Morning Coffee Wants To Tailgate
by Peter Bean on Jan 24, 2008 8:32 AM CST
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That's "4-0 Baylor" to you, sir. Last year's triple overtime thriller between Texas and Oklahoma State has a partner in the instant classic vault, joined now by last night's Baylor victory over A&M in five overtimes. There are two stories here: first, of course, is Baylor's arrival. Though neither Andrew nor I is overly surprised Baylor's playing great basketball - we both loved the Scott Drew hire - we certainly didn't foresee this team winning in College Station.
On the flipside is A&M, now 1-3 in conference. The Agros travel to Stillwater on Saturday to try to right the ship before a Wednesday showdown with the Longhorns in College Station. If self-destructing Aggies turns you on, go hither and enjoy.
Road trip? Speaking of Baylor, we're scrambling behind the scenes to put together an official BON Baylor road trip/tailgate at the Ferrell Center in Waco. 54b and I made this trip last year and had a whale of a time; this year, txtwster7 and AW are looking at the possibility of attending the February 16th contest in Waco.
What we need from you: there's a poll at the bottom of this story asking if you'd be able to attend should we put together an event. Please only respond if your interest is serious; we need to get some sort of idea how many Texas hoops fans might be wanting to get together.
Have balls. Will travel. Kirk Bohls notes in his exceedingly early '08 Top 25 that USC and Ohio State will play one another on September 13th, the season's premier non-conference matchup. Both teams are highly likely to be ranked in the top five. Whatever else you want to say about these two teams, credit each for putting this game together. The winner gets an early leg up in the race for a top two spot.
So that's how he lives with all the criticism. Greg Davis got a raise to match his salary with that of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. He'll make $425,000 to take the fall for every miscue next year. Major Applewhite is looking forward to getting credit for every success.
--PB--
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USC-OSU
Good for them for scheduling a tough one early in the season. Our win at Ohio State propelled us toward the BCS CG; their win in Austin did the same for them. Wouldn't it be great to have more games like this? Bohls writes:
Oh, there will be a few others in 2008 like Georgia-Arizona State, Texas-Arkansas and even Tennessee-UCLA, but there aren't many, which is a direct reflection of teams' desires to water down their nonconference slates and shoot for an unbeaten record. Hey, Hawaii made its first venture into the BCS mix by winning all its games, but only after Michigan and Michigan State pulled out of games off the mainland.
If this gambit pays off for USC or tOSU (whichever wins), maybe headline games will become tablestakes for CG contenders, and top teams will scramble to schedule at least one real ball-buster early in the season. We can only hope.
By the way, time to update our basketball schedule with the score of the Okie State win.
i don't see it
If this gambit pays off for USC or tOSU (whichever wins), maybe headline games will become tablestakes for CG contenders, and top teams will scramble to schedule at least one real ball-buster early in the season. We can only hope.
There's a game like this every year and some years (like 2005 with Texas/OSU) the winner does make the national championship game and does win it. And nothing changes. Why? Because of what happens if you LOSE that game.
It won't be until a team loses a game like that and then gets to the national championship game that others might follow. And even then, it might be considered a fluke if it happened once.
As it is, there'a a heavy impetus to go undefeated. If you go undefeated out of a BCS conference, you make the national championship game more than 90% of the time. I don't see anything changing.
I think coaches/ADs are just being stupid
Yeah, we lost to tOSU in the second game of 06, but if we had beaten K-State and A&M and won the XII, it would have been the Texas, Michigan, or Florida debate. We were firmly entrenched in the title discussion just before the KSU game. Remember every top ten team lost before we played? I remember thinking "OK, this is freaking great! Don't eat the poison cheese and it's REMATCH, you little nut-bitches!" Then BOOM! goes the dynamite and Colt can't move his arm. Apparently, shoulder injuries to the QB affect the defense's play as well.
Obviously, losing a game early on doesn't help you, but if that had been our only loss, it would have been the "best" only loss in the country. Plus, unlike Michigan, we would have had 11 games for our new QB to learn how to be good, and the voters would have recognized that. The point is, playing that game is not as high-risk as coaches think. Win and you're in the driver's seat, lose and you're the best one-loss team in the country at the end of the year, assuming you take care of business. Neither of those places are bad to be.
