College Football Opening Night - Open Thread
Tonight's TV Matchups:
Murray St. at Louisville - 6:00 ET - ESPNU
UNLV at Wisconsin - 8:00 ET - ESPN
Miss St. at Memphis - 8:00 ET - FSN
Kentucky vs. WKU (at Nashville) - 9:15 ET - ESPNU
In addition, you'll find Wake at Cuse and a bunch of 1-A vs. 1-AA matchups on ESPN 3
It's good to be back to college football, even if the matchups are awful.
September 2nd, 2011 at 8:27 AM ^
Agreed, most of his incomplete passes were well away from defenders. That beats INTs. Wiscy looked very good last night. Only issue will be the rush defense. They looked a bit soft up there. Good B1G teams may easily run it down their throat.
September 1st, 2011 at 8:36 PM ^
I like Wiscy's inability to contain a mobile QB. Definitely want to see that continue.
September 2nd, 2011 at 8:28 AM ^
Especially when we play them in the championship game!
September 1st, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
Pretty pumped we don't have to play Wisconsin. Hope they win all their games against our division and help us out a bit.
September 1st, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
Granted it's the Wiscy Oline it really looks like UNLV is already throwing in the towel, I mean how in the hell do you stand there as an LB and allow a 320lb man to just run at you.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:12 PM ^
Did you not read the break down on our LB's last year? That was their specialty.
September 1st, 2011 at 8:41 PM ^
This Wisconsin offense sure is fun to waZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz...
Manball is boring as fuck. Sorry, it is. It's not entertaining at all. Run middle. Run middle. Run middle. Run middle. Run right. Punt.
September 1st, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
They seem to be doing just fine with scoring the football.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:02 PM ^
FYI: They're playing UNLV.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:10 PM ^
FYI: They beat OSU last year and put up 31 in the process. How did our spread attack do in that game?
September 1st, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
Punt?
September 1st, 2011 at 9:07 PM ^
How the hell do you reason with a man who values style over substance, all or nothing over consistency, glitz and glamour over victories. I suppose you don't.
META: Is there a block user feature on here?
September 1st, 2011 at 10:38 PM ^
Do you write commercials for Audi?
September 1st, 2011 at 9:48 PM ^
Yeah they haven't punted yet...good call on that one.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:37 PM ^
They're playing UNLV!!!!!
I can't even type anything as stupid as this comment. I was trying to think of a similar comment to make fun of you and all I could think of was Corky from Life Goes On.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
So now it's acceptable around here to insult people by comparing them to actors with Down's Syndrome. Class all the way.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:43 PM ^
Dude, Corky is my idol. I have a poster of him in a speedo in my room right now. It's pretty rare and very glossy.
September 1st, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^
Be careful not to step in front of a bus. On second thought, step in front of a bus.
September 1st, 2011 at 11:10 PM ^
Making Memphis look like Michigan in the Gator, if you find that more exciting.
September 2nd, 2011 at 3:04 AM ^
September 1st, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
Watching these games tonight is getting me so pumped. I think I may have to call in sick tomorrow because I don't think I'll even be able to get any work done.
September 1st, 2011 at 8:50 PM ^
/Note, stepping onto soapbox
There are a couple of teams in CFB that I can't stand, but the only team I truly hate to watch play is Wisconsin. I hate the fact that they bludgeon teams with the same couple of running plays, act as if they are world beaters because they beat up on the UNLV's and IU's of the world, and have a tendency of taking decently in-shape freshmen RBs and turn them into fat RBs as seniors. Announcers love to talk up their line and how they are, but they always strike me as a one-trick pony; really good if they have the size and talent advantage, but no extra gear when they face an elite defense or at least one that they are not able to bulldoze for 4 quarters. They always lost to UM for this reason, and regardless of how they look against a 2-11 team they will always be a second-rate program in my eyes.
I know people dream of the day UM "returns" to the MANBALL type employed by Wiscy, but the UM I remember under Carr was so much more, with so much more well-rounded talent and a penchant for being able to beat teams multiple ways. That may mean having "smaller" OL than Wiscy, but the day UM trots out a bunch of fat guys and try to push good teams around for 4 quarters will be a long day for me as a fan.
/steps off soapbox, will hang up and listen
September 1st, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
Switched from Wisky to Syracuse/WF on ESPN3. I'm not doing much better. It's closer, but now there's NO offense.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:04 PM ^
Bank it :)
September 1st, 2011 at 9:08 PM ^
Is it offense you want? Well it looks like it is being delivered.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:51 PM ^
Pro style is the way to go. I know it was only three years, but Michigan didn't even sniff a big ten title with the spread.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:11 PM ^
So because you don't agree with me, you mark my comment as "trolling." You're a fool and should not have the ability to vote posts up or down because you're clearly abusing it.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:24 PM ^
I marked you trolling because there is no "fucking moron" moderation button. Shoot. I will have to bitch to Brian about it in a thread soon. Oh and complain about other people abusing the moderation.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:32 PM ^
Youve got to get up early tomorrow anyway; mow some lawns, check your 8th grade homeroom schedule, etc.
