<p>Wow, Texas Tech played great. This was kind of a slap in the face for UT fans. They kind of relied on the "Colt McCoy and the rest of the teamd didn't play well" for losing to Tech. Thing is, Tech played bad in that game as well. Now we see what Texas Tech can do. They blew up OSU, when Texas beat them by 4. </p>
<p>Tech is looking better and better. Ya, their defense isn't fantastic, but it doesn't have to be. Their offense is out of this world.</p>
<p>DP</p>
<p>Yeah, Tech was absolutely amazing this week. Harrell is continuing to make his case for the Heisman, as is Crabtree. I'm sure it will go to Harrell if they continue to play like this, because he's the only senior out of the whole bunch. I wouldn't be surprised if Crabtree won the Maxwell, however. It's just beginning to look like Tech is the best team in the nation, but I'm just a tad sketchy because they're only beating up on the no-defense Big 12 teams. We'll see how they do against Oklahoma, which should be the game of the year. The two most prolific offenses going up against each other for national title implications? I can see it now--Bradford 5 TD's, Harrell 6 TD's, 51-48 Tech. I can dream can't I?</p>
<p>Haha, I'm with you MartinSMC. I would love to see Harrell get the Heisman and for Tech to beat OK and go on to the National Title. I think Tech would be able to beat Big 12 North champ Missou in the conference championship, but I think OK will give them a really tough game before they are even able to get there. I'm going to guess most sportswrtiers will give their predictions an edge to the Sooners, mostly because the Sooners have a lot of tradition and history behind them and Tech is just sort of weird and out-of-nowhere. This year's Cinderella story. Let's hope they don't implode.</p>
<p>I still think on paper, USC should be way, way, way more dominating and succesful than they have been. I still think if they were to face a big, out of conference game, they would succeed, because they always show up for big games. I guess they just can't figure out how a PAC-10 game can also be a big game.</p>
<p>I keep imagining Trojan players going to the beach and hanging out in SoCal while Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, in Nowheresville, West Texas, just practice a lot because they have nothing else to do, and that's how they beat #1 and #9 by a combined forty-four points. </p>
<p>As much as I'm charmed by Texas Tech, I would say the best team playing right now is Florida; I think they will win over Bama in the SEC title game. Florida vs. Texas Tech in the NC title game will be like a bizarro-pick-teams-out-of-a-hat matchup that I wouldn't miss for almost anything.</p>
<p>I'm absolutely with you. Florida is the best team in the nation as of right now, although USC still might be the most talented. Funny thing you mention USC players at the beach. I was at Manhattan Beach about a year ago during college football season (For those who aren't Cali natives, we can pretty much go to the beach at anytime :]), and I saw the whole USC football team at the beach? I wondered, don't they have to be in the weight room, watching film, anything? No--they were simply frolicking around, having the time of their lives. I couldn't help but imagine what Tim Tebow was doing at the time--probably in the weight room, watching film, anything. It's crazy how Pete Carroll runs things; however he does seem to have success every year. Oklahoma will probably be predicted as the favorite, but I think Tech can take them out. Tech and Florida would be an awesome game--does anyone know what happens to USC if Oregon State if wins out? Would they be going to the Holiday Bowl or would they be an at large team in a BCS bowl?</p>
<p>USC would be an at-large team if they win out, either in the Sugar or Fiesta Bowl (assumably).</p>
<p>It's allright...we can take out our frustration against USC on Stanfurd. THAT should be an awesome game :)</p>
<p>So if Stanford beats USC on Saturday, how conflicted do you become?</p>
<p>If you're ever seen/heard of one of Pete Carroll's practices you would know that he practices harder than almost anyone and isn't afraid of having full contact and big hits in practice (i.e. one reason why USC has so many injury problems) so I'll take the beach as a typical "work hard, play hard" type of deal.</p>
<p>Plus, can you imagine the recruiting potential? What 18-year-old guy wouldn't take the LA beach over Tuscaloosa or Gainesville if all else is equal?</p>
<p>Oklahoma's secondary and pass defense is worse than Oklahoma State's, which certainly bodes well for Texas Tech.</p>
<p>Double the anger then can be released :D
I dunno if Stanford beating USC is likely. Possible? Sure. Probable? No.</p>
<p>The latest Penn State-Iowa game just goes to show how on any given saturday, any team can win. No team is invulnerable.</p>
<p>No one's commented so far on what could happen in the Rose Bowl - right now Oregon State and Penn State are on a collision course for a rematch. And unlike the possible USC-Ohio State rematch I was whining about earlier, this one has to be settled on the field before the season ends (the Rose Bowl is contractually obligated to take the Pac-10 champ and Big-10 champ, not just traditionally obligated as with the at-large)</p>
<p>Namely, Oregon State would have to drop one to prevent the rematch - entirely possible, given their grueling schedule left (Arizona, Cal, Oregon)</p>
<p>I hope OSU wins out, because I don't want to see USC in the Rose Bowl anymore. After Penn State's loss, it just doesn't seem worth it to see that game. I want to see USC play someone good in a BCS bowl, like a Oklahoma, Tech, Bama, Florida--something.</p>
<p>USC-Penn State wouldn't be so bad (I'm with Pete on this one - USC's first goal is the Rose Bowl every year), though it wouldn't be best for two reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li>Not such a great deal for USC. What's the best case scenario, USC blows out Penn State? Then everyone will just shrug and point to another overmatched Big-10 team that was ranked too high. </li>
</ol>
<p>On the other hand, if USC were to play the SEC or Big-12 #2 (which would be one of Fla/Bama/TxTech/Tx/Oklahoma) and win, that would get USC a lot more respect.</p>
