Do we REEEEALLY want to go to INDY? EDIT: Hell yes.

yes.

Yeah, it'd be easier but what's the point of playing football if you're not playing to be the best?

I didn't know they had computer's in Bama, Nick Saban has really changed the culture down there. And Yes I want us to go to the BTCG. And I want us to win. 

Yes. If we get to the B1G championship we will have won out, and MSU would have been beaten by a bad team. I'd rather go to the championship game, lose it, and play a lesser team in a bowl game than not do well enough to get there and play some world-beater in the bowl game.

seriously??? why would we not want a shot to win the big10? going to a bcs bowl is great and all, but winning the big10 is more important. by far. the only bcs bowl that truly matters in the n.c. game, and we're not getting there this year. i'll take my shot in the big10 title game over a bcs game. not even a question.

Yep, shore do.

I don't want to go to Indy, however, if that is where the Big 10 Championship game is, then yes, I guess I have to want to go to Indy.

Logic like this angers me.

We play to win the Big Ten championship, every year.

Besides, how fitting would it be that Michigan makes the inagural BTCG?

Are you really asking a group of hardcore fans if they want to win championships?

It's the first B1G Championship game...somehow, some way...Michigan needs to be playing OSU in it.

We win out. They back their way in it after a loss to us...we win again and go to the Rose Bowl. The Spirit of Coach Schembechler approves.

already has 2 losses. Only one in conference so far.

We ALWAYS want to go to the B10 Championship Game. 

I know that the past three years have been tough on our collective psyche, but another game is not another chance to LOSE, it is another chance to WIN, and improve our National Ranking.  Hell, if we are 12-1, ending the season with a win against a top 10 Nebraska team, a curb stomping of OSU and a win in the B10 Championship Game against a then-highly ranked PSU, if enough chips fall our way (and yes, it would require a bunch of teams to lose a game), we could find ourselves in the talk for the NC.  Not saying we would go to the NC game, but to even be in the discussion would be great for our recruiting efforts. 

Personally I'm more worried about the bowl.  If other teams keep losing and we keep feasting on this fairly soft B1G schedule we could end up in a bowl we don't belong in.  For example facing the pissed off loser of LSU-Bama.  I worry that such a bowl game would go extremely poorly for us and perhaps cause some of our recruits to worry.

As a fan, I would like to watch as much Michigan football. For the team, I eant the seniors to get a shot at a big ten championship. For next year, more game experience and more practice dan only help.

the rest of it is secondary to winning that game.

Any other questions?

Yes a million times! I'll trade 2 BCS bowls for a Big Ten Championship win.

I always rank winning the Big Ten as the #1 goal for the team (#1 goal, different from realistic expectation), especially because you can't control outside your conference, especially because this is the first Championship Game, especially in Brady's first year, especially if MSU is the alternative, especially because if we win out and MSU loses once and we don't win the title, 11-2 Michigan still probably goes to a BCS bowl unless we got killed.

Yes, win out and pray MSU loses to Minnesota.

and go to Rose Bowl = SUCCESS.  Anything else is unacceptable.  I dont want to be Runner-up in the Western Division and get a decent bowl.   Its all or nothing for me.

Let the bowls fall where they may, I'd be THRILLED to win a Big10 Championship this year.

Ok, that's an insulting subject line. But of course we want to go to the championship. I don't want Michigan to duck anyone. I want Michigan to play at such a high level that they are ready and willing to play anyone, on any field, at any time. In fact, I don't care if we get creamed by Alabama next year, I'm glad we're playing them.

And further, I would gladly see Michigan play a home and home vs. LSU, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, Clemson, Auburn, Texas, A&M, Arkansas, etc. You only know if you're really good if you test yourself against the best. If you only play snacky cakes (exhibit A:  Wisconsin,) you are exposed when you play against real competition. This was the problem with Ohio. They ended up with a winning record, won the B1G, but then were exposed against solid SEC teams. I would rather NOT play in a BCS bowl than to get there cheaply, and be exposed as a pretender who doesn't belong.

So, to answer your question, I definitely want Michigan to go to the inaugural B1G championship game. If Michigan is good enough to win, they are good enough to belong in a BCS Bowl game. If they aren't, I'd hate for them to get to the BCS game and be embarassed because of a dismal performance and inability to defend against (and score against) a real offense and real defense.

In all reality the bowls don't mean anything. Are they fun to win? sure, do they count towards historical record? yes...but so does a game against Eastern. B1G Championship matters...what bowl we play in (or how we do), not so much. 

In related news, has anyone received their Big 10 Championship Game tickets yet?  Bought them in July but I'm still waiting.

And it looks very winnable, I think you came to the right conclusion.

However I don't think we're running the table, so I think all this tie-breaker what-if talk is a lot of worry for nothing.  We're better. We're not great...yet.

BTCG? Nah. Can't use it, don't want it, couldn't afford it if I did. I don't want my favorite team to win games. Winning and enjoying the spoils is totally stupid. I hate spoils.

If Michigan runs the table and loses in the BTC, they still have a better than 50-50 shot of landing in a BCS bowl. It would be hard for a BCS bowl to pass on a 11-2 Michigan team featuring the most exciting college football player in America.

I'd love to see us go to the championship game. I just don't see it happening this year. Next year, yes.

Yes. This is Michigan fergodsakes!

Because even losing in the B1G championship game means we're the 2nd best team in the conference this year, results-wise. But I would never trade a chance at a Big Ten championship for a CHANCE (not a guarantee) at a BCS at-large. Besides, given the Big Ten is incredibly weak this year, what makes you think they'll take Michigan in an at-large spot? 

You play to win the game. I don't care who M plays...it is always an forever in M's best interests to beat their next opponent. If the alternative scenario pans out fine...but given a choice I would always take the chance at a Big ten Chempionship over a chance at a not-so-guaranteed at-large BCS bid.

But who cares about this anyway? Let's beat Iowa first.

<Insert cart-horse pic here>

Part of the problem with the silly way the Big Ten decides who goes to the championship game is this sort of thing is going to happen with regularity. In ten years of this, I expect at least half of the time there will be a higher ranked team left out.

I would rather win a Big Ten Championship and go to the Rose Bowl every year. Realpolitik though says why bother? If Michigan wins out and MSU wins out, MSU goes to Indianapolis. If they lose there to Penn State, MSU is 10-3 for the season, versus our hypothetical 11-1 Wolverines. It's unfair but the team that loses its conference championship always gets dropped in the public eye versus the team that's been winning.

Anyway, if Michigan gets into the Big Ten Championship game, it means MSU has lost one of its four remaining games, which the hardest is Iowa.

We're getting way way way ahead of ourselves. Michigan has yet to face four of the five hardest on our schedule. This year is about beating Ohio State. All else is gravy.

How about we wait to talk about Indy until we actually beat a B1G team that isn't in the bottom half of the conference?

If there were a compelling reason to go to Indianapolis, a BTCG with Michigan involved would definitely qualify. You would see me telling my boss that week that I planned to be very ill on the Friday before the game. Fortunately, he's very understanding regarding the schedule, which I always copy him on in August.