Random Bowl Season Thoughts

[Deep Creek]

Am I wrong in thinking that the future holds the SEC being Florida, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn? Am I wrong thinking that the Big XII will be between Oklahoma, Texas, and any team not Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, etc.? B1G will be Buckeyes, Wisconsin, and that's all I got.

Unless someone else can figure out a way to make some headway in recruiting, I think you are right. While leaving for the NFL and the transfer portal have changed it a little, CFB is mostly about recruiting IMO. Ex: TCU is 3rd in Big 12 recruting rankings but way behind OU and Texas. Baylor was 2nd this year and is dead last in the rankings. WTH

Oregon and Washington seem to recruiting pretty well in the PAC 12...at the expense of USC.

FSU can probably compete in the recruiting wars.

Can't think of others than can do much better in recruiting unless they hire that big name coach or resort to cheating.

 

[Olyduck]

Yeah, the LA Tech vs. Miami game was dreadful. I also felt that Kentucky would do exactly what they did at the end of the Belk Bowl. I am not saying anything bad about UVA, but I feel that the UVA 24th or 25th ranking when the Wahoos played Clemson in the ACC champs game was a gift to make the game look a bit better. I mean, honestly, who would have thought when the "new" ACC was formed, that Wake Forest would have more ACC championships than Miami, or the fact that Miami has never played in the ACC champs game? Same goes for Michigan and the B1G champs game? I mean never. I would have bet money on a prediction that Michigan would have more CFP appearances than Michigan State. I would be wrong and broke.

I am really interested to see what happens in the ACC Coastal division over the next 5 years along with both PAC 12 divisions. Am I wrong in thinking that the future holds the SEC being Florida, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn? Am I wrong thinking that the Big XII will be between Oklahoma, Texas, and any team not Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, etc.? B1G will be Buckeyes, Wisconsin, and that's all I got. The ACC Coastal and PAC 12 are unpredictable.

As soon as Michigan hired Harbs it was obvious they woulnd't be going to the Playoff. He has still never won a major college conference or eve division for that matter.

I agree that is what the SEC should look like but who knows how long Saban will keep going. 5 years doesn't seem that long but at 68, who knows.
just because of history I cant sleep on A&M, Missouri or even Tenn at this point with Pruitt they could be trending up. but I woulndt count on any of them for longevity.

BigXII is more unpredictable after Oklahoma they are the only constant. 4 different teams got second place in the last 5. 4 different teams were 3rd as well. Kansas State has a more recent Big XII championship than Texas. they have 2 each in the last 20 years. same amount as Baylor.

Dont forget Penn State in the Big 10. they have been consistent. i cant ignore Iowa every couple years. and Fleck seems to be building Minn up.

Miami did play for the ACC in 17. coastal is unpredictable 7 years 7 different teams have won.

I dont think the Pac is as unpredictable as you. Oregon Washington and Stanford are the only 3 north teams that have won the division. With Stanford coming off this 19 season and UW getting a new coach Oregon will be favored. WSU pops up there on occasion with Leach. hard to ever see Cal or OrSt as more than average.
South is more unpredictable. Utah USC ASU are your likely winners. I have no faith in Chip to build UCLA up to contend. he stepped into Oregon at a high and maintained it. but UCLA was way down and building it doesnt seem like it will happen. Arizona and Colorado will generally be middle to low year in and year out.

 

[Deep Creek]

As soon as Michigan hired Harbs it was obvious they woulnd't be going to the Playoff. He has still never won a major college conference or eve division for that matter.

I agree that is what the SEC should look like but who knows how long Saban will keep going. 5 years doesn't seem that long but at 68, who knows.
just because of history I cant sleep on A&M, Missouri or even Tenn at this point with Pruitt they could be trending up. but I woulndt count on any of them for longevity.

BigXII is more unpredictable after Oklahoma they are the only constant. 4 different teams got second place in the last 5. 4 different teams were 3rd as well. Kansas State has a more recent Big XII championship than Texas. they have 2 each in the last 20 years. same amount as Baylor.

Dont forget Penn State in the Big 10. they have been consistent. i cant ignore Iowa every couple years. and Fleck seems to be building Minn up.

Miami did play for the ACC in 17. coastal is unpredictable 7 years 7 different teams have won.

