Not the playoffs but Rosebowl will do..
- Thread starter Cougarmatt90
- Start date
We don't really deserve to be in the CFP this year. We didn't know we were going to have a good team and we didn't set up a schedule to make a CFP run. I think of the KSU teams from 1997 to 2003 and all of their 11 win seasons and how nobody considered them a legitimate title contender for most years. We had a very KSU schedule this year. And frankly, we haven't been truly dominant in any game outside of SJSU....who is terrible. 8-1 is awesome and I'm enjoying the ride, but I'd love to go to the Rose Bowl this year feeling like we can beat whoever the B1G sends at us rather than facing off against Alabama in a game where we have no realistic chance at winning.
Some people will call that a loser attitude....but I'd rather see us finish 13-1 and #3 in the country this year and use it to continue to build our program up. WSU hasn't finished the season with a win since 2015. I'm ready for that to change and a trip to the CFP isn't going to result in that, no matter how much we wish otherwise. This is an exciting time for our program and Leach looks to be getting us to the point where we are going to be a solid program as long as he is here. That's more important than worrying about the CFP in a season where we really aren't ready. Don't get me wrong though, I love that we are listed in the Top 8 and the exposure that gives us.
If we continue to win, the skepticism of guy's like Herbstreit will change to admiration and the publicity from getting left out (and winning the Rose Bowl) would be better than getting housed by Alabama in the semi-final. Washington is already irrelevant after being in a CFP semi-final and getting whipped by Bama. Wins are more important than pats on the back for trying hard.
Some people will call that a loser attitude....but I'd rather see us finish 13-1 and #3 in the country this year and use it to continue to build our program up. WSU hasn't finished the season with a win since 2015. I'm ready for that to change and a trip to the CFP isn't going to result in that, no matter how much we wish otherwise. This is an exciting time for our program and Leach looks to be getting us to the point where we are going to be a solid program as long as he is here. That's more important than worrying about the CFP in a season where we really aren't ready. Don't get me wrong though, I love that we are listed in the Top 8 and the exposure that gives us.
If we continue to win, the skepticism of guy's like Herbstreit will change to admiration and the publicity from getting left out (and winning the Rose Bowl) would be better than getting housed by Alabama in the semi-final. Washington is already irrelevant after being in a CFP semi-final and getting whipped by Bama. Wins are more important than pats on the back for trying hard.
I’d love to smoke tOSU in the RB. They would bring their entitled attitude into the game (there’s a WSU?) and try to out-talent us, and the unexpected shelling we would put on them would be a huge recruiting tool with a top ranked finish.
Here’s the problem with meeting - and beating tOSU in the Rose Bowl. They already have an excuse for the talking heads to make. It’ll sound something like this:
‘This is a different team with Joey Bosa. With him on the field, there’s no way they lose to WSU. With him on the field, they’re probably not in the Rose Bowl, they’re in the CFP.’
I agree we’re not likely to make the CFP, and our resume probably doesn’t support it. I agree that another Rose Bowl would be great (and I’ll be there), but a win there (over tOSU) would come with an asterisk.
Now, if Michigan was to be upset by Rutgers or Indiana, they’d be out of the playoff. If they bounced back to beat tOSU they could still win the conference and get paired with us in the Rose. Not sure I like that matchup, but a win would come without a built-in excuse.
But...I’m still worried about every game in the schedule. Boulder isn’t an easy trip (but the weather looks favorable). Arizona is suddenly playing pretty well. And UW will be more than ready to play spoiler. I think all three are winnable, but we’re not a lock in any of them.
‘This is a different team with Joey Bosa. With him on the field, there’s no way they lose to WSU. With him on the field, they’re probably not in the Rose Bowl, they’re in the CFP.’
I agree we’re not likely to make the CFP, and our resume probably doesn’t support it. I agree that another Rose Bowl would be great (and I’ll be there), but a win there (over tOSU) would come with an asterisk.
