Next week's games

Submitted by uncle leo on

I'm getting chills looking at the slate for Week 3:

Houston at Cincy (Thursday)

FSU at Louisville

Alabama at Ole Miss

Oregon at Nebraska

MSU at ND

OSU at Oklahoma

Bunch of other good ones, but those stuck out to me immediately. I know week 1 was the best opening weekend in CFB memory, but this is shaping up to be an incredibly fun Saturday. And another reason why CFB >>>>>> NFL.

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Dylan

September 12th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^

I love College ball as much as the next guy, but, I mean, I would argue against that last point. NFL games are almost always close -- everyone plays in the NFL. That's actually one of the main reasons many people prefer the NFL along with wanting to see the best in the world every week.

 

Note:  Not saying I prefer the NFL -- simply saying that if you are using good matchups as a reason College is better, well, most NFL matchups are "good" in that sense.

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uncle leo

September 12th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^

NFL supporters say it's better than CFB is because of the "playing at the highest level" comment. And to be honest, how exactly do you see this on the screen? It seems like such an incredibly intangible observation. When any two moderately good CFB teams play, the level looks high to me. 

CFB has tradition, true rivalries, teams that run so many unique things that NEVER happen in the NFL (wishbone, option, etc...), so many more teams, and plays that you'll never see. That thing that happened in CMU; won't happen in the NFL. NFL is essentially line up, smash, better talent wins. CFB you can be a lesser team and win on scheme and prep.

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Dylan

September 12th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^

The passion and connection to the programs are why I and most of us here will always love college ball more. But if I'm purely looking at the game on the field, and taking away my love for Michigan or the atmosphere of the stadiums and all of the tailgating / history / life connections, etc.  --- I mean, the NFL speed, skill is just so superior.  

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Needs

September 12th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^

I'd say the games are regularly closer but the stakes are lower. Off the top of my head, out of 14 NFL games played so far, 5 went down to last play. FGs in Ind-Det, Car-Den, and NE-Ariz. 4th down stop inside 10 in GB-Jac. Clock running out in Dal-NYG. Think NYJ-Cincy as well

But the losers of those games are no where near as crushed as, say, TCU is because their playoff hopes are now almost kaput.



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ijohnb

September 12th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^

really is, and it can be really boring.  It amazes me some times when I have an NFL game on you can here every single word the quarterback says when he is calling out the signals, even on big plays.  With the exception of Lambeau and a couple of other venues, I find there to be a distinct lack of "buzz" at NFL games.  At college games, stadiums litterally "hum" at big games, like an engine idling. 

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UM Fan from Sydney

September 12th, 2016 at 10:51 AM ^

Totally agree. Atmosphere alone is one major factor that makes NCAA football far and away more entertaining. This past Saturday, I started watching right at noon and did not go to sleep until the Arizona State game ended. It was so fun. I watched football games for almost fifteen straight hours. I could never do that with NFL games if that league had the same schedule as NCAA.



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Salinger

September 12th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^

I totally get what you mean when you say it's all relative. I mean, of course at the professional level the talent is going to be highest. That's the 1% of 1% represented there. But there's no reason why 2 equally talented teams at the college level, or even at the high school level I'd be willing to wager (I actually have a friend who LOVES high school football and follows it almost as closely as he follows Michigan football) can't be exciting to watch.

 

Now in regard to the "standard" product, I think that's a little off. I mean, you could say the product is basically "standard" at the college level since almost all teams run the spread. You are just luck to have a Michigan team to watch that does stuff different.

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uncle leo

September 12th, 2016 at 11:20 AM ^

Variety in CFB. Not every team runs the spread. There are still plenty of pro-style teams. But you get so much more variety with the way teams run the spreads, triple options, you name it. NFL has basically two things: I-Form, Shotgun. That's why the wildcat is such a massive novelty in the NFL because things like that are never done. But the wildcat in CFB is a common occurence. 