I dont agree
and neither do the statistics. The truth is that for a big name like Texas, the easiest road to the National Championship game is an easy non-conference schedule, unless you want to argue as some do, that early NC games prepare you for the harder conference games, which is empirically impossible to prove.
That might not be what the fans want, but unless the system changes to allow playoffs with enough entrants that the early NC loss does not significantly hinder national championship hopes, ADs and HCs will continue to play the odds.
Agree to disagree
We've had this non-con debate before and Wells does a good job of summing up about 1,000 posts into one small paragraph above...but once you get past the emotional bias, it's simply, what's the easiest, most effective path.
Personally, I think it's more money driven...I think 3 home non-con games no matter the opponents is good for business. If you schedule two home and home opponents on your non-con, that means you'll probably end up with a season where you have two non-con away games which is not so good for your bottom line when you're already splitting a game with OU every year.
But after all the lobbying and pandering, I still like to subscribe to the "if it's your year, it's your year" as far as winning national titles is concerned. I'm convinced that no matter who we played in 2005, VY was going to get it done. You don't just go into the Shoe and win on whim.
Now where I get frustrated is the lack of conference titles. I think a little luck is involved with natinoal titles...when you think about it, if WVU and Mizzou had taken care of business, LSU and tOSU wouldn't have been in the equation this year. Was that luck, destiny or divine intervention, who knows.
Conference titles on the other hand, IMO, are more about players and coaching. We've had the horses during the Mack Brown era for more than 1 Big XII title, I'm not so sure we've had the coaching.
So to sum up, if you have four non-cons, I say put two decent teams on there. It may not make good fiscal sense, but it'll make me happy and isn't that what it's really all about.
BTW, I've had a bottle of wine tonight, tomorrow I'm sure I'll change my mind.
Good night.
if the wine didn't kick in and change your mind..
You hit on the other problem with scheduling...
It's all about what incentives are in place. With the current BCS system (and frankly, with any smaller playoff systems), the competitive incentive is to schedule weaker opponents. The best of all is really crappy teams from actual BCS conferences (then you can tout your BCS-conference W/L record with the SEC, for example, and just not mention your record was built vs. Vanderbilt/Ole Miss and not LSU/Florida... trust me, the people who overwhelmingly voted for Bush over Vince are Not paying that much attention...)
The other, actually thornier problem is that, as you allude to, all the financial incentives also point toward weaker opponents who are more willing to play for the cash instead of demanding a home/home. If making me happy isn't going to be what it's really all about, I would gladly vote for making you happy. However, in the real "beauty of amateurism" world of college football, cold cash beats us both worse than Vince beat CU.
Which to me is all the more reason to fondly desire an actual playoff, and one large enough to at least take away the competitive disincentive, since the financial one ain't gonna break our way ever...
by agent orange on Jan 28, 2008 6:14 PM CST up reply actions
Ive already got tickets...
My lady friend is a Baylor grad, so she thought itd be a cool thing to get tickets. So we're going.
Needless to say, Im a little more anxious about this game after last nights thriller and remembering how they took it to us at the beginning of that Big XII tourney game last year... Jerrels is a beast.
love the davis/applwhite crack
because it's sadly so very true...
Doesn't hold water....
Why? Because of what happens if you LOSE that game.
.
Had we lost the 2005 Ohio State game, our Longhorns would have made the Nat'l Championship game. PennSt was our only challenger and they were unranked at the season's start. In the 5th week's rankings, Ohio State (loser of the OSU vs. UT) game was at #6, while PennSt. was at #16. It is logical to assume we would have been ranked in the same spot (#6), if we had lost the game.
Two weeks later, PennSt. lost to Michigan dropping to #12. Our 1-loss Longhorns would have been in the #4 or #5 spot. Finishing the season without another loss, our Longhorns had no chance of being passed by Penn State. Game, set and match.
Yeah, that's just not true.
You're forgetting that Ohio State would have been a challenger to get into the national championship game as well. If OSU has 1 loss (to Penn State) at the end of the season then don't you think THEY would have gotten the nod over Texas in the national championship game, considering they already beat Texas? To quote you, "Game, set and match."
And who's to say that Ohio State would have even lost to Penn State if they already had the Texas victory under their belt? Who knows what happens there. Regardless, the point is that until it happens (perhaps even more than once) in real life rather than in our fantasies, nothing is going to change. That's all I'm saying.
