The College Football thread

“Nope”

“Longlost, it always amazes me how some folk’s kids can publicly post arguments so lacking in logic as to be a shining beacon for the mentally retarded and emotionally dysfunctional everywhere.

That mountain air has made you soft in the head.


Yeah, I guess that California game was an away game for you last year. Oooooo California. That’s a tuffy. Gosh, they finished an amazing #14 in the final rankings. So that was the toughest team y’all beat last year…pitiful. No wonder you’re crowing about how tough that game is. Son, you wouldn’t know tough if it smacked you in the mouth. Which it’s gonna do come Sept. 15.


And WHO does Tennessee play this year from the west division of the SEC? A road game at Mississippi State (ranked second to last in the entire SEC. Unranked in the USA preseason poll), A road game at Alabama (unranked in the USA preseason poll) , and Arkansas (#20 in the USA preseason poll)

And WHO does Florida Play this year from the west division of the SEC? A road game at Mississippi (ranked dead last in the entire SEC. Unranked in the USA preseason poll), a road game at LSU (ranked #2 in the USA preseason poll), and Auburn (ranked #14 in the USA preseason poll)


Longlosthiker, the logic of your “cushy” schedule argument is indisputable!


And just to examine your historical accuracy:

Last year Florida went on the road to play-
Auburn (#8 final ranking in USA)
Arkansas (#15 final ranking in AP)
Georgia (#23 final ranking in AP)
Tennessee (#25 final ranking in AP)
Ohio State (#2 final ranking in both polls)

It’s too bad we had to play a chump team like Tennessee. Playing creampuffs brings our stats down.

Tennessee went on the road to play-
Georgia (unranked in USA)
South Carolina (unranked in both polls)
Arkansas (#16 final ranking in USA)
Penn St. (#25 final ranking in USA)

INDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE THAT… what? That your argument is pure BS.

And Tennessee ended up losing their bowl game to a team that barely finished in the rankings just because they beat a pathetic Tennessee team in a pathetic bowl… just pitiful. Tennessee ranked Penn St.

Well at least Tennessee got to play in a bowl, unlike 2005.

I am coming to understand why you’re babbling and whining this year. You’re just hardening yourself for the ordeal to come. I feel for you man, I feel for you.




Tennessee needs to pad their non-conference schedule (for once in their history) this year, because when they get through with their cushy SEC west road schedule, they still may not make it to a bowl. They’ll need all the help they can get with strength of schedule.

But let’s be optimistic about them making a bowl. In fact, I see them in the Motor City Bowl… losing to Alcorn St.


I suppose it’s best to whine about how tough your schedule is when your team keeps losing. Longlosthiker, I feel for you man, I feel for you.

Unfortunately, your argument about cushy schedules is pure hogwash and everyone knows it. But it’s OK for you to keep pretending. We understand where you’re coming from.

Just think what’s gonna happen when you folks go on the road Sept. 15. We all realize that you’re whining just so we’ll take pity on you. We feel for you man, we feel for you.

Do you need any spare change?
last edited: 8/15/07 5:39:42 PM”

“LOL arclite, I just knew you'd put up another smokescreen without responding to the questions. You dodge questions as well as UF dodges good OOC opponents.

I'll ask these questions again:

Why won't UF schedule to play a good OOC team out of its own state?

Why won't UF play a home and home with Hawaii especially since Hawaii was willing to pay for a return visit?

Sometime before, during, or after your next diatribe I'd love to hear your thoughts on the questions posed above.
last edited: 8/15/07 7:06:33 PM”

“Why won't UF schedule to play a good OOC team out of its own state?


Longlost, let me slow it down so you may grasp the issues:

Answer- Sometimes we do. But when you've got a schedule as tough as Florida's (which has consistently been tougher than Tennessee’s) you don't have to do that. Only mediocre teams like Tennessee feel a need to pad their schedule with other mediocre teams. It keeps their strength of schedule from looking too pathetic at the end of the year when the second-rate bowl committees come looking for mediocre teams to fill seats.


Why won't UF play a home and home with Hawaii especially since Hawaii was willing to pay for a return visit?


Answer- Now there’s a good idea! I’d LOVE to travel to Hawaii. Maybe we can drop Tennessee from our schedule in order to play them. Who in the heck wants to go to Tennessee anyway? I always feel out-of-place when I go to Tennessee because I’ve got all my teeth and I didn’t marry my sister.




