2011 College Football Thread
- Thread starter SouthernComfort
- Start date
Just a few random thoughts...feel free to ad your input...
It looks like with all of the Pac-12 expansion talk, the real winner might be the SEC if they can snag Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. The Pac voted them down, but with all the instability, don't be surprised if they move anyways. And if they don't move, could we see Boise St. and/or a Louisville moving to the Big 12 and solidifying that conference?
In terms of conference talk, the SEC will continue to reign supreme, but isn't it something that the teams in the SEC that we talk about are all from one division? It's not the SEC that's the best conference, its the SEC West that stands alone.
The Pac-12 looks like its in a down year, who agrees and disagrees? A big part of that to me is Cal going from a top-25 team to a team that beats Colorado by a late TD and loses to Washington. USC also not looking like their typical top 10 form even with stellar talent under Kiffin. But on the other hand, Oregon is going to finish a top 10 team and so will Stanford. And just to point something out, anyone notice how the preseason top-25 volts teams way up in the rankings even if they end up losing 3-4 games every year? Advantage SEC with 8 teams in the driver seat when the Pac only has three.
Much has been made on the radio here in the Bay Area about the "decline" of the Pac-10 conference. While they clearly are on a down year, I wouldn't throw the towel in just yet. The Pac and the Big 12, depending on year, seem to share the title of "Second Best" to the SEC. But its worth noting the Big 12 is basically Texas and Oaklahoma, and after a near decade of USC dominance, the Pac-12 is Oregon, Stanford, USC, and a constant rotation of Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, and now Utah.
The second best conference in college football THIS year might go to the ACC, they have the depth, but not the national title contender they outright need to win that case...I mean...Clemson...they look aight...Florida State...aight...Virginia Tech...aight...Georgia Tech...aight....Canes...aight...Maryland...Meh...BC...Meh...North Carolina...Meh. But this year, that actually makes a pretty good conference.
Early bowl game predictions...LSU beats Oklahoma in the national title game by 8+. Stanford loses to Oregon in the regular season, Oregon and Stanford both win BCS bowl games this year. Oregon beats Wisconson and Stanford beats either Clemson or Florida State. Whoever wins the Big East loses their bowl game, and depending how it ends up, it will either be Clemson or Fl. St. or the winner of the Big East losing to Boise St., unless someone matches Boise St. against Alabama, which, dear god, I would love to see.
And back to that "decline" of the Pac-12...there's something to be said about the movement of family and youths to the Sunbelt (SEC territory) for cost of living, but its just as easy to write off the real "something to be said" about SEC football: African Americans make up 60+% of pro football players, and the Southeast states simply have greater numbers of African Americans than the West. It's always been that way, and XPanther206 has even proved it. The Pac-12 still turns out stellar athletes...if you look at the pros Cal has put out in the last 10 years, its probably equivalent to any SEC school, but when your conference isn't playing well you forget about it.
One thing that sets the Pac apart from other conferences is they start miserably slow. By the end of the season, the Pac makes its mark, but early on, they seem to lose the big games. Oregon vs. LSU, Arizona St. vs. Illinois, Arizona getting hammered, UCLA getting hammered by Texas, Washington getting hammered by Nebraska. Not a good look. Even years ago, I remember a top 15 Cal team getting pummeled by Tennessee in SEC country. Oregon wins this year they're #1 in the country. Arizona St. beats Illinois and they're in the top 15 now, Washington beats Nebraska, they're a ranked team. Simple as that. What's the solution? Well, frankly, better discipline and coaching, and its probably true that out West our pop warner isnt as developed as down South....
There's actually something worth reporting in the Big East this year and that's that they have a few teams who can at least play ball and make it a BCS conference. Both Pittsburg and South Florida look like respectable teams. That RB on Pitt is gonna be a star someday.
The Big 10 also looks strong this year. But last year they looked strong and took it in the shorts during bowl games. Early guess but real teams to beat: Wisconson, Nebraska. Teams that look good but will fall out of the hunt: pretty much everyone else?
Is it me or is the parody over the past 3-4 years in college football just getting better and better. The big boys still play for it all every year, but like I mentioned in the Pac-12 and the SEC and other conferences, there's teams that rise to the occasion and make it their year. Sorry Boise, you get to play an ACC or Big East team in a bowl and win this year and dream for that national title. Thank TCU for losing today and solidifying that.
