BCS Rankings, Big 10, & Michigan
There is another post about BCS rankings & the Big 12. This post doesn't care about the Big 12, but is about the Big 10 and Michigan.
The current rankings have four teams bunched together, and one not far behind, all at 8 - 2:
- 15 Michigan State
- 16 Nebraska
- 17 Wisconsin
- 18 Michigan
- 21 Penn State
I'm not going to go into all the permutations, but in a common sense way, whoever wins out will be in a BCS Bowl. However, that's not what will happen. Michigan State will win it's next two games, and play in the inaugural championship game. Wisconsin, if it beats Penn State, will also go. Penn State, if it beats Wisconsin, will go. I can't even begin to predict who will win the game in Indy.
Back to Michigan: I like our chances to win our next two games, not go to the championship game, and end up with a decent bowl. I'm wondering if we beat Nebraska and Ohio, if we might sneak in as a 2nd Big 10 team going to a BCS bowl. Or would the loser of the championship game in Indy still be ranked ahead of us?
Well, its just speculation. I like Hoke's attitude: focus on the games on the field, and the rest will sort itself out.
November 14th, 2011 at 10:54 AM ^
to Northwestern (and probably still go to Indy).
November 14th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
go back to the way we felt 365 days ago. It's awesome that we are even discussing this.
Go blue
November 14th, 2011 at 11:01 AM ^
Rittenberg seems to be under impression that If Nebraska or Michigan wins out, they're the clear B1G frontrunners for an at-large bid...
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/38788/b1g-turns-focus-to-at-large-bcs-berth
November 14th, 2011 at 11:01 AM ^
All my brain can process now is the Nebraska game. I can't think bowl games until the season is over. I am a victim of long term brainwashing to only concentrate on the next game and let the rest of the stuff play out.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:01 AM ^
just hoping whatever happens we don't get Michigan Vs Houston...that would be a no win senerio for us.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
Not really. We should probably beat Houston, and if we do, we win a BCS bowl. Sounds good to me. I guess people might say that we had an easy bowl, but who cares if we win?
November 14th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
From ESPN BCS guru Brad Edwards
Boise State's loss to TCU ensures that a non-BCS conference school will not be chosen here, meaning that after the Cardinal the only real possibility is a two-loss Big Ten team that doesn't make the Rose Bowl. That's why Wisconsin is no longer an option (it's Roses or bust for the Badgers), and Michigan and Nebraska are. I think the Wolverines will win when the two teams face off this weekend, and if they do and then beat Ohio State the following week, a BCS bid is a realistic possibility
November 14th, 2011 at 11:24 AM ^
This is copied from the BCS's website:
3. The champion of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, or the Western Athletic Conference will earn an automatic berth in a BCS bowl game if either:
A. Such team is ranked in the top 12 of the final BCS Standings, or,
B. Such team is ranked in the top 16 of the final BCS Standings and its ranking in the final BCS Standings is higher than that of a champion of a conference that has an annual automatic berth in one of the BCS bowls.
No more than one such team from Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference shall earn an automatic berth in any year. (Note: a second team may be eligible for at-large eligibility as noted below.) If two or more teams from those conferences satisfy the provisions for an automatic berth, then the team with the highest finish in the final BCS Standings will receive the automatic berth, and the remaining team or teams will be considered for at-large selection if it meets the criteria.
Houston fits criteria A. On the off chance they slip a few spots and aren't in the Top 12, they'll probably still meet B, because they'll be ranked higher than the Big East champ (no Big East teams are ranked in the Top 25 of the BCS).
November 14th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^
He's simply saying that the Fiesta isn't likely to choose a non-Boise State team from one of the other conferences. Not that Houston won't get to a bowl if they win out.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^
That makes sense.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
There's almost no chance UM would play either Houston or the Big East Champ in a BCS bowl game.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:25 AM ^
Gives us how many extra weeks of practice 5? In that case I'm sure we can put up a fight with anyone outside of lsu Oregon and bama. Denard if hurt will be healthy, and the coaching staff will be able to fix his mechanics. If there favoring a qb change they'll be able to work on Gardner and switch shoelace to a wr/runningback. Not to mention mattison gets a long time to fane plan against the other team?? If we go bcs we have a hell of a chance to win. But first and foremost BEAT NEBRASKA
November 14th, 2011 at 11:46 AM ^
If we win out, we may very well jum Michigan State in the standings. However, we'll need A LOT of help to maket he championship game.
But, we could make a case for a BCS Bowl perhaps? A 10-2 Big Ten team any year other than this once would almost certainly get into the BCS.
November 14th, 2011 at 1:22 PM ^
we're in the championship game. Fat chance of that with Indiana on their schedule, though.
If we beat Nebraska and lose the other game, and msu loses out and Nebraska beats Iowa to create a 3 way tie, then:
a) our records against each other are all 1-1
b) our records in the division are all 3-2
c) and it would come down to comparing each team's records against the #4, 5 and 6 teams - Michigan wins if Northwestern is #4, or Michigan is out of the tiebreaker if Iowa is #4 (making it then a head to head and Nebraska wins over msu)
Mathlete could give the odds of these scenarios, but they're probably very very small.
November 14th, 2011 at 1:59 PM ^
Many at MSU think if we get to the Campionship game and lose, we get the Outback. 1) We've had the Cap One Bowl and both parties would want something different 2) three loses will not get a BCS game. 3) Many MSU people like the Outback Bowl, stadium, area, ect.
PS. It would not break my hear to see UM curbstomp Nebraska--another welcome to the B1G, sorry you built a place for the trophy, game. Good luck.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
that they have either won or lost all of their games pretty decisively except for the last 2 weeks ( a 3 pt loss to Northwestern, and a 3 pt win at Penn State with emotions overload).
Michigan and Nebraska are two evenly matched teams in an horrific Big10 this year.
I don't know man. Nebraska's OL is pretty good with Burkhead at 1K already.
November 14th, 2011 at 7:47 PM ^
I don't mind if they eventually win their share of games and titles in the Big 10, but they would be insufferable to come into the Big 10 and dominate in year one. Their losses are a good thing for the Big 10, especially this year.