If Michigan went to the Rose Bowl, would it be “meaningless”.

Submitted by northernmich on November 18th, 2019 at 4:40 PM

My opinion: all NY6 bowl games have meaning. They are marquee games against good opponents that are nationally relevant. A Rose Bowl win, however, is just a touch higher than the rest at least to me. The history and attachment it has to the Michigan program is special, 11-2 with a win over ND, MSU, OSU and W in the Rose Bowl has got to be the best season since 97. 
 

I do see the other side, no East division title, no Big Ten championship, no CFP. I even had that same attitude, this was a wasted season. But would an 11 win season with a Rose Bowl win suffice to you?

UMFanatic96

November 18th, 2019 at 4:42 PM ^

If Michigan finishes 10-2 and beats OSU to get to the Rose Bowl, that's absolutely one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. 

At this point, I think you would have to consider the season a success even if they lose to Indiana but still beat OSU. Beating OSU is goal #1 right now.

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Alton

November 19th, 2019 at 8:26 AM ^

The NY6, including the Rose Bowl, must pick by the Playoff Committee rankings.

So...assuming Ohio State loses to Michigan but finishes 12-1 and finishes in the top 4, the Rose Bowl is obligated to pick the highest Big Ten team in the CFP Rankings.  That might be 10-2 Michigan and it might be 10-2 Penn State, but is very unlikely to be 11-2 Minnesota and will certainly not be 10-3 Wisconsin.

 

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lostwages

November 18th, 2019 at 4:42 PM ^

OSU is a 'season' in of itself...pregame being preseason, and every quarter being a battle. I really don't give a shit what happens after that, I'll take my OSU win and run with it.

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Jonesy

November 18th, 2019 at 4:43 PM ^

Rose Bowl is never meaningless. Rose Bowl is where we go to die against a pac-12 team so we should be happy about it? Conflicted feelings. If we beat OSU it's a great season, if we beat indiana and any bowl opponent but lose to OSU as expected it's still a good season.

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crg

November 18th, 2019 at 4:45 PM ^

NY6 is a meaningless term that was only coined when the CFP started and ESPN wanted their "new college bowl game paradigm" that gave us games on New Year's eve.

The Rose Bowl is good for the tradition, but otherwise a de facto home game for the PAC.  All other bowls themselves mean the same to me, which isn't much - but the games played within their bowls still matter as much as any other non-conference games.

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MichAtl85

November 18th, 2019 at 4:46 PM ^

No it would not be meaningless.

It would be positive for the future. It would mean we would have fielded an offense that can keep up with OSU and a defense that can run man and zone. We'd end on a high note and the future would look brighter than the 2016 season. In fact it'd be an inverse of that season. We'd start off rough (Army, Wisconsin) and would have ended strong with wins over ND, MSU, OSU. Instead of starting off really strong and then losing the last 3 games like we did in 2016.

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MGoClimb

November 18th, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^

Michigan almost certainly has to beat Ohio State in order to make the Rose Bowl. A season where Michigan beats Ohio State (and subsequently all three rivals) and makes the Rose Bowl is a successful season in my book.

Do I want Michigan to win the Big Ten and make the CFP? Sure I do. But I'll take an OSU win and a Rose Bowl trip.

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LickReach

November 18th, 2019 at 4:52 PM ^

agree with all of the points and want to add that a Rose Bowl berth means we watch Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon roasting our school while we literally sit in a persistent vegetative state on New Year's Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB8vPuAYGSY

 

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StephenRKass

November 18th, 2019 at 4:53 PM ^

I'm pretty sick and tired of those who feel anything less than a Division Championship, Big 10 Championship, National Playoff, National Championship, is a failure. Brian linked to an article hitting on this exact point. The nationalization of college football, the internet coverage, including ESPN, the overwhelming recruiting success of the current "elite" programs (largely Bama, OSU, and Clemson) leave everyone else dissatisfied and angry and asking, "why aren't we that good?" It isn't that I want to settle for being where Michigan is right now. I don't. But to get to the next level, to the level of consistently being one of the top 5 teams in the country, is very, very difficult. I think we have a better chance of getting there now than we did before Harbaugh. On a completely practical level, all bowls have always been slightly meaningless. Well, that's not completely true. Since there has been a national championship game, and then a national championship playoff, any OTHER bowls have been diminished. And this will just get worse if we go to 8 teams instead of 4 teams.

