College football

[Vrede too]

Go Oregon -1.5 vs Michigan St.

Oregon > Michigan St.
Still, Go Ducks!

I like both Stanford -8.5 and Pittsburgh.
Don't personally care, but Pittsburgh beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst.

Stanford 14, Pittsburgh 13.

Ugly game, but Oregon 7, Michigan St 6. I wonder how many times the offense-happy Ducks have only scored 7 or less in the last decade. The Ducks won the game AND did not hurt my shot at worst pick set, the ONLY margin that could have done that. Sadly, my brother and SIL are sticking right with me, only having scored 2 points more.

3-0 on the day so far, all of them spread-beaters that did not win their games.

[Vrede too]

The pool spread is Missouri -4.5 vs Oklahoma St, the Vegas spread is now Missouri -8. I was going to split my picks, but now go Missouri.

Missouri vs Oklahoma St.
Don't personally care, but Oklahoma St beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst and keeps my better bracket low.

Oklahoma St 38, Missouri 33. 4-0 today. My brother is still just 2 points away.

[Vrede too]

Go Northwestern +8.5 vs Utah.
The pool spread is Texas A&M -3 vs NC St, the Vegas spread is now Texas A&M -6. I was going with NC St in both of my sets, but am now splitting my picks.

Go:

Northwestern > Utah
Still, of course, no Mormons.

NC St. > Texas A&M
Lean towards NC St, regardless, and it beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst.

Northwestern 31, Utah 20. Cool, even though it hurt my bid for last a bit. Northwestern was down 3-20 at the start of the Third Quarter, scored 28 in the Third. Utah turned the ball over 6 times, felt like every possession for awhile there, Northwestern just once. 5-0.

I have to go with the ATM's over nc state. Being a neutral field texas should be allowed some get aquainted time on the field before the game.

NC St 13, Texas A&M 52. Ugh, Auburn and billy.pilgrim are avenged. 5-1 on the day.

I no longer have any shot at 3rd place $10 back. No surprise, it would have required perfection for 12 games.

My brother and I are now tied for worst. Me, my SIL and one other player are just 2 points away. It should be noted that I made the deliberate and ultimately foolish 'big frog-small pond' choice to risk betting on underdogs in the semis. In contrast, they all picked AL and Clemson. So, other than my daring, they really suck.

With my 2 sets now so close and today's games all worth multiple points, I may not have to root for my 'favorite' to do worse to get the $10.

1/1.

The pool spread is Mississippi St -4 vs Iowa, the Vegas spread is now Mississippi St -7. I was going with Iowa in both of my sets, but am now splitting my picks.
I do prefer Iowa, and it beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst.

The pool spread is LSU -10 vs UCF, the Vegas spread is now LSU -7. I was going with UCF in both of my sets, anyhow, nice that its odds have improved.
Still, of course. Go Knights, 2 season sweep!

Penn St -7 vs Kentucky. I personally lean slightly towards Kentucky, and at the moment it beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst. However, my brackets will be tied if Mississippi beats the spread vs Iowa.

The pool spread is OH St -4 vs WA, the Vegas spread is now OH St -6.5. Screw it, I'm going with WA in both of my sets.
Still, of course. Go Huskies!

Go Texas +12.5 vs Georgia.
Not all of Texas is bad. Austin is better than Athens.

[Vrede too]

Would be hard for me to bet on dabo or bammer - glad I don't bet on sports.

Just curious, can one buy Roll-on Tide deodorant in Tuscaloosa?

“Guaranteed to hide the stench of smug ignorance that comes from having sacrificed academics for athletics.”

[Vrede too]

1/1.

The pool spread is Mississippi St -4 vs Iowa, the Vegas spread is now Mississippi St -7. I was going with Iowa in both of my sets, but am now splitting my picks.
I do prefer Iowa, and it beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst.

Mississippi St 22, Iowa 27. I'm back in solo last by 2 points.

[Vrede too]

1/1.

The pool spread is LSU -10 vs UCF, the Vegas spread is now LSU -7. I was going with UCF in both of my sets, anyhow, nice that its odds have improved.
Still, of course. Go Knights, 2 season sweep!

Penn St -7 vs Kentucky. I personally lean slightly towards Kentucky, and at the moment it beating the spread helps keeps my worst bracket worst. However, my brackets will be tied if Mississippi beats the spread vs Iowa.

LSU 40, UCF 32, the Vegas spread was close. Kinda ugly - tons of penalties, but UCF proved it belonged there. Both teams were depleted by players sitting out for the draft - UCF QB, 8(?) LSU defensive starters. I don't begrudge them for watching out for their futures, but it's still sad not watching the team you rooted for all year. Worst of both worlds for me - UCF lost AND beat the spread.

Penn St 24, Kentucky 27.

I'm now in a tie with a player other than my brother for last.

[Vrede too]

The pool spread is OH St -4 vs WA, the Vegas spread is now OH St -6.5. Screw it, I'm going with WA in both of my sets.
Still, of course. Go Huskies!

