Buzz Meets Brutus

thorbs asked: As a Cleveland Browns football fan, I don't understand college football.

I think you’ll be much happier in this:

Danimal Award (Week 1)

According to ESPN, the top three Heisman candidates (updated 9/6) are Andy Luck, Kellen Moore, and Landry Jones. Here’s what I find most interesting about those rankings: we are one week into college football and those guys are considered the most outstanding players in the game.
 
1. Andrew Luck has a passer rating of 146.0, good enough for 41st in the country.

2. Kellen Moore has a passer rating of 170.1, placing him 21st.
 
3. Landry Jones has a passer rating of 148.5, giving him a strong hold on 37th in the country.
 
Those numbers wouldn’t even win prom king - the ultimate measure of a popularity contest - how the hell are they leading the Heisman race? Mr. Moore gets some credit for going up against Georgias’s defense but Luck and Jones played against San Jose State and Tulsa, respectively. Sure those are three excellent players, no argument there, but you cannot claim that Heisman rankings are based on play. This is a popularity contest. Does Luck have the tools necessary to be a badass QB? Yes. Did he have an amazing year last year? Yes. Does that mean he belongs in the discussion for most outstanding player in college football this year?  Not until he performs at the level worthy of the most outstanding player this year! This isn’t a political election where you base someone’s merit on what you think they might be capable of doing (look how well that turns out: see anything congress has done in 10 years). The merit for this award is supposed to be based on performance.

I’m tired of ESPN using their influence to advertise players they feel should get the Heisman. I’ve decided to create the “The Danimal Award” which is a t-shirt that says “I’m Awesome” and is awarded to the most oustanding player on the field during the course of a season.

Here are the candidates after week 1:

1. Robert Griffin III (RG3) - QB Baylor. This RG3 and crew went up against #14 TCU whose defense has spent the better part of a decade ranked in top 5 in most statistical categories. RG3 also plays for Baylor. Baylor finished with a winning record (7-6) last season for the first time since at least 2002 (I stopped looking, it might be longer). RG3 threw for 359 yards and 5 touchdowns including 38 rushing yards on 10 scampers. His QB rating of 250.6 puts him 25 points ahead of ANY QB IN THE COUNTRY. He is currently in 4th on the ESPN Heisman Watch.

2. Oregon State’s Malcolm Agnew ran for 221 yards and 3 TD’s in the Beaver’s OT loss to Sacramento State. He accounted for 45% of OSU’s total yards and 75% of their points - those numbers are worthy of the most outstanding player. I know the Beaver’s lost to a FCS team but it certainly was not Agnew’s fault. Did I mention he’s a true freshman? The Beaver’s are headed to Camp Randall this weekend and I’m excited to see what Mr. Angew can do against some a ranked team.

Here are the remaining candidates worthy of honorable mention.

The aforementioned Kellen Moore did complete 82.4% of his passes for 261yds 3 TD’s against an SEC defense. The entire Boise team also carries their reputation into every single game like this. Lose one and all national respect for Boise is gone. That’s pretty outstanding considering the pressure.

While I dock USC’s Robert Woods- like the rest of the Trojans- points for going scoreless in the second half and letting the Gophers come back from a 19-3 halftime deficit, 17 catches for 177 yards and 3 scores is pretty damn impressive - even against Minnesota. He is presently 4th in the country in receiving yards. [GT’s Stephen Hill is currently #3, no love, Dan? ~Z]

Michigan’s Brandon Herron set a school record at the winningest program in college football history by returning a fumble and interception for TD’s in a rout of Western Michigan. Anytime you set a record at Michigan like that, it’s impressive.

Kendall Wright of Baylor was RG3’s principal target making 12 catches for 189 yards (50% of RG3’s total yards) and 2 TD’s. That puts Mr. Wright #2 in the country in receiving yards. That is 45 yards and 2 TD’s more than ESPN’s Experts Poll top wide receiver Justin Blackmon. I had the luxury of watching this game and it does bring together an interesting point. Is RG3 just that good or did his track team of receivers make him look that good? Only time will tell and that’s the beauty of the Heisman Race.

