Today's Bill Connoly ballot has State in the playoffs
Seems off to me, as there has to be other teams looking better, especially on defense.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:29 AM ^
I doubt anyone will ask Tom VH to hold them this week.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
Also I hope people keep doubting this UM team.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:34 AM ^
True. Sparty better not look too far ahead. They play the Hoosiers next week in Indiana. That’s not an easy game.
October 10th, 2021 at 1:58 PM ^
I hope MSU smokes IU, jumps UM in the polls, and comes in with massive overconfidence.
October 11th, 2021 at 8:50 AM ^
A demolition of a team that several had in the playoff would be just the confidence boost we need going into Happy Valley.
OSU looks crazy again, but if we're still undefeated, we should go in with at least enough confidence not to have lost before it starts.
October 10th, 2021 at 12:09 PM ^
Damn even MGoBlogs own TVH got Sparty at 4.
October 10th, 2021 at 12:35 PM ^
I think that is a typo. When you click on the link, those picks do not match the name listed in the screenshot. Bill Connolly and Adam Rittenberg both have MSU at #4 which makes a lot more sense. If you asked me to guess an ESPN writer who would have MSU in there, it would be Adam Rittenberg.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:34 AM ^
MSU is undefeated, they get to play both us and Penn State at home, so it's not unreasonable to think they'll win both those games. So basically if you're slotting MSU in the playoff right now, the only real big leap you're taking is saying they're going to beat OSU. Unfortunately OSU seems to be sorting out its early season issues, so I don't know about that. But it's not crazy.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:39 AM ^
The idiot also had Iowa in the playoff. I'll give you 1,000,000 to one that both Iowa and MSU won't be undefeated after the game in Indy.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:47 AM ^
If Iowa keeps winning they will be. After they beat the #5 team, their remaining games look fairly easy until they may play OSU in the championship game.
October 10th, 2021 at 12:48 PM ^
Iowa’s offense looks…meh. Nebraska could ruin their season. Clifford doesn’t get knocked out of that game and it looks very different.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:48 AM ^
It's pretty common for some of the playoff teams to have one loss. So both he and TomVH and are penciling in Iowa and MSU to the B10 championship, and assuming no-one else will look impressive enough to knock a one-loss B10 team out of the playoffs.
If you do assume Iowa and MSU go undefeated through the regular season, they'll be ranked... what? Probably #2 and #3 in the country for that game?
October 10th, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
I just don't trust that 2 big ten teams would get in. I can see them putting in a 2 loss alabama, or if Bama beats Georgia in the SEC championship, then a 1-loss Georgia gets in over a 1-loss MSU/Iowa.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:57 AM ^
Sans chaos 2 loss Alabama isn't making it. But I can absolutely see Alabama winning out and Alabama and Georgia both in.
A lot of football to be played in the Big 10. I don't see any team other than OSU good enough to run the table in the East.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
I think it is actually rare for teams to be undefeated going into the playoffs.
October 10th, 2021 at 12:31 PM ^
Nope. Not counting last year, 9 out of 24 teams in the playoffs were undefeated (37.5%). Counting last year (Alabama played a nearly full schedule but Ohio State didn't), 11 out of 28 teams were undefeated (39.3%).
There has been exactly one year where no undefeated teams made it to the playoffs, and two years where three undefeated teams made it.
See here.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:49 AM ^
Exactly. Also, MSU had some explosive plays and doesn't that improve their numbers in his metrics. That must be why. They crapped the bed against NEB. Those explosive plays were not there. We will see how they do against PSU, OSU and M.
To me, OSU and to a smaller extent Iowa have a better chance than MSU, M or PSU. I hope the be wrong and would love for M to beat them all, but OSU seems to have figured it out.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
∞ to 1
But even with that, if both are undefeated, and have a very very close game in Indy, they both could be in. But I don't think State will be undefeated and make it to Indy. Their defense will do them in somewhere down the line.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
I'll wager a dollar. (Hey, I could become a millionaire!) Oh, wait. . .
October 10th, 2021 at 1:39 PM ^
They don't need to be undefeated. Look how Alabama and Georgia get into the playoff at the same time.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
MSU has to play OSU in Columbus. I'll take the Buckeyes in that one.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I'm not sure how MSU - UM will play out, but MSU is not beating OSU at the 'Shoe. Raback it. Isn't happening.
October 10th, 2021 at 1:04 PM ^
The 2015 season would like to have a word with you.
