Bronko Nagurski Memorial Bye Week
So, I've been making this joke to my buddies for years AND I WILL NEVER STOP.
Simpsons Bye Week (youtube.com)
So I would like to use this time of reflection to share some thoughts (brilliant, no doubt) that I haven't had the chance to contribute to the board in recent weeks. I'm sure you'll find these thoughts to be quite brilliant, no doubt.
2023 was probably the best argument possible for a 12-team playoff. But - it actually would've created incredible matchups under the old bowl system as well. Michigan and Washington would've met in the Rose Bowl in the national championship game. Orange Bowl likely would've been FSU-Alabama and the Sugar would've been Texas-Georgia. Pretty fun matchups. I've always thought the best way to crown a champion in college football would be to keep the tradition bowl system/conf matchups and if after the bowls there's a split championship, have a title game or playoff.
Can we be true Michigan weirdos and call ourselves "Rose Bowl Victors" instead of "Rose Bowl Champions"?
Will there be a Harbaugh-esque Juwannaissance? This is one of the weirdest teams I've ever followed. It seems like they have a lot of ability, but they just have no idea how to win. I feel horrible for Burnett and Nkamhoua - they didn't sign up for this.
UM tennis starts this weekend and softball and the lacrosse teams kick off their season next weekend. What the hell? Why?!?
Maybe bye weeks are a good thing. What are your bye week thoughts?
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:19 AM ^
2023 was probably the best argument possible for a 12-team playoff
Why 12 teams? Other than FSU, what teams were left out of the field that deserved to get in?
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:25 AM ^
The notable teams were Georgia and Ohio State, and this is based on "looks like a good team," rather than conference championship earned.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:38 AM ^
You could include Oregon (even with the two losses to Washington) and maybe PSU or Missouri in the mix. That’s at least 10-11 teams that could’ve been fun and exciting matchups for a playoff. I don’t think there was any G5 team good enough this season though.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:42 AM ^
Teams like those will probably make the field in the future, yes, but given the way college football decided a national champion through 2023, none had the slightest room for complaint.
February 3rd, 2024 at 3:45 PM ^
This helps show why the 12 team playoff is so superfluous.
February 3rd, 2024 at 4:36 PM ^
Ohio State would have got rocked in the first round of the 12 team playoff - regardless of who the played!
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:50 AM ^
I really meant anything more than 4 but since it's going to a 12 team format I figured I might as well just say that. But in any event - the back half of the top 10 had some really interesting teams that might have made some noise if they got a chance in an 8 or 12 team playoff: Georgia and Oregon seemed like great teams and I'm curious how dark horses like Missouri or Arizona would've performed if they were able to sneak in.
For obvious reasons, I'm glad Michigan won the championship. But even beyond that, this seemed like an excellent college fb season with a lot of great teams. It marks the end of an era and it also seems like the CFP jeopardized a fantastic by awarding Alabama a spot. Generally, college sports feels like they're losing something these days but I'm glad this turned out to be a great season.
I'm not even that big of an NFL guy so I'm not missing football that much this weekend hah. But, if you're jonesing for sports, looks like there's some good premier league and NBA on this weekend (Knicks-Lakers tonight)
February 3rd, 2024 at 4:13 PM ^
I mean yeah, every year there are ten teams to make top ten matchups. At some point the season needs to end though.
Like why the hell stop st 4/8 or 12 teams? Why not 16 teams or 24 teams if we just like watching more football and that's all that matters?
February 3rd, 2024 at 11:03 AM ^
8 teams with conference championship games or 16 without is my preferred arrangement.
February 3rd, 2024 at 1:17 PM ^
Agree. I suspect that having 8 games in the first round dilutes TV revenue. A 12-team format never crossed my mind as appropriate. I like a balanced approach. Everyone has the same climb. I like the idea of USC or an SEC team playing at Michigan or Wisconsin in the snow for a change but even that doesn't seem a fair way to determine the champion. Of course, playing USC in the Rosel Bowl isn't exactly fair either.
I love the bowl scenario described above. Delicious games that interest everyone.
February 3rd, 2024 at 1:33 PM ^
Everybody keeps freaking out about a 12 team playoff. FCS and DII have had 16 team playoffs for decades with no issue. These are not treacherous uncharted waters.