For the hard of comprehending:

Last year, Tennessee’s schedule was ranked 29, Florida’s 4

You can babble and babble about one year of playing a non-conference team out-of-state, but Tennessee shouldn’t lose to California. And if they do, they’ll just look pathetic, not the VICTIMS of a tough schedule.

Man I sure hope those Tennessee losers don’t bring down OUR schedule strength by rolling over for some pathetic PAC-10 team (other than USC).


Every year we play FSU. FSU has won two national championships in the past 25 years. They’ve set records for consistent winning seasons. Until the SEC expanded, Florida also played Miami the first game of the year, every year. Have you ever heard of the Miami football program? Meanwhile, Tennessee was playing non-conference patsies over that same period of time. And how good has California been over the years? Let’s all have a good laugh.

NOW you decide that Tennessee has it tough because you play in California?

Great-googly-moogly, you sound like a little girl when you whine.








Longlost, you use all the proper language of a proper leftist:

“We’re victims”
“You need to feel sorry for my favorite focus group”
“You need to understand me, I don’t need to understand you”


You’ve missed your calling as a journalist for the NYT.




Next year I can bring you some Gator Tail jerky if you’d like. It may trigger your hormones to grow hair.”

“I was so eagerly awaiting this response after back to back trips out of town but all there is is more rant and little substance. But I think we've finally cracked the surface despite your evasiveness.

“Why won't UF schedule to play a good OOC team out of its own state?
Longlost, let me slow it down so you may grasp the issues:

Answer- Sometimes we do. But when you've got a schedule as tough as Florida's (which has consistently been tougher than Tennessee’s) you don't have to do that.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc06.htm?
Last year UT's schedule ranked 4th in the nation, UF's ranked 8th. This yr. preseason rank, UT 6th, UF 7th http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/06/19/schedules.top25/1.html OOPS, but don't let facts stand in the way of good rant.

Only mediocre teams like Tennessee feel a need to pad their schedule with other mediocre teams. It keeps their strength of schedule from looking too pathetic at the end of the year when the second-rate bowl committees come looking for mediocre teams to fill seats.


Sometimes UF does? Really? When was the last time? Honestly, I don't know.
Okay, so Florida's schedule is so tough that they have to stay at home. Are we to assume that by scheduling a good OOC away game that this would tip UF's ultra-tough schedule into insanely difficult and untenable? Does this mean the additional challenge of a good OOC away game would be too much for UF?

[i]For the hard of comprehending:

Last year, Tennessee’s schedule was ranked 29, Florida’s 4 Ummm, No. see above.

You can babble and babble about one year of playing a non-conference team out-of-state, but Tennessee shouldn’t lose to California. And if they do, they’ll just look pathetic, not the VICTIMS of a tough schedule.

Amazing, you run down another team that UF apparently doesn't have the cojones to schedule. Do I think UF would beat Cal, sure. But we'll never know, 'cause as sure as the sun rises UF won't put them or any other good OOC team on its schedule. Like a chihuahua barking from behind the safety of a fence, a UF fan running down teams his own team won't play.
Man I sure hope those Tennessee losers don’t bring down OUR schedule strength by rolling over for some pathetic PAC-10 team (other than USC).


Every year we play FSU. FSU has won two national championships in the past 25 years. They’ve set records for consistent winning seasons. Until the SEC expanded, Florida also played Miami the first game of the year, every year. Have you ever heard of the Miami football program? Meanwhile, Tennessee was playing non-conference patsies over that same period of time. And how good has California been over the years? Let’s all have a good laugh.

