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

Submitted by sheepdog on

Thanks for the great explanation from MVictors for clearly explaining the Big Ten rules for tie-breakers and how Michigan can get to the Big Ten title game.  But while everyone is so focused on getting to Indy, I thought of something else.  As crazy as it sounds, is going to Indy the most profitable thing for Michigan? Obviously, we would have the chance to be the conference champion and play in the Rose Bowl – I get that.

(   )o(   ) <--- big but, if we win out and MSU wins out, we would still have a great national ranking and still play in a BCS bowl.  If Michigan wins out (and so does MSU), they will be 11-1, easily be a top 10 team and could take one of the at-large bids.  If MSU loses, Michigan would go to the championship game, where they would have to face the Leaders division champ – not going to try to guess who that is, I only see it has one more (good) opportunity to lose.

So, if we win out (and MSU goes to Indy)= 11-1, BCS at-large

Win Big ten Champ= 12-1, Rose Bowl

Lose Big Ten Champ= 11-2, Capital One-ish bowl.

 

I only bring it up to gage the MGoCommunity on whether they would rather not go to the BTCG (under these circumstances) at all and get an at large bid, or go to the BTCG, risk losing and go to a Capital One-ish bowl.

Personally – I would like to see us go to the BTCG, I just reeeeeally don’t want to lose if we go!

Discuss…

EDIT - OK OK OK...Obviously we want to play and win the BTCG, I was only trying to solicit response from a scenario that has not been brought up. 

BRCE

October 31st, 2011 at 1:17 PM ^

Yes, we really do.

Hoke: "We play to win the championship."

Has a nicer ring to it than "We play to put ourselves in a position where, with our recognizable brand name and solid travel record, we can take advantage of a system to get invited to a game and get a lot of money from great corporations like Tositos, Discover and Allstate."

 

Darker Blue

October 31st, 2011 at 1:15 PM ^

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. 

sheepdog

October 31st, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^

Alabama has a storied program.  They have won 13 NCs and are a perennial juggernaut. 

But, I graduated from Alabama in 2004 and went through one of the darkest periods of Alabama football in their history.  During that time, they fired (scandalous) MikeDuBose, hired Mike Price (for about an hour), fired Mike Price, hired Mike (vanilla) Shula, and then finally hired Saban in 2007.

As we all know - Michigan went through a dark time the last few years - but they will return, just as Alabama did.  Michigan is every bit as storied as UA.

BlockM

October 31st, 2011 at 1:16 PM ^

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.

andrewG

October 31st, 2011 at 1:17 PM ^

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.

jtmc33

October 31st, 2011 at 1:17 PM ^

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.

 

Mr. Yost

October 31st, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^

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.

michgoblue

October 31st, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^

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. 

sheepdog

October 31st, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^

But we would have to win CONVINCINGLY in all our big games and then get some help from Oregon, since they only lost to LSU, and one of the chips that will have to fall is them beating Stanford.  Oregon would go way before us if we are both one loss teams.

CRex

October 31st, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^

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.

blue in dc

October 31st, 2011 at 1:25 PM ^

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.

Hardware Sushi

October 31st, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^

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.

lexus larry

October 31st, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^

Because I already ordered tickets.

For seats similar to those I buy at the Big House.

For less than I pay for any game at the Big House.

Someone like Dave Brandon or his CMO (Chief Marketing Overlord Officer) needs to explain that to me...how seeing a game with the "two best teams in the B1G," costs less than a Michigan game against a tomato can (or the Fightin' John Waynes).

Please, I'm not interested in seeing MSU play PSU or OSU in Indy...I'm interested in seeing U-M play!

MGoSoftball

October 31st, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^

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.

StephenRKass

October 31st, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^

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.

lunchboxthegoat

October 31st, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^

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. 

M-Wolverine

October 31st, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^

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.

mgobleu

October 31st, 2011 at 1:50 PM ^

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.

BJNavarre

October 31st, 2011 at 1:57 PM ^

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.

WolvinLA2

October 31st, 2011 at 3:27 PM ^

I thought this same thing. It depends on what happens with Boise or the PAC 12, but an 11-2 Michigan team with wins over Nebraska, ND and OSU and losses to MSU and Rose Bowl bound PSU or Wisconsin would make a strong case for BCS at large.

Either way, I'd pick playing in the BTCG and the Cap One over the Fiesta Bowl alone.

CompleteLunacy

October 31st, 2011 at 2:56 PM ^

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>

Seth

October 31st, 2011 at 3:34 PM ^

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.

LSAClassOf2000

October 31st, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^

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.