The 2011 College Football Season

[Lorini]

Um TJ Simers of the LA Times said Neu was done, but TJ Simers is an idiot who writes sports opinion columns so don’t use him as a reference. That being said I would hope Neu is done, UCLA wouldn’t even be in the discussion if USC was eligible to play.

[Greatatlantic]

No, Alabama is in the national title game for sure now, no matter whether Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma or not. Both human polls and the computer rankings have Alabama as #2 and Oklahoma State as #3. But the BCS gap is too great at this point for a win by Oklahoma State to overcome Alabama’s point total. And Alabama is done for the year, so they only way they drop is if LSU loses to Georgia, and even then it won’t be much of a drop because LSU won’t drop much with a loss to Georgia. Most experts believe that the rankings would be Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma State even with an LSU loss in the SEC title game.

OK, LAST WEEK Oklahoma state was number 2 in the computers (after losing to Iowa State). Today, and not when I posted, the new rankings came out. This week, 4 out of the 6 computer rankings favor Alabama, with the remainder going to Oklahoma State. I suspect an Oklahoma State win over Oklahoma puts them back at number 2, since the numbers are so close right now. Voters will use the win as an excuse to put Oklahoma State back at number 2.

The situation is remarkable close to 2006 when Ohio State and Michigan were number 1 and 2, both undefeated, when the played at the end of the season. Ohio State won by 3 points. Ohio State ultimately played one loss Florida in the National Champion Game.

[Sarkus]

OK, LAST WEEK Oklahoma state was number 2 in the computers (after losing to Iowa State). Today, and not when I posted, the new rankings came out. This week, 4 out of the 6 computer rankings favor Alabama, with the remainder going to Oklahoma State. I suspect an Oklahoma State win over Oklahoma puts them back at number 2, since the numbers are so close right now. Voters will use the win as an excuse to put Oklahoma State back at number 2.

Even if the computer polls do flip, Oklahoma State is still #5 in both human polls to Alabama’s #2 in both. Do you really think the humans are going to raise Oklahoma State up over idle and done Stanford and Va. Tech (assuming the Hokies win the ACC conference championship)? No, they aren’t going to do that. So a simple swap of rankings in the computer poll is not going to be enough to push Alabama down or put Ok State above a one loss LSU if that happens.

I’m not saying I like this outcome, just that the form of “logic” the BCS uses strongly suggests that LSU/Alabama is pretty much set in stone now.

[triggercut]

Um TJ Simers of the LA Times said Neu was done, but TJ Simers is an idiot who writes sports opinion columns so don’t use him as a reference. That being said I would hope Neu is done, UCLA wouldn’t even be in the discussion if USC was eligible to play.

I’m well aware of TJ Simers’ idiocy, but on this one he’s right. Neuheisel is gone at the end of the season.

[triggercut]

In the “you can’t make this stuff up” category, early Sunday night a bunch of KU fans online were breathlessly tracking a private jet traveling to Lawrence from the Floriday Keys. Apparently Mike Leach lives there, and so…

…eventually reporters from the KC Star, a couple of news crews, and other assorted media types got themselves to the airport, where they greeted a very confused family of 5 returning from Thanksgiving vacation.

Oops.

[Woolen_Horde]

I’m well aware of TJ Simers’ idiocy, but on this one he’s right. Neuheisel is gone at the end of the season.

No way does Neu survive. UCLA just got blasted 50-0 by their archival. On top of all the losses, the measuring stick against USC is very clear: his team is not getting better. In fact, the gap between UCLA and USC is getting worse. They won a pathetic division only because USC is ineligible and everyone else in their division sucks worse than UCLA.

Meanwhile, the Bruins fans and alumni are screaming for Neu’s head.

He’s a dead coach walking.

So let’s look at the Pac-12

Wulff - Likely Fired Monday
Neu - Likely Fired Saturday
Erickson - Reportedly Fired Already
Stoops - Ass Fired Month Ago

WSU wants Leach, badly.
Who does UCLA go for? The rumbling I heard is that Belotti wants back into the conference, and UCLA is the type of program he’d go for. And wouldn’t that be delicious when they play Oregon.
Arizona got Rich Rodded.
Who does ASU go for?

[Rimbo]

Seeing that, I looked it up and was surprised that Jimmy Sexton wasn’t Gill’s agent.

Not even Sexton is that good. Wow!

[Dejin]

I do not want to see anymore of that embarrassing UCLA football. Hopefully Saturday will bring good news. Also why can’t Stanford play in the Pac 12 conference game? I’m sure I’m missing something somewhere.

