Oregon State Beats USC!

[Acantha]

It is how the system works, but it was also decided on the field...USC beating Ohio St. will allow them to lay claim to that spot. That's why that was such a big game.

Bull. Chances are one of these teams (Big 12/SEC) that lose a game will also have a big win on the schedule. Two years ago, when FL one the championship, they wouldn't have made the game if USC hadn't lost it's second game at the very end of the season, despite having the a harder schedule.

 

There is no doubt in my mind that the system leans toward USC.

[Lori]

Like I said, do not shoot the messenger. He did also say that Jo Pa is one of the most if not the most hated sports figure in the city of Pittsburgh, which I kinda was surprised by that.

 

Your budget thing holds no water though. Every big time school faces this dillemma. Do they schedule that 7th home game or do they actually go challenge themselves & play someone decent on the road & lose some revenue. We all know how Jo Pa likes to do things.

 

Anyways, I really do not hate Penn State but I will say this, if they are lucky enough to run the table this year & find themselves playing USC in the Rose Bowl instead of the NC because of their schedule, I do not want to hear Penn State fans crying saying we got robbed. Maybe they should of thought about that before they scheduled Coastal Carolina opening weekend.

Yeah, I hoped that didn't come off as busting on you, because that certainly wasn't my intent. On the other hand, I'll be more than happen to oblige for any Pitt fan.

And it doesn't surprise me in the least that JoePa isn't universally beloved in Pittsburgh ... or anywhere else outside Happy Valley, for that matter. The recent Outside the Lines feature didn't exactly paint him in a favorable light, and I can't fault their research.

 

Difference with the budget is, most big-time schools don't still carry all the nonrevenue sports PSU does (fencing, gymnastics, wrestling), and most of them have some semblance of a hoops program to bail them out. Regardless, I'll admit there's room to argue the point.

[Acantha]

You callin' Oregon State horrible when PSU pounds them, then celebrating their win over No. 1?

I haven't been celebrating Oregon St. as a great team. They played a great game, but I blame that loss on USC far more than I give Oregon St. credit for winning it.

(See my thoughts in the other forum) No way USC should have lost that game.

[Gordio]

Yeah, I hoped that didn't come off as busting on you, because that certainly wasn't my intent. On the other hand, I'll be more than happen to oblige for any Pitt fan.

And it doesn't surprise me in the least that JoePa isn't universally beloved in Pittsburgh ... or anywhere else outside Happy Valley, for that matter. The recent Outside the Lines feature didn't exactly paint him in a favorable light, and I can't fault their research.

 

Difference with the budget is, most big-time schools don't still carry all the nonrevenue sports PSU does (fencing, gymnastics, wrestling), and most of them have some semblance of a hoops program to bail them out. Regardless, I'll admit there's room to argue the point.

 

 

That is a good point about the budget, PSU does carry pretty much every sport imaginable. I always though Joe Pa was loved in the whole state of Pennsylvania, that is why I was surprised.

[LongLiveRalph]

Bull. Chances are one of these teams (Big 12/SEC) that lose a game will also have a big win on the schedule. Two years ago, when FL one the championship, they wouldn't have made the game if USC hadn't lost it's second game at the very end of the season, despite having the a harder schedule.

 

There is no doubt in my mind that the system leans toward USC.

 

The system you're referring to is one that USC has dominated since it's inception. Why wouldn't it lean toward them, when they have thrashed all of their BCS opponents not quarterbacked by Vince Young? They have travelled on the road and played big non-conference games, and have won each time.

 

As for the Gators you mentioned...They are only going to play three conference road games this year- against Tennessee, Arkansas, and Vandy. They have the bullshiit setup with Georgia, where they will be the "road" team this season in Jacksonville. COME ON!!! How is that fair to the other SEC teams, who have to play on campus in Athens???

 

You can say the system leans one way or another, but there are little quirks throughout the whole process that make it an inexact science. What cannot be debated is that when USC has received the so-called "leanings" of the system, they have always capitalized with their on-field performance.

 

Regardless, USC is out of it as it stands today. The only way they get back in will be because of OTHER teams, not because of the system.

[Gordio]

I knew I should've skipped thursday night softball to go to the game!

 

Damnit!

 

 

There were 3,100 tickets available yesterday morning...Suprisingly.

 

Yeahhhhh Beavers!

 

 

The place looked like it was jumping last night.

[Lori]

That is a good point about the budget, PSU does carry pretty much every sport imaginable. I always though Joe Pa was loved in the whole state of Pennsylvania, that is why I was surprised.

Pitt-Penn State was THE rivalry when I went to school there, and I've never been able to whip up a similar hatred for the Big 10 schools. I suspect it's the same on the other side -- and regardless of the reasons behind PSU dropping the football series, the fact remains, that was essentially Joe's decision.

 

Paterno could have run for governor (and won handily) for most of his tenure at PSU, but I'm guessing he wouldn't have carried Allegheny County. (He also wouldn't have gotten very many votes from the beat writers who cover the program, but that's a story for another day ...)

[Gordio]

Pitt-Penn State was THE rivalry when I went to school there, and I've never been able to whip up a similar hatred for the Big 10 schools. I suspect it's the same on the other side -- and regardless of the reasons behind PSU dropping the football series, the fact remains, that was essentially Joe's decision.

 

Paterno could have run for governor (and won handily) for most of his tenure at PSU, but I'm guessing he wouldn't have carried Allegheny County. (He also wouldn't have gotten very many votes from the beat writers who cover the program, but that's a story for another day ...)

