NCAA FBS

[zippy5]

Believe what you want to believe. The perception of the midwest is big and slow. I've seen it mentioned and discussed many times. Big Ten, MAC, ND are in that discussion. And Nebraska was even when they were in the Big 12.

Here's an example from mrsec.com:

"Look at the overall bowl records for the Big Ten and the MAC and you have to wonder just how much talent remains in the American Midwest as people migrate to the South and to the West. No wonder Midwestern teams and leagues are searching for ways to reach the prospects in the Sun Belt region."

Seems like a very unbiased source

[Zipgrad01]

That is not the national perception of the the MAC or even close to the national perception. It's the perception of those who want the world to revolve around whatever large regional conference they live around. I'm sure there are some in Alabama (SEC fans) who believe it is important for the Sun Belt if the SEC is good. It's all fantasy. The perception from where I live, the souteast, is the mac is a good nonBCS conference that falls below the BCS level. That perception is true in fact and reality. It has nothing to do with the Big Ten or ND. It is important for members of the Big Ten if the Big Ten is good. It is important for ND for ND to be good. It is important for the MAC that the MAC is good.

The MAC is pulling its weight. The Big Ten and ND are not. We have no control over them and it makes no difference whatsoever to the mac how well those other two are playing. It doesn't hurt the Big Ten when the MAC is bad. Why would it help the MAC if the Big Ten was better? The makes no sense and is an effort to try and connect nonexistent dots.

Believe me, the fantasy land the SEC fans have created for themselves is just an grandiose as the one Big Ten fans have created for themselves without all of the desperate to be liked and taken seriously paranoia. That's why I go to ACC games. Nobody is pretending it is anything other than what it is.

If anything, the MAC would want the Big Ten to suck because it becomes easier for them to sell their product to their base market (ie..alums, joe fan and especially recruits). Why on earth would Akron or any other MAC team want the Big Ten to be strong from top to bottom? We are trying to poach their tweener players to make ours stronger.

[K92]

Anyone on this board that brags about the SEC does so at the expense of the MAC. There are a few main culprits, but it's being done to take shots at OSU. I'll again point out that a 3-loss SEC teams sits just behind NIU in the BCS standings. I'm supposed to be happy about that? It's absurd. LSU is getting credit for what they and other SEC teams have done in the past. This year the SEC is good, but has not been dominant. And then there's Georgia. Plenty of losses, riddled with injuries, and a history of coming up small in big games. But they keep getting ranked.

Like it or not, the national perception of the MAC is that it's players who couldn't get into Big Ten schools. A stronger Big Ten is better for us. Midwest schools - Big Ten, MAC, Notre Dame - all need to perform better for us to be taken more seriously.

Do you honestly think NIU is ranked too low? I am certainly hoping they can pull off a big upset in a BCS game, but I gotta tell ya, in a game that mattered, that 3-loss SEC team would smoke the Huskies like a Philly blunt. That is reality.

[ZachTheZip]

Like it or not, the national perception of the MAC is that it's players who couldn't get into Big Ten schools.

No. That's the perception of the MAC in Big Ten country. Nationally, the MAC gains more respect than it does in its own footprint. Nationally, it is knows as a decent mid-major conference that produces a relatively high amount of NFL talent compared to its peers.

[GP1]

Believe what you want to believe. The perception of the midwest is big and slow.

And so what? What if it is true and it isn't a negative. Stanford is big and slow. Oregon is small and fast. Big and slow won. Again, Big Ten fans need to drop the paranoia and embrace the league for what it is.

[K92]

The NCAA really needs to implement a 16 team playoff. A lot of arguments about the relative strength of conferences stem from bowl results. The problem is, bowl results don't necessarily mean anything. The only game that really counts is the NC game. All the rest are just exhibition games. Some teams take these exhibition games a hell of a lot more seriously than others and the results don't always mean as much as they are given credit for. See 2013 pre-season darling, Louisville.

A 16 team playoff would allow us all to see the best teams play in post-season games that matter.

[LZIp]

Eleven Warriors ‏@11W 1h Lines for potential BCS matchups via @BovadaLV: Ohio State (+10) vs Florida State, Ohio State (-2.5) vs Auburn, Ohio State (-3.5) vs Mizzou.

[LZIp]

The NCAA really needs to implement a 16 team playoff. A lot of arguments about the relative strength of conferences stem from bowl results. The problem is, bowl results don't necessarily mean anything. The only game that really counts is the NC game. All the rest are just exhibition games. Some teams take these exhibition games a hell of a lot more seriously than others and the results don't always mean as much as they are given credit for. See 2013 pre-season darling, Louisville.

A 16 team playoff would allow us all to see the best teams play in post-season games that matter.

I completely agree with this. I think 8 is the perfect number of teams that are "capable" of winning, but would have no problem with 16.

[zippy5]

Eleven Warriors ‏@11W 1h Lines for potential BCS matchups via @BovadaLV: Ohio State (+10) vs Florida State, Ohio State (-2.5) vs Auburn, Ohio State (-3.5) vs Mizzou.

