College football

[Vrede too]

AP

No change in top 8.
Top 4: Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Clemson. Seriously?

9. Oregon, up 2, 3-0
10. Miami (FL), up 2, 7-1
11. Northwestern, up 8, 5-0
12. Indiana, down 3, 4-1


14. Oklahoma, up 4, 6-2


15. Iowa State, up 2, 6-2


18. Wisconsin, down 8, 2-1
19. USC, up 1, 3-0


20. Texas, up 2, 5-2
21. Oklahoma State, down 7, 5-2
22. Auburn, up 1, 5-2


23. Louisiana, up 1, 7-1


25. North Carolina, up 1, 6-2
RANKED AGAIN!

26. Washington, climb
27. Liberty, fall


30. Iowa
31. Boise State
Okay.

No votes for MD or App St.

[Vrede too]

Dabo Swinney: Florida State used COVID-19 as an 'excuse' to postpone Clemson game

... Florida State didn’t want to play after Clemson discovered an offensive lineman, who traveled with the team to Tallahassee, Florida, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. Sunday night at his news conference, Swinney was upset at Florida State’s decision not to play and said that COVID-19 wasn’t the real reason....

While it’s easy to understand why Swinney is unhappy his team traveled to Tallahassee and didn’t play Saturday, his anger and frustration is in some dire need of perspective. Over 250,000 people in the United States have died because of the coronavirus this year and over 12 million people have been infected. We’re in the middle of a pandemic that’s getting worse as the winter holidays approach.

Swinney needs to realize that postponing a football game a few weeks isn’t that big of a deal. And he needs to make that realization really quickly.

I was disappointed that one of the teams didn't lose, but maybe now they're both losers.

[Vrede too]

Today

3:30 PM EST
(2) Notre Dame Fighting Irish 8-0 @ (19) North Carolina Tar Heels 6-2
Odds: ND-7, TV: ABC
Ut-oh.

Go:

12:00 PM EST
Massachusetts Minutemen 0-3 > @ Liberty Flames 8-1
Odds: LIB-37, TV: ESP3
Yeah right. Minutemen vs Liberty?

3:30 PM EST
UCF Knights 5-3 > @ South Florida Bulls 1-7
TV: ESPN
Mickey Mouse rules!

4:30 PM EST
@ California Golden Bears 0-2 > @ Stanford Cardinal 0-2
Odds: STAN-2, TV: Fox

7:30 PM EST
(15) Oregon Ducks 3-0 > @ Oregon State Beavers 1-2
TV: ESPN

More games

[O Really]

Leprechans ain't skeered of no goats.

[Vrede too]

Leprechans ain't skeered of no goats.

Agreed, BUT ACC Network is running a replay of this right now:
October 11, 2008: Notre Dame at North Carolina

Spoiler:

Notre Dame 24, #22 North Carolina 29 (box)
2008 UNC finished 8-4 after losing Bowl to West Virginia.
2008 Notre Dame finished 7-6 after winning Hawaii Bowl vs Hawaii.
Otoh, "Notre Dame leads the all-time series 18-2."

[Vrede too]

Go:

12:00 PM EST
Massachusetts Minutemen 0-3 > @ Liberty Flames 8-1
Odds: LIB-37, TV: ESP3
Yeah right. Minutemen vs Liberty?

Still in the 1st half:
Massachusetts 0, Liberty 28

[Vrede too]

Massachusetts 0, Liberty (9-1) 45
All hail NC St for that one loss, by a point.

ND - 3 and out
UNC - brilliant drive ending in an amazing TD catch
7-0, can the game end now?

[Vrede too]

(2) Notre Dame Fighting Irish 8-0 @ (19) North Carolina Tar Heels 6-2
Ut-oh.

UNC mostly hung in there, just couldn't find the end zone in the 2nd half.

Go:

UCF Knights 5-3 > @ South Florida Bulls 1-7
Mickey Mouse rules!

58-46, over 1200 yds of offense, both QBRs > 170!!!

@ California Golden Bears 0-2 > @ Stanford Cardinal 0-2

In a game marred by its special team failures, it was fitting that Cal's tying EP with 1:02 left was blocked.

(15) Oregon Ducks 3-0 > @ Oregon State Beavers 1-2

I was getting a contact trip from the Oregon State players' and coaches' neon orange and Oregon's neon yellow players and neon green coaches. Then, the fog rolled in and it helped.

