Here we Go...it is one of these 4 that will win the MNC
by Mulliganville on Jul 25, 2009 2:04 PM CDT
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Florida
USC
OU
Since Stoops is still coaching at OU, perhaps it is down to 3.
I am more than a little concerned headed to Stillwater this season. The talent they have at the skill positions in Robinson, Hunter, and Bryant is perhaps unrivaled nationwide. Their defense is going to be the key for the Cowboys this season, and if the mastermind of KU's defense in 2007, Bill Young can get the most out of this OK ST squad, the Cowboys could quietly join the national title hunt this season.
Assuming the Horns get by OU again this season, and McCoy goes 3-1 in his career against the Sooners, Stillwater will be circled on the schedule as the final test of the season. Each team could be undefeated for this matchup and the Cowboys will be more than pumped. I for one, think the Big XII is the finest football conference in the country, followed by the SEC. I like the Cowboys at home against GA to start the season, 38-27.
I hope Mack allows the offense to really shine this year. That means some blowout victories when he would normally ease off the throttle. I do not like our current system, as last year, I still personally feel there are 3 teams left in the hunt. If we are being honest, nobody would want to face Utah. They would give you all you could handle and more. So Mack, this season, when so many expectations looming, win with class. Tell the opposing coach that because the media loves OU and FL, Texas has to win and win big to garner support. It is the system. I do not like it anymore than many of you here do. But it is what it is...and this team deserves the chance if they take care of business this year like they did last year.
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1st of all
I don’t think we can “assume” that we get by OU. I think the OU game and the OSU game are going to be extremely tough to win.
I truly think we (I mean the majority of BON er’s) are overstimating the dip OU takes due to its O-line. I think they return so much NFL level talent because no one left, and depth matched only by UT and a couple of others in the country.
And OSU is going to be scary good on offense and special teams. And playing them when they are likely undefeated, psyched beyond belief, and at home in the craziness of Stillwater is going to be a test.
Secondly, while those are definately good picks for the top 4 teams in the country, you are forgetting the ACC and the Big 10. While those leagues aren’t as good as the others, that could end up being a benefit to whichever team might go undefeated in those leagues. And an undefeated team has only been left out of the BCS Championship game once. So I don’t think you can say definitavely that BOTH players in the MNC game will be 2 of your 4.
And lastly, I like that Mack pulls the starters when the game has been decided – by whatever the margin. I hope the backups get meaningful minutes in blowouts, with real assignments and successful intentions. Not just garbage time. However, I might be one of the few who liked Mack’s classy ways and I find fault witht the argument that the best way to change a system is to go along with it. So I hope he does not become Stoops-like in his ways no matter what the media thinks. In other words – “You stay classy …..Mack Brown”
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
P.S. 45-35
I am not saying...
that the Horns will get by OU “no questions asked.” My point was if that happened, then OSU is going to be the final test. I do not see anyone going unbeaten in the Big 10 and the ACC this season…too much parity. As we saw last season, it is simply quite the challenge for one team to go unbeaten, much less two.
I stand by my prediction…I think those four teams are the best in the country today, and will be left standing at the end.
The road to the “national title” is never easy. You need luck, skill, and love from the media. That is why I am all for Mack being classy about it. Throwing the ball in the 4th when you are up by 45 is not classy. Running the ball is and if they cannot stop you, well that is just fine.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
by Mulliganville on Jul 25, 2009 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions
to be clear
you mean that 2 of those 4 will play each other? And I agreed that they were a good selection for a pre-season top 4.
And a only running the ball in the fourth IS easing off the throttle which your post said that Mack should not do. So what exactly did you mean?
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
P.S. 45-35
What I meant was...
Mack can still be aggressive offensively while being classy at the same time. Stoops is the guy who says “games last 60 minutes…not my fault if they cannot stop us…etc.” Mack could handle it in a way that Stoops would not. What I do not want to see is them be up by 45 and end up winning by 27.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
by Mulliganville on Jul 25, 2009 8:14 PM CDT up reply actions
personally i’d like the 2nd team to come in and play to score in blowouts. they need meaningful minutes in case the starter ahead of them goes down, or they’re the starter the next season (a la gilbert most likely)
by Displaced Longhorn on Jul 25, 2009 4:36 PM CDT reply actions
I like that as well...
but if I have to watch OU or LSU play in another MNC due to bias, I’m gonna….I’m gonna….I’m gonna keep watching dammit.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
by Mulliganville on Jul 25, 2009 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions
there’s a trade off, you keep your starters in the game longer, you increase their exposure to risk for injury. the last thing we need is a star player getting hurt just because we wanted to hang 60 on a scrub team.
by Displaced Longhorn on Jul 25, 2009 5:55 PM CDT up reply actions
I agree
Perhaps my expectations this season are very high. Anything less than a BCS game will be a complete failure. Moreover, if they miss out on the national title game, I and this team will be extraordinarily disappointed.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
by Mulliganville on Jul 25, 2009 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions
This is what I want to see...
