Cincinnati will be in National Championship Game

[thebigfella23]

This is why we need a playoff system...

[gametime]

Could UC go undefeated and miss the title game?

Sure...

[CatsCatsCats]

You are way off. UC was in the red zone several times and Pike threw picks. UC was a deer in headlights on the big stage, but were still in a position to win the game into the 4th quarter. I don't think you would see that from them again after having that experience in their back pocket now. And if you don't think they have big boy talent, the NFL Execs that stand there scouting practice would disagree with you...

 

I think you are missing what I'm saying with the overall talent level. Sure they have some NFL players, but across the board they do not have anywhere near the athleticism that would allow them to play with a Florida or Alabama. They would be completely dominated in the trenches.

 

Are there alot of scouts at Ohio State practices? I'd say so, probably more than at Cincy practices. That doesn't mean that a team has NFL type athleticism at every spot on the field. Look at OSU vs. UF and LSU and a good USC team last year.

 

Even if they could have beaten VT without the TO's, like I said that VT team was not very good. Anyone who Miami beat with Robert Marve at QB and Pat Nix at OC is not good.

 

Kelly is a good enough coach to win alot of games, and keep Cincy in many games, but someone like UF would laugh them off the field. They don't have the athleticism to play with someone like that.

 

How many NFL players do they have on the roster now? 6? 7? 10? Cincy is lucky to have a first rounder every now and then. The big boys replace top talent on a yearly basis.

 

And if they had a dear in the headlights for the Orange Bowl, what would they do in the title game?

 

Cincy is a good team, but I don't even think they are on Boise State's level, though that is about the closest comparison. They would be the 3rd or 4th best team in a few conferences.

 

We'll see who they matchup with in Bowl season, but I can almost guarantee it won't be for the title no matter the record. If for no other reason than the fact that they do not play a good enough schedule. How many teams do they play that will be ranked? If beating Oregon State is the highlight of your season you simply do not deserve to be in a title game, and you probably won't get a chance to.

[gametime]

I do find it funny that a Miami fan can't understand when a program is on the cusp of changing their history. The Canes were THIS UC program at one point and made it over the hump. It can, and has, been done...

[CatsCatsCats]

I do find it funny that a Miami fan can't understand when a program is on the cusp of changing their history. The Canes were THIS UC program at one point and made it over the hump. It can, and has, been done...

 

I can appreciate what UC does. In fact I like for them to win....but:

 

Let's not compare them. Miami was built on two basic principles that UC really cannot reproduce. Miami was a sleeping giant, Cincy is a budding program but I don't think they would rate as a Giant.

 

1. Miami is the prime spot to recruit in the country. South Florida usually outproduces most states when it comes to elite football talent. Cincy doesn't have that going for them. Ohio is a great football state, but Cincy has to compete for recruits with Ohio State, and the rest of the Big 10 for players from Ohio. Miami, except for the last few years hasn't had to worry about picking up homegrown talent, and Shannon has brought it back.

 

2. Miami was the first college program to run their team like the NFL teams do. Miami re-invented the pro day combines for college football. It was a huge draw for recruiting players from outside South Florida.

 

And really that's what it comes down to is the type of athletes and players you recruit. Players like Gilyard are great athletes, but the big boys have people of that athleticism (though not always with that talent) all over the field.

 

I'm not discrediting the fact that Cincy is good, but they just aren't athletic enough as a whole to be a serious threat for the title. Brian Kelly has built something nice there, but there is only so much success you can have at a place like Cincinnati, IMO, and that's why you hear all the stuff with people thinking that they can hire coach Kelly elsewhere.

[gametime]

Cincinnati is a prime spot to recruit in the country. Ask every high major coach out there and they would agree. Totally invalid.

 

Miami has to recruit SFL against FSU, UF and now USF along with every major program in the country that recruits the area. Also invalid.

 

I find your argument 1000% flawed...

[stick1]

I'm not sure they belong but I am happy for my friends that love UC. The fact that they are even thought of in back to back BCS games is pretty amazing to me! Congrats to bearcats fans.

[BigSpikes]

I can see how they could be undefeated, but I doubt they jump Miami, Texas, Florida or any other undefeated from another power conference. And if they did get there, it would be embarassing for the Bearcats football team. I'm not saying I don't think they're good, because I believe they are, but I don't think they could stay within 3 touchdowns of any of the teams I mentioned above. The Big East simply does not prepare you for a BCS team from another power conference IMO. And West Virginia-the two times they made BCS Bowls, were the lone exception in the Big East that could take on a top tier team.

[BigSpikes]

Cincinnati is a prime spot to recruit in the country. Ask every high major coach out there and they would agree. Totally invalid.

