Unofficial game thread - playoff vs Penn St

[PlanoStang]

I imagine there are a whole lot of torn ACLs on this thread, what will all the knee-jerk reactions…

Yup.

[highlander]

Really hard to win when it’s 2 against 1: PSU and SMU vs SMU.

[SMUer]

We played an elite defense and it showed. We didn't make good decisions or handle the pressure well.

[GHammond]

Today stings, but the realty is, we are 2-3-4 years ahead of schedule. This season was a seductive taste and I liked it - will enjoy the ride this has been and look ahead with enthusiasm.

[Charleston Pony]

Great season, exceeded expectations and it was great entertainment with a fun team to watch. As someone mentioned, we now know where we need to be in the coming years- we wanted to play with the big boys and this is what we’ll see more of. It’s not coincidental that Jenning’s implosions came against the three best D’s we played this year. Getting first team reps in the spring and summer will help him make the leap in my opinion, I mean he’s a talented but green QB and I’m looking forward to seeing him play next Fall. I support him.

I agree with this including the comments about Kevin. This season far exceeded my expectations and while today was a huge disappointment, I'm telling myself it was better to have experienced the CFP in our 1st year back in a Power Conference than it would have been to finish 7-5 (as I had expected) and play in some random bowl game. And of course we are light years ahead of our former AAC mates who joined the Big XII and still haven't learned to play competitive football at this level.

[Graceland Tar Heel]

I agree it’s most apparent the OL where need significant upgrades. But Jennings is a gunslinger and he’s clearly not learned. He didn’t learn after Duke, he didn’t learn after the Clemson game. He makes too many bad reads and mistakes. The spotlight may just be too big for him in big games.[/quote]
He is the kind of great athlete who playing QB can ruin Ds that lack talent or are poorly disciplined. But that type QB also tends to be shown up, many times quite badly, by any D that is talented and well coached.

[Charleston Pony]

I agree it’s most apparent the OL where need significant upgrades. But Jennings is a gunslinger and he’s clearly not learned. He didn’t learn after Duke, he didn’t learn after the Clemson game. He makes too many bad reads and mistakes. The spotlight may just be too big for him in big games.

He is the kind of great athlete who playing QB can ruin Ds that lack talent or are poorly disciplined. But that type QB also tends to be shown up, many times quite badly, by any D that is talented and well coached.[/quote]

Jennings will have 2 more years and will hopefully learn he doesn't have to make EVERY play. With his natural ability if he becomes a better game manager and decision maker SMU is going to remain a factor in competing for ACC titles

[PonyTales]

This season exceeded every expectation I had.
How long until spring ball starts?

[Charleston Pony]

This season exceeded every expectation I had.
How long until spring ball starts?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's basketball season and we are off to a 2-0 start after today's blowout win @ BC. Remember the "experts" picked us to finish 7th in football and 13th in basketball

[Charleston Pony]

After this miserable showing the only way we get back into the playoffs is to win the SCC outright.

I still think the committee made the right decision NOT to penalize us for the Clemson loss but the way to fix this is expanding to 14 teams with only the Top 2 seeds getting that 1st round bye. This year that would have translated into 2 of the 3 SEC schools (Bama, Ole MIss & USC) getting in but there would still be butt hurt schools like Illinois, A&M, etc... FCS doesn't play championship games but has a field of 24 to start their playoffs. Our showing today will have the powers that be back to the drawing board

Honestly it doesn’t matter how many teams you include, people always find a reason to complain.

True but expanding to 14 teams accomplishes several things: with only 2 byes, they would presumably go to the Big 10 and SEC Champs and you could possibly reward all 8 teams that make it to power 4 conference title games by inviting them. Still leaves room for a strong Notre Dame team and would allow the Big 10 and SEC to have at least 4 of their teams into the CFP. These 1st round home games are a huge advantage for the home team and you would have 6 games rather than just 4. Attendance for these games has been strong.

With the larger conferences and unbalanced schedules would it be better to eliminate conference championship games and go the route the FCS does? It would add plenty of games for potential revenue and there is no way any team outside the Top 24 could be considered a legitimate contender for the National Championship

[tristatecoog]

Don’t let UTK score. I want SMU score differential to be lower than the higher rated SEC team.

[max the wonder dog]

Big home field advantage in every game -- Texas by 14, Ohio State by 25, Notre Dame by 10.

Disappointing, but I started the season expecting a best case of 8 - 4 and a trip to the Birmingham Bowl.

Just bought a Power Ball ticket with the hope I can win enough to buy a couple of offensive linemen.

[Charleston Pony]

Just bought a Power Ball ticket with the hope I can win enough to buy a couple of offensive linemen.

Might want to pick up a Mega Millions ticket before Tomorrow night's drawing. That's the huge jackpot right now and if we want to lure the top players, we are going to need megabucks!

[EastStang]

I saw on X that our billionaires club got diverted from State College airport and had to party bus to the game from another airport an hour away and they missed the first quarter.

[highlander]

I saw on X that our billionaires club got diverted from State College airport and had to party bus to the game from another airport an hour away and they missed the first quarter.

No wonder the first quarter was so bad.