Fanblogs.com: Who is the most overrated team this pre-season?
fosterkeats
· 5 months ago
Most Overrated is easy: Ole Piss -They continue a tradition of all the internet hacks overhyping one SEC school each season -Their defense gave up 21 pts per game, that includes 10 by Samford, 24 by Memphis & 31 by South Carolina -They lose OT Oher, DTs Jerry, Sanford, and LB Palmer -So what about their schedule, they'll still lose 2 conference home games(Bama, LSU, Arkansas or Tennessee) b/c they have NO home field advantage -They get the benefit of overhype, so beating SE Louisiana & Memphis won't matter b/c they're already up the poll. If they started #23 instead of #10, those wins wouldn't move them to #10 by the time Bama rolls into Oxnard... strength of schedule will destroy them when the BCS Poll comes out... -They're Ole Piss
Now for my Most Underrated: Oregon St -The Beavers are always picked #6 or #7 in the conference b/c of overhype of other schools, like Arizona this year. This year they are picked on average #5. But they always finish #3 or #4... 2008: #2 2007: #3 2006: #3 2005: #6 2004: #3 -Despite only 4 defensive starters returning, they only average 5 returning starters over the timeframe above, yet had one of the best defenses, just ask So Cal. Their defensive lapses won't matter b/c their Offense will be very good -Mike Riley is one of the best game day coaches -They get to play 5 road conference games, they have a winning road conference record over the last 7 yrs -They play Az, Stan, UCLA & Wash at home= 4 wins -They play Portland St & Cincinnati at home too= 2 wins -They play at UNLV & at Wash St= 2 wins -They'll get to play in El Paso on New Year's Eve again= 1 win
gobeaversosu
· 5 months ago
WOW, I feel the love you are giving the Beavers. As for overrated, I see Oregon among them. Although as Ben stated, if they make it through Boise State and Utah and Purdue I may have to change my mind.
fosterkeats
· 5 months ago
Mike Riley is a great coach, he gets more out of his players than a lot of high-profile, highly-paid coaches with a roster full of "5 Star" recruits...
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
Keats:
I like your assessments. Fair and impartial is a rare trait from a "regular fanblogger".
I think in terms of only "points against the spread". Last year I won a ton of money riding Mississippi. My computer program is designed to pick out these kinda teams. This year - I'm gonna be more skeptical. They lose monsters on the OL and DL and this will be hard to replace for that type of program. I think they'll win some games - but they're not gonna sneak up on anyone.
Oregon State is a consistent money maker. They are not a good road team, and tend to get blown out once early on the road, thus setting the stage for underrated status each year. At this point - you can ride them all the way home. They always have a tough defense - especially the linebackers. They have huge Tongans and Somoans all over the field. Now they have a QB and a tremendous RB. This is a great home team and can beat anybody there. They are the only school to have beaten Southern Cal twice in many, many years.
When was the last time UCLA, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Nebraska were simultaneously on the under the radar good bet list?
How do Penn State and Oregon relate to the bet against radar?
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
Ben:
What you have to find are the sleeper teams. Penn State and Oregon don't qualify as that. What makes a good sleeper team is a good coaching change for a real bad team, a big early season blowout loss, or a team that has developed an extremely talented QB who nobody knows about. Once the "betting public" gets "hip" to how good anybody really is - then it is no longer a good bet. It might be better to go in the other direction at that point.
I think Penn State and Oregon line up as they usually do. You can't know anything at all until some games start to get played. Then you can get some data. Early season betting is a very bad idea for the most part. That is when upsets mostly happen. Every college recruits it's "gamer" players. It takes a few games for coaching staffs to know who these guys are. Once conference play begins - then the wheat really starts to get separated from the chaff.
I mention UCLA, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Nebraska because:
UCLA - Rick Neuhuisel, Norm Chow and two very good recruiting classes. More experience all over the field and they should have improved QB play. Also, a very good home team. They'll be flying under the radar for sure.
Tennessee - The coaching change. A #1 recruiting class a few years back that will all be seniors this year. Last years defense was stellar to begin with and will be improved under Monte Kiffin. The bias against Lane Kiffen will cause more money to be placed against the Vols. This team will have more fight. Bank it.
Notre Dame - Jimmy Clausen and several top recruiting classes. Even Charlie Weiss could not screw up the talent laden teams that were left to him. Notre Dame's recruits are beginning to mature. Clausen is a tremendous talent. If this team gets this guy time to throw - then this team will be a real problem for anyone.
Nebraska - With Bo Pelini taking over last year - Nebraska is destined to take back the Big 12 North. It seems to early for that to happen. And, that is precisely why it may happen now. Callahan didn't exactly leave the cupboard entirely bare. Pelini will improve that defense. When that happens - Nebraska wins again. They were certainly more competitive last year.
Keep an eye out for Washington and Baylor as other surprise teams against the spread.
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
I detect some small bias in your opinions of Ole Miss, but the reasoning obscured by your colorful wording is sound.
I really like your take on Oregon State. Oregon State should be a solid #4 this year preseason. USC is the top dog and Oregon, California and Oregon State form the next layer. Everyone else falls below that.
Utah focuses on solid defense. Utah said that, after BYU, the team they go up against most for recruits is Oregon State. Oregon State will find answers on defense to fill their holes.
Oregon State might be a dark horse for a BCS bowl.
Dustin Draper
· 5 months ago
I was really excited to see this post (a MWC fan myself), but seeing that it was posted by you who has interest in the MWC kind of deflated my excitement. Don't get me wrong I would love the rankings to end like this (even though my cougars are only 25th) and its totally possible, but I'm interested in hearing why you're so high on TCU (I'm also high on them, but I don't know if my justifications are shared by you).
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
I am high on TCU because they are going to be awesome this year. That said, picking MWC teams is a little tricky, take BYU last year for example.
Last year TCU gave Utah a tough game and they probably should have won. That was without anything on offense.
TCU is returning their QB and most of the key players on offense. This will give their offense lots of experience which I think will translate into more productivity.
They had some big losses on defense but they also have a tradition of depth on defense and have never failed to answer questions on defense with anything less than excellence.
So the formula is this:
Great team + offensive experiance - slight if any drop in defense = scary good team.
That and they have a favorable our of conference schedule compared to Utah or BYU.
TigerEducated
· 5 months ago
Ole Miss' offensive line coach is an ELITE level teacher who has churned out a crop of crap-star level recruits and turned them into ELITE level players.
Orgeron recruited along the lines very, VERY well during his tenure. The cupboard is far from bare, whether offensively or defensively speaking.
Markuson has proven during his coaching career that he can develop the heck out of lesser players and turn them into outstanding individual talents, never mind having them mesh together into an outstanding unit as a whole.
Guys like Cedric Cobbs, Fred Talley, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones & company were wonderful individual talents, but they went up against SEC Defenses with ZERO passing game, and yet they still dominated.
They didn't do it without dominant offensive lines.
Don't sleep on Ole Miss. They have a very talented quarterback, a coaching staff that can churn out a productive, dominant offensive line, and a head coach that continually wrings every drop of effort & potential out of his teams.
Porcine
· 5 months ago
One reason they had ZERO passing game is because they didn't know any pass blocking.
TigerEducated
· 5 months ago
That's a great point, porcine...But, Shawn Andrews, Luigs, etc...Those guys are NFL beasts...
Porcine
· 5 months ago
Andrews and Peters are simply exceptional athletes. Luigs is very smart but lacks lower body strength. Luigs is the only one who left knowing any passing schemes. Tony Ugoh was so green when arrived in Indianapolis it wasn't even funny.
Zac
· 5 months ago
Yo, Porcine, that's 4 whole lines for you. You opening up, are ya? (Just josh'n...)
I wouldn't worry about a lack of pass blocking for too much longer. Let anyone say what they want about Petrino (I know I have.); he's still an outstanding coach at the college level. He'll have the right personnel in the right place to bring your boyz passing game along. It may not look the same as what he had at Louisville, at least not right away, but in time...I guess we'll see soon enough.
Yawl ready for Quincy & Indiana St???
Porcine
· 5 months ago
You bet your bippy.
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
Wow zac, a post I can read without scrolling down to finish.
LOL :)
Zac
· 5 months ago
Now you cut dat out. You know you had to scroll down at least a 1/16th of a page. OR, is that an 1/8th of a turn on your track-ball?
Zac
· 5 months ago
FosterK, excellent analysis of the OSU nobody talks about. I fully agree with your assessment. In fact, arguably, the only reason the Beav's won't win the PAC-10 this year is they are their own worst enemy. Either they get too taken up with whom they play, or they don't get taken up at all. Consider their loss at Stanford last year.
This year a couple of early tests will provide a healthy barometer for the rest of their season: OSU's visit to UNLV & visiting Cinci. Recently, UNLV has neither been a gracious guest or host; just ask then 15th ranked ASU & hapless IA St last year. Even WI escaped Las Vegas in 2007 with an unimpressive 7 pt win (20-13).
