Who will you cheer for this weekend? ND, LSU, Pitt, Texas Tech, NC State, GA / TN

Submitted by Amazinblu on November 3rd, 2022 at 10:30 AM

We're entering the final four games (for most teams) of the regular season.  And, though many games will be played, the strength of schedule and likelihood that some teams will lose future games varies.

So - as difficult as it may be - who will you be rooting for, or hoping, to win this weekend.

At the top of my list is:

1. Clemson at ND.  This is easily the toughest game for Clemson the rest of the year.  The weather could be "different" than what the Tigers are accustomed to - with possible rain, wind, and temperatures in the 50's.

2. Bama at LSU.  I'll be hoping for Brian Kelly to pull this one off to provide the Tide with their second conference loss of the season.  And, going forward - Bama defeating Ole Miss next weekend - so, a two conference loss "West" division team can win the SEC CCG.

3. Tennessee at Georgia.  A big win by either team.  But, I do think Georgia fans (should they lose) will talk about the impact of losing one of their key defensemen (LB - Nolan Smith) to injury.

4. Wake Forest vs NC State.  I'd like Wake to win this one - since UNC is the only currently ranked team left on NC State's schedule; whereas Wake Forest still plays Syracuse.

5. Syracuse at Pitt.  I'll go with Pitt - primarily to decrease the ACC's Strength of Schedule.

6. Texas Tech at TCU.  Though unlikely, it would be fun to see the Texas Tech Red Raiders find a way to win this one.

Any other games, results, or outcomes - besides the Michigan - Rutgers game you're interested in?

Generally speaking - two things... wins / losses that could help the Maize & Blue, and the B1G, and chaos.. lots of chaos.  (And, if you're a "Get Smart" fan... that might be KAOS.)

ChuckieWoodson

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:33 AM ^

ND to beat Clemson, LSU to beat Bama, don't really care between TN/GA as I think that makes no difference for M at this juncture.

Rooting interests are devoid of any other factor than M getting its best chance to make the CFP.

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AZBlue

November 3rd, 2022 at 12:15 PM ^

Yeah - the Notre Dame complete implosion seems off the table in terms of (significant) recruiting hits in the near future so we might as well hope they beat an overrated** Clemson team.  Plus ND can still crap the bed against USC and maybe even BC?! (which would give us a win by proxy over ND via UConn)

 

** Clemson is overrated/valued due to history and their name - something I am fully aware was applicable to UM most years in the past although to a lesser extent recently.

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Macenblu

November 3rd, 2022 at 11:03 AM ^

I doubt that it happens but I think we're rooting for Tennessee by 3 touchdowns.  If they beat Georgia at their place it would keep Georgia out of the SEC Championship Game and Georgia would essentially be left without any impressive wins other than Oregon at a neutral field.  If LSU can then beat Alabama it COULD help prevent the SEC takeover of the playoff 

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ThWard

November 3rd, 2022 at 1:38 PM ^

Totally sensible, Chuck, but count me in for rooting for Clemson to win a sloppy game. Part of it is because I can't fathom UM either (i) getting into the CFP without beating OSU, or (ii) being left out of the CFP after beating OSU.

So in that sense, I don't know that Clemson is as relevant to us, save for the fairly unlikely event of a 12-1 UM that loses a rematch to Illinois in B1G final (or loses to Purdue in final).

I think a 12-1 B1G champ Michigan gets in no matter what; and I don't think an 11-1 (loss to OSU) gets two B1G teams in. Had PSU beaten OSU, leaving the tiebreaker option of a B1G championship UM with one loss to OSU, I'd feel differently. 

So I'm pro ND implosion!

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DavidP814

November 3rd, 2022 at 1:45 PM ^

In TN/GA, either team @ 11-1 gets in over an 11-1 Michigan team, so the team with the easier remaining schedule is the team we'd want to win.  That looks like TN.  They only have Mizzou, Vandy, and SC left.  Georgia has to go on the road to Mississippi State and Kentucky in consecutive weeks immediately after playing TN. 

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M Squared

November 3rd, 2022 at 2:12 PM ^

Not sure that I agree that TN/GA makes no difference to UM.  We want the number of teams with legitimate cases to make CFP to be limited.  If GA wins that means both GA and TN claim major victories (GA against TN and TN against Bama).  We don't want that.  If possible, we want GA knocked out of the discussion by having a loss and zero major wins to end the season.

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schreibee

November 3rd, 2022 at 4:39 PM ^

That's crazy Gogo! Other fanbases would never say Michigan fans are arrogant, so why would say you are?!

Anyway, arrogant or not, there are multiple scenarios where an 11-1 Michigan could get in the cfp - and they all require teams we strongly dislike winning some games. Starting with nd over Clemson. 

So there's that...

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tjohn7

November 3rd, 2022 at 11:51 AM ^

I agree on the surface, but things could shake out where that isn't true. Obviously 2 of Georgia, Tennessee or Bama are in. OSU as well. But if the following were to occur we'd likely be in:

Bama loses to LSU

Clemson loses to ND

TCU loses somewhere 

Oregon and USC both pick up an additional loss

Illinois wins all remaining games except against us

PSU wins out

While that's a ton of ifs, it's not terribly farfetched. We'll know a ton more this weekend as to what our chances are.

