the wife, daughter and grandkids.
Tennessee is on a bye week -- the only reason I got the invitation. :)
But, I didn't know A&M and LSU would be this big of a game. I'd love to watch it.
Would it be crass to watch it on the ESPN App on my phone while walking around the zoo? Don't matter -- I'm doing it.
you can also play "speed Zoo" which is fun
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Texas-Georgia is now the highest rated college football broadcast of the season at 13.19M average viewers.
So... yay. Apparently EVERYONE got to see... whatever that was.
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college-football-tv-ratings/
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Texas-Georgia is now the highest rated college football broadcast of the season at 13.19M average viewers.
So... yay. Apparently EVERYONE got to see... whatever that was.
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college-football-tv-ratings/
Bama/TN “the appetizer” had like 10.3 million.
Think CBS is kicking themselves yet?
ABC/ESPN/Disney hit the mother load.
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Yeah it was a huge day for Disney. Not sure why CBS decided to opt out, and it's too bad because their HD broadcasts are the best in the business.
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I'm sure there was competitive bidding going on. ABC can use it to leverage ESPN in a way CBS could not.
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I thought it was a pre-requisite?
I mean, I assumed so. I'm sure I'll get the hang of doing nothing on the taxpayer dime soon enough.
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Well, it’s official. Me and my son are going to the LSU A&M game.
I looked for tickets online. Back in the old days, we’d mess around the stadium and buy them from people, but I’m not sure if you can do that anymore. Ended up buying some online via seat geek. It’s all digital, in my apple wallet.
The price made my eyes water. I really wanted to spend no more than $200-300 per ticket, but those were really shitty and in the nosebleeds. The online sites really Jack up the fees as well, almost to the point of being criminal. I said f’it and ended up buying awesome seats for a stupid amount of money. I figured if I was going to go through the trouble to get there I want to be able to see the game.
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Nice. Glad you got to see a win, for all that money!
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And condolences to MDT.
I didn't get to see any of the game, had family obligations, but it sounds like it must have been pretty exciting.
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Last night was really special. The seats were amazing, and the game was great.
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So, some clarity about which teams seem more likely to make the SEC CG:
Texas - Really one more really important game.
A&M - Ditto, could still lose to Texas and slide in if other one loss teams lose.
UGA - Plays Florida, which tends to be a thing, AT Ole Miss, and hosts Tennessee, basically needs to win out.
Tenn - Needs to win out. Still plays at LSU and UGA.
LSU/Bama/Mizzou probably out.
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Could it really come to UT-TAMU for a spot in the SECCCG? That would be something. I might try to go to that game afterall, I still have a friend with extra tickets. I'm sure it'll cost me...
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I had LSU probably out, that isn't the case, I think, they only have one conference loss now too of course.
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Could it really come to UT-TAMU for a spot in the SECCCG? That would be something. I might try to go to that game afterall, I still have a friend with extra tickets. I'm sure it'll cost me...
It could indeed, and it could also be a double header the next week.
If we assume favorites win each game, A&M would be undefeated in conference play, lose, and still make the CG. (A&M COULD lose at Auburn of course.)
LSU hosts Bama and goes to Florida, they could also have one loss. UGA has a fairly tough road. We COULD have four one loss teams.
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It could indeed, and it could also be a double header the next week.
If we assume favorites win each game, A&M would be undefeated in conference play, lose, and still make the CG. (A&M COULD lose at Auburn of course.)
LSU hosts Bama and goes to Florida, they could also have one loss. UGA has a fairly tough road. We COULD have four one loss teams.
Yeah, that's why it was actually better for Texas, that A&M won yesterday. We have a chance to knock off the ags and control the head-to-head tie-breaker, but no such chance against LSU. Obviously Georgia owns the head-to-head against Texas.
It could be complete chaos. Or, Horns could lose to the pigs in a couple of weeks and it wouldn't matter at all.
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There is a decent chance a two loss teams makes the CG (conference Ls).
It COULD be complete chaos.
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So, some clarity about which teams seem more likely to make the SEC CG:
Texas - Really one more really important game.
A&M - Ditto, could still lose to Texas and slide in if other one loss teams lose.
UGA - Plays Florida, which tends to be a thing, AT Ole Miss, and hosts Tennessee, basically needs to win out.
Tenn - Needs to win out. Still plays at LSU and UGA.
LSU/Bama/Mizzou probably out.
Tennessee does not play LSU.
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Thanks for that correction, I don't know where I got that.
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The Vols' remaining conference games are:
Kentucky
Miss State
@ UGA
@ Vandy.
I'm fascinated to think Vandy should be their second toughest game. UK showed a bit of a spark earlier, but not so much now.
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My personal thoughts on the A&M LSU game:
My first night game in well over 20 years. I honestly don't even remember the last night game I attended, but it was probably while I was a student. I may have attended a few games that started in daylight and played into the night, but I really don't remember.
My 2nd game at the updated stadium. I think I screwed myself, because after the seats I had Saturday night I never want to sit in regular seats. The view was awesome, the seats were comfortable ( the little we sat in them), and the amenities for that section were good. If I'm planning on going to a game once every season or two, I'm going to spring for seats like these.
I don't know what is going on with our OL, but the reason why Weigaman (I know I spelled that wrong) sucked so bad is because he was under pressure every play. One of our OL I think is a true freshman and he got beat repeatedly. Our run game was stalled mostly in the first half.
I still can't believe the final score. I recall we were losing 17-7 until midway through the 3rd quarter, but we got a turnover and scored, and the rest was downhill from there. We dominated the game from that point on. Reed, the backup QB, only threw (and completed) two passes despite sparking that 2nd half spree. I think we only completed 8 passes in the whole game.
Our coaches are determined to run the ball, especially in the 4th quarter when the game is on the line. Our defense can be suffocating at times. But not always.
I confess I had way too much to drink during the game, and way too much fun. They never served beer at the stadium when I was a student, and I'm not sure they even serve it everywhere.
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Last night was really special. The seats were amazing, and the game was great.
I didn't particularly think so.
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And condolences to MDT.
I didn't get to see any of the game, had family obligations, but it sounds like it must have been pretty exciting.
Meh. Like I previously said, this is a very flawed team, and all the flaws came out to socialize in one sitting.
Sometimes they're able to spread them out, in which case we could win the Alabama game. Or they might do that again, and give OU a feel-good springboard to next season.
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As Badger likes to say, the game still boils down to 1) run the ball, 2) stop the run, 3) pressure the quarterback. Tigers can only do one and a half of those things.
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How often of late has one team really shined at every moment in a season? Never? Don't they all have ups and downs?
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Probably not much, if ever.
But it's fair to look at the floors and ceilings of teams. UGA can have an off game against most teams and still be formidable. At their best, they might crush you. LSU at their best may claw out a tough win against a tough team, and not at their best, they could lose to many teams. They don't really stand a chance vs the really good teams.
It's a flawed team.
UGA might have flaws. They might be overcome at times. Their worst might still get them to the playoffs. We have flaws that can only be masked or mitigated....they're not capable of fixing them. Our worst leads to....well, it leads to the second half of the A&M game, is what I'm tempted to say, but really it was the first half too. Can't fail to convert yards and quality drives into points and not expect consequences. It's a recurring theme this season and it's not likely to get better. Winning is hard, and it's nearly impossible when you can't run the ball.
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Every team is flawed and capable of a poor game. For the best teams, a poor game against a bad team still means an ugly win.
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There's certainly more parity in the sport, at least among the teams that can afford it. NIL and the open portal transfer rules have created a free agency that allows bad or mid teams with means, to become competitive, far more quickly than before.
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It's really quite something to continue to adjust to teams that are the inverse of the Les Miles blueprint we had for so long. Teams which could run on everyone not named Alabama even if you knew it was coming, teams which featured brutal defense and brilliant special teams, and teams which frequently couldn't pass for 150 yards.
The run game has been poor under Kelly, the defense has been LOL and special teams have several meltdowns per season, and the passing game is frequently lethal.
Given my druthers, I'd take the former, which drove many of our fans nuts. Objectively, my preference may be justified, as Kelly in just 2.5 years has a worse win% than Miles did in 11.5.
Like it or not (for our fans), most of Miles' teams win that game with A&M. C'est la vie.
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Wow ! These are near the seats I had Saturday. $3,025 each for Tx/Tamu. Holy Schneikes !
(https://i.imgur.com/DDjtLeJ.png)
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Better have some bux to make this game.
(https://i.imgur.com/tH8JmeZ.png)
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Insane what's happened to ticket prices. In 2006 I got a couple of tickets to the Ole Miss game, about 15 rows up at the 45 yard line, on the home side. Felt like you could sneeze on the back of player's heads sitting on the bench.
I don't remember what I paid for them, but I don't think it was exorbitant. No telling what that would cost now.
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I don’t like this matchup with SCAR tonight. They are dangerous and well coached. I feel like we were lucky in a couple of our games, and OL has been mediocre to bad. QB is unsettled, and it’s in SC. I just hope we can squeak by with a 1 pt win to keep our SEC hopes alive.
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You were prescient, Gigem.
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South Carolina is a strange place to play, can be very tough, can be not. They usually are a bit short on talent but the crowd really gets into it against better teams.
So, now the top teams are all tied with one L.
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CHAOS!!!
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Yeah, that was a strange game. When they came out and scored consecutively to open the game it was a WTF moment. I have no idea why Elko went for it so early on 4th down deep in our own territory. So many plays should have been a sack or TFL and the QB just slipped on by. I was pleasantly surprised when we settled down on offense and defense to pull ahead. Tied at the half, I expected the second half to be much more polished on both sides of the ball.
Not sure what happened to us in the 2nd half but the offense just couldn’t get it going. Obviously losing Moss was a huge blow and our running game just wasn’t the same. But as I stated, SCAR is a dangerous team, they gave Georgia and Alabama all they wanted, throttled OU, they’d probably be in 1st in the Big 12.
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Fro, ESPN:
Every team in the league has at least one conference loss now. Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss all have multiple losses. Georgia has scuffled regularly, Tennessee (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2633/tennessee-volunteers) has flirted with disaster in multiple games as it struggles to find a consistent passing game and Texas (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/251/texas-longhorns) has been startlingly bereft of Arch Manning (https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4870906/arch-manning) snaps of late.
Saturday's slate only reinforced the concerns. The Aggies still are searching for an offensive identity. Kentucky (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/96/kentucky-wildcats) benched starting QB Brock Vandagriff (https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4432782/brock-vandagriff), who now will return to his full-time job as a roadie for Ted Nugent, but still were within striking distance until late in the fourth quarter against the up-and-down Vols. Georgia may be the best team in the country, but it only plays like it for about six minutes per game, and Ole Miss is ridiculously explosive but also entirely erratic.
In other words, the SEC is basically just the old Pac-12, only without the shame or consequences.
So, is the SEC still a four-bid league? It's getting tougher to see four championship-caliber teams here, but that's the joy of a 12-team playoff. Half of those teams probably never had a shot at winning it all anyway.
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South Carolina rushed for more yards against A&M on their opening drive than LSU did in their entire game last Saturday....and that was prior to the 24 yard TD run. Even before that play, SC had already amassed 32 yards, I believe, on the ground, which is about 8 more than the Tigers gained on A&M all game.
I really don't trust a team that can't run the ball, and I guess that accounts for my lack of belief in them as a truly "competitive" team. Having such a weak run game limits what you can do at the goal-line.....and that has reared it's ugly head all season. And it puts way too much pressure on the passing game....which has mostly not hurt us too bad, but it really did against A&M, and will again in the future.
It hurt us against South Carolina, but fortunately they were missing a key player or two, including QB Sellers for a good portion of the game. Ole Miss was also missing their nation-best insane WR when we beat them. Both of those teams should've beaten us, and likely would have if they weren't missing their best players.
I dunno....I feel like we should've beaten USC, and missed a bunch of chances A&M handed us, so maybe it all evens out. But I have no illusions of LSU "still being in the hunt" or anything like that. Even if they made the SECCG or the playoffs, they'll get bent over by the first legitimate "good" team they face.
It goes beyond just this season though. Mark my words.....Brian Kelly will be the first LSU coach in the last 4 not to win a national title.
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Also.....
A&M donned black jersey's last week on their home field and obliterated LSU. Then South Carolina donned black jerseys on their home field and obliterated A&M.
Somebody get me LSU's uniform coordinator so I can tell him to have LSU come out against Alabama in black unis. There's something to this.
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I recall when UGA donned blacks against Alabama in 2008 I think, Bama led at the half 31-0 or something.
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South Carolina rushed for more yards against A&M on their opening drive than LSU did in their entire game last Saturday....and that was prior to the 24 yard TD run. Even before that play, SC had already amassed 32 yards, I believe, on the ground, which is about 8 more than the Tigers gained on A&M all game.
I really don't trust a team that can't run the ball, and I guess that accounts for my lack of belief in them as a truly "competitive" team. Having such a weak run game limits what you can do at the goal-line.....and that has reared it's ugly head all season. And it puts way too much pressure on the passing game....which has mostly not hurt us too bad, but it really did against A&M, and will again in the future.
It hurt us against South Carolina, but fortunately they were missing a key player or two, including QB Sellers for a good portion of the game. Ole Miss was also missing their nation-best insane WR when we beat them. Both of those teams should've beaten us, and likely would have if they weren't missing their best players.
I dunno....I feel like we should've beaten USC, and missed a bunch of chances A&M handed us, so maybe it all evens out. But I have no illusions of LSU "still being in the hunt" or anything like that. Even if they made the SECCG or the playoffs, they'll get bent over by the first legitimate "good" team they face.
It goes beyond just this season though. Mark my words.....Brian Kelly will be the first LSU coach in the last 4 not to win a national title.
South Carolina ran all over us because we could not tackle. We were in the backfield all night with would be TFL or sacks and it was like we had baby oil on our hands. Just could not get it done.
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https://voiceofmotown.com/source-jimbo-fisher-ready-and-willing-to-come-home/
Paying this clown $10 million not to coach with no clause if he gets another job. This is why I’ve never been eager to donate money to the 12th man foundation.
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https://voiceofmotown.com/source-jimbo-fisher-ready-and-willing-to-come-home/
Paying this clown $10 million not to coach with no clause if he gets another job. This is why I’ve never been eager to donate money to the 12th man foundation.
Thank your then-AD Scott Woodward. Same guy that has us paying the other clown Brian Kelly $10 mil/yr to perpetually have no ground game, derpy special teams, and frequently bad defense, with an unaffordable buyout.
Woodward always wins the press conference. His contracts generally win the Darwin Awards.
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I will never stop believing that Fisher essentially “ checked out “ after he basically got all that guaranteed money after 2020. Maybe not consciously, but the teams played much worse after that. That and he recruited stars instead of players.
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42194182/texas-loses-lead-rusher-leveon-moss-leg-season
Ugh. Lev’eon Moss, our top RB and IMO the most important player on the team is out for the rest of the season. I’m fairly confident that’s one of the reasons why we didn’t win Saturday night.
I know injuries happen in football, but it always seems that this kind of shit happens to us more than anybody else. Imagine if VY went out in the 9th game of the season in 2005. And yes, I’m well aware of Colt going down in the MNC, but at least Texas won the Big 12 that year.
I remember it was cited often how OU did not lose a starter during their impressive 2000 season.
The Evil Capricious Football Gods have struck again.
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At least you didn't lose your young-but-talented-backup-QB during a serious upset bid over UGA.
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At least you didn't lose your young-but-talented-backup-QB during a serious upset bid over UGA.
The difference is that your season is basically over. No chance to win the sec or CFB. I think everyone acknowledges that you need a little luck in this game, we just seem to never have it.
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Florida's season really is about the head coach now. If they lose more games but appear to be trying hard, he might keep his job.
I know a lot of their fans want Kiffin, I rather hope they get him.
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At least you didn't lose your young-but-talented-backup-QB during a serious upset bid over UGA.
I hear Lagway's injury may not be that serious and hasn't yet been ruled out for the Texas game, and may be "probable" by the time LSU comes. Any truth to that?
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42194182/texas-loses-lead-rusher-leveon-moss-leg-season
Ugh. Lev’eon Moss, our top RB and IMO the most important player on the team is out for the rest of the season. I’m fairly confident that’s one of the reasons why we didn’t win Saturday night.
I know injuries happen in football, but it always seems that this kind of shit happens to us more than anybody else. Imagine if VY went out in the 9th game of the season in 2005. And yes, I’m well aware of Colt going down in the MNC, but at least Texas won the Big 12 that year.
I remember it was cited often how OU did not lose a starter during their impressive 2000 season.
The Evil Capricious Football Gods have struck again.
We haven't lost our QB or anything like that (and really, it doesn't matter if we were to lose our "best" rb, whatever that might mean in our case), but since Kelly took over we've been thin at DL and for the third year in a row--all of Kelly's time here--we've lost the projected best DT either in the first game or prior to the season. It's really odd how snakebit that unit is. At a spot that's thin and not overly talented, we keep losing the one guy most believe are "SEC caliber."
That said, some of the other DL this year have played better than expected. Snagging coach Bo Davis from Texas probably was a very good get. They were expected to be "not great, Bob" after this year's top guy was injured, but they've been "not bad."
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I hear Lagway's injury may not be that serious and hasn't yet been ruled out for the Texas game, and may be "probable" by the time LSU comes. Any truth to that?
What I got from Napier's statement of the injury is "less significant than originally thought and there's a pathway to recovery and return" was that Lagway had an MRI on Sunday that didn't indicate a Grade 3 injury. Since there's no reason why he's medically out after the MRI, there's no reason to make a definitive statement on a soft tissue injury.
Obviously every soft tissue injury is different (as opposed to, say, a broken arm that has a relatively known healing time frame). Perhaps it really wasn't as bad as it looked - when the player cannot walk off the sideline. However, a hamstring is something that can absolutely be made worse by playing on it, especially his style of play. Unless keeping him out of the 2nd half was just an outrageous amount of precaution, it's not really realistic to think he'd be ready to play a week later.
I'm thinking the statement meant "he isn't lost for the year". I'm expecting Lagway to be listed as "doubtful" on tomorrow's injury report, and "out" on Friday's report.
I remember Adrian Peterson playing the RRS in 2005 on a destroyed ankle. He'd take the handoff and basically jog out of bounds on a slow diagonal since he had no ability to cut or accelerate.
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I'd be surprised if Lagway plays and if he does, I'd be surprised if he's very productive.
But I suppose ya never know.
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Those of us who have had a large muscle injury know it can seem OK when it isn't.
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The last information I saw was that it's a Grade 2 tear. That's partial tearing of the fibers. Now, these are spry, well conditioned athletes with top notch medical care designed to get them going again, but to you and me, that's a minimum 4 week recovery.
Again, there's no such thing as a "typical" soft tissue injury.
As Cincy said, that's a large muscle group. The movements it makes are explosive and sudden. If you feel pain, it's too late to stop. Until it heals fully, you're almost certain to make it worse by playing.
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UGa goes down. Didn’t see that coming.
Miami goes down.
Bama winning.
UTex wins handily
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When a team struggles, but wins, it's still a sign they probably aren't that good, even if they are 10-0. UGA has struggled a lot this season, and lost 2 of the 3 real teams they faced. I don't know how they beat Texas, that probably happens one time in five. The fans are blaming everyone, of course, I think the talent has some holes in key positions more than anything. Folks like Bowers covered a lot of other weaknesses.
Well, there really weren't "folks like Bowers".
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Texas really ebbs and flows with Ewers. When he's doing everything wrong, even Vandy can make them sweat (albeit the best Vandy team in some time). When he's doing what he's capable of doing, they're probably the best team in the country. He was bad-Ewers against UGA, and if he'd already snapped out of his post-injury fog, the Longhorns likely win vs. the Dawgs, imo.
I think we're headed for a Texas/Alabama SECCG. We'll see.
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Florida has a great shot to break the skid against LSU next weekend. This LSU team is getting worse throughout the season, and Florida, although playing an entire second string offense, has gotten better. I think they've each sailed far enough in their respective directions that the ships may be ready to pass in the night, and a "bad" Florida team hands a "better" LSU team their third L in a row.
I wish Herbstreit, fans, and observers would hush about LSU's lack of talent. That's part of the problem, but it's not the biggest one. This is a very poorly coached team, who exhibit the same mistakes week to week, year to year. Most of their problem is guys don't know where they're supposed to be, or when, or what to do when they get there. It's abysmal. Kelly is not worth his hype, whether he was overrated all along or is just a poor fit in BR, I don't know. But I'll reiterate, he'll be the first coach in the last 4 not to win a NC, or even threaten for one.
As far as talent, our fans like to talk about how decimated Orgeron left the team. Okay.....fair enough, but that was three years ago. This is year 3, in an era where you can instantly fill up your roster by going shopping at Portal-Mart. Which Kelly did, in year 1. We didn't lack scholarship players two years ago, and we don't lack them now. It's possible the guy just can't recruit here either.
Nothing to do but hunker down and be glad I care about this sport a lot less than I used to. Methinks the Suck of Mediocrity has moved from Austin and is going to set up camp in BR for the next several years.
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My own view. A&M is just not that good this year. We got lucky, with a bad Florida team, average LSU, and typical MSU and Arkansas teams. We were not impressive against any of these teams. LSU was well on their way to outplaying us, until we figured out that they couldn’t figure out a running QB. An avg Bama team mauled them in BR. We lost badly to a pedestrian USC.
Now we close the season with a struggling Auburn, and Texas at home. I think the outcome of the Texas game will determine who plays in the SEC CG. I don’t think we have any shot at winning, even at Kyle.
If by some miracle we beat Texas, we’re going to get smoked in the SEC CG.
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It will be really laughable if a 2 loss Bama team goes on to win either the CCG or the NC.
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In that case all this expanded playoff nonsense would be much ado about nothing.
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It will be really laughable if a 2 loss Bama team goes on to win either the CCG or the NC.
It's a matter of time until that happesns of course. if not Bama, somebody.
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It's laughable because you guys have been warning about "the rich getting richer" due to the expanded playoff ever since they started discussing it. Usually, a 2 loss team would never get consideration, and now it's looking likely that they could even get into the playoff and win the damn thing.
On the other hand, it's also entirely possible that somebody like BYU wins the whole thing, so we'll see.
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The Ags hung in there against some of Texas' world-beater teams in the past - including VY and Colt led teams. They play their best against Texas at Kyle, so nothing's guaranteed.
Yes, sometimes the Texas OL has a brain cramp. More recently, though, is we get last season's Quinn who had to double check every read he made. He was almost always correct initially, but the extra time he took to verify it would ruin a play. It seems defensive coordinators noticed that, and started throwing naked blitzes at him. Those blitzes would leave hot receivers running free for almost certain TDs if they got the ball. The DCs were counting on Quinn to take that extra second to "be sure", and thus self-sack. UGA did it over and over again (in addition to having a defense capable of overwhelming the OL by itself).
Sark's plays pull the defense apart. It frustrates me when fans complain about "run the ball" and such, because each formation has a run and a pass built in. The offense does what the defense is weak against. Currently, defenses are trying to stack against the run, so there's lots of passing. Hopefully, after Saturday, DCs will start to respect Quinn again and vary their alignments.
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SEC weekend in review, specifically with pictures from coverage by mainstream publications:
(https://i.imgur.com/aVEUcjx.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/dldBzwr.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZpaqrXe.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/MR3CNYl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZVaPq1m.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/MbQaJNc.png)
Now if Governor Landry could invest that much time into looking into why Scott Woodturd's office GUARANTEED all of Brian Kelly's $100M contract.
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The Ags hung in there against some of Texas' world-beater teams in the past - including VY and Colt led teams. They play their best against Texas at Kyle, so nothing's guaranteed.
Yes, sometimes the Texas OL has a brain cramp. More recently, though, is we get last season's Quinn who had to double check every read he made. He was almost always correct initially, but the extra time he took to verify it would ruin a play. It seems defensive coordinators noticed that, and started throwing naked blitzes at him. Those blitzes would leave hot receivers running free for almost certain TDs if they got the ball. The DCs were counting on Quinn to take that extra second to "be sure", and thus self-sack. UGA did it over and over again (in addition to having a defense capable of overwhelming the OL by itself).
Sark's plays pull the defense apart. It frustrates me when fans complain about "run the ball" and such, because each formation has a run and a pass built in. The offense does what the defense is weak against. Currently, defenses are trying to stack against the run, so there's lots of passing. Hopefully, after Saturday, DCs will start to respect Quinn again and vary their alignments.
Hung in there = loss. I'm not expecting us to lose by a lot, but objectively looking at this Texas A&M team we're just not really that good, we just played a soft schedule with a couple of "name" schools that are down.
It will be a good game, of course, something like 27-24, and will be contested right up until the last whistle. What really sucks is that with 'Bama being down (if you count 2 losses as being down) and us avoiding playing them it was the perfect timing in the new SEC.
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SEC weekend in review, specifically with pictures from coverage by mainstream publications:
(https://i.imgur.com/aVEUcjx.png)
I'd like to know a little more about the blondes Beck was sitting next to. Can't really blame him for smiling.
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What was lame is that wasn't even Mike the Tiger. The veterinary school has a more final authority in his matters than the governor, it appears, and Mike still isn't allowed at games so the athletic department brought in a privately owned tiger to be on the sidelines.
For all we know, that imposter could've been rooting for Bama. Can't have been good for the vibes.
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What was lame is that wasn't even Mike the Tiger. The veterinary school has a more final authority in his matters than the governor, it appears, and Mike still isn't allowed at games so the athletic department brought in a privately owned tiger to be on the sidelines.
For all we know, that imposter could've been rooting for Bama. Can't have been good for the vibes.
The way I understand it, Mike VI isn't ever forced into his travel pen. They connect it, open it, and if he doesn't go in, he stays home. I've been told this particular Mike just doesn't dig the travel arrangements, so he stays put. Good rule, as I see it. In a disagreement with a fully grown tiger, the human is always wrong.
Baylor is always whinging about not bringing the bears to their games any longer. Truth be told, they only ever brought bear cubs to the games. Once the bears got to be a certain size, they just sort of drove them north and kicked them out into the forest. Nowadays, they keep the mascot animals throughout their entire life, have a really nice certified habitat for them, but they're still bears. You can't pen them up on the sideline, and walking a full grown bear on a leash is, well, I've seen too much stupid lately to offer any sort of superlative comparisons.
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Probably easier to have a bulldog mascot.
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The way I understand it, Mike VI isn't ever forced into his travel pen. They connect it, open it, and if he doesn't go in, he stays home. I've been told this particular Mike just doesn't dig the travel arrangements, so he stays put. Good rule, as I see it. In a disagreement with a fully grown tiger, the human is always wrong.
No, that's the way it used to be for many, many years. For the past several years (2015?), the rules permanently changed and do not allow him at games any longer. There is no backing the truck up and seeing if he's up for it. Which is a shame, because it was a really cool pre-game tradition. Sort of like seeing if the groundhog looks at his shadow. Is Mike feeling social and menacing toward opponents today? Or is he napping and dreaming of eating PETA protestors? Just had to wait and find out.
Thus the reason an imposter from Florida was brought in...one Dr. Baker and the veterinary school do not control.
When it comes to Mike, Dr. Baker has total say, and he gives zero f**ks. And Baker decreed years ago there will be no more Mikes at games.
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Bengals have been extremely endangered for a while, and LSU is active in global efforts to preserve them. In fact, the last few Mikes have not been true Bengals, rather a mix of Bengal and Siberian tiger, because a Bengal was not available. I believe the rationale was games were an unnecessary stress for him and so they were axed. Don't know if that had anything to do with preservation efforts.
Bayou Siberians doesn't have the same ring to it.
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Over on the Big 12 board, we once had a good conversation going about the restoration work on the museum battleship USS Texas.
I can't find that conversation over there, so I'll post this here.
Battleship Texas recently out of dry dock, may not be going to a new home in Galveston, as previously planned.
https://youtu.be/K3LEuDiLyuE (https://youtu.be/K3LEuDiLyuE)
But there's more news about that.
https://youtu.be/bBB4sKb9f-E (https://youtu.be/bBB4sKb9f-E)
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(https://i.imgur.com/78jIG8S.png)
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Yeah the foodie snobs in Dallas and Houston are angry about that.
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Keep Austin Tasty
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If anybody wants a pretty good bet, take Tennessee and the points (10!!!!!!!).
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I'll bet you a coke Georgia wins!
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SEC tiebreaker scenarios after Georgia tops Tennessee: Texas, Alabama in good shape (https://247sports.com/college/georgia/article/sec-tiebreaker-scenarios-after-georgias-win-over-tennessee-texas-alabama-in-good-shape-239915275/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2p_7llKqacL_jus8XfZ2MnBo7kqRO739R0nGIULX_J6x1JqA2-D2nrDMA_aem_rvhkVH2bjshMHINIi_x2_w)
The most likely scenario is the SEC standings ending with five teams tied for second-place with two conference losses. Here's what happens if that scenario comes to fruition over the next couple of weekends:
Texas Longhorns (9-1, 5-1) — Steve Sarkisian's team goes to the SEC Championship if they beat Kentucky and Texas A&M to finish 7-1 in conference play. The lone loss came to Georgia.
Texas A&M Aggies (8-2, 5-1) — The Aggies recovered since their 24-point setback at South Carolina and are wins over Auburn and Texas away from punching their first ticket to the SEC Championship. Of the six SEC teams in playoff contention, Texas A&M's situation would be the most sticky if the Aggies lose one of their next two games.
Georgia Bulldogs (8-2, 6-2) — The Bulldogs beat Texas and Tennessee, but lost to Ole Miss and Alabama. No team faced a tougher schedule than the Bulldogs.
Tennessee Volunteers (8-2, 5-2) — Tennessee could made things much easier on the SEC office had the Vols beat Georgia. Instead, Tennessee hangs on to its win over Alabama as a statement victory that could be enough to push the Vols into the playoff. Atlanta, however, is unlikely.
Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2, 4-2) — Sifting through various SEC tiebreakers, Alabama's wins over Georgia and LSU means the Crimson Tide win most, but the loss at Tennessee does stand out. Like Georgia, Alabama has played an extremely competitive schedule. If Texas beats Texas A&M and it leaves five teams with two losses in conference play, the winning percentage of the Crimson Tide's common opponents with others in the mix should get Alabama to Atlanta.
Ole Miss Rebels (8-2, 4-2) — Losses to Kentucky and LSU means the Rebels don't hold any tiebreaker scenarios unless they were to finish in a single-team tie with Georgia after beating the Bulldogs head to head this month. Ole Miss is likely a playoff team at 10-2, but getting to Atlanta is too far in the weeds.
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Finally got to a new Mexican place that opened near us, it was fun. Sat at the bar that opens up to the outside.
Emilio's Tacos and Tequila (https://www.emiliostacosandtequila.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/KFd0LCG.png)
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Florida has a great shot to break the skid against LSU next weekend. This LSU team is getting worse throughout the season, and Florida, although playing an entire second string offense, has gotten better. I think they've each sailed far enough in their respective directions that the ships may be ready to pass in the night, and a "bad" Florida team hands a "better" LSU team their third L in a row.
Sometimes I hate being right, but it really was predictable for any honest brokers paying close attention.
I've said either CBK was overrated or he just doesn't fit at LSU. I read an article a few days ago that made some sense. Basically, that most likely Kelly was finally promoted to his level of incompetence. We all have a threshold, even in what we're good at, past which we will appear incompetent. He probably could have done another 10 years at ND with 1or 2 losses a year, always in the conversation but maybe never win a NC and retired with an exceptional career record. But that was the rung where his talent maxed out. Coming to the SEC was just one step too high and all the cracks and holes and weaknesses are showing now.
I think it's something along those lines. A year or two ago I asked the Big Ten board why the narrative about what Kelly could do with more talent....if he weren't constrained by ND academic standards. I looked at ND and LSU's previous 5 years recruiting and found ND actually recruited as well as us. The talent gap, at a glance, was a myth. I asked why anyone thought he'd be great (better) at LSU, given that. Didn't really get much of an answer, but I think the truth is bearing out....he can't do better here. He can't even do as well.
Hope he proves me wrong.
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Truly, if I were Underwood, I'd go ahead and take Michigan's $10.5 mil and tell LSU peace out.
I mean, I'd take the $ regardless, but whatevs.
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$10M in NIL is almost certainly complete bulljive.
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Here's what Finebaum had to say about CBK over the weekend:
“There’s really no way to sugarcoat a 3-year experience that has not gone particularly well. I’m aware like you are what he did the first year. There’s almost nothing for Brian Kelly to say right now other than to salvage what looks like a really fantastic recruiting class and turn this thing around quickly. Because no one is going to be forgiving for a guy who earns $10 million a year, who has the highest paid assistant coaching staff in the country, who has 4 losses but quite frankly probably should have 6.”
My thoughts exactly. And the heat should be turned up on Scott Woodward as well. If Kelly is shown the door, so should Woodward.
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Georgia's commits react to elite Sanford Stadium environment vs. Tennesssee (https://247sports.com/college/georgia/longformarticle/georgias-commits-react-to-elite-sanford-stadium-environment-vs-tennesssee-239967210/#2544108)
Sanford has been not known for a major HFA in the past, but they seem to be generating some now in big games.
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Here's what Finebaum had to say about CBK over the weekend:
“There’s really no way to sugarcoat a 3-year experience that has not gone particularly well. I’m aware like you are what he did the first year. There’s almost nothing for Brian Kelly to say right now other than to salvage what looks like a really fantastic recruiting class and turn this thing around quickly. Because no one is going to be forgiving for a guy who earns $10 million a year, who has the highest paid assistant coaching staff in the country, who has 4 losses but quite frankly probably should have 6.”
My thoughts exactly. And the heat should be turned up on Scott Woodward as well. If Kelly is shown the door, so should Woodward.
Scott Woodward and Brian Kelly....laughing all the way to the bank, where Jimbo Fisher is waiting with the door held open.
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$10M in NIL is almost certainly complete bulljive.
If the internet reports it, it has to be true.
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If anybody wants a pretty good bet, take Tennessee and the points (10!!!!!!!).
Oops.
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Scott Woodward and Brian Kelly....laughing all the way to the bank, where Jimbo Fisher is waiting with the door held open.
For the record, I'm not advocating that Kelly be fired. Not necessarily. (I'm talking, of course, as if LSU could wave their hand and buy him out as if they were Texa$.) It's one thing to say "this is not the guy." It's another thing to get rid of him, because you'd better have someone you think is better in that case, or the whole thing is just another step in the wrong direction. Sticking with the wrong 7-8 win guy is better than firing him and getting the next 6 win guy.
I'm not sure who's out there I'd trust to be 1) elite, and 2) a good fit in BR. Head coaches don't always translate to other places, and coordinators are kind of a roll of the dice. You could get a really good Bama DC named Kirby Smart, and he might make your team awesome. Or you might get an even better Bama DC named Jeremy Pruitt, and he might be meh. And possibly get himself show-caused. Just never know with the ol' carousel.
Hypothetically, I mean. As I say, it's just a philosophical clarification on my part......LSU can't afford to get rid of Kelly.
And my hope is that the ECFGs will punish the hubris of my adamant declarations that Kelly is a definite failure and make us three-peat for the first time in cfb history. That's probably not how the ECFGs work, but you never know.
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I have been ... surprised ... to see Kelly reacting against players on the sidelines. Maybe the media make too much of it. And yes, other coaches will "get in your grill".
My HS baseball coach was like that, and it doesn't work AT ALL in baseball. He was a nasty piece of work, I'm a bit disappointed I didn't walk off the team. That would have caused a stir, but as it was, he was fired after that year.
He doesn't seem like a fit at LSU, to me, but I agree, firing him is risky and expensive. You better have your money in hand and your order in mind.
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Fans forget that the HC still has a family and staff that rely on him. Sure, he get paid a lotta cash, but ultimately even the most wealthy schools will find their phone calls not being returned. No one wants to uproot their fortunes and tie them to a place that cuts you loose in less than 5 years.
Texas had to make the Sark hire count. No one was gonna take them seriously if they moved on from him quickly.
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I have been ... surprised ... to see Kelly reacting against players on the sidelines. Maybe the media make too much of it. And yes, other coaches will "get in your grill".
As I recall, he was always like that at Notre Dame too. When LSU hired him, I said something on here to the effect of "Saban is now the second angriest guy in the SEC."
I was actually surprised at how little he reacted on the sidelines in his first two years here compared to the years of ND games I watched when he was coaching. As for this year, that's happened more than just this past game. He's been chewing guys out all year on camera. I guess losing a star QB who hides a multitude of problems will do that to you.
I do think this was the only time the camera caught a player yelling at Kelly on the sidelines. Not a good overall look in that game, not to mention the 3 game losing streak.
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Maybe the camera just found him at a bad time, when this might be fairly common in the sport.
I don't think a coach should chew out a kicker for a missed kick.
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Can't remember if it was the A&M or the Alabama game....we missed 3 fg's, and Kelly chewed out the kicker, long snapper, and holder pretty good. Granted, it was a comedy of errors and not mere missed kicks, but it's not like they looked any less prepared than the offense or defense. Don't chew the kids out when they appear to be poorly prepared. That's on you, coach.
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Results probably matter. When Saban or Smart chew out players we probably overlook it more, including the players, because the coach is bringing them somewhere they want to be. And with guys like them it happens whether they're down by 10 or winning by 40.
When a coach hasn't proved he can field and lead a complete team, and he only chews guys out when they're losing,.....yeah, I ain't a fan. And I tend to think it's a sign he knows, even if subconsciously, it's not going well and he doesn't know what to do to fix it.
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Results probably matter. When Saban or Smart chew out players we probably overlook it more, including the players, because the coach is bringing them somewhere they want to be. And with guys like them it happens whether they're down by 10 or winning by 40.
When a coach hasn't proved he can field and lead a complete team, and he only chews guys out when they're losing,.....yeah, I ain't a fan. And I tend to think it's a sign he knows, even if subconsciously, it's not going well and he doesn't know what to do to fix it.
Nobody chewed ass like Will Muschamp. LOL
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I never got to watch him a ton as a HC but he sure could chew guys out as a DC.
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Truly, if I were Underwood, I'd go ahead and take Michigan's $10.5 mil and tell LSU peace out.
I mean, I'd take the $ regardless, but whatevs.
The two reasons consistently brought up for why LSU has yet to fire Brian Kelly is 1) Bryce Underwood and 2) his astronomical buyout.
From a CBS Sports article titled Can Bryce Underwood save LSU's Brian Kelly (https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/can-bryce-underwood-save-lsus-brian-kelly-critical-few-weeks-will-decide-kellys-future-in-baton-rouge/")?
“There were always questions about how Kelly would fit in at LSU. Scott Woodward, the school's athletic director, was intent on money-whipping a big name into saying yes after Ed Orgeron's tenure crashed and burned. Woodward repeatedly went hard after Jimbo Fisher, the same man he gave one of the worst contracts in college sports history while serving as Texas A&M's AD. When he couldn't convince Fisher to leave College Station, he eventually wooed Kelly away from South Bend with a massive 10-year, $95 million contract. That decision feels increasingly onerous for a skidding LSU program that would have to pay Kelly more than $60 million to move on from him after this season.”
Re: Woodward, he is to blame for causing a mess LSU can’t get out of. If Kelly is fired, Woodward should unceremoniously go as well. Woodward is only in the game to give himself a pat on the back, and he does so by bestowing bloated contracts to underserving hotheads.
A lot can be said about incompetence capsizing an organization. And with Woodward and Kelly we’re seeing how incompetence can be compounded by a superior’s incompetence being so bad it enables the incompetence of others. Woodward’s incompetence has trapped LSU to Brian Kelly’s incompetence.
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I don't think anybody at LSU is even thinking about getting rid of Kelly. Not even if they close the season with losses to Vandy and OU for a total of 5 straight. And that's disregarding the buyout.
Seems like they are happy to keep him at least one more season no matter what. If he under-delivers next year, the seat could get warm. Still not sure he'd be fired. There seems to be a lot of belief in him regardless of the results on the field. I don't hear any chatter that donors are in a hurry to move on.
But what do I know.
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I'd bet SOME people at LSU are thinking about it.
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Anecdotally, there seemed to be some fan apathy about Kelly's performance as well. Now that Underwood decommitted and committed to Michigan, some of the fans appear to show signs of getting restless.
For that kind of thing, fans don't amount to much, imo. It's all about the AD, the big donors, and the bottom line.
I couldn't tell you what they're thinking.
If LSU loses to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1990, it will mark their first 4-game losing streak since 1999, Gerry DiNardo's last year.
Is it sick if I kinda want to see it happen? Some twisted part of me wants to see how bad it can get, and we're on such a roll since 2020.
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I don't think anybody at LSU is even thinking about getting rid of Kelly. Not even if they close the season with losses to Vandy and OU for a total of 5 straight. And that's disregarding the buyout.
Now that Underwood decommitted and committed to Michigan, some of the fans appear to show signs of getting restless.
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Okay, you stumped me. You quoted me twice with no follow-up and I'm not sure what you're saying.
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I probably stumped me as well.
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SEC tiebreaker scenarios after Georgia tops Tennessee: Texas, Alabama in good shape (https://247sports.com/college/georgia/article/sec-tiebreaker-scenarios-after-georgias-win-over-tennessee-texas-alabama-in-good-shape-239915275/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2p_7llKqacL_jus8XfZ2MnBo7kqRO739R0nGIULX_J6x1JqA2-D2nrDMA_aem_rvhkVH2bjshMHINIi_x2_w)
The most likely scenario is the SEC standings ending with five teams tied for second-place with two conference losses. Here's what happens if that scenario comes to fruition over the next couple of weekends:
Texas Longhorns (9-1, 5-1) — Steve Sarkisian's team goes to the SEC Championship if they beat Kentucky and Texas A&M to finish 7-1 in conference play. The lone loss came to Georgia.
Texas A&M Aggies (8-2, 5-1) — The Aggies recovered since their 24-point setback at South Carolina and are wins over Auburn and Texas away from punching their first ticket to the SEC Championship. Of the six SEC teams in playoff contention, Texas A&M's situation would be the most sticky if the Aggies lose one of their next two games.
Georgia Bulldogs (8-2, 6-2) — The Bulldogs beat Texas and Tennessee, but lost to Ole Miss and Alabama. No team faced a tougher schedule than the Bulldogs.
Tennessee Volunteers (8-2, 5-2) — Tennessee could made things much easier on the SEC office had the Vols beat Georgia. Instead, Tennessee hangs on to its win over Alabama as a statement victory that could be enough to push the Vols into the playoff. Atlanta, however, is unlikely.
Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2, 4-2) — Sifting through various SEC tiebreakers, Alabama's wins over Georgia and LSU means the Crimson Tide win most, but the loss at Tennessee does stand out. Like Georgia, Alabama has played an extremely competitive schedule. If Texas beats Texas A&M and it leaves five teams with two losses in conference play, the winning percentage of the Crimson Tide's common opponents with others in the mix should get Alabama to Atlanta.
Ole Miss Rebels (8-2, 4-2) — Losses to Kentucky and LSU means the Rebels don't hold any tiebreaker scenarios unless they were to finish in a single-team tie with Georgia after beating the Bulldogs head to head this month. Ole Miss is likely a playoff team at 10-2, but getting to Atlanta is too far in the weeds.
That didn't age very well. Some upsets yesterday.
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. . . I've said either CBK was overrated or he just doesn't fit at LSU. I read an article a few days ago that made some sense. Basically, that most likely Kelly was finally promoted to his level of incompetence. We all have a threshold, even in what we're good at, past which we will appear incompetent. He probably could have done another 10 years at ND with 1or 2 losses a year, always in the conversation but maybe never win a NC and retired with an exceptional career record. But that was the rung where his talent maxed out. Coming to the SEC was just one step too high and all the cracks and holes and weaknesses are showing now. . . .
I thought when he was hired that he was not a good fit. Right off the bat he tried to do a Cajun accent. It was laughable.
But the Peter Principle--everyone rises to his level of incompetence--may be the correct explanation.
I have thought that the Peter Principle explained Brent Venables' lack of success at OU. The Sooners seemed to have found every way to lose winnable games this year. Then, after dropping a flea-flicker would-be TD pass and missing a FG early on, they dominate #7 Alabama.
So now I am at a loss to explain what has happened this year.
I don't know what sort of team will show up in Baton Rouge next week.
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I have no clue which Dawg team shows up Saturdays either. They may well lose to Tech on Friday (!!!!!) and then beat Texas again.
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Losing to this Auburn team was a serious punch in the gut. It didn’t help that we spotted them a 3 TD lead to start the game. Defense really let us down.
I have zero expectations that we will win the Lonestar Showdown next week.
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I think it's going to be a really REALLY hard-fought game, and it'll be close. The ags are a different team at home. Nobody I know on the UT side is expecting anything other than a war.
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A&M does look sketchy on the road. Their road wins this season are at Florida, before they got it together, and at Miss State.
Their road losses are at USCe and Auburn. They of course have the home loss to ND which looks good for ND.
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Our primary problem, in my opinion, is that our defense plays terrible in the 1st and 2nd quarter. We spotted Auburn 21 points, including letting them score on their first two drives. Offense played well enough to win. Plus, we had them on the ropes with 2 minutes left, but defense couldn’t stop them. And lets be real, this is not a good Auburn.
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A&M should have played Tennessee, they can't seem to score in the first half.
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Shout out to Florida and Billy Napier for finally finding traction in year three of what has been a highly criticized and middling coaching tenure. Two straight wins, first over LSU and yesterday over Ole Miss, and suddenly Florida's 6-5 record looks much better. Beat a 2-9 Florida State next Saturday, win the bowl, and it'll be smooth sailing into the offseason with a lot of talent returning next year and hopefully the schedule lightening up a bit. Keep in mind, between ugly starts to the season by both Florida and FSU, Napier was under more fire than Norvell. It says a lot that Florida coaching staff can get the season back on the tracks. Good job to the Gators for pulling through.
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I noticed Florida in the LSU game, they were playing aggressively, they had not quit. I viewed that as a real positive considering. I thought keeping Napier was a good decision on that basis. I think next year Florida will be quite dangerous.
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What the last few strings of posts have described is the late season scramble...
Teams that are a lot better than they have played let it all out- play it to the bone... while other teams are playing not to lose... or, most likely, there is a variant of the above with one not exactly desperate and the other not exactly confident...
OU played it to the bone from start to finish.
Florida played it the same.
Auburn hung their hat on that one game, last night, to retain their man cards.
LSU, without the media hype, is not different than arky- dangerous but hapless more than not.
Tennessee needed style points and got them, though that wee UTEP team dusted off and emptied the trick play bucket making it interesting to watch even though it wasn't a competition.
USCe is a spooky outfit..
Texas is a tall order for anyone right now... it reminds me of that old quote about Marines:
"Marines(Texas) believes they are the finest fighting force on the planet and to the point of arrogance, and the humorous thing about it is they're right."
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I don't know what sort of team will show up in Baton Rouge next week.
I've only watched OU a couple times this season, but they are more than good enough on the lines to beat LSU if they play with intensity. The two words that come to mind when describing this Tiger team are "soft" and "hapless."
Vanderbilt didn't have the talent to take advantage. OU has more than enough on DL to stop LSU's pathetic run-push from generating much, and if you can achieve that, they're easily forced into passing almost every down and you can just tee off and crush the QB. If your QB can run, you have a great shot to sustain drives and get big chunks that way. If he can find a wide open guy on a bust, there will be a couple chances for that.
I don't have a prediction for the game. OU has had some bad stretches and LSU has more talent than the fans want to admit. OU also just showed they can play with 2.5x more intensity than our team has shown at any point in the season, and when they get punched in the mouth....it's not that they fold....they're not quitters....they're just soft and hapless.
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I don't have a prediction for the game. OU has had some bad stretches and LSU has more talent than the fans want to admit. OU also just showed they can play with 2.5x more intensity than our team has shown at any point in the season, and when they get punched in the mouth....it's not that they fold....they're not quitters....they're just soft and hapless.
That's not the worst trait that a team can have, but it's a disappointing one. You're always waiting for something to go wrong.
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Mizzou head coach not too happy with MSU players jawing
https://twitter.com/FDSportsbook/status/1860500776348496092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1860500776348496092%7Ctwgr%5E9fd8a9abf646b9cd58ff3b65d367952905d0f498%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlyhorns.com%2Fboard%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FFDSportsbook%2Fstatus%2F1860500776348496092%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc255Etfw257Ctwcamp255Etweetembed257Ctwterm255E1860500776348496092257Ctwgr255Eba2646341738323d74d94eab22aa612a6e91cee9257Ctwcon255Es1_26ref_url%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ffootballscoop.com%2Fnews%2Fmissouri-coach-eli-drinkwitz-delivers-cold-message-to-sec-foe-mississippi-state
https://footballscoop.com/news/missouri-coach-eli-drinkwitz-delivers-cold-message-to-sec-foe-mississippi-state
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That's not the worst trait that a team can have, but it's a disappointing one. You're always waiting for something to go wrong.
We never have to wait long, in our case.
Be on the lookout for LSU to put an early good drive together and get down near the goal and get stopped on 3rd and short. When it's 4th and short, particularly near the goal line, Kelly has consistently gone for it and consistently gotten stopped, gaining no points from a good drive. He never learns. They couldn't do it in 2022, Jayden Daniels hid the problem in 2023, they couldn't do it in the opener against USC, they couldn't do it against {insert name of opponent, reiterate throughout season-schedule}, and they couldn't do it against Vanderbilt. He. Never. Learns. This team can't run the ball.
It's so common I call it before the sequence happens to my wife and she thinks I'm clairvoyant. I'm like no, I've just been watching this for three years.
LSU so desperately wants to run the ball and be good at it. It's in the program's DNA. But they haven't been great at it since Miles was run off, and they've outright bad at it in Kelly's time. If/when there's a 4th and short near the goal (or worse, mid-field, as Kelly is sometimes want to do, to the team's great detriment), if the pattern holds, he'll go for it, wanting to make a statement that dammit, there's improvement, and OU will push our $h!t in at the line and stuff us. I just hope the crowd shows up like they did for Alabama, and not the checked-out, uninterested, half-full stadium that showed up for Vanderbilt. I believe our only shot is if OU gets rattled.
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Tech plays UGA Friday night, which seems odd to me. I don't recall that happening before, Thursdays yes, not Friday.
The game next year will be played in the MB Dome, not at Tech.
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So, how 'bout Florida? I thought Napier didn't cut it for Florida standards the first two seasons, and this year wasn't looking good, but they appear to be on an upswing. They still lack some players, but that Lagway qb looks like he's going to be really something, and the team overall appears well-coached at the moment. Not sure where their overall talent level is, but with obvious improvements and the AD firmly standing behind Napier so far, they stand to take a big leap forward next year.
Wonder what the qb situation will be. I haven't watched Mertz a ton, but even when he heals up, I think Lagway is the guy.
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I think Napier and Lagway are "The Guys" for next season. I wish they had canned Napier back when. But I noted before I appreciated how Florida had been playing of late.
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According to one website--no idea if it's accurate or not because I care not a bit for figuring out CCG participants anymore--a lot of LSU fans are left wondering what might have been had played better two weeks ago in Gainseville, as a win against a beatable Florida would have created a three-way tie with Georgia and Tennessee for second place behind Texas, and by tie-breaker rules, LSU would have earned a spot in the CG to face Texas.
Well, what might have been, is that Texas would've made Texas fans face-palm a number of times and wonder why LSU was still hanging around despite being pile-driven in most meaningful respects. And LSU fans would've been harshly reminded they are not close to the realm of top teams.
Still, it's good for a program to make games like those, and I hope Brian Kelly has heartburn, anxiety, and regret over his choices in life. We didn't belong on the field with UGA in 2022 either, but it was good for the team. I suspect that might be the last Kelly sniffs of Atlanta.
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Lot of Aggie fans are putting up about how this season was ok due to first year coach etc. Not necessarily disagree, 8-4 with key wins against tough competition ( LSU, Mizzou, Florida) and close losses against what has turned out to be a very good USC team is nothing to be ashamed of.
But making 8-4 or better next season will be tougher. We play @ND, Mizzou, and UTexas, LSU. For those keeping score, we haven’t won in BR in league play yet.
We do get Auburn and USC at home.
Almost forgot, no more Jerryworld for Arkansas. We travel to Fayetteville next year. They may be breaking in a new coach as well.
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I guess here is as good a place as any to mention how funny I found it to watch the Michigan players on the sideline after The Game wincing and grimacing as if crying, as I later found out they had been maced. Rivalry weekend brought out the feels in a number of games I saw. Plenty of fisticuffs over the weekend. Michigan/OSU took the cake, though. Not saying OSU should have responded, but trying to plant your flag on an opposing team's field is a dick move and if you get smacked for it, that's on you.
I'm sure the schools get fined for all that, but really the school is barely liable or culpable for the idiocy of teenage imbeciles. My first reaction is that in cases like that, if we're going to have NIL deals, in some cases massive sums of $, then the kids ought to be fined. They wanna turn this into the NFL where it's pay-for-play? Fine, your pay gets docked for dumb actions, just like NFL players.
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I don't agree with everything here, but some of it I do, and it's an overall perspective that describes and explains my ever-waning interest in cfb. I'd point out that a lot of what he covers here, @utee94 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15) , @847badgerfan (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=5) and some others here said would happen as far back as when I joined this board in 2006. I've now lived long enough for most of this to come to fruition, and the one thing this guy says that hasn't happened yet which will inevitably happen, the guys here saw that coming years ago as well.
I have zero hope for his solution. Not just his particular solution, which I wouldn't mind, I guess. But any solution. I have zero faith any of the major players have any kind of foresight or sense to see what they're doing to the sport.
Anyway, I found it to be an interesting take, so I thought I'd share.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhJlEId04oA
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I watched that a couple of days ago, it's good stuff.
The biggest thing to me is how short-sighted and predictable the efforts of the elite programs/Big 2 conferences are. Yes, you have every possible built-in advantage, so your race to the top is a foregone conclusion. Yes, SEC, you're going to "win" the contest vs the ACC or XII. Duh. No shit, Sherlock.
Yes, OSU and USC and Texas and Michigan, you're going to "win" the contest vs the Minnesotas and Virginias and Stanfords of the world. Duh. No shit, Sherlock.
And yet the B1G/SEC and top programs are all frothing at the mouth, giving 110% in a competition they can't possibly lose. They're greyhounds chasing the mechanical rabbit, but racing against bulldogs. It's embarrassing, really.
For the haves to act so oblivious and not take into account the health of the sport as a whole is just plain stupid. Aren't these supposed to be places of higher learning? Tact? Nuance? Wisdom?
Nope, just dogs scarfing down as much food as possible before being caught.
Asinine.
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Aren't these supposed to be places of higher learning? Tact? Nuance? Wisdom?
Nope, just dogs scarfing down as much food as possible before being caught.
One thing I knew but am only just now starting to get my head around the reality of, is just how divorced athletic departments are from the rest of the school. I've recently been working for a university in operations, and I'm only just now getting the scope of what it means that the sports-ball teams and the academic institution are two different entities. That probably doesn't explain everything, but it probably explains some of how schools may actually be places of higher learning and wisdom, and the football programs behave like fat rich kids who think they're starving.
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At this point, who does Brian Kelly think he’s fooling?
“Following a convincing and, yes, impressive, 37-17 win over Oklahoma Saturday night, LSU coach Brian Kelly channeled his inner Deion Sanders…Never mind Oklahoma just finished 6-6.”
“The last two weeks, they listened to the narratives out there that, ‘They were not excited to play,’ and ‘The season was over,’ and they simply went out and played inspired football…So, whatever camp you want to jump into, go right ahead. We had five freshmen and two sophomores on defense today playing their tails off. So, you know, again, we’re taking receipts, and, you know, we’ll see you at the National Championship.”
A National Championship? Who does BK think he’s fooling? Yes, LSU has won two straight over 6-6 teams, but does that balance out earlier disappoints of losing to USC or losing three straight after climbing to a #8 ranking? Does it inspire National Title hopes?
In reality, next season is increasingly murkier after #1 recruit Bryce Underwood flipped to Michigan (followed by one or two other big decommits), and with no reason to believe the OL or RBs will be any better next year, does QB Nussmeier bother sticking around?
Already looking forward to BK’s postgame presser after next season’s opener Vs Clemson.
https://twitter.com/TigerRagMedia/status/1863128602180567316
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Nuss will probably be back. He talks as though he's leaning that way, and I think the sub-par interior of the OL really hampered the talk people had about him being a high draft choice. All QBs suffer from bad OLs, but what it showed was, for all his positives, he doesn't play like a good QB with a bad OL when his OL is bad. He plays like a back-pedaling twit who throws off his back foot for disaster, or runs away for huge sacks, when in either case, a small sack would've been much more preferable.
The OL is a mystery. The interior could hardly be worse than it was this year, you'd think. But the center will probably be back and he's the main culprit. The guards are so-so....they could feasibly improve. The tackles will be worse, hands down. RT still has to declare, but he's been brilliant in his 3 years, and the LT has declared already. They are the only OT tandem in cfb I ever saw who started from day 1 as true freshmen. A rarity that a true fr. OT starts that early, unheard of that two of them do, and unbelievable how good they immediately were except for that we all saw it. The LT has a total of 2 sacks allowed in 3 years. RT doesn't have much more than that. LSU is not going to get better there next year.
The RBs are fine. They just need a line that can run-block.
But yes, we're all looking forward to Kelly's next Presser Cope after LSU bumbles away another winnable opener.
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Well, how did your recruiting go?
We lost our prized QB to Michigan, Louisiana's top player to USC, and a prized CB to Texas, all of whom paid them more than our NIL collective would (or could).
We finished 8th in recruiting according to the 247 composite, which is good, but there are 4 SEC teams who did better, which is bad.
Even this is all dust in the wind, because half these kids won't be here in a year anyway. They'll portal out, others will portal in, and I'll have no idea who this roster is when 2025 starts, or 2026.
By habit I want LSU to be competitive and have a shot any given year. By virtue of everything that once made me love the sport, I recognize this is some kind of bizarre professional league wearing the decaying skin-suit of cfb. It's not even the NFL, it's the MLB, where Texas is the Yankees and my team is the Cincinnati Reds.
Due to school history, history with other teams, and pure profitability of the Athletic Department, I think it's unlikely my team will be left behind in the Conference Realignment Wars, as has happened to some schools by this point. It also means, I think, that my team will not be where they frequently stand a chance. If we were left behind, we'd probably do well in the Big 12 for a while, or something. In the age of MegaCon the All-Consuming, we're probably going to be also-rans.
Is it better to serve in heaven or reign in hell?
I'm liking this sport less and less.
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Texas did very well. I'd like a couple more big bodies for the OL and DL, but I always do.
From what's been explained to me, at "our" level (that's the Texas and LSU and Alabama and Georgia type levels), straight NIL payments aren't as big of a deal as one might think. That is, they have to be there, and they need to be adequately on par with one another. However, Texas isn't going to money-whip a player into coming. If the kid isn't inherently considering Texas as a destination, then the staff isn't going to be interested in having him. Most prospects whose uncles or such threaten to decommit if the NIL offer isn't raised will be encouraged to take the higher offer.
There are some kids worth winning a bidding war for, but they're ultra-rare. Even those kids have to have shown some intrinsic desire to play for the Longhorns. This isn't some noble, high-brow ideal. It's a simple recognition of the fact that football is a tough game. If they're only wanting the NIL, they're not going to be a good teammate.
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There are plenty of kids who would be happy to be at Texas or LSU. That makes $ a deciding factor.
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Yeah, I'm not sure how recruiting rankings matter anymore. There needs to be a study of what % of those 4 and 5* kids stay at their initial school. My guess is it's under 50%, maybe around 30 or so.
Thought I have to say, Napier seemed to be like a Robin Hood of flipping recruits from the rich to the needy (Florida) all over the place. It's good news, but hard to tell what actual impact it will have.
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Texas did very well. I'd like a couple more big bodies for the OL and DL, but I always do.
From what's been explained to me, at "our" level (that's the Texas and LSU and Alabama and Georgia type levels), straight NIL payments aren't as big of a deal as one might think. That is, they have to be there, and they need to be adequately on par with one another. However, Texas isn't going to money-whip a player into coming. If the kid isn't inherently considering Texas as a destination, then the staff isn't going to be interested in having him. Most prospects whose uncles or such threaten to decommit if the NIL offer isn't raised will be encouraged to take the higher offer.
There are some kids worth winning a bidding war for, but they're ultra-rare. Even those kids have to have shown some intrinsic desire to play for the Longhorns. This isn't some noble, high-brow ideal. It's a simple recognition of the fact that football is a tough game. If they're only wanting the NIL, they're not going to be a good teammate.
This makes a lot of sense.
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I’m with you on this recruiting. Signing day means almost nothing. Most won’t play in year one. Many won’t stay for year two. Big boys will pluck star players from the mids. Players that didn’t pan out will go to the mids.
