Been sort of consumed with other things lately, how are the Huskers doing this year? 😛

I trust that the AD made a good hire....

Been sort of consumed with other things lately, how are the Huskers doing this year? 😛

I trust that the AD made a good hire....

Tim Marlowe leaves your staff and the Huskers can't remember how to play winning football!

Well, Bo is still receiving those Nebraska paychecks, but he'll be falling short of that 9 win plateau at YSU (4-4, 3 games left).

I love Thursday nights with FIVE college football games (6 really, but 1 isn't on TV).

Been sort of consumed with other things lately, how are the Huskers doing this year? 😛

I trust that the AD made a good hire....

Your boys are only getting six points Saturday night against Michigan State.

Nice that someone around here is finally talking about The Big Ten. You guys do realize that there are three (yes Three!) Big Ten teams that control their own destiny. If MSU, OSU or Iowa win out, they will be in the Final Four.

Iowa has the easiest road but I give the nod to the Buckeyes.

I like Indiana to beat Iowa tomorrow. This team has been right on the edge of some big things. Home vs tOSU they had the ball around the 10 in the final seconds threatening to tie (or win with a 2pt conv). At Michigan St they hung for just over 3 quarters with an early lead and never trailing by more than 1 possession until their O failed to convert some 3rd/4th downs and TOs saw that game unfortunately spiral out of control. They went from missing a FG that would've given them the lead at the end of the 3rd qrt to losing by 26! Iowa is a nice solid team, but they rarely put people away or beat anyone impressively. Alot of teams could've beat Iowa last week, fortunately for the Hawkeyes they were only playing Maryland who can't really beat anyone. NW is their most impressive win, although Cats were off the humbling 38-0 loss to Michigan the week prior and NW's offensive struggles have been pretty apparent. IU has no such offensive struggles.

I think this might be the least inspiring year of Big Ten football I can remember. Starting at the top with tOSU lackluster games to start the season, Michigan St not looking like the elite team in many games that we expected they'd look like and then Wisconsin...has anyone looked at Wisconsin's schedule?! They have not beat anyone with a winning record and have only beat 1 team that is even .500. Penn St's best win is vs San Diego State? Minnesota is off from last year (they nearly lost to Kent State at home!). Nebraska blows. Rutgers looks like a Big East team and Maryland looks like an ACC team. Northwestern's D is a nice story, great coaching staff and a fairly good team and the Stanford win week 1 is certainly nice - but they've also been embarrassed on atleast one occasion this year. Michigan's resurgence is about the only thing I can get all that excited about (other than Indiana beating Iowa tomorrow ;). Iowa at 9-0 is surely a surprise and I want to give them credit for it. But I also want to keep them grounded because they really haven't played anyone all that good.

Three SEC teams control their own destiny too for SEC Championship and "Final Four". Florida, LSU and Ole Miss.

I guess you could suggest that four Big XII teams control their own destiny, that is if you are willing to give Oklahoma a pass for the horrible, just horrible, game vs Texas. But if OU bests Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma St in successive weeks well....we'd just have to see what everyone else around the country has done to see if the Sooners fit into the mix at all.

GEAUX TIGERS! ROLL the tide.

While I don't care for either coach, I'm sick of Saban's whining.

Interesting day yesterday. My good friend is a die hard Michigan State fan and he has been bitching about them not getting a chance to get to the Final Four. I told him to relax, the next month will play itself out and I think Ohio State and Michigan are better than them anyway. Well, it is playing out.

TCU gets waxed. Goodbye LSU. I wasn't sure how that would play out but I figured the game would be close.

That 'ol Miss/Arkansas game was nuts.

So much for Memphis going undefeated.

And that Florida game was just brutal to watch.

9-0 Go Tigers!!!!

Quite the interesting day yesterday.

First, to touch on some of the things we were talking...Georgia - Kentucky. The talent gap from Lexington to Athens was really on display yesterday. With the most basic and boring gameplan possible, UGA just slowly pulled away while UK was stuck in mud (and sometimes reverse). Easy to see that UK played their worst game of the year and alot of that is because of the stout UGA D.

No Indiana did not upset Iowa, and I am fairly upset about that myself. I put my money where my mouth is so whatever I say I think something is going to happen I financially vest that opinion. For a bit in the 2nd qrt IU looked capable of the win, but on balance, as all their "near miss games" have gone this year they just are not a 4th qrt team. I still am underwhelmed with Iowa, but they do what they have to and are efficient at it.

