By Wally
Some thoughts on the world of college football following a day of conference championship games:
- — Cincinnati was lucky to get by Pitt in a barn-burner 45-44. So the Bearcats will be the 4th ranked team in the land when the rankings come out Sunday and headed to a nice BCS Bowl. After watching that game, I’ve concluded that there’s not really that much difference between Cinci and Notre Dame this year. Yes, the Bearcats are better and sure they have the nice undefeated record, but they’re certainly not leaps and bounds better than the Irish. The point is, they’re #4 and the Irish are #54 or whatever … but the gap between the two is not really that big. The second point is that it really won’t take ND that much to get into the Top 10 or 15 if Cincy is the #4 team in the country. If the Irish were #45 in total defense, instead of #85, they’d be going to a BCS game.
- — I’m so sick of Florida and Tim Tebow that I can’t tell you how happy I am that they were exposed and humiliated by Alabama in the SEC title game. Hope they drop down to #8 or worse, which is what they deserve. Maybe Urban Meyer will be so disgusted/frustrated that he’ll actually consider a brand new chellenge in South Bend. Hey … a guy can dream, can’t he?
- — It wasn’t too long ago that Alabama sucked and was going through the same coaching carousel that ND is in right now. Bottom line: hire a good coach, like Saban, and things will turn around. Don’t settle for a so-so coach, and don’t hire anyone that hasn’t seen some success as a head coach.
- — Nice game by Mark Ingram of ‘Bama, but my Heismann winner is Kellen Moore, Boise State’s super QB. Nobody else deserves it as much as he does. Will he get it? Probably not. Tebow and McCoy each dropped the ball today.
- — USC looks like crap … at least for them … 6th in the Pac 10? Things can change quickly in this game. I KNEW this was THE YEAR for ND to beat ’em ! But of course, ND is even worse than USC, so it didn’t happen 🙁
- — Does ANYONE really care who wins the ACC?
- — All this love for Bobby “Bumfuzzled” Bowden … puh-lease give me a break!!! This guy is sooooo overrated; and he’s been clueless for a full decade … in fact he’s been nothing more than a figurehead for a couple decades. “Aw shucks” … that’s all you have to say in the living room of the typical 4 star player in Florida to get ’em to come to your school and major in PE … and he maybe not even get that degree before dropping out. (And Lou Holtz deserved the national title in ’93 when they gave it to Bowden as a career appreciation award).
- — Texas will likely get the nod to play ‘Bama in the national title game, BUT WE ALL KNOW that privilege should really go to TCU or Boise State. In our hearts, we know that. Texas layed a big fat egg Saturday against Nebraska. In a conference title game, I don’t think a team could win any less impressively than they did. Okay, maybe it was a tie with Cincy. Anyaway, let TCU play ‘Bama … it’ll be a better game and the Horned Frogs could win. Texas has no chance.
Did Cincinnati win a barn-burner? Or was the Bearcats win over Pittsburgh less than impressive? I’m confused. I watched that game. I vote for the barn burner description.
Careful in underestimating Pittsburgh. I know you have a grudge with Wannstedt that goes back to his time in Chicago, but Wannstedt has slowly built a winner with the Panthers. And, he has accomplished this in the city of Pittsburgh. Is there a more football-knowledgeable community in America?
Cincy may not be leaps and bounds ahead of Notre Dame, but the Bearcats have now beaten three ranked opponents (Pitt, West Virginia, and South Florida) along with a win over a Pac 10 team (Oregon State) and a Big Ten team (Illinois).
Why would Urban Meyer go to South Bend? He would lose one of his more valuable recruiting chips: the scantily-garbed co-eds in Gainesville. Meyer and Pete Carroll have the easiest jobs in college football.
I hope and pray that Notre Dame finds a coach who is loyal to the university. This coach should know no boundaries when it comes to what he should do for the good of the college. In addition, this coach should be able to recruit players capable of maintaining the high academic standards established by Notre Dame. Lastly, this coach should be embraced by his players. Oh wait…Notre Dame already had that coach, and it didn’t work. I’ll get back to you on that one.
Okay … Cinci’s win was “more impressive” than Texas’s. Still, for two teams trying to win a beauty pageant and make one last dramatic sales pitch, the squeaky one-pointers just don’t cut it. TCU or BSU deserve to play Bama in the title game, not Texas. Without a playoff system in Div 1 CFB, a win is not simply a win. There are good wins, neutral wins and bad wins. That was a bad win for Texas and they should be penalized for gagging all over themselves. Nebraska’s got heart … but not much else.
Pittsburgh is a pretty good football team and to beat them in Pittsburgh is noteworthy. But they’re not the brightest team I’ve seen … a reflection of Wanny and probably why they coughed up that game to Cincy.
I know it won’t be Urban Meyer for ND. Yes, If Charlie Weis could actually coach, he’d be the ideal candidate!
I can’t speak about the Texas game, but Cincinnati showed the ability to get up off the canvas and start fighting again. Don’t we need to take into account Pittsburgh’s motivation for being the spoiler.
No … Cincy gave up 44 points and needed special teams miracles to come back in this one. Kudos for not quitting and coming back. Don’t deserve a title shot though.
Don’t get me wrong … I’m very pleased that we have Cincy and a couple other “mid-major” programs sitting there undefeated. Only two of them deserve a title shot … TCU and BSU. But of course, we’d all love to see all these teams in a playoff.
Oh yeah – and Cincy did all that on the road.
I don’t know if we can truly call Cincinnati a mid-major.
I’d just like to know what the process of naming your kid “Urban” is like.
Ha!
