***Touchdown Auburn Bowl 2023 - Week 1***

[Auctoritas 2,828]

The trumpets sound, the angels sing, and an eagle comes flying out of the sky. Folks, it's here. Football is back. After a...well, let's be honest, indifferent week 0, the real deal starts this week. Not that Week 1 has much more going for it. Other than the fact that the Tigers finally are back in action and we can start arguing about real things rather than imaginary things, this is a pretty weak slate to kick off the season with only 1 Top 25 matchup. Nevertheless, we shall overcome.

Some ground rules for the season. Games will include all SEC games for the week, plus a few extra national games of importance. There will be an optional "total points" tiebreaker that will be used ONLY ON A WEEKLY BASIS to determine the weekly winner ONLY in the event of a tie (i.e., these points do not count to season total or carry over week-to-week). The goal is to get the closest to the number of combined points in the identified tiebreaker game WITHOUT going over (what can I say - I grew up watching The Price is Right). In other words, if there is a tie for the weekly winner and the tiebreaker game had a total combined point total of 40, and one player guesses 36 and the other guesses 41, the person who guesses 36 would be declared the weekly winner (which, honestly, does nothing except for establish bragging rights!).

Point values:
3 POINTS for games between unranked teams OR Ranked vs Cupcake
4 POINTS for games with ranked vs. unranked (only if Power 5)
5 POINTS for games between ranked opponents

I will be using the AP Top 25 poll for those point values. Points carry through the end of the season, and the winner at the end gets not only to revel in the accolades of their peers while the losers suffer the ignominy of defeat, but this year I will be making a contribution to the site in your name to get you access to the Eagles Nest. Don't want to wait for your assured, eventual victory? SUPPORT THIS SITE! You'll get access to that private forum and the feeling of doing something good for this amazing community.

As I mentioned, rather than doing the old way where we put picks in forum posts, I've embedded a poll into the post. Picks are due for the week by the time the main slate kicks off at Noon Eastern. Note that some weeks, INCLUDING THIS WEEK, have a Thursday game - if you miss that game or enter your picks after the start of that game, it will not count. Please only submit your picks once - in the event of multiple entries, I will take the first one you submit. If you are concerned about whether your picks are in, just hit me up. I will @ everyone who played, and will bump the thread to keep it fresh on Thursday as a reminder. If you need to change your picks, just send me a message or tag me in a reply and I will clear your picks so you can start over.

Last thing - in past years, we would do a separate thread dedicated for trash talking so we didn't clutter up the picks thread. With the new system, all bets are off - feel free to let your fellow players have it here.

Good luck, and War Eagle!

Edited August 28, 2023 by Auctoritas

[Auctoritas 2,828]

 @akcwde@around4ever@aublaise@AubTigers@Auburnfan91@AuburnNTexas@AUBwins@aucanucktiger@aucat@AUcivE09@AUGreen03@AUJete1112@AuMarine

@AUTime@AUx@BornAU76@C'viewTiger@cctiger@CoffeeTiger@DaddyBoyAU@dilligas@Duder@frozennugget@FUZZYAUFAN@GwillMac6@Hank2020
@I_M4_AU@Jgarrett7@jmthomas28@KansasTiger@KTATLEagles@Lotto@mickeyspano@norfolk@phillyeagle@PikesEagle@Rednilla@RunInRed@Shadow Tiger
@SIR ISAAC@SMITTY4AU@subterranean_jack@SumterAubie@TeBoneAU@Tiger@toddc@ValleyTiger@vatz22au@VicTree@WarEagle1983@wareaglefan444@WDE_OxPx_2010@Weagle1787@Zeek


Even if your name isn't on this list, feel free to play!! This is just who signed up so far through the Preseason Picks. If you don't see your name and think that you didn't get the picks in - that poll has been extended since we have no conference games yet.

[Auctoritas 2,828]

Interested to see where the picks are landing? Check out the summary at https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=D7gR7dkHwOqnsgo3kB5ExUjkvS1nIbsZ&id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAAAAAAAO__R5yACtUQklLTEtGMlJDRVVGSFo4VDBRTUpLU0tMUC4u

[Zeek 16,660]

2 hours ago, Auctoritas said:

The trumpets sound, the angels sing, and an eagle comes flying out of the sky. Folks, it's here. Football is back. After a...well, let's be honest, indifferent week 0, the real deal starts this week. Not that Week 1 has much more going for it. Other than the fact that the Tigers finally are back in action and we can start arguing about real things rather than imaginary things, this is a pretty weak slate to kick off the season with only 1 Top 25 matchup. Nevertheless, we shall overcome.

