#5 Oregon vs #1 Indiana The Peach Bowl

[Welshers2]

I disagree.

When you beat top ten teams in the CFB playoffs by over 30 points each?
You are a powerhouse.

IU looks like it goes down as one of the all time better college teams. Maybe not as many NFL players on that team as some of the all time greats but they might have an all time great coaching staff. Time will tell.
A dominant NC after only 2 years is a hell of a coaching job.

Yes exactly Indiana is the epitome of more than the sum of its parts. They are so well coached and play so good together that the level of individual talent doesn't matter as much. They are an experienced and well oiled machine. An absolutely dominate team and not just because of nfl talent

 

[NoGain]

I disagree.

When you beat top ten teams in the CFB playoffs by over 30 points each?
You are a powerhouse.

IU looks like it goes down as one of the all time better college teams. Maybe not as many NFL players on that team as some of the all time greats but they might have an all time great coaching staff. Time will tell.
A dominant NC after only 2 years is a hell of a coaching job.

I'm not saying they aren't a very good team. They are. Great coaching as well. You missed my point, though. The landscape of college football HAS changed significantly since the dawn of the NIL/transfer portal era, and we're only now just beginning to see the results of it. To ignore such things is to be behind the curve. It's why a guy like Saban left. He saw the handwriting on the wall. He couldn't do what he had done in the past, which is to recruit the very best talent AND retain them.

The very best programs/powerhouses, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, etc.., could still recruit the best talent, but they couldn't retain them, retain their depth of talent, and reload as quickly and comprehensively as they were accustomed to. This has created a situation where they couldn't remain quite as dominant as they had previously been, and made it possible for other teams to poach such talent, or develop their own and close the gap.

This is why the SEC has recently lost its dominance at the tippy-top of the hierarchy, though they still remain the strongest conference from top to bottom. There's a reason why Alabama and Clemson dropped off so fast from the top of the hierarchy, and there's more potential for a team like Indiana and Mississippi to do what they've done. There's more potential for a team to suddenly emerge as a contender in this more fluid age of college roster construction.

It's happening right under our noses. What's Indiana without Mendoza and a few other valuable talents they acquired from other programs?

 

[Atradees]

Wow. Trolls. Alot of them. Duck Envy. 30 years ago is so yesterday. When your team wasn't ranked and didn't make the playoffs...all you can do is think about the ducks........finished about where they were ranked #4. Someone owes me a six pack of beer.

 

[TwistedHusky]

I'm not saying they aren't a very good team. They are. Great coaching as well. You missed my point, though. The landscape of college football HAS changed significantly since the dawn of the NIL/transfer portal era, and we're only now just beginning to see the results of it. To ignore such things is to be behind the curve. It's why a guy like Saban left. He saw the handwriting on the wall. He couldn't do what he had done in the past, which is to recruit the very best talent AND retain them.

The very best programs/powerhouses, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, etc.., could still recruit the best talent, but they couldn't retain them, retain their depth of talent, and reload as quickly and comprehensively as they were accustomed to. This has created a situation where they couldn't remain quite as dominant as they had previously been, and made it possible for other teams to poach such talent, or develop their own and close the gap.

This is why the SEC has recently lost its dominance at the tippy-top of the hierarchy, though they still remain the strongest conference from top to bottom. There's a reason why Alabama and Clemson dropped off so fast from the top of the hierarchy, and there's more potential for a team like Indiana and Mississippi to do what they've done. There's more potential for a team to suddenly emerge as a contender in this more fluid age of college roster construction.

It's happening right under our noses. What's Indiana without Mendoza and a few other valuable talents they acquired from other programs?

The SEC being dominant was more a carefully crafted illusion.
The played the sisters of the poor and blind as their non-conf opponents and then did PR blitzes to assure that more SEC teams started with top 25 rankings. They also avoided having their best teams play each other until the championship. It worked.
Even now, the SEC teams in the CFB played more top 25 teams (on avg) than non-SEC teams. Question if those top 25 teams would have been top 25 if they weren't in the SEC.
It is interesting how all these teams joined the SEC and vaulted near the top tier of the SEC once they joined. Remember SEC backers bleating that mid and lower tier SEC teams were better than teams like OK or TX?