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lhglrkwg

November 3rd, 2022 at 12:05 PM ^

There's a very small chance we get an at-large at 11-1 if some of the following happens

  • Michigan barely loses in Columbus and only drops to like #5 or 6
  • Big 12 and Pac 12 champs have 2+ losses
  • Bama and Tennessee/UGA end up 10-2 so the SEC only gets 1 team in

You'd be hoping for 

  1. Undefeated UGA/Tennessee
  2. Ohio State
  3. Clemson
  4. Us

But even then I think the committee would find a way to leave us out for a 2+ loss team

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M Squared

November 3rd, 2022 at 2:25 PM ^

People are way too sure that Michigan can't get in w a loss to Ohio.  

1. This is college football.  Chaos is the rule.

2. It's possible that Michigan could be #1 or #2 by the time of The Game.  If Michigan loses by 3 or fewer at The Horseshoe, I don't consider it a given that we drop lower than #6.

3. If we are #5 or #6, conference championships (which tend to be competitive) follow the next week and we just need 1 or 2 teams to lose. 

4. According to the fancy algorithms, Michigan even now (after being slotted in at #5 in the initial playoff rankings) has about a 50% chance to make the playoffs.  Those algorithms generally give Michigan about a 25% chance to win at Ohio so the other 25% comes from...chaos.

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Cali Wolverine

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^

Michigan is not making the CFP unless they win out and beat Ohio State…if they do, they are in and none of these games will have an affect.  I don’t care about any of these games except Georgia vs Tennessee.  I have a hard time cheering for either team, but am excited to watch an amazing game. I will not cheer for Notre Dame, but I will root against Clemson. I will not cheer for Brian Kelly….but wouldn’t mind seeing Bama lose.

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Needs

November 3rd, 2022 at 11:26 AM ^

I think M would still make the CFP with a loss to Illinois and then victories over OSU and Illinois in a title game rematch. Or, probably, vice versa (beat Illinois and then lose in the title game). Either would be a weird emotional experience that I'd rather not have, but I don't think M technically has to win out (but definitely has to beat OSU).

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East German Judge

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^

Spot on that we want to have the outcomes benefit us and our path to the CFP:

  1. ND - and hate to say it, in a convincing manner.  They can then lose the rest of their games to help us in recruiting any common prospects
  2. LSU - to remove 'Bama from the conversation.  They can be the best 2 loss team in the country and also so that Bryce Young's Heisman votes go down and help Blake
  3. Agree, either team by a huge amount.  Maybe pick Tennessee as I don't want the prospect of see GA again in the CFP

Not really invested in all the others that much.

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AC1997

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:43 AM ^

This is my list exactly.  I think Clemson is shaky and has an easy rest of the season, so let's have ND beat them.  I don't like LSU but I want the world to see that Bama sucks on the road this year and is highly over rated.  I am sick of Georgia and would like to see them miss out on the SEC title and have to sweat out selection Sunday to see if they get in the playoff (which they will).  

I have nothing against TCU, but I want chaos and help for the B10 so I'm rooting against them.  

I will be attending the Illinois/MSU game and rooting for another total destruction of MSU.  

In general I want total chaos in the SEC so we can stop hearing people at ESPN talking about the scenarios to get three SEC teams in.  I'm resigned to the fact that the CFP will take two SEC teams long before two B10 teams.....but there's still some hope I guess.  

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bronxblue

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:38 AM ^

It's LSU and ND and then I don't really care.  Alabama being the third SEC team would be a travesty in my opinion because they've honestly played like a top-15 team not the top-6 team they're being treated as.

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WoodleyIsBeast

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^

I absolutely hate the idea of Clemson going undefeated and going to the playoff, so ND winning is my #2 goal this weekend(after Michigan winning in a big way against Rutgers with Corum extending his Heisman run numbers). Removing TCU and Alabama from the playoff conversation would be nice as well. Georgia getting smoked by Tennessee would be good too.

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Amazinblu

November 3rd, 2022 at 12:59 PM ^

Hemlock, agreed - that score of 49-3 was massive.

Without doubt, Oregon has improved it's quality of play since their opener against Georgia, which was in Atlanta.  I think that ND has improved, primarily in their IL, since their opener against the Bucks.

Perhaps it was the margin, but - no one I have heard in the media is stating a point that I think has merit.   That point is - it was an opener - it was "away from home" - it was the first game with a new head coach (and, yes - I know that Freeman coached ND's bowl game).   I'm not justifying the score, but - it may have been like Cinderella Man, "He ain't the same man."

So, teams can improve during the season.  It will be interesting to see if this comes up in the discussion as the rankings proceed.

After all, what's the criteria for selection of the CFP "Four"?   Is it the most deserving?   The four teams playing the best at the end of the season?   The four best bodies of work?  If anyone knows what the CFP Selection Committee criteria really are - please share...

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S.G. Rice

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:44 AM ^

Really it's another smorgasbord of games where either team losing would be delightful. 

Can't say that I'll be rooting for either ND or Clempson, but one of them has to lose and that'll be great.  Hopefully it's 3-2 game that sets football back 100 years.  Or a massive blowout.  Same with Alabama and Brian Kelly.

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Team 101

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:45 AM ^

Notre Dame as much as I hate them

LSU as much as I hate Brian Kelly

Tennessee as much as I hate Phil Fulmer

Is there a way all six of them can lose.

Texas Tech because Bobby Knight coached there /s.

I don't care about the others.

 

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