As for those Bear-Cats from the land of the Bengals, having lost 10 starters on defense will have to be telling. However, their offense should be super. When they visit Corvallis, they'll have 3 healthy QB's; all with game experience, not to mention a solid line to protect them and targets a'plenty at whom to throw the ball. This one should be entertaining.
As for your assessment of Ole Miss, that's got me puzzled. With whom they have returning and what they did with those personnel last year, it's a safe bet they'll improve. As for their defense having allowed 21 pts/gm last year, there's another way of viewing that. They allowed 148 pts over the 1st 6 regular season games, while only allowing 65 (less than half) over the final 6 (includes victory over then #18 LSU & and 4 pt loss at then #2 Bama), before outscoring TX Tech by 13 in a free-for-all; not to mention holding the Raiders to over 10 pts below their season average; something only runner-up OK did before them. I personally can see them cracking the Top-10 this season.
Not so for the Crimson Tide; at least, not yet. While Bama's defense should be awesome, and despite the excellent recruiting classes, I'm not certain Bama has returned to a state of "re-loading" (as opposed to rebuilding) when there are significant losses on either side of the ball. QB, JPW is replaced by backup Greg McElroy, brimming with promise, but not having taken more than 3 dozen snaps in 2 seasons. The good news: He's completed 80% of his attempts. The bad news: He's attempted only 20 passes for 2 TD's & 1 INT. As for protecting this guy, Bama's O-Line is as young as WVU's, arguably younger. It is for this reason I don't see, as yet, Bama being a Top-10 team. So, for the time being, they're one of my picks for being over-rated.
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
I have come to realize that the MWC and PAC 10 fans tend to bash on each other's conferences allowing the East Coast to dominate over the split West Coast. I will not sit idle by and watch west coast teams dismissed this year, definately not jumping on any anti-PAC 10 bandwagons.
Isn't that Stanford team that beat OSU last year the same Stanford team that beat USC the year before? Maybe we under estimate Stanford.
Zac
· 5 months ago
You're right, Ben. With the exception of 2006, since 2003, they've arguably been the best 4-5 win team around. While I say that in jest, clearly they have proven to be a team NOBODY can affoard to overlook, not even those ranked in the Top-5.
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
I don't see the joke. Name a better 4-5 win team. LOL.
NMLSooner
· 5 months ago
That was my point. Short. Term. Memory. Anything past five years ago doesn't count? Stoops is a choke artist because of the last five years? What about five in a row against Texas in this decade! What about OU beating FSU for the NC when FSU was playing in their third consecutive championship game. They were a double digit favorite and considered one of the greatest offensive teams ever. Oh that was way back at the start of a new millennium, I can barely remember that far back.
bevo
· 5 months ago
Why is OSU ranked ahead of Texas Tech? Great question. Here's your answer.
Tech travels to Austin early in the season with a new quarterback. Tech also travels to Stillwater for the OSU game. Mike Leach, Tech's head coach, has yet to win a game in Austin or in the state of Oklahoma.
Some people think the 2009 OSU team can do what the 2008 Tech team did: beat Texas at home and lose to OU. Those people are wrong.
For what it is worth, I am calling Tech to beat OU in Lubbock this year.
RaiderRob94
· 5 months ago
Mike Leach beat O$U in Stillwater back in 2001.
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
Red Raiders have to go to Waco upset special= Bears beat TTech
Porcine
· 5 months ago
Baylor is definately a sleeper for next year.
RaiderRob94
· 5 months ago
Not so fast....Tech plays BU in ARLINGTON this season and at the REAL Cotton Bowl in 2010. Any game within the D/FW area is considered a "home" game for Tech.
NMLSooner
· 5 months ago
A guy who goes by 'bevo' picks Texas to win and OU to lose. "Shocker"!
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
Georgia @ Oklahoma st USC @ tOSU Texas Tech @ Texas After these early season games we can better evaluate where these teams really rank and who is indeed overated The Longhorns biggest challenge this season will not be the Red Raiders at home, but the Cowboys in Stillwater
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
Georgia USC, unless by tOSU you mean Oregon State Texas
I thought Texas' biggest challenge is in Dallas.
OU_Ron
· 5 months ago
I only hope Mack feels the same as TC...
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
na Ben OU's biggest challenge is in Dallas
Ramblin' Gator
· 5 months ago
I am REALLY looking forward to Georgia @ Oklahoma State, cause I LOVE these early, OOC games. Kudos to the dawgs for going on the road for this early season matchup.
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
I totally agree-these types of matchups are real interesting and teams usually schedule these things years in advance-others that look entertaining UConn @ Baylor BU's offense will be hot, at home
Houston @ Miss St Bulldogs
Ark @ Tex A&M neutral site game Hogs
Neb @ V Tech at Blacksburg
V Tech @ Bama Hokies are ranked real high these two games will prove whether or not they are overated
TCU @ Clemson great matchup
FSU @ BYU both top 25 teams
Maryland @ CaL
Oklahoma @ Miami its still Miami
TCU @ UVa
UNC @ UConn Tarheals
Oregon @ Bois st Ducks on blue turf
Stanford @ Wake
Utah @ Oregon
UCLA @ Tenn coach we are watching, can you back up that smack talk
Colo @ West Virginia Mountaineers at Home
Vandy @ Rice Vandy should be favored-Rice lost 3 great offensive players from last year
BYU @ OU in Norman,
Bayor @ Wake ought to be better than last year Griffin has more experience and coach Briles will have his team ready
S Carolina @ NC st there are a lot more, these look entertaining
Jason
· 5 months ago
BYU is playing OU at the new Cowboys stadium in Dallas.
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
Thanks BYU vs OU Arkansas vs Texas A&M Baylor vs Texas Tech The Cotton Bowl Any other games? how many has ole Jerry Jones scheduled in his new stadium?
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
Is Oklahoma at Miami (OH) or Miami (FL)?
Nevermind, it doesn't really make a difference anymore.
Zac
· 5 months ago
Now, you cut dat out. You know darn good an well Miami (OH) is better than them Huricanes.
(Relax, C-Dogg; I was just joke'n.)
Zac
· 5 months ago
I wouldn't wanna be a Red Raider in Austin this year.
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
OU_Ron must have been really joking during his contemplation of who the most overrated team might be?
Of course, the Oklahoma Sooners, win this contest hands down. As much as I do like the Sooners, I just wish that they could win one lousy BCS bowl game, so that I can quit baggin' on this team each and every year. It is just becoming ridiculous how "Big Game Bob", can lead this team through a demanding Big 12 schedule (looking very impressive all the way through), and then just keep getting pasted against other BCS programs. It makes no sense at all, when you consider that Texas, almost always shows up to play well in their bowl games.
Other Big 12 teams that are overrated include Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. One or both of these two teams will completely flop during their bowl games. They may look good in Big 12 play though.
The SEC always has a few overrated teams. This year they should be Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.
Penn State and Iowa may be overrated in the Big 10 (or is it eleven)?
The ACC is impossible to ever figure out. It is difficult to ever make the statement that Virginia Tech is overrated - as they are usually underrated and a very fine football program. But, #6 is a very lofty position. Not unattainable for this school, but, they would probably have to finish out at 13-1 to pull this off. That seems pretty tough for me, considering, how much parity that there is in the ACC conference.
I'm not sure anybody from the Big East merits comment this year.
Pac-10 and MWC teams are always underrated - so it is difficult to place an overrated tag to any of those teams.
Ohio State is usually way overated each year. Once again, they will be put back in their spot early, so that label will not apply to this team this year. They will eventually climb back into the Top 10 by season's end and likely win their conference championship.
thebuckstopshere
· 5 months ago
Tommy,
How do you see that game at the shoe playing out?
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
thebuckstopshere:
I just can't see Terrell Pryor being ready to throw effectively on one of the best secondaries in the game that early in the season. He was pathetic at best throwing the ball last year. He'll try and take off with his feet - but the Southern Cal linebackers are much faster than last years group (though much less experienced). He may pick up some 1st downs with his legs. Southern Cal can sit in a Tampa2 all day long - as Pryor won't have the time nor the patience to throw deep. Michael Morgan may be the fastest linebacker in the country and he'll be in Pryor's grill all dayum day. With Beanie Wells gone, Ohio State will not be able to muster much of a running game, that could keep the Trojans from teeing off on the QB. I see a very tough day for the Buckeye offense again.
On the other hand - Southern Cal returns almost everybody on offense. They only lose the QB Sanchez and WR Patrick Turner. WR's Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson were the bigger weapons in SC's offense anyway. David Ausberry will replace Turner and he will not be missed. Aaron Corp is the leading candidate to take over at QB with Mitch Mustain and Matt Blakely close behind. Corp was California High School POY beating out Jimmy Clausen for that honor. Corp has big-time wheels somewhere in between Pryor and Colt McCoy. He'll be much harder to contain within the pocket than other Trojan QB's have been. He may scramble for more yardage than Pryor gets. I expect that the Trojans will go with a power running game again. I can't see them completely unleashing the QB that early in the season.
