West Va - Ohio State title game: Does anyone like this?

[solo]

Although I enjoyed watching LSU lose to Arkansas this past weekend, we now have to deal with the strong possibility of Sweater Vest and his Buckeye's taking on No Class Rodriguez and his Mountaineers for all the marbles. Does anyone really want to see this game?

How ironic. Two of the weaker conferences (this year) will more than likely send the 2 finalists to the title game while the stronger conferences get locked out. I think the top 2 or even possibly 3 SEC teams would beat either WVU or OSU.

 

[johnnd05]

Ugh. If I have to watch the Suckeyes in another NC game I think I'm going to gouge my eyes out. PLEASE let Mizzou win next weekend ...

 

[jonesman]

I want WV vs Missouri for two reasons. First the BCS is praying this does not happen because the national audience will be nill. This will further push us toward a playoff, since the BCS does not want sponsors getting pissed over bad match-ups for the title game. Second, I want to see USC v OSU. I believe USC is on a mission now that they are healthy and this will be two years in a row of bowl beatdowns for Jimmy and his boyz. I will easily root for the Poodle over Tressel. Do not be fooled by the little sweater vest and tie, he is an evil little man.

 

[NDSMC78]

Ugh. If I have to watch the Suckeyes in another NC game I think I'm going to gouge my eyes out. PLEASE let Mizzou win next weekend ...

I couldn't agree more. OSU should not be rewarded for scheduling Youngstown St., Akron, Washington and Kent St. Hopefully, Missouri and WVU will both win this Saturday.

 

[JeremyND07]

I could not agree more!!! OSU had trouble with Ill spread offense...Mizzo or WVU would destroy them!!!!! Mizzo vs WVU would be a great high scoring game!!! I also think USC will make OSU look REALLY bad!!! USC and Georgia are the (2) hotest teams right now...I hate saying that but USC is going to be tough next year!!!!

 

[daytonirish]

I don't really care what game TOSU plays in as long as they get blown away agian this year. I love it when the local media is at all the bars before the BCS games and shows the TOSU fans going nuts and then go back at halftime and the places are empty. Puts a big smile on my face and a warm spot in my heart.

 

[Steve]

i wouldn't mind seeing west virginia in the title game. they're fun to watch.

 

[solo]

I could not agree more!!! OSU had trouble with Ill spread offense...Mizzo or WVU would destroy them!!!!! Mizzo vs WVU would be a great high scoring game!!! I also think USC will make OSU look REALLY bad!!! USC and Georgia are the (2) hotest teams right now...I hate saying that but USC is going to be tough next year!!!!

Next year will be the opposite of this year. This year we had no dominant teams. Next year, I think we may have 4-5 dominant teams. USC, GA, and OK are all going to be phenomenal next year. West VA and Ohio State could possibly be added to that list too.

 

[Sureal]

Next year will be the opposite of this year. This year we had no dominant teams. Next year, I think we may have 4-5 dominant teams. USC, GA, and OK are all going to be phenomenal next year. West VA and Ohio State could possibly be added to that list too.

After this year I'm weary on predicting who will be dominant in the coming years. I thought SC defense would be dominant. They are good but injuries, injuries, injuries... There are a lot of factors that come into place with a season. But on paper OSU, OK does look strong for next year...

 

[Freeman Ara]

Personally I hate seeing OSU in the title game but if they get there against WVU I think they get smoked which is always nice. Think they looked slow last year against UF after the 2 month wait? Wait until they see White, Slaton, Devine, and Renoud(sp?)

 

[SoCalDomer]

Good discussion. The only reason I would want OSU in the final is to rub it in the noses of all the ESPN peeps who poo poo everyone except the SEC and USC. But I wouldn't mind a WV v Missouri, even if I don't care about the outcome. All of the schools and conferences agree to this format for determining who should play in the NC.

If the big conferences thought they were setting the system up to reward themselves, then they get what they deserve.

I am excited Hawaii looks to get a big bowl berth, except that if they play someone like LSU, they may not fare well. But remember Boise v OK last year. Hawaii playing in another major bowl like Boise last year is another slap in the face of the big conferences.

