CFB week 11 thread

[Bulldogs4]

I know this is a football thread but State is leading Montana 55-16 in the second half. Montana is usually a quality team but I dare say this State basketball team may surprise some folks this year. I know it is a long year but these are games that we usually struggle to win early in the year. 
 

Back to football, Good start for OM so far. 

[s1nglewing]

What does Kiffin have against field goals?

[rebmus]

Halftime thoughts on Ole Miss/A&M.

Ole Miss D has played lights out. 0 points given up and scored 2 with a safety. 

Outside of SCORING, the offensive stats look great for the first half. 216 passing yards, 192 rushing yards... over 400 yards of offense in a half. Only 13 points scored? 

 

I think the second half will be interesting. I can see Ole Miss pulling away but lean towards A&M starts scoring in the second half and this is a game down to the end.

[MSTSatchmo]

That’s crazy.  400 yards to 90 and just a 15-0 lead.  Either OM will explode points in the second half or A&M will make it a game. 

[MSTSatchmo]

Kansas leading Texas 35-14 at the half. Wth 

[s1nglewing]

Just dumb coaching 

[s1nglewing]

2nd half adjustments favorite A&M

[MSTSatchmo]

OM defense comes up big and probably puts the game away.  
 

This has been a very odd game.   This looks more like the A&M team that State beat. 

[s1nglewing]

That ought to do it 

[Bulldogs4]

Turn out the lights on A&M. 

[rebmus]

Huge wins by MSU and OM today. Nice effort by USM. 

 

[MSTSatchmo]

So A&M beats Alabama and Auburn, but loses to State and OM.   

[rebmus]

Just now, MSTSatchmo said:

So A&M beats Alabama and Auburn, but loses to State and OM.   

It's an odd year for sure. 

 

[Dawg83]

Calzada’s performance against Bama is very puzzling in hindsight. He has not been a good QB outside of that one game. Granted, that was a big game and he was great in it, but he has been very erratic otherwise.

 

Egg Bowl is going to be awesome. These are two good teams.

[Bulldogs4]

The targeting call on Auburn against Rogers was a terrible call but this year has seen the worst officiating in the history of the SEC. We have gotten hosed a few times ourselves so generally speaking those things even out over time. 
 

Strangely enough yesterday, when we went down 28-3, I did not give up. This team has been resilient. I knew after we scored that we were getting the ball to start the second half. 28-10 then became 28-17 and all the sudden we have a ballgame. Historically State was not the type of team to come back from a large deficit but this team definitely has that capability. 
 

Now as to why we were down 28-3, give Auburn credit. They were like a Tsunami that you hope spins itself out and that is what they did. I am sure they relaxed thinking this game is in the bag. 
 

Good effort by USM even though it was a loss to a good team.

 

Great game by the OM defense, they played lights out. A tremendous win but I guess the only concern for OM is the red zone offense. 400 yards and only 15 points at the half leaves you a bit concerned going into the second half. But a huge credit to the OM D for coming up with some big stops and turnovers to seal the win. 
 

As 83 noted, the Egg Bowl should be one heck of a game. 

[MSTSatchmo]

I don’t like the rule, but I believe technically it was the right call on targeting, as was the overturn against State earlier.   Both were huge calls.  
 

 

[Bulldogs4]

The rule itself is a good rule and the overall intent has been positive. Unfortunately, occasionally the defensive player ends up in no man’s land where he makes a good play with no malicious intent and still gets penalized/ejected.  
It certainly helped us and we have had a few of those go against us as well.

 

I think maybe they could revise application of the penalty when it happens when the tackle is 

obviously not an egregious penalty to just call it a personal foul and not a eject the player. I know that makes it a judgement call which opens up another of worms. 

 

In any case, anything to help the safety of players is paramount. We would never want to see a Chucky Mullins type injury to happen again. That stills turn my stomach over when I reflect back on it. 

[Dawg83]

The Air Raid is one of the few offensive systems that allows you a real opportunity to come back from a deficit that large, and probably the only system in State’s history that does. Maybe you can make a case for 2015 with a senior Dak and Ross/Wilson/Brown at wideout, but that’s it. 99.9999% of the other teams in State’s history would have been completely finished at 28-3, and that includes a few really good State teams over the years. So kudos to State for an incredibly unlikely road win over one of the better teams in the league.

