Michigan blows out #10 Penn State: Why should they not leap frog Ohio State?

[Mr. Friscus]

Get ready for the latest example of program bias.

Ohio State was launched to #2 last week for unknown reasons, Michigan fell to #5.

Now Michigan blew out #10 penn state, OSU hasn’t beaten a ranked team

Yet, I’m sure OSU will somehow stay at 2 despite not playing this week

 

[rightwinger]

Because Ohio State kicks their ass every year

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Because Ohio State kicks their ass every year

Not last year.

And why would you up a teams seed because of what they did 2+ years ago?

 

[Couchpotato]

Get ready for the latest example of program bias.

Ohio State was launched to #2 last week for unknown reasons, Michigan fell to #5.

Now Michigan blew out #10 penn state, OSU hasn’t beaten a ranked team

Yet, I’m sure OSU will somehow stay at 2 despite not playing this week

OSU moving to 2 last week had more to do with Alabama’s lack of performance than it did with what OSU did. Though they have beaten all the teams they’ve played convincingly.

We should see a good amount of movement this week. Arguably Tennessee should be 1 and UM 2. They have more impressive wins than anyone in the top 5.

In the end it doesn’t matter for the most part as those 2 will settle who’s better on the field. The winner will get a playoff berth for sure.

 

[22lcidw]

OSU moving to 2 last week had more to do with Alabama’s lack of performance than it did with what OSU did. Though they have beaten all the teams they’ve played convincingly.

We should see a good amount of movement this week. Arguably Tennessee should be 1 and UM 2. They have more impressive wins than anyone in the top 5.

In the end it doesn’t matter for the most part as those 2 will settle who’s better on the field. The winner will get a playoff berth for sure.

In the end the people who pick the top teams get the top two right out of four slots for the playoffs no matter positioning. We argue over could sneak in with our personal allegiances.

 

[Couchpotato]

In the end the people who pick the top teams get the top two right out of four slots for the playoffs no matter positioning. We argue over could sneak in with our personal allegiances.

That’s what we assume but there’s no way to know that based on a 4 team playoff. 4 out of 135 mins you.

 

[Couchpotato]

Get ready for the latest example of program bias.

Ohio State was launched to #2 last week for unknown reasons, Michigan fell to #5.

Now Michigan blew out #10 penn state, OSU hasn’t beaten a ranked team

Yet, I’m sure OSU will somehow stay at 2 despite not playing this week

TCU is undefeated with wins against 3 top 25 teams. Ranked 8. Ole Miss undefeated with 1 win against a top 25 team ranked 7. Both behind 1 loss Alabama.

 

[sealybobo]

Get ready for the latest example of program bias.

Ohio State was launched to #2 last week for unknown reasons, Michigan fell to #5.

Now Michigan blew out #10 penn state, OSU hasn’t beaten a ranked team

Yet, I’m sure OSU will somehow stay at 2 despite not playing this week

When Michigan beats Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship, they'll leap frog them. Until then, who cares? You may have a point and I'm a Michigan fan so i'm bias to agree with you but honestly, who cares? In the top 4 means in the national championship at the end of the year.

 

[Couchpotato]

When Michigan beats Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship, they'll leap frog them. Until then, who cares? You may have a point and I'm a Michigan fan so i'm bias to agree with you but honestly, who cares? In the top 4 means in the national championship at the end of the year.

There is zero chance Michigan plays OSU in the Big 10 Championship. If they do I'll stop posting here. If they dont you delete your account. Deal?

 

[sealybobo]

There is zero chance Michigan plays OSU in the Big 10 Championship. If they do I'll stop posting here. If they dont you delete your account. Deal?

No. But why wouldn't they play each other? I'm assuming they will be the top 2 teams at the end of the season. Why do you say that?

 

[Couchpotato]

No. But why wouldn't they play each other? I'm assuming they will be the top 2 teams at the end of the season. Why do you say that?

Two sides to the conference they’re both in the same side they can’t play each other in the Big Ten championship they do play each other every year last game of the year

 

[sealybobo]

Two sides to the conference they’re both in the same side they can’t play each other in the Big Ten championship they do play each other every year last game of the year

Makes no sense. The two fucking best teams in the Big 10 should play for the Big Fucking 10 Championship. Don't you agree?

