College Football

First topic message reminder :

Any of you guys looking foward to the start of the season next week, if you like college football, what teams do you like, I myself follow the wolverines and huskers. But only the huskers have an oppportunity for the big one this year. Cant wait for lsu v oregon on the 3rd at cowboys stadium.

watched a few games on ESPn the other night.. not sure what to make of it, seemed a good watch and enjoyed it, but was lost with the commentators speaking of the players, I suppose once you have watched a few and formed your opinion on what teams you like it becomes clearer, but college football was more enjoyable than i imagined!

anyone catch the michigan/notre dame game, thats why you watch college football, plus my team got the result, great night, out at freshers till three in the morning and got back home to watch one of the most exciting fourth quarters in a very long time.

I've only seen the highlights, but it looked damn good near the end. That said I watched Georgia South Carolina which was pretty good as well and on a little bit earlier in the night!

anyone see lsu/west virginia, tyrann mathieu may be one of the best db's in the country alogside claiborne, absoloute ballhawk. Oklahoma state/aggies was great too. On another note, anyone have an idea where to see college football on saturday, the horrible mlb is taking up every time slot for live games and i can only see repeats to be shown the next day, I hate repeats if i can avoid them, alabama v florida should be live

niner wrote:anyone see lsu/west virginia, tyrann mathieu may be one of the best db's in the country alogside claiborne, absoloute ballhawk. Oklahoma state/aggies was great too. On another note, anyone have an idea where to see college football on saturday, the horrible mlb is taking up every time slot for live games and i can only see repeats to be shown the next day, I hate repeats if i can avoid them, alabama v florida should be live

ESPN America usually shows 3 games from Sat Afternoon onwards and then some more on a sunday Morning also think a 1 on a sat morning from around 18.00

nebraska/wisconsin on espn from 1am til 4am gmt, going to be a great game, just hope my huskers win, regardless of how unlikely it is.

Looks like Texas A&M vs Arkansas was a bit of a good one in Cowboys Stadium. Saw the very end of the comeback... so that's two weeks in a row that A&M have thrown away big leads to high octane offences... Mike Sherman is obviously doing well for himself since he left Green Bay!

Quite a few ranked teams loosing this week as well
Nebraska, Florida, Baylor, South Carolina, South Florida, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, TCU.
I know its partly because conference play has kicked off and they are all playing each other but that is a fair old bunch.

RG3 threw his first interception as well and i'm pretty sure that his number of incompletions has now overtaken his number of TD's... just

Did anyone watch the Alabama vs Florida, there was a play in the game where the Florida QB got sacked and fumbled the ball and then Alabama ran it in for a touch down.

For no reason given the touch down wasn't given and then a time out was called by Florida, anyone have any idea what happened?

crazy_dave23 wrote:Looks like Texas A&M vs Arkansas was a bit of a good one in Cowboys Stadium. Saw the very end of the comeback... so that's two weeks in a row that A&M have thrown away big leads to high octane offences...

Here are the highlights:

.

Spoiler:

Amazing how the one ran away with it and the other came back. Tortoise & hare, and all that.

another great weekend, lsu's secondary is seriously great. Im already waiting for the draft, the last few years I have got the magazines and scouting reports and I'm already looking forward to next year

I'm interested in the potential QB's for next year...

Andrew Luck, Landry Jones, Matt Barkley, Robert Griffin III, Kellen Moore, Brandon Weeden, Ryan Lindley, Nick Foles... i'm sure there are plenty more as well

the houston qb is making lots of records also, its quite sad but after looking at lots of mock drafts and watching lots of ncaa football, i think i could make my own 7 round mock off by heart, cant wait to stay up late on thursday and friday sometime in april already lol . Im really interested in the cb's next year as dennard, kirkpatrick, hosley, harris, gilmore, minnifield and claiborne could all go in the 1st round. After them casey hayward and boykin of georgia are seriously good, janoris jenkins is a 1st round talent as well. the 2012 draft class could be the best since 2007 i think which i feel has been the best out of the last 5 drafts

Yeah, you mean Case Keenum... has a history of injury and is in an "extra" year of eligibility.

