Penn State loss to Pitt could end up costing Michigan
WIth Penn State's win over OSU on Saturday, there could be a three-way tie for the division title if Penn State runs the table and OSU beats (dare I say "upsets") Michigan in the game. The conference rules for tiebreakers are here - http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/archive/081011aaa.html.
Bottom line - the fifth tiebreaker of overall winning percentage would knock out Penn State and it would then revert to the Michigan-Ohio State head-to-head winner. If Penn State had defeated Pitt, then it would have fallen to the final tie breaker - a random draw. The random draw was news to me, I expected it to be based on rankings.
#beatOhioState
October 24th, 2016 at 11:10 AM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^
the MSU game..I know many on here are confident of a win but I am not..MSU will play their best game of the year Saturday..They have nothing to lose and this will be their Bowl game..I certainly hope I am completely wrong but I dont feel good about this game
October 24th, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 11:49 PM ^
Carr is not our coach!
October 24th, 2016 at 11:47 PM ^
then I know it would be a mental thing. Our defense will annihilate their offense and the only way they can win is if our offense turns the ball over several times and we cannot move on their defense. I don't for see this happening with Harbaugh. Harbuagh will have the team well prepared and I'll take even a close win but I could see this being one of those 45-9 type wins.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:14 AM ^
fans who think this way.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 11:14 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 12:18 PM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
Cumon, have you seen MSU? They won't beat Rutgers. However, I do think PSU will lose at least 1 if not more.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
Cumon, have you seen MSU? They won't beat Rutgers. However, I do think PSU will lose at least 1 if not more.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^
I think Penn State has at least one "lean loss" or "tossup" on that schedule, and if I had to guess, it would be Iowa, so on the surface, I don't know that the scenario described by the OP is all that likely, especially with this much uncertainty still built into any projection.
Right now, the road to the Big Ten East is through us, so as others have said, just win. It's that simple....on paper anyway. Still, that's all we need to do for the moment.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^
Does not matter at all #beatohiostate
October 24th, 2016 at 11:17 AM ^
pathetic to even think about the possability at this point. Why are you looking for ways for Michigan to win the division without beating OSU?
October 24th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^
I expect us to win against OSU so all this talk of tie-breakers is moot.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^
I don't know why people are worrying about this. Just go 12-0 and, clearly, they're in the title game.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 11:19 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 11:19 AM ^
CMU > Oklahoma State > Pitt > Penn State > Ohio State
October 24th, 2016 at 11:19 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 11:21 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^
The fifth tie-breakers reads to me as the team with the best overall percentage is selected, n Not that the team with the worst overally percentage is eliminated.
I agree with the earlier comment is this thread that these are not well written. Wouldn't be the case this year, but what happens if you had a three way tie and M had 0 ooc losses, O had one and P had two ooc losses. Would the P be eliminated and would it revert to head to head or would M be selected as the representative in this step?
October 24th, 2016 at 11:23 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 11:24 AM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 11:24 AM ^
Two furious fanbases in that scenario. Why not just have the conference athletic directors vote on it?
October 24th, 2016 at 11:37 AM ^
I can't tell if you are serious or not with your suggestion,
October 24th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
Becuase that worked out well in 1973...
October 24th, 2016 at 11:25 AM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^
Penn State is still bad at football.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^
Maybe we could adopt a tiebreaking rule that would be fair for everyone -- like a vote of all Big Ten head coaches!
Or maybe we could just Win The Game.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^
I think people are misinterpreting the tiebreaker rules. You follow the steps until a team is removed (Penn State would drop first). Then you would reset and start at the 2 team tiebreaker rules and we would drop out. OSU would win give the scenario presented.
While OSU is a game back currently, a victory over us sends them to the Championship game. We have to win out to assure our participation in the B1G Championship.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:40 AM ^
You are correct--it is stated right on the linked page:
"If only two teams remain tied after any step, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative."
October 24th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
double post
October 24th, 2016 at 11:43 AM ^
Clayton Thorsen (and Justin Jackson) could have career days, Tommy Armstrong could have a career day. tOSU could lose one of those games, then the whole issue would become moot. Anything can happen.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^
So what you're saying is that we should just go ahead and beat Ohio State. Got it.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:12 PM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
They could take out OSU in two weeks. Yes it's away but the Buckeyes are not playing well.
Even Northwestern is playing a lot better. Away game. Grass field to slow down OSU. You just never know.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:14 PM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
October 24th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
PSU will lose another game. They are aweful. Probably lose to Purdue this week or IU.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:28 PM ^
I can't believe they cannot come up with more, such as the opponents' overall record within conference, overall opponents' record including ooc, and so forth.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^
We're still in pretty good shape. Good news #1: Penn State is not good enough to win out. Good news #2: OSU could easily lose a game before us. Bottom Line: We need to beat the Buckeyes no matter what. I care more about beating them than the playoff. Good news #3: We are better than Ohio State.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
I agree with your point about beating OSU. Wins over OSU and MSU mean more than the playoff appearance. I know they go hand in hand, but I'd like those two fan bases to STFU.
At least until we beat them again next year!
The national stage is great, but OSU/MSU is #1.
October 24th, 2016 at 1:07 PM ^
If i had a choice between either beating OSU OR losing to them but winning the national championship, I would choose the championship every time.
I don't see how a regular season win over OSU trumps a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ever. ever ever.
October 24th, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^
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October 24th, 2016 at 12:53 PM ^
As long as we're making crap up, picture this...
1. OSU loses to Nebraska.
2. Michigan loses to Iowa.
3. OSU beats Michigan.
4. PSU wins out. (Take a moment to picture what this means!)
5. Board explodes.
As much as this would ruin my season, the meltdown here would be epic - and entertaining!
October 24th, 2016 at 1:00 PM ^
Shutup.
1. We will not lose to Ohio St
2. Penn St will not win out
October 24th, 2016 at 2:34 PM ^
Thread title and the fifth tiebreaker conflict. PSU's loss lowered their win percentage, so it helped Michigan's chances.
October 24th, 2016 at 6:46 PM ^
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