What was that in Lincoln? A Nebraska football win? A few things here. During the summer you can bet college games in Vegas (and online) that they call "Games of the Year" and actually there are quite a few you can bet. The lines they produce for these games make a very interesting comparison to what the team's were believed to be in August and what adjustments the power rating and point spreads have moved to.

For instance, Thursday Baylor was only -9.5 on GOY line and it was about 17 Thursday. USC was 10.5 GOY line, last night it was 19. Clemson was -4 and it was around 10, although closed at 12.5. So you get the point. As one teams proves it's worth vs another that hasn't lived up to expectations the lines get adjust accordingly.

GOY in August on Michigan St at Nebraska was -4.5. Yesterday it was 3.5-4.5. About the same. How could this be? An undefeated team vs a 3-6 team. This line should be more like 10, surely over a TD right?

It speaks to how the power rating numbers (which is where the point spreads start) valued Michigan St more than it did Nebraska. Michigan State has played with fire all season long. Outgained by nonpower 5 teams. Rutgers and Purdue in position to challenge for the win late in games.

Now to the game, it was back and forth with either team looking capable of pulling out the win. Each team had double digit wins, MSU twice, the last coming early in the 4th qrt.

After NU cuts it to a 5 pt game MSU recovers the onside kick and takes over with 1:47 on the clock, Nebraska has 2 timeouts. MSU plays it very conservative and on 3rd down a holding penalty momentarily stops the clock. They are only able to milk :52 off the clock and punt.

Huskers take over at their own 9 with no timeouts and :55. 1st play Westerkamp wide open for 28y. 2nd play Westerkamp wide open for 33y (injured on play would miss next 2 plays). 3rd play Armstrong throws what should've been an INT in the EZ, but ball comes loose as the defender hits the ground. 4th play 30y TD pass! It took :38 seconds.

Now to the controversy. Reilly runs out of bounds going down the field, the referee rules he was forced out, Reilly comes in bounds catches the ball - TD. There was contact between the DB and the WR as the DB squeezes the WR towards the boundary, was it enough to actually force Reilly out of bounds? Judgement call. When replay looked at it all they could do is look to see if there was no contact. If no contact between the WR and DB and the WR goes out of bounds that would be illegal touching by the WR on the catch. But since there was some contact, any contact, replay could not rule on the play since it lies solely with the judgement of the referee on the field.

Another keep point, the referee said "the receiver established presence" when coming back on the field. When coming back in bounds, Reilly took two steps in bounds before making the catch.

I think the play isn't quite as controversial as most on TV are making it. The commentators in the booth were almost beside themselves in disagreement with the call.

But as Dantonio said, "they should've never been down there". MSU make the plays to burn clock and pick up a first down to seal the game. Get some pressure on Armstrong. Or how about covering someone? Nebraska had open receivers often throughout the game. On the final drive it looked like MSU was playing with 6 defenders. On the play before the TD DB has a chance to end the game but drops the INT (reminds me of the Texas defender dropping INT vs Texas Tech in 2008 when Crabtree won the game next play).

It's never just about one play. Unless of course it is a botched punt that gets returned for a game winning TD as time expires. You win some you shouldn't and you lose some you shouldn't. Play with fire and you get burned Spartans.

Roll Tide!

Domination by Alabama!

I think I was equally impressed with Navy upsetting Memphis yesterday. Navy has struggled at times historically vs pass-oriented passing attacks and I thought that would again be their downfall. Navy wins by 25 and was head-and-shoulders the best team on the field, thought Memphis would be the one winning by 25. Although Reynolds didn't score a rushing TD and still remains tied for NCAA all time TD rushing record.

UNC - Clemson! That is going to be a good one!

Florida messed around and nearly lost to Vandy, wow. Florida's new short range kicker (the walk on dentist major) misses the xpt leading to UF trailing by 1 pt almost the entire 2nd half. UF did have a 1st and goal off the opening KO, but Vandy D is legit. Felt bad for Vandy. When you are so close and so little good fortune to point to, that would've been a terrific win for Dores.

