TCU could jump Boise State eventually
October 25th, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^
If Boise State played TCU for the National Title, there would officially be no incentive to play any more than one good team a year. I think this would prove the BCS's failures and push the BCS conferences toward a playoff.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:58 PM ^
But if you really want the current format to go away, you might have to do the unthinkable..... hope that MSU goes undefeated. If anything will persuade Delany to change his feelings about the current format, it might be having an undefeated Big Ten team getting shut out of the opportunity to play for the MNC.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
Which is exactly what we want to happen. Plus it would keep teams that we go against in recruiting like OSU, Auburn, Bama, Oregon, and Little Brother out of the NC game
October 25th, 2010 at 4:34 PM ^
I agree. Not sure why I got negged on that.
October 26th, 2010 at 2:28 AM ^
I did my best to undo that uncalled for negging. I agree with you as well.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^
double post
October 25th, 2010 at 2:07 PM ^
I wonder if the voters would punish Sparty for ducking OSU if they can get past Iowa next week.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^
After seeing them down 17-0 against Northwestern, I can't envision MSU going undefeated this year. That said, if they do go undefeated, I think their SOS may hurt them come final BCS Selection time. Their one quality win won't look as good when we beat Wisconsin handily.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:13 PM ^
If Iowa doesn't beat them, who does? Minnesota? Purdue? Penn State? None of their other remaining teams are either good or healthy. Is Iowa that good that I'm confident that they will win? Of course not. Michigan State is probably slightly better than Iowa, if they aren't equal.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
Hmm, I'm not so certain we can say that Sparty is better than Iowa. If we know Iowa is one thing, it's defensively disciplined (a trademark of Parker's defenses in general). I know we put up a ton of yards on them, but I think that has more to do with our offense and less to do with their defense. If Iowa shuts down Sparty's running offense, I don't see how Cousins makes it a game.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:24 PM ^
Hence the "at least equal." I see them more as an equal, but MSU has had the edge on special teams, obviously, which makes me give them the nod. Also with Ferentz game management down the end of last week, I'm also inclined to give Dantonio the hot hand on the coaching matchup. Hot hand may not mean better, but recent results are what they are.
I find both Iowa, Wisconsin, and State to be about equal this year, and MSU is currently atop that ladder.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:29 PM ^
Fair, I've just turned into a big Iowa apologist this year.
That, and Kinnick is apparently tough for opposing teams.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:18 PM ^
actually has a bad habit of losing to Minnesota. They have lost 6 of the last 8 and are currently on a three-game losing streak.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:19 PM ^
I'm not saying they shouldn't win those games, I'm saying that I don't expect them to. You wouldn't think that a team like MSU would have to resort to fake punts and holding off NU's last drive to secure the win. I'm saying that MSU isn't beyond a loss this year. That said, Iowa is 6.5 point favorites this weekend and I think Iowa's defense secures the win.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:57 PM ^
Iowa is better on the offensive and defensive lines than MSU. MSU has good skill-position talent, but you can skate by with shaky blocking for only so long. Their running game has been shut down two weeks straight. I would be surprised if they could run on Iowa.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:13 PM ^
MSU was actually hurt quite a bit by Ferentz's Les Miles moment on Saturday. I know they play both Wiscy and Iowa but the computers don't care when - polls do. If they would have played a near top-10, 1-loss Iowa in Iowa city they very well might have jumped TCU (at least until the Utah game) but with Iowa losing I don't think the voters will jump them. I also don't see TCU doing much more than breaking even with BSU with maybe a slight edge to TCU if they both win out simply because TCU's marquee game is still left and will be again a top 10 opponents whereas BSU's marquee game(s) was(were) well over a month ago. I also think TCU's computer ranking will best BSU's as well.
I don't think we'll see BSU and TCU in the MNC, if I had to guess I'd say one of them of but I think one of them will either 1) get left out in the cold or 2)lose.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:12 PM ^
According to Pittsburgh beat writers, Pitt is just as good as Boise State. Pitt should also run through the Big East and be in a BCS bowl at the end of the season.
Sorry, I know that has nothing to do with your post, but I felt like I needed to share the inundation of stupid that is the sports market I live in.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:39 PM ^
Pittsburgh beat writers, and fans of Pittsburgh sports teams in general, are clinically retarded. And I've been a Steelers fan all my life.
What other fanbase would proclaim that Roethlisberger is better than Peyton Manning because Manning only has one Super Bowl ring, yet he's better than Brady because he's younger and just one ring shy? Or that, despite Luongo winning a gold medal for Canada in the Olympics, there's no way he should have played ahead of Fleury?
But the again, things like that likely happen everywhere (I've only lived in Detroit and Pittsburgh sports markets, and don't follow any teams outside of those areas enough to make too broad of comments).
