Kudos to the Buckeyes and the Badgers for a hell of a game. Congratulations to the Bucks, the new B1G champs!

I'm so happy for my Bucs.
They played a great game last night.
Though they have been passed over for the CFP, I'm still proud of them for pulling together and winning out after laying an awful egg against Iowa.

Alabama in the Final Four, excluding conference champion, Ohio State! What a crock. Here's an interesting factoid, I just heard on BTN, Alabama has played exactly two true Power 5 road games in the last 10 years! Bama’s strength of schedule—37th, Ohio State’s—10th. Hard to understand what the committee saw, especially given the fact that conference championships were SUPPOSED to be a big factor.

Watching Urban's conference. I was blown away. No complaints. What a class act.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
.. especially given the fact that conference championships were SUPPOSED to be a big factor.

I think that is incorrect. It was my understanding that championships were only to be used as a 'tie breaker' if two teams were deemed otherwise equal. That was confirmed by listening to some committee members on talk radio today.

quote:

Originally posted by stiab:

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
.. especially given the fact that conference championships were SUPPOSED to be a big factor.

I think that is incorrect. It was my understanding that championships were only to be used as a 'tie breaker' if two teams were deemed otherwise equal. That was confirmed by listening to some committee members on talk radio today.

Yup.

This is correct. The committee determined that Alabama was clearly better than Ohio state, and because of this the conference championship was not even considered

Fwiw, it's the same criteria they used to put OSU in ahead of PSU last year

quote:

Originally posted by stiab:

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
.. especially given the fact that conference championships were SUPPOSED to be a big factor.

I think that is incorrect. It was my understanding that championships were only to be used as a 'tie breaker' if two teams were deemed otherwise equal. That was confirmed by listening to some committee members on talk radio today.

I saw both Jim Delaney's, Big Ten Commissioner, and Urban Meyer's interviews on ESPN. Both were class acts and accepted it gracefully. The Iowa loss was too damaging.

Now, onto things we can control - the Bowl Games!

Dec 27th:

Iowa vs Boston College in Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY) at 4:15 CST on ESPN

Purdue vs Arizona in Foster Farms Bowl (Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA) at 7:30 CST on Fox

Dec 28th:

MSU vs Washington State in Holiday Bowl (Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA) at 8:00 CST on FS1

Dec 29th:

NWU vs Kentucky in Music City Bowl (Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN) at 3:30 CST on ESPN

tOSU vs USC in Cotton Bowl (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX) at 7:30 CST on ESPN (This is the best football venue I have ever seen. I went to last year's Western Michigan vs Wisconsin Cotton Bowl).

Dec 30th:

PSU vs Washington in Fiesta Bowl (University of Phoenix Stadium in Tempe, AZ) at 3:00 CST on ESPN

WI vs Miami in Orange Bowl (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL) at 700 CST on ESPN

Jan 1st:

UofM vs South Carolina in Outback Bowl (Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL) at 11:00 CST on ESPN2

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

Dec 27th:

Iowa vs Boston College in Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY) at 4:15 CST on ESPN

Purdue vs Arizona in Foster Farms Bowl (Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA) at 7:30 CST on Fox

Dec 28th:

MSU vs Washington State in Holiday Bowl (Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA) at 8:00 CST on FS1

Dec 29th:

NWU vs Kentucky in Music City Bowl (Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN) at 3:30 CST on ESPN

tOSU vs USC in Cotton Bowl (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX) at 7:30 CST on ESPN (This is the best football venue I have ever seen. I went to last year's Western Michigan vs Wisconsin Cotton Bowl).

Dec 30th:

PSU vs Washington in Fiesta Bowl (University of Phoenix Stadium in Tempe, AZ) at 3:00 CST on ESPN

WI vs Miami in Orange Bowl (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL) at 700 CST on ESPN

Jan 1st:

UofM vs South Carolina in Outback Bowl (Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL) at 11:00 CST on ESPN2

Looks like good match ups.

For lbsid: "I-O" :-)

Purdue blogger Hammer & Rails talking about adding Air Force to their schedule. Emphasis mine:

quote:

The Air Force game is the first to talk about here, and it will take place on September 19, 2020. it will also be the first time Purdue has played Air Force and the first time we have played a service academy since a 32-0 loss against Navy in Baltimore on November 18, 1944. To be fair, Navy was beating a ton of good teams that year including Penn State, Georgia Tech, and Japan.

Dec 27th:
Two bowl games today, and I'm predicting both Big Ten teams to win.

Iowa vs Boston College in Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY) at 4:15 CST on ESPN. The Hawekeyes are unanimously favored by 3 points.

Purdue vs Arizona in Foster Farms Bowl (Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA) at 7:30 CST on Fox. My Boilermakers are unanimously 3 point underdogs.

Todd, I’m going to go against you in both games. I think BC beats Iowa, besides, I don’t care much for Iowa

You might remember, I’m a University of Arizona alum, so this one pits your school against mine. Good luck

I like our chances of beating RichRod coached team. RichRod is my favorite UofM coach of all time since he is the only modern UofM coach Purdue had a winning record.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
I like our chances of beating RichRod coached team. RichRod is my favorite UofM coach of all time since he is the only modern UofM coach Purdue had a winning record.

In hindsight, funny you brought up the coaching matchup—if Purdue had made that 4th down attempt from about their own 30, I wouldn’t have made this post. Helluva a gamble that came up snake eyes

Congrats to the Hawkeyes. Nice finish to an up and down season. Plus they now have the distinction of first (of hopefully many) Big Ten bowl win this year.

You were right on both games, Todd. Well played

Nice to see Purdue back in a Bowl Game and come away with a win.

Brohm had a nice first season at Purdue - beat IU, beat a SEC team (Missou), zero blowout losses, bowl eligible, and bowl win. He certainly exceeded my August prediction.

Dec 28th:

MSU vs Washington State in Holiday Bowl (Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA) at 8:00 CST on FS1. The Sparties are 2 to 2.5 point favorites depending on which odds service you believe. I don't think the Cougars have encountered a defense quite like the Sparties, but the Sparties have encountered wide open offenses like the Cougars. On offense, the Sparties are Jekyll and Hyde and they either put up mild mannered 13 to 17 points or murder the defense with 400 yards passing and 150 to 200 yards rushing. I'm going with Lewerke going wild and the Sparties defense containing (not shutting down) the Cougs. Sparties win and cover.

Congrats to the Sparties on their bowl win and 10 win season. Quite a turnaround from ‘16.

Congrats to Dantonio on his hundredth win.

The Big Ten is now 3-0 this bowl season.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Congrats to the Sparties on their bowl win and 10 win season. Quite a turnaround from ‘16.

Congrats to Dantonio on his hundredth win.

The Big Ten is now 3-0 this bowl season.

+1. It helps to deaden the sting from last season.