So back to your point...

Depth is indeed impacted. But that depth is likely still out there, just likely underutilized. It seems teams have a harder time developing talent because stars from a team can leave for another team (for a paycheck) as soon as they blossom. But Cignetti filled his teams with JMU players, guys that supposedly were not good enough. Makes me wonder how many other great players at schools like JMU are available. Other teams can do what Indiana does...but it takes great talent evaluation and great development. (Combined with great coaching).

The system and rules changed, but the schools that figure it out will still win. Indiana paid a lot for players, like almost all schools do, but I think it is still #70 in total payroll?

It is just a well-oiled machine run by a great coach.

Honestly, what Indiana reminds me of is those old Nebraska teams. Not really too many future NFL stars, but a machine and a process that is impossible to win. Nebraska was inevitable and almost unbeatable for a while. So is Indiana this year.

 

[Sperrydogg]

What’s his name, Mendoza? That kid is gonna be a great raider. Will tom Brady be the coach?

 

[NoGain]

The SEC being dominant was more a carefully crafted illusion.
The played the sisters of the poor and blind as their non-conf opponents and then did PR blitzes to assure that more SEC teams started with top 25 rankings. They also avoided having their best teams play each other until the championship. It worked.
Even now, the SEC teams in the CFB played more top 25 teams (on avg) than non-SEC teams. Question if those top 25 teams would have been top 25 if they weren't in the SEC.
It is interesting how all these teams joined the SEC and vaulted near the top tier of the SEC once they joined. Remember SEC backers bleating that mid and lower tier SEC teams were better than teams like OK or TX?

So back to your point...

Depth is indeed impacted. But that depth is likely still out there, just likely underutilized. It seems teams have a harder time developing talent because stars from a team can leave for another team (for a paycheck) as soon as they blossom. But Cignetti filled his teams with JMU players, guys that supposedly were not good enough. Makes me wonder how many other great players at schools like JMU are available. Other teams can do what Indiana does...but it takes great talent evaluation and great development. (Combined with great coaching).

The system and rules changed, but the schools that figure it out will still win. Indiana paid a lot for players, like almost all schools do, but I think it is still #70 in total payroll?

It is just a well-oiled machine run by a great coach.

Honestly, what Indiana reminds me of is those old Nebraska teams. Not really too many future NFL stars, but a machine and a process that is impossible to win. Nebraska was inevitable and almost unbeatable for a while. So is Indiana this year.

Okay, I just think you're wrong about the SEC. We'll leave it at that. I just have a different take than you on a lot of this. I've said my piece, and I'm good with that.

 

[CallMeADawg]

Wow. Trolls. Alot of them. Duck Envy. 30 years ago is so yesterday. When your team wasn't ranked and didn't make the playoffs...all you can do is think about the ducks........finished about where they were ranked #4. Someone owes me a six pack of beer.

No one envies a loser. They do loathe Duck fans that beat their chests while their team loses every game that matters.

Still 0 national championships, and y’all got absolutely boat raced by Indiana. No one owes you a beer. They owe you the mocking and laughter you deserve.

 

[CallMeADawg]

...

Yup

 

[FrodosFinger]

Yeah that was an ass beating. Oregon will never win a title with the coach they have. You know it’s bad if uncle Phil’s money isn’t enough. Must be nobody really wants to spend four years in Eugene Oregon lol

 

[m0ng0]

Mario Cristobal seems to have bounced back from his run in Eugene.

 

[Ruminator]

I've seen way happier faces at a funeral!

 

[IndyHawk]

I disagree.

When you beat top ten teams in the CFB playoffs by over 30 points each?
You are a powerhouse.

IU looks like it goes down as one of the all time better college teams. Maybe not as many NFL players on that team as some of the all time greats but they might have an all time great coaching staff. Time will tell.
A dominant NC after only 2 years is a hell of a coaching job.

