College Football: This week

[Solomwi]

Spurrier will be able to recruit skill players better than Holtz, but that's it in the long run. Ultimately, I think he'll do well there, but well on a 7-4 to 9-2 scale.

Imran, true on Cal, but my view of them is already on the record. I think Texas and Georgia both are better teams. Damn west coast bias.

OU's defense is the weakest link of any of the three teams, IMO. I would like to see how our defense stacked up against Peterson/White or Bush/Leinart. In the latter case, see how our defense stacks up without an offense that turns the ball over on our own 20, like last year. USC had 315 yards on us last year, and that was with zero offensive help. This year's group is better, especially in the secondary, and has a lot of offensive help.

[Guynemer]

Good evening.

I have been asked to read the following statement.



"As an employee of the Ohio State University, nothing gives me greater joy than seeing our beloved Buckeyes defeat the arrogant, sniveling, America-hating trash from the University of Michigan. This is simply another example of our inate superiority to the Wolverines. I look forward to at least two more such victories while I am an employee of the Ohio State University, and likely many more, as I would never dream of leaving such a wonderful institution.

And, in conclusion, Jim Tressel is Our Lord Jesus Risen, and Maurice Clarett is a punk-ass *****.

Thank you."


...please, kill me...

[PLATO]

Tennessee made Vandy's offense look like the bomb today. Fortunately the Vols held on for the victory and are now the

SEC EAST CHAMPIONS!!!!!

[GhengisFarb™]

Originally posted by Guynemer
Michigan wasn't bad in the Rose Bowl, but they weren't at their best. They were simply outplayed in every way, shape, and form by USC. There is no question that the better team won that game. Those sorts of losses don't bother me.

Bah, Michigan's receivers were letting the ball go right through their hands, and they even had sticky gloves!

It's like their sticky gloves were made of teflon or something. I couldn't believe my eyes and how many catches the receiver blew.

[Guynemer]

Huzzah!

Iowa beats Wisconsin!


We go to the Rose Bowl even though we got annihilated today!

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Guynemer
Huzzah!

Iowa beats Wisconsin!


We go to the Rose Bowl even though we got annihilated today!

And because you got annihilated:

Utes go to a BCS Bowl!!!!

ACK!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Jeez, what did you people go to sleep at 8 PM?

STATE BEATS CHURCH! Utah beats BYU and wins the Holy War!

They go undefeated and qualify for a BCS bowl!


Oh, and Oregon State KILLS Oregon to win the Civil War and go to a bowl (which ever team won would be bowl eligible).


Florida pulls through for Zook and beats FSU, though they survived a scare, when Chris Rix came off the bench and almost led FSU to victory.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
They go undefeated and qualify for a BCS bowl!

didn't I just say that?



ACK!

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Tuberski


didn't I just say that?



ACK!

Yes, but you missed the point...

Utah goes undefeated and qualifies for a BCS bowl!!

I would have thought you would have got that.

[Tuberski]

I watched the game. The sad part is, growing up, I was a BYU fan. I still am, but seeing a Utah team, BYU or Utah go undefeated is special.

Sad to see BYU fall like that though.

ACK!

[Imran Siddiqui]

didn't I just say that?

No, you said BECAUSE Michigan got annihilated, Utah qualifies for a BCS bowl... which is totally incorrect . Even if Michigan won, Utah would have qualified.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

didn't I just say that?

No, you said BECAUSE Michigan got annihilated, Utah qualifies for a BCS bowl... which is totally incorrect . Even if Michigan won, Utah would have qualified.

Not true, if Michigan had won, they could have still passed Utah.

Florida State losing too, ices it for the Utes, as they were the #8 team.

Everyone else is too far back.

Remember there are still 2 weeks until the final rankings.

ACK!

[Tuberski]

Here is more proof I was correct:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- Now that the dream has become a reality, now that the Utah Utes no longer have to wonder whether they'll be going somewhere warm for New Year's -- they will be -- their fans can turn their attention to more important matters: where, and against whom?

"Oklahoma, in the Fiesta," requested face-painted Utah junior Aaron Morton. "Bring on the best."

"We'd murder Boston College. It would be like playing another team in our conference," said Utes cheerleader Sunny Nielsen. "Bring on USC."

That such conversations are even taking place at Utah would have seemed comical to many just a couple of months ago. But what took place here Saturday night was no joke.

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With a 52-21 pasting of hated rival BYU, the Utes not only completed an 11-0 regular season but, combined with Michigan's loss to Ohio State earlier in the day, assured themselves a spot in the BCS. In doing so, they become the first team in the BCS era from outside the six current BCS conferences -- and just the second since 1955 -- to reach one of the four major bowl games.

"We've looked at a half dozen [non-BCS] teams over the last 10 years," said Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker, referencing teams like 1998 Tulane, 2001 BYU and 2002 TCU. "In my view, this is the most credible team ever to come out of that group."

Giddy Utah fans, sensing an imminent Fiesta invitation, donned sombreros in the snow Saturday and showered the field with tortillas in the waning moments. They began a chant of "B-C-S, B-C-S," -- perhaps the first time in six years those letters have actually been celebrated.

Junker, who privately speculated as early as the spring that the Utes might wind up in his game, was one of four representatives in yellow jackets who watched from the end zone as thousands of spectators poured on to the field in celebration afterward, tearing down goal posts and joining head coach Urban Meyer and defensive lineman Sione Pouha in a rendition of the school fight song. Rice-Eccles Stadium was packed to capacity with 45,326 diehards, most of whom are likely to be on the first plane to Tempe if and when the official invite comes down.