In the last 20+ years A&M has almost never been below #10 in recruiting, often finishing in the top 5. In that same time span we’ve only finished top ten ranking twice. We’ve finished out of the top 25 more than we’ve finished in it. A lot of that is because in that same time span we’ve played in the same division of some of the bluest of the blue blood programs, and faced many of what I call 21st century blue bloods like Florida and LSU. That doesn’t explain all of it though, with bad records against teams like Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Mississippi State.
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Florida had NCs in 96, 06, and 08...but we also then had the best recruiting class of all-time (recorded rankings, so maybe like only 20 years) at the end of Meyer's run (since exceeded by others, including A&M), yet that class stunk it up.
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UGA has done well with retention.
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Florida had NCs in 96, 06, and 08...but we also then had the best recruiting class of all-time (recorded rankings, so maybe like only 20 years) at the end of Meyer's run (since exceeded by others, including A&M), yet that class stunk it up.
That’s what’s good and bad about the portal. Our #1 recruiting class is vaporware. I have no idea how many are still here, but I’d wager less than 30%. Some of them were straight up thugs, a good amount never lived up to the hype. And obviously the man that recruited them is gone. I wish some reporter would do an article on where they are now.
I like the way Elko recruits these guys, he cares a lot more about character than Fisher.
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Our high character guys got blown out by Alabama, and stunk it up against USC, USCe, A&M, and UF.
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Texas won the 2005 NC with a few high character guys and more than a couple gangstas. I'm okay with that recipe for success.
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Well, I mean it helped that they had a generational-type QB.
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I feel like the phrase "generational talent" is misused. Maybe we just mean "uncommonly spectacular."
Was VY a "generational talent" when Tim Tebow was more or less of the same generation? Was Joe Burrow a "generational talent" when another lsu qb matched his production 4 yrs. later? i.e., is it right to describe Jayden as a generational talent when another guy did the same stuff 4 years earlier?
In the latter's case, I feel like what I mean is "they nuked a ton of records and were capable of putting a team on their back." Which is pretty much what I mean when I reference VY, Tebow, etc. Colt McCoy may belong in that category as well.
It seems that every few years guys like that come along, so I don't know that "generational" is the correct word.
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Are you arguing with yourself??? You're the one that used that term for Vince Young. :)
Vince Young is the best college football player I've ever watched play the game, but he clearly wasn't the ONLY great player in his "generation."
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I think hyperbole often gets exaggerated.
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No, I'm not arguing with myself. I used a phrase and then wondered out loud if the phrase is accurate while still being adequate.
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What kind of Christmas music do you find yourself listening to this time of year? (If you listen to Christmas music.)
I like a mix of older "classics" by folks like Bing Crosby and Sinatra, and newer stuff that features a fair bit of new originals.
On the new stuff that would be considered outside of the "timeless standards," I find myself year after year gravitating to Michael McDonald's album "In The Spirit" and Bryan Duncan's "Christmas is Jesus" album. Those just hit a lot of sweet spots for what kind of music I like.
There are a lot of others, of course. I notice that a lot of the stuff I have that falls outside the timeless standards have a definite jazz bent to them, if not outrightly in the jazz genre. I don't know if that means I favor jazz or if Christmas music lends itself to jazzing up. Outside of Christmas music, I don't listen to much jazz and don't overly care for it.
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What kind of Christmas music do you find yourself listening to this time of year? (If you listen to Christmas music.)
I like a mix of older "classics" by folks like Bing Crosby and Sinatra, and newer stuff that features a fair bit of new originals.
On the new stuff that would be considered outside of the "timeless standards," I find myself year after year gravitating to Michael McDonald's album "In The Spirit" and Bryan Duncan's "Christmas is Jesus" album. Those just hit a lot of sweet spots for what kind of music I like.
There are a lot of others, of course. I notice that a lot of the stuff I have that falls outside the timeless standards have a definite jazz bent to them, if not outrightly in the jazz genre. I don't know if that means I favor jazz or if Christmas music lends itself to jazzing up. Outside of Christmas music, I don't listen to much jazz and don't overly care for it.
Classics or nothing.
XM 71
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Got lotsa genres depending on the mood:
The "Classics" with Bing, Brenda Lee, and (my favorite) The Ray Conniff Singers (vintage 60's style ultra-wide stereo separation)
The "Rat Pack" with Dean Martin, Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Elvis and such
Full-on orchestral hymn type stuff: John Rutter, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, King's Singers
Fun, Pop stuff like the 80's "Very Special Christmas" albums, "A Twisted Christmas" by Twisted Sister, Relient K's Christmas album
When I'm cooking, I'll blast Navidad cumbias and Norteño and the like. Annoys the wife because if she enters the kitchen, she's gonna dance with me whether she wants to or not.
Currently, I'm exploring the Caribbean (mostly T&T) Christmas style soca-parang. I love soca music anyway. Parang involves getting roving bands of musicians to crop up outside your house, caroling style, only it's usually late at night. They blast tunes until you wake up, come outside, and give them rum!
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Got lotsa genres depending on the mood:
Same here.
I'll listen to almost any style of Christmas music. I tend toward the standards/classics with singers like Bing Crosby and Andy Williams. I also like the crooners' versions of those, favorites are Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Bob Goulet, etc. And of course the ladies like Eartha Kitt, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald.
I agree that Christmas music lends itself to jazz quite well, quite a few jazzy Christmas tunes I enjoy.
But I also like more recent modern stuff. Pop and rock hits from the 80s like U2, George Michael, Bryan Adams. And synth stuff from the 90s/2000s like Manneheim Steamroller.
And then full on orchestral music, most notably Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, and Beethoven's 9th Symphony which is commonly associated with both Christmas and Easter due to the lyrics from Ode To Joy. But plenty of others there as well.
Basically I like it all.
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The Nutcracker! I always forget about that and I so rarely hear anything from it on the radio, but it definitely should be considered a must-listen at Christmas.
So now I think I'll go listen to it :)
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The Nutcracker! I always forget about that and I so rarely hear anything from it on the radio, but it definitely should be considered a must-listen at Christmas.
So now I think I'll go listen to it :)
You can combine your affinity for Christmas jazz music at the same time, check out Duke Ellington's version of Nutrcacker Suite. It's pretty great.
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Might as well get it all at one go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_7AvrTnMpY
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I try not to keep up with transfers, portal-adds, portal-defections, signees, etc., because what's the point anymore. But I can't keep all the news out and I heard about LSU picking up a couple of Florida kids, players the insane people who still follow recruiting seem to feel pretty positively about.
It's an odd world, when you have a spot at Florida and would leave for LSU (insert any similar programs there). In their particular case, they just whupped LSU on the field, so ostensibly they may not even be leaving for a team in better shape.
If you can beat 'em, join 'em, I guess.
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i don't follow any of it, until the season begins in August/September. It doesn't matter one bit until then.
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I wish they would not open the portal until after bowl and playoff season
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I wish they would not open the portal until after bowl and playoff season
New semester begins for some schools in early January so they have to open the portal window before then, to allow for transfers. The bowls and playoff run too long into January and don't allow for a smoother schedule.
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I try not to keep up with transfers, portal-adds, portal-defections, signees, etc., because what's the point anymore. But I can't keep all the news out and I heard about LSU picking up a couple of Florida kids, players the insane people who still follow recruiting seem to feel pretty positively about.
It's an odd world, when you have a spot at Florida and would leave for LSU (insert any similar programs there). In their particular case, they just whupped LSU on the field, so ostensibly they may not even be leaving for a team in better shape.
If you can beat 'em, join 'em, I guess.
Pyburn is a high-motor DE good against the run. Not sure why he left. Not a long, twitchy edge guy at all. He's easy to root for, but idk what his plan is. I'm worried he wants to be something he's not (elite edge pass-rusher).
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That's pretty much the assessment I read on him. I guess it makes sense from LSU's standpoint since they were shaky against the run at times. Ideally you'd want someone good at both, but the pipeline we used to have of guys who were big, physical, run-stuffers, but still agile, quick and nimble pass-rushers seems to have dried up a long time ago.
I honestly don't know how common it is for DLs to be very good at both, or at least pretty good at one while being very good at another. We were spoiled from about 2003 to 2012 and most of them were from Louisiana, but now all those guys are at Alabama, or Georgia, or Texas, or Michigan, etc.
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It leads to a related question that interests me. I wonder how some of our old defenses which were elite for their time would look in today's game. Our 2003 team allowed 67 rush ypg--good even for that time--but they didn't live in a world of RPO's. iirc--and I might not--I don't think QBs in general were nearly as mobile back then, or if they were, it wasn't such a baked-in part of their offense. For LSU, every year's defense had it's own flavor in those days, but the evolution could maybe be benchmarked as follows: 2003 was the culture change, where everyone played with their hair on fire all game. 2007 (when healthy) was built to stop the more traditional offenses we saw at that time, but struggled with the incoming spread-option Urban Meyer was introducing to the conference. 2011 was the culmination of Chavis' answer to that, built to choke spread-option teams. 2016 was still in that mold, but more geared to combat the emerging RPO trend.
There's just a lot of firepower in offenses today, and the QBs on average, imo, have improved significantly in the college game over the last 20 years. Those old defenses I mentioned were great, along with several Florida, USC, Oklahoma, etc. defenses we could talk about. I still think an offense like LSU's 2019 or 2023 squad would hit 30+ on them, no matter how miserable the defense made them and how hard they would've had to work for it. I'm not sure LSU should expect a defense with that kind of production anymore, even if the talent were comparable. Alabama routinely fields offenses that are just going to score, no matter what defense is out there. That UGA team we ran into in ATL in 2022 had two TEs that were matchup nightmares and a scheme that made the defense wrong no matter how they chose to defend a play.
Predictably, the crux of our best defenses was the line, particularly the 2003 team. The reason why no plays worked on that team is because every play was dead before it started. I don't know that you can live off that anymore. The best O-lines are much more impressive than they used to be, I think, and they give crazy-good QBs and receivers enough time to run a play.
It's interesting to think about, but my hunch is none of those defenses I remember fondly would look as good now as they did then. Who knows.
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Everything has to evolve.
When the Big 8 took on the SWC cast-offs, the beast in the room was the Cornhusker Big Red Machine. If you wanted to make a run at winning the conference, you had to be ready to stop a bunch of corn fed rhinos from stampeding down the field. That meant big DTs and, crucially, hulking LBs. 4-4 defenses were common. You had to recruit those big bodies.
When Leach became the OC at OU, he went the opposite direction. He sent as many receivers as he could screaming downfield. Ideally, you'd defend that with 5 or 6 DBs running mixed coverages. If a Big 12 defense were lucky, they maybe had 6 DBs in the entire rotation - including heavy safeties and raw underclassmen. They still were stocked with those massive LBs. OU put 70 on most teams, and stopped because they had some sense of mercy.
All that to say that the SEC's early 2000's defenses were there to stop the (primarily Bama) running game. LSU's was feared in that regard. When TAMU brought the spread style, complete with Saban angering HUNH, no one was ready for it. An offense that was good-but-not-great in the Big 12 excelled in the SEC. Nowadays, outside of the weirdos like Army, offenses are remarkably similar (or have the potential to be).
LSU's 2003 defense would still be a beast in today's game, though.
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Not to be argumentative, but at least one team was ready for A&M. The charts of Manziel's production game by game during his tenure are fodder for LSU fans. It's high and steady, with massive drops for his two games against LSU. That offense did precisely squat against LSU in two tries, and frankly, 2012 was not one of LSU's greatest defenses, and 2013 was flat out bad by its standards at that time.
I'd actually argue LSU in particular was geared to handle A&M. Chavis built a specific machine for those offenses, which had in fact entered the SEC. But he also implemented a brutal platoon system, if needed, in the summer of 2011 leading up to the opener against Oregon, the kings of the HUNH. Why Alabama had so much problems with A&M early on, I don't know. They were built rather similarly to us, I thought, usually with better linebackers and (at that time) not quite as good DLs.
I'll never forget the game against Oregon in Jerry-world. Oregon's vaunted pace which ran a play every 15 seconds or something like that......they lined up to run a play and at times were visibly stunned to see LSU's entire defense set already and waiting for them. At one point our DE Sam Montgomery was in his stance beating his hand on the ground as if to say "Come on! Hurry up! We ain't got all day! Get lined up and run your play, Oregon!" What Chavis had done to prepare for them was to coordinate with the offensive coaches and employ two completely separate offenses who would run a play, one after another. All one unit had to do after running a play was get off the field as quick as possible, and the other offense was waiting to run on and snap the ball, having had time to get a play in while the other squad ran its play. It got down to where LSU's defense was forced to defend a play within something like 6 seconds of the last play being dead. By the time the Oregon game came around, the HUNH was like a Jedi mind trick that didn't work on them.
What amazes me, and escapes our current teams, is when I watch Texas, UGA, or some of Alabama's recent great defenses. Even against RPO teams, everywhere the ball goes, 2 or 3 defenders are already flying in. It's like they know what's coming before it happens. Talent is obviously part of it, but what I'm talking about goes beyond talent. This is something I never saw from even our best defenses. Those teams operated on very specific assignments and counted on havoc on the line and the back end being better than your guy. What I'm talking about, like when Texas and UGA play each other this year, or watching Alabama for several years, is it feeling like there's 4 defenders no matter where you go with the ball. I'm amazed, enthralled, and enchanted by how it happens, and keeps happening. They know beyond a shadow of doubt what their formation is taking away, what the QB is going to do in response to that, and it's like they're all going to where they know the ball is going to go as soon as its snapped.
Well.....and tackling. That's something those teams are doing which we used to, but have abandoned in recent years. But still. Note the utter hell they create for an offense as it never looks like there's any open space, anywhere on camera. It's like there's 20 guys on defense.
Which is, like, 2 less than Tennessee lined up with against us that one time.
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LSU's 2003 defense would still be a beast in today's game, though.
Eh, not really sure that’s accurate. We had a new head coach, with new coordinators, and a few new skill players ( Mike Evans at WR). About the only part we kept was a mature OL, but Sherman ran a pro-style offense.
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That 2012 LSU loss cost us a shot at the SEC championship game. As I recall, we did miss an easy field goal or two that would’ve made a difference. But you’re correct, Johnny Football was much ineffective in that game.
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Les Miles had a special teams hex. So many teams bizarrely missed FGs against us. He also had a weird mojo where he knew exactly when the opposing team fell asleep and would be susceptible to fake punts or FGs. The punters, kickers, returners and coverage were all bangers in those days too.
Man, I miss that.
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What kind of Christmas music do you find yourself listening to this time of year?
I listen to most anything Christmas-y this time of year 🎅
from the elegant and timeless hymns - O Holy Night; Little Town of Bethlehem 👼
to Mannheim Steamrollers' heavenly instrumentals - Silent Night, Carol of the Bells 🔔
to the mid-century classics - White Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ⛄
to the worst of the holiday novelty songs - Mommy Kissing Santa, Santa Baby, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer 🎄
which I mostly can't stand, but everything is taking the good with the bad 🎩
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well, sir- here is a carol for you:
We got our effin ass kicked fallahlalalah-luh-lalala
Tennessee ain't nuthin special fallahlalalah-luh-lalala
---Arrogance will get you nowhere unless you can back it up
We'll be back and do this over fallahlalalah-luh-la la la
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well, sir- here is a carol for you:
We got our effin ass kicked fallahlalalah-luh-lalala
Tennessee ain't nuthin special fallahlalalah-luh-lalala
---Arrogance will get you nowhere unless you can back it up
We'll be back and do this over fallahlalalah-luh-la la la
be careful karma is listening
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be careful karma is listening
That may be the problem... karma WAS listening.
That is as embarrassing an arse whoopin as I can ever recall- at least happening when I truly thought TN was a good team.
97 Nebraska comes to mind... 96 Florida... maaaaaybe 2001 LSU, but they were good with that backup QB coming in nobody was prepared for... Memphis 95 I think it was... arky 91... these are the games that I KNEW Tennessee was the better team, and I still think they were better than Memphis and just laid an egg, but, those are the games that come to mind where I truly believed UT was better... meaning, even on a bad day they should win...
Add tOSU to that, now. I REALLY thought UT was going to roll them. They were beat in every aspect a team can get beat.
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Save this, for whenever you're daisy-orange ass is feeling a bit uppity:
(https://i.imgur.com/gda4Oih.jpeg)
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And on 2012 A&M, you want to see a halftime adjustment? Look at Manziel's first SEC game - tore us up in the first half. But Muschamp had the DEs stop going for the sack and just corral him in...and shut A&M out in the 2nd half.
23 offensive plays for 47 total yards in 2nd half.
They simply stopped trying to sack him.
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What in the world Alabama…Kalen DeBoer…Jalen Milroe?
An embarrassing, uninspired showing by Alabama losing to Michigan in their Bowl yesterday.
Milroe was awful through the first quarter, fumbling TWICE, tossing an INT, and committing a FOURTH turnover if you count the Sack he took on 4th Down. Milroe settled down as the game progressed, but only marginally, and not enough to finish drives that weren’t bailed out by the heroics of other players.
With a month to do so, how in the world did DeBoer – a supposed QB whispering master – not have Milroe more prepared? Was his success at Fresno St and Washington that got him hired by Alabama lucked into by quarterbacks Jake Haener and Michael Penix? Now starting games in the NFL?
It’s worth asking because Milroe, who’s capable enough to productively work with, was wastefully handled this year. Throughout Alabama’s four losses, Milroe was fooled by defenses, couldn’t advance beyond his first progression (K Williams or Germie Bernard), was a turnover machine, and killed drives with inaccurate passing.
As for yesterday’s Bowl loss, one of the peripheral story lines was whether Milroe, waiting to announce after the Bowl (pending), would return as a Senior next season. Either way, why didn’t Kalen DeBoer (and OC Nick Sheridan) move on to sophomore backup (and presumed future) Ty Simpson, and ready him for next season? Milroe is a lost cause. Makes me wonder if Ty Simpson is also not developing? And whether DeBoer should even have his reputation as a developer of QBs?
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My guess is a certain kind of QB might prosper under one QB "whisperer" but flag under another equally good QBW. It may relate to style.
It has been asked of course why Carson Beck took a big step back this season, his second, and I think much of that is called McConkey and Bowers.
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Agree about Beck/Bowers/McConkey.
Re: Deboar and Milroe: I don't know much about Haener, but Penix may very well be a QB that might exaggerate the perceived capability of the guy who gets to call plays for him. On the flip side, Milroe doesn't have a lot to recommend him, that I've seen, other than his legs. He's a worse version of Jalen Hurts, imo, and I've been pretty critical of Hurts.
Might take DeBoar another season or two to get the team remade in his image, but I still think he'll get Alabama back at the top.
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LSU finished 61st in defense for 2024, a significant improvement from the previous year.
...
...
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.......and they're still 61st in defense. The 4 Playoff Semifinalists all rank in the Top 8 in defense.
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Turns out I really like having a good defense. Who knew??
This year's Texas defense is good. I'm not sure its worthy of its lofty ranking, it's sort of disappeared in some big moments in some big games, but it's also gotten us a lot of important stops when it really mattered. Huge stops on multiple 4th and shorts against A&M, Clemson, and Arizona State, in recent memory.
So I wouldn't say it's a shut-down defense, but it does play with intensity and it plays smart, most of the time. And the improvement of the secondary from last year to this, has been remarkable.
Gonna need the Defense's best effort of the year tomorrow night, I think.
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Tulsa World
Berry Tramel's College football picks: Can Texas stave off the Northern invasion?
Jan 8, 2025 Updated 17 mins ago 0
Berry Tramel
Sports Columnist
College football’s national championship game is January 20, in Atlanta. Fitting place. The capital of southern football. Home of the SEC Championship Game and the Peach Bowl and Georgia Tech and probably three million Georgia fans and one of those neutral-site opening-weekend games in which Alabama or Clemson or Georgia clubs some poor opponent.
But unless the Texas Longhorns pull a major upset Friday night, Atlanta is in for a shock. Two northern teams playing for the title.
The College Football Playoff semifinals pit Notre Dame against Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night, then Texas against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
A sport dominated by Deep South teams suddenly has returned to its roots. Michigan won the 2023 national title, and unless UT beats the Buckeyes, the 2024 champ is guaranteed to come from the Great North.
Not since 2014 Ohio State has a northern team been the king of college football. And before that, the previous non-South champ was Texas itself, which in 2005 hailed from the Big 12 and the Southwest. Austin still is a Southwest city, but the ‘Horns have joined the Southeastern Conference, so rest assured that the South will use all ambiguity to its advantage.
Most years, both combatants in the title game have come from the South. Or at least not from the North. Between the 2014 Ohio State-Oregon title game and Michigan-Washington last season, the only North team to make the championship game was Ohio State in 2020.
But the Big Ten clearly has emerged as a worthy rival to the SEC, with two semifinalists, and Notre Dame is undergoing a renaissance, and the SEC/Clemson hold on the sport has slipped.
Let’s get to the predictions:
Notre Dame vs. Penn State: Fighting Irish 20-10. Notre Dame has been better tested in the CFP, with victories over Indiana (no big deal) and Georgia (big deal). The Nittany Lions have won with relative ease against Southern Methodist and Boise State.
Ohio State vs. Texas: Buckeyes 28-16. Give the Longhorns credit. Their strength is the defense, but the offense has answered the bell in this CFP, against both Clemson and Arizona State. The Buckeyes seemed to sleepwalk through much of the regular season but in the playoff has looked like 2020 Alabama. One of the most dominant teams we’ve seen in years.
Last week: 7-5. Season: 503-201.
berry.tramel@tulsaworld.com
Tramel's pick in tonight's game isn't looking very good.
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Nice win for the Irish. I like that kind of team. Excellent defense, solid running game, a QB who doesn't have to be elite, but is tough and smart and can run the offense.
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Lot of picks and near picks in that game from both ND and PSU. Neither of those QBs were very good. I don't really see ND being able to compete with Ohio State OR Texas.
So now we'll see if Texas is able to compete with Ohio State. I'm not betting on it, but hope springs eternal.
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Berry Tramel is a putz.
A paragraph after remembering Michigan just won the 2023 Footbawlz, he says "not since 2014 Ohio State has a Northern team been king of the sport."
Then he goes on to say how Ohio State in the playoffs (referring to dominance, greatness, etc.) looks like 2020 Alabama. 2020 Alabama? Really?!? That's his comp for a great team?
I end where I started. Berry Tramel is a putz.
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Well, yeah.
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From OAM, on the Big Ten board:
"I don't get the NFL love for Allar AT ALL. Same with the LSU QB. What in the holy hell can make up for poor decision-making and failing to find wide open spaces when you have two 1,000 yard RB threats behind you."
Nuss would be amazing with an OL that didn't turn every play into a panic play and that could open up the occasional hole for a RB to take some pressure off the QB spot. He was really good for a first year starter considering what he had to work with. When he got a whiff of a clean pocket, he was dealing. I can only imagine what he could do with a complementary running game and a year of playing experience under his belt.
No idea about the NFL love for him. Don't know anything about that. Somebody will have to clean-up his hero-ball proclivities--preferably us, this off-season--and teach him that if your OL sucks, it's okay to get sacked a lot.
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Carson Beck to the xfer portal.
Who would've guessed. If not for NIL he almost certainly would've been gone to the NFL for beaucoup $ last year. Might be that NIL winds up hurting players as much as it damages the sport.
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Carson Beck to the xfer portal.
Who would've guessed. If not for NIL he almost certainly would've been gone to the NFL for beaucoup $ last year. Might be that NIL winds up hurting players as much as it damages the sport.
Yeah true enough. Same thing for Ewers, I wonder if his draft status would be any better if he'd come out last year, versus this year.
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Berry Tramel is a putz.
A paragraph after remembering Michigan just won the 2023 Footbawlz, he says "not since 2014 Ohio State has a Northern team been king of the sport."
Then he goes on to say how Ohio State in the playoffs (referring to dominance, greatness, etc.) looks like 2020 Alabama. 2020 Alabama? Really?!? That's his comp for a great team?
I end where I started. Berry Tramel is a putz.
Re your 1st point, he should have written "had" instead of "has."
Maybe he has a problem with verb tenses. I have heard him say "I had went."
I suppose you'd rather he used 2019 LSU as the standard of a great team? Based on how badly LSU waxed OU in the Peach Bowl that season, I'd agree with you.
But 2020 Bama was awfully good too.
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Berry Tramel is a putz.
A paragraph after remembering Michigan just won the 2023 Footbawlz, he says "not since 2014 Ohio State has a Northern team been king of the sport."
Then he goes on to say how Ohio State in the playoffs (referring to dominance, greatness, etc.) looks like 2020 Alabama. 2020 Alabama? Really?!? That's his comp for a great team?
I end where I started. Berry Tramel is a putz.
Uhhh, 2020 Bama is an all-time great team. Whether you're impressed with their play or not, their resume with ZERO cupcakes on their schedule makes them an all-time great team. Like sort of undisputably.
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What he meant to say was this will be the 2nd straight year we'll have a national champion of northern aggression. :57:
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Re your 1st point, he should have written "had" instead of "has."
Maybe he has a problem with verb tenses. I have heard him say "I had went."
I suppose you'd rather he used 2019 LSU as the standard of a great team? Based on how badly LSU waxed OU in the Peach Bowl that season, I'd agree with you.
But 2020 Bama was awfully good too.
2019 LSU wasn't really on my mind.
My issue isn't anything to do with Alabama within 2020. They were the best team that year, hands down. My issue is that wasn't even close to the best Alabama team of Saban's time, let alone who to point to for Greatest Team Of All Time. 2020 saw teams with no contact practices that lead to horrendous defense everywhere I looked. Mac Jones was a product of that.....his play looked like it, and his NFL career cemented it. They played one less cupcake than a standard team in a season, but less games (with two consecutive bye weeks in the middle of the season to rest and heal).
2020 Alabama makes me yawn. They're as forgettable as the season they played in. They would've lost to a handful of other Alabama teams, let alone other teams we can legitimately talk about for GOAT.
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2020 is definitely an asterisk year.
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Mac Jones is an asterisk quarterback.
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Mac Jones is an asterisk quarterback.
I honestly don't remember much about that season, or Mac Jones' performance. Everything was such a mess, leagues playing only against themselves so no intersectional matchups, teams having to cancel or postpone games, teams constantly playing at half-strength or worse. I'm glad they went ahead and found ways to play the season, but all in all, it's just a throwaway year.
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Exactly.
One thing I do remember is, for whatever reasons, with the limited practices afforded to the teams, offenses came together way better than defenses. My guess is the lack of live tackling in practice, which I believe was disallowed to reduce contact (lolz). I've never seen crappier defense across the entire country as 2020. Crap tackling, and players everywhere out of position. Every game was like watching a Big 12 game :)
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I honestly don't remember much about that season, or Mac Jones' performance. Everything was such a mess, leagues playing only against themselves so no intersectional matchups, teams having to cancel or postpone games, teams constantly playing at half-strength or worse. I'm glad they went ahead and found ways to play the season, but all in all, it's just a throwaway year.
I remember it quite well because it was A&M's best team in ~20 years. We were talking about the chances of the 2020 team long before the season, the schedule worked out quite nicely, and we had some nice OOC matchups. Then COVID hit, all the OOC games got cancelled, we won every game except Alabama who rolled us, and then ended up missing the playoff, where Alabama rolled everybody else, including ND in the playoff 14-31 and Ohio St 52-24.
The reason why I was pissed about it is because ND lost to Clemson 10-34 and still got in the playoff. I'm not saying that we could have beat Bama the 2nd time, but we played them in our 2nd game of the year and were much improved by the end of the season, whipping a really good UNC in the Orange Bowl. This is exactly the reason why I was in favor of expanding the playoff because a "Helmet" team will always get the benefit of the doubt. It would have been nice to get to the playoff and see how far we could have went, instead we didn't get the chance. Oh, and ND somehow got invited to the ACC Championship game. I'm still a little confused by that. I know they "pair" up with the ACC, but I'm not sure if that was just a COVID year thing or WTF that was. I had forgotten all about that.
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What an amazing week. We had snow here for the first time since 2017, one of just a handful of times we've had snow in my entire lifetime, and by far the most snow we've ever had. We got 5 inches here at the house, Beaumont had as much as 10 inches and some of the pics I saw from the city looked like pictures you see in blizzards up north. Trucks abandoned on the road with snow halfway up their bigass tires.
Monday was MLK day, Monday night it started snowing so Tuesday and Wednesday got called off at work, and even though most people went back to work on Thursday, we stayed closed "due to an abundance of caution." So today is my only work day, and on Fridays I work from home. I didn't have to get up and fight traffic or weather the cold a single day this week.
What an amazing week.
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Amen, brutha.
We got maybe 1/10th of an inch? It was enough to stick, and schools stayed closed on Tuesday. The roads were completely clear by 11 or noon.
I was "working from home" that day but we had a lot of fun with the kids, hanging out by the fire all day, cooking, eating, doing puzzles, making hot cocoa, and generally being lazy. With them being 17 and 15 now, I know there aren't going to be many more days like that where we're all together, and I make the most of every opportunity.
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17 and 15.....geez. I remember when you announced your oldest was forthcoming, and I'd already been coming to your tailgates for a couple years by then, I think.
That means I've been hanging around here for a long time, and may be getting old.
....
....
....Nah.
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Yeah my firstborn was a brand new baby, not even one month old, when we had the Board Meeting at the Texas-Nebraska game in 2007. That's why I wasn't able to join ALL the festivities that weekend. I only had a hall pass for the tailgate party on Saturday.
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utee's post is timely. I posted this on my Facebook account (first time I've posted on Facebook in years) that my oldest (also 17) was just recently admitted to Texas A&M, specifically into the engineering program. He'll be class of 2029. I'm friggin' old....
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Congrats, Shiner!
We're taking my oldest to visit the A&M campus in a couple of weeks. And the UT campus the week after that. Of course, she's already been to both, numerous times. But never as a prospective student.
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My son is shocked to learn that I greatly respect the academic reputation of many schools that I vociferously route against in the sporting world.
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I don't really "root against" other teams aside from direct conflict. I will root against other teams ranked higher than my own, but not because of who they are, other than Eastern Michigan.
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I not only root against other teams... I actively root for the meteor strike when said hated teams are matched up against one another.
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Yup same here. Ags-Sooners is always a fine candidate for a meteor game.
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There are a handful of teams I don't mind seeing lose, Notre Dame, Florida, Eastern Michigan, but I don't care that much about it. Tech is too pitiful to be loathed, we beat them like a champ last time, albeit in 8 OTs. Auburn is meh. Tennessee the same. They can all lose/win whatever.
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There are a handful of teams I don't mind seeing lose, Notre Dame, Florida, Eastern Michigan, but I don't care that much about it. Tech is too pitiful to be loathed, we beat them like a champ last time, albeit in 8 OTs. Auburn is meh. Tennessee the same. They can all lose/win whatever.
Did Eastern Michigan steal your lunch money once upon a time?
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Eastern Michigan is almost as dislikable as Wofford!
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Did Eastern Michigan steal your lunch money once upon a time?
Heh, the back story is I once noted that for a team to be hated it has to be somehow relevant. You may recall a former poster, now passed on, who was from Eastern Michigan, so I thought I'd try and throw some shade their way at times.
Gatorama. RIP.
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Ah, yeah. I had forgotten that he attended EMU.
Maybe he forgot it too in his love for M Go Blue.
R.I.P., Gatorama.
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Indeed, RIP. He is missed around here.
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He attended my son's service at Arlington, which was a thing of course. There also were about 15 students from his HS there who realized on arrival they were dressed too casually, I told them not to worry about it, they were fine. There also was an Ohio Senator (now governor) and Congressman present. My kid asked them if they knew each other. They chuckled. And there was a notable press contingent about 50 yards away, I appreciated that they were kept distant though I could hear camera shutters clicking, it wasn't an issue. The ceremony was brief, maybe 15 minutes, which was fine. I understand for officers they do the horse drawn caissons, if that is the proper term.
One of my CACOs had never been in DC before and wanted to get a quick tour, so the night before I drove him around some. He was a staff sergeant at the time, called me a few years later saying he was a WO 5, which struck me as pretty impressive. He was from Utah and was estranged from his grandfather, and apparently some words I had convinced him to go see his grandfather again. Memories, not all terrible.
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He attended my son's service at Arlington, which was a thing of course. There also were about 15 students from his HS there who realized on arrival they were dressed too casually, I told them not to worry about it, they were fine. There also was an Ohio Senator (now governor) and Congressman present. My kid asked them if they knew each other. They chuckled. And there was a notable press contingent about 50 yards away, I appreciated that they were kept distant though I could hear camera shutters clicking, it wasn't an issue. The ceremony was brief, maybe 15 minutes, which was fine. I understand for officers they do the horse drawn caissons, if that is the proper term.
One of my CACOs had never been in DC before and wanted to get a quick tour, so the night before I drove him around some. He was a staff sergeant at the time, called me a few years later saying he was a WO 5, which struck me as pretty impressive. He was from Utah and was estranged from his grandfather, and apparently some words I had convinced him to go see his grandfather again. Memories, not all terrible.
E-6 to W-5 is an impressive accomplishment.
Have you seen the movie Taking Chance, CD?
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So here's signing day in February, and LSU didn't bring in a single player, and wasn't expected to.
What a weird world.
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Yeah I don't even know what "signing day" even means anymore. It's okay though, I never really liked paying attention to recruiting anyway.
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I never did prior to joining this board back in '06. One of the Buckeyes would talk to me about high school kids Ohio State and LSU were vying for and I had no clue what she was talking about. So I started paying attention to it and then it was fun. For a while anyway.
I'd still follow recruiting, except for that it's pointless as regards my mode of fandom. I liked knowing the players who would be at LSU for the next 3-5 years. I liked knowing that they either chose to represent their state, or had good recruiting visits and we had good recruiting pitches. That's what made it "LSU football" to me when it came time for them to take the field.
Now the amount of roster turnover from year to year is dizzying, and I'm not spending that much time on kids who will come play and transfer out in a year. And who even knows if they really wanted to be there, or we just gave them a better financial deal than other schools.
It's not interesting, and I don't care about recruiting battles anymore, because win or lose, kids who don't sign with us could wind up here anyway, and kids we do sign could (and do) leave.
I used to never like the NFL. Now I'm forced to watch it, and I have to say, there is something a bit more honest about the game there. I didn't like it mainly because it was paid professionals who had no real team loyalty in the end. Now that the same thing is true in college, I find the NFL a bit refreshing, because at least its honest about what it is. Once I settled into that, I found watching the NFL isn't so bad. Just a shame I don't really have a team I root for, and I don't think I can manufacture the kind of fandom I used to have with LSU sports. Somehow the Saints were completely lost on me growing up....and that's probably to the betterment of my mental health.
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If I were starting an NFL fandom right now, I'd be a Chiefs fan!
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But overall, yeah, totally agree with you. My interest in college football is waning for the reasons you've cited, and others.
But I still can't say I care more for the pro game. I just care less about all of it, in general.
That's why I'm hopeful Sarkisian can deliver one more NC to Texas, before I just completely check out.
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Final 4 appearances the last two seasons. Stands to reason he'll eventually get over the hump.
As for becoming a Chiefs fan, it figures you'd pick the one NFL team with no Tigers ;-)
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Final 4 appearances the last two seasons. Stands to reason he'll eventually get over the hump.
As for becoming a Chiefs fan, it figures you'd pick the one NFL team with no Tigers ;-)
Ha! Not intentional of course.
But I've always liked Mahomes. And Worthy is there now. And Derrick Johnson was a good player for them, as were Priest Holmes and Jamaal Charles. Plus my i s c & a aggie wife spent her first nine years of life in KC, so she always roots for them.
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But overall, yeah, totally agree with you. My interest in college football is waning for the reasons you've cited, and others.
But I still can't say I care more for the pro game. I just care less about all of it, in general.
That's why I'm hopeful Sarkisian can deliver one more NC to Texas, before I just completely check out.
bullshit you just need a little Longhorn jolt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J63GRvfUhlA
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Our QB last year got NFL offensive rookie of the year. That, after our pitching ace from the 2023 championship beisbol team also got MLB rookie of the year.
Now we just need a stud basketball player to go to the NBA and nah, I can't even type that with a straight face.
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Does Ben Simmons count?
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Well, since it was 10 years ago and he was injured his rookie season, I'm inclined to say no.
However, I did not know he actually did win NBA ROTY....in technically his third season. I didn't keep up with him after his draft and injury. I had no idea he was ROTY, or that you could even win that when it's not your first season...or even your second. Shows what I know. I just looked him up and that's what it says.
With that, I guess we can claim to have at least 1 player drafted #1 in each major sport, and a player to win ROTY as well.
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An Aggie was Super Bowl 50 MVP, but he didn't score a TD.
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Of the 130+ FBS schools, there are likely quite a few that have never had a player score a TD in the Superbowl. In the exact same game 3 nights ago, DeVonta Smith was the first Alabama player to ever score a TD in the Superbowl. Apparently they don't count QBs throwing TDs into that stat.
https://sports.yahoo.com/devonta-smith-becomes-first-player-030401174.html
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Did Ja'Marr Chase catch a TD when the Bengals lost to the Rams?
If he did, I bet he'd trade that catch for a W all day, every day, and twice on Sundays.
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LSU gymnastics will take on their nemesis, Oklahoma, tonight. The Sooners have been the bane of the Tigers for several years. Despite multiple top-notch teams, and even a NC team last season, the Sooners have been a little better and consistently edged us out.
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ousux
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LSU gymnastics will take on their nemesis, Oklahoma, tonight. The Sooners have been the bane of the Tigers for several years. Despite multiple top-notch teams, and even a NC team last season, the Sooners have been a little better and consistently edged us out.
#1 vs. #2. Should be a good match.
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Well, LSU won the women's gymnastics meet 198.050-197.675.
Congrats to MikeDeTiger!
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Congrats to that one gymnast, I reckon, for parlaying an okay gym career into being an Insta-celebrity and causing riots at the PMAC.
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Congrats to that one gymnast, I reckon, for parlaying an okay gym career into being an Insta-celebrity and causing riots at the PMAC.
She's cute, but it's definitely curious to me that of all the THOTs on Insta for rando dudes to simp after, she became such a focal point. Maybe it's because she's a college girl and an athlete, she seemed more like a real person, than so many other plastic chicks on the web? Just speculating.
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Just fair warning. You may kick us around in football and you may laughably kick us around in basketball, but baseball season's here, and in that, we will take our revenge.
Well, I hope, anyway.
But you've been warned nevertheless.
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Just fair warning. You may kick us around in football and you may laughably kick us around in basketball, but baseball season's here, and in that, we will take our revenge.
Well, I hope, anyway.
But you've been warned nevertheless.
Bulljive. We owe you for 2009. We'll get OUR revenge.
Texas baseball is going to return to prominence. I pity the fool that stands in our way.
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I keep thinking it would be fun to walk down to a Tech baseball game, and maybe I will when the weather gets nice. Not now, the weather is brutal, 26°F at the moment.
They have a nice looking stadium there. Where does college baseball rank in the minor league level? AA?
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I love college baseball. I have no idea how it compares to minor leagues since I don't follow any professional baseball at all. But it's relatively cheap (compared to football anyway) and spending a nice weather weekend at the ballpark is one of life's great pleasures IMO.
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My friend and pitching coach was a first round draft pick, he told me it was a no brainer to take the money at that time, but a 3rd rounder or lower would be better off in college, usually, he speculated. I figure the better college players could step into AA ball and not miss a beat, the best could play AAA, and of course the top few could play MLB with some adjustment. My friend said the jump from AA to AAA was the steepest, the AAA players generally are ready for MLB level play, perhaps with some small deficiencies they work on.
Some of it is who is ahead of you at your position obviously.
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Bulljive. We owe you for 2009. We'll get OUR revenge.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, uh...your opinion, man.
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https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6340696/2025/05/07/sec-football-nine-game-schedule-espn-money/ (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6340696/2025/05/07/sec-football-nine-game-schedule-espn-money/)
ESPN open to paying SEC more to add ninth conference football game to schedule: Sources
Seth Emerson, Andrew Marchand
5–6 minutes
May 7, 2025Updated 6:59 pm EDT
ESPN has indicated a willingness to increase its payment to the SEC if the conference adds a ninth game to its league football schedule, sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic.
There is no formal offer yet, those sources added, and the exact amount of the increase still needs to be fully negotiated. But the sources said the additional money would likely be in the range of $50-80 million annually on top of the current deal, in which ESPN pays the conference $811 million per year to broadcast its sporting events. Both ESPN and the SEC declined to comment.
A change in ESPN’s stance doesn’t mean the SEC will definitely move to playing nine conference games. Now the main hurdle to expanding the league schedule may be the future College Football Playoff format, which isn’t likely to be determined until at least June. That makes it less likely — though not impossible — that the SEC makes a decision on a schedule format at its spring meetings later this month in Destin, Fla.
Still, ESPN’s willingness to up its ante is an important development, as it has been one of the main sticking points among enough SEC members to resist the push for nine games. When the SEC announced the addition of Oklahoma and Texas in July 2021, momentum toward a nine-game schedule increased instantly, with commissioner Greg Sankey among those privately in favor. (Sankey finally went public with his preference earlier this year.)
But for the past four years, members have expressed enough opposition that the conference instead went with a temporary fix of eight-game football schedules for 2024 and ’25, the first two seasons with Oklahoma and Texas. Some of the concern was competitive, especially among teams worried about reaching the six-win bowl eligibility threshold. Some of the concern was economic: A nine-game schedule means schools could play one fewer home game every two years, and they wanted ESPN to help make up the difference.
“One of the issues in the room for our athletics directors is what seemed to matter most, is the number to the right, the number of losses, and how do we understand what that means for our schedule moving forward?” Sankey said in March during an appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show. “I’m one who said I really think we ought to be trying to move towards a nine-game conference schedule. I think that can be positive for a lot of reasons. You watch the interest around conference games. But not if that causes us to lose opportunities.”
One reason Sankey and the SEC went with the temporary eight-game schedule was the hope that the success of the inaugural season with Oklahoma and Texas would encourage ESPN. And that appears to be exactly what happened.
The two new SEC schools were part of memorable, highly rated games, including their annual Red River rivalry and Texas’ two losses to Georgia on national stages. The SEC championship game between the Bulldogs and Longhorns was the highest-rated non-Playoff game of the college football season, and at least one SEC team was involved in eight of the 10 most highly rated games of college football’s regular season.
Another consideration for the league is the games that would not happen regularly if the SEC stayed with an eight-game schedule. The eight-game format would include only one permanent opponent for every team, so some highly rated rivalries would only be played twice every four years, including Texas-Texas A&M, Alabama-Tennessee, Alabama-LSU and Auburn-Georgia.
If the SEC went to a nine-game schedule, all those games would be played annually. Those matchups are all part of the 2024 and 2025 schedules, an unsubtle way for the SEC to show ESPN what it could be missing. (The eight-game schedule format could always be changed to account for those games, but the conference has made no move toward doing that.)
As for the CFP format, the SEC has been waiting to see whether the postseason field will expand to 14 or 16 teams and whether any automatic bids will be installed in the new format; the SEC and Big Ten have discussed pushing for as many as four bids apiece. When the SEC only got three teams in the 2024-25 Playoff field, concern over further snubs immediately boosted leaguewide sentiment about staying at eight games. The introduction of automatic bids may address those concerns, but momentum for their addition to the CFP structure may have stalled.
Another factor in a potential move off of eight-game slates: The SEC has been working closely with the Big Ten, which plays a nine-game conference schedule, and the leagues’ consideration of future scheduling partnerships may hinge on playing the same number of league opponents. The SEC could also just settle for a stronger assurance that schedule strength will matter to the CFP selection committee and assume the risk of an extra conference game in order to reap the financial benefits. The new money that would head each school’s way from ESPN would likely not even account for half of the more than $20 million schools will be allowed to distribute to athletes under a new revenue sharing system starting this summer, but it would still help.
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If the SEC went to a 9 conference game schedule would that mean playing every team in your sub conference schedule (7 games) and the other 2 games be alternating amoung SEC teams in the other sub
conference?
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I guess it could, but it would also open the door for some of the "pod" formats I've seen proposed where each team permanently plays three other teams and rotates the other 12.
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Yeah I'm a fan of the 3+6/6 model. Each team has 3 permanent "rivals" and then plays 6 more teams for 2 years, and then alternates to the other 6 for 2 years. Or those 6-6 could alternate EVERY year but either way, you're playing every team in the conference at least 2 years out of every 4, and getting one home and one away game with them.
It's not a pod system because they're not all forced to play one another. For example, LSU's 3 rivals could be A&M, Ole Miss, and Alabama, but A&M could have LSU, Texas, and Kentucky, and Texas could have A&M, OU, and Arkansas, while OU could have Texas, Arkansas, and Mizzou. Mix and match however you like but the general idea is you play 3 teams every year, but you're not stuck in a pod with those 3 teams.
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I’ve thought about it. I used to advocate the pod system, and then the 3+6 or whatever. Now I’ve decided they all suck and I hate this bloated system we have.
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https://twitter.com/sec/status/1921024083111584146?s=61
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I’ve thought about it. I used to advocate the pod system, and then the 3+6 or whatever. Now I’ve decided they all suck and I hate this bloated system we have.
I agree.
I invite A&M, UT, OU, Mizzou, Arkansas, and USC to leave :)
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What would a reconstructed SWC look like?
A&M
UT
Tx Tech
Baylor
Arkansas
OU
oSu
I’d be fine with those core members. Would you try to pickup a team or two west, like Arizona or ASU? Utah, BYU ? I mean, if it’s called Southwest, it would be somewhat prudent to include teams from the actual southwest I think?
Arizona
ASU
BYU
Utah
Need one more school to round it out. Maybe one of the TCU/Baylor/Smu type schools? TCU has had the most success on the football field out of that bunch, but Baylor won the men’s BB championship a few years ago ( I think).
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Need one more school to round it out. Maybe one of the TCU/Baylor/Smu type schools? TCU has had the most success on the football field out of that bunch, but Baylor won the men’s BB championship a few years ago ( I think).
Baylor is in your core group, so you'd have to pick TCU/SMU/other.
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Shows how little I think of them.
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I have zero desire ever to play Baylor again, in anything. Just a corrupt POS school, just as bad as Penn State.
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I have zero desire ever to play Baylor again, in anything. Just a corrupt POS school, just as bad as Penn State.
Boy, are you in the wrong conference these days.
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I have zero desire ever to play Baylor again, in anything. Just a corrupt POS school, just as bad as worse than Penn State.
FIFY!
Baylor is the great example of everything wrong with big-time athletics at a supposedly religious school.
"Sic'em, Jesus!"
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FIFY!
Baylor is the great example of everything wrong with big-time athletics at a supposedly religious school.
"Sic'em, Jesus!"
Nah, Penn State covered up child rape for decades. They're just as bad as Baylor.
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Boy, are you in the wrong conference these days.
SEC cheating/corruption is nothing like Baylor or Penn State.
Heck, most of what the SEC was always guilty of doing, is completely legitimate now.
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https://www.chron.com/sports/college/article/nick-saban-nil-texas-longhorns-aggies-legislation-20317204.php
This article makes little sense. Basically it's saying that A&M and UT don't want Nick Saban in charge of revamping college football NIL because the playing field was not equal?
Saban lamented (https://www.si.com/college/2022/04/13/nick-saban-nil-rules-system-you-can-basically-buy-players) in 2022 that NIL "creates a situation where you can basically buy players," and he noted that the lack of a "salary cap" undermines the chance at a "level playing field."
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So basically anything that puts Alabama at a disadvantage is bad. Got it. Strange article from a Texas rag.
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I have no idea how Saban got this kindly old grampa image. He was as ruthless and cutthroat of a college coach as there ever was, and he never had any problems with Alabama boosters buying off players before NIL rendered the bag game obsolete.
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So basically anything that puts Alabama at a disadvantage is bad. Got it. Strange article from a Texas rag.
That's not what I got from it at all. Rather, it was "anything that cuts into the advantage that Texas and A&M currently have is bad."
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Saban managed to observe OU's practices in the Sugar Bowl before the 2003 (season) BCS championship game.
It's not a secret that it happened. What was in contention was the intent.
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Was his intent REALLY in contention?
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Saban managed to observe OU's practices in the Sugar Bowl before the 2003 (season) BCS championship game.
It's not a secret that it happened. What was in contention was the intent.
Never heard that one before. Please tell us more. If it did happen, how did it get outed?
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I just realized something. For as much as my interest in LSU football wanes these days, I really want to win the opener against Clemson this year. Not because of anything specifically about Clemson, but because we haven't won an opener in 5 years. It's such a dud to try to muster up excitement for a sport that's rapidly losing me, and then tune in for the opener and lay eggs in embarrassing fashion like we have the past 5 seasons.
At this point I'd trade the marquee matchup for a rent-a-win nobody cares about. We used to be automatic in ooc games like no one else, but it's just been shameful this decade. After losing a game to Texas in 2002, LSU went on a nation-leading non-conference tear of regular season games until the Wisconsin opening loss of 2016, and most bowl games too (there were three bowl losses to PSU 2009, Clemson 2012, and ND 2014). We played some heavy-hitters, and not only did we win, a lot of them were blowouts.
I'm not necessarily asking for that again, but a Day 1 W after a string of derps doesn't seem like too much to ask. Unfortunately, I don't think it's coming against Clemson. LSU stands to be a pretty good team this year if all the pieces gel, but I don't expect a team built like this to be humming on opening day.
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That surprises me a lot.
Clemson seems to be highly wanked.
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Clemson seems to be highly wanked.
(https://media.tenor.com/73ZauHqgSz8AAAAM/squints-fry.gif)
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I just realized something. For as much as my interest in LSU football wanes these days, I really want to win the opener against Clemson this year. Not because of anything specifically about Clemson, but because we haven't won an opener in 5 years. It's such a dud to try to muster up excitement for a sport that's rapidly losing me, and then tune in for the opener and lay eggs in embarrassing fashion like we have the past 5 seasons.
At this point I'd trade the marquee matchup for a rent-a-win nobody cares about. We used to be automatic in ooc games like no one else, but it's just been shameful this decade. After losing a game to Texas in 2002, LSU went on a nation-leading non-conference tear of regular season games until the Wisconsin opening loss of 2016, and most bowl games too (there were three bowl losses to PSU 2009, Clemson 2012, and ND 2014). We played some heavy-hitters, and not only did we win, a lot of them were blowouts.
I'm not necessarily asking for that again, but a Day 1 W after a string of derps doesn't seem like too much to ask. Unfortunately, I don't think it's coming against Clemson. LSU stands to be a pretty good team this year if all the pieces gel, but I don't expect a team built like this to be humming on opening day.
,
Tell you what, I'll straight up trade you the last 3 games of the season for the first 3. It seems like there were so many seasons where we came in guns blazing only to completely shit the bed in November it ain't even funny anymore. In fact, I'd say better to go 0-7 or whatever and then win the last 4-5 games. I know obviously this isn't how it works, but damn November has brutal for A&M my entire life it seems.
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I only just now saw the game is @Clemson. I thought this was one of those one-off, neutral site games. We are definitely going to lose the 6th opener in a row. Clemson will play a return game in Baton Rouge to open 2026, when we'll be breaking in a new QB, so that's a 7th.
I'm quite optimistic.
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I only just now saw the game is @Clemson. I thought this was one of those one-off, neutral site games. We are definitely going to lose the 6th opener in a row. Clemson will play a return game in Baton Rouge to open 2026, when we'll be breaking in a new QB, so that's a 7th.
I'm quite optimistic.
Why are you giving the game up so early? It's not like Clemson has been the same since they went on their run 5-7 years ago. They're not the same Alabama slayers they were a few years ago.
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Why are you giving the game up so early? It's not like Clemson has been the same since they went on their run 5-7 years ago. They're not the same Alabama slayers they were a few years ago.
Because I watched our last 5 openers, and particularly the three under Brian Kelly. We just don't have our stuff together when the season starts. If it's not the special teams, it's the defense. If it's not the defense, it's dumb mistakes. His coaching tenure so far has been like plugging ever-springing leaks on a boat.....plug this one right here, another one bursts over there.
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Why are you giving the game up so early? It's not like Clemson has been the same since they went on their run 5-7 years ago. They're not the same Alabama slayers they were a few years ago.
They're likely going to have the most 1st rounders next year, so there's that.
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Never heard that one before. Please tell us more. If it did happen, how did it get outed?
I've forgotten the details. Best I remember, OU took the field for practice a bit late for some reason, Saban showed up towards the end of practice, said he didn't mean to be there, Bob Stoops publicly accepted the explanation. Some Sooner fans did not accept the explanation, and noted that some trick play we had not shown all year was instantly sniffed out by LSU. ~???
Here's a link to the Oklahoman's coverage, but it's paywalled. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/sooners/2007/10/17/a-playbook-for-privacybrspan-classhl2colleges-especially-ou-take-spying-as-serious-threatspan/61701167007/
So that's probably not much help.
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(https://i.imgur.com/GP8fred.png)
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Kentucky's logo was badass.
Out of LSU and Auburn....who copied who?
Tennessee and Vandy haven't really changed much.
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We've had a few logo redesigns over the years, a popular fan favorite was the 1972 one, which a lot of people like because, well, it looks like an insane cat escaped from a mental hospital on meth, which is pretty much what LSU is, in the grand scheme of things. In 2002 it was replaced by an image many would come to called "Toonces," I think so named for some cat in a recurring SNL sketch, or something. I hated it, and it remained fairly unpopular with fans.
(https://i.imgur.com/vmG60Sj.jpeg)
2002/2007 logo obviously was an attempt to tone down Mike's Toxic Felininity and turn him into a pussy(cat). Even though the 2014 is the current logo (I think), LSU has usually had an Alternate Logo through the years, and the current alternate logo is a throwback nod to the 1972 Psycho-Predator that we rightfully are. This image adorns a lot of official merch and webpages, and it's so much better than the Toonces trash we forever have to live with if we want the keepsakes of, say, the 2007 season. I have several t-shirts with this one now that I really like, and usually still whip them out for game day.
(https://i.imgur.com/fOeCSDJ.png)
It's just a shame we can't seem to put together a defense anymore worthy of this Don't-F-With-Me-bro monster.
(https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2010/3/27/1393552/the-death-of-toonces-how-you-can)
Proof I'm not the only person who hated Toonces. (https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2010/3/27/1393552/the-death-of-toonces-how-you-can)
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I think that little cartoon character with the sailor hat or whatever you call it was popular for a lot of schools back in the day. If I’m not mistaken, NC State still uses theirs.
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Yeah pretty much everybody had a mascot in a sailor cap at some point. I'm assuming it near/around/just after WW2 when people were all feeling very militaristic and patriotic.
(https://i.imgur.com/nplKEHq.png)
Personally I prefer Angry Bevo in a cowboy hat, definitely more Texan.
(https://i.imgur.com/g8eJA1y.png)
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Right on. Mascots should have angry faces. Bevo should be a badass mofo with a cowboy hat and sharp, pointy horns that say "FAFO, beeyatches." He shouldn't be some faceless orange outline.
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I just realized something. For as much as my interest in LSU football wanes these days, I really want to win the opener against Clemson this year. Not because of anything specifically about Clemson, but because we haven't won an opener in 5 years. It's such a dud to try to muster up excitement for a sport that's rapidly losing me, and then tune in for the opener and lay eggs in embarrassing fashion like we have the past 5 seasons.
Until just checking, I didn’t realize Clemson was ranked so high in the preseason polls, a few even placing the Tigers at the very top. But, yes, they return most everybody of key importance. Obviously Cade Klubnik returns at QB as a Heisman candidate, but also preseason All-American Peter Woods at DT. Alongside Woods, will be edge rusher T.J. Parker who finished top 10 nationally in sacks and tackles for loss.
As for LSU, like their loss to USC to start last year, losing to Clemson right out of the gate puts a damper on the big year LSU is positioned for with QB Garrett Nussmeier returning. However, how does the rest of the offense look? Hasn’t LSU lost production at WR as well as bodies on the OL? Normally I could research the roster myself, but the college football preview I reference is delayed and not released for another month.
And as for the oddity of LSU losing a streak of season openers, Clemson fans have melted down as poorly as LSU’s after consecutive losses in their season openers, calling it the “downfall of the program” after getting blown out by Georgia last season and upset by Duke the year before.
I wish LSU @ Clemson’s Saturday Aug 30 730PM matchup was moved to Sunday or Monday to give either Dabo Swinney or Brian Kelly a dedicated spotlight for their postgame meltdown, a welcome Labor Day weekend tradition at this point:
(https://i.imgur.com/jxrFxur.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/GP8fred.png)
Is everyone just going to ignore that 4 year old's drawing of a Razorback?
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My favorite of Tennessee's logo's, and wished they'd still incorporated it. I have a retro T-shirt with this on it:
(https://i.imgur.com/W0wvlBF.png)
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Yeah pretty much everybody had a mascot in a sailor cap at some point. I'm assuming it near/around/just after WW2 when people were all feeling very militaristic and patriotic.
(https://i.imgur.com/nplKEHq.png)
Personally I prefer Angry Bevo in a cowboy hat, definitely more Texan.
(https://i.imgur.com/g8eJA1y.png)
Perhaps the Vols need a sailor cap on top of their "T" logo. We have a Navy.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ru7FvkY.png)
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As for LSU, like their loss to USC to start last year, losing to Clemson right out of the gate puts a damper on the big year LSU is positioned for with QB Garrett Nussmeier returning. However, how does the rest of the offense look? Hasn’t LSU lost production at WR as well as bodies on the OL? Normally I could research the roster myself, but the college football preview I reference is delayed and not released for another month.
On paper, the skill production stands to be very good. The OL is going to be a work in progress, maybe even all season, with new faces and questionable level of play from returners. If Clemson's DL is great, that's just one more reason why this is just Nightmare on Tiger St., part 6.
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This is my favorite Florida logo, from the late 80s/early 90s:
(https://i.imgur.com/TI3HpBS.jpeg)
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This is my favorite Florida logo, from the late 80s/early 90s:
(https://i.imgur.com/TI3HpBS.jpeg)
Thats a good one. I loved their white unis and helmets they wore in our 2016 game. Those are sharp.
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Kentucky's logo was badass.
Out of LSU and Auburn....who copied who?
Tennessee and Vandy haven't really changed much.
Here's a good story about how all those cartoon mascots wearing sailor hats came to be.
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/blogs/homefield-history/art-evans-college-mascot-sailor-hats
(https://i.shgcdn.com/67bb0c86-6122-4580-9dd3-5a1094cca3ac/-/format/auto/-/preview/3000x3000/-/quality/lighter/)
Another article on the same subject: https://blog.rallyhouse.com/2023/08/college-mascot-series-arthur-evans-legendary-mascot-drawings/#:~:text=Arthur%20Evans%20was%20the%20head,number%20for%20just%20one%20artist.
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UGA women's tennis won the NCAA. Tennis is supririsngly big at UGA, they have a very nice compex, often host the NCAAs. It was big even when I was there. I'm sure Title 9 feeds this along with football money. I wonder how they count a facility used by men and women.
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UGA women's tennis won the NCAA. Tennis is supririsngly big at UGA, they have a very nice compex, often host the NCAAs. It was big even when I was there. I'm sure Title 9 feeds this along with football money. I wonder how they count a facility used by men and women.
Yep, they beat the A&M women.
I see you make the same mistake I often do, spelling "surprise" as "suprise". No matter how many times I do it wrong I still have to think about how to spell it.
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I ad the "r" in there, it's just in the wrong place.
Another word that is very weird to spell is jeopardy, or .... that oe is weird, which also is spelled weirdly.
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On paper, the skill production stands to be very good. The OL is going to be a work in progress, maybe even all season, with new faces and questionable level of play from returners. If Clemson's DL is great, that's just one more reason why this is just Nightmare on Tiger St., part 6.
Speaking of LSU in openers, remember back in 2004 LSU narrowly beat Oregon State at home? Oregon State's kicker missed three extra points that added up to costing OSU the game.
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I do. I was listening to the radio-cast on an internet audio feed because a TV was unavailable.
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Texas suffers blow as 16 SEC schools ranked academically in new report | Irish Star (https://www.irishstar.com/sport/college-football/texas-blow-sec-schools-rankings-35279635?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawKgJJRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFpNEZYblFLTXY2c2R1Z1V2AR7VuGypQVmdDJ_jDstZIuONS54ocn3kPt_4jyBVjtu659M1rJ5sAhQhescbLg_aem_QyFsrs5Qw2IFucOD6brzIw#Echobox=1748025872)
A rather odd headline as Texas tied for second place behind a football school that has had their number.
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I think about this a lot, how hard it is for a mid-tier SEC school like A&M or even somebody like Arkansas to finish in the top 25. And what I really mean is finish NOT in the top ten but from maybe 15-25, where you’re on that 7/8 win bubble.
A&M last season is a good example. Started very strong, bumped into the top 10. Had a late season swoon vs Auburn and a talented SCar. Lost to a very good Texas team who went into the 2nd round of the CFP. In the SEC I think you either win it all or 9/10 games or you finish unranked. There’s just not much room for slippage.
