Pathway for Michigan to play in the Rose Bowl
Simply put:
- if Wisconsin beats Minnesota,
- OSU beats PSU and the B1G West champion, and
- Michigan beats OSU and Indiana,
Michigan should be considered the best of the two-loss runners-up (Minnesota, Wisconsin, PSU, Michigan).
A lot of ifs, but a far from impossible scenario.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:43 PM ^
In this scenario, OSU goes to the playoff, obviously, opening up the Rose Bowl slot.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
BUT....this scenario has Michigan beating OSU which might then knock them OUT of the Playoffs and in to the Rose bowl
November 17th, 2019 at 5:57 PM ^
Have you seen the rest of the field? A one loss OSU will get in before a 1 lose Pac12 team. No way 3 SEC teams make it in.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:08 PM ^
"No way three SEC teams get in"
Lordy child that's EXACTLY what ESPN, CBS and the rest of the media is working for.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:02 PM ^
The media wants Harbaugh in the playoffs. Makes for great narrative. If we win out, maybe we have a chance to make the playoff over the Rose Bowl.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:48 PM ^
This is crazy talk... didn't neg... but take a cold shower.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:52 PM ^
Michigan will not even sniff the playoff. Even if they miraculously get to the Big Ten title game (not happening) and win it, they’re not getting in.
EDIT: I just realized that 〽️ is out of east division title equation, so never mind.
November 17th, 2019 at 8:39 PM ^
I don't know what you're smoking, but that is an extremely unlikely scenario. Some crazy chaos would have to happen for that to even be a consideration - like Rutgers beating PSU level of crazy. Put it out of your mind now. Ain't happening.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:10 PM ^
I'd love this outcome because it'd probably mean we beat OSU and knocked them out. We'd be the biggest troll team in the country for causing this, and I'd be 100% OK with it.
November 18th, 2019 at 5:37 AM ^
I don't actually think there's a conspiracy working towards getting 3 SEC teams in. For one thing, they must know if that did happen, the rest of college football would go apeshit. It'd be an 8-team playoff with conference champs in no time.Conferences are already getting annoyed when their champs are left out, and this would put them all over the edge.
November 18th, 2019 at 8:56 AM ^
Yep... Conspiracy theories are never plausible because of the amounts of people involved. No way to keep it all secret! Especially when involving scores of people from three different TV networks (ie: three totally separate and competitive money-making enterprises).
There is no conspiracy to get three SEC teams into the playoffs. There isn't even a conspiracy to get two SEC teams into the playoffs.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:58 PM ^
If OSU beats PSU and loses to Michigan they are still the East Champ. They then will thump the West champ and will be playoff bound.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:53 PM ^
When...
November 17th, 2019 at 5:59 PM ^
When hell freezes over. If we beat OSU and they win in Indy, they are still super-duper in. If chalk held otherwise OSU 3 seed in front of Bama as a result of being conference champions. LSU-Bama rematch. Sooners first team out.
It kind of sucks because, although OSU would very much love beating M for obvious reasons, they really don’t “have to” if they beat Ped State. They could keep doing their thing regardless and win the whole damn thing.
They will be playing loose. Again. Yay!
November 17th, 2019 at 6:41 PM ^
Possible yes, but I think they take Penn State with the head-to-head win even though we’d have the much better win.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:46 PM ^
Just win baby.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
Wisconsin would have three losses in that scenario, right?
November 17th, 2019 at 8:34 PM ^
Exactly. It's not just Penn St that has a better track for the Rose Bowl than Michigan, but Wisconsin does too.
The loser of the BIG10 Championship from the West will go to the Rose Bowl, which is very likely Wisconsin or Minnesota. Or Penn St will.
Michigan needs miracles to happen to get the Rose Bowl. I'm hoping for a NY6 game, which is realistic.
November 17th, 2019 at 9:04 PM ^
Wisconsin would have 3 losses, so they're not going over Penn State/Michigan.
Penn State would have 2 losses, and Michigan would have the OSU win, and the knowledge they turned their season around that PSU 2nd half. Michigan would go to the Rose if OSU got in the playoff.
November 18th, 2019 at 6:38 AM ^
PSU went to the Rose bowl in 2017, Michigan hasn't been since 2007 ( This makes me sad). I think this would also have some influence on the decision made.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:53 PM ^
Biggest if is that last one, M over OSU.