FSU would've been a good argument for a UF fan once upon a time, but they've fallen on hard times. Let me get this straight....you want to prop up FSU who went 7-6 last year and make Cal who went 10-3 look like a practice squad. OOOOKAY!
Yeah, I know Miami. UT scheduled them for a home and home in 02/03. UF dropped them from their schedule after the SEC went to divisional play despite having games already scheduled and has refused to renew the rivalry. Is this really the argument that you're hanging your hat on?
last edited: 8/21/07 11:50:28 PM”

“Schedule rankings '98 forward:

'98 UT 24th UF 47th
'99 UT 14th UF 12th
'00 UT 70th UF 27th
'01 UT 1st UF 23rd
'02 UT 45th UF 9th
'03 UT 30th UF 7th
'04 UT 37th UF 57th
'05 UT 32nd UF 40th
'06 UT 4th UF 8th

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt98.htm

Just replace "98" with "99", "00", etc., etc. in the URL to pull up data for each year (didn't want to list all the links on here)

'07 preseason
UT 6th UF 7th

So, 5 of the last 9 seasons UT has had a schedule ranked tougher than UFs (I won't include the preseason ranking although it too would be in UT's favor) and somehow.... "a schedule as tough as Florida's (which has consistently been tougher than Tennessee’s)"

How's that Arc? Because you feel it has "consistently" been tougher?

Feelings! Whoa-Whoa-Whoa Feelings!

I skipped over this one before, but I can't let it pass...

Why won't UF play a home and home with Hawaii especially since Hawaii was willing to pay for a return visit?


Answer- Now there’s a good idea! I’d LOVE to travel to Hawaii. Maybe we can drop Tennessee from our schedule in order to play them. Who in the heck wants to go to Tennessee anyway? I always feel out-of-place when I go to Tennessee because I’ve got all my teeth and I didn’t marry my sister.

No arc, nowhere in your reply is there an "answer" to the question, it's a complete dodge, apparently something you UF guys are good at doing. So you'd "LOVE" to go to Hawaii. Did I ask you about your feelings about a trip to Hawaii?

Feelings! Whoa-Whoa-Whoa Feelings!

heh.
last edited: 8/22/07 12:53:17 AM”

“Someone get some more chips and pass me a beer, we are about to get to the good part.”

“I got this round chili.”

“I predict arclite goes off on a classic rant this time.”

“UT's opener against preseason #10 Cal (well, at least in one place they were #10 preseason...)

who's FL open up against again?”

“I think AP has Cal at 12 and UT at 17.

In any event, a top 20 opener. I think UF gets Bugtussle State, or Slippery Rock for its opener.”

“I was flipping thru the ESPN mag the other night, not even sure which month, but they listed Cal at 10. FL was in the list too, around 6 or so - but UT was shown as their toughest game - hmmm, UT was sposed to be Cal's toughest game too - mostly based on the wax job we put on Cal last year. :)”

“FL opens against Western KY on Saturday SEPT 1.

Rankings
1. USC (62) 0-0 1,622
2. LSU (2) 0-0 1,511
3. West Virginia (1) 0-0 1,396
4. Texas 0-0 1,375
5. Michigan 0-0 1,371
6. Florida 0-0 1,276
7. Wisconsin 0-0 1,192
8. Oklahoma 0-0 1,166
9. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,148
10. Louisville 0-0 1,031
11. Ohio State 0-0 876
12. California 0-0 790
13. Georgia 0-0 782
14. UCLA 0-0 605
15. Tennessee 0-0 571
16. Rutgers 0-0 560
17. Penn State 0-0 542
18. Auburn 0-0 519
19. Florida State 0-0 392
20. Nebraska 0-0 377
21. Arkansas 0-0 376
22. TCU 0-0 283
23. Hawaii 0-0 256
24. Boise State 0-0 187
25. Texas A&M 0-0 162”

“Please pass the pop corn. Thanks.”

“Is it me...or does this look like a great year for College football?

We need to do a Thursday Friday..WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEKEND IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL thread to give hints of some people to watch on teams.....one of the neat things about watching football with my younger brother is he is an addict and knows EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERY TEAM...you can be watching Bohunk U Vs Wathcamacallit College and he will tell you..."OH man watch the left side of the line on this play."
last edited: 8/22/07 7:53:54 AM”

“Every year is a good year for college football.”

“We do not need yet another thread. This one is fine.
last edited: 8/22/07 7:56:42 AM”

“Right, this is a real friendly place.
last edited: 8/22/07 8:20:03 AM”

“the beginning of each season is always a good time for college football. The rest of the season can sometimes be like watching your wife screw your neighbor.”

“LOL, so true, hyway.”

“I don't know. I never watched.”

“I am more of a college basketball fan. Would my wife still be screwing the neighboor?”