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To finish ranked, an SEC team almost needs to go 4-0 OOC as a base. Probably only one of those four is contested. Then you might catch a scheduling break with some weaker teams that year, and catch strong teams at home with a better shot at an upset.
If you "hold serve" against 4 lesser SEC teams and get one upset of a better team, 9-3 gets you ranked, even 8-4 gets you on the cusp, and then a bowl game win ...
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Texas suffers blow as 16 SEC schools ranked academically in new report | Irish Star (https://www.irishstar.com/sport/college-football/texas-blow-sec-schools-rankings-35279635?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawKgJJRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFpNEZYblFLTXY2c2R1Z1V2AR7VuGypQVmdDJ_jDstZIuONS54ocn3kPt_4jyBVjtu659M1rJ5sAhQhescbLg_aem_QyFsrs5Qw2IFucOD6brzIw#Echobox=1748025872)
A rather odd headline as Texas tied for second place behind a football school that has had their number.
These places are academic institutions?
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To finish ranked, an SEC team almost needs to go 4-0 OOC as a base. Probably only one of those four is contested. Then you might catch a scheduling break with some weaker teams that year, and catch strong teams at home with a better shot at an upset.
If you "hold serve" against 4 lesser SEC teams and get one upset of a better team, 9-3 gets you ranked, even 8-4 gets you on the cusp, and then a bowl game win ...
When might we expect the SEC to get conference scheduling right, with repeatable, consistent, known-in-advance, not-subject-to-tweaking, and made up of 9 conference games, like every other major conference?
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Unless I dreamed this, the SEC recently completed renegotiation with ESPiN to account for a 9th conference game. Hopefully this frees the conference up to quickly begin one of the the 3-perma-rival models we've seen. Whenever that new contract kicks in, that should be when the league goes to 9 conf games, however the schedule shakes out.
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Unless I dreamed this, the SEC recently completed renegotiation with ESPiN to account for a 9th conference game. Hopefully this frees the conference up to quickly begin one of the the 3-perma-rival models we've seen. Whenever that new contract kicks in, that should be when the league goes to 9 conf games, however the schedule shakes out.
I'm not sure this is true. Last I heard, ESPN had said it was willing to enter into negotiations on the contract if the SEC went to 9 games, but I have definitely not heard that it has happened and been concluded.
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I'm probably mistaken, then. Maybe just wishful thinking.
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I'm probably mistaken, then. Maybe just wishful thinking.
Well it's still possible that it has happened and been concluded, but I haven't heard that to be the case. But I could certainly have missed it.
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I don't even know where I thought I heard/saw that. I don't keep up with much sports news. Of the two of us, I'd trust your knowledge of the current situation way more than mine.
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I do hope it happens. 9 conference games lends itself better to supporting at least two perma-rivals, which many legacy SEC teams have, and so does Texas.
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I'm with Utee. I have not heard that the SEC has agreed to a 9-game conference schedule.
I'll be happy if/when I hear that it has.
A 9-game schedule can give you:
- 3 permanent "rivalry" games.
- Playing everybody else twice every 4 years.
- An end to tinkering with the schedule to favor this team and disfavor that one, which seems to have been the norm for the last 100 years.
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I'm with Utee. I have not heard that the SEC has agreed to a 9-game conference schedule.
I'll be happy if/when I hear that it has.
A 9-game schedule can give you:
- 3 permanent "rivalry" games.
- Playing everybody else twice every 4 years.
- An end to tinkering with the schedule to favor this team and disfavor that one, which seems to have been the norm for the last 100 years.
Amen, brutha!
How great would it be to get to have teams like Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, LSU, at your house, and then at theirs, for two games out of every four years? And then also to get to play your rival(s) every year?
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Amen, brutha!
How great would it be to get to have teams like Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, LSU, at your house, and then at theirs, for two games out of every four years? And then also to get to play your rival(s) every year?
Us lifelong SEC'ers have wanted this FOREVER.
A&M joins the SEC in 2012.
Tennessee has played at College Station once -- in 2016.
A&M has come to Knoxville once -- in 2023.
How is that even possible? Dumbass scheduling is how it is possible.
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Us lifelong SEC'ers have wanted this FOREVER.
A&M joins the SEC in 2012.
Tennessee has played at College Station once -- in 2016.
A&M has come to Knoxville once -- in 2023.
How is that even possible? Dumbass scheduling is how it is possible.
Yeah that's crazy. And I think A&M has only played Georgia once since they joined, as well.
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Unfortunately, we've played the Ags every year since they joined. Y'all who are pining for more games with them can have ours :)
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Unfortunately, we've played the Ags every year since they joined. Y'all who are pining for more games with them can have ours :)
Well I mean, they're our historical in-state rival. Of course I want to play them every year.
And I want to play OU and the Hogs every year, too.
A 9-game SEC schedule would make that pretty do-able. We'll just have to wait and see if that happens.
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The End Times are near! A Hog fan agrees with a Texass Fan? Will wonders never cease?
:57:
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Us lifelong SEC'ers have wanted this FOREVER.
A&M joins the SEC in 2012.
Tennessee has played at College Station once -- in 2016.
A&M has come to Knoxville once -- in 2023.
How is that even possible? Dumbass scheduling is how it is possible.
I thought we had played at least once more, so I looked it up:
RESULTS:
(AWAY) 2023/10/14 Texas A&M 13 - Tennessee 20 L
(AWAY) 2020/12/19 Texas A&M 34 - Tennessee 13 W
(HOME) 2016/10/08 Texas A&M 45 - Tennessee 38 OT W
It's OK, I have forgotten a lot of bad and mediocre seasons as well. It's really even weirder thought since we've played 3 times. Why the odd number? I agree about the SEC scheduling. I think we've only played UGa once, and UF 5 times in SEC play.
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I thought we had played at least once more, so I looked it up:
RESULTS:
(AWAY) 2023/10/14 Texas A&M 13 - Tennessee 20 L
(AWAY) 2020/12/19 Texas A&M 34 - Tennessee 13 W
(HOME) 2016/10/08 Texas A&M 45 - Tennessee 38 OT W
It's OK, I have forgotten a lot of bad and mediocre seasons as well. It's really even weirder thought since we've played 3 times. Why the odd number? I agree about the SEC scheduling. I think we've only played UGa once, and UF 5 times in SEC play.
Covid year...... It's funny, I don't remember a damn thing about that year --- related to sports.
Forgot this one, obviously. Look at that game date. Dec. 19th --- WEIRD.
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I wonder if that was the year that we had to delay or reschedule the game? I honestly don't remember much about it either. I do know that we were really good that year and just barely missed the playoff. I kinda think we had to cancel at least one game, maybe ole Miss?
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This is the time of year - late-May/early-June - when College Football preseason mags start arriving in the mail.
Going through my Lindy's preview, what first jumps out is Oklahoma ranked as high as #12. How!? 😖
After going 6-7 last season what's possibly improved? For reference Oklahoma, is ranked #25 in ESPN post-Spring practice rankings, and #10 in Josh Pate's post-Spring rankings.
To consider last season, Oklahoma's offense was a disaster, in large part because of QB play and injuries at Receiver. Going into this season, Oklahoma's high preseason rankings are banking on Oklahoma's offense to be immediately better thanks the additions of transfer QB John Mateer and new OC Ben Arbuckle, both incoming from Washington State. IMO, they are thinking way too highly of Mateer and Arbuckle hitting the ground running in the SEC.
The preseason materials also like pointing out how strong Oklahoma's defense is expected to be. But their defense was good last season - Total Defense 19th nationally - and the Sooners still lost 7 games, including their lifeless showing losing to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. And keep in mind Oklahoma's defense will be without last season's two best players - LB Stutsman and S Bowman both selected in the 4th round of this past NFL Draft.
Another top Venables Defense won't carry Oklahoma to more than 6 wins if the offense falls apart again.
After early home games Vs Michigan, Auburn, and three cupcakes, there are no gimmies left starting with Texas. The last half of their schedule is: @South Carolina, Ole Miss, @Tennesse, @Alabama, Missouri, LSU. 😬
Right away, Oklahoma is my pick for 2025's most overrated team going into the season.
(https://i.imgur.com/aHHvTaV.png)
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utee94 already likes you, no need to butter him up.
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This is the time of year - late-May/early-June - when College Football preseason mags start arriving in the mail.
Going through my Lindy's preview, what first jumps out is Oklahoma ranked as high as #12. How!? 😖
After going 6-7 last season what's possibly improved? For reference Oklahoma, is ranked #25 in ESPN post-Spring practice rankings, and #10 in Josh Pate's post-Spring rankings.
To consider last season, Oklahoma's offense was a disaster, in large part because of QB play and injuries at Receiver. Going into this season, Oklahoma's high preseason rankings are banking on Oklahoma's offense to be immediately better thanks the additions of transfer QB John Mateer and new OC Ben Arbuckle, both incoming from Washington State. IMO, they are thinking way too highly of Mateer and Arbuckle hitting the ground running in the SEC.
The preseason materials also like pointing out how strong Oklahoma's defense is expected to be. But their defense was good last season - Total Defense 19th nationally - and the Sooners still lost 7 games, including their lifeless showing losing to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. And keep in mind Oklahoma's defense will be without last season's two best players - LB Stutsman and S Bowman both selected in the 4th round of this past NFL Draft.
Another top Venables Defense won't carry Oklahoma to more than 6 wins if the offense falls apart again.
After early home games Vs Michigan, Auburn, and three cupcakes, there are no gimmies left starting with Texas. The last half of their schedule is: @South Carolina, Ole Miss, @Tennesse, @Alabama, Missouri, LSU. 😬
Right away, Oklahoma is my pick for 2025's most overrated team going into the season.
(https://i.imgur.com/aHHvTaV.png)
Geez....You still get the actual paper magazines? I used to buy them in my 20's just because it looked interesting. I'm not even sure where they would even be sold at?
I think OU's pre-season is based solely on their history as a program. Surely they are not only a top-10, but maybe even a top 5 of all time type program.
#12 finish in my opinion is completely unreasonable, not just because of the schedule but because in the SEC it tends to be feast or famine. You have 3 gimmies. Toss ups (right now without knowing how each team will develop) are Michigan, Auburn, USCe, and Mizzou. Solid L's are Texas, OM, UTenn, 'Bama.
Say you're good enough to beat Michigan. Fair enough, but maybe they are or maybe they aren't a good or great team. You get Auburn at 3-0, you win that one. Suddenly you're 4-0. Kent State is a W. 5-0. Then as you pointed out the going gets tough.
Right now, with where they are at as a program, UT is a L. 5-1. Still ranked #15-20.
USCe, I'm calling a L right now based on how tough they played at times last season. 5-2. You might be hanging by a thread at #25.
If you didn't beat USCe and UT, you ain't going to beat OM. 5-3. Firing the coach goes from whispers to low talking. Unranked.
If you didn't beat USEe, UT, and OM, you ain't going to beat UTenn. 5-4. Firing the coach talk gets heated.
Alabama, even if St. Nick aint' there, is probably a L. 5-5. By this time rumors are swirling about the next coach. Maybe they fire what's his name right there if they get whupped badly enough.
By this time half the team is talking about the portal, coaching rumors, etc. So that makes beating Mizzou on it's own merits tough. But probably a L. 5-6.
LSU comes last. Barring a late season miracle, win one for the coach type deal, doubtful you win in Baton Rouge. 5-7. Coach is fired, season is over, and when you look at it objectively OU probably is better than 95% of the Big 12 and ACC, but the schedule is just so much tougher that once you lose that momentum it just snowballs. All of this is based on how the other teams perform as well. I can see Michigan, Auburn, and UTenn tanking. I can see Mizzou as a bubble team.
But if you look objectively at the SEC teams who finish in the teens you have to be a 10 or 9 win team if you're Alabama. If you're OU, you ain't going to win 9/10 games, because if you do you're probably going to win 11/12 or more. It's just the way it works. Mizzou finished with 10 wins last season and only finished at #22 in the final rankings.
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Geez....You still get the actual paper magazines? I used to buy them in my 20's just because it looked interesting. I'm not even sure where they would even be sold at?
I think OU's pre-season is based solely on their history as a program. Surely they are not only a top-10, but maybe even a top 5 of all time type program.
#12 finish in my opinion is completely unreasonable, not just because of the schedule but because in the SEC it tends to be feast or famine. You have 3 gimmies. Toss ups (right now without knowing how each team will develop) are Michigan, Auburn, USCe, and Mizzou. Solid L's are Texas, OM, UTenn, 'Bama.
Say you're good enough to beat Michigan. Fair enough, but maybe they are or maybe they aren't a good or great team. You get Auburn at 3-0, you win that one. Suddenly you're 4-0. Kent State is a W. 5-0. Then as you pointed out the going gets tough.
Right now, with where they are at as a program, UT is a L. 5-1. Still ranked #15-20.
USCe, I'm calling a L right now based on how tough they played at times last season. 5-2.
If you didn't beat USCe and UT, you ain't going to beat OM. 5-3. Firing the coach goes from whispers to low talking.
If you didn't beat USEe, UT, and OM, you ain't going to beat UTenn. 5-4. Firing the coach talk gets heated.
Alabama, even if St. Nick aint' there, is probablyl a L. 5-5. By this time rumors are swirling about the next coach. Maybe they fire what's his name right there if they get whupped badly enough.
By this time half the team is talking about the portal, coaching rumors, etc. So that makes beating Mizzou on it's own merits tough. But probably a L. 5-6.
LSU comes last. Barring a late season miracle, win one for the coach type deal, doubtful you win in Baton Rouge. 5-7. Coach is fired, season is over, and when you look at it objectively OU probably is better than 95% of the Big 12 and ACC, but the schedule is just so much tougher that once you lose that momentum it just snowballs. All of this is based on how the other teams perform as well. I can see Michigan, Auburn, and UTenn tanking. I can see Mizzou as a bubble team
As an A&M fan, you should address Tennessee as UT, and Texas as Utex.
We are the real UT, after all.
The debate of which school is the "true" UT, the University of Tennessee (UTK) or the University of Texas at Austin (UT), is a long-standing one, particularly with both schools now in the SEC. While both share the abbreviation "UT", the SEC has recognized the University of Tennessee as "UT", while referring to Texas as "TEX". UTK's origins as Blount College in 1794 predate the founding of UT Austin in 1883, making UTK the older institution.
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As an A&M fan, you should address Tennessee as UT, and Texas as Utex.
We are the real UT, after all.
The debate of which school is the "true" UT, the University of Tennessee (UTK) or the University of Texas at Austin (UT), is a long-standing one, particularly with both schools now in the SEC. While both share the abbreviation "UT", the SEC has recognized the University of Tennessee as "UT", while referring to Texas as "TEX". UTK's origins as Blount College in 1794 predate the founding of UT Austin in 1883, making UTK the older institution.
:57:
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As an A&M fan, you should address Tennessee as UT, and Texas as Utex.
We are the real UT, after all.
The debate of which school is the "true" UT, the University of Tennessee (UTK) or the University of Texas at Austin (UT), is a long-standing one, particularly with both schools now in the SEC. While both share the abbreviation "UT", the SEC has recognized the University of Tennessee as "UT", while referring to Texas as "TEX". UTK's origins as Blount College in 1794 predate the founding of UT Austin in 1883, making UTK the older institution.
"Gobots" were the original "Transformers", but no one made 10 "Gobots - Rise of the Bots" movies.
Really, referring to "The University of Texas at Austin" as "Texas" is gonna annoy a lot of folks - so I'm looking forward to it! =)
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"Gobots" were the original "Transformers", but no one made 10 "Gobots - Rise of the Bots" movies.
Really, referring to "The University of Texas at Austin" as "Texas" is gonna annoy a lot of folks - so I'm looking forward to it! =)
There was once a push for "New" Coke, but nobody liked it, and we went back to the original Coke "Classic".
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Let's compare A&M's schedule with predicted ranking.
Please note, almost always if A&M starts off in the Top Ten, we will finish unranked. The best A&M teams usually start off #18-25.
Beginning Rank #18
UTSA W #18 1-0
UTAH State (Gig 'em Aggies) W 2-0 #15
Notre Dame-Should be a solid L but as long as we hang tight we won't drop much. 2-1 #20
Auburn-I'd say toss up but we get them at home. 3-1 #18. This game will go a long way to defining the season.
Miss State. I hate to say it but they've beaten us far more in SEC play than I would have ever imagined. But not next season. W 4-1 back to #15.
Florida. This game will make or break the season. It really all comes down to what their record is when they come to Kyle. They were already calling for the coach to be fired. W here, you're 5-1 and probably ranked in the top 12. 5-1 #12.
Arkansas. I'm only saying this since we're literally like 15-2 vs them in SEC play and they will probably fire their coach this year but W. 6-1 #10. Now the schedule really heats up.
LSU at BR. Really tough, but we haven't won there yet, so let's just pencil in the L since we seem to trade Home W's. As long as the game is tight we won't drop much. 6-2 #15
Mizzou. Very tough one, but I think this one is a W. 7-2 #14
USCe Toss up at best right now. But Beamer seems to be a very qualified coach. Going with the L. 7-3 #18
Samford W 8-3 #18 unchanged
Texas @ Austin. No way we win this year, Texas will probably play for the CFB NC. L. 8-4 #22 or lower, depends on how close the game is and how other teams finish.
And this is how you have a decent team and finish out of the Top 20 in the SEC boys and girls. So if we enter the post season at #22, even if we win the bowl game we only have about 1-3 spaces we can finish in the final rankings. Lose the bowl game like last year, and we finish unranked.
8-4. It's what Aggies do.
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"Gobots" were the original "Transformers", but no one made 10 "Gobots - Rise of the Bots" movies.
Really, referring to "The University of Texas at Austin" as "Texas" is gonna annoy a lot of folks - so I'm looking forward to it! =)
GoBots...tell me you're Gen X without telling me you're Gen X.
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Man I haven't thought of GoBots in multiple decades.
Whereas, I see Transformers movies and merch all over the place.
Which really serves to underscore Tulip's point. :88:
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Anyway, ags call us "t.u.", no need for them to debate whether or not we should be called UT. :)
But if you're in the state of Texas and you mention UT and you're thinking about Tennessee, ain't nobody gonna understand what you're saying.
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UT-K and UT-A. Simple.
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UTI is a whole other problem.....
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LSU comes last. Barring a late season miracle, win one for the coach type deal, doubtful you win in Baton Rouge. 5-7. Coach is fired, season is over, and when you look at it objectively OU probably is better than 95% of the Big 12 and ACC, but the schedule is just so much tougher that once you lose that momentum it just snowballs. All of this is based on how the other teams perform as well. I can see Michigan, Auburn, and UTenn tanking. I can see Mizzou as a bubble team.
Just to note, LSU will travel to Norman to play @OU. OU played in BR this past season. Sooners get the Tigers at home, in case that changes your math any.
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Just to note, LSU will travel to Norman to play @OU. OU played in BR this past season. Sooners get the Tigers at home, in case that changes your math any.
Only slightly. If OU has a good record, then I'd tip the game to them. If both teams have a good record, I still tip to OU. If both teams have a bad record, I tip the game to LSU.
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Man I haven't thought of GoBots in multiple decades.
Whereas, I see Transformers movies and merch all over the place.
Which really serves to underscore Tulip's point. :88:
Don't you just love it when somebody mentions something so obscure from your past that you hadn't thought of it in decades? You hadn't forgot about it, you just hadn't thought about it.
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This is the time of year - late-May/early-June - when College Football preseason mags start arriving in the mail.
Going through my Lindy's preview, what first jumps out is Oklahoma ranked as high as #12. How!? 😖
After going 6-7 last season what's possibly improved? For reference Oklahoma, is ranked #25 in ESPN post-Spring practice rankings, and #10 in Josh Pate's post-Spring rankings.
To consider last season, Oklahoma's offense was a disaster, in large part because of QB play and injuries at Receiver. Going into this season, Oklahoma's high preseason rankings are banking on Oklahoma's offense to be immediately better thanks the additions of transfer QB John Mateer and new OC Ben Arbuckle, both incoming from Washington State. IMO, they are thinking way too highly of Mateer and Arbuckle hitting the ground running in the SEC.
The preseason materials also like pointing out how strong Oklahoma's defense is expected to be. But their defense was good last season - Total Defense 19th nationally - and the Sooners still lost 7 games, including their lifeless showing losing to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. And keep in mind Oklahoma's defense will be without last season's two best players - LB Stutsman and S Bowman both selected in the 4th round of this past NFL Draft.
Another top Venables Defense won't carry Oklahoma to more than 6 wins if the offense falls apart again.
After early home games Vs Michigan, Auburn, and three cupcakes, there are no gimmies left starting with Texas. The last half of their schedule is: @South Carolina, Ole Miss, @Tennesse, @Alabama, Missouri, LSU. 😬
Right away, Oklahoma is my pick for 2025's most overrated team going into the season.
[img width=500 height=201.989]https://i.imgur.com/aHHvTaV.png[/img]
Sad to say, I agree with you. I have reached the point of "no confidence in current management."
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Well, go ahead and fire Venables already, so we can hire him as our DC :)
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Well, go ahead and fire Venables already, so we can hire him as our DC :)
Nope. I'm loving Venables right where he is.
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Man I haven't thought of GoBots in multiple decades.
Whereas, I see Transformers movies and merch all over the place.
Which really serves to underscore Tulip's point. :88:
Transformers > Go-Bots way before there were any movies
The Go-Bots toys sucked. Not intricate at all. Only like 5-6 different ones.
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Transformers > Go-Bots way before there were any movies
The Go-Bots toys sucked. Not intricate at all. Only like 5-6 different ones.
(https://media1.tenor.com/images/bd0c86b0a7be7ae02b8a43e3dc58c637/tenor.gif?itemid=4178025)
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https://twitter.com/FrontPorchU/status/1933293576441487530
hmmm(https://i.imgur.com/TCpDpMG.png)
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Ha! Where the heck did that come from? Seems a bit troll-y.
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Ha! Where the heck did that come from? Seems a bit troll-y.
Yeah, not saying we're going to win the SEC, and 11-1 is a nice ceiling, but 1-11 is completely unreasonable, considering we've never won less than 4 games probably going back to the 60's or maybe even the 50's. A&M had some pretty lean times from the late 50's until 70's, but I don't know if we were ever that bad.
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Not to sound like a t-sipping a-hole, but if I were forced at gunpoint to make a bet as to what A&M's record would be this year, I know the exact W/L I'd predict...
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Not to sound like a t-sipping a-hole, but if I were forced at gunpoint to make a bet as to what A&M's record would be this year, I know the exact W/L I'd predict...
https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/1932909087785955762
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Best Guess
(https://i.imgur.com/j9HhRL6.png)
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On paper, the skill production stands to be very good. The OL is going to be a work in progress, maybe even all season, with new faces and questionable level of play from returners. If Clemson's DL is great, that's just one more reason why this is just Nightmare on Tiger St., part 6.
Last year the story of LSU's opener Vs USC was how much Lincoln Riley worked (whined) behind the scenes to get his Trojans out of having to play this game.
This year the story of LSU's opener is Brian Kelly knowing how much LSU needs to beat Clemson.
"We've circled the game," Kelly said on the "College GameDay" podcast. "I've never done that before in openers. It's all over our weight room. It's all over our workouts. We're wearing shirts. I mean, we're doing the kumbaya of 'We're playing Clemson and we need to beat Clemson.' So is that too much pressure? No, I think we've got enough mature, veteran guys on this team. We had a clear conversation about why we were doing it, and they're all in on that."
How did LSU get themselves into this mess of scheduling a gauntlet of openers? Scott Woodward to blame again?
https://twitter.com/TIinClemson/status/1933622790080401587
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https://twitter.com/FrontPorchU/status/1933293576441487530
hmmm(https://i.imgur.com/TCpDpMG.png)
Some ridiculous numbers in that chart.
OU at 6-6/0-12 is ridiculous. 6-6 seems to be in Brent Venables' wheelhouse, but 0-12 is not going to happen.
Vandy at 5-7/6-6 is so ridiculous as to be meaningless.
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My prediction:
(https://i.imgur.com/FsjVdPu.png)
OU will be looking for a new coach in November.
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How did LSU get themselves into this mess of scheduling a gauntlet of openers? Scott Woodward to blame again?
They've been doing it for 15 years, long before Woodward, I guess they figure no need to stop now.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iH94aJ02Kw&t=33s
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5OGQgdst9E
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"Texas is still the center of the universe, because if we weren't, you wouldn't keep asking if we're back."
lolz......it's kinda true.
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Yeah he really has nailed the Texas fan perfectly.
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I see that in Texas there are 24 people dead due to flash flooding along the Guadalupe. Also 20 girls from a girls camp in the same general area are missing.
Sad news. I hope none of the posters here have connections to the dead and/or missing.
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I have no connection but it's truly tragic news indeed. Heartbreaking. I've attended some of those camps along the Guad when I was a kid. It's a beautiful area. I can't even imagine sending my kids away for a week, to have fun in the outdoors, and then never see them again. It's just devastating.
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Terrible news and I expect it will only get worse.
https://twitter.com/cnnbrk/status/1941646171652464710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1941646171652464710%7Ctwgr%5E46249a65cd4bf8da18a5845c67ead2f6f7147cb6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlyhorns.com%2Fboard%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fcnnbrk%2Fstatus%2F1941646171652464710%3Fs%3D4626t%3DpEX-lbI-xuRrzvqCO5caGg
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I have no connection but it's truly tragic news indeed. Heartbreaking. I've attended some of those camps along the Guad when I was a kid. It's a beautiful area. I can't even imagine sending my kids away for a week, to have fun in the outdoors, and then never see them again. It's just devastating.
My esposita has a friend who attended Camp Mystic. It would have been about the time when the future Laura Bush was a counselor there.
At least 3 EMS operations in the Tulsa area have sent teams to join in the rescue and recovery operation. But I'm afraid there's not much chance of rescue at this point.
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Reports just out say two girls were rescued from a tree 27 feet off the ground. There is still hope.
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Reports just out say two girls were rescued from a tree 27 feet off the ground. There is still hope.
That's good to hear!
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Not sure if verified--I heard a report yesterday that the death toll had risen past 70, or at least presumed dead.
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That's good to hear!
SMDH. Now they're saying the reports were untrue. Either misinformation, lies, or a rumor that grew wings quickly.
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I think it was a Facebook rumor and/or a mom text string rumor. Wishful thinking but it's hard to blame people for wanting to have some hope.
It's all just so devastating.
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SMDH. Now they're saying the reports were untrue. Either misinformation, lies, or a rumor that grew wings quickly.
Somebody probably caught the last 3/4 of "The bodies of two girls have been found in a tree 27 feet above the ground." And told some people who told some other people . . . .
It's just a terrible situation all around. The people whose lives have been directly affected by the loss of life probably number in the tens of thousands. Friends, relatives, people at school, at work, at church.
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Somebody probably caught the last 3/4 of "The bodies of two girls have been found in a tree 27 feet above the ground." And told some people who told some other people . . . .
It's just a terrible situation all around. The people whose lives have been directly affected by the loss of life probably number in the tens of thousands. Friends, relatives, people at school, at work, at church.
Yeah, 3 degrees of separation and all that. I still haven't heard of anyone I know who was directly affected, but I have no doubt that I have friends of friends who were.
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It sure got politicized quickly, as in immediately, before anyone knew much of anything real.
I sent some money to these folks, hope they are solid:
Texans on Mission (https://www.texansonmission.org/)
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My church has put together an aid effort through a couple of local churches in the area. We've donated to that, but I'm also considering donating through my company which matches all donations to approved organizations dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000 annually.
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Does your church have a website where people can donate through it?
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US Coast Guard rescue swimmer hailed as a hero after saving 165 kids from Texas flooding
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/cm/us-coast-guard-rescue-swimmer-220823371.html (https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/cm/us-coast-guard-rescue-swimmer-220823371.html)
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https://twitter.com/WBRZ/status/1942351380594749468
Not super related, but my youngest son had to have surgery today (minor surgery) on his foot that got hit by the stingray. It got infected over the last 2-3 days, they had to go in and clean it up and remove some foreign material out.
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Sorry to hear that, hope he's okay and a quick recovery!
My doc gave me antiobiotics and I think I got a tetanus booster, luckily no surgery necessary.
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Joel Klatt: Nebraska, USC, Missouri, Florida, Ole Miss, USC-E, Miami among Teams Most Likely to Make their First College Football Playoff in 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXamOuX0ZpQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXamOuX0ZpQ)
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It's crazy to me that we're a decade+ into the cfp and UF still hasn't been in it.
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SEC media days, the sound guy plays the Texas A&M fight song as Longhorn coach Steve Sarkisian walks to the podium to begin his address.
Intentional prank, or complete clownshow?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jPvsnIdkJrM
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SEC media days, the sound guy plays the Texas A&M fight song as Longhorn coach Steve Sarkisian walks to the podium to begin his address.
Intentional prank, or complete clownshow?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jPvsnIdkJrM
Eh...I kinda lean toward prank, but it could end somebody's job.
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I don't personally think it warrants a loss of a job, but if it was intentional then whoever did it had to know there could be repercussions.
If it was a mistake, then it's a pretty stupid one. It's not like there's 100 of these songs to get right, there's only 16 teams in the SEC. If you're going to bother to play intro music, then you should be able to do it right.
In general I think the conference media days are pretty dumb and would be fine if they didn't exist. But if you're going to put forth the effort to put on a show, then you should probably do it correctly.
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Anyway, I like how Sarkisian handled it. Just ignored it and moved on, like a professional.
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Anyway, I like how Sarkisian handled it. Just ignored it and moved on, like a professional.
I agree. His reaction of complete indifference was the correct one.
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https://twitter.com/nfl_dovkleiman/status/1945560877320601723?s=61
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A player maxing out their 401k for the year means a lot more in the NIL era than it previously did.
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I'm not sure that many NIL deals offer a 401K program...
;)
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Yeah, but replace "401k" with "retirement" and you start to see my point.
I could handle my retirement quite nicely with what UGA was paying Carson Beck, for example.
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Yeah, but replace "401k" with "retirement" and you start to see my point.
I could handle my retirement quite nicely with what UGA was paying Carson Beck, for example.
They're probably paying this guy pretty well, too.
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They shoulda paid somebody in the higher-up NCAA world to change the rules to allow more eligibility for Stetson Bennett.
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You gotta admit, a name like "Gunner" sounds like a good QB, maybe in the California Penal League ...
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You gotta admit, a name like "Gunner" sounds like a good QB, maybe in the California Penal League ...
Almost as good as Colt McCoy.
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https://www.secsports.com/news/2025/07/preseason-sec-football-media-poll-all-sec-team-announced
2025 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First Team
QB – LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
RB - Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
RB – Le'Veon Moss, Texas A&M
WR - Ryan Williams, Alabama
WR - Cam Coleman, Auburn
TE - Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
OL - Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
OL - Cayden Green, Missouri
OL - DJ Campbell, Texas
OL - Austin Barber, Florida
C - Jake Slaughter, Florida
Second Team
QB –Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
RB - Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
RB - Caden Durham, LSU
WR - Aaron Anderson, LSU
WR - Ryan Wingo, Texas
TE - Oscar Delp, Georgia
OL - Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
OL - Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M
OL - Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
OL - Fernando Carmona Jr., Arkansas
C - Parker Brailsford, Alabama
Third Team
QB – Arch Manning, Texas
RB - Nate Frazier, Georgia
RB - Jam Miller, Alabama
WR - Eric Singleton, Auburn
WR - Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri
TE - Jack Endries, Texas
OL - Earnest Greene III, Georgia
OL - Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
OL - Xavier Chaplin, Auburn
OL - Trevor Goosby, Texas
C - Connor Lew, Auburn
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DEFENSE
First-Team
DL - Keldric Faulk, Auburn
DL - Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
DL - Colin Simmons, Texas
DL - Christian Miller, Georgia
LB - Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
LB - Whit Weeks, LSU
LB - CJ Allen, Georgia
DB - KJ Bolden, Georgia
DB - Michael Taaffe, Texas
DB - Daylen Everette, Georgia
DB - Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Second Team
DL - Caleb Banks, Florida
DL - Tim Keenan III, Alabama
DL - LT Overton, Alabama
DL - R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
LB - Deontae Lawson, Alabama
LB - Harold Perkins, LSU
LB - Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
DB - Malik Muhammad, Texas
DB - Domani Jackson, Alabama
DB - Will Lee III, Texas A&M
DB - Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Third Team
DL - Tyreak Sapp, Florida
DL - Trey Moore, Texas
DL - Cam Ball, Arkansas
DL - Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss
LB - Taurean York, Texas A&M
LB - Arion Carter, Tennessee
LB - Princewill Umanmielen, Ole Miss
DB - Keon Sabb, Alabama
DB - Boo Carter, Tennessee
DB - Bray Hubbard, Alabama
DB - Isaac Smith, Mississippi State
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SEC preseason media poll
1-Texas (96 1st place votes)
2-Georgia (44)
3-Alabama (29)
4-LSU (20)
5-S Carolina (5)
6-Florida (2)
7-Ole Miss (1)
8-Texas A&M
9-Tennessee (1)
10-Oklahoma (3)
11-Auburn (1)
12-Missouri
13-Vanderbilt (2)
14-Arkansas
15-Kentucky
16-Miss State
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96 votes out of ~214 seems like a lot of 1st place votes for Texas.
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Texas will like start out as AP #1 so it's a "safe play". And no one is held to account either, and few care.
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96 votes out of ~214 seems like a lot of 1st place votes for Texas.
3 1st place votes for Oklahoma seems like a lot.
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Shane Beamer has USC looking really good. They could be a sleeper team.
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I hear rumblings aboit Auburn being "back" too. But I agree USCe and Vandy will be tougher outs than often is the case. Tennessee will be a mystery I think, new QB and all. I always worry a lot about mobile QBs. They can turn what would be 4-5 punts into 4-5 first downs.
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Horns struggled against Vandy in Nashville last year. That QB is good, really good. Glad the game is in Austin this year.
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Texas will like start out as AP #1 so it's a "safe play". And no one is held to account either, and few care.
AP #1 might be defending champs Ohio State but either way it'll be a 1-2 matchup in Columbus in week1, just so the mediots can hype it all that much more.
Personally I'd vote Georgia #1. Gotta beat 'em to be considered better.
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SEC preseason media poll has hardly ever correctly predicted the conference champion.
My condolences to Texas on losing the conference crown so early in the season.
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"BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (July 19, 2024) -- Georgia has been predicted to win the 2024 SEC Championship, according to a preseason poll of media covering SEC Football Media Days. "
https://www.secsports.com/news/2024/07/2024-sec-football-preseason-media-poll-all-sec-team-announced
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"BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (July 19, 2024) -- Georgia has been predicted to win the 2024 SEC Championship, according to a preseason poll of media covering SEC Football Media Days. "
https://www.secsports.com/news/2024/07/2024-sec-football-preseason-media-poll-all-sec-team-announced
[color=rgba(1, 32, 62, 0.7)]Only 10 times since 1992 (33 years) has the predicted champion prior to the season at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game.
[/color]
Been a long time since my Vols were predicted to win the SEC. Good thing, cause we would have driven these numbers down further. :)
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Yeah I skipped posting that part 'cause I didn't like it. :)
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Of course that's now 11 times in 34 years, so they're improving...
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I think we should hold a poll. Pick a darkhorse team to win the SEC CCG in 2025, and it can't be Texas or Georgia.
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I think we should hold a poll. Pick a darkhorse team to win the SEC CCG in 2025, and it can't be Texas or Georgia.
The natural progression would be Bama, LSU -- but I wouldn't consider either a dark horse.
I'll take your boys for my dark horse.
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Tennessee
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The natural progression would be Bama, LSU -- but I wouldn't consider either a dark horse.
I'll take your boys for my dark horse.
Might as well pick Arkansas for a dark horse, they've got the same chances A&M does.
I agree with Alabama or LSU, and I'd throw Florida in there too.
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Tennessee
Based on Josh Heupel being a great coach? What's your logic, other than "They're due". I don't know much about Tennessee this season other than they're a dormant Blue Blood, and their QB took his ball and went to UCLA because he didn't get paid what he wanted.
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I started to say Florida, and then I looked at their schedule. Freakin' brutal.
@LSU
@Miami (not sure if Miami is considered tough anymore) and yes I realize it's not a conference game but it does have an effect on a teams season
Texas
@A&M
Georgia
@Ole Miss
LSU looks really good as a dark horse. They get A&M at home where we've never won in league play, Florida at home.
OU doesn't look horrible. @USCe, @UTenn, @Bama. They avoid Georgia and anything can happen in the RRR. I think their toughest contest will be @USCe and @Bama, but St. Nick doesn't coach there anymore. Bama will be in their 2nd full season without a legendary head coach and this is where a lot of programs fall apart.
Ole Miss has a tough schedule as well. LSU, @UGA, @OU, USCe and Florida.
USCe, I can't make up my mind about them. Either they will be in tough contention at the end of October or it's over. In Oct, they have @LSU, OU, Bama, and then @OM Nov 1, not to mention @A&M 11/15. I think I'm going to this game, if it shapes up to be a good one.
Out of all these teams, I like LSU the most. I consider them to be a premiere team in the SEC and a 21st century BB, the schedule is a little favorable, and they have an experienced QB.
It's still a little weird thinking about the SEC without divisions so theoretically you can have Texas and OU play 2x or Texas and LSU play. I'm going with Texas Vs LSU for the title with LSU coming out on top.
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Based on Josh Heupel being a great coach? What's your logic, other than "They're due". I don't know much about Tennessee this season other than they're a dormant Blue Blood, and their QB took his ball and went to UCLA because he didn't get paid what he wanted.
I mean, they were good enough to make the CFP last year, plenty of talent.
LSU didn't make the playoff. Florida and Ole Miss and OU didn't, either.
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I just looked at Texas' schedule. In my opinion, based on SEC projections before the season starts they have the easiest path to the title game out of all the teams. They avoid up-and-comers Ole Miss and USCe. They play @ Florida when Florida is predicted to not have a great year. The toughest game by far is @UGA, and they can lose this one game and still be in the SECCCG. The one wild card in my opinion is OU at the RRR. I personally think OU will be looking for a new coach at seasons end, I expect Texas to win this one but anything can happen. I would love it if A&M could come into Austin and spoil their chance at the CCG like we did in 2006 but I don't see that happening.
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I mean, they were good enough to make the CFP last year, plenty of talent.
LSU didn't make the playoff. Florida and Ole Miss and OU didn't, either.
Not trying to bash 2024 Tennessee, but I think they were the recipient of a lucky schedule. They did lose to a not great Arkansas 19-14 and whipped by UGa 31-17. They then got manhandled by Ohio State (like everybody else not named Michigan) in the CFP. I'm not impressed with them just yet.
FYI their schedule in '25 is similarly nice. They get UGa at home (not sure it matters), and avoid USCe and Ole Miss and Texas. I count Bama as a wild card, who the heck knows with them.
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Ah so today we're going with the entire SEC is NOT a rolling ball of acid-tipped flaming butcher knives and even the lowliest SEC team is better than the absolute best from any other conference?
I'm new here, y'all gotta clue me in where we're switching modes from SECSECSEC to "lucky break in scheduling."
;)
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OR is this a case where most of Tennessee's and Texas' 2024 SEC opponents "just didn't want to be there" 'cause that's one I'm not sure when to use, either...
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Ah so today we're going with the entire SEC is NOT a rolling ball of acid-tipped flaming butcher knives and even the lowliest SEC team is better than the absolute best from any other conference?
I'm new here, y'all gotta clue me in where we're switching modes from SECSECSEC to "lucky break in scheduling."
;)
You jest, but back when this line was spouted more commonly around these parts, it was also more true. The SEC is not what it was when Meyer, Saban, Miles and others were in it.
That said, Texas and OU (Sooner or later...SWIDT??) are rock-solid additions, and help offset (OU in the longterm, I assume) some of the programs like LSU who aren't what they used to be.
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I just looked at Texas' schedule. In my opinion, based on SEC projections before the season starts they have the easiest path to the title game out of all the teams. They avoid up-and-comers Ole Miss and USCe. They play @ Florida when Florida is predicted to not have a great year. The toughest game by far is @UGA, and they can lose this one game and still be in the SECCCG. The one wild card in my opinion is OU at the RRR. I personally think OU will be looking for a new coach at seasons end, I expect Texas to win this one but anything can happen. I would love it if A&M could come into Austin and spoil their chance at the CCG like we did in 2006 but I don't see that happening.
I think there's a lot to like about Florida this year. Good QB and fierce lines can get you a long way.
They probably can't tag Texas, even at home, but I predict they'll give the Longhorns a fight.
For teams not named UGA, Texas, and Bama, I guess Florida would be my dark horse. Though I don't know much about A&M this coming year.
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Ah so today we're going with the entire SEC is NOT a rolling ball of acid-tipped flaming butcher knives and even the lowliest SEC team is better than the absolute best from any other conference?
I'm new here, y'all gotta clue me in where we're switching modes from SECSECSEC to "lucky break in scheduling."
;)
Not what I'm saying at all. I just don't consider "making the CFP" to be the marker of a really great team, especially when you've already lost two games and one of those wasn't even close.
You gave Tennessee as your choice for being a dark horse for '25, and said because they made the CFP in 24 as the reason. Weak sauce.
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I think there's a lot to like about Florida this year. Good QB and fierce lines can get you a long way.
They probably can't tag Texas, even at home, but I predict they'll give the Longhorns a fight.
For teams not named UGA, Texas, and Bama, I guess Florida would be my dark horse. Though I don't know much about A&M this coming year.
Simply put, I base my prediction on Florida on the fact that Billy Napier has been there three full years and hasn't done much. At a school like Florida, if a coach hasn't done much by year three, then chances are he never will. Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
And I like Florida, a lot. They're probably my 2nd favorite CFB team and I root for them when they're not playing A&M.
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Not what I'm saying at all. I just don't consider "making the CFP" to be the marker of a really great team, especially when you've already lost two games and one of those wasn't even close.
You gave Tennessee as your choice for being a dark horse for '25, and said because they made the CFP in 24 as the reason. Weak sauce.
Eh, I didn't have to say anything at all. To me making the CFP shows me they have plenty of talent and good enough coaching. The other potential "dark horses" don't have as much as credibility as Tennessee does. I never said they were a "really great team" those are your words, for whatever reason. I was asked who-- other than Texas or Georgia-- might win the SEC as a dark horse, and I provided a response.
You can certainly disagree and I won't call your opinion "weak sauce" which is a pretty lame thing to say when someone is simply offering you their opinion that you asked for.
A less friendly guy than me, might suggest you fuck off with that noise.
But I'm the 1999 cnn/si Internet Nice Guy so I'll just say, your response was uncalled for.
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Simply put, I base my prediction on Florida on the fact that Billy Napier has been there three full years and hasn't done much. At a school like Florida, if a coach hasn't done much by year three, then chances are he never will. Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
And I like Florida, a lot. They're probably my 2nd favorite CFB team and I root for them when they're not playing A&M.
Ew, gross.
That said, they looked better and better down the stretch last year. If they build on the momentum they had after everyone wrote them off and assumed Napier was toast, they could have a good year, I think.
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Lagway's coming back from injuries that plagued him into spring ball. If he's not 100% and as good as or better than he was at his best last year, then I don't think Florida's gonna have enough to compete.
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This is what I think....
Kiffin will have Ole Miss playing at a very high level, but Ole Miss will lose at least two games no matter what. It's not really Kiffin's fault, it's just that nobody can win at Ole Miss, not even St. Nick. So they could beat anybody on the schedule and also lose to anybody on the schedule.
Beamer seems to be a really good coach from a really good coaching family. I think USCe will be very tough.
Alabama is a huge question mark for me. They were awesome last year and sucked at the same time.
Auburn is back because of ....Hugh Freeze? Not sure I follow this logic. He hasn't proven anything at Auburn yet.
Georgia will be very tough. Nobody disputes that.
Tennessee is too early to tell.
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Not what I'm saying at all. I just don't consider "making the CFP" to be the marker of a really great team, especially when you've already lost two games and one of those wasn't even close.
You gave Tennessee as your choice for being a dark horse for '25, and said because they made the CFP in 24 as the reason. Weak sauce.
A 14 pt loss in Athens isn't as bad as your making it out to be.
By that measure -- UGA beating the Horns in Austin by 15 --- Texas must be a steaming pile of dung. (which we all know isn't the case)
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Eh, I didn't have to say anything at all. To me making the CFP shows me they have plenty of talent and good enough coaching. The other potential "dark horses" don't have as much as credibility as Tennessee does. I never said they were a "really great team" those are your words, for whatever reason. I was asked who-- other than Texas or Georgia-- might win the SEC as a dark horse, and I provided a response.
You can certainly disagree and I won't call your opinion "weak sauce" which is a pretty lame thing to say when someone is simply offering you their opinion that you asked for.
A less friendly guy than me, might suggest you fuck off with that noise.
But I'm the 1999 cnn/si Internet Nice Guy so I'll just say, your response was uncalled for.
Welp, I thought we were having a discussion...about football....on a football fan board. I thought arguing about all this non-sense is what we were really here for. My bad. :)
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Welp, I thought we were having a discussion...about football....on a football fan board. I thought arguing about all this non-sense is what we were really here for. My bad. :)
(https://media.giphy.com/media/TDN7gT8MyKQoM/giphy.gif)
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A 14 pt loss in Athens isn't as bad as your making it out to be.
By that measure -- UGA beating the Horns in Austin by 15 --- Texas must be a steaming pile of dung. (which we all know isn't the case)
Horns certainly played like a steaming pile of dung for most of that game, that's for sure.
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This is what I think....
Kiffin will have Ole Miss playing at a very high level, but Ole Miss will lose at least two games no matter what. It's not really Kiffin's fault, it's just that nobody can win at Ole Miss, not even St. Nick. So they could beat anybody on the schedule and also lose to anybody on the schedule.
Breaking in a new QB....we'll see. Top half of SEC finish.
Beamer seems to be a really good coach from a really good coaching family. I think USCe will be very tough.
Beamer sucks. Broke .500 for the 1st time in the SEC last year, still lost his Bowl, and barely finished inside the TOP 20 -- his best finish, ....ever. Probably finish around the middle of the SEC. Sellers could be great.
(https://i.imgur.com/a9LnKT0.png)
Alabama is a huge question mark for me. They were awesome last year and sucked at the same time.
Definitely the jury is still out. Talent level is insane. Deboer better get it rolling this year. Breaking in a new QB. It will get loud in Tuscaloserville if he stumbles again. Also, Fuck Bama.
Auburn is back because of ....Hugh Freeze? Not sure I follow this logic. He hasn't proven anything at Auburn yet.
I've not heard anyone suggest Auburn is back because of Freeze. I've heard plenty suggest he better vastly improve this year or he is fired. 10-12th place in the SEC.
Georgia will be very tough. Nobody disputes that.
Always. Breaking in a (newish) QB. I haven't been impressed with Stockton. They better be able to run the ball.
Tennessee is too early to tell.
Agreed. Lost a lot on the O-line, plus QB, plus 1st Team SEC RB. Running game should still be there. Pass pro and new transfer QB are major questions. 10-2 ceiling, 7-5 floor. My guess is somewhere between there. Middle pack SEC finisher.
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A 14 pt loss in Athens isn't as bad as your making it out to be.
By that measure -- UGA beating the Horns in Austin by 15 --- Texas must be a steaming pile of dung. (which we all know isn't the case)
I agree...losing by 14 to UGA in Athens isn't that bad. It's more about the loss to Arkansas that makes me think they weren't really that good. I do give them credit for beating Bama and Florida. I guess that shellacking by OSU tempered my judgement of them.
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I agree...losing by 14 to UGA in Athens isn't that bad. It's more about the loss to Arkansas that makes me think they weren't really that good. I do give them credit for beating Bama and Florida. I guess that shellacking by OSU tempered my judgement of them.
I'm pretty sure this is one of those cases where the SEC team gets to say it didn't want to be there, but I'm also new at this stuff, so...
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You are very correct about breaking in a new QB. The only thoughts I have on that is that Kiffin has a pretty solid record with QB's. Also, their schedule is very back-loaded. They won't have a tough game until 9/27 when they play LSU at home, and they get UGA on 10/18. I don't think either Kentucky or Arkansas can challenge them.
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I agree...losing by 14 to UGA in Athens isn't that bad. It's more about the loss to Arkansas that makes me think they weren't really that good. I do give them credit for beating Bama and Florida. I guess that shellacking by OSU tempered my judgement of them.
They fell asleep on the road --- it happens sometimes. They damn sure shouldn't have lost. Clearly the superior team, but.....shit happens.
OSU after the Michigan loss --- ugh. They were on a mission, and we were in the way. Been awhile since I saw us completely dismantled in that fashion. Hope not to see it again.
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USC in 2024 is a hard one to digest. They lost a very tight game to LSU. They got shellacked by Ole Miss. They lost by Bama by 2. They handily beat OU, then beat a (what was a good team until that point) A&M very handily, dominating the 2nd half. They beat CFP team Clemson.
Honestly, I DGAF about Bowl games anymore, and I think neither do the players. I don't think a bowl game says much about your team anymore. I wish we would just stop playing them, they are 100% meaningless exhibition games. That being said, Illinois was a decent team last year, they lost by 4.
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USC in 2024 is a hard one to digest. They lost a very tight game to LSU. They got shellacked by Ole Miss. They lost by Bama by 2. They handily beat OU, then beat a (what was a good team until that point) A&M very handily, dominating the 2nd half. They beat CFP team Clemson.
Honestly, I DGAF about Bowl games anymore, and I think neither do the players. I don't think a bowl game says much about your team anymore. I wish we would just stop playing them, they are 100% meaningless exhibition games. That being said, Illinois was a decent team last year, they lost by 4.
Ole fat Bert coached circles around Beamer in that game. Had Beamer smoking hot on the sideline. LOL
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Ole fat Bert coached circles around Beamer in that game. Had Beamer smoking hot on the sideline. LOL
I forgot about that. lol. I still don’t even know what that was really about.
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I forgot about that. lol. I still don’t even know what that was really about.
I think he was slow walking defensive players onto the field at the last second, slowing SC's offense down to a crawl.
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What's all this football talk on the SEC board? I didn't think we did that here anymore.
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I'm pretty sure this is one of those cases where the SEC team gets to say it didn't want to be there, but I'm also new at this stuff, so...
Or we have a 8,246 team playoff format now which creates a lot of "playoff teams" which are not of the caliber of past playoff teams, and the term means less than it used to. Tennessee was a decent-or-maybe-a-little-better team last year, but not to be confused with a really good one, and not one that would've made a four team playoff in years past.
They also probably weren't as Less-Than as OSU made them look, but OSU was definitely on a different level, even if Michigan hadn't pissed them off.
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Or we have a 8,246 team playoff format now which creates a lot of "playoff teams" which are not of the caliber of past playoff teams, and the term means less than it used to. Tennessee was a decent-or-maybe-a-little-better team last year, but not to be confused with a really good one, and not one that would've made a four team playoff in years past.
But even given this, Tennessee made this new super-easy-to-make-in-your-opinion playoff.
While LSU, Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Miss State, Kentucky, OU, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Alabama, did not.
So it might be easier than ever to make the playoff, but 13 SEC teams didn't do it.
The question was, which SEC team other than Texas or Georgia, might win the SEC? I don't think it's some weird stretch to name the only other SEC team to make the playoff, as a team that could win the SEC.
What I do think is weird, is acting as if it's weird to think that.
And what I also think is weird, is suggesting or assuming that I said Tennessee is going to be a "great team." Omitting Texas and Georgia, which was the specific criterion of the scenario in question, I think they are a team that can win the SEC.
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Your assessment of Tennessee as a viable dark horse candidate is fine and I don't disagree.
I'm talking about their playoff appearance being used as a data point, which is really no different than under the old format where they don't make the playoff, but finish first in line behind the other SEC contenders, and your point stands fine without the playoff really mattering. To me, citing a team's playoff appearance in this discussion is an appeal to a certain caliber of team, i.e., one that can make the playoffs. I think you have a good point about Tennessee, I just don't consider their playoff appearance* necessary to your point, and potentially misleading to the casual observer as to the actual quality of last year's team. That said, I reiterate, while I think it's misleading, it does belie a legit reality, that TENN was next in line and kind of by definition a dark horse candidate.
* if they did appear. It's possible OSU killed them all in the parking lot before entering the stadium and what we saw was an effect similar to chickens running around with their heads cut off....they're all dead, but their nervous system hasn't figured it out yet.
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Your assessment of Tennessee as a viable dark horse candidate is fine and I don't disagree.
I'm talking about their playoff appearance being used as a data point, which is really no different than under the old format where they don't make the playoff, but finish first in line behind the other SEC contenders, and your point stands fine without the playoff really mattering. To me, citing a team's playoff appearance in this discussion is an appeal to a certain caliber of team, i.e., one that can make the playoffs. I think you have a good point about Tennessee, I just don't consider their playoff appearance* necessary to your point, and potentially misleading to the casual observer as to the actual quality of last year's team. That said, I reiterate, while I think it's misleading, it does belie a legit reality, that TENN was next in line and kind of by definition a dark horse candidate.
* if they did appear. It's possible OSU killed them all in the parking lot before entering the stadium and what we saw was an effect similar to chickens running around with their heads cut off....they're all dead, but their nervous system hasn't figured it out yet.
There has been some very public innuendo that our shithead 5 star, all-everything, knucklehead QB --- threatened to sit out the week of the game unless he got paid a bonus to play in the game (that his NIL was for regular season only).
I won't use it as an excuse -- we just got clobbered -- but I could see how that scenario may have sewn a bit of discord amongst the team the very few days before the biggest game of their lives. So there may be something to some folks 'not showing up'.
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I hope that wasn't the case, but sadly, it has something of a ring of truth to it in this day and age. I mean, it sounds like something one of these kids would do.
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I used Tennessee's playoff inclusion, alongside Georgia and Texas, as evidence of their quality as a team. In this case, specifically, as an SEC team, and being compared to other SEC teams. And even more specifically, as an SEC team not named Georgia or Texas, being compared to all other SEC teams not named Georgia or Texas.
So I think it's really weird to call out my use of their inclusion in the playoff as an indicator of their relative quality compared to all of the other non-Texas and non-Georgia teams in the SEC, none of which were included in the playoff.
And with that, I'm done with the topic. I'm actually sorry I even bothered to answer it.
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Nobody’s acting weird about anything. I don’t know why you keep bringing that up.
Your opinion on Tennessee winning the SEC as a dark horse candidate is just as valid as if I said it would be Vanderbilt. Then we could discuss why my pick is flawed, and xyz reasons etc.
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I hope that wasn't the case, but sadly, it has something of a ring of truth to it in this day and age. I mean, it sounds like something one of these kids would do.
https://247sports.com/article/nico-iamaleava-other-players-threatened-to-sit-out-college-football-playoff-games-248756546/amp/
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Nobody’s acting weird about anything. I don’t know why you keep bringing that up.
Your opinion on Tennessee winning the SEC as a dark horse candidate is just as valid as if I said it would be Vanderbilt. Then we could discuss why my pick is flawed, and xyz reasons etc.
Whatever. Ole~. Weak sauce.
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For teams not named UGA, Texas, and Bama, I guess Florida would be my dark horse. Though I don't know much about A&M this coming year.
Florida has a brutal schedule. They could be "playoff worthy" as a team but be 8-4. The obvious teams would be Tenn and LSU I think, and I'd pick USCe as a rather dark dark horse. Nothing really new in that.
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I probably get LSU as a dark horse from an outsider's perspective. As a fan, it seems they have too many flaws and have fallen too far in recent years to be capable of surprising us and winning the league. But I guess that's the point of a dark horse...people don't see them coming. But that just makes me wonder what's the point of trying to predict something that, by definition, we can't/don't predict.
Cuz it's summer and we're bored, of course :)
Anyway, the story on LSU, as best as I understand it, is the team should be pretty solid, but safety has something to prove and may persist in being a weak link. Actually, the entire secondary has something to prove with the way they've played the last several years, but the talent at corner at least seems to be capable of being better than they have been. And then the OL....there are talented guys (supposedly), but they're new, and how long do they need in order to allow the team to be really good? Sometimes it takes OL units an entire season, that's just the nature of the position, in which case it would be next year before they're great, and LSU's QB will be gone. And of course, LSU hasn't won an opener in 6 years. Another opening loss to Clemson wouldn't technically doom the Tigers' season, but team morale may suffer and a lot of fans are either going to check out or wane in interest. And Brian Kelly will be getting the Ryan Day treatment from fans who remain. I'm of the opinion that even if slowly, peripherally, and indirectly, fan attitude eventually affects locker rooms.
So, it's hard to think of them as a dark horse, in the sense that it doesn't feel like they're waiting to surprise me. But that goes back to my other point, if we saw it coming, we wouldn't be surprised. And I didn't think our baseball team was championship quality, so what do I know.
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I've changed my mind.
Texas A&M is the clear dark horse.
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So, teams that could win the SEC this year aside from the top 2 include:
LSU
USCe
Tenn
Florida
A&M
Maybe we could include Ole Miss. We're halfway through the teams.
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Are you forgetting Bama, or are they in your top 2? In which case, did you throw out UGA or Texas?
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So, teams that could win the SEC this year aside from the top 2 include:
LSU
USCe
Tenn
Florida
A&M
Maybe we could include Ole Miss. We're halfway through the teams.
Pretty close to my line of thinking. I think I'd put OM before Florida and A&M.
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Is Alabama really a dark horse?
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I've changed my mind.
Texas A&M is the clear dark horse.
Honestly, and I know you're just trolling, I have all but given up on A&M being anything but a perennial 8-9 win team. Even when we manage to get that 10th and 11th win every ~12 years, we lose the one game (usually to an inferior opponent) that spoils the whole season. Last November was brutal as an Aggie fan. I'd rather just be up shit creek in early October than have a chance at a great season (10+ wins) at the start of November.
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Is Alabama really a dark horse?
Strictly speaking? Yes. Practically speaking? No.
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I think A&M just might, eventually, not stumble on that one game in the 12th year. The problem is, that although it's easier to get into the CFP now, it's harder to win all the games to make it out as the champ.
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Is Alabama really a dark horse?
Hell no.
They're a front runner, and have been for the last 20 years.
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Are you forgetting Bama, or are they in your top 2? In which case, did you throw out UGA or Texas?
My list is "aside from the top two". I somehow omitted Bama by mistake.
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(https://i.imgur.com/cehvwMX.png)
Teams from four states, the state of AL being dominant. Texas no where to be seen.
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(https://i.imgur.com/cehvwMX.png)
Teams from four states, the state of AL being dominant. Texas no where to be seen.
Beware the ECFG (Evil Capricious Football Gods TM Hooky Hornstein RIP.
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Not actually as many as it seems like in my mind, for Alabama.
LSU and UGA both with 5. UGA with more recent success, LSU more successful earlier on.
LSU's two earliest titles here belong to Saban, so added to Alabama's 9, he had 11.
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I often forget that Auburn had some good teams mixed in there, including that NC.
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To me, the lingering question of how 2004 Auburn would've fared against 2004 USC is more interesting than the question of 2003 USC vs. 2003 OU or 2003 LSU. 2003 USC wasn't nearly as good on the lines as 2004 and they weren't the same caliber as LSU or OU, despite how the roles reversed between them and OU the next year. But 2004 AU, despite not being as impressive at times as SC or OU, had great lines, an NFL secondary, and an NFL QB in an offense that utilized a lot of dumps to fullbacks and TEs, i.e. exactly the kind of offense that could make progress against SC's defense sans a mobile QB.
I don't know if AU could've beaten SC in 2004--I don't know if any team was going to beat them that night--but they matched up well with them. I remember TrojanMark admitting as much here years ago.
2010 AU was weird. That roster was really hit and miss, with a lot of glaring holes/weaknesses. But their standouts.....damn. That OL, QB Cam Newton, and the two DT's, Fairley and, um....the other one not named Fairley...somehow, someway were enough on their own to cover a multitude of roster weaknesses elsewhere.
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To me, the lingering question of how 2004 Auburn would've fared against 2004 USC is more interesting than the question of 2003 USC vs. 2003 OU or 2003 LSU. 2003 USC wasn't nearly as good on the lines as 2004 and they weren't the same caliber as LSU or OU, despite how the roles reversed between them and OU the next year. But 2004 AU, despite not being as impressive at times as SC or OU, had great lines, an NFL secondary, and an NFL QB in an offense that utilized a lot of dumps to fullbacks and TEs, i.e. exactly the kind of offense that could make progress against SC's defense sans a mobile QB.
I don't know if AU could've beaten SC in 2004--I don't know if any team was going to beat them that night--but they matched up well with them. I remember TrojanMark admitting as much here years ago.
