[Tom Huckaby]

Oh I am not underestimating Penn State at all - believe me.  Do any of you really think that Penn State is a superior opponent than either Texas or Oklahoma?

And that was my point - if that can't happen - and I trust Jim on this - then heck yeah, bring on the Nittanies.  It will be a great game without a doubt, and they will have a lot more to play for....  so I will not count my chickens in that game for sure.

USC v. Utah - shit bet the world on Utah.  Talk about a zero motivation game for one team, EVERYTHING for the other... Pete Carroll is a minor god but even he won't get these kids motivated for that.

So come on Ducks!

TH

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle,

I would 2nd that notion...USC/Penn State would be a horrible blow-out snoozer in favor of USC...the Big 10 really is that bad.

Utah would probably get beat by USC too, but at least Utah would make a game of it.

Odd. Considering that USC's fate depends on a team that got blown out by Penn State. Bring up Iowa, but that game was played in a three club wind that few teams south of the Mason/Dixon would ever see with their scheduling.

Are you really saying that Utah is better than PSU based on resume?

[Kyle Harris]

Oh I am not underestimating Penn State at all - believe me.  Do any of you really think that Penn State is a superior opponent than either Texas or Oklahoma?

And that was my point - if that can't happen - and I trust Jim on this - then heck yeah, bring on the Nittanies.  It will be a great game without a doubt, and they will have a lot more to play for....  so I will not count my chickens in that game for sure.

USC v. Utah - shit bet the world on Utah.  Talk about a zero motivation game for one team, EVERYTHING for the other... Pete Carroll is a minor god but even he won't get these kids motivated for that.

So come on Ducks!

TH

I think the minute Vidal Hazleton gets hit by Scirotto in the open field, you'll have you answer. Does Texas or Oklahoma have that kind of defense? You know, the 11 guys on the field they put out there to stop the Offense from scoring?

[Kalen Braley]

Kyle,

We can play this game all day long.  Utah also beat Oregon State, who in turn beat USC, who in turn smashed OSU, who in turn PSU struggled with.

But yes if we're talking about betting, I'd glady take Utah over PSU any day. 

[Tom Huckaby]

Kyle:

CHILL.  I have nothing but respect for Penn State.  Heck yeah you destroyed a team USC lost to.

I do believe that either Texas or Oklahoma is a stronger team than your Nittanies.  I think most of the nation agrees.

But I mean that as no offense, of course, and as I've said, if the Rose Bowl v. USC happens I will be FAR from confident of a win.

As for Utah, I just mean USC would lose in a bowl game to them due to MOTIVATIONAL issues - it happens all the time - team in a game they don't want to be in, against an opponent who is dying to be there with everything to gain, nothing to lose... this says nothing about relative strength v. any other team.  I'll take Utah no matter who they end up playing pretty much.

TH

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle,

We can play this game all day long.  Utah also beat Oregon State, who in turn beat USC, who in turn smashed OSU, who in turn PSU struggled with.

But yes if we're talking about betting, I'd glady take Utah over PSU any day. 

It's your money.

USC would not have smashed tOSU in the 'shoe at the end of October like they did in the Colosseum in early September. In fact, I'm willing to bet USC would have struggled, just like I'm willing to bet tOSU would have scored more than 7 on them.

It's a different game in November and October than in September, and Penn State has shown the ability to play in all these conditions.

Give Paterno a month to prepare the team, and they'll take anyone anywhere. Keep in mind that this is a program that has lost a grand total of 5 bowls (1 against Florida in 1996 with three critical members suspended, another against Oklahoma in 1985 for the MNC) in my lifetime, and missed another 5. That's 15 victorious bowl seasons.

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle:

CHILL.  I have nothing but respect for Penn State.  Heck yeah you destroyed a team USC lost to.

I do believe that either Texas or Oklahoma is a stronger team than your Nittanies.  I think most of the nation agrees.

But I mean that as no offense, of course, and as I've said, if the Rose Bowl v. USC happens I will be FAR from confident of a win.

As for Utah, I just mean USC would lose in a bowl game to them due to MOTIVATIONAL issues - it happens all the time - team in a game they don't want to be in, against an opponent who is dying to be there with everything to gain, nothing to lose... this says nothing about relative strength v. any other team.  I'll take Utah no matter who they end up playing pretty much.

TH

I'm not upset. In fact Cirba and I were talking yesterday about the possibility of you and I talking about this very subject.

A team that isn't motivated to play anyone isn't much of a team, IMO. You set out to accomplish your best each game. If the coach can't instill that set of values, that team doesn't belong.

What happens if Tiger carries that attitude with him?

[Tom Huckaby]

Kyle:

OK fine, USC would kill Utah.  It will be a very tough game against Penn State.

Happier now? 

TH

[Kalen Braley]

Kyle,

I'm sure your Ninnies....err Nittnay Lions are a decent team.  But Utah has been there before.  They were the original bowl busters in the 2004 season and absolutly devestated thier opponent (Big East Champs) in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

P.S.  By the way, i'm pretty sure all those guys who played in those big epic bowl games of yester-year ain't playing in this years.   

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle:

OK fine, USC would kill Utah.  It will be a very tough game against Penn State.

Happier now? 

TH

Yes. Carrol doesn't strike me as the kind of coach that will let a team get lazy for a bowl game. He usually has that happen mid-season a la Oregon State this year or Stanford last year.  

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle,

I'm sure your Ninnies....err Nittnay Lions are a decent team.  But Utah has been there before.  They were the original bowl busters in the 2004 season and absolutly devestated thier opponent (Big East Champs) in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

P.S.  By the way, i'm pretty sure all those guys who played in those big epic bowl games of yester-year ain't playing in this years.   