Maybe these two should be merged. http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/leprechaun-lounge/28700-national-championship-bcs-scenarios.html

 

[Moostache]

If MU-WVU ends up as the BCS title game they may need to have a back-up scoreboard ready because those two teams will light it up big time. It would be a contrast of styles (spread to run vs. spread to throw) that usually makes for a great match-up. Neither team features a very imposing defense either, so you'd likely end up with a final score in the high 40's for each team....

I am stunned that defenses are utterly incapable of stopping these spread offenses with any kind of regularity. I guess Mizzou stopped KU's version fairly well in the first half of their game but they could not keep it going. The one thing that is utterly unmistakeable though is the value of an experienced QB to run ANY system. With the exception of Bradford at OU, there are not very many top-10 teams that feature a freshman QB (and NONE that feature a team-leading freshman QB, freshman HB and freshman WR)!

Given the craziness of this season and the expected maturation of ND's players and incoming talent to augment them, I fully expect a return to the last couple of year's results as soon as next season.

2005 - 9-3
2006 - 10-3
2007 - 3-9
2008 - ?????

*why do so many people seem to assume that a 7- or 8-game turn around is impossible for next year? Hell, we already showed that a 7-game drop-off IS possible!

 

[SoCalDomer]

The one thing that is utterly unmistakeable though is the value of an experienced QB to run ANY system.

Excellent point.

by Mike Huguenin
Rivals.com College Football Editor

Down-and-out Ducks

Less than two weeks ago, the Ducks were in excellent shape to not only win the Pac-10, but head to New Orleans for the title game.

Without QB Dennis Dixon, who was injured and lost for the season in the Nov. 15 loss at Arizona, the Ducks were shut out at UCLA on Saturday. They managed just 148 yards of offense -- on 78 plays -- in falling 16-0. It was the first time the Ducks were blanked in coach Mike Bellotti's 13 seasons.

"The shutout does not bother me," Bellotti said. "The loss bothers me very much."

Oregon committed four turnovers, and QBs Brady Leaf, Cody Kempt and Justin Roper combined to go 11-of-39 for 105 yards and three interceptions against the Bruins.

Kempt and Roper had been the scout-team quarterbacks before injuries to Dixon, Leaf (who left in the first half Saturday with an injured ankle) and Nathan Costa in the past month.

Playing three inexperienced QB's in one game, less than 200 yards of offense sounds familiar. Remember what happened to UCLA when their expereinced QB went down?

Even though Oregon lost their starting, experienced, playmaker QB, there's no reason they should have such little success. It's not like they lost all their talent and experience at the other positions and had to start new RB's new WR's and all new OL and DL. But I think this shows just how much losing a QB (oh say like Brady Quinn) can do to an offense.

 

[daytonirish]

SoCalDomer, have to agree with your thinking on the big picture on Oregon. But I can guarantee that not one sports writer will see it that way. Losing Dixon gives Oregon all the excuses they want. It might not work that way for N.D. but you will not here a peep from anyone at espn or anywhere else say that Oregon did not play up to their capabilities agianst ucla. It all happened because they were playing with an inexperenced qb.

 

[Moostache]

SoCalDomer, have to agree with your thinking on the big picture on Oregon. But I can guarantee that not one sports writer will see it that way. Losing Dixon gives Oregon all the excuses they want. It might not work that way for N.D. but you will not here a peep from anyone at espn or anywhere else say that Oregon did not play up to their capabilities agianst ucla. It all happened because they were playing with an inexperenced qb.

The used douchebags at Eternally Self-Promoting Network wouldn't know inciteful analysis if it bite them square in the ass.

If even rudimentary journalistic integrity still existed, ESPN is doing everything possible to stamp it out and posion the earth to prevent it from ever sprouting again...

