Reality Check's Weekly Sagarin Predictor Thread...

[HogDawg]

Ohio State lead the Big Mac into the Final Four.

....because Wisconsin took a dive? I mean, seriously, Ohio State's 59-0 win over Wisconsin looks like a "big fix" to me. Ohio State needed help to move up, and amazingly they got it from fellow Big 10 school #16 Wisconsin.

Never mind that Ohio State's QB for the Wisconsin game was their THIRD string QB, and a first time starter. They won 59-0 anyway. And look at the great bowl game that Wisconsin ended up in. Despite getting pasted 59-0, Wisconsin still gets to play Auburn in the Outback Bowl.

That was the payoff for Wisconsin. Well, the great bowl invite AND the additional money that the two schools --and the entire conference-- will earn with OSU's participation in the 2014 season playoffs.

It will be very difficult to convince me that there wasn't some collusion and serious misdeeds involved in the way the Big 10 championship played out. Of course the current playoff system will only encourage similar collusion in the future.

[SicemDawgz]

....because Wisconsin took a dive? I mean, seriously, Ohio State's 59-0 win over Wisconsin looks like a "big fix" to me. Ohio State needed help to move up, and amazingly they got it from fellow Big 10 school #16 Wisconsin.

Never mind that Ohio State's QB for the Wisconsin game was their THIRD string QB, and a first time starter. They won 59-0 anyway. And look at the great bowl game that Wisconsin ended up in. Despite getting pasted 59-0, Wisconsin still gets to play Auburn in the Outback Bowl.

That was the payoff for Wisconsin. Well, the great bowl invite AND the additional money that the two schools --and the entire conference-- will earn with OSU's participation in the 2014 season playoffs.

It will be very difficult to convince me that there wasn't some collusion and serious misdeeds involved in the way the Big 10 championship played out. Of course the current playoff system will only encourage similar collusion in the future.

I thought the very same thing. And your right, there's no way in Hades that the BIG10 is gonna let OSU get beat in that game. Then there's no representation for the conference in the playoffs. Expect to see more of the same.

[Champ967]

I thought the very same thing. And your right, there's no way in Hades that the BIG10 is gonna let OSU get beat in that game. Then there's no representation for the conference in the playoffs. Expect to see more of the same.

Almost reminds one of another conference ... one who even hired a PR firm to help its chosen team get a premium bowl.

Then, coincidentally I'm sure, some funny officiating went down the conference championship game. Like a ball spot late in the game, a full yard ahead of where photos show it should've been, that gave the favorite a fresh set of downs and allowed them to run out the clock.

But like I said ... Probably just coincidence.

[Tech77]

Almost reminds one of another conference ... one who even hired a PR firm to help its chosen team get a premium bowl.

Then, coincidentally I'm sure, some funny officiating went down the conference championship game. Like a ball spot late in the game, a full yard ahead of where photos show it should've been, that gave the favorite a fresh set of downs and allowed them to run out the clock.

But like I said ... Probably just coincidence.

Don't know that it would have made a difference, but that was a HORRENDOUS spot.

[HogDawg]

Don't know that it would have made a difference, but that was a HORRENDOUS spot.

Sure was.

[DocMarvin362]

I Really like what Holtz did at the end of the CCG. Hugging Sokol after that the INT was a great gesture.

On the way home yesterday, I was listening to the Doug Gottlieb show (best on Sports radio) and he was interviewing Danny Wuerffel. He told a funny story about his first game. He threw an INT that he blamed on the WR not finishing the route, but when he got to the sideline, Spurrier told him "Son, don't worry about that. That wasn't your fault; it was mine for putting you in the game."

[RealityCheck]

....because Wisconsin took a dive? I mean, seriously, Ohio State's 59-0 win over Wisconsin looks like a "big fix" to me. Ohio State needed help to move up, and amazingly they got it from fellow Big 10 school #16 Wisconsin.

Now we know the rest of the story...Gary Andersen was more concerned about the real estate listings in Corvallis than X's and O's against Ohio State last Saturday.

[T1]

Pac 12 coaches from the WAC:

Cal: Sonny Dykes (La Tech)
Oregon St: Gary Andersen (Utah St)
Washington: Chris Petersen (Boise St)
Colorado: Mike McIntyre (San Jose St)

[KSDAWG]

I think the fix was having OU lose to a very crap put OSU in order to get them bowl eligible.