The whole offensive line returns intact and I can see the Trojans resorting to smash-mouth football vs the Bucks. With all four RB's returning (Stephon Johnson, CJ Gable, Joe McKnight and Marc Tyler) - I can't see any chance of Ohio State stopping this running game. Should they make any kind of a stand, I suspect, that USC could just throw the ball if needed. I see a grind it out kinda game with Southern Cal coming out on top something like 31-14.
I think the Bucks will continue to improve drastically after that game. By season's end, Terrell Pryor will have gained another whole year of experience, and will become an extremely dangerous player come bowl time. I can see the Bucks taking a bowl game later this year. I just think that playing USC that early is gonna be too much for Ohio State this time.
thebuckstopshere
· 5 months ago
I think it will be closer than 31-14, the game is more of a coin flip to me....
I don't know about the Tamp2 defense working.......
To me the Trojans won't get pressure without blitzing the linebackers as the Bucks O-line should be one of the best in the country. I see Ohio St. running their version of Georgia Techs triple option. They have the personnel to pull it off but maybe not the experience to make quick smart reads against a talented fast linebacker core of USC.
So to me, if Tressel has the balls to run a triple option, the game boils down to the learning curve of Pryor and the USC linebackers. Both young, talented, and inexperienced like you said.....
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
thebuckstopshere:
Not a bad take. I didn't realize that Tressel might actually employ some option stuff. This could very much confuse a young linebacking corp. Should that kinda thing take shape, then Ohio State would have a much better chance of playing keep away, therefore keeping the score much closer. It would not be a bad idea at all, for the Bucks to just try and keep it on the ground, eat up as much clock as possible - and let the chips fall where they may.
Zac
· 5 months ago
Said triple option didn't look to good against LSU.
thebuckstopshere
· 5 months ago
Like I said it's all about personnel, Boeckman was never a threat to run and Wells was a between the tackles back.
It doesn't compare to me.
Zac
· 5 months ago
I'll be honest, buckeroo, I wish this game were towards the end of the season, as opposed to at the begining. Not only would it give the fans one more big game to look forward to, but there are other factors involved.
At the begining of a season, the better teams with more speed than power tend to have the edge over the better teams with more power than speed. Toward the end of a long, gruling season, where both teams are feeling the effects of practicing week after week, and playing hard game after game, it wears on the players. Teams which once had the edge in speed tend to slow down a bit. So, I'm real currious to see how this would have panned out, had it been a late season contest, instead of early on.
Now, you might ask, what about the bowl games. The teams with speed sure tend to be up to the task then. True, they've also had at least 2 or 3 weeks of rest. Think about it.
OU_Fan
· 5 months ago
I still think the expectation of USC is quite high especially with the whole new QB thing and all, but thats just me. I think Ohio State will pull away with the victory.
Zac
· 5 months ago
I won't lie and say I know how to call this one. I certainly don't expect people to believe I know how to call it. For some reason, USC just feels right. They have this way of getting up for a big game, before being taken by surprise by an arguably lesser foe.
All things being equal, however, you make a compelling argument. USC visits the Shoe with an inexperienced QB. The Buckeye's QB has 2 seasons under his belt. If OSU wins, I don't know that they'll do it pulling away or by coming back from behind. But, I'm willing to bet QB play will have made the difference.
OU_Ron
· 5 months ago
" Is there something worth discussing that has not been brought up in a thread by us? "
I wasn't joking Tommy, and you don't see any post on here from me saying that OU or any other school is over or underrated....the question above was asked by Ben in open thread....I just thought it would be a good conversation piece until the season starts..
Must have been a good idea, it brought you out of hibernation..
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
OU_Ron:
Well, now I am disappointed. Surely you jest...
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
Are WE (the fans) to blame for the underrating of the MWC and PAC 10 teams?
Think about it. All season long what do we do? MWC fans claim to be competitive with the PAC 10 by knocking down the bottom of the PAC 10 and looking at key wins over the PAC 10 elite. The PAC 10 fans then point out the teams beat are in a down year and the bottom of the MWC are atrocious.
This wedge in western football caused by PAC 10 arrogance and MWC hubris undermines both conferences and is used by the eastern conferences to vindicate their biases.
What we need to do is to point out that both conferences win vs. east coast teams, then we can talk about how much stronger the PAC 10 is compared to the MWC.
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
Ben:
I don't think that it has much to do about anything other than the time difference between the East and West coast. Let's face it - most fans are just straight up homers. They'll stay up late to watch their own teams play ball - but never to just watch college football.
Same thing goes for the journalist. These guys have no idea what they're voting for. I can understand that the coaches themselves cannot be bothered enough to be too informed. But, it's the media's job to follow college football. They really don't do their homework. This infects every region of the country. I tell you what. I've had trouble trying to catch a Hawaii game if they are ever at home. And, I can barely get the Hawaii score on Sunday if I needed it. So, that is what the real problem is.
Go ahead and just keep poundin' on the Pac-10 all you like. It really doesn't make any difference at all. If you can't see the "inbred homerism" of some of our Southern friends, and come to understand that they have never watched a football game that took place out of their own county line, then your only foolin' yourself to try and pretend that any "negative jabber" might have anything to do with it. West Coast football simply does not exist - except on the West Coast. You might as well be sellin' Ice to Eskimos.
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
At least I can rub the Alabama win in their face this year. Too bad ya'll are stuck in that Rose Bowl deal.
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
Yeh Ben,
And I can't begin to tell ya' how proud we all are for that. Even though the Utes beat Troy in 01', and I've had somewhat of a disdain for them ever since, they more than made up for that game by hammering the Tide. Go in Peace, my son! And may the Utes days be lengthened...
P.S. - Yes, the Rose Bowl deal in the days of the BCS, is most certainly a thorn in my side. Here, we'll probably beat Ohio State early in the season, and get to play them again in the GrandDaddy of them all. They'll be nothing at all to gain and everything to lose as usual. We'll have to go unbeaten to get out of the silly arrangement, but with a sohmore QB coming in as the new starter, it is very unlikely that he won't slip somewhere along the line. Oh well, maybe a giant meteor will hit the earth before January 1st, and I won't have to witness that meaningless game.
NMLSooner
· 5 months ago
T_T aka Mr. Short-Term Memory. We have a Rose Bowl trophy from '03 and a National Championship Trophy from '00. I know that was a whole (gasp) nine years ago, you know, ancient history. Did we steal those trophies? Big 12 defenses looked like a joke because OU only scored 14. Don't forget Florida's lowest point total of the season was in that same game (24). Those mighty defenses of the SEC gave up an average of 43.3 to the Gators, with no one yielding less than 30. OU was competitive in that NC game and lost. A ball fell just past the fingertips of a wide open Kejuan Jones in the endzone that would have sent the game to OT, when we played LSU in a virtual home game for them. Now, USC blew us out big time, but I hardly think being in the championship game 4 times is overrated. Unless we are rated number one each year.
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
NMLSooner:
Each and every year, Oklahoma is chosen to represent in games, that they have no business being in. They look great in the Big 12. They lose to everybody else. Forget my team. Texas beat Oklahoma straight-up last year. Yet, Texas got left out again. Overrated means being ranked #2 - and not really being the 2nd best team. That's overrated.
Nobody ever said anything about Oklahoma's defense. They are as good as anybody's in the Big 12. The rest of that conference, sans Texas, is dreadful. I'm not convinced that SEC defenses are that great either. I do know that many of the offenses are just flat out pathetic at best.
Yes, Oklahoma put up a better fight than they have recently. But, the fact remains that Oklahoma isn't winning Bowl games, but keep getting ranked higher than some other teams that do. That is overrated. My gripe is that when there is a close call, that call, should be going to teams that have a recent history of winning Major Bowl games. Oklahoma is not one of them and neither is Ohio State. Teams that are notorius for winning the Big Games are Florida, LSU, USC and Texas. Oklahoma has leapfrogged several of these teams in recent years, only to disappoint, when all of the marbles were on the table. It's time for other teams to get their shot.
OU_Fan
· 5 months ago
I'm sorry, but title of this thread has the word "pre-season" in it, therefore I am assuming that it means for this upcoming 2009-2010 season. With that said, I find it hard to see how a team with a returning Heisman winning QB, the best TE end in the nation hands down, two running backs whom each rushed for more than 1,000 rushing yards last season, a veteran defensive line, 3 returning stud linebackers, and 2 returning stud cornerbacks would be overrated. Sure, OU has been in a bowl game slump these past 6 years losing 5 out of 6, but that has absolutely nothing to do with this upcoming season. As to Big Game Bob and chokelahoma, according to soonersports.com, "Stoops is 109-24 overall, 72-14 vs. the Big 12, 39-10 vs. the Big 12 South, 31-4 vs. the Big 12 North, 6-1 in the Big 12 title game, 37-10 vs. non-conference opponents, 60-2 at home, 31-11 on the road, 16-11 on neutral fields, 33-12 vs. ranked opponents, 4-6 in bowls, 3-5 in January bowls and 2-5 in BCS games." If this is overrated, I will be perfectly happy if these types of results are produced every decade for the rest of my life.....BOOMER!
