AP M #8
https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings
I don't think Iowa belongs at #2. But they will probably be there all the way until the BIG10 Championship where they will lose to either Ohio St, Penn St (with a healthy Sean Clifford on a neutral field), or Michigan. I'm not going to list Michigan St. because they have a bad defense, now ranked #94. And they still have Michigan, Ohio St, and Penn St. I don't think that defense will hold Ohio Sts offense down. I think Blue and Penn St are going to beat them too.
A few of you are saying things to the effect that Nebraska will be giving Iowa a run for their money on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Nebraska is going to be road kill for Iowa. Adrian Martinez will have a nightmare game facing the Iowa defense that will be totally focused on him, as Nebraska has no real plan B on offense after him. Lots of Penn St players were injured facing Iowa. I don't imagine it will be any better for Adrian Martinez. And Martinez is susceptible to turnovers. Iowa's defense loves the turnover. They could be smelling blood in the water in that game.
But I could be wrong. Maybe Scott Foster will develop a good running game by then to help take the pressure of Martinez. Always look at the bright side I say.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:23 PM ^
I think we should be in front of PSU, but it won't matter since we'll get a head to head against them
October 10th, 2021 at 3:24 PM ^
Psu depends on Clifford health. Their backup qb was definitely a downgrade.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:29 PM ^
B1G - 5 teams in the top ten. Lol, and Cincy is a fraud, this year' s UCF / Houston.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:37 PM ^
Are you referring to the UCF team that beat Auburn and the Houston team that beat FSU?
October 10th, 2021 at 4:00 PM ^
Right. The automatic reflex of some "that non-AQ conference team is a fraud" is a bad reflex.
Those teams are 3-4 over the past 7 years, and only 1 of those losses was by double-digits. In the aggregate, they're only -4 in total points in the 7 games. They've generally be competitive and a good addition to the NYD6 Bowls.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
Yes I am. Fucking easy to get up for 1 or 2 games vs playing ina conference with a ton of quality teams.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:12 PM ^
Same old talking point.
Beat a Group-of-5 team, you say "ha! We proved they aren't at our level."
Lose to a Group-of-5 team, you say "well, we didn't care anyway. The game was meaningless to us, it was their Super Bowl!"
Heads you win, tails they lose.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina in the playoffs! Kidding, but they may play each other in a Bowl. That would be fun if both are undefeated.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^
Cincinnati can legitimately beat anyone in the country outside of Georgia.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:37 PM ^
Georgia isn't that good.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:06 PM ^
Bullshit!
Anyone can beat anyone on Saturday. That is not a real statement.
Indiana will end up 6-6. ND will lose at least 2 more games. They looked like crap against FSU and Wisconsin.
Cincy would be Nebraska or Ms St level in a real conference. They would have been exposed as frauds by now like BC or NC if they played in even the ACC.
I would take anyone in the top 10 right now by 7 over Cincy. At Cincy.
October 10th, 2021 at 6:04 PM ^
Username checks out.
Cincinnati reminds me of Nebraska with a better QB and competence to not choke away close games. They're talented and dangerous, but not complete enough to be elite to me.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:23 AM ^
The question isn’t necessarily if they’re elite. It’s if, at the end of the year, their resume matches or exceeds some other teams.
Cincinnati is probably the closest analogue to a more successful version of 2016 Houston, where they had the schedule strength, including marquee games and a reasonably good starting position. They’re better than that team. But it also strikes me as TCU/Baylor situation for them, where something will happen the last week to hold them out.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:31 PM ^
PSU should absolutely be above osu. Better win, better loss, same record.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
As much voters say they only take this season into consideration, they obviously take team's previous reputation into consideration.
OSU and Bama are going to always be at the top their record group, no matter what.
October 11th, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
This is a good way to phrase it, and despite everyone hating the elite schools I think I agree with it. There's so much noise in CFB successful coaches and programs should count for something. Past results won't predict future performance, but it's not nothing either.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:45 PM ^
PSU and osu have to play each other. I don't who is the home team but we'll all find out soon enough. These polls are only a snapshot of where things are at the moment.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:17 PM ^
PSU is at OSU this year.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:42 PM ^
Alabama loses to an unranked team and moves down 4 spots. I think everyone realizes how talented they are, but the rankings they get based on talent and past seasons is absurd.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
What teams do you think are better than Alabama and deserved to be ranked higher than them?
October 10th, 2021 at 5:18 PM ^
Alabama's defense is bad this year. Really.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:44 PM ^
You're kind of argument kind of suggests Alabama gets one mulligan, it's the second loss that's gonna cost them.
October 10th, 2021 at 6:28 PM ^
They most likely wont lose again, they dont currently play another ranked team for the rest of the year. Only thing is Auburn gives them trouble when it's at Auburn.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
Hey how are you doing?