Someone more up on this feel free to correct me, but AIUI Pac12 Football is now broken into Northern and Southern Divisions. Oregon and Stanford are both in the Northern Division. The leader of each division will play in the conference championship. Oregon beat Stanford, both have the same conference record (8-1) (Oregon has an extra non-conference loss, but that doesn’t count for the conference championship) so Oregon goes to the conference championship.

[Rimbo]

No way does Neu survive. UCLA just got blasted 50-0 by their archival. On top of all the losses, the measuring stick against USC is very clear: his team is not getting better. In fact, the gap between UCLA and USC is getting worse. They won a pathetic division only because USC is ineligible and everyone else in their division sucks worse than UCLA.

Meanwhile, the Bruins fans and alumni are screaming for Neu’s head.

He’s a dead coach walking.

So let’s look at the Pac-12

Wulff - Likely Fired Monday
Neu - Likely Fired Saturday
Erickson - Reportedly Fired Already
Stoops - Ass Fired Month Ago

WSU wants Leach, badly.

Great landing point for him; he can be as much of a loon as he wants, and nobody will care.

Another point: there are so many vacancies opening up that if Leach can’t get a job in this off-season,.he’s probably done for good. Which would be sad. College football is better with the Mad Pirate in it.

[Tyjenks]

Even if the computer polls do flip, Oklahoma State is still #5 in both human polls to Alabama’s #2 in both. Do you really think the humans are going to raise Oklahoma State up over idle and done Stanford and Va. Tech (assuming the Hokies win the ACC conference championship)? No, they aren’t going to do that. So a simple swap of rankings in the computer poll is not going to be enough to push Alabama down or put Ok State above a one loss LSU if that happens.

I’m not saying I like this outcome, just that the form of “logic” the BCS uses strongly suggests that LSU/Alabama is pretty much set in stone now.

Yeah, if OK State’s human poll numbers were better things would be different. The ESPN BCS guys went through every possible scenario and not a single person saw an outcome where Alabama and LSU would not play again. Basic reasoning was the entire body of work over the year for both teams.

After Auburn’s miserable loss…Geaux Tigers!

[Scuzz]

Sorry, jumped the gun on Neuheisel.

Not jumping the gun on Erickson, out at ASU.

Also, just for more Lew Perkins fun, they were very close to signing Jim Harbaugh to take over the Jayhawks in 2009, but Perkins refused to allow Harbaugh to coach in Stanford’s bowl game if he accepted the KU offer, and for Harbaugh it was a dealbreaker.

So…Turner Gill. Hilarious.

EDIT: LA Times said earlier today that Neu is done after the Pac 12 title game fiasco is over.

Why would Harbaugh have left Stanford for Kansas? I call bullshit on that one. Harbaugh was headed for the pros or Michigan, nowhere else.

[triggercut]

Why would Harbaugh have left Stanford for Kansas? I call bullshit on that one. Harbaugh was headed for the pros or Michigan, nowhere else.

Money.

Kansas thought they had their man.

It was actually reported that the deal was done by a number of reputable publications at the time…and then fell through a day later.

I’d post the links, but they’re easy to find on google.

[Woolen_Horde]

UCLA has served Neu his walking papers. He’ll coach on Friday, but then he’s gone.

[Woolen_Horde]

Erickson also official. He’ll coach their bowl, then he’s gone.

[Woolen_Horde]

Urban Meier’s agent says he’s been hired by Ohio State.

[Bluto]

Ohio State hasn’t made it official, but they’re having a 5:15 press conference to “announce the selection of its head football coach”.

So, yay!

[Hanacker]

Even if the computer polls do flip, Oklahoma State is still #5 in both human polls to Alabama’s #2 in both. Do you really think the humans are going to raise Oklahoma State up over idle and done Stanford and Va. Tech (assuming the Hokies win the ACC conference championship)? No, they aren’t going to do that.

They might. Almost every year, stuff gets reshuffled in the final polls after people actually stop and think about the implications of their votes. If there’s enough backlash to the idea of sending the two SEC teams, one of which didn’t even make the conference title game, the voters might realize all of a sudden that they really like OK State.

[Lorini]

UCLA has served Neu his walking papers. He’ll coach on Friday, but then he’s gone.

I’ll take Cable, thank you very much. He’d be good for UCLA I think.

[Greatatlantic]

Watching Urban Meyer in a Scarlet and Grey tie.

He will coach start next season, but interim coach Luke Fickel will coach the Ohio State Bowl game.

I’m kind of torn. On one hand he’s a proven coach with Ohio roots whose name alone will get Ohio State a better recruiting class (and OSU has never been a slouch in that regard). However, I am not a big fan of the spread offense, which he is known for.

[bluemax]

I’ll take Cable, thank you very much. He’d be good for UCLA I think.

It doesn’t matter who fucla hires as long as Dan Guerrero is your AD.