I don’t want to see us bring in the second QB and watch him hand the ball off. Bring in the second team and let them run the offense. If they get picked or turn the ball over…hopefully they will have learned something. If we are up by 3 or 4 touchdowns that turnover is unlikely to affect the outcome of the game, though it might hurt our profile considering the stupidity of the polls. I would rather see the coaches take advantage of the opportunity to increase the experience of our backups. If we are going to burn redshirts to get freshmen on the field then test them.
OSU
I think we’ll be able to tell a lot about OSU after they play Georgia. I think their defense will struggle (like always).
Hindsight is 20-20... foresight is... less...
I was looking for that rivals post about who was statistically likely ( according to certain traits ) to win the championship this year, since it was an interesting article, but instead found the one from last year:
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=768666
Wow, look how wrong those predictions were. Gotta love that college football.
Yes, and you must look in the fine print for UT...btw, OU passed us in the latest poll. They are 2 now.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
Personally, I'd have to add....
……Ohio State and VaTech to that list.
Ohio State’s home game against USC and VaTech’s neutral site game against Bama will go a long way to deciding ties to their advantage.
Two years ago, VaTech saw a very close, heavy rain loss to Boston College cost them their opportunity at the BCS Nat’l Championship game. Despite many’s claims to the contrary, an early season OOC loss (in this case to LSU) would not have kept them from the BCS NC game. In fact, that early season heavy competition might well have propelled them toward the NC game. While last season’s O-Line was not their strongest, they will be better prepared, and with 100 starts under their collective belts, they’ll be one of the country’s most experienced O-Lines. Games are won in the trenches.
Ohio State played us to the wire in last season’s Fiesta Bowl. Pryor is dynamic and exposive. They’ll have to replace both starting CBs who both off to the NFL. If they get past USC (in Columbus), then there isn’t much of a threat remaining. Penn State will field the Big Ten’s least experienced O-Lines, but the game is in Happy Valley and those “white-out” games can be intimidating. With 98 career starts, the Iowa O-Line will be one of the country’s most experienced. They might mount a challenge.
This looks to be a very exciting CFB season, including some fantastic early season OOC matchups.
--- All roads to the Big-XII Championship lead through OU/RRS. It's not just another game! We're all about championships here. ---
I am ready for week one with OK St vs. GA...
We need an Ok St. victory there…here we go…rooting for SOS nonsense. I am literally dumbfounded it has come to this. If I am Utah and the Mountain West and Boise St. and the WAC, having won multiple BCS games is a strong case for inclusiveness. I would like to see Congress become involved here…it does amount to anti trust IMHO.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
by Mulliganville on Jul 26, 2009 7:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Exactly...
VaTech and Ohio State are playing in conferences that most consider down right now. They have to have a marquee win somewhere so they need to have a strong game OOC if the want to have MNC aspirations. If either of them loses they won’t get much of a bump later in the season considering they won’t likely face another Top 10 opponent, much less have many games against teams who will spend most of the season in the rankings. Ohio State does have a potential marquee matchup at Penn State, but I am not sure Penn State won’t take a step back after losing so much talent. VT has a game at Georgia Tech that could be important. I don’t think Miami is there yet and they avoid FSU in the regular season. Neither team seems guaranteed to face two top 10 teams in conference like Texas and OU will, assuming OSU doesn’t lose earlier in the season.
Ultimately these games won’t help them in the undefeated sweepstakes (excepting that they would eliminate two potential rivals from the ranks of the unbeaten) as they will still be behind Texas, OU, and Florida until one of them loses. I suppose if one of the three were to look decidedly horrible in September they might drop, but Texas and OU play early enough to put the winner in the catbird seat no matter how awful the winner looks in being undefeated to that point.
Obviously, should one of them win their big OOC matchup it could help them in the one-loss sweepstakes, but that would mean they lost somewhere else later in the year and if their conferences again look weak that loss will likely be more damning than the impressive September win as late losses generally hurt more than early losses. I have a feeling one of these two teams will kick themselves for scheduling such a tough OOC opponent. They will lose that game, but win the rest and miss the MNC game because their weak conferences put them behind other one-loss teams. Being undefeated is more important the who you beat and is certainly more important than who the others lost to no matter the circumstances.
Talking MNC . . . here's how it goes
SEC winner and Big 12 winner (if both are unbeaten) will play for the crown — assuming USC, with a road schedule that takes the Trojans to Columbus, Berkeley, Eugene, South Bend and Tempe can’t run the table (highly unlikely). . . . Unbeaten Big Ten or ACC won’t trump 13-0 Big 12 or SEC winners.
