NCAA Football 2024 - it goes to 12!

[Shirley]

It seemed like you were at least expressing frustration with players who weren't "bought in" when in reality they're basically forced to transfer when they are because of the NCAA's transfer windows. (And the NCAA's lack of rules/enforcement regarding tampering/contacting players)

Nope. I just said I'm not interested in watching a bowl game between two 8-5 teams who don't even have their top 10-25% of players because those players chose not to play (for various reasons) in the meaningless game.

[Brontoburglar]

Most schools in non-playoff games have not been missing their top 10-25% of players. I'm struggling to think of even one that was (Marshall an obvious outlier here)

[Shirley]

I checked exactly one team and found this:

When the Hokies take the field against the Gophers, they’ll be missing 14 of 22 starters from the regular season for various reasons.

Maybe I got lucky.

[Shirley]

I checked exactly one team and found this:

When the Hokies take the field against the Gophers, they’ll be missing 14 of 22 starters from the regular season for various reasons.

Maybe I got lucky.

What about the Hokies' opponents?

The Gophers played without seven starters in its 24-10 win over Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday

[Nonlinear FC]

MI played Alabama without 10 of their regular starters in the WhateverQuest Bowl.

[Nonlinear FC]

This is really a semantics "debate" at this point. I don't think there's any question that a sizeable number of non-CFP bowl games saw a number of NFL opt-outs and portal transfers impact the rosters of participating teams, to the point that you have starting players who played large roles not available for their bowl games. This is not new, but has certainly been exacerbated/accelerated in recent years.

Whatever the percentage, it's not unreasonable to acknowledge the impact. I'm not saying folks aren't, but the next point: What is less easy to pin down is a) the impact of this roster attrition on the psyche of those teams and b) the impact of this attrition on the quality of the bowl games.

And just to come a little full circle... Whatever the answer to those questions, viewership for non-CFP games is way up. So for both the fans and the powers-that-be, this discussion we're having doesn't seem to matter all that much.

[A_B]

I only care about any bowl if my team is in it, and then the playoff stuff of course. I will occasionally tune in to a Mayo or Pop Tart bowl if its a good game but I don't seek them out and usually i'll only switch over mid game instead of whole game. I don't love the idea of kids quitting on a team, but I've also never had to think about playing it at such a high level or when so much money is involved.

It's rare at KY, but I do think we had a couple of kids sit out the bowl a few years back because they were going to the draft. I think Bennie Snell Skipped and a couple of other running backs, then maybe even Wandale Robinson. The best player in the NFL from UK is Josh Allen, but I am pretty sure he played in his last bowl game and wrecked shop, even though we lost the game. It didn't really bother me much that they sat out, because it did give PT to others and we weren't title contenders. I think I may have gotten some names mixed up, too, but regardless KY hasn't had a lot of impact players opt out for anything other than transferring.

I have lost my overall thread in here since everything I said a couple of things incorrectly earlier. Anyways, I think each case is more an issue for each kid than the whole roster. If you lose a lot of kids every year, coaching needs to adjust something.

[Brontoburglar]

I'll fully admit that I'm immune to it at this point and why nothing popped to mind. the perils of dealing with it constantly. UM and VT were on the higher side for sure, but I don't even blink now if a team like North Texas is starting a kid who hasn't made a start since the ninth grade (seriously)

I also do find the conversation around players vs. coaches to be kind of fascinating. there wasn't a fraction of this discourse over the past three decades when coaches have been leaving their teams before bowl games for different jobs. granted, the players are the ones playing, so it's obvious why people see it as more of a glaring absence than a coach, but the players are just now getting to do what coaches have been doing

[sancarlos]

The best player in the NFL from UK is Josh Allen

Josh Allen grew up in California and went to college at Wyoming.

[A_B]

The best player in the NFL from UK is Josh Allen

Josh Allen grew up in California and went to college at Wyoming.

That is a 100% true fact you have there, SC! Look at us, a couple of true fact havers, cuttin' it up!

[HaulCitgo]

So thats why he didnt learn to play qb?

[Nonlinear FC]

This is some good shit.

[A_B]

So thats why he didnt learn to play qb?

Oh, he handled the QB position quite well.

[HaulCitgo]

Thursday night semifinal? Loving it right now but I could have missed it

[Shirley]

I also do find the conversation around players vs. coaches to be kind of fascinating. there wasn't a fraction of this discourse over the past three decades when coaches have been leaving their teams before bowl games for different jobs. granted, the players are the ones playing, so it's obvious why people see it as more of a glaring absence than a coach, but the players are just now getting to do what coaches have been doing

I'm pretty sure nearly every coach that left his team before a bowl game was absolutely slammed by everyone other than the team he went to. The biggest difference to me is just the numbers. Each year, maybe one or two coaches willingly change jobs and leave before a bowl. But in the last few years, pretty much every team has lost a significant number of starters and non-starters. It affects everyone now.

