NCAA New to College Football - Looking for a Team to Follow

[Dirty Bird]

Some were bloody hard.
The last 4 in the mediocre and the last 10 or so in s**t teams were so tough.

I was happy with some of what I got up, but some were tough, and I know some sections were embarrassing with what I got in the end.

Personally, my favourite lines were the one that led to Boston College, SMU and Kentucky. And basically the whole good team side.

 

[Exe Gesis]

The only thing that could be updated is reducing the size of the overall image so that it's readable at a maximum 1280x800 resolution. It would mean shortening up the lines, the spacing, etc, whilst increasing the text size.

As currently it's too hard to navigate at that size.

Would have to start from a 1280x800 base canvas. Maybe starting the flowchart from the middle with the main headings and branching around.

I might give it a try on what you've already done later in the week.

 

[Dirty Bird]

While at it, can you make sure all 124 schools are there?

I went from 124 to 122 to 124 before I started
And my final list was 123.

Might of lost 1 in the 6-7 hour process

 

[Tannehill17]

Great effort Riggy. i doubt anyone would pick Penn State haha, like im going to say yes to child abuse

ended up with Michigan. took me ages to find Purdue, thought you left them out for a while.

 

[Big Red Machine]

If you are one if those guys that wears American college snapbacks and actually want a college that's cool (don't get me wrong, not me) then pick:
Stanford
Florida State U
San Diego
Alabama
Boston
Or any school sponsored by Nike or Adidas

The best ones are those that wear Penn State, You get a blank look similar to asking someone wearing a Steelers anything to do with football at all, Priceless.

The flowchart recommends Georgia Tech but that would ruin the Baltimore/Gophers vs Pittsburgh/Hawkeyes thing I have going with my best mate.

But with Adam Gotsis opening the door possibly for more Aussies to head to GT that might change.

 

[Toadvine]

I've decided to follow Alabama. I read an article after we drafted Upshaw talking about Bama's recurring ties to the Ravens. Did some research and I liked the history, the uniform and the nickname. I'm on board

Then discovered they took out the BCS champs and absolutely smashed LSU in the process. So I guess that means they have a good program? Now I feel like a bandwagoner though...

 

[drd23]

Alabama has kinda been my college team for a few years for the same reasons (the links and similarities to the Ravens).

They have a good program now that they have one of the best college coaches in the country, but before that they had a 17 year period between winning NCs. Now they are regularly ranked and their recruiting classes are usually one of the highest ranked.

Toadvine, following a college football team is like following an EPL team because there are no equalisation rules, so you've either got to jump on:
1) A Successful team (and risk feeling like a bandwagoner)
2) A formerly successful team (like a Michigan or a Notre Dame) and hope they find the right coach and return to sucess
3) Get lucky and pick an average/bad team that turns out to have a really good coach, be really competitive and turn into a successful team (like Boise State), although that doesnt happen too often
4) Be content with supporting a bad/average/good team that never has the chance of winning the title

 

[Toadvine]

Cheers drd,

One quick question could you explain the diffence between PAC-12 and the BCS competitions? and why teams like Oregon appear in both?

I'm content with feeling like I'm jumping on the Bama band wagon (this is what it must feel like to be 90% of the Patriot fans in Australia )

Looking forward to the season to getting underway.

 

[Dirty Bird]

If you want to get on the next #3 go UTSA.

They could have easily have gone 7-3 in their first season of existance, but fell short in 3 games dropping to 4-6

On offence 37 Fr, 5 So, 7 Jr, 1 Sr
On defence 28 Fr, 4 So, 5 Jr
Special Teams 5 Fr.

So they're a very young team, and will improve. In the WAC next year I wouldn't be shocked if them and Louisiana Tech are fighting it out (UTSA can't win title though as they're technically still in transition from FCS to FBS)

They have a legendary couch (Larry Coker) who led Miami to a 60-15 record including 1 national championship and 2 other top 5 finishes.

They're in a recruiting hotbed where they can just grab any Texan not offered a scholarship to Texas.

They were drawing decent crowds, I take that back, they were drawing big crowds in their first season. They averaged 35,521 last year to their 6 games, and they were in FCS last year and were still out-drawing some big FBS schools, even Boise State (who's stadium only held 33,500) and those crowds will only grow as the schools profile gets bigger and they bring in bigger teams. I for one want to see the reception that Oklahoma State get when they run out onto the Alamadome in the 2013 season. Could be deafening!

