The Final Dozen, Plus a Bonus Dozen!

Yes, this is grossly overdue. Apparently I forgot about it.

Anyway, here are my final rankings for 2011-12.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1, 7-1 SEC)
2. LSU Tigers (13-1, 8-0 SEC)
3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-1, 8-1 B12)
4. Oregon Ducks (12-2, 8-1 PAC)
5. Stanford Cardinal (11-2, 8-1 PAC)
6. USC Trojans (10-2, 7-2 PAC)
7. Wisconsin Badgers (11-3, 6-2 B1G)
8. Arkansas Razorbacks (11-2, 6-2 SEC)
9. Boise State Broncos (12-1, 6-1 MW)
10. Michigan Wolverines (11-2, 6-2 B1G)
11. South Carolina Gamecocks (11-2, 6-2 SEC)
12. Baylor Bears (10-3, 6-3 B12)

13. Michigan St Spartans (11-3, 7-1 B1G)
14. West Virginia Mountaineers (10-3, 5-2 BE)
15. Kansas State Wildcats (10-3, 7-2 B12)
16. TCU Horned Frogs (11-2, 7-0 MW)
17. Houston Cougars (13-1, 8-0 USA)
18. Oklahoma Sooners (10-3, 6-3 B12)
19. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (12-2, 6-2 USA)
20. Clemson Tigers (10-4, 6-2 ACC)
21. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3, 7-1 ACC)
22. Georgia Bulldogs (10-4, 7-1 SEC)
23. Florida State Seminoles (9-4, 5-3 ACC)
24. Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-4, 5-3 B1G)

Outliers: Cincinnati (10-3), BYU (10-3)

* * *

This list ranks teams by their average position in the final AP and Coaches polls. For comparison, you’ll see the “quackmaster rank” next to teams that the media and coaches ranked differently than I did.

1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Oklahoma St
4. Oregon
5. Arkansas (qm rank: 8)
6. USC* [absent from Coaches' poll]
t-7. Stanford (qm rank: 5)
t-7. Boise State (qm rank: 9)
9. South Carolina (qm rank: 11)
t-10. Wisconsin (qm rank: 7)
t-10. Michigan St (qm rank: 13)
t-10. Michigan
13. Baylor (qm rank: 12)
14. TCU (qm rank: 16)
t-15. Oklahoma (qm rank: 18)
t-15. Kansas St
17. Houston
18. West Virginia (qm rank: 14)
t-19. Virginia Tech (qm rank: 21)
t-19. Southern Miss
t-19. Georgia (qm rank: 22)
22. Clemson (qm rank: 20)
23. Florida St
24. Nebraska
t-25. Cincinnati (qm outlier)
t-25. BYU (qm outlier)

* * *

Darron Thomas to NFL?

Say what?!!

News broke last night, seemingly out of nowhere, that Darron Thomas has announced his plans to leave Oregon early to enter the NFL draft. I didn’t fully believe the first article I saw, so I searched for more to prove it wasn’t some kind of weird joke. Alas, it is not. And there’s already been a huge response online, mostly borne in shock and confusion. Oregon fans are wishing DT well, but the general consensus seems to be that it is a bad decision.

From an article at Addicted to Quack:

But beyond the impact on Oregon football, this seems like a bizarre decision for Thomas. He had not been spoken very highly of as a pro prospect, and has some obvious footwork and mechanical problems that will be tough to overcome at the next level.

In another peculiar twist, Ted Miller of the ESPN Pac-12 Football blog noted that Thomas “actually declared himself available for free agency, because he’s unlikely to be drafted.” This has made many wonder if this sudden turn of events has anything to do with the program’s NCAA investigations. I have to admit, it is making me feel a little uneasy.

From an article at the ESPN Pac-12 blog:

Did Thomas get bad advice from those bad advice givers who linger around athletes and say, “Hey, do this!” without having any idea what they are talking about? No idea. But this is a terrible decision.

So now we assume that Brian Bennett is now the frontrunner for starting QB, which is not something many people are uncomfortable with. However, in terms of a possible run for the Natty, I think the collective confidence of Duck fans would be a little higher heading into the season with Thomas at the helm.

Final Pac-12 Power Rankings

BOWL PREDICTIONS: 4-3
SEASON RECORD: 63-29 (70%)

And so another season is in the books. It was a great year for the Quack Attack once again, winning their third consecutive conference title and nabbing their first Rose Bowl victory in 95 years! And things are lined up extremely well for the 2012 campaign, but let us not get ahead of ourselves. It’s been a while since we’ve had such a satisfying ending to a season. Relish the sweetness.

* * *

1. #4 Oregon Ducks (12-2, 8-1 PAC)
>> Rose Bowl: W 45-38 v. #10 Wisconsin

2. #7 Stanford Cardinal (11-2, 8-1 PAC)
>> Fiesta Bowl: L 38-34 v. #3 Oklahoma State

3. USC Trojans (10-2, 7-2 PAC)

4. Washington Huskies (7-6, 5-4 PAC)
>> Alamo Bowl: L 56-67 v. Baylor

5. Utah Utes (8-5, 4-5 PAC)
>> Sun Bowl: W 30-27 [OT] v. Georgia Tech

6. California Golden Bears (7-6, 4-5 PAC)
>> Holiday Bowl: L 10-21 v. Texas

7. UCLA Bruins (6-8, 5-4 PAC)
>> Fight Hunger Bowl: L 14-20 v. Illinois

8. Arizona State Sun Devils (6-7, 4-5 PAC)
>> Las Vegas Bowl: L 24-56 v. Boise State

9. Oregon State Beavers (3-9, 3-6 PAC)

10. Arizona Wildcats (4-8, 2-7 PAC)

11. Washington State Cougars (4-8, 2-7 PAC)

12. Colorado Buffaloes (3-10, 2-7 PAC)

* * *

The Dirty Dozen – Pre-Bowl Edition

Blogger’s note (1): I’m posting this list a little late so it does not take into account Boise’s monster win over ASU last night. That game will of course be factored into the final post-bowl rankings, and the Broncos will undoubtedly be rewarded for it since six teams currently ranked above them will be playing each other during the coming weeks.

