ok Terry <t>I find it funny because I do believe you are of the 'one good game is enough' for noncons but here it goes:<br/> <br/> Cal beat:<br/> <br/> Tennessee<br/> Colorado St<br/> La tech<br/> Air Force<br/> Texas A&M<br/> Minnesota<br/> Portland St<br/> Illinois<br/> BYU<br/> Sac St<br/> New Mexico St<br/> Air Force (again)<br/> New Mexico St (again)<br/> Southern Miss</t>
Aquila, One more year for Mad Mike at Arizona. Last year they were transitioning in the spread offense with an inexperienced OL, and what was supposed to be a strong defense underachieved. This year the Cats hope to parlay a more experienced offense with the ever-popular weak non-conference schedule to finally get back on track. This is Stoops' first HC job, and while he's certainly made his share of gaffes, he has recruited well and won some big games. What he needs to do is prove he can lead and win during months other than November. ASSU might not be so up and coming. They've had some big losses on their offensive line, and QB Trudy Crapenter might get even more beaten up than last year. Last season the book was blitz the **** out of him, and I'm hoping this year opposing teams stay on the same chapter.
Corey...couple a things... Dennis Dixon also had a very good if not great running back on which to rely and decoy the defenses. And....you mentioned the Big Ten and Ohio State as being in the mix instead of the SEC and Kramer but how so? OSU was very much a part of Kramer's BCS the last two years running and look whut happened.... :wink:
Well that non-conf schedule is OK not great but OK. BTW why did you include bowl opponent A&M and not bowl opponent Texas Tech? But 13-1 against that bunch if you are one of the best programs in the PAC10 isn't a incredible achievement. Only 3 of those are BCS conference opponents and except for Tenn, they aren't even the top of their conference.
I must respectfully disagree that it's only OK. I count 9 games vs. opponents that most conference teams would not consider for an OOC game, definitely not any SEC teams except for TN, LSU, and Ark. Keep in mind that the same thing probably happened to Cal that has happened to ND over the years. You schedule a team several years ahead when they are competitive, e.g., Minnesota, and by the time the game comes up on the schedule, the opponent has hit the skids. I think it's better than just OK. I don't know if there is such a thing as a "great" OOC schedule for a team in a major conference.
lol <r>I'm not on the run, I was packing Carson to go to California tomorrow.<br/> <QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> I only included the teams that they beat because that is what I thought you wanted. If you wanted the losses, there are only two. Tennessee @ Knoxville and Texas Tech in the bowl game.</r>
....stated of course with the appropriate emphasis and reverence......not to worry BDR, we see them all the time - what we have here is a clear case of "THE-ness" envy! :wink:
What's to envy about Ohio State BT when you're a fan of their biggest nemesis in both football and basketball? :wink:
......but you're not. A nemesis would not have gotten whacked by M in a 3rd tier bowl nor losing in a 2nd tier roundball tourney to avoid losing to us yet again. In order to be a nemesis, you would have had to perform materially better in both sports consistently. You did not......your fixation however is incessantly obvious to all. Sid, THE-ness envy I kind of like that one myself....it seems to fit on many different levels.
Man it's a good thing you let Michigan do your talking for you and the Buckeyes eh? Without that game you would be lost I can easily see. Go Blue! At least there is one Big Ten team that doesn't wilt before the SEC big boys.
No, actually without that game we still would have played for the national title! Now, now....it seems as if your Gators did enough talking of their own last year to warrant their bowl match-up and resulting outcome. Don't blame that on us.....hell, your record against your SEC counterparts is vastly superior to your record against the lowly Big 10 - how can that be?
Geez, I have to make an emergency run to Florida and back within 24 hours and miss all this action. Some comments Well let me say that this is a legitimate opinion for a person to have Corey. Let's just don't confuse your opinion as the last word for factual. I obviously do not agree and am of the opinion that Tebow was the best period. But I will state that as my opinion and not fact. As to Auburn, I don't think I see them as a National Championship contender. However this guy wrote a pretty good article and he obviously divided the SEC into three groups and in his opinion Auburn will contend for the West. We'll see. But I could have predicted some of this conversation. Florida is overrated and the whole Pac 10 is underrated. I am glad to be back home, very tired but back home.
