2020 College Football Discussion and Pick 'Em Thread

[Dereich]

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 Army 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   I really don't like this prediction...I wouldn't hesitate to pick Auburn if they weren't coachless

Rose Bowl Game - CFP Semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#4 Notre Dame vs #1 Alabama 4 PM EST ESPN   45-20 Alabama

Allstate Sugar Bowl - CFP Semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA
#3 Ohio State vs #2 Clemson 8 PM EST ESPN  31-17 Clemson

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  This should actually be a really fun game.

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

[Dereich]

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.

[Dereich]

https://twitter.com/anniemapp_/status/1341799192981893124?s=21

Nick Saban is a Chinese plot to interfere with our elections playoffs!

[Dereich]

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?

Its hard to give it to an Alabama player...the Heisman is (in theory) the award for the best individual player on a team. While Mac Jones is certainly good, how much of that is due to him and how much is it due to having literally the best players in the country at almost every position to back him up?  I'm not sure who gets it this year, but I think Trask has shown how he kept Florida in the season and Trevor showed his value in his absence against Notre Dame.

[Dereich]

I am also changing my pick from Florida to Oklahoma

[Dereich]

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.

[Dereich]

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.

The only purpose of non-playoff bowl games is to enable programs to maintain their practice year round.

You're lucky that Atlas doesn't have any Rose Bowl fanatics to provide a few pages about The Mystique and Tradition of the Oldest Bowl.

[Dereich]

I gotta think that Texas A&M or Cincinnati would have given Alabama a better game.

Texas A&M lost to Bama by 28. No reason to think that they'd play Bama closer this time.

Liked to see ND not give up at the end; the onside recovery and last drive were at very least a bit of fun in a doomed game.

[Dereich]

Blegh, so it'll be my two least favorite teams in the championship. Here's hoping Saban drops 70 on THE Ohio State.

Edit: Actually, I take that back. I prefer Bama to Georgia.

[Dereich]

Alabama 38
Ohio State 27

[Dereich]

While everyone here has been focused on Georgia, DeVonta Smith won the Heisman. The first WR to win one since 1991.

[Dereich]

Michigan just gave Harbaugh a contract extension.

While I think he's a good coach, the decision is pretty hilarious when Michigan fans have spent months calling for his head.

[Dereich]

Michigan just gave Harbaugh a contract extension.

While I think he's a good coach, the decision is pretty hilarious when Michigan fans have spent months calling for his head.

Why?

Anyway, this was a good game, but kinda starting to look like Bama will run away with it. We’ll see.

Because of the great things he was able to achieve with Stanford and the 49ers? You aren't defined by one point in your career.

Alabama 38
Ohio State 27

My apologies in advance to the Tide for a large underestimation of how many points they'd put up...though at the current rate I'll get my wish about them dropping 70 on THE Ohio State.

[Dereich]

However bad things are for you right now, you can at least be thankful that you are not this guy:

https://twitter.com/YahooSportsbook/status/1348776434605559808?s=20

[Dereich]

SCOTUS heard arguments today in NCAA v. Alston, the college athlete compensation/antitrust case. The results? Ain't looking too hot for the NCAA; Thomas, Alito, and Kagan in particular sounded pretty done with the fig leaf of "amateurism" that the NCAA uses to justify not paying players. See the quote below from Alito:

[Dereich]

I should mention, though, that Justice Thomas at one point said the phrase "high level schools like Alabama, Ohio State or Nebraska" so uh...I'm not sure he's entirely clued in to modern CFB.