Yeah it's still too early to know for sure, but based on their OOC games with everyone but the Big 10 I would say there is at least the basis for arguing that they too might be a tad too respected. U.S.C. loses to Boston College (congrats Eagles you outplayed them all night long), but beat vaunted Stanford. U.C.L.A. struggles with a Texas team that one week ago was blown out by the PAC rejects from Provo, struggles with Virginia and is unimpressive in their other game. Oregon beats Michigan State and who else? I do think the PAC will have some sleepers and they are one of the next most competitive conferences behind the Big 12, which has also had some suspect play, so I'm not quite sure where the PAC and Big 12 shake out. The ACC is a bit of a puzzle as well. F.S.U. didn't look overly strong against O.S.U., Clemson wasn't ready to play a Georgia team that lacked for pass defense against the Gamecocks today, Virginia Tech dazzled and fizzled, Virginia is working on an offense and relying on a defense, N.C. State could be coming around, Duke is picking up where it left off last year, the Northern basketball schools are acquitting themselves well so far, and the rest look about the same. But ditto for the Big 12. Texas is down again but showed improvement this week, Arkansas silenced Tech who had struggled to their first two wins. KState started slowly. Iowa State won the Cyhawk game but started shaky, Kansas ....., well West Virginia is looking much improved and the Horned Frogs do too. Baylor who knows? Who have they played? Oklahoma is the only one holding form so far and that will need to continue if their round robin is to provide SOS for their champion.

Now for the SEC. The East looks wide open to me. Georgia has no pass defense, just like last year and it bit them. South Carolina still can't handle up tempo. That may be the "old" part of the Ole Ball Coach. Missouri has a basis to build upon but is a work in motion. Vanderbilt is a wreck waiting to happen. Kentucky proved tonight that you will have to earn it or they will beat you (unless of course the officials never check the play clock). Tennessee is better but has a ways to go. And Florida.....quite frankly I didn't see the hype on the field. I still think it will be either Georgia or South Carolina that wins it but the East champion will likely have 2 conference losses.

The West is loaded to be fair. Even Mississippi State looks decent. Arkansas is going to hurt somebody. Ole Miss is rolling now. A&M will light it up, but their D is still suspect, Auburn is like last year only with a "slightly" better D, and Alabama so far just doesn't look as polished as the typical Tide team. L.S.U. has weapons but seems to get in their own way while trying to use them. Their defense is looking pretty good though. I see a one loss champion in the West and haven't a clue yet as to which it will be. I don't think it will be Bama. I like Arkansas's chances against them and against L.S.U. Thoughts?


By the way I didn't bring up the Big 10 so you don't either. But we will honor them with a moment of silence......

This may end up like the year LSU was the national championship with two losses. Of course, someone could finish undefeated, but I won't be surprised if every team in the country has a game that they can't get out of their own way and just win. And I am on record as thinking the SEC champ could have two losses, since the conference has so many very good teams, but no dominant team.

The SEC has eight schools with a legitimate claim to being a contender (Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri). With five of those teams in the same division, at least two of them will likely end up with three losses and I still think they would be contenders for conference titles if they were in another conference. Then you have teams like Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas and even Kentucky that could upset a contender and it wouldn't be shocking. Only Vandy is just horrible.

I don't know if the PAC is the second best conference, but it does not appear that any other conference has more than a few strong teams. I still have my doubts about Florida State, but Oregon and Oklahoma look good enough to challenge for the national title to me. After them, I think we are mostly looking at teams, including those very good SEC teams, that have shown flaws that can be exploited by the best teams and coaches.

I don't think there is a second best conference right now. I am seeing parity between the PAC, the ACC and the Big 12.

I cant pick one out of the three that stands out. If I truly had to pick one Right Now, I would pick the ACC for the strength across the board that they are showing. That is a problem for the PAC though and I have spoken about this before. They do not get the media coverage that the more Eastern conferences do.

Who really knows that much about the PAC conference as a whole? I know some things about ASU and from the mediocrity I see coming from USC and UCLA, I am pretty sure ASU is going to repeat as the South champs. Crazy as it sounds, Arizona may end up being their strongest competition. The PAC is in serious flux right now and their standing with ESPN is hurting them in the propaganda department.

I think the top of the PAC is pretty slim with Oregon and ASU. UCLA and Washington are below that, USC and Stanford further down, and the rest look pretty much the same until you get to Colorado and WSU at the bottom.