Week 1 Top 25 and Other Thoughts

Buzz Meets Brutus Top 25 (Week 1)

1. LSU
2. Boise St
3. Alabama
4. Wisconsin
5. Oklahoma
6. Florida St
7. Stanford
8. Nebraska
9. South Carolina
10. Arkansas 
11. Oklahoma St
12. Oregon
13. Texas A&M
14. Ohio State
15. Miss St
16. West Virginia
17. Mich St
18. Va Tech
19. Florida
20. Arizona St
21. Baylor
22. Penn St
23. Auburn
24. Maryland
25. Northwestern

The weather was terrible, the uniforms were atrocious… but dear God I missed you, College Football.

Some of the weeks’s big winners:

• LSU - big wins in the national spotlight are always good
• Boise State - see above
• Auburn - sometimes avoiding a disastrous loss can be just as good as a huge win

And Losers:

• TCU - Defense much?
• Notre Dame - USF should have hung 45 on them
• Boston College - home loss to the a Persa-less Northwestern, FCS has more wins against BCS schools than the ACC

Short week + massive amounts of football means this is a shorter post.  I’ll try to write more in the coming weeks.  Like the images?  They are from the talented @bubbaprog on twitter and Mocksession.  Follow him for more sports goodness!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find Out What It Means To Me

In the past 3 seasons Oregon is 2-3 against ranked non-conference opponents beating Utah and Oklahoma State while losing to Boise State, Ohio State, and Auburn.

In the past 3 seasons Boise State is 6-1 against ranked non-conference opponents beating Utah, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, TCU, and Oregon (twice!) while losing to TCU by 1 point.

In that same period Boise State has played in 1 BCS bowl with a victory while Oregon has played in 2 with 2 losses.

2011 Preseason rankings had Oregon @ #3 and Boise State @ #5.

Saturday night both teams played at “neutral sites” against SEC opponents. Boise traveled to Atlanta to play Georgia while Oregon traveled to Dallas to play LSU. The Broncos won big and the Ducks lost big so let’s update:

In the past 3 seasons Oregon is 2-4 against ranked non-conference opponents beating Utah and Oklahoma State while losing to Boise State, Ohio State, Auburn, and LSU.

In the past 3 seasons Boise State is 7-1 against ranked non-conference opponents beating Georgia, Utah, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, TCU, and Oregon (twice!) while losing to TCU by 1 point.

I think it’s time the media start giving “SEC-like” credibility to Boise State and “Ohio State-like” credibility to Oregon. By this I mean that you almost never see the media pick an SEC school to lose a non-conference game (BSU was favored by 3 Saturday night against a Georgia team coming off a losing record) because they are that flippin’ good and almost always win. Likewise you’ll never hear the media call Ohio State a bad team but they’ll never get favored in a large non-conference game because the Buckeyes earned it by losing 3 straight BCS games and shitting the bed twice against USC. Both OSU and the SEC have earned their reputation and unless results prove otherwise, they deserve to hold that reputation.

A 0.875 winning percentage against ranked non-conference opponents needs to be respected more than a 0.333 winning percentage. How many times have you seen Boise’s coach on College Game day or in a Sports Center commercial? Chip Kelly will soon be a co-host at his rate. Oregon may have new uniforms every week to compliment their flashy and unique offensive scheme but they also don’t produce at the top 5 status they are given.

Go Broncos!

P.S.