It makes you wonder if Gary Anderson saw the writing on the wall at that championship game and decided to bolt or Barry Alvarez 's shadow is actually heavier than his waistline.

[Tech77]

Pac 12 coaches from the WAC:

Cal: Sonny Dykes (La Tech)
Oregon St: Gary Andersen (Utah St)
Washington: Chris Petersen (Boise St)
Colorado: Mike McIntyre (San Jose St)

Yep, people around here had no idea of the quality of football and coaches we had in the WAC.

[TechAlum05]

Former Oklahoma State OCs who are current head coaches in FBS football:

1. (1995-1997) Les Miles (Oklahoma State 2001-04, LSU 2005-present)
2. (2001-2004) Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State 2005-present)
3. (2005-2007) Larry Fedora (S. Miss 2008-2011, UNC 2012-present)
4. (2010-2010) Dana Holgorsen (W. Virginia 2011-present)
5. (2011-2012) Todd Monken (S. Miss 2012-present)

[HogDawg]

Now we know the rest of the story...Gary Andersen was more concerned about the real estate listings in Corvallis than X's and O's against Ohio State last Saturday.

Actually, I think Gary Anderson and his Wisconsin team was asked to take a dive for the Big 10 conference, and he didn't like it. So he left the school & the conference.

[dawg80]

Actually, I think Gary Anderson and his Wisconsin team was asked to take a dive for the Big 10 conference, and he didn't like it. So he left the school & the conference.

You want some cheese with your whine?

You and Art Briles should get together and have a crying party

[HogDawg]

You want some cheese with your whine?

You and Art Briles should get together and have a crying party

Real cute. We have too many people on BB&B trying to be funny, but are just not. Tech fans should care about what just happened to Baylor and TCU, because there's a food chain in college football, and LA Tech is not sitting at the top of it. If injustices can happen to those 2 schools, they can certainly happen to us.

[RealityCheck]

Sagarin Predictor Ratings Week 16 recap and Bowl projection
Week 16 Sagarin Predictor FBS straight-up record—1-0, 2013 Week 16—1-0
FBS Season to date—631-198 (.761), 2013 after Week 16—644-168 (.793)

Home field advantage is at 2.35 in the Week 16 Predictor ratings, same as in Week 15.

All five Conference USA projected bowl margins improved this week.

Bowl-eligible teams
81 teams are bowl-eligible at 6-6 or better (76 bowl bids to fill).

AAC—6, ACC—11, Big 12—7, Big Ten—10, C-USA—7*, Indy—3, MAC—6, MWC—7, Pac 12—8, $EC—12, SBC—4*

*--Old Dominion, Georgia Southern, and Appalachian State are not included since 81 other teams are already bowl-eligible.

Louisiana Tech 8-5, 7-1 C-USA West 1st place
L 16-48 at Oklahoma (projected L by 36.34)
W 48-20 at ULL (projected L by 9.91)
W 42-21 at North Texas (projected L by 8.43)
L 27-30 vs NSU (projected W by 18.76)
L 17-45 at Auburn (projected L by 28.05)
W 55-3 vs UTEP (projected W by 11.48)
W 27-20 vs UTSA (projected W by 14.99)
W 31-20 at USM (projected W by 13.78)
W 59-10 vs WKU (projected W by 11.85)
W 40-24 at UAB (projected W by 9.54)
L 27-30 (OT) at ODU (projected W by 17.48)
W 76-31 vs Rice (projected W by 10.35)
L 23-26 at Marshall (projected L by 5.09)
-------------PROJECTION-------------------
W by 11.66 vs Illinois (Heart of Dallas Bowl) (up from W by 11.58)

Other Conference USA bowl projections
UTEP projected L by 7.93 vs Utah State (New Mexico Bowl) (up from L by 7.98)
Marshall projected W by 11.73 vs Northern Illinois (Boca Raton Bowl) (up from W by 11.70)
Western Kentucky projected W by 5.09 vs Central Michigan (Bahamas Bowl) (up from W by 5.03)
Rice projected W by 2.49 vs Fresno State (Hawai'i Bowl) (up from W by 2.35)

Updated Projected E$PN Bowl Challenge Cup Standings through January 4 games (no change from last week)
Pac 12 7-1 .875
$EC 10-2 .833
C-USA 4-1 .800
SBC 2-1 .667
Big 12 4-3 .571
ACC 6-5 .545
MWC 3-4 .429
AAC 1-4 .200
MAC 1-4 .200
Indy 0-3 .000
Big Ten 0-10 .000