2025-26 College Football Thread

[pilight]

Haynes King should win the Heisman

[Amazin69]

Game 'Cocks may have lost 4/5 SEC games, but we were ready for #4 'Bama at Willie-B today!!

Defense shut down Heisman "candidate" Ty Simpson for most of the game and only trailed 14-6 at the half, despite one drive that ended in a missed FG, another where a LaNorris Sellers TD run was called back and we had to settle for three, and that one swing pass to Russell Faison that Faison juggled enough for the Tide DB to grab the ball off of Faison's fingertips and zip in for the pick-6

But in the 2nd half, we cleaned things up. A turnover on downs set us up near-midfield and Sellers hit Nyck Harbor for a deep TD pass. We sacked Simpson, forcing a fumble that set up the go-ahead FG, and after an exchange of punts, the Alabama up-man had the ball bounce off of his thigh, and we pounced and promptly drove in to take a 22-14 lead halfway through the 4th!!!

…at which point the defense folded like a tent, allowing Simpson to throw a TD and the tying 2pt conversion with 2:13 left in the game, and on the ensuing possession, Sellers was stripped while being gang-tackled, so the Tide had the ball inside our 40 and they drove into FG range where we employed the Holmgren Defense (ie, let them score) which worked in the sense that we got the ball back with 00:34 and no timeouts left, trailing 29-22, but fat lot of good that did us.

I swear, this team is like the opposite of all the "Cocks" jokes. Complete Seinfeldian "shrikage", week after week after week.

At least the Mets and Clippers and Kings win some games…we need another SEC win to be bowl-eligible, even if we beat Clemson.

[monkeyman576]

Oh the bane of being in a power conference, us small conference teams feel so sorry for you. Join the Pac 12 and you'd probably be conference champs.

[Amazin69]

We're supposed to feel bad because the SEC is good? I'd like to say it sucks that we didn't get to play Florida, Auburn or Miss. State…but we'd probably have blown those, too. Sigh.

[monkeyman576]

After nearly beating Ole Miss and Virginia, and now beating Toledo by 3 touchdowns, I wonder if Washington State gets any top 25 votes. Being blown out by North Texas and Washington didn't help but we are definately turning a corner it looks like. Hopefully we can keep our new coach for more than 3 seasons.

[Cobra Mgr]

Sources say LSU has told Kelly they plan to fire him.

[monkeyman576]

You're a perennial top 5 team in the strongest conference in the country, you've been to a top tier bowl game all 3 of his years and you're going to dismiss him? Sounds pretty short sighted to me.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

You're a perennial top 5 team in the strongest conference in the country, you've been to a top tier bowl game all 3 of his years and you're going to dismiss him? Sounds pretty short sighted to me.

LSU isn't in it to win games. They are in it to win trophies. They think all the $ they spend should result in, minimum, a natty every decade, at least 3 or 4 SEC titles in that same decade & the playoffs every year.

Welcome to college football's new world. Now that having a winning program demands 8 figures a year in NIL $, the alumni & boosters who fund that will demand results that reflect what they put in. You are not in the NFL where one owner could be rational or not. You are dealing w/100's who think they are "owners" and are definitely irrational.

[monkeyman576]

I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if they don't find a better coach and it's a net minus for the team win-loss wise and they still end up owing Kelly money. I get that they pay a lot more in NIL than they do to the coach and it's easier to fire the coach than blame the players. Although it could be players complained that they won't make the playoffs and that's part of the reason he was fired.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if they don't find a better coach and it's a net minus for the team win-loss wise and they still end up owing Kelly money. I get that they pay a lot more in NIL than they do to the coach and it's easier to fire the coach than blame the players. Although it could be players complained that they won't make the playoffs and that's part of the reason he was fired.

I wouldn't be surprised either. Again, they are not rational.

This is why I said a year or 2 back the teams outside the SEC & T1e8n should leave those conferences to their own devices and strike out on their own. You put too many big fish in a small bowl, some of those fish are going to loose weight. Cause there is only so much to eat and not every fish can swim as good in a crowded pond. LSU is FAFO. Oklahoma is FAFO. Texas is FAFO. Penn St is FAFO. USC is FAFO. UCLA is FAFO.