“basketball, hmmmm, thats like watching your daughter screw your boss”

“dam hyway, you seem to have some issues!”

“hyway...wife screwing the neighbor...oh dear what did you buy from the neighbor's wife....?”

“I am getting really tired of all these consecutive "building" years.”

“You should try being a Colorado Rockies fan....

a couple of weeks ago we thought there might be a pennant race to watch, then we were thinking, ok, a wild card chase.... then we dropped two out of three to the Pirates and we're just waiting for the NFL to start playing games that count.”

““basketball, hmmmm, thats like watching your daughter screw your boss”
hyway
9:57:18 AM
8/22/07

Boss=female
Daughter=only 2.5 years old”

“It was more a general sense than specific. But still, your scenario would be most awful.”

“LOL at longlost. Yeah, you won the, I’m a legend in my own mind contest. Did it feel good?

But you know little about college football.

Longlost is that screeching I hear? Good lord I didn’t know a man’s voice could get that high or whiney.

Unfortunately the SI rating system you quote isn’t recognized. WHAT A SURPRISE!



You original statement that the rest of the SEC plays weak schedules because they don’t play out-of-state teams is stupid, illogical, and has nothing to do with facts. You are obviously the product of a Tennessee education.

Sagarin? Go back a few years when I told everyone that I used the Sagarin rankings for my Football God picks contest. Sagarin was useless and completely wrong. But everyone has an opinion. Sagarin’s final pre-bowl 2006 ratings had Ohio St.-1, Michigan-2, Florida-3, and USC-4. We all know how accurate Sagarin was.

Sagarin has Florida starting the 2007 season at 5 and Tennessee at 22. And Sagarin’s opinion is that the PAC-10 is stronger than the SEC this year. Uh-huh…

Overheard on ESPN last night: “Most overrated team: California.”

That may be more accurate than your bogus SI rankings, longlost.

The fact remains: Tennessee loses and they’re chumps not victims.




Strength of a Team's Schedule
Another computer program helps to determine the third variable -- how a team's strength of schedule compares to other teams nationally. The cumulative win/loss record of not only the team's opponents, but their opponents' opponents are included in this calculation. This makes teams think twice about lining up a bunch of teams they know that they can crush on the field. It also makes coaches and athletic directors once again jump into the world of statistics. They have to plan their schedule in advance, meaning that they have to predict how well their opposition will do in the future as well as who they are likely to play.
The computer program produces a numerical value representing the strength of the opponents schedule (So) and one for the opponents' opponents (Soo). A team's overall strength of schedule (St) is then calculated using these numbers. The opponent's scheduled strength is worth twice as much as their opponents' schedule. Let's put it in the form of an equation:
2 * So + Soo= St
The resulting number, St, is used in ranking a team's schedule relative to all other 115 Division I schools. Once they have been placed in order, this list is then subdivided into quartiles (1-25, 25-50, 50-75, and so on). Their rank is then converted back to a point total by multiplying it by 0.04. This allows teams to be rated based on their placement within a given quartile.
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question535.htm


From the College Football data Warehouse:
Team rankings sorted by strength of schedule from 2000-2006:
Florida- 16
Georgia- 18
Tennessee- 20
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/rankings/decade_team_sched_rankings.php?period=2000-2006



Here are the latest computer rankings used for the BCS-
Congrove
Peter Wolfe
Wes Colley
Sagarin
Seattle Times
Richard Billingsley
Kenneth Massey

Congrove 2006 strength of schedule computer rankings:
Arkansas
Florida- 4
Mississippi- 12
Tennessee- 29

Congrove 2005 strength of schedule computer rankings:
Florida- 17
Tennessee- 22


I can’t find the Wolfe schedule rankings but his final (pre-bowl) computer rankings for 2006 were:
Ohio State- 1
Michigan- 2
Florida- 3
USC- 4
LSU- 5
Arkansas- 8
Auburn- 9
Tennessee- 15


Colley Matrix 2006 strength of schedule rankings:
Florida- 3
Kentucky- 8
Mississippi St.- 10
South Carolina- 11
Arkansas- 14
Tennessee- 16
http://www.colleyrankings.com/


Seattle Times- Anderson and Hester 2006 regular season (before bowls) strength of schedule rankings:
LSU- 2
Tennessee- 7
Florida- 8

Wanna bet Florida jumped Tennessee in the final strength of schedule rankings?


