NCAA FB 2010

[Iowan]

It might be May, but it's never too early for college football! Who does everyone cheer for, and what are your expectations for the coming year?

I'm a huge Iowa State fan, and last year was such a blast. I think (not sure) that we had the biggest turn around of any team from a BCS conference, and possibly in the nation, and were two plays from getting another 2 wins. We bring back the whole offense, which will hopefully be healthy, as our QB went down mid season, just as he was beginning to really click the new offense. For those of you who follow Big 12 teams, "Alexander Robinson" is going to be a household name. Best RB in the Big 12.

Unfortunately, we lose some experience on defense (entire LB corps) but replace it with some youthful athleticism. We also have one of the toughest schedules in the country playing Northern Illinois (bowl team last year), @ Iowa, and Utah in the non-conference. Conference slate includes @ Oklahoma, and @ Texas on back to back weekends. Although the team should be better, I'll be happy with a 6-6 regular season, and bowl win, given our ridiculous schedule.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAcKiMy0Gp4

Still gives me goosebumps...


How's it looking for your team?

[Late4Church]

Looks like it may be a long year for my Vols. The past few year the team has really slipped from it's elite status in the SEC. I see the defense holding it's own, and keeping us in a few close ones. No news on a QB yet , and the O-line is young. That being said , I will keep my head held high and wish Coach Dooley the best of luck.I also wish coach kiffen the same sucess he had last year with the vols.........7 Wins, and getting spanked in a bowl game!

[dee dee]

I hear you. Hoping it can be a special year for my beloved Hawkeyes.

[Clams]

Looking like a transition year for the Nittany Lions. Strong at RB and WR, but the O line is a question mark and we'll be breaking in a new QB. Not really sure how the defense stacks up, but losing Bowman and Sean Lee will hurt. Plus, Joepa is going to turn 116 years old this year.

Will be interesting to see if the rumors of Big Ten expansion are true. I've heard everything from one team to three might be added. Nebraska, Missouri, Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt have all been mentioned. I doubt Notre Dame but who knows.

[Penny Lane]

i have heard a LOT of buzz about Pitt joining...

as for the Buckeyes--this could be a breakout year for Pryor (his last chance)...he showed (finally) what he was made of in the Rose Bowl...i hope the confidence carries over because our defense will be killer as usual, it's just a matter of him being able to throw. if he can nail it, i don't see us losing a conference game...

Clams--i might be going to the Bama--PSU game..thru my DBT connections no less!

[Clams]

i have heard a LOT of buzz about Pitt joining...

as for the Buckeyes--this could be a breakout year for Pryor (his last chance)...he showed (finally) what he was made of in the Rose Bowl...i hope the confidence carries over because our defense will be killer as usual, it's just a matter of him being able to throw. if he can nail it, i don't see us losing a conference game...

Clams--i might be going to the Bama--PSU game..thru my DBT connections no less!

There's a chance I might go to that one too. But I fear it'll be a looooong day for the Lions.

[dee dee]

as for the Buckeyes--this could be a breakout year for Pryor (his last chance)...he showed (finally) what he was made of in the Rose Bowl...i hope the confidence carries over because our defense will be killer as usual, it's just a matter of him being able to throw. if he can nail it, i don't see us losing a conference game...

11/20/2010. I can't wait

[Rusty Shackleford]

I'm a Sooner fan. We should be pretty good this year, with a solid schedule (FSU at home, Cincy on the road) and only a few games that look bad on paper right now (Texas, @ TAMU, @ OSU). If the O-line learned anything from last year (I have my doubts), the offense should be very good, and if our young corners play to their potential, the D should be solid as well.

Good luck to ISU--they're probably my favorite Big 12 North team. But in a division that includes Colorado, Mizzou, and K-State, that's not saying much.

[Iowan]

I'm a Sooner fan. We should be pretty good this year, with a solid schedule (FSU at home, Cincy on the road) and only a few games that look bad on paper right now (Texas, @ TAMU, @ OSU). If the O-line learned anything from last year (I have my doubts), the offense should be very good, and if our young corners play to their potential, the D should be solid as well.

Good luck to ISU--they're probably my favorite Big 12 North team. But in a division that includes Colorado, Mizzou, and K-State, that's not saying much.

