Today's College Football Thread

[fishwax]

You might not know it from watching ESPN this week, but the USC-Ohio State game isn’t the only game on this weekend. It’s the most hyped, of course—USC is ranked #1 and tOSU is #5, and people have been looking forward to this game since long before the season began.

The only other matchup of ranked teams is Wisconsin at Fresno State late tonight, but there are a few in-state rivalry games (Utah and Utah State, Iowa and Iowa State) as well as some reasonably good non-conference games (Oregon at Purdue, Oklahoma at Washington, UCLA at BYU). There’s also the not-so-epic clash between Michigan and Notre Dame today too. This year’s Cinderella team East Carolina must be wary of a letdown today at Tulane, and Georgia gets their first SEC test of the year against South Carolina.

I’ll be cheering on the Sooners, of course, as well as the Fighting Illini, who kickoff against the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette here in a few minutes. Who does your team play? What games are you looking forward to?

[TZ]

1. Whom my team plays

and what games I am looking forward to are quite different, actually...:)
My Terps managed to LOSE to Middle Tennessee last week (didn't see the game don't know what happened).
I see they are playing Cal today.
Looking forward to Ohio State and USC. As a native of Ohio I would love to see them win and make all the bashers STFU! (not that I really think they are gonna win, I just would like to see it)

[fishwax]

4. Hey, Maryland scored first!

Now they're up 14-0--I don't know what went wrong against Middle Tennessee, but they're looking good today ...

As for tonight's big game, I don't really have a horse in the race myself, so I'm just hoping for a good game. But since it's on at the same time as OU, the attention I afford it will be limited either way :)

[TZ]

5. 14-3 now

Wondering if Cal is suffering from jet lag... Hey man they only managed 14 the whole game agaisnt Delaware so hopefully this is a good sign.

[madinmaryland]

11. 21-3 now!

[madinmaryland]

10. HEY!!1!! The TERRAPINS are up 21-3 early in the second quarter!

Tonight --> GO BUCKEYES!!

[fishwax]

23. It's official -- congrats to the Terps

Cal fought their way back, but Maryland held on to win. Congrats :toast:

[TZ]

24. Terps win!

35-27! Well they made me nervous there but they held on.

Go figure. Lose to Middle Tennessee State and then beat 24th ranked Cal....:crazy:

[Twillig]

2. Oklahoma at Washington 'reasonably good' ?

Nah, c'mon man. Oklahoma smokes them easily. I guarandamn-T it.

Oregon at Purdue.. well, at least the 'ucks don't have a total cupcake today. I hope they lose. Big.


THe UCLA / BYU looks like it could be good.

Nobody can let down too much v. Tulane.

The (MY) Beav's go at home against Hawaii. The Beav's need this one, or they (we/I) could be looking at an 0 and 5 start. (USC and Utah are coming up). Yikes

I don't root for a conference, I have my team and I stick to it. But I hate Ohio State. GO TOEJAMS! FIGHT ON!

[fishwax]

3. two reasons for that

one, it's the sooners, so I'm bound to like a blowout just fine :)

two, Pac 10 refs are officiating the game. If anyone can keep it close, they can. :grr:

I didn't realize it was such a rough year for the Beavers, but good luck against Hawaii! :toast:

[RoyGBiv]

6. Ugh ... Pac-10 refs ...

I imagine the governor might call out the national guard to invade Washington if the refs screw this one up. :-)

[fishwax]

13. No doubt

:rofl:

[fishwax]

15. Hey RoyGBiv, how's the situation

in Houston for you--were you one of those who had to evacuate or did you stay put?

[RoyGBiv]

16. Stayed put ...

I'm inside the loop, a no evac zone.

It was one helluva night, let me tell you, but we got through it, "we" being me and the cat. He has passed smooth out now since he didn't get a wink from about 8 last night. I should probably be asleep, but the adrenaline hasn't worn off yet.

I somehow got power back about 6am. I have no idea how. My whole complex has power, but the neighboring buildings do not. It *may* be because I'm next to a highway. Just the other side of the sound barrier, things have power provided by underground lines. There are aerials all over the place here, but they must not come here. As I said, I dunno. I'm just giving thanks for the fact I'm not one of the 4 million plus who don't have power.