I think the Big XII's got the good stuff right now. I don't know, but they could send eight teams bowling this year. I'm skeptical of the PAC past its top six...I doubt they send 80% of their conference.

(09-14-2014 06:04 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  I think the top of the PAC is pretty slim with Oregon and ASU. UCLA and Washington are below that, USC and Stanford further down, and the rest look pretty much the same until you get to Colorado and WSU at the bottom.

I think the Big XII's got the good stuff right now. I don't know, but they could send eight teams bowling this year. I'm skeptical of the PAC past its top six...I doubt they send 80% of their conference.

Well let's break that Big 12 sentiment down. Oklahoma is truly legit. We don't know about Baylor yet, but they look good against the lesser competition they have played.
Kansas State we'll know more about on Thursday. Oklahoma State looked solid against F.S.U. but how rusty were the 'Noles? West Virginia looks to be headed toward a bowl the question is just how good of one? That's half. Texas Tech has holes. I don't see them gong .500 in the Big 12 but they could finish 6-6. Iowa State might have issues and Kansas is toast. T.C.U. is looking better than last year and handled Minnesota today but what do the Gophers really have? Texas might be down again. So I'm leaning your way but need to see more against better competition before I proclaim their stuff to be good. I still remember what Bortles did to Baylor last year and the stumbles the Sooners took against Texas. So we'll see.

Who cares, some of you folks need to just enjoy the season.

My impression is that the SEC is at the top by a significant margin and the B1G is at the bottom by a significant margin. The other three have a lot of parity.

(09-14-2014 12:06 AM)JRsec Wrote:  Yeah it's still too early to know for sure, but based on their OOC games with everyone but the Big 10 I would say there is at least the basis for arguing that they too might be a tad too respected. U.S.C. loses to Boston College (congrats Eagles you outplayed them all night long), but beat vaunted Stanford. U.C.L.A. struggles with a Texas team that one week ago was blown out by the PAC rejects from Provo, struggles with Virginia and is unimpressive in their other game. Oregon beats Michigan State and who else? I do think the PAC will have some sleepers and they are one of the next most competitive conferences behind the Big 12, which has also had some suspect play, so I'm not quite sure where the PAC and Big 12 shake out. The ACC is a bit of a puzzle as well. F.S.U. didn't look overly strong against O.S.U., Clemson wasn't ready to play a Georgia team that lacked for pass defense against the Gamecocks today, Virginia Tech dazzled and fizzled, Virginia is working on an offense and relying on a defense, N.C. State could be coming around, Duke is picking up where it left off last year, the Northern basketball schools are acquitting themselves well so far, and the rest look about the same. But ditto for the Big 12. Texas is down again but showed improvement this week, Arkansas silenced Tech who had struggled to their first two wins. KState started slowly. Iowa State won the Cyhawk game but started shaky, Kansas ....., well West Virginia is looking much improved and the Horned Frogs do too. Baylor who knows? Who have they played? Oklahoma is the only one holding form so far and that will need to continue if their round robin is to provide SOS for their champion.

Now for the SEC. The East looks wide open to me. Georgia has no pass defense, just like last year and it bit them. South Carolina still can't handle up tempo. That may be the "old" part of the Ole Ball Coach. Missouri has a basis to build upon but is a work in motion. Vanderbilt is a wreck waiting to happen. Kentucky proved tonight that you will have to earn it or they will beat you (unless of course the officials never check the play clock). Tennessee is better but has a ways to go. And Florida.....quite frankly I didn't see the hype on the field. I still think it will be either Georgia or South Carolina that wins it but the East champion will likely have 2 conference losses.

The West is loaded to be fair. Even Mississippi State looks decent. Arkansas is going to hurt somebody. Ole Miss is rolling now. A&M will light it up, but their D is still suspect, Auburn is like last year only with a "slightly" better D, and Alabama so far just doesn't look as polished as the typical Tide team. L.S.U. has weapons but seems to get in their own way while trying to use them. Their defense is looking pretty good though. I see a one loss champion in the West and haven't a clue yet as to which it will be. I don't think it will be Bama. I like Arkansas's chances against them and against L.S.U. Thoughts?


By the way I didn't bring up the Big 10 so you don't either. But we will honor them with a moment of silence......

