Let's ride.

[pianobuck46]

I really dont see 2 national title caliber SEC teams this year.......

Auburn has an explosive offense but their defense is still going to be terrible

Alabama has an unknown at QB, and their secondary got lit up by OU in the bowl game last year

LSU no QB replacing a lot of WRs, basically a unknown offense, defense can only carry you so far you gotta come up with something offensively

Basically this is as wide open of a year as it gets, aside from FSU I dont really see anyone else who could be considered a near shoe in, and I wouldnt be shocked if FSU crapped the bed either

I've never liked the new system. When all is said and done, the BCS will look like a bed of roses. But for now, we've got a potential championship team, and really, nothing to lose. What the hell.....like the man says, "Let's Ride". GO BUCKS!!!!

 

[OSUK]

Urban has talked about his "9 units".

Last year they were fine to great on the whole offensive side of the ball. They had problems on the defensive side with the LB's and DB's defending the pass. Those two units' performances really prevented the Buckeyes from being elite in the end.

This year there are questions about who is behind Brax and the OL. We are assuming that the back 7 issues on defense have been solved due to a change in scheme and coordinator, and an influx of young talent, but we won't know until we see it. Placekicking is also an unknown.

How smooth or bumpy our ride is will be determined by how those questions are answered plus any regression by what we assumed were strong units plus injuries/attrition as the year goes along.

Best case scenario: the OL gels and is somewhere between competent to good, Brax plays every game, the defense returns to Silver Bullet form, and our freshman PK is reliable.

Worst case scenario: something less than the above will mean doom, despair, and agony on me; deep, dark depression and excessive misery.

The fact that there are mutliple unknowns is what makes it a ton of fun to take the ride. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

One thing about CFB I've noticed is that around half of what you assume is true, turns out not to be.

Beat Navy and then focus on each game. Win the East Division of the B1G. Win the B1G Championship Game. Do all of that, and the chances the Buckeyes are one of the four are close to a shoe-in. From there, I'm willing to just see what happens.

 

[kujirakira]

I really dont see 2 national title caliber SEC teams this year.......

Auburn has an explosive offense but their defense is still going to be terrible

Alabama has an unknown at QB, and their secondary got lit up by OU in the bowl game last year

LSU no QB replacing a lot of WRs, basically a unknown offense, defense can only carry you so far you gotta come up with something offensively

Basically this is as wide open of a year as it gets, aside from FSU I dont really see anyone else who could be considered a near shoe in, and I wouldnt be shocked if FSU crapped the bed either

The problem is that it doesn't matter what any of us sees.
Or even what 100+ coaches see.
Or even what 100+ media members (Harris, not AP) see.
Or even what 6 spreadsheets see.

It's what a handful of people behind closed doors *decide*. Not even what they think, but where their allegiances, biases, pay checks, etc. fall. And I realize there's more than a handful on that cobbled-together committee... but most of them are going to vote a certain way regardless of anything on the field.
People thought there was controversy in BCS era with all those polls being put together?
Just wait for snap decisions being made behind closed doors by a very small cadre of Athletic Directors and celebrities with specific allegiances.

 

[BUCKYLE]

The problem is that it doesn't matter what any of us sees.
Or even what 100+ coaches see.
Or even what 100+ media members (Harris, not AP) see.
Or even what 6 spreadsheets see.

It's what a handful of people behind closed doors *decide*. Not even what they think, but where their allegiances, biases, pay checks, etc. fall. And I realize there's more than a handful on that cobbled-together committee... but most of them are going to vote a certain way regardless of anything on the field.
People thought there was controversy in BCS era with all those polls being put together?
Just wait for snap decisions being made behind closed doors by a very small cadre of Athletic Directors and celebrities with specific allegiances.

Yeah it works for hoops but uh...this right here ain't basketball.