Now, if Michigan was to be upset by Rutgers or Indiana, they’d be out of the playoff. If they bounced back to beat tOSU they could still win the conference and get paired with us in the Rose. Not sure I like that matchup, but a win would come without a built-in excuse.
But...I’m still worried about every game in the schedule. Boulder isn’t an easy trip (but the weather looks favorable). Arizona is suddenly playing pretty well. And UW will be more than ready to play spoiler. I think all three are winnable, but we’re not a lock in any of them.
Man.....give me that asterisk all day long. In two years, nobody cares how you won, they just see that you won a NY6 bowl game and finished in the Top 5.
UW will be ready, but not necessarily in a spoiler role. Like us, the Huskies still control their destiny. They still have an excellent shot (and probably favored) at winning the Pac-12 if they get by the Cougs. Sure wish Stanford would have played a better first half vs. the Dawgs.
Glad Cougar
True...but the Pac-12 was a much stronger conference that season. Here is a list of CFP ranked teams in 2016 from the Pac-12 prior to the bowls.
#4 UW 12-1
#9 USC 9-3
#10 CU 10-3
#18 Stanford 9-3
#19 Utah 8-4
The Cougs were #30 in the also receiving votes category that year. If the "favored" teams win each week to finish these last 3 weeks and we take down the mutts, here is a guess at the top of the Pac-12 this year (I'm going to assume that Utah loses to UO without Huntley):
#5 WSU 12-1 (just messing around with this ranking)
#18 UO 9-3
#24 Stanford 8-4
#25 UW 8-4 (if they don't drop out completely with an AC loss)
#30 Utah 8-4
USC, ASU end up around 7-5 or 8-4 but unranked. Cal, UA, and CU have a pillow fight to see who gets to 6 wins. UW got to play 10-2 CU in the Pac-12 championship game in 2016. WSU could end up playing against a 5 loss team in the Pac-12 championship game. If we don't get in, it's because our OOC was weak and our conference was mediocre.
Don't care. Don't care. Don't care.
I want a Rose Bowl win in my lifetime and I don't give a crap if it comes against a 3rd place B1G team, disappointed to be there, with their starting QB sitting out.
To be honest I’m not even thinking about the CFP because too many things out of our control has to happen for that to become a reality. The Rose, Fiesta or even the Alamo Bowl is more realistic but the Cougs have either need win 4 more games or least have 2-3 more wins.
Alamo would be a worst case scenario. Even if we lose the Apple Cup and go 1-2 in the last 3, we’ll be in the Alamo bowl. The South is a disaster. If we win the next 2 and lose the Apple Cup. A 10-2 WSU should get a NY6 invite, possibly Peach.
I would love to see two things...an Apple cup win and a Rose Bowl win, and in the same season that would be great. It is pretty clear if we can take care of business against CU the Apple Cup will be for the RB. We have to win one of the next two for the AC to be relevant.
And of course the AC worries me because they do a lot of the same things Cal does on defense. The defense is now on tape what works, or in UW's case just pull out the same game plan from the last three AC's.
Cal is smart...they want to take away the crossing routes. They put four guys on the line of scrimmage, rushed three and had a DT stay at the line jump up and down and block the passing lane. Clearly what Cal did was effective. They get how important the short crossing passes are to this offense.
I see your point but it's all about perception. People were bagging on UW's cupcake schedule but they basically did what the SEC does, they play creampuffs but they do well against the competition. In 2016, they destroyed eventual 9-3 Stanford 44-6 at home, they beat a damned good Utah team on the road, they beat-down a WSU team that had won 8 out of 9 games and they crushed 10-2 CU in the championship. Outside of losing to USC, they looked good when the cameras where shining bright.
What have we done this year, so far, to merit real excitement? We lost to a mediocre USC team on the road, we struggled to put away a Wyoming team that might not make a bowl game, we have a good win against a Utah team that would have been great, if not for losing their QB, we had to come from behind to beat Stanford and needed a last second field goal to win, we couldn't put away a Cal team that has no offense. I think the Oregon win will look better in time, but we looked like a team that didn't know how to play with a lead in that game.