2010 AU was weird. That roster was really hit and miss, with a lot of glaring holes/weaknesses. But their standouts.....damn. That OL, QB Cam Newton, and the two DT's, Fairley and, um....the other one not named Fairley...somehow, someway were enough on their own to cover a multitude of roster weaknesses elsewhere.
Yeah I would have liked to see that, too.
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Rhett Lashlee and the ACC taking shots at the SEC and Big 10.
https://twitter.com/CFBKings/status/1947699346935320731
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https://twitter.com/On3sports/status/1947713815597973812
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Yeah I would have liked to see that, too.
I don't even know why you're asking....SEC vs. PAC 12....SEC wins hands down.
:)
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I don't even know why you're asking....SEC vs. PAC 12....SEC wins hands down.
:)
Ha! A fine SECSECSEC response.
But those USC teams were really good. ESPN told me that the 2005 Trojans were the greatest college football team of all time!
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Ha! A fine SECSECSEC response.
But those USC teams were really good. ESPN told me that the 2005 Trojans were the greatest college football team of all time!
They said the same thing about 2003 Oklahoma.
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I idly wonder how 1995 nebraska would fare against an elite modern team. I'm guessing the lines today are 50 pounds heavier, and maybe slower.
The USC-Texas game remains the best football game I've ever watched.
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I often wonder how that 2012 Texas A&M Team would have fared in a 4-team playoff. We already beat Bama at their house, only loss was a very close one to LSU and a close one to 11-win Florida in the very first game of Sumlin's and Manziels tenure.
Top 5 teams that year were Bama, Oregon, Ohio St, Notre Dame, and Georgia tied with A&M (#5). I like our odds.
I just realized that Ohio State was also undefeated, Wow. Talk about old school.
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I like to pretend that 2010 through 2022 never existed, outside of maybe 4 or 5 games.
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https://twitter.com/On3sports/status/1947713815597973812
Rhett's math ain't mathin'.
There's been 8. Guess he forgot the Horns and Sooners are now SEC.
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Is he talking about the SEC conference championship? If so, then neither Texas nor OU have won it. Yet.
I'd be curious how many ACC teams have won the conference championship over the same period. And B1G.
Not curious enough to look it up, of course. :)
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Is he talking about the SEC conference championship? If so, then neither Texas nor OU have won it. Yet.
I'd be curious how many ACC teams have won the conference championship over the same period. And B1G.
Not curious enough to look it up, of course. :)
I had to make sure. Only half our league members have won Natty's. Oh no!
(https://i.imgur.com/PLdwmSK.png)
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If that's the case, then the comment is even weirder. Fewer ACC teams and B1G teams have won the NC in the same span, which would make those conferences even... MORE... top-heavy, I guess?
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I idly wonder how 1995 nebraska would fare against an elite modern team. I'm guessing the lines today are 50 pounds heavier, and maybe slower.
The USC-Texas game remains the best football game I've ever watched.
Definitely the best NC game.
For a neutral observer anyway. If I'm a Florida fan, I probably like the beatdown of Ohio State, and the same goes for a fan of any winning team that won big. But if your team isn't playing, it's a lot more fun to get a close one, and none was closer than Texas/SC, ergo, an all-time neutral great.
Depending on your bent, not all close games may be created equal. LSU/OU was a defensive slugfest, and for people who don't mind that, I assume that was a better watch than a lopsided game. But if those kind of games bore you, then maybe you prefer a higher-scoring, close affair like FSU/AU, or even a lopsided game, to the low-scoring game even if it's a close one.
I don't mind high or low scoring affairs, as long as they don't come about because of inability on the other side of the ball. Pretending I weren't an LSU fan for a moment, as a neutral observer I don't mind the LSU/OU game because both of those offenses steamrolled teams approximately however much they wanted to, but the defenses were just that good. And I don't mind higher scoring affairs so long as they don't come about because the defenses were just bad.
Thus, Texas/SC is the best NC game for a neutral observer, because A) it was close, B) both offenses routinely stuck 40+ on their opponents, C) both defenses were at least highly competent (I'd say elite, in Texas' case).
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Yeah when you look at the amount of NFL talent on BOTH of those rosters, it's pretty amazing. And not just guys who made the League, but guys who were starters for many years.
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People criticize the 2005 SC defense, and I get that to some degree. But I think they were quite a bit better than their perception. Mainly, I think it's that they weren't as good as 2004, or what the next group rounded into by the end of 2006 (and that same group's 2007 and 2008 seasons, especially). But those other defenses were stellar, and 2005 shouldn't be thought of as poor simply because they weren't as good as the units that preceded and succeeded them.
I'll say this, if Jayden Daniels had 2005 USC's defense, then 2023 LSU would have been runaway national champions and nobody would've even gotten close.
They probably would've been top 15 if we'd had advanced stats like FEI, SP+, F+ back then. Texas scored 38 on that unit.
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I saw Matt Mitchell (SEC Roll Call) on a YouTube clip with Paul Finebaum. I knew he's from Alabama, and I guess I assumed he was an Alabama fan. He said he grew up in a split household, mother was an Auburn fan, dad was a Bama fan, so he did the only neutral thing he could and found a different team to root for.
He said he's a Florida fan. I did not see that one coming. And I have to say, he hides it well in his videos.
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I saw Matt Mitchell (SEC Roll Call) on a YouTube clip with Paul Finebaum. I knew he's from Alabama, and I guess I assumed he was an Alabama fan. He said he grew up in a split household, mother was an Auburn fan, dad was a Bama fan, so he did the only neutral thing he could and found a different team to root for.
He said he's a Florida fan. I did not see that one coming. And I have to say, he hides it well in his videos.
Yeah I've always liked that I could never really tell who he actually roots for. I, too, would not have guessed Florida.
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I think most commentators have to try and disguise their fandom, some may go "too far" (Herbie?). I know "Paul" gets accused of it, but the few times I listen to him for a bit, he seems more prone to asking questions and making a few random points of no particular interest, to me. His "show" is ... not my cup of coffee.
I sometimes look at a clip by Josh Pate on YT, or another dude of similar ilk, but they rarely offer anything I find innovatively useful. It's a nice business for them, I think, they probably work pretty hard at it.
The nice thing about this site is we get some pretty even handed analyses of various teams especially in B1G land. But none of us "know", and the season will have surprises.
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Revellie had to have her eye removed.
https://twitter.com/dancrenshawtx/status/1948186690373202176?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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People criticize the 2005 SC defense, and I get that to some degree. But I think they were quite a bit better than their perception. Mainly, I think it's that they weren't as good as 2004, or what the next group rounded into by the end of 2006 (and that same group's 2007 and 2008 seasons, especially). But those other defenses were stellar, and 2005 shouldn't be thought of as poor simply because they weren't as good as the units that preceded and succeeded them.
I'll say this, if Jayden Daniels had 2005 USC's defense, then 2023 LSU would have been runaway national champions and nobody would've even gotten close.
They probably would've been top 15 if we'd had advanced stats like FEI, SP+, F+ back then. Texas scored 38 on that unit.
I guess this technically goes on the Big Ten board ('cuz USC is now a B10 team but I will never accept that in my mind). But Texas is now an SEC team, so this sort of goes here (but I also don't accept Texas as an SEC team. Or A&M. Or Arkansas. Missouri, I'm pretty sure is an ongoing hallucination of the conference).
I checked the bottom line numbers just to see what scores USC allowed that year. Not counting Texas, they allowed 21.3 ppg. Not bad, for an offensive league. Of those 11 games that weren't Texas or Fresno (more on them in a second), Notre Dame (31) and ASU (28) were the teams that scored the most. I don't remember Notre Dame as well that season, other than the infamous Bush-Push ending, but since ASU played LSU that season I remember them well, following them the rest of the way. ASU was a high-powered, dangerous offense, and just ask LSU's slew of future NFL defensive stars about them. Fresno was the lone team to actually score more than Texas (42), but that score is a clear outlier in what USC's '05 defense allowed, and frankly.....it was Fresno State, and those games happen. Like many good statistical models, I'm more than willing to remove outliers for analysis. Fresno, Notre Dame, and Arizona State inflate that average, and outside of that SC was giving up just 17.2 ppg. I understand any average improves when you remove the worst cases, but understanding the skew and kurtosis of a distribution is important analytical context. In fact, for another data point SC shared with LSU, Arkansas also played both teams and scored exactly 17 on both. While SC is popularly thought to have been "down" on defense that year, LSU was perceived--correctly, imo--to be quite good.
My point is SC's defense was nowhere near as meh as the narrative always seemed to claim. Texas scored 41 (ignore my mistake in the quote) when that defense was trying its hardest, had a month to prepare, and was, frankly, much better than its perception. Whether that was because they were overshadowed by their offense, not quite as good as the impression that the dominant display the OU NC game left everyone with, a combination, or something else entirely, I'm not sure.
Likewise, the Texas defense didn't allow anything close to 38 during the year. They allowed just 14.6 ppg. They also have "outliers" with Okie. St. (28) and A&M (29).
Texas clearly had the better defense, but SC's was quite good. The 41-38 score was quite a testament to how good those offenses were.
That's a long-winded explanation of why that game was the best non-LSU NC I've ever seen, and how, even despite the higher score, a smothering defense-lover like me could not reasonably nitpick it.
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Revellie had to have her eye removed.
https://twitter.com/dancrenshawtx/status/1948186690373202176?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
She's secretly a Mike Leach fan.
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I feel very bad for her. But, she does look pretty damn awesome.
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I think the image is AI.
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Ah. Well darn then.
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I think the image is AI.
I see a lack of a eye.
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I see a lack of a eye.
So...AI
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I remember seeing some discussion of strength of schedule awhile back.
SI has put out a top-10 in schedule difficulty. The article (https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/rankings/college-football-rankings-hardest-schedules-2025) did not describe what method was used to determine these rankings.
10. Texas A&M
9. LSU
8. Kentucky
7. South Carolina
6. Mississippi State
5. Vanderbilt
4. Wisconsin
3. Arkansas
2. Florida
1. Oklahoma
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(https://i.imgur.com/5HqNAmX.png)
https://powerrankingsguru.com/college-football/strength-of-schedule.php
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I pay modest attention to SoS ratings because, well, in part I dislike rankings, and in part, because it's based on how teams are perceived to be preseason which we know has flaws, and in part, because there are differences in schedule strength.
For example, Team A plays 6 ranked teams, and 6 really bad teams.
Team B plays 2 ranked teams, but 10 teams "ranked" 26-40.
Which is tougher depends a lot on how good teams A and B are. A really elite team would prefer Team B's slate, but a mediocre team would prefer Team A.
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Yeah I don't worry too much about them. I just searched for something that seemed very different than the one C-Dubb posted, to be a contrarian.
:)
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Just glancing through schedules, these teams play all three SEC CFP teams from last year (Georgia, Tennessee, Texas):
Florida
Kentucky
Miss State
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UGA played UGA this past spring.
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SoS can only be determined AFTER the season is over, IMO. It's fun to discuss pre-season, but nobody really knows.
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I think it fair to note that say Florida seems to be looking at a lot of higher ranked teams (preseason). UGA last season played a lot of tough teams on the road, this year that is reversed, same opponents, most in Athens (Tenn in Knoxville). Texas as usual plays nobody ...
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It's interesting that 9 of the 10 teams in the rankings I posted are in the SEC.
As I posted, I don't know the methodology for computing those rankings. Nor do I know the methodology for the "Power Rankings Guru" rankings that Utee posted.
I can see two distinct different ways of computing these rankings. One would be to use power rankings. The team with the highest average power rankings of its opponents would seem to have the most difficult schedule. But "strength of schedule" doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as "difficulty of schedule."
If my team has the highest power ranking, and its 12 scheduled opponents are ranked #2 through #13 in power rankings, my team surely has the highest strength of schedule. But if my team is power-ranked #50, and its opponents are ranked #20 through #31, I'm probably going to have a harder time running the table than I would have in the first example.
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Happy Aggie Day everyone! 8/4. It’s also my Anniversary, 24 years married.
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Happy anniversary!
"Aggie day" sounds made up and I refuse to celebrate it. :)
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As expected, Texas is #1 preseason UPI or whatever they call it now. That isn't a terrible thing, the #1 team usually has a very good season and top ten finish.
I have a notion the rankings may be less predictive than usual this year, I can see some second ten teams have a fine season.
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Horns are DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMEEEDDDD!
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https://twitter.com/br_cfb/status/1952426215417250090?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
I now expect OU to win the SEC.
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Happy anniversary!
"Aggie day" sounds made up and I refuse to celebrate it. :)
sigh
(https://i.imgur.com/YWkOdLU.jpeg)
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Oh. Ha! Sorry I missed the joke and made you explain it. That always kills the humor...
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So I watched the Netflix show “ Any Given Saturday”. It was……meh, ok. Bama, OU, Texas, Missouri, Ole Miss, opted out.
They showed quite a lot of South Carolina. And Vanderbilt. LSU got some nice screen time in the first two or so episodes. Florida got a little in the first episode or two. They barely showed Arkansas. They didn’t even touch Tennessee until the last episode. And they hardly showed anything at all about A&M until the second to last episode and they completely ignored the excellent start we had to the season and the very big win over LSU. They basically FF until when we had our late season collapse. Mississippi St got as much screen time as A&M. Kentucky barely got a mention.
It was just very uneven. I did come away impressed with Shane Beamer.
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It was kinda weird too that they gave Johnny Football as much time as any current player. Dudes been gone for 12 years.
Our season ended when Leveon Moss went down and they didn’t even show it.
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I hadn't even heard of it. Sounds like I don't need to watch it.
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Listening to Fox Sports Radio late last night, and the two national weeknight hosts – Jason Smith and Mike Harmon – began their casual look ahead to the upcoming college football season by talking LSU:
“If you think all the pressure is on Arch Manning and Texas, nah, nah, nah. The most pressure, in the country, without a doubt, is on LSU head coach Brian Kelly. We get the news today that Garrett Nussmeier who is a sure fire NFL first round pick – we find out today he’s dealing with patellar tendinitis, but is not going to miss any significant time. Brian Kelly making this announcement earlier today at his press conference. Looks like for now Nussmeier is fine…just something to clip and save, oh everything’s fine, everything’s fine.”
“Nussmeier getting hurt obviously would be the worst thing for LSU. But even if Nussmeier is healthy, if this isn’t a playoff season for LSU they will find what is going to be about fifty million dollars to buy out Brian Kelly. Sure there’s guys under pressure – sure you want to talk about Kalen Deboer – but Brian Kelly, this is year four and he’s not had a year with less than three losses so far. It has not been a great marriage. It’s been awkward. He had a highly publicized tantrum at his players last year. He’s not really gotten that hug from LSU fans.”
“If it’s another year of LSU of no playoffs and another three- or four-loss year, that’s going to be it for Brian Kelly. Especially with Nussmeier. The best quarterback they’ve had since Joe Burrow. LSU will find the fifty million to buy Brian Kelly out. Another year of three or four losses? What are you paying Brian Kelly for? You’re paying him for what he did at Notre Dame, and now despite the fact that he has more resources, more ways to get players in – and his words when he jumped were ‘hey I’m not hamstrung by the things that hamstrung me at Notre Dame’ and oh by the way, Notre Dame got to a National Title game before Brian Kelly did at LSU. This is a playoff-or-you’re-fired year for Brian Kelly.”
It’s one thing for us diehards to share our Brian Kelly misgivings, but it’s reached another level of sports-world consciousness when national radio hosts have the rap sheet on Brian Kelly.
The only other offseason story receiving more attention than the pressure Brian Kelly is under is North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick. Anyone else notice the LSU @ Clemson opener is receiving more attention than the #1 Vs #2 Texas Vs Ohio State opener?
Can’t wait!
(https://i.imgur.com/g8eGA9j.png)
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Does this belong here or the hotties thread ?
https://twitter.com/james_dukes12/status/1954574505126346970?s=61
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(https://i.redd.it/4c4bz4zncm661.png)
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Very accurate.
https://twitter.com/ProjSports/status/1954999627393986773
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Kind of ….premature, dontcha think?
https://twitter.com/mattmosley/status/1955474595131392303?s=61
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I don't know any Texas fans saying this.
Mediots say stupid shit all the time.
With the portal and NIL as it is now, I don't think anyone will be able to reproduce what Saban did at Alabama, ever again. So it would be silly to call ANY team "the new Bama."
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I think some teams could reproduce what FSU was able to do back in the 90s. Winning the NC these days is unlikely no matter how good your team is.
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I don't know any Texas fans saying this.
Mediots say stupid shit all the time.
With the portal and NIL as it is now, I don't think anyone will be able to reproduce what Saban did at Alabama, ever again. So it would be silly to call ANY team "the new Bama."
As long as we dont become the new aggies Im happy
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I don't know any Texas fans saying this.
Mediots say stupid shit all the time.
With the portal and NIL as it is now, I don't think anyone will be able to reproduce what Saban did at Alabama, ever again. So it would be silly to call ANY team "the new Bama."
Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is no cap on NIL , correct ? The cap applies to the $20 million to athletes from the university.
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I guess it’s not clear to me why what Alabama and Saban did is so unique ? They combined really good coaching at a true blue blood and then brought in the best talent.
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There's no cap on what the committee is now considering "legitimate" NIL opportunities. The kicker is that those opportunities now have to be what you'd consider as fair compensation for selling your "name, image, or likeness". That is, what would the market bear for you appearing in an advertisement, promoting a product, or marketing T-shirts with your face on it? There's an accountant clearinghouse that's required to validate all opportunities over, I think it is, $500 or so.
Compare that to the "collectives" who gathered money to donate to players in the name of supporting a charity or some such. In these scenarios, everyone knows the players aren't actually appearing in legitimate advertisements, and that their association with this business (non-profit or otherwise) is nothing more than a paper referral to gain a payment. Usually, these charities, while complying with IRS guidelines for donations etc did nothing more than pay players. The NCAA lent its blessing to all this.
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is no cap on NIL , correct ? The cap applies to the $20 million to athletes from the university.
Yup, no cap on NIL. I mean legally, how could there be? The NCAA and conference rules that were against it, have been completely illegal, this entire time.
I guess it’s not clear to me why what Alabama and Saban did is so unique ? They combined really good coaching at a true blue blood and then brought in the best talent.
It was just perfect timing. Time, place, people, culture, talent-- all combined to create a unique combination.
But even Saban-- especially Saban-- knew it was coming to an end. That's why he bailed when he did. He knew he couldn't work his system, his process, in the new environment.
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There's no cap on what the committee is now considering "legitimate" NIL opportunities. The kicker is that those opportunities now have to be what you'd consider as fair compensation for selling your "name, image, or likeness". That is, what would the market bear for you appearing in an advertisement, promoting a product, or marketing T-shirts with your face on it? There's an accountant clearinghouse that's required to validate all opportunities over, I think it is, $500 or so.
Compare that to the "collectives" who gathered money to donate to players in the name of supporting a charity or some such. In these scenarios, everyone knows the players aren't actually appearing in legitimate advertisements, and that their association with this business (non-profit or otherwise) is nothing more than a paper referral to gain a payment. Usually, these charities, while complying with IRS guidelines for donations etc did nothing more than pay players. The NCAA lent its blessing to all this.
The collectives have not been disallowed. Because legally there's just no way to separate the collectives from "legitimate" NIL.
The very fist time the 3rd party consulting firm attempts to block an NIL deal from the collectives or anyone else, it's going to get challenged in court, and it's going to get blasted. Because without collective bargaining agreement from the involved parties, you just can't arbitrarily limit their earning potential.
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If anybody can get close to duplicating Bama's recent successes, Texas fits the bill.
But, that's a TALL order. I think any of us would take 1/3 of their success, and be happy as a lark.
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If anybody can get close to duplicating Bama's recent successes, Texas fits the bill.
But, that's a TALL order. I think any of us would take 1/3 of their success, and be happy as a lark.
why Texas over UGA?
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why Texas over UGA?
Green.
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Let's be fair. Not to take away from Saban's acumen, but Bama also had a nifty network of bagmen that could deliver a recruiting boost when needed. Nothing succeeds like success, but cash in hand definitely helps.
Now, everyone with a dollar can do that. Texas has more dollars than most. The built-in advantage evaporated.
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The collectives have not been disallowed. Because legally there's just no way to separate the collectives from "legitimate" NIL.
The very fist time the 3rd party consulting firm attempts to block an NIL deal from the collectives or anyone else, it's going to get challenged in court, and it's going to get blasted. Because without collective bargaining agreement from the involved parties, you just can't arbitrarily limit their earning potential.
The collectives aren't disallowed. They just have to show that the money they're paying out is commensurate with market forces. The collective cannot exist solely to collect money to pay NIL. That's coded in the statute. We'll see how long that statute survives.
For reference, what we've got is an "unfair restraint of labor" complaint. As a hand-waving argument, the NCAA said that players couldn't earn money outside the common scholarship stipend while playing college football. That kept the recruiting advantage sort of level (to those who followed the rules).
Problem was twofold: 1. Everyone else associated with college football was making insane amounts of money and 2. You couldn't progress to the NFL without passing through college football and the NCAA. In short, you were compelled to participate as an unpaid laborer in order to have a shot at a profession.
This put the NCAA in the exact definition of a "cartel" (not drug). There was no alternative to their services (no other road to the NFL), and they alone controlled the compensation. According to US labor law, cartels cannot exist, and must be dissolved.
Now, the NFL and MLB are also cartels, but they clearly exist. Why the difference? They are allowed to exist through special acts of Congress that authorize them with certain rules. That's what the NCAA "House settlement" is trying to achieve. Congress attempted to cobble together some equity rules that would allow the NCAA to exist while curbing the "no limit pot" pay for play that was the rule for the last 2 years.
The NFL and MLB have something the NCAA doesn't, but in my opinion, really needs - a players' union. The NFLPA and MLBPA are the players' negotiating arms for the labor rules with their respective NFL and MLB organizations. They set salary ranges, caps, insurance, work standards, contracts, and most everything else governing player and team responsibilities. Sure, negotiations can be ugly, but the result is a clearly defined set that all teams can agree is fair, and all players understand. The agreements will abide by the charters Congress set forth, and everything works.
As it stands, I don't believe the current "House settlement" will survive its first challenge. I agree with the spirit, but I don't think it will be deemed equitable.
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The players in those leagues have consented to collective bargaining labor agreements.
The players in college football have not.
I guarantee you that the moment a consulting firm that a player has no engagement with and no legal or contractual interaction with, attempts to limit payment to a player-- from any source, collective or not-- a player who has not explicitly granted consent to such limitation via collective bargaining, it's going to get challenged, and it's going to get toppled, in court.
The NIL collectives will continue to operate as they have.
The only part that is changing, is the charitable portion of their operations.
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The players in those leagues have consented to collective bargaining labor agreements.
The players in college football have not.
I guarantee you that the moment a consulting firm that a player has no engagement with and no legal or contractual interaction with, attempts to limit payment to a player-- from any source, collective or not-- a player who has not explicitly granted consent to such limitation via collective bargaining, it's going to get challenged, and it's going to get toppled, in court.
The NIL collectives will continue to operate as they have.
The only part that is changing, is the charitable portion of their operations.
Yep. What the House passed isn't going to be sufficient. Right now, schools are mostly wondering who's going to go first.
Somebody's got to be the canary in the coalmine and go violate the statute, gain standing, and move the case through. In the meantime, NIL offers are sort of dependent on how much of the future you're willing to risk on an (almost) sure-thing.
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OK gotcha. I now realize we're saying the same thing, you're just saying it better. :)
Yeah for sure someone will have to put the deal through that will challenge the clearinghouse and then break the system. Some minor risk involved I think, but I doubt it's much. If I were designing this challenge, I'd leave a little room in that $20.5M cap and just make it up with direct pay if it didn't fly.
But of course, it'll fly. The courts are striking down every single attempt made to limit payments to players. Because such limitation, without collective bargaining consent, is illegal.
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Calling it now – Ole Miss is overrated preseason ranked at #21. Why are the Rebels ranked?
After last season, Ole Miss must replace their entire Backfield, Defensive Line, and Secondary. Plus 4 starting OL. Yet Ole Miss is ranked as high as #15 in various Polls.
Good thing for Kiffin, their schedule isn’t as difficult as an SEC schedule could be. Five of first six games are at home, with LSU (Sept 27) the only expected favorite. Last half of schedule is more challenging with @Georgia, @Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Florida.
(https://i.imgur.com/lolsP2s.png)
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https://twitter.com/cfbkings/status/1957811264354222236?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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https://twitter.com/courtanne1225/status/1958163218297200752?s=61
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I'm not a big fan of adding "after-the-fact" NCs to the resume'.
I consider AP and Coaches' poll championships to be legitimate, and then the BCS and CFP of course.
Before the wire service polls were established, it gets a bit murkier, but I'm willing to go along with any NC team that was recognized at the time, by one of the various selectors. Dickinson was one of them that awarded NCs at the time and I think was widely considered to be the first, original legitimate selector. He used a formula that included weighting for strength-of-opponent, to determine his champion and Top 11 or so. It's actually really interesting to go back and look at some of the names on those lists, the familiar and the not so familiar. It was definitely a different time.
But some of the early selectors were also somewhat dubious, essentially chamber of commerce type groups from one city or another, with some obvious biases and agendas. Even so, it's what was around at the time. So if the NC winning team got to hoist a trophy or raise a banner or mount a plaque, at the time of their winning the award, then I'm mostly okay with it.
But any of them that use some statistical model or computer algorithm to award a championships decades later, I'm just not down with. Texas could add I think 4 or 5 more if we did that, but I'm glad that so far, we haven't. We only claim the 4 that came from AP or Coaches' Poll awards.
Here's the Wiki link to the Dickinson System, it's pretty interesting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickinson_System
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Mythical.
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Well sure. Part of the historical charm of college football.
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Well that’s a different take.
https://stormininnorman.com/5-football-coaches-candidates-to-watch-in-case-oklahoma-sooners-have-to-go-searching-lane-kiffin-matt-campbell-josh-heupel-gj-kinne-brian-newberry
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9 game schedule coming ?
https://twitter.com/on3sports/status/1958590324403568820?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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I sure hope so!
Tells me ESPN is ready to open up the wallet, too.
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I sure hope so!
Tells me ESPN is ready to open up the wallet, too.
I honestly don't care about the 9th game that much. In fact, I like the late season non-conference game. And yes, I know it's always a patsy, but I love going to football games in the fall and I can usually get tickets pretty cheap.
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I honestly don't care about the 9th game that much. In fact, I like the late season non-conference game. And yes, I know it's always a patsy, but I love going to football games in the fall and I can usually get tickets pretty cheap.
I hear ya. I don't really like the late season pastry games and would be delighted to see them go away.
Y'all will likely still have some fall games against teams like Miss State or Kentucky or South Carolina or Vanderbilt where it'll be easy to get tickets.
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https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1958635699319841055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1958635699319841055%7Ctwgr%5Ed6035b91eba95fea34a098b08c77266cb80ac3d5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlyhorns.com%2Fboard%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FRossDellenger%2Fstatus%2F1958635699319841055
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So now that we know the plan is to go to 9 conference games, let the speculation begin on what it will look like!
My preferred format is the 3-6-6. Three perma-rivals, and then 6 of the other 12 schools for 2 years, and then the other 6 of the 12 for two years. Every 4 years you'd get to play every single SEC team both home and away. Mega-conference are dumb but if we must have them, then I think this is a decent way to schedule it.
So the, IF that were to be the format, what are the three perma-rivals for each school? I know we've already done this once, it might be buried back in the beginnings of this thread?
For Texas, my choices would obviously be OU, A&M, and Arkansas.
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So now that we know the plan is to go to 9 conference games, let the speculation begin on what it will look like!
My preferred format is the 3-6-6. Three perma-rivals, and then 6 of the other 12 schools for 2 years, and then the other 6 of the 12 for two years. Every 4 years you'd get to play every single SEC team both home and away. Mega-conference are dumb but if we must have them, then I think this is a decent way to schedule it.
So the, IF that were to be the format, what are the three perma-rivals for each school? I know we've already done this once, it might be buried back in the beginnings of this thread?
For Texas, my choices would obviously be OU, A&M, and Arkansas.
Yeah, until they add FSU and Clemson. Then we start all over with the schedule. I got a feeling that since were moving to NFL lite, we’re instead going to instead have divisions, like NFC east and AFC south. The SEC hasn’t cared about all schools playing all the other schools for at least the 13 years we’ve been here. Georgia has never been to Kyle. We’ve only been to Samford once. In the same time span we’ve played Kentucky, Tenn, Florida, and Vanderbilt multiple times.
There’s pretty much 4-5 teams that control the schedule of the SEC. Tenn/ Alabama, UGA/ Fla, Auburn/ Bama. Basically the old guard. OM, MSU, Kentucky, Ark, Mizzou, USC, A&M…all along for the ride. LSU is somewhere in between because they’ve basically become a 21BB. OU and Texas are true blue bloods who really only care about playing each other.
The biggest roadblock to scheduling in the divisional sense is you can’t do it with 18 teams unless you go to a 6 team pod, or conference. That actually makes the most sense.
I would prefer the west pod be A&M, Texas, OU, Ark, LSU, and Miss state.
The rest of the pods, you just split them up however. I wouldn’t mind playing Auburn and OM regularly. Eliminate the CCG, you no longer need it with CFP.
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Yeah it could get really weird. But I'm not too worried about the future if/when more schools are added.
I'm just thinking about the next few years.
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In a few years, UGA has scheduled Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech OOC.
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In a few years, UGA has scheduled Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech OOC.
All in the same season? I realize GaTech is an annual thing but it seems silly to schedule both Clemson and Ohio State at the same time, on top of that.
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In a few years, UGA has scheduled Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech OOC.
Doesn't every school (almost) pretty much schedule a "marquee" game every year, and then a mid-major, and then a LSOP? A&M is playing ND this year and we played them last year, in the recent past we've played UCLA, Arizona, Miami, Colorado, Clemson. We've always played Sam Houston, Prairie View, and a host of other LSOP programs (*Appalachian State too).
The big ones I recall that almost never did this was Kansas State and I guess now IU. Can't hardly blame them, they needed all the help they could get.
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So now that we know the plan is to go to 9 conference games, let the speculation begin on what it will look like!
My preferred format is the 3-6-6. Three perma-rivals, and then 6 of the other 12 schools for 2 years, and then the other 6 of the 12 for two years. Every 4 years you'd get to play every single SEC team both home and away. Mega-conference are dumb but if we must have them, then I think this is a decent way to schedule it.
So the, IF that were to be the format, what are the three perma-rivals for each school? I know we've already done this once, it might be buried back in the beginnings of this thread?
For Texas, my choices would obviously be OU, A&M, and Arkansas.
I think it's going to be 3-6-6, AND that UT will get OU, A&M, and Arky as its permanent rivals.
OU will have UT, of course, and the supposed "word" is that the other two permanent rivals will be Florida and Missouri. Nothing against Florida, but Gainesville is the farthest campus from Norman, so there's no geographic connection. And Missouri doesn't excite me much. I didn't get excited about playing them in the Big 8 or the Big 12. Probably won't be excited about playing them every year in the SEC.
The SEC is saying that every SEC team will play every other SEC team at least once every two years. That makes me think that the SEC is NOT going to take the schedule from Year One and flip the venues for Year Two, then play the "other 6" in Year Three and flip those venues for Year Four. That's how the Big 12 did it. It was simple, clear, predictable, and the SEC doesn't seem to like simple, clear, and predictable schedule-making. Seems there's always tweaking to be done, for some reason or another.
EDIT: I have read that the SEC has ranked the 16 teams based on their performance over the last 10 years. The top 8 must play 2 of the other top 8 and 1 of the bottom 8. The bottom 8, then, play 2 of the other bottom 8 and 1 of the top 8.
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Locked On SEC has this about the permanent rivals.
https://youtu.be/YlsQ_XkJFYU (https://youtu.be/YlsQ_XkJFYU)
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There is literally zero reason to link Oklahoma and Florida. Just another made-up, pulled-from-someone's-ass idea just like our pairing with LSU was in 1992.
The only issue with the trios is that some programs' ideal trios are all helmet schools. That's tough on the schedule. So the best way AND a more flexible way is to get 2 of those plus a weaker program you have played a ton in the past.
Texas' trio of OU, A&M, and Arky is fine, because Arky is a have-not.
Auburn's ideal trio is probably too tough - Alabama, Georgia, LSU....ouch. So keep the 2 you must (Bama & UGA), then add MSU or OM or whoever.
If you do this, everyone's mostly happy and isn't killing themselves on the scheduling aspect every year.
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The SEC is saying that every SEC team will play every other SEC team at least once every two years. That makes me think that the SEC is NOT going to take the schedule from Year One and flip the venues for Year Two, then play the "other 6" in Year Three and flip those venues for Year Four. That's how the Big 12 did it. It was simple, clear, predictable, and the SEC doesn't seem to like simple, clear, and predictable schedule-making. Seems there's always tweaking to be done, for some reason or another.
I thought I read the same thing, but thought I must be misunderstanding it. So you play 6 of the schools one year, and the not necessarily the same 6 the next year? Those epic match-ups where at least there is some continuity will be wiped out...like Johnny Football vs Bama in '12 and '13....
It just seems weird. It's almost as if they want to intentionally change things up to artificially influence the outcome instead of just naturally letting the teams settle it out.
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I thought I read the same thing, but thought I must be misunderstanding it. So you play 6 of the schools one year, and the not necessarily the same 6 the next year? Those epic match-ups where at least there is some continuity will be wiped out...like Johnny Football vs Bama in '12 and '13....
It just seems weird. It's almost as if they want to intentionally change things up to artificially influence the outcome instead of just naturally letting the teams settle it out.
Well the SEC office is certainly known for shenanigans in scheduling if they think it creates some advantage.
And I agree with you that it works better to play the same 6 teams 2 years in a row, to build up some continuity.
If they're not doing that, then the only other options seems to be to rotate the first 6 teams one year, the second 6 teams in year 2, then go back to the first 6 teams in year 3 but reverse the H/A from year1, and then finally hit the second 6 teams in year 4 and reverse the H/A from year 2.
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There is literally zero reason to link Oklahoma and Florida. Just another made-up, pulled-from-someone's-ass idea just like our pairing with LSU was in 1992.
The only issue with the trios is that some programs' ideal trios are all helmet schools. That's tough on the schedule. So the best way AND a more flexible way is to get 2 of those plus a weaker program you have played a ton in the past.
Texas' trio of OU, A&M, and Arky is fine, because Arky is a have-not.
Auburn's ideal trio is probably too tough - Alabama, Georgia, LSU....ouch. So keep the 2 you must (Bama & UGA), then add MSU or OM or whoever.
If you do this, everyone's mostly happy and isn't killing themselves on the scheduling aspect every year.
I agree with your take on OU and Florida being annual "rivals." The history of the two programs has intersected a grand total of twice. Both times in bowl games. And, as I posted earlier, Gainesville is the SEC campus farthest away from Norman, and it's probably true the other way around.
OU just doesn't have much history with longstanding SEC programs. 7 games with Bama, 3 games with Auburn, 4 games with LSU, 5 games with Tennessee, 2 games with Florida, 3 games with Kentucky, 2 games with Ole Miss, 1 game with Georgia. We've had 15 games with Arkansas, but only 3 in the last 99 years. We've had 31 games with Texas A&M, but the Aggies have much longer rivalries with Texas and Arkansas. OTOH, we've had 97 games with Missouri, going back to Big 6 days, so an annual OU-MU matchup makes historical sense, even if it has never been the major rivalry for each school. OU doesn't have a natural opponent for the 3rd permanent rivalry. Somehow, Florida is the choice that is being bandied about.
Supposedly, each of the top 8 SEC teams--as measured over the last 10 years--with have permanent rivalries with 2 other top 8 programs and 1 bottom 8 program. My source for this is columnist Berry Tramel of the Tulsa World:
[R]eports about the SEC's projected nine-game schedule included the eight most recently (10 years) successful programs — Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana State, OU, Texas, Florida, Texas A&M and Auburn — would play two games annually against each other. OU couldn't get both Missouri and Arkansas, under that scenario.
I don't know what metric is being used to rank the SEC programs 1-16. I did a ranking based on total points in final AP polls over the last 10 years and I got a list somewhat different than Tramel's.
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. LSU
5. Texas
6. Florida
7. Ole Miss
8. Tennessee
I guess we'll see how it all works out in the next 3-4 months.
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It just seems weird. It's almost as if they want to intentionally change things up to artificially influence the outcome instead of just naturally letting the teams settle it out.
Yep. It does almost seem that way.
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It might be conference record or overall record. Something lazy, I'm sure.
As for 2 consecutive vs the same non-rival 6 OR alternating years, I think I'd prefer alternating. The continuity is with your 3 rivals. You'll play everyone else every 2 years, so it's sort of irrelevant.
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Hell, before they even start the rival trios, they should eliminate teams it shouldn't be. Make a short list of 5-6 possible teams, eliminating ones that are furthest away and have the fewest past games against.
For Florida:
The short list would be Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, USCe, Auburn, and Vandy/UK.
What it shouldn't be is OU or Texas or A&M or Arkansas, Mizzou, Bama, etc.
If every team had a short list of 6, the actual 3 chosen from those should be doable.
What we should not have is an OU being randomly thrown together with a Florida, a la LSU-Florida.
Florida had played Miss St more times, circa 1992 than vs LSU. LSU had played Kentucky more times than it played Florida.
Shrug.
Pair 'em up!!!
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I kinda do see a little logic in the 6 one year and the opposite 6 the next year. That way you play 100% of the entire SEC every two years. Not sure if I like that approach but it’s…different. With players moving around so much it ensures anybody who stays two years will see 100% of the conference.
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I kinda do see a little logic in the 6 one year and the opposite 6 the next year. That way you play 100% of the entire SEC every two years. Not sure if I like that approach but it’s…different. With players moving around so much it ensures anybody who stays two years will see 100% of the conference.
Yeah I think that's what they're going for. I get it, I don't hate it.
But I also think we'll miss out on a little mini-rivalry that might form from one year to the next, where it's more likely it'll be at least some of the same players from the prior year's team.
Let me throw out a complete hypothetical. Say, Texas beats Florida in Austin pretty badly one year, like, I don't know, 49-17. But then the Horns have to travel to Gainesville the next year against a Gator team with many of the same players, who are highly motivated to knock the Longhorns' block off. That might make for an interesting matchup, I think.
But if it rotates every single year, then it's gonna be 2 years in between those games, and most likely, neither team will resemble the ones that met previously.
But I can see it either way, and in the world of mega-conferences, nothing is ever going to work out perfectly.
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Yeah I think that's what they're going for. I get it, I don't hate it.
But I also think we'll miss out on a little mini-rivalry that might form from one year to the next, where it's more likely it'll be at least some of the same players from the prior year's team.
Let me throw out a complete hypothetical. Say, Texas beats Florida in Austin pretty badly one year, like, I don't know, 49-17. But then the Horns have to travel to Gainesville the next year against a Gator team with many of the same players, who are highly motivated to knock the Longhorns' block off. That might make for an interesting matchup, I think.
But if it rotates every single year, then it's gonna be 2 years in between those games, and most likely, neither team will resemble the ones that met previously.
But I can see it either way, and in the world of mega-conferences, nothing is ever going to work out perfectly.
Your conclusion is the same as mine. Even the talking heads will go back on last years games and break them down, and talk about returning players....etc. Every 3 years.....will be almost a completely different team. Almost certain to not have the same starting QB as most will only play 2 good years and if they're that good they're gone to the NFL or portal in 2.
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It doesn't even really matter, because "this" iteration of the SEC is limited anyways. It's only a matter of time until Clemson and FSU join, or we split DI off into it's own sports world. It's inevitable.
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Yeah, I can see it both ways too. I may just like the way the Big 12 used to do it better just because I liked how it worked in the Big 12. I liked the "you ruined our season last year but now we'll get payback" factor. My only beef about Big 12 scheduling was that OU and Nebraska couldn't play every year.
Speaking of which, I maintain my longstanding wish OU and Nebraska would decide to play each other annually. Ideally, it could take its place among the big OOC rivalries. But neither A.D. has asked for my opinion on that subject.
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Yeah, I can see it both ways too. I may just like the way the Big 12 used to do it better just because I liked how it worked in the Big 12. I liked the "you ruined our season last year but now we'll get payback" factor. My only beef about Big 12 scheduling was that OU and Nebraska couldn't play every year.
Speaking of which, I maintain my longstanding wish OU and Nebraska would decide to play each other annually. Ideally, it could take its place among the big OOC rivalries. But neither A.D. has asked for my opinion on that subject.
I always thought it was so strange that OU/Neb let the Big 12 split-up their rivalry like that. I vaguely recall that there were whispers that since Neb was so damn good at the time there were people saying that OU didn't mind it, only getting Neb every 2 out of 4 years....but it wasn't long the scrip was flipped and OU was very strong and Neb wasn't nearly as good as the 90's. I'm not certain I believe that line of crap and it certainly would have made scheduling challenging to have Neb/OU as a cross-divisional rival. About the only other explanation I have is that they thought they would meet up in the CCG that it would be an annual thing anyways, and sometimes 2x a year. Without looking, I'm not certain OU/Neb ever met in the CCG, or am I forgetting something?
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I always thought it was so strange that OU/Neb let the Big 12 split-up their rivalry like that. I vaguely recall that there were whispers that since Neb was so damn good at the time there were people saying that OU didn't mind it, only getting Neb every 2 out of 4 years....but it wasn't long the scrip was flipped and OU was very strong and Neb wasn't nearly as good as the 90's. I'm not certain I believe that line of crap and it certainly would have made scheduling challenging to have Neb/OU as a cross-divisional rival. About the only other explanation I have is that they thought they would meet up in the CCG that it would be an annual thing anyways, and sometimes 2x a year. Without looking, I'm not certain OU/Neb ever met in the CCG, or am I forgetting something?
Long ago, when the late, great Hooky Hornstein was the big bull of the CFN Big 12 board, we got into this subject. I expended much time and many pixels in explaining how OU and Nebraska could have played every year in the Big 12.
It would have required that every program have a full-time inter-divisional rival. That would have meant playing only 2 of the other programs in the other division each year. IIRC, you'd play the non-permanent-rival programs 4 (rather than 5) times in 10 years.
Some of the permanent matchups I proposed would have made sense; others, not so much.
Texas was opposed to this idea at the time of the formation of the Big12, probably because Texas had no existing rivalry with any of the programs in the North Division. And OU supported the Texas position. I have understood that OU (1) generally wanted to be in agreement with Texas and (2) was tired of getting its ass kicked every year by then-mighty Nebraska. I don't know if any OU insiders would concur with that on the record, but it sounds plausible to me.
Plausible and embarrassing. Like the "Locked On LSU" guy stating clearly (at 6:26) that he wants LSU's permanent opponents to be Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Mississippi State.
https://youtu.be/YlsQ_XkJFYU (https://youtu.be/YlsQ_XkJFYU)
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Gigem: Without looking, I'm not certain OU/Neb ever met in the CCG, or am I forgetting something?
Only in 2010, IRRC. That was Nebraska's last year in the Big 12. A&M's too, I believe.
EDIT: Also, OU-Nebraska met in the Big 12 CCG in 2006.
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2010....bad memory. A&M was actually competitive in the B12 South for the first time in...a while. We dropped an early game to oSu due to our QB basically blowing out his arm earlier in the season and Sherman refused to switch to our "other" QB, who he had playing WR. We then went on to beat OU in the regular season but lost the "tie breaker" which back then was BCS standing. I was curious how we would've fared against Neb in the title game and then I remembered that we already beat them, at Kyle, I think 9-3 or some low-scoring total. Very close, competitive game, had some kind of fracas at the end.
Coincidentally, our "other QB", who was playing WR went on to have a modestly successful NFL career...at QB, not WR. I think he even played up until last year. Ryan Tannehill was his name. Starter at Miami and Tennessee for a dozen or so years. Hell, he may be still playing as a backup, I don't keep up with the NFL worlds.
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Nebraska and Colorado left one year earlier than A&M and Mizzou.
And I remember hearing the rumors that at least partially, OU administration was okay with not playing Nebraska every year because of the annual whippings occurring at the time. But I don't know any OU insiders so I probably just heard that from you, C-Dubb. Or maybe cousin Freddy.
It sounds unlikely to me, and certainly very short-sighted, but I guess even smart people can make dumb decisions sometimes.
I think we've all discussed and mostly agreed that the loss of the annual OU-NU rivalry, caused a foundational rift in the B12, before it ever even got going. It's obviously not the sole reason for the eventual dissatisfaction and school exits from the conference, but I think it was a big part of the feelings of isolation and unhappiness that the Nebraska administration obviously felt.
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I think I would've picked KSU for our "North Rival". I always enjoyed our games with them, and they were usually very competitive. Not to mention, they were one of the former "State A&M" Universities and used to be called Aggies as well. Outside of KSU I have no idea who we would've matched up with the best. CU? KU? ISU? Mizzou? Neb? Never really cared about these other teams one way or the other.
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Also, I've often thought that maybe the N/S divisons really didn't work that well, over time. I kinda wish that the divisions would be somewhat fluid, maybe switch them up every 4 or so years, not by region but by a more methodic criteria. At the end of the original Big 12 N/S configuration the Big 12 South was much stronger then the North. I think it would have been better to have a more evenly matched situation. Texas Tech being in a different division than OU/Texas around the 2005-2009 timeframe would have been a good thing for the league. I say every 4 years because fortunes change rapidly in CFB, I think 10 years would be way too long.
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. . . Coincidentally, our "other QB", who was playing WR went on to have a modestly successful NFL career...at QB, not WR. I think he even played up until last year. Ryan Tannehill was his name. Starter at Miami and Tennessee for a dozen or so years. Hell, he may be still playing as a backup, I don't keep up with the NFL worlds.
I remember Tannehill. Was surprised to see him emerge as an NFL QB.
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Nebraska and Colorado left one year earlier than A&M and Mizzou.
And I remember hearing the rumors that at least partially, OU administration was okay with not playing Nebraska every year because of the annual whippings occurring at the time. But I don't know any OU insiders so I probably just heard that from you, C-Dubb. Or maybe cousin Freddy.
It sounds unlikely to me, and certainly very short-sighted, but I guess even smart people can make dumb decisions sometimes.
I'd like for you to be correct about OU's role (or not) in that.
I think we've all discussed and mostly agreed that the loss of the annual OU-NU rivalry, caused a foundational rift in the B12, before it ever even got going. It's obviously not the sole reason for the eventual dissatisfaction and school exits from the conference, but I think it was a big part of the feelings of isolation and unhappiness that the Nebraska administration obviously felt.
Yep. Nebraska didn't have a longstanding rival other than OU, whereas OU still had the annual game with Texas. Nebraska had dominated the other teams in the Big 12 North. KU, K-State, ISU, Mizzou, and Colorado loved it when they could beat Nebraska, but Nebraska didn't have the same single-minded focus on beating them. Colorado--for awhile--was an exception to that. There were other factors, but the loss of the annual battle of the Big Reds was certainly a big one.
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I remember Tannehill. Was surprised to see him emerge as an NFL QB.
Hell, he was even a 1st rounder....drafted by....Mike Sherman. The same coach who benched him when everybody else in the stadium could see that Jerrod hurt his shoulder/arm and was throwing "wounded ducks" as they said on the message boards at the time.
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This shit starting already...shakes my head.
https://twitter.com/AggiesToday/status/1960044796803744008
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https://twitter.com/claydeezy/status/1960094667925557537
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I just realized, for the first time in my life I’m older than the head coach of my team. Elko is two years younger than me. That makes me feel….old. I wonder when I’ll be older than the President? Maybe 20 more years.
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I just realized, for the first time in my life I’m older than the head coach of my team. Elko is two years younger than me. That makes me feel….old. I wonder when I’ll be older than the President? Maybe 20 more years.
Hell when Mozart was my age hed been dead for 41 years
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Pirate Reveille
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Aaaaaaarrrrrfffff!
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Mike Leach would approve.
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Alabama looks....Mortal. About time. Them SOB's were so good for so long it was almost unfair.
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I just kinda wish we could still keep the E-W division because it would be nice to play Alabama every year and actually have a decent shot of beating them. Not saying that we would win every year, but the whole entire time we were in the SEC Nick Saban was the coach and they went on an unprecedented run of dominance in CFB.
BTW, did anybody else catch that Gus Malzahn is the OC for FSU? The same Gus that won vs. Bama like 3 times, while Bama was at their strongest?
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Strange that Bama would only have one cream puff in the pre-season, sandwiched around FSU and Wisconsin?
I don't recall many SEC teams in recent memory playing this many P4 opponents in the non-conference games?
That @ UGa looks like a potential blood bath, with UGa still being in their prime, and Bama looking mortal.
(https://i.imgur.com/RUv5lag.png)
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Texas looked mortal too. At least Arch did, for 3 quarters.
Texas looked pretty good on its possession starting with 13:08 remaining in the game and ending on 4th down at the 9, and then again on its scoring drive (although I though that Livingstone did not catch the ball cleanly). But it was too late.
I wonder if there are any second thoughts about Sark going for it (and failing) on 4th down inside the 10 twice while trailing 7-0.
One school of thought is that in a close, low-scoring game like that, you take the points when you can get 'em, so you kick FGs with those two opportunities. Countering that is the notion that you might not have another good chance at scoring, so you've got to get the game tied up and hope for OT.
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You take the GD points. Sarkisian has screwed this up so many times now it's almost a fireable offense.
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You take the GD points. Sarkisian has screwed this up so many times now it's almost a fireable offense.
Seems to be a trend these days. Elko did the same thing last year in the LSS and also in the SC game. Not saying it would have made a difference in the LSS but sometimes you just need to take some pressure off the offense.
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Alabama looks....Mortal. About time.
If you're the Bama fan base today, you're having serious dynasty withdrawals.
All game yesterday there was zero energy on the Bama sidelines, from both the players and from Coach Deboer looking dazed.
Why does Alabama rotate in so many players so constantly? In just the first quarter there were up to 20 different defensive players switching in and out. It meant players didn't attain rhythm and inexperienced players were mixed onto the field during key moments.
Bama's defense missed most of their first-chance tackles and were consistently pushed around up front by a Seminole's OL built from the portal, with no experience playing together as a unit. Not used to seeing Bama lines pushed around.
Which leads me to how poorly Bama's OL played. Seminoles defensive ends flooded Bama's backfield.
As bad as Bama's opener was, there are a few bright spots to build on. The new QB Ty Simpson played tough despite being rushed all game. Many of his passes were thrown too quickly. The better news is Simpsons has good targets to work with. WRs/TEs Bernard, Williams, and Cuevas played well.
To sum it up from this Yahoo article:
"Florida State made the Tide look soft and slow, and it showed up at the line of scrimmage, where the Seminoles had 230 rushing yards while Alabama got very little out of the ground game (74 yards on 29 attempts) and did a poor job protecting quarterback Ty Simpson, who was running for his life way too often."
https://twitter.com/DanWolken/status/1962007426745479315
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Texas looked mortal too. At least Arch did, for 3 quarters.
Texas looked pretty good on its possession starting with 13:08 remaining in the game and ending on 4th down at the 9, and then again on its scoring drive (although I though that Livingstone did not catch the ball cleanly). But it was too late.
I wonder if there are any second thoughts about Sark going for it (and failing) on 4th down inside the 10 twice while trailing 7-0.
One school of thought is that in a close, low-scoring game like that, you take the points when you can get 'em, so you kick FGs with those two opportunities. Countering that is the notion that you might not have another good chance at scoring, so you've got to get the game tied up and hope for OT.
Yeah, even if you're on the one, I think there are times you 'always' kick the FG.
To take the lead.
To tie the game.
To avoid having 0 points.
To go up 3 possessions.
.
If the game situation is any of these, just kick it. Each of them is defensible.
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Excluding last season (9 wins and a big win over Georgia), the last time Alabama won less than 10 games was 2007. There are kids out there 20 something years old, assuming you start at age 5, that have never seen an Alabama team win less than 10 games in their life. All they know is 11, 12, 13 and 14 wins a season.
From 2008 to 2023 Bama won 10 games exactly once. 11 games 3 times. 12 games 4 times. 13 games 4 times, and 14 games 4 times. Incredible. There are people out there who are close to 30 years old who have never experienced a down season as Tide fans. The last time they even had a losing record was 2006. They don't remember the whole Mike Price Mike Shula fiasco.
The even more amazing thing is that during that time period multiple teams in the SEC West have won the MNC and also the SECW.
Somebody (on social media) pointed out that social media (as we know it) came out after went on this run of greatness. FB was in it's infancy in 2009. Instagram wasn't even invented. Tik Tok wasn't invented. Twitter was barely a thing. Hell, the internet was probably half on dial-up about that time. There are a lot of Bama fans out there that won't know how to deal with being on the losing end of it on social media.
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https://twitter.com/229_dawg/status/1962821213496934589?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Yeah that's... an odd response.
Was he referring to his own fans, maybe?
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Also, I would argue that most of them are in fact professionals now that they are making 6 figures and in some cases millions.
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Yeah that too. There are probably some backups who aren't getting paid. That's about it.
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The SEC isn't kind the the West Coasters.
They don't get it, and apparently aren't ware that -- "It just means more."
Grow up, pussy.
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I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one.
Nick Saban, arguably the greatest head coach of all time. Dozens and dozens of other coaches have matriculated under him over the years. Lots of talent has roamed the sidelines, including several coaches of successful programs.
Now, DeBoer, by all means not a bad coach from what I can tell. Successful at Washington....but not much (if any) experience in the SEC. I just don't understand why they wouldn't try to find somebody from the Saban coaching tree to takeover...instead of hiring an east coast guy who to my taste looks out of place.
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One of John Mackovic's selling points was that he had no connection at all to DKR, if I recall.
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One of John Mackovic's selling points was that he had no connection at all to DKR, if I recall.
Yeah that was smart. Worked out great.
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It’s easy to forget that when Mackovic was hired, in the early 90’s, that it had only been about 20 years and two coaches since DKR was coach.
Now that I’m older, I realize 20 years ain’t shit. Unless you’re serving time, of course.
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No discussion on Florida losing to South Florida? I only watched the very end.
South Florida missed a long FG, little over two minutes to go. Kicker was Gramatica, I bet he’s related to the same one who used to kick for KSU. Anyways, UF gets the ball back. I think, one first down probably wins it. But you pretty much must run the ball, or only throw high percentage passes.
First down, they throw a near sideline 8 yard pass to the WR…misses badly. Not even 5 seconds off the clock. 2nd down, I think they did run. 3rd down……long pass, 30-40 yards. WR almost hauled it in, but off the hands. Still over 2 minutes to go when they punt. I just remember thinking, what a colossally stupid series of play calls.
End result…usf had all the time in the world. Then they march downfield, at leisure, running the ball, still had TO’s left….kick game winner as time expired from 3 yard line.
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I saw the same thing as you above, watching once I realized the game was close in the 2nd half. My opinion of the UF coach improved a lot towards the last few games last year, but it certainly took a hit yesterday. Aside from the late play calling, the UF team struck me as undisciplined and erratic. One spitting penalty in particular was critical.
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I didn't see the game but the result certainly surprised me. It was already tough finding wins on Florida's schedule, this isn't going to help.
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Yeah, last season I hoped Florida would retain Napier, then they looked better and I hoped they would fire him, now I'm back to the former.
Billy Napier buyout, contract details as Florida football coach - CBSSports.com (https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/billy-napier-buyout-contract-florida-head-coach/)
USF did beat a ranked Boise State so they might well be a pretty solid team, but still .... 18.5 point favorites, and losing ugly to the body bag opponent is ...
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The schedule was already brutal. Short of an amazing turnaround, I see plausible wins over ... UK maybe. They could easily end up 2-10.
(https://i.imgur.com/jQlIebs.png)
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I wonder if Florida is experiencing the "don't know what you've got till it's gone" phenomenon.
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I wonder if Florida is experiencing the "don't know what you've got till it's gone" phenomenon.
I think they're wandering the desert, much as Texas did between 1977 and 1997, and then again between 2012 and 2021.
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I really don’t remember what happened when Dan Mullen got fired, but I read he was 31-9 and Napier is 20-20.
Wow.
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I think they're wandering the desert, much as Texas did between 1977 and 1997, and then again between 2012 and 2021.
I'm here for it.
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I'm guessing USF is a credible team, now with confidence, and probably a light schedule, so they could well end the season ranked.
South Florida Bulls 2025 Regular Season NCAAF Schedule - ESPN (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/58/south-florida-bulls)
The do face Miami next, but could win out, but 9-3 or 10-2 is plausible, I suspect.
That doesn't do much to mitigate UF's situation.
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I think they're wandering the desert, much as Texas did between 1977 and 1997, and then again between 2012 and 2021.
Texas should feel free to get on a horse with no name and wander through that desert again. Somebody could write a song about it.
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I really don’t remember what happened when Dan Mullen got fired, but I read he was 31-9 and Napier is 20-20.
Wow.
Mullen went 10-3, 11-2, and 8-4 in his 1st 3 years. He then started the 2021 season 3-1, with a 2-point loss to Bama in the Swamp as the blemish, and ranked #10. The Gators then lost to Kentucky, 20-13, beat Vanderbilt 42-0, lost to LSU 49-42, lost to Georgia 41-7, lost to USC-E 40-17, beat Samford 70-52, lost to Mizzou 24-23, reaching a 5-6 record. He was fired at that point. Interim coach Greg Knox beat FSU 24-21, but lost to UCF 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl.
So his record at Florida was 34-15.
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I'm guessing USF is a credible team, now with confidence, and probably a light schedule, so they could well end the season ranked.
South Florida Bulls 2025 Regular Season NCAAF Schedule - ESPN (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/58/south-florida-bulls)
The do face Miami next, but could win out, but 9-3 or 10-2 is plausible, I suspect.
That doesn't do much to mitigate UF's situation.
A bit of South Florida Bulls trivia: The USF football program was started under the leadership of then-Assistant Athletic Director (and then Athletic Director) Lee Roy Selmon, one of the all-time great defensive tackles at OU and at Tampa Bay, and member of the NFL HoF.
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Texas should feel free to get on a horse with no name and wander through that desert again. Somebody could write a song about it.
Sooners are similar to Ohio State in that there haven't been too many horrible coaches and down periods over the years, at least not since the 50s.
Sure there was Schnelly and Blake but that was quite brief and the turnaround to Stoops was quick and highly successful. Then a very smooth transition to Muleshoe who, regardless of how you feel about him now, was still a successful handoff and quite frustrating to Texas fans.
So I guess what I'm saying is, if we're wishing anyone to wander in the desert, it's definitely YOUR team. :)
Also, can the rest of college football ever get a break from Ohio State? Good lord their consistency is irritating.
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Sooners are similar to Ohio State in that there haven't been too many horrible coaches and down periods over the years, at least not since the 50s.
Sure there was Schnelly and Blake but that was quite brief and the turnaround to Stoops was quick and highly successful. Then a very smooth transition to Muleshoe who, regardless of how you feel about him now, was still a successful handoff and quite frustrating to Texas fans.
So I guess what I'm saying is, if we're wishing anyone to wander in the desert, it's definitely YOUR team. :)
Also, can the rest of college football ever get a break from Ohio State? Good lord their consistency is irritating.
I didn't realize at the time that the John Cooper era as their down years. Good Lord.
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USF is FSU backwards ...
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Sooners are similar to Ohio State in that there haven't been too many horrible coaches and down periods over the years, at least not since the 50s.
Sure there was Schnelly and Blake but that was quite brief and the turnaround to Stoops was quick and highly successful. Then a very smooth transition to Muleshoe who, regardless of how you feel about him now, was still a successful handoff and quite frustrating to Texas fans.
So I guess what I'm saying is, if we're wishing anyone to wander in the desert, it's definitely YOUR team. :)
Yeah, we haven't had many terrible periods since Bud Wilkinson arrived in Norman. We had a 3-7 season in 1965 under Gomer Jones, John Blake's three losing seasons (1996-98) and Brent Venables' two losing seasons (2022, 2024).
But, still, I wish your team to discover all the philosophical insight and moral uprightness that can be found by emulating John the Baptist. Wander that desert!
Also, can the rest of college football ever get a break from Ohio State? Good lord their consistency is irritating.
It would be nice. The Buckeyes had a 6-7 season in 2011. Before that, their most recent losing season was 4-6-1 in 1988. That is some run of consistent success.
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https://twitter.com/tengland_150/status/1965555097175310352
I find some of this difficult to believe.
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https://twitter.com/tengland_150/status/1965555097175310352
I find some of this difficult to believe.
Quick check reveals it's wrong.
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https://twitter.com/AggiesFQ/status/1965419378482291143
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It was such a bizarre, overly defensive, non sequitur of a response.
Pretty much confirms in my mind that there is indeed a shoulder injury that's being covered up.
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I didn't really see Manning play before this year. Is that his normal throwing motion? That short-armed, chicken wing thing?
Tebow should coach him up!
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No, last year he started two games and played in several others, and looked normal. Something's up.
