Michigan #3 in the AP Poll, still #4 in Coaches

Submitted by pfholland on
Michigan is up to #3 in the AP poll, and is the only team besides Alabama with a first place vote. Wisconsin only fell to #10, so the Big Ten still has four top ten teams.

http://collegefootball.ap.org/poll

In the Coaches poll we're still #4, only 19 points behind Clemson. Wisconsin stayed at #10 despite losing to OSU.

http://sportspolls.usatoday.com/ncaa/football/polls/coaches-poll/

Mr. Yost

October 16th, 2016 at 3:50 PM ^

Not really. But you can't struggle week in and week out versus GT, BC, NC State, and Duke and those types. Beating L'Ville, Miami, UNC and FSU are solid to great wins.

IMO they're getting dropped for the other games. Michigan can struggle to beat Wisconsin but we're blowing everyone else out. If we struggled in the non-Wisconsin games...we wouldn't be #3 either.

It's not abot devaluing the ACC, the ACC is a good conference. But not every team is good in the ACC and you can't go to OT or look like shit versus the average to below average teams.

And specifically with Clemson, it's one thing if it was just one game. But it's all the time with them.

PowerEye

October 16th, 2016 at 8:31 PM ^

Your point is well taken, Mr. Yost - but I don't think it's correct to say we 'struggled' against Wisconsin. We beat them at their own low scoring game. They are a very impressive team and put up tons of yards  against some quality defenses (e.g. 339 vs. LSU and 450(!) vs. OSU).

Against Michigan, Wisconsin only had 159 total yards, and their win probability was over 50% for about 30 seconds in the entire game. We had 349 total yards and 11 minutes(!) more possession time.

Every Michigan fan catastrophizes the dreaded 7 point lead into a doomsday scenario (it's in our DNA), but there were only a few fleeting moments in the game when WIsconsin was really in a position to beat us.

Wisconsin's performance against Ohio only validates their quality. We have a whole lot in common with Wisconsin -- a great team with an inexperienced QB-- but Michigan is simply better.

TrueBlue2003

October 16th, 2016 at 9:56 PM ^

After seeing Wisconsin go toe-to-toe with OSU and even outgain them, our game, which wasn't as close as the score would indicate and in which we doubled up their yardage and first downs, looks more impressive.  Also, CU dominating a game against a 5-1 team helped us.

There are a lot of pretty good but not great teams in the ACC (UNC, NC State, Miami, FSU, VT maybe?) but Clemson should have lost this one at home and that's reason to give us a bump.

Doesn't really matter with those undefeated teams that all control their own destiny, anyway.

Formerly Yoda

October 16th, 2016 at 1:29 PM ^

it's simple, really. we control our own destiny. whether osu lost last night or not, we still needed to beat them




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SeattleWolverine

October 16th, 2016 at 2:05 PM ^

Maybe. I think that relies a bit too much on sheer W-L records. Navy would have at least 3 losses if they'd played Ole Miss' schedule and Ole Miss would have 0 or 1 losses if they'd played Navy's weak schedule. S&P+ has Ole Miss as #10. Tough schedule with games at Florida State, at Arkansas and vs Alabama. Most of those games were fairly close, I believe they led in the 2nd half in all 3 games so they're getting credit for who they played and how they played rather than the record.  Winning matters but context does too. 

Mr. Yost

October 16th, 2016 at 3:38 PM ^

A poll should put teams in order from best to worst at that specific point in time. It's not only about putting the best records in order.

Now you may think Navy should be ahead of Ole Miss...but using their record isn't a good reason. It should be because you think they're the better team and who they've beaten (and who they've lost to) on their schedule proves your point.

Wisconsin, Louisville, and Ole Miss have all showed me as much or more in losses than they have any wins on their schedule.

Doesn't mean any are great teams...but when the #2 and #3 teams in the country and rolling people and you go toe-to-toe with both and have a shot to win both games. That says more to me than beating a trash MSU team who EVERYONE is beating right now. 

Wisconsin can play, they can hang, they're not as good as the elite teams because they haven't won those games, but clearly they're a solid team...but ass fucking Sparty on the road is only a very small part of how I'd form that opinion.

ak47

October 16th, 2016 at 7:22 PM ^

Eh I think polls should also use results too. It probably happens somewhat regularly that a 2 loss p5 team that is playing incredibly well could beat a no loss or 1 loss p5 team from another conference but you wouldn't rank them over that team for a playoff spot just because you think they'd win head to head.

Mr. Yost

October 16th, 2016 at 7:47 PM ^

I think you take it all into account.

I'm not suggesting that if a team played the top 12 teams and lost them all by 1 point, they should be 0-12 ranked #13.

However, I don't think you just list teams in order of record or that it's an abomination if a 3-3 team is ranked either.

jmblue

October 16th, 2016 at 1:43 PM ^

If OSU were to lose twice before playing us, we could clinch the division before even playing them.  That now looks extremely doubtful but if UW had won yesterday, that would have been a possibility.  Weird things can happen in an individual game.  Last year they lost at home to MSU playing without Connor Cook.  A Cook-less MSU last year would have probably been about a 7-8 win team.

But now that they've survived Wisconsin, yeah, we're going to have to beat them.

 

In reply to by ijohnb

somewittyname

October 16th, 2016 at 2:41 PM ^

It just takes one of the ACC or Pac12 cannibalizing itself. If Clemson had actually lost, it would have been a bit more likely. The Big12 is terrible and Houston blew their shot. That leaves Bama, OSU, one of ACC/Pac12 conference champions, and then a controversy.

In reply to by ijohnb

SpikeFan2016

October 16th, 2016 at 7:17 PM ^

It can happen if a 2 loss PAC 12 South Winner upsets Washington in the championship game in Santa Clara. 

 

That would likely eliminate the Big 12 and the PAC 12. No group of 5 teams or ND can threaten this year. 

In reply to by ijohnb

Moonlight Graham

October 16th, 2016 at 10:17 PM ^

get upset in their CCG's, even in that scenario the committee would probably take an 11-1 Baylor or WVU before taking two B1G teams. A lot would have to go haywire for us to make hte playoff after losing to OSU and not participating in the B1GCCG. 

GoBlueBill

October 16th, 2016 at 2:12 PM ^

I agree if we steamroll every team up to OSU. Then lose a close game . 

I still say we are better than Louisville, or an unbeaten Clemson  or Washington . 

 

y2mh

October 16th, 2016 at 2:49 PM ^

But in truth, looking at it from outside B1G,.. " if we steamroll every team up to OSU. Then lose a close game"

 Who have we beaten of any merit?  We may still need a Washington or Clemson loss.

 Best scenario is we win out and then let That Team Down South worry about how THEY will get in!   /s