Seriously, these guys could become the next big threat to 'big boys' and crash the party.

If I were to pick a team today, and knowing about all the history going around, I'd be tossing up 3 teams. Boise State (based on 07 Fiesta Bowl), Appalachian State (based on 07 upset over Michigan) and UTSA (based on seeing a great future in these guys). I'd probably go UTSA as Appalachian State are in D1-AA, and Boise State has had alot of success these days that I'd avoid looking like a bandwagoner.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Cheers drd,

One quick question could you explain the diffence between PAC-12 and the BCS competitions? and why teams like Oregon appear in both?

I'm content with feeling like I'm jumping on the Bama band wagon (this is what it must feel like to be 90% of the Patriot fans in Australia )

Looking forward to the season to getting underway.

The BCS is an organisation that runs 5 bowl games. They select 10 teams to compete in their games each season.
There are automatic selections (Pac-12, Big XII, BigTen, ACC, SEC and Big East champions) and other select criteria where teams can play (such as Notre Dame top 8, non-aq conference champ top 12 (top 16 if there's a lower ranked aq-champ))

Pac-12 is a conference, so a league. These teams play for their own title and the champion goes to the Rose Bowl or BCS National Championship

Teams like Oregon as you've named would win the Pac-12, and then automatically appear in the BCS series. 10 teams will be in the BCS series each year. Take last year for example.

LSU goes to BCS National Championship as #1 ranked team
Alabama goes to BCS National Championship as #2 ranked team
Oklahoma State goes to Fiesta Bowl as Big XII Champion
Stanford goes to Fiesta Bowl as an at large selection (in the top 16)
Oregon goes to Rose Bowl as Pac-12 champion
Wisconsin goes to Rose Bowl as BigTen champion
Clemson goes to Orange Bowl as ACC champion
West Virginia goes to Orange Bowl as Big East champion
Michigan and Virginia Tech goes to Sugar Bowl as at large selections (in the top 16)

Basically, Bowl games and the BCS (who just run the 5 most prestigeous bowls) are just the post-season.

 

[Toadvine]

Thanks for the rundown DB, it's starting to make alot more sense now. Maybe your post (or one similar) should be added to the OP to give context for those choosing a team?

 

[Dirty Bird]

It's a little more complicated than that. There's 723 schools that sponsored football in the 2011 season.

 

[Toadvine]

Holy crap.

 

[Bobby P]

What can you guys tell me about Oklahoma State?

 

[Dirty Bird]

Little brother.
Have gone from average from before Mike Gundy, but have improved each and every season.
Offence orrientated (then again, besides TCU, all teams in that conference are offence first)

 

[djrossie16]

Penn State??? No takers?

I see Florida State have had some early issues. I don't mind them.

 

[Big Red Machine]

Penn State??? Good team to follow?

Yeah.... Not right now.

They've fallen from grace since the glory days to a decent but not MNC level and the entire scandal over there would make most not go near the team with a 50foot pole.

 

[djrossie16]

Yeah.... Not right now.

They've fallen from grace since the glory days to a decent but not MNC level and the entire scandal over there would make most not go near the team with a 50foot pole.

Yeah been following the story. It's the biggest fall from grace in sport. They're saying the Paterno statue should go now. Wow.

 

[Iason]

Out of curiosity, did any of you do a semester at the school that you support?

 

[tb_fanboy]

Not yet but you never know^

Btw, the Penn state bandwagon looks tempting.......

 

[Rhyno]

I've always been fond of College football and have even been to a Navy v Central Michigan Game in Annapolis, but have never quiet grasped who i should lend my allegiances to whilst showing a interest to a vast array of teams over the past 6 or 7 years, out of the following teams who do you think would/should be a decent one to focus all my energies towards following:

• Alabama Crimson Tide
• Utah Utes
• Ole Miss
• Oklahoma Sooners
• Minnesota Golden Gophers (soft spot for any team from Minny)
• Florida State Seminoles
• Auburn
• Georgia Bulldogs
• LSU (i have a Cousin who lives in Louisiana and he lends his support to Tulane and LSU (he is a New yorker))
• Nebraska Cornhuskers
• or Any other Notables that should be considered

my Only Problem is that im am and Avid Saint Marys Gaels Fan in College Basketball but alas no real football program at that school so i cant really lend any support there.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I've always been fond of College football and have even been to a Navy v Central Michigan Game in Annapolis, but have never quiet grasped who i should lend my allegiances to whilst showing a interest to a vast array of teams over the past 6 or 7 years, out of the following teams who do you think would/should be a decent one to focus all my energies towards following:

