What will get M back into the BCS 25?

Submitted by Blazefire on

A post totally without linkage, argument, supporting evidence, or otherwise. It doesn't even have any Denard!

What will Michigan need to do to crack the Top 25 this season, and how soon can they crack it? Will winning the first two do it? The first three? Will we need a conference win? Are we starting so low that unless we get on pace for 10 wins, we won't get there till season's end, or at all?

What do you think?

I think we can be there by the end of week three if we start 3-0.

I Wrote a 4 Wo…

August 25th, 2009 at 2:26 PM ^

At least you're not a dick about stuff I guess.

I just don't understand how or why you're being such a jerk when I just told a story about MSU that happened through my MSU-fan brother showing me a thread on an MSU board.

I won't write too much though, you obviously are a very busy guy. Just please don't show up outside my bedroom window. Please.

OSUckSteverMSUcks

August 25th, 2009 at 2:45 PM ^

First of all, you make what seems like the millionth post on MSU. I voiced my displeasure and got negged accordingly. You proceed to argue like a maniac even dropping Hitler references for which you were gangnegged into oblivion. You started octuple posting (I don't even know if that's the term for posting the same thing 8x) on old topics "I'm just trying to get points" which massively backfired.

You had two choices at this point, you could have pulled a bouje and slowly pull yourself out of the depths of negative point land or you could try to cheat the system by starting a new account. You started this new, "I wrote a 4 word letter" account and started posting basically harmless comments. To me it seemed like someone was just trying to hit the 20 point mark as soon as possible to prepare to launch a massive troll attack or to +1 all their other comments. So I put on my Troll Patrol hat and badge and did a little investigating. The new account originated at about the same time you called someone a Douche as AdamBurmeister. Next time you try to fuck with the system, it's probably a good idea not to use the facebook picture associated with the same name on your old account.

I Wrote a 4 Wo…

August 25th, 2009 at 3:49 PM ^

Next time I try to "fuck the system"?

This is a blog. Holy shit.

Way to go, you get a badge and a night stick.

I posted one reference to Hitler as an exaggeration & half-joke just pointing out how ridiculous you and a few others were being, taking blog commenting a little too seriously.

A massive troll attack? Find one time ever, under either name, I've said anything negative about Michigan, positive about OSU or MSU or ND or whoever else, or sarcastically positive about Michigan. Again, you get a badge and a night stick.

This is a freaking blog, run by someone else, and I've never said anything in my original posts that was out of line or McFarlin-like at all. Ever.

You're a moron. Have fun wearing your Troll Patrol hat and surfing the internet looking up pictures of guys to get clues for your investigation or to fuel your masturbation habit or whatever you do with them.

Hemlock Philosopher

August 25th, 2009 at 12:05 PM ^

The BCS usually doesn't come out until later in the season, so I am going to assume you meant AP/ Coaches Poll. If we beat Western and ND convincingly, we'll get a fair amount of votes. We beat Eastern convincingly and win @Sparty then we're probably around #20. Beat Iowa the following week and we're in the top 15.

bouje

August 25th, 2009 at 12:06 PM ^

If we blow out Western you could see us sneak into the top 25 if some fringes fall out.

If we blow out ND and beat WMU we'll for sure be in the top 25 unless ND loses it's first game.

If we start 3-0 we'll be in the top 20.

octal9

August 25th, 2009 at 12:24 PM ^

it'll take a significant blowup in the top 25 for us to even sniff it coming off a blowout of Western. Even at 3-0 with slight wins over all three, I don't know if we can make it. Voters are picky about that kind of thing...

However, I do agree with your second statement.

4-0 is a maybe, 5-0 is a definite to get us into the coaches/ap top 25. Keep in mind the schedule for these games

chally

August 25th, 2009 at 2:08 PM ^

I agree. Even as a Michigan fan, I'm not putting us in the top 25 if UM wins 52-10 over Western Michigan. If we follow that up by beating ND 52-10, then we might sniff it.

In all reality (i.e. close wins over Western and ND) no one will consider us a top 25 team until we beat Indiana in week 4.

WolvinLA

August 25th, 2009 at 2:14 PM ^

I agree with that. Keep in mind folks, that most of the teams in the top 25 are playing cream puffs for most of their first 3 games, and some of them will be having bye weeks. The top 25 doesn't change a whole lot over the first couple weeks, and it's not like we're sitting at 28 pre-season.

