2020 College Football Discussion and Pick 'Em Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Apparently I forgot to pick the Penn State/Illinois game.

I'm taking Illinois.

[NewYorkExpress]

FYI, my plan is for us to play all the bowl games after Christmas, which gives us 6 days to pick as normal. (Also gives us 26 games, pending cancellation, most matchups wont be decided until Selection Sunday)

I'm not thrilled with that idea.

Picking the bowls is hard, as a lot of teams just don't care.

On top of that, several teams have already stated they won't accept a bowl invitation due to the pandemic.

[NewYorkExpress]

FYI, my plan is for us to play all the bowl games after Christmas, which gives us 6 days to pick as normal. (Also gives us 26 games, pending cancellation, most matchups wont be decided until Selection Sunday)

I'm not thrilled with that idea.

Picking the bowls is hard, as a lot of teams just don't care.

On top of that, several teams have already stated they won't accept a bowl invitation due to the pandemic.

So you want us to just pick....the playoff games? That's kind of boring. Given there are no restrictions on who can play this year, there are plenty of teams willing to play.

I'm less than thrilled with the bowls being put up, but far be it from me to try to stop you if that's what you want to do.

[NewYorkExpress]

FYI, my plan is for us to play all the bowl games after Christmas, which gives us 6 days to pick as normal. (Also gives us 26 games, pending cancellation, most matchups wont be decided until Selection Sunday)

I'm not thrilled with that idea.

Picking the bowls is hard, as a lot of teams just don't care.

On top of that, several teams have already stated they won't accept a bowl invitation due to the pandemic.

So you want us to just pick....the playoff games? That's kind of boring. Given there are no restrictions on who can play this year, there are plenty of teams willing to play.

I'm less than thrilled with the bowls being put up, but far be it from me to try to stop you if that's what you want to do.

I posted in the original rules when this started that we would play the bowl games though, plus we played them in previous years as well, just picking the playoff is boring. We know Alabama will roll over the competition.

That's why I'm not putting up more of a fuss.

Besides, we don't know that Alabama will win the National Championship.

Clemson's had their number the past couple of years...

[NewYorkExpress]

Not on the list, but the Sun Belt Championship game was canceled because of positive tests from Coastal Carolina.

[NewYorkExpress]

My playoff rankings:

#1 Alabama
#2 Clemson
#3 Notre Dame
#4 Ohio State

[NewYorkExpress]

My playoff rankings:

#1 Alabama
#2 Clemson
#3 Notre Dame
#4 Ohio State

I think Notre Dame still is either the #3 or #4 seed, given their prior victory over Clemson.

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1340787125143400453

Are we sure that isn't a decision, that given the circumstances, was made in West Point?

[NewYorkExpress]

I know the pick'em is only the post-Christmas bowls, but I feel like picking the pre-Christmas ones too.

Myrtle Beach Bowl:

Appalachian State @ North Texas

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Tulane @ Nevada

Boca Raton Bowl:

UCF @ #16 BYU (This actually should be a good game)

New Orleans Bowl:

Louisiana Tech @ Georgia Southern

Montgomery Bowl:

Memphis @ Florida Atlantic

New Mexico Bowl:

Hawaii @ Houston

Camellia Bowl:

Buffalo @ Marshall

Saturday, December 26th

FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
Liberty vs #12 Coastal Carolina Noon EST ESPN

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL
South Carolina vs UAB Noon EST ABC

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX
#19 Louisiana vs UTSA 3:30 PM EST ABC

LendingTree Bowl at Ladd-Pebbles Stadium in Mobile, AL
Western Kentucky vs Georgia State 3:30 PM EST ESPN

Tuesday, December 29th

Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
#21 Oklahoma State vs #18 Miami (FL) 5:30 PM EST ESPN

Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
#20 Texas vs Colorado 9 PM EST ESPN

Wednesday, December 30th

Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America in Charlotte, NC
Wake Forest vs Wisconsin Noon EST ESPN

TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN
Iowa vs Missouri 4 PM EST ESPN

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#6 Oklahoma vs #7 Florida 8 PM EST ESPN

Thursday, December 31st

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX
Tulsa vs Mississippi State Noon EST ESPN

Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, AZ
Ball State vs #22 San José State 2 PM EST CBSSN

AutoZone Liberty Bowl at Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, TN
West Virginia vs Tennessee 4 PM EST ESPN

Mercari Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
Arkansas vs TCU 8 PM EST ESPN

Friday, January 1st

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA
#8 Cincinnati vs #9 Georgia Noon EST ESPN

Vrbo Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
Auburn vs #14 Northwestern 1 PM EST ABC

Rose Bowl Game - CFP Semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#4 Notre Dame vs #1 Alabama 4 PM EST ESPN

Allstate Sugar Bowl - CFP Semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA
#3 Ohio State vs #2 Clemson 8 PM EST ESPN

Saturday, January 2nd

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL
#23 North Carolina State vs Kentucky Noon EST ESPN

Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
Ole Miss vs #11 Indiana 12:30 PM EST ABC

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ
#25 Oregon vs #10 Iowa State 4 PM EST ESPN

Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL
#5 Texas A&M vs #13 North Carolina 8 PM EST ESPN

College Football Playoff Championship Game:

Alabama 37, Clemson 34 3OT

[NewYorkExpress]

Switching my pick in the Liberty Bowl from West Virginia to Army.

[NewYorkExpress]

It's official. Boise State Head Coach Brian Harsin will be the next Head Coach at Auburn.

Auburn has hired Boise State coach Bryan Harsin to take over its program, replacing Gus Malzahn following a rapid search process, a source tells CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd. Harsin was 69-19 in seven seasons as the Broncos' coach, winning Mountain West titles in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

In joining the Tigers, Harsin again follows in the footsteps of Malzahn. He previously took over Arkansas State in 2013 after Malzahn was hired by Auburn. Harsin went 7-5 and won the Sun Belt in his lone season with the Red Wolves before heading out west to lead his alma mater Boise State.

Harsin is known for a system that puts an emphasis on physicality along both lines of scrimmage and a creative offensive scheme out of the spread. His system has produced 3,000-yard passers in four of his first six seasons and, had Hank Bachmeier not suffered from injury last season, could have put up a fifth.

The biggest question facing Harsin now is his staff. Recruiting is the most important aspect of any SEC coach's job, and Harsin's limited experience in the SEC footprint could become a problem if he doesn't hire the right assistant coaches. It's unclear who will be on Harsin's first staff on the Plains, but a group of energetic recruiters with deep ties in the south will help him transition to his new role in the toughest division in college football.

Who's the most likely person to replace Harsin at Boise State? I'm honestly thinking Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell is a possible hire there.

[NewYorkExpress]

Auburn picking someone whose only experience in the South was one year at Arkansas State almost a decade ago is...uh...interesting. Recruiting against Alabama, LSU, and Georgia is hard enough as is without adding a handicap like this. It sure doesn't look to me like dumping Gus this year was the right move.

I'm sure Steve Sarkisian would have said yes if asked.

[NewYorkExpress]

I'm sure Steve Sarkisian would have said yes if asked.

Sark turned down the interview. No one with better options wants a job where they'll be coaching under the kind of restrictions Auburn was reportedly trying to impose.

Who's the most likely person to replace Harsin at Boise State? I'm honestly thinking Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell is a possible hire there.

Why?? Chadwell's spent his whole career in the South — no chance he leaves for a job in the Mountain West. Most likely candidates are Oregon DC Andy Avalos (former DC at Boise), Cowboys OC Kellen Moore (played QB at Boise), Falcons OC Dirk Koetter (former Boise coach who may be looking for a retirement job), or someone with success in the region like Jeff Choate at Montana State or Brent Brennan at SJSU. It's a very appealing but tricky job — they're probably leaving that conference and need a good recruiter to balance out their talent-sparse region.

