No need to watch the game: 10 CBS 'experts' say we lose

[Jerry]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

 

[91Joe95]

They should get their degrees in expertise from this board since it comes with a minor in grilling.

 

[olelion]

It's interesting. With such a low point spread you would expect something like a 60/40 split or even closer to 50/50. I haven't watched the gasbags. Are there mentions of the big game thing and Franklin?

 

[psu1969a]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

I've never heard of any of these "experts".

 

[bison13]

It's interesting. With such a low point spread you would expect something like a 60/40 split or even closer to 50/50. I haven't watched the gasbags. Are there mentions of the big game thing and Franklin?

Finebaum brought it up

 

[jjw165]

 

[LMTLION]

Good. That gives the guys extra motivation. I think ND likely has an over-inflated ego at this point considering the experts, and the fact that they beat a Georgia team without its starting quarterback.

 

[junior1]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

for what it's worth, Josh Pate picked Penn State

 

[olelion]

Good. That gives the guys extra motivation. I think ND likely has an over-inflated ego at this point considering the experts, and the fact that they beat a Georgia team without its starting quarterback.

I doubt the ego thing. Freeman is a great coach and will keep them grounded

 

[joeaubie21]

CBS sports is a shadow of what it was a decade ago. All the "experts" are wet farts .

 

[IANit]

I doubt the ego thing. Freeman is a great coach and will keep them grounded

If their fans are any indication he'll have a tough job doing that.

 

[Jerry]

It's interesting. With such a low point spread you would expect something like a 60/40 split or even closer to 50/50. I haven't watched the gasbags. Are there mentions of the big game thing and Franklin?

Totally agree. I do note the spread has moved a bit in Notre Dame's favor. Opened at 1.5 and is now 2.5 at most books, meaning more money is being bet on the Irish.

Still, it figures to be a very close game and for 10 out of 11 to pick against us is excellent bulletin board material. Disrespect...us against the world...the motivational lines write themselves.

I actually haven't heard the Big Game factor mentioned. Finebaum in effect says we don't deserve to be in the Final Four. What a piece of work that SEC shill is.

 

[Jerry]

I've never heard of any of these "experts".

I've heard of a few of them.

Who knows, maybe the network went down to a local bar and asked some customers there if they would agree to be CBS "experts" for a $50 fee.

 

[Jerry]

Great quote...and a game for the ages.

 

[Jerry]

for what it's worth, Josh Pate picked Penn State

Shhhh. Let's keep that to ourselves, Junior.

Haha!

No seriously, I did listen to Pate's commentary but I'm on a roll here with the us-against-the-world thing.

The fact is the CBS "expert" opinion is reflective of the media consensus. The vast majority of commentators are picking against us.

 

[LandoComando]

Many "experts" see Penn State (and Texas) as a team that is in the final 4 because of their draw. Then you add go that Franklin's reputation in big games. The predictions aren't shocking or unfair. Hopefully they're wrong but ND just beat UGa by 2 scores. They're going to get love even if it wasn't a healthy UGa team

 

[Lion_Backer]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

Well, 7 members of this panel of 'experts' started out by forecasting that Oregon would be this year's national champion. So, there's that....

The article did not want to download in its entirety for me so that as far as I got. Over the years, I have found my opinion of the majority of national sports media to be more in line with the thoughts of the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant.

According to legend, a sportswriter’s funeral was being organized, and Bear Bryant was approached for a contribution. The organizers requested him to donate $10 towards the funeral expenses. However, in true Bear Bryant fashion, he responded in a way that would become etched in sports history.

Bear Bryant famously replied, “Here’s a twenty, bury two.”

Metaphorically speaking from my perspective, of course.....

 

[bourbon n blues]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

You do realize they sucker people in to watch their biased and not exactly expert opinions? If you need what these jack offs say to get you motivated, you should try Pokemon instead.

 

[bourbon n blues]

Well, 7 members of this panel of 'experts' started out by forecasting that Oregon would be this year's national champion. So, there's that....

The article did not want to download in its entirety for me so that as far as I got. Over the years, I have found my opinion of the majority of national sports media to be more in line with the thoughts of the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant.

According to legend, a sportswriter’s funeral was being organized, and Bear Bryant was approached for a contribution. The organizers requested him to donate $10 towards the funeral expenses. However, in true Bear Bryant fashion, he responded in a way that would become etched in sports history.

Bear Bryant famously replied, “Here’s a twenty, bury two.”

Metaphorically speaking from my perspective, of course.....

Yep

 

[bourbon n blues]

Good. That gives the guys extra motivation. I think ND likely has an over-inflated ego at this point considering the experts, and the fact that they beat a Georgia team without its starting quarterback.

