College Football 2021

[PaHunter]

Well, Michigan has managed two wins so far. They have run for 678 yards in those two games. See how this week goes.

 

[bama_ed]

Well, Michigan has managed two wins so far. They have run for 678 yards in those two games. See how this week goes.

I had a look at Michigan's schedule, PaHunter, and I don't think we can know much till they play Wisconsin first Saturday of October (when Bama plays Kiffin/Ole Miss).

Up until then they will have had Western Michigan (directional school), Washington (lost to FCS Montana), Northern Illinois (another directional school), Rutgers (my former supervisor's alma mater and perennial cellar dweller), then Wiscy.

So hold your chips and wait a while before you start placing bets on Michigan.

Ed

PS - we used to joke down here about all the directional schools in Louisiana 30 years ago. Then they got smart and realized if they changed their legal name to "The University of Louisiana <anything>", the Louisiana legislature would feel compelled to give them more money in the state budgets because they carried the state name. They no dummies. Examples are Univ of La - Lafayette or Univ of La - Monroe (teams/campuses in two different towns). Legally there can only be ONE Univ of Louisiana PERIOD and that was Tulane that took an offer of a huge endowment and went private in the mid 1900s (Pluto can enlighten me on that). But directional schools want to $ell their $tate brand.

 

[WeLovePluto]

Helmets for this weekend:

 

[bama_ed]

That's neat. I hear Lane Kiffin referred to them as an "SEC opponent" this week. Tulane and Ole Miss play Saturday.

 

[PaHunter]

And on a historical note...

 

[bama_ed]

That was back when Bama was bad.

I also remember the 1985 game I attended when Doug Flutie and Boston College came from behind to beat us.

Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

That was actually our one good year under Coach Mike Dubose. Shaun Alexander was our running back that year. It was the last good year we would have before Coach Saban showed up and went full blown George Patton on the whole football thing.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Good day of football in the PTP camp. Army blew the doors off UConn and KState handled Nevada. All the pundits and Vegas favored Nevada...and it didn't look good in the 3rd when it was tied 17 all, but KSU squeaked it out with their starting QB injured AGAIN in the first game of the year, two years in a row, and it's the same kid both years.

We had a good time at the KSU game even if we only had shade for the last 5 minutes on the game clock. Shower time back at the camper!

 

[PaHunter]

Well Michigan managed a win yesterday. I then caught the Bama game, they let it get too close. Made it part way thru the Penn State game, and fell asleep, saw they won this morning.

 

[WeLovePluto]

Our awesome helmets didn’t help on the field.

 

[bama_ed]

Well Michigan managed a win yesterday. I then caught the Bama game, they let it get too close. Made it part way thru the Penn State game, and fell asleep, saw they won this morning.

But Chris, Coach Saban would say we NEEDED a game like the Florida game.

We got tested, punched hard in the mouth by Florida, but came away with a win. CNS saw plenty of mistakes and things to work on so we don't get punch drunk reading our own press clippings.

I have been off on a little adventure with one of my sons. Went to West Point, NY for the Army-UConn game yesterday and I will have some pix to share when I get home. That's been one of my bucket list items - to see the US Military Academy and a game there. Since the opponent was a really bad UConn team, the Army fans were happy (they scored every possession in the first half) and won easily.

I'll share more in this thread about the game when I get back but I cheered for the Army Black Knights too.

Today my son and I made it to Cooperstown, NY to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. That was another bucket list item but I'll probably discuss that in the chit-chat thread as it is non-football.

Bama Ed

PS - it's pretty cool to get to do this kinda stuff since I'm retired now.

 

[bama_ed]

Well as I mentioned above, I ended up in West Point, NY at the United States Military Academy (founded 1802) for the Army-UConn game this past Saturday. DW was supposed to go with me but bowed out last minute. My Dear Son in NEPA came over to join me and it was a beautiful and inspiring day.

I had bought two digital tickets and a parking pass for the game in advance and did my research which helped greatly. We parked the car and rode the shuttle bus to "The Plain" which is the big open grass expanse for a marching review by the cadets (it's a 9am gameday tradition). The band comes out first and then as they play the cadets march out from the tunnels of the building WAY in the background.



It was a reunion weekend also for the Class of 1991 who came onto the Plain to join in the review. The cadets march to the far left in the picture, make two left turns, and then march close to us (and the reviewers) and then continue to march back across the field, into the tunnels, and out of sight.



After the review we walked around The Plain down to the left side where the library was. There are Patton and Eisenhower statues on that corner and a MacArthur statue on the other corner. The public was blocked off from walking down past the Patton statue which is where the buildings are the cadets live in and several class buildings. After checking out all sides of The Plain (and a nice view of the Hudson River near the War Memorial) ...





... we boarded a shuttle bus again for the ride over to the stadium.

Although I did wear my Alabama gear and brought my crimson/white shaker, I did buy a black & gold shaker to cheer on Army.



At first we sat in our assigned seats in the northwest corner but we were in the full sun.



