2020 College Football Discussion and Pick 'Em Thread

[100% pro-life no matter what]

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[100% pro-life no matter what]

SEC going conference only with a 10-game schedule:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29566090/sec-play-10-game-conference-only-football-schedule

Looks like my Commodores will be adding Mississippi State at home and a road trip to Alabama.  Vandy needs those non-conference games to get a few wins.  I just really don't want to go 0-10.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

SEC going conference only with a 10-game schedule:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29566090/sec-play-10-game-conference-only-football-schedule

Looks like my Commodores will be adding Mississippi State at home and a road trip to Alabama.  Vandy needs those non-conference games to get a few wins.  I just really don't want to go 0-10.

What's the source on who the extra 2 games are? Is that the 2021 and 2022 opponents moved up? That means we would play @Vanderbilt and Georgia at home.

I too wish we could have a full slate of non-conference games. Much easier to make a bowl when you only need 2 or 2 conference wins instead of 5.

There were reports that it's likely to be the 2021 and 2022 games, but Greg Sankey said on the Finebaum Show that the decision isn't final yet.

I wonder what bowls and the playoff will look like this year.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Since it has nowhere better to go, I'll say here that the Auburn Tree Poisoner passed away today.  As terrible as his actions were, there is nothing more representative of the insane and borderline illogical nature of rivalries than Harvey Updyke.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29568137/updyke-poisoner-toomer-corner-trees-dies

[100% pro-life no matter what]

It would be beyond ridiculous to cancel college football given the (virtually) zero risk that young people are at from this virus.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

The word is that the Big 10 presidents voted 12-2 for no football last night. Iowa and Nebraska were the dissenters.

From the same source, the PAC 12 is also not going to be playing. ACC and Big12 are on the fence, not surprising as Texas is apparently pushing to play. SEC is trying to push the leaners towards playing.

The SEC could attempt a season sure, but it wouldn't mean much aside from the SEC Championship. Certainly no bowl games or playoff

It would mean SEC football. That in and of itself is a huge deal, much bigger for the southern fans than the Natty. Plus, if the ACC decided to play you could get Clemson-SEC champ which would be a defacto national championship anyway.

Ohio State and Michigan official twitter accounts have gone rogue and are tweeting support for a football season.

Yeah, a fan of any SEC team would view it as a championship year if they won the SEC in a season where only the SEC played.  And, I could easily see a handful of other schools trying to play too.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

https://twitter.com/ryandaytime/status/1292896191924117504
hmm

Athletic Directors should consider firing coaches who insist on playing games now (or in the Spring. It probably won't be safe to play then either. The earliest I can see football coming back at any level is next fall)

Think about that though. Firing Ryan Day without cause (and this would absolutely be without cause) would mean paying a 3.5 million dollar buyout in a year that the athletics department will be losing a massive amount of revenue. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the revenue effects will be great enough that I doubt we'll see many (if any) non-cause firings for the next few years.

You could argue that encouraging the endangerment of student athletes health would be grounds for a for cause firing.

And you could argue that you’re using excessive hyperbole due to slightly exaggerated COVID hysteria you’re experiencing.

And, as players like Trevor Lawrence have noted, a whole lot more precautions are being taken for these players than would be taken if there were no season.  Their risk of getting coronavirus would probably go up, not down, if they don't play because they probably won't be nearly as isolated if they aren't playing.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

IF the Big 12, SEC, and ACC actually do play (and that's a big if)

do we want to still do the pick em?

I'm game.

It's not just those three conferences. Several Group of Five Conferences still haven't announced their plans.

I'd be interested...but I think it's best to just save this space for Fall 2021.

There's no reason a different thread couldn't be created for 2021 (other than trying to make the point you've made several times about your views on playing).

I'm in for whatever sort of season we get.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

The Big Ten is now discussing potentially moving the football season up to start on Thanksgiving weekend or some other time in November. Along the lines that Harry was discussing earlier, Twitter is rife with speculation that the cancellation/new date are being done to hamper Trump's reelection campaign.

