BCS Bowl Predications CBS Sportsline Oct 15

[lattedatte]

The team we have to cheer for is Ga Tech, they need to be in the top 10 and in a BCS bowl. Our schedule would look real nice with the likes of them Mich and USC.

 

[Bubba]

The team we have to cheer for is Ga Tech, they need to be in the top 10 and in a BCS bowl. Our schedule would look real nice with the likes of them Mich and USC.

I agree, but it'll only look real nice if we beat USC. We lose to 2 out of the 3 and we prove that we don't belong in the BCS picture. I think we need to root for all 3 of them (notice I didn't say cheer) I think the only way we play for a NC is if we play an undefeated UM team for the second time this year. A lot of teams have to lose for that to happen....Auburn, Texas, WVU, Louisville, UTn, Cal, UF. I'm sure I'm missing someone else.

 

[VictorsValiant]

Ok, so you play GTech, us and USC. Anyone else on the schedule that's even close to being legitimate?

Glad to hear people saying Nd does not deserve a BCS bid if you lose to USC. So you must oppose the fact that Nd will be guarenteed a BCS game even if they lose by 30 to USC, assuming they take care of business along the way.

Nd cannot score against teams with legitimate defenses. Only 14 against GTech, 21 against us and possibly somewhere in between against USC. The only exception is possibly PSU, but I think they changed their game plan after their humiliation. You can't root for USC and then say you'll kill them at the same time. USC's defense has improved markedly from last year. They have yet to allow a RB to rush for over 100 yards. Even Arkansas. If you asked me, that's pretty impressive. All they need is to hit some deep balls on offense and they'll be fine. I simply cannot see this Nd offense doing anything against a legitimate defense. USC has a legitimate defense. And they haven't lost at home since...well, forever. I'm not trying to stick up to USC, but an objective look at their situation warrants the conclusion that people expect too much from them because they've blown ppl out the last two years. Their fundamental structure is still strong.

West Virginia on the other hand...no

 

[Bubba]

Ok, so you play GTech, us and USC. Anyone else on the schedule that's even close to being legitimate?

Glad to hear people saying Nd does not deserve a BCS bid if you lose to USC. So you must oppose the fact that Nd will be guarenteed a BCS game even if they lose by 30 to USC, assuming they take care of business along the way.

Nd cannot score against teams with legitimate defenses. Only 14 against GTech, 21 against us and possibly somewhere in between against USC. The only exception is possibly PSU, but I think they changed their game plan after their humiliation. You can't root for USC and then say you'll kill them at the same time. USC's defense has improved markedly from last year. They have yet to allow a RB to rush for over 100 yards. Even Arkansas. If you asked me, that's pretty impressive. All they need is to hit some deep balls on offense and they'll be fine. I simply cannot see this Nd offense doing anything against a legitimate defense. USC has a legitimate defense. And they haven't lost at home since...well, forever. I'm not trying to stick up to USC, but an objective look at their situation warrants the conclusion that people expect too much from them because they've blown ppl out the last two years. Their fundamental structure is still strong.

West Virginia on the other hand...no

You guys only play 3 legitimate teams also....us, OSU and PSU. The rest of your schedule is pretty weak. Ball State, Vandy, CMU? Our schedules are similar, some very tough games and some very weak ones. I give you credit, you beat us. I think you're probably good enough to beat OSU. But, your point about our schedule carries no weight. The media is making a big deal about our schedule because all of our weak games come in consecutive weeks, but we've played one of the toughest schedules up to this point.

As far as USC is concerned, no they're not as good as last years team. Being out west, I get to see them often. They had one good drive on offense last week against ASU. The others were mediocre at best. One drive in whcih they scored was completely given to them by ASU. A roughing the kicker penalty, which let them keep the ball, a horrible pass interference and one other penalty that I can't remember. Take that drive back and they're tied with a not-so-impressive ASU team. I have a feeling (unfortunately) that Cal or Oregon is going to expose them before we play them. BTW, I believe that Arkansas is starting a different RB now than in the first game of the season. They also have a threat in the passing game now that helps open up running lanes, so that win the first week of the season is a little less impressive than everyone thinks.

 

[scooper]

Ok, so you play GTech, us and USC. Anyone else on the schedule that's even close to being legitimate?

Glad to hear people saying Nd does not deserve a BCS bid if you lose to USC. So you must oppose the fact that Nd will be guarenteed a BCS game even if they lose by 30 to USC, assuming they take care of business along the way.

