2020 College Football Discussion and Pick 'Em Thread

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I agree with Boomer Esiason. Clemson and the SEC are intentionally infecting players in order to play this fall. My beloved Ivy League will be cancelled. The horror.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

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I don't think there's going to be any college football this fall.

I really hope there won't be. No football is infinitely preferable to big schools following the major league baseball model of telling small schools (i.e. small town MiLB teams) to screw off and thinking that they can survive without pay games for P5 and FCS schools. Sure, they can survive alone (if 2020 serves as a fruitful example). But the sport won't be as interesting without a coaching development pipeline and the little guys pulling miracles. I'd probably just tune into the SEC and select other games but with nowhere near the same enthusiasm. We're already stuck enough with the same five teams every year.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

No Ohio State - Oregon

I'm much sadder about no North Dakota State - Oregon. NDSU has the potential #1 pick at QB, and I've simply been looking forward to the game for years. (I think Ohio State would probably have won easily.)

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Roy Cooper has to intervene. This cannot be allowed to go on.

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Great news for both FBS and FCS. Both Northwestern and Indiana State reporting cases. Shut down the Big Ten and MVFC and we might have a chance as delaying the NCAA championships.

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UConn cancels:

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1290988680937709575

I thought UConn cancelled their football program?

No, it's still going as an independent after UConn left the AAC for the Big East, although it's been speculated that they'll either drop football or move down to FCS at some point.

They probably won't. They have so many money games on the schedule that the new situation is a massive upgrade over conference affiliation in a non-geographically cohesive unit. Being an independent is actually pretty close to ideal with UMass and Army just short drives away. Might even beat a new conference with UMass, Army, Liberty and a couple potential FCS upgrades like Delaware and Albany (who seem most interested despite lack of real success in 15 years).

It's hard to see them any more competitive in the FCS (fringe top 25), and the money in the fewer money games would fall by 50-70%.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

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

March Madness should not have been cancelled. There was extreme fear at the early stages, and it was difficult to organize a neutral site event so abruptly, so I get it. But those were small groups of young people who had solely remote school work and could be isolated largely across two weekends. I agree with the likely decision to go conference only for the next year to limit the travel, but I wouldn't oppose more aggressive measures there.

A close contact sports of dozens of 350 pound people engaged in trench wars on teams of 80 plus, requiring close contact weekday practices, playing each of 11 Saturdays all while going to class and zigzagging across the country? In games that can't be made up where one infection will put two full teams out of commission for the next two weekends (and unlike baseball, make-ups are too difficult for that level of physicality) Just about the stupidest thing you can do. This thing is going down next week, thank the Lord. It's my favorite sport by far, but it cannot go on.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

"If I were president, we would be playing college football" is the clinching argument for Biden.

Lots of developing countries are bringing back sports without COVID outbreaks. We can't, thanks to Trumps' ineptitude.

This is good politics that should help in Georgia and Ohio (not to mention Florida and Michigan), but it's obviously not true. Americans in 2020 are not going to behave because a political figure told them to. If Biden were president, 1/3 of the country would be doing the opposite of whatever he says.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I wonder if this might spur another round of conference realignment.  For example, if the Big 12 decides to play, might Iowa and Nebraska decide to bolt the Big Ten for them?  Nebraska was previously in the Big 12, and Iowa would be a good fit for them as well.

I just came here to ponder on that, but Santander is correct. That is merely a fan's dream to get back to real rivalries for Nebraska (Iowa fans on Twitter HATE that Nebraska is considered a rival and prefer the Minnesota and Wisconsin three-way).

Perhaps the more financially feasible one involves Clemson and Florida State flirting with the SEC, but that pesky grant of rights still stands in the way long-term. In the other side, you might have Texas and the SEC, but I couldn't opine on the politics of the old southwest.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

When the student body comes back, there will be parties.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

At this point, I don't see any possible way for the 2020 CFB season to proceed. Once colleges have in person classes, covid cases keep exploding. The students are obviously not following social distancing (or some are, but the ones partying are ruining it for the rest). Once CFB players get a break they have been partying, as has been evidenced by the recent OU football cases. Notre Dame, Michigan State (which already had cancelled its CFB season), and many others are beginning to go back online. Seems like the beginning of the end.

I think it's highly unlikely the SEC, ACC, or Big 12 cancel. Many people in Trump country see the football cancelations as a politically motivated attack on Trump and not a public safety issue, and the governors of those states aren't going to allow it.

The Big 12 might lose Kansas if Laura Kelly steps in. The ACC might lose their North Carolina Schools if Roy Cooper steps in.

The SEC isn't canceling barring something going horribly wrong though (it would probably take students and coaches actually dying of COVID, and even then, I'm not convinced that'll be enough).

Jaden McNeil is going to be so thankful to her when he is still at Kansas State and half the football team has to transfer

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I don't plan on watching much RN at this point tbh. It's just not the same.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

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!

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Congrats to 'Lib of the Year' Mike Gundy trailing Tulsa at the Half to Tulsa

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Mississippi State @ #6 LSU 3:30 PM EDT CBS

I don't honestly expect to win, but I do think we have a better chance than anyone is giving us credit for. KJ Costello and Kylin Hill will be the two best players on the field, and Mike Leach is an outstanding coach.

