NCAA Week 8 Running Thread

At worst they'll make the Gator. Cincinnati will lose one more along the way

 

BC received votes before the season; KU and Arizona State didn't. So with all the upsets that happened, BC quickly moved into the Top 25 and worked its way up. It took some time for people to believe in KU and Arizona State, though.

And for those who say we shouldn't have polls until October, I'm not sure KU and Arizona State would be ranked higher than where they are now. Oklahoma can lose once and move back into the top five in weeks; KU and Arizona State lose once and they've been exposed. That's the mentality.

 

You mean the Oregon State that lost 34-3 to Cincinnati earlier this season?

Or the Stanford that got crushed by UCLA, Arizona State and Oregon?

You saw Rutgers last night. You seriously think either Stanford or Oregon State's defense could handle Ray Rice? South Florida's No.11 defense couldn't.

Stanford is giving up 167 yards per game on the ground, 75th in the nation. Oregon State is giving up 25 points per game, 59th in the nation, thanks in part to having Utah, Idaho State and Arizona on its schedule.

Faced with Cincy, UCLA and Arizona State, they gave up 39 points per game. Rutgers would win both of those games easily.

As far as USF is concerned, I'd be a little concerned about the Louisville and Cincinnati games, but both are in Tampa, which will help a lot. The rest of the Bulls road schedule isn't tough at all (UConn, Syracuse, Pittsburgh).

 

They won't be in the Gator under any circumstances. Gator has to take Big East twice and Big 12 twice in four-years, which began last year with West Virginia. The game contractually has to take Big 12 team two times in the next three years. But they can ditch a Big East team once during the term of the contract to take Notre Dame. Since Notre Dame isn't going to any bowl this year, the Gator isn't about to take a Big East team, and leave themselves without the option of taking Notre Dame for the balance of the contract.
Here endeth the lesson.

 

The problem with your argument is that national statistical rankings are even more useless than the polls.

 

Would that land them in the Sun Bowl in El Paso instead? I thought I read that bowl could flip with the Gator Bowl and trade a Big 12 for a Big East. Is that true?

 

You're right, which is why I pointed out Oregon State has a 25 ppg average because of the lightweights on its schedule. When they've faced a full-strength opponent -- Cal notwithstanding because of Longshore's absence -- they haven't been able to stop anyone from scoring on them.

 

One problem I have with computers -- they can't see teams play.

I know that sounds silly but what I am trying to say is that you can watch teams play and get a good idea of how good they are relative to other teams. That being said -- it is impossible to know which team is better than which team if they don't actually play, which is why we need a playoff.

 

Bowl schedule:

Up-to-the-second Big East Standings

If the bowl season started Today, USF would be in the Sun Bowl. That said, I'm not sure just how good Cincinnati is and USF's schedule is pretty favorable. They will beat UConn next week, host the Bearcats and Louisville, and travel to Pitt and 'Cuse--both of whom don't belong on the same field with the Bulls. It's not out of the realm of possibility that USF finishes 11-1.

Should that happen, they are headed to either a BCS bowl or the International Bowl.

 

Remember this, the bowls are all about ticket sales. And the Gator has a better chance of selling out with a team from Tampa than they do one from Lawrence, Kansas. Especially since it appears that the entire city of Tampa is on the bandwagon.

 

The contract between the Gator Bowl, Big East, Big 12 and Notre Dame gives the Gator the pick of the Big East litter after its champion goes to the BCS (or if a runnerup goes to the BCS). Gator also can choose non-BCS Big 12 teams, and the Gator, Cotton and Holiday are supposed to make nice and arrange the best matchups.
Starting with last year, the Gator picks Big 12 twice and Big East twice in four years. For non-BCS bowl purposes, Notre Dame is considered a member of the Big East. Gator can use the Notre Dame option once in the two years it goes Big East.

Clear enough? So if you use your head, you realize that no one in their right mind at the Gator would pick a Big East team this year, and eliminate their Notre Dame option in 2008 and 2009. They're going Big 12 this year, and hope to match Texas vs. Clemson.

 

I talked to a USF person last night and he said Tampa is awash in Green-and-Gold, that the city believes in the Bulls.