Everything else on that list I expect to happen.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:08 PM ^
It really wouldn’t even take Wisconsin beating Minnesota. The Gophers would get face pounded in the BTT game against OSU, and the Rose would definitely choose Michigan as they are a huge TV draw and would bring precisely a shit-ass-ton of fans and patrons after a 15 year hiatus. We would have more quality wins than Minny if we beat OSU so it would be a completely legit call too.
November 17th, 2019 at 8:55 PM ^
For what it's worth, my understanding is that the Rose Bowl gets the highest rated B1G team in the playoff rankings, they don't choose. Given that, I'd expect a Michigan team coming off an OSU win with all competitors having a much more recent loss (or two) to be pretty likely to be the next highest ranked B1G team.
November 17th, 2019 at 9:59 PM ^
my understanding is that the Rose Bowl gets the highest rated B1G team in the playoff rankings
You have a link to that?
November 17th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
Just win out and most people probably won't care where they put us - even the QuickLane Motor City Pizza Bowl would be fine if we go into it 10-2.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:58 PM ^
Why would we want to play in Sparty’s bowl
November 17th, 2019 at 6:01 PM ^
They won't be eligible for it
November 18th, 2019 at 5:52 AM ^
Oh come on, they should be able to beat Rut.... Never mind
November 17th, 2019 at 5:56 PM ^
IF Michigan wins out they would finish in the top 8 or 10. I think..... and then arent they a auto qualifier for a NY6 Bowl game?
November 17th, 2019 at 5:59 PM ^
Rose Bowl is a NY6 bowl.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:19 PM ^
Correct but OSU would be in the Rose Bowl not us so we would go to a different NY6 game like last year for example, our final ranking determines if we get a NY6 bowl game ...If OSU goes to the Rose by winning the B10) but not getting into the playoffs ( This assumes a M win and i know thts a big IF) then we would go to a different NY6 game ..I believe the top 10 are guaranteed a NY6 game and we would be in the top 10 if we win out
November 17th, 2019 at 5:58 PM ^
If we won out with a bowl win that's a successful season
November 17th, 2019 at 9:28 PM ^
If we win out? I don't give a rat's butt what bowl it is. Wins over ND, sparty and OSU in one season would be a smashing success. A bowl is just gravy.
November 17th, 2019 at 5:58 PM ^
We won't beat OSU.
Book your tickets for San Diego if you haven't already done so.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
Aside from playing UF again, don't want to play Washington in the Holiday Bowl, which is an outcome with a high probability at this point. Back to back games against the same team would be lame.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:12 PM ^
I kind of disagree here. Next year being a “rematch/revenge game” for one team against a pretty cool program would be more compelling than you think IMO.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:39 PM ^
We only get 13 games per year and 9 already come against teams we play on a fairly regular basis. Would prefer the diversity of a matchup against someone like Oregon or USC if we end up in the Holiday Bowl.
November 17th, 2019 at 9:23 PM ^
Dang now you’re talking man. I would be especially glued to the set if we were playing Oregon.
November 17th, 2019 at 9:48 PM ^
Me too. I want Utah to win the Pac12 so that we get Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.
That feels like a NY6 Bowl and is a better matchup than what we would get in an actual NY6 Bowl.
November 17th, 2019 at 8:40 PM ^
November 17th, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
You know they do play the game for a reason.
If you think this year's UM team beating OSU is the biggest upset of all time, you don't watch much football.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:05 PM ^
Not sure it changes any of the dynamics, but Iowa goes to Nebraska the day after T’giving. I like Nebraska to upset the Hawkeyes.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:12 PM ^
That’s a good call.
November 17th, 2019 at 8:19 PM ^
That would change nothing besides making our 3rd best win look worse
November 17th, 2019 at 9:19 PM ^
Lol.. Nebraska will not win another game this year.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:17 PM ^
A lot of ifs, but a far from impossible scenario
I mean it is a Sunday but what the hell, if you’re drinking, so will I. What are you having?
November 17th, 2019 at 8:06 PM ^
Yeah, we got that Penn St elephant in the room.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:19 PM ^
Anything but Florida for the millionth time.
November 17th, 2019 at 6:24 PM ^
Fuck, that's the last game I want to see, again!