Some ground rules for the season. Games will include all SEC games for the week, plus a few extra national games of importance. There will be an optional "total points" tiebreaker that will be used ONLY ON A WEEKLY BASIS to determine the weekly winner in the event of a tie (i.e., these points do not count to season total or carry over week-to-week). The goal is to get the closest to the number of combined points in the game WITHOUT going over (what can I say - I grew up watching The Price is Right).

Point values:
3 POINTS for games between unranked teams OR Ranked vs Cupcake
4 POINTS for games with ranked vs. unranked (only if Power 5)
5 POINTS for games between ranked opponents

I will be using the AP Top 25 poll for those point values. Points carry through the end of the season, and the winner at the end gets not only to revel in the accolades of their peers while the losers suffer the ignominy of defeat, but this year I will be making a contribution to the site in your name to get you access to the Eagles Next. Don't want to wait for your assured, eventual victory? SUPPORT THIS SITE! You'll get access to that private forum and the feeling of doing something good.

As I mentioned, rather than doing the old way where we put picks in forum posts, I've embedded a poll into the post. Picks are due for the week by the time the main slate kicks off at Noon Eastern. Note that some weeks, INCLUDING THIS WEEK, have a Thursday game - if you miss that game or enter your picks after the start of that game, it will not count. Please only submit your picks once - in the event of multiple entries, I will take the first one you submit. If you are concerned about whether your picks are in, just hit me up. I will @ everyone who played, and will bump the thread to keep it fresh on Thursday as a reminder.

Last thing - in past years, we would do a separate thread dedicated for trash talking so we didn't clutter up the picks thread. With the new system, all bets are off - feel free to let your fellow players have it here.

Good luck, and War Eagle!

LOVE the format this year. 

[PikesEagle 168]

Auctoritas, how do we change a pick if we want, especially if we submit picks early in the week? Just curious. Also, my L key stuck when putting in my name, do you want me to resubmit?

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by PikesEagle
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[Auctoritas 2,828]

2 hours ago, PikesEagle said:

Auctoritas, how do we change a pick if we want, especially if we submit picks early in the week? Just curious. Also, my L key stuck when putting in my name, do you want me to resubmit?

 

Hi there - I accidentally just deleted your response while trying to see if I could edit it. That's my bad. But, on the bright side, now you can edit your name and your pick...just have to put the rest of them them in again too. Sorry about that!

But, that's a good question. I think that that will probably have to be what happens. I will edit the main post (and subsequent weeks instructions) that if you need to change something, you'll just need to let me know and then I will clear it out so you can start over.

[toddc 13,194]

23 minutes ago, Auctoritas said:

Hi there - I accidentally just deleted your response while trying to see if I could edit it. That's my bad. But, on the bright side, now you can edit your name and your pick...just have to put the rest of them them in again too. Sorry about that!

But, that's a good question. I think that that will probably have to be what happens. I will edit the main post (and subsequent weeks instructions) that if you need to change something, you'll just need to let me know and then I will clear it out so you can start over.

I would implement a one time “transfer “ rule or people will just be changing it every time the betting lines change. 😆 

[PikesEagle 168]

2 hours ago, Auctoritas said:

Hi there - I accidentally just deleted your response while trying to see if I could edit it. That's my bad. But, on the bright side, now you can edit your name and your pick...just have to put the rest of them them in again too. Sorry about that!

But, that's a good question. I think that that will probably have to be what happens. I will edit the main post (and subsequent weeks instructions) that if you need to change something, you'll just need to let me know and then I will clear it out so you can start over.

Sounds good and I'll get them readded before the Thu night game

[RunInRed 16,512]

Appreciate all the work here! 

[Auctoritas 2,828]

12 minutes ago, RunInRed said:

Appreciate all the work here! 

And I appreciate you throwing that on Twitter or X or whatever it is now! I feel like I made the big time.