If this does happen what a mess it will be. The committee and the AP poll with be absolute messes. Plus, considering the Big Ten, it'll mean whole lot of snow games this year.

I had heard that they were planning to play most games at domes in Detroit, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis (retractable roof), which would alleviate weather issues.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

College football is on! Central Arkansas vs Austin Peay is on ESPN. Probably the only time most (if not all!) of these players will have a prime-time game. Especially nice for Austin Peay whose conference was cancelled and so only has three games scheduled, the other two being games in which they're a cupcake to be sacrificed.

And Austin Peay is currently winning 7-0 with less than five minutes to go in the first quarter.

First play of the game was a 75 yard touchdown!

[100% pro-life no matter what]

I'm fine with starting on the 12th.

Seriously considering trying to go to Vandy's opener in College Station if I can somehow get my hands on one of the limited tickets.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Rank BYU top 10 next week! If there are 10 better teams than that, I sure haven't seen them. Gunner sinks the ship! Gunner for Heisman! You hear he's Danny Ainge's nephew? How'd that happen!

I'll be more impressed if they beat Houston on October 16.

Also, they had a Romney on their roster last year. Spencer Romney. (May be unrelated, may be Mitt's great-grandson. I couldn't find any evidence on Wikipedia.)

They're distant relatives of Mitt Romney

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Week 2 (first picking) matchups:

Thursday, September 10th

UAB @ Miami 8:00 PM EDT ACCN

Saturday, September 12th

Syracuse @ #18 North Carolina Noon EDT ACCN

Louisiana @ #23 Iowa State Noon EDT ESPN

Eastern Kentucky @ WVU Noon EDT FS1

Charlotte @ Appalachian State Noon EDT ESPN2

The Citadel @ USF 1 PM EDT ESPN+

UL Monroe @ Army 1:30 PM EDT CBSSN

Duke @ #10 Notre Dame 2:30 PM EDT NBC

Arkansas State @ Kansas State 3:30 PM EDT FS1

UTSA @ Texas State 3:30 PM EDT ESPN2

Campbell @ Georgia Southern 3:30 PM EDT ESPNU

Georgia Tech @ FSU 3:30 PM EDT ABC

Austin Peay @ Pittsburgh 4 PM EDT ACCN

Missouri State @ #5 Oklahoma 7 PM EDT (no network listed)

#1 Clemson @ Wake Forest 7:30 PM EDT ABC

Tulane @ South Alabama 7:30 PM EDT ESPN2

UTEP @ #14 Texas 8 PM EDT LHN

Western Kentucky @ Louisville 8 PM EDT ACCN

Houston Baptist @ Texas Tech 8 PM EDT ESPN+

Coastal Carolina @ Kansas 10 PM EDT FS1

[100% pro-life no matter what]

One week until we get SEC football, which is when it will actually start to really feel like a CFB Saturday for me!