If we are 2-0 after week 2, almost everyone else will be as well, and ND isn't a great enough team to warrant a big jump for a Michigan team everyone is skeptical about. Week 3 we play EMU, so 50-0 won't even hold a lot of weight. Week 4 teams start playing good opponents (most conference schedules start), so if we beat Indiana in week 4 we should show up at the bottom of the top 25.

5-0 with a win at MSU is a lock.

biakabutuka ex…

August 25th, 2009 at 4:38 PM ^

There were two teams in the AP Poll with one loss by Week 2.

There were 6 by week 3, including Fresno State at #25 with a 1-1 record.

In 2007, Alabama came out of nowhere and shot up from unranked to #16 with a 3-0 record.

I think that with their name, Michigan would slide into the top 25 with a 3-0 record, fair or not. Maybe even with a 2-0 record. The way they win would have something to do with it, too.

WolvinLA

August 25th, 2009 at 5:21 PM ^

OK, don't compare us to Alabama in 2007. First of all, Alabama was very close to being ranked preseason, they were the 7th team receiving votes (we received no votes in the AP poll and one (1) vote in the coaches). We have a lot farther to climb than they did. Also, through 3 games, Alabama beat 2 SEC teams, one of which was #16 Arkansas. They were close to being ranked as it was, and sufficiently proved themselves.

We have a much bigger hill to climb, as not a single pollster on the AP gave us a thought. Our resume through 3 games will be 2 directional schools and ND, who is barely on the poll, all at home. I think 4 will do it, but at 3-0 we better hope for a LOT of upsets.

biakabutuka ex…

August 25th, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^

But I'll happily compare us to Fresno State and say that Michigan at 3-0 with three easy victories gets more votes than Fresno State at 1-1. They did lose a close one to the #23 team, but 1-1!

It only took a 4-0 record for TCU to break into the polls last year and their 4 opponents had a combined 4 Div I victories up to that point.

Meh, it's all hypothesis anyway. This isn't really worthy of a heated debate.

WolvinLA

August 25th, 2009 at 6:09 PM ^

I would refute that by saying Fresno's one loss was by 3 to the #8 (at the time) team in the country, they beat Rutgers (not a powerhouse but a legit team) and they were 2 points away from being in the top 25 preseason.

After week 3, there are two things that will play into where a team is ranked: The first is who they have played, and the outcomes. The second is, because little has been proven at that point, the preseason impressions. Whether this is right or wrong, a team who is 3-0 who was #24 preseason will be ranked higher than a team who wasn't anywhere near being ranked.

In 2008, the AP thought that Fresno was essentially good enough to be ranked. They lost by 3 to the #8 team in the country, a game they should have lost, by all means. This year, no one is giving UM any credit, it will take a lot more for us to be ranked than it took Fresno.

Kapitan Howard

August 25th, 2009 at 12:08 PM ^

I personally think that it could only take two to make it to a top 25 poll, considering that we'd be knocking a team (ND) out and considering others get knocked out as well. On the other hand, I find it more realistic to think that we'd have to have a 4-0 start to be ranked that early in the season.

chally

August 25th, 2009 at 2:12 PM ^

Last season Vandy started out 4-0, including a week 2 win over then #24 South Carolina. They didn't hit the top 25 until a week 4 victory over another SEC team (unranked Mississippi).

I would put us in the same boat this year. With such low public expectations, people aren't going to look at wins over MAC teams as evidence of anything. Unless the win over ND is huge, I think we'll need to at least beat another Big 10 team to confirm that we're not a fluke.

the_white_tiger

August 25th, 2009 at 4:23 PM ^

Why the neg? I can guarantee you that if a mid-20's team dominated Clemson last year, like say a Kentucky for example, they wouldn't have risen nearly as fast as Alabama.

Voters take the school's name into account. Michigan is a big name. They will rise (or fall) accordingly.

Engin77

August 25th, 2009 at 12:18 PM ^

but a win over ND is more likely to be viewed as ND is waaaaaaaaay overrated than a reason to move M into someone's Top 25. That fourth opponent is Indiana in the last of four home games; clearly not considered a major hurdle.

My approach is to take this season one game at a time and look for improvement whenever and wherever it occurs. Let's just beat Western Michigan.

BlockM

August 25th, 2009 at 12:12 PM ^

It depends how big we're winning games. If we sneak by in our first few games, it may not do much to push us into the top 25. If we're showing consistency all around and flashes of brilliance here and there, it might not take more than the first two or three games.

