Afternoon Bowl Games Thread

Submitted by Kevin C on December 29th, 2023 at 11:57 AM

At noon, we have a meteor game (Clemson vs Kentucky).

At 2pm, we get to watch one of our favorite teams, the team that is playing Notre Dame (Oregon State, in this case).

At 3:30, the shrinking cadre of Matt Campbell fans will be able to watch Iowa State play Memphis.

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Amazinblu

December 29th, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^

With opt outs, these games can be entertaining and full of surprises.  I thought the USC game vs Louisville provided insights to Caleb Williams.

I’ll be interested in how SEC teams play - based on their competition.

Joined: 01/22/2010

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LSAClassOf2000

December 29th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^

Clemson fans must be dying inside, playing in a meaningless game and for nothing in particular.

Well, that was much of their history before Dabo, and even for part of his tenure to date. How short, the memory of the average sports fan....when it is convenient for such things to be short.

Joined: 01/07/2011

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three_honks

December 29th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^

The era of rooting for the underdog against Clemson may be coming to an end.  

After 6 straight CFP appearances from 2015-2020, they've missed out in the last three, and weren't anywhere close to consideration this year.

Maybe they're just in a slump, but I suspect the days of Clemson as a surefire Top 5 program are over.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/clemson/index.html

Joined: 11/13/2023

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goblue2121

December 29th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^

I've seen 4 or 5 Clemson games this year and Klubnik has looked mediocre in most of them.  Garrett Riley doesn't appear to be the qb whisperer that his brother is. He's only a sophomore so still has time to make the leap but I don't see the nation's 5 star #2 qb prospect hype yet.

Joined: 06/06/2009

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MaizeBlueA2

December 29th, 2023 at 1:35 PM ^

I've seen Klubnik in person and he's very average. He's a Wilton Speight level QB with a 5* rating.

He is also kind of "different" like Speight in that he whines about EVERYTHING and carries himself like he's a QB and that should mean something to you. Opposite of McCarthy.

I've heard he really doesn't have the locker room like the past Clemson QBs.

"he's not good enough to move like he moves" was the quote.

Joined: 11/06/2018

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drjaws

December 29th, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^

Kentucky looks good. Clemson not so much.

i hope ND loses by 45

living in Ohio, I’ll probably go to the bar in my Michigan hoodie and hat and actively root for Mizzou. A little salt in the wound for the locals

Joined: 02/26/2014

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MaizeBlueA2

December 29th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^

Why is Clemson/Kentucky a meteor game?

Clemson is pretty harmless these days...Kentucky is trash and cheats for 7-5, but I actually appreciate that they kind of weed out most the guys who I think wouldn't be a great fit for Michigan (Deone Walker is NOT one of those guys).

Joined: 11/06/2018

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Michfan777

December 29th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^

Not a bowl game, but all of UTSAs defense is mostly transferring out now as we speak.

I really fucking hate what NIL has done and how this sport has been destroyed in the past decade. I just want Michigan to win this year because I’m rapidly losing interest in CFB - and all college sports. Its wrecking the mid-majors and and turning them into farm teams for the good P5 teams.

What I wouldn’t do for the NFL to create a D league so it could suck up all the pro talent from the get-go and turn college sports back into college sports. Simultaneously, I can’t wait for the Big Ten and SEC to finally break away from the NCAA all together and end the charade of student athletes.

Joined: 10/10/2018

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MaizeBlueA2

December 29th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^

It's time to blow it up and start over on the football side.

We have to peel out the 40, 50, 60 teams at the top and create a separate league for them. Take whoever is left and add some FCS teams to create a new FBS that reverses course.

I'm ready to root for Michigan in this new league, but I think I would really enjoy finding a 2nd team to root for at the 2nd tier level.

I've already started following Charlotte a little bit for the time that day comes (and did before Biff got there). It sucks now because they have a 0.00% chance to build a national championship program.

...but what if the top 50 left? I think they could build a program that would get to the CFP and compete for a national title (at their "FBS" level).

 

I don't see why not...plenty of people root for an NFL team and then a college team.

Why not have your NFL team, your Division 0 team (Michigan), and your new FBS team that you root for?

Joined: 11/06/2018

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bronxblue

December 29th, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^

These are definitely 2 teams playing college football because they have nothing better to do.

I don't think there's been a team better protected by the mediocrity of their conference in recent years quite like Clemson.  Since Lawrence left they've somehow won 10, 11, and 8-9 games despite being what I can charitably call "ass" on offense.

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Kevin C

December 29th, 2023 at 3:19 PM ^

Does Clemson even know how to play defense?  With 4 minutes left and a 1 point lead, they fall for play-action so badly that nobody is within 30 yards of the TE.

They are making me appreciate Jesse Minter.

Joined: 08/05/2008

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waittilnextyear

December 29th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^

The lazy thing about that hit piece of a graphic is "JJ's dropoff in performance" included games against PSU, anOSU, Maryland, Iowa...surely the Stalions hypothesis makes infinitely more sense than Michigan just...you know...playing much tougher opposition?  And JJ not being healthy on top?  I mean, the 49-0 hamblasting of MSU in East Lansing right after the Stalions story broke where JJ threw 4 TDs supports his little crusade, right?  Think of the children!

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