"Knute Rockne isn't going to come out of the grave and tackle you."
-Joe Paterno

Utah mauled an 8-4 Pitt team that absolutely had no business playing in that game.  They almost lost to 1-AA Furman that season and needed OT for the W.

2004 was absolutely the WORST Big East season ever. I think the C-USA Champ (Louisville) had more business being there.

I enjoyed EVERY minute of it. 

[Kalen Braley]

Kyle,

I did know that Pitt was bad that year, but knew I just couldn't conviently leave out which conference they obliterated.   

I would love to see a Utah/PSU game but I think they are locked up for the Rose Bowl so that won't happen.  Its times like this we really need that 8 team playoff to settle the scores so to speak.

Especially if Oregon State wins this weekend and thats what you get in the grand-daddy game. 

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle,

I did know that Pitt was bad that year, but knew I just couldn't conviently leave out which conference they obliterated.   

I would love to see a Utah/PSU game but I think they are locked up for the Rose Bowl so that won't happen.  Its times like this we really need that 8 team playoff to settle the scores so to speak.

Especially if Oregon State wins this weekend and thats what you get in the grand-daddy game. 

Me and Penn State's 5 undefeated seasons without a title game appearance agree with you.

[Tom Huckaby]

Kyle -  you seem to want a fight with me, but I just can't do it.  I have nothing but respect for Penn State, Iowa slipups notwithstanding.

Kalen is there with fists up though - I leave you to battle with him.

TH

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle -  you seem to want a fight with me, but I just can't do it.  I have nothing but respect for Penn State, Iowa slipups notwithstanding.

Kalen is there with fists up though - I leave you to battle with him.

TH

Just picking on you really. It's been awhile since we've conversed for one reason or the other.

This is where I admit that "Tribute to Troy" is a fixture on my mp3 player.

I'll save the serious stuff for Santa Clara/PSU soccer games which tend to occur in the NCAA tournaments. 

[Tom Huckaby]

Yeah, except for this year... both the women and men's soccer teams stunk at SCU.  Not good, as that is typically our claim to fame and chance to battle the big boys.

TH

[Voytek Wilczak]

Back to the topic - a question to the college football cognoscenti:

At the end of the regular season, will it be Texas Tech, OU, Texas, or what???

Being a huge NFL fan for over 25 years (I wish it were longer, but I got fresh off the boat in 1981), I still don't understand this BCS college ranking nonsense (not that I follow it, but being a football fan I would nonetheless appreciate insight from GCA'ers).

To my simple mind, if Texas Tech ends up ahead of OU in the final standings, despite their total undressing and total destruction last Saturday, it will just show the absurdity of the current ranking system.

[Tom Huckaby]

Voytek:

Absurd is the best word for the BCS system.  But the weird thing is in a lot of ways it is the BEST system for determining a champion that college football has ever had.

As for what will occur, we won't know until December 7, after all the regular season games have been played and the bowl pairings are announced.  There are just too many possibilities to list them all here.  At the very basic, if Alabama wins out, they will almost certainly play the winner of the Big 12 title game in the BCA championship... that is unless that winner is Missouri, in which case we get back to that "absurd" word and yes, in that scenario Texas Tech could indeed be in the championship game.

TH

[jeffwarne]

Tom,

What happens if Alabama and Florida play  a quadruple overtime game and Florida wins by virtue of converting a two point conversion.
....and Missouri (vs. Texas?)wins the Big 12 game

Alabama vs. Florida for the National title anyway?

How about Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma for the national title (two teams who didn't even play for their conference championshiop)

Fla vs. USC, Tex Tech, or OK?

At least they'd all be good games

Utah already played their big game (they nipped Michigan )
and don't talk to me about a bowl win over a Little East team in 2004

[Matt_Cohn]

My favorite is Florida loses at Florida State, and then wins the SEC Championship Game. Then the top two in the BCS are Oklahoma and Texas. Now *that* would be an interesting title game.

[mike_beene]

I was in the stands last night in Austin as the crowd grumbled every time Texas ran the ball because the score needed to be run up.There was a well orchestrated campaign with 45-35 plackards everywhere(the Tx-OU score and a 45-35.com website.I have just about lost interest.I cant stand A&M but the whole thuggery scene when the teams came out and the booing through the Aggie alma mater makes me want to go turn on the golf channel.

[mike_beene]

KBM, although I went to Baylor,I grew up going to Austin for Texas games and as a kid cried when they lost.My wife,a good Baylor baptist girl from Mississippi has an unfortunate and dangerous attraction to Bevo.We sat probably 20 yards from the great cow,and instead of watching football or the worlds largest jumbotron,all she did was watch his every move. She was most impressed by his failure to contribute to global warming during the game.

[Joel_Stewart]

The season is over and Texas Tech finished 12th.  I guess Utah deserves credit as well, I didn't see any of their games. 

I still would have loved to see USC play Florida.

AP Top 25

1.Florida (48)
2.Utah (16)
3.USC (1)
4.Texas
5.Oklahoma
6.Alabama
7.TCU
8.Penn St.
9.Ohio St.
10.Oregon
11.Boise St.
12.Texas Tech

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

The irony of a school that is 2nd only to Notre Dame in being hyped non stop getting the short end of the stick is not lost on me. In 2003 USC should have played LSU rather than OU. Of course they hyped their way to a fake crown that year. This year they are again the 2nd best team and somehow never really got in the mix after the OSU loss. Ou won two Heismans without having the best QB much less player both years too.

[Joel_Stewart]

Of course they hyped their way to a fake crown that year.

You LSU people won't give up that USC was the best team that year.   I guess they faked having 2 Heisman winners on the team.

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