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
OU is 2 outa 5 in BCS games-thats the point Tommie T was making- Texas is 3-0 in BCS games won 5 consecutive bowl games and beat OU 3 outa the last 4 Hookem-Horns
OU_Fan
· 5 months ago
True. But once again, why does this matter? Preseason = future, recent OU bowl loses and recent Texas bowl wins that have accumulated in the past = past. Last time I checked, OU is returning some serious talent which leads me to believe that they should be ranked where they are. However, I fully agree with anyone who believes that rankings should not happen until at least week 5.
Zac
· 5 months ago
OU-Fan, I have to agree with you and disagree with TC. OU/TX is one game and only one game each season. While it's the biggest game between the fans of your respective schools, it does NOT the entire season make. If anything, it validates a given season to one extent or another.
Given OU's overall record, even if your Sooners lost another BCS bowl, following another Big-12 Championship win, it's still only another bowl loss (just a loss) against a slew of Big-12 Championships and one hell-of-an-overall track record. In other words, OU's got nothing to be ashamed of, and I don't think they're over-rated.
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
Zac There is nothing to disagree about- reread my post-like Sgt Friday says Just the facts. OU Fan said the past is the past+ funny coming from an OU -I have no disagreement The RRS game is huge-its like a championship In recent years it seems like the B-12 south has the toughest teams- The 3 way tiebreaker rule is in effect so that the highest ranking team goes to the CCG game=This is OK these are the rules that the coaches agreed to. Now if you read what I just posted-it straight foward- no complaints Believe it or not- some programs because of past history and alcolades tend to gain more respectability and higher rankings than others- this is just the way it is-Oklahoma is usually ranked higher than Texas every year-I'm cool with that Oklahoma is usually favored in the RRS game-I'm cool with that too. Are they overanked-shoot I dunno- maybe in preseason it dosn't matter and towards the end it does. Over the past 5 year period Texas vs OU 3-2 Texas in Bowls 5-0 OU in Bowls 1-4 twice OU was in the CCG game after losing to Texas During the past 5 years OU played in two MNc games-lost both of them-Texas played in one MNC game and won These are just facts-nothing more than past history
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
OU_Fan:
If your point is that it is only "a preseason poll", and has nothing to do with the end result, then why shouldn't Western Kentucky be rated #2 in that poll? You know why. It's because they are not anywhere near #2 and won't finish there. The idea of a pre-season poll is to try and predict who might finish in those spots. I'm predicting that Oklahoma will not finish the final poll rated in the Top Two. That's all.
grover
· 5 months ago
I would not be...
Poll Q for OU fans: would you rather lose the BCS championship game this year, or win the Fiesta bowl? Gimme Tostitos!
OU_Ron
· 5 months ago
If that's my only choice...answer= win the Fiesta Bowl...
But...here's my wish list.. Beat the $#%* out of Texas Win the the Big 12 championship Play in the BCS NCG you can't win it if your not in it........
OU_Fan
· 5 months ago
You're right. Texas got left out yet once again. Lets not consider the fact that the Big 12 3-way tie breaker rule has been in effect since the creation of the Big 12 conference. I mean after all, Texas absolutely deserved to play for the Big 12 championship even though they lost to Texas Tech! If it wasn't for that dropped interception. Poor Texas........ 2008 was a roller coaster season, and OU, Texas, and Tech all respectively deserved to play for the championship. If anything, Texas Tech deserved to play in the Big 12 championship more so than Texas. But, the Big 12 3-way tie breaker was created for a reason and thus the rule served its purpose. All of the Big 12 coaches seem to be satisfied with the rule after this year's meeting because if not, the rule would have been changed....BOOMER!
Zac
· 5 months ago
I don't know how anyone can look at the Top-4 and argue over-rated. While every season features a surprise team and a disappointment, in recent years these 4 seem to have paved their own road. So, it's likely somewhere in this vicinity is where these 4 will wind up. After that, it's a muddy river.
Personally, I can't see either Bama or LSU in the Top-10, though I do see LSU with a better chance at getting there than the Tide. Ole Miss belongs there, but TX Tech will not get there this year, not with all they've lost, especially on offense. This year, TCU is a much better candidate. I think I have to agree with FSU, GA Tech, MD, & NC taking up the lower 25 to lower 20 spots, and maybe either FSU or VA Tech is in the Top-15. Boise St had better do more than just beating visiting OR...by a lot. They had better completely dominate their entire slate; not to mention, at least half of their opponents had better turn out OK, if the Broncos hope to look at least as good as the 2006 team.
Nebraska will replace MO as tops in the Big-12 north. As stated in another thread...ulp...Rodriguez will have MI back on track. In fact, the Huskers, Mountaineers, & Wolverines will more than crack the Top-25. At least 2 of em will make the Top-20. How high is up to them.
I don't think Cinci has a case for winning the Big East, let alone being ranked (by many) ahead of Pitt, S FL, or WVU. The BearCat's defense starts over from scratch. The underrated surprise of the Big East may well be UConn. If they win at Baylor to start the year, watch out. If the rest of the Big East does their jobs, and the polls are fair, Pitt, S FL, UConn, & WVU could all wind up in the Top-25.
So, (surprise, surprise) we know which conference I think is underrated. Which do you suppose is over-rated? I'm gonna take a stab at the SEC. Yes, you heard it here 1st.
OK, FL should be great; LSU should be getting back on track; we've all been singing the praises of Ole Miss. Now, what of the rest? Bama & GA lost a bunch, including long term starting QB's. Auburn, MS St, & TN have new coaching staffs. KY is…well, KY & Vandy is…well, Vandy. Whose left? SC? The Razor Backs? They each may win 7, possibly 8 this year. So what? The point is, while certain teams in the SEC deserve their accolades, the conference as a whole this year may be a bit over-rated. (Relax, guys; I'm not saying the Big East is better. Even I know better than that.)
The Big 12 shouldn't snicker; they're not in all that much better shape. Yes, OK & TX will likely be where they are and should even play for the Big 12 Title, were it not for the fluky alignment. As stated earlier, expect NE to be king of the north, but they're not quite the "Huskers of Old". Missu will be down. Baylor may actually make the conference look good via their non-conference slate, not to mention make another bowl. BUT, it's still Baylor. A&M hasn't done much recently, and still isn't expected to. The coaching change at IA St won't help, at least not right away. Despite Reessing's return at KS, the JayHawks will still be mediocre; K-St won't be any better; the Buffs return some veterans...from a 5-7 season, and I've already told ya how I feel about TX Tech.
Nope, this year, crazy as it sounds could be the year of the Pac-10 and maybe even the ACC. I put the Big Televen right about in the middle. Just my usual, over-verbose, humble opinion. Enjoy!!!
vtmechE
· 5 months ago
alright, i'll take a stab at this,
with a lot of solid out of conference games on tap (week 1 just seems like a blockbuster event of the century), over/under rated will be all out and about quickly
BUT, the best "rate" will occur during crunch time conference schedules in october and november, who can recover the early season loss to reach the national title game? can a 1 loss non-bcs team make a bcs bowl? who can maintain that undefeated record?
i think notre dame is overrated, they have the schedule to go 10 wins though, which makes that pick awful, they'll likely be blown out of yet another bcs bowl game
my hokies are on thin ice, whenever we're talked about publicly, we falter, i don't like it, we play much better as underdogs
the hype surrounding kansas might get stomped by the resurgence of nebraska
if there's any team that will falter from an early season loss, i think its ohio state, pryor doesn't have to compete with boeckman, which i would consider a bad thing since he's only had a year under his belt, and he's still young, the offense was kinda anemic last year, and i wouldn't be surprised if iowa or penn state win the big televen with ease
i think tcu will make it to the bcs with 1 loss, possibly clemson or utah, i hope they crush uva into fine little pieces of popped collar faggutry
and if anyone can maintain an undefeated record, its texas, i don't think they can lose on another miracle play this year, but damn, that play is still awesome
TheMayor
· 5 months ago
Hey this all fine and well, but tomorrow is the Big Day...The University of Oregon is introducing their newest uniforms from Nike!
Local bloggers in Eugene are overwhelmingly hoping for retro pre Nike uniforms.
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
TheMayor:
After twelve kids, you'd think I might never want to witness green and yellow ever again, but I'd welcome the quacks to change back to them other God awful uniforms from yesteryear.
In fact, whenever I'm playin' EA Sports College Football on a PS2 and I happen to end up with the Ducks, I'll usually always fit them with the retro uniforms. The two hardest teams to be in that dayum game are Boise State (in their solid blue unis) on that blue turf or the Ducks in those solid green ones in Autzen. The dayum field is a light green then a darker green every five yards like some kinda perfectly manicured lawn. It is impossible to see your own players. Boise State is the worst though. Your only hope is to fit them all with a white mouthpiece and you might be able to see that. I wonder if the green on green actually does create major problems in Autzen Stadium? It seems as if it would be more of a problem for your own QB.