Yep and they also have Bama as favorites over all of them. 4.5 over FSU

[LZIp]

Yep and they also have Bama as favorites over all of them. 4.5 over FSU

If Bama had a kicker, they could worry about being favored...but instead they crapped the game away against Auburn. Should have won by 2 scores easily.

[Zipgrad01]

Eleven Warriors ‏@11W 1h Lines for potential BCS matchups via @BovadaLV: Ohio State (+10) vs Florida State, Ohio State (-2.5) vs Auburn, Ohio State (-3.5) vs Mizzou.

What was the line in 2006 when OSU played Florida? What was the line when OSU played LSU?

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oh...e-55929297.html

http://www.sports-ratings.com/college_foot...hampionshi.html

How did those work out???

[zippy5]

If Bama had a kicker, they could worry about being favored...but instead they crapped the game away against Auburn. Should have won by 2 scores easily.

Okay?

[LZIp]

What was the line in 2006 when OSU played Florida? What was the line when OSU played LSU?

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oh...e-55929297.html

http://www.sports-ratings.com/college_foot...hampionshi.html

How did those work out???

I don't care what the line was then. Dr. Z wondered if OSU would be favored against SEC teams in the title game, and I posted them.

If we want to play that game, what was the line when OSU played Miami in the 'ship (when most thought they didn't belong, just like this year)?

[Zipgrad01]

I don't care what the line was then. Dr. Z wondered if OSU would be favored against SEC teams in the title game, and I posted them.

If we want to play that game, what was the line when OSU played Miami in the 'ship (when most thought they didn't belong, just like this year)?

The whole point is that Ohio State is overrated against SEC teams. Vegas wasnt even within 3 td's of the ass beatings that were laid out. Hell, they missed the Florida spread by 5 td's!!!!

[LZIp]

The whole point is that Ohio State is overrated against SEC teams. Vegas wasnt even within 3 td's of the ass beatings that were laid out. Hell, they missed the Florida spread by 5 td's!!!!

I'm aware of that. In OSU's most recent BCS bowl against an SEC team, they were a 3pt favorite and beat the spread. OSU now has Urban Meyer (the guy that owned the SEC while he was there).

[Dr Z]

The whole point is that Ohio State is overrated against SEC teams. Vegas wasnt even within 3 td's of the ass beatings that were laid out. Hell, they missed the Florida spread by 5 td's!!!!

Columbus State is one of the most bet on football teams in college (along with Tex and ND), that is how the line is made, not what they think the score will be. That means they have to entice money on the other side. I'll let you read between the lines on that. CS only has six wins ATS this year, Missouri AND Auburn lead all of college football with 10. Incase Zips fans were wondering, we were same as CS, six.

[legendofzippy]

And so what? What if it is true and it isn't a negative. Stanford is big and slow. Oregon is small and fast. Big and slow won. Again, Big Ten fans need to drop the paranoia and embrace the league for what it is.

The point is this - pretend we were NIU. Undefeated, and a legitimate Heisman trophy candidate at QB.

Yet our QB wouldn't have a chance in hell of winning that Heisman, and we couldn't sniff the top 10, let alone top 2.

Am I really to believe everyone on this board would be happy, saying oh well, that's pretty good for us, we wouldn't want to play any of those top teams anyway?

Give me a break.

National perception of all midwest teams is the same. Anyone stating otherwise simply doesn't pay attention. And to say it's not a negative is hilarious. That Oregon team you mention is one of the many two-loss teams ahead of NIU. The coaches poll is even worse. NIU is 18th! Again, you'd be happy if our undefeated Zips were sitting that low?

[skip-zip]

No. That's the perception of the MAC in Big Ten country. Nationally, the MAC gains more respect than it does in its own footprint. Nationally, it is knows as a decent mid-major conference that produces a relatively high amount of NFL talent compared to its peers.

Or better yet, it's what Big 10 fans want everyone to believe.

Someone in the thread said that a stronger Big 10 helps the MAC, and that's just pure BULL. Talent rules in college football. When Big 10 teams suck (and plenty of them do), the MAC schools have a better chance of getting players that may have otherwise possibly chosen one of the Big 10 schools.

Another Example: When Pitt was really down in the late 80s, the Zips recruiters FEASTED on SW Pennsylvania players. The very players who helped build the first phase of our 1-A era. If Pitt was doing well, would Pitt have been a more desirable program for some of those players? Absolutely. And I know some of those guys, personally.

[GP1]

OSU now has Urban Meyer (the guy that owned the SEC while he was there).

He was only the third best coach in the league before he couldn't handle the stress any longer.

[zippy5]

The point is this - pretend we were NIU. Undefeated, and a legitimate Heisman trophy candidate at QB.

Yet our QB wouldn't have a chance in hell of winning that Heisman, and we couldn't sniff the top 10, let alone top 2.

