Fiutak predicts a CFP semi-final upset

[Eight]

I think you are miss interpreting when I say integrity of the conference. I will elaborate. I am not concerned about the conference body itself but the teams left out in the name of pragmatism and money. When I talk about the integrity of the conference, I am talking about relevant football being played at Iowa, Wisconsin, IU, MSU etc. Excluding potential PAC12 adds, only UM, OSU and PSU have the resources to compete in a potential free for all. Same thing in Texas. How can TCU compete against Texas and Texas A&M, if those schools have tens of millions to throw at players? Its already happening now. There are all sorts of insinuations of player tampering. Just like bagmen networks are never spoken of as if it is the language of Mordor, never spoken in the light of day.

In my opinion what makes college football great is not Alabama, Clemson, nor OSU. Unless you are a homer, watching one of those programs toy with a lesser school as their parade of NFL prospects torch kids with an order of magnitude less talent. Watching Iowa verses Wisconsin is far more entertaining for me. Watching one of these teams bushwhack a blue blood is even more entertaining. Its what makes the NFL great. NIL is yet another weapon for the haves to poach the have nots.

I will agree with you scheiss the conferences and the NCAA. In their short term greed they may kill the golden goose. They walked away from any pretense of enforcement and integrity in the name of protecting the tactical of dollars and relevancy. I do not know what will happen after the chaos.

way, way too long

you also lost me at iowa playing anyone being entertaining

 

[PurplFrawg]

RPS is short for Rock, Paper, Scissors. When I say winning RPS that means one side having an advantage because of scheme and/or formation. This can be due to either a novel play/scheme being introduced or just normal play calls. I will give a simple example. One of the battles during a potential outside run play is setting the edge. A Harbaugh trick is to induce edge responsibilities being owned by a smaller player and get a bigger blocker like a TE on a corner. If this happens because of scheme, we say RPS. Ditto for a defense coordinator who calls a blitz that is not identified by the offense. Defense has an advantage because there is a free rusher.

Winning RPS does not mean the play is won. The QB may make a great play despite the free hitter that was initially missed. Perhaps the corner wins the block against the TE. Its just like any analytic. Statistics eventually go to the mean. Put your side in enough advantageous situations, and you are more likely to win more plays.

You left out Spock and lizard. Lizards are significant here.

 

[Eight]

You left out Spock and lizard. Lizards are significant here.

hmmmm....nice pentagram

 

[Frognosticator]

I think you are miss interpreting when I say integrity of the conference. I will elaborate. I am not concerned about the conference body itself but the teams left out in the name of pragmatism and money. When I talk about the integrity of the conference, I am talking about relevant football being played at Iowa, Wisconsin, IU, MSU etc. Excluding potential PAC12 adds, only UM, OSU and PSU have the resources to compete in a potential free for all. Same thing in Texas. How can TCU compete against Texas and Texas A&M, if those schools have tens of millions to throw at players? Its already happening now. There are all sorts of insinuations of player tampering. Just like bagmen networks are never spoken of as if it is the language of Mordor, never spoken in the light of day.

In my opinion what makes college football great is not Alabama, Clemson, nor OSU. Unless you are a homer, watching one of those programs toy with a lesser school as their parade of NFL prospects torch kids with an order of magnitude less talent. Watching Iowa verses Wisconsin is far more entertaining for me. Watching one of these teams bushwhack a blue blood is even more entertaining. Its what makes the NFL great. NIL is yet another weapon for the haves to poach the have nots.

I will agree with you scheiss the conferences and the NCAA. In their short term greed they may kill the golden goose. They walked away from any pretense of enforcement and integrity in the name of protecting the tactical of dollars and relevancy. I do not know what will happen after the chaos.

Liked for saying “the language of Mordor”.

 

[JogginFrog]

You left out Spock and lizard. Lizards are significant here.

Unfamiliar with the Big Bang Theory reference until googling "paper over Spock." (An academic paper can disprove Spock.) Also, lizard apparently poisons Spock. Now I know.

 

[westoverhillbilly]

In my opinion what makes college football great is not Alabama, Clemson, nor OSU. Unless you are a homer, watching one of those programs toy with a lesser school as their parade of NFL prospects torch kids with an order of magnitude less talent. Watching Iowa verses Wisconsin is far more entertaining for me. Watching one of these teams bushwhack a blue blood is even more entertaining. Its what makes the NFL great. NIL is yet another weapon for the haves to poach the have nots.

HFH- I always enjoy respectful and well informed opinions especially from our opponents- you seem like the kind of dude many of us would gladly share a beer with. And I do get your perspective on the blue bloods being able to buy the best. However, TCU has finished 3rd in recruiting in the B12 for several years now (for whatever that's worth) and has held up well in the nascent NIL era because TCU punches far, far above its weight with wealthy donors (oil and gas folks and other Ft Worth and Texas richfolk) who do whatever is necessary to keep TCU competitive. When the old Southwest Conference imploded after the '95 season, these TCU monied faithful stepped it up and funded the shortfall in tv revenues for 17 years until we came out of a dark hole and joined the B12. I don't see this reversing itself now. For the most part, this is all done in a very quiet manner.