 

[Couchpotato]

Makes no sense. The two fucking best teams in the Big 10 should play for the Big Fucking 10 Championship. Don't you agree?

No I think the winners of the 2 sides should play. SEC has the same issue this year. The beat 2 teams in the conference (Tenn and UGA) won’t play each other in the SEC championship.

 

[AMart]

These rankings are not the "real" rankings. The CFP rankings are released in early November. Massey, which mirrored the CFP for the top 12 heading into the bowl season last year, has it
Georgia
Tennessee
OSU
Michigan

College {Football|Basketball|Baseball} Ranking Composite

masseyratings.com

 

[Couchpotato]

These rankings are not the "real" rankings. The CFP rankings are released in early November. Massey, which mirrored the CFP for the top 12 heading into the bowl season last year, has it
Georgia
Tennessee
OSU
Michigan

College {Football|Basketball|Baseball} Ranking Composite

masseyratings.com

I would put Tennessee at one and Michigan at 2 but I agree with those 4 at the top.

 

[AMart]

I would put Tennessee at one and Michigan at 2 but I agree with those 4 at the top.

This guy does a great job abstracting all scenarios he posts these updates every Monday-Tuesday.

Remaining Undefeated, 1-Loss, and Winless Teams Before Week 8
Teams with 1st Loss Week 7:
Alabama
Penn State
Southern California
Oklahoma State
Coastal Carolina
(James Madison)

Teams with 2nd Loss Week 7:
North Carolina State
Mississippi State
Kansas
Minnesota
San Jose State

Teams with 1st Win Week 7 :
Colorado

Percent of Teams with 1st Loss of Season:
Week 0/1: 38.9% (51 of 131)
Week 2: 37.5% (30 of 80)
Week 3: 34% (17 of 50)
Week 4: 36.4% (12 of 33)
Week 5: 23.8% (5 of 21)
Week 6: 6.25% (1 of 16)
Week 7: 40% (6 of 15)

Maximum number of Undefeated Teams at the End of the Regular Season:
5: TCU, UCLA, Ohio State/Michigan, Syracuse/Clemson, Georgia/Tennessee/Ole Miss
-We saw both the final two undefeateds from the Sun Belt fall this week eliminating one possible undefeated at the end of the season.

Week 7 Thoughts:
-This was a huge week, but let's starts with the elimination of one our lists completely. Colorado, while a decent underdog, beat Cal at home to take their first win of the season. With that, every FBS team has at least one win.

-We now only have 4 potential games between undefeated teams for the rest of the regular season.

-The biggest news of the week was, of course, Tennessee upsetting Alabama in a game the fanbase, really, really wanted to win again. The game is both huge and less significant than it looks for a few reasons. The rivals are in opposite divisions. If Alabama wins out, it is still going to the SEC Championship and in control of everything. If Tennessee loses to Georgia, the bulldogs are almost certainly the ones going to Atlanta. Those things aren't that much different than they were before. A few other things are different though now. For one, Alabama is now in a must win vs. a surprisingly still undefeated Ole Miss.

-Bigger for the SEC, this leaves open more ways to get two teams in the playoff bowls. Let's say Georgia wins a close one over Tennessee and then loses a close one to Alabama in the SEC Championship. That could leave us with three one loss SEC teams, each with a win over one of the others. They would not all get in, but would have decent arguments and two might well. That doesn't even factor in Ole Miss. Two is far from a lock, but I would lean to any of the non-SEC champs in that situation beating out a 1-loss Big 12, PAC-12, or ACC champ (although not a foregone conclusion).

-In the Big Ten, the divisional races are clearing up. Michigan beating Penn State, leaves Ohio State and Michigan the overwhelming favorites for the division (although Penn State is back in the race if they beat Ohio State). On the other side, Illinois beating Minnesota means they are for real. The Illini and Purdue are the definite favorites now which is not at all what would have been guessed before the season.

