SportsHoopla's 2019 Week 5 Discussion Thread

[Across The Field]

They're gonna beat Florida. I'm very confident in that statement.

No question, and they should win handily. I have UF 11th in my rankings I just posted, and looking back, that was probably far too generous. They've faced 3 P5 teams that are a combined 5-8, and were extremely lucky to beat two of them, and then 2 FCS teams. UF should probably be ranked somewhere around 20th right now.

 

[ericd7633]

With the way they struggled with Oregon, they may have a better resume when you look at pure wins and losses, but there is no way you can say that they looked better on the field than Alabama or Ohio State. You just can't. It's the classic "merit of resume versus pure skill" argument, but I for one want to choose the best team, not the team who manages to schedule best.

Alabama and Ohio State would easily be undefeated with Auburn's schedule and they wouldn't have needed a comeback against Oregon for that to be true. Until I'm convinced otherwise, I will be ranking both of those teams ahead of Auburn, and I don't care how many teams ranked outside the top eight that Auburn beats.

I don't think they've looked better than OSU or Bama at this point. I have Auburn at #3. I'm just saying I don't think it is ridiculous to think about ranking Auburn #1. I get they struggled with Oregon, but they are a top 15 team. And it was a neutral field game. They also destroyed Kent St and Miss St and beat Tulane by 20.

 

[Across The Field]

I don't think they've looked better than OSU or Bama at this point. I have Auburn at #3. I'm just saying I don't think it is ridiculous to think about ranking Auburn #1. I get they struggled with Oregon, but they are a top 15 team. And it was a neutral field game. They also destroyed Kent St and Miss St and beat Tulane by 20.

Kent State is worse than anyone OSU has faced, by quite a bit. Why is beating Tulane by 20 a good thing?

 

[ericd7633]

What about Tulane? That is a garbage program, and Auburn struggled mightily with them. Also, I watched the A&M game, and I'm pretty sure Auburn still had the starters in late in the 4th, and A&M beat them pretty handily in terms of yards (391-299) and first downs (23-16). That was a close game, and honestly, A&M is going to have to fight just to be bowl eligible this year. They were losing to Oregon for all but 16 seconds, and while Oregon looks like a decent team, they're hardly world-beaters. Miss St. might be on the same level as Nebraska and Cincinnati, but Auburn gave up over 3 times as many points to them as OSU did to UC and Nebraska combined.

If they beat Florida, why does that make them #1? This is a team that is very lucky not to be 3-2, with two losses to bad UK and Miami teams. They're far and away the most fraudulent top 10 team in the nation.

Sure Tulane is a garbage program, but they are probably every bit as good as Nebraska is this year. Probably better given how they did play against Auburn. And sure A&M beat them in total yards but 150 of them came on the last 2 possessions when the game was clearly over. I'm not gonna hold that against them just like I wouldn't with OSU giving up a garbage td against Nebraska or any of the points they gave up against FAU.

 

[Across The Field]

Sure Tulane is a garbage program, but they are probably every bit as good as Nebraska is this year. Probably better given how they did play against Auburn. And sure A&M beat them in total yards but 150 of them came on the last 2 possessions when the game was clearly over. I'm not gonna hold that against them just like I wouldn't with OSU giving up a garbage td against Nebraska or any of the points they gave up against FAU.

Come on, now. We both know this is not true. Adrian Martinez, JD Spielman, Wandale Robinson, and Maurice Washington are more talented than any Tulane player since Matt Forte.

The difference is those Nebraska and FAU points came almost entirely against OSU's 2nd and 3rd stringers when we were up by 4+ TDs. That A&M game was comfortable to a point, but nowhere near a blowout when A&M started scoring in the 4th.

Auburn has looked alright this year, but not top 5 by any stretch IMO. The product on the field hasn't been that impressive. Beating an insanely overrated Florida team next Saturday won't really change that.

 

[ericd7633]

Kent State is worse than anyone OSU has faced, by quite a bit. Why is beating Tulane by 20 a good thing?

There isn't much difference in Kent St and Miami Ohio. I'm just saying if we are going to credit OSU for beating the shit out of Miami Ohio, why can't I give Auburn credit for beating the shit out of Kent State? Tulane is probably a top 45ish team this season. They probably should have beaten them by more.

 

[ericd7633]

Come on, now. We both know this is not true. Adrian Martinez, JD Spielman, Wandale Robinson, and Maurice Washington are more talented than any Tulane player since Matt Forte.