Friday, September 18th

Campbell @ Coastal Carolina 7 PM EDT ESPN3

Saturday, September 19th

Tulsa @ #11 Oklahoma State Noon EDT ESPN

#19 Louisiana @ Georgia State Noon EDT ESPN2

Syracuse @ #25 Pittsburgh Noon EDT ACCN

Liberty @ Western Kentucky Noon EDT ESPNU

Navy @ Tulane Noon EDT ABC

Boston College @ Duke Noon EDT ESPN3

Houston @ Baylor Noon EDT FOX

#24 Appalachian State @ Marshall Noon EDT CBSSN

Stephen F. Austin @ UTSA 3 PM EDT ESPN3

#14 UCF @ Georgia Tech 3:30 PM EDT ABC

Florida Atlantic @ Georgia Southern 3:30 PM EDT ESPN

Troy @ Middle Tennessee 4 PM EDT ESPN2

SMU @ North Texas 6 PM EST CBSSN

#17 Miami @ #18 Louisville 7:30 PM EDT ABC

Louisiana Tech @ Southern Mississippi 7:30 PM EST ESPN2

Texas State @ UL Monroe 7:30 PM EST ESPNU

Wake Forest @ NC State 8 PM EDT ACCN

Abilene Christian @ UTEP 9 PM EDT ESPN3

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Kansas State @ #3 Oklahoma Noon EDT FOX
#5 Florida @ Ole Miss Noon EDT ESPN
#23 Kentucky @ #8 Auburn Noon EDT SECN
#13 UCF @ East Carolina Noon EDT ESPN+
Georgia Southern @ #19 Louisiana Noon EDT ESPN2
#24 Louisville @ #21 Pittsburgh Noon EDT ACCN
Georgia Tech @ Syracuse Noon EDT ESPN3
Florida International @ Liberty 1 PM EDT ESPN3
Iowa State @ TCU 1:30 PM EDT FS1
Mississippi State @ #6 LSU 3:30 PM EDT CBS
#8 Texas @ Texas Tech 3:30 PM EDT FOX
#22 Army @ #14 Cincinnati 3:30 PM EDT ESPN
West Virginia @ #15 Oklahoma State 3:30 PM EDT ABC
UTEP @ UL Monroe 3:30 PM EDT ESPNU
#4 Georgia @ Arkansas 4 PM EDT SECN
Duke @ Virginia 4 PM EDT ACCN
Texas State @ Boston College 6 PM EDT ESPN3
Florida State @ #12 Miami 7:30 PM EDT ABC
#16 Tennessee @ South Carolina 7:30 PM EDT SECN
Kansas @ Baylor 7:30 PM EDT ESPNU
NC State @ #20 Virginia Tech 8 PM EDT ACCN
Troy @ #18 BYU 10:15 PM EDT ESPN

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Yesterday was the first day that felt like a real CFB Saturday, and it delivered massively!  Oklahoma and LSU both losing at home to unranked teams- and OU blowing a 35-14 lead to boot??  Texas's miracle comeback in a game with 119 points on the board??  Arkansas and my Commodores taking top 10 teams deep into the 2nd half as 25+ point 'dogs??

If I were trying to show someone how amazing CFB is, I would just show the four hours or so from the finishes of the early games through the middle games!

[100% pro-life no matter what]

South Carolina @ #3 Florida
TCU @ #9 Texas
Missouri @ #21 Tennessee
NC State @ #24 Pittsburgh
East Carolina @ Georgia State
Arkansas State @ Coastal Carolina
Baylor @ West Virginia
UTSA @ UAB
#13 Texas A&M @ #2 Alabama
#12 North Carolina @ Boston College
South Florida @ #15 Cincinnati
#17 Oklahoma State @ Kansas
#25 Memphis @ SMU
Texas Tech @ Kansas State
Charlotte @ Florida Atlantic
Ole Miss @ Kentucky
Western Kentucky @ Middle Tennessee
Navy @ Air Force
#7 Auburn @ #4 Georgia
Tulsa @ #11 UCF
Arkansas @ #16 Mississippi State
#18 Oklahoma @ Iowa State
#20 LSU @ Vanderbilt
Virginia @ #1 Clemson
Troy @ South Alabama postponed

[100% pro-life no matter what]

ExtremeR, you didn't pick Virginia-Clemson.

Clemson.  Not sure how that happened.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

#4 Florida @ #21 Texas A&M
#19 Virginia Tech @ #8 North Carolina
#22 Texas vs Oklahoma
Coastal Carolina @ #23 Louisiana
NC State @ Virginia
South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (seriously considered calling the upset here, but that would be a homer pick)
Duke @ Syracuse
#14 Tennessee @ #3 Georgia (UT fans are being so delusional, like always)
UTSA @ #15 BYU
Texas Tech @ #24 Iowa State
Central Arkansas @ Arkansas State
Texas State @ Troy
Arkansas @ #13 Auburn
Pittsburgh @ Boston College
Kansas State @ TCU
Middle Tennessee @ Florida International
Florida Atlantic @ Southern Mississippi postponed
#2 Alabama @ Ole Miss
Temple @ Navy
#7 Miami (FL) @ #1 Clemson
Mississippi State @ Kentucky
UTEP @ Louisiana Tech
Marshall @ Western Kentucky
Charlotte @ North Texas
Missouri @ #17 LSU

