College football teams with biggest fan bases

Big 10, Mountain West, playoffs? posted by john howard

The Cricket Betting Applications officially added Nebraska, making their conference 12 teams strong.  They can now have a titile game. Altough they say they are not in a hurry but will continue to expand the conference.  The Mountain West raised their number to 10 when Boise State announced joining yesterday.  They could have a championship game if they wanted to.  But, it's a lot easier with 12 or more schools.  So,  I don't think the Mountain West is done adding teams. 

There are currently 11 conferences and the Big 12 looks to be going away.  The Big 12 currently has 10 and now the WAC is down to 8 teams.  The is the next smallest with 8 and the Sun Belt, the weakest  conference has 9.  If 3 of these leagues were to dissolve, creating 8 superconferences then, a playoff would fit very nicely.  It would actually be a 16 team tournament, since everyone would have a conference championship game. 

What may happen is the four conferences above go to other conferences and the remainder form another conference.  There are several scenarios to be played out.  The next big move will be OU and Texas.  They have both been mentioned with the PAC 10.  But, not so fast.  Former OU QB and current assistant Josh Huepel revealed a text he got suggested the SEC.  Everyone is assuming that wherever Texas lands, that Texas A&M will follow.  But, the alumni of A&M almost want to the opposite of Texas. They don't want to be thought of as the little brother. 

The Pac 10 have already obtained Colorado.  So, they now have 11 teams.  They will get more, maybe 5 more.  Texas officials are meeting on Tuesday to discuss their fate.  But, when the Big 10 first announced this recently many speculated all this would be 5 to 10 years down the road.  Not, 5 to 10 days.  Somebody may shock us today. Just like Boise State did yesterday.  Teams that no one is currently talking about are Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State.  Kansas has had a good run in football recently, but no one considers them a powerhouse football addition.  But, on thing that is being over looked, at least by the media, is Kansas' basketball.  You instantly gain a titile contender if you add them to your league.  That is something that the Pac 10 could use.  Although the Big 10 may be a better geographic fit.  But, I think those teams just mentioned all have a really good Con USA appeal. 

OU another title? USC fiasco. PAC 10 and Big 12 soon to merge. posted by john howard

USC was put on probation today.  They must forfeit all games in 2004 and 2005, including the National title win over Oklahoma.  Does that mean that Okalhoma wins another title?  Very interesting.

They are banned from the post season for the next 2 years and a total of 30 scholarships over the next 3 years.  This is a huge blow to the Trojan program.    But, don't worry PAC 10 fans,  the Big 12 is here to the rescue.

 Colorado officially accepted the PAC 10s offer to join.  That means it's only a time before the Oklahoma and Texas schools follow. 

Last year, USC finished 22nd and Oregon 11th.  USC is a sinking ship and so is Oregon.  The rest of the Pac 10 doesn't look so well either. Arizona is on the rise, but that's it.   Now here comes the Big 12.  Colorado already has joined.  That won't help the conference to much in the immediate future, but Texas and Oklahoma contend for the title on a yearly basis.  Texas A&M and Tech get national recognition. And, Oklahoma State is a team on the rise.  This is a good thing for the Pac 10.  Saving them just before things get real bad. 

Colorado puts the conference at 11.  Most likely OU, OSU, Texas, A&M, and Tech would be the other 5.  What happens to Baylor remains to be seen.  I'm guessing Con USA.  Nebraska and Missouri likely will go to Big 10.  Iowa State, Kansas, and Kasas STate could join as well, but the Big 10 will take a crack at Big East schools first.   This is changing the shape of football.  Most likely, if we have fewer conferences, then we can have a playoff. 

Sooners recruiting posted by john howard

The Sooners had another stellar year in recruiting.  They rank between 5 and 7 on most draft boards.  They added some help for next year and smooth transition in the following years.  OU had injury problems and overall did not reach expectations.  Injuries can have a silver lining the following year because players have gained experience.  Let's look at what signing day has to offer the University of Oklahoma.

QB

Landry Jones will only be a sophomore next year and there are that say red shirt freshman Trent Allen could end up being better.  4 star QB Blake Bell may have to wait his turn, but the QB spot is definately talented.  Spring competition will be fun for years to come.

RB

The loss of Chris Brown hurts.  DeMarco Murray has been an unbelievable talent, when healthy.  Jermie Calhoun is ready for the load, but may need help if Murray is 100% all year.  Every year Mossis Madu has been talked about and not seen.  So, incoming freshman Brennan Clay and Roy Finch could see action this year.  Both are reasons OU ranked so high on signing day.  Things will be perfect if Murray stays healthy and Calhoun is the new Chris Brown and the rookies can learn on the job in spots like Jermie did last year.