 

I think we can put to bed the school of thought that the Air Raid won’t work in the SEC. Can certain defenses stop it? Sure, and that’s true of most any offense. But State has improved by leaps and bounds on offense in the last 12 months and has given several good defenses fits this season.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Dawg83

[MSTSatchmo]

2 hours ago, Dawg83 said:

The Air Raid is one of the few offensive systems that allows you a real opportunity to come back from a deficit that large, and probably the only system in State’s history that does.

I wouldn’t have thought so, because it’s not a quick strike offense.   It does allow you to control the clock, if you complete passes so I guess that keeps the score from getting any worse if you’re executing. 

[rebmus]

Ole Miss is #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls. 

I figure #13 in the CFP poll. 

Win the next two and Ole Miss gets a NY6 bowl, which would be a great second year for Lane. 

 

[Dawg83]

On 11/14/2021 at 6:59 PM, MSTSatchmo said:

I wouldn’t have thought so, because it’s not a quick strike offense.   It does allow you to control the clock, if you complete passes so I guess that keeps the score from getting any worse if you’re executing. 

It just better prepares you for situations where you have to pass, which are inevitably going to come up. State’s not coming back from that deficit with the Chris Relf or Nick Fitzgerald offense of the Mullen years. No disrespect to those guys because they had really productive careers. You’re just talking about a school who’s had major issues passing the ball historically outside of two guys, and one of them is the current QB.

 

On 11/14/2021 at 8:25 PM, rebmus said:

Ole Miss is #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls. 

I figure #13 in the CFP poll. 

Win the next two and Ole Miss gets a NY6 bowl, which would be a great second year for Lane. 

 

Definitely a high stakes Egg Bowl in that sense. OM winning the EB makes them a lock for a NY6 game, State winning gives them a chance to end up as high as the Citrus Bowl slot, maybe a long long shot for an NY6 game if some weird things happen the next two weeks.
 

Curious to see if or where State is ranked tomorrow night, if it’s somehow back in the Top 20 then there’s absolutely a path for them to end up in a really good bowl game.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Dawg83

[MSTSatchmo]

12 minutes ago, Dawg83 said:

It just better prepares you for situations where you have to pass, which are inevitably going to come up. 

 

Now those times are 3rd or 4th and one.  Lol.  I remember Mullen running on 4th and 5.  Now if State tried to run on 4th and inches everyone would be like “what in the hell are they thinking”.  

[Dawg83]

13 hours ago, MSTSatchmo said:

Now those times are 3rd or 4th and one.  Lol.  I remember Mullen running on 4th and 5.  Now if State tried to run on 4th and inches everyone would be like “what in the hell are they thinking”.  

It really has required you to forget everything you thought you knew about State. I still catch people getting mad at Rogers for sliding or falling down and not trying to truck linebackers like Dak and Fitz used to.

 

The biggest culture shock has been State having receivers running open all over the field. I am used to watching us play Sun Belt and C-USA teams and being jealous of their WR’s.

[rebmus]

CFP rankings are out. Ole Miss #12 and MSU #25. 

 

 

[Dawg83]

It’s a long shot and would require some breaks but there maaaaay still be a bath to the Sugar Bowl for State, as strange as that sounds. The SEC automatic tie in with the Sugar means they wouldn’t necessarily have to be in the Top 12, just would have to be the highest ranked SEC team outside the Playoff. Like I said, definitely a long shot, but not totally out of the question if the Egg Bowl and a couple of other results break State’s way. I would put these chances at 5% or less though. Citrus Bowl is a slightly more attainable goal, though my guess is State ends up in the traditional pool of SEC bowl games regardless of how they finish. That’s kind of a crap shoot, because you can go 8-4 and still be equally likely to end up in Tampa as you are to end up in Memphis. It can literally be whatever the league feels like doing, I’m assuming Memphis would be more interested in having State than most other SEC tie ins.

 

Ole Miss is a lock for the NY6 if they win out, whether it’s Sugar, Peach, or Fiesta would depend on what happens with Bama.

Edited November 17, 2021 by Dawg83