2007 preseason Billingsley Report rankings:
1-Florida
2- Ohio State
3- Louisville
4- Boise State
5- Wisconsin
6- Southern Cal
7- Michigan
8- LSU
9- West Virginia
10- Notre Dame
11- Auburn
12- Oklahoma
13- Rutgers
14-Wake Forest
15- Georgia
16- Virginia Tech
17- California
18- Penn State
19- Brigham Young
20- TCU
21- Texas
22- Arkansas
23- Oregon State
24- Tennessee
25- Maryland
http://www.cfrc.com/Ratings_2007/WK_1.htm

2006 final Billingsley Report strength of schedule rankings:
Arkansas- 1
Florida- 7
Tennessee- 14
http://www.cfrc.com/Ratings_2006/SS_17.htm


2006 Massey strength of schedule rankings:
Florida- 3
Tennessee- 5

2005 Massey strength of schedule rankings:
Florida- 30
Tennessee- 32
http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cf#group2





Computer rankings used in the past (NYT, Dunkle, Scripps-Howard, Rothman) :


NYT records that in 2004:
Florida’s opponents went 99 and 53 (a 65% win record)
Tennessee’s opponents went 82 and 70 (a 54% win record)
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/NCAA-RANKINGS.html


Combined Sagarin, Dunkle, Billingsley, and Colley BCS rankings (before bowls) from 2001:
Florida- 3
Tennessee- 10


Dunkle Index 2006 power ratings:
Florida- 1
Tennessee- 30

Dunkle Index 2005 power ratings:
Florida- 10
Tennessee- 40
http://www.dunkelindex.com/NCAA_Football_2006_Div1A_Rankings.asp


Scripps-Howard Sept. 22, 2006 power ratings:
Georgia- 3
Florida- 5
Auburn- 6
Tennessee- 9

Scripps-Howard Nov. 21, 2006 power ratings:
Florida- 5
LSU- 8
Auburn- 9
Tennessee- 11

Final Scripps-Howard 2006 power ratings:
Florida- 1
LSU- 4
Auburn- 8
Tennessee- 12
http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/13285


Rothman- number of times finished in final top-5 team ranking since 1968:
Florida- 11
Alabama- 10
Tennessee- 6
http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/history/rothman.txt

Florida managed 11 top-5 finishes while playing out-of-conference Florida State every year which had 14 finishes in the top-5.

You whiney little puff-ball.

And probably the MAJOR thing that helps Tennessee is that they play Florida. Florida brings up Tennessee’s strength of schedule while Tennessee drags down Florida’s strength of schedule.




This is sweet too-

Historical Composite Team final computer rankings from 1993 to 2006:

Florida State- 1
Florida – 2
Tennessee- 6




Reasons for your whining become clearer. You ain’t nothin’ but a houn’ dog, cryin’ all the time…

Obviously Florida’s unprecedented double 2006 national championships has you more whiney that last year. Get over it son. It ain’t gonna happen at Tennessee because y’all suck.

Rationalizing has done nothing for you but make you paint your nails pink and wear flowered panties. Just accept your mediocrity and get over it.

Grow a pair son.

And try not to whine come Sept. 15. Because Florida’s gonna put a pop knot on ya that you could drill holes in and bowl with.


Your team sucks! That’s right it sucks. Want proof? If you are worried about losing to “tough” team like California, you suck.



Tennessee’s 2007 opponents:
California
Southern Miss.
Florida
Arkansas St.
Georgia
Mississippi St.
Alabama
South Carolina
Louisiana Lafayette
Arkansas
Vanderbilt
Kentucky

That’s 8 bowl teams, 4 teams in the 2007 preseason top 25 (4 teams in last years final top 25). AND they play easier western division SEC opponents.

Let’s see: out of state California vs out-of-state LSU. You seem to be having trouble with that concept, longlost, but it’s clear to everyone else. You looooser.

Florida’s 2007 opponents:
Western Kentucky
Troy
Tennessee
Mississippi.
Auburn
LSU
Kentucky
Georgia
Vanderbilt
South Carolina
Florida Atlantic
Florida St.

That’s 8 bowl teams, 5 teams in the 2007 preseason top 25 (5 teams in last years final top 25).