Your Dad's also going to be really pissed when he finds out you snuck some of his Bud lights and started using the 'puter again after bedtime.
Call it a night.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:05 PM ^
kind of sucks.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^
is looking rough.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:06 PM ^
Is having a great game against an overmatched defense. Still, he's down almost 30 pounds and it shows. He's going to be impressive this year.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:12 PM ^
I really hope Hoke and Co. don't institute manball ala Wisconsin. This is the dullest style of offense imagineable and, being one-dimensional, is terribly susceptible to complete breakdown if met with a competent, game-planned defense. On top of putting people to sleep, let's face it: manball doesn't win championships. Stout defenses and dyanamic (i.e., spread) offenses win championships.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:13 PM ^
It's 27-0 before half. Who cares how that happens?
September 1st, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
Offense susceptible to complete breakdown if met with a competent, game-planned defense: See Michigan, 2008-2010.
Marlon, you join Dudeness in the style over substance club. To each his own I suppose.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:28 PM ^
I want the same substance every other Michigan fan wants: a national championship. I don't believe that a Wisconsin-style offense will ever (EVER!) win a national championship. It's an effective offense when you're bigger and more talented than most of your opponents, but it's not a good offense for consistently beating the big boys. The Floridas and Oregons and Boise States and Auburns and Ohio States of the world are the top of the heap, and they all run spread offenses. That's not a coincidence.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:40 PM ^
Ummm....well. Of the five teams you mentioned, only two (TWO!) have won national championships using a spread offense. Florida and Auburn. Ohio State won a NC with Craig Krenzel in a MANBALL scheme. Oregon is a one-time bridesmaid and Boise is a no time anything. Convenient how you left LSU and Alabama off your list, lol.
You don't value wins, you value aesthetics, and you use flawed statistics to rationalize your preferred style of play. Is the spread awful? No. Is it the only way to win a championship? Hell no.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:53 PM ^
Only one of the last six BCS champions has run a pro set: Alabama. Texas, Florida x 2, and Auburn all ran spreads, while LSU ran a hybrid offense when it won the 2007 championship. Enough said, lol. LOLOLOLOL!!!11
September 1st, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
Your sample size is too damn small. Only four of the last 100 national champions has run what is today considered a spread. Arguments could be made for Florida in the 90's as well but its besides the point, and LSU may have featured some spread components but I certainly wouldn't call it a hybrid - they were a pro-style team which, to borrow the NFL term, went "Wildcat" on very limited occasions. This is the same stupid argument as the people who claim MSU has a better football PROGRAM since State has beaten Michigan 3 years in a row dressed up in new clothing. Bacari Alexander HALOL's at your LOL barrage.
September 1st, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^
September 1st, 2011 at 10:12 PM ^
It's hurtful deep down inside to realize I was arguing something poorly, but I agree completely with you if that makes you feel any better. My only point was to contradict Marlon's assertion that the spread attack (of which there are several varieties also, just like pro-sets) is not the only way to win a MNC.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:47 PM ^
Tell USC that. They dominated for 4 or 5 years with that kind of offense and look how many games they won. One BCS title and one AP title.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:13 PM ^
I hate Jessie Palmer.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:15 PM ^
Hey, don't leave Craig James out of this. Just an absolute waste of space in the booth.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:28 PM ^
Don't even get me started on Craig James. Don't these guys know how bad they are?
September 1st, 2011 at 9:31 PM ^
I would love to be this bad and still keep my job
September 1st, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
So far not too impressed with Russell as QB. Missed 3 or 4 WIDE OPEN deep passes earlier.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:30 PM ^
6/9, 154 yards, 1 TD and one 46 yard rush for a TD for a guy who has been playing with his team for one month. yawn
September 1st, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
and the Wisky offense looks good. But UNLV has moved the ball on the ground surprisingly well. Even more so given their QB clearly can't throw downfield
September 1st, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
UNLV could have made this a much closer game than it looks. They probably should have at least 10 points, maybe 14. Wiscy looks good offensively using their bread-and-butter stuff, but Wilson has been "meh" and honestly doesn't seema great fit for the typical Wiscy offense. He needs to be able to run around and (to steal a horrible cliche) "make plays", and Wiscy's offense definitely tries to limit that spontaneity. Should be interesting to see if he becomes a more prototypical passer or Wiscy opens up the offense a bit.