WTF? <t>Bill, <br/> <br/> Are you reading the same conversation!?!?<br/> <br/> I said that FLORIDA HAS A GREAT SHOT AT THE NATIONAL TITLE BECAUSE THEIR SCHEDULE IS HIGH ON BRAND AND LOW ON QUALITY. IT IS A SCHEDULE THAT WILL PLAY WELL WITH FANS AND POLLSTERS ALIKE, WHILE PROVIDING VERY FEW REAL CHALLENGES... CIRCLE THAT DATE IN JACKSONVILLE.<br/> <br/> My point/comments were directed that... this article was horse sh*t.. The entire ethos of the article was that the SEC has 4 legit NATIONAL TITLE CONTENDERS. Of those 4 teams, I don't even see two of them winning their Division. (Auburn/LSU). That means the SEC has 2 real national title contenders (Florida/Georgia)..That also means they are just like everyone else.<br/> <br/> My only nit to pick about your Gators is more of an example of media hypocrisy.. its that ND's offense was awful and returns everyone, ergo we suck still and have a long way to go.. Florida's defense was every bit as terrible, and returns everyone, ergo this year they will be great.. Surely you see the flaw in that logic?</t>
point of order <t>Wisconsin is 2-1 in their last 3 bowl games vs the SEC. Wisconsin started slow losing a few close ones, but they seem to have turned the corner now in their matchups vs the SEC.</t>
Corey, the Badgers have been a tough, physical scrappy bunch for quite some time....playing those guys up there in Camp Randall in November is a tough, tough test for any program regardless of "prevailing national opinion". :wink:
Oh yes I believe we are, just interpreting it different I think. It is circled, I have my tickets bought am intending to be there. I concede both the importance of that game and the quality of the opponent. However it kind of floors me that between LSU, Tennessee, Miami, FSU, Arkansas and S. Carolina among others that we don't have many challenges. I'll bet that at the end of the season our SOS is pretty high. I will concede that Georgia has a tougher schedule next year and would probably advise them to have the date in Jax circled also. Now we kind of get to the difference in how we read the article. What he obviously did was pick the two teams in each division that he felt were the best and had the best chance of going to the SEC Championship game. Obviously at least two of these teams will not make it to the Championship game. However these are the two from each division he feels have the best chance. I was a little surprised about Auburn, but all he is really saying here is that they are one of the two best in the West and have a chance at the Championship game and that whoever wins that game has a good chance to be in the BCS Championship game. I don't really see the horsesh*t here. Lots of room for disagreement though. I think that the Gator season last year was much better than Notre Dame's season last year. Our defense stunk and I would agree with the comparison to Notre Dame, however our offense was explosive and in spite of our defense we were in every game. A reasonable improvement in our defense should leave us as challengers for the SEC which has to be the first goal of any SEC team. So no I don't see the logic and don't see the hypocrisy of the media. I do expect Notre Dame to have a big turn around this year though.
well <r><QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> Far be it from me to let the facts get in the way but:<br/> <br/> -Before revisionism waxes poetic the immortality of that LSU NC team, let me remind you that team lost 2 games last year and figure to be nowhere near as talented, deep or senior led as they were last season. Also, that was a team that was VERY fortunate to beat both Auburn and Alabama. Both of those are games they could/should have lost and were losing late. The argument could be made that the two Bama teams self-destructed as much as LSU came from behind to win. All credit to LSU for taking advantage of course, but let's not overlook the fact that this well could have been a 4 loss team.<br/> <br/> -Florida State was 7-6 last year and figures to be worse this year. <br/> <br/> -Miami was 5-7 last year and lost their last 4 in a row. They showed no signs of improvement.<br/> <br/> -Tennessee, while I tend to agree with you...is still suppose to be middle of the pack at best. I have a hard time picking against a Vol squad that no one is talking about... but there might be a reason no one is talking about them.<br/> <br/> -Arkansas-just lost all of their offensive threats and their best player is a transfer who can't play this season. They have a new HC with a new system. Their competitive equity is certainly something to be questioned. Even with their previous HC and their best offensive weapons, they were 8-5.<br/> <br/> -South Carolina-Last year they were 6-6. they self destructed as the year went on and are paper thin on offense...just as they were last year.<br/> <br/> there are a lot more questions than answers on that slate.</r>