Then, add in the new transfer portal and Coach Dykes experience with embracing, finding and coaching up immediate transfers, many of whom quickly tired of being stuck in a redneck outpost (College Station, Norman, Athens, Tallahassee to name just a few) or to return to be close to family. I think this recipe bodes well for TCU and plays a large role in why we're now playing for the ultimate prize.

 

[hfhmilkman]

HFH- I always enjoy respectful and well informed opinions especially from our opponents- you seem like the kind of dude many of us would gladly share a beer with. And I do get your perspective on the blue bloods being able to buy the best. However, TCU has finished 3rd in recruiting in the B12 for several years now (for whatever that's worth) and has held up well in the nascent NIL era because TCU punches far, far above its weight with wealthy donors (oil and gas folks and other Ft Worth and Texas richfolk) who do whatever is necessary to keep TCU competitive. When the old Southwest Conference imploded after the '95 season, these TCU monied faithful stepped it up and funded the shortfall in tv revenues for 17 years until we came out of a dark hole and joined the B12. I don't see this reversing itself now. For the most part, this is all done in a very quiet manner.

Then, add in the new transfer portal and Coach Dykes experience with embracing, finding and coaching up immediate transfers, many of whom quickly tired of being stuck in a redneck outpost (College Station, Norman, Athens, Tallahassee to name just a few) or to return to be close to family. I think this recipe bodes well for TCU and plays a large role in why we're now playing for the ultimate prize.

I have always enjoyed Big12 games when they are on in my region. They are almost always competitive. Anywhere where there is good football being played is where I will be watching. I appreciate the fact that TCU gets a shot. I think Georgia is still the team to beat. If it had not been for USC losing the traditional owners of the playoffs would have been shut out as Alabama, Clemson, and OSU have made up about half the open slots. Its nice to see other teams get their shot.

In terms of NIL, UM has the financial resources. However, they are following the letter of the law which is that NIL cannot be promised as part of a recruiting package. Unclear on the long term consequences of this position. The general problem is there is no guidance such that we are in a localized free for all. TCU may be protected by their donors. But what happens to other teams in the Big12 that do not have deep pockets.

 

[FrogCop19]

I see NIL in a different light than some of you. Which probably of course means that I'm wrong, but that's not important right now...

I've mentioned this in another thread, but when Saban came out against NIL, I think he saw some of the advantage he's had being watered down. He's been able to say, "Hey, we're 'Bama!" and if that didn't work, the bag man spoke even louder than that. However, I think NIL has introduced a level of parity previously because those deals aren't hidden any longer, but out in the open, and everyone can afford to at least sweeten the pot to a player that might actually want to go to school there but was offered a better monetary deal under the table.

 

[yooper]

Every single ESPN talking head yesterday on both CFP shows they had said Michigan would beat us and it wont be close. Everyone predicting a blowout. I really hope Michigan has the same mindset - they already said on the CFP show yesterday that Michigan wanted nothing more than revenge on Georgia. Already looking ahead.

If you're looking for an overconfident team, coach, and fanbase you will have to look elsewhere. This team was 2-4 two years ago. They have had TWO bright moments since their split championship with Nebraska and that was pounding OSU last year and this year. other than that it has been underachieving seasons, bowl game disappointments with a little d1aa Appalachian State sprinkled in. We hope to some day be able to be overconfident again but that is pretty far off yet. No Michigan fan that I know thinks this will be anything other than a very difficult game against a very good team with a great QB.

 

[Eight]

If you're looking for an overconfident team, coach, and fanbase you will have to look elsewhere. This team was 2-4 two years ago. They have had TWO bright moments since their split championship with Nebraska and that was pounding OSU last year and this year. other than that it has been underachieving seasons, bowl game disappointments with a little d1aa Appalachian State sprinkled in. We hope to some day be able to be overconfident again but that is pretty far off yet. No Michigan fan that I know thinks this will be anything other than a very difficult game against a very good team with a great QB.

you don't drive a van do you? if so, just back out of the conversation with lvh slowly and calmly

 

[yooper]

Michigan fan here - I will just drop this here. Our red zone offense was far more consistent with Blake Corum. I'm not sure if the statistics back this up but if not, I think it is just a sample size issue. Blake Corum is an unstoppable short-yardage back - a YAC monster. He's small, he's strong, and he can make you miss even in a tiny hole. When we got into the red zone, it wasn't uncommon to see Harbaugh go: Corum inside for 5. Corum inside for 3. Corum inside for 4. Corum inside for 6. Touchdown.

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Donovan Edwards is a very different back. He's faster and a better receiver, but he's a straight line guy. He's not as strong or as shifty, and he often goes down to the first tackler. So we've had to get more creative in the red zone. Fortunately McCarthy is still developing and growing, and that has helped us continue to convert red zone opportunities to TDs, but I do sense that we're more vulnerable now, particularly in the red zone, to a good defense holding

you don't drive a van do you?

Only when I'm not sleeping in it