Oregon State's backup QB's first ever play for the team was a 4th down, game-winning sneak. 38-41.

This knocks the Pac12 out of the BCS playoffs , but boosts Washington's shot at playing in the Pac12 Championship .

Go:

12:00 PM EST

Maryland Terrapins 2-1 > @(12) Indiana Hoosiers 4-1
Odds: IND-12, TV: ESN2
Yeah right.

@East Carolina Pirates 2-6 > SMU Mustangs 7-2
Odds: SMU-12, TV: ESP+
Yeah right.

3:30 PM EST

Pittsburgh Panthers 5-4 > @(3) Clemson Tigers 7-1
Odds: CLEM-23, TV: ABC
I'm a dreamer.

(8) Northwestern Wildcats 5-0 > @Michigan State Spartans 1-3
Odds: NW-13, TV: ESPN

(22) Auburn Tigers 5-2 > @(1) Alabama Crimson Tide 7-0
TV: CBS
Don't let the nation down, billy.pilgrim.

@Appalachian State Mountaineers 6-2 > Troy Trojans 4-4
Odds: APP-13.5, TV: ESN2
Bounce those rubbers in Boone!

7:00 PM EST

LSU Tigers 3-3 > @(5) Texas A&M Aggies 5-1
TV: ESPN

7:30 PM EST

@Washington Huskies 2-0 > Utah Utes 0-1
Odds: UW-7, TV: ABC

More games, look at all of those cancelled ones!

[billy.pilgrim]

The iron bowl

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Ar ... 155514294/

gonna be tough if we don't have Tank back from his hip injury.

[O Really]

OK, so I won't argue either way as to whether running a college football season in a pandemic is a good idea or not. At first glance, one might think it's excessively reckless, but after several weeks, it doesn't seem to have produced disaster. But - assuming the decision is made to run the season during a pandemic, why do they keep postponing/cancelling games if some players get covid? Shouldn't teams have to just play with who they have that's healthy? If a team had 4 starters who suffered broken legs in practice, could they get a game with their main rival postponed until they recovered? How about before there was a covid pandemic - if a run of flu went through the team, could they get a postponement? I say make 'em leave the sick ones and quarantined ones at home and play who you got.

Meanwhile, you have to wonder what good it does for coaches and off-field players to wear masks (outside and not constantly close to each other) when the on-field players are huffing and puffing into each others faces.

[billy.pilgrim]

The players have been tested so many times it seems doubtful they would be a problem, but it's the crowd that seems more of a problem. While limiting attendance to 20% may seem like a solution, allowing the 20% to all crowd together shouldn't be happening.
Some schools are handling this better than others. A Texas A&M game I watched must have had everyone packed into the areas with the best seats.

[O Really]

The players have been tested so many times it seems doubtful they would be a problem ...

Somehow doesn't seem quite right, does it

[Vrede too]

OK, so I won't argue either way as to whether running a college football season in a pandemic is a good idea or not. At first glance, one might think it's excessively reckless, but after several weeks, it doesn't seem to have produced disaster. But - assuming the decision is made to run the season during a pandemic, why do they keep postponing/cancelling games if some players get covid? Shouldn't teams have to just play with who they have that's healthy? If a team had 4 starters who suffered broken legs in practice, could they get a game with their main rival postponed until they recovered? How about before there was a covid pandemic - if a run of flu went through the team, could they get a postponement? I say make 'em leave the sick ones and quarantined ones at home and play who you got.

Meanwhile, you have to wonder what good it does for coaches and off-field players to wear masks (outside and not constantly close to each other) when the on-field players are huffing and puffing into each others faces.

Define "excessively reckless" and "disaster". There are 20 cancelled games and we can't know what locker room spread indicates about community spread.

I haven't followed the protocols closely, but I THINK that a few positive tests dramatically increases the odds that there are more infected and contagious players and staff that are not testing positive yet. I hope that the cancellations are more about public health than team disadvantage.

Sideline masks:
Actual players are not wearing them on the sidelines;
Lots more people on the sidelines than just actual players;
They're mostly huffing and puffing into opponents' faces;
Better than nothing.

All that said, I oppose running a college football season in a pandemic, more so than pro teams that have more money and where the players are being compensated. The above is just guesswork re their (inadequate in my view) reasoning.