Good luck to the Sooners as well! All the OU fans that were in Ames in '07 seemed like good people. I almost decided to go the game in Norman this year, but I'm going to Iowa City, KC (KSU game is at Arrowhead), Austin, and Boulder. Busy fall, but after it's done I'll only have KU, TTech, OU and OSU on my list of Big 12 stadiums.

I tip my hat to your non-confernece schedule, almost as rough as ours , but I think that Cincy game might be a conference one in a couple years. It sounds like Beebe is finally being proactive about saving the conference, and if we partner up with the Pac-10, things would work out pretty well. However, we need to plug some holes if Mizzou and kNU take off, and I think Cincinnati and Louisville (or Memphis) are great choices.

[Why Henry Drinks]

[Given to Fly]

I've really gotten into college football the past few years.
Favorite teams are Michigan, Arkansas, Alabama, & Colorado and any team that is playing Notre Dame.
Loves me some Big 10, SEC, & Big 12. Can't wait for the fall!

[Flood18]

Gamecocks fan here, unfortunately.

[olwiggum]

ROLL TIDE!

[Why Henry Drinks]

Indeed Roll Tide! Rammar Jammar Yellow Hammer Give'em Hell Alabama

[dime in the gutter]

2010....expect les.

[Swamp]

[Son of Swamp]

Darth Gator is awesome! >.>

[sg207]

Hopefully Cincy puts up a good fight against Oklahoma. I'm planning on taking in that game.

Hard to tell where UC ends up. The Big 10 is obviously going to fuck them over and not consider them. They probably have outside shots at the Big 12 or SEC. I just hope it's not back in C-USA after all the money that the school has spent on new facilities.

[sg207]

Hopefully Cincy puts up a good fight against Oklahoma. I'm planning on taking in that game.

Hard to tell where UC ends up. The Big 10 is obviously going to fuck them over and not consider them. They probably have outside shots at the Big 12 or SEC. I just hope it's not back in C-USA after all the money that the school has spent on new facilities.

Cincy doesn't have the academics to join the Big Ten

Yeah, I've heard the big argument is that they are not an AAU member.

But neither is Notre Dame.

And UC is on the list of those being considered for inclusion.

Beyond that, the biggest thing that the AAU considers for inclusion is research dollars generated, and UC currently ranks ahead of 19 of the 63 members on that front. Including 3 Big Ten schools (Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan State) and 2 potential targets (Nebraska and Missouri).

Which pretty much shows that it's all a money grab ( but isn't it always?). The Big Ten already gets tv coverage in SW Ohio, so adding UC doesn't help that.

And I've always heard Ohio State would block any other Ohio school from entering the conference. And I heard the same thing about Penn State and Pitt, although that all may just be people making things up to talk about.

[beantownbubba]

Hopefully Cincy puts up a good fight against Oklahoma. I'm planning on taking in that game.

Hard to tell where UC ends up. The Big 10 is obviously going to fuck them over and not consider them. They probably have outside shots at the Big 12 or SEC. I just hope it's not back in C-USA after all the money that the school has spent on new facilities.

Cincy doesn't have the academics to join the Big Ten

Ummmm, errrrr, ahem, i thought you were joking.

[sg207]

Cincy doesn't have the academics to join the Big Ten

Ummmm, errrrr, ahem, i thought you were joking.

I'm not. The Big Ten's academic standards are WAY higher than the SEC, Big East or Big 12.

I know they're fairly high, but I don't think UC is really outside of them either. Just a couple of years ago (2007 I think?), UC was listed as one of the top 25 public schools in the country, and has some excellent programs.

Then again, there are a handful of programs still dragging the whole university down. Hazards of only being a city school about 30 years ago, and still being public and being forced to take all in state residents. But Ohio State even has to deal with the latter one.

[Clams]

Big Ten is all about research and publishing

and beer. and money. and the big ten network.

[sg207]

Big Ten is all about research and publishing

If that's the case, then UC is already ahead of 3 current schools, and 2 (maybe 3; I can't seem to find numbers on Notre Dame research, but from what I have read, it doesn't seem there all that high up in research dollars either) potential targets.

and beer. and money. and the big ten network.

If it was beer, we would be in. We sell beer at both football and basketball games!