-The Big 12 and the PAC-12 are left with just one undefeated team each with TCU defeating fellow undefeated Oklahoma State and USC falling to Utah. Both conferences' odds of getting into the playoff are much, much smaller if TCU/UCLA do not win the conference, although there are one loss possibilities if they get some help. The best hope, by far though, is for TCU/UCLA to winout as I cannot see the committee leaving out an undefeated champ of a power 5 conference.

-Clemson hasn't often looked pretty, but they keep winning. Syracuse has been surprising and remains undefeated. They play each other this week. Clemson has a lot higher odds of making the CFP, but Syracuse is a dark horse candidate if they keep winning.

-The Mountain West lost its final 1-loss team and the Sun Belt lost both it's last remaining undefeated teams this week. That leaves no undefeateds from any Group of 5 conference and leaves 1-loss teams only in the American and Sun Belt. I think any American 1-loss champ at this point has an edge, but a 1-loss Sun Belt team will likely beat out a 2-loss from another conference. All that said, in 2014, we had a 2-loss Boise State get in and this could be a year we don't have any 1-loss teams. I'd still bet against that, but our field is getting limited. Between the American and Sun Belt we are down to just 5 teams (excluding James Madison) with a lot of season left to play.

Week 8 Thoughts:
-We have one game between undefeated teams this week and 2 games between undefeated and 1-loss teams.

-Undefeated Syracuse @ undefeated Clemson: Clemson is already 5-0 in conference so this game will be very close to clinching a spot in the ACC Championship with a win. On the other side, if Syracuse wins, they, not Clemson control their destiny for that side of the conference. The ACC has a lot better shot of a CFP spot with Clemson, but, still being unbeaten, Syracuse could make if if they win out.

-Undefeated UCLA @ 1-loss Oregon: This is quite possibly a battle between the two best teams in the PAC-12. Given Oregon has lost a game and it was in a lopsided one to an SEC team they might be directly competing with for a CFP spot, the conference is better if UCLA can win out, but Oregon is the favorite here and for the conference.

-1-loss Kansas State @ undefeated TCU: These are the 2nd and 3rd most likely to win the Big 12 right now, but the winner of this game might well be the favorite. TCU has the best chance of anyone in the Big 12 to make the playoff bowls.

-Undefeated Ole Miss @ LSU: Tennessee is for real, but what about Ole Miss? They will prove a lot if they go on the road and win this game they are only a small favorite in.

-Texas @ 1-loss Oklahoma State: The Cowboys can't morn their loss last week long. Both these teams are very much in the Big 12 title race. Texas is now actually a slight favorite in what is becoming a 4 team race. Oklahoma State isn't much behind.

- Troy @ 1-loss South Alabama (Thursday): South Alabama's 1-loss came by a point to a still undefeated UCLA. If they win out, they will have a strong argument for the Group of 5 conference spot, but right now they are only a 3-point favorite in this game.

-1-loss Cincinnati @ SMU: Cincinnati is still very much playing for their 3rd New Years Six bowl in a row, but they are only a small favorite at SMU and it is not certain they can afford a loss.

-BYU @ 1-loss Liberty: Liberty feels kind of like an east coast version of BYU (religious schools, playing as independents). This will be the last time the two meet as independents with both joining conferences next year.

Minnesota @ 1-loss Penn State: Penn State is not out of the east race yet. If they beat Ohio State and Ohio State beats Michigan, they are looking for tie breakers. They can't afford another loss though. Meanwhile, Minnesota looked to be the rising team in the west, but has been overshadowed by Illinois and Purdue. They need this game to stay in that race.

1-loss UCF @ East Carolina: UCF is only a small favorite here. Much better for the American if Central Florida keeps winning.

Remaining Undefeated Teams: ACC: 2, Big 12: 1, Big Ten: 2, PAC-12: 1, SEC: 3, Sun Belt: 0, total: 9
Clemson
Syracuse
Michigan
Ohio State
Texas Christian
UCLA
Georgia
Tennessee
Mississippi


1-Loss Teams: ACC: 2, American: 3, Big 12: 2, Big Ten: 2, Mountain West: 0, PAC-12: 2, SEC: 1, Sun Belt: 3, independents: 1, total: 16
Wake Forest
North Carolina
Cincinnati
Tulane
Central Florida
Kansas State
Illinois
Oregon
South Alabama
Liberty
Alabama
Penn State
Southern California
Oklahoma State
Coastal Carolina
(James Madison)

Remaining Winless Teams: PAC-12: 0, total: 0
none

Remaining Undefeated, 1-Loss, and Winless Teams Before Week 8

CSNbbs: The #1 Board for College Sports on the internet.

csnbbs.com

 

[Couchpotato]

This guy does a great job abstracting all scenarios he posts these updates every Monday-Tuesday.

