AP Poll
Penn State doesn't belong at 7 at all.
AP Top 25
1. Alabama (30) 6-0
2. LSU (12) 6-0
3. Clemson (11) 6-0
4. Ohio St. (9) 6-0
5. Oklahoma 6-0
6. Wisconsin 6-0
7. Penn St. 6-0
8. Notre Dame 5-1
9. Florida 6-1
10. Georgia 5-1
11. Auburn 5-1
12. Oregon 5-1
13. Utah 5-1
14. Boise St. 6-0
15. Texas 4-2
16. Michigan 5-1
17. Arizona St. 5-1
18. Baylor 6-0
19. SMU 6-0
20. Minnesota 6-0
21. Cincinnati 5-1
22. Missouri 5-1
23. Iowa 4-2
24. Appalachian St. 5-0
25. Washington 5-2
October 13th, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
At least it will make the loss to Penn State a tad more impressive.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
Watched the game on DVR and to my horror Illinois came roaring back...good teams wouldn't let Illinois even breathe...more fumbleitis, uneven play, some bad tackling plus a missed FG. We don't look like a very good team and I can't understand it.
Afraid we're gonna be badly embarrassed at Unhappy Valley...on National TV and of course in Prime Time. I've lost faith in our coaches and find JH post game comments to be lipstick on a pig.
October 13th, 2019 at 4:13 PM ^
What if I told your we were 4.5 point favorites next week?
October 13th, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^
I would put my house deed on a Michigan win bet of course
October 13th, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^
That would make a good 30 for 30 episode.
October 13th, 2019 at 5:23 PM ^
I would tell you to jump on PSU immediately because I see PSU -8.0 on ESPN right now.
October 13th, 2019 at 5:24 PM ^
What line are you looking at? All I see is Penn state is -8
October 13th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
I saw that too, but I think it was an app glitch.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
Who cares? When we win the game, it will look even better.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
Yes, we have an opportunity to take care of #7 and #8 on our own. No complaining, no tears. Going to be an exciting 6 weeks of football.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:50 PM ^
Don't forget #4.
October 13th, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^
OSU at #4 is major disrespekt
October 13th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
Osu has to actually play someone to be disrespected.
October 13th, 2019 at 7:16 PM ^
Who exactly have Clemson and Alabama played that moves the needle more for you than OSU?
Cincinnati and MSU are both comparable to any team either of the before have beaten.
October 14th, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^
ah yes more blind ignorance from our fan base, you do realize by saying this slight in fact downplays our schedule and chance at getting anywhere right? I mean I love watching them lose but your comment is so stupid that it will in effect neg us. let me guess though when WE play MSU it's a real game right? forget the fact that they have played 4 defenses that are ranked fairly high. I have zero love for them but our immature way of trying to act like they have played nobody is fucking laughable and just supports every person who says we are a delusional fan base. If we can't recognize that having a strong ohio team IN EFFECTS boosts our image when we play and hopefully beat them. Quit saying stupid shit like this
October 13th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
Clemson being top 5 is all about past history and 0 to do with what they have done on the field this season!
October 13th, 2019 at 3:09 PM ^
Yep, I agree. IMO Wisconsin would beat Clemson by 2+ scores this season.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:22 PM ^
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
October 13th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
Clemson doesn't have a single ranked team on their schedule this season.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
Their schedule is an absolute joke and their current ranking is completely subjective. However, there isn’t a chance in hell they would lose to Wisconsin by 2+ scores. There is a huge speed disparity between these teams and Wisconsin isn’t just going to push Clemson around on both sides of the LOS like they did against some of their other opponents.
October 13th, 2019 at 4:11 PM ^
Clemson has the Jimmie's and Joe's on the D-line to keep Taylor contained. You won't stop that running game, but Clemson can at least keep him from rolling to 250 yards.
Clemson's D-line will also make Coan look like the average QB he is if you ever get pressure on him, not to mention that they are incredibly well coached and run multiple defensive coverage schemes (man, zone, blitz packages) and have the athletes to befuddle UW's QB.
The "disciplined" UW defense will get picked apart by a legit NFL QB throwing to legit NFL receivers, not to mention their explosive backs.
Sorry, but as well as UW has played all year, the talent and speed disparity between Clemson and UW would show up on the field 9 out of 10 games.
Clemson isn't UM...they actually coach up their superior talent and scheme game plans specific to opponents.
October 13th, 2019 at 7:49 PM ^
Do they, now...like they did against a UNC team who lost to App St? That kind of “coaching them up?” Your argument is just as baseless as his. The truth is, nobody has a damn clue what would happen if the two teams played. Jesus, all you internet experts are tough to stomach
October 13th, 2019 at 11:32 PM ^
Clemson is the national champ until somebody can beat them...Wisconsin probably won’t even win the B1G.
October 13th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
It sounds like you haven't actually watched Clemson play this season.
October 13th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
Double post. Mea culpa.
October 13th, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^
It’s clear that Notre Dame knew what they were doing when semi joining the ACC.
October 13th, 2019 at 5:04 PM ^
The thing about Clemson, though, is that in past years they also have played nobody during the regular season, then have destroyed teams like OSU in the playoffs. So I wouldn't be so quick to write off little old Clemson just yet.
