Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The current Supreme Court is a dangerous, rogue court.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Anne Laurie is a fucking hero in so many ways. ~ Betty Cracker

He really is that stupid.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

If you thought you’d already seen people saying the stupidest things possible on the internet, prepare yourselves.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

You are here: Home / Sports / College Football Open Thread

College Football Open Thread

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Two games I’ll be watching: Florida vs. Miami at noon (Go Gators!) and South Carolina vs. Georgia at 4:30 (Go Cocks!). I like Florida’s chances but don’t feel all that confident about it. I’m a Florida alum, so I always root for the Gators, but honestly? I think UF is way overrated this year, and we have arguably the toughest schedule in the country. I’m steeling myself for disappointment.

Regarding South Carolina and Georgia, this should be a hell of a game — maybe the best of the weekend. After losing to Clemson last week, Georgia has to win it to keep their hopes for the season alive. But this could be Spurrier’s year with the Cocks. My grandma is a South Carolina alum, so I always root for the Cocks when they’re not playing the Gators because it makes the old lady happy when they win. She once wrote a letter to Spurrier, and he sent a hand-written reply that addressed what she wrote — not a form letter. He may be kind of a dick, but he’s nice to old ladies, so he’s not all bad.

Anyhoo, what are y’all watching? Who’s gonna win? Please feel free to discuss football or any other topic. Open thread.

Reader Interactions

189Comments

  2. 2.

    Dolly Llama

    I’m a Georgia alum, so I want the Dawgs to win, but I’m not feeling good about it. My wife’s a Florida alum, so I want the Gators to win for her sake, but I (and she, for that matter) agree completely with your assessment of this year’s team, Betty. Florida’s defense will keep them in anything, but that offense … I trust they’ll be stout enough to take a weak-as-dishwater Miami team, but even if it’s close, it’s gonna be a loooooooooooooooong season for Coach “Boom” Muschamp’s boys.

  4. 4.

    raven

    Jesus fucking christ. I’ll PIP the Canes and Stinky Gators and the Illini and Cincy at noon, the princess will drop me and a buddy off close to the stadium for the Dawgs @4. I parked a car fairly close to downtown so the trip home will be fairly easy. My front row upper deck seats should be in the shade for kickoff so that’s good. Athens was a madhouse last night and the out-of-towners were crowding in as early as 7am.

  6. 6.

    jeffreyw

    Today will be “boil the tomato juice day”, mostly. Mrs J is gathering the tomatoes. We have too damn many tomatoes this year, overcompensating for the poor year last season we put in extra plantings.

  9. 9.

    NotMax

    Anyhoo, what are y’all watching?Not so much as a naonsecond of sports.

    Who’s gonna win?

    The team with more points at the finish.

  13. 13.

    MikeJ

    Red Sox – FY starts at 9:30am. Only play them five more times in the remaining twenty games (and have just played two against them). I understand they wanted to put exciting match ups at the end of the season where they could make a difference, but I think they really overdid it. Plus we get the Tigers and the Rays in there. The FY are loaded up on teams like the Jays, the Giants, the Astros. Ok, since they thought the Giants would be tough that wasn’t scheduled as a gimme, even if it now is.

  14. 14.

    Bruce

    Hey, Betty — I graduated from UF’s journalism college in 1974 and worked on the Alligator when it was thrown off campus (was in the Student Center — can’t remember the name).
    When did you graduate? Or is that too telling?

    Enjoy your whipper-snapper posts!

  17. 17.

    Infamous Heel-Filcher

    My rule: all else being equal, I’ll root for a school that admitted me, even if I ended up not going there. Go Dawgs!

    Though I really don’t much care about anything happening before about 7 pm central time.

  18. 18.

    Dolly Llama

    Well, David Fucking Pollack just picked South Carolina over Georgia. Ain’t that fucking awesome.

  20. 20.

    Steeplejack

    @jeffreyw:

    Jeez, I hate that, when an upgrade breaks your settings. I have some fairly arcane tweaks to make certain sites look good, and, although Firefox is pretty good about not screwing things up, it does occasionally happen. The worst part is sometimes I can’t remember exactly what the arcane tweaks were, so there is some repair work needed.

  25. 25.

    jeffreyw

    @Steeplejack: There is a tweak in about:config, but try the nosquint addon, another one that works pretty well is zoom page. On a laptop you shouldn’t need the “theme font & size changer” addon but it is great for viewing on a big screen tv from across the room. Firefox has tweaked the scaling to track your system settings since version 22.