I really like our team and I'm proud of the way that they are playing, but I see a team that would get it's a$$ kicked by our great teams of the past. I'm actually surprised that our gritty play has impressed the committee enough to put us ahead of Ohio State and West Virginia. If we win out, there might be enough respect for us to get in. If that happens.....great. If it doesn't, we have a great consolation prize lurking.
EDIT: When I say "merit real excitement".....I'm not talking about excitement amongst WSU fans. I'm saying that our conference performance is down from recent years and that outsiders looking at our conference aren't going to be excited about close wins over what are perceived to be average teams.
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Matchups---I think the 97 team is better, but I think they may struggle with the air raid. Although Moronkola could shut down one receiver. That would have locked up Lamont one on one with a receiver, and would have taken away what he did so well is anticipate throws over the middle.
2002...different story. They would have beaten this team. They could have trotted out 6 quality DB's, and had a pass rush that would have made life miserable on Minshew.
If you were a non emotional fan, would you disagree with the assessment? The conference is mediocre, but are there really horrible teams like WSU in 08 that a team could beat up on? That is the point when it comes to people on a national level determining whether we are worthy of being in the playoffs.
And if we don't go 3-0 then there is no discussion.
Seriously!! WTH? So much gloom on a team that is clearly the best team in the conference. You need a counselor Flat.
I've got a very debilitating condition called "objectivity".
Fans from WSU get mad at me because I don't blindly support everything to do with WSU and I see the pluses and minuses of each team, player and situation. I was talking to a co-worker over lunch and he mentioned that it is amazing to see the lies that are told about so many different things and how people will believe them as long as those lies support their world view. Unfortunately, that is bleeding over to sports.
I'm not good at ingesting bullsh!t and pretending like it tastes like steak. We have an amazingly resilient team that just keeps on winning. I'm excited about them, I'm flying to Colorado to watch them this weekend, but I don't for one minute think that they could compete with our best teams. That's not depression, that's just an acknowledgement of reality. I hope we get to 13-1 and if we do that, they'll have a legitimate claim to being our greatest team ever. I hope it happens.
Nah...Beavers are going to beat the Huskies, so they'll be out of the conference title conversation. Spoiler is all they've got.
At least, that's how it works in my world.
You gotta look at the competition to get into the playoff that year. UW was one of 4 one loss or undefeated teams that year. They beat out 2 loss PSU, Michigan & Oklahoma.
For WSU to make the playoff, some combination of Michigan, Georgia & Oklahoma would have to pick up a 2nd loss and/or Bama, Clemson & Notre Dame would have to pick up TWO losses.
Good luck finding that many losses remaining on those schedules.
Just of of curiosity why is what Flat is saying "gloom" . He makes a point, this team is a sum of its parts. Who on the dline is among a first or second team all conference? Is there an Outland Trophy candidate on the squad. They are on a roll. Pull Minshew off the team, how much would we beat Utah, Stanford, OSU, Oregon or Cal by? Minshew should be the Heisman winner and it shouldn't be close.
With a QB that doesn't make plays like Minshew, we could easily be 3-6. That is not a knock, just simply means how close the Pac 12 is in terms of talent. Given the even nature of talent, with Minshew and Leach directing it that makes up for the lack of Rien Long, Dorian Boose, Herc, Leon.
To break this down...
Bama could pick up one loss. They've still got 4 ranked teams remaining (Miss St, Aub, UGA & the SEC title game, probably UGA again, maybe Kentucky). While they could certainly lose one of those, I can't imagine they'd lose 2.
Clemson has ranked BC, then Duke, South Carolina and the ACC championship, probably against someone not that good (Pitt, UVA, Va Tech). Like Bama, maybe they lose 1, can't imagine they drop 2 of those.
Notre Dame has FSU, ranked Syracuse, then @USC. Could they lose 2 of those? I guess. I assume they won't lose more than 1.
Michigan still has tOSU, then the B1G championship, probably against NW, Purdue or Wiscy. I suppose there's a decent chance Michigan could pick up a second loss there.
