Alabama v Boise State

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November 27th, 2010 at 9:32 PM
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MGlobules
Joined: 11/17/2008
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Alabama v Boise State

After watching Alabama fold like a cheap suit against Auburn yesterday, I woke up to a variety of news stories (and posts here) claiming that that matchup had PROVED that Boise and other lesser-conference squads did not deserve to play in the championship game.

Granted, Boise State is removed from the championship picture. But tonight they are being derided as a team who collapsed when Auburn scored 25 unanswered points on ALABAMA in Bryant-Denny stadium last night.

What is the difference between the two collapses? And how does the SEC game prove that less-heralded conferences are undeserving? Didn't Utah beat the TAR out of Alabama in a bowl just two years ago? And why, for god's sakes, are B10 and Michigan fans drinking the SEC kool-aid?

(I'm not saying that the major conferences don't tend to be better top to bottom, btw. I'm just wondering whether people are so susceptible to the media hype--especially from the likes of Danielson and CBS Sports--that they can't accept that there are at least a FEW nuances to this debate.) 

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November 27th, 2010 at 9:35 PM | Dude. (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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The current Alabama team would absolutely destroy Boise State.

November 27th, 2010 at 9:41 PM | No (Score:1)
Ziff72
Joined: 07/07/2008
MGoPoints: 5142

BSU has a whole team of Seniors no one would blow them out and Alabama isn't all that great this year.

November 27th, 2010 at 9:53 PM | Boise is a legit top 25 team, (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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Boise is a legit top 25 team, but I really don't think they have a chance of competing with a team that is obviously more talented at almost every position. 

Losing to Nevada was a blessing in disguise for them.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:01 PM | bama's offense doesn't look that great (Score:1)
koolaid
Joined: 10/31/2009
MGoPoints: 227

Watching the Auburn game, they clearly could not move the ball in the second half against a defense that gave up 26 against Arkansas State, 24 against Chattanooga, 34 to Kentucky, etc.  Boise would definitely stand a chance against Bama

November 27th, 2010 at 10:14 PM | I thikn the biggest problem (Score:1)
maizedandconfused
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I thikn the biggest problem Boise would face would be the Bama DL.. something tells me the protection would be a problem, and those running lanes would be... narrowed. Not to mention, Ingram vs almost anyone on the Boise D would be an exceptional mismatch

On the fifth night—possibly the sixth—a breeze arose.
It was cool and dewy.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:20 PM | In the second half, the (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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In the second half, the Auburn defense sure didn't play like a team giving up that many points to sub-par competition. They took away Julio Jones and knocked McElroy out of the game. 

Of course Boise would have a chance, but I believe it's somewhere around 5%

November 28th, 2010 at 12:42 AM | NC (Score:1)
Ziff72
Joined: 07/07/2008
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They don't deserve a NC shot, but come on Oregon, Oklahoma, V. Tech etc...   They have proved they can hang with the big boys in a 1 game scenario and despite the loss this is their best team.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:11 PM | Agreed, Boise is one hell of (Score:1)
RowoneEndzone
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Agreed, Boise is one hell of a team, but they would not make it through the bigten, sec, or pac10 season unscathed.  Personally I would have loved to se Wisc. destroy them in the rose bowl.

"Wasn't that Michigan drive just great.  That's like Patton riding into Berlin." ~Bob Ufer

November 27th, 2010 at 10:20 PM | Speaking of "talented" (Score:1)
bighouseinmate
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Texas was more talented than every team they faced this year and were beat by seven of them. Talent doesn't win games, and although Alabama has a ton of talent, they aren't quite the team they were last year either.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:22 PM | True, but (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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The Alabama defense is still an extremely well coached group. Love him or hate him, Saban is head and shoulders above Mack Brown et al.

November 27th, 2010 at 11:18 PM | Since when is Nick Saban (Score:1)
RickH
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Since when is Nick Saban "head and shoulders above Mack Brown"?  I doubt you would've said that last year when Texas was in the national championship game (and while Saban won, I wouldn't think he was vastly superior to Brown because of one win).

November 27th, 2010 at 9:50 PM | Just like (Score:1)
Eat Your Wheatlies
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Utah in 08? Thats why they play the games. Its ignorant to say that they would get destroyed.

November 27th, 2010 at 9:57 PM | 2008 Utah>>2010 Boise State (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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2008 Utah>>2010 Boise State

November 27th, 2010 at 10:08 PM | maybe so; it's the unequivocal assumption (Score:1)
MGlobules
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of Alabama and the SEC's superiority that I object to. We should know better. A healthy UT and they weren't champs, either. 

November 27th, 2010 at 10:28 PM | Agreed. (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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I think the SEC superiority argument is mostly rubbish. However, second tier SEC teams seem to benefit from this more than ones at the top.  

November 27th, 2010 at 10:15 PM | How do you figure? Because (Score:1)
joeyb
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How do you figure? Because 2008 Utah didn't lose to 2010 Nevada?

November 27th, 2010 at 10:37 PM | Because 2008 MWC>>2010 (Score:1)
aaamichfan
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Because 2008 MWC>>2010 WAC

Boise's move to the Mountain West next year will be very telling. I really don't see them making it through their conference schedule unscathed anymore.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:56 PM | Remember there will be no (Score:1)
MaizeyBlue
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Remember there will be no Utah, and no BYU.  Both are leaving the WAC.  Its really too bad because that would have given the Mtn West conference, I think, some credibility.