You could if you were Chuck Norris
Because this one time...Steven Segal said, "and you can take that to the bank." But then Chuck Norris gave him a round-house kick to the pony tail and said, "sorry Steve, banks aren't open on Chuck Norris Day."
I'm pretty sure Chuck could overcome Game-Set-Match too...well, when his tennis elbow heals of course.
Nice try
And who's to say that Ohio State would have even lost to Penn State if they already had the Texas victory under their belt? Who knows what happens there.
Oh, I wasn't aware we were going to play the "ifs and buts, candy and nuts" game. Well, who's to say Ohio State would have won the tight (4-point victory) game at Ann Arbor? Who knows what happens there.
Ohio State lost to 16th-ranked Penn State (a team w/o a ranking at season's start) the exact same week (10/8) we stomped a mudhole (45-12) in our biggest rival, OU! Bank it, we would have been ranked above Ohio State after those games. Now, when do you propose Ohio State would have jumped us, as we finished the season without any additional losses?
There is an axiom in college football about losing early and not late.
No.....
....his point was that I had forgotten about Ohio State. Not the case.
This season's bold scheduling of LSU, and ensuing loss, didn't cost VaTech a chance at the Nat'l Championship game. It was their 4-point loss to BC. Even after a 41-point beatdown, VaTech would have played in the BCS championship game had they beaten BC.
My original point,
which I made quite clear in my post, was that it doesn't matter what could possibly have happened, only what did in fact happen. I merely posited an alternative theory to yours of what could possibly have happened to illustrate the fact that no one really knows and that's why it doens't matter.
As for whether it would have been Texas or OSU that made the national championship game, even if I concede that OSU would have dropped below Texas after losing to PSU, how about Ohio State jumping Texas in the last week of the year when we're looking at a 2-3-4 of Texas, Ohio State, and Penn State? Texas' only loss would have been to #3 and OSU's only loss would have been to #4. Looks pretty even with a slight advantage for Texas except that OSU also has a win over the very same Texas team they're competing with to get into the NC game whereas Texas has no other good wins (OU was 8-4 in 2005). Which would you put #2?
Lots of quality OOC matchups
2008 OOC Marquee matchups:
Auburn @ W.Virginia
Boston College vs. Notre Dame
Cal vs. Michigan State
Clemson vs. S.Carolina
Colorado @ Florida State
Colorado vs. West Virginia
Florida vs. Miami
Florida @ Florida State
Georgia @ Arizona State
Illinois vs. Missouri
Kansas @ S.Florida
Kansas St. @ Louisville
Louisville vs. Kentucky
Miami @ A&M
Michigan @ Notre Dame
Nebraska vs. VaTech
Ohio State vs. USC
OU @ Washington
Oregon vs. Boise State
USC @ Virginia
USC vs. Notre Dame
Tennessee @ UCLA
Texas vs. Arkansas
why ND inclusions
They don't have a conference.
by Michael Bean on Jan 24, 2008 9:50 AM CST up reply actions
You do.......
Are they a quality matchup?
They were 3-8, maybe they'll be better next year, but 'm not sure they are a "quality" matchup right now.
A&M: Told ya so
This loss may send them off the deep end. Playing with more emotion, they will make even more stupid fouls. Falling out of the national rankings, they will be tagged as the season's biggest disappointment and relegated to a spoiler role, which probably means us.
I'd be scared
by littlevisigoth on Jan 24, 2008 11:25 AM CST reply actions
Season records on TexasSports
are in the statistics page.
Here is 2006-2007.
We lost at Villanova after the OSU game.
Ugh, now I remember ...
I was at the Villanova game, since it was played up here in the Northeast. We were flatter than the West Texas plains that day.
I had forgotten about our Waco Adventure...
that is until I read this:
http://www.burntorangenation.com/sto...
Can it be duplicated...let's find out.
one of ure more classic lines ever:
Some Grade A funny shit right there, sir.
by Michael Bean on Jan 24, 2008 1:50 PM CST up reply actions
Worth the trip.
I made the trip up to El Baylor last year with txtwster7 and it was a blast. The Ferrel Center has great sight lines even from the cheap seats. Parking is free and you can always stop at Health Camp for a burger after the game.