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 5 months ago
We here at Fanblogs held a lottery to see who would do the thread on yet another Ducks uni story. Ben lost, so it's his responsibility now...
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
I thought we deemed that new Oregon uniforms are an annual routine and are no longer newsworthy.
The fact that Boise State also has new uniforms sets up an opening week duel. I only start uniform threads when the results are mildly disturbing.
TheMayor
· 5 months ago
The new Grey uniforms are pretty cool. My friends hate them, but what the hell Grey is the new green and 50 is the new 30.
fosterkeats
· 5 months ago
Those grey helmets were kinda strange looking, are they solar powered???
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 5 months ago
For the love of puppies, someone send me a link and I'll do a thread. It's sort of tradition around here...
Personally, I like the new unis. That "steel" look is pretty cool. My personal favorite is the all black. That's a very good looking uniform. I'm still not completely sold on the wings on the shoulders, but they do look good on some of the combinations.
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
My favorite time of the year:
This is where we get to list the combined conference records of all BCS conferences against the other BCS conferences - Bowl games included. This time we'll just post the last seven years between 2002 and 2008.
1. Pac-10 (57-48) .543 2. SEC (72-68) .514 3. ACC (91-89) .506 4. Big 10 (66-65) .504 5. Big 12 (64-66) .492 6. Big East (61-73) .455 7. MWC (54-74) .422 (Yardstick for Ben Prather only)
Well, it's very clear that the SEC continues to dominate all other conferences in straight-up head-to-head inter-BCS competition. Clearly, they are for sure the best conference without question. And, let's all remember, "THE PAC-10 SUCKS"!
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
The BCS uses a 4 year window to do their evaluations. As does the MWC. Results 2005-2008.
PAC 10: 32-20 (0.615) SEC: 43-26 (0.544) Big East: 36-38 (0.486) Big 12: 35-37 (0.486) MWC: 29-32 (0.475) ACC: 45-52 (0.464) Big 10: 29-37 (0.439)
Lets examine the trend lines to see who is doing the most with what they got.
PAC 10: +0.062 MWC: +0.033 Big East: +0.031 SEC: +0.030
Big 12: -0.006
// By implication the rest should be about here
ACC: -0.042 Big 10: -0.065
Looks like the PAC 10 is here to stay and the MWC manages to continue to build despite its economic disadvantages.
Zac
· 5 months ago
Not to mention, the Pac-10 only won 5 outta 5 bowls last season. That's ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS!!! Better pick it up if ya wanna keep up with the Big East. (No, Tommy, I'm not wearing a straight face.)
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
Lets not mention 2006 please...
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
Zac:
The Big East took big hits when Miami and Virginia Tech left the conference after the 2003 campaign and Boston College left after 2004. These are enormous obstacles to overcome immediately. The Big East is doing a good job of "hangin' tough". Schools such as USF, Conn and Cincy are doing a great job of improving their respective programs gradually. With WVU and Rutgers being solid, if Louis, Pitt and The Cuse could ever manage to improve their programs, the BEAST could easily become much more respective. They earn some compassion along with "the No Baggin' Policy" for a little while longer. The Mountain West folks are pushin' hard for your spot though - so I would watch out for them pesky critters. Or, heck, maybe just boil em' alive.
TheMayor
· 5 months ago
I think it was 5 out of 6 as UCLA lost I l believe....
Tommy_Trojan
· 5 months ago
Mr.Mayor:
UCLA did not make it to a bowl game last year. The Pac-10 was 5-0 in bowl games. Are you back to the hard stuff? Best just to stick with the Burgundy. Furthermore, Looks like your gonna have to make "Grey Duck" your official gameday beverage.
What's your take on the Ducks this time around? It looks like it's gonna be our toughest game to me. I was kinda hopin' that Blount would go pro. He's one of the best lookin' backs I've seen in quite awhile. I hope that we can slow him down. If he goes off big on us - that might be the one we lose.
TheMayor
· 5 months ago
I stand corrected we were 5-0, just still hard to believe...
Oregon lost too much on a suspect dfense and our offensive line. We never have your number in Eugene, unless it's an abberation (Sanchez 2007), we are not the Beavers.
Oregon goes 8-3, if they beat either Utah or BSU. Losses to USC and UA...my June prediction.
Zac
· 5 months ago
Why do I have this feeling you're sitting their with a $hit eating grin saying, "Made ya look"?
4cornerz
· 5 months ago
I hope the Big East show up and out this year
jake
· 5 months ago
I truly believe the BE is just as good as the ACC and even the Big10. Unfortunately, the BE performed poorly in OOC but each team (save SU and UL) in that conference are legitimate teams. They often are perceived as a bad conference merely because the quantity of teams in the conference. If you look at the BE bowl performances over the past few years, you will be surprised at how well they've done.
Tyler_Tech
· 5 months ago
Certain things that puzzle me..... OSU ranked that highly.... Alabama ranked as high as they are..... The SEC is the best conference, which in turn they will rough each other up. This creates a seperation from National powers to "lower tier" SEC teams year in and year out. Come bowl season these teams usually perform much better than their ranking due to the strength of the conference. Texas tech not being ranked at all... Besides key losses in skill position areas we have a good chunk of our team back. Worthy of at least a top 25 ranking. Baylor...They have not proven they should be ranked yet, but R. Griffin will win at least 2 games this year they shouldn't have because of his legs alone. Virginia TECH?!!??!!? enough said. I am also really interested to Kiffin's first season at rocky top.
Ben Prather
· 5 months ago
I believe Texas Tech is #25...
Tyler_Tech
· 5 months ago
meant to say top 20. ooops. I really don't have a problem with our ranking, other than the fact with other undeserving teams being scattered throughout.
1Tomcat
· 5 months ago
Tyler Tech I agree BU will turn some heads this year and they have TTech at home They lost three real close ones last year Mizzu,UConn & TTech had a respectable showing @ Nebraska- Coach Briles in his second year ought to be a good one-they have one of the toughest schedules- I'm looking at 7-5 or 6-6
All Comments
-They continue a tradition of all the internet hacks overhyping one SEC school each season
-Their defense gave up 21 pts per game, that includes 10 by Samford, 24 by Memphis & 31 by South Carolina
-They lose OT Oher, DTs Jerry, Sanford, and LB Palmer
-So what about their schedule, they'll still lose 2 conference home games(Bama, LSU, Arkansas or Tennessee) b/c they have NO home field advantage
-They get the benefit of overhype, so beating SE Louisiana & Memphis won't matter b/c they're already up the poll. If they started #23 instead of #10, those wins wouldn't move them to #10 by the time Bama rolls into Oxnard... strength of schedule will destroy them when the BCS Poll comes out...
-They're Ole Piss
Now for my Most Underrated: Oregon St
-The Beavers are always picked #6 or #7 in the conference b/c of overhype of other schools, like Arizona this year. This year they are picked on average #5. But they always finish #3 or #4...
2008: #2
2007: #3
2006: #3
2005: #6
2004: #3
-Despite only 4 defensive starters returning, they only average 5 returning starters over the timeframe above, yet had one of the best defenses, just ask So Cal. Their defensive lapses won't matter b/c their Offense will be very good
-Mike Riley is one of the best game day coaches
-They get to play 5 road conference games, they have a winning road conference record over the last 7 yrs
-They play Az, Stan, UCLA & Wash at home= 4 wins
-They play Portland St & Cincinnati at home too= 2 wins
-They play at UNLV & at Wash St= 2 wins
-They'll get to play in El Paso on New Year's Eve again= 1 win
I like your assessments. Fair and impartial is a rare trait from a "regular fanblogger".
I think in terms of only "points against the spread". Last year I won a ton of money riding Mississippi. My computer program is designed to pick out these kinda teams. This year - I'm gonna be more skeptical. They lose monsters on the OL and DL and this will be hard to replace for that type of program. I think they'll win some games - but they're not gonna sneak up on anyone.
Oregon State is a consistent money maker. They are not a good road team, and tend to get blown out once early on the road, thus setting the stage for underrated status each year. At this point - you can ride them all the way home. They always have a tough defense - especially the linebackers. They have huge Tongans and Somoans all over the field. Now they have a QB and a tremendous RB. This is a great home team and can beat anybody there. They are the only school to have beaten Southern Cal twice in many, many years.
Other teams to maybe put your money on this year:
Stanford, UCLA, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Tennessee, Nebraska.
Bet against:
Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma State.
How do Penn State and Oregon relate to the bet against radar?
What you have to find are the sleeper teams. Penn State and Oregon don't qualify as that. What makes a good sleeper team is a good coaching change for a real bad team, a big early season blowout loss, or a team that has developed an extremely talented QB who nobody knows about. Once the "betting public" gets "hip" to how good anybody really is - then it is no longer a good bet. It might be better to go in the other direction at that point.