Has the advantage of working in the air raid offence so its all pass pass pass in Houston. College QBs who put up the mega yards never seem to turn into much in the NFL... should probably still get drafted late somewhere and teams could do worse!

sooners and wisconsin likely out of national title game after losses, this makes the tide and lsu the obvious favourites with stanford, oregon, oklahoma st and clemson given some hope

... or Boise State...

I reckon Alabama vs OSU in the National Title.

There's something about OSU this year.

I wll go Lsu v Stanford, i think the sooners will beat osu, tbh I don't get how the system works(does anyone i suppose), but a 1 loss osu, tide and sooners surely cannot get in the game over stanford or clemson if they go unbeaten. Boise State will go unbeaten i think, but if stanford or clemson can do the same, their schedule is tougher. Can't wait for Alabama and Lsu on Nov 5, genuinely don't have a clue who will win, I'm just guessing Lsu as i think they have more depth at wr, that being said, if the tide get richardson going, goodnight lsu. I think the tide v osu would be really good though. I'd love to see andrew luck in the title game, just to see if he could pick apart Sabans's D or handle Lsu's defensive front

niner wrote:I wll go Lsu v Stanford, i think the sooners will beat osu, tbh I don't get how the system works(does anyone i suppose), but a 1 loss osu, tide and sooners surely cannot get in the game over stanford or clemson if they go unbeaten. Boise State will go unbeaten i think, but if stanford or clemson can do the same, their schedule is tougher. Can't wait for Alabama and Lsu on Nov 5, genuinely don't have a clue who will win, I'm just guessing Lsu as i think they have more depth at wr, that being said, if the tide get richardson going, goodnight lsu. I think the tide v osu would be really good though. I'd love to see andrew luck in the title game, just to see if he could pick apart Sabans's D or handle Lsu's defensive front

I think there is a possibility of a one loss LSU/Alabama getting in over an unbeaten Boise/Stanford/Clemson just because the SEC clearly has so much depth at the top that there is not too much shame in loosing one.
Would be a close call though.

I'm not sure why I think Bama will beat LSU, but I think LSU offensively can be a bit patchy with their QB pairing and the Bama defence is rock solid. I admit LSU's secondary is pretty amazing as well, but Trent Richardson is Bama's strength and he will have a big day.
OSU vs the Sooners is a tough one. I only give it to OSU because they are at home (I'm pretty sure they are), but it will be a nailbighter.

I think there are a lot of good games left , still don't like the idea of a team with no losses missing out to a team with a loss though.

niner wrote:I think there are a lot of good games left , still don't like the idea of a team with no losses missing out to a team with a loss though.

It's their schedule that determines it, if a team is unbeaten but has had an easier number of games, then they will lose out to a team with a harder schedule with one loss

just saw that nebraska will be on espn at 5pm sat, great, think they may defeat the spartans

@MelKiperESPNMel Kiper Jr.
It's my belief that if Clemson's super blue chip true FR WR Sammy Watkins were part of the 2012 NFL Draft, he'd be a top 5-7 pick overall.

What do you guys think?

I think he would still be valued below blackmon and jeffery. That being said, in 2013 he should be a top 10 pick if he is consistent. He has 4.3 speed, great hands and i noticed he gives a lot of effort when blocking in the run game such as two examples of downfield blocking when ellington and bellamy had huge runs against north carolina

So Kiper is ready to project a guy to basically a top 5 pick based on what he's seen over the course of 8 college games. Good luck with that Mel. That's not to mention the fact that he plays in an offense without many of the complexities you will find in the NFL. It boils down to shotgun spread, get the ball to playmakers with short passes, screens etc. rinse and repeat run plays then take some shots deep. He's only 18 so no matter how much people say he has his head screwed on he still has maturing to do. I would want to see consistency and a greater body of work before I start projecting a guy like that.

That's not to say he isn't a very talented player, as niner said he's got phenomenal hands and his quickness for a 6'1, 200lbs guy is amazing. He's a physical player as well who can outmuscle more experienced corners for the ball and his physical nature is on display in his run blocking which niner also mentioned. Not sure he's as fast as 4.3 more of a 4.4 guy from what i've seen.