It looks like with all of the Pac-12 expansion talk, the real winner might be the SEC if they can snag Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. The Pac voted them down, but with all the instability, don't be surprised if they move anyways. And if they don't move, could we see Boise St. and/or a Louisville moving to the Big 12 and solidifying that conference?
In terms of conference talk, the SEC will continue to reign supreme, but isn't it something that the teams in the SEC that we talk about are all from one division? It's not the SEC that's the best conference, its the SEC West that stands alone.
The Pac-12 looks like its in a down year, who agrees and disagrees? A big part of that to me is Cal going from a top-25 team to a team that beats Colorado by a late TD and loses to Washington. USC also not looking like their typical top 10 form even with stellar talent under Kiffin. But on the other hand, Oregon is going to finish a top 10 team and so will Stanford. And just to point something out, anyone notice how the preseason top-25 volts teams way up in the rankings even if they end up losing 3-4 games every year? Advantage SEC with 8 teams in the driver seat when the Pac only has three.
Much has been made on the radio here in the Bay Area about the "decline" of the Pac-10 conference. While they clearly are on a down year, I wouldn't throw the towel in just yet. The Pac and the Big 12, depending on year, seem to share the title of "Second Best" to the SEC. But its worth noting the Big 12 is basically Texas and Oaklahoma, and after a near decade of USC dominance, the Pac-12 is Oregon, Stanford, USC, and a constant rotation of Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, and now Utah.
The second best conference in college football THIS year might go to the ACC, they have the depth, but not the national title contender they outright need to win that case...I mean...Clemson...they look aight...Florida State...aight...Virginia Tech...aight...Georgia Tech...aight....Canes...aight...Maryland...Meh...BC...Meh...North Carolina...Meh. But this year, that actually makes a pretty good conference.
Early bowl game predictions...LSU beats Oklahoma in the national title game by 8+. Stanford loses to Oregon in the regular season, Oregon and Stanford both win BCS bowl games this year. Oregon beats Wisconson and Stanford beats either Clemson or Florida State. Whoever wins the Big East loses their bowl game, and depending how it ends up, it will either be Clemson or Fl. St. or the winner of the Big East losing to Boise St., unless someone matches Boise St. against Alabama, which, dear god, I would love to see.
And back to that "decline" of the Pac-12...there's something to be said about the movement of family and youths to the Sunbelt (SEC territory) for cost of living, but its just as easy to write off the real "something to be said" about SEC football: African Americans make up 60+% of pro football players, and the Southeast states simply have greater numbers of African Americans than the West. It's always been that way, and XPanther206 has even proved it. The Pac-12 still turns out stellar athletes...if you look at the pros Cal has put out in the last 10 years, its probably equivalent to any SEC school, but when your conference isn't playing well you forget about it.
One thing that sets the Pac apart from other conferences is they start miserably slow. By the end of the season, the Pac makes its mark, but early on, they seem to lose the big games. Oregon vs. LSU, Arizona St. vs. Illinois, Arizona getting hammered, UCLA getting hammered by Texas, Washington getting hammered by Nebraska. Not a good look. Even years ago, I remember a top 15 Cal team getting pummeled by Tennessee in SEC country. Oregon wins this year they're #1 in the country. Arizona St. beats Illinois and they're in the top 15 now, Washington beats Nebraska, they're a ranked team. Simple as that. What's the solution? Well, frankly, better discipline and coaching, and its probably true that out West our pop warner isnt as developed as down South....
There's actually something worth reporting in the Big East this year and that's that they have a few teams who can at least play ball and make it a BCS conference. Both Pittsburg and South Florida look like respectable teams. That RB on Pitt is gonna be a star someday.
The Big 10 also looks strong this year. But last year they looked strong and took it in the shorts during bowl games. Early guess but real teams to beat: Wisconson, Nebraska. Teams that look good but will fall out of the hunt: pretty much everyone else?
Is it me or is the parody over the past 3-4 years in college football just getting better and better. The big boys still play for it all every year, but like I mentioned in the Pac-12 and the SEC and other conferences, there's teams that rise to the occasion and make it their year. Sorry Boise, you get to play an ACC or Big East team in a bowl and win this year and dream for that national title. Thank TCU for losing today and solidifying that.