You’re a looooser, longlost. You’ve always been a looooser, longlost. And we all know we can expect your team to continue that looooser tradition this year.




But the All-Time Conference rankings are obvious:
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/rankings/all_time_conf_rankings.php
last edited: 8/26/07 10:45:59 AM”

“The computer is never wrong.”

“Did I mention that Kansas has a football team this year? Yep, they are going to play Central Michigan to open the season. Put that in your "strength of schedule" and smoke it!”

“That is sooooo cool, Dunadan. In all my searches I don't think I saw Kansas mentioned in the NCAA football programs. When did they form a team?

I'm pretty sure they've got a basketball team though. Didn't they play the two-time National Champions last year?”

“Hey I heard this yesterday which kinda attests to Michael Vick's Charachter....apparently he had originally signed a "Letter of Intent" with Virginia...and he reneged...THAT true?”

“UVA must have had some restriction against dog fighting.

VaTech didn't seem to care.”

“LOL...I think VaTech Paid more (LOL).”

“I don't think Vick verbally committed to UVA. That was Ronald Curry who verbally committed to UVA then signed with UNC. Both Vick and Curry played in the same High School district. Curry was the bigger name at the time. They were compared a lot at the time because Curry became a bust at UNC while Vick was lighting things up at VT.”

“You people better not be talking bad about my Hokies!

Beamer doesn't put up with any crap from his players. He dumped his brother Marcus Vick for his involvement in illegal activities. The two Vick brothers are very talented and were given great opportunities. What a shame that they screwed up so bad. There are so many young men out there that would have done anything for the same chances they were given.”

“he really didn't have much of a choice with marcus. The guy racked up way to many misdeeds to be ignored.”

“I noticed that Sports Ill. is predicting a 100% increase in victories for my Stanford boys this year: 1 last year, 2 this year. Woo hoo - how many of you will be able to experience that this year?!

Yes, we're going to the opener this Sat. against UCLA - watch for me on TV!!”

“Bowlder, I'll bet this is a sweet time to be watching college football in a stadium out there.

I was going to our opener but they moved kickoff from 6pm (our normal opening game time) to 12 noon to accommodate TV. Florida...summer...95,000 screaming fans closely packed in together...hottest part of the day...

I'm going to watch it on TV. AC is my friend. I must be getting old.




I have many fond memories of last year’s National Championship game.

You know, that was the game that came after the one all the big-ten fans were bragging was THE GAME OF THE CENTURY. You know, that game between what the big-ten fans were all bragging were the two best teams in the country?

Then came the bowls. All those computer stats and personal opinions get thrown out when two teams meet on the field.

All the big-ten fans just KNEW that Florida didn’t stand a chance against their conference champion. They KNEW Florida couldn’t stop Ohio State’s “high-powered” offense. They KNEW Florida wouldn’t be able to move the ball on Ohio State’s monster defense.

Ain’t it amazing what people think they know?


I loved how Florida held Ohio State’s HIGH-POWERED offense to one touchdown.

I loved how Florida overpowered Ohio State at the line of scrimmage during short yardage plays.

I love how many times Florida’s athletes ran around Ohio State’s slow moving fat guys and sacked Ohio State’s slow moving quarterback.

I LOVED HOW FLORIDA SCORED 41 POINTS WHILE HOLDING OHIO STATE’S HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE TO 82 TOTAL YARDS!




One of the big-ten’s two best teams has never won a game against the SEC. Ohio State is 0-8 against the SEC. Nowslimmer is right to make fun of the computer statistics.




In honor of last year’s match-up I kept many articles. Is that groaning I hear?





SEC has even more reason to gloat

By RALPH D. RUSSO
The Associated Press
January 09

GLENDALE, Ariz. - So you're a college football fan in the Midwest or living on one of the coasts, and you've already had it up to here with Southeastern Conference arrogance.

Sure the SEC is good, you think. But sometimes those coaches, players and fans - especially the fans - sound like the rest of the country is playing intramural compared to what goes on in the Deep South.

For you, SEC hater, the bowl season was a disaster.

"I do think people get tired of hearing us talk about how good we think we are," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said.

Ohio State had the last chance to slap some of that swagger out of the SEC on Monday night by taking down Florida in the BCS national championship game.