  28. 28.

    Marcelo

    Only mildly interested in the SEC action this week. UF vs. Miami will probably be on in the background for a while, and then Gamecocks vs. Georgia, but I’m really holding out for the evening edition – Notre Dame vs. Michigan, the last of the series, and that game is always always dramatic and fun (plus the 2011 version remains the best specialty uniform game ever done).

    After that, it’s time to root for my alma mater, the USC Trojans, as they take on the Wazzu Cougars. Not top ten material, but this should be a really interesting test for both teams, as we will finally learn whether Leach’s close call at Auburn was for real, and whether Kiffin can actually bring USC back from last year’s debacle (and pick a starting quarterback).

  29. 29.

    Dr. Squid

    Feh. Playing Georgia Southern in the middle of the SEC schedule is not scheduling tough. USC’s easiest nonconference opponent this year is probably Boston College at home.

  32. 32.

    meander

    A few decades ago, a TV network (NBC?) tried an experimental broadcast of an NFL game without commentary. It didn’t catch on, but was an interesting experiment. I think it is time for another dramatic TV football experiment: a game with very few shots of the coaches. For some reason, the directors of NCAA and NFL games think that the audience needs to see the coaches between every play, after every time out, and during seemingly any other break in the action. Why? Coaches almost never do anything interesting, they just stand there talking into their headsets or looking at a clipboard. The TV directors might as well show a still photograph from the team program on the screen. Meanwhile, the players are lining up for the next play, there are scores of players on the sidelines, there might be a mascot dancing around and there are tens of thousands of fans in the stadium, all of which are far more interesting than the head coach.

    The coach obsession seems a bit stronger in the NFL, as there is a lot more ‘eye candy’ in NCAA stands to show between plays (cute young people or fans decked out in body paint).

  35. 35.

    Linnaeus

    I’m a University of MIchigan alum (and lifelong fan), so I’ll be watching my Wolverines against Notre Dame tonight. Should be a fun one.

  37. 37.

    dedc79

    Is it too much to ask that there be one decent college football team north of the Mason-Dixon line?
    And to answer my own question, yes it is, apparently.

  39. 39.

    gene108

    @Betty Cracker:

    His dad is a great defensive coordinator.

    He was head coach at my alma mater for three seasons, in the early 1980’s, and was pretty mediocre, at best.

  42. 42.

    Corner Stone

    @Dr. Squid:

    USC’s easiest nonconference opponent this year is probably Boston College at home.

    Possibly. But they play in the PAC 12 Conference for goodness sake. FL plays 3 top 10 ranked teams and also Georgia which will probably be out of the top 25 by the time FL gets to them. But, still.

  44. 44.

    Corner Stone

    I think Oregon may have the easiest schedule of any top 10 ranked school. If they win out is that really worth a #2 ranking?

    I enjoy watching the Ducks play but I think their schedule is some seriously weak sauce.

  51. 51.

    Fuzzy

    I have 3 favorite college teams. Whoever is playing Notre Dame, USC or Alabama. If they play one another, it must end in a tie.

  55. 55.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Corner Stone:

    After last week’s blowout of hapless Nicholls State, in which the Ducks barely beat the spread, some local wags are wondering if the Fighting Fashion Nightmares are ready for the challenge of taking on local HS teams.

  56. 56.

    Keith P

    @raven: ESPN’s only trying to keep up with BleacherReport, aka ClowneyReport.

    How much of the Clowney hype comes from him making an unblocked tackle, anyway?

  57. 57.

    Betty Cracker

    @gene108: I consider a “defensive coordinator” a species of “coach,” but yeah, when I referred to MK’s greatness, I was thinking of his time in Tampa. I didn’t even know he’d ever had a head coaching gig.

  59. 59.

    Dee Loralei

    My beloved Sooners are playing John’s Eers tonight. And I’ll be watching a bunch of other games before and after, but that’s prolly the only one I’ll see from start to finish. I looooooooooooooove college football. Boomer Sooner!

  62. 62.

    Steeplejack

    @jeffreyw, @MikeJ:

    Thanks for the tips. I’ll add them to the trick bag. I haven’t tried NoSquint yet; maybe it’s time to give it a go.

