Running bowl thread

Isn't good enough to what? Bump Texas out of the national title game? No, it's not.

Beating BYU, Utah, Clemson and Virginia is good. But it's not worlds better than what Texas has done. It's not even *better* than what Texas has done. Especially since Virginia isn't good, Utah is trading on last year and Clemson is the runner-up in a weak conference and lost to South Carolina.

 

Thanks for playing, Mustang. I was joking.

Even so, I'd watch VT-UT before LSU-PSU. No question. But that's just me.

 

Actually, I'm looking forward to all the sentimental hooha of West Virginia and Florida State. I'd love to read THE definitive piece, maybe by Jones, on Bobby Bowden's career being neatly wrapped up like this in the Gator.

 

Don't think we're not betting on that!

 

Sorry, but what has Texas done, exactly? What makes them head and shoulders better than TCU. (I take much more stock in your answers.)

 

In FCS, the following conferences do not earn auto bids:

Big South -- did not have six fully eligible DI teams playing together for at least two years. That changes next year, and the league gets an auto bid to the expanded playoffs.
Northeast -- will get an auto bid starting next year.
Great West -- not enough teams in the conference (five).
Pioneer -- non-scholarship league that is now showing interest in applying for an auto bid.
SWAC -- would rather have its teams play in the conference championship game. A second-place team from one of the SWAC division can however earn an at-large bid, though that's unlikely to ever happen.
Ivy -- chooses not to participate in the postseason

 

TCU: 3-9 Virginia, 4-8 San Diego State, 5-7 UNLV, 3-9 Colorado State, 1-11 New Mexico, the same 6-6 Wyoming squad ... and Texas State!

How is that schedule BETTER (not the same, BETTER) than Texas'?

 

Hmm ... well, they scored 4 more points at Wyoming!

Listen, it's a no-win argument.

I'm just looking at it from a lifelong college football fan's perspective (mine) that wants to see the most intriguing game. Texabama? C'mon, it's been done, every year, it's always Texas or Bama or LSU or USC. Always fucking always.

Are you really not intrigued to see what this undefeated, stout-on-defense TCU team might do to Alabama with everything on the line instead of playing a repeat of last year's bowl against Boise? Texabama still makes you more excited? Because it's the best matchup in your mind, or because you can't stand to see anyone but the big boys play for the national title?

 

Well, they've won 13 games, for one thing, all against I-A opponents. TCU's won 12, 11 against I-A opponents.

They've also beaten Oklahoma, a one-point victory over whom was supposed to prove that BYU was a title contender (back before BYU lost twice). They've won at a 9-3 conference rival. They've beaten the top two teams in the opposite division. With one exception, they haven't allowed more than 24 points in a game.

It's not the most overwhelming schedule a title contender has ever played. But it's still more difficult than TCU's, two teams on which lost to the fifth-place team in the Big 12 South and another on which was shut out by the fifth-place team in the Big 12 North. (Yes, that was Wyoming, and Texas played them too.)

And in any event, there is no evidence whatsoever to show that TCU's schedule is MORE difficult than Texas'.

 

Hell yes. I'd love to see it. I want a fucking playoff as badly as anyone.

But Bama hasn't played for any titles under the current system, so condemning them because Florida and LSU have played in a bunch of title games isn't really fair.

And it's not about the most compelling matchup. It's about matching the two best teams, as evaluated by the bullshit system we're stuck with.

 

I'm a Virginia grad, and no, it's not. You know who else won at Virginia? William & Mary. Duke.

(Obviously, this shouldn't be held against TCU, given that UVa hadn't quite started to plumb the depths when the game was scheduled. I just wanted to take a shot at Al Groh.)

 

I think the consensus is that TCU have looked better, but that Texas has the better resume on paper. Or something like that.