2021 College Football Discussion and Pick'em Thread

[Santander]

Eventually, the nucleus of the new SEC and other football powers are just going to drop the act and stop pretending to care about academics, institutional fit, geography, rivalries, fans, traditions, or feelings. Money is all that matters.

18-20 team super league that flips the bird to amateurism and retains only vague links to their university. University stadiums become no more representative of a university than the University of Phoenix Stadium, and the University of Phoenix itself becomes a shining example of capitalist endeavor, rather than dishonorable grifters. No more worrying about Title IX, and non-revenue sports only exist to provide travel opportunities and off-season entertainment to fans. Instead of scholarships, donations to the athletic department go towards salaried contracts for players. No need for scholarships when they don't have to pretend to attend class anymore or live on-campus with the plebs. In the words of the great champion Cardale Jones, "We come here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL" Players could use their signing bonus money to buy Lamborghinis and luxury condos, and large numbers of them commit suicide at age 25, penniless, forgotten, leaving behind perhaps only a trail of domestic violence and an illegitimate child or two.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Eventually, the nucleus of the new SEC and other football powers are just going to drop the act and stop pretending to care about academics, institutional fit, geography, rivalries, fans, traditions, or feelings. Money is all that matters.

18-20 team super league that flips the bird to amateurism and retains only vague links to their university. University stadiums become no more representative of a university than the University of Phoenix Stadium, and the University of Phoenix itself becomes a shining example of capitalist endeavor, rather than dishonorable grifters. No more worrying about Title IX, and non-revenue sports only exist to provide travel opportunities and off-season entertainment to fans. Instead of scholarships, donations to the athletic department go towards salaried contracts for players. No need for scholarships when they don't have to pretend to attend class anymore or live on-campus with the plebs. In the words of the great champion Cardale Jones, "We come here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL" Players could use their signing bonus money to buy Lamborghinis and luxury condos, and large numbers of them commit suicide at age 25, penniless, forgotten, leaving behind perhaps only a trail of domestic violence and an illegitimate child or two.

I'm reminded of a science fiction novel I read that was written around 1960 and set in the early 21st century.  It had a sampling of newspaper headlines, and one of them was "Betting scandal hits half of professionals on West Point football squad" or something like that. 

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1420492650482970633
Yeah, that'll work. Not.

ETA: This is apparently what triggered the above:

https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/status/1420512136208568324

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Stay strong, Big XII! Keep the money that belongs to you. Don't let ESPN or Austin get out of paying every last buck.

In other news, Barstool Sports has dented the ESPN bowl distribution monopoly with the streaming rights to the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on New Year's Eve. Clearly nowhere near the scale of operations they need to think bigger like long-term conference contracts. But hopefully Fox steps up here like they did for Big East basketball.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Well, the Big 12 is now claiming the AAC is trying to absorb all 8 of its remaining members after Texas and Oklahoma leave.  This seems far-fetched to me; it would effectively amount to a Big 12-AAC merger, and if that were to happen it would make a lot more sense to keep the Big 12 name and standing as an autonomy conference. 

The resulting conference would also have 19 football members, which would be unwieldy unless they plan to kick out the AAC bottom-feeders.

[GeorgiaModerate]

SEC unanimously votes to invite Texas and Oklahoma.  Even Texas A&M voted yes, although it had been widely reported that they were opposed.

[Dereich]

Now that the Big XII is on borrowed time I wonder if it'll even last all the way to 2025; any schools that can find a lifeboat to escape on have every reason to announce so ASAP. I doubt the media companies would care too much about cutting the contract a few years early if it looks like the decaying husk of the Big XII won't be very profitable.

[7,052,770]

Well, the Big 12 is now claiming the AAC is trying to absorb all 8 of its remaining members after Texas and Oklahoma leave.  This seems far-fetched to me; it would effectively amount to a Big 12-AAC merger, and if that were to happen it would make a lot more sense to keep the Big 12 name and standing as an autonomy conference. 

The resulting conference would also have 19 football members, which would be unwieldy unless they plan to kick out the AAC bottom-feeders.

Yeah that merger plan only really works in a world where the Big 10 invites Iowa State and Kansas and the ACC invites West Virginia (+ Cincinnati?) and gets the numbers down a little.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Well, the Big 12 is now claiming the AAC is trying to absorb all 8 of its remaining members after Texas and Oklahoma leave.  This seems far-fetched to me; it would effectively amount to a Big 12-AAC merger, and if that were to happen it would make a lot more sense to keep the Big 12 name and standing as an autonomy conference. 

The resulting conference would also have 19 football members, which would be unwieldy unless they plan to kick out the AAC bottom-feeders.

Yeah that merger plan only really works in a world where the Big 10 invites Iowa State and Kansas and the ACC invites West Virginia (+ Cincinnati?) and gets the numbers down a little.

