Michigan moves to #12 in AP top 25
October 7th, 2018 at 2:24 PM ^
If we were 18th and beat #7 penn state would we jump to 9?
October 7th, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^
Maybe if PSU was undefeated
October 7th, 2018 at 4:06 PM ^
Probably 12 or 11.
October 7th, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^
They carry a big stick despite losing 33 games the last 5 seasons and not being a relevant program since 2009.
They're just like Notre Dame. They can blow for several straight seasons but when they finally start winning some games, the pollsters will put them as high as possible. Quite honestly, I'm surprised they're only #9.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:25 PM ^
A win next weekend, and we're a top ten team. Three straight wins, and we're a top 6 or 7 team, I'd expect.
October 7th, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
We might be top 5 if we win the next 3. We’d definitely have the best resume of 1-loss teams and would jump UCF (I imagine, assuming ND continues to look good).
That would mean two of the undefeated top 6 needs to lose. Georgia is a good bet as they have LSU, Florida and Kentucky as their next 3. Clemson has NC State, and FSU in that stretch (I know FSU is bad but even bad teams can play out of their mind for big games, see yesterday). WVU plays at Iowa State and has Texas as well.
So top 7, definitely. Top 6, probably. Top 5, maybe. Gotta win though.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:30 PM ^
8 SEC teams in the top 25. Sounds legit
October 8th, 2018 at 1:46 AM ^
Hate to say it, but S&P+ which is entirely non-biased has 9 (!!) SEC teams in the top 25.
Missouri is at #23 along with the eight in the AP poll.
The SEC had a bit of a rough non-conf last year and was two teams and a lot of mediocre, but this year the conference is an absurd 34-5 in non-conference games this year. Yes, they play a lot of cupcakes, but that's insane.
Two of those losses were Arkansas.
So the remaining 13 teams have only lost 3 nonconf games:
A&M to Clemson
Vandy to ND (by only 5! The best performance against ND by any team this year by margin)
Tennesee to WVU.
That's it. Three losses to top 10 teams and whatever Arkansas is doing on the field.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:31 PM ^
Florida beats LSU, but remains ranked lower than LSU, in both polls. That weird strength of schecule/head-to-head NCAA thingy.
Which came first, the strength of schedule, or head to head? Because it wanted to cross the road, or something. Makes about that much sense.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:38 PM ^
Should probably be #10, but it won't matter if we don't win out. And if we can play the disrespect card then let's do it.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^
Notre Dame is basically a lock. Their schedule down th stretch is weak and they have no conference championship game to worry about.
The SEC champ is a lock. Hopefully either Georgia or Alabama have a loss going into the championship game, because if they go into that game both 12-0 I think both get in.
B1G champ should be a lock if the winner comes out of the east.
Clemson is realistically the ACC’s only shot, as is the winner of Oregon and Washington being the Pac 12’s only hope.
Interesting to see what happens with UCF. They end the year with USF and both teams could be undefeated.
I expect Texas and Oklahoma to meet again in the Big 12 championship game. Hopefully they both have two losses and then are a non factor in the playoff picture.
If I had to make a prediction now I would say it’ll be Alabama or Georgia, Notre Dame, Clemson, B1G champ
October 7th, 2018 at 2:52 PM ^
An undefeated West Virginia vs. Clemson in that scenario (in the committee’s mind for that fourth spot, I mean), would be an interesting comparison. Then also the fact that both of them would have won their 12th game in the conference championship (WVU beats Texas, Clemson beats Miami) vs. Notre Dame with no 12th game.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:28 PM ^
If WVU keeps winning, they become an interesting case. They won't play 13 games no matter what, because of their road game @ NC State being cancelled by the hurricane.
It's unfortunate that game wasn't played. It would be an additional measuring point for WVU, and a semi-direct comparison point vs. Clemson.
NC State may be the 2nd-3rd best team in the ACC. Although that may say more about the ACC than it says about NC State.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:55 PM ^
Road games at Northwestern and USC for Notre Dame aren't exactly a lock...although it might be better for NW if the ND game were in SouthBend, road warriors that they are...I wouldn't put it past NW to beat ND...and I have never and would never take ND and the pts. against USC in the Coliseum...that schedule looks easier than I suspect it actually is.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:12 PM ^
"Notre Dame is basically a lock."
Wish I had a fiver for every "LOL Purpleface sucks/he'll be on the hot seat after we kick Domer's ass" comment on MGoBlog before the season started.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:46 PM ^
PSU at 8 is ridiculous.
ND should be in the top 3. They have more quality wins than osu or Clemson
October 7th, 2018 at 4:01 PM ^
Beg to differ. Stanford looks terrible (should have three losses as they got super lucky v Oregon) and VTech lost to Old Dominion. OSU's win over PSU on the road is probably better than ND's home win over M. OSUs basically road win over TCU is also better than ND's second best win which is probably the road win over 47th ranked (S&P+) VTech which is a bit more difficult than a home win over 41st ranked Stanford.
OSU is ahead of ND in every possible measure.
ND might have an argument to be ranked over Clemson, but their win at A&M looks pretty good right now. Clemson is ahead of ND in the advanced stats but ND could argue that they've been better since Book was inserted at QB.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:47 PM ^
Yeah you need to use the transitive property at least to some extent when ranking these teams. There are six top-shelf undefeated teams. The next ranked one-loss teams should be any of those who lost to one of the top six. In this case, Michigan should be 7 based on thier only loss being AT #5 ND, and Penn State #8 based on their only loss being to #3 at HOME. Then Texas for beating the former #6 team I guess, then Oklahoma and THEN Washington.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:54 PM ^
Top 12 seems about right. I'm still a bit surprised PSU is getting love for a lot of mediocre games and blowing a lead, at home, to OSU. But whatever.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
It is ridiculous that PSU seems to be getting a pass for a loss at home, Washington is getting a pass for a loss to a team that isn't very good, and Texas is getting a pass for a loss MARYLAND!
October 7th, 2018 at 10:40 PM ^
Yet we get reminded every week with a ramrod to the butthole of our loss to a top 5 team on the road.
October 7th, 2018 at 2:57 PM ^
Texas gets WVU and ISU at home. They are set up well if ND or Clemson stumbles.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^
Would also have to win a rematch with WVU or OU in the title game. But yes, if they win out, they would probably make it over a one loss ND or a one loss Clemson.
The wild card there could be Michigan. If Michigan wins out to get to say, 4th, it'd be very hard to put Texas ahead of Michigan considering Maryland.
And it would be hard, though certainly not impossible, to put M ahead of a one loss ND (if ND loses to NW perhaps). That would be a tough situation for the committee.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:48 PM ^
It would probably depend on whether that loss was against Northwestern or USC.
October 7th, 2018 at 5:18 PM ^
Let it be USC... much as I hate both the Irish and the Trojans, USC victories over really good ND teams when the game is played in Los Angeles are wonderful.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:20 PM ^
Don’t care about rankings. Beat MSU. I don’t care if they haven’t looked good. It is still a very important game that is a must win.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:20 PM ^
A win over a MSU team that just lost to NW, and will have been stomped on by PSU the week before we beat them isn't going to move the needle much. Hopefully a win against Wisconsin triggers some movement.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:29 PM ^
Yeah, that game isn't going to do for the resume what we thought it could, win or lose.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:31 PM ^
Eh, not really concerned with where we are in the AP poll. CFP rankings is the only poll that matters.
October 7th, 2018 at 3:35 PM ^
Beat Wisky... No need to complain about these rankings. They are meaningless since we play these teams ahead of us.
October 7th, 2018 at 4:08 PM ^
1. 13-0 Alabama/Georgia
2. 13-0 Clemson
3. 12-0 Notre Dame
4. 13-0 West Virginia, 12-1 Texas, 12-1 Oklahoma
5. 12-1 Michigan (possible bump to #6 by a 12-1 Alabama/Georgia.
Wouldn't that be fun.
Now, I do think we jump the Pac winner (given) but those other boys could make a mess of it. And what about a 1 loss Bama or 1 loss UGA thrown into the equation (SEC winner is in regardless who it is; LSU, Florida....)
Wins over Wisky (2x) PSU and OSU are huge, but only if those teams don’t collapse.
I’ve seen stranger things happen, style points will matter, but there’s no way we’re an absolute shoe-in if we win out.
October 7th, 2018 at 4:32 PM ^
***12-0 WVU
I forgot that game against NC State was cancelled, which could end up being huge for both teams.
October 7th, 2018 at 4:38 PM ^
In this scenario I don’t see anyway the Big 12 winner is above us. It would be controversial if WVU is undefeated and we jump them, but based on brand alone and quality of wins, I don’t think we would be left out in that scenario.
All of these teams still have tough games ahead save ND and Clemson, but even they could drop one.
October 7th, 2018 at 4:24 PM ^
The fact that the Big XII was allowed a conference title game is outright bullshit.
October 7th, 2018 at 4:33 PM ^
Wow. That Texas ranking is a joke. They lost to Maryland. Ok, they beat Oklahoma; so what? Why do we think Oklahoma is good? Didn't they go to overtime against Army? Whom have they beaten? No one good.
October 7th, 2018 at 5:19 PM ^
And this right here is why preseason rankings are so shit. Even here people are saying "they beat x ranked team and blah blah blah". The rankings are fake, they don't mean shit, made up based entirely on assumptions about a season not played then credit is given or taken based on wins/losses to teams with baseless rankings.
October 7th, 2018 at 8:43 PM ^
These. Polls. Don’t. Matter.
October 7th, 2018 at 9:13 PM ^
What about Michigan State (Giggle)?