Alot of people like to mention Ezekiel Elliot in the Heisman race. He is a very good RB, but there are a handful of very good RBs. Fournette, Derek Henry ,but what about Dalvin Cook. Nobody mentions Dalvin Cook for Heisman when his numbers are just as good (or in places better) than Elliots. Of course you'd expect a Heisman RB should get that 4th and 1 too which Cook didn't.

Speaking of Heisman guys, TCU's Trevonne Boykin throws 4 INTs, 2 are returned for TDs. OK St beat 1-on-1 coverage downfield for huge plays all day long. While TCU receivers struggled to get open and unforunately one of the best WRs in the game, Josh Doctson went down with a serious wrist injury.

Oklahoma State! They get both Baylor and OU at home coming up. Can they sweep? Trip to Iowa State up next...we all remember what happened last time Ok St was in a position similar to this and traveled to Ames Iowa on a Friday night in 2011! But last trip here in 2013 they won by 31.

What a play for Arkansas! Crazy game. One team would take the lead and the other would immediately tie on their next possession. With Ole Miss out of the way clear path now for Bama to take the west.

Washington State is 6-3 after beating Az St and their may be 2 more wins yet to come! Think about Wazzou shockingly losing week 1 to Portland St and the missed FG vs Stanford last week, conceivable they could've been 8-1. Mike Leach finally got something going up there.

Another yawner by Ohio State vs and average team.

Don't look now, but Oregon can still win the PAC 12 North! Need to beat Stanford this week and have Cal beat Stanford the following week in the big game. Both would finish with 2 conference losses and Ducks would own head-top-head tie break. Ducks have come alive of late.

What a play for Arkansas! Crazy game. One team would take the lead and the other would immediately tie on their next possession. With Ole Miss out of the way clear path now for Bama to take the west.

I happened to be in a cigar parlour where the only eyes peeled to a small TV in the corner (ther others were on UT/USC) where that game was going on, were mine. What a play is right! I mean how exciting was that game overall? And then going for 2?! Woah...totally blew my mind. As did the Camacho orange label I was enjoying at the time! But appearantly, not as much as Ol' Bret enjoyed misses....did you catch that?
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/11/7/9689982/bret-bielema-hopping-on-the-wife-sensual-football

So...did you think the Vols were gonna keep it so close with SC?

Help me do the math here and, yes, I'm being lazy...IF Georgia loses to Auburn and UT wins out, does that put the Vols #2 in the East?

Alabama & LSU...obviously, shutting down Fournette...much like they did with Georgia's ground game made the Tigers more human...not that LSU and Georgia are on the same level. But I wonder what it says about Alabama to handle a team that can both throw and run the ball when they get in the playoffs? I'm not saying I don't think Alabama isn't good...I'm just saying it oughta be interesting.

Florida/Vandy...Wow, I mean, just wow, talk about being inept and having receivers with hands of stone? I've lived in Nashville for 8 out of the last 12 years and have seen that so many times against Florida...when are they gonna break through and win one? And even with that FG, Vandy had plenty of time to drive down the field and put up, at least, 3 more and win.

How crazy is the Big 10 this year? If someone beats OSU how interesting will that get, eh?

Georgia-Kentucky...Considering the train wreck we call offense and our special teams play - our D is quietly putting together a helluva season. Here's some stats I picked up from a UGA staff writer:
UGA defense top 20 nation:
red zone (7th),
3rd down % (10th),
pass yards (11th, 173.9),
total defense (14th, 305.3),
scoring (20th, 18.4)

And with all the divot heads that wanna run down the competition to demean the victory Kentucky had season lows in passing yards, plays run and total yards.

Well...Auburn/Georgia is shaping up to be quite a match but one only a Auburn/Georgia fan can appreciate I suspect.

I haven't checked the Yahoo pick 'em site yet...am I still in first?...JUST KIDDING! I did and I AM!

Don't look now, but Oregon can still win the PAC 12 North! Need to beat Stanford this week and have Cal beat Stanford the following week in the big game. Both would finish with 2 conference losses and Ducks would own head-top-head tie break. Ducks have come alive of late.

Its crazy, friends and I talking about the possibilities yesterday.

WSU bowl eligible!!! What's next? a female president in the whitehouse?

I hate the hype that gets afforded some teams. LSU's QB was fricken terrible Saturday night. How they we're ranked number 2 makes no sense. They have beat no one unless you count beating the gators, a team that couldn't score 2 TD's against Vandy!! SEC is Alabama and that's it.

