That idea has crossed my mind many times actually. The Ole Miss campus is incredible, but this level of players didn't go there before Freeze and it's not like he has some great reputation as a coach to bring them in either. Something definitely smells fishy at Ole Miss.
Your best were trounced...embarrased quite frankly. MSU didn't even make a game of it, the fact they were there and not Stanford is only proof, no Big 10 team deserved to be in the play-off championship. Stanford would have been a much better game against Bama. The Big 10 got exposed...the only thing "half-assed" is their strength of schedule. 38-0 and 45-16 when it matters. Keep defending mediocrity, they couldn't hang with the big boys this year. The PAC-12 deserved a spot.
Yep. It's the only school off the top of my head that I can point to, and without a shadow of a doubt know something is going on. Ole Miss should never be out recruiting Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, USC, Auburn, Notre Dame, FSU etc...But they are right now.
My best? Wtf are you talking about. I'm a OSU fan and could care less about this conference circle jerking that goes in the SEC. I could also care less how the BIG does outside of OSU. Secondly, the best in the BIG is Ohio State. You're a typical football idiot that doesn't know (*)(*)(*)(*) and think a season is defined by a single game. If I'm using your logic Northwestern is a superior team to Stanford, if we're using one game as to gauge a season. Edit - I don't mean you to be a idiot in the literal sense of the word Herk, but gauging a season off a bowl game is incredibly silly to use in any argument.
Here's the deal. You have to admit MSU got lucky against Michigan. A fumbled snap by the punter and basically giving the game away on the final play. Let's say MSU lost that game, yet still defeated OSU. This leaves Stanford...granted, a two loss PAC-12 team with a chance to jump over the one loss OSU and make the final 4 bowl championship. You have to admit Stanford vs. Alabama or Clemson would have made for a interesting game. Last year of course, OSU was the best team, by far...but I believe if MSU loses that game against Michigan, they would not have made the playoffs even after beating OSU. Let's say OSU beat MSU. Your star running back...probably would not have given his best effort in the playoffs as he's making himself eligible for the NFL draft this year. Why risk an injury for a college game that does not pay the bills the way the NFL does. I doubt OSU would have showed much better than MSU did in the playoffs. Whether I'm an "idiot" or not is up for argument, but as an outsider with no dog in the hunt, I would have liked to have seen Stanford in the playoffs, not a suspect MSU team that was quite frankly, darn lucky to even be there. I think Stanford would have made a better showing.
I think Stanford was the better team as well, but if MSU had lost to Michigan and still beaten OSU, wouldn't OSU have been in the conference championship game against Iowa? Iowa probably wouldn't have beaten OSU, but they sure gave MSU all they could handle.
Had MSU lost to Michigan, Ohio State would have played for a BIG title, would have been favored over Iowa, and there is no way in hell a two loss Stanford would have jumped OSU. As for your running back theory, that's beyond nonsense that I'm not even going to entertain, my psychoanalyst fortune teller friend. That star running back just put up 4 TDs in a game that doesn't pay the bills.
The fact remains the Big 10 consistently does poorly in bowl games...it's a weak conference. The SEC remains the strongest conference in D-I college football for at least the past two decades. That's not to say there are not quality teams in the Big 10...but consistently, it has proven itself to be over-hyped. Some will say, bowl games don't matter; but it's a poor excuse. Look at the Big 10s bowl record over the past two decades Year after year, OSU is the only Big 10 school near the top of the leaderboard. In contrast, the SEC usually puts about 8-9 schools in the national top 25. This college football season in particular, I would go so far as to to say, no Big 10 school deserved to be a representative in the Final 4 playoffs. MSU was by far the weak link, and a even a two loss Stanford would have up better numbers than a 38 -0 drubbing by Alabama; what amounted to a blow-out in what is supposed to be the 4 best college football teams in the country. Stanford was up by 35 at the half against Iowa. Most of the 4th quarter, they had 2nd string Seniors and Juniors on the field...otherwise Iowa would have been even more embarrassed had they kept the 1st string in the game. Ohio State looked good against ND, but other than that, the elite teams of the Big 10 were blown out by superior teams. Not even competitive.