Cincy’s win was reminiscent of ND’s 1988 national championship run, fueled by the special team play of one Rocket Ismail. I’m a little more of a Brian Kelly fan today than I was on Friday. He knows how to maximize the talent of his players and keep his team in a game even when they are 3 TDs down.
Charlie Weis didn’t come to ND because of his love for ND, he came because of his love for himself and his belief that he was a great coach who deserved an opportunity; whatever one presented itself first. ND gave him his shot. Don’t let the alumni tag fool you at all.
Only 2 active coaches with 10+ yrs of coaching have NEVER had a losing season; Saban and Stoops. Only ONE coach has been in 4 BCS championship games; Stoops. Remember, Holtz only won ONE national championship, but he was in the hunt consistently, a la Stoops. He’s STILL my #1 choice, though I wouldn’t say no to Meyer. I am optimistic that ND is waiting until after bowl selection Sunday because the coach-to-be asked that they not disrupt his team’s bowl chances.
Uh … I don’t recall the ’88 Irish giving up over 35 points in any game that year. Rocket was a threat anywhere on the field. If he didn’t return a kick, the offense was gonna move the ball and score anyway.
I think ND hasn’t announced anything because they haven’t caught the fish yet. I’m more worried than I am optimistic they caught the big one. We’ll see.
Oh, Wally, Wally; so limited by the bounds of common sense and reality. I didn’t say they were EXACTLY like the ND ’88 champs. That team beat its tough opponents 25-24, not 45-44. But they beat them with methods similar to Cincy’s, because they had a resourceful coach who made the most of what he had. And know that what I am doing for myself is making Brian Kelly attractive in case I have to support him as the next ND coach! Has Swarbrick announced a press conference? Who is on a plane to South Bend? GO IRISH!
Pete —
Starting to think Randy Edsall of UConn might be the front runner for the job … only because that’s the name we’re seeing most in the Chicago rumor mills including Chicago Tribune. Supposedly, we’ll all know who it is possibly as early as mid-week. Also, Clausen and Tate are reportedly turning pro … no real surprise.
Now … I’m going on a rant. The BCS Bowls really screwed the little guys again by pitting TCU against Boise State … thereby protecting the “Big Conference Boys” from the embarrassment of losing their bowl game to a couple of teams from non-BCS conferences. What I really wanted to see as a fan was TCU face somebody like Florida and BSU play somebody like Iowa. Instead, we just get more of the same and avoid answering the question “How good are these non-BCS conference front-runners?”. This is just chicken @$%# !!!
Wally, I just signed on to make the same rant. It’s great that a BCS bowl gives a mid-major an at-large bid, but to play the other mid-major allows for leaving the most critical question unanswered; can these guys play with the big boys? BSU’s win over OU a few years ago would say ‘yes”, but the BCS bowl selections would indicate they are not yet believers. The 2010 Fiesta may be the most entertaining game of all, and a championship game in disguise in some ways, but the fact is it will leave the critical question unanswered, protecting, as you said, the BCS conferences.
ESPN reports that Kelly will interview with ND on Tuesday. Not sure if that rules Edsall out or not. personally, I would go with kelly over Edsall.
Colt McCoy was my (sentimental) favorite for the Heisman until the final play from scrimmage on Saturday night. But for instant replay, he almost blew Texas’ chances on that one play, and was only in that position because of mediocre play all night. I would have forgiven the mediocre night, but that one play knocks him off my list. Ingram is my vote, though Spiller is soooo exciting to watch, and Gerhardt is a throw-back to the days of Ernie Nevers.
Agree on preferance of Kelly over Edsall. “Edsels” didn’t have a very good run in South Bend … didn’t they have a car factory there in the 50-60’s???
For the Heismann, why not Kellen Moore of the UNDEFEATED BSU Broncos:
Completed 65% of passes for 3,325 yards with 39 TDs and only 3 INT’s … a phenomenal QB rating of 167.
For comparison, McCoy’s stats:
70%, 3,512 yards, 27 TDs and 12 INTs … a rating of 147.
Looks like it’s gonna be Brian Kelly as the new ND coach.
And just when we think it’s Kelly, Edsall reenters the rumors. And Harbaugh is not truly “out” yet. And rumors say ND has a secret candidate. I wish they would just finish it all up; maybe by Friday. Studebaker factory in SB, but I am not sure about Ford/Edsels.
Radio talking heads here in the valley are all pissed Ryan Mathews of Fresno State is not in the conversation for the Heisman. I think they made a good choice in sending Toby to New York. Matthews is good, but is not the punisher Toby is. Sergio Brown would agree.
I don’t think Kelly wants the job. He can do more at Cincy than he can at ND. Nothing like playing in a crappy conference.
Digger was blubbering about Edsall on ESPN the other day and Jack S. was probably listening instead of doing his job.
A few days late, but great point about the TCU-Boise St matchup, Wally. I originally thought what an intriguing matchup that is, but now that you mention it, it would be great to see TCU-Florida…give them a chance to prove they could’ve been in the national title hunt.
Spurrier was “blubbering” about Edsall at the papajohns bowl press conference, and actually made him blush when he said “Randy may be at ND by then”, but Cincy “uninvited” the press to their football banquet so that Kelly could talk to players about ND? Oh, the intrigue!
No surprise … It’s Brian Kelly. He will take over right away and will not coach Cinci in the bowl game.
Good … now let him recruit and let’s move on … hopefully in an upward direction!
Too bad Kelly does not get to take ND to a bowl. When he came to Cincy after the regular season he coached their bowl team to a win using the previous coach’s playbook and the players as they had been used to that point. That’s impressive adaptability. I am guessing by Gilyard’s negative comments that he won’t be following Kelly to ND. Dang! I was hoping for an NCAA exemption move based on a coaching change.