Feeling better about life?
I'm seriously asking
October 10th, 2021 at 5:44 PM ^
I’m not doing great. It took me three days to figure out the “overtaking ass” thread. It wasn’t until I read Seths action sticky that I figured it out. I feel old.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:54 PM ^
When I'm feeling down I just remember that Michigan is 6-0 and instantly I feel better
October 10th, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
Iowa still has @Wisconsin and @Nebraska. They might be favored in both but I'm not quite assuming victories there
October 10th, 2021 at 4:33 PM ^
I think Nebraska will get Iowa. Iowas offense is so bad and I think the Fighting Frostys will get their big win there
October 10th, 2021 at 4:42 PM ^
Nebraska looks to be a real spoiler in that B1G West race, agreed. I wouldn't rule out Wisconsin (beating Iowa) now that they are showing a pulse again, being another spoiler.
October 10th, 2021 at 6:45 PM ^
Haha now Nebraska will be a spoiler after Michigan barely beat them. Just like Rutgers was a good team...
October 10th, 2021 at 4:41 PM ^
Graham Mertz is the QB for Wisconsin.
October 10th, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
I don't think Cincinnati could beat the 7 teams behind them in the top ten, nor do I think Iowa or Oklahoma could prevail against, for example, Ohio State. Big 12 scores are fool's gold.
These polls are interesting and fun, but they seem mainly, "Oh you think that? I guess I think that, too," among the poll voters.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:11 PM ^
The Florida fans must be really pissed that Kentucky is good and they aren’t!
October 10th, 2021 at 4:15 PM ^
I have no predictions for what will happen when we play MSU or PSU, but we are going to beat OSU this season.
The field will be rushed and it will be glorious.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:40 PM ^
I said at the start of the year we were going 10-2 with a win over osu.
I now think we're going 11-1 with a win over osu.
Fuck Ohio, Go Blue
October 10th, 2021 at 7:08 PM ^
If your prediction comes true, we will be Indy bound. Go Blue!
October 10th, 2021 at 10:06 PM ^
Unless Staee runs the table, ouch!
October 12th, 2021 at 2:50 PM ^
That would be our luck. The first time in almost a decade that we beat Ohio State, Sparty runs the table. This could quite possibly be the worst scenario. Probably even worse than beating Ohio State but them still going to Indy.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:41 PM ^
From your lips to God’s ears or whatever
October 10th, 2021 at 7:25 PM ^
Whatever happens the rest of the season, as long as we beat OSU here, I'll be overjoyed. I'll be there and will relish seeing us celebrate a huge win after all these dark years.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:21 PM ^
The gap between 8 Michigan and 6 Ohio State is extremely small in this poll. No where on the poll are three teams within 20 points of each other except for Ohio St, Penn St, and Michigan. The only other spot where two teams are within 20 points of each other is at 18 Arizona St and 19 BYU.
October 10th, 2021 at 4:39 PM ^
U-M up one spot is good enough. Our guys will go head to head against MSU. In one month have to face Penn State and lastly-THE Game to end the regular season. Just win, baby!
Iowa has to play a hungry and dangerous Nebraska team and have a risk of losing to Wisc, so they face hurdles. Penn Sate also has to play the Buckeyes, MSU and our guys. All of this is far from settled. Can't say anyone of these mentioned teams is sitting in the cat bird seat.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:21 PM ^
If you Uof〽️ wins out, we will be in the playoffs. Rankings at this point mean nothing.
Win the game.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:38 PM ^
Don't care who is ranked where, instead for the next two weeks, I'm going to be happy that Michigan is bowl eligible and Ohio State is not.
October 10th, 2021 at 5:50 PM ^
Iowa has beaten nobody ... yes Penn State, but w/o Clifford PSU is going to lose every game against a quality opponent. They are likely the worst #2 team ever. They wouldn't be favored vs ohio or Alabama no matter where that game was played.
Michigan continues to improve ... winning on the road is huge for this team !!! I'm fine with Michigan being in the top 15.
Go Blue!
October 10th, 2021 at 6:28 PM ^
Iowa just beat penn state. What else do you want? I know it’s Iowa and some people don’t give them credit but they always play sound football and beat teams like penn state, Ohio state, and Michigan. This year they beat a highly rated Iowa state and a penn state team that beat auburn. Yeah #2 is high for their talent recruiting wise but based on winning that’s where they should be
October 10th, 2021 at 6:54 PM ^
Iowa... I don't see it
October 10th, 2021 at 7:35 PM ^
Scott Foster
October 10th, 2021 at 8:48 PM ^
James Kratch of the Newark Star-Ledger and NJ.com, hello.
October 10th, 2021 at 9:09 PM ^
Also, Dylan Sinn of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Nate Mink of Syracuse Media Group, and Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury-News, “What’s your deal?”