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Why is the truth always so damn hard?!? FFS
Sark is like a chick who says they're not implants....
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Well there's a couple of obvious reasons. The first are the legal waters of HIPAA and FERPA, where release of specific medical information can be limited or restricted. And the second is, if they're planning on playing Arch anyway while he's hurt, why give opposing teams any more information than necessary?
Players play hurt all the time. Last season Quinn Ewers played the entire season with a torn oblique and the coaching staff covered for it the entire time.
It was just the bizarre way he did it, that's the problem. He should have just coach-speaked it away like happens 99.9% of the time.
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I don't follow the NFL much, but don't teams have to release injury info, or at least the names of players who will not play in the upcoming game?
That's so that all the gamblers have the info, and hence there will be no need to bribe players for injury status, I presume.
College coaches keep injury status secret, at the very least by answering questions with gobbledygook.
Which sort of opens the door to gamblers paying players for injury information. I'm not singling out Sark. Venables spent the entire 2024 season providing over-optimistic assessments about players' injuries. It's irritating to fans and, as I said, increases the possibility that gamblers will pay for accurate information.
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Holy fucking shit. A&M won vs a ranked team on the road.
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Holy fucking shit. A&M won vs a ranked team on the road.
well deserved victory
congratulations
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Holy fucking shit. A&M won vs a ranked team on the road.
It was an exciting game, my i s c & a aggie wife was a nervous wreck and although she enjoys watching football she never really gets worked up about it. This was rare.
Congrats to the Ags and it's always fun to see the domers lose.
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I honestly don’t know how we won. The defense played terribly, we gave up a TD off a blocked punt. I’m not sure but it seems like we only forced them to punt once or twice, but there was a pretty nice 4th down stop. Reed was off target a lot, I think his completion % is around 50%, which is the average for him. But when he did find his targets they racked up the yards. When ND flubbed that xp, I knew that could define the game. It’s nice to have a win at Notre Dame, I think this is only the 2nd time we’ve played there in my lifetime. Not sure if we’ll get another chance to play there again for a long time.
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We get a break this week, then we get Auburn at Kyle. Seems like A&M v Auburn is always heavily contested, but we should be favored. I’m considering going to this game, depending on game time and weather. I don’t care to sit in 90+ degree weather for a noon game.
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I don’t think anyone has a read on Auburn because they really haven’t played anyone yet, and I’m not counting Baylor.
They do play OU this week so we should know a lot more about them a week from today.
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Surprised nobody mentioned this.
(https://i.imgur.com/bifquFt.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/1i6MqHC.png)
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Vandy Pimp Daddy!
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Hmmm…
https://twitter.com/no3sports/status/1966811229210472722?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Isn't that the dude who left Tennessee?
Is he gonna give UCLA their money back?
I don't use this word often, but, what a pussy.
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There was some talk that even though he supposedly got more money to go to UCLA the COL and taxes in Ca would basically eat up most of the difference. He could have stayed at UTenn and could possibly be in playoff contention, instead he's at UCLA where everyone agrees a program is in possibly steep, irreversible decline. The reason I say irreversible is simply because it appears the fanbase just doesn't exist anymore.
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And now UCLA has fired their coach.
Jesus. First their old coach leaves to take an OC position, and they fire the new guy 3 games into his 2nd season.
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Holy fucking shit. A&M won vs a ranked team on the road.
Congrats, Gigem!
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Surprised nobody mentioned this.
[img width=500 height=143.991]https://i.imgur.com/bifquFt.png[/img]
Yep. That was a shocker to me.
Is Vandy actually good, or is USC-E bad? Or both?
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https://twitter.com/cookinquack/status/1967048064604271036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1967048064604271036%7Ctwgr%5Ed9fe9eff76e16cd6f53290f60c1547bfdfc2c0f6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlyhorns.com%2Fboard%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fcookinquack%2Fstatus%2F1967048064604271036%3Fs%3D4626t%3DcH-LvFrUDSIxqTdoyXUTxg
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https://twitter.com/tqpurdon/status/1967292615336055262?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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(https://media.surlyhorns.com/monthly_2025_09/IMG_3317.gif.ce9e37e5cf48b076b4a5a987664321e3.gif)
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https://youtu.be/-Q6MQMzX0DE?si=y55eHO4b8haomiPP
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Yep. That was a shocker to me.
Is Vandy actually good, or is USC-E bad? Or both?
They're very QB-reliant and he got hurt.
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Any thoughts on this weeks games? A&M is off. OU/Auburn looks to be the biggest game, everybody else seems to be playing cupcakes. Well, Florida and Miami and Mizzou/USCe.
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How does Bama get schedules like this? Two bye weeks. Both before the two biggest opponents on their schedule. This must've been done back when Saban had influence over Slive.
(https://i.imgur.com/8Zj22B4.png)
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I'm gonna be volunteering at my kids' marching band competition all day, so likely won't get to watch any of the games. Horns playing Sam Houston so I'm not missing anything there.
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How does Bama get schedules like this? Two bye weeks. Both before the two biggest opponents on their schedule. This must've been done back when Saban had influence over Slive.
(https://i.imgur.com/8Zj22B4.png)
It's not just Bama. Almost everyone in the SEC gets their byes before their big games. Check out the rest.
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https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/1968374103653613690
Kinda disappointed A&M/ND was lower than Florida/LSU.
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It's not just Bama. Almost everyone in the SEC gets their byes before their big games. Check out the rest.
UGA is off this week as well, before playiing Bama.
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Horns have the week off before playing Georgia, and Florida.
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OU has a week off before playing Kent State and another one before playing Bama.
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(https://i.imgur.com/8YTvDb5.png)
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:m7kq7xnctubvxzp66kg3mvs6/post/3lz4su7sujk23?ref_src=embed&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.surlyhorns.com%252Fboard%252Findex.php
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UGA will pick up UK I suspect, with Auburn and UF. USCe is interesting, their rivals are not really rivals except UGA to some extent. I'm fine with reviewing this every four years.
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I'd assume Texas will get OU, Texas A&M, and Arkansas. Some of them are gonna look a little weird so I like the idea of revisiting every 4 years and potentially switching things up for any schools that don't have three obvious historical rivals inside the conference.
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For some, the three are fairly obvious, two would be very obvious, and for several nobody is obvious. That can mean USCe gets linked to Missouri. And there likely will be an effort not to pair anyone with say Bama/Texas/UGA.
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For some, the three are fairly obvious, two would be very obvious, and for several nobody is obvious. That can mean USCe gets linked to Missouri. And there likely will be an effort not to pair anyone with say Bama/Texas/UGA.
For sure, but I don't think there's much danger of that anyway. From what I can tell really only Auburn overlaps with Georgia and Alabama, and Texas wouldn't ever be in that mix.
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Just the math will make it weird. Every school has to have exactly three, and they're reciprocal. If one of Texas' three is Arky, then Arky has to have Texas as one of their three. You just can't help but force a couple of odd choices at the end.
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Just the math will make it weird. Every school has to have exactly three, and they're reciprocal. If one of Texas' three is Arky, then Arky has to have Texas as one of their three. You just can't help but force a couple of odd choices at the end.
Yup. It obviously works out perfectly for Texas. But it won't for various other schools in the SEC. Which is why I like the idea of revisiting and potentially rotating every 4 years.
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Who would the rest of you SECers like to see as your three perma-rivals?
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Who would the rest of you SECers like to see as your three perma-rivals?
Would prefer Bama, Florida, and Kentucky.
We will get Vandy, however. Yay.
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I know I'm in the minority but I'd like for A&M's to be LSU, Ole Miss, and Auburn. I think playing Texas not every year would only enhance the rivalry. As I understand it, each team will play the entire SEC every two years. Not sure about that, they haven't been very forthcoming on how the schedule works. You could swap Ole Miss for Miss State, I'd be good either way.
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That's... interesting. Can't really call it a rivalry if you don't want to play it every year.
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Difficulty aside, UGA, Tenn, Auburn
Realistically.....idk, probably UGA, USCe, UK.....or UGA, Tenn, Vandy? I'd like a layup, to be honest.
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Who would the rest of you SECers like to see as your three perma-rivals?
I think Auburn and UF are locks for UGA, I think USCe would be the best third instead of UK.
Tennessee has been more of an off and on rivalry over the years, same with Ole Miss, UGA has semi-rarely played Alabama regular season for whatever reason.
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(https://i.imgur.com/0xkEazf.png)
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Who would the rest of you SECers like to see as your three perma-rivals?
Texas, obviously.
We've played Mizzou more often than anybody else now in the SEC, but most Sooner fans don't care much one way or the other about that "rivalry." I'd like to have Bama, but I can't imagine that happening. I'd like to have Tennessee, but I can't see that happening either. I'd like to have Texas A&M, but the Aggies already have at least 3 legitimate rivalries.
I'll go with Texas, Tennessee, Bama.
But I think we get Texas, Mizzou, Florida. Meh.
I think that the 4-year re-look is a good idea. But I hope it doesn't end longstanding rivalries.
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https://twitter.com/cfbrep/status/1969505644152590367?s=61
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That's... interesting. Can't really call it a rivalry if you don't want to play it every year.
I know it’s a little different.
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Gigem:
I didn't see it when it happened. The OU radio announcers, after the game, talked through a replay they were watching. Maybe it's the same replay that's in that Tweet. As they explained it, when the ball is spotted, players need to be between the numbers. On that video clip, you can't see where the WR Sategna (#5) is when the ball is spotted. But the numbers where he should be are not in the frame.
Hugh Frieze obviously thinks it was an illegal play, and it may have been an illegal play. I suspect that we have not heard the last of this.
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Gigem:
I didn't see it when it happened. The OU radio announcers, after the game, talked through a replay they were watching. Maybe it's the same replay that's in that Tweet. As they explained it, when the ball is spotted, players need to be between the numbers. On that video clip, you can't see where the WR Sategna (#5) is not visible when the ball is spotted. But the numbers where he should be are not in the frame.
Hugh Frieze obviously thinks it was an illegal play, and it may have been an illegal play. I suspect that we have not heard the last of this.
Yeah I only watched the 4th quarter but I was kind of jumping around. I did watch the Auburn TD for the lead and the subsequent OU TD to regain the lead and then I watched OU absolutely crush Auburn near their goal resulting in several sacks and a safety. I’m glad you guys exposed them, we get them at Kyle next week.
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https://twitter.com/secofficiating/status/1969600029544370629?s=61
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We ran that exact play on my junior high football team. It was legal then.
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My question is…did OU misinterpret the rules and think the play was legal…or did they simply get away with it. I don’t think something like that is reviewable.
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(https://i.imgur.com/3myHtvP.png)
Next weeks schedule. Alabama v Georgia is usually pretty exciting.
I may attend the A&M-Auburn game. Only if weather is decent, ain’t sitting in 95 degree heat.
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(https://i.imgur.com/3myHtvP.png)
Next weeks schedule. Alabama v Georgia is usually pretty exciting.
I may attend the A&M-Auburn game. Only if weather is decent, ain’t sitting in 95 degree heat.
High of 89 predicted for Saturday in College Station. Warm but not unbearable.
Horns have an off week.
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High of 89 predicted for Saturday in College Station. Warm but not unbearable.
Horns have an off week.
Sounds like pretty good weather to me.
2:30 game so can come home in the afternoon.
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This made me laugh.
https://twitter.com/still_not_ted/status/1969572906264080612?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Was able to attend Saturday night's game. Was interesting to see Arch get his mind right.
After Texas stuffed the first SHSU drive as predictable, Arch continued to panic his passes. First two, you could see the feet get happy. He side-armed one into the OL and was lucky to see it hit the ground.
Next, he threw at the knees of stationary receivers. They caught them, but were dropping to the ground as they did so.
Then, he started to basically throw the route tree. He started throwing curls and stops, then threw outs. He bricked one deep out from the far hash (one of the toughest throws on the tree) by about 2 feet, then returned to that throw and hit his man perfectly! He then moved on to throwing crossers, connecting with moving targets.
Towards the end, he threw the nine route - a fly to Wingo. The ball dropped beautifully right over his shoulder in stride like you'd design it. Credit to Wingo for an effortless over the shoulder grab (he's gotta start catching with hands, though).
Finally, under pressure, he stuck a quick TD slant to Wingo without thinking. Automatic. He knew where to go and went there.
Yep, it was against one of the weakest teams in football, no doubt. I think Texas fans can agree, though, that the previous two games weren't about the level of competition. They were about Arch bricking passes to open teammates, or not seeing his progressions properly. At least for one night on Saturday, they demonstrated that it isn't a skill thing.
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Yup. He looked much better against this bad opponent, than he did against the two previous bad opponents. This time, he was actually hitting many more of the wide open receivers. Heck, there were receivers running wide open all throughout the Ohio State game, too. And he was under very little pressure. But he missed seeing them all day long.
Hopefully this means his head is getting back to being right.
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Going through my Lindy's preview, what first jumps out is Oklahoma ranked as high as #12. How!? 😖
Right away, Oklahoma is my pick for 2025's most overrated team going into the season.
Part of the reason I didn't believe Oklahoma could uphold a Top 25 ranking is because of how tough their schedule was. Well here the Sooners are, 4-0 with two wins over ranked teams. We haven't seen what the Sooners can do on the road Vs an equivalent opponent, nor have we seen much of an offensive identity, but Oklahoma is winning with a toughness that fits well into the SEC.
And with a pecking order settling across the conference, suddenly the Sooners schedule is opening up, and I'd expect the Sooners to maintain their Top 10 ranking well into October. Texas in another three weekends is definitely beatable, especially with the Longhorns poor productivity on offense. The rest of the schedule is still tough, but going into the second half of the season at 6-0 says a lot about Oklahoma rebounding from last season's poor showing.
(https://i.imgur.com/2ONwHYS.png)
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Auburn isn't ranked and is unlikely to finish the season ranked.
But I'm loving all this OU hype and that folks are completely writing off Texas and assuming OU will be 6-0. Hope it keeps up, right until the final gun at the Cotton Bowl.
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Baylor should have tried the "hideout tactic" play. Maybe they could have slid by Auburn at home and been ranked in the top 10.
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Playing at USCe is tougher than one might think. Tennessee, LSU, Texas, and Bama appear to be pretty solid teams. Ole Miss, is loseable.
I do like the OU QB so far.
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Baylor should have tried the "hideous tactic" play. Maybe they could have slid by Auburn at home and been ranked in the top 10.
Baylor used to put their wideouts just inside the sidelines. That was back in the good old Art Briles days when the football players got to rape cheerleaders as a rite of initiation. Somebody could ask Jeff Lebby about that.
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My question is…did OU misinterpret the rules and think the play was legal…or did they simply get away with it. I don’t think something like that is reviewable.
I saw a post this morning saying that OU had cleared it with the officials in advance. But that was from a fan, not from OU.
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No worries about discussing it here, but I went ahead and created a new thread for this.
I deleted my post here and will move my comments to the new thread.
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https://twitter.com/KittyElko/status/1969943423147995479
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Baylor used to put their wideouts just inside the sidelines. That was back in the good old Art Briles days when the football players got to rape cheerleaders as a rite of initiation. Somebody could ask Jeff Lebby about that.
OU might still very well turn out to be all that. I just think the football universe wants Auburn to be better than they are, and are handing out too much credit for a win against them.
I think it's worth remembering that most of the funky stuff like this in the rulebook is there because of how Sam Wyche ran the Cincinnati Bengals during his time as head coach there. He'd do things like send 20 players into the offensive huddle, then break and have 9 leave the field. Players would run on and off the field in an attempt to catch the defense out. He started the "no huddle" thing just to keep the defense from lining up right. The NFL was constantly passing rules to negate whatever weird wrinkle he came up with to game the system.
He also hated Jerry Glanville.
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OU might still very well turn out to be all that. I just think the football universe wants Auburn to be better than they are, and are handing out too much credit for a win against them.
I think it's worth remembering that most of the funky stuff like this in the rulebook is there because of how Sam Wyche ran the Cincinnati Bengals during his time as head coach there. He'd do things like send 20 players into the offensive huddle, then break and have 9 leave the field. Players would run on and off the field in an attempt to catch the defense out. He started the "no huddle" thing just to keep the defense from lining up right. The NFL was constantly passing rules to negate whatever weird wrinkle he came up with to game the system.
He also hated Jerry Glanville.
Auburn is currently unranked and will almost certainly finish the season unranked. They've played like an unranked team. There's no reason to think they were all of a sudden going to be light-years better than they were last year, and the same can be said of OU.
Some improvement? Sure. Wholesale change? Not likely.
But again, I'm more than happy with the giant mediot circle-jerk over OU and Mateer. All the pressure and expectations are now on them, everyone has already written off Texas, and I don't mind that at all.
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https://twitter.com/satdownsouth/status/1970216975751151957?s=61
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Auburn is currently unranked and will almost certainly finish the season unranked. They've played like an unranked team. There's no reason to think they were all of a sudden going to be light-years better than they were last year, and the same can be said of OU.
Some improvement? Sure. Wholesale change? Not likely.
But again, I'm more than happy with the giant mediot circle-jerk over OU and Mateer. All the pressure and expectations are now on them, everyone has already written off Texas, and I don't mind that at all.
We get Auburn at home this weekend. I see this game in several ways. If A&M truly deserves a Top Ten ranking, we should win handily. Like 45-10. If we struggle on offense, and fail to score > 20, but still win, I don’t think we should be top ten but probably about 15-22.
if Auburn scores more than 20 points while the game is in doubt no way should we be ranked and the win vs ND was a fluke.
if we lose, fire the coach and tear down the stadium. Party’s over.
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And that's fair.
I don't think Auburn is very good so I don't think a win over them means much. But winning is certainly always better than losing.
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Playing at Auburn is often a nightmare. But this one isn't.
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https://twitter.com/carterkarels/status/1970627290188169248?s=61
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John Mateer, OU's starting QB, broke a bone in his throwing hand in the 1st quarter Saturday. He's having surgery today. He'll probably be out a minimum of 3 weeks.
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https://twitter.com/aggiefootball/status/1971673796425011680?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
Amazing. We only had 40,000 students when I was a student 25 years ago.
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Watching ND/Ark.
Razorback stadium doesn’t look full. Not a lot of overhead type shots, but the seats around the end zone look empty.
ND winning 28-13.
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42-13. Arkansas hung with them a little bit but simply outgunned in all phases now.
Time to guess who the next coach is.
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I liked Pittman when he was an assistant at UGA and wished him well. But he appears to be running out of rope.
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Geez. Alabama beats Georgia….again.
Happy to have a win against a tough Auburn squad. We should have beat them by 20 points, looking at the stats.
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We get Auburn at home this weekend. I see this game in several ways. If A&M truly deserves a Top Ten ranking, we should win handily. Like 45-10. If we struggle on offense, and fail to score > 20, but still win, I don’t think we should be top ten but probably about 15-22.
if Auburn scores more than 20 points while the game is in doubt no way should we be ranked and the win vs ND was a fluke.
if we lose, fire the coach and tear down the stadium. Party’s over.
Looking at the team stats, this game is a head scratcher. We dominated them offensively but failed to score points. That 3rd and 1 interception was a stupid play call IMO. We were very efficient running the ball at that point. Instead it was a bad pass that eventually turned into 7 for them. Glad I didn’t go to the game, the crowd looked HOT.
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https://twitter.com/_jhokanson/status/1972075007049449959?s=61
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I liked Pittman when he was an assistant at UGA and wished him well. But he appears to be running out of rope.
Well, he's gone now. Bobby "Motorcycle Boy" Petrino is acting HFC.
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Happy to have a win against a tough Auburn squad. We should have beat them by 20 points, looking at the stats.
Congrats on the Aggies' win, Gigem. You should have beaten the Tigers by more, but a win is a win.
I'm seeing CFP projections that have A&M in the top 4.
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Calling it now – Ole Miss is overrated preseason ranked at #21. Why are the Rebels ranked?
After last season, Ole Miss must replace their entire Backfield, Defensive Line, and Secondary. Plus 4 starting OL. Yet Ole Miss is ranked as high as #15 in various Polls.
Part of the reason I didn't believe Oklahoma could uphold a Top 25 ranking is because of how tough their schedule was. Well here the Sooners are, 4-0 with two wins over ranked teams. We haven't seen what the Sooners can do on the road Vs an equivalent opponent, nor have we seen much of an offensive identity, but Oklahoma is winning with a toughness that fits well into the SEC.
How wrong was I to peg both Ole Miss and Oklahoma as the two most overrated SEC programs going into the season? Both ranked #4 and #5 respectively in the AP Top 25. And with Oklahoma playing Kent State this weekend (before Texas) and Ole Miss playing Washington State after a bye week, both will sit in the Top 5 well into October.
On another note, I don’t at all mind SEC Coaches getting into with the beat writers during the post game pressers (I prefer it!). Mike Elko is absolutely correct to counter the beat writers asking whiny questions about the few things they could find wrong in Texas A&M’s dominant win over Auburn.
Do these beat writers not watch football like it is controlled warfare? In any battle, strategies go right (pass rush) and strategies go wrong (rushing attack). The larger strategy is for your strengths to make up for your weakness. Texas A&M’s strengths to hold Auburn to 177 yds and 0-13 on 3rd down more than made up for A&M’s offense missing out on a number of scoring opportunities.
https://twitter.com/On3sports/status/1972108965749068051
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I’m not surprised about OU at all. I expect them to be at the top of the SEC in most years. But I think it’s far too early to say you were wrong about either team. OU hadn’t really even gotten into the tough part of the schedule yet.
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LSU QB out.
https://twitter.com/bmillerg0at/status/1973092155406098715?s=61
A&M has had a habit of making the backup QB look like Heisman candidates over the years.
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LSU QB out.
https://twitter.com/bmillerg0at/status/1973092155406098715?s=61
A&M has had a habit of making the backup QB look like Heisman candidates over the years.
Yeah Texas does that too. Or, if the starting QB is still playing for some reason but he's really hurt, and possibly in a head-to-toe cast with zero mobility of all extremities, we're likely to let him run for 200 yards and 4 TDs against us, because why wouldn't that happen???
In related news, curse you Taysom Hill!
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[Utee:] Yeah Texas does that too. Or, if the starting QB is still playing for some reason but he's really hurt, and possibly in a head-to-toe cast with zero mobility of all extremities, we're likely to let him run for 200 yards and 4 TDs against us, because why wouldn't that happen???
Heh! OU has had some bad experiences against backup Texas QBs.
Maybe a lot of other teams have had similar experiences playing against b/u QBs.
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LSU QB out.
https://twitter.com/bmillerg0at/status/1973092155406098715?s=61
A&M has had a habit of making the backup QB look like Heisman candidates over the years.
Sometimes I don't look at these posts very carefully before I repost. My bad, I think this one is mis-information. I did find something on CBS sports talking about the injury, doesn't look as serious.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/garrett-nussmeier-injury-update-brian-kelly-says-lsu-qb-will-not-need-surgery-calls-reports-misinformation/
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When everyone is a reporter, no one is.
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https://twitter.com/icingthepunter_/status/1975335477231358311?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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https://twitter.com/icingthepunter_/status/1975335477231358311?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
Y'all might be off the hook this year. Looks like the Longhorns have decided they want your 4 losses. And maybe more.
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Oh no. Don’t start that shit up in here. They got me down that fairy tale last year after the LSU game. I thought for sure we were going to finish with 10-12 wins. All we had to do was beat Auburn ( they were horrible last year) and USC. Blew both games badly and then scored zero offensive points against the Longhorns, at Kyle, after a 12 year hiatus.
I’m calling it now.
Arkansas- Bobby P has them renewed and we’ll Coached. L for sure st Fayetteville.
Mizzou- pay back from last year.
USC-E…couldn’t stop LaNorris last year, can’t stop him this year.
Texas- Arch will find his groove in Austin. We’ve only won once there in 35 years.
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Oh no. Don’t start that shit up in here. They got me down that fairy tale last year after the LSU game. I thought for sure we were going to finish with 10-12 wins. All we had to do was beat Auburn ( they were horrible last year) and USC. Blew both games badly and then scored zero offensive points against the Longhorns, at Kyle, after a 12 year hiatus.
I’m calling it now.
Arkansas- Bobby P has them renewed and we’ll Coached. L for sure st Fayetteville.
Mizzou- pay back from last year.
USC-E…couldn’t stop LaNorris last year, can’t stop him this year.
Texas- Arch will find his groove in Austin. We’ve only won once there in 35 years.
Hell I forgot Florida. Mark us down for 5 losses.
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So you think the Ags are finally gonna get one in BR?
I say you got 6 left :)
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So you think the Ags are finally gonna get one in BR?
I say you got 6 left :)
Shit I just realized you're right. Mark us down for 6 losses, I HAVE SPOKEN.
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Keep that up and you're gonna have to start some "NO WAY" threads on the SEC board.
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I really don't have a lot to comment on due to such a limited sample size of games watched. As mentioned, I've mostly only watched LSU and Texas. That means I've watched Florida a couple times though. Come to think of it, I watched their Miami game, so I've seen them three times.
Anyway, the QB situations in Austin and Baton Rouge are just mystifying.
It finally came out that Nuss is hurt, recovering from an abdominal strain, but I think the evidence was fairly obvious before the coach finally admitted it. For the first part of the season his throwing motion was way off, and even once mechanics improved, the trajectory and velocity of his balls look utterly and completely different than they used to. When CBK initially admitted an injury had been at play, he said it was basically over with. Then Nuss went out and still looked like a lame duck against Ole Miss, and nobody cared what BK said. Then he admitted again, ok, maybe he's not 100% still, but he's definitely going to be for the next game. At which point fans told him to eat **** and nobody cares what you say, because you lie. Outlook: Can definitely improve, because a healthy Nuss is still one of the most dangerous players around. But he can't fix the OL or the running game. I mean, Ole Miss can't stop a middle school team from running the ball, but they kept three on the line and absolutely stoned us. They also got pressure on the QB with three, while dropping 8. They practically begged us to run the ball, and LSU simply wouldn't commit to it. And hey.....who could blame them, because when we tried, it was still so bad and so much worse than gambling on a lame Nuss to at least be able to find a 5 yard completion. Also, some guys who review the full-field game film have highlighted how little our WRs are getting open compared to last season. They're mostly the same guys, so I don't know if it's playcalling or what. There's problems here that likely aren't going to get better. But there is some room for improvement, if Nuss is ever able to get himself right.
Over in Austin, the situation is harder to diagnose, and weirder. I toyed with the idea for a while that Arch is hurt. There's some supporting evidence, I thought. His mechanics are badly botched, and much like Nuss, the trajectory and velocity of his balls are nothing like the (admittedly more limited) times we've seen him in the past. The problem is there's also ample evidence that makes me think he's not hurt, and that leaves me not knowing what to think. There are many times the mechanics look good, the ball comes out sharp. The OL is a bigger problem than I was expecting it to be. Outlook: I just don't know. Arch has at least a little bit wrong going on in practically every QB category/skillset I can think of. He's late to make decisions, he's not reading the defense well before the snap, he appears to panic, he's wildly inaccurate....it goes on. And that's on top of possibly being hurt (tbf, I've heard precisely 0 people suggest he is....I'm totally farting in the wind here....just my own thoughts). They've got a better run game to lean on than their Baton Rouge counterparts, but it's not exactly awesome. And poor Arch has just looked so bad..... I'm honestly trying to think of when I've seen a QB play this poorly, and it's hard to gauge chances for improvement when I'm not even sure what all is the problem.
Ugh. I need to go take some Pepcid after thinking about those offenses. Possibly some kind of blood pressure pill.
Like utee said, time to go watch some LSU baseball reruns, and maybe put on the 2005 Rose Bowl DVD and see if the wife notices. Maybe I can trick her.
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(tbf, I've heard precisely 0 people suggest he is....I'm totally farting in the wind here....just my own thoughts).
My i s c & a aggie manual physical therapist specializing in orthopedics wife thinks he's hurt. She wasn't paying much attention during the Ohio State game but watched some highlights as they came on and asked me, unprompted, "what have they said about Manning's injured shoulder?"
Further watching and she still thinks he's hurt. Not injured exactly, but playing hurt, guarding and protecting that throwing shoulder by trying to deliver side-armed in some situations, and his wild inaccuracy both into the dirt, and ten yards over receivers' heads, all are consistent with a shoulder injury.
That he sometimes has zip on the ball doesn't mean it's not hurt, it just means he's able to play through it sometimes.
I mean, this is a team and a coaching staff that last year, didn't comment on Quinn Ewers season-long torn oblique muscle, until after the season. It's entirely possible and even likely they'd act in the same manner with Arch.
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My i s c & a aggie manual physical therapist specializing in orthopedics wife thinks he's hurt. She wasn't paying much attention during the Ohio State game but watched some highlights as they came on and asked me, unprompted, "what have they said about Manning's injured shoulder?"
Further watching and she still thinks he's hurt. Not injured exactly, but playing hurt, guarding and protecting that throwing shoulder by trying to deliver side-armed in some situations, and his wild inaccuracy both into the dirt, and ten yards over receivers' heads, all are consistent with a shoulder injury.
That he sometimes has zip on the ball doesn't mean it's not hurt, it just means he's able to play through it sometimes.
I mean, this is a team and a coaching staff that last year, didn't comment on Quinn Ewers season-long torn oblique muscle, until after the season. It's entirely possible and even likely they'd act in the same manner with Arch.
LSU is playing the same cat and mouse game with Nussmeir's oblique.
And our coach is notorious for just bald face lying about injuries, so I wouldn't be surprised if Arch is laboring, and mum is the word. Seems to be the new norm.
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I hate that because it's Nuss' last year of eligibility. He was never gonna be Burrow or Daniels, but he had it in him to be our 3rd best QB ever, and somewhat comfortably, I think. Watching his inability to be anything close to accurate on a deep ball, and the severe reluctance to even try a deep ball, and watching how much arc is on his short passes and how much velocity they lack is.....painful. Probably not like it's painful for him, but fan-painful. He had a great knack for the game in his limited backup time and then as a starter last year, easily one of the best QBs in the nation. Now, he's.....this.
It's unclear to me how it all plays out in the best-case scenario, though. The running game was crap last year and he still managed to ball out. The OT protection was very good though. When he was pressured, it was up the middle. The middle of the OL is stronger this year, but the tackles aren't nearly as good, so pressure is coming from off the edge, which we haven't really seen him respond to in his career until now. The WRs also seemed to get better separation last year.
The Ole Miss game made me physically sick. Any of Les' worst teams would've curb-stomped that Ole Miss team, because they can't stop the run, and Les' teams for all their QB warts could always run the ball. The script would've been reversed. It would've been LSU holding the ball for 40 minutes and Ole Miss never having a chance. It sucks how beatable this Ole Miss team is/was, and how utterly inept the offense was against it. It took like 4 seconds for a simple screen pass to rainbow-drop down to a receiver, during which time we held our breath and hoped for no INTs. And it was just laughable watching LSU incapably try to run with 3 in the box.
Or maybe it was the pain meds making me feel sick. One of the two.
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Arch believes in velocity. Whereas Quinn liked to put air under passes, Arch likes to rocket it Elway style and try to make it bore a hole in the receiver. As such, he's usually over-throwing when he gets excited (or panicked).
Like a college pitcher trying to get too much on his fastball, Arch over-strides when he's gunning. It pulls his front foot way forward and messes with his release point. Fortunately, right now, he's releasing late. While I'm not liking any unforced incompletions, better to leave it short than sail it over the receiver's head into the defense.
As the adrenaline dies down, his touch returns. He still needs to learn finesse and couple it with power, but that's an experience thing.
Now, if someone has the manual on how to get a LG to simply occupy space and make a defender at least detour around him, I'd like a copy. We'll at least start there.
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Arch believes in velocity. Whereas Quinn liked to put air under passes, Arch likes to rocket it Elway style and try to make it bore a hole in the receiver. As such, he's usually over-throwing when he gets excited (or panicked).
Like a college pitcher trying to get too much on his fastball, Arch over-strides when he's gunning. It pulls his front foot way forward and messes with his release point. Fortunately, right now, he's releasing late. While I'm not liking any unforced incompletions, better to leave it short than sail it over the receiver's head into the defense.
As the adrenaline dies down, his touch returns. He still needs to learn finesse and couple it with power, but that's an experience thing.
Now, if someone has the manual on how to get a LG to simply occupy space and make a defender at least detour around him, I'd like a copy. We'll at least start there.
Maybe he should attend the annual "Manning Passing Academy". He may get some pointers on his mechanics.
https://manningpassingacademy.com/
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On a personal note, last night's Auburn-Georgia game marks the 100th college football game I’ve attended. On another personal note, last night’s Auburn-Georgia game will stand out as the most chaotically officiated game I’ve ever witnessed in person.
So much so the mainstream media is running articles on last night’s unexplainable officiating. But it wasn’t just the confounding goal line call that went wrong. There were missed calls on holding and targeting. There was a review for whether a receiver was in bounds and the result was the refs calling targeting away from the ball. There was Kirby Smart running up the sideline calling TO to stop the clock only for the refs to give back the TO after Smart claimed he was only clapping.
At halftime Auburn’s AD John Cohen went onto the field to confront the referees. Expect another apology letter addressed to Auburn from the SEC. All it takes is changing the date and opponent’s name (Oklahoma) of their previous apology letter to Auburn.
https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1977208933711323568
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Well, we've played 4 of the top 11 teams so far. Only 3 more left on the schedule.
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Iron sharpens iron.
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We are play-doh.
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https://twitter.com/claytravis/status/1977396499400012068?s=61
Vandy favored over LSU.
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Well, we've played 4 of the top 11 teams so far. Only 3 more left on the schedule.
So y'all are scared of the other 4 and dodging?
Wimps.
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On a personal note, last night's Auburn-Georgia game marks the 100th college football game I’ve attended. On another personal note, last night’s Auburn-Georgia game will stand out as the most chaotically officiated game I’ve ever witnessed in person.
So much so the mainstream media is running articles on last night’s unexplainable officiating. But it wasn’t just the confounding goal line call that went wrong. There were missed calls on holding and targeting. There was a review for whether a receiver was in bounds and the result was the refs calling targeting away from the ball. There was Kirby Smart running up the sideline calling TO to stop the clock only for the refs to give back the TO after Smart claimed he was only clapping.
At halftime Auburn’s AD John Cohen went onto the field to confront the referees. Expect another apology letter addressed to Auburn from the SEC. All it takes is changing the date and opponent’s name (Oklahoma) of their previous apology letter to Auburn.
https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1977208933711323568
Eh, I can see how it would appear newsworthy to an interloper and the NYP, but honestly it's just a fall Saturday in the SEC.
South Carolina received their usual screwing in Baton Rouge, though it probably didn't cost them the game.
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I wish it wasn't a fumble, but it was.
The most bullshit call I've ever seen, however --- Kirby 100% was calling a timeout. I can't believe they let him get away with that.
I am 100% convinced the league office tells the refs to protect their brands at all costs -- UGA, and Bama for sure.
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Maybe, but I don't think it has to be anything as nefarious as that.
You can get a lot of the same results via bias based on dominant narratives.
No one has complained more about Alabama's (lack of) holding calls over the years than me. Could be super secret orders to refs from cigar-smoking men in shady back rooms of the SEC office, but it could also be Alabama's reputation for killer OL play clouding judgement.
As supporting evidence, I've frequently offered a different phenomenon based on my own team, both to try and preclude my bias and also to point out the specificity I see, and also how it doesn't have to be Bama or UGA (major brands). For a long time LSU had a sterling reputation for outstanding DB play, and rightfully so. That said, there's many incidents to point to where it seemed obvious LSU dbs were allowed to get away with more/earlier contact than other units. Some of these instances were very important to the games. I don't think the refs were executing top secret orders on our behalf so much as the perpetual media drum of superlative Tiger DB play eventually had an effect.
I'm reminded of the British journalist from WW2 stationed in Germany--I forget his name at the moment. He had access to London papers, American papers, news sources from all over the place, due to his profession and outsider status, and he was very well aware of the wider scope of information. Yet he noted later that though he knew better than the average German citizen, he said he was shocked to find how much doubt the constant drip of Nazi propaganda created in him. He would later write about the effectiveness of constant messaging, even on those who knew they were being gaslit.
I posit something similar is often going on here. If you live in a space where LSU DBs are always getting drafted in the 1st round for years and making genuinely great plays every game, there can come a point where you're not consciously trying to tip the scales in their favor, but you fail to side against them in close calls that you'd probably ding another DB group for, because, after all, these guys are widely known to be great, they routinely make those perfect plays where they get there at exactly the right time to break up the pass. Or Alabama's OL is always so great without holding that it's harder to catch when they actually do it, because after all, those guys don't need to hold to play great. Insert whatever applies to UGA here, you get the idea.
I offer nothing definitive, but I am hesitant to ascribe to malice what can be explained via incompetence and "popular thought ethos."
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Refs make mistakes, and I think they made a lot in the Auburn/UGA game. Most of those mistakes were to UGA's benefit when they really, really needed them.
Auburn could have helped its case by scoring in the 2nd half. They had a lot of game left to overcome adversity. Posting a zero makes it hard for me to think the outcome was changed.
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Iron sharpens iron.
In the real world, as opposed to the world of metaphor, I wonder if iron really does sharpen iron.
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. . . I'm reminded of the British journalist from WW2 stationed in Germany--I forget his name at the moment. He had access to London papers, American papers, news sources from all over the place, due to his profession and outsider status, and he was very well aware of the wider scope of information. Yet he noted later that though he knew better than the average German citizen, he said he was shocked to find how much doubt the constant drip of Nazi propaganda created in him. He would later write about the effectiveness of constant messaging, even on those who knew they were being gaslit. . . .
I think you're thinking of William L. Shirer, an American correspondent for CBS radio. He was there at the start of the war (1 Sep 1939, over 2 years before we entered the war) and, as German censorship was getting tighter and tighter, he left in Dec 1940. He wrote about the effects of German propaganda, just as you described. He published Berlin Diary in 1941 and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in 1960.
I posit something similar is often going on here. If you live in a space where LSU DBs are always getting drafted in the 1st round for years and making genuinely great plays every game, there can come a point where you're not consciously trying to tip the scales in their favor, but you fail to side against them in close calls that you'd probably ding another DB group for, because, after all, these guys are widely known to be great, they routinely make those perfect plays where they get there at exactly the right time to break up the pass. Or Alabama's OL is always so great without holding that it's harder to catch when they actually do it, because after all, those guys don't need to hold to play great. Insert whatever applies to UGA here, you get the idea.
The same phenomenon is on view in every NBA game. The stars get away with the actions that rookies get whistled for.
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In the real world, as opposed to the world of metaphor, I wonder if iron really does sharpen iron.
In the real world, Iron (Fe) is an elemental component of steel. Iron by itself won't hold an edge like you'd want, combines with oxygen (rusts) quickly, and deforms under pressure readily.
By doping it strategically with carbon, nickel, cobalt, magnesium, and other oddballs, you can give it useful properties. Those properties can be enhanced by cooling it at a specific rate, beating on it when it's cooling, or cycling through the heating and cooling process in a specific method.
I suppose it would be likely that some regions had elemental iron in close proximity to coal or other carbon sources. Accidentally getting the carbon level high in refining iron would make it look like you had a really tough (non-breakable) piece of iron. Really, you made carbon steel.
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In a sense, it can. When a blade's edge goes dull, it's because of tiny burrs and irregularities on the blade. Rubbing the blade against something, like a sharpening steel, erodes those burrs.
(https://i.imgur.com/CUMysId.png)
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nerds
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nerds
The chicks dig X-Ray Crystallography.
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I think you're thinking of William L. Shirer, an American correspondent for CBS radio.
Good grief, I think you're right. I believe that's the name I was searching for. How did I contort an American radio correspondent into a British journalist?
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Good grief, I think you're right. I believe that's the name I was searching for. How did I contort an American radio correspondent into a British journalist?
Memory is fallible.
I'm finding out just how fallible every day.
My clue that you had the wrong guy was you having a Brit in Berlin during WWII. He would have been either expelled or put in an internment camp.
You had the right story. I just had to figure out who the right guy was.
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https://twitter.com/roymay15/status/1977819402784604536?s=61
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Shirer wrote a terrific book about some German government that rose and fell.
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Shirer wrote a terrific book about some German government that rose and fell.
I actually read that book. It took me a long long time but very interesting.
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Holy cow what is wrong with your SEC refs? How was this not called a timeout?
https://twitter.com/UnnecRoughness/status/1977206307628228735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1977206307628228735%7Ctwgr%5E975b38918610ca6f50e4ff5ae370b11dadff68fe%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fs9e.github.io%2Fiframe%2Ftwitter.min.html1977206307628228735
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Yah! The scenario there is that UGA had the play clock running down on a critical 3rd down in the red zone. As the clock hit 3-2-1 he's clearly and obviously frantically calling time out right in the ref's ear with every fiber of his being.
Of course, the clock is stopped, his time out gets granted. Then, he's saying he was only clapping along with his QB and not calling time out.
Well, obvious mistake by the ref. All we can do is reset the play clock to 25 seconds and try again.
In my true logical mind, I know officiating is a rough job, and that they're almost always doing their level best to be impartial. Two years in, though, it sure seems like Kirby Smart is always in the middle of the odd decisions, and they all seem to go his way.
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Yah! The scenario there is that UGA had the play clock running down on a critical 3rd down in the red zone. As the clock hit 3-2-1 he's clearly and obviously frantically calling time out right in the ref's ear with every fiber of his being.
Of course, the clock is stopped, his time out gets granted. Then, he's saying he was only clapping along with his QB and not calling time out.
Well, obvious mistake by the ref. All we can do is reset the play clock to 25 seconds and try again.
In my true logical mind, I know officiating is a rough job, and that they're almost always doing their level best to be impartial. Two years in, though, it sure seems like Kirby Smart is always in the middle of the odd decisions, and they all seem to go his way.
Yup. He's clearly calling a timeout there. What a bald-faced liar to claim otherwise. Refs have no balls at all when it comes to that guy. He's constantly way out onto the field working the refs and they seem terrified of him because they constantly let him get away with it.
Proper sequence of events in that situation would be grant the timeout that was clearly called. Assess a sideline penalty for Smart being out on the field. Assess a delay of game penalty for Smart not shutting the hell up and going back to his sideline where he belongs.
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I was musing about how seeing an opponent named Alabama sounds bad (obviously) but Ole Miss? They just don't "sound" real to me.
The old helmet factor.
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I was musing about how seeing an opponent named Alabama sounds bad (obviously) but Ole Miss? They just don't "sound" real to me.
The old helmet factor.
Traveling to Kentucky makes me very nervous.
For my basketball team.
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I think the two "worst" stadia to play in is Auburn and South Carolina. That doesn't mean they have the toughest teams, but I think their HFA is largest.
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Memory is fallible.
I'm finding out just how fallible every day.
My clue that you had the wrong guy was you having a Brit in Berlin during WWII. He would have been either expelled or put in an internment camp.
You had the right story. I just had to figure out who the right guy was.
If I'd remembered it was the same guy that later wrote "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," that would've been my clue. Which I did know, but wasn't thinking about.
Just being honest, I wouldn't have known anything about non-military Brits being expelled or incarcerated at the time.
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I was just watching French Prez Emmanual Macaron (no idea if I spelled that right) and I thought he looked like the French character on Talladega Nights, played by Sacha Cohen.
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Pimp Vandy music, for anyone interested.
The track is called "Bumpadelic."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDQDGpznWWc
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Awesome tune, and works so well for Pimp Vandy.
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If I'd remembered it was the same guy that later wrote "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," that would've been my clue. Which I did know, but wasn't thinking about.
Just being honest, I wouldn't have known anything about non-military Brits being expelled or incarcerated at the time.
Well, I don't know anything specific about British citizens in Germany being expelled or incarcerated upon the start of the war either. That's just what nations at war do with the citizens of an enemy country.
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https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/1978229174746685728
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https://twitter.com/TexAgsLive/status/1978189066224177556
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I expect the Ags to squash Arkansas like a grape.
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Nope. Petrino will return triumphantly to coaching Arkansas to a victory over A&M. It’s just like riding a motorcycle, once you learn you never forget.
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Nope. Petrino will return triumphantly to coaching Arkansas to a victory over A&M. It’s just like riding a motorcycle, once you learn you never forget.
The Hogs did play better against UTenn under CBP with 3 turnovers costing them the win. Those defensive stats are amazingly lopsided, It will take a perfect storm to send the Aggies home with a loss. But oh damn, would that be sweet!
:57:
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Nope. Petrino will return triumphantly to coaching Arkansas to a victory over A&M. It’s just like riding a motorcycle, once you learn you never forget.
The ecfgs know when you're not being sincere. You can't trick them.
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The ecfgs know when you're not being sincere. You can't trick them.
Not really. This is 100% genuine. If you look at our past history, especially last year and 2016, this is totally on-brand. Start the season really high, work yourself into having a decent post season, and then completely flop at the end of the year.
Last year it was a hapless Auburn team, which cost us a shot at the SEC CCG, and before that it was a not super special USCe.
8-4. It's what we do.
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Hmmmm... if you say so.
Well in that case, if you're looking for something to support your stance that Arkansas will indeed upset the Ags on Saturday, you can look to this tidbit-- Petrino is 3-0 against A&M as a head coach at Arkansas .
2009 Pigs 47 Ags 19
2010 Pigs 24 Ags 17
2011 Pigs 42 Ags 38
But looking on the bright side, the Ags got closer each year...
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Hard to believe
https://twitter.com/stoolgambling/status/1978888160496017840?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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(https://i.makeagif.com/media/11-19-2024/1RnZdY.gif)
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I found it hard to believe, and then I scrolled down the threads and found where they were favored in an SEC game as recently as 2018. I'm thinking maybe favored against ranked team?
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That would make more sense.
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..and it's against LSU, lol. Not some 'got lost and is ranked 25th' Miss State or Kentucky, lol.
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Cryin’ shame that with todays loss A&M will be unable to get up to at least #3 ranking, our highest ranking since 1995.
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Ags will squash pigs like grape.
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Haynes King article
You have to wonder what kind of shape he’ll be in 20-30 years.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/10/17/georgia-tech-qb-haynes-king-toughest-player-college-football-injury-comeback-cfp-texas-am-transfer/86714883007/#
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A&M is up 11 going into the 4th. What could go wrong?!? :57:
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MSU gifted Florida a win today. Comfortably in FG range late, they inexplicably throw the ball and it's picked off by our DT.
This win puts Napier's job MORE at risk, not less.
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A&M is up 11 going into the 4th. What could go wrong?!? :57:
Don’t be fooled. Barely won the game, defense didn’t even get on the plane apparently. I’m sure we’ll get blown out in Baton Rouge next week.
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Don’t be fooled. Barely won the game, defense didn’t even get on the plane apparently. I’m sure we’ll get blown out in Baton Rouge next week.
Oh, I know. I believe as you believe.
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Don’t be fooled. Barely won the game, defense didn’t even get on the plane apparently. I’m sure we’ll get blown out in Baton Rouge next week.
I think LSU is going to win that game but it won't be a blowout.
Winning on the road is hard, even against bad teams. SEC grind and whatnot.
SEC types have been telling me this for the past 20 years, they can't abandon it now.
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The only thing stopping A&M this weekend should be A&M getting in its own head about not having won in BR. I won't be surprised if LSU has a bit of a bounce-back game and plays tough, but they're going to gift A&M a lot of chances. If A&M is capable of accepting those gifts and not beating themselves, they should win. LSU constantly finding new ways to shoot themselves in the foot is not just an out-of-control skid, at this point it's baked into the identity of the team. They wouldn't look any different if they sat around planning ways to self-destruct.
I think out of A&M, @Bama, @OU, I won't be surprised if LSU finds a way to win one of those. Probably fair to say I'd be more surprised if they lose all three, as they should be expected to. I'd be very surprised if they win two of those, but not one. If I had to pick, I'd pick A&M, but it's not because I think LSU matches up favorably with them, or anything.
But if Baker gets his head out of his arse and the Tigers get a few starters back, the LSU defense is still a lethal bunch who could make life hard for A&M. Maybe enough to let this helpless, middle-school-caliber O-line max out it's 24 pt. capability and claw out a win.
But.....if some key Tiger defensive guys remain out and/or Baker calls another game like that, A&M will win fairly easily.
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The Geaux Tigers have enough juice to beat the Ags at home. If the game were in College Station I'd pick it the other way.
Just a reality, it's hard to win on the road.
The Ags struggled against the Pigs in Fayettenam, but in College Station I think that would have been an easy win.
Texas struggled against Kentucky in Lexington, but in Austin I think that game would have been a fairly easy win.
Heck, Georgia only beat Kentucky by 1 point last year in Lexington.
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With two losses already, Brian Kelly and his team are backed into a corner and will lash out like a wild beast. LSU's own fans will fill Death Valley readier to turn on Kelly than root for their own team (Both Brian Kelly and LSU fans deserve each other). This will make for an unpredictable game. If A&M can take an emotional Tigers team punch for punch into halftime, I like the Aggie's chances in the 2nd Half as the fans drunkenly begin unleashing their ire and discontent at the Tiger's sideline. Fans won't be angry at A&M - they will be turning on their own team for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, looking at the rest Oklahoma's schedule :03:
(https://i.imgur.com/HPjmtUb.png)
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With two losses already, Brian Kelly and his team are backed into a corner and will lash out like a wild beast. LSU's own fans will fill Death Valley readier to turn on Kelly than root for their own team (Both Brian Kelly and LSU fans deserve each other). This will make for an unpredictable game. If A&M can take an emotional Tigers team punch for punch into halftime, I like the Aggie's chances in the 2nd Half as the fans drunkenly begin unleashing their ire and discontent at the Tiger's sideline. Fans won't be angry at A&M - they will be turning on their own team for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, looking at the rest Oklahoma's schedule :03:
(https://i.imgur.com/HPjmtUb.png)
I don't know, man. A night game. @LSU. The Ags haven't won in Baton Rouge since joining the SEC. Average score of those games, LSU 36.2 TAMU 16.5
As for OU, the good news for them is that 3/5 of those games are at home.
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Both Brian Kelly and LSU fans deserve each other
Rude.
You've clearly never been to an LSU game, met many of the amazing fans, and consumed the great food and participated in the fine hospitality you'd be offered if you had. Many of them don't deserve the jackass that is BK.
Now, the contingent of the fanbase who bitched and moaned their way through the most successful period of LSU football history, as their team went on one the great runs in cfb, not just for LSU, but for anyone, and who could never do anything but complain about not winning by enough, not winning pretty enough, not being as successful as that school in Tuscaloosa, and focusing on everything but the excellent number of W's racked up, and who perpetually ignored the warnings of myself and others like me, that the "idiot" they despised would not be easily replaced and almost certainly not matched or surpassed anytime soon......those fans deserve Brian Kelly.
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Just a reality, it's hard to win on the road.
Years ago I recall CD and ftbobs doing a little fact-finding with bob's database and confirming that the SEC home advantage wasn't what one would think. Either SEC road teams had a winning % over whatever time frame they were looking at (maybe all-time?), or SEC road teams had a higher win% than found in other conference's road teams, or something.
Maybe CD would remember. Whatever it was, it went against the notion that the SEC's big stadiums and crazy environments offered the home-field advantage we'd expect.
I wish bob's database was still active. It was a data gold mine.
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Rude.
You've clearly never been to an LSU game, met many of the amazing fans, and consumed the great food and participated in the fine hospitality you'd be offered if you had. Many of them don't deserve the jackass that is BK.
Now, the contingent of the fanbase who bitched and moaned their way through the most successful period of LSU football history, as their team went on one the great runs in cfb, not just for LSU, but for anyone, and who could never do anything but complain about not winning by enough, not winning pretty enough, not being as successful as that school in Tuscaloosa, and focusing on everything but the excellent number of W's racked up, and who perpetually ignored the warnings of myself and others like me, that the "idiot" they despised would not be easily replaced and almost certainly not matched or surpassed anytime soon......those fans deserve Brian Kelly.
And such fans certainly aren't unique to LSU. I've encountered fans like that from almost every college football team. Even historically unsuccessful ones. Heck, even the military academies.
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Years ago I recall CD and ftbobs doing a little fact-finding with bob's database and confirming that the SEC home advantage wasn't what one would think. Either SEC road teams had a winning % over whatever time frame they were looking at (maybe all-time?), or SEC road teams had a higher win% than found in other conference's road teams, or something.
Maybe CD would remember. Whatever it was, it went against the notion that the SEC's big stadiums and crazy environments offered the home-field advantage we'd expect.
I wish bob's database was still active. It was a data gold mine.
Perhaps historically things were different, but right now there's plenty of evidence to prove it out that road wins are tougher to come by. And it's getting worse with the mega-conferences and these long cross-country trips, rather than much more localized regional ones.
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And such fans certainly aren't unique to LSU. I've encountered fans like that from almost every college football team. Even historically unsuccessful ones. Heck, even the military academies.
I'm sure you're correct. However, your point about how it also happens to fans of unsuccessful teams kind of underscores my beef with our fans. Whereas many fans think they can have better with a different coach, LSU fans actually had better, and refused to see it. I feel like there's a special penance you owe when you live the good life and refuse to be grateful for it. Somehow, deliberately ignoring what you do have seems worse to me than merely being delusional about what you could have.
YMMV
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"Fan" is short for fanatic. I don't know of any fanatics that I'd describe as reasonable or non-delusional.
I guess for me it's a shoulder shrug. Fans will be fans, no matter the team or its specific circumstances.
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. . . Meanwhile, looking at the rest Oklahoma's schedule :03:
[img width=500 height=295.966]https://i.imgur.com/HPjmtUb.png[/img]
Not to whine or complain, but OU got pretty challenging conference schedules for 2024-25.
In 2024, OU's SEC opponents went 75-31 overall.
We did get a couple of breaks, though. We don't face Georgia and, this year, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
Speaking of Georgia, I think I have detected a pattern to the Kirby Smart-era Dawgs. When they get down, as they occasionally do, they do not quit. You may think that your team has a pretty comfortable lead, but Kirby Smart is scheming and motivating, and the next thing you know, Georgia is back in the game.
Lincoln "Muleshoe" Riley learned this at the Rose Bowl after the 2017 season. OU scored just before halftime to go up 17 points, and Riley ordered up a pooch kickoff to preclude a big return. Quick as a flash, Georgia got in FG range and kicked a good one as time expired. That changed the character of the game. The 3-scores lead shrank to 2 scores, and Georgia had seized the momentum.
Just this season, I have seen Tennessee and Ole Miss surrender what seemed to be good leads and end up losing.
I don't like Kirby Smart, but I respect him. If you have him down, you've got to go ahead and kill him.
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On the subject of the SEC HFA, OU's experience is that we have been able to lose at home and on the road with almost equal facility.
So far, home-field advantage does not seem to have heavily influenced our SEC record. Our SEC losses so far have been:
2024
Tennessee (H)
Texas (N)
S. Carolina (H)
Ole Miss (A)
Missouri (A)
LSU (A)
2025
Texas (N)
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On the subject of the SEC HFA, OU's experience is that we have been able to lose at home and on the road with almost equal facility.
So far, home-field advantage does not seem to have heavily influenced our SEC record. Our SEC losses so far have been:
2024
Tennessee (H)
Texas (N)
S. Carolina (H)
Ole Miss (A)
Missouri (A)
LSU (A)
2025
Texas (N)
This will change as Oklahoma regains it’s footing.
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On the subject of the SEC HFA, OU's experience is that we have been able to lose at home and on the road with almost equal facility.
So far, home-field advantage does not seem to have heavily influenced our SEC record. Our SEC losses so far have been:
2024
Tennessee (H)
Texas (N)
S. Carolina (H)
Ole Miss (A)
Missouri (A)
LSU (A)
2025
Texas (N)
I mean, just being a pretty bad team or having a pretty bad season, doesn't really change the overall dynamic.
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Yeah....excluding the two (N) Texas losses, OU still has 3 road losses to 2 home losses. A very small sample size, but over time a 3:2 ratio is a pretty significant difference.
But it's also worth accounting for the quality of the opponent. Ole Miss was loaded last year, albeit an underachieving team. LSU was loaded on offense, though also not without significant problems. Tennessee was sort of in the same boat. South Carolina beat a lot of good teams last year, the main indictment in a home loss mostly being in how bad OU lost. The chances of losing to teams like that is more, no matter where you're playing.
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This will change as Oklahoma regains it’s footing.
That is my hope and expectation.
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Speaking of Georgia, I think I have detected a pattern to the Kirby Smart-era Dawgs. When they get down, as they occasionally do, they do not quit. You may think that your team has a pretty comfortable lead, but Kirby Smart is scheming and motivating, and the next thing you know, Georgia is back in the game.
Just this season, I have seen Tennessee and Ole Miss surrender what seemed to be good leads and end up losing.
At the half of last Saturday’s Georgia-Ole Miss game, I posted this:
Ole Miss 21 Georgia 20 going into halftime.
While ABC was previewing this game before kickoff, the announcers called Georgia's past few games of "slow starts" a "concern." I don't think it's as big of deal due to how well Bulldogs have adjusted to and dominated the 2nd Half this season (maybe not so much Vs Alabama). Georgia did so Vs Tennesse, Kentucky, and last week Vs Auburn. Whichever side of the ball was slow to start came out ready in the second half, like Georgia's defense last week shutting down Auburn's offense in the 2nd Half. I expect Kirby Smart to square away his defense Vs Ole Miss the rest of this game.
Back when the Bulldogs were in the midst of two national championship runs (’21-’22), Kirby Smart’s defenses were lead by Jalen Carter, four other eventual first round picks, and a Linebacking core who were all drafted in the first three rounds.
Though Georgia still recruits lights out, his defenses no longer field that elite caliber of projected NFL talent. Bulldogs’ defenses have steadily given up higher point averages and total yards since their recent championship teams.
On offense, two other downward trends are noticeable. The offensive line is increasingly undisciplined, drawing more penalties, and there is an inability to develop the skill positions. In recent years past, Georgia’s best receivers and running back tandems were already good when they stepped on campus and proved themselves immediately in the NFL. Weapons like James Cook, Brock Bowers, and Ladd McConkey, who didn’t require intensive development. The four-star WRs/RBS Georgia are signing only marginally improve after their freshman season.
Fast forward to now and Georgia’s ground attack is among the least productive in the SEC going on three seasons now, and though the receiving production remains steady, this is more of a credit to Gunnar Stockton, IMO. Which leads me to…
Gunnar Stockton’s heady, tough-as-nails QB play AND Kirby Smart’s in-game coaching/adjustments are what’s keeping Georgia in line for the CFP. Kirby Smart’s night-and-day game adjustments are the best in the nation.
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It's great to be able to make adjustments as a HC, but if you find your team needing to do it often, it likely indicates that the coach is deficient in other important coaching categories, namely, game-planning and motivating.
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(https://i.imgur.com/VEngq4R.jpeg)
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Yep. It’s inevitable. 1st L this weekend at BR, against a backed in the corner LSU team, in what promises to be a wet affair.
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I do believe the Ags are going to drop the game to LSU.
But I'm seeing better than 8-4 this year.
Any word on how long Moss is going to be out? That could make a difference.
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On a personal note, last night's Auburn-Georgia game marks the 100th college football game I’ve attended. On another personal note, last night’s Auburn-Georgia game will stand out as the most chaotically officiated game I’ve ever witnessed in person.
The most bullshit call I've ever seen, however --- Kirby 100% was calling a timeout. I can't believe they let him get away with that.
Eh, I can see how it would appear newsworthy to an interloper and the NYP, but honestly it's just a fall Saturday in the SEC.
The SEC has “permanently suspended” the head official of October 11th’s Auburn-Georgia game after a review of his crew’s officiating validated NINE mishandled calls. All but one went against Auburn.
The highest profile miscue was of course when Auburn’s QB went in for a QB sneak. From the pile, one of Georgia’s defenders raced the loose ball to the other endzone. Auburn’s sideline argues for a touchdown, given their QB crossed the goal line while in possession of the football. Georgia's sideline believed they’d recovered a fumble for a touchdown. After a lengthy video review, the referees refuse to award a touchdown to either team. Instead, the ball was awarded to Georgia at their own one-yard line. You could feel the enthusiasm of the crowd deflate and gloom set in as halftime approached.
I left Jordan-Hare Stadium that night knowing this was the worst officiating I’ve ever witnessed.
Note: The SEC very rarely suspends officials (much less permanently); according to the article (https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/sports/sec-ref-ken-williamson-permanently-suspended-after-momentum-turning-call-during-auburn-georgia-game/), the last time a referee was suspended was 2009.
(https://i.imgur.com/GPvdE9W.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/HMlHrWx.png)
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I'll say this, as chaotic and sometimes skewed as SEC officiating might seem, it's still substantially better than B12 officiating.
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I can admit that it sure does seem like Auburn has been on the short end of the stick multiple times this year, with little or nothing balancing those calls out. I still doubt the refs are out to get AU, or protect UGA, or whatever, but I can at least say if I were an AU fan, I'd be paranoid at this point.