Notre Dame, the players and coaches will be ready. Their fan base is retarded. Over the app 50 years I've watched college ball I have never seen such an over rated team and deluded fan base. As soon as they sniff being good they are the greatest team of all time. Again.

It's been years ago, but I saw an article that ND was consistently over rated by using that method.

 

[ryoder1]

I see the line has moved to 2.5. I don't care what these so called experts think but I can surmise why this is the case.

The main driver is clearly Franklin and his inability to win the big game. This is absolutely where Finebaum is coming from. Since we got a pretty easy draw of SMU then Boise State it has just fueled Finebaum's animosity towards us. Both these wins mean nothing to him and clearly are not big wins for the program in his opinion. I don't agree but I know this is what he thinks. Even if we win he won't give Franklin any credit. The guy is a total turd about Penn State. Just ignore him.

The other thing in play is everyone has fallen in love with ND especially since they beat Georgia. Once that happened they gave been elevated on this pedestal that they don't deserve. Especially when you consider how they won that game and who Georgia had playing QB.

This game will be close and we will see if Franklin and the team can pull out a win in a tight, hard fought game that hangs in the balance in the 4th quarter.

 

[Jerry]

Many "experts" see Penn State (and Texas) as a team that is in the final 4 because of their draw. Then you add go that Franklin's reputation in big games. The predictions aren't shocking or unfair. Hopefully they're wrong but ND just beat UGa by 2 scores. They're going to get love even if it wasn't a healthy UGa team

Agreed...they're not shocking. In fact, they're not even surprising. And "fairness" doesn't enter the equation.

But you missed the most important thing of all: predictions have zero effect on the outcome of the game, which will be played on the field...not in the CBS break room.

In any case, I'd rather have everyone picking against us than for us. You're always looking for an emotional edge, and I do think this is potentially motivational.

 

[SR108]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

Not surprised, has pretty much been this way all year, even games we were favored. How many times were we on upset alert? I kind of get it, we have made a lot of these game harder than they should have been due to starting late and stupid penalties, both of which will probably result in a loss against a good team.

However, every thing being equal, we have a five star QB, who is now being talked about as a first round draft pick. If he plays like it, we should win. We also have a first round tight end. If they decide to double him, it should give our average other receivers a chance to shine. We also have a better than average offensive line and two good backs. We can’t give up running the ball, even if things are slow in the beginning of the game.

Defensively our front 7 has shown the ability to shut down good running games when focused, even against good running QBs. I do hope Carter is playing, he would be the perfect spy on 3rd and long situations.

The game is probably as close to a toss up as you can get. Should be a nail biter till the end.

 

[bvillebaron]

for what it's worth, Josh Pate picked Penn State

FWIW I listened to a bettor on the college sports network on satellite radio last week and he said that the “experts” had it backwards and Penn State was his lock of the week. ND looked great on defense against Georgia and will be tough but Smart trying to get more points before half with less than 40 seconds to go in a 6-3 game with a QB making his first start in the playoffs was incredibly stupid. ND scored 14 of its 23 points on a quick slant right after a strip sack after that stupid decision and on a 98 yard kickoff return to start the second half. I guess I have my blue and white glasses on but I don’t get 10 of 11 experts picking ND based on that.

 

[scrivener]

I see the line has moved to 2.5. I don't care what these so called experts think but I can surmise why this is the case.

The main driver is clearly Franklin and his inability to win the big game. This is absolutely where Finebaum is coming from. Since we got a pretty easy draw of SMU then Boise State it has just fueled Finebaum's animosity towards us. Both these wins mean nothing to him and clearly are not big wins for the program in his opinion. I don't agree but I know this is what he thinks. Even if we win he won't give Franklin any credit. The guy is a total turd about Penn State. Just ignore him.

The other thing in play is everyone has fallen in love with ND especially since they beat Georgia. Once that happened they gave been elevated on this pedestal that they don't deserve. Especially when you consider how they won that game and who Georgia had playing QB.

This game will be close and we will see if Franklin and the team can pull out a win in a tight, hard fought game that hangs in the balance in the 4th quarter.

Agreed about PF and his animosity. But, I think his perception is shared by the majority of the public. JF struggles to win the 'big game' (I know definitions on this board vary about what that means.) To me, JF needs this win for the perception to certainly change at least a little. Our talent compared to ND is similar if not slightly better...it's a game we need to win to start changing the narrative. Don't get me wrong, beating SMU and Boise was great and exciting, and obviously it's better to not be one and done.

But, if we go 0-3 vs the best teams on the schedule again (OSU, Oregon and ND perhaps), has anything really changed beyond getting in an expanded playoff? I know the fanboys are salivating to get after me about this, but I'll take it, lol. For all the posters on here who are claiming ND's win was fortunate over a banged up UGA team and ND in general isn't that impressive, well we better win then, with or without Abdul. It's a neutral field, warm weather vs a mostly one-dimensional opponent on offense. If JF can't win this one, I guess we go into year 12 next season with the national perception remaining what it is and hearing about runways and buy-in, etc. At some point, you have to break through.