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NittanyFan

November 18th, 2019 at 5:15 PM ^

There was a thread here for a couple hours Saturday (that was deleted) that had a title something like "Gophers lose - their National Title dream is over!"

And --- I mean, I don't think that poster was joking.  It felt like true mocking of the Gophers.

Anyway, in one sense that title was true.  They did lose, and that loss could theoretically mean a 12-1 Minnesota would still not make the Playoff.  Which would mean no National Title.

But I agree with the sentiment of your post.  If we're at the point where a 9-1 Minnesota, that is still in control of their B1G Championship hopes, has had their "dreams broken", the standards are ridiculous.

From where I sit, a 10-2 U-M or a 10-2 PSU (lose to OSU/beat RU) has still had a pretty good season.  Even if it won't end in a B1G Championship or National Title.

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ERdocLSA2004

November 18th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^

I think most people define a successful season on beating OSU, since you know, it hasn’t happened in way too long despite us having opportunities.

I think a lot of a “successful season” is how you finish.  When you lose the last game of the season, to a rival, 7 years in a row and counting, it’s tough to really be happy.  If The Game were at the beginning of the season, it would be a little easier to get over a loss and see “the bright side”.

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reshp1

November 18th, 2019 at 4:53 PM ^

I don't think any bowl game is meaningless, at least to the fanbase (except maybe another matchup with Florida). A lot of our BPONE the last few years has been made worse by losing the bowl game. Obviously beating OSU is way more important, but the double whammy of losing to OSU and then dropping the bowl game (and usually one other Nov game) to go into the offseason just gives the impression of a collapse. 

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bacon1431

November 18th, 2019 at 4:54 PM ^

I would personally have more interest in the Rose Bowl because we haven’t been there in forever. I won’t be upset if draft eligible players decide to sit out. That’s their prerogative. 

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Bluedream

November 18th, 2019 at 4:59 PM ^

There isn’t a scenario where we go...
 

If we beat OSU and they finish 11-1 then win the B1G title game and get left out of the playoffs they go to the Rose.  If they lose the B1G championship, the winner goes to the Rose  

If they go 13-0 and head to the playoffs, their opponent in the Big title game goes. 

If OSU drops their next two games then Penn State plays in the conference championship game and the winner goes to the Rose. 

If we win out we get a NY6 bowl but it will not be the Rose. 
 

 

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A Lot of Milk

November 18th, 2019 at 5:15 PM ^

The scenario isn't very confusing. If OSU wins out and loses to us they will be 12-1 with a conference title and likely two wins over top ten teams assuming the west champ is top ten. They would assuredly get in over every big 12 and every pac 12 team right now. Michigan going to the rose bowl is probably the second most likely outcome behind losing to OSU and being put in a Florida or California tier two bowl. It's definitely a scenario 

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S.G. Rice

November 18th, 2019 at 5:10 PM ^

A win over Ohio State would make this season an incredible success.

If things fell into place for a Rose Bowl bid, that would be fantastic.  Unlike pretty much any other bowl, a Rose Bowl is NEVER meaningless.  If that stamps me as an old, so be it. 

Beat Indiana, Beat Ohio.

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BlueMan80

November 18th, 2019 at 5:20 PM ^

We need to get past Indiana and then beat OSU.  I have a lot more hope of beating OSU after we applied an ass-whopping to MSU.  If that leads to a Rose Bowl berth, that's great.  I'd take that.  I might even go to the game.....

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Vasav

November 18th, 2019 at 5:21 PM ^

Last Rose Bowl we went to was 2006. We had been to 3 in 4 years. I was a junior who'd never made the trip and told myself, "I'll go to the next one," figuring we would finish the job and win the Big Ten in 2007.

I'm going to the Rose Bowl next time we go. No it is not meaningless. It's the Grandaddy of them all and I'm pretty sure I cursed us when I said "I'll go to the next one." Dangit.

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RGard

November 18th, 2019 at 5:21 PM ^

Beating Indiana, beating Ohio state and winning the Rose Bowl would only be surpassed at this point with the previous happening, Ohio state losing to Minnesota or getting blown out in the first round of the playoff.

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UM Fan from Sydney

November 18th, 2019 at 5:21 PM ^

People who say bowl games are meaningless are kidding themselves. I’d rather go into next season with the most previous game being a win than a loss. With the annual loss to OSU, I’d rather we end the season with a win.

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