Week 12 Game Thread

[Monkeyfeng06]

Really? What was the "fumble" on the fake punt to you? And Willie Tuitama's fumble late in the game? Those should've gone in favor of the Ducks, but no.

i didn't watch the fake punt but that tuitama fumble was the correct call. his knee was definitely down.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

I am letting my emotions get the better of me. Especially on the injury thing; I knew the second I hit "Submit" I was in the wrong and then my Internet froze. Whatever. I'll leave it for everyone to see.

The biggest problem that I have, however, is that Oregon should've come back to tie it. Arizona had Oregon figured out once Dixon went down because the Ducks could no longer run east/west, so Arizona stacked the box, blitzed every down, and watched Oregon's offense sputter. The rest of the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Brady Leaf; he flat-out FAILED to check down receivers and would just throw it to the first person he saw, which led to Cason's INT TD, several passes thrown behind receivers, and several near-misses. Kelly's play-calling wasn't up to par but Leaf was NOT helping himself out.

[Icness]

And my master plan for a Buckeye trip to the BCS Title game starts off on the right foot!

It's games like the one last night that frustrate me so much about the Pac-10 and why all the crying they do about lack of respect is ridiculous. Arizona had lost to BYU and New Mexico (at home, no less), certainly showing they're not real good. Yet they came out and pounded the #2 team in the country, a team that until this year had lost almost every significant road game they've ever played. Cal gets all this hype and then they lose 4 of 5 and I think Washington is going to make it 5 of 6. USC is like the Knicks of CFB--all those big names and great athletes, not a very good football team. If the Pac-10 is so freaking good, how come there's a pretty fair chance they wind up with only 3 teams winning more than they lose? And if you cry "parity" you must apply that to the conferences Pac-10 sycophants constantly degrade--the Big 12, the Big 10, the ACC.

All that game last night told me is that there is no real elite team this year. I thought Oregon might be the best of the bunch and I'm positive it would have been a different story had Dixon not left the game, but the margin between winning and losing is so thin nowadays. Arizona basically did everything they could to keep Oregon in the game--play action passes with an erratic gunslinger like Tuitama are not a good way to burn clock, and they didn't even try to pressure Leaf other than with the DL. Nice clutch FG by the UA kicker--that thing was good from at least 55 yards.

[KingInExile]

re: the facemask, they weren't calling facemask penalties at all. Oregon definitely got away with one, but Arizona (Cason again) got away with one as Oregon was driving (this is before they knocked Stewart out of the game). They also failed to call late hits on any side. Hell, the ONLY call they were making all night was defensive offsides.

Also, Mike Stoops is a dirty coach. That's the third time in three years the Oregon QB has left the game injured (all knee injuries or below) in UO-UA games. And they almost never stopped at the whistle.

Wait a minute, you're going to try to blame Stoops on Dixon's injury?!?!?! You need to go back and watch the game if you are. There was nobody around Dixon when he tweaked his knee. His foot basically got stuck in the turf when he tried to make a cut in the backfield and his knee folded on him (reagrivating his preexisting injury). He fell from the pain and the play was over with virtually no contact from the defense. He even commented at the end of the game that that was how it happened. So how the hell is that Stoops' fault?

Edit...didn't see your earlier retraction.

[GSWbandwagon]

pac10 teams tend to be built around their offenses. when the qb goes down (longshore, booty, dixon) the team tends to struggle. sec teams build around the defense. they can win 13-10 just as easily with a backup qb handing off as with the starter handing off.

also, its hard to use what happens in conference to judge the strength of a conference. les miles complained that the sec eats its own, and that same thing is happening in the pac10. for some reason its a sign of strength for the sec and one of weakness for the pac10?

oh, and ua is a terrible pac10 team. not that they're a terrible team, but they hurt the conference consistently. they do this crap every year. they've cost the pac10 3 bcs bowls in 3 years and just took oregon out of the title game. meanwhile they can't stop crapping the bed out of conference enough to even make a bowl game of their own. at least cal had the good sense to look good ooc and then start extracting losses from the jaws of victory in conference

[richboy]

When you run a spread offense your going to be dependent on your QB. Doesn't matter who you are. Your entire offense is built around the athletic skills of one player. Its like if Texas lost Vince Young what would they have left. Oregon lost there qb and a bunch of there top weapons.

And my master plan for a Buckeye trip to the BCS Title game starts off on the right foot!

It's games like the one last night that frustrate me so much about the Pac-10 and why all the crying they do about lack of respect is ridiculous. Arizona had lost to BYU and New Mexico (at home, no less), certainly showing they're not real good. Yet they came out and pounded the #2 team in the country, a team that until this year had lost almost every significant road game they've ever played. Cal gets all this hype and then they lose 4 of 5 and I think Washington is going to make it 5 of 6. USC is like the Knicks of CFB--all those big names and great athletes, not a very good football team. If the Pac-10 is so freaking good, how come there's a pretty fair chance they wind up with only 3 teams winning more than they lose? And if you cry "parity" you must apply that to the conferences Pac-10 sycophants constantly degrade--the Big 12, the Big 10, the ACC.

All that game last night told me is that there is no real elite team this year. I thought Oregon might be the best of the bunch and I'm positive it would have been a different story had Dixon not left the game, but the margin between winning and losing is so thin nowadays. Arizona basically did everything they could to keep Oregon in the game--play action passes with an erratic gunslinger like Tuitama are not a good way to burn clock, and they didn't even try to pressure Leaf other than with the DL. Nice clutch FG by the UA kicker--that thing was good from at least 55 yards.

Not really understanding your point when you say Oregon would definitely have won with Dixon but then go on to rip Oregon.