I think 2 and three are probably the most accurate though. And I think the new money is coming from increasing the reach of the Big Ten Network. UC wouldn't help increase Big Ten Network viewing very much.

[mgsooner]

[dime in the gutter]

not fucking with you here...just want your opinion on the sooner's difficulties in big games. outmatched physically, outcoached or bad breaks?

[Iowan]

Hopefully Cincy puts up a good fight against Oklahoma. I'm planning on taking in that game.

Hard to tell where UC ends up. The Big 10 is obviously going to fuck them over and not consider them. They probably have outside shots at the Big 12 or SEC. I just hope it's not back in C-USA after all the money that the school has spent on new facilities.

If we lose Nebraska and Mizzou, I've been clamoring for invites for Cincy and Louisville to the Big 12. Big TV markets and good programs this decade. Yes please.

Also, I caught a lot of UC's games on TV this year, and I gotta say that Nippert looks like a BEAUTIFUL stadium. I found out it was the oldest continually used CFB stadium. It would be cool to catch a conference game there.

[Iowan]

not fucking with you here...just want your opinion on the sooner's difficulties in big games. outmatched physically, outcoached or bad breaks?

Against West Virginia, they were clearly less athletic. White and Slaton were just beasts.

Against Boise, they totally underestimated the opponent. I'll put that on the coaches.

[Iowan]

My coach can jump higher than your coach.

[mgsooner]

not fucking with you here...just want your opinion on the sooner's difficulties in big games. outmatched physically, outcoached or bad breaks?

Honestly I've given up trying to figure it out. In 2005 we came up against a USC team that was quite frankly soundly better than OU was that year. OU was a bit of a mirage, as evidenced by close victories against average teams (Okie St, Texas A&M) on the road. That being said, there was no excuse to go out there and get beat 55-19. The team quit in that game and there's no way you can argue that.

In 2006 we lost to a Boise team that quite frankly was probably as good as OU or very close. That 06 OU team may have been one of Stoops' better coaching jobs because they were extremely average in several positions, particularly QB. We got off to a horrendous start against Boise but came all the way back to take the lead and win the game if Boise doesn't pull an absolute fucking miracle to tie the game with no time on the clock. That being said, how you're not prepared for a hook and lateral in that situation is beyond me.

In 2007 we came up against a talented West Virginia team whose stock was very low due to a terrible performance against Pittsburgh to end the year. That WVU team was much, MUCH better than people thought because a lot of people were basing their opinions of them on that one single game. That being said, that was one of the worst defensive performances of the Stoops era, period. We made Pat White look like Joe Montana throwing the ball, which is an amazing feat.

In 2008 we should have been ahead of Florida by no less than 14 points at halftime. Terrible play calling on the goal line, although most of it I put on the players. If you've got 4 downs to get 1 yard and you can't get it done, then the linemen need to take a look in the mirror. The coaches can't get out there and block for you. At the end of the half Bradford forces a TERRIBLE pass into traffic which you just can't do, and again you can't really put that on the coaches. In the 2nd half, the law of averages took over. OU dominated Florida in the 1st half and was tied heading into the locker room. You just knew that Florida was going to play much better in the 2nd, which did not bode well for OU. I think when we look back in history we will see that the 2008 team could end up being the most talented team of the Stoops era (2000 included) and I feel like that is one that will haunt Bob when he's old and grey.

2009 was a fucking nightmare from day 1. You can't lose 2 of the best players in college football and expect to have a realistic shot at doing much of anything. Other than the Texas Tech game (a game in which we absolutely quit) I really wasn't that offended by the effort or the coaching. We were a Colt McCoy tackle - yes, a tackle - away from beating UT or making them pull off a big time comeback to beat us, and we finished the year strong by kicking the shit out of Okie St and then hanging on against a solid Stanford team. I was encouraged by how Landry Jones improved as the year went along, and with Broyles and Murray back I feel like we're in good position to return to the 10 win club this year. We won't be a title contender, but perhaps with McCoy gone we can get back in the win column against Texas and get to the big 12 title game.

[Iowan]

I'd just like to say I have NO sympathy for a program that refers to 8 wins as a "nightmare". Respect? Yes. Sympathy? No. It must be nice when you consider 8 wins a "nightmare".