2021 College Football Thread

[abpk2903]

We are a week in, what is everyone's thoughts to this point. Some huge games locally and nationally this week include:

-Pitt @ Tennessee. Pitt opened as a field goal favorite. Winner of this game might be ranked the following week.

- Ball State @ #11 Penn State. Ball State won the MAC last year and brought back a really good QB. Potential trap game for Penn State with Auburn and the whiteout looming the following Saturday.

- #12 Oregon @ #3 Ohio State. Oregon didn't look that great against Fresno State but I think this game won't be determined until deep into the 4th quarter.

-Washington @ Michigan. Washington lost to FCS team last week. I think that actually puts a lot more pressure on Harbaugh and Michigan to not lose this game at home. Both of these programs seem to be fighting to stay nationally relevant at the moment.

- #10 Iowa @ #9 Iowa State. First time these programs will meet with both being ranked in the top 10. One of my favorite games to watch every year.

Some other games that I think could be important as the year goes on:

-Rutgers @ Syracuse. Rutgers throttled AAC foe Temple last week. If Greg Schiano can go on the road and beat an ACC team this week, that rebuild can be declared ahead of schedule.

-Illinois @ Virginia. 11 am game that will get a lot of eyes early in the day. Illinois beat Nebraska then laid an egg against UTSA. I feel like the winner of this game will be a bowl team. The loser will not.

- #15 Texas @ Arkansas. Texas gets a taste of road life in the SEC where they will be moving to shortly.

-#14 USC @ Stanford. Always a great game. I just don't think Stanford has much of a shot.

Some notes through the first week.

B1G - 2-0 against OOC P5 opponents. 2-1 against non-P5 FBS. 1-0 against FCS.

ACC - 0-4 against OOC P5 opponents. 4-2 against non-P5 FBS. 2-0 against FCS

PAC 12 - 1-2 against OOC P5 opponents. 3-3 against non-P5 FBS. 3-1 against FCS.

Big 12 - 1-1 against OOC P5 opponents. 4-0 against non-P5 FBS. 4-0 against FCS.

SEC - 3-1 against OOC P5 opponents. 8-0 against non-P5 FBS. 1-1 against FCS.

I think as major college football re-alignment is imminent, it is as important as ever for college football conferences to appear strong and perform well OOC. Week 1 was great for the B1G, SEC, and Big 12 . The PAC 12 and ACC had horrible weeks. I think this makes games like Illinois vs Virginia, Pitt vs Tennessee, and Rutgers vs Syracuse very intriguing this week.

[Colonel Mustard]

Two thoughts. Pre-season rankings are meaningless. If Clemson goes 12-1, it won't really matter that the ACC went 0-4 in week 1.

[abpk2903]

You think a 1 loss Clemson gets in over a 1 loss B1G team that didn’t win the conference?

That B1G team likely would have 3 or 4 top 25 wins in their resume. Where is Clemson getting that kind of resume from?

[DragonsDoExist]

If Clemson goes on to win the ACC with their lone loss being week 1 to Georgia they will absolutely be in the playoff IMO. Unless of course UGA and Bama win out with their only loss being head to head and OSU and OU don’t lose. Lot of football to be played.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Crimson's Ghost]

12-1 Clemson would pretty much be a lock.

[konjo78]

Preseason rankings mean nothing. The CFP and College football season is just a big circlejerk between power 5 conferences.

ACC-Pac12 and big 12 arent really elite top to bottom. In my opinion pac 12 and a clemsonless ACC are probably the same level as your American and mountain west conferences. Like both washington schools lost this weekend to opponents that are "supposed" to be routs. And this happens all the time, pac 12 schools losing to big sky squads.

[Colonel Mustard]

Of course we will have to see how everything plays out. If there are 2 'worthy' SEC teams, ESPN will want them both and then someone will be left out.

No chance the Big 10 ever gets 2 teams in.

[abpk2903]

I wouldn’t say never but the second B1G school to get in would have to be Ohio State or Michigan. They aren’t letting a 1 loss non-B1G champion Iowa or Michigan State into the playoffs, ever.

I think Clemson this year will be a very interesting case study. If there are 4 1 loss P5 power conference winners or better along with a 1 loss UGA, Florida, or Alabama that didn’t win the SEC, then I don’t see how you would justify Clemson in over that team.

Also, the B1G East looks absolutely brutal this year. There isn’t a layup in that entire division. Maryland is respectable or better, Rutgers is respectable or better, Michigan State already won a B1G road game, PSU, UM, and IU all are talented enough to challenge OSU, and OSU is OSU.

[OutOfTheLoop]

Looks like Rutgers ain't come here to play school
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/ ... 776947001/

[abpk2903]

We head off to week 3. Here is what I am keeping an eye on.

Locally:

-#22 Auburn @ #10 Penn State. I think a game that really shapes the perception of 2 programs and 2 conferences. The SEC has looked very strong this year outside of Tennessee who lost at home to a (better than most realize) Pitt team and Vanderbilt who is the worst P5 program in the country right now. Now can they have a team that lives in Alabama's shadow going on the road to face a team that lives in Ohio State's shadow? Winning this game helps both teams get out of the shadow long term. Loser still has a conference championship to play for, winner I think starts to wonder if they are closer than most thought before the year started.

-Western Michigan @ Pitt. Stadium should be emptying out by halftime. Pitt is pretty good. Western Michigan is a middle of the pack MAC team.

Ranked Games Nationally:

-#1 Alabama @ #11 Florida. Alabama is good, really good. Going on the road against a top 15 SEC team is never easy. Florida can beat them but it would surprise me, very much. There have been great college football dynasty era's over the years. USC, Nebraska, Miami, Notre Dame, etc. Alabama is the best of all of them and I don't even know if they are to their ceiling yet.

-#19 Arizona State @ #23 BYU. BYU looking to stack wins against ranked PAC10 schools on their resume. I think this is a program that will be in prime position to be the class of the Big 12 in a few years.

Other games that I think will be great:

-#8 Cincinnati @ Indiana - Is Indiana coming back to earth a little bit after one of the best teams in program history last year? I think Indiana takes a step back in B1G play this year but still shows the AAC that there is a gap in their conferences. Indiana by a nose.

-#15 Virginia Tech @ West Virginia - This feels like a game that VT loses. They are very tough at Blacksburg but also very inconsistent as a program right now.

-Michigan State @ Miami - Michigan State I think is ahead of schedule on their rebuild after D'Antonio left the program. Can't really judge Miami by getting blitzed by Alabama, almost every team would. This game will tell us a lot about both teams.

-Purdue @ #12 Notre Dame - Great rivalry in the state of Indiana. Notre Dame survived two huge scares, can they finally put a comfortable win together? Purdue has one hell of a wideout in Bell and they have George Karlaftis on defense who will most likely be drafted in the top 10.

-Virginia @ #21 UNC - Virginia put it to Illinois last week. UNC did not impress me at VT to open the season. I think UVA rolls.

-Fresno State @ #13 UCLA - Fresno State looked better against Oregon than Ohio State did. They have a great program and Chip Kelly better have the Bruins ready to roll or they will upset them.