I don't think MSU will beat OSU in Columbus, but it's not any more outrageous than Texas A&M beating Alabama at home or Oregon beating OSU in Columbus.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:52 PM ^
Isn’t that the stadium that looks like a public restroom toilet seat?
October 10th, 2021 at 9:42 PM ^
Indeed!
October 10th, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
Cant wait to beat them
October 10th, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
Ha ha ha. Good one.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
State looks pretty damn good to me. Their OC is capable and crafty, they hit home runs every game (it seems), and have good qb/very good RB/great WRs.
They are a good offense that can hang with just about anyone, imo.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:55 AM ^
I think much like us it’s too soon to tell. They have no signature win to really hang their hat on, much like Michigan. Against that same Nebraska team they managed 13 points before OT (7 came on special teams). I am not saying they can’t or won’t beat us or win a lot of games but I think they are similar to Nebraska offensively actually in terms of threat level. Noteworthy but can be stopped.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
We beat NB away. And we line up better against MSU's offense than we did against NB.
I think the MSU game COULD prove UM's chance to really say its football team has arrived. In a way, both teams are traveling just a little underneath the radar.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:42 AM ^
They also smoked Rutgers.
MSU's offense lines up better with Michigan's defense, as they have a QB that can accurately throw it deep.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
They gave up 31 to WKU and needed a Nebraska fuck up on special teams to beat them. They aren't any better than we are.
October 10th, 2021 at 12:02 PM ^
I agree and I’m fairly ambivalent about it due to Mork being gone. Somehow Mel makes Sparty less detestable. I actually watch their highlights instead of reflexivity changing channel.
Nailor is Bama receiver good and Walker looks very good. Tucker said in his presser that his team just plays hard all the time.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
Tom VH seems like the more notable one there. Et tu Tom?
October 10th, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
So what? Maybe MSU will be favored when we play them?
October 10th, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
Oh I'd love that. Finally get an upset win vs Sparty! (before they all claim they shouldn't have been favored, like everyone said about WIsky being favored over us)
October 10th, 2021 at 10:39 AM ^
No. It will be Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma and either Iowa or OSU.
Georgia will win out, but lose to Bama in SEC championship, then they both get in.
OK will win out.
Cincinnati's only marquee win will look worse and worse as the season unfolds.
Cincinnati will not get in over a 1 loss OSU or Bama or Georgia.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:03 AM ^
Cinci will probably be ranked top 4 this week. Their non on schedule included Maryland, Indiana, and Notre Dame. If the assumption is they go undefeated, there is a zero percent chance they don’t get in
October 10th, 2021 at 10:45 AM ^
So Connelly is handing Georgia the national championship. Could you imagine Iowa, MSU and Cincinnati being the other three in when every year since the BCS it has been Georgia, Bama, OSU, Clemson or one substitution. Two B10 teams, neither named Ohio State and the only team from the state of Ohio is Cincinnati? He must be enjoying this dream.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:46 AM ^
FGS, MSU is playing some very good football right now and that scares me because we all know what MSU is capable of doing to a "still trying to iron out the issues" Michigan football team. I don't have an issue with this because it's only the 6th week of college football. We know these lists change quickly. Fretting over it is a bit pre mature and silly at this point in time, imo.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:46 AM ^
Good. Put Sparty on a pedestal. Make them the hunted not the hunters.
Right now, it’s anyone’s game. Penn State was well on their way to a 2+ score win over Iowa until Clifford got hurt. Oklahoma is nothing like the year’s past. Sure, Bama and Georgia will likely find their way it, but the last two spots are wide open.
October 10th, 2021 at 10:48 AM ^
What a doof
October 10th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
And TVH. Very respektful.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
That makes zero sense. Sparty is trash and will finish with 4 losses.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:03 AM ^
Seth told me straight up before the season that he’s not worried about MSU because they have no talent.
MGoBlog always tell us about the lack of MSU talent and the universe laughs.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
It's odd that a program with supposedly no talent has managed to beat us 50% of the time since 2001. The only conference program to do better than that against us is OSU.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:47 AM ^
Trying to convince Seth that any team besides OSU isn't trash is like trying to convince Brian that the sun is going to rise tomorrow.
October 10th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
After seeing his graphics and how he labels trouble spots and danger players. I’ve lost faith in him accurately assessing talent
October 10th, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
No Bama in any of these projections? They’ll run the table and get in along with GA. It’s sad, but likely. State and Iowa aren’t going unscathed. These are funny though.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:07 AM ^
So MSU is about to beat PSU, UM, OSU and then Iowa in BIG championship game? Bill C and the others should be placing major bets now because the odds of that happening are insane