OT: D1

[IUP24]

This is a perfect year for the playoff. It's so wide open this year. And with the giant conferences there are a lot of differences in schedules. Like Indiana got a gift of schedule in the Big 10 and partly because of that they went 11-1.

There are blowouts in every level of football that has playoffs. Should the PSAC not even get in the playoffs in D2 because they arent going to win anytime soon? I could've predicted atleast 3 of the final four in the FCS bracket this year.

And there are blowouts in national title games.....Super Bowls....one team lays an egg in a big game. It's always a possibility. These games at home sites have a National Championship energy in these home crowds. I'd much rather be watching this Ohio State- Tennessee game at Ohio St on Decemeber 21st in a tournament game even though it's a dud.....than see it in a meaningless Citrus Bowl on New Years day at 1pm.

I'd also just assume see 16 teams. If theyre going to take the Big 12 Champ. A G5 champ. Alabama, South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Miami wouldve made the bracket better. 8 on campus first round games this weekend. If they're doing 4 weeks of games anyway.

Indiana got in because the Big Ten has 18 teams. 7 teams had a .500 record or better in conference. Indiana played 2 of them. 5 teams had a 6-3 conference record or better. Indiana played 1 of them. 7 teams were 3-6 or worse in conference. Indiana play 6 of them.

Cignetti got a lottery ticket in a schedule. But they had to be in at 11-1

The ACC had Miami, Clemson, and SMU all at the top of the conference and none of them played each other in the regular season.
The Big 12 had Colorado, Arizona State, Iowa St, and BYU tie for first place. Only 1 game between those teams in the regular season.

Agree with much of this. See my other post.

The issue isn’t the playoff. It’s the structure of the sport in general.

[Ship69]

I’m glad they did. Four was too few…and the games were a month after the regular season ended.

This is better. Every other level has a sizable field..why should FBS be different? D2 could cut back to 16 teams..28 is overkill. Todays D2 game was not even competitive.

My point is now that players can get paid legally and the portal..the days of a Saban having third stringers who’d start everywhere else is over. So having 12 teams makes sense..8 would be better.

So much for the SEC being so dominant.

Today's D2 score made Slippery Rock's effort against Ferris State look all that much better. Nobody else gave Ferris a competitive game in the playoffs.

As for the SEC, tonight's Ohio State-Tennessee game was fine either way with me as I never mind a Buckeye loss, but also am very tired of the constant SEC hype. Alabama can quite whining now since that Tennessee team actually beat them, along with Vandy and a 6-6 Oklahoma team.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Today's D2 score made Slippery Rock's effort against Ferris State look all that much better. Nobody else gave Ferris a competitive game in the playoffs.

As for the SEC, tonight's Ohio State-Tennessee game was fine either way with me as I never mind a Buckeye loss, but also am very tired of the constant SEC hype. Alabama can quite whining now since that Tennessee team actually beat them, along with Vandy and a 6-6 Oklahoma team.

I thought the SEC was down this year and wasn’t surprised at all that Ohio State blew out Tennessee. I saw Tennessee play a couple times and wasn’t impressed by the outcome. I don’t think Georgia is that good and Texas has a ton of talent but they’re undisciplined and inconsistent. I guess we might find out but I think the top three in the Big are all better than the top three in the SEC. On top of that, nobody is really talking about Notre Dame but they absolutely can beat Georgia in the next round.

[IUP24]

I thought the SEC was down this year and wasn’t surprised at all that Ohio State blew out Tennessee. I saw Tennessee play a couple times and wasn’t impressed by the outcome. I don’t think Georgia is that good and Texas has a ton of talent but they’re undisciplined and inconsistent. I guess we might find out but I think the top three in the Big are all better than the top three in the SEC. On top of that, nobody is really talking about Notre Dame but they absolutely can beat Georgia in the next round.

That was a favorable matchup for Ohio State. Nico Iamaleava hit a freshman wall 6 weeks into the season and looked completely overwhelmed by the moment. And Tennessee had questions in their secondary all year. Once Ohio State started carving them up through the air, the run game also opened up, and it was over.

[Ship69]

I thought the SEC was down this year and wasn’t surprised at all that Ohio State blew out Tennessee. I saw Tennessee play a couple times and wasn’t impressed by the outcome. I don’t think Georgia is that good and Texas has a ton of talent but they’re undisciplined and inconsistent. I guess we might find out but I think the top three in the Big are all better than the top three in the SEC. On top of that, nobody is really talking about Notre Dame but they absolutely can beat Georgia in the next round.

The BiG was good at the top this season, but the SEC was probably the deeper overall conference. But it's the top that will win you championships. A classic case was UCLA basketball in the '60s and early '70s when Wooden's teams won title after title, but nobody who observed college basketball then would have said the Pac 8 was the best basketball conference in the country.