UGA still has Auburn, then Bama, then Bama again assuming they get to the SEC championship. Almost a guarantee they pick up a second loss and probably a 3rd.
Oklahoma still has Ok St, WVU, then probably WVU again or Texas or Iowa St in the Big12 championship. Decent chance they could lose another one of those.
Now, here's where it gets tricky, if tOSU is the one that beats UM, or WVU is the one that beats Oklahoma, then they likely jump us. Not to mention, the committee still has LSU over us anyway.
Bama could pick up one loss. They've still got 4 ranked teams remaining (Miss St, Aub, UGA & the SEC title game, probably UGA again, maybe Kentucky). While they could certainly lose one of those, I can't imagine they'd lose 2.
Clemson has ranked BC, then Duke, South Carolina and the ACC championship, probably against someone not that good (Pitt, UVA, Va Tech). Like Bama, maybe they lose 1, can't imagine they drop 2 of those.
Notre Dame has FSU, ranked Syracuse, then @USC. Could they lose 2 of those? I guess. I assume they won't lose more than 1.
Michigan still has tOSU, then the B1G championship, probably against NW, Purdue or Wiscy. I suppose there's a decent chance Michigan could pick up a second loss there.
UGA still has Auburn, then Bama, then Bama again assuming they get to the SEC championship. Almost a guarantee they pick up a second loss and probably a 3rd.
Oklahoma still has Ok St, WVU, then probably WVU again or Texas or Iowa St in the Big12 championship. Decent chance they could lose another one of those.
Now, here's where it gets tricky, if tOSU is the one that beats UM, or WVU is the one that beats Oklahoma, then they likely jump us. Not to mention, the committee still has LSU over us anyway.
I guess, if you want to cherry pick random positions to make a point. We've also got possibly the best OL I can remember having, possibly the deepest group of WRs we've had since the Fab5, 2 stud RBs, and a very good group of LBs.
Well I think one way to slow down the air raid is to be able to rush the passer . I think 97 and 2002 are more talented.
The linebackers - pellluer somehow makes plays . It shows what film study and understanding the game does.
The oline is very effective . So was the fat five. 2002 had more depth and was very good . I wouldn’t say this line is head and shoulders above the other two groups.
Wr are very good. So was the fab five and the 02 group was very good.
But to the point they aren’t so overwhelming that without Minshew they could easily win or even win those games. Did we over talent Utah Oregon Cal usc Stanford and OSU ?
We are a very good team . Again team
Fair enough. Like I said, someone people would rather bullsh!t themselves about how things are. We have a good team and I'm enjoying this season. The team continues to find ways to win and that is awesome.
One thing that's kind of funny is that our team this year reminds me a little of Auburn in 2013. Dynamic QB comes into town as an upperclassman after going the juco route and other's thinking that he's not quite good enough, a road loss in late September against a conference foe with a storied history, a handful of close games where they had to come from behind to win, a game on the road in the 2nd week of November and ranked #9 against a conference foe with a storied tradition but kind of struggling, and two home games to finish it off including the season finale against their hated rival.
It'd be all right if we can get to 12-1 like they did.
See you on January 1st against tOSU. Jethro will be there.
If you're new to this board, disregard the Jethro comment!
If you're new to this board, disregard the Jethro comment!
We are 8-1 ranked #8 in the playoffs ranked a top 10 team in all polls. No bullshit.
Ok, and what's the record in '97 without Leaf?
Exactly. What is Texas without Vince Young, Virginia Tech without Michael Vick, USC without Leinart, the bulls without Jordan,
Teams are teams but good teams have great players too. A good team with a great player elevates to a great team. And we have a great team.
FYI Georgia has already locked up an SECCG bid and will only play Alabama once - in that game. They are SEC-E, Bama is SEC-W. Much as it pains me to say about my other alma mater, I think Alabama will easily TCB.
We win four maybe five games if we are lucky . But was the Pac 12 the same ? I think the upper end teams may have been a bit better .
Are you saying 2018 is as talented as 2002 or 1997?