This “neutral site” shit with Boise State has to go. According to Google Maps: Boise to Atlanta = 2,100 miles. Athens to Atlanta = 70 miles. Boise to DC = 2,300 miles, Blacksburg to DC = 300 miles. By way of analogy, the size of my dick is “neutral” compared to Ron Jeremy. Ladies feel free to email me. [Ladies, Dan can be contacted here. -Z]

Dan hates the Big 12

Zach’s Open Letter to the ACC got me thinking about the Big 12 after he mentioned how much the ACC hates Texas.  Like most people not from Texas, I hate Texas too! [ACC country hates Texas because Mack Brown used to coach UNC - Z] Here’s some interesting numbers on the Big 12 as the season kicks off.

The Big 12 has 4 teams ranked in the preseason Top 10: Oklahoma @ #1, Texas A&M @ #8, Oklahoma State @ #9 and Missouri @ #21.

Since 2002 the Aggies have been to 5 bowl games and have won zero. That’s worse than the Big Ten in bowl games- ouch town. They are also 2-9 against Top 25 competition since the 2008 season. How the hell The Aggies received a top ten ranking I don’t know.

Their neighbor in the rankings, the Cow Pokes, are a measly 3-7 against Top 25 competition during that same period but are coming off a solid drumming of Arizona in their bowl game.  The ‘Pokes have been an offensive juggernaut for several seasons now but unless their defense can make some stops, the lofty pre-season expectations will continue to be missed.  

Let’s also not forget to give Big Game Bob a congrats for finally winning a BCS bowl game after 5 consecutive losses. Actually, NO! DON”T DO THAT!!! They beat Connecticut of the Big East. That conference has not deserved respect since WVU’s last BCS appearance in 2008. And even then, it was more of “Oh yeah, WVU, they’re good but it’s a shame they play in the Big East”.

The Big 12 only has 1 team ranked in the Top 25 for strength of schedule. I will give OU some credit for scheduling that game with FSU in the second week of the season. That should be exciting IF AND ONLY IF SOMEONE IN THE ACC FINALLY STANDS UP TO PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS AND STOPS SHITTING THE BED… ZACH THIS IS YOUR DEPARTMENT. FIX THIS!

Danimal OUT.

An Open Letter to the ACC

Commissioner Swofford,
 
As you no doubt have read, Miami is hosed.  Sorry, allegedly hosed.  Let’s be completely honest here and just agree that ACC expansion has not worked out exactly as everyone hoped.  Let’s review:

Boston College deliver the Boston TV market to the ACC.  Boston TV market? I didn’t see anyone watching a BC game in Goodwill Hunting or The Town. Unless we add the Red Sox or the Patriots to the ACC that’s not happening.  Well Boston College is at least good at basketball right…. hmm, well, we can give them a few more years right?  

A sold-out, exciting championship game in Florida every year!  I was in Jacksonville for the 2006 Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech game.  I don’t think I need to go into any more detail.  Charlotte is at least a step in the right direction.

Miami is a national power and will make the ACC relevant.  The ACC bought high and now it looks like we’re about to sell low… or maybe just call declare bankruptcy and pull out.  Miami delivered the spotlight alright.  It delivered pure and utter chaos. Miami makes Florida State look like model program.  That’s an impressive feat.

Syracuse will deliver the NYC TV market.  Wait, Syracuse didn’t even work out, did they? Virginia Tech was allowed in thanks to some political wrangling but so far that appears to be the one move the ACC got right.

I think the fans are willing to forgive these past transgressions if you’re willing to grow a pair and go big.  (See Larry Scott Pac-12)  How big?  Texas Big.

The ACC should invite Texas A&M.

Positives:

• The ACC enters the Texas recruiting market.
• The ACC footprint grows and becomes less regional.
• Texas A&M adds a football pedigree and they aren’t half bad at basketball.
• Most of the ACC already hates Texas (see Mack Brown) so A&M will be a good fit.

Negatives:

• Travel… but is this really any worse than Miami or Tallahassee?

The Big East did it with TCU.  We can’t let them pass us!  Grow a pair Mr. Swofford and make the ACC relevant again.

Sincerely,
A humble ACC fan

Back in the saddle

Football is back and soon BMB will be too…