 

Miami has to recruit SFL against FSU, UF and now USF along with every major program in the country that recruits the area. Also invalid.

 

I find your argument 1000% flawed...

 

If UC is in such a prime spot for recruiting, then why don't they pull in top 10 classes? I know you're the recruiting guy, but I keep up with it relatively often and I've never heard of them in the running for any of the five star guys that USC, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Florida, Miami, Florida State, Tennessee or Florida State get.

[gametime]

If UC is in such a prime spot for recruiting, then why don't they pull in top 10 classes? I know you're the recruiting guy, but I keep up with it relatively often and I've never heard of them in the running for any of the five star guys that USC, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Florida, Miami, Florida State, Tennessee or Florida State get.

Maybe because they are at the starting point of getting to that level. I've never denied that. It's not like I'm claiming the UL fan mantra of a few years ago that UC is some new Top 5 force to be reckoned with after a little smell of success. It's a budding team with an off the charts talent running the program situated in one of the top 5 recruiting areas in the country.

 

For the record I don't think UC goes undefeated this year, as I think there will be at least one unexpected slip along the way. That 100% eliminates them from any National Title talk and I think the best bet is winning the Big East and getting the last BCS selection to go to New Orleans for another BCS Bowl.

 

You will find nowhere that I said UC is an elite program. Only that they are in a recruiting ground that is right there with the best in the country and have a coach that will make people change their perception about one of the oldest yet most miserable traditions in the game given the many factors that should have led to success over the years. It still sounds like Miami 2 decades ago to me...

[corndog23]

I think there is a very REAL chance that UC does go undefeated, and I hope they do. Brian Kelly is a fantastic coach and if they did go unbeaten and somehow make the NC game, he might stick around UC for quite a while, which would be great for our area of the country.

[sportsfan41]

It would be fun to see it happen, not sure how much fun it would be to watch. Wish them the best though.

[CatsCatsCats]

Cincinnati is a prime spot to recruit in the country. Ask every high major coach out there and they would agree. Totally invalid.

 

Miami has to recruit SFL against FSU, UF and now USF along with every major program in the country that recruits the area. Also invalid.

 

I find your argument 1000% flawed...

 

Are you trying to compare Cincinnati talent to South Florida? Look up the stats, it's not even close.

 

Sure Miami has to recruit against them, but Miami is the home school, so they have an advantage. See the Miami Northwestern signess.

 

I think you're stretching. Later today, I'll bring up a comparsion between the two.

 

Cincy is a major recruiting area, but it is no where close to South Florida. Anyone that knows anything about college football recruting would tell you the same thing.

[bugatti]

Could UC go undefeated and miss the title game?

It would have to be an Auburn, Okalahoma, USC type situation. If they are one of 2 remaining undefeated teams remaining from a BCS school, I have a hard time believing they would be left out.

 

We can skirt around the issue all day long and make cases for teams across the country, but the real question is going to be, would UC get in over a one loss Florida or Alabama? I think you can eliminate every other team from the discussion. Not because I think UF and Bama are that much better, but they are the only two this will be considered for by voters.

[CatsCatsCats]

To compare:

 

Out of Rivals top 100 prospects:

9- are from South Florida

3- are from anywhere in Ohio

also 19 are from Florida, 16 are from California, and 11 are from Texas.

 

But basically comparing Cincy's recruting area to Miami's is a little bit of a stretch. South Florida makes up the majority of Miami's roster and still leaves plenty of players for FSU, Florida, FIU, FAU, USF, and other places around the country. Why do you think Rich Rod is so set on getting in on the recruiting in SFL? Look at what he has tried to do at WVU and Michigan. SEC schools try to get in. Even USC is coming across the country trying to get in on a few players.

 

Cincy and the state of Ohio are a great recruiting area, but the facts are that South Florida puts out much more talent than the Cincy area (I'd say probably about 6 or 7 to 1, and that's being generous). And South Florida is on par or above most states. I'd say South Florida is puts out players at the same rate and most likely at a higher rate than the entire state of Ohio, when it comes to legit big time athletes.

 

I know that Cincy has a good program, and a good base to recruit, but they are not Miami, and really cannot be Miami. Miami is usually the top choice for much of South Florida's top talent, are the Bearcats that way for Cincinnati or all of Ohios? I think OSU would have something to say about that.

 

My point is valid and the truth. No amount of wanting it to be different is going to make it so. Everyone knows that Ohio is a hotbed for college football recruiting, I'm not arguing that. What I'm saying is that even if Cincy cornered all of their home area recruiting it wouldn't amount ot the amount of talent in Miami's back yard. I'm sure even Brian Kelly would say the same thing.