Hopefully they put that Boise v TCU matchup later in the season!

UM 2001-2005

November 27th, 2010 at 11:22 PM | Because how good a team is, (Score:1)
RickH
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Because how good a team is, is solely based off of their conference.  Both teams have beaten 'better conference' teams.  What about other teams in the BCS too?  Like West Virginia.

November 27th, 2010 at 11:19 PM | Where do you get this from? (Score:1)
RickH
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Where do you get this from?  There is no way of proving it (unless you count the difference of one regular season loss).  Both teams are legitimate contenders and could play with anybody in the country.

November 27th, 2010 at 11:05 PM | I watched both games straight (Score:1)
08mms
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I watched both games straight through and the BSU-Nevada game was shockingly worse. 

November 27th, 2010 at 9:37 PM | Is that you Chris Del Conte? (Score:1)
mGrowOld
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Is that you Chris Del Conte?

 

 

November 27th, 2010 at 9:41 PM | Strength of Schedule Sample (Score:1)
nazooq
Joined: 07/09/2009
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* Strength of Schedule

* Sample Size

I'll let you fill in the blanks.

November 27th, 2010 at 9:42 PM | Time to play "Name that Boise State Opponent" (Score:1)
Muttley
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Highlight below for the answer
Nevada

November 27th, 2010 at 10:06 PM | not a coherent (Score:1)
MGlobules
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reply. 

November 27th, 2010 at 9:52 PM | I will never........ (Score:1)
bighouseinmate
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......drink the SEC koolaid. They have had years and years of elevated status that is not necessarily deserved. In most years, the B10 plays several of them in bowl games and overall, the record between the conferences is quite even. Oftentimes, the SEC plays other teams, including those from non-BCS schools, and doesn't fare all that better than the other conferences do. Alabama DID get destroyed by Utah a couple years ago. Georgia DID get smacked around pretty good by WVU a few years ago.

To me, by stating in absolute that the SEC is better than every other conference, every year, is disregarding what happens in the bowl games when they face non-SEC competition. It also completely disregards the fact that their OOC schedules are littered with the south's version of the MAC, as well as the FCS schools they play, yet all we here about is that their schedules require "bringing it" week-in and week-out. Horsesh*t!

I seriously hope that Oregon plays a complete game in the MNC and thumps the livin' sh*t outta Auburn.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:05 PM | Florida has not traveled out of state for an OOC game, (Score:1)
MGlobules
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in the regular season, since 1991. Happy to see them pasted by FSU today. 

November 28th, 2010 at 12:38 AM | SEC is murderous (Score:1)
Blumanji
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The football down here is so good. I went to the Alabama-Florida game and it blew my mind, I could barely keep up with it. I'm so glad I moved down here so I could enjoy real football. There are no off weeks and everyone is a rival, it's so cool.

/s

At least they REALLY hate Lane Kiffin down here

O-H-You-SUCK

November 27th, 2010 at 10:20 PM | Danger for Alabama (Score:1)
DaytonBlue
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would be the let down of having to play BSU.  Kind of like Oklahoma a few years back.  Having to play the smurfs means you didn't get the prize.

November 27th, 2010 at 11:24 PM | Before last night, Boise (Score:1)
RickH
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Before last night, Boise State was closer to 'the prize'.

November 27th, 2010 at 10:45 PM | MGlo (Score:1)
Dallas Wolverine
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My wife is a big Florida State fan and we were real happy to see that ass kicking today as well.

GMW

November 27th, 2010 at 11:16 PM | CBS has financial reasons to (Score:1)
wildbackdunesman
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CBS has financial reasons to support the SEC.  However, their main point is that it is far more difficult and physically taxing to play 8 games in the SEC where week in and week out you are playing a big physical team as opposed to the WAC where most of your conference is ranked 80th or worse.

According to Sagarin, Boise State had to play 1 conference opponent ranked in the top 30.  That is far different than an SEC team and therefore, an SEC team is more deserving.

I actually agree with that line of thinking.  Boise is a good team, but with the system we have I'll take an SEC team with the same record over a WAC or MW team.

November 27th, 2010 at 11:22 PM | The issue is (Score:1)
jblaze
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that the SEC by definition of being in the SEC is highly ranked, regarless. Alabama clearly isn't a top 25 team, yet was ranked in the top 25 for the year, because they are in the SEC.

"They're stuck with that quarterback (sophomore Braxton Miller) for the next two or three years, that's fine with me. He throws worse than (Tim) Tebow. - Steve Everitt

November 28th, 2010 at 11:53 AM | You honestly don't think that (Score:1)
wildbackdunesman
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You honestly don't think that Alabama is a top-25 team?  Really?

November 27th, 2010 at 11:31 PM | Well according to Sagarin, (Score:1)
RickH
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Well according to Sagarin, the Big10 sucks every damn season, including worse than the Big East and ACC in most seasons (like last season, where Cincinnati and Pittsburgh were the top of the Big East and Cincinnati got destroyed).

November 28th, 2010 at 12:12 PM | Are you arguing that the WAC (Score:1)
wildbackdunesman
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Are you arguing that the WAC is on the same or similar level to the SEC?

 

EDIT:  Lets look at Massey's rankings then, Auburn will have to play 7 conference games against opponents ranked in the top 50 (SC twice, and Kentucky and Miss excluded) while Boise State will have to play 2 (Nevada and Hawaii).  Do you really think this is comparable?

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