I dont think the Pac is as unpredictable as you. Oregon Washington and Stanford are the only 3 north teams that have won the division. With Stanford coming off this 19 season and UW getting a new coach Oregon will be favored. WSU pops up there on occasion with Leach. hard to ever see Cal or OrSt as more than average.
South is more unpredictable. Utah USC ASU are your likely winners. I have no faith in Chip to build UCLA up to contend. he stepped into Oregon at a high and maintained it. but UCLA was way down and building it doesnt seem like it will happen. Arizona and Colorado will generally be middle to low year in and year out.

Very objective right there Oly. Or at least it is similar to what I would have said.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

oh gawd..the Potato Bowl is on the blue smurf turf, time for some green sunglasses before i go cross-eyed watching that one...

 

[RobToxin]

Too many post New Year's Day Shitsuck Bowls that nobody gives a fuck about.

 

[cwerph]

As soon as Michigan hired Harbs it was obvious they woulnd't be going to the Playoff. He has still never won a major college conference or eve division for that matter.

I agree that is what the SEC should look like but who knows how long Saban will keep going. 5 years doesn't seem that long but at 68, who knows.
just because of history I cant sleep on A&M, Missouri or even Tenn at this point with Pruitt they could be trending up. but I woulndt count on any of them for longevity.

BigXII is more unpredictable after Oklahoma they are the only constant. 4 different teams got second place in the last 5. 4 different teams were 3rd as well. Kansas State has a more recent Big XII championship than Texas. they have 2 each in the last 20 years. same amount as Baylor.

Dont forget Penn State in the Big 10. they have been consistent. i cant ignore Iowa every couple years. and Fleck seems to be building Minn up.

Miami did play for the ACC in 17. coastal is unpredictable 7 years 7 different teams have won.

I dont think the Pac is as unpredictable as you. Oregon Washington and Stanford are the only 3 north teams that have won the division. With Stanford coming off this 19 season and UW getting a new coach Oregon will be favored. WSU pops up there on occasion with Leach. hard to ever see Cal or OrSt as more than average.
South is more unpredictable. Utah USC ASU are your likely winners. I have no faith in Chip to build UCLA up to contend. he stepped into Oregon at a high and maintained it. but UCLA was way down and building it doesnt seem like it will happen. Arizona and Colorado will generally be middle to low year in and year out.

Don't shortchange Jim Harbaugh. He TIED for the division last year.

 

[Olyduck]

oh gawd..the Potato Bowl is on the blue smurf turf, time for some green sunglasses before i go cross-eyed watching that one...

sorry you cant look at a calming color. like the sky or the ocean. or clothes. or cars. or anything blue. must be weird

 

[kburjr]

Don't shortchange Jim Harbaugh. He TIED for the division last year.

I hope you guys don't start slipping. I want Wisconsin to beat you while you are stil CFP material. 2 Big 10 teams in the CFP. Oh baby

 

[kburjr]

The bowls are a 13th game for most of these teams. OOC at that. Let em play.

 

[cwerph]

I hope you guys don't start slipping. I want Wisconsin to beat you while you are stil CFP material. 2 Big 10 teams in the CFP. Oh baby

It's been quite a run. I never bet but I think things will keep rolling along. However if you do beat the Buckeyes, it will be because the slipped.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

sorry you cant look at a calming color. like the sky or the ocean. or clothes. or cars. or anything blue. must be weird

blue and red astroturf just isn't right oly imo…team color thang i spose.

 

[kburjr]

It's been quite a run. I never bet but I think things will keep rolling along. However if you do beat the Buckeyes, it will be because the slipped.

Even though we lose JT, I think we'll be a better team next year. Maybe not quite there yet, but we are getting better every year it seems(except for that abomination last year). Chryst is building something, the recruiting is getting better. This ain't Barry's team anymore.

 

[Moab]

I think I really dislike losing to Oregon. That stated, it seems to me they had the best D in the Pac, so I guess they figured out that if you play good D you have a better chance than if you play great O and shit D...so good for them...they earned it

 

[BamaDude]

I thought so too until I watched the FSU/Az State game. Those middle of the road teams from each conference were about the same IMO.