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Yep. It’s inevitable. 1st L this weekend at BR, against a backed in the corner LSU team, in what promises to be a wet affair.
As I said, I won't be surprised if LSU wins.
BUT, I maintain that Aggie is clearly the better team and mainly needs to avoid giving the game away. LSU is almost certainly going to hand A&M some gifts. A&M just needs to accept them, say thank you, and move on for the W as LSU proves again that it's just not capable of overcoming mistakes vs. a winning team.
History can repeat itself, meaning Aggie could stumble down stretch or LSU could tag someone at home they shouldn't. But history doesn't have to repeat itself, and if the two teams play like they have been playing, Aggie wins by 13+.
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Just stop. We’ll simply take our L and move on to the rest of the season. Got 3 more L’s to get before seasons end. Better start now.
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Suits me just fine. From your lips to the ECFG's ears.
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I'll say this, as chaotic and sometimes skewed as SEC officiating might seem, it's still substantially better than B12 officiating.
Hmmm. From my perspective, it seems like it's even worse in the SEC. ~???
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Hmmm. From my perspective, it seems like it's even worse in the SEC. ~???
Just curious, do you watch many SEC games other than OU games?
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WOW, Texas is getting CLANGA'ED!
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Jesus, this is why MSU is MSU. The QB just goofs the ball out of his own hands on a key 3rd down late. WTF? Why even have a football program?
No one caused it, no one bumped him. He just dropped it on his own. I mean honestly.
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A&M's Reed is who USCe's Sellers was sold to us as.
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WOW, Texas is getting CLANGA'ED!
Not so fast my friend!
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Fell asleep early in the Aggie game when it was still close but it obviously didn't stay that way. Congrats to the ags on breaking the streak, condolences to MDT.
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I forgot it’s still October. November is when we usually do our late season swoon. Happy to be 8-0, but Hope won fool me again. Tough games coming up, USCe, Mizzou, and @Texas.
PS Tiger Stadium looked really beautiful at night. That 1st half it seemed like we were our own worst enemy. Blocked punt for safety, INT in the end zone while driving for a score, and another INT. Also, what the hell was that late PF call that extended one of LSU’s drive in the 1st half? From the replay they showed their player shoving one of our guys very late and then they threw the flag on us.
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LSU's own fans will fill Death Valley readier to turn on Kelly than root for their own team (Both Brian Kelly and LSU fans deserve each other). This will make for an unpredictable game. If A&M can take an emotional Tigers team punch for punch into halftime, I like the Aggie's chances in the 2nd Half as the fans drunkenly begin unleashing their ire and discontent at the Tiger's sideline. Fans won't be angry at A&M - they will be turning on their own team for the rest of the season.
Congrats to A&M for coming away with a rare nighttime victory at LSU. Down 18-14 at the half, LSU went on a 35-7 tear to silence the crowd, put Brian Kelly's job in realistic jeopardy, and make a case to be voted as #1 in the nation.
Watching the second half, it was noticeable how much Texas A&M was able to physically assert themselves Vs LSU. After the game, I went online to scroll through the traffic of reactions. Quickly learned from a number of LSU fan reactions that after LSU hired Brian Kelly, he fired LSU's longtime strength/conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt after two decades in Baton Rouge. Elko hired Moffitt onto his staff last year, and look at the result last night.
From CBS Sports (https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/article/texas-am-football-pummels-lsu-in-death-valley-shows-value-of-moffitt-method-258701187/): "LSU coach Brian Kelly began his time with the Tigers firing Moffitt in 2021, ending his indelible run with the program at 21 years with three national championships. Moffitt considered himself retired until 2024, when then-new A&M coach Mike Elko hired him."
Moffitt has had the Aggies roster not only physically ready this season, but motivated, at least Vs LSU - more from CBS Sports (https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/why-texas-a-m-used-tackling-dummy-with-lsu-coach-brian-kellys-face-on-it-before-blowout-win-over-tigers/): "If the Aggies needed any extra motivation going into Tiger Stadium, Moffitt was there to provide it. A&M quarterback Marcel Reed gave reporters insight into the week leading up to the game, including one particular detail: Moffitt brought in a tackling dummy with Kelly's face on it for Thursday's practice."
(https://i.imgur.com/TAWAAJz.png)
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I forgot it’s still October. November is when we usually do our late season swoon. Happy to be 8-0, but Hope won fool me again. Tough games coming up, USCe, Mizzou, and @Texas.
I get that this is a bit you have to do, so carry on. :)
But there's zero chance that the Ags will lose to SoCar or whatever Division 3 scrub y'all play before us. ;)_
Could potentially lose to Mizzou and/or Texas, so 10-2 is your floor. Congratulations on an excellent season, you deserve to enjoy it!
And yes of course I'm hoping we ruin it all for you here in Austin. But it'll still be a great season.
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what the hell was that late PF call that extended one of LSU’s drive in the 1st half? From the replay they showed their player shoving one of our guys very late and then they threw the flag on us.
Only an Aggie would complain about a 31 pt thrashing.
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condolences to MDT.
Sucking sucks.
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Watching the second half, it was noticeable how much Texas A&M was able to physically assert themselves Vs LSU. After the game, I went online to scroll through the traffic of reactions. Quickly learned from a number of LSU fan reactions that after LSU hired Brian Kelly, he fired LSU's longtime strength/conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt after two decades in Baton Rouge. Elko hired Moffitt onto his staff last year, and look at the result last night.
From CBS Sports (https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/article/texas-am-football-pummels-lsu-in-death-valley-shows-value-of-moffitt-method-258701187/): "LSU coach Brian Kelly began his time with the Tigers firing Moffitt in 2021, ending his indelible run with the program at 21 years with three national championships. Moffitt considered himself retired until 2024, when then-new A&M coach Mike Elko hired him."
Moffitt has had the Aggies roster not only physically ready this season, but motivated, at least Vs LSU - more from CBS Sports (https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/why-texas-a-m-used-tackling-dummy-with-lsu-coach-brian-kellys-face-on-it-before-blowout-win-over-tigers/): "If the Aggies needed any extra motivation going into Tiger Stadium, Moffitt was there to provide it. A&M quarterback Marcel Reed gave reporters insight into the week leading up to the game, including one particular detail: Moffitt brought in a tackling dummy with Kelly's face on it for Thursday's practice."
I generally stay away from talking LSU football here because there are no other LSU fans and I doubt anyone cares about details, but since you occasionally dig into the program a bit, I'll loosen my lips here and say this is an underrated point that I only see a few in the base talk about.
Tommy Moffit--no other way to put it--is a legend in the Strength & Conditioning business. So many out there who do what he does learned from him, and he was the gold standard for literally decades. Every S&C coach I've ever heard talk, if I'm able to listen to them long enough, they'll get around to mentioning him and the standard he brought to the field. I can't remember if he was around for the DiNardo years, but I think so, and iirc Saban made a point of retaining him and gave him more leeway in the program. When Saban returned to the SEC at Alabama, Moffit was the first guy he tried to add to his staff, though Moffit ultimately decided not to leave LSU. He was there through all the Les Miles and the Ed O. years. Saban ultimately got Scott Cochran for his S&C coach at Alabama, who made a name for himself in his own right, but he learned directly from Moffit at LSU, and again, Cochran is quick to say who taught him everything he knew about making Alabama tough, mean, SOBs. Indeed, Cochran coming from under Moffit is a key reason why Saban wanted him.
Some fans note that LSU appeared to be getting soft in Ed O's last couple of years and there was lots of talk about how Moffit was past his prime, his methods were outdated, etc. I don't know anything about that, but I know that for years, win or lose (usually win), LSU was tough as nails and if you were one of the teams that occasionally beat them, you damn sure didn't bully them, and you paid with blood for every inch you gained. The reason the 2008 Florida game or the 2015 Arkansas games are so memorable in fans' minds as supposed strikes against Les Miles is precisely because they were so rare. They were the exceptions that proved the rule. You did not manhandle, out-physical, or punch LSU in the mouth (without nuclear retribution). I also know the rules have changed a lot in the past decade and that the brand of defense in particular which LSU played between, notably, 2003 and 2012, is more or less against the rules today. However, the way linemen play hasn't really changed much, and the difference between now and a few years ago is obvious. Our lines are just.....soft. It could be that Moffit was slipping, but it's inarguable that the players have slid much further into Charmin softness without him. That was Brian Kelly's decision. He let Moffit go, day 1.
Meanwhile, A&M picked him up, much to the dismay of literally dozens of former Tigers, who lamented that the best coach they ever had was going to be in College Station now. Maybe it's reading too much into it, but A&M certainly showed last night the same brand of play LSU used to have. "You may be talented, and you may swing hard, but we will swing harder and we will swing last, and in the end, you will be our bitch."
All that said, the vaginal softness of our players is not the only thing that hampers the team, or why A&M won. In all the NIL $ spent this year on building a mercenary roster, they forgot to buy an an offensive line, and.....here we are. Also, Blake Baker should have criminal charges filed on him for having this defensive roster at his disposal and running the schemes he chooses to run against dual-threat QBs. The OC is in over his head and has no business holding such a position at a place like LSU. Lastly, Brian Kelly himself is just not that great of a coach, in more areas than I have time to write about. He's got a high-ish floor, and LSU will probably never worry about 6-6 seasons under him. But he's a 9-3 max coach in the SEC, and I think even his 9-3 days are numbered. I asked on this board once why the narrative on him was that he'd have better talent in BR than at ND, because I'd looked at the recruiting rankings for about a decade, and ND had recruited pretty equally to LSU. Various responses, ranging from "Don't trust rankings" to "Rankings are just averages which don't adequately describe roster nuances" (fair enough) to "Don't worry about it, he's a good coach and anybody halfway decent can win at LSU." I think my early suspicions have been more than confirmed by now. Kelly had talent at Notre Dame, and they got their butts whipped every time they ran into a competent, ranked team. He is who I thought he was. I don't necessarily advocate for firing him, because I have no control over that and I'm not even convinced there's anybody better available, or that LSU can have the kind of success we want in this new era. I'm just noting Kelly's ceiling is mediocre, and that's where we max out now.
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I get that this is a bit you have to do, so carry on. :)
But there's zero chance that the Ags will lose to SoCar or whatever Division 3 scrub y'all play before us. ;)_
Could potentially lose to Mizzou and/or Texas, so 10-2 is your floor. Congratulations on an excellent season, you deserve to enjoy it!
And yes of course I'm hoping we ruin it all for you here in Austin. But it'll still be a great season.
BAS is a real thing. And yes, I do have to do it.
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I generally stay away from talking LSU football here because there are no other LSU fans and I doubt anyone cares about details, but since you occasionally dig into the program a bit, I'll loosen my lips here and say this is an underrated point that I only see a few in the base talk about.
Tommy Moffit--no other way to put it--is a legend in the Strength & Conditioning business. So many out there who do what he does learned from him, and he was the gold standard for literally decades. Every S&C coach I've ever heard talk, if I'm able to listen to them long enough, they'll get around to mentioning him and the standard he brought to the field. I can't remember if he was around for the DiNardo years, but I think so, and iirc Saban made a point of retaining him and gave him more leeway in the program. When Saban returned to the SEC at Alabama, Moffit was the first guy he tried to add to his staff, though Moffit ultimately decided not to leave LSU. He was there through all the Les Miles and the Ed O. years. Saban ultimately got Scott Cochran for his S&C coach at Alabama, who made a name for himself in his own right, but he learned directly from Moffit at LSU, and again, Cochran is quick to say who taught him everything he knew about making Alabama tough, mean, SOBs. Indeed, Cochran coming from under Moffit is a key reason why Saban wanted him.
Some fans note that LSU appeared to be getting soft in Ed O's last couple of years and there was lots of talk about how Moffit was past his prime, his methods were outdated, etc. I don't know anything about that, but I know that for years, win or lose (usually win), LSU was tough as nails and if you were one of the teams that occasionally beat them, you damn sure didn't bully them, and you paid with blood for every inch you gained. The reason the 2008 Florida game or the 2015 Arkansas games are so memorable in fans' minds as supposed strikes against Les Miles is precisely because they were so rare. They were the exceptions that proved the rule. You did not manhandle, out-physical, or punch LSU in the mouth (without nuclear retribution). I also know the rules have changed a lot in the past decade and that the brand of defense in particular which LSU played between, notably, 2003 and 2012, is more or less against the rules today. However, the way linemen play hasn't really changed much, and the difference between now and a few years ago is obvious. Our lines are just.....soft. It could be that Moffit was slipping, but it's inarguable that the players have slid much further into Charmin softness without him. That was Brian Kelly's decision. He let Moffit go, day 1.
Meanwhile, A&M picked him up, much to the dismay of literally dozens of former Tigers, who lamented that the best coach they ever had was going to be in College Station now. Maybe it's reading too much into it, but A&M certainly showed last night the same brand of play LSU used to have. "You may be talented, and you may swing hard, but we will swing harder and we will swing last, and in the end, you will be our bitch."
All that said, the vaginal softness of our players is not the only thing that hampers the team, or why A&M won. In all the NIL $ spent this year on building a mercenary roster, they forgot to buy an an offensive line, and.....here we are. Also, Blake Baker should have criminal charges filed on him for having this defensive roster at his disposal and running the schemes he chooses to run against dual-threat QBs. The OC is in over his head and has no business holding such a position at a place like LSU. Lastly, Brian Kelly himself is just not that great of a coach, in more areas than I have time to write about. He's got a high-ish floor, and LSU will probably never worry about 6-6 seasons under him. But he's a 9-3 max coach in the SEC, and I think even his 9-3 days are numbered. I asked on this board once why the narrative on him was that he'd have better talent in BR than at ND, because I'd looked at the recruiting rankings for about a decade, and ND had recruited pretty equally to LSU. Various responses, ranging from "Don't trust rankings" to "Rankings are just averages which don't adequately describe roster nuances" (fair enough) to "Don't worry about it, he's a good coach and anybody halfway decent can win at LSU." I think my early suspicions have been more than confirmed by now. Kelly had talent at Notre Dame, and they got their butts whipped every time they ran into a competent, ranked team. He is who I thought he was. I don't necessarily advocate for firing him, because I have no control over that and I'm not even convinced there's anybody better available, or that LSU can have the kind of success we want in this new era. I'm just noting Kelly's ceiling is mediocre, and that's where we max out now.
I missed most of the second half, but from talking to folks who watched it, sounds like LSU just quit on the coach. Do you think he's on the hot seat now?
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I just want to point out a few things about this Aggie team as major weaknesses:
Rushing by committee. Leveon Moss, who was a pretty good back last season but got injured late in the year is injured again. We do a running back by committee now, which I hate. Ruben Owens seems to be a decent back but not as good as Moss. Also, apparently Moss has some kind of anxiety issues or something even when he's healthy because he's frequently seen puking on the sidelines and it's been reported it's basically from nerves. Not sure how true that is, but generally accepted.
Reed is a 50% passer. +/- a few points, but generally speaking he completes half his throws. Last night he was 12/21, or 57% which is pretty good for him. He made some spectacular throws, but the two INT's were not the receivers fault, they cost us big time.
The blocked punt. 2nd time this season. Cost us big in the ND game, both times were unblocked. Something is awry in special teams.
Defense plays well 80% of the time, but when they don't it costs us big time.
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Also I've heard that same line of BS about the S&C coach for 30 years now. Same thing at OU, guys name was Jerry something or other. We hired him, I think after he left OU. I think he went back now. Fran fired RC's long-time S&C coach, the whole time we were getting our asses kicked people were making comments about the S&C. I'm sure there is some kernel of truth in it, but c'mon you can't blame a coach for wanting to bring in his own guys.
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https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1982599236782064088?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Guess that answers my question.
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Does anybody think that Scott Woodward, the current LSU AD and former A&M AD, would make a run at Jimbo? Rumors are that LSU is the reason we ponied up so much money to "keep" Jimbo after 2020, it was no secret that LSU was heavily recruiting Jimbo while he was still at FSU after they canned Miles.
On the plus side, he shouldn't cost much :) . How do you take a job, pay wise, when you're going to get $7 million a year or whatever the number is from your old job? Do you call it good with 2-3 MM, or do you try to get as much as possible? Reminds me of that line from Money Ball where the older player is talking about the NY Yankees paying him or something, and Billy Bean reminds him they're paying him NOT to play.
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Also I've heard that same line of BS about the S&C coach for 30 years now. Same thing at OU, guys name was Jerry something or other. We hired him, I think after he left OU. I think he went back now. Fran fired RC's long-time S&C coach, the whole time we were getting our asses kicked people were making comments about the S&C. I'm sure there is some kernel of truth in it, but c'mon you can't blame a coach for wanting to bring in his own guys.
Of course a coach can bring in his own guys. Nobody ever said otherwise. You utterly miss the point that Tommy Moffit is not your average S&C guy. There's a reason Saban, Miles, and O all retained him and had such great success with him. He's better than literally every other example you could try to give, save maybe Cochran, and that's debatable since he had better overall talent to refine than LSU. And again, Cochran learned everything he knows from Moffit. There's a reason Saban tried so hard to get Moffit to leave LSU and join him at Alabama. And if you, of all people, can't see the difference between A&M now, and softer versions they've put on the field prior to Moffit, I don't know what to tell you. We wouldn't be winning all our games if he were still here, because he can't call plays or block edge rushers, but this team wouldn't be so soft.
I just want to point out a few things about this Aggie team as major weaknesses:
Rushing by committee. Leveon Moss, who was a pretty good back last season but got injured late in the year is injured again. We do a running back by committee now, which I hate. Ruben Owens seems to be a decent back but not as good as Moss. Also, apparently Moss has some kind of anxiety issues or something even when he's healthy because he's frequently seen puking on the sidelines and it's been reported it's basically from nerves. Not sure how true that is, but generally accepted.
Reminds me of Jamie Foxx in Any Given Sunday.
Reed is a 50% passer. +/- a few points, but generally speaking he completes half his throws. Last night he was 12/21, or 57% which is pretty good for him. He made some spectacular throws, but the two INT's were not the receivers fault, they cost us big time.
I'd say they did not, in fact, cost A&M big time.
The blocked punt. 2nd time this season. Cost us big in the ND game, both times were unblocked. Something is awry in special teams.
They made up for it by dominating literally every other special teams play. A&M BY FAR won the special teams battle.
Defense plays well 80% of the time, but when they don't it costs us big time.
So you expect them to allow 0 points, or what? No first downs? You don't realize how talented this LSU offense is, outside of its inexperienced and cradle-young offensive line. There's no point moaning about LSU popping some plays. Every skill player out there is headed to the NFL. And LSU still couldn't convert a 3rd down. Your defense was fine.
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I missed most of the second half, but from talking to folks who watched it, sounds like LSU just quit on the coach. Do you think he's on the hot seat now?
Obviously your question was answered, but getting to the first part that preceded it: I'm not so sure about that. It looked like every other game lately that LSU played against a ranked opponent with a winning record. This exact same thing happened vs. A&M last year, in fact. LSU played well in the first half and even carried a lead into halftime, then got their doors blown off in the second half. I haven't noticed anything that made me think they quit. Just seriously out-coached, and mentally not very tough. They don't have the aggression to play with a team like A&M.
What I notice is the DC is phenomenal against QBs who are either pocket passers or runners who aren't that good at throwing, but he just can't get his guys to stay disciplined enough against a true dual-threat, and if such a QB gets hot, our defense becomes extremely exploitable. And he really, really, really badly misuses one of the key players who is great at one thing, by making him try to be an every-down LB, which he just isn't. That is a bigger deal than most casual eyes will ever see, I reckon. Trying to force Harold Perkins to be on the field at all times because in the right situation he's basically the college Micah Parsons, is very misguided, because on an every-down basis, Perk is neither a true ILB nor a STAR position player. It's sad to say, but the defense actually gets better in standard downs without him on the field. But Blake Baker can't help but try to force the issue, and it has lead to so many bad defensive plays. I know all DC's and defenses have their hands more full with a true dual-threat QB, but I've seen many of our defenses neutralize them far better than this version does, so I know it can be done, and how it's done. It starts with gap discipline, and this team doesn't have it, and your ILB better be pretty decent covering middle crossing routes.
Offensively, the OT's got blistered by A&M's great edge rush guy, but that's nothing new. They have a tr. fr. at LT and a RS. fr. at RT and it just hasn't worked this year. Also, the OC bizarrely won't stick to anything that appears to be working. He's kinda Sarky in that way. Berry ran the ball for like 5.5 ypc in the first half, so what does the OC do, starting the second half with a lead? Berry gets the carry on the first play, picks up 3 yards, he never touches the ball again the rest of the game. Granted, no offensive scheme or play-call looks good when your offensive line is a turnstile, but I've seen enough of this guy to know he shouldn't be an OC at this level. Kelly said all week leading up to the game they would have to commit a back or a TE to chip and help the OT's. They didn't. LSU continued to run plays out of empty sets while our tackles got Nuss killed again. I mean......they knew what they had to do....they said it....and they didn't do it.
Also, A&M snowballed the game on us with special teams plays where LSU just derped and derped again. Overall, I wouldn't agree the team quit, I think A&M just kicked their ass. Like what happens to LSU in the second halves of many games in Kelly's tenure....A&M again, Florida State, Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida, Kentucky....I'm sure there's more. And, A&M is simply a better coached team, and that's what I saw, moreso than any quit in the team. I think they fought as hard as they could, as hard as they knew how. They just weren't prepared to do battle with this A&M squad.
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Of course a coach can bring in his own guys. Nobody ever said otherwise. You utterly miss the point that Tommy Moffit is not your average S&C guy. There's a reason Saban, Miles, and O all retained him and had such great success with him. He's better than literally every other example you could try to give, save maybe Cochran, and that's debatable since he had better overall talent to refine than LSU. And again, Cochran learned everything he knows from Moffit. There's a reason Saban tried so hard to get Moffit to leave LSU and join him at Alabama. And if you, of all people, can't see the difference between A&M now, and softer versions they've put on the field prior to Moffit, I don't know what to tell you. We wouldn't be winning all our games if he were still here, because he can't call plays or block edge rushers, but this team wouldn't be so soft.
Away with you. No hope here.
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Away with you. No hope here.
I was thinking the same thing. If you can't acknowledge that some guys are at the top of their field and you think each and every S&C coach is interchangeable, or be happy that you have the guy widely regarded by his peers as the goat, there's really nothing more to say.
Go back to griping about blowout wins and logging your first victory in Baton Rouge in over 30 years.
Just don't try to tell me what's happened to the toughness of our team since he was let go and that it's unrelated. You can shut right the hell up about that.
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I was thinking the same thing. If you can't acknowledge that some guys are at the top of their field and you think each and every S&C coach is interchangeable, or be happy that you have the guy widely regarded by his peers as the goat, there's really nothing more to say.
Go back to griping about blowout wins and logging your first victory in Baton Rouge in over 30 years.
Just don't try to tell me what's happened to the toughness of our team since he was let go and that it's unrelated. You can shut right the hell up about that.
I didn't consider myself griping, merely critiquing. I do consider this win at BR to be out of the norm, we barely beat Arkansas. I'm critiquing based on flaws that will cost us. Besides, we still have 4 more losses to pickup, and even though A&M has tried it's hard to get an L in the off week.
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https://twitter.com/Insidetheirish/status/1982604869467873591
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https://twitter.com/SECShorts/status/1982794416378302844
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https://twitter.com/jzprice/status/1982567852696850439
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It's not my intention to seem to be piling on LSU, but they're in the SEC news today for a lot of reasons.
https://twitter.com/No3sports/status/1982415023751471193
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I watched this and wondered WTF did I just see. I heard later Beamer told them to let them score, apparently so they could get the ball back and have enough time to score as well. https://twitter.com/SkullyAims/status/1982457764044542221
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MDT,
I never really looked into the S&C coach, but I was completely unaware that we had picked up the guy from LSU that was considered the GOAT, I really had no idea. You have to realize that I'm completely jaded by 30+ years of what is commonly known as "Battered Aggie Syndrome", or BAS for short. In almost 30 years of being a fan, we've essentially had 3 "great" seasons.
1998 (11 wins but lost the bowl game and finished top 10), 2012 (11 wins, Top 5 finish, obliterated OU in the Cotton Bowl), and 2020, 9 wins in the COVID shortened season and top 5 finish. That's it. That's the list. Last conference championship, 1998 season. Yes, we've played some fantastic games in that time span, but it's more like Top 10 W's sprinkled in between L's to Miss State and Texas Tech. We've never had, in my fan-lifetime, consecutive great seasons. If we happen to win 9 games, the next year we're more likely (in fact 100%) to win 7 or worse.
Prime example, last season we're 7-1, just beat a ranked LSU team, and then shit the bed to finish the season with the last win coming vs LSOP New Mexico State. Basically we lost our last P4 conference games, including giving up a late lead vs USC.
Every time we've picked up a new HC, everybody will fog over the new S&C coach, and there is always a bunch of talk about how much better the new guy is, and the old guy had the team soft, we'll win the 4th quarter, yada yada.
Forgive me if I seem to dismiss the notion that things have changed, because the BAS is strong.
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https://twitter.com/KaareJohnson/status/1982827150135972066
Interesting if true.
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It is, in fact, immoral to lose 3 games with this roster.
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No secret LSU was behind the times when it came to NIL. One thing that can't be taken away from Kelly was he got the boosters to get with the times and realize the recruiting game had changed. He put up a million dollars of his own money for this roster, putting his money where his mouth was.
He succeeded, for a year anyway. We don't have the number of mega-wealthy donors of many other fanbases, but we have some guys. He got them to step up and buy the #1 portal class to go along with a good crop of high-school influx. Other than a young and inexperienced OL (and tbf, they did try to shore up the OL in the portal, they just couldn't convince a few targets), this team is loaded. Most of the guys who follow our players from the NFL-prospect standpoint expect this team to break our draft record the 2019 team set, or the 2011 defense, depending on who all comes out.
That will be the real indictment on this coaching staff. I haven't been this happy with the overall talent of the team in years (Ed. O had a couple very talented teams, but he never had the D-lines Les Miles used to haul in, but this current team has quite a fine group). He had a 4000 yd passer returning, a slew of weapons, and a bought-and-paid-for defense who proved their skill.....except against mobile QBs who the DC has apparently never heard of or seen film on.
Good luck trying to go back to the boosters now and get them to pony up again to fix the fallout of all this.
"For what?" they'll say. "To watch the team go 7-5 again?"
And the fallout is coming. A lot of these guys were just here to max out their earnings for their last season of eligibility. Others know their worth and will be headed to the league. The QB is out of eligibility and there is nobody in the wings or the pipeline to replace him.
LSU went all in on this season and flamed out in spectacular fashion.
I'd say at least Bryan Kelly gave us Jayden Daniels/Malik Nabers/Brian Thomas Jr., but the truth is, that team will be forgotten as the love fans had for that offense is buried in a cold, shallow grave by the memory of the worst defense in history that went with it.
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Speaking of the OL, it's a microcosm of what has just about turned me off of this sport. That being NIL combined with the xfer portal.
Just one quick example: Lance Heard comes to LSU as the LT of the future. He's awesome, but he can't beat out Will Campbell (LT) or Emery Jones (RT) who are a year older, and amazing. But he's in the rotation and will have two years to lead the line, or one, if he chooses to leave early.
But he doesn't, because Tennessee throws a bunch of money at him and he doesn't have to sit out a year.
Had he stayed, he'd be protecting Nuss' blind side, and McGee probably plays RT, where he's better suited, instead of LT, and guys like Curne wouldn't be thrown in the fire as true freshmen to be devoured by A&M's carnivores. The whole makeup of the line would be different, likely just having to mask one weak-ish LG spot instead of 3-4 spots. Which--let's be real--you can't mask 3-4 weak spots on an OL.
You could say one guy doesn't make that big a difference, but the reality is one guy impacts a whole bunch of dominoes that fall. Lance Heard wouldn't have stopped Nuss from tearing his ab, but he would've stopped Nuss from limping around on two bad ankles at this point.
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https://twitter.com/michaelwbratton/status/1982919507862581657?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Oh boy.
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Oh boy.
There is no question that we're getting a Texas A&M/Ohio State national title game this year.
It's definitely going to happen.
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I don't think few realize the implications for the SEC CCG. We have a whole slew of one loss teams, some of whom won't play the other 1 loss teams.
I don't know if this will format right:
[thead][/thead]
[th][/th]
[th]Over[/th]
[th][/th]
[th][/th]
[th]Conf[/th]
[th][/th]
[th][/th]
[th]Poin[/th]
[th][/th]
[th]SRS[/th]
[th][/th]
[th]Poll[/th]
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| School | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct | Off | Def | SRS | SOS | AP Curr | AP Pre | AP High | Notes |
| Texas AM | 8 | 0 | 1.000 | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 37.8 | 23.6 | 23.89 | 8.39 | 3 | 19 | 3 | |
| Alabama | 7 | 1 | .875 | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 34.4 | 18.3 | 18.70 | 7.70 | 4 | 8 | 4 | |
| Ole Miss | 7 | 1 | .875 | 4 | 1 | .800 | 37.0 | 23.0 | 15.99 | 6.49 | 7 | 21 | 4 | |
| Georgia | 6 | 1 | .857 | 4 | 1 | .800 | 33.7 | 19.6 | 18.00 | 5.86 | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
| Vanderbilt | 7 | 1 | .875 | 3 | 1 | .750 | 38.4 | 18.8 | 15.78 | 1.53 | 9 | | 9 | |
| Texas | 6 | 2 | .750 | 3 | 1 | .750 | 29.0 | 14.6 | 11.96 | 1.84 | 20 | 1 | 1 | |
| Tennessee | 6 | 2 | .750 | 3 | 2 | .600 | 45.6 | 30.9 | 12.89 | 3.01 | 14 | 24 | 11 | |
| Missouri | 6 | 2 | .750 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 35.4 | 16.8 | 11.72 | 1.10 | 19 | | 14 | |
| Oklahoma | 6 | 2 | .750 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 28.4 | 12.5 | 14.19 | 3.69 | 18 | 18 | 5 | |
| Florida | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 22.4 | 20.0 | 8.02 | 10.02 | | 15 | 13 | |
| LSU | 5 | 3 | .625 | 2 | 3 | .400 | 25.5 | 18.9 | 10.61 | 6.98 | | 9 | 3 | |
| Auburn | 4 | 4 | .500 | 1 | 4 | .200 | 24.8 | 18.6 | 11.46 | 7.46 | | | 22 | |
| South Carolina | 3 | 5 | .375 | 1 | 5 | .167 | 20.4 | 21.1 | 5.18 | 6.43 | | 13 | 10 | |
| Mississippi State | 4 | 4 | .500 | 0 | 4 | .000 | 32.6 | 23.4 | 8.27 | 4.64 | | | | |
| Kentucky | 2 | 5 | .286 | 0 | 5 | .000 | 24.1 | 30.1 | 0.29 | 7.00 | | | | |
| Arkansas | 2 | 6 | .250 | 0 | 4 | .000 | 35.5 | 32.8 | 7.98 | 9.60 | | | | |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference (https://www.sports-reference.com/sharing.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool): View Original Table (https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/sec/2025.html?sr&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool#standings)
Generated 10/28/2025.
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Right now, A&M and Bama are tied at the top with zero conference losses. We don't play each other this season.
Next up, you have UGA, OM, Vandy, Texas sitting at 1 losses. Vandy and Texas play each other. UGA and OM have already played, UGA won. Texas still has to play A&M. As "bad" as Texas has played this season, they still have a decent shot at going to the CCG, if they beat UGA and then beat A&M, or if other teams falter along the way.
I'm going to go ahead and assume anybody with 2 losses is already out, although it may not be 100% mathematical at this point I think the likelihood of any 2 loss teams making it is close to Zero.
I really don't know much about the tie-breakers, but I think it's likely that A&M finishes with at least 1 loss, we have @Mizzou, USCe, and @Texas left. We won't be granted any 5th downs or kicked balls @Mizzou, unfortunately.
I think UGA will hand Texas their 2nd loss, which puts Texas out of the running. UGA has Florida (WLOCP), @Miss St (zero chance the cowbells win this), and Texas at home. They have games also v GT and Charlotte, but they are non-con obviously and don't have any bearing on the SEC CCG, but could have CFP implications (GT is 8-0 as of now)
OM has @USCe, Florida, and @Miss State. I think there is a good chance OM loses at least one of these games, if nothing else than the distractions caused by Lane Kiffin being courted for other jobs and their history in the past of choking away games like this. I think they lost to UK last season for example.
Vandy has @Texas, Auburn, UK, and @UTenn. They have a good team, I'd say they will win both UK and Auburn, but I'm not giving them the credit yet until they beat Texas and Tennessee. I'd say they most likely finish with 2 losses. Which would still be a phenomenal season for them.
Texas, as I've said, has Vandy, @ UGA, Ark, and A&M left. I think it's very likely Texas finishes with 3 losses, UGA and then either Vandy or Ark. Don't sleep on Ark, they can be dangerous with Petrino and he's coaching for his job at this point.
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Texas is equally capable of winning out or losing out at this point, I'm really not kidding.
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Interesting site on Tie-Breakers. You can manipulate the outcome.
https://bball.notnothing.net/sec.php?sport=fb
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According to the tie-breaker, if Alabama and UGA win out, (likely), and A&M loses 1 game (likely), it will be Alabama and Georgia in the CCG.
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According to the tie-breaker, if Alabama and UGA win out, (likely), and A&M loses 1 game (likely), it will be Alabama and Georgia in the CCG.
I don't see anyone remaining on Alabama's schedule that should beat them, but then again they lost to a bad Oklahoma team last year.
Georgia should win out as well.
But there's a reason they play the games.
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I don't see anyone remaining on Alabama's schedule that should beat them,
Somebody get me Gerry DiNardo on the phone. Time to Bring Back The Magic.
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Somebody get me Gerry DiNardo on the phone. Time to Bring Back The Magic.
Explain ? Did LSU beat bama a bunch of times in the late 90’s?
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According to The Athletic, it sounds like Brian Kelly might have had a chance to save his skin but either didn't read the room or didn't care. They report that OC Joe Sloan's name was at the center of a heated exchange between AD Woodward and Kelly Saturday night after the game, which continued on into Sunday. Woodward reportedly told Kelly to fire Sloan, and Kelly fired back that he wanted to make other staff moves that Woodward wasn't comfortable with. Obviously we know how it ended. If accurate, it's interesting to speculate that Kelly might have saved his job (for now, at least) by going along with the AD, because that's kind of the conclusion I'd draw from the facts offered.
It's also interesting to me that Woodward singled out Sloan. I mean, I'm on record here saying Sloan shouldn't be an OC at a place like LSU because he doesn't appear to have the chops for it. But the other side of the coin is no offensive scheme, and no playcalling brilliance will save you or even look competent when you have an O-line like LSU's. There is no X's and O's fix for that. Add to that, the offense had actually been playing better over the last few games. They weren't scoring a bunch more points, but they were moving the ball better, upping their TOP which should at least help the defense, and off the top of my head, were averaging about a TD more per game, as Nuss got healthier.
The defense on the other hand....woof. They just collapsed the last three games in the face of mobile QBs--which they did last year as well under DC Blake Baker.
So it's interesting to target Sloan and not Baker. Probably the whole staff needed an overhaul and you probably can't fire everybody mid-season. Just makes me wonder why pick the OC in light of recent games. Taking the season as a whole, the defense has obviously been the stronger unit and the offense has been a wreck. But that doesn't seem to take recent trends into consideration.
Maybe AD's are just idgits. This one, in particular, is on the wrong side of his governor, with no current permanent university president buffering the two of them. Which is another point.....whoever is appointed prez will be friendlier to the governor than to the AD. Which may make AD Woodward worry his days are numbered, which may make him squirm and act erratically. Who knows. I'm just speculating.
Didn't LSU and Florida get on the coaching carousel at the same time last time they were in the market? We've got to stop meeting like this.
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According to The Athletic, it sounds like Brian Kelly might have had a chance to save his skin but either didn't read the room or didn't care. They report that OC Joe Sloan's name was at the center of a heated exchange between AD Woodward and Kelly Saturday night after the game, which continued on into Sunday. Woodward reportedly told Kelly to fire Sloan, and Kelly fired back that he wanted to make other staff moves that Woodward wasn't comfortable with. Obviously we know how it ended. If accurate, it's interesting to speculate that Kelly might have saved his job (for now, at least) by going along with the AD, because that's kind of the conclusion I'd draw from the facts offered.
It's also interesting to me that Woodward singled out Sloan. I mean, I'm on record here saying Sloan shouldn't be an OC at a place like LSU because he doesn't appear to have the chops for it. But the other side of the coin is no offensive scheme, and no playcalling brilliance will save you or even look competent when you have an O-line like LSU's. There is no X's and O's fix for that. Add to that, the offense had actually been playing better over the last few games. They weren't scoring a bunch more points, but they were moving the ball better, upping their TOP which should at least help the defense, and off the top of my head, were averaging about a TD more per game, as Nuss got healthier.
The defense on the other hand....woof. They just collapsed the last three games in the face of mobile QBs--which they did last year as well under DC Blake Baker.
So it's interesting to target Sloan and not Baker. Probably the whole staff needed an overhaul and you probably can't fire everybody mid-season. Just makes me wonder why pick the OC in light of recent games. Taking the season as a whole, the defense has obviously been the stronger unit and the offense has been a wreck. But that doesn't seem to take recent trends into consideration.
Maybe AD's are just idgits. This one, in particular, is on the wrong side of his governor, with no current permanent university president buffering the two of them. Which is another point.....whoever is appointed prez will be friendlier to the governor than to the AD. Which may make AD Woodward worry his days are numbered, which may make him squirm and act erratically. Who knows. I'm just speculating.
Didn't LSU and Florida get on the coaching carousel at the same time last time they were in the market? We've got to stop meeting like this.
I'm with Kelly on this one. If he's the HC, and wants to make a change, he should be allowed to fire whomever he wants. If you don't like it, fire me and pay me the $50 MM.
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I'm with Kelly on this one. If he's the HC, and wants to make a change, he should be allowed to fire whomever he wants. If you don't like it, fire me and pay me the $50 MM.
So what's this business about settling for $20 mil? Because of a morals code??
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So what's this business about settling for $20 mil? Because of a morals code??
Well, it was reported/rumored via Twitter/X, but nothing since. So IDK, what did you hear? I'm not sure why he would settle for $20MM, unless it was a Bobby Petrino type situation, and even then if you had the goods on him why not just get it out there and pay zero. Either you have dirt on the guy, or you don't.
I've always thought that if they really wanted to A&M could've dug up some dirt on Jimbo, with the whole ex-wife situation and then the girlfriend he was with. Rumors abound that his ex was sleeping with FSU players or something, and this is way before A&M soured on him. This goes back to FSU days. Anyways Jimbo struck me as the type of guy to have skeletons, why not pay some PI $1,000,000 to dig up some dirt on him and save $77MM...
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You could, I'm sure.
When Kansas decided to virtue-signal, they canned Les Miles, supposedly for something that happened back at LSU, which what little investigation ever actually happened didn't really corroborate.
Seems like if you're intent on smearing a coach, you can probably come up with something vague enough that it can't be proven or disproven, but win in the contract settlements.
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I really, really wish somebody would pay me tens of millions of dollars not to coach at LSU or A&M.
I'd even happily seek employment (or maintain it, in my case), the salary of which would offset their burden of payments.
Hell, I'll happily not coach at every school if they'd just pay me even a few thousand each.
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Getting the right coach is harder than fans think. There's a lot to be said for "fit," but I don't know that you can necessarily predict it with any accuracy.
I'm not one of those who says I knew Kelly wouldn't work out here, he was a poor fit, etc. I will say I was concerned he might not be a good fit, but I was definitely hopeful about his tenure, and cautiously optimistic. And, I even got more optimistic after his first season, when he so quickly rebuilt a decimated roster, won the west, and gave us one final win over Alabama. I kind of, sort of, maybe, not really sure, maintained that optimism when the offense went nuclear the next year, but the historically awful defense gave us the same record, but without a West title. During the third year is when I became convinced that he'd never lose less than 3 games and would be the first LSU coach in the last four not to win a NC.
I don't necessarily disagree with his firing. I'm also not convinced we're about to do better. I'm not even sure how viable LSU is as a major power in the new $-mercenary world. But even thinking in the old paradigm, it feels to me like we've entered the Texas-post-Mack phase, we just haven't realized it yet. It may be a while and another few coaches before somebody really hits again, no matter how good it might seem at the beginning.
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I really, really wish somebody would pay me tens of millions of dollars not to coach at LSU or A&M.
I'd even happily seek employment (or maintain it, in my case), the salary of which would offset their burden of payments.
Hell, I'll happily not coach at every school if they'd just pay me even a few thousand each.
It's a good gig if you can get it.
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Getting the right coach is harder than fans think. There's a lot to be said for "fit," but I don't know that you can necessarily predict it with any accuracy.
I'm not one of those who says I knew Kelly wouldn't work out here, he was a poor fit, etc. I will say I was concerned he might not be a good fit, but I was definitely hopeful about his tenure, and cautiously optimistic. And, I even got more optimistic after his first season, when he so quickly rebuilt a decimated roster, won the west, and gave us one final win over Alabama. I kind of, sort of, maybe, not really sure, maintained that optimism when the offense went nuclear the next year, but the historically awful defense gave us the same record, but without a West title. During the third year is when I became convinced that he'd never lose less than 3 games and would be the first LSU coach in the last four not to win a NC.
I don't necessarily disagree with his firing. I'm also not convinced we're about to do better. I'm not even sure how viable LSU is as a major power in the new $-mercenary world. But even thinking in the old paradigm, it feels to me like we've entered the Texas-post-Mack phase, we just haven't realized it yet. It may be a while and another few coaches before somebody really hits again, no matter how good it might seem at the beginning.
What about the Canes guy? Todd Graves I think is his name? Multi-billionaire, LSU alum. Does he care about LSU sports? I would think he would be a big supporter.
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Getting the right coach is harder than fans think. There's a lot to be said for "fit," but I don't know that you can necessarily predict it with any accuracy.
I'm not one of those who says I knew Kelly wouldn't work out here, he was a poor fit, etc. I will say I was concerned he might not be a good fit, but I was definitely hopeful about his tenure, and cautiously optimistic. And, I even got more optimistic after his first season, when he so quickly rebuilt a decimated roster, won the west, and gave us one final win over Alabama. I kind of, sort of, maybe, not really sure, maintained that optimism when the offense went nuclear the next year, but the historically awful defense gave us the same record, but without a West title. During the third year is when I became convinced that he'd never lose less than 3 games and would be the first LSU coach in the last four not to win a NC.
I don't necessarily disagree with his firing. I'm also not convinced we're about to do better. I'm not even sure how viable LSU is as a major power in the new $-mercenary world. But even thinking in the old paradigm, it feels to me like we've entered the Texas-post-Mack phase, we just haven't realized it yet. It may be a while and another few coaches before somebody really hits again, no matter how good it might seem at the beginning.
I'm no Nostradamus, but it was pretty easy to see that Kelly is a square peg, and Baton Rouge is a round hole.
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I've never been to BR, but my college-aged son has went several times. He told me it was a wild place. I knew it was different when he told me how the bar workers were doing shots with the customers. Big no-no 'round these parts. He went 3-4 times and told me it got wilder every time. And he's been to CS, Lubbock, etc.
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Just curious, do you watch many SEC games other than OU games?
Oh, one or two a weekend. About the same as I did with Big 12 games in recent years.
I'm less and less interested in CFB with each passing year. Including what's going on in Norman.
But, to your point, I read more about more SEC officiating controversies than I did about them in Big 12.
Maybe the Big 12 officials are worse than the SEC officials. But it's a low bar to get under.
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I'm less and less interested in CFB with each passing year. Including what's going on in Norman.
I hear you.
10 years ago I'd have been legit distraught at the post-2019 collapse of our program and the various derps of the BK era, and I'd be scouring news sites every 5 minutes for the latest rumors on coaching candidates.
I won't say I don't care now, because it does still irritate me to watch our games when we play poorly, but I don't get nearly as worked up as I used to, and I find I don't think about it much outside of game-time. Other than when I come here and think of interesting aspects to talk to y'all about. I'm not optimistic about the future of the team, but neither do I care a great deal like I used to.
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Well, it was reported/rumored via Twitter/X, but nothing since.
Sorry, I missed this earlier. Just unsubstantiated stuff from "sauces" nobody has ever heard of. I haven't heard anything from a reputable source, other than LSU and Kelly are continuing to negotiate the buyout. Which does make it sound like they have an escape clause, or think they do, or are just trying to strong-arm the situation.
The rumors are fun and salacious, but that's what rumors are meant to be. Who knows if any of it's true.
It does seem that there is a lot of smoke around the fires of LSU-head coach infidelities. Someone said the other day, "Good grief, is our HC job where marriages go to die? It's taken out the last three coaches." Well, that would be Kelly (unsubstantiated rumors which could EASILY be the state-powers pulling levers to squirm their way out of a bigger buyout, though he did bizarrely file for divorce from his wife a couple years ago, though that seemed to work itself out), Orgeron (kind of obvious, he posted his escapades all over Twitter), and Miles (rumored to have been unfaithful to his wife at some point while at LSU). But it's more than that, because Saban famously supposedly had an affair with Candy Edwards, wife of infamous Once-and-Future governor Edwin Edwards. I don't know how well corroborated that was, but the smoke on that one was everywhere.
Now the governor has declared that the AD will not pick the new coach, and that he would sooner let Donald Trump pick the coach than AD Woodward. There is no permanent university president at the moment, who would typically have more leeway to tell the governor to shut up and let us handle it. Right now he says the BoS will form a search committee which will find a new coach. They all serve at his pleasure of course, as will whoever the new president winds up being, and the AD is probably about to have less friends than he's ever had around there.
I've decided Louisiana's politics interfering with LSU football is far more interesting than LSU football.
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It's not my intention to seem to be piling on LSU, but they're in the SEC news today for a lot of reasons.
https://twitter.com/No3sports/status/1982415023751471193
I also haven't seen anything about this from anyone who covers LSU football.
Until I see it or hear it mentioned from a reputable "sauce," I just take it as LSU is in the news cycle and everyone wants to use it to increase their click-bait views.
Unfortunately the defense might actually get better on standard downs without Perkins on the field.
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46787213/woodward-lsu-athletic-director-amid-landry-criticism
Woodward out.
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So Auburn lost 10-3 to Kentucky. At home.
Talk about hard times....
(https://i.imgur.com/zoH0tjN.jpeg)
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For someone never sold on Brent Venables and staff, Oklahoma came away with an impressive win over a higher ranked Tennessee team in Neyland last night. Wins like last night's turn a lot around and keep a lot on track if Oklahoma is going to continue a future with Venables - a future that has been in question almost since his hiring.
Going into this year I figured the Sooners were overrated with a ceiling of 4-5 against the gantlet of Michigan, Auburn, Texas, @ S. Carolina, Ole Miss, @ Tennessee, @ Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. So far the Sooners are a sturdy 4-2 with three tough games still left.
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For someone never sold on Brent Venables and staff, Oklahoma came away with an impressive win over a higher ranked Tennessee team in Neyland last night. Wins like last night's turn a lot around and keep a lot on track if Oklahoma is going to continue a future with Venables - a future that has been in question almost since his hiring.
Going into this year I figured the Sooners were overrated with a ceiling of 4-5 against the gantlet of Michigan, Auburn, Texas, @ S. Carolina, Ole Miss, @ Tennessee, @ Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. So far the Sooners are a sturdy 4-2 with three tough games still left.
Last night's OU @ Tennessee game was one of the strangest I've ever seen. At the end of the 1st quarter, OU had run 10 plays, had 29 yards of offense, had been penalized 25 yards, and only trailed 10-7, thanks to a fumble-scoop-score. It was somewhat better in the 2nd quarter--18 plays for 75 yards of offense. And OU led 16-10. Tennessee had dominated the stats, but had given up 3 turnovers by that time--2 picks in addition to the fumble. The picks were in the last 2:33 of the half, and each resulted in an OU FG. OU being in the lead at that point was almost laughable.
The 2nd half was pretty even, stats-wise. Each team scored 17 more points, and yardage was about equal. It was still a wild and woolly half of football. OU had 2 turnovers--a fumble and a pick. In the last 2 minutes of the game, Tennessee scored a TD and a FG. The Vols kicked onside after both scores, but failed both times. OU scored a TD in between Tennessee's 2 scores and ran out the clock after recovering the 2nd onside kick. The player of the game was OU's kicker, Tate Sandell, who went 4-4 on FGs, 1 of 40+ yards and 3 of 50+ yards.
OU won when it seemed like it should have lost and Tennessee lost when it seemed like it should have won. We'll take it and move on, not yet eliminated from making the SECCG and/or the CFP.
I'm still not sold on Brent Venables either. He's a great guy, but whether he can run a football program is still questionable, especially since he's he's also his own DC.
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46819253/sources-auburn-fires-coach-hugh-freeze-2-plus-seasons
High Freeze out.
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https://twitter.com/pooraggies/status/1985011258479739382?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Yeah, you can't lose to UK at home, scoring only 3 points and keep your job.
Florida
LSU
Auburn
Some pretty good programs looking for their general.
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The New World Order is crazy. In the Old World, I'd have expected Hugh Freeze to do pretty well at Auburn, and I'd probably have been right.
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For someone never sold on Brent Venables and staff, Oklahoma came away with an impressive win over a higher ranked Tennessee team in Neyland last night. Wins like last night's turn a lot around and keep a lot on track if Oklahoma is going to continue a future with Venables - a future that has been in question almost since his hiring.
Going into this year I figured the Sooners were overrated with a ceiling of 4-5 against the gantlet of Michigan, Auburn, Texas, @ S. Carolina, Ole Miss, @ Tennessee, @ Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. So far the Sooners are a sturdy 4-2 with three tough games still left.
Tennessee just Tennessee'd.
There's a weird hump they just can't seem to get over, and if they have the pieces and the plan to do it, they find a way to self-destruct instead. I don't watch them a ton, but in the games I do catch, they're like watching a more mentally tough version of LSU. Unlike us, you won't bully them or make them so confused you mistake their incompetence for quitting, but similar to us, they're determined to find ways to lose sometimes.
Also, I'd like to add for the record that those black unis are wretched, and the crowd is even worse. Did not look like Neyland Stadium. Burn all of them and wear the damn orange like you're supposed to.
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Final thought about the weekend:
That Florida receiver was robbed. He caught that ball, and I consider the video evidence clear and irrefutable, unless you think the oblong football magically grew a third pointy end for a fraction of a second, which touched the ground, and then vanished into the ether from whence it came.
Piecing together from multiple angles, each end rested on top of the player's forearms, and there's no way the widest part of the ball at the middle protruded far enough between the forearms to touch the ground. Yeah, you couldn't see under there to prove there was space between the ball and the ground, but if you have any concept of geometry, spatial reasoning, and an IQ above 50, you can deduce it's not possible for the ball to touch the ground from what you can see.
No idea if it would've changed the outcome of the game, but he got robbed all the same.
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Yup that was a bad call and it was certainly costly.
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Final thought about the weekend:
That Florida receiver was robbed. He caught that ball, and I consider the video evidence clear and irrefutable, unless you think the oblong football magically grew a third pointy end for a fraction of a second, which touched the ground, and then vanished into the ether from whence it came.
So ANOTHER questionable call that goes Georgia's way! Thing is the call your talking about isn't the TWO others I had in mind as generously going Georgia's way. Both were fumble reviews: 1) Near the end of the half a fumble call against Gunner Stockton was ruled an incomplete pass (allowing Georgia to end the drive with a FG), AND 2) late in the with Florida up and driving deep, a long review determined that Florida's quarterback had in fact fumbled, reversing the call on the field and giving Georgia the possession needed to take the lead late.
THREE calls generously going Georgia's way during pivotal moments Vs Florida.
(last year's game Vs Georgia Tech when the Refs refused to call holding on Georgia's OL)
(https://i.imgur.com/VDUkNId.png)
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Yeah the SEC definitely likes themselves some Georgia. I'm astounded week after week when Smart flies out into the middle of the field jawing at the officials, and never gets flagged for it. Last year he openly shoved the Miss State QB on the sideline, refs right there watching it, no call. The SEC looks like a bunch of pussies, honestly. I thought this was a serious conference but it's pretty pathetic how they let Kirby walk all over them.
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Tennessee just Tennessee'd.
There's a weird hump they just can't seem to get over, and if they have the pieces and the plan to do it, they find a way to self-destruct instead. I don't watch them a ton, but in the games I do catch, they're like watching a more mentally tough version of LSU. Unlike us, you won't bully them or make them so confused you mistake their incompetence for quitting, but similar to us, they're determined to find ways to lose sometimes.
Yep. Josh Heupel screwed up time management in the last minute-plus against Georgia and ended up kicking a hasty game-winning FG try that failed. Then he lost in OT.
Also, I'd like to add for the record that those black unis are wretched, and the crowd is even worse. Did not look like Neyland Stadium. Burn all of them and wear the damn orange like you're supposed to.
In principle, I dislike alt-unis intensely. Throwbacks are OK, as they effectively honor the program's past. OU has a couple of alts and I dislike both of them. One is the "anthracite" uniform, dark gray with crimson helmets and trim. It was inaugurated after some stupid a-hole wearing black-face was seen walking across campus. It was supposed to promote team unity and racial harmony. It just looks stupid to me. Our other one is the "rough-neck" uni. It's red-and-cream colored, and the red parts have a wood-grain look, supposedly to emulate the wagons that the '89ers rode into the territory of the Oklahoma Land Run. It just looks stupid to me.
And, yeah, those black Tennessee uniforms were bad. Meaning "not good."
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https://twitter.com/sickoscommittee/status/1985356489079529641?s=61
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So true
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Holy shit, is this true :
- [color=var(--_1l2t50l2)]Famous Missouri alumni include Jon Hamm, Chris Cooper, Tom Berenger, Sheryl Crow, Walmart founder Sam Walton (I was as surprised as you), sports team purchasing enthusiast Stan Kroenke (Arsenal, LA Rams, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids), SportsCenter’s John Anderson and a slew of other journalists, and the world’s smartest man, Chase Daniel (who earned more than $41 million in his 14-year NFL career despite starting only five games).[/color]
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Chase Daniel still eats boogers.
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Speaking of Chase Daniel...
https://twitter.com/ChaseDaniel/status/1985357759580389501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1985357759580389501%7Ctwgr%5E412fe892abdfe4244dc2bb4bf63a872a94e0842f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlyhorns.com%2Fboard%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fchasedaniel%2Fstatus%2F1985357759580389501%3Fs%3D46
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quoting rather than re-embedding the X post: Texas A&M has played 5 conference games this season. The Aggies SEC opponents are currently 6-20 in conference play, and all 5 of their opponents played to date have a losing SEC record. Just an unbelievably favorable SEC schedule for Texas A&M.
https://twitter.com/pooraggies...
I hope by now that the Aggie fan base can get past the negativity and self-defeating sense of doom they've spread across the socials, and can step back and see what a truly special season Texas A&M is having.
9-0 and ranked #3
The above X post only wants to traffic in the negative. To counter, the post ignores:
-that Texas A&M is 3-0 Vs the Ap Top 25
-Texas A&M's road win Vs a likely playoff bound Notre Dame
-ignores how physically dominating A&M has played, especially in the 2nd half, especially as the season has moved along
-ignores another subtlety: sometimes a win psychologically breaks the other team, and they don't recover well, and so the collective 6-20 conference record is something Texas A&M caused rather than exclusively benefited from
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Ehh, the negativity is coming from A&M fans themselves for a reason.
THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!
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Welp, Florida finally caved in and quit. Got blown out by the 2nd-worst team on our schedule. Our entire schedule. At least we finally benched Captain Turnover. Potential only matters if it's realized. Ugh.
Better get a legit HC or they'll be an exodus of the actual talent on the roster. Fun times.
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I watched a bit of the UF-UK game and thought the Gators were basically going through motions. I don't really blame them for that, if so.
I don't think they should have fired their coach.
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I hope by now that the Aggie fan base can get past the negativity and self-defeating sense of doom they've spread across the socials, and can step back and see what a truly special season Texas A&M is having.
9-0 and ranked #3
The above X post only wants to traffic in the negative. To counter, the post ignores:
-that Texas A&M is 3-0 Vs the Ap Top 25
-Texas A&M's road win Vs a likely playoff bound Notre Dame
-ignores how physically dominating A&M has played, especially in the 2nd half, especially as the season has moved along
-ignores another subtlety: sometimes a win psychologically breaks the other team, and they don't recover well, and so the collective 6-20 conference record is something Texas A&M caused rather than exclusively benefited from
Away with you.
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https://twitter.com/hornsports/status/1987517979605520544?s=61
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What AP Top 25 team other than Notre Dame has A&M beaten?
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https://twitter.com/hornsports/status/1987517979605520544?s=61
This is too ignorant to just have happened. Someone, somewhere made sure this happened and it's wrong.
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This is too ignorant to just have happened. Someone, somewhere made sure this happened and it's wrong.
The SEC has had screwed-up scheduling since the conference was formed. Seems like scheduling other conference teams was semi-voluntary for decades. Right now we've got the schedulers deciding who should play whom, based on . . . something or other.
The system that will kick in next year will be the first time (that I'm aware of) that the SEC has had an equitable, repeatable scheduling system.
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https://twitter.com/tony_catalina/status/1987676480139108676?s=61
That makes 5 teams in one season we’ve played that have fired the head coach.
Amazing. Got to be a record.
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This is too ignorant to just have happened. Someone, somewhere made sure this happened and it's wrong.
I honestly believe it’s 100% intentionally done. We’ve played all the former SEC East teams 3-4 times each, except Georgia and possibly Kentucky. But Florida, Tennessee, USC, And Mizzou have all been regular opponents. Wild.
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The SEC has had screwed-up scheduling since the conference was formed. Seems like scheduling other conference teams was semi-voluntary for decades. Right now we've got the schedulers deciding who should play whom, based on . . . something or other.
The system that will kick in next year will be the first time (that I'm aware of) that the SEC has had an equitable, repeatable scheduling system.
No, the schedule was pre-set, made sense, and nearly as equitable as could be prior to A&M and Mizzou joining in 2012. It was very similar to the Big 12 scheduling rotation before Nebraska and Colorado exited around the same time.
I've explained this to you before.
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The fandom of this sport entails weird psychology.
I've mentioned here multiple times that it feels like I'll probably stop watching at some point, having to do NIL/xfer portal, but also other stuff I won't go into here. And when I say that, I actually mean it, or think I do.
Losses don't crush me, neither do bad seasons, and wins don't excite me. Not much, anyway. Definitely nothing like they used to.
And--not to toot my own horn....well, okay, probably, yes, horn-tooting in full swing--I've always had such a great, non-homer sense of my own team that very little ever surprises me. Meaning, the games and the season go like I thought they would, far more than the surprises the reality of the games throw at me.
As such, the Alabama game, for example, went exactly like I thought it would.
So, to recap: I pretty well knew what was going to happen, I don't care about the team winning, and I don't care about the team losing....much.
And yet, I watched anyway. I found myself thinking Saturday night that I was just going through the motions, which I have been for quite a while now, so why was I bothering? It seems that no matter my level of excitement or enjoyment, there is some interest--which is different--to see how things actually go, regardless of my feelings about it, or lack thereof. I also found myself thinking that if I haven't stopped watching by now, maybe I never actually will, and it's just something I tell myself and others, believing it, while not realizing that it's probably not true.
Time will tell.
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I honestly believe it’s 100% intentionally done. We’ve played all the former SEC East teams 3-4 times each, except Georgia and possibly Kentucky. But Florida, Tennessee, USC, And Mizzou have all been regular opponents. Wild.
I wouldn't call 3 meetings with Tennessee in 13 years --- regular.
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The SEC has had screwed-up scheduling since the conference was formed. Seems like scheduling other conference teams was semi-voluntary for decades. Right now we've got the schedulers deciding who should play whom, based on . . . something or other.
The system that will kick in next year will be the first time (that I'm aware of) that the SEC has had an equitable, repeatable scheduling system.
Tough to remain equitable at all times with division play.
The 90's and early 2000's the SEC East was generally stronger, and then the late 2000's to present the West was the stronger side.
Whaddaya gonna do?
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I wouldn't call 3 meetings with Tennessee in 13 years --- regular.
Wasn’t the 2020 game cancelled due to Covid? I might be mixing up teams. It may have been Ole Miss.
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Wasn’t the 2020 game cancelled due to Covid? I might be mixing up teams. It may have been Ole Miss.
We played, you won.
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We played, you won.
You're completely right, 3 times in 13 years is not really "regular" but it's almost once every four years (every 4-1/3 year to be exact). I hate to be going in circles, but again I just don't understand why we've played Florida 6 times since 2012, Mizzou 6 times, UK exactly once, and Georgia exactly once, and Vanderbilt 3 times. Obviously they paired us with USCe so we've played them annually, including last year (with a sterling record of 9-2 I might add!).