I think Penn State and Oregon line up as they usually do. You can't know anything at all until some games start to get played. Then you can get some data. Early season betting is a very bad idea for the most part. That is when upsets mostly happen. Every college recruits it's "gamer" players. It takes a few games for coaching staffs to know who these guys are. Once conference play begins - then the wheat really starts to get separated from the chaff.
I mention UCLA, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Nebraska because:
UCLA - Rick Neuhuisel, Norm Chow and two very good recruiting classes. More experience all over the field and they should have improved QB play. Also, a very good home team. They'll be flying under the radar for sure.
Tennessee - The coaching change. A #1 recruiting class a few years back that will all be seniors this year. Last years defense was stellar to begin with and will be improved under Monte Kiffin. The bias against Lane Kiffen will cause more money to be placed against the Vols. This team will have more fight. Bank it.
Notre Dame - Jimmy Clausen and several top recruiting classes. Even Charlie Weiss could not screw up the talent laden teams that were left to him. Notre Dame's recruits are beginning to mature. Clausen is a tremendous talent. If this team gets this guy time to throw - then this team will be a real problem for anyone.
Nebraska - With Bo Pelini taking over last year - Nebraska is destined to take back the Big 12 North. It seems to early for that to happen. And, that is precisely why it may happen now. Callahan didn't exactly leave the cupboard entirely bare. Pelini will improve that defense. When that happens - Nebraska wins again. They were certainly more competitive last year.
Keep an eye out for Washington and Baylor as other surprise teams against the spread.
I really like your take on Oregon State. Oregon State should be a solid #4 this year preseason. USC is the top dog and Oregon, California and Oregon State form the next layer. Everyone else falls below that.
Utah focuses on solid defense. Utah said that, after BYU, the team they go up against most for recruits is Oregon State. Oregon State will find answers on defense to fill their holes.
Oregon State might be a dark horse for a BCS bowl.
Last year TCU gave Utah a tough game and they probably should have won. That was without anything on offense.
TCU is returning their QB and most of the key players on offense. This will give their offense lots of experience which I think will translate into more productivity.
They had some big losses on defense but they also have a tradition of depth on defense and have never failed to answer questions on defense with anything less than excellence.
So the formula is this:
Great team + offensive experiance - slight if any drop in defense = scary good team.
That and they have a favorable our of conference schedule compared to Utah or BYU.
Orgeron recruited along the lines very, VERY well during his tenure. The cupboard is far from bare, whether offensively or defensively speaking.
Markuson has proven during his coaching career that he can develop the heck out of lesser players and turn them into outstanding individual talents, never mind having them mesh together into an outstanding unit as a whole.
Guys like Cedric Cobbs, Fred Talley, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones & company were wonderful individual talents, but they went up against SEC Defenses with ZERO passing game, and yet they still dominated.
They didn't do it without dominant offensive lines.
Don't sleep on Ole Miss. They have a very talented quarterback, a coaching staff that can churn out a productive, dominant offensive line, and a head coach that continually wrings every drop of effort & potential out of his teams.
I wouldn't worry about a lack of pass blocking for too much longer. Let anyone say what they want about Petrino (I know I have.); he's still an outstanding coach at the college level. He'll have the right personnel in the right place to bring your boyz passing game along. It may not look the same as what he had at Louisville, at least not right away, but in time...I guess we'll see soon enough.
Yawl ready for Quincy & Indiana St???
LOL :)
This year a couple of early tests will provide a healthy barometer for the rest of their season: OSU's visit to UNLV & visiting Cinci. Recently, UNLV has neither been a gracious guest or host; just ask then 15th ranked ASU & hapless IA St last year. Even WI escaped Las Vegas in 2007 with an unimpressive 7 pt win (20-13).
As for those Bear-Cats from the land of the Bengals, having lost 10 starters on defense will have to be telling. However, their offense should be super. When they visit Corvallis, they'll have 3 healthy QB's; all with game experience, not to mention a solid line to protect them and targets a'plenty at whom to throw the ball. This one should be entertaining.
As for your assessment of Ole Miss, that's got me puzzled. With whom they have returning and what they did with those personnel last year, it's a safe bet they'll improve. As for their defense having allowed 21 pts/gm last year, there's another way of viewing that. They allowed 148 pts over the 1st 6 regular season games, while only allowing 65 (less than half) over the final 6 (includes victory over then #18 LSU & and 4 pt loss at then #2 Bama), before outscoring TX Tech by 13 in a free-for-all; not to mention holding the Raiders to over 10 pts below their season average; something only runner-up OK did before them. I personally can see them cracking the Top-10 this season.
Not so for the Crimson Tide; at least, not yet. While Bama's defense should be awesome, and despite the excellent recruiting classes, I'm not certain Bama has returned to a state of "re-loading" (as opposed to rebuilding) when there are significant losses on either side of the ball. QB, JPW is replaced by backup Greg McElroy, brimming with promise, but not having taken more than 3 dozen snaps in 2 seasons. The good news: He's completed 80% of his attempts. The bad news: He's attempted only 20 passes for 2 TD's & 1 INT. As for protecting this guy, Bama's O-Line is as young as WVU's, arguably younger. It is for this reason I don't see, as yet, Bama being a Top-10 team. So, for the time being, they're one of my picks for being over-rated.
Isn't that Stanford team that beat OSU last year the same Stanford team that beat USC the year before? Maybe we under estimate Stanford.
Oh that was way back at the start of a new millennium, I can barely remember that far back.
Tech travels to Austin early in the season with a new quarterback. Tech also travels to Stillwater for the OSU game. Mike Leach, Tech's head coach, has yet to win a game in Austin or in the state of Oklahoma.
Some people think the 2009 OSU team can do what the 2008 Tech team did: beat Texas at home and lose to OU. Those people are wrong.
For what it is worth, I am calling Tech to beat OU in Lubbock this year.
upset special= Bears beat TTech
USC @ tOSU
Texas Tech @ Texas
After these early season games we can better evaluate where these teams really rank and who is indeed overated
The Longhorns biggest challenge this season will not be the Red Raiders at home, but the Cowboys in Stillwater
USC, unless by tOSU you mean Oregon State
Texas
I thought Texas' biggest challenge is in Dallas.
UConn @ Baylor BU's offense will be hot, at home
Houston @ Miss St Bulldogs
Ark @ Tex A&M neutral site game Hogs
Neb @ V Tech at Blacksburg
V Tech @ Bama Hokies are ranked real high these two games will prove whether or not they are overated
TCU @ Clemson great matchup
FSU @ BYU both top 25 teams
Maryland @ CaL
Oklahoma @ Miami its still Miami
TCU @ UVa
UNC @ UConn Tarheals
Oregon @ Bois st Ducks on blue turf
Stanford @ Wake
Utah @ Oregon
UCLA @ Tenn coach we are watching, can you back up that smack talk
Colo @ West Virginia Mountaineers at Home
Vandy @ Rice Vandy should be favored-Rice lost 3 great offensive players from last year
BYU @ OU in Norman,
Bayor @ Wake ought to be better than last year Griffin has more experience and coach Briles will have his team ready
S Carolina @ NC st
there are a lot more, these look entertaining
BYU vs OU
Arkansas vs Texas A&M
Baylor vs Texas Tech
The Cotton Bowl
Any other games? how many has ole Jerry Jones scheduled in his new stadium?
Nevermind, it doesn't really make a difference anymore.
(Relax, C-Dogg; I was just joke'n.)
Of course, the Oklahoma Sooners, win this contest hands down. As much as I do like the Sooners, I just wish that they could win one lousy BCS bowl game, so that I can quit baggin' on this team each and every year. It is just becoming ridiculous how "Big Game Bob", can lead this team through a demanding Big 12 schedule (looking very impressive all the way through), and then just keep getting pasted against other BCS programs. It makes no sense at all, when you consider that Texas, almost always shows up to play well in their bowl games.
Other Big 12 teams that are overrated include Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. One or both of these two teams will completely flop during their bowl games. They may look good in Big 12 play though.
The SEC always has a few overrated teams. This year they should be Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.
Penn State and Iowa may be overrated in the Big 10 (or is it eleven)?
The ACC is impossible to ever figure out. It is difficult to ever make the statement that Virginia Tech is overrated - as they are usually underrated and a very fine football program. But, #6 is a very lofty position. Not unattainable for this school, but, they would probably have to finish out at 13-1 to pull this off. That seems pretty tough for me, considering, how much parity that there is in the ACC conference.
I'm not sure anybody from the Big East merits comment this year.
Pac-10 and MWC teams are always underrated - so it is difficult to place an overrated tag to any of those teams.
Ohio State is usually way overated each year. Once again, they will be put back in their spot early, so that label will not apply to this team this year. They will eventually climb back into the Top 10 by season's end and likely win their conference championship.
How do you see that game at the shoe playing out?