ND's game against Pitt was a non contest. Ref's missed easy Pass Int. calls against Irish on at least three occasions. ND player was all over Pitt receiver on play when ball came loose when he hit the ground. How no ref called that PI is stupefying.

Neb win over MSU probably saved Mike Riley's job.

Nov 21 game MSU at OSU is going to be a biggie. I am taking MSU giving OSU the face wash they deserve.

Oregon at the Tree will be a gooder this Saturday. DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, Georgia and Tennessee each have 3 losses in the league. So technically I think if you were to break that tie that UT would be 2nd in the East right now. But Georgia finishing with 4 losses and Vols with 3, UGA finishes firmly at #3.

I'm very interested to see Auburn - Georgia game. Want to see if UGA can continue to shut down average offenses and want to see if Auburn is still an average offense. As vanilla of a gameplan UGA had vs UK, might they open it up a bit more this week and is the Auburn D maybe improving a little bit? Jeremy Johnson getting his second chance as QB for Tigers. Plenty to watch for there.

I don't care who you play. When you hold a team to below their average or season low in any statistical category that is noteworthy. This UK team has shown some play making ability this year, unlike the Vandy offense, so while I knew Georgia D was very good I was surprised.

Speaking of UK and Vandy, Dores are favored this week!!

I hope Illinois beats Ohio State, makes the MSU-OSU game take a back seat as neither team has preformed up to expectations much this year. Atleast MSU was getting penalized for it in the polls, but tOSU still remains near the top because of what they did last year over what they are doing this year. I hope Michigan wins the division!

Unfortunately I did not have room for the SCar - Tenn game Saturday. I was shocked to see it so close and turned it on just in time to watch SC fumble away their final drive. There was just so much action in that time slot, plus I had to watch a couple off the radar games like Cin-Hou, Mar-MTSU, UConn-Tul due to financial investments and my wife made me put the Rut-Mich game on one of the TVs. I'll have to post a picture of our new TV layout. Let me get one up.

Yeah, Oregon at Stanford is going to be GREAT! So glad that Oregon has found some footing. Even though Arizona State really really outplayed them, but Ducks were there at the end for the win. Just hope for a good game that comes down to the 4th qrt vs the tree.

Regarding LSU and the SEC and Florida too...most every team is going to have a game that they are flat, that they don't care as much as the opponent. Former coaches on these TV and radio shows talk about it, so it must be real. There are let downs, there are look aheads. When you look at what Florida has done all season long, while not always magnificent on offense they've been ok-to-very good at times, the Vandy game is an abberation I believe. Plus the Vandy D is good. If Florida had been putting that kind of offense on the field week-in and week-out they wouldn't be 8-1 of course. So I will defend Florida. I will defend the SEC. I think there are alot of good teams there, like Tennessee someone who I propped up last week only to see them on the cusp of losing to lowly South Carolina last week. I've felt Arkansas was pretty good, they had some rough games early in the season, but they are pretty decent. And LSU, hey alot of teams are one dimensional on offense. Unfortunately for LSU they seem to pretty much always be that way, but I would take them vs alot of teams in the country. Just so happened they played Alabama which historically has the best or one of the top few defenses in the country each and everysingle year. So it is hard to hold a loss vs Bama against LSU (or anyone) and use it to say they aren't any good.

But yeah, the LSU schedule hasn't been very difficult. But the beauty is that the season isn't over yet. We get to see Florida play Florida State yet. We get to see LSU play Ark and Ole Miss yet. We get to see more games that will allow us to see who the best teams truly are when looking at the season as a whole rather than one game at a time.

Finally upgraded from the former rear projection and tube TV layout. Had 6 TVs a couple years ago, was down to 5 last 2 years. Bumped up to 8 this year.

As awesome as it is to have 8 TVs for watching college football you do miss alot of detail from the games, but you get a general sense what is going on in each! I love college football!!

Finally upgraded from the former rear projection and tube TV layout. Had 6 TVs a couple years ago, was down to 5 last 2 years. Bumped up to 8 this year.

As awesome as it is to have 8 TVs for watching college football you do miss alot of detail from the games, but you get a general sense what is going on in each! I love college football!!

When are you inviting us over for Brats, beers and bug eyes????

When are you inviting us over for Brats, beers and bug eyes????

Wings and pizza is the normal menu. Come over this weekend, the wife will be out of town!

