How so?
They ranked #7 in yards per game and were giving up an average of 303 yards per game heading into the bowl game. They only gave up 302 yards to LSU.
They were only giving up an average of 18.8 pts per game and ended up giving up 21. That doesn't seem to be a huge difference against LSU, a team that was favored by 7.5 points in the game.
LSU's offense was averaging 200 yards on the ground heading into yesterday, and ended up rushing for 220.
I am by no means a Big Ten apologists, but I don't think the Hawkeyes's Defense deserves any ridicule for yesterday, if anything it was their less than pedestrian offense and utter lack of a rushing attack.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10233431/sources-texas-longhorns-eye-ucla-bruins-jim-mora-mack-brown-successor
Whay say you, Harry?

aLOLbama

Bama and their fanbase have needed a dose of reality for quite some time.

I promise you that there are some who truly believed that under Saban, they would never lose another game.

Just for sociological purposes I checked out the Bama page on SBNation last night and the meltdown was in full force last night.

Sadly, they'll be right back in it again next year. Their schedule is pretty manageable.

It really is sad the amount of joy that this image gives me.

Yeah, Mora got to say no Texas twice... apparently this latest rumor really was true and they made him an offer. He already got a substantial upgrade to his contract, and more importantly to the salaries of his assistant coaches and a commitment to build a new 50 mil practice facility when Washington made him an offer. I know the Atlantans here hate Mora, but he has truly turned UCLA football around. Brett Hundley apparently has decided to come back next year. It's not idle fan blather to say next year's expectations are to beat SUC, Oregon and Stanford and get to the national playoffs.

The era of SEC "dominance" is drawing to a close, and so there is the growing recognition that, for the most part, building a schedule playing the Morehead Technical Institute, Southern Branch Campus teams for the non-conference schedules, and then beating up on the weak bottom half teams of the SEC, doesn't always equal being the best team in CFB.

He was not effective in the NFL but he is one hell of a college coach. I was really hoping his strong UW ties would lure him back to Seattle--I was surprised he didn't jump at the offer.

Because UW is such a more desirable job, or because of his history with the school and region?

The latter.

Wasn't he essentially fired from the Falcons because of his comments on Seattle sports talk radio while he was head coach in Atlanta saying that UW was his dream job and he would crawl on his knees there if he was ever offered the job?

No, he was fired because he was a shitty coach who got WAY too friendly with the players, refused to change coordinators and was on a negative trajectory. The radio stuff didn't help, but there were a dozen other reasons he was fired in addition (not all of them his fault, to be fair)

Not always, but at least for the last 7 years. Also, you're basing these assumptions on what? Because Alabama lost? Careful with pointing the dirty end of that stick harry lest we start dissecting the upper tier PAC 12 teams schedules.

I'm far from a conference chest beater but the point is get to the big dance and if those schedules allow you to get there, so be it. It worked for Florida for years and Ohio State has been fan of it. Their schedule was laughable this year and it would've been a traveshamockery had they gone to the title game. I think the SEC will go to a 9 game conference schedule soon which will guarantee more weak sister schools will be scheduled. It's an age old argument of generating mid-season fan interest versus creating a schedule that wins a Championship.

I predict FSU wins tonight but I also think that the 4 team playoff only opens the door for another SEC team to get in next year, possibly two teams.

Auburn could still win tonight and I think you could rightfully argue that the era of SEC Dominance is over, since they haven't been winning games with a stout defense this year.
Last year, the SEC pretty much dismantled every team they played in a bowl game and left little doubt to who had the most talent and the best players on both sides of the ball. This year that simply wasn't the case. A&M went from blowing out the Sooners to having to make a comeback against Duke, Nebraska beat Georgia in the rematch nobody wanted to play and that allegedly stalwart Tide Defense got blown off the field by a freshman QB.
The SEC still might produce the best team this year, but I doubt you'll hear too many folks argue that there should have been an Iron Bowl II in the BCS title game tonight.
I'll admit that Bama's back to back losses probably did the most damage to the SEC reputation this year, but that's what happens when the media states that you are the greatest dynasty ever before they had even played a meaningful game this season.

Just heard Mark Richt signed FSU's defensive coordinate (Pruitt) to run the Dawgs D. Thoughts?

Also just heard about Penn State's Franklin signing and, more importantly IMHO, defensive line Larry Johnson Sr's departure to Ohio State. Dude was the only coach to survive the Paterno purge and easily the best recruiter on staff. A lot of pressure for Hackenberg and company to sell the program on the field.

Its a GREAT hire for Richt. Pruitt has coached defense on the last three MNC teams (two with Bammer under Saban/Kirby and one as DC with the Noles); people are excited, hopefully it all works out--defense has basically been the difference the last few years.

Heard that Mason the DC from Stanford is getting the Vandy job. Sounds like a great hire for Vandy: Stanford plays pretty tough and the guy will know how to recruit the kind of athlete/academic mix that Vandy requires.

I'm happy for Franklin, too. Dude is a good coach and should do well at Penn State.