Remaining Undefeated, 1-Loss, and Winless Teams Before Week 8
Teams with 1st Loss Week 7:
Alabama
Penn State
Southern California
Oklahoma State
Coastal Carolina
(James Madison)

Teams with 2nd Loss Week 7:
North Carolina State
Mississippi State
Kansas
Minnesota
San Jose State

Teams with 1st Win Week 7 :
Colorado

Percent of Teams with 1st Loss of Season:
Week 0/1: 38.9% (51 of 131)
Week 2: 37.5% (30 of 80)
Week 3: 34% (17 of 50)
Week 4: 36.4% (12 of 33)
Week 5: 23.8% (5 of 21)
Week 6: 6.25% (1 of 16)
Week 7: 40% (6 of 15)

Maximum number of Undefeated Teams at the End of the Regular Season:
5: TCU, UCLA, Ohio State/Michigan, Syracuse/Clemson, Georgia/Tennessee/Ole Miss
-We saw both the final two undefeateds from the Sun Belt fall this week eliminating one possible undefeated at the end of the season.

Week 7 Thoughts:
-This was a huge week, but let's starts with the elimination of one our lists completely. Colorado, while a decent underdog, beat Cal at home to take their first win of the season. With that, every FBS team has at least one win.

-We now only have 4 potential games between undefeated teams for the rest of the regular season.

-The biggest news of the week was, of course, Tennessee upsetting Alabama in a game the fanbase, really, really wanted to win again. The game is both huge and less significant than it looks for a few reasons. The rivals are in opposite divisions. If Alabama wins out, it is still going to the SEC Championship and in control of everything. If Tennessee loses to Georgia, the bulldogs are almost certainly the ones going to Atlanta. Those things aren't that much different than they were before. A few other things are different though now. For one, Alabama is now in a must win vs. a surprisingly still undefeated Ole Miss.

-Bigger for the SEC, this leaves open more ways to get two teams in the playoff bowls. Let's say Georgia wins a close one over Tennessee and then loses a close one to Alabama in the SEC Championship. That could leave us with three one loss SEC teams, each with a win over one of the others. They would not all get in, but would have decent arguments and two might well. That doesn't even factor in Ole Miss. Two is far from a lock, but I would lean to any of the non-SEC champs in that situation beating out a 1-loss Big 12, PAC-12, or ACC champ (although not a foregone conclusion).

-In the Big Ten, the divisional races are clearing up. Michigan beating Penn State, leaves Ohio State and Michigan the overwhelming favorites for the division (although Penn State is back in the race if they beat Ohio State). On the other side, Illinois beating Minnesota means they are for real. The Illini and Purdue are the definite favorites now which is not at all what would have been guessed before the season.

-The Big 12 and the PAC-12 are left with just one undefeated team each with TCU defeating fellow undefeated Oklahoma State and USC falling to Utah. Both conferences' odds of getting into the playoff are much, much smaller if TCU/UCLA do not win the conference, although there are one loss possibilities if they get some help. The best hope, by far though, is for TCU/UCLA to winout as I cannot see the committee leaving out an undefeated champ of a power 5 conference.

-Clemson hasn't often looked pretty, but they keep winning. Syracuse has been surprising and remains undefeated. They play each other this week. Clemson has a lot higher odds of making the CFP, but Syracuse is a dark horse candidate if they keep winning.

-The Mountain West lost its final 1-loss team and the Sun Belt lost both it's last remaining undefeated teams this week. That leaves no undefeateds from any Group of 5 conference and leaves 1-loss teams only in the American and Sun Belt. I think any American 1-loss champ at this point has an edge, but a 1-loss Sun Belt team will likely beat out a 2-loss from another conference. All that said, in 2014, we had a 2-loss Boise State get in and this could be a year we don't have any 1-loss teams. I'd still bet against that, but our field is getting limited. Between the American and Sun Belt we are down to just 5 teams (excluding James Madison) with a lot of season left to play.