Hopkins of clemson is also really talented from what I have seen.Really pleased with the huskers today, dennard really impressed me, I said recently I thought he was overated but he matched up with cunningham of the spartans easily, although he had a lot of safety help. Also ciante evans looks really good, he could be another 1st round cb in 2013. Looking forward to usc v stanford tonight it will give me the chance to see who i like better out of two players, not luck or barkley, but out of kalil and martin as Minnesota will most likely take one of these in the next draft and I still don't know who i like more, i know kalil is higher rated though.

niner wrote: Hopkins of clemson is also really talented from what I have seen.Really pleased with the huskers today, dennard really impressed me, I said recently I thought he was overated but he matched up with cunningham of the spartans easily, although he had a lot of safety help. Also ciante evans looks really good, he could be another 1st round cb in 2013. Looking forward to usc v stanford tonight it will give me the chance to see who i like better out of two players, not luck or barkley, but out of kalil and martin as Minnesota will most likely take one of these in the next draft and I still don't know who i like more, i know kalil is higher rated though.

Was just going to ask in the draft prospects thread if you caught the game and what you thought of Dennard. I've recorded the game and will watch it in more detail when I have time but like you I thought he gave a pretty good account of himself tonight. The safety help over the top allowed him to play aggresively which is what he's most comfortable doing. A few other things helped him, firstly Cunningham didn't have the speed to make things difficult for Dennard and to take advantage of any mistakes as a result of being overly aggressive. I question the Michigan State playcalling early on as well. Work the middle of the field. Saw him miss a tackle. At this point I think I might be more comfortable drafting Chase Minnifield from what i've seen of them both. Evans did catch my eye as well but I wasn't really paying close attention to him.

Just been watching some video of Alabama and Mark Barron has been impressive. I'm not as high on Upshaw as I was though.

I would have Casey Hayward above dennard and minnifield on my draft board I think, he could be a really good corner

Should add that stanford/usc was amazing, so happy I didn't fall asleep during triple overtime

Granted i've only watched one game but I'm not as high on Hayward as some. He appears to be a pretty tentative tackler and is easily blocked out of the play. He needs technique work, especially in man coverage where he was caught out of position more than once. I'll have to see more video of him.

I agree he is not the finished article, I suppose I always look out for a playmaker and that has made me maybe think more highly of him. I still need to see a whole game with Jayron Hosley and Cliff Harris as they are exciting players too. Tandy of West Virginia also looks pretty good from the two games I have seen. Its funny how dre kirkpatrick has fallen aswell, he was considered a lock for a top 10 pick but now I have seen him projected in the 20s. He isn't even the consensus number one cb anymore.

While you're talking about Cornerback's. This is from Bucky Brooks' College Stock Watch
The next Nnamdi?

N.C. State's David Amerson* could be the next Nnamdi Asomugha. After watching Amerson pick off eight passes in eight games, I'm convinced the sophomore cornerback has the potential to emerge as a premier cover corner by the end of his collegiate career.

At 6-foot-3, 194 pounds, Amerson possesses the length and athleticism to match up with big, physical receivers. His impeccable timing, awareness and length are also apparent in press coverage. He quickly stabs receivers with strong jams, which disrupts the timing of their routes and leads to tighter coverage down the field. Even though he isn't a blazer by pro standards (mid-4.5 40), his ability to aggressively maul receivers at the line and cut off their angles lessens the importance of pure speed.

Amerson is at his best, however, in zone coverage. He displays excellent instincts, awareness and ball skills. He has a knack for reading routes and anticipating throws and shows surprisingly polished footwork for a corner of his size. With a gambler's instinct to match his fundamentally sound game, he has tallied two picks in three separate games, including a two-interception performance against Virginia that included a pick-six.

Although it is still too early to dub Amerson as college football's top corner, he has a skill set that makes him look like an Asomugha clone at this stage of his development.

anyone going to watch lsu/tide, i can't wait for tonight

I'll try and find a stream but will most likely be watching the Rangers on NHL Gamecenter

niner wrote:anyone going to watch lsu/tide, i can't wait for tonight

would have done, but seeing as its at midnight I probably won't.
Not sure what games I will watch... maybe Texas v Texas Tech followed by A&M vs Oklahoma. There are not many good games on early

As a wolverine fan, ill be watching them v iowa on espn happily but if you are a neutral, that most likely sounds like another so-so early game

When do the US clocks change? Is the LSU game at 11 or midnight?