WR

Oklahoma only got 2 guys here and only Kenny Stills is rated a 4 star.  But that isn't much to worry about. If you can have 1 to 2 in each class so. and above contributing, then you have balance after graduation and numbers for the season.  Stills should be at least one they can count on his soph year.  As far as next year goes, the Sooners will loose Adron Tennell and that is it. Ryan Broyles is the star of this group and one of the nation's best.  There are juniors and seniors that will give Landry plenty of targets. While current freshman Jaz Reynolds looked promising for the years after the upper classmen leave.  That makes WRs very important in next year's recruiting class.

Boise State is the George Costanza of college football posted by Colin Linneweber

The Boise State Broncos unjustifiably finished the 2009-2010 football season ranked number four in The Associated Press Top-25 Poll.

The Broncos (14-0) cemented their asinine fourth-place ranking after they defeated the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs (12-1) 17-10 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 4.

Voters ultimately awarded the national championship to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) in lieu of their 37-21 victory over the Texas Longhorns (13-1) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Despite the fact that they both previously lost to Alabama, Texas (13-1) and the University of Florida Gators (13-1) concluded the year ranked ahead of the Broncos in the polls.

“I’ve said this all along,” claimed Broncos Head Coach Chris Peterson, 45, who is 49-4 since he took over in Boise in 2006. “Rankings don’t mean much to us.”

It is fortunate for Peterson that “rankings don’t mean much to” him.

Because, if they did, he would be seething that his undefeated squad wasn’t at least afforded the number two overall ranking behind the Crimson Tide.

Texas and Florida had their respective opportunities to trump Alabama and they failed.

Both the Longhorns and Gators had statistically blemished records this year.

The Boise State Broncos were unconquered in 14 games and they now have virtually nothing to show for their vast accomplishments on the gridiron.

The Broncos flatly deserved to share the national championship with the Crimson Tide.

Big Daddy Believes In Miracles posted by Les Leonard

     How many Saints’ fans wrote off the Saints when Washington lined up their game-clinching 23-yard field goal? This year’ s “ Finish” mentality has produced the franchise’s best season start ever, not to mention the team’s most unbelievable victory in 43 years Sunday. Previous season mottos never produced the results that the ’ 09 slogan has. Big Daddy wonders if the Saints brought in Tiger Woods to demonstrate how awesome happy endings feel? Tiger always benefits from coming hard at the end both on and off the course. If it works for Saints fans for the next 13 years, the Superdome staff will have lots of new banners to hang. Seriously, Big Daddy wants Saints fans to understand the significance of a team that wins games they should lose. Haven’ t we suffered the downside of that equation for far too long? Hell yeah! But now its our time! In this edition of the Section 645 Saints Beat, Big Daddy questions the BCS, reports from the Kingpin, recaps the Redskins game, examines the NFL’ s playoff picture, and releases his World Famous Pregame Information.

     As 2009 winds down , the fraudulent BCS has screwed three more schools (TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State) out of having the opportunity to compete for the national championship. Saying BCS sponsors pay college presidents handsomely to maintain “ the status quo” — although true, is exactly what they want the masses to believe. Refusing to change this terrible system, touting we can’ t disrupt college football’ s great tradition, sucks more than Congressional Democrats holding up health care reform due to they’re ridiculous anti-abortion stance. How can all sports, regardless of what level, seed teams to playoff for the trophy except Division 1-A NCAA football? Big Daddy thinks the NFL owners are the guys stopping progress. The NFL has no desire to see their popularity diminished like that of the NBA every time March Madness rolls around. Lets face it, this week’s match-ups of Buffalo at Kansas City, Detroit at Baltimore, Jets at Tampa, St. Louis at Tennessee, and Washington at Oakland is a perfect example to show how boring late season pro football can be. Viagra couldn’ t get football fans up for these garbage games.

Another way to do the playoffs----NoBCS posted by john howard

A more simple way to do the playoff system would be to have to win your conference.  That would be 11 teams.

So, 6 would play in round one, producing 3 winners to face 5 other teams in round 2.

• 8) Ga Tech vs 9) C Michigan  winner vs  1) Alabama
•                                          4) TCU vs 5) Boise St
• 6) Oregon vs 11) Troy      winner vs   3) Cincinnati
• 7) Ohio St. vs 10) E Carolina    winner vs 2) Texas

Wouldn't it be nice to have games going on this weekend?  Then, the teams would play again next week.  They could take Chrismas weekend off and we could have the semifinals on New Year's day. Then, wait a full week or 10 days (whatever night seems best) and have the championship game!!!