 

[NittanyChris]

My only concern for this game is the impact that a significantly impaired Abdul Carter will have on our D. Despite Vanover’s solid game, the D seemed to be quite adversely affected by his absence in the Boise game.

With a healthy Abdul, I think we beat this overrated ND team 2 out of 3 times. Without Carter, it’s basically a tossup.

 

[SR108]

FWIW I listened to a bettor on the college sports network on satellite radio last week and he said that the “experts” had it backwards and Penn State was his lock of the week. ND looked great on defense against Georgia and will be tough but Smart trying to get more points before half with less than 40 seconds to go in a 6-3 game with a QB making his first start in the playoffs was incredibly stupid. ND scored 14 of its 23 points on a quick slant right after a strip sack after that stupid decision and on a 98 yard kickoff return to start the second half. I guess I have my blue and white glasses on but I don’t get 10 of 11 experts picking ND based on that.

I think SEC bias is still part of this. The “experts “ believe that Georgia is a better team than PSU. Funny thing is, they seem to ignore the fact that the SEC has not looked very dominant during this past post season.

 

[LMTLION]

The entire country feels we will lose this game. Just read X and you’ll see it. I cannot wait to prove them all wrong. This is a very important game for us beyond the obvious reasons.

 

[indynittany]

Name two things that get smoked in bowls?

 

[wilbury]

Agreed about PF and his animosity. But, I think his perception is shared by the majority of the public. JF struggles to win the 'big game' (I know definitions on this board vary about what that means.) To me, JF needs this win for the perception to certainly change at least a little. Our talent compared to ND is similar if not slightly better...it's a game we need to win to start changing the narrative. Don't get me wrong, beating SMU and Boise was great and exciting, and obviously it's better to not be one and done.

But, if we go 0-3 vs the best teams on the schedule again (OSU, Oregon and ND perhaps), has anything really changed beyond getting in an expanded playoff? I know the fanboys are salivating to get after me about this, but I'll take it, lol. For all the posters on here who are claiming ND's win was fortunate over a banged up UGA team and ND in general isn't that impressive, well we better win then, with or without Abdul. It's a neutral field, warm weather vs a mostly one-dimensional opponent on offense. If JF can't win this one, I guess we go into year 12 next season with the national perception remaining what it is and hearing about runways and buy-in, etc. At some point, you have to break through.

We're an underdog, everyone is picking against us and we're playing a team on a 12 game winning streak that just beat the SEC champ.

Plus, we're possibly without our best player.

That's the alternate narrative to yours.

 

[scrivener]

We're an underdog, everyone is picking against us and we're playing a team on a 12 game winning streak that just beat the SEC champ.

Plus, we're possibly without our best player.

That's the alternate narrative to yours.

LOL ok...an underdog by 1.5 to 2.5 points. I think part of that line is based on narrative, and JF in big games. So in your narrative, we should never win those games then? B/c we hardly ever do. Yet every week in CFB there are teams that rise and pull 'upsets' all the time. Just b/c a line is set, that doesn't mean the mindset should also be predisposed to think, it's ok to lose b/c we are predicted to. What a soft mindset. ND is without multiple starters and have been banged up all year, including their best player on defense being out. You read the posts on here, and ND has no passing game with a pedestrian qb who pretty much runs as his biggest asset. Sounds like if we lose to them, that would be pretty bad, despite what some vegas lines might think.

 

[bdgan]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

If we lose they were correct. If we win they were wrong.

If we win it will be Finebaum's 3rd straight wrong prediction about PSU. In that case he'll predict against us again in the NC game. If we lose the NC game he'll say "I told you they were overrated".

 

[CoastGuard2018]

Link below.

So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)

Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.

I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:

College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket

With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff

www.cbssports.com

Josh Pate has us

 

[Ward Hog]

The line is likely to continue in ND's favor because their fans are crazed and have not had much to wager on in recent years. There's probably some Georgia and SEC bias against the thought of two B1G teams in the final. I don't believe even the staunchest SEC koolaid drinker had much hope in Texas.

I guess that the late money will come in on PSU and the goal for the big money betters is to wait to get it as high as possible, at over -3 would be ideal. The more so-called pundits that predict a ND blowout the better. Everything I read has chats where nearly alle ND fans predict a blowout win, while PSU fans see a close defensive battle.

 

[ryoder1]

Agreed...they're not shocking. In fact, they're not even surprising. And "fairness" doesn't enter the equation.

