SIAP: CFP Chairman calls last week's loss 'impressive,' explains why we have a shot
November 30th, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^
They'd take that in a heartbeat. Two storied programs, large fanbases. The '79 Sugar Bowl between those two teams is remembered as one of the greatest games of all time. If PSU beats Wisconsin by double digits, I have no doubt they jump us.
November 30th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^
they have their starting linebackers now, and we still don't have Newsome and Clark. They beat Iowa by 27 and MSU by 33 and they beat OSU. Take off the homer glasses for a minute and try to see things through an unbiased viewpoint. A case can be made that they are playing much better now than when we faced them earlier in the season. Meanwhile, we've lost 2 of our last 3 games. Granted, by a sum total of 1 point in regulation. I don't know what the committe is going to do. I'd rather manage expectations now and be pleasantly surprised on Sunday than bitterly disappointed.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^
Lay out a case for Penn State over us. Not gonna happen.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
Victories over two top ten teams (obviously including a win over Wisconsin) one of which is over a top 2. a clearly better team than the injury riddled one that got beat by Michigan early in the year. The two losses were both against ranked teams on the road (which mich cannot claim as Iowa is unranked)
two common opponents with Michigan are ones they beat, one very convincingly, and both of which Michigan lost to.
Penn state's case is potentially stronger than Wisconsin's.
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November 30th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 4:54 PM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
You can't compare losses when one of the teams they lost to is Michigan. 49-10 should tell you everything you need to know. Also, PSU over OSU was a home night game on a flukey blocked fg, Michigan played OSU in Columbus into double overtime with shit officiating. Not to mention a win over Colorado. Penn St nonconference? Loss to Pitt, win over Kent State, (barely) a win over Temple. Real impressive
November 30th, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 11:26 AM ^
From: http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/selection-committee-faqs
A very interesting discussion:
The committee selects the teams using a process that distinguishes among otherwise comparable teams by considering conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head competition, comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory)...
So the fact that we beat PSU by 39 DOES matter, but the fact that they beat Iowa by 27 does NOT matter, it only matters that they beat them and we lost to them. Interesting.
November 30th, 2016 at 10:21 AM ^
I agree, and there is one other thing no one has mentioned. Does the college football community really want Penn State return to national prominence in the Playoffs this soon? Leave aside the questions about whether they would actually be one of the 4 best teams even with a win over Wisconsin. Do college football fans want to see Penn State go from sanctions being lifted after one of the most hideous scandals in sports to playing for a National Championship in two seasons? Doesn't that imply that winning outweighs any bad behavior?
I repeat, I am not a Penn State basher. I think the criticism of them by some of the people in this Michigan board has been excessive. I went to high school in central PA, and my sister and several of my friends are Penn State alumni. But, I honestly think that when the committee sits down to do its job, there will be an "EUWW! Too soon!" moment if they think about selecting Penn State.
November 30th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
That's a fair question. There were people claiming four years ago that PSU's sanctions were "worse than the death penalty." Yeah, not so much.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:04 AM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
the one thing i do not like is that Alvarez is on that committee in terms of Wisconsin
November 30th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 2:46 PM ^
December 1st, 2016 at 9:19 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 9:12 AM ^
I'm happy that "the window is still wide open for Michigan", but this bit of DISRESPEKT made me laugh this morning:
November 30th, 2016 at 9:12 AM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 9:22 AM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^
That may well be a bit of a "homer" statement, but I think it's atleast debateable
November 30th, 2016 at 9:49 AM ^
Except it's not that simple, right? Because no one thinks Iowa is a better team than Michigan.
So there must be some qualifiers, which means it's not such an easy answer.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:20 AM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 9:39 AM ^
Not very likely to lay an egg considering we have had 2 losses by a toal of 4 points on the road this year. No need to worry about that. They will be up for a game against Alabama or especially a Game Part 2.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:46 AM ^
They gave up a whopping 3 FG attempts to Ohio State in regulation and that's it. I think they could put in a similar performance against anyone
November 30th, 2016 at 9:24 AM ^
I can tell you that the fairly large group of OSU fans/alumni I know are absolutely NOT wanting us to make it in this year if it means they have to play us again. While they all "know" the game was officiated absolutely fairly and above board in all areas they do acknowledge that we dont seem to see it that way and our motivation on a rematch might be a smidge higher than normal.