Anyways, it's just weird how the schedules have been made up with the old SEC E and SEC W teams. Somebody pointed out much earlier that LSU and maybe Tennessee played very irregularly over the previous 50 or so years, it was very strange indeed.
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The fandom of this sport entails weird psychology.
I've mentioned here multiple times that it feels like I'll probably stop watching at some point, having to do NIL/xfer portal, but also other stuff I won't go into here. And when I say that, I actually mean it, or think I do.
Losses don't crush me, neither do bad seasons, and wins don't excite me. Not much, anyway. Definitely nothing like they used to.
And--not to toot my own horn....well, okay, probably, yes, horn-tooting in full swing--I've always had such a great, non-homer sense of my own team that very little ever surprises me. Meaning, the games and the season go like I thought they would, far more than the surprises the reality of the games throw at me.
As such, the Alabama game, for example, went exactly like I thought it would.
So, to recap: I pretty well knew what was going to happen, I don't care about the team winning, and I don't care about the team losing....much.
And yet, I watched anyway. I found myself thinking Saturday night that I was just going through the motions, which I have been for quite a while now, so why was I bothering? It seems that no matter my level of excitement or enjoyment, there is some interest--which is different--to see how things actually go, regardless of my feelings about it, or lack thereof. I also found myself thinking that if I haven't stopped watching by now, maybe I never actually will, and it's just something I tell myself and others, believing it, while not realizing that it's probably not true.
Time will tell.
I kind of think it's natural for your interest to flow and ebb as you age. I know myself I just found it so difficult to keep connected with football over the years. Work, kids, other priorities, family. It's easy to just not have time for it. Not to mention when you're team literally lays an egg 4/5 years, without the hardware to keep you interested at least 10-20% of the time. LSU has won so much in the last 20 years you should be very lucky to have witnessed those years.
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Oh believe me, I'm extremely glad to have lived through many of the LSU seasons I lived through. I was vaguely aware of LSU football when I was a kid because my dad brought me to Ole Miss games, and it's just a cultural thing when you grow up in Baton Rouge. But I was big into basketball back then. It was my favorite sport to play, so I guess it's natural that it was what most interested me. There were some decent teams in the late 80's, but I kinda knew about them, moreso than followed them. And of course, games weren't on TV so much back then.
Then when I got a little more interested--about middle school--the 90's happened, where we were awful for a decade. Like, 3-8 awful. It sucked to pay attention more and get more interested and the team be so bad, but it was what it was.
When Saban turned things around it was a magical time. I never took the Les Miles years for granted and I've been harsh on the hordes of LSU fans who did/do.
I think I trace the death of my give-a-damn to a specific point in the 2014 LSU/Alabama game. It didn't happen all at once, but I clearly recall a moment when I thought, "What am I doing? Why do I care so much? I'm not so sure this interests me like it did." The interest was still rather strong at that point, though.
I hate to say this, but that snowballed the next few years, and, unfortunately, while I gave it a lot of lip service, the 2019 season never excited me or caused me to care like I wished I did. I was fully aware of what I was watching. I knew I should be loving the hell out of it. But it never meant as much to me as 2003, for example, or 2007. Or other seasons that didn't end with NCs. One sad piece of evidence of that is I can't name tons of guys from that team, just the major stars, really. otoh, I can still remember the backup left-guard from the 2005 team, and a long list of people like him, from many years. I remember events and game-flow from specific games, who we played, what point in the season we played them, all the narratives.
Literally, I can't remember who we played earlier this year. The other day I saw something about us winning against Vanderbilt last year and I thought to myself "We played Vandy last year?"
But, ask me about LSU vs. Vandy circa 2005, and I can tell you tons about that game, even where I was watching it and with who.
Just seems like if 2019 inspired a "That's nice" from me, and everything since has merited a "Sucking sucks. Oh well," then it becomes clear something just isn't hitting like it used to.
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No, the schedule was pre-set, made sense, and nearly as equitable as could be prior to A&M and Mizzou joining in 2012. It was very similar to the Big 12 scheduling rotation before Nebraska and Colorado exited around the same time.
I've explained this to you before.
Ah, so you have. Pardonnez moi, por favor!
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The powers that be had to have been presented with equitable scheduling where everyone played everyone else very frequently and said "nah, our way of pulling it out of our asses where A&M plays UGA once a decade is the right call."
And no, it's not even for 2026 and beyond, just more even. Tennessee was handed 2 cupcakes for the next four years.
But the willful choice to actively go with the worse option is the problem we've dealt with, at least lately. It's fucking stupid. It's embarrassing.
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https://twitter.com/danwetzel/status/1988106335196447125?s=61
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https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1988106743503552651?s=61
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The powers that be had to have been presented with equitable scheduling where everyone played everyone else very frequently and said "nah, our way of pulling it out of our asses where A&M plays UGA once a decade is the right call."
And no, it's not even for 2026 and beyond, just more even. Tennessee was handed 2 cupcakes for the next four years.
But the willful choice to actively go with the worse option is the problem we've dealt with, at least lately. It's fucking stupid. It's embarrassing.
Re the bolded, I assume that you are referring to the "permanent rivals" (or whatever they are called) for each program. I don't assert that the SEC made perfect choices there, but I do think that it was a tough assignment.
Each program was motivated to (1) preserve its permanent rivalry (or rivalries) and/or (2) have the easiest possible remaining permanent opponents.
I haven't seen anything about the methodology used to determine those "permanent" opponents. Did each school submit a list of "druthers" in ranked order? Was it all done in a smoke-filled room? Or in a dark room where mushrooms are fertilized with horse dung? Or in an open manner in which every school had representatives present? Was the stated criterion, in which the bottom 8 programs would get one top 8 opponent and two bottom 8 opponents, while each top 8 program would get two top 8 opponents and one bottom 8 opponent, met? Was it clear to each school which tier it was in?
Top 8: Georgia, Bama, LSU . . . ?
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina . . . ?
From OU's perspective, we had to have Texas on the list of permanents. After that, I suspect we stated some preferences that may or may not have been met. We got Texas and we certainly could have done worse in our other two permanents.
In any event, the permanent rivals will be re-evaluated after four years (I'd make it eight years if I were king), so there's potential for evening things out if that needs to be done.
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Re the bolded, I assume that you are referring to the "permanent rivals" (or whatever they are called) for each program. I don't assert that the SEC made perfect choices there, but I do think that it was a tough assignment.
Each program was motivated to (1) preserve its permanent rivalry (or rivalries) and/or (2) have the easiest possible remaining permanent opponents.
I haven't seen anything about the methodology used to determine those "permanent" opponents. Did each school submit a list of "druthers" in ranked order? Was it all done in a smoke-filled room? Or in a dark room where mushrooms are fertilized with horse dung? Or in an open manner in which every school had representatives present? Was the stated criterion, in which the bottom 8 programs would get one top 8 opponent and two bottom 8 opponents, while each top 8 program would get two top 8 opponents and one bottom 8 opponent, met? Was it clear to each school which tier it was in?
Top 8: Georgia, Bama, LSU . . . ?
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina . . . ?
From OU's perspective, we had to have Texas on the list of permanents. After that, I suspect we stated some preferences that may or may not have been met. We got Texas and we certainly could have done worse in our other two permanents.
In any event, the permanent rivals will be re-evaluated after four years (I'd make it eight years if I were king), so there's potential for evening things out if that needs to be done.
In reality:
OAM's all upset about Tenn drawing KY, and Vandy --- which was done at the behest of Kentucky and Vandy, us being both their cheif rival, and 1 certain stadium filler for THEM, not US. We fill our stadium regardless.
Also, it makes historical sense being that TN/KY is the 3rd oldest rivalry in the SEC, and TN/Vandy being the 4th.
(https://i.imgur.com/IQWatA3.png)
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Two of our three perma-rivals are ranked #3 and #11 right now. How is that fair???
(just kidding of course)
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Surprise Episode:
https://twitter.com/SECShorts/status/1988601535744647316?s=20
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Two of our three perma-rivals are ranked #3 and #11 right now. How is that fair???
(just kidding of course)
Well, we're not into that scheduling model yet. You just got "lucky" a year early.
;)
In all seriousness, I'd like to see the ranking of the top 8 and bottom 8 programs, since the new model is supposed to assign permanent opponents on the basis of each program's place in the pecking order.
Depending on how far back the W/L records were considered, I could put OU in the top 8 or -- ugh! -- the bottom 8.
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No one is "rivals" with Vandy. Tennessee fans would rather beat Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, and about 5 other teams before Vandy even enters their minds.
Vandy can be given 3 random teams as rivals and no one would give a shit.
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No one is "rivals" with Vandy. Tennessee fans would rather beat Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, and about 5 other teams before Vandy even enters their minds.
Vandy can be given 3 random teams as rivals and no one would give a shit.
No one except Vandy.
And that’s where you keep missing this thing.
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Several SEC teams don't have a real SEC rival, it's not unique to Vandy. You can list the "true rivalries" out there in conference on a page, not everyone has one.
USC-A&M would be first I guess.
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So was three perma-rivals too many? I suspect they settled on it, at least partially, because it then provides a clean 6/6 "other" teams to rotate every other year.
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We're probably more of a "big game" to several teams than what fans tend to think of as "rivals."
Well...."big game" might be generous given the state of things for the past few years, but there was a time.
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I'm fine with the 3 semiperm rivals, I judt acknowledge that they won't all be real rivalries.
And yes, LSU would be a Big Game for UGA because LSU has been historically a good program. UGA happens to have three "real" rivals, I think that is unusual. Some matches appear to be rivalries because they were significant more recently, like Tenn-UF. One can define "rivalry" however, of course, I think it usually means contiguous states (or intra), usually, ND-USC is an exception, and a lot of history.
UM-OSU
UT-OU
Bama-Auburn
etc.
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We're probably more of a "big game" to several teams than what fans tend to think of as "rivals."
Well...."big game" might be generous given the state of things for the past few years, but there was a time.
More poor-mouthing from the crawdad.
Y'all have won the NC more recently than all SEC teams not named Georgia and Alabama, 13 of them to be exact.
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Several SEC teams don't have a real SEC rival, it's not unique to Vandy. You can list the "true rivalries" out there in conference on a page, not everyone has one.
USC-A&M would be first I guess.
Except Vandy does have one, stretching back over 100 years, albeit one sided for most of that span.
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The reason I don't view UT-Vandy as a rivalry is because it's so one sided. But, it's arbitrary. I rarely viewed that game as being more than a Jefferson Pilot.
We could view them in hierarchies:
Major
Minor
Maybe inside the state
Not really
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The reason I don't view UT-Vandy as a rivalry is because it's so one sided. But, it's arbitrary. I rarely viewed that game as being more than a Jefferson Pilot.
We could view them in hierarchies:
Major
Minor
Maybe inside the state
Not really
Well -- you defined it about 3 posts up:
One can define "rivalry" however, of course, I think it usually means contiguous states (or intra), usually, ND-USC is an exception, and a lot of history.
UM-OSU
UT-OU
Bama-Auburn
etc.
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Yeah, I didn't include all my criteria, which includes being fairly balanced and having national significance in many cases, to be a MAJOR rivalry.
USCe-Clemson is a very heated rivalry, but it has rarely has any significance outside the state. UNC-Duke, the same. IMHO, Tennessee has ONE real major rivalry, I'd then include Florida in the next tier because it wasn't always of consequence with much history, same with UGA.
But lesser rivalries obviously are more common, Ole Miss- MSU for example, UGA-GaTech. The latter COULD be of consequence this season, for a change.
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Yeah, I didn't include all my criteria, which includes being fairly balanced and having national significance in many cases, to be a MAJOR rivalry.
USCe-Clemson is a very heated rivalry, but it has rarely has any significance outside the state. UNC-Duke, the same. IMHO, Tennessee has ONE real major rivalry, I'd then include Florida in the next tier because it wasn't always of consequence with much history, same with UGA.
But lesser rivalries obviously are more common, Ole Miss- MSU for example, UGA-GaTech. The latter COULD be of consequence this season, for a change.
As could be TN/Vandy.
And I'd say not many rivalries have national significance. A handful perhaps, but 90% are regional.
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More poor-mouthing from the crawdad.
Y'all have won the NC more recently than all SEC teams not named Georgia and Alabama, 13 of them to be exact.
I'm just making a point about how we're perceived by other teams. I'd have to leave it up to them and their fans as to how seriously they take us.
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That got me curious, since I no longer know this stuff in real time and have to go look it up.
Since winning an NC in 2019--which, let's face it, was already a blip in an otherwise declining period under Orgeron--LSU has a .54 win% vs. FBS teams, and is 5-11 vs. ranked teams (Top 25) in the Kelly years (includes the recent, Kelly-less loss to Alabama).
We're not in the 90's, but it hasn't been good either. The current 2-4 SEC record is indicative of the wide gap between the other recent NC winning teams, and us.
EDIT: sorry, that should've said "0.54 win% vs. P4 teams," not FBS teams as I incorrectly stated.
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Several SEC teams don't have a real SEC rival, it's not unique to Vandy. You can list the "true rivalries" out there in conference on a page, not everyone has one.
USC-A&M would be first I guess.
So, I guess, the genuine rivalries will be preserved as annual meetings while the made-up "rivalries" will change every four years.
Or, perhaps, some genuine hate might be generated over the course of made-up rivals playing four years in a row. Maybe a genuine budding rivalry or two could emerge.
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I'm fine with the 3 semiperm rivals, I judt acknowledge that they won't all be real rivalries.
And yes, LSU would be a Big Game for UGA because LSU has been historically a good program. UGA happens to have three "real" rivals, I think that is unusual. Some matches appear to be rivalries because they were significant more recently, like Tenn-UF. One can define "rivalry" however, of course, I think it usually means contiguous states (or intra), usually, ND-USC is an exception, and a lot of history. . . .
I remember reading--20-ish years ago--a great story in SI about the ND-USC rivalry. It was described--IIRC--as the "purest" rivalry because there was no great reason for it coming into existence. Knute Rockne was trying to build the football team of a small Catholic college in a small city in a smallish midwestern state into a national power. For reasons that do not reflect well on some of the great coaches and A.D.s in Big Ten history, the Big Ten schools would not play Notre Dame. At the same time, USC was trying to expand its footprint. A lot of other stuff, political, financial, academic, and social, had to happen, but by 1926, the two schools were playing a home-and-home series that has grown into one of the greatest and fiercest of CFB rivalries.
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We'd probably all agree on the MAJOR rivalries, and most of the one step down rivalries (those lacking a bit in history, national significance, balance, etc.). Then there are local rivalries like USCe-Clemson, which get heated. The point is that a lot of teams don't have three rivalry games that meet any of those criteria.
So, "they" make them up to fill gaps.
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I had marked this Arkansas game as a W for a while, but now that the season is a little more than 3/4 done, I'm not sure at all.
Hapless though Arkansas is, they've scored points, and I believe their QB is quite mobile, which has given our defense fits for the last two years. Our excellent defense is effectively neutralized with a running QB.....they just don't have the discipline it takes to not get hurt by it. They can play a powerful offense like Alabama and look beyond respectable, because Simpson isn't a runner. They could play UGA and frustrate them as well. But give them Vanderbilt or Ole Miss.....well.....
I don't know much about Arkansas' defense, except that they're bad. So is our offense. What happens when an imminently movable object meets a highly resistible force?
I don't have much of a sense of how this one will go, but it's likely the last chance for a 3rd conference win. @OU is not likely to go very well.
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I had marked this Arkansas game as a W for a while, but now that the season is a little more than 3/4 done, I'm not sure at all.
Hapless though Arkansas is, they've scored points, and I believe their QB is quite mobile, which has given our defense fits for the last two years. Our excellent defense is effectively neutralized with a running QB.....they just don't have the discipline it takes to not get hurt by it. They can play a powerful offense like Alabama and look beyond respectable, because Simpson isn't a runner. They could play UGA and frustrate them as well. But give them Vanderbilt or Ole Miss.....well.....
I don't know much about Arkansas' defense, except that they're bad. So is our offense. What happens when an imminently movable object meets a highly resistible force?
I don't have much of a sense of how this one will go, but it's likely the last chance for a 3rd conference win. @OU is not likely to go very well.
I think it all comes down to which team has the most fight in them. LSU has only played one game (I think) since they fired their coach, Arkansas fired theirs two months ago, or at least several games ago. There is also a good chance that Petrino is fighting for the HC job. I have no idea if he's a serious candidate or not, but given all the other movement in the CFB world it may be their best option. Job openings at LSU, Auburn, Florida, Penn State may change the usual pecking order. Fair or not, Arkansas is not perceived as a top job, and I don't think they can money-whip who they really want. And then things will get really complicated if somebody like Drinkwitz leaves Mizzou, then Mizzou will be looking, and so forth.
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Oh believe me, I'm extremely glad to have lived through many of the LSU seasons I lived through...
I think I trace the death of my give-a-damn to a specific point in the 2014 LSU/Alabama game. It didn't happen all at once, but I clearly recall a moment when I thought, "What am I doing? Why do I care so much? I'm not so sure this interests me like it did." The interest was still rather strong at that point, though.
I hate to say this, but that snowballed the next few years, and, unfortunately, while I gave it a lot of lip service, the 2019 season never excited me or caused me to care like I wished I did. I was fully aware of what I was watching. I knew I should be loving the hell out of it. But it never meant as much to me as 2003, for example, or 2007. Or other seasons that didn't end with NCs. One sad piece of evidence of that is I can't name tons of guys from that team, just the major stars, really. otoh, I can still remember the backup left-guard from the 2005 team, and a long list of people like him, from many years. I remember events and game-flow from specific games, who we played, what point in the season we played them, all the narratives.
I've reached a similar point with following sports where I don't miss it if I'm occupied with something else - like overseas travel, working the weekend, or busy at something like a book fair or taking one of my nieces/nephews to their soccer games or dance classes. I still dependably follow sports, mainly through radio shows but I do not absorb myself in spectating sports to the obsessive degree with which I did for about a fifteen year period, from about 10 - 25 years old. I will probably always follow sports thanks to my personal history with sports giving me a childhood home of sorts, with which to pick back up on when I have the time. But overall I've reached a point where I can entirely replace sports with different interests I've developed into my adulthood.
Remember as a kid you and your friends were fascinated by something like Star Wars or any other kid property from the ongoing, ever changing Saturday morning cartoon lineup? And well into your teens you and most of your friends had moved on to other interests such as competing for a spot on the baseball team or getting your driver's license? But there was always those one or two classmates who kept themselves (and still do) immersed in Star Wars?
I believe that like most, I similarly grew out of my kid like fascination with sports, though it took well into my twenties. Since then I've stopped following college football at a granular detail, such as recruiting and studying rosters. But, like you, I still remember rosters from that era more than I would know current rosters. For every few dozen of us, there's a man our age, like an adult Star Wars fanatic, who's never loosened their grip on living their life through college football. You can hear them dialing into Paul Finebaum's show.
And sports still has social value for me. I just bought six tickets to a game that I'll be going to with college friends, some of whom I only see once a year. Going to college football games are among the live events I most look forward to every year, but I'm glad to be free of the exhausting narratives, betting and fantasy leagues associated with fandom.
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I think there's several reasons I've identified for my waning interest, most of which aren't worth me going into on a message board with internet strangers.
But among them--and maybe the most relevant, not sure--is the NIL/xfer portal thing that I've outlined here. But I can't be sure that if things went back to the way they used to be I'd still be into it as much.
Also among the reasons is some variation of what you outlined above.
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One thing I don't mind mentioning since it's related to a place like this:
I think my fandom ramped up back in the day when the internet became a new place for socializing our hobbies.
LSU message boards were amazing, and multi-team message boards like this one were too, in part because there were enough other fans of my team. I like to talk about cfb in general, but also it's nice to nerd out about the intricate details of a player, team, program, coach that no non-LSU fan is going to know about or care about.
There used to be at least a half dozen LSU guys around here. They fell away along with a lot of the other teams' fans over the years. Not sure why.
My former favorite LSU-specfic website used to be amazing. The guys there were hilarious, witty, and I constantly learned a ton from them. There was a wholesale change of writer-turnover as contributing authors aged into other phases of life, and the younger guys who took their place, frankly, just weren't nearly as entertaining to read. The comments section--which was the best part--also swiftly lost its mind one day. Suddenly you had to be viciously against Trump, or you got piled on and hate bombed. F**king everything got turned into that, somehow, on a friggin' website about LSU sports. More and more, the people who weren't like that or else just didn't want to put up with comments sections being dragged into that, left. In a matter of a season or two, the place went from probably well over 100 regulars, having awesome conversation, to probably less than 30, with far less posting traffic. Last time I dropped in on the place, they were a thin lot, but basically still at it. It took scanning less than two threads before I found the same political bullshit.
I clicked X on the browser and don't reckon I'll be back soon.
Anyway, interaction with other online fans used to be a big part of the fun for me. Heck, I miss a lot of the non-LSU fans this place used to have. I miss logging in when I have a free minute at work and seeing that there were more new threads/posts than I have time to get to.
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One thing I don't mind mentioning since it's related to a place like this:
I think my fandom ramped up back in the day when the internet became a new place for socializing our hobbies.
LSU message boards were amazing, and multi-team message boards like this one were too, in part because there were enough other fans of my team. I like to talk about cfb in general, but also it's nice to nerd out about the intricate details of a player, team, program, coach that no non-LSU fan is going to know about or care about.
There used to be at least a half dozen LSU guys around here. They fell away along with a lot of the other teams' fans over the years. Not sure why.
My former favorite LSU-specfic website used to be amazing. The guys there were hilarious, witty, and I constantly learned a ton from them. There was a wholesale change of writer-turnover as contributing authors aged into other phases of life, and the younger guys who took their place, frankly, just weren't nearly as entertaining to read. The comments section--which was the best part--also swiftly lost its mind one day. Suddenly you had to be viciously against Trump, or you got piled on and hate bombed. F**king everything got turned into that, somehow, on a friggin' website about LSU sports. More and more, the people who weren't like that or else just didn't want to put up with comments sections being dragged into that, left. In a matter of a season or two, the place went from probably well over 100 regulars, having awesome conversation, to probably less than 30, with far less posting traffic. Last time I dropped in on the place, they were a thin lot, but basically still at it. It took scanning less than two threads before I found the same political bullshit.
I clicked X on the browser and don't reckon I'll be back soon.
Anyway, interaction with other online fans used to be a big part of the fun for me. Heck, I miss a lot of the non-LSU fans this place used to have. I miss logging in when I have a free minute at work and seeing that there were more new threads/posts than I have time to get to.
It's been said that Facebook pretty much killed off the independent internet forums for all the sites except the extreme best ones. I used to be a member of a bunch of them, their time simply came and went. I never really explored most other fanbase websites except very brief peeks, just to get an idea of the culture associated with different teams.
Texags is probably the most popular and prolific A&M website and it was essentially around at the start of what I consider the "real internet" about 1996 time frame. It has an interesting history, a lot of stories were broken on that site, including the Rhett Bomar scandal, the scandal where Fran had a secret paid newsletter, most recently the QB for OU confirmed to some kid working fast food that he was gong to play in the RRR. It's still pretty popular, but the quality of the posters has went down.
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I had marked this Arkansas game as a W for a while, but now that the season is a little more than 3/4 done, I'm not sure at all.
Hapless though Arkansas is, they've scored points, and I believe their QB is quite mobile, which has given our defense fits for the last two years. Our excellent defense is effectively neutralized with a running QB.....they just don't have the discipline it takes to not get hurt by it. They can play a powerful offense like Alabama and look beyond respectable, because Simpson isn't a runner. They could play UGA and frustrate them as well. But give them Vanderbilt or Ole Miss.....well.....
I don't know much about Arkansas' defense, except that they're bad. So is our offense. What happens when an imminently movable object meets a highly resistible force?
I don't have much of a sense of how this one will go, but it's likely the last chance for a 3rd conference win. @OU is not likely to go very well.
Don't worry Mike, just wait till the 2nd half when the Hogs are up by 2 scores and then turn the ball over 4 times in a row or have 200 yards in penalties in 10 minutes! Shooting themselves in the foot just seems like such a understatement....
:91:
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20-3, USCe up.
And so it begins.
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30-17 now. Ags on the comeback trail.
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30-24
Holy cow South Carolina is a terrible football team. How on earth were they up so much?
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31-30
Beamer won't make it onto the team bus this afternoon.
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https://twitter.com/joshpatecfb/status/1989766996443971940?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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This is why I can’t enjoy anything.
Absolutely wild.
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https://twitter.com/bfw/status/1989756240575025449?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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https://twitter.com/rcb05/status/1989799006130831582?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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https://twitter.com/bfw/status/1989756240575025449?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
Meh, most good teams have a game where everything goes wrong, nobody seems inspired, and the fates are just against you. Often against inferior opponents. Happens to many good teams, and great teams will sometimes find a way to overcome it all and win anyway. Maybe A&M is a great team this year.
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ECFG
https://twitter.com/brooksaustinba/status/1989807804077797377?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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31-30
Beamer won't make it onto the team bus this afternoon.
Beamer's last, worst, most-critical decision was to forego the FG try on 4th and 1 up by (IIRC) 13 points. It was the worst bonehead move of several bonehead moves he made in the 2nd half. He took a near-insurmountable lead and game-managed it into a loss.
South Carolina would have done better had they taken a knee on every offensive snap in the 2nd half.
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A&M fans, if you don't believe now....when?
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Beamer's last, worst, most-critical decision was to forego the FG try on 4th and 1 up by (IIRC) 13 points. It was the worst bonehead move of several bonehead moves he made in the 2nd half. He took a near-insurmountable lead and game-managed it into a loss.
South Carolina would have done better had they taken a knee on every offensive snap in the 2nd half.
Perfectly stated and so true.
Ags are by far the better team, but that was true in the first half as well.
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A&M fans, if you don't believe now....when?
(https://i.imgur.com/X9OfkhM.png)
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Beamer's last, worst, most-critical decision was to forego the FG try on 4th and 1 up by (IIRC) 13 points. It was the worst bonehead move of several bonehead moves he made in the 2nd half. He took a near-insurmountable lead and game-managed it into a loss.
I thought exactly the same thing.
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I thought exactly the same thing.
I’m sure you remember the UCLA/A&M game from 2017. We blew them away in the first half, and well into the second half we were up by 30 points. I forget the exact margin but it was large. Our QB ended up going down with a season ending injury, and the freshman QB Mond was sent in but he was a disaster. The bad thing was that we had ran all over ucla for hundreds of yards, and I guess Sumlin wanted to get some game time for his new starter. He ended up like 2/13, while UCLA led a furious comeback and won the game.
Somebody later posted that if we had simply ran the ball every play or even 90% of the plays no matter what we would have won simply based on how long the clock would run. We could go 3-out every set and won.
It was said the money guys decided right then and there to fire Sumlin, it was a foregone conclusion.
Mond ended up being a pretty good QB and for a second or two Fisher looked like a decent coach.
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My Longhorn wife was in agony for most of the game last night, and at the point UGA recovered an onside kick, she determined that UGA is evil and cruel, and decided they are her new villain. It was adding insult to injury, I thought, and a little bit asshole-y, but then, I'm of the mindset that says if you don't want to be piled on, then be better.
She was already put out that Oklahoma and A&M are having good seasons while she has to watch UT underachieve, and as it became obvious to her Texas wouldn't have the time or the firepower to mount a comeback, she lamented "I'm tired of losing to Georgia!" She glared at me, apparently expecting me to say something.
I said, "Well....we're all tired of something. Georgia is tired of losing to Alabama. Alabama is tired of losing to Oklahoma. And Oklahoma is tired of losing to Texas. So it's kind of like the circle of life."
Whatever it was I was supposed to say, that wasn't it.
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Man....Arkansas is a bad team.
That game was there for the taking, but this year, they are just a little better than us at finding ways to lose.
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Man....Arkansas is a bad team.
That game was there for the taking, but this year, they are just a little better than us at finding ways to lose.
Always 3 pts short.
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It's always one thing or another with this team, maybe that will change under the next HC.
BK put a world-beater offense in the field in 2023, if they'd had this defense they would cruised to another NC. Hell, even a top 50 defense would probably have been enough.
This defense is elite when not facing a true dual-threat QB, even a serviceable O could probably have made a playoff team, though likely not a real NC contender. But like Sean McDonough said last week in the Bama game, they get inside the 20 and it's like they hit a force field. Gandalf the Grey says "You shall not pass!" (actually, they do pass, and it's incomplete, or the QB gets sacked out of FG range.)
This year's place kicker, Ramos, became our all-time leading scorer for a reason. Nobody settles for FGs like we did under Kelly, sans 2023.
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A few bounces of the ball and Texas is back in that game. It was not really a blow out at all.
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Had the same thought.
https://twitter.com/cfbnerds/status/1989821511293931893?s=61
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[img width=353.991 height=500]https://i.imgur.com/X9OfkhM.png[/img]
That's great!!! :57:
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A few bounces of the ball and Texas is back in that game. It was not really a blow out at all.
Georgia blew its "score right before halftime and score again with the 1st possession of the 2nd half" opportunity. Then Texas scored a TD to cut the Dawgs' lead to 14-10. Texas seemed to have the momentum and seemed to have the key to stopping Georgia's offense.
But, as I have posted previously, you've got to kill Kirby Smart when you have the chance. Kirby never snoozes, and he will take advantage of every time his opponent snoozes, even if only for a second. For example, as the headline on CBSSports.com says, in reference to the onside kick: "Kirby Smart's gutsy call stamped his status as the game's best, while Steve Sarkisian clearly has a lot of work ahead of him."
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https://twitter.com/cfbnerds/status/1989821511293931893?s=61
I don't know the answer to the question, but it's not illegal to jump over the LoS to block a kick if you do it from your set position. It's illegal if you get a running start.
I haven't seen a replay from above, so I don't know if Taylor Wein took a running start or not.
In any event, I don't think he blocked the kick. he got a piece of the ball on the pylon ("wide left") side. If anything, that would seem to have deflected it back toward the inside of the pylon, but it went wide left anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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I don't know the answer to the question, but it's not illegal to jump over the LoS to block a kick if you do it from your set position. It's illegal if you get a running start.
I haven't seen a replay from above, so I don't know if Taylor Wein took a running start or not.
In any event, I don't think he blocked the kick. he got a piece of the ball on the pylon ("wide left") side. If anything, that would seem to have deflected it back toward the inside of the pylon, but it went wide left anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This is from The Athletic:
- The No. 11 Sooners walked into Tuscaloosa and beat No. 4 Alabama 23-21. Oklahoma did not have a receiver with more than 36 yards and gritted out a sack-adjusted 3.4 yards per carry, but won on the margins (https://links.e1.nytimes.com/a/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=4d3d62de711d4049861e577f9a54d399&_e=AwRkxfI0_WLf9kH3ngFGetzWIHq-_ooPtH3BgHpqqY07HWN2ujzPCK6VQXnOnini9GgO6_O_DVhbs6BHL7Jy1uzNlCFlc0T6yWJlQZMYvwMcAlL8ttZCW1hMjAE3jvqfuQ-VYYjufc4X8pBonXIX6ObisQXSmSacnaoK_bVUCT0lsgSspy1s1x5mAnXaHrlGHbUmCzlWiKQvvtRbzj0JuVxUijqW2cT1wR4BATZ6llw3kyjvOYtOcM-_s30yKsZZqittmg2CVFqfbxfXj5BAYXNFF1SeGrPYECtZlygopwf-FDM3zg8zR6I6Y6wles68F4bVnKUxyKyAN4qivcvCjJu6rdFGHFocaBF1_qzA0uVUNmONixx-KQmKqwcwtc1qedZtBjWHDqNHY0bOrtfAsHXTmkGNyWhJs6JxRObweVO0C_s_JljWlzi2_iTYf6OWTLKIAFl_mCETVIjrEFQxzw2p7XEgTV6-EpC8WWboEvU-IKZJ55l2ledUMpXirdk2k_vSaPptc5pZdziLxhVuDciYRkvdu21ackDEOQc-Dpk%3D), especially on special teams. Our personal favorite play, in this two-point win, was a field goal block (https://links.e1.nytimes.com/s/c/K3NhmWVjJbS_moD1EfaOLTtd0N8oc0QsGwXOJXPNx9jGQx87I4qJebv8j_rNiD53G8skjwKkAA-MhTKfk6CM9HuuE4_JGzict6xj_lT9jpU8ALD2c2P-uaFj9CTjRFXqffPrf-aVdRktVW0_0iEGKY7nXY0YWW7JXccIn94rTqkU6GH1F4R_XEd58YvZdsAoht5Uhvbs7ELv-7c1Z_94m-NUIFi_98FZNSkKPcin3i-MXx-lsSH2p44J-kvjnkJhAPYsOhxx1dPX1XIjbydccs4XKBXDx_YsGYPMZY1Efo8fIlIDG-K4flpNZsnPtQJzFKLzfIds9QtHtdtnZEG61V7iOYoGHJwtvNYicLcYWon5m5wSSuGCCHGIaNbxIDqd8VzL_iFL0Ut1pckzFj3_TzpGquGNxsIJSYl-RinvnMe8FJY3pXqPZFDJ6Xdx-3g0GD1LM6mPBSNbhr-XMjDPz4XTmydW4AH3hLX3eT79DQ5ggNKsJaAXwfPzj5ndggE33PYmazr6YC-dis_uJ66oo1woWNriMyYFotoFxwE/P_OEpDAF624lE3J0lzLijSYcgAYxFuwh/14). The key there: OU lineman Taylor Wein (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/college-football/player/taylor-wein-tCIcosu8tXDQpHTw/) jumped clean over Bama’s long snapper. Usually, that’s a penalty. But Wein stayed within the rules by 1) being stationary, 2) appearing to be within a yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap and 3) not pushing off the snapper for leverage. Rulebook aptitude might’ve won the game.
Granted, it does appear that he's pushing off the snapper. . . .
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There was another game this past season where this happened in the SEC. Maybe it was Auburn or somebody but they did call a penalty.
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We were penalized for that against Auburn in 2004, I believe they said it was the first time the odd rule had ever been called/enforced. It happened as time expired, blocking the kick to seemingly send the game to OT. Due to the penalty, AU got a retry, got the XP, beat us 10-9 in regulation and then went on to undefeated infamy.
Saban was not impressed with the call after the game.
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...the headline on CBSSports.com says, in reference to the onside kick: "Kirby Smart's gutsy call stamped his status as the game's best, while Steve Sarkisian clearly has a lot of work ahead of him."
When Les routinely did that stuff, everybody called him a lucky buffoon.
He had a particular penchant for catching Urban Meyer off guard at UF.
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Geez. I knew in the back of my mind their stadium was small but I had no idea it was that small.
https://twitter.com/olemissfb/status/1990140783890952392?s=61
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Geez. I knew in the back of my mind their stadium was small but I had no idea it was that small.
https://twitter.com/olemissfb/status/1990140783890952392?s=61
31st-largest college football stadium in Div I FBS.
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A few bounces of the ball and Texas is back in that game. It was not really a blow out at all.
Nah, Texas was never really in that game. It's just a bad matchup and coaching is a big part of it.
Horns match up much better against both Arkansas and A&M. Both games at home, I think the Horns will win out.
But I don't think 9-3 will get Texas into the playoffs. Not sure what the minor bowl ties are anymore but I'd expect a lot of opt-outs.
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But I don't think 9-3 will get Texas into the playoffs. Not sure what the minor bowl ties are anymore but I'd expect a lot of opt-outs.
One thing that I guess is different now is that with the 12-team playoff, depending on how many SEC teams get in, other SEC teams move up in the pecking order of some of the bowls.
Still, opt-outs for non-potential NC teams seems to be the norm these days.
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Nah, Texas was never really in that game. It's just a bad matchup and coaching is a big part of it.
Horns match up much better against both Arkansas and A&M. Both games at home, I think the Horns will win out.
But I don't think 9-3 will get Texas into the playoffs. Not sure what the minor bowl ties are anymore but I'd expect a lot of opt-outs.
Sadly I think he's right. We'll still make the CFP but lose to Texas. That will also knock us out of the SECCCG unless Auburn beats Bama.
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Sadly I think he's right. We'll still make the CFP but lose to Texas. That will also knock us out of the SECCCG unless Auburn beats Bama.
Well now you've just twitterpated my schadenfreude.
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Well now you've just twitterpated my schadenfreude.
I kinda sorta knew what schadenfreude meant but I had to look up twitterpated, I thought it was a twitter term.
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Nah, Texas was never really in that game.
I think Texas was in the game at 14-10. I'm merely noting a couple bounces the other way and they could have won. The 21 4th quarter points make it appear to be a blow out.
Now, I'm saying if they played 100 times, I think Texas wins maybe 35, in Athens.
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I'll be "fine" if UGA doesn't make the CG, which I think basically means Auburn has to upset Bama, which is possible. It does seem like their inherent right to be there though.
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I'll be "fine" if UGA doesn't make the CG, which I think basically means Auburn has to upset Bama, which is possible. It does seem like their inherent right to be there though.
Personally I think UGa is the best team in the conference. The Bama loss is between the ears, nothing else. Some kind of mental voodoo that only happens when they play Bama.
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Whenever Stoops played Mack Brown, the game could be somewhat even - usually with the Sooners just sort of marginally ahead. Then, Bob would do something completely foolhardy at a calculated time, and it would work! Sooners fans will tell you that he'd try that stuff against other teams besides Texas and it'd blow up in his face.
Against Texas, though, it would be enough to tilt a tight contest.
Saturday, Texas dropped too many passes for its own good. For a team that's having to squeeze all it can out of that dimension (the OL just isn't run oriented), that can't happen against a contender.
Then, of course, the onside kick that effectively stole the 4th quarter was genius because it worked. I'm hoping Sark keeps his talent around him long enough to benefit from the education.
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The Dawgs look good for a couple of games and folks might tend to forget some of their earlier close wins where they didn't look great.
On the other hand, this is a very young team, so perhaps they are getting better.
Stockton clearly is a very good QB for this team.
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Whenever Stoops played Mack Brown, the game could be somewhat even - usually with the Sooners just sort of marginally ahead. Then, Bob would do something completely foolhardy at a calculated time, and it would work! Sooners fans will tell you that he'd try that stuff against other teams besides Texas and it'd blow up in his face.
Against Texas, though, it would be enough to tilt a tight contest.
Saturday, Texas dropped too many passes for its own good. For a team that's having to squeeze all it can out of that dimension (the OL just isn't run oriented), that can't happen against a contender.
Then, of course, the onside kick that effectively stole the 4th quarter was genius because it worked. I'm hoping Sark keeps his talent around him long enough to benefit from the education.
I very clearly remember in the early 2000's, possibly around 2002 when OU was on it's "Texas Ass Kicking Tour" BGB (Big Game Bob) did a quick kick or something very late in the game. Never heard of it or seen it since. But essentially he punted the ball on 3rd down or something and it caught Texas totally by surprise and OU recovered. I can't remember if OU won that particular game bigl but it was in the middle of a bunch of games where OU totally dominated the score and was winning 60-something to 16ish or something. I remember the 2005 game where Texas finally won there was a lot of relief on the Texas side.
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Whenever Stoops played Mack Brown, the game could be somewhat even - usually with the Sooners just sort of marginally ahead. Then, Bob would do something completely foolhardy at a calculated time, and it would work! Sooners fans will tell you that he'd try that stuff against other teams besides Texas and it'd blow up in his face.
Against Texas, though, it would be enough to tilt a tight contest.
Saturday, Texas dropped too many passes for its own good. For a team that's having to squeeze all it can out of that dimension (the OL just isn't run oriented), that can't happen against a contender.
Then, of course, the onside kick that effectively stole the 4th quarter was genius because it worked. I'm hoping Sark keeps his talent around him long enough to benefit from the education.
I think we've hit the ceiling of what Sarkisian can do. And to be fair, it's a high ceiling. He won the B12 going away in his final year there, and made the playoffs twice. He's beaten some pretty good teams, but lost to the elite teams every time they've played, other than @Alabama in 2023.
Does that mean I think Texas should move on? I guess not.
Does it mean I think the Horns are not ever going to win the SEC or CFP with Sarkisian? Definitely.
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Perfect.
https://twitter.com/SECShorts/status/1990419659255157193?s=20
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https://twitter.com/HJhughes79/status/1990090098965160440?s=20
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The Dawgs look good for a couple of games and folks might tend to forget some of their earlier close wins where they didn't look great.
On the other hand, this is a very young team, so perhaps they are getting better.
Stockton clearly is a very good QB for this team.
I'd say Kirby is the best coach in the game. This is not a typically great UGA team.
And he's done his best coaching job this year. Hats off from this VOL. He gets my respect.
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I kinda sorta knew what schadenfreude meant but I had to look up twitterpated, I thought it was a twitter term.
tbf I used it wrong. My wife deliberately misuses the word frequently and it rubbed off on me.
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I'd say Kirby is the best coach in the game. This is not a typically great UGA team.
And he's done his best coaching job this year. Hats off from this VOL. He gets my respect.
I think this is true, and yet I'm still 10% hater in that I detract from their B2B NCs.
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I think we've hit the ceiling of what Sarkisian can do.
Yes, agree. After enough years on the sideline coaches reach a maximized improvement where they will develop no further. Their strengths are their strengths, and their weaknesses are their weaknesses. With Sark, there are more than enough results to make clear his wins come from having the talent advantage most of the time. To be fair, Sark recruits his way into this talent advantage whether at Washington, USC, or now Texas. But going back all the way to Washington, it's difficult to come up with examples where he out-schemes the opposing coaches. At Alabama in 2023? His 2010 Washington team upset a better Oregon State team, and I'm not sure how much his wins against Oklahoma can count as out-coaching Venables. And more often Sark is woefully outcoached by the same few characters like Kirby Smart.
I always like comparing Sark with Kiffin; their similarities include age, cutting their teeth under Pete Carroll's USC dynasty, parlaying USC coordinator gigs to head coaching jobs, recruiting well but underperforming at those jobs, and rehabilitating themselves under Saban's staff until second chances came calling.
IMO, Kiffin is what Sark is except Kiffin has become a better game-planner and in-game adjustor as he's kept coaching. Kiffin's work this year with a rebuilt Ole Miss team and uphill schedule deserves COY consideration right alongside the impressive season Kirby Smart is having.
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. . . But I don't think 9-3 will get Texas into the playoffs. Not sure what the minor bowl ties are anymore but I'd expect a lot of opt-outs.
I've seen the Horns projected to the Citrus Bowl, the Reliaquest Bowl, and the Gator Bowl.
Back in the '50s and '60s, the Gator Bowl was sort of the #5 bowl game, right behind the Big 4 of Rose, Sugar, Cotton, and Orange Bowls. I don't know where it stacks up these days.
I hate seeing the opt-outs. It makes it virtually impossible to imagine that one's team is full of players who are willing to give it all they've got until the last game is played.
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I hate seeing the opt-outs. It makes it virtually impossible to imagine that one's team is full of players who are willing to give it all they've got until the last game is played.
Yeah, it sucks, and it's pervasive.
One of my most endearing memories from this new season of cognitive dissonance I'm having with this sport was the bowl at the end of the 2021 season. A disappointing team whose coach was fired and had limped to 6-6, was bowl eligible, and decided that having only 38 scholarship players wouldn't stop them. They actually had a couple less than that, I think, available for the game, but 38 was the number of scholly guys who didn't opt out for the draft or the don't-give-a-damns, or transfer out. That game was nearly canceled by the university for safety reasons, and probably should have been, but the kids really wanted to play.
Among them was Jontre Kirklin, a WR who was tapped to play QB for the game, because we had no QBs on the roster. He had played QB in high school, and, actually, played.....not terrible, for a WR. I'll never forget what he said after the game when asked if he thought about skipping it. "This is LSU. If we have 22, we're suiting up. It was the last game for a lot of us seniors, if there's a game to play we're going out there and fighting like Tigers."
They got their asses kicked by K-State in that game. But it was the most satisfying beating I can ever remember. I loved every player that played that day, especially Kirklin, and for one afternoon, I was proud to be an LSU fan and was genuinely rooting for all the kids who chose to represent their state and university, even when the big stage wasn't there, and even when the loss was assured.
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I'm mostly reflecting how games can turn on a "dime", so to speak. They seem to be competitive and suddenly, boom and whoosh.
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Seems like seasons can do the same thing. There's plenty of examples, but 2004 Auburn always comes to mind. They seemed like a tough team, but not special through week 4, when they beat LSU on the infamous re-try of a blocked XP to avoid OT and win in regulation after a penalty called on LSU gave them a second chance.
The two teams were rather equal that day, but something about beating their main division rival at the time catapulted them to greatness. They shredded teams after that, and I think if LSU had met them later in the year Auburn would've won convincingly.
Just seems like there are times a team has some defining moment, gut-check, or something like that, and then their psychology changes and they go gangbusters.
I've also seen what appears to be really good teams have a setback and then they spiral. In both cases, it's kind of like the whole season turning on a dime.
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. . . I've also seen what appears to be really good teams have a setback and then they spiral. . . .
I think that that often follows a critical injury or two.
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From The Athletic
"Tailgating intertwined itself into the game early. Georgia fans were so despondent after a loss to Auburn in 1892, the story goes, that they barbecued their own mascot, a goat named Sir William." Dooley said it was the world's 1st post-game tailgate.
Lol, it just means more is not a new idea.
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I don't know the exact lore, but they did barbeque Bevo a few times over the years and serve him up. I mean, WE didn't kidnap him or something, they just decided this on their own. The funny part is that there is an argument over how Bevo got his name. Supposedly A&M branded the mascot, I think he was called "Varsity" in those days, 13-0, which was the score of the game. Texas changed 13-0 to BEVO (clever). A few fans claim that "Bevo" was a beer made in Austin back in those days. Whatever, it makes a great story, even if it's mostly bullshit.
I think the branding 13-0 was a real thing. This was around 1913 or something.
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When I was in college, tail gating was literally that. Folks arrived for the game and pulled sandwiches out of their coolers in a trunk or back of a truck.
It was a means to circumvent over priced "food" at the stadium.
It has since "evolved" ....
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From The Athletic
"Tailgating intertwined itself into the game early. Georgia fans were so despondent after a loss to Auburn in 1892, the story goes, that they barbecued their own mascot, a goat named Sir William." Dooley said it was the world's 1st post-game tailgate.
Lol, it just means more is not a new idea.
Georgia's mascot was a goat?
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Georgia's mascot was a goat?
Texas' first mascot was a dog named "Pig."
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Texas' first mascot was a dog named "Pig."
That is a serious identity crisis.
But not nearly as much of one as the War-Plainsmen-Tiger-Eagles.
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That is a serious identity crisis.
But not nearly as much of one as the War-Plainsmen-Tiger-Eagles.
I thought you were fixing to say something about the Army/Farmers/Aggies. Although you usually only see those from the yell leaders and nowhere else.
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Georgia's mascot was a goat?
Yes, initially. Greatest of All ...
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I believe Texas' original colors were Kelly green and white.
They wanted to throw a parade or something, and the general store didn't have any green bunting. They only had burnt orange, so they just went with it.
I'm fond of telling Mrs. Droog that Texas is burnt orange because it's the color no one else wanted.
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A lot of the original history of such things is both interesting and at times probably exaggerated.
Playing football circa 1900 sounds like a tough operation.
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(https://i.imgur.com/rnhXspd.png)
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Interesting article about Bevo I
https://jimnicar.com/2019/03/31/the-misadventures-of-bevos-head/
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(https://i.imgur.com/rnhXspd.png)
I guess that could be real, but it looks like somebody just markered on a photograph.
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You know, I never really thought about it. I've seen the picture floating around over the years, I always assumed it was real, but I have no idea how you would make a brand that big, most are fairly small. Maybe them old cowboys had a different method or something. Branding a cow that size would take considerable effort. Anyways that is from a UT-centric account, not an A&M one.
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When peacetime again returned to the campus, University officials considered the Bevo situation, and declared the steer was simply too wild to attend football games. Besides, many UT students had lost interest in Bevo; he had, after all, only made a single public appearance two years previously, and those who remembered him thought the mascot had been “ruined” by the 13 – 0 brand still on his side. Besides, the students already had a huggable, pettable live mascot in the form of Pig Bellmont (https://jimnicar.com/ut-traditions/pig-bellmont/). As it was costing 60 cents a day to keep an unsuitable Bevo on a ranch, the athletics department decided to make the animal the barbecued main course of the January 1920 football banquet for the 1919 Longhorn team.
Both Pickney and Iglehart attended the event, along with a delegation from A&M. “The branding iron was buried and the resumption of athletic relations, after an unhappy period . . . duly celebrated,” announced the Longhorn magazine, a monthly published by UT students. “The half of the hide bearing the mystic figures 13 to 0 was presented to A and M with appropriate ceremonies.” Bevo’s head and horns were mounted by a taxidermist in New Braunfels, and it and the other half of the hide were to be kept on the Forty Acres.
From the link. They ate him, and invited the Aggies to the feast.
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I believe Texas' original colors were Kelly green and white.
They wanted to throw a parade or something, and the general store didn't have any green bunting. They only had burnt orange, so they just went with it.
I'm fond of telling Mrs. Droog that Texas is burnt orange because it's the color no one else wanted.
Interesting.
That's similar to LSU's color origin story, of which said colors were initially blue and white. The team was on their way to play a game around the turn of the century and stopped off to get some ribbons to pin on themselves. The store was preparing for Mardi Gras and so had only those colors, but the shipments of green had not yet arrived. So they bought the available purple and gold ribbons and went with that. They won the game, and thereafter the athletes along with the president voted to change the school colors to their good-luck ribbons of purple and gold.
Makes me wonder how many colors came about through circumstances of some story rather than being a deliberate board-room decision that somebody chose and then they stuck with it.
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Yup they Q'd him up and ate him. That's what cattle-ranching is for.
But Longhorns are generally tough and stringy compared to other breeds, it can't have been all that tasty.
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I thought Longhorns are considered quality eating for fans of leaner cuts.
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I know several people that ranch, and have Longhorns. Ain't nobody eating the Longhorns.
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I believe Texas' original colors were Kelly green and white.
They wanted to throw a parade or something, and the general store didn't have any green bunting. They only had burnt orange, so they just went with it.
I'm fond of telling Mrs. Droog that Texas is burnt orange because it's the color no one else wanted.
The story I read was that Texas' colors were orange and white, but the orange dye turned yellow with washing. Players on opposing teams called the Texas players "yellowbellies." So they went to burnt orange on the theory that it would be more color-fast.
I also read that Mack Brown Darrell Royal chose burnt orange because it was the color of the football and it would be hard for opponents to see who had the ball.
And this that I just googled up incorporates some of each of those stories, along with much else including other colors like . . . maroon. https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/06/the-story-of-burnt-orange (https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/06/the-story-of-burnt-orange)
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The story I read was that Texas' colors were orange and white, but the orange dye turned yellow with washing. Players on opposing teams called the Texas players "yellowbellies." So they went to burnt orange on the theory that it would be more color-fast.
I also read that Mack Brown chose burnt orange because it was the color of the football and it would be hard for opponents to see who had the ball.
And this that I just googled up incorporates some of each of those stories, along with much else including other colors like . . . maroon. https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/06/the-story-of-burnt-orange (https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/06/the-story-of-burnt-orange)
Texas' colors were burnt orange and white many decades before Mack Brown arrived in Austin.
Come on, man.
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Texas' colors were burnt orange and white many decades before Mack Brown arrived in Austin.
Come on, man.
Did you not read the Texas Exes article I linked?
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Did you not read the Texas Exes article I linked?
Huh? Where does it say, what you said?
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A lot of the original history of such things is both interesting and at times probably exaggerated.
Playing football circa 1900 sounds like a tough operation.
I agree with the exaggerated part, who knows what actually happened. The only absolute certainty about a UGA game against Auburn in 1892 is during the 4th quarter there was a large group of Georgia fans screaming "Run the damn ball, Bobo!"
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I know several people that ranch, and have Longhorns. Ain't nobody eating the Longhorns.
What do ranchers do with their Longhorns? That's an expensive animal to maintain, they have to be good for something. Leather products?
Also, why do so many restaurants put "Longhorn" in their name? That would make sense in Austin, but not for chains or local joints elsewhere. It certainly creates the perception they're good eatin'.
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What do ranchers do with their Longhorns? That's an expensive animal to maintain, they have to be good for something. Leather products?
Also, why do so many restaurants put "Longhorn" in their name? That would make sense in Austin, but not for chains or local joints elsewhere. It certainly creates the perception they're good eatin'.
My observation is that very few ranchers , at least in these parts, even raise them.
The ones that do are more for show.
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The only absolute certainty about a UGA game against Auburn in 1892 is during the 4th quarter there was a large group of Georgia fans screaming "Run the damn ball, Bobo!"
That is pretty dang funny.
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My observation is that very few ranchers , at least in these parts, even raise them.
The ones that do are more for show.
I see them on some ranches around here, but not as commonly as some other breeds. I don't know any of the ranchers to ask about them, though.
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Many raise cattle on their land to get the agricultural exemption, and yes Longhorns are for show. Other breeds are for eatin'.
I think I've mentioned before, but the current Bevo is owned by Aggies. I mean, who else would you trust with that??
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Huh? Where does it say, what you said?
By 1927, a dark shade of orange--"Texas Orange"--was being used, but:
But during World War II, when everything from chocolate to typewriters was rationed, Texas Orange dyes went off the market—they had been produced for O’Shea in Germany. The Horns switched back to a lighter dye, another yellowy orange that the regents made official on UT’s seal in 1950.[/color]
It stayed that way for less than a decade, when a young coach and former Oklahoma quarterback named Darrell K Royal showed up on the Forty Acres.
I think that the Texas Exes' article is pretty authoritative. I linked it for that reason, AFTER giving "what I have read" accounts. There was a 10-15 year break in the use of burnt orange. And Mack Brown Darrell Royal brought burnt orange back and it has stayed that way.
I did not assert that "what I also read" was authoritative. The jersey-matching-football story is just one of those tales that go around to explain things that we don't really know about. But I did read it online, and IIRC I read it on a UT-oriented site maybe 20+ years ago. Maybe it was the same site that explained the origin of the UT marching band uniforms.
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Mack Brown didn't bring back burnt orange. I'm really not sure what you think you're reading in that article.
He encouraged fans to "wear orange" at the football games. Which is what that article stated, and indeed what happened in real life. Before that, folks wore all kinds of whatever to football games. But that wasn't just at Texas-- if you look at footage from TX-OU in the 80s, the crowd wasn't half-orange and half-crimson. If anything it was mostly white at both endzones. Folks didn't really start showing out in nothing but school colors, until the mid/late 90s.
But anyway, burnt orange for the football team, returned for good under Saint Darrell.
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Longhorn cows.... shades of orange... geez....
(https://i.imgur.com/DnVHOtx.png)
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Nuthin' like some Arkansian Texas-hate.
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WTF is Oklahoma wearing? They look like Texas Tech out there.
Lame.
I hope they at least look right when they curb-stomp us next week.
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Family obligations amongst aggies, watching this game has been pretty brutal until the last few minutes.
Still tough to trust this defense in the 4th quarter.
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Mack Brown didn't bring back burnt orange. I'm really not sure what you think you're reading in that article.
He encouraged fans to "wear orange" at the football games. Which is what that article stated, and indeed what happened in real life. Before that, folks wore all kinds of whatever to football games. But that wasn't just at Texas-- if you look at footage from TX-OU in the 80s, the crowd wasn't half-orange and half-crimson. If anything it was mostly white at both endzones. Folks didn't really start showing out in nothing but school colors, until the mid/late 90s.
But anyway, burnt orange for the football team, returned for good under Saint Darrell.
Ay-yi-yi! I've been typing "Mack Brown" when I meant "Darrell Royal." Sorry about that.
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WTF is Oklahoma wearing? They look like Texas Tech out there.
Lame.
I hope they at least look right when they curb-stomp us next week.
Those hideous unis are called "anthracite." They were brought out, complete with "UNITY" across the back, in response to a racist incident on campus a few years back. Some guy--I don't know if he was a student, employee, or just Joe Shit the Ragman off the street--walked through the campus in blackface.
I think the intentions were good, and maybe some or all of the players appreciate the unis, but I hate them, and so do all the OU fans I know. They are dog-ass ugly and they are not the school colors. I want them consigned to the nether regions.
I do hope that we are the stompers and not the stompees next week. Either way, I'm pretty sure that we will be in proper uniforms.
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Ay-yi-yi! I've been typing "Mack Brown" when I meant "Darrell Royal." Sorry about that.
Ha!
Okay that makes more sense.
I really thought I might be losing my mind for a minute there!
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I really thought I might be losing my mind for a minute there!
Heh! I thought that one of us was, but I wasn't sure which.
BTW, congrats on beating Arkansas. It was a pretty good game at halftime, but you guys really pulled away in the 2nd half.
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Heh! I thought that one of us was, but I wasn't sure which.
BTW, congrats on beating Arkansas. It was a pretty good game at halftime, but you guys really pulled away in the 2nd half.
Back atcha against longtime Big8 foe Missouri. I didn't get to see that game, tied up with family functions today, but the Sooner defense is dominating lately. Glad we won't have to face y'all again this year.
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Wow, I think (THINK) I'd rather get blown out by Tennessee than "beat" Western Kentucky by 3. LSU sucks as bad as we do.
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College football is very weird, to me, and unpredictable. I watched most of the Tech-Pitt game, it was ugly, for Tech, at home, with a sell out enthused crowd. Pitt was up 28-0 at one point. Tech tried to make a comeback but King threw an ill advised pass that turned into a 100 yard pick 6 making the score 35-14 instead of 28-21 or 28-17.
Tech's defense got them into a lot of trouble this year, their offfense bailed them out a few times. Still, 9-2 is a decent year for Tech, soon to be 9-3 I hope after Friday.
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Being not sold on Vandy quite yet, I watched the UK game sort of expecting a contest, which was not to be. Vandy looked far better, and I expect may beat UT next week.
I have helmetitis with respect to both Vandy and Indiana.
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I do hope that we are the stompers and not the stompees next week. Either way, I'm pretty sure that we will be in proper uniforms.
I had some vague hope that playing inspired and with some luck we could sneak out a win in Norman.
This operated on the notion that the offense regressing throughout the year had bottomed out. It hasn't. Saturday proved the offense is still getting worse by the week.
If our defense comes to play, OU is going to find it hard to score. Depending on what kind of runner Mateer is. As I say, they're not good at all defending running QBs. Against all other comers, they've been as elite as I've seen this year.
It also probably won't matter. A fg will likely beat us next week. Arkansas' defense is putrid. WKU doesn't stock SEC talent. We moved well at times on them, as we have most teams, but we're just allergic to converting yards to points. They just can't do it.
If the plan isn't good or the players have given up, OU will blow out us.
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Wow, I think (THINK) I'd rather get blown out by Tennessee than "beat" Western Kentucky by 3. LSU sucks as bad as we do.
Our offense is the worst I have ever followed in all of my adult life. I need to retract all my snarky comments over the years about Vanderbilt, Clanga, the Florida team where two OLs blocked each other....anybody else I slighted. They never came close to whatever this is.
It's not enough to not help the scoreboard against WKU, they actively had to hurt it in this one. Not sure if you saw any of it, but leading 13-3 at about the 1:33 mark, LSU was driving (again) down in the redzone (again) and then came up with yet another brand new way to screw it up (again), this time by the RB fumbling when all we're trying to do is run out the clock, and allowing WKU to pick it up and run it all the way back. They then had to survive the onside kick attempt to try to end the game, again.
"Sucks" is too generous a description for this offense.
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Back atcha against longtime Big8 foe Missouri. I didn't get to see that game, tied up with family functions today, but the Sooner defense is dominating lately. Glad we won't have to face y'all again this year.
Thanks!
It's a good thing our defense is as good as it is, because the offense sure isn't contributing much. Fortunately, it has not been turning the ball over lately.
Lincoln Riley took 3 Sooner teams to the old 4-team CFP and he lost in the first game every time. He had offenses for the ages, led by 2 Heisman-winning and one Heisman-runner-up QB (Mayfield, Murray, and Hurts), but lousy defenses. Now we've got the opposite, a great defense and an offense that, on a good day, doesn't turn the ball over and doesn't self-destruct. We also have really good special teams play. So, assuming that we get by LSU and into the CFP, we'll see how far a team built like that can go. Not far, I'm thinking.
You guys caught us at our worst in the RRS. But I'm not confident that the W/L result would have been different even had John Mateer not been injured in our game with Auburn.
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JFC, somebody vet these Georgia players and their driving skills before they get recruited.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47086327/uga-dismisses-ol-nyier-daniels-police-chase-tied-mom
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"Y'all can't drive" was the best part of that story.
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Continuing an earlier conversation with @Gigem (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1706) that started on the SEC Championship thread..... may be of some interest to @CWSooner (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1544) as well.....