I suspect some of the SEC's depth will show up in the non-playoff bowls. Alabama would certainly have to be a favorite to beat Michigan, although not if the Oklahoma version of Alabama shows up. I expect future years of the expanded B1G could get tougher, as Michigan, USC, and Washington were all down this year.

[Chuck Norris]

I enjoyed the weekend for what it was. I’d like to see close games regardless of who is playing, but that’s often just not the nature of college football. It’s why I generally prefer the NFL. But I’m excited for what we’ll have on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I’m expecting the teams that played this weekend to do well. I think it’s an advantage in a tournament like this to get a game under your belt, especially with all the games now being at neutral sites.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The BiG was good at the top this season, but the SEC was probably the deeper overall conference. But it's the top that will win you championships. A classic case was UCLA basketball in the '60s and early '70s when Wooden's teams won title after title, but nobody who observed college basketball then would have said the Pac 8 was the best basketball conference in the country.

I suspect some of the SEC's depth will show up in the non-playoff bowls. Alabama would certainly have to be a favorite to beat Michigan, although not if the Oklahoma version of Alabama shows up. I expect future years of the expanded B1G could get tougher, as Michigan, USC, and Washington were all down this year.

The 'other' bowls are mostly JV games. You aren't watching the actual teams. They are gone. In most cases, it's what left on the roster.

Between opt-outs and portal departures, many of these teams are ravaged - and a shell of what they were 6 weeks ago.

But, some young kids get to play and the mother ship can fill some TV slots.

Round 2 should be better. Round 1 was obviously a dud in regard to close games.

All four home teams won fairly easily and I think all four even covered.

[TheBigCat2192]

That was a favorable matchup for Ohio State. Nico Iamaleava hit a freshman wall 6 weeks into the season and looked completely overwhelmed by the moment. And Tennessee had questions in their secondary all year. Once Ohio State started carving them up through the air, the run game also opened up, and it was over.

Tennessee might have had some secondary problems but I’m not sure that alone explains what happened. Howard’s an experienced, above average QB and that Smith kid is probably the best true freshman WR at a P5 school since Julio Jones or Calvin Johnson.

[IUPNation]

I don’t understand the entitlement that we must have close games. In March Madness there are plenty of blowouts.

No matter what they change somebody is going to bytch that a team got left out..most likely SEC fanboys.
I liked the campus playoff round especially with southern teams forced North and they got Gettysburged.

[IUPNation]

The Champions of D2 won big..except one game….

Beat Central Oklahomastan 78-17
Beat Harding Bible Camp 41-7
Squeaked by Slimey Pebble 48-38
Beat Valdosta State 49-14

Nobody had a Pee Sack team giving them trouble at home…so any given day and yesterday a situation like that didn’t pan out ..but it could have. The first quarter of the Nits game had the makings of another James Tenandtwo coaching choke job until his defense bailed him out. The second pick 6 was awesome..that kid did not give up.

[IUPNation]

Question: Real Notre Dame can never get a bye in the playoffs because they’ll never be a conference champion? Is that correct? You’d think they’d join the ACC just for that reason alone.

[Fightingscot82]

Question: Real Notre Dame can never get a bye in the playoffs because they’ll never be a conference champion? Is that correct? You’d think they’d join the ACC just for that reason alone.

It forced their hand in every other sport.

[Ship69]

Question: Real Notre Dame can never get a bye in the playoffs because they’ll never be a conference champion? Is that correct? You’d think they’d join the ACC just for that reason alone.

Actually Notre Dame, like every other team in the first round, did get a bye week after the regular season. In fact, since their last regular season game was Nov. 30 and their playoff game was on Dec. 20, they go considerably more than that. And the second round games aren't until Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, resulting in another extended rest period. What ND will not get is two bye weeks after the regular season, which is what the top four seeds will get. We'll find out whether the extra week helps or hinders the top four seeds. I suppose the biggest problem for Notre Dame is that they'd always have to win four games to be national champions under the current setup.

[Chuck Norris]

Penn State is in firm command of the volleyball championship match. Good for them if they finish it off, but, yeah I’m irritated.

[IUPNation]

Actually Notre Dame, like every other team in the first round, did get a bye week after the regular season. In fact, since their last regular season game was Nov. 30 and their playoff game was on Dec. 20, they go considerably more than that. And the second round games aren't until Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, resulting in another extended rest period. What ND will not get is two bye weeks after the regular season, which is what the top four seeds will get. We'll find out whether the extra week helps or hinders the top four seeds. I suppose the biggest problem for Notre Dame is that they'd always have to win four games to be national champions under the current setup.

Somebody in South Bend has to think dominating a conference is a better than an Independent schedule.

The ACC is utterly stupid not bending over to entice them to join.