Nd cannot score against teams with legitimate defenses. Only 14 against GTech, 21 against us and possibly somewhere in between against USC. The only exception is possibly PSU, but I think they changed their game plan after their humiliation. You can't root for USC and then say you'll kill them at the same time. USC's defense has improved markedly from last year. They have yet to allow a RB to rush for over 100 yards. Even Arkansas. If you asked me, that's pretty impressive. All they need is to hit some deep balls on offense and they'll be fine. I simply cannot see this Nd offense doing anything against a legitimate defense. USC has a legitimate defense. And they haven't lost at home since...well, forever. I'm not trying to stick up to USC, but an objective look at their situation warrants the conclusion that people expect too much from them because they've blown ppl out the last two years. Their fundamental structure is still strong.

West Virginia on the other hand...no

Are you kidding me? If you're not going to include PSU as legitimate, than you play us and OSU. If you lose to OSU, then by your reasoning, you should not get a BCS bid, correct? I mean, come on. Only two "legitimate" teams on your schedule.

 

[Guest]

Ok, so you play GTech, us and USC. Anyone else on the schedule that's even close to being legitimate?

Glad to hear people saying Nd does not deserve a BCS bid if you lose to USC. So you must oppose the fact that Nd will be guarenteed a BCS game even if they lose by 30 to USC, assuming they take care of business along the way.

Nd cannot score against teams with legitimate defenses. Only 14 against GTech, 21 against us and possibly somewhere in between against USC. The only exception is possibly PSU, but I think they changed their game plan after their humiliation. You can't root for USC and then say you'll kill them at the same time. USC's defense has improved markedly from last year. They have yet to allow a RB to rush for over 100 yards. Even Arkansas. If you asked me, that's pretty impressive. All they need is to hit some deep balls on offense and they'll be fine. I simply cannot see this Nd offense doing anything against a legitimate defense. USC has a legitimate defense. And they haven't lost at home since...well, forever. I'm not trying to stick up to USC, but an objective look at their situation warrants the conclusion that people expect too much from them because they've blown ppl out the last two years. Their fundamental structure is still strong.

West Virginia on the other hand...no

I'm still scratching my head with this one. Our schedule is as good if not better than Michigan's(better IMO). The Big Ten is down this year, its OSU, Michigan and everyone else. If PSU had at least a decent offense I'd put them up there, but they don't. And don't tell me Wisconsin is a good team, obvisouly when you only have two good teams in a conference a third or fourth team will emerge in the rankings because of the droppoff behind OSU, and Michigan.

No credit for our 41 point effert against PSU huh? Yep I guess PSU took that day off on defense yet yet showed up against OSU, and Michigan. Quit being such a homer

 

[lattedatte]

Ok, so you play GTech, us and USC. Anyone else on the schedule that's even close to being legitimate?

Glad to hear people saying Nd does not deserve a BCS bid if you lose to USC. So you must oppose the fact that Nd will be guarenteed a BCS game even if they lose by 30 to USC, assuming they take care of business along the way.

Nd cannot score against teams with legitimate defenses. Only 14 against GTech, 21 against us and possibly somewhere in between against USC. The only exception is possibly PSU, but I think they changed their game plan after their humiliation. You can't root for USC and then say you'll kill them at the same time. USC's defense has improved markedly from last year. They have yet to allow a RB to rush for over 100 yards. Even Arkansas. If you asked me, that's pretty impressive. All they need is to hit some deep balls on offense and they'll be fine. I simply cannot see this Nd offense doing anything against a legitimate defense. USC has a legitimate defense. And they haven't lost at home since...well, forever. I'm not trying to stick up to USC, but an objective look at their situation warrants the conclusion that people expect too much from them because they've blown ppl out the last two years. Their fundamental structure is still strong.

West Virginia on the other hand...no

If we suck so bad then that makes your schedule no better than WVU's... Thanks for clarifying. I mean the B10 blows this year. Wisconsin hasn't beat a single ranked team, really look at their schedule it might be the easiet in america. PSU sucks, MSU sucks, purdue sucks, Zooks suck, Indiana sucks, NW sucks, Iowa sucks....

I mean you scUM fans are rediculous, you are hanging your hat on what then? If ND isnt good then who have you beat. Plus we handed you that game on a silver platter. 5 turnovers, 2 were taken back for 14 points and one other set you up in the red zone. We play you again it would be a different story.

 

[jiggafini19]

You are all going out of your way to encourage these Michigan fans, still coming out to this site and talking garbage and it is almost November. I don't get it.

Follow a page from Coach Tedford's book. Great stuff here:

Tedford still won't talk BCS with Golden Bears
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
October 17, 2006

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- The BCS is still a banned topic at California.