I've seen the lower level Pac-10 against some good teams and I would say there definetely underrated. Washington would be a bowl team many years. They played Ohio State, Arizona St, USC, Oregon all this year. Perhaps all top 10 teams. Really they outplayed USC and Ohio State.

You comparing USC to the Knicks. You mean not a very good football team as they might only make the BCS. The Knicks wish they had a year as good as this one.

[High 5]

Now we get to hear nonstop about how Oregon would have easily won the National Championship if Dixon didn't get hurt.

[El Turco]

Really they outplayed USC and Ohio State.

uh, not even close. they played better than most expected but they werent anywhere close to "outplaying" in OSU game.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

pac10 teams tend to be built around their offenses. when the qb goes down (longshore, booty, dixon) the team tends to struggle. sec teams build around the defense. they can win 13-10 just as easily with a backup qb handing off as with the starter handing off.

Well put. I agree. Helping this argument is the fact a Pac-10 team with a good defense (Oregon State) has been absolutely putrid this year despite returning an offense with two talented receivers (Stroughter and Anthony Brown [nee Wheat]) and Yvenson Bernard. They've also managed to do it without nearly the level of talent coming to an LSU, Georgia, Florida, etc. Defense is an afterthought in the Pac-10 (nowhere better than at Oregon), so when a good defense actually does come around offenses are almost more prepared than usual. Which doesn't always translate into wins.

also, its hard to use what happens in conference to judge the strength of a conference. les miles complained that the sec eats its own, and that same thing is happening in the pac10. for some reason its a sign of strength for the sec and one of weakness for the pac10?

I disagree to an extent. I tend to think that inner strength helps conferences and that teams beating up on good teams is a positive sign, but it's completely disregarded in the national picture when teams just don't perform OOC.

oh, and ua is a terrible pac10 team. not that they're a terrible team, but they hurt the conference consistently. they do this crap every year. they've cost the pac10 3 bcs bowls in 3 years and just took oregon out of the title game. meanwhile they can't stop crapping the bed out of conference enough to even make a bowl game of their own. at least cal had the good sense to look good ooc and then start extracting losses from the jaws of victory in conference

First, FIRE TOM HANSEN.

Second, well, yeah. Arizona and UCLA are absolutely killing the Pac-10 this year with their losses and just adding fuel to the fire for conferences like the SEC to deem the Pac-10 redheaded step-children. Meanwhile, LSU plays LA Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette, rolls over them, and isn't knocked for it nearly as much as the Big 11 and the Pac-10 would be for scheduling them.

[neplife]

It's games like the one last night that frustrate me so much about the Pac-10 and why all the crying they do about lack of respect is ridiculous. Arizona had lost to BYU and New Mexico (at home, no less), certainly showing they're not real good. Yet they came out and pounded the #2 team in the country, a team that until this year had lost almost every significant road game they've ever played.

They pounded the #2 team? First they didnt pound us, the game went down to the last minutes, second the #2 team? That would be like saying oh we beat the super bowl champion colts, but Manning, Harrison, Wayne, and Addai were injured and not playing. When Dixon was in there for the first half of the first quarter the Ducks were moving the ball with ease, after he went out we couldnt move the ball to save our lives, the rest of the country got to see why Duck fans hate Brady Leaf.

[Icness]

It's almost Buckeye Christmas time, another gift win from Michigan in the Big House.

Actually I'm of the belief that if Henne and Hart play a full game, Michigan will probably win as long as it doesn't come down to a kicking battle. They sacrificed the Wisconsin game by holding Hart out just to keep him healthier for this game. But Boeckman can expolit the UM secondary, and Beanie Wells will have room to run if he can get out of the backfield.

[Next Coming]

It's almost Buckeye Christmas time, another gift win from Michigan in the Big House.

Actually I'm of the belief that if Henne and Hart play a full game, Michigan will probably win as long as it doesn't come down to a kicking battle. They sacrificed the Wisconsin game by holding Hart out just to keep him healthier for this game. But Boeckman can expolit the UM secondary, and Beanie Wells will have room to run if he can get out of the backfield.

I'm getting real nervous down here in Columbus.

[Posey H8er]

I want to see Illinois finally clobber NW.

[meatball sub]

Mike Hart needs to play the whole game for the Wolverines to pull it out today.

[Posey H8er]

Juice Williams is a freaking beast.

[IlliniNRG]

It's almost Buckeye Christmas time, another gift win from Michigan in the Big House.

Actually I'm of the belief that if Henne and Hart play a full game, Michigan will probably win as long as it doesn't come down to a kicking battle. They sacrificed the Wisconsin game by holding Hart out just to keep him healthier for this game. But Boeckman can expolit the UM secondary, and Beanie Wells will have room to run if he can get out of the backfield.

How is Henne so highly thought of by so many people? I just don't see it. He's got the build of an NFL QB, but that's about where it stops. Michigan has great WRs and a great RB, but they don't really lose much when Henne is out - and Mallett sucks.

Henne was good as a freshman, but where's the improvement? If any NFL team spends a high draft pick on this kid, they're going to be disappointed.

[Monkeyfeng06]

chad henne is a bust in my opinion.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Get ready for WVU vs. LSU.

Amazing how it seemed that our NC hopes went down the drain after losing to SFL. We'd be undefeated right now if we didn't lose Pat White for that game.

Can't wait to see us in the National Championship.

[Monkeyfeng06]

can't believe nbc chose duke vs. notre dame. they are killing their own ratings.

[High 5]

Michigan and Kansas State suck. All I wanted was for them to win their games. Is that too much to ask? I'm a huge Vandy fan right now. I'd also like to see Cincinnati and Texas Tech win their games tonight. I have a really good feeling about Cinci.

But most importantly, LET'S GO VANDY!