OH St 28, WA 23, darn. However, it was almost worse. WA has a 2-point try intercepted near the end. If they'd made it my shot at worst would have been hurt.

I'm still in a tie for last.

[Vrede too]

Go Texas +12.5 vs Georgia.
Not all of Texas is bad. Austin is better than Athens.

Texas 28, Georgia 21.

Texas > #5 Georgia
Maryland > Texas
Ergo, Maryland > #5

However, this knocks me out of being worst. The "best" I can do is if Clemson > AL, 3rd worst. It's as difficult to suck as it is to succeed.

[billy.pilgrim]

Would be hard for me to bet on dabo or bammer - glad I don't bet on sports.

Just curious, can one buy Roll-on Tide deodorant in Tuscaloosa?

“Guaranteed to hide the stench of smug ignorance that comes from having sacrificed academics for athletics.”

I've only been there twice - both times in the early 70s for a concert (the Who and The Band). No shopping, got there just in time as left right afterwards.

[Vrede too]

Yesterday was rough for SEC fans, hah. Georgia and Mississippi St lost outright despite being favored, while LSU couldn’t beat the spread and could have easily lost to mid-major UCF. Only KY beat the spread and got the upset while eking out its victory.

It was a 2-1 day for the Big Ten, but every Bowl was a reminder that it didn’t even make the playoffs . . . as with the Pac 12 .

There is no real standout conference this year.
https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/arti ... bowl-games
4-2 Conference USA did the best, in weak to moderately important games.
The Independents were 2-1, but were highlighted by Notre Dame’s humiliation.
The Sun Belt, led by my Appalachian St, was 3-2.
The Big Ten and Big 12 are barely in the black at 5-4 and 4-3 respectively.
The Pac-12 is 3-4.
The ACC will finish 6-5 or 5-6.
The usually dominant SEC will finish 7-5 or 6-6.

[billy.pilgrim]

Yesterday was rough for SEC fans, hah. Georgia and Mississippi St lost outright despite being favored, while LSU couldn’t beat the spread and could have easily lost to mid-major UCF. Only KY beat the spread and got the upset while eking out its victory.

It was a 2-1 day for the Big Ten, but every Bowl was a reminder that it didn’t even make the playoffs . . . as with the Pac 12 .

There is no real standout conference this year.
https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/arti ... bowl-games
4-2 Conference USA did the best, in weak to moderately important games.
The Independents were 2-1, but were highlighted by Notre Dame’s humiliation.
The Sun Belt, led by my Appalachian St, was 3-2.
The Big Ten and Big 12 are barely in the black at 5-4 and 4-3 respectively.
The Pac-12 is 3-4.
The ACC will finish 6-5 or 5-6.
The usually dominant SEC will finish 7-5 or 6-6.

I figured inconsistent lsu and their dumbass coach for the loss and either you didn't watch or you see the score, with all its flaws, over the actual play. Take away two huge pass interference no-calls and a Hail Mary (They do work, ask Flutie and look back at my criticism of Gus for not doing it before the half at Purdue) and ucf, fresh off their cupcake schedule, doesn't score a touchdown until the last two minutes of the game. Give them the hail Mary and the score at halftime is still lsu 24, refs 14 and ucf 7.
Yep, I'm still bitter over the way the game last year was/wasn't called. Even with our beat up team, ucf only won because a defensive fumble return run was blown dead for no reason and a side judge who made five or six bullshit calls.

The ref was in position to see the pass interference that enabled the first two ucf touchdowns against lsu. Yep I believe there is a bias against the sec. I believe that you may have expressed your own from time to time.

They need to play a real schedule.

[Vrede too]

I kinda like LSU, though I am indeed biased against much of the SEC.

We can't rewrite what calls were made and whatever else happened. All I said is that with a tweak of the existing outcome UCF could have won. Then, you would be ranting about why it shouldn't have.

Looks like I'm not the only one biased against at least some of the SEC and ACC:

With title-game ticket prices plummeting more than 90 percent, should college football be worried?

[billy.pilgrim]

I kinda like LSU, though I am indeed biased against much of the SEC.

We can't rewrite what calls were made and whatever else happened. All I said is that with a tweak of the existing outcome UCF could have won. Then, you would be ranting about why it shouldn't have.

Looks like I'm not the only one biased against at least some of the SEC and ACC:

With title-game ticket prices plummeting more than 90 percent, should college football be worried?

The "other conference" side judge did seem to show some serious sec bias last year against Auburn and I'm not sure how the lsu game can be called close without an asterisk for 3 of the ucf touchdowns.
You should also consider that LSU was short 8 starters on defense.

I know that calls can be missed, but the first two ucf touchdowns should have been called back.
I must not much of an sec fan because I loved seeing state and uga lose.
I like lsu even though Auburn keeps losing to them. They have a welcoming hospitable fan base and bring lots of good food.

As for the demise of college football, it ain't happening. That said, I and many others will not be watching the little Nicky Dabo game - been there, done that.
My prediction - the difference will be a called Pick play.

[billy.pilgrim]

This is why this is a wannabe team - they want all the credit without doing any of the work.