After the first quarter we moved to the south/far end zone seats where there was some shade which felt really good. The downside was that was where the UConn seating was (and there were some fans). But Army rolled through the first half scoring every (six) time they had the ball leading 42-0 at the half.





The Corp of Cadets was over to the right side and they were HOPPIN'.



Although Army doesn't have a full marching band to perform at the games at half-time, they do offer some entertainment. It's an embarrassment of riches in a way. Earlier in the morning at the end of the Cadet Review on The Plain, the event closed with six parachute jumpers (the coach and five cadets) jumping out of a helicopter and landed on their feet right in front of us. And the chopper buzzed the stands when the last one hit.

Then in the pre-game activities we had another set of six jumpers and a FORMATION of copters of all different sizes in a fly-by immediately before kick-off. It was so amazing I didn't get pix of the first two jump performances. But the THIRD time today we had parachute jumpers - this time during halftime (fer KRYIN OUT LOUD-3 TIMES?!?) I was ready. It was a "jump-off" between two 3-person teams to see which team could come down closest to a target on the 50 yard line.



It was a great experience. We got several "Roll Tides" during the day and responded with "Go Army".

Check this off my bucket list.

Ed

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Great pics, Ed. Hope you wore enough sweet tea and grits aroma on you to keep the yankee off ya.

 

[WeLovePluto]

I wish I’d have made the trip to West Point when we were playing army regularly

 

[bama_ed]

Tomorrow the Tide tees it up against the "Fighting Tiggerdads", Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles are the alma mater of our own @tiggerdad. A point of trivia to add is that they are Alabama's most played non-conference opponent EVER having met 46 times since 1947 (or so I heard on radio). I should not make light of them, however, because I sat through two losses in my lifetime to Southern Miss when Reggie Collier and Brent Favre were their quarterbacks. We kick it at 630pm so I can catch games during the day.

Notre Dame - Wisconsin is interesting (playing on a neutral site at Soldier Field in Chicago). Chicago has a lot of ND fans though. At first I thought ND was a good team but they barely beat Florida State who later lost to an FCS team. Does that mean ND is no good? This game will be a revealing test.

Arky and aTm meet also neutral site (again) in JerryWorld. The Hogs have beaten Texas but folks think aTm is strong. Will be a good game to watch.

Hope your team wins tomorrow.

Ed

 

[WeLovePluto]

We host UAB tomorrow on campus. No tailgating or any pre-game activities beforehand, as students are moving back in after the hurricane.
I get to sit in the fancy seats tomorrow for the first time as we decided not to bring the kids yet and one of my friends has a extra! (Well, second time, but the first time was a scrimmage)

 

[tiggerdad]

Chicago has a lot of ND fans though.

Explains a lot about both of them really.

Just sayn....


Yes, the Golden Chickens of Southern Miss are my alma mater for both my bachelor's and my master's degrees. I'd grab a ticket but we are working the band competition for oldest DDs school tomorrow. At the HS game currently. Our West Lauderdale Knights are opening a serious can of stomp on the Philadelphia Tornados as we speak. 60 degrees out here for us currently, great football weather.

 

[tiggerdad]

How in the world did Ohio State, aka "The" not utilize Jameson Williams!?

This kid returned a punt and kickoff for a touchdown for Bama tonight. He transferred from "The" because they wouldn't play him!?

Well "The", we really appreciate it!

 

[WickstarRunner]

Well as I mentioned above, I ended up in West Point, NY at the United States Military Academy (founded 1802) for the Army-UConn game this past Saturday.

Everybody should come out to Michie Stadium at least once, it's legitimately the most naturally beautiful stadium in College Football.

Of course the most beautiful sight in the game is the Penn State White Out, as we (Class of '06) showed your neighbors last week.....

 

[bama_ed]

Of course the most beautiful sight in the game is the Penn State White Out, as we (Class of '06) showed your neighbors last week.....

Penn State looked good but I would pump the brakes just a tad still. The Nittany Lions beat probably the 7th or 8th best team in the SEC by less than a TD at home. Auburn had to bench their QB and bring in the backup to beat lowly Georgia State this past Saturday in the last minute of the game. And the first year head coach at Auburn has already fired his wide receiver coach yesterday. I like Franklin as a coach (goodness, he led Vanderbilt to bowl games). Just have to see how the rest of the B1G shakes out.

But it is good to see Ohio State getting challenged for the top of the conference.

How in the world did Ohio State, aka "The" not utilize Jameson Williams!?

This kid returned a punt and kickoff for a touchdown for Bama tonight. He transferred from "The" because they wouldn't play him!?

Well "The", we really appreciate it!

My friend, you and I don't know how to evaluate talent like THE does. THE are experts at it. Williams was ONLY SEC Special Teams Player of the Week this past week. And look how right THE were a few years ago when THE cut loose a QB and let him transfer down to the bayou. What did he ever do? And the QB THE kept, what did he ever do? I'll say it again. THE are experts - trust them - it's what they do for a living.

ED