Blogger’s note (2): I confirm team records on espn.com and I’ve noticed that the results of conference championship games evidently affect a team’s overall record, but NOT their conference record. How does that make any sense at all?! I find it very bothersome.

* * *

1. LSU (13-0, 8-0 SEC)
2. Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC)
3. Oklahoma St (11-1, 8-1 B12)
4. Stanford (11-1, 8-1 PAC)
5. USC (10-2, 7-2 PAC)
6. Oregon (11-2, 8-1 PAC)
7. Wisconsin (11-2, 6-2 B1G)
8. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2 SEC)
9. Boise St (11-1, 6-1 MWC)
10. Kansas St (10-2, 7-2 B12)
11. Michigan (10-2, 6-2 B1G)
T-12. Virginia Tech (11-2, 7-1 ACC)
T-12. South Carolina (10-2, 6-2 SEC)

Outliers: Houston (12-1), TCU (11-2)

Notable bowl games:
> Poinsettia – TCU v. Louisiana Tech
> Las Vegas – Arizona St v. Boise St
> TicketCity – Houston v. Penn St
> Capital One – Nebraska v. South Carolina
> Rose – Wisconsin v. Oregon
> Fiesta – Stanford v. Oklahoma St
> Sugar – Michigan v. Virginia Tech
> Cotton – Kansas St v. Arkansas
> BCS NCG – Alabama v. LSU

Pac-12 Bowl Predictions

Season record: 59-26 (.694)

* * *

Las Vegas Bowl – Las Vegas, NV – Thursday 12/22/11
>> Arizona State (6-6) v. #7 Boise State (11-1)
Prediction: The Broncos are upset that a missed FG kept them out of the BCS, and there’s no better medicine for them right now than to throttle an ASU team that lacks any true identity.

Holiday Bowl – San Diego, CA – Wednesday 12/28/11
>> California (7-5) v. #24 Texas (7-5)
Prediction: The Golden Bears are peaking at just the right time, and they’ve got a score to settle with the Longhorns, who’ve been overrated all year long. Cal wins.

Alamo Bowl – San Antonio, TX – Thursday 12/29/11
>> Washington (7-5) v. #12 Baylor (9-3)
Prediction: Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III leads Baylor to another highlight-filled victory in a game that features virtually no defense by ether team.

Sun Bowl – El Paso, TX – Saturday 12/31/11
>> Georgia Tech (8-4) v. Utah (7-5)
Prediction: This was the toughest pick for me. GT’s potent option offense versus the Utes’ stout D. I’m gonna go with the Yellowjackets confusing Utah with too many uncommon looks.

Fight Hunger Bowl – San Francisco, CA – Saturday 12/31/11
>> Illinois (6-6) v. UCLA (6-7)
Prediction: No one should be forced to watch this garbage. I’m giving the nod to the Bruins only because I don’t think the Illini remember how to win.

Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA – Monday 1/2/12
>> #10 Wisconsin (11-2) v. #5 Oregon (11-2)
Homer pick: In what is perhaps this season’s best bowl match-up, Kelly and the Quacks finally get the “trouble-against-teams-with-time-to-prepare” monkey off their backs.

Fiesta Bowl – Glendale, AZ – Monday 1/2/12
>> #4 Stanford (11-1) v. #3 Oklahoma State (11-1)
Prediction: I don’t see this one being nearly as close as a lot of people are expecting. The Pokes will overwhelm Stanford with an offense that’s lethal and a defense that’s “good enough.”

* * *

The Dirty Dozen – Week 14

1. LSU (12-0, 8-0 SEC)
2. Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC)
3. Stanford (11-1, 8-1 PAC)
4. Oklahoma St (10-1, 7-1 B12)
5. USC (10-2, 7-2 PAC)
6. Oregon (10-2, 8-1 PAC)
7. Virginia Tech (11-1, 7-1 ACC)
8. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2 SEC)
9. Houston (12-0, 8-0 USA)
10. Boise St (10-1, 5-1 MWC)
11. Michigan St (10-2, 7-1 B1G)
12. Kansas St (9-2, 6-2 B12)

Outliers:
Wisconsin (10-2, 6-2 B1G)
Georgia (10-2, 7-1 SEC)
Michigan (10-2, 6-2 B1G)
Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2 B12)
S. Carolina (10-2, 6-2 SEC)

This week’s notable match-ups:
> Southern Miss @ Houston (USA Championship)
> Georgia v. LSU (SEC Championship)
> Oklahoma @ Oklahoma St
> Virginia Tech v. Clemson (ACC Championship)
> Wisconsin v. Michigan St (B1G Championship)

Battle for the Crown

Fresh off another Civil War win, the Ducks are set to host the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game at Autzen Stadium. Their opponents, the downtrodden UCLA Bruins, lost to crosstown rival USC 50-0 and will be consequently searching for a new head coach after this game. This one could get ugly, folks.

An Oregon victory will give them their third-straight conference title, a feat that has been attained just 3 times in the history of the PAC (all by USC). In fact, some people are now beginning to consider if the current state of UO football qualifies as a dynasty. Pretty amazing.