NOW when a Cincitucky "big" East team who goes undefeated and feels they are the "better" team in Ohio...... well I cant have that because you notice how their only successful coach in a mediocre division flys the coop IMMEDIATELY when a down program like ND calls... (ND is light years beyond Cincy)........ seriously a division where Rutgers and Uconn even field football teams? really PITT? wait the list of college basketball wait I mean football programs exist and a team go undefeated in the mediocre teams they have.... seriously the WAC conference is on par with the "big" east.....

Cincy does not belong in the top ten MAYBE 20-25........

I like how Ohio State Haters have this conception that Buckeyes have some sort of assumption that we belong in the NC game.... that is SO far from the truth.... I suffered underneath Coopers Michigan curse for so many years(whose bowl record was PUTRID except for the 1996 Rose Bowl) before that was Earle Bruce who was coaching during my first memory of a Rose bowl we lost....

Seriously it has been in the last 8 years that my long suffering college team homerism has been rewarded with a National Title 7 bowl The MOST BCS bowl game appearances and a Rose Bowl....... sooner or later My Browns fandom will be rewarded just like my Buckeye addiction.

That is actually a good call....Carolina does look good.

The rest is off base but you do have some knowledge of what is happening in SEC football.

@the-gipper said:

Nebraska was the King Kong of college football under Osborne, but fell off. With Buckeye Bo Pelini at their helm they almost took home the Big 12 title this year, so they could make a comeback.

Note one thing about a lot of these schools: Florida, coached by NEOhio native Urban Meyer (Ashtabula). LSU coached by NEOhio native Les Miles (Elyria). Alabama, coached by NEOhio product Nick Saban (Kent St.). Oklahoma, coached by NEOhio native Bob Stoops (Youngstown), Nebraska, coached by NEOhio native Bo Pelini (Warren), and of course don't forget Ohio State coached by Tressell (Berea).

I guess the only two programs of real note not coached by an Ohioan are Texas and USC. (and Penn St.)

Florida proved to be a catalyst for SEC football once it hired Urban Meyer. They've always been good, and they still will make up the middle of the SEC, but they will not be a powerhouse like they have been of recent years. South Carolina almost beat them this year with a bad Stephen Garcia performance. Next year, I think, is the year Carolina takes the cake. Tennessee had a pretty solid recruiting class, and they're filled with youngsters. Lane Kiffin is a good coach, no matter what anybody thinks of him. Monte Kiffin is one of the greatest defensive minds around, and together they're going to put together a nice little team. Granted, their defense will be a lacking a little with the departure of Eric Berry. But I still see a Tennessee victory. USF, well that was wishful thinking. It could happen though. B.J. Daniels is a sneaky good QB, and the USF Bulls are a sneaky good team. They're inconsistent, but when they come to play, they can put a whooping on anyone. Ask West Virginia. They have an offense to rival Florida's, just not a stellar defense. And Alabama, well, they're just going to shellack Florida.

I probably shouldn't have said cellar, because I didn't mean it like that. They'll still string together an 7,8 or 9 win season, but they won't be like the Florida team as of late. The SEC has gotten too good from top to bottom for them to consistantly win without the greatest quarterback in the history of college football.

Funny note about those coaches, though. My mom went to Saint John with Urban Meyer, my uncle went Cardinal Mooney with Bob and Mike Stoops, and is friends with them to this day, and my great uncle went to Berea High with Tressel and is actually pretty good friends with him. It's weird.

The program has gotten the point the boosters open the pockets big time for the program, so attracting top coaching or players is not going to be a problem. If people haven't seen the campus, it is beautiful....it is a lot like the "Old South, and "Old Florida" it is completely charming. The academics are generally a top 50 of public schools, and the facilities are second to none.

UF Gainesville is a great place to camp out for 4-5 years.

@tim-couch-pulls-out said:

None of this matters, Florida will be in the cellar without Urban Meyer or Tim Tebow. They are arguably the best coach/QB duo in the history of college football. Without either of them, they'll go back to mediocrity in the SEC. I expect Florida to lose at least 4 next season. USF, Alabama, Carolina, and Tennessee should all come out on top in those contests.

I don't know about that. Florida has the capability of being consistently one of the Top 5 or 10 programs in America based on the talent base available to them. They will always be able to offer a substantial sum of money to get a quality coach there. Yours is more wishful thinking than reality. There certainly could be dips in the program. At one time UF was sucking hind tit in Fla. behind Miami and FSU. But those programs fell off, but could come back under new leadership. And FU could go back to third place. It is cyclical. Certainly Ohio State under John Cooper was not the program it coulda, shoulda been. It fell behind Michigan and Penn St. I suppose it could happen again.

Nebraska was the King Kong of college football under Osborne, but fell off. With Buckeye Bo Pelini at their helm they almost took home the Big 12 title this year, so they could make a comeback.

Note one thing about a lot of these schools: Florida, coached by NEOhio native Urban Meyer (Ashtabula). LSU coached by NEOhio native Les Miles (Elyria). Alabama, coached by NEOhio product Nick Saban (Kent St.). Oklahoma, coached by NEOhio native Bob Stoops (Youngstown), Nebraska, coached by NEOhio native Bo Pelini (Warren), and of course don't forget Ohio State coached by Tressell (Berea).

I guess the only two programs of real note not coached by an Ohioan are Texas and USC. (and Penn St.)

@bearcatbrownsfan13 said:

Here's a tip... don't open it then...

Enjoy your bowl game?