This system would encourage another conference.  We have a few teams like Navy and Notre Dame that don't have a conference.  A 12th conference would be nice.  Then, we could have 4 teams with a bye and the other 8 could play in the first round.  Or, 12 conference winners and the BCS could deicide 4 more teams to round out an even field of 16. 

BCS playoff!! Here is how it should break down. posted by john howard

Every conference winner gets in.  conference---team--bcs rank

ACC--Georgia Tech  9

Big 12--Texas  2

Big East--Cincinnati  3

Big 10--Ohio St  8

Con USA--E Carolina 

MAC--C Michigan

Mountain West--TCU  4

Pac 10-- Oregon 7

SEC--Alabama 1

Sun Belt--Troy

WAC--Boise St 6

• 1) Alabama vs 16) Troy
• 8) Ohio St vs 9) Ga Tech
• 5) Florida vs 12)W Virginia
• 4) TCU vs 13) C Michigan
• 3) Cincinnati vs 14) BYU
• 6) Boise St vs 11) Va Tech
• 7) Oregon vs 10)Iowa
• 2) Texas vs 15) E Carolina

Then the next 5 in BCS get to go:   5--Florida    10--Iowa  11--Virginia Tech   14--BYU  16--W Virginia 

A conference can't have more than 2 teams.

You also can't have 2 teams from the same conference on the same side of the bracket.  This is one scenario. I would put others online later.  What do you think? 

Now, the matchups.  

NCAA Top 25 Nov. 28 Howard Rankings posted by john howard

1--TEXAS   9808             should stay #1 with a win over nebraska

2--TCU     9804           will fall due to no game next week

3--FLORIDA 9796           win over alabama will vault them to #2, maybe #1

4--ALABAMA  9787        see florida

5--BOISE ST 9773         a lot is riding on what bowl they go to

6--CINCINNATI  9750        they could jump to #4 with win over pitt and one sec team losing

7--BYU 9070                what a year.  they have snuck into top 10

8--PENN ST 8780         the top big 10 team will face an oregon team for top 5 maybe

9--OREGON  8667       might jump psu and byu with win over state rival

10--NEVADA 8649        this team is good and their losses have been really good losses

11--OHIO ST 8621        win in bowl will get them top 10

12--W VIRGINIA 8421     moved up a lot by beating pitt

12--C MICHIGAN 8421         shot at top 10!!!  but must win conf title first.

14--LSU  8333               slight shot at top 10

Mark Mangino Does Not Represent the Jayhawks in "A Class Way" posted by Colin Linneweber

The University of Kansas confirmed last week that they are investigating the obese head coach of their college football team, Mark Mangino, due to allegations that he has emotionally and verbally abused players during his tenure in Lawrence.

The investigation was deemed necessary by school officials after two former Jayhawks players publicly recounted some of Mangino’s alleged reprehensible behavior on the gridiron.

Former Jaywalks receiver Raymond Brown recalled how in 2007 he was comforted by his teammates after his brother was shot and wounded near his home back in St. Louis.

A couple of days later, an irate Mangino, supposedly ordered Brown to the sidelines after he made a boneheaded gaffe during practice.

“He went off on me yelling, which is fine,” Brown told The Associated Press. “I kept saying, ‘Yes, sir, yes, sir,’ to everything he was saying. A teammate asked me what happened. Then he started on me again and I said, ‘Yes, sir,’ and he said, “Don’t you ‘yes sir’ me. I’ll send you back to St. Louis where you can get shot by your homies.’”

In addition to the above purported racist denigration made by Mangino, Brown and past receiver Dexton Fields remembered an occasion when an unnamed player was lagging through a routine practice.

Mangino became incensed at the anonymous player’s focus and effort and he cruelly mocked that athlete’s boozy father.

“He wanted to be a lawyer,” Brown said. “He messed up, and Mangino said to his face, in front of everybody, ‘You want to be a lawyer? You’re going to be an alcoholic just like your dad.”

Howard top 25 posted by john howard

1--TCU  .9767    not having a conf champ game will hurt them

2--TEXAS .9744

3--ALABAMA .9737

3--FLORDIA .9737    sec champ is another day closer

5--CINCINNATI .9722

6--BOISE ST .9677

7--GA TECH .9500

8--PITT .9189

9--OKLAHOMA ST .9091

10--LSU  .9000

11--NEVADA  .8750   the quiestest team of the season

12--WISCONSIN .8612

13--PENN ST  .8529

14--UTAH .8519

15--OHIO ST .8462

15--RUTGERS .8462

17--OREGON .8421  lowest ranked bcs hopeful

18--BYU  .8400

19--OREGON ST .8182

20--NAVY .8065

21--CLEMSON .7941

22--W VIRGINIA .7931

23--IOWA .7857

24--C MICH  .78557

25--STANFORD .7692

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