Every league has to have a top, a middle, and a bottom. When too many "tops" get put in the same league, some of them are going to have to fall to the middle. It is too hard to maintain. Before, those schools had to 2, 3 teams tops that could actually beat them on the schedule. Nine, 10 wins was a given. Now they have 5,6 games against an equal or better. That's a lot more middle. They don't look dominant any more. That is an inevitable loss of status. A reality they have not let themselves foresee.

[Cobra Mgr]

SEC Shorts - The Barbershop Quartet

[Cobra Mgr]

No one loss last week, so everything stays the same.

1. No team with a loss will be ranked ahead of an unbeaten team. No matter the schedule or conference.

2. Once there are less than 5 unbeatens, the rankings will reflect the 12 I think should be in the playoff.

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Georgia Tech
5. BYU
6. Navy
7. Bama
8. Georgia
9. Miami
10. Ole Miss
11. Texas Tech
12. Oregon

[Cobra Mgr]

Am I the only one who wants to punch Paul Finebaum every time you see him? His face looks like it was used for a chew toy by a pack of hyenas. And he has the personality of a movie assistant principal that is always trying to punish the kid star of the film. I don't know why ESPN thinks he has some sort of appeal. The guy is a giant turd in the media toliet bowl.........

........I'm actually beginning to believe the Hoosiers are for real. Imagine that?.........

........Virginia might actually go into the ACC title game unbeaten in the ACC. All that is left are road games @ Cal & dook & home ones vs Wake & VT. GT goes on the road vs NCSt & BC & finish w/Pitt. Who had those 2 as the ACC finalists?..........

.......These over-sized conferences have the makings of some really confusing end of season scenarios. It's plausible that 5 in the ACC could finish tied for 1st w/one loss each. If Louisville, dook & Miami win out & GT slips up once, those 4 & Virginia would finish w/one loss. Sub Miami w/Pitt if the Panthers don't take another L. And SMU is still in the picture........

.......I almost always pull against the SEC. But I can't help liking Vandy........

.......Sometimes, it seems that some programs are just destined to lose. I had no faith UNC would convert their 2pt attempt in OT. I had no faith Miss St would hold on vs Texas. I was not surprised Bama came back vs SCar. I don't believe in fate. I don't believe in curses. It's just that some programs find a way. Some to win, others to lose........

.......Who @ the beginning of the year thought Penn St @ Ohio St would be the biggest game this weekend? All experts thought this one would have national championship implications. Yet, it is not even the biggest game @ noon. That goes to Vandy (yes, Vandy) @ Texas. And that one could be influential in the playoffs down the road.........

.......James Franklin, Brian Kelly & Billy Napier will make $122M to not coach.........Let that sink in...........

EDIT: One thing I forgot to note...........

These Miami uniforms the Canes wore Saturday night are the ugliest jerseys in the history of mankind. And yes, I saw the Steelers' tribute to school buses last night.

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

It's just that some programs find a way. Some to win, others to lose.

Somehow, I doubt that Larry Merchant was the first person to say "Good teams find a way to win; bad teams find a way to lose" (in 1972, after he wasted a whimsical bet on the Oilers, taking 10.5 pts at home against the Packers; Merchant was right that Houston could stuff a one-dimensional Scott Hunter-led offense, but he forgot that "don't bet on an underdog unless you think they can win the game" axiom), but I can't find a prior source and QuoteInvestigator hasn't researched it, so I'll keep giving Larry his flowers, I suppose.

[Cobra Mgr]

SEC Roll Call - Week 9

[Cobra Mgr]

Carson Beck's INT's have killed Miami's playoff hopes.

[Cobra Mgr]

NCSt coach Dave Doreen will never win a game that keeps fans from wanting to fire him. But he will always win the game that prevents fans from getting him fired.

[monkeyman576]

I can't call it historical to say Notre Dame getting to the playoffs after losing their first two will be historical because the 12 team playoff is only a few years old but I doubt it would happen again soon.

[Cobra Mgr]

Auburn fires Hugh Freeze. They are the 4th SEC team to fire their HC this season.

[Cobra Mgr]

Georgia Tech & Navy each lost so we are down to 4 unbeatens.

1. No team with a loss will be ranked ahead of an unbeaten team. No matter the schedule or conference.

2. Once there are less than 5 unbeatens, the rankings will reflect the 12 I think should be in the playoff.

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. BYU
5. Bama
6. Georgia
7. Ole Miss
8. Texas Tech
9. Oregon
10. Virginia
11. Notre Dame
12. Memphis

Note: If the Longhorns win out, no way the Irish can top Texas for the final at large spot.