I see a few NFL level players on that IU team, they just aren't hyped
a slobbered over by the media like Mendoza.
I like it that way though, people and the media don't know who this IU
team is or where they came from, if you paid attention to last season,
none of this is a surprise.
Zero 5 stars, eight 4 stars and a total effort as a team, I love it.

 

[SuperSonic67]

I see a few NFL level players on that IU team, they just aren't hyped
a slobbered over by the media like Mendoza.
I like it that way though, people and the media don't know who this IU
team is or where they came from, if you paid attention to last season,
none of this is a surprise.
Zero 5 stars, eight 4 stars and a total effort as a team, I love it.

Fun team to watch and will be rooting for them against Miami!

 

[FrodosFinger]

Look… Oregon played exactly 1 good team all year and got waxed both times. I’ll tell ya what….if you’re a Duck fan hop in your ****** Subaru or damn rice burner and drive up to montlake. You can look at our titles and pretend they’re yours for a day. Might cheer ya up idk

 

[Rat]

I'll say the same thing I said when Indiana waxed Bama. I don't think it mattered who the opponent was.
Indiana would have done the same thing to any school they faced.
I don't think the coach, whether Kalen or Dan, could stop it.
Indiana is like this crazy crimson and cream Anaconda. It just keeps circling and squeezing. You watch as score gets farther and farther apart. You also watch each chance you had, on a play you should have made, not happen - and then Indiana comes back and scores again when you failed. (In this game, the sign was Mendoza fumbling - then picking up his own fumble and running with it. The Ducks missed a huge chance to turn the game around).

I don't think any gameplan the Ducks came up with would have worked, because playing a game with no mistakes is almost impossible. But Indiana makes almost no mistakes. Worse, it seems to always capitalize on whatever small mistake the opposing team makes.
Whatever team played IU would have lost by 3+ TDs.

We played them like a month ago and only lost by three.

 

[NoGain]

I love the Indiana thing. I'm definitely pulling for them. In the last 20 years, the title has either been won by the SEC or one of traditionally elite teams from one of the other big conferences past or present:

--SEC 13 championships
--Big Ten 3 championships (2 Ohio State, 1 Michigan)
--ACC 3 championships (2 Clemson, 1 Florida State)
--Big 12 1 championship (Texas)

 

[Rat]

Nah, screw Indiana. I'll be rooting against them even harder than I'm rooting against the Rams today.

 

[Ostatehawk]

No one envies a loser. They do loathe Duck fans that beat their chests while their team loses every game that matters.

Still 0 national championships, and y’all got absolutely boat raced by Indiana. No one owes you a beer. They owe you the mocking and laughter you deserve.

They do have a couple national championships in track. That’s the sport that is on tv every 4 years that gets watched for a couple weeks.

Oh - they also have one in ultimate frisbee. So there is that.

But in sports that matter or that anyone watches? Yeah, not so much.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

What is it about college football players and even coaches and the glory to God thing when they win? I never see it anywhere quite as much as I do in college football. It's almost obligatory. It's like God is always on the winning side. I don't mean to be a downer about this, but it's so predictable it's become a private joke to myself.

As if a God if real, cares about the outcome of a football game or that the losing team didn't pray enough or something. You see the same in the super bowl. The worst is when a player enters the transfer portal and gives about 5 lines about God. Like nah man you are chasing the money, just be honest.

I remember Arian foster saying his college team mates were in shock when he told them he was an atheist. They couldn't fathom it being in the south. I don't like Aaron rodgers but the time he had a go at Russell Wilson and said I guess God was a packers fan today always cracked me up.

My pet peve about college sports is how long the stoppages are. Soooo many advert breaks and they seem to go on forever compared to the NFL.

I probably notice it more when I watch as a neutral but even those 7pm huskies games are brutal for it when you just want to get ready for bed.

 

[Rat]

As if a God if real, cares about the outcome of a football game or that the losing team didn't pray enough or something. You see the same in the super bowl. The worst is when a player enters the transfer portal and gives about 5 lines about God. Like nah man you are chasing the money, just be honest.

I liked when God told Lane Kiffin to screw his team over and get the bag at LSU. Sounds like God.