I love picking upsets, but I'm not this crazy (and this coming from a guy who regularly picked against Alabama and Clemson in previous incarnations of the pick'em). LSU has more overall talent, and Ed Orgeron is at least the equal of Mike Leach in coaching ability.

I definitely lean LSU, but with as few returning starters as they have and as little prep time they have been permitted this spring/summer, I don't think anyone should be surprised when they fall out of the top 10. I don't think Mississippi State, a team learning a completely new scheme with similarly limited practice time is the team to do it (they will this decade for sure), but crazier things have happened. Talent alone is a pretty weak barometer for this season. We should get some weirder outcomes than usual.

While I am also a super fanboy, I don't think Leach is a great coach. I just worship his aura. He did a good job with limited talent but also got on the wrong end of blowouts a lot and drops many winnable games foolishly. Ed Orgeron OTOH is an outstanding coach, and I am so proud of my 2013 and 2016 tweets that he was deeply underappreciated that I ought to pin them. But I don't envy the difficulty of task in front of him.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Not a ton of spreads I feel great about this early in the season. It's always fun to bet against Tennessee, so I took the 'Cocks with the points given that UT had an enormous number of players out of practice this week.

I feel less good about it, but I also took UVA laying points (parlayed with a couple big favorites to offset the vig).

And against my advice of "expect anything", I parlayed 11 double digits point favorites outright (with 9 team round robins). That worked twice last year so maybe I'll catch magic this week.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

And against my advice of "expect anything", I parlayed 11 double digits point favorites outright (with 9 team round robins). That worked twice last year so maybe I'll catch magic this week.

You stupid idiot. Two years in a row you let Kansas State destroy an 11 team parlay vs. Oklahoma. At least this year it won't be 10 for 11, will it? Lol

Oklahoma, no playoffs for you! Ban the whole Big XII

https://twitter.com/chrisfallica/status/1309942220775206916?s=19

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

YAS KING! WE LOVE YOU LEACH! Might just earn a write-in spot on my ballot!

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Don't look now, but Mississippi State leads LSU 17-14 and has outgained them 281-120 so far.

If you get this one right and the rest of us get this wrong I think I'll jump off the roof of my apartment.

That's a pretty extreme reaction. Are you an LSU fan or something?

Not really. I just think LSU is the superior team by a significant margin. They really shouldn't be losing to Mississippi State if they want to have any chance of being in contention for a New Year's Six berth (I think the playoff is out of reach this year- they aren't quite good enough to win the SEC.)

Their ceiling was never high enough for that. The only two reasons for that number next to their name is because a) two conferences are not being ranked; and b) they won last year and get undue respect until they lose. Both are in the 15-30 range. The gap isn't the humongous.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

For Georgia or Notre Dame to make the playoff they would need to beat Alabama or Clemson. (I guess Ohio State could also just lose to Penn State?) Highly doubt that is happening this year, especially the Georgia half of that. BYU has better playoff odds, which probably ain't happening either. It will probably be Oklahoma State with an outside shot of the Pac-12 champ or Cincinnati.

Also, the BYU/Boise winner seems very likely to be in the Fiesta Bowl. I think Boise can blow out everyone on that slate and thus be ranked higher than K-State. Even an undefeated Liberty will not be. They'd be lucky to get top 20 despite arguably a more impressive schedule.

Love your Peach Bowl, NYE. High ratings!

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Penn State, October surprise! Please!

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

DO NOT let the media lie to you in two months and excuse this as a game without Trevor Lawrence. 222 yards passing in the first half without him. A couple errant throws (zero interceptions) did not cause this home blowout.

I don't say this a lot to BC (loath them with all my soul), but keep up the good work. Don't give an inch. This is only two scores.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Another week, another embarrassing upset in the Big Twelve.

#16 Kansas State got slaughtered by West Virginia 37-10.

Meanwhile, in Big Ten play, #13 Michigan got shocked by Michigan State 27-24. I can't see how Jim Harbaugh survives as Head Coach, especially if Michigan also loses to Ohio State...maybe someone in the NFL will offer him a job...perhaps the Jets?

West Virginia was actually pretty easily favored. By 6 in my sportsbook at kick-off, and per SP+, they should have been at least 7 point favorites. Kansas State was not in the top 70 of the computer rankings. Now Texas over OSU might be one worth witing home about. I think everyone knew OSU would love but I figured we may have to wait until Bedlam.

Totally on board with #FireHarbaugh as I have been for years. But this may be the year that UM finishs below .500.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The ACC is the only one with a serious chance, and it requires Notre Dame winning next week and losing the rematch. I have a hard time seeing Georgia get it together to compete with Alabama (if they beat Florida). I am really uncertain if Wisconsin will have enough games to make up for a loss.

Cincinnati vs. BYU needs to be the debate we have. If Clemson wins next week, I think we will start having that discussion. Prefer BYU, but I think Cincinnati has the better case.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Liberty has a 0.0 percent chance, and I like Liberty probably more than anyone. Major kudos if they somehow upset Virginia Tech, NC State and Coastal Carolina, but the other 129 teams all detest them, they are bad for the image of football and have zero historical prestige as a national football brand name program like BYU offers. They also have zero talent, and Alabama would beat them by triple digits, if they so desired.

It's insane to speak about hypotheticals like that when they have three games left as an underdog while BYU and Cincinnati each have but one 'toss-up' that they really ought to win.