 

[Tennesseeirish]

I could not agree more!!! OSU had trouble with Ill spread offense...Mizzo or WVU would destroy them!!!!! Mizzo vs WVU would be a great high scoring game!!! I also think USC will make OSU look REALLY bad!!! USC and Georgia are the (2) hotest teams right now...I hate saying that but USC is going to be tough next year!!!!

West Virginia would DESTROY tOSU. They have wayyyyyy too much speed!! It will be WVU and Mizzou!!

 

[solo]

If MU-WVU ends up as the BCS title game they may need to have a back-up scoreboard ready because those two teams will light it up big time. It would be a contrast of styles (spread to run vs. spread to throw) that usually makes for a great match-up. Neither team features a very imposing defense either, so you'd likely end up with a final score in the high 40's for each team....

I am stunned that defenses are utterly incapable of stopping these spread offenses with any kind of regularity. I guess Mizzou stopped KU's version fairly well in the first half of their game but they could not keep it going. The one thing that is utterly unmistakeable though is the value of an experienced QB to run ANY system. With the exception of Bradford at OU, there are not very many top-10 teams that feature a freshman QB (and NONE that feature a team-leading freshman QB, freshman HB and freshman WR)!

Given the craziness of this season and the expected maturation of ND's players and incoming talent to augment them, I fully expect a return to the last couple of year's results as soon as next season.

2005 - 9-3
2006 - 10-3
2007 - 3-9
2008 - ?????

*why do so many people seem to assume that a 7- or 8-game turn around is impossible for next year? Hell, we already showed that a 7-game drop-off IS possible!

I assume that a huge turnaround is not possible because we did not see the team progress at all this year. We were pretty much the same bad football team at seasons end as we were in the beginning. Still dropping passes, missing blocks, whiffing on tackles, giving up sacks, making mental mistakes, etc. With a young team you should see incremental progress game by game. We saw jack.

Combine that with Weis acting like he doesn't know what the problem is and that gives me very little hope for the future. You watched this team. You know what the problems are. Why doesn't Weis?

 

[MirageSmack]

Damn Solo. How do you enjoy football with such a negative outlook? This post is the same as all your others. IMO, I see good upside to next season.

 

[solo]

Damn Solo. How do you enjoy football with such a negative outlook? This post is the same as all your others. IMO, I see good upside to next season.

I am the board eyore. When it comes to ND football, I am the ultimate pessimist. I've had my heart shattered too many times by the likes of Faust, Davie, Willingham, and now Weis to be optimistic about anything ND football related.

I won't be a believer in Weis until he beats a really good team and stops getting blown out so frequently.

PS...My only enjoyment this year came from watching all the upsets as well as my 2nd favorite team (VT, my alma mater). ND football brought me absolutely no happiness this year other than the excitement before the first game.

 

[Buckslife171]

West Virginia would DESTROY tOSU. They have wayyyyyy too much speed!! It will be WVU and Mizzou!!

That speed you talk about is on the offense only. WV defense has given up alot of points all year and are very one dimensional. OSU will be able to score and don't underestimate them especially after the last 2 losses. The players and coaches will be ready to play whoever they meet. The difference between Illinois this year and Florida last year is the WV doesnt have a defense like those 2 teams. By far OSU would be the best defense that WV would play against. Remember Miami in 2002 average 60 points a game they loss. Defense wins championship..

 

[solo]

The sad part is that we may never really know how good WVU is. They played exactly one good team and got beat by them. And that team lost 3 games. I bet GA, LSU, FL, OK and USC would all be undefeated and in the title game if they had West VA's schedule. And if WVU played any of those teams, they would probably be underdogs in every game.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Although I enjoyed watching LSU lose to Arkansas this past weekend, we now have to deal with the strong possibility of Sweater Vest and his Buckeye's taking on No Class Rodriguez and his Mountaineers for all the marbles. Does anyone really want to see this game?

How ironic. Two of the weaker conferences (this year) will more than likely send the 2 finalists to the title game while the stronger conferences get locked out. I think the top 2 or even possibly 3 SEC teams would beat either WVU or OSU.

I'd rather see Missou play Georgia.

That would surely upset the Apple cart.