Thing is, the Fiesta folks aren't the only ones interested. Also in attendance were three reps from the Sugar Bowl, whose game would surpass the Fiesta in the pecking order if it loses Auburn to the Orange Bowl, as well as sour-faced Liberty Bowl chief Steve Ehrhart, who will now miss out on the chance to pit top 10 foes Utah and Louisville.

"I don't know why [Utah fans] assume [it's the Fiesta Bowl]," said Sugar Bowl president Bill Kearnery. "We'd have no qualms at all at having Utah.

Wait a minute. What happened to teams like Utah being viewed as unwanted party-crashers? Threats to the establishment? Why, now, are the Utes suddenly a hot commodity?

Maybe because people have actually seen them play.

Their final game wasn't exactly their prettiest, with the Utes struggling to a 21-14 halftime lead and star QB Alex Smith throwing as many interceptions (two) as he had the previous 10 games. At the same time, it was a trademark Meyer victory, with the Steve-Spurrier-in-training going for it on four fourth downs, including a Spurrier-esque five-wide set on a 4th and goal at the 2 and a fake punt that resulted in a 23-yard run.

In the defining moment of the game midway through the third quarter, with BYU still within striking distance at 31-21 and the teams having just traded interceptions, Utah ran one of its patented spread-option plays from its own 8. Smith pitched to speedy receiver Steve Savoy, who hit the corner and dashed 92 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.

In the end, it was another all-around dominant performance (538 yards to BYU's 294) to go with their other 10, all of which they've won by at least 17 points. Not since their fifth game against New Mexico has an opponent held the Utes under 45 points.

"I'm being honest when I say I think we can take on anyone in the country," said Smith. "Anyone."

You can argue that they did it against inferior competition, and to a certain extent that's true. The Utes gained serous legitimacy, though, when they destroyed both a Texas A&M team that's now nationally ranked, 41-21, as well as a North Carolina team that, two weeks after losing 46-16 to the Utes, knocked off Miami. While it's questionable whether Utah's defense stacks up with some of the big boys, their offense, with its unique blend of speed, power and trickery, is as powerful as any in the country, regardless of conference.

"I do believe Utah is one of the top six teams in the country," said Meyer. "Around the country, you have a couple elite of elites -- maybe an Oklahoma, a USC or an Auburn. Anyone else, if you play well and take care of the football, you can win at any time. And if you don't believe that, you don't know college football."

There's only one way to truly test Meyer's theory: Put the Utes up against one of his so-called elites. The possibility of an undefeated Oklahoma or Auburn missing out on the Orange Bowl is looming larger by the week, and it only makes sense to match that team up with Utah in a second battle of undefeated teams.

Unfortunately, politics prevail over common sense, and if Oklahoma goes to the Orange Bowl, the Utes will likely get stuck playing a two-loss Big East champion in a game that will prove absolutely nothing. Asked if such a scenario would be disappointing, Savoy said, "Yeah. We worked so hard to get this far, we want to get the best team possible so we can prove we're capable of competing with anyone."

No matter who the opponent, though, just seeing their team play on New Year's Day will be thrilling enough for a group of fans who, prior to Meyer's arrival two years ago, hadn't even experienced a conference title in over half a century.

As Meyer addressed a throng of media afterward, he faced the inevitable questions about whether he'll be in Utah after this season. He's rumored to be a top candidate at Florida, and with his wide-open style of offense, he'd be a perfect fit in Gainesville. If that happens, it's hard to imagine a coach having had a bigger impact on a school in such a short amount of time. The entire culture of the place has changed dramatically, and by the time its team kicks off in Tempe, New Orleans or Pasadena, it's safe to say the national perception of Utah will have risen to unprecedented heights.

"When you lose a recruit to someone, and you have better facilities, better academics, better location and a better style of offense, and he looks you in the eye and says, 'I'm going there because they're BCS?'" said Meyer. "Well, I guess we're 'BCS' now."

So there!

ACK!

[Imran Siddiqui]

One article proves nothing of your point .

If you saw the Gameday in the afternoon, you'll note they said if Utah won, they'd make a BCS bowl.

Seeing as Utah was #6 in the BCS, ahead of Michigan by 0.06 points (which is more than the difference between #4 Cal and #6 Utah, btw), Michigan would not have passed Utah, even in victory. Couple that with the fact that Michigan was 9th in the computer polls, and there was no way Michigan would have hit 6th if Utah won, especially since they beat a team that was not BCS ranked.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
One article proves nothing of your point .

If you saw the Gameday in the afternoon, you'll note they said if Utah won, they'd make a BCS bowl.

Seeing as Utah was #6 in the BCS, ahead of Michigan by 0.06 points (which is more than the difference between #4 Cal and #6 Utah, btw), Michigan would not have passed Utah, even in victory. Couple that with the fact that Michigan was 9th in the computer polls, and there was no way Michigan would have hit 6th if Utah won, especially since they beat a team that was not BCS ranked.

You would have also noticed that they based everything on the fact that Michigan lost. I did watch it.

I was up at 8:30 AM and watched it then too, when they said that Michigan could pass them.

Michigan beating Ohio state would have made more of a differenc than Utah beating BYU.

ACK!


ACK!