[Vrede too]

Halftime:

SMU 7-2, 3rd AAC 7
@East Carolina 2-6, 8th AAC 45!
Yay, but .

Maryland 2-1, 3rd BTEN East 3
@#12 Indiana 4-1, 2nd BTEN East 7
Yay, so far.

[billy.pilgrim]

The players have been tested so many times it seems doubtful they would be a problem ...

Somehow doesn't seem quite right, does it

I agree. We should all be able to test without waiting whenever needed.

[billy.pilgrim]

OK, so I won't argue either way as to whether running a college football season in a pandemic is a good idea or not. At first glance, one might think it's excessively reckless, but after several weeks, it doesn't seem to have produced disaster. But - assuming the decision is made to run the season during a pandemic, why do they keep postponing/cancelling games if some players get covid? Shouldn't teams have to just play with who they have that's healthy? If a team had 4 starters who suffered broken legs in practice, could they get a game with their main rival postponed until they recovered? How about before there was a covid pandemic - if a run of flu went through the team, could they get a postponement? I say make 'em leave the sick ones and quarantined ones at home and play who you got.

Meanwhile, you have to wonder what good it does for coaches and off-field players to wear masks (outside and not constantly close to each other) when the on-field players are huffing and puffing into each others faces.

Define "excessively reckless" and "disaster". There are 20 cancelled games and we can't know what locker room spread indicates about community spread.

I haven't followed the protocols closely, but I THINK that a few positive tests dramatically increases the odds that there are more infected and contagious players and staff that are not testing positive yet. I hope that the cancellations are more about public health than team disadvantage.

Sideline masks:
Actual players are not wearing them on the sidelines;
Lots more people on the sidelines than just actual players;
They're mostly huffing and puffing into opponents' faces;
Better than nothing.

All that said, I oppose running a college football season in a pandemic, more so than pro teams that have more money and where the players are being compensated. The above is just guesswork re their (inadequate in my view) reasoning.

I disagree. Any have sat the year out without losing eligibility and then there's this

https://tallahasseereports.com/2020/09/ ... rate-data/

Between 99.98 and 99.97 survival rate in their age group.

The most concerning thing to me is they are letting fans bunch up and scream and yell in each other's faces. Assign seats and enforce it.

The kids are not only tested but have to be quarantined for 2 weeks after their last negative test. They are probably in more danger in class than on the field.

[Vrede too]

I disagree. Any have sat the year out without losing eligibility and then there's this

https://tallahasseereports.com/2020/09/ ... rate-data/

Between 99.98 and 99.97 survival rate in their age group.

The most concerning thing to me is they are letting fans bunch up and scream and yell in each other's faces. Assign seats and enforce it.

The kids are not only tested but have to be quarantined for 2 weeks after their last negative test. They are probably in more danger in class than on the field.

I'm more concerned with community spread than I am with the health outcomes for the players.

[billy.pilgrim]

I disagree. Any have sat the year out without losing eligibility and then there's this

https://tallahasseereports.com/2020/09/ ... rate-data/

Between 99.98 and 99.97 survival rate in their age group.

The most concerning thing to me is they are letting fans bunch up and scream and yell in each other's faces. Assign seats and enforce it.

The kids are not only tested but have to be quarantined for 2 weeks after their last negative test. They are probably in more danger in class than on the field.

I'm more concerned with community spread than I am with the health outcomes for the players.

Isn't that what my post says?

It will be the fans who spread it, not the players.

The two basketball games I have watched were fan-less.

Stadiums are bigger and mostly outside. Sitting 6 to 10 feet apart would go a long way toward safety.
But I haven't seen anyone enforcing distancing.

[Vrede too]

Poor Terps.

Isn't that what my post says?

It will be the fans who spread it, not the players....

I meant infected players and staff spreading it to the often more vulnerable community, including their own families.

[billy.pilgrim]

Isn't that what my post says?

It will be the fans who spread it, not the players....

I meant infected players and staff spreading it to the often more vulnerable community, including their own families.

Sorry, but I don't see that the focuses attention by players and staff as being the same the fans tracking it home or nearly as bad as 30,000 students going to class and then out into the community.

Over 199,000 people contracted the virus yesterday in this country alone. Auburn and Alabama had zero new cases related to football yesterday.