Again, to be clear, I'm not saying players don't deserve to get paid or go where they're happy. I'm just saying it affects the product.

[rass]

That anthem singer was too much for that mic

[Rex]

Is this guy Allar really a prospect? He’s been on the Giants fans’ radar

[Nonlinear FC]

Is this guy Allar really a prospect? He’s been on the Giants fans’ radar

As a fan of a team that's gone against him in high profile games.


Not impressed. He's.. fine.

[L-Jam3]

In other news involving oranges, Anita Bryant is dead.

[sancarlos]

In other news involving oranges, Anita Bryant is dead.

She died in December didn’t she?

[L-Jam3]

In other news involving oranges, Anita Bryant is dead.

She died in December didn’t she?

Yes, but I think it was just publicized today.

[sancarlos]

In other news involving oranges, Anita Bryant is dead.

She died in December didn’t she?

Yes, but I think it was just publicized today.

Yeah, see that now, but I could have sworn I read that somewhere previously.

[brian]

Death, taxes and James Franklin losing in big games.

[wlu_lax6]

The playoffs have been very good games. As my only rooting interest was against Georgia (my nephew goes there and our texts are your team is losing to a team they should beat), but I find myself interested and not turning the games off.

Also so Beck realized that having a throwing arm injury that will prevent you from showing off for NFL scouts is a bad financial decision, so he goes back to school..well back to the portal (likely Miami bound). But Georgia does not want him for another year? Find it hard to believe that NIL $ are significantly different between those programs.

[A_B]

Thy probably don't want to piss off whoever the next QB in their system. So he was recruited over, likely. They have recruited several four stars in the past few years, and they may not want to risk losing them over a rehab season from Beck.

[wlu_lax6]

Thy probably don't want to piss off whoever the next QB in their system. So he was recruited over, likely. They have recruited several four stars in the past few years, and they may not want to risk losing them over a rehab season from Beck.

Stockton Gunnar is a current Sophomore --2022 4 star. He stepped in for Beck

Ryan Puglisi is a current Freshman (Massachusetts kid who played at Avon Old Farms) - 2024 4-star (10th ranked)

Jaden Rashada 2023 4 star who is back in the portal (after his florida, arizona state issues) 7th ranked

Ryan Montgomery, 10-ranked quarterback from the class of 2025. He's been committed to Georgia since April 2024.

Georgia's also reportedly interested in five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, reclassified from 2026 to the 2025 recruiting class. Lewis has been committed to USC since Aug. 2023, but he is from Carrollton, Georgia.

[brian]

So is Notre Dame now the first team to win two “bowl games” in one season?

[Nonlinear FC]

Is this guy Allar really a prospect? He’s been on the Giants fans’ radar

As a fan of a team that's gone against him in high profile games.


Not impressed. He's.. fine.

• Penn State coach James Franklin is now 1-18 vs. AP top-five teams (Notre Dame ranks No. 3 in the AP poll).

• Of Allar's 12 completions on the night, not a single one went to a Penn State wide receiver.

[Brontoburglar]

I also do find the conversation around players vs. coaches to be kind of fascinating. there wasn't a fraction of this discourse over the past three decades when coaches have been leaving their teams before bowl games for different jobs. granted, the players are the ones playing, so it's obvious why people see it as more of a glaring absence than a coach, but the players are just now getting to do what coaches have been doing

I'm pretty sure nearly every coach that left his team before a bowl game was absolutely slammed by everyone other than the team he went to.

not at all; it's an entirely accepted practice and has been for years

[Nonlinear FC]

Beck commits to Miami.

Which brings up another point about increasing interest in CFB... This player movement is pretty fun to watch/track.

[brian]

Is this guy Allar really a prospect? He’s been on the Giants fans’ radar

As a fan of a team that's gone against him in high profile games.


Not impressed. He's.. fine.

• Penn State coach James Franklin is now 1-18 vs. AP top-five teams (Notre Dame ranks No. 3 in the AP poll).

• Of Allar's 12 completions on the night, not a single one went to a Penn State wide receiver.

Allar is like Christian Hackenburg only less talented.

[rass]

Not watching on my usual TV. Is McAfee particularly pink tonight?

[DaveInSeattle]

Does Ryan Day use the "Coach K For Men" hair dye on his beard?

[degenerasian]

The shortside pass was such a bad call from the 1

[Giff]

The best thing about UT losing is reminding A&M fans they haven’t won anything since Hitler was in power and before we were involved.

[degenerasian]

Who do Michigan fans cheer for now?

[brian]

Who do Michigan fans cheer for now?

A meteor.

[Nonlinear FC]

This is the definition of a Die in a Fire Bowl.

[Jerloma]

"We're the two main teams to just publicly display our faith the most. ... I truly believe that Jesus was looking over both our shoulders throughout the season & put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason."

Looks like we have a pray-off, you guys!

[rass]

Can’t believe I’m rooting for ND