NCAA FOOTBALL 2024 MEGA THREAD - WELCOME TO THE PLAYOFF ERA

You don't want to win 42-7, you want to win like Illinois 50 Purdue 49 so it looks like a great ordeal.

If anyone is going to ND vs GaTech, here is how to get to the neutral site.

While Troy at USA#1 likely boils down to whose starting qb is healthy/plays, this one is interesting, in a way:

Last week off a bye LaTech switched quarterbacks (backup who'd pretty much looked the least bad when he'd played) and to a play-caller other than the head coach (who'd always seemed a legit bad playcaller). The result was fantastic--best production of the year and covered the Total all on their own! Pretty sure this is what's raised the line to 11.5.

But that was against Middle Tennessee State...a defense so bad they've actually overtaken (undertaken?) New Friggin Mexico. A feat I did not expect anyone to do as New Mexico allowed even New Mexico State (a bottom 5 offense) to score 40 points.

Let's see how they do tonight against CUSA's 4th best defense good for 90th in the country (yeah, that's right; DOUBLE digits!) now that there's film on what they're doing.

For another interesting matchup (scientifically), that Middle Tennessee worst defense faces off against Kennesaw State's literal-worst by a mile offense (1.2 standard deviations worse than New Mexico State, somehow). Like antimatter colliding with antimatter, there theoretically might be some result but we probably can't see or measure it, if it even exists at all.

I laughed, then cried again

Best saturday games, by timeslot:

12:
Nebraska @ 16 Indiana
6 Miami @ Louisville
Arizona State @ Cincy
Auburn @ 19 Mizzou

3:30
7 Alabama @ 11 Tennessee
12 Notre Dame n GT
24 (lol) Michigan @ 22 (lol) Illinois
USC @ Maryland
Colorado @ Arizona

7:
5 UGA @ 1 Texas
8 LSU @ Arkansas
UCF @ 9 Iowa State
17 K State @ WVU
Iowa @ Sparty

10:
UNLV @ Oregon State
TCU @ Utah

high roi potential for top notch college social media teams

the friday night spoilermaker blackout is immenient
who believes?

I'm dying for points so I'll take it, but that USA receiver was clearly trying to get hold of a loose football until his feet were out of bounds.

a clear oversight on my part

this might truly be the worst game of football I've ever seen

There are so many things bothering me about this game.

The kicker who only kicks knuckleballs, for instance.

Saving the quarterback who can do anything until the last 2 minutes of the game for another.

A smattering of playoff equity swings (this is according to my model, not necessarily Vegas)

Indiana (who was +400 on BR this week lmao)
I have them at 38% with a win, and 4% with a loss

Miami
I have them at 92% with a win and 55% with a loss

Nebraska
I have them at 14% with a win, and 0.5% with a loss

Michigan
I have them at 6% with a win and drawing dead with a loss (would need to win out)

USC
I still think USC is likely in if they win out, which is 10% to happen with a win and obviously 0% to happen with a loss

LSU
I have them at 48% with a win and 18% with a loss

Arkansas
I have them at 14% with a win and 1% with a loss

K State
I have them at around 40% with a win and 9% with a loss, Vegas likes them more

SMU
38% with a win, 9% with a loss

Bulldogs were bred for antagonizing and fighting bulls, particularly by locking their jaws onto the horns until the bull collapsed from the effort of trying to shake them off. I assume this was called “horns down” and will file it under “too good to check” and “omens”.

Name me a season when Notre Dame isn't ranked higher than they should be?

This happens every year. Part of the fun of watching college football each year is seeing Notre Dame slide down the polls until they disappear.

Oh yeah, bulls do not like bulldogs, it's in their DNA

Leavitt out for ASU

he's completing 60% for 7.7 with 8 TD 4 INT and averaging 50 yards rushing per game as well

Enter journeyman Jeff Sims (formerly of Nebraska and GT)

NE: 28/47 (60%) for 6.0, 1 TD 6 INT
GT: 110/188 (59%) for 5.9, 5 TD 3 INT
GT: 113/188 (60%) for 7.8, 12 TD 7 INT
GT: 141/257 (55%) for 7.3, 13 TD 13 INT

He's also averaged 40 yards rushing per game (which includes sacks)

31 career passing TDs, 29 picks

line has ballooned up to +6.5

.

If Oregon does this against say, Minnesota, does the NCAA even care?

put 13 men on the field

checkmate

if the backstory is true, lanning has gained a fan for life
actively looking for those sorts of razor thin edges that still leave a nasty scar

I grow more and more frustrated with the replay system. Like I don't know wtf they just saw to let the "no interception" which wasn't even the initial call stand but I suspect it involves being hopelessly reductive to make a "celebrating" penalty hold up.

It will be underwhelming this year, ND has been decimated with injuries.

Sweetest moments in the last 25 years of Sugar Bowl.