October 25th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
I think you've got a point. Local beat writers in general are idiots.
It's really not a bad thing that blogs and the Internets as a whole have brough the best content and writers out of an otherwise ridiculously inbred, terrible profession.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:13 PM ^
TCU also stomped an Air Force team that Oklahoma barely beat, so there's that too. In Boise State's favor however, is that both Nevada and Hawaii might be ranked when Boise plays them.
And I agree, if State beats Iowa this could be quite interesting because I think Auburn will lose to Bama... I think Iowa will win though.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:30 PM ^
If Oregon, Boise State, MSU and TCU all go undefeated... but Alabama wins out (beating Auburn, and winning the SEC Championship game) I can't see how Alabama doesn't leap them for the #2 seed. Am I wrong? In this scenario, if you had a vote... how would you rank them?
October 25th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. MSU
4. TCU
5. Boise State
October 25th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^
I agree, except I would totally play MSU and put both Boise State and TCU ahead of them. I love the pissed off Dantonio look. He gets so worked up. Wait, what? He always has that look?
Seriously though, if MSU really is top 5 in the country, then I like Michigan's prospects for the next few years.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:15 PM ^
would destroy MSU.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
I agree. However, MSU navigating undefeated through Big Ten play may be more valued than TCU or BSU's schedules. I would think that MSU would get beat by Auburn, Nebraska, and Stanford but I think their ranking would be justified before playing that game.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:33 PM ^
rankings base on the overall team, not the schedule. If BSU and TCU is better than MSU, then you rank them accordingly. If you agree, then you shouldn't be ranking MSU ahead of BSU and TCU.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
Some teams match up better against other teams, etc. What if I think that TCU can beat Boise, Boise beat MSU but MSU beat TCU? What if I think Alabama would beat Auburn? Do I rank Auburn lower? You have to take into account the schedule they play. I think my ranking would be justifiable. You're allowed to have your ranking and I'm allowed to have my own.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:59 PM ^
1. Oregon
2. Boise St
3. TCU
4. MSU
5. Alabama
October 25th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
if Utah beats TCU couldn't they jump both of them?
Utah's OOC is Pitt, ND, Iowa State and San Jose State.
TCU's is Oregon St, Tenn Tech, Baylor and SMU.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:44 PM ^
but they are 25th in AP poll and just dropped over 700 yards on a ranked K-State team on the road. I mean, it's still Baylor but as of today they are #1 in the Big 12 South at 3-1 and have Texas coming up which, uh, I have no idea since UT just got abused at home by Iowa State. TCU's claim to the MNC might very well rest on the shoulders of Robert Griffin III...
October 25th, 2010 at 3:36 PM ^
human poll voters would vault TCU over BSU since they'll base it on Fiesta Bowl in which BSU beat TCU. The computers would certainly do it.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^
2/3 of the BCS rankings are the human polls, so unless TCU jumps BSU in at least one of those polls a slight differential in the computer rankings will not matter. Given how BSU manhandled TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, it seems that most human voters will be reluctant to give TCU the benefit of the doubt if both go undefeated.
October 26th, 2010 at 1:09 AM ^
October 25th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
until they lose to Utah
October 25th, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^
I hate to say it, but I think MSU would embarass the B10 worse then OSU in the MNC as of late. I am going to be a huge Iowa fan this weekend. Being from Chicago, that is painful to say.
EDIT: This was supposed to be a reply. Damn Blackberry.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:26 PM ^
I'd agree, but everyone would expect MSU to get dominated. The reality of that happening would just confirm everyone's fears.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:24 PM ^
Did anyone notice Auburn's pass D stats? They are terrible. Not as bad as us, but still gives me hope that a bad D can be trumped by good O for the rest of the year.
October 26th, 2010 at 5:23 AM ^
The argument about weak opponents might make sense . . . except that all BCS teams out there are afraid to play them. Here is an article from last year on Yahoo:
Is it cowardice or collusion?As long as teams from the SEC & Big 10 et. al. all refuse to play Boise State, it smacks of collusion and cowardice to me. You want Boise to have a better schedule? Then the Big Boys should bring them in. Why should BSU be penalized for this? They beat Oklahoma, they beat Oregon, they welcome all comers. Personally I'd like to see a Boise State - Oregon rematch.
Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier is all but begging for a major opponent – any major opponent – to play his Broncos, particularly in 2011. He can hardly get his calls returned. Not by the SEC. Not by the Big Ten. Not by anyone.
Bleymaier is making a nearly unheard of offer in college football scheduling – Boise will bring its popular, high-profile, top-10 team to any stadium in any town to play any big name team in America in 2011. And they don’t have to return the date in Idaho.