October 13th, 2019 at 8:45 PM ^
I agree; that's the tricky part. They spanked us (OSU) to Saskatoon and back, and I thought we stacked up pretty well against them. I've heard them compared to OSU's team after the NC: we were loaded with talent; it was assumed that we would make it back to the CFP. But we just didn't look right, even though we were winning. Clemson doesn't look as powerful as they did last year, but they're certainly not losing (despite their best efforts at UNC). I wonder what happens if Oklahoma, OSU, Clemson, and Notre Dame all go undefeated, while Georgia defeats Bama in the SEC championship game. Would they take 2 SEC teams and leave out 2 undefeateds? And if so, which ones would it be? Or was UGA's loss at home to an unranked South Carolina be too bad of a loss to overlook? OTOH, it's hard to imagine them leaving out the SEC champion.
October 13th, 2019 at 11:38 PM ^
Exactly. They didn’t really play anybody last year until ND.
October 13th, 2019 at 6:13 PM ^
Who the hell has Wisconsin beaten? Us? Sparty? Lol
October 13th, 2019 at 8:52 PM ^
The interesting stretch of the BIG starts next Saturday. It's tough to neg Wisconsin for not having beaten first-rate teams when they haven't hit that part of their schedule yet. Dominos will start tumbling for real this Saturday.
October 14th, 2019 at 6:58 AM ^
Clemson will likely end the year playing ZERO ranked teams. Wake maybe but that's it. The ACC is a shit show
October 13th, 2019 at 2:52 PM ^
Michigan just opened as an 8 point underdog at Penn State. Total of 47.5. Harbaugh 0-7 as an underdog.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:54 PM ^
That’s even larger than 2017 isn’t it? That PSU team was way better.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:56 PM ^
The closing line (per my spreadsheets) in 2017 was PSU -7.5.
So if 8 is the true number, it's basically the same (presuming no movement over the next 5 days).
October 13th, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
I think we’ll see a little movement likely in Michigan’s direction. I have this pegged at Penn State -6.5
October 13th, 2019 at 5:05 PM ^
I would take PSU -6.5 for a lot of money. This has 35/42-14 written all over it.
Prove everyone wrong Harbaugh. Damnit.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:53 PM ^
That is a wacky spread. Based on common recent opponent Iowa - this game is 50/50 at a neutral site. Maybe a white out on Game Day brings out the chicken bone to choke on, but if we play a good game this is a pick’em type tilt.
October 13th, 2019 at 4:15 PM ^
I agree with Buddha above that it will come down a notch or two. Down to say 6.5.
But I don't think it's anything from 6 to 8 is wacky at all.
(1) The newest SP+ numbers, for what they are worth, has PSU favored by 5.5 on a neutral field.
(2) Just doing some very unsophisticated math (but the sort of stuff some bettors will do). If HFA is 3 points: U-M's 7-point win over Iowa is 4 on a neutral field. PSU's 5-point win is 8 on a neutral field. That math suggests, adding HFA back in for Saturday, PSU -7 over U-M.
October 13th, 2019 at 7:47 PM ^
The whole "if we play a good game" caveat is the reason this spread is 8 points.
October 13th, 2019 at 9:15 PM ^
Based on Iowa results, this game should be 50/50 on a neutral site? We beat iowa by 7 at home (adjust to 4 at a neutral site) PSU by Iowa by 5 away (adjust to 8 at a neutral site). So based on Iowa only PSU should be -4 on a neutral site or -7 at home. Ie, about right.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:54 PM ^
Well, I guess there's always a first time for everything
October 13th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
0-7? Well, he’s just hitting his stride.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:53 PM ^
A 9-3/8-4 Iowa is looking like Harbaughs best W of the season given how the team looks atm.
Miracle in Happy Valley does have a ring to it tho.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:53 PM ^
On what basis are they not no. 7?Only a couple of teams in the top 10 have played a team with a pulse and won at this point. If we're basing rankings on performance to date, Penn State could arguably be top 5. Beating iowa at kinnick is no joke. Neither Bama, Clemson, nor Ohio State have played a good football team yet, and Clemson almost lost to UNC at home.
October 13th, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^
I know playing at home vs away is a difference. But it’s weird how people are calling PSUs win over Iowa a big win while also putting down Michigan’s victory over Iowa. Just doesn’t make sense.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:31 PM ^
PSU win at Iowa is definitely better than our narrow win at home.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:57 PM ^
Wait, which is narrower ... 17-12 or 10-3 ? In the kids’ new math subtraction is still a thing - correct?
October 13th, 2019 at 4:36 PM ^
I think it is more a feeling than a math computation, but for sake of argument, see NittanyFan's conclusion above on how Michigan's win at home seems more narrow...subtract the 3 pts for Home Field Advantage, and Michigan is more a 4 on neutral site vs. Iowa.
And remove Iowa's 3 pt Home Field Advantage vs. Penn State, and Penn State would have won by 8.
October 13th, 2019 at 7:37 PM ^
It's been like this since Harbaugh has been here... a lot of fans are dormant until Michigan loses to an Iowa or Wisconsin but when they beat them its not a good win anymore. This whole mantra of Harbaugh hasnt won big games is just stupid. Yes, they have crapped the bed several times but they've also played in some really competitive games that really could've swung Michigan's way with a play/call or two. Its just like the media, Big 12 has a 70-68 shootout it's great offense or the SEC has a 7-6 games its titan defense. Bigten does it, it's old school antiquated football with slow, lumbering players from the Midwest.