After the game last year we were enjoying out delicious burgers and two old Baylor fans came up to us to say good game. The sweet old lady said to us that it was a good game, but she wishes they would be able to "beat us just once before she died." All I could say was I'm sure you will mam. Fun times in baptist country!! As much as I'd like that old woman to be happy, I hope we beat the hell out of them.
by ChiTown Longhorn on Jan 24, 2008 1:51 PM CST reply actions
Mizzou-Illini ... very sexy matchup
Chase Daniel vs Juice Williams
Shunned by BCS vs Snuck into the BCS
Two very possible BCS teams for 08
Neutral site
Eh
Illinois is ok, but they are not top tier talent yet.
Mizzou posted 40 on them at Champaign, I cant imagine Illinois will do much better in Columbia.
I gotta say tOSU and USC looks the best to me, cause I hope USC can take an early loss and be out of peoples mouths for a while.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Jan 24, 2008 3:08 PM CST up reply actions
I wish no one could win that game.
by 16thLonghorn on Jan 24, 2008 3:32 PM CST up reply actions
Go USC
Though that's not a favorite line on this board, I hate OSU ... they want respect? They better earn it. Two consecutive pastings in the BCS title game. We'll find out how bad, or perhaps good, they really are.
Who would you like for us to play in the OOC?
The team that I wish Mack would either schedule a home and home or a neutral site game would be LSU. It would be a good rivalry and I would like the game to be played in Houston at Reliant Stadium. It would be a great matchup and really great atomsphere with some great tailgating.
Another team that I would like for us to play is 'Bama. I wanted to play them before the whole Major incident because our two programs put more pressure than anybody else's to win. I know that when we lose I feel like that world is about to come to an end and it some times comes close to anarchy when 'Bama loses.
How 'bout you guys? Who would you guys like to play?
by FNJ on Jan 24, 2008 3:54 PM CST reply actions
If you want to go SEC
Lets get Auburn on there, let us see how good our future coaches are.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Jan 24, 2008 4:04 PM CST up reply actions
Mack Brown isn't...
.....going to schedule any of those marquee opponents. In 10 seasons at Texas, he's played a grand total of 4 ranked opponents in our OOC schedule. UCLA and both Ohio State games were scheduled by John Mackovic. The fourth was a weak TCU team with a fantasy pre-season rank of #19. They went on to post an 8-5 record.
Our future non-cupcake OOC games are home/home games with Arkansas, UCLA and OleMiss. What did all three of these hand-picked OOC opponents have in common? All three were programs in turmoil and HCs firmly on the hotseat! Imagine that.....
With Petrino, Neuheisel/Chow and Nutt in place at those respective programs, I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when those hirings were announced!
here we go again...
the very best schedule of all in this BCS universe is to play all the very weakest members of BCS conferences. If Mack could have made it Vanderbilt and Stanford instead of Arkansas and UCLA it would have been that much better...
Until a significant playoff is in place (and I know I'll be watching from heaven...), all the incentives are to build just that very schedule and hope you get by your conference schedule.
I know you despise Mack for doing that. I also know that it's definitely not in fans' best interests (as opposed to so much else in college football, eh?). And I also know that despite your fervid castigations of all things Brown, you've never actually given reasons why his is a bad scheduling strategy...
All in all, I'd rather see us schedule Florida, and maybe USC again. But I also want us to have the best chance at national championships, and I don't see that the 'cupcake of the week' aren't the best way to accomplish that...
by agent orange on Jan 24, 2008 6:52 PM CST up reply actions
Let's schedule
Auburn again. They are a legitimate SEC powerhouse perennially. Tubbs vs. Mack is a great matchup to contemplate.
We played them in the early 80's when Bo Jackson was there. We hit him so hard on one play we put him out with a seperated shoulder for the season... now that's defense!
BTW, I liked Bo and thought he was a truly great player... and was sorry he got hurt, but it was a clean hit, and I was just glad he didn't kill us the way he did other teams at the time.
Auburn, yep... Auburn.
I'd like to see Texas-Tennessee
UT-UT, Orange-Burnt Orange, Vols-Horns, Knoxville-Austin ... not to mention too always strong, frequently great, programs.
Baylor Away Game Tickets
Does anyone know the best place to buy tickets for the Baylor road game on Feb. 16?
by br79 on Jan 25, 2008 10:45 AM CST reply actions
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