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/11/7/9689982/bret-bielema-hop ping-on-the-wife-sensual-football

She is quite the score for Brett. I'm sure he is looking forward to hopping on the wife. Other than Ark have a strong bye week in prep for Ole Miss, looks like Brett took advantage of the off week to hop on the dinner table too. Always been a big guy, but he looked even bigger watching that game Saturday.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE SEASON

Go Gators

Not sure ND belongs in the top 4.

Not sure Army will be able to beat Navy this year once again. I feel so bad for Army every year. Has been a long time!!!!

Even Columbia won an Ivy League game this year. Very impressive.

Why is Rutgers in the Big Ten???? They SUCK

MY THOUGHTS ON THE SEASON

Go Gators

Not sure ND belongs in the top 4.

Not sure Army will be able to beat Navy this year once again. I feel so bad for Army every year. Has been a long time!!!!

Even Columbia won an Ivy League game this year. Very impressive.

Why is Rutgers in the Big Ten???? They SUCK

Agree on all, although I don't care too much if Florida keeps winning. I do hope for the best possible SEC Title game, so would like to see Florida keep playing well and improving so we get the best game vs what looks to be Alabama at this point.

Army has been getting closer to Navy in that game, they just always seem to turn it over at the worst possible time. This year, looks like it may not be that close. I too feel bad for Army football.

Maryland and Rutgers were strategic additions for the Big Ten, they make absolutely no improvement in the competitiveness of the league. Maryland belongs in the ACC and Rutgers is a better fit for the AAC (where some old Big East teams combined with CUSA teams).

Notre Dame #4?

In terms of a playoff for Notre Dame, they already lost to Clemson. At this point in time, if the season ended today, in a system that i would favor that would eliminate ND from a spot in a National Title playoff.

But are they the 4th best team? They have beat 4 teams with a winning record. I think USC and Pitt are decent wins (each are 6-3). Fortunately for ND the AAC has been good so they can point to wins vs Temple and Navy as quality wins (they are combined 15-2). That just sounds funny saying. Honestly if you want to be among the nations best teams you shouldn't be pointing to wins vs Temple or Navy as your best.

Vs Clemson the Irish were getting boat raced early before staging a comeback and they looked like the better team down the stretch, you could make a case they should've/could've won. But they didn't. The results of games matter right? Shouldn't we respect the outcomes of games? If so, we already saw ND vs Clemson and Clemson won.

IMO, the rankings are now more than ever influenced by the type of football that teams play, with a clear disdain shown towards open, high-powered offenses.

IMO, the rankings are now more than ever influenced by the type of football that teams play, with a clear disdain shown towards open, high-powered offenses.

That could be true, especially when you consider the likes of Barry Alvarez, Tom Osborne and Bobby Johson - former coaches who likely don't consider the high powered offenses with lack of defense to be "real" football.

On the other end of the table is the Texas Tech AD, so you would assume he would be defending teams that dominate more with their offense vs being balanced.

There are so many things that they could be considering. Maybe it is valuing more balanced offense and defensive teams vs one sided teams?

Whatever it may be, I think it comes mostly down to scheduling. If we are saying that Baylor and Oklahoma State are the ones that are being hurt by the type of football they play, those teams also suffer some scheduling issues that hurt them.

Oklahoma State has played 9 games and beat 1 team with a winning record, TCU.
Baylor has played 8 games and beat 0 teams with a winning record.

Say what you want about teams being discriminated against based on how they play, the biggest factor is who you play.

Oh well, we all have our opinions.

heading out to Met Life in a few hours to watch the return of Rex. Should be quite the show. I never go to night games but tonight the Rex factor made me do it. LOL

Hope the Jets can put it to the big mouth and shut it for a few days

Notre Dame #4?

In terms of a playoff for Notre Dame, they already lost to Clemson. At this point in time, if the season ended today, in a system that i would favor that would eliminate ND from a spot in a National Title playoff.

But are they the 4th best team? They have beat 4 teams with a winning record. I think USC and Pitt are decent wins (each are 6-3). Fortunately for ND the AAC has been good so they can point to wins vs Temple and Navy as quality wins (they are combined 15-2). That just sounds funny saying. Honestly if you want to be among the nations best teams you shouldn't be pointing to wins vs Temple or Navy as your best.

