I've been good about playing the games, but bad at tom bout what's going on, so here's what's happening in this sim in the world of college football!
- As you can see, EMU is dominating the MAC now. I took them to a bowl in year one after they went 2-10 the year before and we've been rolling since: 33-9 in the last three years, three MAC West titles, two MAC titles, and three bowl wins. We had sort of a step back year last year, going 10-4 with three conference losses, but with a new QB that was to be expected, especially after losing our top RB in the first few weeks. We just barely missed out on a third straight conference title, losing to Miami (OH) 38-37 on a failed two point conversion in OT.
- Speaking of Miami (OH), we've developed a good rivalry with them the last couple years. Troy Reffett is 43-24 in his five years there and I'm 39-16, so while I'll have a slightly better record overall, the last two years are exactly the same at 21-7. In the last two years, we've met three times, with EMU leading the series 2-1 and both coming away with a conference title. The three games have been decided by 11 points total. We've got our conference opener with them this year and we're the two best teams in the conference (though Akron has the best offense at a crazy 90), so should be another good game. As far as my former OC spot goes, Akron is in that tier right behind us and Miami (OH), dropping off a little bit in the last couple years. They won the conference my first year and played us for the title my second, but that second year they finished 7-7 and got obliterated by us 55-0 on their home field at one point, so definitely a drop off. They bounced back last year, going 9-4, and as I said, they have easily the best offense in the MAC on paper, so should be interesting. WMU is also right in that tier, having gone bowling five straight years, but they've yet to contend for the conference title. They do, however, screw up our season a fair amount. I'm 2-2 against them, with both losses close games at home. They're our biggest divisional threat this year without a doubt, so I guess it's good we have them on the road.
- Two of my created coaches are dominating now; Purdue and BC actually met in the title game last year, with BC taking home their second straight title. As far as the BC guy goes, I'm waiting for one of Michigan, PSU, or OSU to open up, but Meyer, Harbaugh, and Franklin are all doing just enough to never really get any pressure. Outside of an OSU title in 2013, none of them have won a title and they're just getting the occasional Big Ten title or BCS win. They never drop below 8 wins, though, so they're not ever on the hot seat. The real Big Ten power right now is Brasky under Scott Frost, who came to Lincoln the year after I left. If you'll recall, we won 12 games and the Big Ten, but just barely lost the title to Bammer. Well, Frost won two in a row after that and is 45-9 overall at Nebraska through four years. He has dropped off the last two, though, going 9-4 both years.
- As far as the other corch goes, the guy at SMU has dropped off after winning 12 games, the Big 12 South, and a Fiesta Bowl with a stud senior QB. The following offseason, that guy graduated, his backup left for the draft, and another QB transferred, leaving him to start a mid-70s freshman. They went 3-9 despite a really talented defense and went 6-7 last year with another good defense. They should be a lot better this year, though; I think the game had them as the sixth most talented team. I'm hoping to move him to somewhere like Miami or LSU, but the LSU job opened up after he went 3-9 so he missed on that one and Richt is in the same situation as the Big Ten guys.
- I'm likely to leave after this year, though it depends on the jobs opening up. I'm looking to go the Big Ten and right now, Schiano is on the hot seat after his first year at Northwestern (2-10) and Luke Fickell is as well at MSU despite doing a decent job there (62-41 in seven years). The job I really want is IU, though, and I'm uncertain if that'll open up this year. Rod Carey is at 76% security after two 4-8 years. Luckily, we play him this year and IU also has to play #19 Miami, #12 Michigan, #4 Wisconsin, #25 Minnesota, #8 Nebraska, #1 OSU, #18 PSU, and #5 Purdue. Assuming they lose all of those like they should, I could be coaching for the IU job when I play them.
- Shifted the Pac-12 and Big Ten divisions around. Moved CU and Utah to the North and Furd and Cal to the South so the divisions make geographic sense and I restructured the Big Ten to a North/South alignment:
North:
MSU (PSU)
Michigan (OSU)
Wisconsin (Purdue)
Minnesota (Indiana)
Iowa (Nebraska)
Northwestern (Illinois)
South:
IU (Minnesota)
Purdue (Wisconsin)
Illinois (NW)
OSU (UM)
PSU (MSU)
Nebraska (Iowa)
Not sure if I'll keep this one, but it does seem slightly more balanced than an East/West alignment given that I think Michigan, MSU, and Wisconsin vs. OSU, PSU, Brasky is better than Michigan, OSU, PSU, MSU vs. Wisconsin and Brasky. It does as good of a job at preserving all the rivalries as the East-West does. You lose the $5 Bits of Broken Chair game, which sucks, but that's not a trophy in this game and as I said, I think the balance is a little better.
On to Season 5 at EMU! Schedule is
here. If we can knock off #6 Auburn on the road, we have a very good shot of running the table and going BCS busting.