February 3rd, 2024 at 4:09 PM ^
I take your point, but that got me thinking about the results, so I checked FCS from 2018 - 2023, and of those six years here's what I found (seeds and champion in bold):
2018 - #1 v #3
2019 - #1 v #2
2020 - #1 v #2
2021 - #2 v #8
2022 - #1 v #3
2023 - #1 v #2
So yeah, 16 teams, but at least for those six years, it was mostly the top two that made it through.
That's how I see it ... yeah, we can go to a 12-team playoff, but the hard truth is, beyond the top five or six, the rest don't really match up.
February 3rd, 2024 at 4:40 PM ^
#2 vs #3 is typically closer that a #1 vs #4 in the other side of the bracket.
With a thought that “mostly the top 3 will make it though”, there is only the #8 team as the outlier. And the #8 team had the toughest path to the championship.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:43 AM ^
I needed a bit of a diversion this morning, so I read about Bronko Nagurski.
Loved the story about him opening a filling station in a small Minnesota town later in life, and the local legend that he assured himself repeat business by screwing everyone's gas cap on so tightly that only he was able to loosen it again.
Seems like a good guy.
And, yeah, the Simpson's clip in the OP is cute.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:59 AM ^
Will always give an upvote for a Simpsons deep cut
February 3rd, 2024 at 1:13 PM ^
The spot I hang at here has a happy hour they refer to as Duff Hour. Dollar beers for as long as the keg lasts--but you specifically need to ask the bartender for a Duff. Many years ago, they would play The Simpsons from 4-5pm and the whole bar would hush up. If anyone said anything the crowd would shush them. Everyone was watching The Simpsons and everyone knew all the lines.
February 3rd, 2024 at 1:42 PM ^
Sounds fun. Lincoln Park/Lakeview neighborhood?
February 3rd, 2024 at 3:16 PM ^
Burlington, Vermont.
February 3rd, 2024 at 11:02 AM ^
It’s never been bye week on the farm. Out of the blue, the twins have entered a powerlifting competition. They’ve never done it in their lives. I will report back later if they succeed.
February 3rd, 2024 at 11:22 AM ^
Bye week? Off-season?
Nope.
February 3rd, 2024 at 11:51 AM ^
No doubt they are brilliant.
February 3rd, 2024 at 12:26 PM ^
My daughter played lax down the road at Concordia. Why they play in February is difficult to grasp.
February 3rd, 2024 at 3:26 PM ^
Lacrosse starts this early so the NCAA can have the Final Four on Memorial Day weekend, host it at a big NFL stadium in the Boston-Baltimore corridor, and make a whole lot of $$$$$$$$$$.
Michigan is actually late to the party --- most schools kicked off the season this weekend. PSU had a home game this afternoon. Outside, on February 3. Uh huh.
It was actually sunny and seasonally warm (45 degrees), so they got lucky. But God, winter-time Lacrosse feels dumb.
February 3rd, 2024 at 12:41 PM ^
Yea I thought bowls remain, then one more game called the national title game would’ve been a good idea.
February 3rd, 2024 at 12:46 PM ^
The national championship game should always be played at the Rose Bowl IMO!
February 3rd, 2024 at 12:46 PM ^
The OP’s dream playoff scenario (traditional bowls, with a conditional championship game) is not going to happen. Nobody is going to put together a CFP and not make a cash cow championship game mandatory. But, I do feel bad that traditional bowl rivalries have gone the way of the dinosaur. We’re going to miss regional conferences.
February 3rd, 2024 at 1:21 PM ^
Our softball team is ranked #24 by one site. The question is still whether they can rediscover their ability to hit. I haven't seen anything about the baseball team, so it's tough to expect much. Thinking about the men's basketball team hurts, so I don't want to do that. The women's team is projected as an 11 seed, so...yeah, the National Championship in football! And spring training is coming. I've got at least one year to gape at a lineup with Soto and Judge back to back.
February 3rd, 2024 at 2:51 PM ^
Wrestling!
February 3rd, 2024 at 3:39 PM ^
Michigan - osu Hockey literally on BTN tonight. Comong man