2025-2026 College Football Thread

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I actually have less of a problem with Condoleeza Rice being on the committee than having current athletic directors on the committee. There is no way Jeff Long, Barry Alvarez, Pat Haden, Oliver Luck, and Dan Radakovich don't have a bias. Even with their schools not in playoff contention they're still going to have a conference bias, and there is no way these guys have the time to properly evaluate and watch tape of multiple games in addition to their athletic director duties. I would prefer a panel that consists of former coaches and players, with committee members not allowed to hold any job at a university. There's no way to completely remove biases, but that would be a start.

You're probably right. Putting current AD's on the committee is an especially bad idea. They have a vested interest in promoting schools from their own conference. It would be in Oliver Luck's (for example) interest to put FSU way down in his rankings while putting TCU and/or Baylor very high since he's representing the Big-12. The way this committee is made up outright encourages bias considering the large payouts to conferences who have teams making the playoff.

[ChadFL]

Bret Bielema may be the next Nebraska head coach. I never understood why that guy left Wisconsin to begin with. He always seemed like more of a "Big-Ten guy" than an SEC type of coach. Sounds like he's regretting ever leaving Wisconsin.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-...202738255.html

[Moviefan1203]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Bret Bielema may be the next Nebraska head coach. I never understood why that guy left Wisconsin to begin with. He always seemed like more of a "Big-Ten guy" than an SEC type of coach. Sounds like he's regretting ever leaving Wisconsin.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-...202738255.html

He never seemed like an SEC coach to me. Arkansas might be better off if he leaves.

[MaCruz]

Added the current CFP ranking on thread title.

[sycro]

ESPN is reporting Florida wants McElwain, but they don't want to pay $7.5 for the buyout, and Colorado State is refusing to lower it.

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by sycro

ESPN is reporting Florida wants McElwain, but they don't want to pay $7.5 for the buyout, and Colorado State is refusing to lower it.

That's been the talk here the past few days. UF is so desparate to find their new offensive coach. It's so bad, Gator fans jumped on the FSU bandwagon.....seriously. God I hate UF fans so much.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by sycro

ESPN is reporting Florida wants McElwain, but they don't want to pay $7.5 for the buyout, and Colorado State is refusing to lower it.

Jeremy Foley completely botched this coaching search. He was way too public meeting with McElwain. He flew on a private jet from Gainsville to Fort Collins even though people can search flight information, so by the time he landed the press was waiting for him. The search should have been done at a neutral site like Dallas where people wouldn't have known a meeting was taking place. Now Florida pretty much has to reach a deal with Colorado State on the buyout because it's known McElwain is their #1 choice so if the talks break down and they have to go elsewhere it will always be known that they didn't get the coach they wanted.

[fatediesel]

Chris Low of ESPN says Colorado State and Florida have made an agreement on the buyout and McElwain is going to Florida. No word yet on what CSU will get in the buyout.

Edit: Florida has confirmed the hiring.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

That's been the talk here the past few days. UF is so desparate to find their new offensive coach. It's so bad, Gator fans jumped on the FSU bandwagon.....seriously. God I hate UF fans so much.

A large % of UF fans are definately bandwagon types. You probably remember the Tebow years living in Florida as I do. In those years there was an incredible number of Gator flags, Gators bumper stickers and vehicles decked out in Gator colors everywhere in north/central Florida. These days the number of them I see on the roadways is probably down 80%+.

[fatediesel]

Colorado State is reportedly receiving $5 million from Florida for McElwain's buyout plus $2 million for a future game at Florida. I'm surprised they agreed to just play at Florida, I would have thought they would have demanded Florida play a non-conference game at CSU (or in Denver).

[ApolloOne]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

A large % of UF fans are definately bandwagon types. You probably remember the Tebow years living in Florida as I do. In those years there was an incredible number of Gator flags, Gators bumper stickers and vehicles decked out in Gator colors everywhere in north/central Florida. These days the number of them I see on the roadways is probably down 80%+.

You get that with pretty much any fanbase. FSU in the pre-Winston years, Miami pretty much any non-championship year, and Florida in the post-Meyer era all show dropoffs in "apparent" zeal, which apparently is measured in decked-out cars.

[fatediesel]

This is completely out of left field, Riley was barely even rumored as a candidate:

Nebraska Huskers ‏@Huskers
#Huskers, help us welcome Coach Mike Riley to the Big Red family!

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

This is completely out of left field, Riley was barely even rumored as a candidate:

What the heck... Guess Nebraska's standards aren't what they used to be. This guy is an average at best coach with just a 93-80 record at Oregon St.

[fatediesel]

Riley's always had a good reputation. I don't know if it's just because Oregon State is one of the worst power conference schools in terms of facilities and location and he made them competitive, or if it's just that he's a good guy. He was reportedly offered the USC job in 2000 and 2010, and he was a candidate for the Alabama job. Riley has always been good at developing players, since Oregon State could never compete with Oregon or USC in recruiting, and Nebraska may view him as a coach who can bring in solid talent and transform them into elite players. He's not young though at 61 (62 when next season opens) and has no ties to the Midwest.

[Moviefan1203]

A surprising hire for sure. Riley is a good coach, but the expectations are going to be much higher in Nebraska.

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

A large % of UF fans are definately bandwagon types. You probably remember the Tebow years living in Florida as I do. In those years there was an incredible number of Gator flags, Gators bumper stickers and vehicles decked out in Gator colors everywhere in north/central Florida. These days the number of them I see on the roadways is probably down 80%+.

It's very easy to determine who their real fans are, and who aren't. The people I know who graduated UF are so very humble, not the "in your face type" of fans, who don't really follow their athletes. Thye just follow the Gators because it was the trend back then when they were winning, way past the Spurrier era.

Also you have people that continue to live in the past. Hate the Jags, don't support them until they get Tebow who would put butts in seats. Now they're all on the Bortles bandwagon too.

EDIT: It's like this around the nation, but I just think it's pretty absurd with UF. I think I was hanging out with too many college students a few years back.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Riley's always had a good reputation. I don't know if it's just because Oregon State is one of the worst power conference schools in terms of facilities and location and he made them competitive, or if it's just that he's a good guy. He was reportedly offered the USC job in 2000 and 2010, and he was a candidate for the Alabama job. Riley has always been good at developing players, since Oregon State could never compete with Oregon or USC in recruiting, and Nebraska may view him as a coach who can bring in solid talent and transform them into elite players. He's not young though at 61 (62 when next season opens) and has no ties to the Midwest.

I just don't get why him and not Bielema. Bielema has not been very successful at Arkansas (though that's in part because the SEC West is incredibly stacked in recent years) but he was in the Big-Ten at Wisconsin. He's now very experienced recruiting in both the midwest and southeast. He just seemed like more of a natural fit to take over at Nebraska. He's also almost 20 years younger than Riley.

[walruswarrior]

Who saw that UCF finish!!!!


I love being a Knight!!

[sycro]

Originally Posted by walruswarrior

Who saw that UCF finish!!!!


I love being a Knight!!

What terrible D on that play.

[walruswarrior]

Originally Posted by sycro

What terrible D on that play.

I think my wife thought I was having a heart attack lol. Another League Championship!! I hope a Power 5 eventually recruits us. I wouldn't mind joining the Big 12.