Polls Out - Michigan AP #15 Coaches #14

I think this is fair placement and accurately reflects two thing that have received very little attention here: (1) that Akron coaching staff did and OUTSTANDING job of preparing their team and game planning for Michigan (which should surprise no one when they have two fairly high profile FBS coaches as coordinators and Tressel, who always game planned exceptionally well for Michigan, as a consultant) and (2) that game was an aberration for Michigan with respect to the turnovers and poor execution. It's embarrassing, but at some point we need to recognize that Akron's coaching staff called a very good game.

First, thank you to the OP for posting this--I'm sure I'm not the only one on this board who follows the polls, and analyzing movement can be fun.

That said, and having nothing to do with the OP...

In my opinion, there is nothing more irrelevant for Michigan until November 3rd (day after MSU game) than the polls.  All that matters are Ws.  Based on following polls for a while (abliet in a decidedly non-scientific way), voters in AP and Coach's polls at the end of the year tend to forget about "bad wins" if there are good wins.  At the end of the day, if Michigan is fighting for a BCS bowl--either as an at large bid or for a better bowl as a conference champion*--the close win over a bad team should not overcome the actual win over ND and (at this point) hopeful wins over MSU, Ohio x2, or Nebraska.

 

* Yes, I know it is hard to imagine being in contention for a BCS bowl after almost losing to Akron....color me an optimist; my glass is 1/10th full.

15 hundred?

 

I'll take it. We won't be ranked in the Top 10 going into Big Ten play, and I'm fine with that.

Beat UConn.

Seems about right.  I know people want to worry, but it was still one lousy win after two pretty impressive ones.  I still think UM is a top-15 team and, if the lines can improve somehow, a top-10 outfit.

Also, ND fell from 21 to 22.

Seems about right. I did think it would be between 13 and 15, warranted given our putrid play. The AP voters, IMO, are quite short sighted.

after the game feel like it was more of a loss than a win?  I had that feeling for a while, then I woke up feeling better today.  I hope that this week against an 0-2 UConn team and a week off is used effectively.

It is literally unbelievable that #26 in that poll is Michigan State. Proof positive that the ugliness of wins is irrelevant if you just win.

big question what did Drew Sharp vote?

I'm a little surprised the drop isn't further, because we'd certainly deserve it. But hopefully yesterday's game teaches this team a valuable lesson and serves as a wake-up call. Beating Notre Dame is great but it doesn't make you invincible, and you can't just walk into the Big House and expect to steamroll over anyone, whether they're a scrub MAC team or not. If there's any kind of silver lining, maybe this team will look at yesterday like how the basketball team responded after losing to Wisconsin in the tournament for the second time.

I really hope to see a focus come over this team next week against UConn. A focus akin to playing like a berth in the national championship game is on the line.

I'm going to assume Drew Sharp moved us to unranked and put ND 15?

More like the AP Pohl is out. Too soon?

Don't like how much stock is being put into Ole Miss beating Texas. Texas are awful. Just terrible. Beating them shouldn't move them up 4 spots, regard of who lost in front of them.
 

Also don't like how few votes TCU have. I know Pachall's out but look at their loses. To #6 on a neutral field and #25 away with some terrible calls thrown in to help TTU's cause. Regardless of record, they'd be one of my top vote getters outside of the Top 25.

After i watched Hoke's locker room talk after the game as well as Lewan and Gardner presser, I am slowly moving away from the edge. I don't believe we will see another game like this one. When the coaches say it is their fault the team wasn't prepared, that is code for "you are going to have a hellish week of practice". I am also relatively sure that Lewan and Gardner were not among those running over to celebrate with the student section. They both appear to be take the win pretty hard, and I for one would not want to have Lewan pissed at me.