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huntmich

September 12th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^

It definitely isn't relative.  On a very good college team, like OSU was last year, you might have 12 players who can make it in the draft, and maybe 5 that will be able to play on an NFL team.  On an NFL team you obviously have 22+ professional caliber players.  It is faster, sharper, stronger, etc.

 

I don't have much interest in it myself.  It's the emotional attachment to the team that keeps me coming back.  But there is no question that the level of play is significantly higher in the NFL.

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uncle leo

September 12th, 2016 at 11:46 AM ^

Tell that to the Colts, who couldn't bring down any of the Lions running backs even when they wrapped them up. I ran out of fingers and toes to count the horrible missed tackles in that one specific game.

It's faster and stronger, yes. But sharper? No way. It's just as sloppy and there are just as many stoppages, horrible calls, bad decisions, etc... 

And when you pair up two high level teams in college football, everything is intense. I just find it hard to "measure" this metric that everyone who is on the NFL's side seems to do.

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CRISPed in the DIAG

September 12th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^

My passion is always Michigan football, but I will only tune in and watch the top matchups in college. On the other hand, I'll watch just about any NFL game. It wasn't long ago that college was a more interesting watch and the NFL seemed a bit tactically stale. So it it goes.

But these things cycle for me. In addition to talent (players and generally coaching), the NFL is really interesting right now because it has incorporated some spread concepts while retaining more traditional power. It feels like a better product in and of itself. Conversely, college seems way too "air raid" with little power or defense (Ohio St, notwithstanding).  

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ijohnb

September 12th, 2016 at 11:23 AM ^

me, the players and coaches in the NFL collectively think they are way too important and unique.  There is a collective attitude of "you all would not understand this, you are not in that locker room."  They make lots of money, I get it.  But these guys are not curing cancer nor are they solving global warming.  They play a ball game, but would have you believe that they are finding a way to sustain human life on Mars.  It is off-putting to me.  They can go ahead and be super-cool, I am going to watch college games. 

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somewittyname

September 12th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^

As someone who prefers college football and hoops to NFL and NBA, I don't think there's any doubt that the level of play is visibly higher in the pros. Basketball it is even more obvious, but I think it's a detractor from the professional game as you end up with way more 1v1. In football, the difference is most obvious in QB play and on the lines. For example, watching the speed/size of the Houston Texans DL is just not in the same ball park as any college team.

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lhglrkwg

September 12th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^

but they are also good at boring me to death. I sat through that 13-7 Ravens-Bills slog yesterday and a bunch of other games are similarly impotent on offense. The defenses are just too good in the NFL to make it interesting for me (and many others)

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drzoidburg

September 12th, 2016 at 11:02 AM ^

Week 2 in CFB was total shits and usually so is week 11 or so when the entire SEC plays garbage. I mean what a farce that is so late in the season. Then again in the NFL you can lose half your games and it doesn't matter at all, so that's comparatively worse Quality matchups on campus can be few and far between in CFB, but there's enough of em weeks 1, 3, and certainly rivalry week to top the NFL by a mile for me

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Hab

September 12th, 2016 at 10:19 AM ^

Is the Hosuton/Cincy game a play-in for an invite to the Big XII, or are they both likely to be invited to join?  I can't remember where things stand as to BYU.

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reddogrjw

September 12th, 2016 at 12:15 PM ^

as B1G champs

likely misses the playoffs to

1-loss Alabama

1-loss Clemson or FSU

undefeated Houston

1-loss OU

1-loss Stanford

1-loss ND

would like ND and OU to lose this weekend to make the B1G winner more likely to go to the playoff as our out of conference schedule is rather weak, especially compared to OU's

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ijohnb

September 12th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^

that Thursday game.

I also like playing and then having dessert with ND/MSU.  Unless we lose, then I will kick the dog, tell my son his jokes are stupid and not watch any football for the rest of the night.

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