 

 

Well if it is any consolation, we graduated in 96'(him from Pitt/me from SU) & till this day he hates Penn St. I mean really hates them & especially Paterno. He blames not playing each other on Paterno. Like I usuaully say, every story has three sides, your side, the other person's side & the truth. My guess is he exaggerated some of the things Paterno did to end that game. Not to feel left out, I think he actually hates anything associated with West Virginia Mountaineers(he calls them the Mountainqueers) even more. I have never seen someone so happy monday morning when he came into work after Pitt beat WV to ruin their title hopes last year.

[Ramius]

Ohio State fell so far in the polls because everyone is tired of watching them lay an egg on the biggest stage. Not only do they lose, they get creamed. USC shows up at their best in big games, but every year they have trouble in at least one conference game that they are favored to win by 4 TDs.

 

So now this year's polls are supposed to take into account how a team did in previous years?

 

Funny, i thought that this years poll was supposed to be a rank of how good a team was in 2008, not ow they performed in 2006.

[LongLiveRalph]

So now this year's polls are supposed to take into account how a team did in previous years?

 

Funny, i thought that this years poll was supposed to be a rank of how good a team was in 2008, not ow they performed in 2006.

 

Don't be naive my friend. You know it matters, it has always mattered. Past performance is the best indicator of future results.

 

My point in making the comment you replyed to was that USC has almost ALWAYS made the pollsters look smart when they have moved them back up into the BCS picture. Ohio State has consistently burned the pollsters who rank them among CFB's elite. That's why Ohio State's drop might be more profound than USC's. If you think pollsters aren't considering previous seasons, then you're crazy. Call it USC bias, but they have performed. You can call it an anti-OSU bias, but they haven't performed. Simple as that.

[Acantha]

The system you're referring to is one that USC has dominated since it's inception. Why wouldn't it lean toward them, when they have thrashed all of their BCS opponents not quarterbacked by Vince Young? They have travelled on the road and played big non-conference games, and have won each time.

 

But they lose during the season! If it doesn't matter what your schedule is, then why play the season? They can just set up the bowl games and play those based on who has played well in past years. The simple fact is, even with tougher SOS, other teams can't get ahead of USC, and that totally ruins the bastardized system they have tried to set up.

 

As for the Gators you mentioned...They are only going to play three conference road games this year- against Tennessee, Arkansas, and Vandy. They have the bullshiit setup with Georgia, where they will be the "road" team this season in Jacksonville. COME ON!!! How is that fair to the other SEC teams, who have to play on campus in Athens???

Where did I ever bring up this years FL schedule? I was talking about two years ago. Yes, this years schedule for FL is "weak" in comaparison, but still tougher than USC's.

And your point on the Jax game is just lame. Ben Hill Griffey Stadium is the toughest place to play in the country. Yes, FL doesn't have to go to Georgia every other year, but Georgia also doesn't have to go to Gainesville either.

[LongLiveRalph]

But they lose during the season! If it doesn't matter what your schedule is, then why play the season? They can just set up the bowl games and play those based on who has played well in past years. The simple fact is, even with tougher SOS, other teams can't get ahead of USC, and that totally ruins the bastardized system they have tried to set up.

 

I hear what you're saying, but it's not like the "system" is gifting a national championship to them. When they're 11-1, and the "eye test" suggests that they can play at or above the level of any of the other one-loss teams, that's the way it goes. It's not like USC goes 9-3 and gets pumped into a title game over more deserving schools.

 

Like I mentioned, they have lost. Other teams just need to take care of business and it won't matter what USC does. Once everyone loses, the door opens for all others. An SEC team actually has an advantage in that an early loss, with the schedule, will afford them other opportunities against highly-ranked schools to get their mojo back. They will have an opportunity in the SEC title game against a likely top-5 school. USC does not have those opportunities, and is at the mercy of others. If the others lose, that's the way it goes. They can't complain.

 

My point also to Ramius was that USC has suffered these conference losses before. It has always been more about them not playing well THAT DAY, rather than them not being a very good team. When given another opportunity, they have always made the pollsters look smart in inter-conference matchups, and they get rewarded for that (subconsciously or not.)

 

Where did I ever bring up this years FL schedule? I was talking about two years ago. Yes, this years schedule for FL is "weak" in comaparison, but still tougher than USC's.

And your point on the Jax game is just lame. Ben Hill Griffey Stadium is the toughest place to play in the country. Yes, FL doesn't have to go to Georgia every other year, but Georgia also doesn't have to go to Gainesville either.

 

No, not a direct reply to your quote, I just saw you mentioned the Gators and brought up the scheduling quirk. There's no even playing field and there's no balanced schedules, so these things will always be open to debate, that's the point I was making.

 

I agree about Ben Hill Griffen, which is EXACTLY why they should do away with the Lamest Cocktail Party game. There's too much money at stake and it makes it unfair for everyone else in the conference. I'm sure Tennessee would love to play Florida in Mobile, AL every year. At the very least, they should rotate every three years between Athens, Gainsville, and Jax.

[buckeyemike]

My dad lived in Corvallis for several years as a kid, so he's an Oregon State fan. He didn't even know the game was on last night...I had lunch with him and told Dad I was optomistic about the Beavers' chances, since for some weird reason, USC hasn't played well in Corvallis in recent years.

 

I talked to Dad again this morning. He thanked me for telling him the game was on; he watched the whole thing.

[GoodBye]

IN YOUR FACE USC!!

[LongLiveRalph]

IN YOUR FACE USC!!

 

Beavers?

[olivier in france]

Saw a rerun of the game last night on NASN... What an incredible performance by the OSU offensive line during the first half! Pure humiliation of the USC D Line, they had NO clue what was going on!