NW (+17) @ Ohio State

buffbrad54 · #1 11-08-2005, 05:06 PM

Just looking at some early lines for this week, but does this line seem a bit off to anyone. I know that Ohio State is clearly the better team, but a better team by 17 points?

TomCollins · #2 11-08-2005, 05:51 PM

I've been picking against OSU's spread for a few weeks now and been wrong every time. The line I saw was 15.5, and it still seems like too much. But I could be wrong yet again. Northwestern has no defense.

kyro · #3 11-08-2005, 05:59 PM

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I've been picking against OSU's spread for a few weeks now and been wrong every time. The line I saw was 15.5, and it still seems like too much. But I could be wrong yet again. Northwestern has no defense.

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I don't think they're being given enough credit. I am still high on NW but I think OSU could very easily be a Top 5 team. Their only two losses have been to a #2 and @#5. I could see them blowing out NW.

TomCollins · #4 11-08-2005, 06:27 PM

You also mentioned that the one loss was when their QB was just coming back from suspension. The other game was against a damn good team that played nearly perfect for an hour. How badly we need an 8 team playoff.

kyro · #5 11-08-2005, 07:34 PM

This wouldn't prove anything. You're still only playing one game at a time and as we've seen all year, anything can happen in one game.

MyTurn2Raise · #6 11-08-2005, 07:38 PM

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You also mentioned that the one loss was when their QB was just coming back from suspension. The other game was against a damn good team that played nearly perfect for an hour. How badly we need an 8 team playoff.

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Didn't Ohio State prove they weren't national champs twice already? You just showed me, again, why a playoff system would suck.

#7 11-08-2005, 08:55 PM

[/ QUOTE ]Didn't Ohio State prove they weren't national champs twice already? You just showed me, again, why a playoff system would suck.

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Yes and no in my opinion. Ohio State lost two games so they have no beef for not playing for the national championship this year. There are still only two teams that would be favored by much vs this team in a neutral field however imo. Although there will likely be no controversy at the top this year, it is still BS that certain teams do not control their own destiny to start the year. Also, losing early is not as bad as losing late in this system. The coaches poll is not much more than a novelty with how little attention some of the coaches pay, yet it is heavily weighted in the BCS formula. A playoff is needed for credibility in my opinion.

TomCollins · #8 11-08-2005, 09:28 PM

Pull out Ohio State, and I'm still for the idea. Penn State was 2 seconds away from a perfect season (that were added mysteriously). Miami was 2 missed field goals away. Georgia missing their QB lost their only game to a pretty decent Florida team. Oregon has only lost to USC (although pretty significantly). LSU somehow lost to Tennesee and is out. Notre Dame barely lost to USC and lost in OT to a bad MSU team.

I'd say all but one of these teams is at least 40% to win against any other top 10 team on any given day.

The only point of NCAA football is to make a schedule so weak that you look good in all your games. Think you'll see another UT vs. Ohio State after next year? I doubt you see many more. The fact that other teams do not have the same schedule makes a HUGE difference. Comparing the SEC or Big 10 to the Big 12 this year is like apples and oranges. Winning all of your games throughout the regular season rarely means you are the best team in the country. It is much more likely that you had an easier road or ran lucky.

Will a playoff system lead to the best team winning it all more often? Perhaps. I think so. Will a playoff system take out a lot of injustices done to teams? Mostly, but never all. And it will certainly generate more interest.

MyTurn2Raise · #9 11-09-2005, 07:00 AM

I apologize. I should not have even started debating the BCS. As you all can tell, I love it. I'm a huge college football fan and have thought big time about it. I once was open-minded, but now I'm closed. I shouldn't have brought it up for discussion, especially in this forum (onto sporting events). There is no debating, because my mind is settled. I want to debate so much more, but I will restrain myself (I just had about 5-6 counters cross through my mind). I will actually dissect this game later in the week.

Current thoughts...NW will not hold tOSU below 30. The Mildcats are pitiful on D and tOSU is above average on offense. The big play explosiveness of the Buckeye offense will cripple the NW D. The question is: how successful will Basanez and co. be against that OSU defense, which is freaking fabulous? I don't see them getting over 20. It helps that tOSU took on the JV version of the Wildcat offense this past week against the Illini; very similar schemes that differ greatly in terms of execution. Once the Buckeyes adjust to the NW speed and precision of that offense, they will pwn it just like the Illini. Right now, I see a cover by the Buckeyes, but by the smallest of margins (35-17). Not enough value for me to bet. I'll probably investigate further later in the week.

noggindoc · #10 11-09-2005, 10:02 AM

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I've been picking against OSU's spread for a few weeks now and been wrong every time. The line I saw was 15.5, and it still seems like too much. But I could be wrong yet again. Northwestern has no defense.

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I don't think they're being given enough credit. I am still high on NW but I think OSU could very easily be a Top 5 team. Their only two losses have been to a #2 and @#5. I could see them blowing out NW.

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Agreed. Especially at home. OSU is way too strong to bet against them in this game IMO. NW's offense might be able to keep it close for a little while, but OSU is too tough on both sides of the ball and may have a healthy lead by the third quarter.