Are we talking about this year or what happened 20 years ago? Stay on topic. You made a claim the SEC is the best conference. Outside of Alabama, pick a school in the SEC and let's take a look at their team and record this year, shall we? You just eluded to bowl games not mattering for OSUs running back because it didn't pay the bills, while arguing in the very next post that's a poor excuse. Think your posts out before you write them and I won't point out the glaring contradictions in them. It's almost as if your memory has been wiped clean from the mauling the SEC took last year during bowl season as well. Good grief, do yourself a favor and look at the top 25 rankings. 5 BIG schools in the top 15 in the last poll of the season, more than any other conference. Good god, even ESPN, who had a financial stake in the SEC doesn't believe they were the best conference in the country this year. I guess you missed SEC east champ Florida getting blown away by a BIG squad. How convenient for your argument. It's also become crystal clear that you know dick about college football and most likely don't watch any of these games. Saying something like you did about Zeke Elliot, literally a few days after he just ran for 140+ yards and 4 TDs while tying a Fiesta Bowl record, is just as ignorant as one can be. It's almost like you're trying to troll.
Ultimately college football is played by amateurs, and on any given game a good team can get beaten by a lesser team. One or even two losses does not mean a team should be automaticaly removed from any sort of playoff consideration. Stanford had a bad opening game against a good, not great, Northwestern. Much like OSU had a bad game against a good, not great, Michigan State. I saw the Stanford - Iowa game and the Alabama - MSU game....I was thoroughly unimpressed with the Big 10 representatives in those respective games. Certainly both teams were thrashed badly enough it wasn't one of those occasons where an otherwise good team gets beaten by a lesser team. MSU and Iowa stunk. A re-match would probably yield the same result. Alabama and Stanford are the better teams. The SEC East in particular, had a weak year and justifiably none of those schools was even remotely considered to be a Top 4 playoff eligible team...neither should have Iowa or Michigan State. After Ohio State lost to MSU, it would be difficult for those who decide these things to have OSU jump over MSU in consideration for the Final 4 playoffs. MSU had to go over both Iowa and OSU....even though Stanford was clearly the superior team to MSU even as a two loss team. It shows to go, that it's still a flawed system. Of all the Big 10 teams deserving a shot at the Final 4, OSU was the best team among Iowa, MSU and OSU...and if OSU couldn't go, the Big 10 should have been left out of the playoffs. Stanford would have given Alabama and/or Clemson a better showing. It terms of viewership, form a person like me with no vested interest in any team...it was rather disappointing. The Stanford - Iowa game wasnot a playoff game obviously, but frankly the thrashing Iowa took was embarrasing. Stanford could easily have run up the score if not for the mercy of the coach. A lot of hype only to be disappointed. I would be highly suspect of any Big 10 team going forward, aside from OSU which has proven it's ability to perform well when it matters most. The SEC has off years, but consistently, you can expect their top representatives not to embarrass the conference. Sometimes they play bad..but consistently the Big 10 under-performs in Bowl games. Only OSU has emerged as a team able to handle the pressure and adjust to more pro style game calling. . If we look at the Big 10 top 3 teams...Iowa, MSU and OSU...only one of those teams deserved to play in the Final 4 this season and that would be OSU. Never mind the recods...who is the best team of those 3. Since MSU defeated OSU, well there wasn't much choice but to vote them
besides...calling me a know nothing regarding college football is a logical fallacy. The core argument is a simple one. Neither Iowa nor Michigan State are elite top 4 level teams. Neither are any other SEC teams aside from Alabama. Ohio State would have been the better representative in the Final 4 from the Big 10...if not OSU, than Stanford over Michigan State as the 4th team in the playoffs. I thought Oklahoma and Clemson were proper choices...but the Big 10 was over-hyped. I'm not the only one who feels that way. Here's an actual columnist, who you know...makes a living talking sports. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2604263-iowas-rose-bowl-flop-sets-big-ten-football-back I'm sure a certain person will call them names to justify what is a weak defense of a conference. I am certainly not defending the SEC..I have no dog in the fight..none at all, and I'll be rooting for Clemson over Alabama. I'm strictly a casual fan who likes to see a decent game. My life goes on the same the day after the national championship. It's entertainment. I like to see an entertaining game, a competitive game. I have seen Michigan State in 3 games this year...vs. Iowa, vs. OSU and vs. Alabama. They are not an elite team deserving of a final 4 appearance. They are a good team, a top 10 team even, but not elite. No other SEC team is elite aside from Alabama. I'm simply saying the Big 10 has one actual elite team and that is Ohio State. The Big 10 was over-hyped as the new powerhouse of college football to challenge the long-term reign of SEC...*yawn* not from what I saw anyway. The SEC has had some lean years over-all lately, but I don't think the Big 10 is ready to challenge them any time soon as the new King of the NCAA D-I hill.