[ellitor 33,114]

@Auctoritas I'm confused on the scoring.Is the goal to not go over 100 in each week or for the season.

Also I guess it's too late to do this season but in the future can we add picks for in state teams like Troy, USA, & UAB and alter the format accordingly?

[Auctoritas 2,828]

28 minutes ago, ellitor said:

@Auctoritas I'm confused on the scoring.Is the goal to not go over 100 in each week or for the season.

Also I guess it's too late to do this season but in the future can we add picks for in state teams like Troy, USA, & UAB and alter the format accordingly?

1. I'm going to edit the post to clarify - was a joke about Bob Barker, and that has nothing to do with the actual tiebreaker game. The goal of the tiebreaker each week is to get as close to the total number of combined points scored in the tiebreaker game (i.e., this week, Auburn vs UMASS) without going over with the guess. So, let's say that the total number of combined points in the AU vs UMASS game is 68. If you guessed 66, and someone guessed 69, you would be closer because their guess is disqualified because it is more than the total number of points scored, even though their guess is technically closer than yours.  (edit - and a reminder, this only "matters" if there are multiple players in a week that got the same score from guessing the rest of the games correctly, and the only thing it does is establish bragging rights for the week).

2. A good suggestion and I will do my best for this - it's going to depend on the week, though! The scoring sheet only has enough room for 20 games each week, so weeks like this week when there are no in-conference games means that basically 14 slots are taken already since I include every SEC game. But, that said, as we get further on in the season and conference games start and I end up having to scour the schedule for games to include,I will make it a point to try to get at least one of the other in-state games (assuming, of course, that there's not a ton of other ranked vs ranked games).

Edited August 28, 2023 by Auctoritas

[Auctoritas 2,828]

Giving this an early bump since there's a Thursday game this week! We've got 50 players so far, let's gooooo!

[vatz22au 142]

On 8/27/2023 at 2:19 PM, Auctoritas said:

Interested to see where the picks are landing? Check out the summary at https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=D7gR7dkHwOqnsgo3kB5ExUjkvS1nIbsZ&id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAAAAAAAO__R5yACtUQklLTEtGMlJDRVVGSFo4VDBRTUpLU0tMUC4u

Looks like 4 people got creative and picked "Other" for New Mexico vs Texas A&M.  That is a very tight and hard to predict match up.

[Auctoritas 2,828]

33 minutes ago, vatz22au said:

Looks like 4 people got creative and picked "Other" for New Mexico vs Texas A&M.  That is a very tight and hard to predict match up.

ha! yes, that's my fault - apparently when I was doing the poll I got distracted and never entered the actual teams in the two options, so it was just Option 1 and Option 2. I changed it after 4 people had voted (for option 2, which was Texas A&M) so those responses are showing up wild.

I will fix it so that they'll get their points!

This week is wild - only a couple of games have any divergence of opinion, so it's basically probably going to be a bunch of people tied for first place and a bunch of people tied for second and third, probably.

[Auctoritas 2,828]

We are up to 56 players, and a lot of new faces! Welcome, both to the game and to the board.

Got room for another 70 or so. If you haven't made picks yet, cmon in!

I resurrected this game after WarTiger had to abandon it due to real life commitments because this was always the thing that kept me so engaged on Saturdays. I love College Football, and will watch any game on any day. I, like most people who are not Bama fans, root for the underdog if I am watching a game I'm not invested in, but this game with the picks made it even more engaging (and led to some interesting philosophical questions...like, if Bama is the pick but they get knocked off by Ole Miss or something...should I feel good? or bad?)

Anyway, lots of fun, so if you're on the fence, take a few minutes, hit some poll buttons, and get ready to gloat when you win the week!

[AUBwins 10,104]

1-0 for me I think.  Can't remember what I picked, but think I picked Utah.

Make it 2-0 with Missouri win.

Just ready for Saturday.  Bring it on!!

Edited September 1, 2023 by AUBwins

[Auctoritas 2,828]

Giving it a last bump! 13ish more hours to get your last minute picks in.

[toddc 13,194]

11 hours ago, Auctoritas said:

Giving it a last bump! 13ish more hours to get your last minute picks in.

I need to change my Florida pick if it’s okay! 😝 

[ScotsAU 1,343]

Who won?