2008 NCAA Football Thread

[Skinny Bastard]

BCS Standings
1. Alabama 9-0
2. Texas Tech 9-0
3. Penn State 9-0
4. Texas 8-1
5. Florida 7-1
6. Oklahoma 8-1
7. USC 7-1
8. Utah 9-0
9. Oklahoma State 8-1
10. Boise State 8-0

AP Top 25
1. Alabama (46) 9-0 1,600
2. Texas Tech (12) 9-0 1,528
3. Penn State (6) 9-0 1,525
4. Florida (1) 7-1 1,398
5. Texas 8-1 1,353
6. Oklahoma 8-1 1,324
7. USC 7-1 1,250
8. Oklahoma State 8-1 1,198
9. Boise State 8-0 1,030
10. Utah 9-0 1,028

USA Today Poll
1. Alabama (40) 9-0 1,498
2. Penn State (14) 9-0 1,437
3. Texas Tech (6) 9-0 1,409
4. Oklahoma (1) 8-1 1,290
5. Florida 7-1 1,268
6. USC 7-1 1,232
7. Texas 8-1 1,227
8. Oklahoma State 8-1 1,066
9. Utah 9-0 1,018
10. Boise State 8-0 958

ESPNU Allstate Standings (Fan poll)
1. Texas Tech 9-0
2. Alabama 9-0
3. Penn State 9-0
4. Florida 7-1
5. Texas 8-1
6. Oklahoma 8-1
7. Oklahoma State 8-1
8. USC 7-1
9. Boise State 8-0
10. Utah 9-0

At least my Utes are hangin' in there... but they will have their biggest challenge so far this season against TCU Thursday night.....

[trashtalkr]

I can't believe that Texas Tech jumped over Penn State. I know the Big 10 is weak this year, but Penn State is legit. Tech does deserve the high ranking, but Penn State got gypped.

[AYHJA]

For the NCAA challenged, let me help put this into perspective...First, lets look at all the teams that are ranked higher than Texas in the polls...Let me first just say after feeling mighty salty on Saturday night, I realized this could play to our advantage...We have a chip on our shoulder the rest of the season, and when the smoke clears and we are 11-1 with a Big 12 Championship, bring who you want...

1. Alabama (40) 9-0 1,498

Has played and beat one currently ranked opponent (Georgia) and has a shitload of close games...

2. Penn State (14) 9-0 1,437

Has played and beat one currently ranked opponent (Ohio State) in a weak conference....

3. Texas Tech (6) 9-0 1,409

They're undefeated and beat the Horns...Hate to say it, but they deserve to be #1 if only for a week...

4. Oklahoma (1) 8-1 1,290

This...Is a team that has LOST to Texas...And the game wasn't close..! How the fuck do you rank them higher..? Don't get it...

5. Florida 7-1 1,268

Lost to an un-ranked opponent...But, they did beat 2 ranked opponents (Georgia and LSU) and should finish the season with just one loss...

6. USC 7-1 1,232

Lost to an unranked opponent...Before this week, I don't think there was another ranked team from the Pac-10...Cal pops in this week @ 6-2...

Texas has only lost 1 game, at the last second...And whipped 3 ranked opponents in a row to get to #1...Show me another team in the country that has come close to such a feat and I'll get off this soap box right now...As far as I am concerned, the BCS is the only poll that has it right so far...

I'm hoping for a Texas vs Florida National Championship game...

[Skinny Bastard]

Amen, my orange blooded brother...
Now if only I could get you behind Utah breakin in to a BCS bowl game....

Utah, TCU to meet with BCS berth on minds
Thursday's matchup likely to decide champion of Mountain West
By MATT BECKER

It’s only the first week of November, but Utah's and TCU’s chances of playing in January could be decided Thursday.

In a Mountain West Conference showdown, the 10th-ranked Utes and 11th-ranked Horned Frogs meet at Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium with the winner having the inside track at earning a Bowl Championship Series bid.

Utah (9-0, 5-0) and TCU (9-1, 6-0) are atop the Mountain West, and are both vying for a spot in a BCS game. The Utes are eighth in the latest BCS standings, while the Horned Frogs are 12th.

“You always want to play in the big arena,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “Utah is a good football team — lot better at home. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We have to get everyone healed up and ready to go.”

The Horned Frogs can clinch at least a share of their first Mountain West title since 2005 with a victory, while Utah would still need to win at least one more game to earn a share of the crown.

The Utes, who have won nine straight home games, visit San Diego State next Saturday before wrapping up the regular season at home against No. 17 Brigham Young on Nov. 22.