And the Internet works. Wonders never cease.

I should quit talking about it ... might jinx it and have it go off again.

Anyway, we're good. I just wandered out to take a look around the complex. I'm luckier than I realized. Building next door has no roof. Several trees down on side streets. Branches down in my parking lot, but they managed not to hit anything. PVC pipe from *somewhere* piled up behind my truck.

[fishwax]

17. that's good to hear

glad you and the cat made it through unscathed (and have power and internet to boot :wow:)

:toast:

[Twillig]

8. Did you just see that commercial (Cal v. MD game) where the ref

kept it close with a bs replay call and tripping a guy taking it to the house?

:rofl:

Gotta be based on Pac-10 refs!


PS if the Terps score a TD on this drive (currently 14-3) I think Cal tanks it.

!

We'll see.

[fishwax]

12. haha!

I missed that ad, but I'll have to watch for it :rofl:

[pokerfan]

18. Pac-10 officials hate the Sooners

Remember the Oregon game. Oklahoma is going to roll by at at least 28 points.

[fishwax]

20. grr

I remember it well :grr:

Had Oklahoma not already hosted their half of the home and home with Washington, I think they'd have opted out of the contract rather than play another game in a Pac 10 stadium with Pac 10 refs after that little incident. Damn that was outrageous!

Winning big today should help ease the pain of that memory, though :)

[BOSSHOG]

7. Arkansas will not lose to Texas today, guaranteed

[TZ]

9. *snort*

Isn't that because the game was postponed?:D

[BOSSHOG]

79. I can't get nothing by you darling

The game was postponed because of Ike and replayed on 27 September. No doubt you will be rooting for the Hogs.

[fishwax]

14. When was that game rescheduled for?

Odd (but convenient) that they both had the same bye week, I suppose.

[BOSSHOG]

78. The Big Game will be played 27 September My Friend

and I agree the coincidence is eery.

Alabama at Arkansas the SEC Game of the Week next Saturday!!!

Go Hogs GO!

[pokerfan]

19. College Football is dead to me

after that game at Baylor last night. We expected that we would struggle this year, with a new coach and a very young team and no depth, but we had no idea that we would be this bad.

When does basketball season start?

[fishwax]

21. my condolences, pokerfan

I didn't catch anything from that WSU-Baylor game other than the final score, but it must've been :argh:

I had no idea that your Cougars would have it so rough this year--I mean, I know they're breaking in a new coach and all, but still ...

Take heart, though--basketball'll be tipping off before you know it :toast:

[pokerfan]

22. Three games, three straight blowouts

Oklahoma State, Cal and Baylor.

The combined score = 150-33!

Our only chance of a win this season looks to be against Portland State, an FCS team. :puke: :banghead:

[fishwax]

25. Four minutes into the game, Notre Dame up 14-0 on Michigan

Michigan has turned the ball over twice inside their own 20.

[CatholicEdHead]

26. d3football.com is the place to be

In the race to knock off Mt Union at some point this year.

The WI-Fresno State game looks to be pretty good.

[fishwax]

30. The Warhawks of Wisconsin-Whitewater

will take Mount Union down again :) (Confession: I don't have any idea how good UWW is this year, I just know they won last year :))

[PVnRT]

27. Michigan St. - Florida Atlantic was just ugly

Fumble city in East Lansing.

[fishwax]

31. I only caught a very little of that game, and it looked pretty bad

Sometimes I like watching those bad weather games, but that one looked pretty sloppy :)

[fishwax]

28. South Carolina is ahead of Georgia 7-3

Pretty entertaining game thus far ...

[mduffy31]

29. 28-10 Irish

8 Minutes left in the 1st half

[fishwax]

32. So I heard on the radio that Charlie Weiss got hurt right before halftime--what happened

I had just stepped out and I guess I missed it ...

[mduffy31]

55. Got blindsided on the backside of a play

A player got blocked into him and he blew out his knee. Same thing happened to me when I was officiating a game, but I didn't tear my ACL and MCL

[fishwax]

33. Tulane is now ahead of East Carolina 24-21 with 11:27 left

[npk]

34. I can't wait for the USC v. OSU matchup tonight

I have plenty of alcohol to go around for everyone.