That may not be a fair comparison as FSU is between coaches and ASU probably didn't feel very rewarded with a 440 mile trip eastward through the desert.

I watched a good chunk of the ASU/FSU game. Neither team looked very talented or prepared. They would both probably be in the middle of the pack in the AAC.

 

[kburjr]

I think I really dislike losing to Oregon. That stated, it seems to me they had the best D in the Pac, so I guess they figured out that if you play good D you have a better chance than if you play great O and shit D...so good for them...they earned it

Add to that what has happened in basketball between the 2 schools over the last 5-6 tears, I'd like to play them as often as possible. Get us a good West Coast rival.

 

[Boise4Life]

UVA was not a top 15 team in the nation. They lost 5 games this year, including to a pathetic Miami team. They had 0 top 25 wins, and honestly the Florida game wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Florida had 175 more yards and were up by 15 before a last second TD by UVA. They were a fringe top 25 team at best.

Exactly. Florida pounded the rock and UVA couldn’t stop it. Conversely UVA couldn’t run anywhere. The turnover battle was tied and passing yards were almost identical. The game wasn’t nearly as close as the score. Plus UF went 11-2 against a SEC schedule. UVA beat no one of note and lost 5 games playing in an awful conference. To me Florida is a top 10 team and while it’s somewhat close I probably wouldn’t have UVA in my top 25.

 

[Pariah]

Seems interesting that as the BIG is the cash cow for Fox nearly all the 50/50 calls went against them on a largely ESPN dominated postseason

lolz

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

Seems interesting that as the BIG is the cash cow for Fox nearly all the 50/50 calls went against them on a largely ESPN dominated postseason

 

[Boise4Life]

Seems interesting that as the BIG is the cash cow for Fox nearly all the 50/50 calls went against them on a largely ESPN dominated postseason

I thought they got those “controversial” calls right. The targeting in the Fiesta was definitely targeting. He speared him with his helmet, no doubt. The scoop and score was really close, but personally I thought they got it right. Incomplete pass.

And I agree with the offensive PI in the Rose. The WR pushed off on a defender who had an opportunity to make a play on the ball. It was the right call.

 

[78Cyclones]

So, I have a different perspective - which I have discussed in another thread. Some Bowls are dependent on having a good and / or interesting match-up, and other Bowls stand alone due to just being a good day regardless of match-up. I've been to 18 different Bowls a combined 43 times, and the only 3 that I would enjoy travelling to in person regardless of match-up every year are the Rose, Citrus and Sun. The one thing they all have in common is that they are a day game out doors. The Rose always has great weather. The Citrus usually does, and the Sun is mostly sunny! They also have a good solid interesting match-up for their tier every year to boot.

This year, I went to the Citrus (6th overall and 3rd since they moved to their NYD slot), and it was amazing! Great match-up, great weather and great fun! Every match-up since the SEC-B1G tie-in has been cool.

Hard to beat Alabama (SEC) vs. Michigan (B1G) on NYD on a bright sunny Chamber of Commerce day in beautiful downtown Orlando. Personally, I enjoyed that experience more than if Alabama had gone to the Cotton vs. Memphis, Sugar vs. Baylor or Orange vs. Virginia - even though they are historically more prestigious Bowls and part of the NY6. FWIW, I've seen Alabama in solid match-ups in all 3 of those (1980 Sugar vs. Arkansas, 2006 Cotton vs. Texas Tech and 2018 Orange vs. Oklahoma). However, the Sugar and Orange start and end too late, and the Cotton had the G5 this year - which is okay when it is somebody else's team but sucks to have your favorite team draw.

As for Iowa State, most Cyclone fans care more about the location (want a WARM weather Bowl), and don't care about the history of the Bowl (Liberty has more history than Camping World). Meanwhile, I just want to see Iowa State win their Bowl Game. They had a GREAT opponent (ND) and a GREAT location (Orlando) this year, but didn't have much chance at a victory - which was a turn-off for me. I enjoyed watching Iowa State beat Memphis in the cold 2017 Liberty more than I would have enjoyed a losing trip to warm San Antonio in 2018 or warm Orlando trip in 2019. Yes, I have a double standard when it comes to Alabama (which is rarely over-matched) and Iowa State (usually are over-matched) when it comes to the good Bowling experience.

Just my onion.