The difference is those Nebraska and FAU points came almost entirely against OSU's 2nd and 3rd stringers when we were up by 4+ TDs. That A&M game was comfortable to a point, but nowhere near a blowout when A&M started scoring in the 4th.

Auburn has looked alright this year, but not top 5 by any stretch IMO. The product on the field hasn't been that impressive. Beating an insanely overrated Florida team next Saturday won't really change that.

Nebraska has better players than Tulane, but Nebraska has looked like shit every game this season outside of beating 1-3 NIU soundly. Beat 1-4 South Alabama by 14, got outgained in that game. Almost lost to Illinois and lost to an average Colorado team.

A&M started scoring in the 4th when the game was over IMO.

 

[Across The Field]

There isn't much difference in Kent St and Miami Ohio. I'm just saying if we are going to credit OSU for beating the shit out of Miami Ohio, why can't I give Auburn credit for beating the shit out of Kent State? Tulane is probably a top 45ish team this season. They probably should have beaten them by more.

We beat Miami by 71 while they beat Kent St. by 49. Both were blowouts, but ours was an absolute bloodbath. Also, looking at efficiency, Miami ranks well above Kent St. Both are bottom-half teams, but I would guess Miami will beat them by a few scores next month.

I guess we'll see about Tulane. They've blown out a horrible FIU, an FCS, and won close against a Houston team that is in shambles. I think it's fair to say OSU would've beaten them by more than 18 points, probably a lot more.

 

[Across The Field]

Nebraska has better players than Tulane, but Nebraska has looked like shit every game this season outside of beating 1-3 NIU soundly. Beat 1-4 South Alabama by 14, got outgained in that game. Almost lost to Illinois and lost to an average Colorado team.

A&M started scoring in the 4th when the game was over IMO.

Fair, Nebraska has underachieved for sure. Can't quite figure it out based on how they finished last year, but they are playing well below their talent level. At any rate, though, OSU slaughtered them. If they wanted it to be worse, they easily could've. Auburn, on the other hand, didn't even extend their lead to double digits until late in the 3rd quarter.

The game wasn't over though. A&M cut it to 8 points, and Auburn needed to convert a 3rd and 5 with 1:11 to finally put it away. Had they not converted that, A&M has a real chance to get the ball left with time to drive.

I'll put it this way - if Auburn played Alabama tomorrow, I think Bama would win by 17-20 at least. If OSU and Alabama played tomorrow, that'd be a really good game, and OSU could very well win.

 

[ericd7633]

We beat Miami by 71 while they beat Kent St. by 49. Both were blowouts, but ours was an absolute bloodbath. Also, looking at efficiency, Miami ranks well above Kent St. Both are bottom-half teams, but I would guess Miami will beat them by a few scores next month.

I guess we'll see about Tulane. They've blown out a horrible FIU, an FCS, and won close against a Houston team that is in shambles. I think it's fair to say OSU would've beaten them by more than 18 points, probably a lot more.

Yeah both are bad. There is like a 2 spot difference in Massey and they are both in the 90's.

And yeah like I said Auburn probably should have beaten Tulane by more. But they aren't some awful team, is what my point was.

 

[ericd7633]

Fair, Nebraska has underachieved for sure. Can't quite figure it out based on how they finished last year, but they are playing well below their talent level. At any rate, though, OSU slaughtered them. If they wanted it to be worse, they easily could've. Auburn, on the other hand, didn't even extend their lead to double digits until late in the 3rd quarter.

The game wasn't over though. A&M cut it to 8 points, and Auburn needed to convert a 3rd and 5 with 1:11 to finally put it away. Had they not converted that, A&M has a real chance to get the ball left with time to drive.

I'll put it this way - if Auburn played Alabama tomorrow, I think Bama would win by 17-20 at least. If OSU and Alabama played tomorrow, that'd be a really good game, and OSU could very well win.

The good thing for Auburn is that they get Bama at home, but that's after having already played UGA and LSU. Their schedule is insane. I don't think there is anyway they make it through with just 1 loss. I do think OSU is playing better than Auburn right now.

 

[Across The Field]

Yeah both are bad. There is like a 2 spot difference in Massey and they are both in the 90's.

And yeah like I said Auburn probably should have beaten Tulane by more. But they aren't some awful team, is what my point was.

That's the point. You can say Miami is barely better than Kent St., but we still won by 3+ more TDs, and we weren't even trying. Hell I think our 4th string QB might've played in that game.