• Alabama Crimson Tide
• Utah Utes
• Ole Miss
• Oklahoma Sooners
• Minnesota Golden Gophers (soft spot for any team from Minny)
• Florida State Seminoles
• Auburn
• Georgia Bulldogs
• LSU (i have a Cousin who lives in Louisiana and he lends his support to Tulane and LSU (he is a New yorker))
• Nebraska Cornhuskers
• or Any other Notables that should be considered

my Only Problem is that im am and Avid Saint Marys Gaels Fan in College Basketball but alas no real football program at that school so i cant really lend any support there.

There's your answer. I know this is stereotyping, but I'm willing to bet you support them because of the Australian connection via Mills and that Dellededova (or however you spell it) guy?
Well, that helps you out alot, Alabama Crimson Tide (Jesse Williams) or LSU Tigers (Brad Wing) are on your list. Maybe go Hawai'i Warriors (Scott Harding), or maybe pick player x and follow the team they go to?

There are 3 Australian's being recruited currently to play next year?
Daniel Cadona, Dean Crozier and Tyson Kruze? They're rated the 3rd, 5th and 6th best punters currently for next year? Kruze is being recruited by the Utah Utes too, so maybe they're a goer? (Cadona is being targetted by the Utah State Aggies and Crozier by the UTEP Miners)

Or maybe another one. Go for a school that recruits internationally perhaps one day doing what the Gaels do, but for football? Boise State recruit internationally, in football they had 3 Dutch players last year and they recruited an English player this last offseason, and lets not forget the Canadians they grab, then in Basketball they have Igor Hedziomerovic and Anothiny Drmic. Both from Australia. All these international connections could lead to them becoming the Gaels of football?

 

[Paul Kersey]

I picked Texas as they were on ESPN every week nearly in the year they lost the championship. Since then, barely seen them on tv! I've got Phil Steele's preview book for this year and he's picked them as a suprise team (i.e. a team not ranked top 10 coming in which can win the championship). He's a big fan of their defence. I picked Texas before I picked Dallas - was getting heat from a couple of friends for not having a NFL team so I thought given the College team I followed was from Texas the NFL will be (probably should have jumped on the Texans...haha).

 

[Rhyno]

There's your answer. I know this is stereotyping, but I'm willing to bet you support them because of the Australian connection via Mills and that Dellededova (or however you spell it) guy?
Well, that helps you out alot, Alabama Crimson Tide (Jesse Williams) or LSU Tigers (Brad Wing) are on your list. Maybe go Hawai'i Warriors (Scott Harding), or maybe pick player x and follow the team they go to?

And you would be Correct, always been enamoured with College Bball and the Gaels gave me that common link with the Aussies (they had 3 of the Starting 5 were Aussie) cos it actually warranted ESPN to show more of there games here, im Well aware of Jesse Williams @ Bama and Wing @ LSU (who could forget that touchdown run that was disallowed), TBH im Currently wearing a Utah Utes 2009 Sugar Bowl Champs Hoody i bought from the States, i am kinda leaning towards Bama but dont want to be seen as a bit of a bandwagoner, i do love the draftees that have came out of there the past 5 or so years in Richardson, Ingram, Barron, Kirkpatrick, Upshaw, Julio Jones, Dareus, Roman Harper and DeMeco Ryan......... i think we have my answer right there

 

[Dirty Bird]

I picked Texas as they were on ESPN every week nearly in the year they lost the championship. Since then, barely seen them on tv! I've got Phil Steele's preview book for this year and he's picked them as a suprise team (i.e. a team not ranked top 10 coming in which can win the championship). He's a big fan of their defence. I picked Texas before I picked Dallas - was getting heat from a couple of friends for not having a NFL team so I thought given the College team I followed was from Texas the NFL will be (probably should have jumped on the Texans...haha).

I was willing to give them the BigXII this seaseon. Then the Penn State senior Wide receiver went and picked Oklahoma. Sure, Texas has gained a player from the Penn State exoduse, but I think it was just their kicker (damn, I wanted him ).

I'll give them Fiesta Bowl, top 10 sort of team by seasons end.