    There are just so damn many dials to twiddle and knobs to spin. I have tweaked Firefox’s settings, delved into about.config and have done a fair amount of scripting with Stylish. It would be nice to find a more “global” solution. Maybe NoSquint is that.

  64. 64.

    dedc79

    @Baud: Or some of the music they use in the background for all those old NFL Films compilations.

    What would be truly be experimental (and which would never happen) would be to make a broadcast available on tv that never goes to commercial break. Then fans would get to see the players stand around doing nothing for about 3/4 of the 3 hour broadcast. I imagine it would be something like watching The Big Bang Theory or Two and a Half Men without the laugh track.

  68. 68.

    Karmus

    I’m a Gators fan because my dad was. I sort of root for the Alabama Crimson Tide because of a cousin, and again my dad. Otherwise I really don’t give a rip for college ball. I used to be a big pro fan but since my telly watching has dropped to nada over the years, I barely even keep track any more. I find myself starting to get interested again, however. I’m pleased that the Broncos delivered a thumping to the Ravens. I do not care for the Ravens.

  70. 70.

    Yatsuno

    @Linnaeus: My band director from high school went to Michigan, and I actually was going to go until my parents got the bill. So Boise State won that battle.

    And ALLEZ LES COUGS!!! Spank the Univer$ity of $poiled Children!

  75. 75.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @dedc79:

    That’s one of the things about watching football live, in the stadium: you get to see just how much time is devoted to selling beer, razor blades, and Buicks, and how little actual football is played.

  77. 77.

    Steeplejack

    @raven:

    Well, there’s so much great football on today, like Oklahoma State vs. Texas-San Antonio.

    And maybe they’re afraid to go on the record with a prediction.

  83. 83.

    Corner Stone

    @Villago Delenda Est: They’ll do alright. I actually think Cal may be their biggest challenge until they hit Stanford.
    If they get past The Cardinal then they win out and may end up #1 by default.

  84. 84.

    burnspbesq

    @Steeplejack:

    Well, there’s so much great football on today, like Oklahoma State vs. Texas-San Antonio.

    Not to mention that great traditional rivalry, Duke-Memphis.

  87. 87.

    Corner Stone

    @Keith P:

    How much of the Clowney hype comes from him making an unblocked tackle, anyway?

    What you see as a blase “unblocked tackle” is about as far from what actually happens as can be.
    That unblocked tackle happens a few times but the other times he either beats somebody in space or sheds them like old panties to put himself in a position to make the “unblocked tackle”.

  88. 88.

    raven

    @Baud: You could also say “don’t watch it if you don’t like it”. But it is horrible in the stadium. That fucker with the red hat runs the game.

  89. 89.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Baud:

    The thing is, baseball has the commercial breaks built into it, without even knowing that commercial breaks are needed. The inning changes are perfect for that.

  96. 96.

    Corner Stone

    @raven:

    Yea and Bama has no special motivation do they?

    What is it? Is someone holding on to their weekly pay packets until they beat A&M?

  97. 97.

    dedc79

    @Villago Delenda Est: My view is that if they’re going to insist on commercial breaks (frequent and lengthy ones at that) they should at least work in some consistency regarding when they do it (as opposed to, we have promised 12 more commercial spots this half, so we better break now). Personally, i’d prefer a short, consistent (30-60 break) after each score and change of possession then random 2-3 minute breaks throughout the game.

  99. 99.

    HeartlandLiberal

    Well, I am here in Bloomington, IN. Basketball is championship class here, last two years back to back Sweet 16 appearances for the Hoosiers. Football? Meh. Traditional bottom dwellers.

    But this evening they are putting on a big event. Per the HeraldtimesOnline.com web site (behind firewall).

    Navy’s Midshipmen sail into Hoosier harbor today and will help formally dedicate new infrastructure at IU’s Memorial Stadium dedicated to veterans, the installed prow of the USS Indiana and the stadium’s new flagpole, before the 6 p.m. kickoff.

    Helping them do so is an array of dignitaries, including U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Superintendent of the Naval Academy Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller, Col. Alan Pratt, who is commanding officer of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Sen. Joe Donnelly, Sen. Dan Coats, Rep. Todd Young and Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.

    IU President Michael A. McRobbie is scheduled to return from a visit to Africa this morning and plans to attend the various ceremonies along with Kirk White, IU’s assistant vice president for strategic partnerships. Pat Shoulders and Vice Chairwoman MaryEllen Kiley Bishop will represent the IU Board of Trustees.