I just can't see Terrell Pryor being ready to throw effectively on one of the best secondaries in the game that early in the season. He was pathetic at best throwing the ball last year. He'll try and take off with his feet - but the Southern Cal linebackers are much faster than last years group (though much less experienced). He may pick up some 1st downs with his legs. Southern Cal can sit in a Tampa2 all day long - as Pryor won't have the time nor the patience to throw deep. Michael Morgan may be the fastest linebacker in the country and he'll be in Pryor's grill all dayum day. With Beanie Wells gone, Ohio State will not be able to muster much of a running game, that could keep the Trojans from teeing off on the QB. I see a very tough day for the Buckeye offense again.
On the other hand - Southern Cal returns almost everybody on offense. They only lose the QB Sanchez and WR Patrick Turner. WR's Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson were the bigger weapons in SC's offense anyway. David Ausberry will replace Turner and he will not be missed. Aaron Corp is the leading candidate to take over at QB with Mitch Mustain and Matt Blakely close behind. Corp was California High School POY beating out Jimmy Clausen for that honor. Corp has big-time wheels somewhere in between Pryor and Colt McCoy. He'll be much harder to contain within the pocket than other Trojan QB's have been. He may scramble for more yardage than Pryor gets. I expect that the Trojans will go with a power running game again. I can't see them completely unleashing the QB that early in the season.
The whole offensive line returns intact and I can see the Trojans resorting to smash-mouth football vs the Bucks. With all four RB's returning (Stephon Johnson, CJ Gable, Joe McKnight and Marc Tyler) - I can't see any chance of Ohio State stopping this running game. Should they make any kind of a stand, I suspect, that USC could just throw the ball if needed. I see a grind it out kinda game with Southern Cal coming out on top something like 31-14.
I think the Bucks will continue to improve drastically after that game. By season's end, Terrell Pryor will have gained another whole year of experience, and will become an extremely dangerous player come bowl time. I can see the Bucks taking a bowl game later this year. I just think that playing USC that early is gonna be too much for Ohio State this time.
I don't know about the Tamp2 defense working.......
To me the Trojans won't get pressure without blitzing the linebackers as the Bucks O-line should be one of the best in the country. I see Ohio St. running their version of Georgia Techs triple option. They have the personnel to pull it off but maybe not the experience to make quick smart reads against a talented fast linebacker core of USC.
So to me, if Tressel has the balls to run a triple option, the game boils down to the learning curve of Pryor and the USC linebackers. Both young, talented, and inexperienced like you said.....
Not a bad take. I didn't realize that Tressel might actually employ some option stuff. This could very much confuse a young linebacking corp. Should that kinda thing take shape, then Ohio State would have a much better chance of playing keep away, therefore keeping the score much closer. It would not be a bad idea at all, for the Bucks to just try and keep it on the ground, eat up as much clock as possible - and let the chips fall where they may.
It doesn't compare to me.
At the begining of a season, the better teams with more speed than power tend to have the edge over the better teams with more power than speed. Toward the end of a long, gruling season, where both teams are feeling the effects of practicing week after week, and playing hard game after game, it wears on the players. Teams which once had the edge in speed tend to slow down a bit. So, I'm real currious to see how this would have panned out, had it been a late season contest, instead of early on.
Now, you might ask, what about the bowl games. The teams with speed sure tend to be up to the task then. True, they've also had at least 2 or 3 weeks of rest. Think about it.
All things being equal, however, you make a compelling argument. USC visits the Shoe with an inexperienced QB. The Buckeye's QB has 2 seasons under his belt. If OSU wins, I don't know that they'll do it pulling away or by coming back from behind. But, I'm willing to bet QB play will have made the difference.
I wasn't joking Tommy, and you don't see any post on here from me saying that OU or any other school is over or underrated....the question above was asked by Ben in open thread....I just thought it would be a good conversation piece until the season starts..
Must have been a good idea, it brought you out of hibernation..
Well, now I am disappointed. Surely you jest...
Think about it. All season long what do we do? MWC fans claim to be competitive with the PAC 10 by knocking down the bottom of the PAC 10 and looking at key wins over the PAC 10 elite. The PAC 10 fans then point out the teams beat are in a down year and the bottom of the MWC are atrocious.
This wedge in western football caused by PAC 10 arrogance and MWC hubris undermines both conferences and is used by the eastern conferences to vindicate their biases.
What we need to do is to point out that both conferences win vs. east coast teams, then we can talk about how much stronger the PAC 10 is compared to the MWC.
I don't think that it has much to do about anything other than the time difference between the East and West coast. Let's face it - most fans are just straight up homers. They'll stay up late to watch their own teams play ball - but never to just watch college football.
Same thing goes for the journalist. These guys have no idea what they're voting for. I can understand that the coaches themselves cannot be bothered enough to be too informed. But, it's the media's job to follow college football. They really don't do their homework. This infects every region of the country. I tell you what. I've had trouble trying to catch a Hawaii game if they are ever at home. And, I can barely get the Hawaii score on Sunday if I needed it. So, that is what the real problem is.
Go ahead and just keep poundin' on the Pac-10 all you like. It really doesn't make any difference at all. If you can't see the "inbred homerism" of some of our Southern friends, and come to understand that they have never watched a football game that took place out of their own county line, then your only foolin' yourself to try and pretend that any "negative jabber" might have anything to do with it. West Coast football simply does not exist - except on the West Coast. You might as well be sellin' Ice to Eskimos.
And I can't begin to tell ya' how proud we all are for that. Even though the Utes beat Troy in 01', and I've had somewhat of a disdain for them ever since, they more than made up for that game by hammering the Tide. Go in Peace, my son! And may the Utes days be lengthened...
P.S. - Yes, the Rose Bowl deal in the days of the BCS, is most certainly a thorn in my side. Here, we'll probably beat Ohio State early in the season, and get to play them again in the GrandDaddy of them all. They'll be nothing at all to gain and everything to lose as usual. We'll have to go unbeaten to get out of the silly arrangement, but with a sohmore QB coming in as the new starter, it is very unlikely that he won't slip somewhere along the line. Oh well, maybe a giant meteor will hit the earth before January 1st, and I won't have to witness that meaningless game.
Big 12 defenses looked like a joke because OU only scored 14. Don't forget Florida's lowest point total of the season was in that same game (24). Those mighty defenses of the SEC gave up an average of 43.3 to the Gators, with no one yielding less than 30.
OU was competitive in that NC game and lost.
A ball fell just past the fingertips of a wide open Kejuan Jones in the endzone that would have sent the game to OT, when we played LSU in a virtual home game for them.
Now, USC blew us out big time, but I hardly think being in the championship game 4 times is overrated. Unless we are rated number one each year.
Each and every year, Oklahoma is chosen to represent in games, that they have no business being in. They look great in the Big 12. They lose to everybody else. Forget my team. Texas beat Oklahoma straight-up last year. Yet, Texas got left out again. Overrated means being ranked #2 - and not really being the 2nd best team. That's overrated.
Nobody ever said anything about Oklahoma's defense. They are as good as anybody's in the Big 12. The rest of that conference, sans Texas, is dreadful. I'm not convinced that SEC defenses are that great either. I do know that many of the offenses are just flat out pathetic at best.
Yes, Oklahoma put up a better fight than they have recently. But, the fact remains that Oklahoma isn't winning Bowl games, but keep getting ranked higher than some other teams that do. That is overrated. My gripe is that when there is a close call, that call, should be going to teams that have a recent history of winning Major Bowl games. Oklahoma is not one of them and neither is Ohio State. Teams that are notorius for winning the Big Games are Florida, LSU, USC and Texas. Oklahoma has leapfrogged several of these teams in recent years, only to disappoint, when all of the marbles were on the table. It's time for other teams to get their shot.
won 5 consecutive bowl games and beat OU 3 outa the last 4
Hookem-Horns
Given OU's overall record, even if your Sooners lost another BCS bowl, following another Big-12 Championship win, it's still only another bowl loss (just a loss) against a slew of Big-12 Championships and one hell-of-an-overall track record. In other words, OU's got nothing to be ashamed of, and I don't think they're over-rated.
OU Fan said the past is the past+ funny coming from an OU -I have no disagreement
The RRS game is huge-its like a championship
In recent years it seems like the B-12 south has the toughest teams- The 3 way tiebreaker rule is in effect so that the highest ranking team goes to the CCG game=This is OK these are the rules that the coaches agreed to.
Now if you read what I just posted-it straight foward- no complaints
Believe it or not- some programs because of past history and alcolades tend to gain more respectability and higher rankings than others- this is just the way it is-Oklahoma is usually ranked higher than Texas every year-I'm cool with that
Oklahoma is usually favored in the RRS game-I'm cool with that too. Are they overanked-shoot I dunno- maybe in preseason it dosn't matter and towards the end it does. Over the past 5 year period Texas vs OU 3-2
Texas in Bowls 5-0
OU in Bowls 1-4
twice OU was in the CCG game after losing to Texas
During the past 5 years OU played in two MNc games-lost both of them-Texas played in one MNC game and won
These are just facts-nothing more than past history
If your point is that it is only "a preseason poll", and has nothing to do with the end result, then why shouldn't Western Kentucky be rated #2 in that poll? You know why. It's because they are not anywhere near #2 and won't finish there. The idea of a pre-season poll is to try and predict who might finish in those spots. I'm predicting that Oklahoma will not finish the final poll rated in the Top Two. That's all.
