Official 2021 NCAA Football Thread

They certainly mauled us. I expected it to be more competitive but defense is not our strength right now. The 22 players on our defensive two deep include one senior and two juniors with the remaining 19 players being freshmen.

 

I was at that game. There was a bit of heckling from the crowd toward Lombardi since he's a Michigan State transfer. Especially after his long run, but much of the defense had been swapped out by that point. I feel like every team says they're young every year but some (such as NIU) certainly have that more than others.

 

I friggin loved it

 

I recall hearing he had a good game vs. Michigan last year.

Lombardi is one tough kid. He is a good leader for our young team but our offensive playcalling does not fit his strengths. He throws with his shoulder/arm rather than stepping into the throws. When we let him sit back he is very inaccurate and throws a lot of INTs. After watching him the last six games he is better suited and successful when rolling out of the pocket and giving him the run-pass option.

 

To be fair, everyone had a pretty good game against Michigan last year lol. Between those sitting out, those out from COVID, those leaving early to go to the NFL, and an overhyped QB with no touch (who later transferred after he couldn't take the heat), Michigan was awful last year.

 

Last season was certainly an odd year. I also see college football becoming a free-for-all with the new one-time transfer rules and NIL. Teams are going to have a hard time building depth and experience when a player thinks he should start and decides to transfer. From what I have read, many of these players entering the transfer portal are not finding new scholarship offers. Sometimes the grass is not always greener...

 

he barely hit him. It was a bullshit targeting call. They somewhat bumped heads.

 

Ok, you’re wrong, but ok.

 

To be fair, I agree with approximately 0 targeting calls. Because it’s the worst rule in football. Some calls are worse than others. This was one of those

 

I mean, I didn’t see it live and all the replays are slowed down for me to tell how hard he actually hit him.

That said, the rule is pretty clear on things you can’t do. It doesn’t have a component for “just buzzing the tower,” and this clown def did some indefensible shit as far as the rules go. It wasn’t even a play in the ball.. like how stupid can he be?

 

Changing gears for a minute... I just looked at the top 25 and I'm trying to figure something out. How on Earth does 3 currently undefeated teams rank below a one-loss team who's said loss is by an unranked team?!

The three teams I'm referring to are Kentucky, Michigan and Michigan State. All three have beaten ranked opponents this year... and again... Are still undefeated. Even worse... How is Kentucky not even a top-10 team? Handily beat a top-10 team...

And I haven't watched them much this year but how on Earth is Cincinnati number 3? They play in a weak ass conference...

 

Got to disagree. Think this is a necessary rule, as is the ejection, which hopefully reinforces the severity for the players and results in behavior change. Bottom line, these guys can’t lead with their head. It’s about protecting them just as much as, if not more than, the other player. I love college football, but I never want to see what happened to Devon Gales happen to another player. You as a fellow Dawg fan should remember that name. It doesn’t have to be a vicious hit or be made with intent (or even be helmet to helmet) to have life changing consequences.

 

This is pretty good, too.

 

You'll give yourself a headache trying to figure how they come about these rankings & such.


Just hope for more Chaos in weeks to come...

 

Do all 3 of those teams beat Bama with one loss? I would say no. This early in the year, you're going to have undefeated teams with worse rankings than 1 loss teams. Just a fact of life. Kentucky is going to be reamed in the next few weeks.

 

I'm going to disagree with you. In fact... I'm going to say they have a legitimate chance to actually beat Georgia this week. That defense is nothing to mess around with... and last time they actually met a good defense Georgia struggled.

 

Correct. Targeting should be 100% allowed. And go back to leather helmets and no girly face masks. Let's Mad Max this shit.

 

Right. Michigan has had a few transfers themselves. But so many players leaving for more playing time because they didn't make the cut. Or better yet, because they can't handle the criticism. Joe Milton transferred to Tennessee and wasn't doing any better than at Michigan. He got hurt and Tennessee has started doing much better under their backup. Like you said: the grass isn't always greener.

 

Rankings are a popularity contest. The brand name schools get the benefit of the doubt and schools like Cincinnati, Kentucky, etc. have to prove it. This is why preseason rankings should not exist. Clemson, North Carolina, Texas A&M, and Iowa State were preseason top 10 teams. Yet now Clemson, North Carolina, and Iowa State are no longer ranked. Iowa State is 3-2 with no good wins and A&M was unranked until their recent Alabama win.

College football should not rank teams until after week 5. Then you have a body of work to rank teams off of and teams like Cincinnati, Kentucky, etc. will have a legitimate chance rather than having to "work" their way up the rankings.

FYI, it took Georgia a 52-yard FG with 3 seconds left just to beat Cincinnati in the last year's Peach Bowl. Cincinnati is a very good team.

 

Everyone likes it, except their fans.