Saturday Down South: UCF QB takes shot at Florida following 2-for-1 offer: ‘We’re the better program’.
https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/flori ... r-program/


They beat one beat up sec team last year after bad call after bad call and got beat this year by another team that was missing eight defensive starters yet they are better than everyone else.

[Vrede too]

This is why this is a wannabe team - they want all the credit without doing any of the work.

Saturday Down South: UCF QB takes shot at Florida following 2-for-1 offer: ‘We’re the better program’.
https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/flori ... r-program/

They beat one beat up sec team last year after bad call after bad call and got beat this year by another team that was missing eight defensive starters yet they are better than everyone else.

It's just trash talk and whiteboard cuteness, mostly trading in intangibles that shouldn't and can't be taken as gospel.

The rebuttals would be:
25-1, beating Auburn, playing LSU (ranked next to FL) competitively, top 10 ranking = plenty of "work".
A case could be made that UCF earned a 1-for-1 offer.
It's certainly made difficult for mid-majors to schedule games against quality Power 5 teams.
As of the last rankings, everyone thought that UCF is the better program. Are they all wrong?
FL lost to a vulnerable GA, an inconsistent KY and a shaky MO.
Some defensive starters are interchangeable with their backups and are used that way throughout the season.
UCF played without McKenzie Milton. Starting QBs are rarely interchangeable with their backups.
It's just bluster, perhaps with an eye towards enhancing negotiating position PR a bit. Milton has no say over whether a deal is made or not.

I'm not saying which team is "better". Either of us could write a set of counters to these rebuttals. I think a lot of the debate is ended with an expanded playoff. Some years a mid-major gets in and sometimes wins a game or two. They collectively get a seat at the table, without getting affirmative action or totally suppressed by the Power 5 Trust. It'll increase their respect, but no more than they earned by playing well and winning games.

Aside: I once got a German shipmate to make a small wager over a US - Germany World Cup game. I tried a little pretty tame trash talk just for fun - her feelings got hurt and it went over like a lead balloon with other crew.

[Vrede too]

FCS

Go E Washington on 1/5, mostly out of boredom with N Dakota St winning, but I don't much care. I'll only watch if nothing better is on.

Crap.

[billy.pilgrim]

This is why this is a wannabe team - they want all the credit without doing any of the work.

Saturday Down South: UCF QB takes shot at Florida following 2-for-1 offer: ‘We’re the better program’.
https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/flori ... r-program/

They beat one beat up sec team last year after bad call after bad call and got beat this year by another team that was missing eight defensive starters yet they are better than everyone else.

It's just trash talk and whiteboard cuteness, mostly trading in intangibles that shouldn't and can't be taken as gospel.

The rebuttals would be:
25-1, beating Auburn, playing LSU (ranked next to FL) competitively, top 10 ranking = plenty of "work".
A case could be made that UCF earned a 1-for-1 offer.
It's certainly made difficult for mid-majors to schedule games against quality Power 5 teams.
As of the last rankings, everyone thought that UCF is the better program. Are they all wrong?
FL lost to a vulnerable GA, an inconsistent KY and a shaky MO.
Some defensive starters are interchangeable with their backups and are used that way throughout the season.
UCF played without McKenzie Milton. Starting QBs are rarely interchangeable with their backups.
It's just bluster, perhaps with an eye towards enhancing negotiating position PR a bit. Milton has no say over whether a deal is made or not.

I'm not saying which team is "better". Either of us could write a set of counters to these rebuttals. I think a lot of the debate is ended with an expanded playoff. Some years a mid-major gets in and sometimes wins a game or two. They collectively get a seat at the table, without getting affirmative action or totally suppressed by the Power 5 Trust. It'll increase their respect, but no more than they earned by playing well and winning games.

Aside: I once got a German shipmate to make a small wager over a US - Germany World Cup game. I tried a little pretty tame trash talk just for fun - her feelings got hurt and it went over like a lead balloon with other crew.

Yep, whiners they are.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-f ... e-the-sec/

They got beat by a lower ranked team missing 8 starters and can't stop bellyaching. Just like last year when they beat a beat up Auburn and gave themselves rings and parades.

But they have proved that college football will be a joke with an expanded playoff. How many more would only have to really compete in only the playoffs by playing easy games all season?

[O Really]

But they have proved that college football will be a joke with an expanded playoff.

Will be?
Not that the games themselves aren't real, but other than that after the conference seasons are over the rest is all WWF level show.

[billy.pilgrim]

Everybody thought what?

247Sports: ESPN releases final Football Power Index pre-title game.
https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/A ... 127401695/

ucf needs to play a stronger schedule to earn respect, but what happens when they are offered a chance to play a currently mediocre sec team - ucf runs away with a trumpian chicken shit excuse.

[Vrede too]

Your passion about this makes me think it's something personal with UCF. Not a Mickey Mouse fan? Even leaving aside UCF, that ESPN ranking is ridiculous. It's like any number of the Bowls never happened. I’ll bet that the final polls look nothing like it.