Once the losses kick in, it gets dicey. Early losers have the edge in comparing 1-loss teams. If everybody in the country (BCS level) has 1 or more losses, the team losing early (maybe close) has the edge on a late-season loser.
Most likely, Florida is in the title game if the Gators win the SEC and lose only once — assuming the Pac-10, Big 12, Big Ten and ACC don’t produce two unbeatens. The Tebows mostly likely trouble spots are at LSU, Georgia in Jacksonville, Florida State in Gainesville. . . .Ohio State is the other team to watch: Despite major rebuilding on the offensive side, Buckeyes get USC at home and have only one tough road game (Penn State). OSU doesn’t play Michigan State in ’09.
I am about as sick of the Buckeyes...
as I am the Sooners. Neither of them EVER show up in the big game. At least the Gators back it up and they are, for now, the cream of the crop…although I would have LOVED to see the Horns shoot it out with them last January. If Texas beats OU and OKSt., they will enter the Big XII Championship game undefeated and looking towards Pasadena to a showdown with the Gators.
The Buckeyes will stumble somewhere…probably at Happy Valley. USC will fall as well, but Mr. Carroll just slots them in year after year…do not think they are down this year due to Sanchez taking the cash after Bradford received bad advice and did not turn pro. My guess is that will cost him $25,000,000. Oooooopppss!
What I want to see is UT vs FL…McCoy vs Tebow…BIG XII vs SEC. I think the nation knows that the Horns were hosed last season and were the deserving opponent.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
The Bucks are my dark horse in the race
Pryor is a freak, and Ohio State always sports a good defense. If they’re not in the running for the title this year, then it will be next year.
Pryor is going to be good
Will he be VY 2005 good? We can’t say. But even if he never reaches that level, he’ll be good enough to have the Buckeyes in contention in a relatively weak Big 10 for the next couple years.
by TheElusiveShadow on Jul 27, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions
I watch Ohio play whenever I can
I saw Pryor vs. Penn on TV and Pryor vs. Texas at the Fiesta bowl. And I don’t know about you but I was scared they would let Pryor off the leash at the Fiesta bowl and it would cost us the game.
He’s got that same scary lateral movement that Vince had that leaves defenders on their faces, and a really strong arm to boot.
A win over USC at the beginning of the season could make Ohio State vs. UT the national title game this year, very easily. ( I’m betting on the SEC eating itself alive )
I don't understand
the love fest with USC. They lost something close to 8 or 9 starters on defense and are breaking in a new qb. I highly doubt that next year with Colt gone, we’ll get the same respect and we should have more returning starters on the defense.
Although, I will say that Matt Barkley looked like a stud in the Under Armour game and should be their next great qb. But geez, let’s give them a year to break in some new starters on defense and get a qb adjusted to game speed before we crown them MNC contenders.
Its not a love affair
Certainly not here anyway. However, they reload every year. 1 of 2-3 teams in the country who has recruited as well as us every year for the last 10, so the talent dropoff is not as big a concern for them as it would be any other team who lost so many.
Plus they play in the Pac-1, so they don’t get beaten up as much as others do. Also, they play Notre Dame every year, which gives them a Nationally televised, highly publicized game against everyone’s dream opponent…. a team that is ranked top 10, but plays like they are in C-USA.
Add all of that up and you have a team who, if they can get by OSU, has a real shot at the MNC every year. And they don’t even have to play OSU after this year.
Seriously, how confident would you be if this were UT schedule for 2010
Sept. 4 @ Hawaii
Sept. 11 Virginia
Sept. 25 @ Washington State
Oct. 2 Washington
Oct. 9 @ Stanford
Oct. 16 California
Oct. 23 @ Oregon State
Oct. 30 Oregon
Nov. 6 Arizona State
Nov. 13 @ Arizona
Nov. 27 Notre Dame
Dec. 4 @ UCLA
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
P.S. 45-35
That is a cupcake filled schedule
but one can only hope that Sarkisian and Neuhesiel continue to recruit well and give SC some competition year and year out. Plus Clausen will be a senior at ND and they could be a lot better by then if Weis can coach up these recruits he’s bringing in.
But all said, they should be heavily favored in all of those games.
Yes it is...
The Pac 10 is worthless after USC. Sure they got by OK St. last year…I would wager on the Cowboys this season. I think their offense is going to be scary good. Anything can happen in shootouts…we won one last year and lost one…45-35 will be the battle-cry…oh, and give me my stinkin’ playoff you bunch of fogies!
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
Who got by OK St. last year?
If you’re talking about USC, they play tOSU, not Okie. If you’re talking about Oregon, they don’t play OK St. unless they meet again in the Holiday Bowl. Don’t know who else you could be talkng about from the Pac 10?
I was referencing the recent Holiday Bowl...a reference to the Pac 10, not USC specifically...sorry for the confusion
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
by Mulliganville on Jul 28, 2009 2:10 AM CDT up reply actions
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