Well, you've demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt in my mind you don't know much of anything concerning college football, and while it may be a ad hominem to point that out in our conversation, I believe pointing it out while also dispelling you opinions with facts is perfectly acceptable. Let's refer back to your two original posts in this thread, which made two claims that the SEC was the top conference, which is clearly my point of contention in this conversation, up until you jumped into the Zeke Elliot statement. While I have offered multiple examples of why that's not true, including top 25 polls, and the willingness to discuss any team in the SEC comparatively with the BIG, you've offered your opinion that the BIG is overrated and posted a article which I didn't bother to read, as I could post 50 articles within seconds by sports writers to counter (a silly way to argue). You somewhat concede that the SEC east is garbage, while avoiding the SEC west conversation outside of Alabama. I can happily go through with you and discuss Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU, Auburn etc but I'm sure at this point an actual conversation about SEC west teams isn't beneficial to your original argument. I'm still waiting on your response after that completely bizarre statement about Zeke. Anywho, I think everyone knows OSU or Stanford would have represented better than MSU.
Alabama is playing for the National Championship. Two 12-1 teams out of the Big 10 were thrashed in their respective bowl games. Both ranked in the Top 10 at the time. Florida...a 4 loss SEC team was thrashed by Michigan. Even among SEC standards, they were going in as representative of a weak field. It can be argued both Michigan State and Iowa represent two of the worst 12-1 in NCAA D-1 football history... it is no coincidence they play in the Big 10. There is an increasing amount of parity now in the NCAA, the SEC is not the dominant conference it once was with 8 or 9 teams int he Top 25. However the Big 10, is no real threat to the SEC dominance. The gap is narrowing...but the thrashing of two 12 win teams in their respective bowl games is all the evidence anyone needs to see. Bowls don't matter...is basically horse manure....Bowl games are the bread and butter of the season...Colleges make millions off of the exposure. The Rose Bowl is a storied bowl game....this isn't some unknown corporate bowl game...it's ' the Rose Bowl. All eyes are on the Big 10 and the PAC-12. You expect a competitive game as the game represents competent programs with winning seasons. Florida was a weak representative of the East...they lost 4 games, they were 19th ranked..no one expected much and sure enough they were thrashed. You don't expect to see two...Top 10 college teams with 12 win seasons...basically shut out. Stanford showed Iowa some mercy...they got a field goal late in the 3rd quarter..basically Stanford's 2nd string was getting some playing time in the Rose Bowl. The Big 10 can produce an elite team capapble of competing with any program in Divisiona I, and the gap is narrowing over-all wiith the SEC, but the gap remains.. The SEC remains the best conference in Division I college football. Remember, Alabama remains in the Title game....yiou can't dismiss that even with a weak showing by Florida. Meanwhile the Big 10 will be wathching from their living rooms.
These posts of yours are getting sillier by the minute.i don't have much time to continue on with this nonsensical trolling of yours Herk so I'm going to make this short and to the point. If you believe a MSU team that beat 3 top 10 teams in a season while winning a BIG title is one of the weakest one to two loss teams ever, this conversation isn't going to go anywhere. You make wild, blanket statements without any substance or facts to back your opinion, and you've consistently avoided discussing my two points of contention with your earlier posts. I think we're done.
This article sums it up pretty well...granted it's from Nov. 17, 2015. Numbers show SEC might still be nation's best conference http://sports.usatoday.com/2015/11/17/numbers-show-sec-might-still-be-nations-best-conference/ and I quote... Iowa, Northwestern and the Big 10s top representative, Michigan State, the team sent to defend the National Championship for their conference...got spanked. Florida, the best team to emerge out of the SEC East was similarly thrashed by Michigan. Similarly, Tennessee, out of the same SEC East...defeated Northwestern. We'll call that a wash...which leaves Alabama shutting out Michigan State...not even a competitive game really. Certainly the dominance exuded by the SEC in year's past is done. Other Conferences are catching up....however they remain the best conference...the Big 10 has certainly not surpassed that. Expertise isn't requried to clearly see, the Big 10 top teams performed poorly other than of course..Ohio State. The best team out of the Big 10 remains Ohio State. If they couldn't defend their National Title, no other Big 10 deserved it. Stanford out of the PAC-12 was more deserving. Meanwhile, Alabama remains to avenge their loss in the National Championship. Certainly there are challengers to the SEC now, but pound for pound...out of all the Division I college conferences; the SEC maintains the edge. The gap is closing, and perhaps another conference can eventually surpass them, but the Big 10 proved it was not up tthe task in the 2015-16 college football season. The King is not dead...quite yet. The SEC remains on top of the hill.
Lol exactly!!! Our defense is amazing, our QB is good, 4 great receivers (one 1st rounder). Freeze runs these stupid bubble screen looks WAY too often and that's what costs us big games. We need a stronger and more powerful run game.