    “It’s tantamount to a Who’s Who of IU, Indiana politics and the U.S. Naval Academy,” Indiana athletic director Fred Glass said Thursday, “and we’re very honored.”

    http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/news/local/iu-game-day-anchors-at-home/article_72c0dced-85e2-54e3-a7dc-73e62db88c4d.html

    For season opener, 10 days ago, half time entertainment including the Flying Elvi dropping out of the sky. http://flyingelvi.com/

    The opener was interesting for the statistic. IU ran up a score of 73 points to win against in state traditional preseason opponent Indiana State. Most points ever scored in one game by an IU football team. Most of the audience was gone by end of third quarter, we stayed to the final tick of the clock to support the team, who have worked and deserve the support.

  101. 101.

    raven

    @HeartlandLiberal: I was at the Illini-IU game when Corso was the coach and Buckner was a corner. I knew guys on the team and we were shooting the shit in the parking lot the day before the game and one of the coaches freaked out because they were talking to a wild ass looking hippie!

  104. 104.

    Ted & Hellen

    Could Johnnie Doucheball be any more of a little shit?

    Does the coach have that brat under control this week?

  105. 105.

    raven

    @Corner Stone: I’m just thinking Bama is going to be headhunting his sorry ass big time. Giving Saban time to prep and a special reason is not that good of an idea.

  108. 108.

    geg6

    Staying away from sports today. After the Bucs shit the bed last night, I drank too much beer and I’ve had enough sports. Today’s weather around here feels like mid-June or something, so I’m going to enjoy the great outdoors some today. Take Koda out with a frisbee or something.

    Gonna use up some basil tonight and make some pesto to have with some chicken and pasta and maybe a tomato salad. The fruits of summer! Argo is on HBO tonight, so it’s going to a nice evening with good food, a good movie and some nice white, currently cooling in the wine fridge. Tomorrow, we’re going to make applesauce and can it. Nice domestic weekend.

  109. 109.

    Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader

    Do you have blood on your hands and it won’t come off? Messy blood! You’ve tried bombing, invading, torturing and strafing, burning villages and killing children, honing in by droning and nothing seem to get that awful blood off your hands! Introducing Nuke-m-all by Ronco – the surefire way to keep that blood off your hands and keep it from coming back!

  110. 110.

    Steeplejack

    @burnspbesq:

    These non-conference games have really gotten ridiculous. I know the small schools are looking for a big payday—and maybe some cred if they make a good showing—and the big schools are terrified of jeopardizing their rankings, but come on.

    Back in the day the pre-conference games were more reasonable. I went to Mizzou, and they would always play Illinois (big adjacent-state rivalry), someone from the Southwest Conference, etc., occasionally even Notre Dame. Roughly equivalent teams, or equivalent competitive level. Now they’re beating up on Murray State and Toledo. Ugh. All about the money, I guess.

  112. 112.

    Dee Loralei

    @Ted & Hellen: Damn you! I went and scrolled back to see who typed that and I was the only one to mention the Sooners. HA! I know you’re a fan, so is Cole gonna propose to you?

  113. 113.

    danielx

    An incident of sacrilege…out driving around running errands with the daughter unit yesterday when James Brown popped up on the IPod singing Living In America. She innocently inquired “is that Michael Jackson” and of course I responded bite your tongue, Michael Jackson couldn’t sing like that on the best day he ever had. And where do you think he learned his moves?

  114. 114.

    raven

    @Steeplejack: Yea and the additional game. They can’t play 12 quality opponents. Besides, Illinois playing you guys in the dome was a disaster for us! But when the Tigers come to Athens next month, OH DOCTOR!

  123. 123.

    raven

    @Yatsuno: 2-10 last year, no D-1 wins, almost blew the SIU game last week. This could be really important. Washington in Wrigley coming up.

  127. 127.

    Betty Cracker

    Gators are trailing. Boo. Gator QB’s britches are soaked with sweat, and it appears he forgot to wear undies. Gotta love HD.

  128. 128.

    Jane2

    @Betty Cracker: I learned about SEC football in a Yahoo chatroom. I just had to post “Smokey’s going to the Swamp to kick Gator ass” and the fight was on. Of course, it was all I knew….

  132. 132.

    Tommy

    I just have to say this. Why the heck is Western Kentucky playing TN? Or why will my LSU Tigers play UAB tonight? Look if you are a major college program play other major colleges. Don’t pad your schedule.