Vs Clemson the Irish were getting boat raced early before staging a comeback and they looked like the better team down the stretch, you could make a case they should've/could've won. But they didn't. The results of games matter right? Shouldn't we respect the outcomes of games? If so, we already saw ND vs Clemson and Clemson won.

Regarding your comments about ND, let me start by saying I am a Michigan fan and as so, I can't stand ND. Always disliked them.

But I don't understand your position. ND went on the road and lost a close game to the number one team in the country. Again, ON THE ROAD. Alabama lost a game and some folks think they should be number one. All teams play some "cupcakes" and ND always does so. But they also play some tough teams. Plus they have to play Stanford. Should they win, I wouldn't have a problem with them getting in.

Maybe a silly scenario but if Iowa wins out, they will get in. Do you think Iowa would beat ND? 😉

I have never believed anyone should rank teams on who "we" or "they" or anyone thinks will beat who. Nobody knows who will beat who. They can make point spreads and people can wager and make picks and breakdown the strengths and weaknesses, the areas to expose the team the areas of coaching angles, etc. But ultimately people can not say with accuracy who will beat who until they play. Teams should win games on the field, not on paper or in web forums, or in meeting rooms or sportsbooks.

The only thing I think humans can, or should, rank teams on is resume evaluation. What has a team done, who have they done it against and how have they done it. Which ofcourse this will lead to differing opinions also, but I find it is much easier to form tangible and defendable ranking instead of "I think team A would be team B therefore I rank team A higher". Instead if I said "team A has these quality wins, won by this ppg, held opponents to this ppg, beat this team on the road, or combined record of opponents is x, this team has only trailed for x minutes all year, etc...those kinds of measurables are real and that data can get a pretty accurate ranking of the teams I feel.

So things like eyeball test and who would beat who in hypothetical games for ranking, I don't go there.

Would Iowa beat Notre Dame? I don't know. Do you? Who knows? They might, they might not. We would never know until we see the game. So how could anyone possibly have a credible ranking based on hypothetical assumptions?

Maybe Notre Dame would win 3 out of 5. Or maybe 5 out of 10.

That is the thing with rematches, if two teams play twice once early in the year and once at the end of the year and the teams split, what does that prove? All it proves is that each team was good enough to beat the other on that day. Can we use the results of those games to say one team is better than the other? No we can't because they each won one. But by giving the later game more significance I think we undermine the meaning of the earlier game.

Clemson beat ND Oct 3rd. If ND were to beat Clemson Dec 31st, ND would be rewarded by further advancing in the playoff. So then what did the Oct 3rd game matter for? In this scenario it essentially didn't matter for anything.

When we are whittling teams down to try and figure out who deserves a seat at a table with a limited number of spots, using head-to-head results when teams have already played each other is the best way to do that. Notre Dame had their chance vs a currently undefeated Clemson team and they lost. So no need to play them again. That isn't fair to Clemson really and it doesn't respect the results of game they played. Winning and losing games should have consequences. ND should get no second shot at Clemson. If ND was undefeated and Clemson was 1 loss team looking up at them I would feel the same way about the Tigers.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't allow myself to rank ND in the top 2 or top 4 or top whatever. But when it comes down to the selection process or the rules for picking teams in terms of a national championship I would use outcomes of games as the primary criteria for determining who those teams are. No rematches.

Said it on this forum when Alabama got a rematch vs LSU for the National Title. I didn't believe that game should've taken place. LSU already beat them. Alabama won the second game. So for the 2011-2012 season Alabama and LSU were 1-1 against each other. In terms of the national championship LSU's win counted for nothing. Alabama was rewarded by losing.

Same thing with Notre Dame and Clemson.

People are saying things like “why is Ohio State ahead of Baylor, neither one has played anybody”. That technically isn’t true. Ohio State has beaten 3 teams with winning records, Baylor has beaten 0.

People are saying, “how is Oklahoma State only #8 after beating TCU?” Well, Oklahoma State just registered their first and only win vs teams with a winning record. It is a high quality win no doubt, but it is 1 game of their 9 played to date. Other teams ahead of them have shown more vs more teams.

The media creates controversy, they create things to complain and talk about, they create “conspiracy”. I’m not willing to defend who some of the people are on the committee or how they analyize football. But I I think the grand conspiracy of east coast bias is being overblown. I'd still take the BCS formula and take the 4 highest teams (having not faced eachother) in that formula over a 12 person committee.

