ESPN's "experts" pick conference winners, the final four and the national champion

[admo]

Baylor as National Champs? That would be a sure sign that the end is nigh.

It is pretty incredible. For years and years they got blasted almost every Saturday, similar to the teams during the Dan Hawkins era at Colorado. It's nice to see them get a little payback on their conference rivals. I think it would be an interesting fit for this inaugural playoff campaign. Win out the regular season, escape the big 12 championship with a win, get through a matchup against Oregon or Pac12 team, and face FSU.

Plus it would be great if some of those real good Texas HS recruits passed over UT, OU, and A&M for the Bears. Even better if meant the Longhorn Network showcased UT for the next five years with the success rate of Arkansas.

I'm going to drink the Green and Gold Koolaid this year - breaking in their new stadium as the returning champs, and wishing them luck.

I'm pretty sure there is no Big 12 championship game...fyi

Good catch, I was wrong. I was inaccurate with the hypothetical technicalities.

FYI....Pretty sure you are there to make a stance and correction, thank goodness

 

[Sargon]

Mostly safe picks. Why wouldn't you? You'd sound crazy -- or biased -- to pick anyone else.

But you know an even safer bet?

A team that's not on anyone's list will crash the party. Because it happens every year.

Maybe even two teams. Or three.

And a team left out of these inagural playoffs will have everyone screaming conspiracy.

Bank on it.

When the SEC only gets in 1 and not 2 or even 3 in, there will be a meltdown of epic proportions among all national media, and ESPN will be in total damage control and spin mode.

Odds are better that the SEC gets zero teams in than two. There is a very strong possibility that they have a 2 or 3 loss champ. If the other four power conferences have undefeated or 1 loss teams, too bad, for the SEC.

100% clueless bro. Did you say this crazy thing to pi$$ of some poster(s) here? Some other reason?

 

[GSG]

B1G predictions: records and standings
Brian Bennett picked us 3rd in the West at 9-3 (5-3)

Josh Moyer picked us to win the West at 10-2 (7-1)

Rittenberg picked the same as Bennett

Mitch Sherman picked us 3rd in the West at 8-4 (5-3)

Austin Ward picked us 2nd in the West at 10-2 (6-2)

 

[StPaulHusker]

B1G predictions: records and standings

Brian Bennett picked us 3rd in the West at 9-3 (5-3)

Josh Moyer picked us to win the West at 10-2 (7-1)

Rittenberg picked the same as Bennett

Mitch Sherman picked us 3rd in the West at 8-4 (5-3)

Austin Ward picked us 2nd in the West at 10-2 (6-2)

Clearly Josh Moyer is very intelligent

 

[Saunders]

B1G predictions: records and standings

Brian Bennett picked us 3rd in the West at 9-3 (5-3)

Josh Moyer picked us to win the West at 10-2 (7-1)

Rittenberg picked the same as Bennett

Mitch Sherman picked us 3rd in the West at 8-4 (5-3)

Austin Ward picked us 2nd in the West at 10-2 (6-2)

I think it's hilarious that they all just assume MSU is going to waltz through undefeated. That's only happened twice in 11 years, and 7 since 1990.

 

[HUSKER FREAK]

I like how Desmond can't bring himself to pick Osu or Msu

Desmond is a yippy little b!^@h!!!

 

[BoKnowsD]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe in the past meetings Michigan Lite has only beat Nebraska once....

Things will be back on track this year

 

[kchusker_chris]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe in the past meetings Michigan Lite has only beat Nebraska once....

Things will be back on track this year

and you could argue Nebraska is the one that beat Nebraska the last time around....

so "technically" Nebraska is 3-0 against MSU, and 2-1 against themselves during the MSU game.

 

[HUSKER FREAK]

Yeah Nebraska beats themselves way more than I do

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Mostly safe picks. Why wouldn't you? You'd sound crazy -- or biased -- to pick anyone else.

But you know an even safer bet?

A team that's not on anyone's list will crash the party. Because it happens every year.

Maybe even two teams. Or three.

And a team left out of these inagural playoffs will have everyone screaming conspiracy.

Bank on it.

When the SEC only gets in 1 and not 2 or even 3 in, there will be a meltdown of epic proportions among all national media, and ESPN will be in total damage control and spin mode.

Odds are better that the SEC gets zero teams in than two. There is a very strong possibility that they have a 2 or 3 loss champ. If the other four power conferences have undefeated or 1 loss teams, too bad, for the SEC.

100% clueless bro. Did you say this crazy thing to pi$$ of some poster(s) here? Some other reason?

He's not saying the SEC won't get a team in, just that under the playoff scenario there's not much chance they'll get two. The possibility of the top SEC teams knocking each other out of contention isn't hard to comprehend, unless you're addicted to any/all SEC conspiracy theories. Don't know if it's a strong possibility, but it's far from clueless. No idea why it would actually piss someone off.