Many outside the South believed the Gators got into the title game only because the media had bought into the SEC's self-importance and influenced the poll voters who helped set the BCS finale.

The Gators' response? Florida 41, Ohio State 14. They were speaking for the whole SEC.

"I could name four or five teams in the SEC that could probably compete with them and play the same type of game we did against them," Florida defensive end Jarvis Moss said after the game.

Four or five? OK, that might be a bit much. However, which team are you taking on a neutral field, LSU or Ohio State? How about Tuberville's Tigers, the team that beat Florida, or Ohio State in a bowl game?

The Gators' romp was the final statement of a 6-3 bowl season for the SEC, with victories over Notre Dame, Nebraska and Virginia Tech.

"In 12 years in this league, this is the best year from top to bottom," Tuberville said by phone Tuesday.

The Fighting Irish did well to hang with LSU for a half in the Sugar Bowl before all those future NFL draft picks simply overwhelmed the Irish. That game in the Superdome was 41-14, too.

Before the Gators played their best game of the season, many were touting LSU, which lost road games to Florida and Auburn, as the SEC's true best team.

Auburn won the Cotton Bowl 17-14, beating a Nebraska team that played for the Big 12 championship. Georgia beat Virginia Tech, the Atlantic Coast Conference's most talented team, 31-24 in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

And remember, neither LSU nor Auburn won the SEC West. Arkansas took that crown and gave Florida a good run in the conference title game before falling 38-28.

The Razorbacks lost 17-14 to Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl, one of the few bright spots in a 2-5 postseason for the Big Ten, during which its best teams were exposed.

A week before Ohio State was humiliated by the Gators, Michigan got run out of the Rose Bowl by Southern California, 32-18.

That Game of the Century in Columbus between the top-ranked Buckeyes and No. 2 Wolverines in November doesn't seem quite so important a month and a half later.

Credit, Florida coach Urban Meyer. He knew those Big Ten teams hadn't faced the kind of competition his team had to withstand. He was unfairly criticized for lobbying for his team to make the BCS championship. He was unfairly criticized for supposedly disparaging Michigan, which he never did.

Meyer simply ran down the facts. Pundits scoffed at Florida's inconsistent offense. Meyer pointed out that the Gators played six teams ranked in the top 35 in the nation in total defense, five of them SEC rivals.

The Gators played too many close games, the doubters said. Meyer noted style points shouldn't mean much when nine of the eight conference opponents the Gators played earned bowl bids.

Speed is king in the SEC, but that theory, too, gets a bit old. Ohio State has fast receivers and runners, fast linebackers and defensive backs.

The speed that's still somewhat unique to the SEC teams is at defensive line - and the perfect example of it was Florida's demolition of Troy Smith and the Buckeyes.

Defensive ends Derrick Harvey and Jarvis Moss, both in the 255-pound range, could not be blocked by Ohio State's 300-pound offensive tackles. Everything broke down from there for the Buckeyes and they gained only 82 yards Monday night.

By the time Tuesday had arrived, Meyer - his first national title in hand - was done making a case for his team and his league.

"I don't have time to validate," he said. "We're fine. We're OK. We played very good teams. Check the NFL draft and watch all these young people go and play, and watch the great coaches and D coordinators. We play in a great conference. I don't want to get into that because then someone will take it as disrespect to some other conference. I don't know if I even have to go there."

No you don't, coach. It's a good lesson SEC fans. We all know how good your football is. No need to gloat.
last edited: 8/29/07 4:10:16 AM”

“arc, are you on the team?”

“Arc - it IS a great time of the year to watch football here. However, it's a little weird to have a conference game almost 3 weeks before the students show up on campus. They have to rely on us old farts to cheer 'n' stuff....”

“Florida State and Clemson playing opening game. Both have some issues - new offensive staff/new QB - that would probably have been worked out and not an issue later in the season. So right off the bat, their conference championship hopes will be put to the test.”

“Okay what are the games to watch this weekend?”

“However, it's a little weird to have a conference game almost 3 weeks before the students show up on campus

what the heck? they don't start classes till October?”

“Game is on Sept. 1; kids show up the last week of Sept.

Stanford is on quarters - they start the last week of Sept. and go until about the 2nd week of June....”

“CU and CSU are already in class. They started this week.”