As I said before, the only way the ACC expands is if for some odd reason Notre Dame decides it doesn't want to resume being a football independent once COVID no longer wreaks havoc with the schedules, and then they'll add one team, most likely Cincinnati IMHO. Given the length of the college football season, and only a single-level conference championship game allowed, a 14-team football conference is the largest practical size. The ACC already has 14, not counting Notre Dame.  Going past 14 to 16 marginally makes sense if you're adding extremely heavy hitters financially, such as Texas, Oklahoma, or Notre Dame. Adding WVU, Cincinnati, or UConn to the ACC makes sense only if Notre Dame permanently stays in ACC football past the 2021 season. (Notre Dame is currently planning on resuming being an independent this year, but the COVID resurgence could change things.)

Now if the NCAA were to allow the college football season to add a game or two, then yes, the ACC would certainly expand to 16 football members. But that's unlikely to happen.

[Dereich]

Well, the Big 12 is now claiming the AAC is trying to absorb all 8 of its remaining members after Texas and Oklahoma leave.  This seems far-fetched to me; it would effectively amount to a Big 12-AAC merger, and if that were to happen it would make a lot more sense to keep the Big 12 name and standing as an autonomy conference. 

The resulting conference would also have 19 football members, which would be unwieldy unless they plan to kick out the AAC bottom-feeders.

Yeah that merger plan only really works in a world where the Big 10 invites Iowa State and Kansas and the ACC invites West Virginia (+ Cincinnati?) and gets the numbers down a little.

As I said before, the only way the ACC expands is if for some odd reason Notre Dame decides it doesn't want to resume being a football independent once COVID no longer wreaks havoc with the schedules, and then they'll add one team, most likely Cincinnati IMHO. Given the length of the college football season, and only a single-level conference championship game allowed, a 14-team football conference is the largest practical size. The ACC already has 14, not counting Notre Dame.  Going past 14 to 16 marginally makes sense if you're adding extremely heavy hitters financially, such as Texas, Oklahoma, or Notre Dame. Adding WVU, Cincinnati, or UConn to the ACC makes sense only if Notre Dame permanently stays in ACC football past the 2021 season. (Notre Dame is currently planning on resuming being an independent this year, but the COVID resurgence could change things.)

Now if the NCAA were to allow the college football season to add a game or two, then yes, the ACC would certainly expand to 16 football members. But that's unlikely to happen.

Beyond ND the ACC’s biggest target for a while has been to poach Penn State from the Big 10. Overcoming Big 10 money has always made that difficult but if the ACC were to add two that’s who they’d be looking at and those names would make a 16 team ACC more viable.

[NewYorkExpress]

Well, the Big 12 is now claiming the AAC is trying to absorb all 8 of its remaining members after Texas and Oklahoma leave.  This seems far-fetched to me; it would effectively amount to a Big 12-AAC merger, and if that were to happen it would make a lot more sense to keep the Big 12 name and standing as an autonomy conference. 

The resulting conference would also have 19 football members, which would be unwieldy unless they plan to kick out the AAC bottom-feeders.

Yeah that merger plan only really works in a world where the Big 10 invites Iowa State and Kansas and the ACC invites West Virginia (+ Cincinnati?) and gets the numbers down a little.

As I said before, the only way the ACC expands is if for some odd reason Notre Dame decides it doesn't want to resume being a football independent once COVID no longer wreaks havoc with the schedules, and then they'll add one team, most likely Cincinnati IMHO. Given the length of the college football season, and only a single-level conference championship game allowed, a 14-team football conference is the largest practical size. The ACC already has 14, not counting Notre Dame.  Going past 14 to 16 marginally makes sense if you're adding extremely heavy hitters financially, such as Texas, Oklahoma, or Notre Dame. Adding WVU, Cincinnati, or UConn to the ACC makes sense only if Notre Dame permanently stays in ACC football past the 2021 season. (Notre Dame is currently planning on resuming being an independent this year, but the COVID resurgence could change things.)

Now if the NCAA were to allow the college football season to add a game or two, then yes, the ACC would certainly expand to 16 football members. But that's unlikely to happen.

Beyond ND the ACC’s biggest target for a while has been to poach Penn State from the Big 10. Overcoming Big 10 money has always made that difficult but if the ACC were to add two that’s who they’d be looking at and those names would make a 16 team ACC more viable.

UCF would be a decent consolation prize (assuming they can get Florida State to agree to it) for the ACC. Also, possibly West Virginia (Big Twelve) and South Carolina (SEC) would be good fits.

[Donerail]

No school is going to leave the #1 revenue conference for the #4 revenue conference. Only way USC is leaving the SEC is if they get kicked out.