 

[StPaulHusker]

Mostly safe picks. Why wouldn't you? You'd sound crazy -- or biased -- to pick anyone else.

But you know an even safer bet?

A team that's not on anyone's list will crash the party. Because it happens every year.

Maybe even two teams. Or three.

And a team left out of these inagural playoffs will have everyone screaming conspiracy.

Bank on it.

When the SEC only gets in 1 and not 2 or even 3 in, there will be a meltdown of epic proportions among all national media, and ESPN will be in total damage control and spin mode.

Odds are better that the SEC gets zero teams in than two. There is a very strong possibility that they have a 2 or 3 loss champ. If the other four power conferences have undefeated or 1 loss teams, too bad, for the SEC.

100% clueless bro. Did you say this crazy thing to pi$$ of some poster(s) here? Some other reason?

He's not saying the SEC won't get a team in, just that under the playoff scenario there's not much chance they'll get two. The possibility of the top SEC teams knocking each other out of contention isn't hard to comprehend, unless you're addicted to any/all SEC conspiracy theories. Don't know if it's a strong possibility, but it's far from clueless. No idea why it would actually piss someone off.

Exactly.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

A couple weeks ago when espn was giving the SEC coaches a rub and tug on tv, Señor Saban was already lobbying for 2 SEC teams being more qualified for two spots than spot for a 1 loss conference champion that doesn't play a title game ie the Big 12.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Mostly safe picks. Why wouldn't you? You'd sound crazy -- or biased -- to pick anyone else.

But you know an even safer bet?

A team that's not on anyone's list will crash the party. Because it happens every year.

Maybe even two teams. Or three.

And a team left out of these inagural playoffs will have everyone screaming conspiracy.

Bank on it.

When the SEC only gets in 1 and not 2 or even 3 in, there will be a meltdown of epic proportions among all national media, and ESPN will be in total damage control and spin mode.

Yeah, I know this is the politically correct conspiracy theory, but it doesn't really play out that way. The national sports media -- including ESPN -- loves a good story. Underdogs make the best story. The SEC isn't the underdog. Non alums watch Alabama games hoping Alabama gets taken down. The cameras love watching Nick Saban boil. ESPN wins either way. No damage control needed.

The SEC has had a pretty good run. That's a legitimate story. But the same national media -- including ESPN -- has offered plenty of commentaries on the possibility of the SEC being over-rated, and the undesirability of recent SEC bowl rematches.

If you actually follow the national media, the popular theory right now has the Pac 12 as the toughest conference in the nation.

On today's ESPN CFB podcast, they were debating that, and pretty much squashed it. They spent about 25% of the Big Ten preview podcast actually taking about the Big Ten. Around 50% was on the SEC (which was also covered in entirety the next day), and the remaining 25% on national stuff.

Most everyone outside SEC country thinks they get more love. When you have guys say things like "2nd string SEC teams could run through the B1G unscathed" and they don't get browbeat for being stupid... yeah. And it's even worse if you live in that footprint. It's an extension of the Civil War and even some hints of Uncle Tom.

I don't think a second string SEC team could run through the Big 10 unscathed.

But when I look at the SEC, Pac 12 and Big 12, I honestly feel that Nebraska is fortunate to be in the Big 10.

If the stupidest thing someone says on a podcast now counts as "the media" then I guess the media will always be stupid. But when a national pundit says something to support your argument, you forfeit the right to post it.

If you're talking about living in the South and how the South views football, politics and American history, all bets are off.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

B1G predictions: records and standings

Brian Bennett picked us 3rd in the West at 9-3 (5-3)

Josh Moyer picked us to win the West at 10-2 (7-1)

Rittenberg picked the same as Bennett

Mitch Sherman picked us 3rd in the West at 8-4 (5-3)

Austin Ward picked us 2nd in the West at 10-2 (6-2)

Clearly Josh Moyer is very intelligent

Does 10-2 with no blowouts keep the fire Bo wolves at bay?

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

B1G predictions: records and standings

Brian Bennett picked us 3rd in the West at 9-3 (5-3)

Josh Moyer picked us to win the West at 10-2 (7-1)

Rittenberg picked the same as Bennett

Mitch Sherman picked us 3rd in the West at 8-4 (5-3)

Austin Ward picked us 2nd in the West at 10-2 (6-2)

Clearly Josh Moyer is very intelligent

Does 10-2 with no blowouts keep the fire Bo wolves at bay?

Are you kidding? I'd be thrilled.

But wait...wasn't Nebraska 10 - 2 in 2012, going into the Big 10 Championship game against an unranked opponent, with a Top 10 ranking and BCS bowl hanging in the balance?

I'm kind of blanking on how that all turned out, but I do recall some baying of wolves.