Its on at midnight. Tbh im confused with the us times right now. Usually the noon games with michigan would start at 5pm, it started at 4 today as did some other games, nfl games are back to normal though. Even the big one tonight is starting earlier than i thought it should be, 8pm in us so should start at 1 here, not 12, or maybe im an idiot

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niner wrote:Its on at midnight. Tbh im confused with the us times right now. Usually the noon games with michigan would start at 5pm, it started at 4 today as did some other games, nfl games are back to normal though. Even the big one tonight is starting earlier than i thought it should be, 8pm in us so should start at 1 here, not 12, or maybe im an idiot

Clocks go back tonight in the USA, so NFL tomorrow will be usual time but the college games today are all one hour earlier

Not going well on special teams for Alabama.

yes, i predicted lsu would win, i thought I would be wrong as everyone was going for the tide. Lsu has a better secondary than the tide but they do not get the same recognition as a whole group. Morris Claiborne is now one of the players I hope an nfl team i support drafts, far better than mathieu who is also talented

Few questions for those of you who are knowledgable about College Football, which teams have the:
Best Passing Attack?
Best Rushing Attack?
Best O-line?
Best Pass Defense?
Best Rush Defense?

best passing attack would most likely be houston, oklahoma state or the sooners, the stats favour houston but the other two are better teams.

Best rushing attack would be the hokies, that being said, san diego state are first in rankings.

best o-line would have to be stanford I think, they have two future top 20 picks and good players around them.

best pass defense for me would be lsu as claiborne is best cb in the country, mathieu is great, reid is seriously underated and a great sophomore prospect and taylor likes to hit. Some may say the tide though. Iowa also has a very good secondary regardless of what the stats say.

Best rush defense would be lsu or Alabama as well I think

In terms of the actual answer to the question, i.e. not factoring in anything regarding strength of schedule and who they play, in a general sense the best teams are usually...

Passing: Houston or Hawaii who run the "Air Raid" offence.
Rushing: Georgia Tech, Navy or Air Force who run the "Triple Option" offence.
O-Line: Iowa always produces O-Line talent for the NFL as does USC, but i'm useless at identifying good CFB O-Lines!
Pass D: LSU
Rush D: Alabama

In terms of this season and actually considering "Top" teams instead of those that pile up the stats in nonsense games the offenses would perhaps turn into...

Passing: Oklahoma State, Arkansas or Oklahoma
Rushing: Wisconsin or Oregon

An excellent finish to the lone star showdown yesterday in a roller-coaster of a game as the Longhorns came back from behind to take a 24-16 lead but the aggies weren't finished as the score went 25-24 in A&M's favour. A brilliant drive from the Longhorns brought them into FG territory and right down to the wire with just 2 seconds left Justin Tuck gets a 40-yard winner.

Great game with an electric atmosphere, that's what this sport is all about. Unfortunately this historic traditional rivalry will be put on hold for a wee while yet with A&M's move to the SEC. Don't know if anyone saw any of it but what a way to end it.

I only watched the game every time the niners game had a break but I saw enough good play to suggest it was an exciting game. Tannehill looked horrible though

anyone watching lsu/arkansas tonight, adams, wright up against claiborne, mathieu will be good

Trying to find highlights of Texas @ Texas A&M, sounds like it was a great game!

Hopefully I'll be watching LSU vs Arkansas, which players should I be looking out for?

For arkansas watch out for bequette(wrong spelling), wilson, adams and wright. For lsu , montgomery, wing, mathieu, claiborne(best pro prospect along with kalil and luck i think), reuben randle

The best I can do for highlights of the Texas @ Texas A&M. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-aKKi88R7E

Thanks for the tips niner I'll do my best to look out for them, if you were meaning Jake Bequette the DE then you got it correct (I had to check wikipedia). What are your views on Eric Reid the LSU safety?

Totally forgot about him, I suppose thats partly why he has been so productive due to the two cb's getting all the attention. I have only seen reid in 2 or 3 games but he looks like a playmaker who is pretty big for a safety and that pick v bama...............wow