<ol>
<li>USC's running out of room for the list of years under "Rose Bowl Champions" at the top of the press box in the coliseum. They already had to make more room this year for the "2008" :)</li>
</ol>
<p>Haha really? Wow. But seriously, I don't want to see Penn State vs. USC. However, if OSU wins out, that Rose Bowl would be the only BCS bowl I wouldn't watch this year...boring!</p>
<p>It's actually best for the Pac-10 if OSU wins out because the conference gets two teams into the BCS so more money for everyone.<br>
I also think the players are tired of the Rose Bowl and I know the marching band is tired of the 5 plus mile parade.</p>
<p>
[quote]
2. USC's running out of room for the list of years under "Rose Bowl Champions" at the top of the press box in the coliseum. They already had to make more room this year for the "2008"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, we were talking about that at the game Saturday, there is no more room. Expand the pressbox or make the font smaller are the only options at this point.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Florida vs. Penn State. 35-14 in the most boring national championship since, oh yeah, the last two.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Explain how Florida lost to UM last season in what was basically a home game (the same UM team thta lost to App. St.)?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Everybody knows that teams like Florida, Alabama is so much better than Penn State, and if Penn State goes to the BCS championship game and lose, expect to see no Big 10 team in the BCS championship game for the next few year. Nobody likes Big 10 outside of Big 10 and for a good reason too.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Funny how the B10 is .500 against the "mighty" SEC in bowls the past 5 years and in the BC era has a winning record against the SEC in bowls (despite many of the games being virtual home games for SEC teams).</p>
<p>I also seem to recall losses by SEC teams to Louisiana-Monroe, Lousiana Tech, Wyoming, UCLA, Duke, etc.</p>
<p>
[quote]
No question it would be an amazing game! Penn State, although undefeated, is not up to the caliber of the top teams of the SEC or Big 12 south this year. (Sorry Nittany fans, it is what it is).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What exactly is this based on?</p>
<p>The B12 teams don't play D and the only SEC team that has an O to be scared of is FL.</p>
<p>And speaking of B12 teams, this is the same conference, where the conference champ, Oklahoma, the past few years got crushed by a Big East team in a bowl, lost to Boise St. in a bowl, got crushed by USC and lost to LSU.</p>
<p>Over the past 4-5 years, dOSU has had better bowl performances than Oklahoma (and that's not saying much).</p>
<p>Look k&s, I know you and posters like jec want to defend the Big 10. But the truth is few are going to listen. Most college football fans breathed a huge sigh of relief when Penn State was knocked down by Iowa. From the sports writers I've read these past two days, even they were not particularily sad about Penn State not making the NC game. Most fans just do not want to see another Big 10 team in the National Championship. They think the Big 10 is weak. They believe the Big 12 and the SEC are the conferences to watch, and that a relatively "weaker" team shouldn't be able to "sneak" into the title game off of wins from a cruddy schedule.</p>
<p>In all obvious fairness, Penn State is not Ohio State. They should not bear the burden of tOSU's bad NC game rep. They should not bear the burden of the perceived reputation of weakness of their fellow Big 10 teams. But they did. Now that they are out of contention, the best to hope for is that they perform well in the Rose Bowl, and that the rest of the bowl-elligble Big 10 teams do as well. </p>
<p>As for the Michigan-over-Florida win: that was highly emotionally charged (Carr's last game, as well as Henne's and Hart's), and I'm pretty sure that Rich Rod snuck in some of his own plays, which Meyer was absolutely not prepared for.</p>
<p>Actually, the more knowledgeable sports writers saw PSU as a very good team and more "complete" than 'Bama (questionable passing game) and the various B12 contenders (suspect defenses).</p>
<p>And I was just pointed out how the B12 hasn't gotten the same treatment in the national media despite its repeated conference champ, Oklahoma, getting blasted in bowls even WORSE than dOSU has been recently.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'm going to guess most sportswrtiers will give their predictions an edge to the Sooners, mostly because the Sooners have a lot of tradition and history behind them and Tech is just sort of weird and out-of-nowhere. This year's Cinderella story. Let's hope they don't implode.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Maybe because of this:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Oklahoma has defended its home turf better than any team in the nation the past decade. The Sooners are No. 1 in winning percentage in home games the past 10 years. Since 1998, OU has hosted 61 games at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman and prevailed 57 times for a winning percentage of .934. Bob Stoops has been the head coach since 1999, compiling a sterling 54-2 (.964) record at home during that span.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
They think the Big 10 is weak.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>But they consider USC "strong?" Or the SEC with its wonderful schedule that we've discussed before..</p>
<p>
[quote]
Actually, the more knowledgeable sports writers saw PSU as a very good team and more "complete" than 'Bama (questionable passing game) and the various B12 contenders (suspect defenses).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not any that I have read, seen or googled (and I'm trying). Which "more knowledeable sports writers are you speaking of believe that Penn State is more "complete" that the various Big 12 contenders or the SEC eventual champion? The ones at "The Daily Collegian" ;)</p>