Coach Jeff Tedford prefers to spend his weekdays on simpler concepts -- praising the 11th-ranked Golden Bears' next opponent, or quietly tempering the hype around a high-powered offense that leads the Pac-10 in scoring.

The machinations behind the Bowl Championship Series still hold little public interest for the coach, even after Cal's last-minute denial of a long-awaited return to the Rose Bowl two years ago -- and he doesn't want his players daydreaming ahead to January, either.

When Tedford learned Tuesday that Cal (6-1, 4-0) is No. 10 in the BCS standings after an impressive six-game winning streak leading into Saturday's home game against Washington, it barely registered on his ever-cool countenance.

"I don't know what that means," Tedford said. "We just have to keep playing one week at a time, and see where it ends up. We've been down this road before. It's very important for us to focus on how we play each and every week, so we don't stub our toe."

Indeed, Cal was in a similar position in 2004, when quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the Bears to a 10-1 regular season that still wasn't good enough for the computers and pollsters that determine the BCS slots.

Texas coach Mack Brown publicly lobbied for a BCS bid, while Tedford declined to enter the fray. The Longhorns got the Rose Bowl, and Cal settled for the Holiday Bowl.

Tedford's experience hasn't turned him into a lobbyist -- at least not this early in the fall. He's confident in his achievements, with a fourth straight trip to a bowl game already assured for a school that had reached the postseason just four times in the previous 22 years before he arrived.

But with the addition of a fifth BCS bowl game this season, Tedford's current team has an even better shot at Cal's first postseason trip to Pasadena in 48 years. What's more, if the Bears manage to knock off Southern California in their showdown next month, any prize could be available.

Some of the numbers are simple: Cal is off to its first 4-0 start in Pac-10 play since 1950. The Bears should be heavily favored against four of their final five regular-season opponents, starting with Saturday's visit from the rebuilding Huskies without injured quarterback Isaiah Stanback.

If USC (6-0) stays unbeaten -- and if the Bears can avoid stubbing their toes against Washington, UCLA or Arizona -- before Cal's trip to the Coliseum on Nov. 18, both schools will be in prime position to claim either the automatic bid for the Pac-10 titlist or one of the BCS' at-large spots, most likely a Rose Bowl bid.

Experts and alumni know all about the Bears' chances, but the players claim ignorance beyond scattered reports from their family and friends. That's mostly because of Tedford's rigid influence on his team's mental approach.

"It's fun for fans and alumni to think about, but I really don't think anybody on our team is looking past Washington this week," said quarterback Nate Longshore, who has passed for 976 yards and 11 touchdowns in four conference games. "That's just the way we go about our business here."

 

[VictorsValiant]

Cal is on the outside looking in. They already have one loss and have to play USC on the road. The team they lost to (Tennessee), has a good chance of running the table up until the SEC championship game. If Auburn is the eastern representative, Tennessee can win that game because they have a better offense. So they can run the table. Tennessee, in my opinion, has the best chance of being the one-loss representative in the national championship game.

Wisconsin is legitimate. They have a great running game and an emerging defense. Don't believe me. Just look at their record at the end of the year. They could very well win out, although they might lose to a desperate Iowa team on the road. Of course, they have a minimal chance at a BCS because of their schedule (They don't play OSU this year). If we lose to OSU, we'll go to a BCS since we beat Wisconsin. If we win and OSU loses, then I still give the edge to OSU because they beat Texas.

Nd fans seem to have the Michigan mentality of the past few years. They focus on offense and forget about defense. I guess that's what Charlie Weis brings to the table. But you can't hide a bad defense, ok. It amazes me how people continue to judge USC on their offense, yet totally forget about their much improved defense. Good defense always beats good offense, just as good pitching always beats good hitting in baseball. Even with Reggie Bush, Leinert, 50 recievers and a terrific OL, USC still lost to Texas last year. Somehow, people forget about that, too. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!

 

[jerseyborn1971]

"Even with Reggie Bush, Leinert, 50 recievers and a terrific OL, USC still lost to Texas last year. Somehow, people forget about that, too. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!"

Texas 41 USC 38. Yeah, great defensive game. VINCE YOUNG WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!

 

[jiggafini19]

Yeah.

Don't forget the 12 games both of those teams played before that one.

The Rose Bowl was ONE game. And it was defense that stuck LenDale White on 4th and 1 to get Vince Young the ball back.

Look at the top rated team defenses and where they are at record wise. ND is about as middle tier as they come.

