College Football 2020

[JStewart]

Methinks this thread is too enamored with the reputation of the SEC and the idea that it is on a completely different level from the other P5 conferences...

You couldn’t be more right, about me anyway. I live in the south. My Gator fan neighbors are obnoxious. My wife is from Kentucky where aside from a little horse race each year, Big Blue Nation is what she grew up with. Fact is, if I wasn’t a SEC fan I’d be banned from visiting the in-laws. But Kentucky football stinks. So the Tide is my adopted football team for 20+ years now.

FWIW it’s been a very painful college hoops season thus far.

 

[Sonnie]

FWIW it’s been a very painful college hoops season thus far.

What in the world is going on with Tuck... never seen such from them.

 

[JStewart]

What in the world is going on with Tuck... never seen such from them.

No idea other than Duke is somehow involved

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Let me know when an SEC team plays more than 2 or 3 tough matchups in a year.

How’d Florida do in their bowl game?

 

[JStewart]

Let me know when an SEC team plays more than 2 or 3 tough matchups in a year.

Well, Alabama played A&M and Georgia during the season and Florida in the SEC Championship. They always play LSU and Auburn but this was not a good year for either, admittedly.

How’d Florida do in their bowl game?

They lost badly and they deserved it. Florida’s supposed NFL bound players opting out stunk and ruined it for both their teammates and Oklahoma who had earned a game, and very probably a win, against the best their opponents had to offer.

And I also have to say Pitts recorded message to his former teammates made me nauseous.

 

[mechman]

ISU wins!

 

[Sonnie]

There are very few teams that play more than 2 or 3 tough matchups per year. The only conference that consistently has 2 or 3 tough teams is the SEC. This year they had Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and Florida. Sure, Florida lost their bowl game, but given the circumstances, it would have killed just about any team to lose that many players, and take your starting quarterback out for the majority of the game. I think maybe the only conference fairly equivalent the SEC this year would be the ACC.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I will give you the fact that this is a strange year. However,

Big Ten: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State

Big 12: Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor

The Big 12 plays every team in the conference every season, rather than adding a bunch more teams so schedules can be padded with cupcakes, giving teams an easier path to the playoff. Iowa State frequently has more wins vs Top 25 teams than SEC of B10 teams even play in a season.

I hate the B10, but go Buckeyes!

 

[JStewart]

I hate the B10, but go Buckeyes!

Safe to assume you hate the SEC more?

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Safe to assume you hate the SEC more?

I don’t hate the SEC, I hate the fact that it’s fans think it’s the only conference with good teams. I hate the B10 because our instate rival is a member.
Look, I’m just saying that every conference has a few elite teams, some good teams, and some doormats. The SEC was the first to adopt a scheduling system that paves the way for its top teams to coast through the season with as few challenges as possible. Thereby greasing the nation’s SEC boner.

 

[Sonnie]

It's media... not so much fans... fans don't get a very big platform to speak on (except in the football forums where it will drag all kinds of misrepresentative type fans out of the wood works). Every conference is loaded with fans that think their conference is the best. The media are the culprits of pumping up the SEC because of the fact they typically have more SEC teams in the top 25 and top 10... have won more championships over the recent years, etc, etc. That's not the fan's fault... we just ride on the coat tails of the press. There are any fans out there that don't or wouldn't if the same were happening with their conference.

We normally play 8 SEC games per year... this year we played 10. OSU played 6 conference games... Michigan played 6... MSU played 7.

But some of Bama's more recent out of conference games over the years have been USC and Florida State (with Jimbo). Many of the SEC teams have scheduled at least one fairly tough out of conference team for several of their years. When they schedule the game 5-6 years in advance, they have no idea how good those teams will be, but they are better than playing some of the SEC teams on the lower end of the conference.

SEC did fairly well in the bowl games this year... fans will ride the wave... why not... it's what it's all about.

Miss State beat #24 Tulsa
Georgia beat #8 Cincinnati
Kentucky beat #23 NC State
Ole Miss beat #11 Indiana
Texas A&M beat #13 North Carolina
Alabama beat #4 Notre Dame

SEC 6-2 in the post season. ... and Bama beat all 6 of these SEC teams.

OSU appears to be the better team this year after watching them play Clemson... they could win it all. I can guarantee you if they do, the Big 10 fans will be yelling they have the best conference.

 

[JStewart]

I hate the fact that it’s fans think it’s the only conference with good teams.

Well, we only think that until we have to play them
In my neck of the woods its a pretty even split between SEC (gators) and ACC (noles and cains). All equally obnoxious, or not, as the case may be.

The SEC was the first to adopt a scheduling system that paves the way for its top teams to coast through the season with as few challenges as possible.

At the risk of showing my ignorance here, is this something specific you're referring to?

 

[JStewart]

Good luck to fans of both teams this evening. Regardless of the outcome here's hoping it's a great competition between two deserving teams!
And to all of the players, coaches, schools and everyone else that somehow managed things so there was a season this year, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

 

[Sonnie]

Ditto... just really glad the Tide is a part of it again, since we had a break from it last year.

This could be a shoot-out.

I am most concerned that if the Tide does happen to win that Saban retires. It would be that magical number 7 for him, and he is not getting any younger.

 

[JStewart]

I am most concerned that if the Tide does happen to win that Saban retires. It would be that magical number 7 for him, and he is not getting any younger.

Saban being Saban, let’s hope he’s aiming for 10!

 

[Sonnie]

Saban being Saban, let’s hope he’s aiming for 10!

Good point... he does seem to be in good health and of good spirits. Let's hope he's scared of retiring since coaches can go down hill after they retire. Maybe it's just in his blood until he croaks.

 

[Sonnie]

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

What a remarkable season... checking all the boxes. Undefeated 13-0 season... 11-0 in SEC play... Heisman winner, all kinds of awards, Saban at 7-0 surpassing the great Bear Bryant... and another SEC champion. Not sure what else we Bama fans could ask for... as spoiled as we are. Congrats to the Tide!