If we make it in I want to play them again so bad it hurts. I have a feeling that would be the single most motivated Michigan team we've ever seen given how badly they got jobbed last weekend.
We can hope.
November 30th, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^
Everyone seems to be looking past the OSU/Clemson potential match up. Clemson has looked iffy at times this year, like everyone has, and I don't think OSU makes it past them regardless of who #4 is.
December 1st, 2016 at 12:34 AM ^
Clemson has a good defense and Watson is a much better passer than Barrett is. OSU is no lock in that game at all.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
December 1st, 2016 at 12:36 AM ^
If you listen to the corporate-speak of the committee . . . that's exactly what they are saying.
One tiny little plausible excuse to give them air cover and we are in.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^
November 30th, 2016 at 10:21 AM ^
LOL. Right. If this were Bama or LSU, we'd be going nuts.
December 1st, 2016 at 12:38 AM ^
TA&M made the top 4 just for losing to Alabama. It's a thing this committee has.
It's a stupid way of thinking, but it works in our favor.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:28 AM ^
The Irony would be if Washington loses and the final four becomes Alabama, OSU, Clemson, Michigan. Michigan beats Alabama while Ohio State beats Clemson. The Championship game would then be Michigan vs OSU - neutral field, neutral refs, bright lights, etc. I can only dream!
November 30th, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 10:19 AM ^
Alanis Morissette sees the irony.
December 1st, 2016 at 12:39 AM ^
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:35 AM ^
Wisconsin is not getting in over us. They lost to us head to head and they play in the weaker of the 2 divisions of the B1G. If we are in their division we are playing in Indy this weekend.
November 30th, 2016 at 10:53 AM ^
There's no way Penn St. goes before us because of the beating we put on them, but I'm not as confident about Wisconsin since it was only a 7 pt win at home. True, they played in the weaker division of the B1G, but they are currently #6, would have a win over #7 to boost them, and one of their losses (to us) was a close game on the road early in the season. That scares me.
November 30th, 2016 at 1:23 PM ^
They would have finished 4th in our division. They are 100% propped up by being in the weaker division. And if they beat PSU then they won't have a win over #7 since PSU will fall - likely out of the Top 10.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:39 AM ^
They are just making this shit up as they go along. The CFP knows the stakes this year. They and ESPN cannot suffer through an Alabama/MSU type blowout while losing 25% of the eyballs. Saban v. Harbaugh. New Year's Eve. Make it happen.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:41 AM ^
You are right. No one wants to sit through an Alabama/Wisconsin blowout. That would be a ratings nightmare.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:56 AM ^
This whole thing is totally ad hoc. Brian has been assuming the committee was to be taken at its (earlier) word that conference championships mean something, but there's no principle or, at least, organized process flow to make the decisions. I think at this point, they just want the most compelling matchups, and that's it.
December 1st, 2016 at 12:40 AM ^
You know they want to.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:42 AM ^
I believe they're watching all the games this weekend together. If Washington looks like the same team that faced USC, even in victory, and Alabama looks like the same team that faced USC, would the committee review our games against top 10 competition to see who would have the better shot against Bama? Bama would be the definite #1 team with no more regular season games to play, so it's guaranteed that they would face the #4 team.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:54 AM ^
Two thoughts.
1) The Iowa loss stings more than ever. Beat Iowa and lose to OSU, and OSU plays for and likely wins the Big 10 championship, and then Michigan's only loss is a ridiculously close game against the #2 team, a conference champion. Then I think it is easy to defend U-M at #4.
2) I think PSU beating Wisconsin is best for U-M, because then Alvarez has no way to lobby UW in, and U-M's win over PSU was impressive enough to justify keeping U-M ahead of PSU. If UW wins, then I don't think it's so wrong to argue that UW only lost by a single TD (yardage margin notwithstanding) on the road against U-M, so it's easier for UW to jump U-M.
Rooting for PSU will make me sick, but I think it's best for Michigan.
November 30th, 2016 at 10:00 AM ^
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November 30th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^