Michigan falls to 8th in both the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll
Coaches Poll: http://sportspolls.usatoday.com/ncaa/football/polls/coaches-poll/
Michigan was jumped by Oklahoma State. Penn State moved past USC to 4th, Ohio State stayed at 9th, and Wisconsin moved up two spots to 10th. Maryland is the next highest ranked Big Ten team at 29th. And for those who are wondering Purdue received no votes.
AP Poll: http://collegefootball.ap.org/poll
Michigan was passed by Oklahoma State in the AP Poll too. Penn State jumped USC to move to 4th, and Wisconsin jumped Ohio State to move to 9th. The Buckeyes fell two spots to 10th. Maryland is at 28th, and as with the Coaches Poll Purdue has no votes.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:20 PM ^
No, it's really not. They finished last season in the Top 10, didn't lose a ton of talent and have held serve by blowing out three teams.
They beat BYU on the road far worse than LSU did at a neutral site and also far worse than Utah, both of which are also ranked.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^
So? That doesn't mean they can't be good. It's Week 3, most teams haven't played anyone yet. We have no idea who will be ranked in the Big Ten by the end of the year. Maryland, Purdue, Iowa and Minnesota all look better than expected and UW plays all four, in addition to us.
Florida State is ranked #11 and is 0-1. Do you have a problem with that?
September 17th, 2017 at 6:19 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 3:02 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^
Only one SEC team in the entire Top Ten.
That's actually progress. 5 years ago, there would be 7 SEC teams in the Top Ten even if they lost or struggled with crappy teams.
Now folks are starting to realize that the SEC is really just Alabama and the 13 drawfs.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:19 PM ^
really? theyve played Tulsa , S.Alabama and Pitt...hardly a gauntlet..over Florida Cincy and Air Force? Ill take our schedule anyday over OK St
September 17th, 2017 at 1:50 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:20 PM ^
meaningless at this time. Just for fans to argue about.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^
With the playoff I'm not sure how much they ever matter anymore.
My guess is that when things play out Pac12 will be watching this year. OK embarassing tOSU will probably get the B12 in this year barring a collapse. Pac12 only has an over-rated USC and struggling Stanford. Even that is more depth than the SEC. But, Alabama...
September 17th, 2017 at 2:30 PM ^
Always on Sunday
September 17th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
This is an OUTRAGE! I DEMAND satisfaction, sir! Pistols at dawn at 50 paces!!!
September 17th, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:40 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
Wait until October at leastt before we know much of anything. Even then, November reveals the most important info on which to base college football polls.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
Srsly. If we beat Wisconsin or PSU and we beat OSU, none of this will matter.
Unless we lose to some other schmucky team...
September 17th, 2017 at 1:48 PM ^
A loss to PSU alone could kill us, actually, if they turn around and beat OSU the next week.
However, even if PSU loses to OSU after beating us:
The other thing nobody seems to remember is that Ohio State's loss to Oklahoma can wind up biting Michigan. If there was a 3-way, 8-1 in the Big Ten tie between UM, OSU and PSU, the most likely way there would be all three winning at home and losing on the road (UM loses in Happy Valley, PSU loses in Columbus, OSU loses in Ann Arbor).
Penn State wins that three way tiebreaker. OSU would be eliminated by their non-conference loss and it would revert to head to head between PSU and UM.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 2:03 PM ^
It's part of the Big Ten rules for tiebreakers. Link
1. The records of the three tied teams will be compared against each other. (In our hypothetical, all three would be 1-1)
2. The records of the three tied teams will be compared within their division. (In our hypothetical, all three would be 5-1)
3. The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5, 6, and 7). (In our hypothetical, all three would have defeated all of MSU, Maryland, Rutgers, and IU)
4. The records of the three teams will be compared against all common conference opponents. (There is no common B1G West team all three of us will play, so this step is skipped)
5. The best cumulative conference winning percentage of non-divisional opponents. (In our hypothetical, all three would be 3-0 vs. the B1G West)
6. The records of the three teams will be compared against the highest placed non-divisional teams in their division order of finish (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). (In our hypothetical, all three would be undefeated against the B1G West, so no differentiators here)
7. The team with the best overall winning percentage shall be the representative. (In our hypothetical, OSU is eliminated for a 10-2 overall record vs. PSU/UM's 11-1 records. Once it's back to a two-way tie, PSU is declared Big Ten East Champion by virtue of their head to head win over Michigan).
8. The representative will be chosen by random draw. (There is no possible way to reach this step in the 2017 season given OSU's loss)
September 17th, 2017 at 2:45 PM ^
That's right. Rule #7 was established in September 2016. Before that, they used "CFP ranking" instead of overall win percentage. They switched it because,
"the timing of when the rankings are released and the potential competitive and logistical impact the timing could have on the Big Ten championship game," league spokesman Adam Augustine told ESPN in an email Sunday night.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:47 PM ^
The MSU-UM-OSU potential tiebreaker from 2015 promted the change.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:45 PM ^
That's right. Rule #7 was established in September 2016. Before that, they used "CFP ranking" instead of overall win percentage. They switched it because,
"the timing of when the rankings are released and the potential competitive and logistical impact the timing could have on the Big Ten championship game," league spokesman Adam Augustine told ESPN in an email Sunday night.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:22 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 6:20 PM ^
Neither surprising nor unwarranted, imo.
I do believe that this team is capable of making the playoffs this year. Their talent levels are certainly high enough. They just need to put it all together.
They haven't done so yet.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:29 PM ^
This is deserved. Michigan now has two shaky wins over "meh" opponents. They don't look like a Top 10 team to me but I'm also not sure at this point who behind them is really better. Defense may be Top 3 but I can't suppress the feeling that OL/QB play will cost this team a game soon, possibly even one of the next three. And almost certainly one of the back six.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^
Good. We're certainly not a top 10 team right now.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:12 PM ^
We haven't set the world on fire, but which 10 teams are "certainly" better than us at the moment?
September 17th, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 2:28 PM ^
The poster above, apparently.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:35 PM ^
After Bama, Clemson, and OK there doesn't seem to be much difference until down to 11 or 12.
September 17th, 2017 at 2:35 PM ^
After Bama, Clemson, and OK there doesn't seem to be much difference until down to 11 or 12.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^
hope to put penn state in its place soon.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:52 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 3:34 PM ^
We have struggled with Iowa recently, but so has Penn State historically.
Kinnick at night will be no picnic for Penn State.
September 17th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
That is true long term; however, Penn State has won three in a row vs. Iowa (2011, 2012, 2016)
September 17th, 2017 at 7:06 PM ^
Iowa is the team that Penn State has gone the longest period of time without losing to.
Doesn't necessarily mean anything at all as regards PSU's game w/ Iowa Saturday --- but anyone saying "PSU always struggles with Iowa" (very true in the Paterno era, yes) is using a dated talking point.
September 18th, 2017 at 7:30 AM ^
True enough; go Hawkeyes!
September 17th, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 7:28 AM ^
Yes, but it seems they have made a deal with the devil covering the period before they begin eternity there.
September 17th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
Only winning does. So we can check that box. Obviously gotta get better on offense. I believe we will.
GO BLUE!!
September 17th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^