  138. 138.

    raven

    @Tommy: Whatever, I want a fucking pony. This is the way it is and it isn’t going to change.
    My Georgia tickets this year get me the best slate of games in 5 years and I get SC, North Texas, LSU, Mizzou. App State and Kentucky.

  139. 139.

    Tommy

    @raven: That is a good slate of games. I still laugh when I see MO is now in the SEC. Local sports radio here in St. Louis thought it was such a great idea for them to move to the SEC. Now they are getting rolled almost every weekend I wonder if that is still the case.

  143. 143.

    Corner Stone

    @Tommy: IMO, you’re overlooking the bright spotlight shone on the second tier DIV-1 schools. And other programs, actually.
    They love it, as far as I am aware. More money, more exposure. It’s like a social program lifting up the lazy food stamp recipients.
    The haves get to beat the snot out of the havenots and everyone is happy!

  148. 148.

    Dolly Llama

    Suddenly, it appears Florida may be well and truly fucked. Miami keeps trying to give this game away, and Florida stubbornly refuses to accept it.

  153. 153.

    Corner Stone

    Come on FL. That guy had no chance at the ball and you pull a blatant mugging in the end zone to refresh their downs?
    Just start packing it up now please.

  156. 156.

    Corner Stone

    Whomever the FL Offensive Coach is should be tarred and feathered. This was an awful display of sloppy and sloppiness.

  163. 163.

    Betty Cracker

    Look at those thugs abusing the poor stuffed gators. Like to see them go to the Everglades and try it on a real one.

  166. 166.

    raven

    @Betty Cracker: I wouldn’t have gone down there when I drank, I damn sure wouldn’t go now. I’ve managed to parlay those tickets into what amounts to free Georgia season ticket for about a decade.

  167. 167.

    Corner Stone

    If I am a captain on the FL D I go back to the locker room and use my laser vision to burn the crotch off every offensive players panties when this game is over.

  168. 168.

    raven

    Huge huge huge win for Illinois. Look for me at the dawgs game, good looking motherfucker in the 1st row of the upper deck with the Die Hard Sportfishing shirt!

  169. 169.

    Betty Cracker

    @raven: I’ll bet! My sister and I always used to go. Large blocks of time are not remembered. Woke up on a floor with my head in a KFC bucket once. But then we grew up.

  171. 171.

    Corner Stone

    @Betty Cracker:

    Woke up on a floor with my head in a KFC bucket once. But then we grew up.

    It’s funny what you can learn over the prior twelve months sometimes.

  174. 174.

    Corner Stone

    I’d be surprised if this FL QB isn’t disappeared mysteriously before the next game.
    Epic.

  178. 178.

    Keith G

    In Buckeye Land Braxton Miller has been carted off with an MCL injury, Well-tested backup Kenny Guiton has lead the Bucks in their three scoring drives against San Diego St. Best news is that true freshman Dontre Wilson (from Texas) has some serious wheels at RB, scoring the first TD of the game and his hopefully long career.

    Worse news….this will be the first OSU FB season without my brother and that really sucks.

  179. 179.

    SmallAxe

    Oregon is just lightning fast, they get outside the tackles and it’s over. If they can play any D this year look out.

  183. 183.

    SmallAxe

    @efgoldman: I take it you don’t respect the Pac-12 much. Not everyone can be the SEC. I’m not an Oregon booster but their non-league games are Virginia and Tennessee those aren’t so bad compared to some of the other big teams out there. I’m looking at you Louisville (now that’s a cupcake schedule).

  184. 184.

    PhoenixRising

    @Betty Cracker: You have a living grandparent? Thought I was the only one with a 13.8 year old child (addled by the hormones) AND a grandma who was still kicking. In all senses of the word: She fell out of bed and broke her arm last month, and the old lady is so damn ornery they sent her home to do her PT outpatient before her Medicare coverage ran out.

    Seriously. She just didn’t like it in that hospital, with people waking you up and asking you who the President is–bad enough that we have a colored family in the White House, those whippersnappers don’t have to rub everyone’s nose in it!

    I’m 42, and my only living grandparent shows all the signs of being born and raised in SE KY in the 1920s.

  186. 186.

    Betty Cracker

    @Dolly Llama: Well, I’m happy for you and Raven. But I’m having a bad football day. Anyone have a team they want to faceplant tonight? Just tell me, and I’ll root for them.

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