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Between LSU-Mizzou, UF-TAMU, and Red River there has been some really good early football today. Even the other games like UNC-VT and Duke-Syracuse have been good.

Some incredible games, but all I have to say is FIRE DEREK MASON!!!

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Try ranking the SEC teams right now (apart from my 'Dores at #14)...

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Try ranking the SEC teams right now (apart from my 'Dores at #14)...

My best effort (with lines to mark where I feel there's a big gap):

1. Alabama
2. Georgia
------------------------
3. Florida (still going to keep them narrowly above A&M)
4. Texas A&M
------------------------
5. Tennessee
------------------------
6. Ole Miss
7. Auburn
8. LSU
9. Missouri
10. Kentucky
11. South Carolina
------------------------
12. Arkansas
13. Mississippi State
------------------------
14. Vanderbilt

[100% pro-life no matter what]

The average P5 game this weekend had a whopping 66.8 points per game...and the Big 12 was the lowest scoring P5 conference, only averaging a hair under 60.

The last few years, average totals have been in the mid-50s in the P5.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Try ranking the SEC teams right now (apart from my 'Dores at #14)...

My best effort (with lines to mark where I feel there's a big gap):

1. Alabama
2. Georgia
------------------------
3. Florida (still going to keep them narrowly above A&M)
4. Texas A&M
------------------------
5. Tennessee
------------------------
6. Ole Miss
7. Auburn
8. LSU
9. Missouri
10. Kentucky
11. South Carolina
------------------------
12. Arkansas
13. Mississippi State
------------------------
14. Vanderbilt

You shouldn't put LSU ahead of both of the teams who beat them, at least not yet.

In my rankings, nobody is below a team they beat. That probably won't be possible all season long, but I think it's fair this early.

I guess we're talking about slightly different things, but I'm trying to project how I really think they are.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

What a great day of games today.  Just think about some of these individually!

-In front of the best and loudest crowd I've seen at any sporting event since the pandemic, Texas A&M gets a late turnover and then controls the clock to kick a walk off field goal to beat the #4 team in the country in a shootout.  Only wish there could have been a field storming, but I don't think we'll get to see that this year.

-The defending national champs have 1st & Goal from the 1 in the final minute...after already managing to score 41 points, needing a touchdown to prevent a total collapse in the first three weeks of the season.  They proceed to be stuffed four straight times by a Missouri defense that had seemed hapless most of the game.

-In one of the most unique rivalry games to watch every year, Oklahoma seems to be cruising to a comfortable win midway through the 4th quarter only to have Texas come back to score 14 late points and tie the game in the closing seconds.  They then proceed to play four overtimes, including trading missed short-range field goals.

-There's always that game that no one pays attention to, but has something crazy happen.  Pitt's kicker drills a 58 yard field goal to tie the game in the final minute.  But, then, in overtime, he blows the game by shanking an extra point.

-No insane college football Saturday can be complete without some controversy, and Auburn only escaped lowly (or are they??) Arkansas because the refs let the ruling on the field of an incomplete pass stand on a really bizarre play where an attempted spike (after a mishandled snap) went backwards (so it should have been a fumble).  The SEC later tried to go back and say that there was no clear recovery, but that's questionable at best to me.  Auburn then kicks the game winning field goal after being gifted another chance.

-In the nightcap, the most dominant team of the last decade goes to play an unranked rival and cannot stop them on offense at all.  They are tied well into the fourth quarter, but get just enough offense to survive in a crazy shootout with 111 points on the scoreboard.