There are 9 teams with 1 loss right now. Most of them are ranked top-10, or just on the cusp (Nebraska). There are two that are clearly outliers - Duke and Colorado State. It may seem like a foregone conclusion that both are out of the playoff chase, but stranger things have happened before.

Which team is better? Here's their opponents played, W-L, and scores:

Duke (8-1)
W vs Elon 52-13
W @ Troy 34-17
W vs Kansas 41-3
W vs Tulane 47-13
L @ Miami (FL) 22-10
W @ #22 Georgia Tech 31-25
W vs Virginia 20-13
W @ Pittsburgh 51-48 2OT
W @ Syracuse 27-10
Remaining vs Virginia Tech, vs UNC, vs Wake, potential ACC championship game

Colorado State (9-1)
W vs Colorado 31-17 (neutral site in Denver)
L @ Boise State 37-24
W vs UC Davis 49-21
W @ Boston College 24-21
W vs Tulsa 42-17
W @ Nevada 31-24
W vs Utah State 16-13
W vs Wyoming 45-31
W @ San Jose State 38-31
W vs Hawaii 49-22
Remaining vs New Mexico, @ Air Force

Just thought it would be fun to debate this, so try to stay nice :)

Colorado State has played a tougher schedule, although the Georgia Tech win is a good win.

Both teams have excellent coaching and are far ahead of where they were under their previous coaching staff.

A game between them on a neutral field would be a tossup IMO.

I haven't seen CSU play so I can't comment. Duke is just a good solid football team that doesn't do anything flashy but does everything pretty well. I think Duke is a threat to beat FSU in the championship game.

Massey has Duke at 25 and Colorado State at 36 with their respective schedules coming in at 69 and 81 respectively... I think Colorado State vs. Duke at a neutral site would be a nice battle.

Duke
PPG 31st
DPG 11th

Colorado St
PPG 28th
DPG 40th

I don't think its really a contest. Duke is clearly the stronger team playing a stronger schedule. Duke's defense is much better than Colorado St's.

(11-10-2014 12:20 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Duke
PPG 31st
DPG 11th

Colorado St
PPG 28th
DPG 40th

I don't think its really a contest. Duke is clearly the stronger team playing a stronger schedule. Duke's defense is much better than Colorado St's.

Now that's funny - not a contest. It' not a beauty contest BTW.

The correct answer is Ohio State, they have the worst lost. I'm calling you out as to how much of a "real" Bearcat fan you are, never miss an opportunity to make fun of Ohio State. (joke)


More seriously, their losses are fairly equal in stature, but Duke has the better "best win" and they appear to be a better football team from what I've seen. Not that CSU is bad, but I would take Duke over CSU in a hypothetical football game.

(11-10-2014 01:37 PM)NittanyLion Wrote:  The correct answer is Ohio State, they have the worst lost. I'm calling you out as to how much of a "real" Bearcat fan you are, never miss an opportunity to make fun of Ohio State. (joke)


More seriously, their losses are fairly equal in stature, but Duke has the better "best win" and they appear to be a better football team from what I've seen. Not that CSU is bad, but I would take Duke over CSU in a hypothetical football game.

Most years I'm pretty ambivalent about Ohio State because they rarely play us. If they play a team from another region I'll root for them because there's more Cincinnati kids playing for that team up north than for USC or Texas.

This year I hope they do well because we played them. It makes us look better if we lost to a top team rather than a mediocre one.

Hopefully this matchup will happen in the Orange Bowl. We can finally end the age old question of who is better: Duke or Colorado State?

Colorado State is the better team. They actually played a team with a pulse in a OOC game.

It would be a good matchup. Duke does have the opportunity to prove itself against FSU, a luxury Colorado State does not have.

Interesting note: Both have legendary coaches with alliteration names. Harry Hughes and Wallace Wade. And both of the school's stadiums are named after them.

My pick would be Colorado St. I really like Duke but the ACC is pretty down and their OOC schedule was terrible. MWC is a little underrated, it's not easy to win in that conference. On a side note I am extremely pleased that Duke is about to win the Coastal division for the 2nd year in a row. Way to go Coach Cutcliffe!