Fiesta Bowl Open Thread
I am just going to go ahead and throw this one up here now since it is now 37-35 Wisky in the Rose Bowl and nobody in that game is playing all that hard on defense. I have the audio at least, so I can hear everything that is going on.
We've got Stanford (11-1) versus Oklahome State (11-1). If there was a game that almost should be the MNC but isn't, this one is probably the one if only because it is NOT a rematch. That would probably be the only reason though.
In all honesty, I do think Oklahoma State was hosed during bowl selections, but there's nothing to be done about it now - I went OSU (NTOSU) in this one. I like Luck, I think his draft stock is pretty high, but Gundy has a point to prove, and he is over 40 and a man, damnit.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:26 PM ^
A rush is not a gentle canter. If you're going to do it, just rush Andrew Luck.
EDIT: INT Oklahoma State. Right idea, wrong person.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:27 PM ^
Who's everyone rooting for? (The correct answer is Stanford).
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:40 PM ^
Offense!
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^
"It’s strength versus weakness on both sides of the ball, but it’s the weakness who is stronger is the team who will prevail."
Thank you, Matt Millen, for constantly reminding the world that you should stay away from the game of football.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:34 PM ^
just "take away the numbers and look at their characters".
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:39 PM ^
It's a perfectly cromulent explanation
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:41 PM ^
Now I have to look up "cromulent"
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:43 PM ^
"That was a clean, hard hit. No helmet to helment. Just a good aggressive play."
(replay reveals helmet to helmet hit)
(PAUSE)
"I still liked it..."
Matt Millen: College Football Assault Advocate
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^
I heard that drivel, too. And I am less intelligent as a result. Stupid Millen.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:38 PM ^
Wow...this Ok ST D is god awful. Stanford having little trouble moving the ball.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:38 PM ^
The only thing Matt Millen likes better than a helmet-to-helmet hit...
...is a dead-ball helmet-to-helmet hit
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:39 PM ^
seriously millen wtf are you talking about
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:43 PM ^
...are obviously very bright young women.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:45 PM ^
Hey Stanford, you may want to find OK States best receiver and the nations top receiver in your coverage.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:49 PM ^
Knocking down your own KR guy in the end zone. It's exactly how every coach envisions the genesis of a drive.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:51 PM ^
That was classic. Those Stanford kids are heady.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:56 PM ^
Blackmon is a beast.
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:08 PM ^
Just wondering why there have been about a hundred plugs for Wednesdays game but not a single one for the sugar just curious
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^
Ok state, the rose bowl, Baylor-wash, and just about every PAC 12 and big 12(9) makes me realize how much I hate what college football is evolving into. I guess I am old fashioned, but I like a game that has balance between offense and defense. That msu-Georgia game was infinitely more enjoyable to me than any 55-52 shootout.
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:31 PM ^
makes me understand why we're so hard after another elite DB. With today's offenses, you need tough guys who can stay close to receivers and tackle immediately. Teams have always needed this, but the explosion of offensive strategy means more guys "left alone in space" (though I'm beginning to hate that phrase).
Needs Reeves
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:14 PM ^
....becomes 1st and 10. If nothing else, we are below pace for the Rose Bowl, and therefore below the Alamo Bowl pace.
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:16 PM ^
No don't cut away, I don't think we've terrified her with the camera enough yet.
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:19 PM ^
Sure are having some extremely competitve BCS games so far. Hopefully that trend ends tomorrow and Michigan is up 35 at the end of the first quarter!
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^
Mike Gundy is my cousin... Enough said
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:38 PM ^
it's better than the godaddy bowl
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:52 PM ^
@mgoblog mgoblog
If you took Blackmon's pants off what's the chance you'll see Chan Gailey's head just hovering there? Like 83%, right?
What's Brian referring to?
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:28 PM ^
I'm assuming oral sex...
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
He says the stupidest things.
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:44 PM ^
I'll say this - Blackmon needs to end up on the Lions so Stafford can have 500 yds/gm.
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:46 PM ^
Brian is probably loving this game. Okie State has a 2:1 disadvantage in time of possession but the game is tied.
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:48 PM ^
All defenses decided to take an off-day at their bowls this year. Lets just play basketball on grass! /s
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:49 PM ^
Bowl season has been hell for anyone who loves defense.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:21 AM ^
The situation is analogous to when no one could stop the 49ers once Walsh took the West Coast Offense to the NFL. Existing defensive schemes just had no answers. Pretty much all defensive thinking in the last 25 years or so has been optimizing to stop the West Coast or a standard pro set offense (with the clear exceptions of Frank Beamer and Jeff Casteel).
When a really high-functioning innovative offense (OkSt, Oregon, Baylor, 2010 Auburn, even this year's Houston) is clicking, the only way a defense can consistently stop them is if they significantly better athletes than the offense they're facing. That's why OSU (YTOSU), LSU and Auburn exposed Oregon a bit in the past couple of years -- recruiting the best defensive athletes in the country, especially at D line and in the secondary helps tremendously.
But it's also why Cam Newton has had such an unbelievable rookie season. His superior athleticism and mastery of spread option concepts allow him to chew up huge chunks of yards against defenses used to defending Peyton Manning. And when Tebow has been successful, it's because the NFL isn't good at defending the ZRO when run by a player who can actually complete a pass sometimes (as opposed to a Wildcat option).
The wheels are going to turn, and defense will rise back up again in 3-5 years, at which point more offensive innovation will come, too. The NFL had all kinds of silly offensive records this year, not because defenses have gotten worse, but because the offenses have gotten a lot smarter and better. The Packers, the Lions, the Patriots, the Saints, and the Bengals are all in the playoffs this year solely because of their unbelievably good, very hard to defend offenses and in spite of their dreadful defenses. The Ravens, Texans, Niners and Steelers are in because of extremely good defense and fairly wretched offense. And the Giants and Broncos are in because someone had to go from their awful divisions.
That's just where we are in the cycle. Defense will be back. But 2011 is an offensive year. Making it all the more impressive that Michigan's improved so much.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:47 AM ^
...it reminds me of the early 70s when Nebraska and Oklahoma were playing 35-31 games and everyone thought the wishbone was unstoppable because it gave the offense an "extra blocker".
It wasn't, eventually. But it took a while to figure out.
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:57 PM ^
O/U on remaining TDs to be scored in regulation combined: 3.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:03 AM ^
At least. Lots of time left for Stanford to tie.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:04 AM ^
I mean lots of time for Stanford to win.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:04 AM ^
Look completely unenthusiastic.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:05 AM ^
A tumbleweed blowing across a desert in my mind. Where is everyone?
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:06 AM ^
I you're mike Gundy- why not surprise onside kick there with 235 left? You know you can't stop them so why not try to keep control of the ball? Mathlete says surprise onside is 65% successful...
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:14 AM ^
...but it was worth considering anyway.
It might have been an even better call at some point earlier, when it would have been even less expected. I couldn't believe nobody tried in in the Alamo.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:10 AM ^
We understand, you want to carry his children. Now let us watch the damn game in peace.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:12 AM ^
No kidding. They might as well get in the huddle and blow him.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:13 AM ^
THIS ONE'S FOR ALL THE DERPTITOS.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:13 AM ^
Not sure I'd place the fate of the game on a FG. We already saw how that worked for Richt.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:17 AM ^
Ten yards shorter and a more accurate kicker. 11 of 12 wasn't terrible odds--I would have run one more play and shortened the kick by a few yards but I can see why he didn't want to throw it around.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:15 AM ^
Hooray! Now time for more offense!
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:15 AM ^
Anyone know who's calling the Sugar Bowl?