Tulane might not be awful, but they're not a good team. We're talking about a program that has had two season since 2002 where they were over .500, and both were 7-6. They've been a bad program for a long time, and I'm not sure they're suddenly going to undergo some resurgence this year. That game was far uglier than any game OSU has had this year. Cincinnati is better than Tulane right now, for example (UC is 31 in Massey while Tulane is 47), and we decimated Cincinnati.

I added a caveat to my post - if Auburn played Alabama tomorrow, I think Bama would win by 17-20 at least. If OSU and Alabama played tomorrow, that'd be a really good game, and OSU could very well win.

 

[Across The Field]

The good thing for Auburn is that they get Bama at home, but that's after having already played UGA and LSU. Their schedule is insane. I don't think there is anyway they make it through with just 1 loss. I do think OSU is playing better than Auburn right now.

Yeah that is a brutal gauntlet. My guess is Auburn finishes as a really strong 9-3 team with a couple of ranked wins, and then they'll probably blow out michigan in the Outback Bowl or something.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of UGA. That ND win is looking really strong, but I remember watching them against a really bad Vandy team in the opener, and they looked a little sloppy. Fortunately for them, Auburn is by far the best team left on their schedule, so they should coast into the SECCG.

 

[ericd7633]

That's the point. You can say Miami is barely better than Kent St., but we still won by 3+ more TDs, and we weren't even trying. Hell I think our 4th string QB might've played in that game.

Tulane might not be awful, but they're not a good team. We're talking about a program that has had two season since 2002 where they were over .500, and both were 7-6. They've been a bad program for a long time, and I'm not sure they're suddenly going to undergo some resurgence this year. That game was far uglier than any game OSU has had this year. Cincinnati is better than Tulane right now, for example (UC is 31 in Massey while Tulane is 47), and we decimated Cincinnati.

I added a caveat to my post - if Auburn played Alabama tomorrow, I think Bama would win by 17-20 at least. If OSU and Alabama played tomorrow, that'd be a really good game, and OSU could very well win.

Yeah. I get that. To me once something gets over 40 it kind of doesn't matter at that point. And OSU beating UC the way they did is the main reason why I have them ahead of Auburn. That's been their most impressive performance to date IMO.

I don't think Tulane will be good(Top 25 team), but that they'll be an average team(40-50). But I would put more stock in that game than Auburn's game against Kent State.

 

[Across The Field]

Yeah. I get that. To me once something gets over 40 it kind of doesn't matter at that point. And OSU beating UC the way they did is the main reason why I have them ahead of Auburn. That's been their most impressive performance to date IMO.

I don't think Tulane will be good(Top 25 team), but that they'll be an average team(40-50). But I would put more stock in that game than Auburn's game against Kent State.

Agree and agree. The UC game was extremely impressive. However, I would argue if OSU beats Sparty this weekend comfortably and Auburn beats Florida somewhat comfortably, I'd still give the nod to OSU. I'm not sure UF is better than MSU right now, honestly.

 

[TigerBait1971]

Y'all some long winded motherfuckers

 

[ericd7633]

Yeah that is a brutal gauntlet. My guess is Auburn finishes as a really strong 9-3 team with a couple of ranked wins, and then they'll probably blow out michigan in the Outback Bowl or something.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of UGA. That ND win is looking really strong, but I remember watching them against a really bad Vandy team in the opener, and they looked a little sloppy. Fortunately for them, Auburn is by far the best team left on their schedule, so they should coast into the SECCG.

Yeah I thought ND held their own for the most part against UGA. ND should probably finish 10-2 or 11-1. It won't matter though. They are done in terms of making the CFP. And yeah I think UGA can coast to the SEC CG, even if they lost to Auburn they aren't losing to UF IMO.

 

[ericd7633]

Agree and agree. The UC game was extremely impressive. However, I would argue if OSU beats Sparty this weekend comfortably and Auburn beats Florida somewhat comfortably, I'd still give the nod to OSU. I'm not sure UF is better than MSU right now, honestly.

I'll have to let it play out. Even if MSU and UF are equal, winning in the Swamp is better than winning at home, if margins are somewhat identical. I think OSU will win by 25 or so and Auburn will win by 10-14. If that happens I'll probably still roll with OSU ahead of Auburn.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

I'm so sorry Army. I had to drop ya. It wasn't no room.

 

[Chewbaccer]

I'm so sorry Army. I had to drop ya. It wasn't no room.

Why do you have a team that lost to Pitt over an undefeated team that beat UNC last week?