The Rest of College Football

[Mike]

Without going back and looking, I think they tend to keep the 4 playoff teams the top 4 in the final poll. Then they just re-rank the top 4, so UGA, TCU, UM, OSU is what I figure it will be but anyone with a brain knows TCU doesn't belong in that group.

[iam416]

It'd be criminal to put TCU at 2. Or 3. Or 4.

I can actually see M/OSU getting improperly swapped. IMO it's way easier to chalk up TCU's win over M to sheer poppycock than it is M's over OSU. I think -- I'm actually certain -- that OSU would be favored over M if they played tomorrow, but whatever.

If I were voting, I'd go UGA, M, OSU, UAT, TCU.

[iam416]

Without going back and looking, I think they tend to keep the 4 playoff teams the top 4 in the final poll. Then they just re-rank the top 4, so UGA, TCU, UM, OSU is what I figure it will be but anyone with a brain knows TCU doesn't belong in that group.

OSU dropped to #6 after Clemson hamblasted them in 2016. Behind a 3-loss USC team that lost 52-6 to UAT. JFC.

They were also behind Washington.

[Mike]

Oh, OK. I know TCU beat us but Michigan still has a better record, won a major conference and, honestly, probably has the best single win in CFB this season (in terms of opponent ranking and on the road).

[Mike]

OSU dropped to #6 after Clemson hamblasted them in 2016. Behind a 3-loss USC team that lost 52-6 to UAT. JFC.

They were also behind Washington.

I forgot about that USC farce. Didn't they start like 3-3 or something and then ran the table? That was the year of the PSU fluke and the Rose Bowl was like 51-49 or some stupid shit.

[Mike]

AP poll is already out. UGA, TCU, UM, OSU, Bama, Tenn, PSU, Wash, Tulane, Utah.

[lineygoblue]

If the rankings were truly fair, Michigan would be voted #2. They are the only team with a single loss.

But the rankings are NOT fair, so .. M will end up somewhere down the line. Probably behind both TCU and OSU.

If Fox Sports and ESPN were in charge of the rankings:

1. Georgia - because even they aren't stupid enough to notice
2. TCU - because they 'played in the championship game'
3 Ohio State - because they 'almost' beat Georgia
4. Alabama - because The Nick must be listened to
5. USC - because the Pac 12 needs to be represented
6. Michigan - because even they are not stupid enough to put them lower

---

[lineygoblue]

Oh, OK. I know TCU beat us but Michigan still has a better record, won a major conference and, honestly, probably has the best single win in CFB this season (in terms of opponent ranking and on the road).

I don't know what the TV ratings were for last night's "game", but before last night, M v OSU was the most watched game of the entire season. With just cause.

[Tom W]

It's a massively frustrating season for Ohio State fans. So, M fans have that. And a win over OSU. And a B10 title game. Ohio State has nothing except some bullshit moral victory and wondering what the fuck "if" -- if their offense was actually healthy, how fucking good could it have been? So, the loss to TCU is goddamn embarrassment to the Nth degree, but at least have shit to fall back on.

Final point -- M basically lived the entire season with exceedingly good "turnover luck". Generally turnover margin and turnovers level out. Unfortunately for M, they sort of leveled out against TCU, although TCU also had devastating turnovers. And, of course, M was awful in the red zone. They won the Ohio State game in the red zone -- pure and simple. At bottom, they lost the TCU game in the red zone.

Whatever. I'd be happier that this dogshit season was over if 2023 wasn't going to be even worse dogshit for Ohio State. So, meh.

If that's not an overreaction, it's a misreaction. Sure, both Michigan and ohio fans have plenty to be pissed off about how their seasons ended. They were failures,

But, to everyone else, those failures were highly entertaining, dramatic, must-see TV. Nobody (except for an SEC slappy) likes watching shit like last night's game. Heck, I flipped it on to see the score at 38-7 and then I promptly turned on a rerun of Ancient Aliens. That guy with the goofy hair was more entertaining than the CFB Championship. That's problematic.

You guys don't need to run Day out of town and Michigan doesn't OWN the Big Ten. Both will be back next year, and maybe a third player will come into the mix. That's all good for the conference and good for CFB- and It's certainly better than the SEC bullying that we see every year.

[Mike]

So now I went back and looked. 2016 was the last time a playoff team dropped out of the top 4 of the final rankings. At least in the AP. 6 years in a row seems like it's standardized at this point. I would imagine that when it goes to 12, the final rankings will be tiered in a way similar to how the NFL draft order is done for playoff teams.


EDIT: 2019 Oklahoma dropped out. But everyone who has made the final has finished 1-2.

[iam416]

If the rankings were truly fair, Michigan would be voted #2. They are the only team with a single loss.

But the rankings are NOT fair, so .. M will end up somewhere down the line. Probably behind both TCU and OSU.

If Fox Sports and ESPN were in charge of the rankings:

1. Georgia - because even they aren't stupid enough to notice
2. TCU - because they 'played in the championship game'
3 Ohio State - because they 'almost' beat Georgia
4. Alabama - because The Nick must be listened to
5. USC - because the Pac 12 needs to be represented
6. Michigan - because even they are not stupid enough to put them lower

---

Idiotic. And predictably wrong.

[lineygoblue]

You guys don't need to run Day out of town and Michigan doesn't OWN the Big Ten. Both will be back next year, and maybe a third player will come into the mix

I think PSU, Illinois and Iowa will be significantly better next season.

Outside of Alabama and Georgia, any SEC team that played in the B1G would be very normal.

[lineygoblue]

Idiotic. And predictably wrong.

And it was also dripping with sarcasm. But, you knew that.

[Mike]

Georgia's schedule next year is a joke (like ours this year). Only tough game is Tennessee in the 2nd to last game of the season. I don't know what they have coming back but pencil them in for Atlanta at the very least. LSU - Alabama should decide the West just like the good 'ol days of 3 years ago.

[iam416]

If that's not an overreaction, it's a misreaction. Sure, both Michigan and ohio fans have plenty to be pissed off about how their seasons ended. They were failures,

But, to everyone else, those failures were highly entertaining, dramatic, must-see TV. Nobody (except for an SEC slappy) likes watching shit like last night's game. Heck, I flipped it on to see the score at 38-7 and then I promptly turned on a rerun of Ancient Aliens. That guy with the goofy hair was more entertaining than the CFB Championship. That's problematic.

You guys don't need to run Day out of town and Michigan doesn't OWN the Big Ten. Both will be back next year, and maybe a third player will come into the mix. That's all good for the conference and good for CFB- and It's certainly better than the SEC bullying that we see every year.

I'm mostly fine with CRD. I think he's generally reacted in the right way to move the program forward. I'm still really concerned that NIL is going to really end up hurting OSU -- dragging them out of the elite talent sphere. But, whatever. The B10 East is going to be death next year. And Ohio State also travels to Notre Dame. And, of course, travels to Madison to play Fickell. It'll be entertaining and, frustrating, I'm sure.

As I said, I went into the Georgia game with no expectations. I was hoping they wouldn't get run. Halfway through the 3rd I knew OSU was better and I knew OSU and Georgia were playing for the national title. I think everyone knew that. So that loss really sucked. I mean really sucked. Especially the way it happened where you left feeling like you should have won the damn game.

Anyway, the B10 will continue to compete. HARBAUGH!!!! has finally elevated M and OSU has taken a small step back. Penn State is going to be pretty damn good.

As aside, I'll be pretty happy when this Covid-year finally burns out and we get back to 20 and 21 year old kids playing and no more 24-25 year old kids.