Week 8 Thoughts:
-We have one game between undefeated teams this week and 2 games between undefeated and 1-loss teams.

-Undefeated Syracuse @ undefeated Clemson: Clemson is already 5-0 in conference so this game will be very close to clinching a spot in the ACC Championship with a win. On the other side, if Syracuse wins, they, not Clemson control their destiny for that side of the conference. The ACC has a lot better shot of a CFP spot with Clemson, but, still being unbeaten, Syracuse could make if if they win out.

-Undefeated UCLA @ 1-loss Oregon: This is quite possibly a battle between the two best teams in the PAC-12. Given Oregon has lost a game and it was in a lopsided one to an SEC team they might be directly competing with for a CFP spot, the conference is better if UCLA can win out, but Oregon is the favorite here and for the conference.

-1-loss Kansas State @ undefeated TCU: These are the 2nd and 3rd most likely to win the Big 12 right now, but the winner of this game might well be the favorite. TCU has the best chance of anyone in the Big 12 to make the playoff bowls.

-Undefeated Ole Miss @ LSU: Tennessee is for real, but what about Ole Miss? They will prove a lot if they go on the road and win this game they are only a small favorite in.

-Texas @ 1-loss Oklahoma State: The Cowboys can't morn their loss last week long. Both these teams are very much in the Big 12 title race. Texas is now actually a slight favorite in what is becoming a 4 team race. Oklahoma State isn't much behind.

- Troy @ 1-loss South Alabama (Thursday): South Alabama's 1-loss came by a point to a still undefeated UCLA. If they win out, they will have a strong argument for the Group of 5 conference spot, but right now they are only a 3-point favorite in this game.

-1-loss Cincinnati @ SMU: Cincinnati is still very much playing for their 3rd New Years Six bowl in a row, but they are only a small favorite at SMU and it is not certain they can afford a loss.

-BYU @ 1-loss Liberty: Liberty feels kind of like an east coast version of BYU (religious schools, playing as independents). This will be the last time the two meet as independents with both joining conferences next year.

Minnesota @ 1-loss Penn State: Penn State is not out of the east race yet. If they beat Ohio State and Ohio State beats Michigan, they are looking for tie breakers. They can't afford another loss though. Meanwhile, Minnesota looked to be the rising team in the west, but has been overshadowed by Illinois and Purdue. They need this game to stay in that race.

1-loss UCF @ East Carolina: UCF is only a small favorite here. Much better for the American if Central Florida keeps winning.

Remaining Undefeated Teams: ACC: 2, Big 12: 1, Big Ten: 2, PAC-12: 1, SEC: 3, Sun Belt: 0, total: 9
Clemson
Syracuse
Michigan
Ohio State
Texas Christian
UCLA
Georgia
Tennessee
Mississippi


1-Loss Teams: ACC: 2, American: 3, Big 12: 2, Big Ten: 2, Mountain West: 0, PAC-12: 2, SEC: 1, Sun Belt: 3, independents: 1, total: 16
Wake Forest
North Carolina
Cincinnati
Tulane
Central Florida
Kansas State
Illinois
Oregon
South Alabama
Liberty
Alabama
Penn State
Southern California
Oklahoma State
Coastal Carolina
(James Madison)

Remaining Winless Teams: PAC-12: 0, total: 0
none

Remaining Undefeated, 1-Loss, and Winless Teams Before Week 8

CSNbbs: The #1 Board for College Sports on the internet.

csnbbs.com

Interesting read. My reasoning behind putting Tenn at 1 and Mich at 2 are solely based on what the teams have done thus far, not what I think they may or may not do in the future. Tennessee has the best resume thus far in the season. Mich the second best. Georgia and OSU could flip due to UGA struggling against a few teams without any heartburn on my end. Where the AP and Coaches polls really got it wrong IMO is putting Alabama ahead of Ole Miss and TCU. Both teams are undefeated with wins over top 25 opponents, that has to count for something.

UCLA should be ranked higher than they are as well IMO.