Poll Q for OU fans: would you rather lose the BCS championship game this year, or win the Fiesta bowl? Gimme Tostitos!
But...here's my wish list..
Beat the $#%* out of Texas
Win the the Big 12 championship
Play in the BCS NCG
you can't win it if your not in it........
Personally, I can't see either Bama or LSU in the Top-10, though I do see LSU with a better chance at getting there than the Tide. Ole Miss belongs there, but TX Tech will not get there this year, not with all they've lost, especially on offense. This year, TCU is a much better candidate. I think I have to agree with FSU, GA Tech, MD, & NC taking up the lower 25 to lower 20 spots, and maybe either FSU or VA Tech is in the Top-15. Boise St had better do more than just beating visiting OR...by a lot. They had better completely dominate their entire slate; not to mention, at least half of their opponents had better turn out OK, if the Broncos hope to look at least as good as the 2006 team.
Nebraska will replace MO as tops in the Big-12 north. As stated in another thread...ulp...Rodriguez will have MI back on track. In fact, the Huskers, Mountaineers, & Wolverines will more than crack the Top-25. At least 2 of em will make the Top-20. How high is up to them.
I don't think Cinci has a case for winning the Big East, let alone being ranked (by many) ahead of Pitt, S FL, or WVU. The BearCat's defense starts over from scratch. The underrated surprise of the Big East may well be UConn. If they win at Baylor to start the year, watch out. If the rest of the Big East does their jobs, and the polls are fair, Pitt, S FL, UConn, & WVU could all wind up in the Top-25.
So, (surprise, surprise) we know which conference I think is underrated. Which do you suppose is over-rated? I'm gonna take a stab at the SEC. Yes, you heard it here 1st.
OK, FL should be great; LSU should be getting back on track; we've all been singing the praises of Ole Miss. Now, what of the rest? Bama & GA lost a bunch, including long term starting QB's. Auburn, MS St, & TN have new coaching staffs. KY is…well, KY & Vandy is…well, Vandy. Whose left? SC? The Razor Backs? They each may win 7, possibly 8 this year. So what? The point is, while certain teams in the SEC deserve their accolades, the conference as a whole this year may be a bit over-rated. (Relax, guys; I'm not saying the Big East is better. Even I know better than that.)
The Big 12 shouldn't snicker; they're not in all that much better shape. Yes, OK & TX will likely be where they are and should even play for the Big 12 Title, were it not for the fluky alignment. As stated earlier, expect NE to be king of the north, but they're not quite the "Huskers of Old". Missu will be down. Baylor may actually make the conference look good via their non-conference slate, not to mention make another bowl. BUT, it's still Baylor. A&M hasn't done much recently, and still isn't expected to. The coaching change at IA St won't help, at least not right away. Despite Reessing's return at KS, the JayHawks will still be mediocre; K-St won't be any better; the Buffs return some veterans...from a 5-7 season, and I've already told ya how I feel about TX Tech.
Nope, this year, crazy as it sounds could be the year of the Pac-10 and maybe even the ACC. I put the Big Televen right about in the middle. Just my usual, over-verbose, humble opinion. Enjoy!!!
with a lot of solid out of conference games on tap (week 1 just seems like a blockbuster event of the century), over/under rated will be all out and about quickly
BUT, the best "rate" will occur during crunch time conference schedules in october and november, who can recover the early season loss to reach the national title game? can a 1 loss non-bcs team make a bcs bowl? who can maintain that undefeated record?
i think notre dame is overrated, they have the schedule to go 10 wins though, which makes that pick awful, they'll likely be blown out of yet another bcs bowl game
my hokies are on thin ice, whenever we're talked about publicly, we falter, i don't like it, we play much better as underdogs
the hype surrounding kansas might get stomped by the resurgence of nebraska
if there's any team that will falter from an early season loss, i think its ohio state, pryor doesn't have to compete with boeckman, which i would consider a bad thing since he's only had a year under his belt, and he's still young, the offense was kinda anemic last year, and i wouldn't be surprised if iowa or penn state win the big televen with ease
i think tcu will make it to the bcs with 1 loss, possibly clemson or utah, i hope they crush uva into fine little pieces of popped collar faggutry
and if anyone can maintain an undefeated record, its texas, i don't think they can lose on another miracle play this year, but damn, that play is still awesome
Local bloggers in Eugene are overwhelmingly hoping for retro pre Nike uniforms.
After twelve kids, you'd think I might never want to witness green and yellow ever again, but I'd welcome the quacks to change back to them other God awful uniforms from yesteryear.
In fact, whenever I'm playin' EA Sports College Football on a PS2 and I happen to end up with the Ducks, I'll usually always fit them with the retro uniforms. The two hardest teams to be in that dayum game are Boise State (in their solid blue unis) on that blue turf or the Ducks in those solid green ones in Autzen. The dayum field is a light green then a darker green every five yards like some kinda perfectly manicured lawn. It is impossible to see your own players. Boise State is the worst though. Your only hope is to fit them all with a white mouthpiece and you might be able to see that. I wonder if the green on green actually does create major problems in Autzen Stadium? It seems as if it would be more of a problem for your own QB.
The fact that Boise State also has new uniforms sets up an opening week duel. I only start uniform threads when the results are mildly disturbing.
This is where we get to list the combined conference records of all BCS conferences against the other BCS conferences - Bowl games included. This time we'll just post the last seven years between 2002 and 2008.
1. Pac-10 (57-48) .543
2. SEC (72-68) .514
3. ACC (91-89) .506
4. Big 10 (66-65) .504
5. Big 12 (64-66) .492
6. Big East (61-73) .455
7. MWC (54-74) .422 (Yardstick for Ben Prather only)
Well, it's very clear that the SEC continues to dominate all other conferences in straight-up head-to-head inter-BCS competition. Clearly, they are for sure the best conference without question. And, let's all remember, "THE PAC-10 SUCKS"!
PAC 10: 32-20 (0.615)
SEC: 43-26 (0.544)
Big East: 36-38 (0.486)
Big 12: 35-37 (0.486)
MWC: 29-32 (0.475)
ACC: 45-52 (0.464)
Big 10: 29-37 (0.439)
Lets examine the trend lines to see who is doing the most with what they got.
PAC 10: +0.062
MWC: +0.033
Big East: +0.031
SEC: +0.030
Big 12: -0.006
// By implication the rest should be about here
ACC: -0.042
Big 10: -0.065
Looks like the PAC 10 is here to stay and the MWC manages to continue to build despite its economic disadvantages.
The Big East took big hits when Miami and Virginia Tech left the conference after the 2003 campaign and Boston College left after 2004. These are enormous obstacles to overcome immediately. The Big East is doing a good job of "hangin' tough". Schools such as USF, Conn and Cincy are doing a great job of improving their respective programs gradually. With WVU and Rutgers being solid, if Louis, Pitt and The Cuse could ever manage to improve their programs, the BEAST could easily become much more respective. They earn some compassion along with "the No Baggin' Policy" for a little while longer. The Mountain West folks are pushin' hard for your spot though - so I would watch out for them pesky critters. Or, heck, maybe just boil em' alive.
UCLA did not make it to a bowl game last year. The Pac-10 was 5-0 in bowl games. Are you back to the hard stuff? Best just to stick with the Burgundy. Furthermore, Looks like your gonna have to make "Grey Duck" your official gameday beverage.
What's your take on the Ducks this time around? It looks like it's gonna be our toughest game to me. I was kinda hopin' that Blount would go pro. He's one of the best lookin' backs I've seen in quite awhile. I hope that we can slow him down. If he goes off big on us - that might be the one we lose.
Oregon lost too much on a suspect dfense and our offensive line. We never have your number in Eugene, unless it's an abberation (Sanchez 2007), we are not the Beavers.
Oregon goes 8-3, if they beat either Utah or BSU. Losses to USC and UA...my June prediction.
OSU ranked that highly....
Alabama ranked as high as they are..... The SEC is the best conference, which in turn they will rough each other up. This creates a seperation from National powers to "lower tier" SEC teams year in and year out. Come bowl season these teams usually perform much better than their ranking due to the strength of the conference.
Texas tech not being ranked at all... Besides key losses in skill position areas we have a good chunk of our team back. Worthy of at least a top 25 ranking.
Baylor...They have not proven they should be ranked yet, but R. Griffin will win at least 2 games this year they shouldn't have because of his legs alone.
Virginia TECH?!!??!!? enough said.
I am also really interested to Kiffin's first season at rocky top.
I agree BU will turn some heads this year and they have TTech at home
They lost three real close ones last year Mizzu,UConn & TTech had a respectable showing @ Nebraska- Coach Briles in his second year ought to be a good one-they have one of the toughest schedules- I'm looking at 7-5 or 6-6