But they all play crappy schedules anyway, so what do I know?

 

[scooper]

V V, we focus on our offense because right now that's what we've got. We'd love to have Michigan's defense, but at the moment we don't. There weren't any Quinns or Harrises or Fasanos or Stovalls or Walkers or Samardjizas sitting around on defense when Charlie took over.

Besides, I don't think anybody here is arguing this to be the best team in the nation. But you don't have to be to be BCS-worthy.

You questioned our schedule and what it would mean based on our schedule to be a one loss team. I ask again what it means if you lose to OSU. Show me the major differential in schedules.

Using current standings and projections, there are three BCS teams on ND's schedule. UM, GT, and USC. There's a good chance it ends up that way. The most BCS teams UM can end up with is two. ND and OSU.

I'm not going down the road of what if's and try to play down your win over us. It was a butt whooping. But please don't come in here and try to talk down ND's BCS worthiness based on schedule. There are some pastries. But there are a few very strong teams and a handful of middle of the road teams. I we go 11-1 against it, that is absolutely BCS-worthy.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Texas played no one and everybody scored on USC. Defense does wins championships, but it is not an absolute truth that teams with high-powered offenses and mediocre defenses can't win championships.

Unfortunately ND's offense isn't high powered enough and the defense is absolutely mediocre. A top 5 finish would be great for this team.

 

[lattedatte]

Anybody that believes Defense wins championships in college football is foolish. It's all about big plays and athletes. I mean if you have a putred defense, that's one thing but an average defense and a great offense will win more game in the current college game then the vice versa.

Wisky might be legit but they only play one team and lost and their non-conference is worse than any current ranked team:
Sept. 2, 2006 at Bowling Green W 35-14 1-0 -5.5
Sept. 9, 2006 Western Illinois W 34-10 2-0
Sept. 16, 2006 San Diego St. W 14-0 3-0 -7
Sept. 23, 2006 at Michigan L 27-13 3-1 (0-1) +7
Sept. 30, 2006 at Indiana W 52-17 4-1 (1-1) -6.5
Oct. 7, 2006 Northwestern W 41-9 5-1 (2-1) -20.5
Oct. 14, 2006 Minnesota W 48-12 6-1 (3-1) -8
Oct. 21, 2006 at Purdue 11:00 am CT -6
Oct. 28, 2006 Illinois 11:00 am CT
Nov. 4, 2006 Penn State TBA
Nov. 11, 2006 at Iowa TBA
Nov. 18, 2006 Buffalo TBA

 

[jiggafini19]

Texas beat everyone they played.

Best football stat ever: W

 

[lattedatte]

Texas beat everyone they played.

Best football stat ever: W

no doubt.

 

[jiggafini19]

If you went up to Vince Young and told him Texas didn't beat anyone last year, I think he'd probably tell you to kiss his championship ring or kiss his ass.

When did the definition of UNDEFEATED suddenly change?

Every time I ask this question, I never get an answer: Find me a team in the top 25 that has played a "tough" schedule. I want to see it.

An argument can be made for every single team in America, for or against.

You know my opinion on this already. No one anywhere is playing a tough schedule. Maybe the Portage Park Orange Crush in Chicago, but that's only because they're 11 and 12 years old playing high school teams.

I think they can take Stanford and UNC, though.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I was talking about the whole "Defense wins championships" idea. The Longhorns didn't play any offensive juggernauts until the championship. Vince Young won their championship, not some unstoppable defense. Stopping one play on 4-1 and giving up 38 points doesn't mean your defense won the championship for you. 5 teams put up more than 20 points on Texas last year.

Balance wins championships. Either a great defense and an adequate offense or vice-versa.

Wasn't even talking about schedules or the definition of "unbeaten". They deserved to be National Champions and few were happier than I that night. I'm just saying they won because of their offense and Vince Young, NOT their defense.

 

[jiggafini19]

That's why he should have won the Heisman, not the part time utility player with the free house in the Subway commercials.

Texas had a very good defense last year. Throughout a 13 game schedule, you need to have an above average defense to contend for a national title. Look at the last ten who have won and I'm sure you'll find they ranked at the top statistically and had as much NFL talent as Coral Gables has felonies.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

That's why he should have won the Heisman, not the part time utility player with the free house in the Subway commercials.

Texas had a very good defense last year. Throughout a 13 game schedule, you need to have an above average defense to contend for a national title. Look at the last ten who have won and I'm sure you'll find they ranked at the top statistically and had as much NFL talent as Coral Gables has felonies.

True, true and very true.