[Santander]

UCF would be a decent consolation prize (assuming they can get Florida State to agree to it) for the ACC. Also, possibly West Virginia (Big Twelve) and South Carolina (SEC) would be good fits.

Wanting Penn State and getting UCF is not a "decent consolation prize".

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Without Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence College Football is gonna have to adjust to life without them, it's gonna be boring at first

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

If the ACC is looking to expand, might I suggest they take back Maryland and consider adding the rising basketball power, Rutgers?

[Santander]

The ACC cannot get Notre Dame (neither can the Big Ten), nor any other serious football power. The ACC is terrible in football right now, it's boxed in geographically by the two richest conferences, and it has an atrocious TV deal. Clemson is basically playing a G5 schedule this year, and their entire resume will be the Georgia game and maybe the conference championship if North Carolina lives up to hype.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

As an aside, I would like to start on August 28th with those first games and keep it rolling through the next week. We have some interesting games starting then like Illinois vs Nebraska and then Boise State and UCF play on the Thursday (sep 2nd) so plenty of interesting games during that whole period, which is nice. Anyone object?

[Donerail]

I must strenuously object to the idea that Nebraska vs Illinois is "interesting," except in the way a car crash is "interesting," but I have no objections to starting then.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

I must strenuously object to the idea that Nebraska vs Illinois is "interesting," except in the way a car crash is "interesting," but I have no objections to starting then.

Will you not be stopping and watching?

[Donerail]

I must strenuously object to the idea that Nebraska vs Illinois is "interesting," except in the way a car crash is "interesting," but I have no objections to starting then.

Will you not be stopping and watching?

Nahhh, I'm on the west coast now sadly, and those Saturday AM kickoffs are always tough. I might catch the second half if it's competitive, will watch the UCLA game if not

[NewYorkExpress]

As an aside, I would like to start on August 28th with those first games and keep it rolling through the next week. We have some interesting games starting then like Illinois vs Nebraska and then Boise State and UCF play on the Thursday (sep 2nd) so plenty of interesting games during that whole period, which is nice. Anyone object?

No objections here.

If you're looking for games before September 4, Ohio State/Minnesota is on September 2, and North Carolina/Virginia Tech and Michigan State/Northwestern are on September 3.

[Santander]

The most interesting basement-dweller duel in Week 1 is Purdue-Oregon State. Huge game.

[GeorgiaModerate]

I’m fine with starting on the 28th.

[GeorgiaModerate]

For those considering playing the pick'em game, here are the rules.  I'll post these again at the start of the season.

The game will run weekly through the college football season including the bowl games and playoff.  Terry will post each week's slate of games in this thread.  There will usually be 25 games (schedule permitting) and may include some FCS games.

Make your picks by replying in this thread one or more times; don’t send them by PM to either him or me.  You can either copy the list of games and bold your predicted winners, or just post your list of winners.  

If bolding your winners, games with zero or both teams bolded will not be counted.  If listing your winners, slight errors in team names will be counted if the intent is unambiguous.  For example, in a Georgia Tech vs Florida State game, writing “Florida” would be counted as a pick of Florida State, but “Georgia State” would not be counted.  I (or anyone) may point out such errors so you have a chance to correct them, but this is not guaranteed to happen – ultimately, you’re responsible for getting your picks posted correctly.

Your pick for a game must be posted before the official start time for that game.  This is a hard cutoff.  You can change any of your picks by making a subsequent post, as long as it's before the game start time.  Please post a new reply for any changes; just editing your original post is easy for me to miss and could also raise timestamp questions.  

You don’t have to post your whole list at once.  For example, in a week with Friday and Saturday games, you could optionally post only the Friday game picks by Friday, and then follow up with the Saturday games on Saturday morning.  Or if you forget and miss the Friday games, you can still post picks for Saturday's games.

If a game is canceled or postponed due to COVID or any other reason: if it's just delayed within its originally scheduled week, it remains on the list for that week.  If it's pushed to a later week or delayed indefinitely, it becomes a "no contest" for the original week.  If it comes up again on a later week's pick'em list, that's considered a new game and you'll need to pick it again; the original pick will not carry over.

Each correct pick is worth one point.  After all of the week’s games are complete (usually on Sunday morning) I’ll post the results for that week and the year-to-date standings. 

It's really interesting to go back through the 2020 thread and read all the uncertainty leading up to the start of that season.

[NewYorkExpress]

Legendary Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden died at 91 from Pancreatic Cancer.

Bobby Bowden, the longtime Florida State football coach who ranks second all time in Division I wins, has died, the school announced Sunday morning.

He was 91.

Bowden was diagnosed with a terminal medical condition in July. He did not disclose what the condition was at the time, although his son Terry later told reporters that it was pancreatic cancer.