Am I really to believe everyone on this board would be happy, saying oh well, that's pretty good for us, we wouldn't want to play any of those top teams anyway?

Give me a break.

National perception of all midwest teams is the same. Anyone stating otherwise simply doesn't pay attention. And to say it's not a negative is hilarious. That Oregon team you mention is one of the many two-loss teams ahead of NIU. The coaches poll is even worse. NIU is 18th! Again, you'd be happy if our undefeated Zips were sitting that low?

So you are saying NIU's chances of top 10/Lynch's Heisman long shot are because NIU is from the Midwest?

[LZIp]

He was only the third best coach in the league before he couldn't handle the stress any longer.

If there is another guy who won more national titles in the SEC while Meyer was there, I'd love for you to point him out.

[GP1]

National perception of all midwest teams is the same. Anyone stating otherwise simply doesn't pay attention.

I live in an SEC state and attend at least two sec games a year. I can assure you that nobody at sec games is sitting around talking about slow midwest teams. During the off season, they don't sit around laughing at slow midwest teams. This is part of the tosu paranoia I mention above. It is a manufactured state of reality by people living in the midwest and is magnified by people in Ohio.

Do you know who sits around in fits of paranoia about the perception of slow midwest teams? People from the midwest and in particular tosu fans. Nobody else talks about it. Nobody else is that insecure. It's nothing more than "The War on Christmas" stories we have to read about every year. There is no war on Christmas yet the people who think there is a war on Christmas won't shut up about it so there is a perception that there is a war on Christmas.

If tosu fans would just turn off their paranoia and self induced defensiveness about what others think of the style of football or types of players they have or the league they play in, there would be no issue.. They are the only people talking it. Just shut up about and the silence will be bliss.

There is another topic in another section of this board about people from Ohio swearing all the time. I'd swear all the time if I drove myself insane being paranoid about things that don't exist and trying to find victimhood in what others thought of the Big Ten and tosu.

[LZIp]

I live in an SEC state and attend at least two sec games a year. I can assure you that nobody at sec games is sitting around talking about slow midwest teams. During the off season, they don't sit around laughing at slow midwest teams. This is part of the tosu paranoia I mention above. It is a manufactured state of reality by people living in the midwest and is magnified by people in Ohio.

Do you know who sits around in fits of paranoia about the perception of slow midwest teams? People from the midwest and in particular tosu fans. Nobody else talks about it. Nobody else is that insecure. It's nothing more than "The War on Christmas" stories we have to read about every year. There is no war on Christmas yet the people who think there is a war on Christmas won't shut up about it so there is a perception that there is a war on Christmas.

If tosu fans would just turn off their paranoia and self induced defensiveness about what others think of the style of football or types of players they have or the league they play in, there would be no issue.. They are the only people talking it. Just shut up about and the silence will be bliss.

There is another topic in another section of this board about people from Ohio swearing all the time. I'd swear all the time if I drove myself insane being paranoid about things that don't exist and trying to find victimhood in what others thought of the Big Ten and tosu.

The whole "SEC Speed" thing came after Florida ran circles around OSU in the national title game. It was heavily pushed by ESPN. I do not know of any SEC fans that I talk to on a normal basis, from from what I read online, people still try to push the agenda of the SEC having some superior speed, while simultaneously taking a shot at the Midwest's lack of speed.

What SEC team plays in NC?

[GP1]

If there is another guy who won more national titles in the SEC while Meyer was there, I'd love for you to point him out.

He was only the third best coach in the league when he couldn't handle the pressure any longer.

The road to the national title was then and still is much more difficult for an sec team coming out of the sec west than the east. Nick Saban and Les Miles were then and still are better coaches than Meyer. They win boatloads of games in more difficult conditions and handle the pressure much better. The pressure got to Meyer and he fled to an easier path and quite honestly, a greener pasture because he is breaking the bank in Columbus.

[Buckzip]

I live in an SEC state and attend at least two sec games a year. I can assure you that nobody at sec games is sitting around talking about slow midwest teams. During the off season, they don't sit around laughing at slow midwest teams. This is part of the tosu paranoia I mention above. It is a manufactured state of reality by people living in the midwest and is magnified by people in Ohio.

Do you know who sits around in fits of paranoia about the perception of slow midwest teams? People from the midwest and in particular tosu fans. Nobody else talks about it. Nobody else is that insecure. It's nothing more than "The War on Christmas" stories we have to read about every year. There is no war on Christmas yet the people who think there is a war on Christmas won't shut up about it so there is a perception that there is a war on Christmas.

If tosu fans would just turn off their paranoia and self induced defensiveness about what others think of the style of football or types of players they have or the league they play in, there would be no issue.. They are the only people talking it. Just shut up about and the silence will be bliss.

There is another topic in another section of this board about people from Ohio swearing all the time. I'd swear all the time if I drove myself insane being paranoid about things that don't exist and trying to find victimhood in what others thought of the Big Ten and tosu.

Interesting. I live in Georgia right in the middle of Bama and UGA fans. You and I have completely different experiences.