I still like the AP poll. While it's doubtful we get split national champions again making it somewhat redundant, there are a couple of uses still

1. The committee ranks before bowls games not after. I want a final poll too.
2. The AP is great for historical purposes as it's existed so long. It helps to have one standard to go to for looking at stats across time.

For the coaches, well... They do award the crystal football which is definitely the neatest trophy.

(11-03-2014 11:19 AM)Ragu Wrote:  Auburn had way more escapes last year and were hyped as a great story by ESPN. Big contrast to how they are handling fsu this year

those weren't even escapes...they were fluke plays....

(11-02-2014 12:20 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 12:05 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  It's not as if FSU looked dominant in dispatching the Ville.

I think there's a definite difference between Louisville, a 6-3 team, and Arkansas, a 4-5 one.

Thursday night road game vs Saturday night home game, too.

http://harvardsportsanalysis.org/2014/10...-football/

Is that methodology sound?

(11-01-2014 10:05 PM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  Nope. You could hear it as they ended the telecast .... Arkiesaw, the best 0-5 conference team in the country, maybe ever. #SECSPN

at least you don't live in the middle of SEC hell. these morons were claiming today that arky would be in the upper tier of the ACC. stupid conversation since it can't be proven, but the SEC circle jerk is freakin' unbearable sometimes.

my favorite looney notion in these parts is that SEC teams sometimes lose in bowls because they're unmotivated by a game that isn't for a national title (e.g. bama vs. ou last year). looked an awful lot like a woodshed beating to me, but what do i know?

on another note, i think i might actually be torn on who to root for the next time bama and the chickens play.

(11-03-2014 11:19 AM)Ragu Wrote:  Auburn had way more escapes last year and were hyped as a great story by ESPN. Big contrast to how they are handling fsu this year

Yup, when an SEC team beats a sub .500 team who hasn't won a conference game in 2 years they are showing courage and able to over come.


When FSU beats the #1 ranked defense at their house after a 21 point deficit.......well, they are just buying time and will lose eventually.




The press decides how people think.....and they fall right in line.



SEC..........good.


Anything that threatens SEC and their national title runs.....bad.



Now fall in line.

(11-02-2014 12:20 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 12:05 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  It's not as if FSU looked dominant in dispatching the Ville.

I think there's a definite difference between Louisville, a 6-3 team, and Arkansas, a 4-5 one.

There absolutely is. One begins with an "A" and the other begins with "L". Other than that, though, it's hard to find much difference unless you're a fan of one school or the other.

(11-03-2014 09:00 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 12:20 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 12:05 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  It's not as if FSU looked dominant in dispatching the Ville.

I think there's a definite difference between Louisville, a 6-3 team, and Arkansas, a 4-5 one.

There absolutely is. One begins with an "A" and the other begins with "L". Other than that, though, it's hard to find much difference unless you're a fan of one school or the other.

I would say there is a HUGE difference considering Arkansas has lost 16 straight conference games.

The question we SHOULD ask is this: if Arkansas and Louisville played right now, who would we expect to win? I'm thinking UL.

(11-02-2014 12:46 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 12:05 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  It's not as if FSU looked dominant in dispatching the Ville.

They were pretty dominant in the 2nd half....

When Jameis Winston and the offense turn it on, no one has stopped them....

Not a fan of Winston, but this is true. When he is 'on' that offense is a nightmare to defend. It is even more impressive what he is doing this year because Fl St does not have the same running game they had last year, and they do not have a Kelvin Benjamin to go up for jump balls (watched that effing skyscraper snag a TD at Clemson last year when our CB had great position but would have needed a friggin' ladder to influence the play).

(11-04-2014 06:53 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  The question we SHOULD ask is this: if Arkansas and Louisville played right now, who would we expect to win? I'm thinking UL.

I believe whoever is the home team would be favored.

The better question is who would win on a neutral field.

(11-04-2014 08:58 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  The better question is who would win on a neutral field.

In that case, I would expect the spread on game to be a pick 'em.

(11-04-2014 09:27 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(11-04-2014 08:58 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  The better question is who would win on a neutral field.

In that case, I would expect the spread on game to be a pick 'em.

I believe that Louisville would be at minimum a 3 to 3.5 favorite on a neutral field.

(11-04-2014 12:00 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-04-2014 09:27 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(11-04-2014 08:58 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  The better question is who would win on a neutral field.

In that case, I would expect the spread on game to be a pick 'em.

I believe that Louisville would be at minimum a 3 to 3.5 favorite on a neutral field.

We'll know more about how Louisville would handle Arky based on their game this weekend against BC. Ark and BC are very similar.

(11-04-2014 12:00 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-04-2014 09:27 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(11-04-2014 08:58 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  The better question is who would win on a neutral field.

In that case, I would expect the spread on game to be a pick 'em.

I believe that Louisville would be at minimum a 3 to 3.5 favorite on a neutral field.

Both Sagarin and Massey have these two as close as peas in a pod. Sagarin has Arkansas slightly ahead based on the Predictor Rating used for head to head comparisons, while Massey has the Cards just ahead of the Razorbacks. Their combined rating score from the two services has Arky at 146.79 and Louisville at 146.88. It's hard to get closer than that.

The point is, neither is clearly better than the other, and how they would fare against a common opponent would depend on which of them matches up better.

Louisville has the far better defense, and most importantly the far better rushing defense. If Arkansas can't run they can't move the ball as calling their passing game pedestrian would be generous. Arkansas also turns the ball over more than they get turnovers, while Louisville creates more than they give away, and in a close game Louisville has a kicker they know they can depend on while Arkansas doesn't.

Sagarin and Massey can say whatever they want, the eye test tells me that Louisville would have more advantages in a head to head matchup than Arkansas.

(11-04-2014 05:18 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Louisville has the far better defense, and most importantly the far better rushing defense. If Arkansas can't run they can't move the ball as calling their passing game pedestrian would be generous. Arkansas also turns the ball over more than they get turnovers, while Louisville creates more than they give away, and in a close game Louisville has a kicker they know they can depend on while Arkansas doesn't.

Sagarin and Massey can say whatever they want, the eye test tells me that Louisville would have more advantages in a head to head matchup than Arkansas.

That's why bookies stay in business. Because everybody has his own opinion.

If FSU has a good win next week, they'll move into the #1 spot....and the following week we get:

FSU-Miami
Miss State-Alabama