@osusev said:

13 Penn State Beats SEC 12 LSU 19-17 Capital One Bowl

8 Ohio State Beats Pac 10 champ 7 Oregon 26-17 Rose Bowl

10 Iowa Beats ACC Champ Georgia Tech 24-14 Orange Bowl

NorthWestern Loses in overtime to SEC Auburn 35-38

Michigan State loses to Texas Tech 41-31 in the 4th quarter

Minnesota loses to Iowa State 14-13

ALL of our Ranked teams won and beat the Pac and ACC champs along with a quality contender in the SEC and the ACC..... Our mid level programs barely lost to quality programs (except Iowa state)

How exactly are we LESS than other divisions? We will have 4 top 15 ranked teams that beat out other divisions and we are LESS how? Screw the commentators and talking heads...... ANY division with 4 top 15 teams in one season that beats out 2 other division champs and other ranked opponents is NOT weaker...... not necessarily better but definately on par with the SEC..... thats my homerism opinion and I dont care.

Congratulation to the Big ten and now the other division can shut up......

I don't know if i would say on par with the SEC, but I don't want to take anything away....the Big 10 looked good this year. It's good to see them back near the top of the conference rankings....where they should be.

They had some impressive wins.

None of this matters, Florida will be in the cellar without Urban Meyer or Tim Tebow. They are arguably the best coach/QB duo in the history of college football. Without either of them, they'll go back to mediocrity in the SEC. I expect Florida to lose at least 4 next season. USF, Alabama, Carolina, and Tennessee should all come out on top in those contests.

@clevelandfanforlife said:

I believe the SEC only requires 7 league games in a 12 team league, their thinking being that the SEC title game constitutes the 8th league game for those who make it there. The Big 10 requires an 8 game schedule. Thus, the SEC teams can routinely dodge other good schools in the other division. And yes, the SEC schools routinely play a far more pattycake schedule. OSU may play Toledo (which in fact in some years HAS been a powerhouse...at their level), but they will also always play another big time program: USC, or Texas, or Oklahoma. Other than the legislatively mandated games against Florida State, or Georgia Tech or the like, the SEC teams will, when given the chance, load up on cupcakes like Troy etc. and NOT play any big time opponents from other conferences.

I personally believe that all schools should play a minimum 9 or 10 game conference schedule and eliminate all the cupcakes...but the school administrators want those extra home games against the cupcakes so they can haul in more $$$. That's what it all about, hokey pokey.

@clevelandfanforlife said:

Well, but how is that any different than the fans at any of those other big time programs? They have the same belief in their right to entitlement at Florida, Alabama, USC, Notre Dame, Penn St., LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Miami and maybe a few others. The fans at all these major programs have their expectancy, and Ohio State is no different.

Then go to basketball and tell me about the fans of Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA etc. and you get the same thing.

These expectancies come from performance. Ohio State has appeared in a number of National Championship games, and their fans want for them to continue that trend. Just like the fans of all those other schools who have the same feeling.

Tressell found his niche - play in games that are not the BCS championship games.

@clevelandfanforlife said:

I am sure each conference has its own rules with some sort of NCAA guidelines. Not sure what those guidelines are.

The Ohio State University played 12 games, 8 conference games (which means they only did not play two Big 10 teams—Michigan State and Northwestern.) The 4 non-conference games were Navy (Independent, won bowl game 10-4), USC (PAC 10 5-4), Toledo (MAC 3-5), and New Mexico State (MWC 1-7) (all FBS or Division I teams.)

Florida played 13 games, 9 conference (including the conference championship, which means only 8 regular season conference games.) The 4 non-conference games were Charlston Southern (Big South 4-2, FCS or Division I-AA), Troy (Sun Belt 8-0), FIU (Sun Belt 3-5), and Florida State (ACC 4-4). Non-divisional games were LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Who had the more difficult non-conference and conference schedule? Hands Down, Ohio State.

@blowe said:

yeah I am still upset but that has nothing to do with the location of this thread. By the way how long does it take to recover from a loss like this? I only ask cuz you should know from experience.

@thaak said:

Another thing, is the SEC doesn’t play each other nearly enough. The Big 10 often knocks each other out of contention because its such a rivalry-based nasty league to play in. The SEC often gets their gaudy records because they play FCS or Division II patsies.

isn't is a rule that each team has to play so many games against conference opponents? the sec plays there teams the same amount of times as the big ten does. and your right, new mexico state and toledo are real power houses.

Another thing, is the SEC doesn’t play each other nearly enough. The Big 10 often knocks each other out of contention because its such a rivalry-based nasty league to play in. The SEC often gets their gaudy records because they play FCS or Division II patsies.

@thaak said:

pretty much but it's only because of fans (not you necessarily) that think that they have the inherent right to be in the national championship ever year.

@clevelandfanforlife said:

That's what they said about almost every team the Buckeyes played this year. Yet, they won all but 2 (should have beaten USC.)

You can't tell one way or another unless the teams actually play.

They also said that OSU couldn't hang with Miami either... they won that National Championship.

I'm a huge Buckeyes fan, but I'm realistic. But you apparently are signing onto the Hate Ohio bandwagon that the media loves to be on.

@thaak said:

ok good point. but are you telling me that you honestly think that pryor would have had as good of a game against florida's defense. come on. they would have been eaten alive.

@clevelandfanforlife said:

3 years ago is not the 2009 season. You cannot equate what happened 3 years ago to today. Different season, different players.

@thaak said:

yeah just like 3 years ago.

@clevelandfanforlife said:

They would have.

@blowe said:

you act like it didn't happen to you a few years ago in TWO sports. i'm guessing that florida is your least favorite team in college aside from michigan. keep the college stuff in the college forum.