After this game, TCU doesn’t play again until its regular-season finale on Nov. 22 at home against Air Force, which is tied with BYU for second place in the conference.

Before this season began, BYU was picked to finish first in the Mountain West, followed by Utah and TCU.

The Utes are off to their best start since the 2004 team — the school’s last conference champions — beat Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl and finished 12-0, but they had some trouble in last Saturday’s 13-10 win over New Mexico.

Utah came into the game 12th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring (39.0 points per game), but struggled much of the night on offense. The Utes got their only touchdown when quarterback Brian Johnson threw a short pass to wide receiver Jereme Brooks, who lateraled to Brent Casteel to complete the 7-yard scoring play with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

It was an overall sloppy game for the Utes, who had a muffed punt, a late interception that killed a potential touchdown drive and nine penalties.

“We came out with a win, but we know we can play a lot better,” said Johnson, who completed 23 of 32 passes for 195 yards, one touchdown and one interception. “We have to do a better job of eliminating errors.”

Johnson and the Utes offense didn’t have much success in last season’s meeting with TCU, gaining only 227 total yards, but still managed to come away with a 27-20 victory. Utah may have trouble moving the ball again Thursday against a stout Horned Frogs defense.

TCU ranks third in the nation in scoring defense (10.8 points per game), and second in total defense (214.5 ypg). Its run defense, which leads the nation with 38.9 yards allowed per game, will be tested by a Utah team that has rushed for 520 yards over its last two games.

The Horned Frogs, who have won five straight games by an average of 28.4 points since a 35-10 loss to then-No. 2 Oklahoma on Sept. 27, limited UNLV to 175 total yards in Saturday’s 44-14 victory.

TCU sophomore quarterback Andy Dalton threw for three touchdowns against the Rebels and added 52 rushing yards on nine carries.

“That was a big win for us, especially on the road,” Dalton said. “When they asked me to run, I was able to do what I could. We were able to score points. Now we can focus on the next game.”

Dalton is likely relishing the chance to redeem himself after last season’s performance against Utah, in which he completed 20 of 45 passes for 164 yards and a career-high four interceptions.

He has been stellar lately, passing for nine touchdowns and no interceptions in the last three games after missing two contests because of a right knee injury. Dalton had no TD passes and two picks in his first five games of the season.

TCU has lost four of its last five meetings with Utah.

[AYHJA]

Man, this will be SUCH a tough game for Utah...TCU is playing well, and they're very underrated...Defensively, they did better against Oklahoma than anyone, but it wasn't enough to win...They destroyed BYU...The defense is just nasty...7 of their 10 opponents have scored 7 points or less, all Horns wins, and 2 only scored 14...


I think the Utes can pull it off if they get some stellar play from their QB...He hasn't played as great in the big games, even though they've won and he has great athletic ability...I'm fond of the Utes, however, I used to pull for them heavy when Jamal Anderson was there, as I did when Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala was there...I'm just worried they may come out a little flat after the close win in Albuquerque...

[Skinny Bastard]

way to rain on my parade....

[AYHJA]

CDR! Of course, not the intent, but...Did I say 'Go Utes!'..? :D

[Skinny Bastard]

Your points are all valid.. of course...
..lets just say that I am hoping New Mexico was a wake up call to the Utes and that they will be back on their "A" game....

[Skinny Bastard]

SALT LAKE CITY — With all-black uniforms, a black-clad crowd and a cemetery across the street, for most of Thursday evening Rice-Eccles Stadium seemed a fitting setting for the burial of the University of Utah’s perfect season.

Handed a reprieve when Texas Christian kicker Ross Evans missed two fourth-quarter field goals, Utah quarterback Brian Johnson threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Freddie Brown with 48 seconds left, lifting the No. 10 Utes to a stunning 13-10 victory over No. 11 T.C.U. The play capped a 65-yard drive.

The victory puts the Utes (10-0, 6-0 Mountain West) one step closer to a reprise of their 2004 season, when they went unbeaten and became the first team from outside the six major conferences to play in a Bowl Championship Series bowl, whipping Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.

All that stands between Utah and a trip to a major bowl are victories over San Diego State and No. 16 Brigham Young, the Utes’ rival. But those games seem to be reasonable hurdles next to the mountain they climbed Thursday.

GO UTES

[AYHJA]

What a great, great game man...All systems go for the Utes now...

This is stacking up to be another amazing weekend for college football...On this week, I'm not so worried about my Horns, but more intent to do some serious HATING this weekend...So, I'm now an LSU fan, and and OKState fan... :D