[fishwax]

43. I hope it's a good game

I'm expecting USC to pull away, but I'd be happy to see a game of it.

And pass some of that alcohol over here :D :beer:

[npk]

46. I here ya.

I would like to see a close game, rather than a blow out. Of course if it is a blow out I will end up drinking more.

:rofl:

[fishwax]

47. Then it's a win either way :)

:toast:

[SeattleGirl]

35. w00t!! Oregon Ducks just knocked off Purdue in double OT!

Oregon had a miserable first half; they were down 20-3 at halftime, came back and tied it at the end, then won in the second overtime!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[fishwax]

39. That was an impressive comeback!

:toast:

[SeattleGirl]

41. Yes, it was!

The way the Ducks played in the first half, I thought there was no way they could win. Guess Belotti gave them all a swift kick back in the locker room.

[CabalPowered]

57. That was a great game

:woohoo:

Go Ducks! :D

[Twillig]

36. At this point I'd like to raise a practical question.

What the fuck is wrong with UCLA?

Did the UCLA Bruins not smite Tennessee from the vaunted, best in the land (THEY REALLY ARE!! :sarcasm: ) SEC conference two weeks ago?

nah, UCLA is jeckyl/hyde. Nothing changed with the coach it seems.

And BYU may be 'good.'

59-0 good.


HAHAHAHAHAHA!

[fishwax]

38. that score was a shock!

:wtf: :rofl:

The Stormin' Mormons were a force today for sure! :)

:rofl:

[fishwax]

40. And congrats to your Beavers

:toast:

[fishwax]

37. OU and Washington are underway!

:woohoo:

[Twillig]

44. Thanks and good luck

keep your fingers crossed for a good Pac-10 job squad referee crew.

[Awsi Dooger]

42. I really enjoyed watching Georgia Tech's option vs. Va Tech

It's bizarre that more teams don't run the option. It causes so many problems. I can almost guarantee you'll see more teams go to it, after Ga Tech has some success and the assistant coaches peel off elsewhere.

Ga Tech is a newbie to Johnson's system but they easily could have won at Va Tech today. Costly turnovers and a missed wide open TD pass with about 2 minutes remaining.

Admittedly, I love the option because it's so easy to win bets on those teams. They are covering machines. Ga Tech was +7 today, losing by 3.:)

[fishwax]

45. I love the option too

I didn't get to see that game today--maybe I'll get to see Ga. Tech next week against Mississippi State.

It always feels like anything can happen with the option. Of course, the costly turnovers you mention can be a problem, particularly when teams and personnel are still getting used to the system. I remember OU had a lot of those problems when they tried to bring back the option in the 90s under Blake. (:()

Admittedly, I love the option because it's so easy to win bets on those teams. They are covering machines.
Thanks for the tip :)

[Awsi Dooger]

56. I love this video, "The Perfect Option"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aI6EAsKvgg&feature=related

[fishwax]

48. Utah State takes an early lead on Utah

7-0 three minutes in :wow:

Wonder how long that will last ...

[fishwax]

49. They have finally kicked off in the Coliseum

Ohio State gets the ball first.

[fishwax]

50. Ohio State scores first: 3-0 with 3:06 left in the 1st

[pokerfan]

51. USC scores second and third : 14-3 with 6:34 left in the half

[fishwax]

52. and fourth -- interception return for a touchdown

just when it looked like Ohio State might keep it close through halftime ;)

[nickgutierrez]

53. The way Ohio State is playing, it's like they're in the National Championship Game again.

21-3 USC

:D

I don't like the NCAA's replay system. It's got to be the most uncomfortable thing in the world for a referee, to just be standing there like a dope with that goofy headset on, while everybody is staring at you until you finally make the call.

[fishwax]

54. lol

:rofl:

[ThoughtCriminal]

58. Watched the Auburn-Mississippi State game

Now that was a long dental appointment.

[fishwax]

59. it was like oral surgery but with instant replay

Now that was a long dental appointment. :rofl:

:thumbsup:

[ThoughtCriminal]

60. I did like the part

where they compared the score to last spring's AU-MSU baseball games.