The last time Boise State hired a head coach, they hired Harsin, who had previously been the head coach at Arkansas State and an assistant at Texas.

It's not unrealistic to think Chadwell's a plausible hire.

[NewYorkExpress]

Why would you want to go from Coastal Carolina to the Mountain West anyways? I would argue the Sun Belt is much more competitive these days, especially since they had two teams in the top 20 this year

Boise State is arguably a stronger program.

Also, that blue turf they play on is awesome.

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/anniemapp_/status/1341799192981893124?s=21
Nick Saban is a Chinese plot to interfere with our elections playoffs!

I would think most Division I (and probably even the majority of Division II and III) schools have illegal ties to the Chinese Communist Party somewhere on campus.

[NewYorkExpress]

Heisman finalists are out.

Alabama teammates Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask were announced as Heisman Trophy finalists on Thursday night.

Personally, my vote is for Mac Jones. Who would you vote for?

[NewYorkExpress]

The reason for the change, of course, was that 10 Florida starters are sitting out the Cotton Bowl, mostly because they're going pro. We are seeing the results of that now, with OU up 17-0 and (Heisman Finalist) Trask having thrown three interceptions, almost certainly in part because Florida's four best receivers opted out.

This game is, I think, the biggest proof yet that an expanded playoff is necessary. If ten starters are opting out of an NY6 game, its a clear sign that the NY6 no longer has the distinction and value it did under the BCS. They need to go ahead and get rid of them in favor of an 8 team playoff.

Alternatively, the NFL could establish a minimum number of games played in college to be draft-eligible (which might force players to play bowl games.)

[NewYorkExpress]

Texas A&M already lost to Alabama, and while Cincinnati was really good, they weren't the best non-Power 5 team in my opinion (that was either Liberty or BYU).

I think the most likely chance for Alabama to lose was if the committee for some reason decided to rank Clemson fourth.

[NewYorkExpress]

The 11th-12th best team in the SEC beats the 2nd best team in the AAC. #Power6?

You were saying?

I was saying that the AAC is not on the level of a Power 5 conference, despite their claims.

Last year they surpassed the ACC at the end, no? Or came very close. And this year is tough to measure but the Pac-12 is certainly pretty abysmally close.im sure Mississippi State could've very well done the same thing to Washington or Colorado.

I wouldn't say so. You could argue that the worst P5 conference is closer to the AAC than it is to the SEC I guess, but the AAC is definitely more in line with the G5s than the P5s.


NFL Draft Picks by conference

Question. On that chart, does Notre Dame count as an Independent, or a ACC member?

[NewYorkExpress]

I'm ready to make my pick.

Alabama 45, Ohio State 14.

[NewYorkExpress]

Texas fires Tom Herman, likely to be replaced by Steve Sarkisian.

Dumb. I would hire Herman in a heartbeat if my team needed a coach.

Herman's going to get hired by someone.

It's probably a shame for him that the job at Auburn isn't still open, as I think he'd have been a better fit than Brian Harsin.

I wouldn't be shocked if Gus Malzahn at least gets an interview at Texas, by the way.

[NewYorkExpress]

I don't know who is choose but it sure as heck wouldn't be Steve Sarkisian

Gus Malzhan's available...

[NewYorkExpress]

I don't know who is choose but it sure as heck wouldn't be Steve Sarkisian

I'd look into the promising new head coach with Texas ties who's managed to take UNC to an Orange Bowl.

Mack Brown?

I can't see him going back to Texas.

If I were Texas, my shortlist would be:

1. Gus Malzahn
2. Mike Leach
3. Jimbo Fisher
4. Brett Venables
5. Gary Patterson

[NewYorkExpress]

Steve Sarkisian will indeed be the hire for the vacant head coaching position at Texas.

Looks like I was wrong again.

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/JeopardySports/status/1348846664958795777?s=20

Jeopardy seems to enjoy picking on Browns fans.