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

(09-14-2014 12:06 AM)JRsec Wrote:  Yeah it's still too early to know for sure, but based on their OOC games with everyone but the Big 10 I would say there is at least the basis for arguing that they too might be a tad too respected. U.S.C. loses to Boston College (congrats Eagles you outplayed them all night long), but beat vaunted Stanford. U.C.L.A. struggles with a Texas team that one week ago was blown out by the PAC rejects from Provo, struggles with Virginia and is unimpressive in their other game. Oregon beats Michigan State and who else? I do think the PAC will have some sleepers and they are one of the next most competitive conferences behind the Big 12, which has also had some suspect play, so I'm not quite sure where the PAC and Big 12 shake out. The ACC is a bit of a puzzle as well. F.S.U. didn't look overly strong against O.S.U., Clemson wasn't ready to play a Georgia team that lacked for pass defense against the Gamecocks today, Virginia Tech dazzled and fizzled, Virginia is working on an offense and relying on a defense, N.C. State could be coming around, Duke is picking up where it left off last year, the Northern basketball schools are acquitting themselves well so far, and the rest look about the same. But ditto for the Big 12. Texas is down again but showed improvement this week, Arkansas silenced Tech who had struggled to their first two wins. KState started slowly. Iowa State won the Cyhawk game but started shaky, Kansas ....., well West Virginia is looking much improved and the Horned Frogs do too. Baylor who knows? Who have they played? Oklahoma is the only one holding form so far and that will need to continue if their round robin is to provide SOS for their champion.

Now for the SEC. The East looks wide open to me. Georgia has no pass defense, just like last year and it bit them. South Carolina still can't handle up tempo. That may be the "old" part of the Ole Ball Coach. Missouri has a basis to build upon but is a work in motion. Vanderbilt is a wreck waiting to happen. Kentucky proved tonight that you will have to earn it or they will beat you (unless of course the officials never check the play clock). Tennessee is better but has a ways to go. And Florida.....quite frankly I didn't see the hype on the field. I still think it will be either Georgia or South Carolina that wins it but the East champion will likely have 2 conference losses.

The West is loaded to be fair. Even Mississippi State looks decent. Arkansas is going to hurt somebody. Ole Miss is rolling now. A&M will light it up, but their D is still suspect, Auburn is like last year only with a "slightly" better D, and Alabama so far just doesn't look as polished as the typical Tide team. L.S.U. has weapons but seems to get in their own way while trying to use them. Their defense is looking pretty good though. I see a one loss champion in the West and haven't a clue yet as to which it will be. I don't think it will be Bama. I like Arkansas's chances against them and against L.S.U. Thoughts?


By the way I didn't bring up the Big 10 so you don't either. But we will honor them with a moment of silence......

^^^^ This is why I love college football.

(09-14-2014 12:28 AM)Zombiewoof Wrote:  This may end up like the year LSU was the national championship with two losses. Of course, someone could finish undefeated, but I won't be surprised if every team in the country has a game that they can't get out of their own way and just win. And I am on record as thinking the SEC champ could have two losses, since the conference has so many very good teams, but no dominant team.

The SEC has eight schools with a legitimate claim to being a contender (Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri). With five of those teams in the same division, at least two of them will likely end up with three losses and I still think they would be contenders for conference titles if they were in another conference. Then you have teams like Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas and even Kentucky that could upset a contender and it wouldn't be shocking. Only Vandy is just horrible.

I don't know if the PAC is the second best conference, but it does not appear that any other conference has more than a few strong teams. I still have my doubts about Florida State, but Oregon and Oklahoma look good enough to challenge for the national title to me. After them, I think we are mostly looking at teams, including those very good SEC teams, that have shown flaws that can be exploited by the best teams and coaches.

I think this is the year the luck finally runs out for the SEC champ. They will beat each other up this year. And there will be some upsets. The top half has virtually swept the bottom half in recent years. But its a good year for the luck to run out with a 4 team instead of a 2 team playoff. A 2 loss SEC champ has a decent chance to make the playoff with what's happened so far in the Big 10 and Pac 12.

I think the PAC and ACC are close for 2nd best, not sure who has the edge right now. The Big 12 is behind them. The OOC record against FBS schools tells a big part of the story:

Pac: 18-4
ACC: 15-5
Big 12: 11-6 (plus 1 FCS loss)
Big 10: 14-13
C-USA: 11-16 (plus 1 FCS loss)
MWC: 5-15
AAC: 3-16 (although arguably the best team in the conference, UC, has only played 1 game)
MAC: 5-20 (plus 2 FCS losses, that's why they're behind the AAC)
Sun Belt: 2-15 (plus 1 FCS loss)

Not if you are referring to football. The Big XII and SEC are about equal at this point.