[fishwax]

63. lol -- they did something similar in an in-game update

I was watching OU vs. Washington, w/ the AU-MSU game on a second TV with the sound off. At one point, shortly after MSU got the safety and was driving around midfield, they offered an in-game update of that game for viewers of the OU-UW game. The studio announcer said: Auburn leads Mississippi State 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, but the Bulldogs have a couple of runners on." :)

[southlandshari]

61. Wretched

If Kodi Burns isn't packing his bags and taking calls from other schools by Monday, I'll be shocked.

That was the ugliest game I've ever seen. Inexcusably ugly.

:(

[ThoughtCriminal]

66. I do remember a 3-0

Auburn game from 1972(?) when Auburn defeated Miami with a single field goal. It turned out to be a pretty good season. Pat Sullivan was gone and there was not much predicted for the Tigers that year - but turned out to be one of the most memorable.

Edit correction - the 3-0 Miami game was in 1974.

[southlandshari]

62. Hello, my long lost friend!

It is great to see you have carried on our tradition of Saturday college football threads!

Wish I could be around more often to join in.

:hi:

[fishwax]

64. good to see you, southlandshari!

I was thinking about you while keeping an eye on that "wretched" game today :)

I hope things are well with you :hi:

[southlandshari]

80. Likewise

And thanks for thinking of me.

I was not good company during that game.

;)

[nickgutierrez]

65. Well, look who we found!

:hug:

[southlandshari]

81. Who?!!

Me?

Why didn't anyone tell me I was lost?!!

:P

[Awsi Dooger]

71. Hey, a southlandshari appearance

You were mentioned the other day, in a thread about missing DUers who we wished would show up more often. I replied that you were great in the college football threads.

Remember, the term is USC, not that hideous reference. :)

[southlandshari]

82. Ayup!

And - thanks to you - I have never forgotten the lesson about the proper terminology to use when referring to certain schools.

I'll try to show up a little more often on Saturdays around here whenever possible. I miss you guys.

:hi:

[Awsi Dooger]

83. I watched the Auburn replay last night

What's the terminology for that? :rofl:

Normally I love physical low scoring SEC games but that one took it a bit extreme.

I got a kick out of Tuberville's expression when that pitchout was whiffed in the final 2 minutes. No way to lose unless we do this, so here 'ya go, be our guest to try again...

Great play by the cornerback to save it.

Yes, definitely show up on Saturdays when you can. :hi:

[taught_me_patience]

67. Massacre at the Coliseum

I was there to watch every minute of it... Fight on SC!

[fishwax]

68. Sounds like fun

and (unsurprisingly) a massacre it was :)

:toast:

[taught_me_patience]

70. It was madness there.

I've never seen anything like it...

:headbang: :toast:

[fishwax]

69. Wisconsin up by 3 against Fresno State, but FSU driving with 5 minutes left

could be a good finish ...

[Awsi Dooger]

72. UNLV might go into overtime at Arizona State

Awesome one-handed TD catch by UNLV to tie the game with 18 seconds remaining, 20-20.

[Awsi Dooger]

73. UNLV pulls a major upset in overtime, 23-20

One of the biggest wins in UNLV history, defeating 13th ranked Arizona State. The UNLV head coach choked up and was on the verge of tears after the game, saying it was the best win of his career.

In overtime, UNLV drove to the 3 yard line but had to settle for a FG. Arizona State played conservatively in its possession, two rushes then a rollout pass that wasn't close.

Arizona State has a very good kicker but UNLV got great penetration and stuffed the FG up the middle, a clean block. Dennis Erickson was shuffling his hair in disbelief while walking off the field.

This takes some of the luster off Georgia's visit to Arizona State next week.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

74. YAY DUCKS!!!!

After a nightmare of silly blunders, fumbles and intercepts in the first half, Oregon came back around to tie the game. Then two overtimes, and it was over at 32-26! We're 3 out of 3 now!!!

[SeattleGirl]

76. That ended up being a great game!

I must confess, though, that I was gnawing-off-my-fingernails nervous through the first half! :scared:

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

77. I know, feeling the same here

We (grandpa and myself) were groaning at every single bad pass and interception that plagued the early game. Then something magically changed right after halftime.

[Iggo]

75. At least UCLA kept it close.

:sarcasm:

:cry: