CFP Rankings - We in the Top-4 officially, thread
1. Bama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Michigan
5. Georgia
6. Oklahoma
7. LSU
8. Wazzu
9. West Virginia
10. Ohio State
One of these things is not like the other. LSU is still neatly situated at the number 7 spot, after not scoring a point against Alabama last week...to continue propping up the SEC.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:34 PM ^
Herbstreit is neither of these things. He's better than most commentators in this highly subjective business.
November 7th, 2018 at 6:00 AM ^
The only people in america who think Herbstreit is biased are
- Ohio State fans who hate him because he won't slobber on OSU
and - Michigan fans who just assume he's biased for OSU every time he doesn't slobber on Michigan
Dude is a really solid, unbiased commentator and is sometimes the one talking head on ESPN vouching for Michigan the hardest (like during the ranking show last night)
November 6th, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^
I enjoy this, yes.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^
These ACC teams ranked in the top 15 are a joke. MSU and PSU are way better than both those teams. On a neutral field I think NW, Iowa, and Purdue are favored over them too
November 6th, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^
Oddly enough I feel like I've heard Pollack talking is up in recent weeks calling us a playoff team
November 7th, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^
It may have been Palmer. It's never Pollack.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:52 PM ^
Win the next 3 games, and we are top 3. Sounds like it was close between ND and us today. It will flip
November 6th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
Yes, the chair of the committee said as much when interviewed. ND above Michigan for now, but reading between the lines, it looks like they are noticing ND struggling a bit and like Michigan's trajectory right now.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:28 PM ^
Just imagine the terror that Notre Dame fans would feel if Georgia beat Alabama, we win out, and they sit home at number five as an undefeated team who beat the number four team. I would feel bad for them in that scenario - lol, not at all
November 6th, 2018 at 10:39 PM ^
Hold on now. I seriously doubt many people feel there's a scenario that would keep Notre Dame out of the playoff while being an undefeated team.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:50 AM ^
Zero chance
November 7th, 2018 at 12:02 AM ^
There is zero chance an undefeated Notre Dame gets left out. Bama would be left out in this scenario.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:35 PM ^
Notre Dame feels like a step function when they switched to Book at QB. Whereas we have been steadily improving all season. I think if we continue that trajectory the extra championship game will bump us over them.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^
Joel Klatt will have another field day tearing these rankings apart
November 6th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^
Herbstreit throwing a lot of love Michigan's way. Saying that they are definitely better than Georgia. Just compared their defense to great teams from Bama and said our offense is now elite. I think he liked what he saw last Saturday.
All analysts agree that Michigan controls their own destiny and that if they win out, the are in. By my inference, they also believe that if Alabama loses and Clemson, ND and Michigan win out, then Alabama is out, too. All good things to hear.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:56 PM ^
Herbstreit is pretty objective. Him and Galloway are hardly OSU homers.
I think OSU fans dislike them more than any Michigan fan
November 6th, 2018 at 10:01 PM ^
Herbstreit had to move to Nashville from Columbus because he wasn't pro-Buckeye enough. This is a guy who played QB for Ohio State and has family who played and coached for the Buckeyes. That's how crazy Ohio State fans are.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:22 PM ^
Not to go all Lumburg on you, but I’m gonna have to disagree with you there. Galloway is always on OSU’s jock and Herbie isn’t much better.
Yes, he got run out of C’bus, but not because he was unbiased, but rather because he was let biased enough for the OSU faithful. Don’t give him too much credit, he still parades his kids in their OSU jerseys and buckeye necklaces at every opportunity on Game Day.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:09 PM ^
And Desmond does the same with his kids in Michigan jerseys. Honestly, that is what I would expect-- of course the kids are excited to root for the team for which their dad played. Both Herbie and Desmond can be a little homerish, but I think their analysis is usually fair.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:45 PM ^
Yeah right. Galloway couldn't possibly swallow anymore if the ohio state dick than he already has. And honestly, that's okay, he's an alum. He has that right to be biased. Herbie is way more professional and rational. Truly one of my favorite people on tv.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:51 PM ^
Dunno man .... never underestimate the amount of dick Galloway can swallow, OSU or otherwise
November 7th, 2018 at 9:24 PM ^
Herbie is objective. I've never had a problem with him. In fact, I've always liked his takes and broadcasting style. He and Fowler are a good pair. Galloway on the other hand will give Michigan the benefit of the doubt only when it's completely obvious that Michigan deserves the credit. After all, even though he IS a tool he doesn't want to appear to be a tool.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:58 PM ^
I would love for Alabama to be out if they lose to UGA. But will the committee vote them out? I really don't know. In the end I feel like ND is going to make the committee's job easier by losing a game.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
Michigan needs Alabama to keep winning.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:14 PM ^
Disagree. If Michigan wins out, they're in regardless of what Bama does...
November 6th, 2018 at 10:39 PM ^
Logic dictates that's true. The clear SEC bias in this and every CFP poll makes me think its a distinct possibility.
November 7th, 2018 at 12:53 AM ^
Not exactly. We only want Bama to win one more game: the SEC title game. It'd be wonderful if Bama lost all their other games. Any of their other games would be helpful. If they lose just one before the SEC title game the SEC would have zero chance of getting a second team into the playoff ahead of a 12-1 Michigan.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:20 PM ^
Georgia beating Alabama, assuming Clemson and ND don’t lose, is the LAST thing we want if we win out.
Unless by some act of divine intervention Alabama loses twice in its next four games, Alabama is not being left out of the CFP. If Georgia beats Alabama and wins the SEC, they’re in. If Clemson and ND go undefeated, they’re in. Assuming we won out, that would leave us and Alabama. Saban would call the committee out and dare them to leave Bama out.
You think they would spurn Bama for Michigan? I doubt it.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:08 PM ^
Some if not all of the selection committee members probably watch these playoff shows to see how their work is being accepted.
Rece and Herbie both felt that Alabama should be left out in a scenario where Georgia won the SEC and Alabama was up against Michigan for the final spot.
Those kind of opinions being stated on the playoff show could possibly influence the committee if that scenario did happen.
Some of our fans may not like Herbie, but I believe his football opinions are well-respected by many people.
The selection committee could be made up of some of those people.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:25 PM ^
I’ve been saying this all along. Only way a one loss Bama stays in is to lose to LSU and miss the conf championship game. That game is a de-facto play-in game. Plus If Bama loses that they will exactly one win against a ranked team. Michigan will have between 3-5 depending how the season ends.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:37 PM ^
So have I comrade. Except I also argued that a Bama loss to LSU would have put Michigan in ahead of them.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^
LSU ranked too high IMO
November 6th, 2018 at 9:54 PM ^
Agree, LSU didn't look good. Not sure why they are ranked so high...
November 6th, 2018 at 9:57 PM ^
Ess Eee Cee
November 6th, 2018 at 9:54 PM ^
LSU at #7 is a fucking joke. That is all.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:57 PM ^
# SEC. # ESPN. # CFPC.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:01 PM ^
They are intertwined with so much money it's not even weird anymore
November 6th, 2018 at 11:16 PM ^
No it actually isn't a joke. They've beaten Georgia, handily. A touch too high, yeah probably, but its not a joke.
Put it this way, do you really think Wazzu, WVU or Ohio State are better than LSU?
November 6th, 2018 at 11:54 PM ^
WVU could beat them (neutral field) I think .... their offense is sick and LSUs is bad enough to not be able to keep up
November 6th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
MSU is really underrated, but at least they're not unranked. Even if MSU gets beaten by OSU, they're still a better team than PSU. It's just a question of if they're the 2nd or 3rd best team in the B1G.
Both PSU and MSU would beat a lot of the teams on that list.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:15 PM ^
Whatever motivates them to beat osu works for me
November 6th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
SEC bias is still alive and well. LSU and Florida taking ugly losses and barely dropping just continue to prop up everyone else.
As others have pointed out, SEC and ACC appear to be criminally overvalued at this point.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
Just win baby.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
Kind of. One loss Bama would make things dicey. Wish the winner of the West would have been ranked/quality win opportunity.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:59 PM ^
Kentucky and LSU? Wow. The SEC and ACC bias is a mofo. Yeesh. It seems the committee is setting the table for a 2-loss SEC team to make the CFP.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:55 PM ^
The ACC is a complete joke and it's laughable the teams they have who are ranked. And while I hate the SEC, look at the teams around the country....who else do you put in the top 25? I just don't think there are a lot of quality 3 loss teams anywhere. You can prob make just as good a case for the SEC ranked teams as anyone else.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:59 PM ^
Booooooom!!!!
November 6th, 2018 at 10:04 PM ^
ND not playing in a conf championship should be held against them. That game can only hurt Bama, Clemson & Mich if they win out to that point.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:25 PM ^
If they win out, the best way to hold it against Notre Dame would be to move a conference champ into the #3 spot so they go to #4 against Alabama.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^
If things go as planned, I think you are spot on. Michigan and ND will flip spots regardless of the head to head due to the Conference Championship.