But you missed the most important thing of all: predictions have zero effect on the outcome of the game, which will be played on the field...not in the CBS break room.

In any case, I'd rather have everyone picking against us than for us. You're always looking for an emotional edge, and I do think this is potentially motivational.

I like it too and feel better than if it was the other way around. Hopefully the coaches can use it as motivation. This is a huge, huge game for Franklin to reverse the negativity about not winning a big game. Yes, he has won two playoff games but that does not matter to his critics because he has not beaten a blue blood. Maybe unfair but the reality. If he had beaten Bama in rd one that would have gone a good ways in helping him with the "can't win the big game" monkey on his back being lifted but since it was SMU it was not considered a big win. Same with Boise. Well this is ND and if he pulls this off especially when everyone predicts he can't then a HUGE win for him and the program.

 

[bourbon n blues]

I like it too and feel better than if it was the other way around. Hopefully the coaches can use it as motivation. This is a huge, huge game for Franklin to reverse the negativity about not winning a big game. Yes, he has won two playoff games but that does not matter to his critics because he has not beaten a blue blood. Maybe unfair but the reality. If he had beaten Bama in rd one that would have gone a good ways in helping him with the "can't win the big game" monkey on his back being lifted but since it was SMU it was not considered a big win. Same with Boise. Well this is ND and if he pulls this off especially when everyone predicts he can't then a HUGE win for him and the program.

They will push the narrative they want to push. they will not have beaten a great team, ND is overrated will be the new narrative. Which they often are. Before we had the SEC smoochfest we had the ND heavy breathing. They are the OGs of hype. that said I believe they are very good this year but in my opinion PSU is better.

 

[LandoComando]

Agreed...they're not shocking. In fact, they're not even surprising. And "fairness" doesn't enter the equation.

But you missed the most important thing of all: predictions have zero effect on the outcome of the game, which will be played on the field...not in the CBS break room.

In any case, I'd rather have everyone picking against us than for us. You're always looking for an emotional edge, and I do think this is potentially motivational.

I agree. They don't have any impact. I don't think I suggested that they did. It will be determined on the field (to your point) unlike the last.

If they can't get up for a playoff game without that there's a bigger problem

 

[Jerry]

Agreed about PF and his animosity. But, I think his perception is shared by the majority of the public. JF struggles to win the 'big game' (I know definitions on this board vary about what that means.) To me, JF needs this win for the perception to certainly change at least a little. Our talent compared to ND is similar if not slightly better...it's a game we need to win to start changing the narrative. Don't get me wrong, beating SMU and Boise was great and exciting, and obviously it's better to not be one and done.

But, if we go 0-3 vs the best teams on the schedule again (OSU, Oregon and ND perhaps), has anything really changed beyond getting in an expanded playoff? I know the fanboys are salivating to get after me about this, but I'll take it, lol. For all the posters on here who are claiming ND's win was fortunate over a banged up UGA team and ND in general isn't that impressive, well we better win then, with or without Abdul. It's a neutral field, warm weather vs a mostly one-dimensional opponent on offense. If JF can't win this one, I guess we go into year 12 next season with the national perception remaining what it is and hearing about runways and buy-in, etc. At some point, you have to break through.

Personally, I haven't said one negative thing about Notre Dame. They're a very good team. They're on a roll. They'll be a tough out.

That said, I'm also of the opinion...and have expressed it here...that whatever happens, the season has been a smashing success. I mean, we've won two playoff games and we're one of four teams still alive. I have no intention of letting a loss to Notre Dame, if it were to occur, ruin in my own mind what has been a great year. House money, baby.

And here's the ironic thing: I don't think we're gonna lose. I mean, I may be smoking something, but I think we're gonna win and I think we're gonna win with authority. But don't quote me on that...

 

[bourbon n blues]

Personally, I haven't said one negative thing about Notre Dame. They're a very good team. They're on a roll. They'll be a tough out.

That said, I'm also of the opinion...and have expressed it here...that whatever happens, the season has been a smashing success. I mean, we've won two playoff games and we're one of four teams still alive. I have no intention of letting a loss to Notre Dame, if it were to occur, ruin in my own mind what has been a great year. House money, baby.

And here's the ironic thing: I don't think we're gonna lose. I mean, I may be smoking something, but I think we're gonna win and I think we're gonna win with authority. But don't quote me on that...

I've had that feeling too in other games. This time head says a solid win, heart says these guys on ND remind me of us in 1986. PSU can win big Jerry, IMO more likely than Notre Dame winning big.

 

[Delcolion915]

I've had that feeling too in other games. This time head says a solid win, heart says these guys on ND remind me of us in 1986. PSU can win big Jerry, IMO more likely than Notre Dame winning big.

Wrong again. The team that reminds me of PSU 1986, is PSU 2024, not ND 2024.