Game Thread: 2023 Cotton Bowl - Missouri vs. The Ohio State

[All-Star Benchwarmer]

Take your excuses and shove them

Mizzou acting like giant slayers...

 

[Stlducks]

Just say it like it is, B1G sucked this year. Michigan will get blown out next.

 

[PIBuckeye]

Take your excuses and shove them

Put an asterisk next to your “win” fucktard

 

[Clayton]

Put an asterisk next to your “win” fucktard

Dude, this is the worst post Ive seen on this website in a long time.

Im starting to think Ohio State has the worst fanbase in sports

 

[belcherboy]

Just say it like it is, B1G sucked this year. Michigan will get blown out next.

It's now an all B1G national title game.

 

[Stlducks]

It's now an all B1G national title game.

I admit, I was very surprised with how bad Bamas offense was. But as a whole, B1G has sucked big time this year.

 

[belcherboy]

I admit, I was very surprised with how bad Bamas offense was. But as a whole, B1G has sucked big time this year.

I wasn't. Bama wasn't even top 50 offense this year.

 

[navamind]

I wasn't. Bama wasn't even top 50 offense this year.

Lolwut? They're 24th in the country in scoring and 32nd in yards per play, and that's as a team that's playcalling was run heavy. The 4.3 yards per run doesn't sound great, but that includes sacks... and Bama gave up 49 of them. They were averaging 5.6 yards per carry after adjusting for sacks. And the passing game? They averaged 9.5 yards per pass attempt. The only other team to do what Michigan did to their pass defense was USF, but that was in the rain and that was when they benched Milroe. Bama wasn't perfect on offense, the center was an issue all year and they struggled badly in pass protection. Bama ranked 11th in SP+ offense.

 

[belcherboy]

Lolwut? They're 24th in the country in scoring and 32nd in yards per play, and that's as a team that's playcalling was run heavy. The 4.3 yards per run doesn't sound great, but that includes sacks... and Bama gave up 49 of them. They were averaging 5.6 yards per carry after adjusting for sacks. And the passing game? They averaged 9.5 yards per pass attempt. The only other team to do what Michigan did to their pass defense was USF, but that was in the rain and that was when they benched Milroe. Bama wasn't perfect on offense, the center was an issue all year and they struggled badly in pass protection. Bama ranked 11th in SP+ offense.

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.

www.ncaa.com

 

[navamind]

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.

www.ncaa.com

View attachment 350177

Okay. And that's largely a function of them running fewer plays than the majority of FBS teams (Alabama ran only 63.3 plays per game, 106th in FBS) and them running the ball. Bama ran the ball better than the majority of teams when you remove sacks (and why wouldn't you? they're pass plays, it's stupid that they're lumped in with rushing attempts) and they were in the top 10 in yards per pass attempt. They didn't rack up yards, but they were one of the more efficient offenses in CFB and most metrics like SP+ reflect that. They were 24th in points per game, but let's ignore that too.

 

[belcherboy]

Okay. And that's largely a function of them running fewer plays than the majority of FBS teams (Alabama ran only 63.3 plays per game, 106th in FBS) and them running the ball. Bama ran the ball better than the majority of teams when you remove sacks (and why wouldn't you? they're pass plays, it's stupid that they're lumped in with rushing attempts) and they were in the top 10 in yards per pass attempt. They didn't rack up yards, but they were one of the more efficient offenses in CFB and most metrics like SP+ reflect that. They were 24th in points per game, but let's ignore that too.

Bama wasn't great this year, especially by Bama's standards. They have a starting QB that, in my opinion, isn't likely to be starting there next year. They struggled in the first halves against some weaker competition for a nice chunk of the season. They just weren't consistent for much of the season.

They got better as the season progressed, but that's the advantage of having 15-20 5* athletes on the team. You win most your games simply because you are so much more naturally superior at most positions than your opponents.

Honestly, I think last year's Bama team would have beaten this year's Bama team and that team didn't even make the playoffs.

 

[Clayton]

I thought Georgia was the best team in the SEC they just have issues with Bama. There is a good argument that the SEC was deeper than normal but not as strong at the top.

 

[belcherboy]

I thought Georgia was the best team in the SEC they just have issues with Bama. There is a good argument that the SEC was deeper than normal but not as strong at the top.

I live in the middle of Georgia where just about everyone is a UGA fan or a Bama fan. Both teams seemed to have some uncharacteristic weaknesses all season long. I'm not saying they didn't dominate for large chunks, but I would argue that these two teams were the weakest teams they've had in several years. I think this Bama team was likely the weakest they've had in a decade or so.

Bama is in Georgia's head, and they can't seem to shake them. Next year is a pivotal year for Georgia. If they lose again to Bama in the regular season, that will really start to play again in their heads. It is likely that at least one if not both teams will be in the SEC championship game, but Texas, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss will be contenders as well. There will be no division, so Georgia won't have the satisfaction of the SEC East teams determining if they go to the SEC championship game.

 

[Clayton]

I live in the middle of Georgia where just about everyone is a UGA fan or a Bama fan. Both teams seemed to have some uncharacteristic weaknesses all season long. I'm not saying they didn't dominate for large chunks, but I would argue that these two teams were the weakest teams they've had in several years. I think this Bama team was likely the weakest they've had in a decade or so.

Bama is in Georgia's head, and they can't seem to shake them. Next year is a pivotal year for Georgia. If they lose again to Bama in the regular season, that will really start to play again in their heads. It is likely that at least one if not both teams will be in the SEC championship game, but Texas, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss will be contenders as well. There will be no division, so Georgia won't have the satisfaction of the SEC East teams determining if they go to the SEC championship game.

Yeah, neither team really seemed to have that dominant top tier fear factor to them but Bama was way, way more vulnerable throughout the year. They needed a miracle play to beat Auburn. Really struggled at the beginning of the season on offense but notably improved as the year went along. Probably no 'great' SEC team this year but Bama and Georgia were still really good.

 

[belcherboy]

Yeah, neither team really seemed to have that dominant top tier fear factor to them but Bama was way, way more vulnerable throughout the year. They needed a miracle play to beat Auburn. Really struggled at the beginning of the season on offense but notably improved as the year went along. Probably no 'great' SEC team this year but Bama and Georgia were still really good.

It was the perfect storm for Michigan. Getting mentally over the hump is just as important as physically. With both teams not being great this year, it worked out perfectly for Michigan to step in and beat a team like Bama. Now, Michigan still has to beat Washington, but at least they don't have the monkey on their back right now, unless they just crap the bed and put the monkey right back on them.

 

[navamind]

Bama wasn't great this year, especially by Bama's standards. They have a starting QB that, in my opinion, isn't likely to be starting there next year. They struggled in the first halves against some weaker competition for a nice chunk of the season. They just weren't consistent for much of the season.

They got better as the season progressed, but that's the advantage of having 15-20 5* athletes on the team. You win most your games simply because you are so much more naturally superior at most positions than your opponents.

Honestly, I think last year's Bama team would have beaten this year's Bama team and that team didn't even make the playoffs.

I don't disagree with that. I just don't agree with calling them a "non-top 50" offense, and I don't see how they'd move on from Milroe. He does have accuracy issues, but he still finished with a 65.8% completion percentage. He had the 3rd best Y/A among FBS QB's and 5th best passer efficiency rating, and this goes along with him being one of the best running QBs. It's not like he has an amazing OL or amazing WR group either.