Here is what I came up with. I did this fairly fast or so and didn't look into many stats:

1. Clemson 9-0 – 6 wins vs teams with winning records, outscoring those teams 37-17 – best win vs 8-1 ND (by 2) and 7-2 FSU (by 10)

2. Alabama 8-1 – 6 wins vs teams with winning records, outscoring those teams 31.6-15.6 – best win vs 7-1 LSU (by 14) and 8-2 Wisconsin (by 18) – loss vs 7-3 Ole Miss (by 6)

3. Iowa 9-0 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records (5 if you count 7-2 FCS ILL St who is better than most FBS midmajors) – outscoring those 4 FBS by 26.5-15 – best win vs 8-2 Wisconsin (by 4), 7-2 Northwestern (by 30)

4. Notre Dame 8-1 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records (2 vs power 5), outscored them 37-26 – best win vs 8-1 Temple (by 4) and 7-1 Navy (by 17)

5. Ohio State 9-0 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records (only 1 vs power 5), outscoring those teams 32-11.6 – best win vs 7-3 Penn State (by 28)

6. Oklahoma State 9-0 – 1 win vs teams with winning records, outscored them 49-29 – best win 8-1 TCU (by 20). Held TCU nearly 3 TDs below their scoring average, but did allow 600 yards

7. Baylor 8-0 – 0 wins vs teams with winning records

8. LSU 7-1 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 37-22 – best win vs 8-1 Florida (by 7) – loss 8-1 Alabama (by 14)

9. Florida 8-1 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 31-13 – best win vs 7-3 Ole Miss (by 28) – loss 7-1 LSU (by 7)

10. Utah 8-1 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 36.6-17 – best win vs 7-2 Michigan (by 7) – loss 6-3 USC (by 18)

11. Stanford 8-1 – 2 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 48.5-33 – best win vs 6-3 USC & UCLA (by 10 & 21) – loss 7-2 Northwestern (by 10)

12. Michigan State 8-1 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records (2 vs power 5), outscored those teams 32.5-24 – best win vs 7-2 Michigan (by 4) – loss 4-6 Nebraska (by 1)

13. Houston 9-0 – 2 wins vs teams with winning records (1 vs power 5), outscored those teams 33.5-30.5 – best win vs 5-4 Cincinnati & Louisville (by 3 each)

14. North Carolina 8-1 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 46.6-21 – best win vs 6-3 Duke & Pitt (by 35 & 7) – loss 3-6 South Carolina (by 4)

15. Oklahoma 8-1 – 0 wins vs teams with winning records – loss vs 4-5 Texas (by 7)

If we were to assume the highest rank team I have wins out then my 4 teams qualifying for the playoff would be Clemson, Alabama, Iowa, and Oklahoma State. This puts ACC, SEC, Big Ten and Big XII Champs in the Title mix.

[Edited on 11/13/2015 by nebish]

People are saying things like “why is Ohio State ahead of Baylor, neither one has played anybody”. That technically isn’t true. Ohio State has beaten 3 teams with winning records, Baylor has beaten 0.

People are saying, “how is Oklahoma State only #8 after beating TCU?” Well, Oklahoma State just registered their first and only win vs teams with a winning record. It is a high quality win no doubt, but it is 1 game of their 9 played to date. Other teams ahead of them have shown more vs more teams.

The media creates controversy, they create things to complain and talk about, they create “conspiracy”. I’m not willing to defend who some of the people are on the committee or how they analyize football. But I I think the grand conspiracy of east coast bias is being overblown. I'd still take the BCS formula and take the 4 highest teams (having not faced eachother) in that formula over a 12 person committee.

Here is what I came up with. I did this fairly fast or so and didn't look into many stats:

1. Clemson 9-0 – 6 wins vs teams with winning records, outscoring those teams 37-17 – best win vs 8-1 ND (by 2) and 7-2 FSU (by 10)

2. Alabama 8-1 – 6 wins vs teams with winning records, outscoring those teams 31.6-15.6 – best win vs 7-1 LSU (by 14) and 8-2 Wisconsin (by 18) – loss vs 7-3 Ole Miss (by 6)

3. Iowa 9-0 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records (5 if you count 7-2 FCS ILL St who is better than most FBS midmajors) – outscoring those 4 FBS by 26.5-15 – best win vs 8-2 Wisconsin (by 4), 7-2 Northwestern (by 30)