MGOARMY

August 25th, 2009 at 12:15 PM ^

If we blow out, or beat convincingly our first 4 opponents we could crack the top 25. I don't think well make any real moves up the polls until/if we beat state and Iowa. 3-9 leaves a sour taste to the rest of the nations perception of us, the weak early schedule won't help. People need to see highlights on ESPN of our qb's making pat white like plays, then they will shout RR's a genius and we will get our due respect.

Amazin-Blue

August 25th, 2009 at 12:22 PM ^

Whoa, folks, for M to crack the top 25, a lot of teams already there have to lose. The non-conference schedules for most teams (I haven't checked them all) are so weak that it is quite likely that few of the top 25 will actually lose in the first 3 or 4 weeks.

Obviously when we crush ND, that is one team out of the top 25.

But, that coupled with even two other lopsided wins over WMU and EMU just won't do it.

MichiganStudent

August 25th, 2009 at 12:23 PM ^

Its completely dependent on winning and how we win those games. If we squeak by in the first few games then it will take longer if we blow out Western and Notre Dame.

Maize_and_Drew

August 25th, 2009 at 12:27 PM ^

"What will Michigan need to do to crack the Top 25 this season, and how soon can they crack it? Will winning the first two do it? The first three? Will we need a conference win? Are we starting so low that unless we get on pace for 10 wins, we won't get there till season's end, or at all?

What do you think?"

1) Win games.
2) When they win enough games.
3) No.
4) Unlikely.
5) Yes.
6) Probably not.
7) Right now? I think I'm getting hungry.

I'm not trying to undermine your post, just keeping it short and sweet today.

jblaze

August 25th, 2009 at 12:33 PM ^

need to go beat 2 of 3 (MSU, ND, Iowa) going into Penn State, or in other words will not be ranked unless we are at least 6-1 going into PSU.

Anything less and it is unlikely (the other teams we play aren't highly rated.

Tim

August 25th, 2009 at 12:33 PM ^

Convincing wins in the first two games, combined with a big ND win over Nevada and a little help near the back end of the poll.

I'm torn on whether we want Western to beat Indiana in week 2 or not. Should Western win, it would should that we beat a somewhat legit opponent already. However, it gives credence to the "Big Ten is sux0rz" argument, and limits our upside later in the year.

If Indiana wins, the victory over WMU doesn't mean nearly as much, but it might be better in the long term.

UMFootballCrazy

August 25th, 2009 at 12:33 PM ^

Beat WMU and ND...and if not that...then be 4-0 going into the game with State. If they lose to State I would expect them to drop out again. If they beat State and lose to Iowa and keep it respectable they should stay top 25. They need to beat Deleware. Now they would be 6-1 and could still lose to PSU and if they play well, they may stay in the top 25. They would have to win the next three. Lose any of those and I think they would fall out of the top 25. The polsters would be punishing them for last year's season, but that's the way it happens when you blow your street cred with a 3-9 season. If they are 9-2 when they host OSU they could lose that one and still stay top 25 if they put up a good showing for themselves.

Imho it will take at least a 9-3 season for our boys to finish the year a ranked team. Anything less or any soft wins and the hangover from last season will get then dropped from the top 25.

SouthernWolverineFan

August 25th, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^

assuming we win "said #" of games and get ranked...which poll, coaches or AP, do we crack first?
i'm guessing the AP poll as sports writers like storylines and a year two turn around for RR and the Wolverines would be good fodder.

saveferris

August 25th, 2009 at 1:09 PM ^

They might crack the Top 25 at 4-0, but I don't think so. Probably would take a win over MSU to do that. To stay ranked they'd probably need to finish no worse than 8-4 and beat an Iowa or a Penn State. If they finish 8-4 with their losses being OSU, PSU, Iowa, and ND then they're probably just outside the Top 25 and a bowl victory away from climbing back in.

MinorRage

August 25th, 2009 at 1:17 PM ^

Top 25 is a major major after thought for me. I just want to beat a MAC team/any team to open the season. I think this team has a possibility of making it to being ranked, but it's really going to be a confidence factor. If we can have a little success (and few if any turnovers) early I can see us getting ranked by week 4 or 5 with a record of 4-0 and possibly even 4-1 if we lose a close one to either sparty or nd.

GOBLUE4EVR

August 25th, 2009 at 1:21 PM ^

look at this way. how many wins did it take us to get back into either poll in 2007??? that number right there will be the number we'll need to get back into the top 25.