Because there is no one else in the office and I have literally nothing to do today, I punched up that historically lopsided 77-0 2003 affair between OU and A&M to see what, exactly, goes into an outlier like that. It's a weird game to watch retrospectively.
With the final score already being reached and 8:40 left in the 4th quarter, OU had 1st and goal at the 3 yard line, and I thought, how do they not score again? The QB kneels the ball on first down, which seems to answer the question, but then, bizarrely, OU runs it up the middle for the next three plays, somewhat lacklusterly I have to say, and with mostly backup linemen, and A&M makes the stop. If you're going to kneel the ball, then just kneel the ball. If you're going to run the ball, just run the ball. Doing one after the other was just weird.
Up 49-0 at the half, OU benched QB Jason White and played Paul Thompson the entire second half, which I did not remember. So they were already taking their foot off the brake in one way. The problem was that Thompson was pretty good running the option and while they mostly quit throwing it, A&M's defense was just as hapless against the second string QB as they were the first.
A&M did not look slow, as I remembered. Really just one guy for OU, WR Mark Clayton, had a few plays where he outran would-be tacklers, but it mostly looked like Clayton was just really, really fast, and one or two plays in particular, he kinda broke the ankles of his defenders with some really good jukes. Mostly A&M just looked out of position, with awful tackling, and there were some plays when the front 7 was flat overpowered by the Sooner O-linemen. I have to say, OU executed really well, which seemed to be the biggest explanation to combine with A&M's severe defensive growing pains, but they certainly weren't schematically complex, neither did they look like athletic freaks. Not any more than we're used to seeing from good teams, anyway. And this was before Gus Malzahn had infected the world with his HUNH, and one of the most striking things about the game was just how much time each team took between plays. In other words--with all due respect to that Sooner team--that offense looked a bit vanilla. A well-oiled machine, but vanilla. By today's standards, anyway. The commentators mentioned a few times that A&M was in the low 70's nationally in defense and how young and rebuilt that unit was, so....there's that.
Also, the Sooner offense only scored 70. The final TD came on an A&M fumble with an ensuing scoop-and-score.
The Sooner defense was a bit more impressive, I thought. But A&M also gave them a lot of gifts. McNeal was off target a bunch, receivers dropped some passes, and the OL struggled with assignments against even mundane Sooner fronts. Like their OL counterparts, the Aggie DL also looked overwhelmed at times. It was so weird....A&M didn't look that far removed from OU talent-wise, but OU was clearly somewhat better on the lines and played a nearly flawless game, such that each individual play you wouldn't be expecting this score, but it was just so consistent that it all added up. That's my takeaway watching that again, the two teams were really consistent. A&M consistently couldn't open the holes, OU could. A&M consistently didn't allow enough time on passing downs, OU did. Jason White nailed his reads and threw a good ball nearly every play. Reggie McNeal missed stuff that was there with either bad reads or bad throws, and he never really snapped out of it.
To me, it was less of a bludgeoning and more like death by a thousand paper cuts. Granted, it was like paper cuts coming in 8 and 9 yards a pop. But they didn't go out there and air-raid the hell out of A&M with two-play drives and such. They just kept having good plays and never really had bad ones. That is highly irregular for any game, and it shows me just how irregular it is, because if a team can do all the little things right that often, you can historically romp on a team that's somewhere between bad and mediocre.
The booth announcers and the halftime crew (including Craig James (CJK5H)) did a fair bit of slobbering over how wide the separation was between OU and everyone else. There was speculation about who would make it to the Sugar in the BCS to play them. LSU, at #7 as of that game, never came up. One guy speculated USC. Every team that was mentioned wasn't given much of a chance, or was repeatedly said to need big improvements between now and then. The GREATEST TEAM OF ALL TIME did come up at least twice during the broadcast. I honestly don't know what kind of talent KSU had that year, but the Big 12 CG is less shocking to me now, having rewatched this one. OU looked like a talented, clean-playing team, but one that was a bit vanilla and even, I have to say, kinda low energy. Like, modern UGA teams would've beat those guys just from the sheer vibrations emitted from their excited, barking bodies. OU looked good, but not amped up at all. I wonder if that personality hurt the team in their later losses.
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I'd think the OU QB was told by his coach not to just kneel the ball. Even if everyone knew what you were doing, it's humiliating to have the other team just give it up. Running an A gap dive and falling over on contact sells it better.
I want to say that A&M won the game the previous year, and possibly some players were less than gracious in victory. Stoops made his point. Mind like a sieve though.
Not the same thing a'tall, but I've been on several soccer teams where the issue was decided quickly in a game. One team had no chance of keeping up with the other. The sporting thing to do then is to cycle the ball around and not shoot unless given no other option. Dribbling the ball towards an open net, then dribbling back out again is chinchy.
Soccer and football have the benefit of a clock. You know it'll end eventually. Several high school baseball games can be stuck for pitchers. The score is already in the twenties, and the only way to end it is by recording outs. The strike zone expands to be "if you could have reached it with the bat". You start stealing bases way late and at less than top speed. You still show effort, but maybe not the best decision making.
Play the game long enough, and you'll be on both sides.
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Mike: I inadvertently responded to your analysis of the 2003 A&M @ OU game. I'll repost my response here.
The offense probably was vanilla, as you noted. The defense was maybe the best of the Stoops era. I suspect that all the praise went to the heads of some of the players and coaches. I think Nick Saban has a term for that. Other than that, I really can't explain what happened in the CCG vs. K-State. The team just got whipped by Bill Snyder & Co.
In the Sugar Bowl vs. LSU, I think one or more of three factors played a role in OU's less-than-optimum performance: (1) Jason White got banged up in the CCG. Specifically, he got his foot stepped on and he was unable to plant it properly when passing for the NCG. (2) Whether by accident or design, LSU coaches were in the building at the practice field and the OU coaches were not aware of it. Coincidentally, OU had installed a trick play--a fake punt, IIRC--and LSU saw it coming when it was tried early in the game. (3) LSU was really good, and Saban may have had his team better prepared for the game than Stoops did.
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I'd think the OU QB was told by his coach not to just kneel the ball. Even if everyone knew what you were doing, it's humiliating to have the other team just give it up. Running an A gap dive and falling over on contact sells it better.
That could be, but then that begs the question, why did he kneel it on first down? It'd be highly irregular for a QB to call that on his own, without getting instructions from the sidelines.
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I am reminded of coaching soccer, U14, we had a very good team at the rec level, basically mostly good players who could play select or HS but just wanted to have fun. We played another team that had maybe one or two guys who had even played soccer, they were from a disadvantaged area, I thought it great they were doing this, but they were woefully overmatched. At 3-0 I was trying to get my 2-3 not good players up front to get a goal for them. My goalies had lay down on the field, I told him to get up.
At 6-0, I told the team to kick the ball to the other team without looking too obvious. My goal then was to let them score, somehow, but we never managed it, even trying out best.
I'd guess in the above case, it was before helmet radios, and the kneel down play was something done ad hoc, maybe even the coach signalled it in, and then changed his mind. Usually in football you can sub in your scout teamers and let them play and it would be close to even.
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Mike: I inadvertently responded to your analysis of the 2003 A&M @ OU game. I'll repost my response here.
The offense probably was vanilla, as you noted. The defense was maybe the best of the Stoops era. I suspect that all the praise went to the heads of some of the players and coaches. I think Nick Saban has a term for that. Other than that, I really can't explain what happened in the CCG vs. K-State. The team just got whipped by Bill Snyder & Co.
In the Sugar Bowl vs. LSU, I think one or more of three factors played a role in OU's less-than-optimum performance: (1) Jason White got banged up in the CCG. Specifically, he got his foot stepped on and he was unable to plant it properly when passing for the NCG. (2) Whether by accident or design, LSU coaches were in the building at the practice field and the OU coaches were not aware of it. Coincidentally, OU had installed a trick play--a fake punt, IIRC--and LSU saw it coming when it was tried early in the game. (3) LSU was really good, and Saban may have had his team better prepared for the game than Stoops did.
Those OU and LSU defenses were outstanding, for 2003. I've often wondered how they would fare in today's game. Since then, the HUNH became commonplace, spread-option attacks became a thing, mobile QBs seem to have become a lot more common, and QBs in general are just.....better.....than the average QB teams seemed to face back then. It used to just take some good pressure to make a QB wilt and throw off target. These days it seems like there 10-12 guys in any given year who are just ballers and rise to the challenge of putting them under pressure.
I know in LSU's case, all of the D-linemen had NFL careers, and most of the secondary too. The linebackers were good college LBs, but not NFL talent guys. I'm not enough of an NFL aficionado to be sure about all the names from OU, but I know Dvoracek, Harris, and Lehman from the front 7 all played in the NFL. So I imagine the talent was there. But in looking back over the schedule from those days, I don't think we ran into any nuclear offenses. And the type of looks those defenses gave.....would Saban/Muschamp and Mike Stoops have been able to come up with something to thwart modern offenses, back then? Don't know about that.
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I'd guess in the above case, it was before helmet radios, and the kneel down play was something done ad hoc, maybe even the coach signalled it in, and then changed his mind. Usually in football you can sub in your scout teamers and let them play and it would be close to even.
That would make sense.
In this particular case, the sequence remains odd to me because OU already had its backup QB and OL in. They didn't really have backup RBs, because only two of them were available for the game that day. On first down they kneel it (the announcers talk about what a classy move it is), then they run it on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th down. And, imo, they run it reeeeaallly lazy, with lackluster effort. If they're trying to be incognito about their charity, they weren't doing a good job. Might as well have just knelt it, for the effort the backs gave. And to boot, A&M was still going hard. They smacked the hell out of the line and the backs on those plays, which made me think how unsafe it is to go half-speed when other guys are trying to kill you at full speed. Just not a good move.
Either kneel the ball, or run it down their throats one more time and score, scoreboard be damned. The flip-flop combined with the half-assing combined with the brutal hits the ball carriers took was just.....weird.
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Those OU and LSU defenses were outstanding, for 2003. I've often wondered how they would fare in today's game. Since then, the HUNH became commonplace, spread-option attacks became a thing, mobile QBs seem to have become a lot more common, and QBs in general are just.....better.....than the average QB teams seemed to face back then. It used to just take some good pressure to make a QB wilt and throw off target. These days it seems like there 10-12 guys in any given year who are just ballers and rise to the challenge of putting them under pressure.
I know in LSU's case, all of the D-linemen had NFL careers, and most of the secondary too. The linebackers were good college LBs, but not NFL talent guys. I'm not enough of an NFL aficionado to be sure about all the names from OU, but I know Dvoracek, Harris, and Lehman from the front 7 all played in the NFL. So I imagine the talent was there. But in looking back over the schedule from those days, I don't think we ran into any nuclear offenses. And the type of looks those defenses gave.....would Saban/Muschamp and Mike Stoops have been able to come up with something to thwart modern offenses, back then? Don't know about that.
It's always tough to compare teams and players across the decades. Would Babe Ruth hit 714 dingers if he played today? Would Ty Cobb have stolen 892 bases if he played today?
Sorry, baseball does not equal football. So, would Bart Starr be leading the '66 Packers into Super Bowl LX?
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I was playing volleyball with several current UGA football players, nice fellows, good athletes, not I remember the TE was shorter than I am, well built, but not a monster. The starting LB was on the team also, good athlete, but maybe 210 pounds. The OLs back then probably averaged 220-230.
And yeah, in baseball, in ca. 1935, you didn't have the super elite at every position who worked out year round with coaches. You had guys who had jobs in the off season.
This was true in 1960 as well.
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Babe Ruth wouldn't have made the majors today. Not because of a lack of ability/production, but he'd have been kicked out due to behavior.
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He might have made the majors and then been suspended or banned. It's very hard to assess the greats in baseball of the past versus today, I think.
I was talking with one major leaguer a while back, Marvin Freeman. He told me he worked out the entire off season with a personal trainer and still got sore when spring training started. He said it was standing around that did it. I'm sure he was typical for his era, 1986-1996 (and today). He thought ST should be about half as long. I'm sure in 1950 people showed up out of shape, probably many drank too much, got fat and lazy, worked in a hardware store etc.
So, the Babe was hitting off pitchers who had thrown maybe 130 pitches and were arm tired by that point in the season. A few pitchers back then were of course elite, would be very good today. Many were guys who might get to AA today.
I was watching briefly a youtube on Gunner Stockton with video of his playing football at about age 8 at QB thinking how much training kids get these days if they stay with it. They come out of HS much better prepared than when I was in school (and freshmen then couldn't play Varsity).
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i remember a number of years back someone asked Pete Rose, a true student of the game, if Rose would benefit more from playing in Ty Cobb's era or Cobb in Rose's and his answer was ambivalent. He thought Cobb's era was hurt by the lack of uniformity of the ball itself and that playing in the modern era would give more power numbers but playing in Cobb's era would result in higher batting averages because of the development and evolution of the slider since then.
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After watching that abomination last week and now realizing that 3 out of 5 OLs on a line that was historically bad at its highest point, I'm calling it now: LSU won't score a single point on OU.
Actually, they'll probably get bored and lose focus at some point and let us get close enough for a FG or maybe even a lone TD. But a shutout is coming if OU stays engaged.
OU 20
LSU 3
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47113365/lsu-officially-terminates-football-coach-brian-kelly-cause
LSU has to pay Kelly $54 MM.
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These figures are more than enough to drive me away from wanting to poach another HC.
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47113365/lsu-officially-terminates-football-coach-brian-kelly-cause
LSU has to pay Kelly $54 MM.
Finally. I'd say "not a good look for the university trying to get out of it," but it's really the board, and more specifically, politicians behind them, that are responsible for these fiascos. Most of the people who run the operations at the school aren't making the decisions that are so dumb.
I guess I got my answer on a personality like Woodward as AD, though. I've mentioned here over the years that the AD position at LSU has been largely a ceremonial one, a figurehead of sorts, he doesn't have the real power ADs tend to have at other schools. He's a front-man for the president, and more accurately, the politicians in the state legislature behind them, and to a lesser extent, the governors. Scott Woodward has a strong personality and is not built to be a yes-man, and wasn't in his roles at Washington, A&M, etc. I wondered when we hired him if he'd butt heads with the PTBs and what would happen if he did, because historically, the very few ADs LSU had who tried to exert their own power were run out on a rail.
Welp, Woodward fired the football coach, without the board's approval, and found himself canned the next day. Guess that answers that.
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Would it be accurate to think Florida has an advantage in getting Kiffin over LSU just because the LSU job seems to be drama-filled? Am I off on that?
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Would it be accurate to think Florida has an advantage in getting Kiffin over LSU just because the LSU job seems to be drama-filled? Am I off on that?
For a lot of coaches, probably. But Kiffin seems to love drama-- he invites it, creates it, thrives on it.
My guess is the highest bidder gets him.
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https://twitter.com/on3sports/status/1995177866170896808?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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https://twitter.com/brett_mcmurphy/status/1995168520108466546?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Crazy stuff going on in Oxford. Lane is the same age as me. He’s already highly despised in Knoxville for leaving the Vols after one season. Got fired from USC. Had some sort of falling out with Nick Saban.
He’s been extremely successful at Ole Miss. I get why he’d want to go to LSU but the expectations at LSU will be so much higher than OM. 10 wins at LSU can get you fired.
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Well, that was 13 points more than I expected us to score.
Cheers to @CWSooner (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1544) on a good year of resurgence for his team.
I know it's dumb to do anything resembling complaining about the defense when they're the only thing keeping us in games and were the best defense in the country nobody knew about. I guess I say the following because they're the competent unit, the one with the realistic chance to make modest improvements and play an all-around clean game. But it sure does seem like they're good for 1 or 2 complete busts per game, and they had 2 in this one, for which OU made them pay both times. Add that to the fact that they weren't good stopping mobile QBs and it points to discipline, which is a coaching issue. Everybody slobbers over Blake Baker, I suspect he might just be okay, with very good talent.
On a given play or given possession, LSU's defense was as good as there was--when not facing a running QB. Over an entire game, they're just a top 15-20 defense, because of said complete coverage busts. Again, it's dumb and mostly wrong to point to the defense for yesterday's affair, but it's still true.....don't vacate the entire middle of the field twice and maybe you carry your inept offense to victory 10-3 or 10-6.
It would've been nice to have some aspect of the game be reliably great and fun to watch this year, given the offense was crap and special teams weren't very special.
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At least your team didn't wait until the last game of the season to play-call like they should have the whole year.
Run, run, run, play-action, run. Not hard.
Our offense was crap because we acted like Lagway was the best player and not our RB, Baugh. Napier catered to Lagway, even as the INTs and losses piled up.
Meanwhile, we have a talented RB who up until the FSU game, had only 182 carries on the season.
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I regret not watching the UF/FSU game. I checked the score afterwards to see how it went and was very surprised.
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Stubhub ticket prices for the various Cogs as expected.
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Well, that was 13 points more than I expected us to score.
Cheers to @CWSooner (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1544) on a good year of resurgence for his team.
I know it's dumb to do anything resembling complaining about the defense when they're the only thing keeping us in games and were the best defense in the country nobody knew about. I guess I say the following because they're the competent unit, the one with the realistic chance to make modest improvements and play an all-around clean game. But it sure does seem like they're good for 1 or 2 complete busts per game, and they had 2 in this one, for which OU made them pay both times. Add that to the fact that they weren't good stopping mobile QBs and it points to discipline, which is a coaching issue. Everybody slobbers over Blake Baker, I suspect he might just be okay, with very good talent.
On a given play or given possession, LSU's defense was as good as there was--when not facing a running QB. Over an entire game, they're just a top 15-20 defense, because of said complete coverage busts. Again, it's dumb and mostly wrong to point to the defense for yesterday's affair, but it's still true.....don't vacate the entire middle of the field twice and maybe you carry your inept offense to victory 10-3 or 10-6.
It would've been nice to have some aspect of the game be reliably great and fun to watch this year, given the offense was crap and special teams weren't very special.
Yesterday's game was sort of the opposite of our wins over Tennessee and Bama. In those two, we were greatly outgained but won (barely), thanks to winning the turnover battle and having great special teams play. Yesterday, we had a 393 yards-196 yards advantage in total offense, but we lost the turnover battle 3-1, and barely won.
It's nice to have finally gotten a win over LSU for the first time since the 1949 (season) Sugar Bowl. Of course, there were only 3 games in between that one and last night--one a close loss, one a bad loss, and the other a blowout loss--but that losing streak was still a bummer.
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https://twitter.com/jeffeisenband/status/1995155250760876519?s=61
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https://twitter.com/therealcruzox/status/1995179319891796409?s=61
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https://twitter.com/jeffeisenband/status/1995155250760876519?s=61
Lolz. Difference is, O stumbled ass-backward into Joe Burrow and won a NC. Kiffin won't.
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Do guys like when I post the links to X and other SM sites? Granted, I'm usually posting X links because I don't think you need to be a member to view, and the only other one I have is FB and I think you need to be a member.
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https://twitter.com/whalexander_/status/1995526065477787677?s=20
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https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/1995536678765953068?s=20
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https://twitter.com/whalexander_/status/1995526065477787677?s=20
I don't think any A&M fans want to be poking fun of anyone else about buyouts and paying former coaches.
**coughcoughJimboFishercoughcough**
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Heck I'm pretty sure there was a point in time when Texas was paying Mack Brown, Charlie Strong, and Tom Herman, all at the same time.
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I don't think any A&M fans want to be poking fun of anyone else about buyouts and paying former coaches.
**coughcoughJimboFishercoughcough**
Actually I’m not poking fun of anything. Even with all the buyouts combined I’m sure we’re paying Jimbo more.
BK around $55MM
How much was Ed O? More than $20Mm?
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$17MM child’s play
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Boy I hate to start thinking about next season this soon, especially when we may have several playoff games left but i wanted to point something out about A&M and our history.
In my time as a fan, we’ve never followed up a good season with another successful season. The closest we got was 2012-2013, JFF led us to 12 wins and then 9. Don’t get me wrong, 9 wins is still pretty nice, but I’ve always felt you needed at least 10 wins to have a great year. We had really close games vs Alabama and Auburn, and of course that was Auburns magical year where they almost won the whole enchilada.
The other sad stat is that we really haven’t had many great seasons to start with either. The list is pretty much 1998, 2012, 2020, and now 2025.
Damn I just realized 1998, 2012, and 2025 are all about the same amount of years between them. Now I’m wondering if I’ll be 62 when we have our next great season? 😒
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I distinguish between building a program that reloads and building a team, these days with NIL etc. The latter can get you one really good season, possibly followed by mediocrity (Vandy?).
The Saban model is the former. At some point it may not work any more.
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Boy I hate to start thinking about next season this soon, especially when we may have several playoff games left but i wanted to point something out about A&M and our history.
In my time as a fan, we’ve never followed up a good season with another successful season. The closest we got was 2012-2013, JFF led us to 12 wins and then 9. Don’t get me wrong, 9 wins is still pretty nice, but I’ve always felt you needed at least 10 wins to have a great year. We had really close games vs Alabama and Auburn, and of course that was Auburns magical year where they almost won the whole enchilada.
The other sad stat is that we really haven’t had many great seasons to start with either. The list is pretty much 1998, 2012, 2020, and now 2025.
Damn I just realized 1998, 2012, and 2025 are all about the same amount of years between them. Now I’m wondering if I’ll be 62 when we have our next great season? 😒
Yep, I encourage you and all A&M fans to appreciate and enjoy this season no matter what happens. I know I beat this dead horse a lot, but I watched most all of our fanbase complain through the best period of LSU football history because they thought the coach talked funny and wore his hat high. They focused on all the negatives--of which there were some--and just missed the bigger picture of having a string of good years in a pretty short time span.
Even if A&M gets knocked out of the first round of the playoffs, this was a good year to be an A&M fan.
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The thing is, after a few "good years" the fan base views that as some kind of given, a birthright, it was always that way. A nine win season is a disaster. Anything short of an NC becomes something fans decry.
The Dawgs won the conference last year, but fans view the year as a bad one. It's all relative.
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Yup, fans are fickle. Plenty of Texas fans are viewing this season as a bad one.
And sure there was an unfortunate loss to a bad Florida team and an unfortunate 4th quarter collapse against a very good Georgia team, and even a couple of too close overtime road wins against bad MSU and UK teams.
But overall, hanging with Ohio State at their place, 3 wins over Top 12 teams, wins over ALL rivals, and watching the team grow and mature all year long... this was a very good season for Texas. Just 4 years ago we were delighted not to be 6-7.
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I distinguish between building a program that reloads and building a team, these days with NIL etc. The latter can get you one really good season, possibly followed by mediocrity (Vandy?).
The Saban model is the former. At some point it may not work any more.
It didn't hardly work in the past. Saban at Alabama is mostly unique. He broke people's brains. We're in this insane cycle of expecting NC's every other year, firing coaches when it doesn't happen, and convincing ourselves that the right guy will be able to do it, and we way overpay for those unrealistic expectations. I call it SDS, Saban Derangement Syndrome.
Ohio State and UGA currently stand the best chances of doing the best at replicating that success, but I'd bet most of my money that they're not going to win 6 NCs in 17 years and play for a few more, and that's granting that UGA already has two lately.
To your point, in the Saban/Miles era, LSU reloaded as much and as well as anybody. They cranked out a lot of great seasons. Each coach had 1 NC to show for it, making 2 over 17 years. Very nice, but nothing approaching what happened with Saban at Alabama.
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Saban was operating in a bygone era. He knew that and it's precisely why he left when he did.
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The hurdle to winning an NC today obviously is very different, and much tougher, even for the "best team". Presume OSU this season is really "the best team", and well they could be. They are looking at beating a really good team, call it Notre Dame, then a really really good team, call it TT, then a team about as good as they are, say UGA. The odds of winning all three are not good.
I'm really talking about putting elite level teams out there on a consistent basis, not winning a slew of NCs. If a program wins 11+ games a year for a decade, I'd call that elite, in these days, even with no NCs. Sabanesque if you will.
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Saban was operating in a bygone era. He knew that and it's precisely why he left when he did.
Legit question, I'd like an honest answer.
Do you really think that essentially, Alabama and before that LSU, had real bag men to simply buy the best players and that's why they were so successful. And once those bagmen no longer could buy the best players, Saban knew his competitive edge was up?
Unserious remark:
Please omit references about A&M's bag men :) , clearly they weren't up to snuff.
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I can't speak to Alabama, though I have my suspicions about a few guys in particular.
I think it's very unlikely that LSU had bag men and slush funds and all the other tropes that are bandied about concerning SEC teams. Because LSU's compliance department was legendary. It is a well known fact that the C.D. was somewhat hostile towards the Ath. Dept. Why that was, I don't know the full story. They self-reported the most minor of instances long before the NCAA could ever get wind of anything, and probably things that the NCAA would never have found out about. They self-imposed scholarship limitations and other penalties, such that when the NCAA did make it around to coming to investigate a couple of instances, all they could do was issue a "Yeah, what they said" sticker, pointing to the compliance department. Granted, the NCAA looked favorably on schools who admitted wrongdoing and didn't lie about it. But Compliance was way up LSU sports' rectum in those days. The differences in how LSU's C.D. were reported to operate and how places like, Auburn, for example, operated, are night and day.
But there were only a couple of minor infractions to begin with, in those days. Prior to that, LSU had gone the longest of any SEC school not named Vanderbilt without any sneaky activity. And they came after LSU was already well into it's decade of great success.
There's just no evidence and not even any smoke around all those players that came in during those days. Most of them were from Louisiana, LSU was a big draw for Louisiana kids, and Saban and Miles and their staffs were great recruiters.
I've heard that's not as much the case anymore. Meaning, I don't know what might be going on there or not, but the Compliance Department is not hostile any longer, digging around trying to get the programs in trouble. Probably lots of turnover in a place like that, with different state politicians removing and appointing their own people, who in turn probably hire in and move out the people they want/don't want, respectively.
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Legit question, I'd like an honest answer.
Do you really think that essentially, Alabama and before that LSU, had real bag men to simply buy the best players and that's why they were so successful. And once those bagmen no longer could buy the best players, Saban knew his competitive edge was up?
Unserious remark:
Please omit references about A&M's bag men :) , clearly they weren't up to snuff.
Bama did, for sure. Unless all the players families were well off, since they were all driving Escalades and Challengers.
LSU being the only game in town, and the proximity to a crazy amount of athletes -- I'd imagine less so.
https://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/why-do-so-many-alabama-crimson-tide-football-players-drive-nice-cars
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My guess is literal "bag men" became uncommon after ca. 1990 or so. There are a lot of ways to convey "benefits" and enticements without bag men.
At one point, the starting QB for Bama was not on scholarship. Why? He came from a wealthy family who donated a lot to the athletic department anyway. This freed up another scholarship for another player.
Even when I was in school, it was alleged that the star players all had "summer jobs" at local car dealerships and whatnot, to which they never showed up but were paid.
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I can't speak to Alabama, though I have my suspicions about a few guys in particular.
I think it's very unlikely that LSU had bag men and slush funds and all the other tropes that are bandied about concerning SEC teams. Because LSU's compliance department was legendary. It is a well known fact that the C.D. was somewhat hostile towards the Ath. Dept. Why that was, I don't know the full story. They self-reported the most minor of instances long before the NCAA could ever get wind of anything, and probably things that the NCAA would never have found out about. They self-imposed scholarship limitations and other penalties, such that when the NCAA did make it around to coming to investigate a couple of instances, all they could do was issue a "Yeah, what they said" sticker, pointing to the compliance department. Granted, the NCAA looked favorably on schools who admitted wrongdoing and didn't lie about it. But Compliance was way up LSU sports' rectum in those days. The differences in how LSU's C.D. were reported to operate and how places like, Auburn, for example, operated, are night and day.
But there were only a couple of minor infractions to begin with, in those days. Prior to that, LSU had gone the longest of any SEC school not named Vanderbilt without any sneaky activity. And they came after LSU was already well into it's decade of great success.
There's just no evidence and not even any smoke around all those players that came in during those days. Most of them were from Louisiana, LSU was a big draw for Louisiana kids, and Saban and Miles and their staffs were great recruiters.
I've heard that's not as much the case anymore. Meaning, I don't know what might be going on there or not, but the Compliance Department is not hostile any longer, digging around trying to get the programs in trouble. Probably lots of turnover in a place like that, with different state politicians removing and appointing their own people, who in turn probably hire in and move out the people they want/don't want, respectively.
Great writeup, and I'm sure there was a definite movement by the CD to keep things in check. Let's just say that A&M has had some experience in that regard. Not sure if the CD was at odds with the AD, but I kinda think they were much stricter in the late 90's and early to mid-2000's. Not sure if true or not, but we have not had any NCAA trouble since the early 90's.
What I'm really asking is if there was a high-level, strategic paying of the players that the CD would never know about. If you did it right, how could they? Not saying it would be easy, but if you knew enough accounting tricks and other loop holes it could be done. I think the biggest hurdle would be tax returns, but maybe you could take out a few loans billionaire style to show no income or something similar. Enron did it for years with billions of dollars and they were committing fraud, I'm talking about a few athletes making a couple hundred thousand extra dollars over the course of 4 years.
Didn't anybody else find it strange that Pruitt was pretty much caught handing players/recruits literal bags of cash? He was one of Sabans top men. Maybe he knew there was a scheme, but wasn't privy to the details and this was his sloppy way of trying to emulate. It always seemed so stupid to me, amateurish really.
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My simple answer to the above is "yes."
Ole Miss and Auburn among the worst offenders though.
Once Saban had his pipeline to the NFL established, it wasn't as necessary. But he also knew that Alabama is a poor school compared to many others around him, and even if he'd never been running a bag game, he knew he couldn't compete with legit over-the-table money like NIL.
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Great writeup, and I'm sure there was a definite movement by the CD to keep things in check. Let's just say that A&M has had some experience in that regard. Not sure if the CD was at odds with the AD, but I kinda think they were much stricter in the late 90's and early to mid-2000's. Not sure if true or not, but we have not had any NCAA trouble since the early 90's.
What I'm really asking is if there was a high-level, strategic paying of the players that the CD would never know about. If you did it right, how could they? Not saying it would be easy, but if you knew enough accounting tricks and other loop holes it could be done. I think the biggest hurdle would be tax returns, but maybe you could take out a few loans billionaire style to show no income or something similar. Enron did it for years with billions of dollars and they were committing fraud, I'm talking about a few athletes making a couple hundred thousand extra dollars over the course of 4 years.
Didn't anybody else find it strange that Pruitt was pretty much caught handing players/recruits literal bags of cash? He was one of Sabans top men. Maybe he knew there was a scheme, but wasn't privy to the details and this was his sloppy way of trying to emulate. It always seemed so stupid to me, amateurish really.
Pruitt is likely correct. Tennessee wanted him gone, and voila'.
Jeremy Pruitt was fired by the University of Tennessee in 2021 for cause due to alleged NCAA recruiting violations, and as a result, he did not receive his approximately $12.6 million buyout. He is now suing the NCAA for $100 million, alleging the organization and the university conspired to avoid paying his buyout and to scapegoat him for the violations. The NCAA had imposed a six-year "show cause" penalty on Pruitt, which has significantly impacted his ability to get a new coaching job.
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My simple answer to the above is "yes."
Ole Miss and Auburn among the worst offenders though.
Once Saban had his pipeline to the NFL established, it wasn't as necessary. But he also knew that Alabama is a poor school compared to many others around him, and even if he'd never been running a bag game, he knew he couldn't compete with legit over-the-table money like NIL.
I'm not sure if you're saying Ole Miss was doing it before NIL or whatever this current system is, but if so they must have been really bad at it.
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I'm not referring to the literal bag men of yesteryear who handed over bags of cash. I'm really referring to "connectors" who can put big money in athletes hands in a way that the NCAA cannot detect. For example, if a player goes to a bank and takes out a loan for $300,000 and he doesn't have to repay it for say, 5 years, that would be perfectly legal. Very suspicious, yet legal.
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I'm not sure if you're saying Ole Miss was doing it before NIL or whatever this current system is, but if so they must have been really bad at it.
I wouldn't say that.
The results on the field in Freeze’s five years have been remarkable.
Inheriting a team that won just two games in 2011 and had lost 14 straight Southeastern Conference games, Freeze directed Ole Miss to four bowl appearances in his first four years – the first coach in school history to do that – including wins in the BBVA Compass, Music City and Sugar.
Ole Miss was one of five programs in the country (along with Alabama, Florida State, Michigan State and Ohio State) to make consecutive New Year’s Six bowl appearances in the first two years of the College Football Playoff system.
The Rebels increased their win total in each of Freeze’s first four years, including their first 10-win season since 2003. Ole Miss rose as high as No. 3 in the national polls in both 2014 and 2015 and finished top 10 in the country for the first time since 1969 after the 2016 Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma State.
The Rebels have been a fixture in the national rankings under Freeze, having been included in the top 25 for a total of 45 weeks over the last five years, including a string of 27 straight weeks in the polls for the first time since 1957-62.
Freeze’s teams have shattered most of the offensive school records and had the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense in 2014. His high-flying tempo offense has helped shine the college football spotlight brightly on quarterbacks Bo Wallace and Chad Kelly and receivers Donte Moncrief, Laquon Treadwell, Evan Engram and others.
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^^^^^^
Yup, Ole Miss wasn't that bad at the bag game. They were just competing directly with SEC teams that were even better.
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What I'm really asking is if there was a high-level, strategic paying of the players that the CD would never know about. If you did it right, how could they? Not saying it would be easy, but if you knew enough accounting tricks and other loop holes it could be done. I think the biggest hurdle would be tax returns, but maybe you could take out a few loans billionaire style to show no income or something similar. Enron did it for years with billions of dollars and they were committing fraud, I'm talking about a few athletes making a couple hundred thousand extra dollars over the course of 4 years.
Well, on this view, you're free to speculate about literally everything, because it's not falsifiable. If everything looks clean and one then says "But what if they found a way to avoid known methods of detection and we just don't know about it?" then it doesn't matter how clean a program is, you can just speculate away. I don't find that very compelling, it's what conspiracy theories are built on, but to each their own, I suppose
In Alabama's case, Auburn, a few others, there is evidence of wrongdoing. Maybe not the hard proof necessary, but known facts which are suspicious.
My deal in our case is I don't know of any rocks to kick over with Saban's players from 2000 to 2004. What you're proposing is a trail so smart we can't trace it. Okay, let's say that exists. I find it unlikely that the fruits of such an endeavor wouldn't lead to noticeable things. You're not gonna give a bunch of $ to a college kid and they don't spend it on something someone would know about and see as a red flag. They're not just gonna sit on it for 4 years. There was a QB in the Miles era who people made a big deal about his dozens of high-dollar Nike shoes. Like, he had a whole closet full of them. It was investigated, nothing came of it, and his parents had money, he didn't come to LSU poor. Who knows what happened there, but it's plausible his parents bought him a lot of shoes over the years, particularly in light of the fact no improper goings-on were discovered. There was another instance of the WR coach getting a D-lineman a discount on an apartment he was living in. It wasn't a flashy apartment, it was just improper. The Compliance Department caught it, because they were actively digging into that kind of stuff constantly. The coach was fired, the player dismissed, and LSU self-sanctioned.
I've always heard Orgeron was linked to bag men and under-the-table dealings with recruiting players. That made me nervous back when Les brought him on the 2016 staff. It wouldn't surprise me to learn one day that things were shady under him as HC. Particularly if Compliance wasn't actively out to hammer the team any longer. But.....I don't know of any evidence regarding improper benefits to any of those players--I don't even know of any accusations--and I don't think the possibility warrants my suspicion without anything substantive to base it on.
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We really don't know.
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Yeah I'm not going to dwell on it too much, because like you said now we're merely speculating. I do know that Fisher, in the rant he had about Saban after Saban accused A&M of buying our roster (we did, legally, it didn't work out), was sort of close about letting the cat out of the bag.
All I will say is that for a long, long time Alabama and there 3 deep were better than 98% of the rest of CFP, and it always seemed strange that no matter how many new players came and went, and coaches they seemed to be on top.
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Whether or not anyone knows, or believes, that Saban was playing the bag game, really isn't relevant to the remark I made about him quitting.
My point in saying that, wasn't that he was accustomed to a past where his boosters paying players gave them a leg up, although that's certainly a possibility.
It was more about the future scenario where legitimately paying rosters dozens of millions of dollars per year was about to become a reality, and he knew that Alabama could no longer be dominant in a market like that.
And there's also the new facet of roster management that involves re-recruiting every player on your own team on an annual basis, or at least the ones you really care about. I don't think he wanted to engage in that kind of business, I'm guessing he'd find it to be extremely irritating, and so he left before the new reality really began to take hold.
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Yeah I'm not going to dwell on it too much, because like you said now we're merely speculating. I do know that Fisher, in the rant he had about Saban after Saban accused A&M of buying our roster (we did, legally, it didn't work out), was sort of close about letting the cat out of the bag.
All I will say is that for a long, long time Alabama and there 3 deep were better than 98% of the rest of CFP, and it always seemed strange that no matter how many new players came and went, and coaches they seemed to be on top.
Well, again, I can't speak for Alabama. I remember one 5* guy we were both after, where the kid would've probably been in the rotation pretty quickly with us, chose Alabama, who didn't even have a scholarship for him because they were at their cap. He grey-shirted, or something like that. All I can remember now is he went to Alabama to sit on the bench behind a slew of other guys just as talented as him, except older and more experienced so they ate up all the playing time, and he wasn't even on scholly for the first part of his career. I was pretty stunned about the whole thing.
That said....if a player believes Saban is the best coach and Alabama will be his best shot for an NFL future and the ultimate payday, is that so far-fetched? I don't know. It's not like LSU was not an NFL pipeline. But, the Saban draw is a strong one, even a lot of players who did sign and play for us have said as much.
As for Fisher letting the cat out of the bag, I guess he would know about stuff going on at LSU better than I would. I'm just noting that for the years when Fisher was our OC under Saban, I don't know of any scandals hinted at, let alone with some evidence to back them up, and given what I know about the C.D. in that era, it seems unlikely to me.
otoh, there are fans who say otherwise. Don't know if you've been here long enough to remember 25 4 Heisman, but he said that kind of stuff goes on everywhere and he knew for sure that LSU players got a little spending money under the table. How reliable he was, who can say. It's certainly not hard to believe. My own feeling is that if something unusual or persistent was going on, I should've heard the chatter and smelled the smoke.
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So Auburn hires Alex Golesh as head coach. Going 23-15 in three season at South Florida, Golesh seems an unproven hire. Good luck to Golesh at Auburn, but his hiring is the culmination of terribly costly season for Auburn.
How costly? Going into Hugh Freeze Season #3, Auburn had the pieces in place to have the season Oklahoma is having. A statistically strong defense, experienced QB, an excellent WR corps. The schedule was tough but over a long season experienced coaching staffs and rosters create enough breaks for themselves.
Instead Auburn's poor results continued into Hugh Freeze Season #3, losing close game after close game - in numerous cases due to terribly untimely turnovers. And unfairly to the Auburn faithful, Hugh Freeze turned out to be more interested in golfing than coaching. Had Auburn created the breaks that their opponents were able to create against Auburn, the path was there for a 10-2 run.
It's worth making the earlier Oklahoma comparison, because both programs were facing similar turning points to start the season. Yes, the Sooners started the season ranked much higher, but Venables' coaching seat was also red hot, an experienced QB was brought in during the offseason, the defense was their strong suit, and the schedule was tough. The difference is the Sooners kept their heads in the game and methodically strung together the late-season wins needed for a playoff run: @Tennessee, @Alabama, Vs Missouri, and Vs LSU.
For those criticizing Oklahoma’s ‘lackluster’ wins over Missouri and LSU, the pressure was entirely on Venables and staff to win those, and they did.
The Sooners feel like a revitalized program. Meanwhile, despite their history and strong fan support, Auburn feels like a program knocked to a lower tier. Auburn wasn’t competitive on the coaching market, and now they’ve hired an otherwise unproven candidate who now must game-plan against the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas.
In the SEC, the margin between a playoff run and having to look for a new coach in the AAC is deceptively narrow.
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So Auburn hires Alex Golesh as head coach. Going 23-15 in three season at South Florida, Golesh seems an unproven hire. Good luck to Golesh at Auburn, but his hiring is the culmination of terribly costly season for Auburn.
How costly? Going into Hugh Freeze Season #3, Auburn had the pieces in place to have the season Oklahoma is having. A statistically strong defense, experienced QB, an excellent WR corps. The schedule was tough but over a long season experienced coaching staffs and rosters create enough breaks for themselves.
Instead Auburn's poor results continued into Hugh Freeze Season #3, losing close game after close game - in numerous cases due to terribly untimely turnovers. And unfairly to the Auburn faithful, Hugh Freeze turned out to be more interested in golfing than coaching. Had Auburn created the breaks that their opponents were able to create against Auburn, the path was there for a 10-2 run.
It's worth making the earlier Oklahoma comparison, because both programs were facing similar turning points to start the season. Yes, the Sooners started the season ranked much higher, but Venables' coaching seat was also red hot, an experienced QB was brought in during the offseason, the defense was their strong suit, and the schedule was tough. The difference is the Sooners kept their heads in the game and methodically strung together the late-season wins needed for a playoff run: @Tennessee, @Alabama, Vs Missouri, and Vs LSU.
For those criticizing Oklahoma’s ‘lackluster’ wins over Missouri and LSU, the pressure was entirely on Venables and staff to win those, and they did.
The Sooners feel like a revitalized program. Meanwhile, despite their history and strong fan support, Auburn feels like a program knocked to a lower tier. Auburn wasn’t competitive on the coaching market, and now they’ve hired an otherwise unproven candidate who now must game-plan against the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas.
In the SEC, the margin between a playoff run and having to look for a new coach in the AAC is deceptively narrow.
Venables was less proven when he was hired at Oklahoma, FWIW.
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Didn’t OU and Auburn essentially trade QBs? Kinda ironic.
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So Auburn hires Alex Golesh as head coach. Going 23-15 in three season at South Florida, Golesh seems an unproven hire. Good luck to Golesh at Auburn, but his hiring is the culmination of terribly costly season for Auburn.
How costly? Going into Hugh Freeze Season #3, Auburn had the pieces in place to have the season Oklahoma is having. A statistically strong defense, experienced QB, an excellent WR corps. The schedule was tough but over a long season experienced coaching staffs and rosters create enough breaks for themselves.
Instead Auburn's poor results continued into Hugh Freeze Season #3, losing close game after close game - in numerous cases due to terribly untimely turnovers. And unfairly to the Auburn faithful, Hugh Freeze turned out to be more interested in golfing than coaching. Had Auburn created the breaks that their opponents were able to create against Auburn, the path was there for a 10-2 run.
It's worth making the earlier Oklahoma comparison, because both programs were facing similar turning points to start the season. Yes, the Sooners started the season ranked much higher, but Venables' coaching seat was also red hot, an experienced QB was brought in during the offseason, the defense was their strong suit, and the schedule was tough. The difference is the Sooners kept their heads in the game and methodically strung together the late-season wins needed for a playoff run: @Tennessee, @Alabama, Vs Missouri, and Vs LSU.
For those criticizing Oklahoma’s ‘lackluster’ wins over Missouri and LSU, the pressure was entirely on Venables and staff to win those, and they did.
The Sooners feel like a revitalized program. Meanwhile, despite their history and strong fan support, Auburn feels like a program knocked to a lower tier. Auburn wasn’t competitive on the coaching market, and now they’ve hired an otherwise unproven candidate who now must game-plan against the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas.
In the SEC, the margin between a playoff run and having to look for a new coach in the AAC is deceptively narrow.
I agree with all of that. As to that narrow margin, think of how different things would seem had Auburn not repeatedly shot itself in the foot in the Iron Bowl. That was a game that Auburn could have won.
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Didn’t OU and Auburn essentially trade QBs? Kinda ironic.
Half a trade, maybe. Jackson Arnold went from OU to Auburn.
But OU's new QB, John Mateer, came from Washington State.
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One of the few cool things I found this past season about watching LSU play was that Kyle Williams was our interior DL coach. It made me happy to see occasional camera shots of him on the sidelines. He was a starting DT as a sophomore on the '03 NC team and played through his senior year in '05, then went on to a 13-year, multi-Pro-Bowl appearance career with the Bills. Soon after retiring from Buffalo, he became the DC for Ruston High School for 4-5 years, and then just this year was hired as our DT coach.
It's hard to say how this cookie got made, whether it was his coaching or the talent, but this was the best interior DL we've had since 2011/2012 when guys like Brockers, Logan, and Ferguson manned the tackle positions. It certainly was some good talent this year, and the talent level of lineman had definitely dropped off since that 2003-2012 run. But I have a feeling Kyle was pretty good at his job.
Word is he won't be on the new staff, and also that it's his decision, but I don't know how accurate that is. I love to see former Tigers come home when they get into coaching, and I wish he'd stick around.
Ugh.
This sport is just determined to kill all my enjoyment before it's over. Bring on another mercenary position coach who doesn't really care about LSU. It goes well with the mercenary head coach who doesn't care about LSU, and the mercenary players who don't care about LSU.
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I agree with all of that. As to that narrow margin, think of how different things would seem had Auburn not repeatedly shot itself in the foot in the Iron Bowl. That was a game that Auburn could have won.
It was pretty clear Auburn players were passing around some KY Jelly on the slide lines. There was one series they fumbled the punt return, immediately fumbled 2 runs in a row then an INT that went through the hands of a WR. It was crazy bad throughout the game.
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It was pretty clear Auburn players were passing around some KY Jelly on the slide lines. There was one series they fumbled the punt return, immediately fumbled 2 runs in a row then an INT that went through the hands of a WR. It was crazy bad throughout the game.
Yes, it was.
It's good to see you back, BurntEyes.
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https://twitter.com/bybdavis/status/1996955209067647366?s=46&t=EHozF964Pc_xZmTZKPCcEA
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Most projections I’ve seen match up A&M and Alabama at Kyle field. I said I liked our odds Vs Bama in the SECCCG, if we made it. Welp, looks like I’m getting my wish.
Ain’t gonna lie, I’d rather face one of the lesser teams, it’d be nice to win one game before we hang em up.
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SEC gets 5 teams in the CFP. We get 2 rematches (OU-ALA) and (OM-Tulane). Ugh.
A&M hosts My-am-uh.
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I hate rematches.
The Committee could have flipped Alabama and Miami to avoid the Bama @ OU rematch. But I don't think avoiding rematches is on their list of criteria.
I still wonder what happened yesterday that caused the Committee to flip Miami and Notre Dame. The rising tide of criticism from the ESPN talking heads? There was nothing that happened on the field yesterday that would have provided new data since last Tuesday. So it had to be factors off the field that prompted the change.
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I hate rematches.
The Committee could have flipped Alabama and Miami to avoid the Bama @ OU rematch. But I don't think avoiding rematches is on their list of criteria.
I still wonder what happened yesterday that caused the Committee to flip Miami and Notre Dame. The rising tide of criticism from the ESPN talking heads? There was nothing that happened on the field yesterday that would have provided new data since last Tuesday. So it had to be factors off the field that prompted the change.
Not leaving the ACC out won the day.
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I'm surprised Alabama even got in after getting throttled.
Oh wait, no I'm not.
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The biggest head scratcher is Tulane-Ole Miss. Ole Miss stomped them earlier this season. I almost think the committe is throwing OM a bone.
I'm happy ND got left out. I may go to the Miami/A&M contest, I haven't decided.
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I'm happy ND is left out as well.
I think Miami and A&M matchup pretty evenly. It should be a fun game to watch.
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I don't get the dislike of Notre Dame.
A lot of old (and I mean old) OU fans seem think that Notre Dame should have lost on purpose on 16 November 1957, when the Irish stopped OU's 47-game winning streak. And a goodly number of redneck OU fans hate Notre Dame because it's a Catholic school.
Obviously, not everybody who dislikes Notre Dame is motivated by those two factors. Heck, the B1G board is full of Notre Dame-haters, and they don't mention those reasons.
I'm not a Catholic, but I've always liked Notre Dame, despite their 9-2 all-time record against us. I start every countdown to bowl season hoping that OU will play the Irish in a big bowl game. We need to work on that W-L record.
I was really looking forward to OU hosting ND in the 8/9 1st-round CFP game.
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I don't get the dislike of Notre Dame.
A lot of old (and I mean old) OU fans seem think that Notre Dame should have lost on purpose on 16 November 1957, when the Irish stopped OU's 47-game winning streak. And a goodly number of redneck OU fans hate Notre Dame because it's a Catholic school.
Obviously, not everybody who dislikes Notre Dame is motivated by those two factors. Heck, the B1G board is full of Notre Dame-haters, and they don't mention those reasons.
I'm not a Catholic, but I've always liked Notre Dame, despite their 9-2 all-time record against us. I start every countdown to bowl season hoping that OU will play the Irish in a big bowl game. We need to work on that W-L record.
I was really looking forward to OU hosting ND in the 8/9 1st-round CFP game.
Here's a good place to start:
(https://i.imgur.com/QLCOLgb.png)
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Here's a good place to start:
[img width=500 height=296.989]https://i.imgur.com/QLCOLgb.png[/img]
They started at #6, as the defending NCG-runners-up.
They lost to #10 Miami by 3 points and fell to #9.
They beat Open Date and rose to #8 because #8 Alabama got beaten by unranked Florida State.
Then they lost to #16 Texas A&M by 1 point and fell to #24.
That retrograde progression seems normal.
Auburn, Missouri, and USC started the season unranked. They each had played 2 patsies and a middling P4 team at the time of that poll. Maybe they didn't get enough credit for that. But Purdue, Baylor, and Kansas--the 3 middling teams--didn't impress anyone.
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They started at #6, as the defending NCG-runners-up.
They lost to #10 Miami by 3 points and fell to #9.
They beat Open Date and rose to #8 because #8 Alabama got beaten by unranked Florida State.
Then they lost to #16 Texas A&M by 1 point and fell to #24.
That retrograde progression seems normal.
Auburn, Missouri, and USC started the season unranked. They each had played 2 patsies and a middling P4 team at the time of that poll. Maybe they didn't get enough credit for that. But Purdue, Baylor, and Kansas--the 3 middling teams--didn't impress anyone.
The final ranking bore out that Notre Dame was ranked appropriately in the Top 25 even after an 0-2 start. No debate there.
It's that they got that benefit of the doubt when if NC State started with the exact same results, they'd be nuked from orbit. Along with a 125 other schools.
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I don't get the dislike of Notre Dame.
Different people have different reasons, I assume.
In Louisiana, you have a lot of Catholics, particularly in Acadiana. I always got the feeling that they were irked by what they perceived as pressure for Notre Dame to be their fandom since they were Catholic. They're very into Louisiana, being Louisianan, and supporting the state and what they see as "their" people. They don't see why they're obligated to root for some school in the north end of nowhere just because of their denomination.
At least that's the vibe I felt coming off quite a few people I know. Many LSU fans tend to be belligerently anti-Domer, and I think that's a big reason why.
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Different people have different reasons, I assume.
In Louisiana, you have a lot of Catholics, particularly in Acadiana. I always got the feeling that they were irked by what they perceived as pressure for Notre Dame to be their fandom since they were Catholic. They're very into Louisiana, being Louisianan, and supporting the state and what they see as "their" people. They don't see why they're obligated to root for some school in the north end of nowhere just because of their denomination.
At least that's the vibe I felt coming off quite a few people I know. Many LSU fans tend to be belligerently anti-Domer, and I think that's a big reason why.
My brother thinks that every Catholic in America sends money to Notre Dame football. I'll disabuse him of that notion with your story.
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The final ranking bore out that Notre Dame was ranked appropriately in the Top 25 even after an 0-2 start. No debate there.
It's that they got that benefit of the doubt when if NC State started with the exact same results, they'd be nuked from orbit. Along with a 125 other schools.
I get your point, except that I think that half-a-dozen blue-blood programs--when they are going well--would get similar, if not quite equal, treatment. Bama, OU, Texas, tOSU, USC, more recently UGA, et. al.
In some ways, Notre Dame has the biggest helmet in CFB. And sometimes the praise is undeserved. I remember Beano Cook proclaiming that Irish QB Ron Pawlus would win the Heisman twice.
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So I go and defend Notre Dame, and then I read this:
Notre Dame's 2026 Football Schedule Is 'Embarrassing'
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/sports/articles/notre-dames-2026-football-schedule-141110074.html (https://currently.att.yahoo.com/sports/articles/notre-dames-2026-football-schedule-141110074.html)
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So I go and defend Notre Dame, and then I read this:
That is pathetic.
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Beware of the Hurricanes. I think they have the best combination of oline and dline in the country which makes them a handful by itself but then you must add in the wildcard of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Beck.
Good Beck is stunningly good- accurate, experienced and completely fearless and that team can beat everybody in the field. Bad Beck can throw 5 picks and lose to Tulane. What makes it even trickier is they can both show up in the same game. If the Aggies can keep it close enough to make Cristobal make some decisions Aggies win and that is my pick, Aggies 27-24 but nothing would surprise me in this one.
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Beware of the Hurricanes. I think they have the best combination of oline and dline in the country which makes them a handful by itself but then you must add in the wildcard of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Beck.
Good Beck is stunningly good- accurate, experienced and completely fearless and that team can beat everybody in the field. Bad Beck can throw 5 picks and lose to Tulane. What makes it even trickier is they can both show up in the same game. If the Aggies can keep it close enough to make Cristobal make some decisions Aggies win and that is my pick, Aggies 27-24 but nothing would surprise me in this one.
They don't have anywhere close to the best OL/DL combo. Indiana told OSU who is top 3 DL and top 2 defense, where going to run and control the ball. They did to the tune of nearly 2/3 of the 1st half. They also said we are going to pressure one of the best QBs out there against probably at top 3 OL. They did.
The argument of best OL/DL is OSU, Georgia (who probably has the #1 DL) and OSU. Everyone else is fighting for 4th place.
In total defense the rankings of those 4 are:
OSU #1
Indiana #6
Georgia #13
Miami #31
Passing D:
OSU #1
Indiana #19
Georgia #47
Miami #31
Rushing D
Indiana #3
Georgia #4
OSU #6
Miami #7
Hey!!! I Texas finally came up at #10 pass D, we won't be discussing the rest of the numbers.
Of note Oregon ranks #4 total D #3 pass D, #20 rush D.
In total offense
Indiana at #8
Miami #29
OSU #26
Georgia #45
Interestingly Oregon comes in at #13
Rushing O
Indiana #11
Oregon #14
Georgia #35
OSU #64
Miami #77
Passing O
Miami #19
OSU #26
Indiana #45 (with their weaker schedule IU was running a LOT late)
Georgia #77
Oregon # 49
Most SOS (which are non-scientific) puts Miami around 45, Georgia around 4, Indiana around between 30-50, OSU around 43.
Georgia played 2 CFP teams, Bama 2x for 3.
Miami played 0
OSU played 1 Indiana in the B1G championship game
Indiana played 2
Of note, Texas, to my knowledge, is the only team that played 4 with a bubble team win over Vandy. OSU, OU, Georgia and Aggie and went 2-2 with pretty decisive wins and a 7 point loss against OSu. We won't talk about Georgia nor Florida.
All that is to say, I've watch all of these teams multiple times. I've seen Beck get pressured WAY too often for any claims of a top OL. Good OL, yes. Good DL, yes. Best of both, numbers and my experience watching don't support that claim. Beck is also very on or VERY off which is due part to OL issues. After crunching the numbers and some reflection, Oregon can make a good case for top 4. Strange, isn’t it that they are 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the cfp. Its like magic!
As for the game, I see two very good offenses and two not as good defenses. Miami will score on aggie, for sure. Aggie will do the same but like Beck, at a lower skill level Reed has some real issues. He folds when forced to be a pocket QB. If Elko calls drop backs or Miami contains his run, they win. If not, its a 70-80 point game, last team with the ball.
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Wow, that's a lot of numbers.
Bottom line, Miami is going to be a strong matchup against the ags. Neither of these teams are world-beaters, both have plenty of flaws, but both have "some guys" that can flat-out get it done. I think it's going to be a heck of a game to watch.
Looks like we'll be hosting a watch party for the game here at my house, my i s c & a aggie wife has decided to "call the banners" and rally all of her ag friends into one place. I haven't see her do this since the 2012 JFF season.
Strong chance I'll be drinking bourbon alone on the back porch, waiting this thing out. :)
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Wow, that's a lot of numbers.
Bottom line, Miami is going to be a strong matchup against the ags. Neither of these teams are world-beaters, both have plenty of flaws, but both have "some guys" that can flat-out get it done. I think it's going to be a heck of a game to watch.
Looks like we'll be hosting a watch party for the game here at my house, my i s c & a aggie wife has decided to "call the banners" and rally all of her ag friends into one place. I haven't see her do this since the 2012 JFF season.
Strong chance I'll be drinking bourbon alone on the back porch, waiting this thing out. :)
Bottom line is
A) One of them has to lose, this is important and a glorious fact
B) Too many variables at both QBs for me to confidently pick, but I lean aggie.
C) One of the two will absolutely get blown out by OSU. This is delicious.
D) finally I'll probably get some drunk texts from utee94 during the game.
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Bottom line is
A) One of them has to lose, this is important and a glorious fact
B) Too many variables at both QBs for me to confidently pick, but I lean aggie.
C) One of the two will absolutely get blown out by OSU. This is delicious.
D) finally I'll probably get some drunk texts from utee94 during the game.
A) Yup
B) Yup, could go either way. I'm leaning neither.
C) For sure.
D) Horns aren't playing so it's unlikely I'll be engaged enough to worry about texting. Just gonna sit quietly away from all the whooping and sawing 'em off and other silly nonsense that will no doubt be occurring within my domicile.
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Of note, Texas, to my knowledge, is the only team that played 4
We played 4 playoff teams. Lost to all of 'em.
Also have a defensive line that I'll put with anyone you named. And a better secondary. Too bad the linebackers couldn't mind their gaps with a running QB and the offense forgot to enroll for the Fall semester.
Something about Ohio State reminds me of 2006 when everybody thought Florida was their lamb for the slaughter. I'm not convinced that only IU and UGA can play with them, or win. But I haven't seen them terribly much, so there's that.
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Looks like we'll be hosting a watch party for the game here at my house, my i s c & a aggie wife has decided to "call the banners" and rally all of her ag friends into one place. I haven't see her do this since the 2012 JFF season.
Strong chance I'll be drinking bourbon alone on the back porch, waiting this thing out. :)
I loved JFF. Specifically, I loved looking at his production charts for 2012 and 2013, and watching the line dip dramatically and precipitously where the dot said "LSU."
.....back when we never lost to A&M.
Member berries......
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(https://i.imgur.com/n5zoL77.jpeg)
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Texas @ Tennesee is the one I'm most looking forward to. If I can afford it, might try to make it to the Florida game in Austin.
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Clanga and the Barn are back on the schedule....that's nice.
Ole Miss in week three??? That game is supposed to be at Halloween. Why the conference manages to keep all the other teams' rivals where they're supposed to be and perpetually effs up the Magnolia Bowl's slot in the season for 20+ years is dumb. The conference doesn't understand or doesn't care, and apparently the two schools don't make enough noise about it.
Also ending the season with two away games.....ugh. Not great for the fans who actually go to the games. If this chart is accurate, LSU is the only school in that position, which surprised me not at all.
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Yeah Horns finish with 3 of the last 4 away, can't say I like that much, but it is what it is.
I guess it's a little better than spending an entire month on the road in the middle of the season like Texas did this year.
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I think I like the way OU's schedule sets up in terms of the pattern of home and away games. Pretty much alternating until the last 2 games.
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A&M 2026:
ASU (non-con)
UK
@LSU (2nd consecutive trip there)
Ark (home game)
@Mizzou
Citadel
@Alabama (no more BS about weak schedule)
@USCe
UTenn (Home game)
@OU
UTexas (home game).
If the schedule ends up being weak it is what it is. I doubt it.
We'll see what Elko is made of in 26 (year 3).
In my fan-timeline we'v never successfully strung together 2 or 3 successful seasons (1996-present) as defined by 10+ wins, conference championship game appearance, bowl win.
My quick BOTN guesses:
Missouri State W
ASU W
UK W
@ LSU W only because Kiffin won't be at full power at this time.
Ark W
@Mizzou W
Citadel W
@Alabama L
@USCe L
UTenn W
@OU L
UTex W (3rd time's the charm right?).
9-3, with the possibility of a 10th win in the bowl game.
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BOTN?
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Back of the napkin, I believe?
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Back of the napkin, I believe?
Yep. Back of the Napkin. Sorry for the obscure reference.
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Congratulations to Alabama. Over the course of the 2nd quarter, they went from being dominated to dominating all three phases of the game. And they never lost that momentum. Good luck to the Tide in Pasadena.
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A&M 2026:
ASU (non-con)
So as an A&M fan, are you happy when a Sam Leavitt leaves ASU? His presence would have given them a puncher's chance as a big underdog, but with him gone....it's just another OOC win, right?