4. Notre Dame 8-1 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records (2 vs power 5), outscored them 37-26 – best win vs 8-1 Temple (by 4) and 7-1 Navy (by 17)

5. Ohio State 9-0 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records (only 1 vs power 5), outscoring those teams 32-11.6 – best win vs 7-3 Penn State (by 28)

6. Oklahoma State 9-0 – 1 win vs teams with winning records, outscored them 49-29 – best win 8-1 TCU (by 20). Held TCU nearly 3 TDs below their scoring average, but did allow 600 yards

7. Baylor 8-0 – 0 wins vs teams with winning records

8. LSU 7-1 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 37-22 – best win vs 8-1 Florida (by 7) – loss 8-1 Alabama (by 14)

9. Florida 8-1 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 31-13 – best win vs 7-3 Ole Miss (by 28) – loss 7-1 LSU (by 7)

10. Utah 8-1 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 36.6-17 – best win vs 7-2 Michigan (by 7) – loss 6-3 USC (by 18)

11. Stanford 8-1 – 2 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 48.5-33 – best win vs 6-3 USC & UCLA (by 10 & 21) – loss 7-2 Northwestern (by 10)

12. Michigan State 8-1 – 4 wins vs teams with winning records (2 vs power 5), outscored those teams 32.5-24 – best win vs 7-2 Michigan (by 4) – loss 4-6 Nebraska (by 1)

13. Houston 9-0 – 2 wins vs teams with winning records (1 vs power 5), outscored those teams 33.5-30.5 – best win vs 5-4 Cincinnati & Louisville (by 3 each)

14. North Carolina 8-1 – 3 wins vs teams with winning records, outscored those teams 46.6-21 – best win vs 6-3 Duke & Pitt (by 35 & 7) – loss 3-6 South Carolina (by 4)

15. Oklahoma 8-1 – 0 wins vs teams with winning records – loss vs 4-5 Texas (by 7)

If we were to assume the highest rank team I have wins out then my 4 teams qualifying for the playoff would be Clemson, Alabama, Iowa, and Oklahoma State. This puts ACC, SEC, Big Ten and Big XII Champs in the Title mix.

As per usual you make us all go "yeah your right". I hate that.

I will add that with 3-4 games to go it will get sorted and hopefully ND loses to the tree.

GO DUCKS!!!!

Well, we'll see. Lots left to be played. It will be fascinating to see who the fifth team on the outside looking in will be.

But I I think the grand conspiracy of east coast bias is being overblown.

There's an east coast bias in the coverage of every sport. Always has been, always will be.

Well, we'll see. Lots left to be played. It will be fascinating to see who the fifth team on the outside looking in will be.

But I I think the grand conspiracy of east coast bias is being overblown.

There's an east coast bias in the coverage of every sport. Always has been, always will be.

You are probably correct. More media and more people. How many people can stay awake until 1:00 or 2:00 AM to watch the end of a game being played on the West Coast for instance?

It used to drive me nuts trying to stay awake for Red Wing playoff games when they played L.A. or San Jose while living in Detroit. I finally decided not to watch them at all. Kind of sad but that's the way it is I guess.

15. Oklahoma 8-1 – 0 wins vs teams with winning records – loss vs 4-5 Texas (by 7)

I'm embarrassed to say that I forgot OU's win vs a team with a winning record...5-4 Tennessee. I bet Vols in that game and must've blocked it from memory.

I always find it easy to nit pick someone else's rankings, but when you have to do your own that is where the rubber meets the road.

I'm no Iowa fan. After beating on them twice early in the year (vs ISU and Wisc) and seeing they perhaps got lucky in those wins I did an about face and have now bet against them 5x this year (Pitt, ILL, NW, Mary, Ind), which betting against Iowa isn't all bad 3-2 ATS in those.

But when I had to try and rank teams I couldn't deny Iowa a high ranking.

Same with Notre Dame. After going on and on about them not being deserving of playing in a playoff, I still had to rank them in the top 4. Putting them outside the top 4 would make my argument easier to make, but I feel their resume is a 4th place resume - which doesn't change my feelings about them and their potential slot in a playoff however.

So anyone can rank the teams and provide a little background and justification on why what team is where you rank them. At the end of the day it is just my opinion. And even my own, I'd rather get a bunch of computer opinions than humans. That whole bias thing right?