EspnU Chris Childers and Rick Neuheisel (neutral observers) saying if UM goes 11-1 CFP committee will discount MSU loss due to ref screw job
So neuheisel, who hates Harbaugh and is an impartial observer, as well as his co-host Chris Childers, are going on and on about Saturday’s ref screw job and throwing stuff at their TVs while watching the game.
One can agree or disagree with their opinion of the officiating, but there are less invested professionals that understand it was a significant factor in the game.
More importantly, they believe if it’s an 11-1 situation at season’s end, UM gets the nod because the CFP committee will understand that aspect of the loss.
So that’s a positive take I hadn’t thought about…
November 1st, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
This would be really fucking stupid. They beat us head to head. If we're both 11-1, they should advance over us.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^
I agree with you, if MSU is 11-1 and M is 11-1, they should advance. I say that as a die hard M fan, but it'd be a travesty of epic proportions to put M in. This is not right. We are Michigan grads, be better.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:46 AM ^
I feel the same way about Ohio State and Oregon. Ohio State lost that game, and to make the result not count would be wrong.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:57 PM ^
Agree in that case, particularly since Oregon won in Columbus. It should count as a playoff win between those two teams. If a team loses close on the road, the winner should of course be given preference, all else equal. But in terms of quality those teams should be considered somewhat even, as home field accounts for 3-4 points in most metrics.
The problem is there are contradictory (alleged) standards for rankings. One is head-to-head but another is quality of wins/losses. If M/MSU were both 11-1 but MSU lost to Maryland 42-17 (e.g.), that is a much worse loss than Michigan's, and we are supposed to consider that as well. The irony of the head-to-head standard is that if MSU lost twice it would help our (slim, hypothetical) playoff chances more than if they lost once, even though it makes the loss to them "worse."
Meanwhile it's funny that for all the shit Michigan is taking for not being elite, MSU is getting credit as "for real" based on a close home win over said purportedly mediocre team. Again, contradictions abound in talking-point-based rankings.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:19 PM ^
We're not all Michigan grads, fyi
November 1st, 2021 at 1:01 PM ^
Well that’s not possible. In that scenario MSU plays in the Big Championship game due to overall win % eliminating OSU. So MSU would either be 12-1 and definitely in the playoff or 11-2 with a bad loss in their final game.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:30 PM ^
If I'm reading the tiebreakers right - and Michigan, MSU and OSU all finish with one-loss in conference (MSU losing to OSU, M beating OSU) - the team that has played the best non-divisional opponents will make it to the Big Ten championship (tie breaker #5).
As the standings are today - OSU would get the nod having played MN and Purdue which is better than M playing NW and Wisconsin or MSU playing Purdue and NW. All three teams will have also played Nebraska
November 1st, 2021 at 1:42 PM ^
That is correct, forgot all about that one.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Im pretty sure this is if State has 2 losses. They can qualify for the BIG10 championship with 2 losses, and still not qualify for the playoffs
November 1st, 2021 at 11:54 AM ^
What’s really fucking stupid is the 4-team playoff. A Power 5 team with an 11-1 record can get shut out. Meanwhile in hoops you can make the Big Dance just by going .500 in your league.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
You might be right but wouldn’t the MSU nuclear meltdown be worth it? Just for entertainment value, if nothing else.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:08 PM ^
Not nearly as stupid as the fact that we actually have real fans who would be mad about it and make comments like this on our message boards.
We make fun of MSU for being the only program whose fans care about what school you went to, but we are definitely the only program in America where fans would be UPSET that we made the playoff because bad officiating was taken into account. Good Lord.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
Really? Let us say we beat OSU by 3 and OSU beats MSU by 20, would you feel the same way? There are scenarios that are beyond your simplistic view of the games and results.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:37 PM ^
The goal of the CFP committee is to get the best 4 teams at the end of the season. That's also why OSU will be above Oregon in the first rankings. So while head to head matters, a Michigan 11-1 (which would include a win over OSU) and an MSU that gets spanked by OSU could very well mean Michigan gets in. The same thing happened in 2016 when OSU didn't make the Big10 Title game but still made the playoff.
The way the game was lost absolutely comes into play, and that has been referenced in interviews with CFP members before. The fact that it was close, on the road, and somewhat controversial definitely plays a role.
But whatever...just control what you can control. Just win out. Play angry.
November 2nd, 2021 at 11:56 PM ^
that's also why OSU will be above Oregon in the first rankings.
In case you haven't seen the rankings...you were wrong.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
This team has the ability to win out IF they can clean up the red zone issue(s) - Looking forward to Saturday!
Thanks for posting. Didn't see that clip
November 1st, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^
In a vacuum I’d be inclined to agree with you. Unfortunately that’s not the case and Harbaugh doesn’t know how to beat OSU/win big games. Day very much knows how to beat Harbaugh.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:45 AM ^
Day's not special. Mel Tucker has done it two years in a row.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:14 PM ^
Let's first play and win each and every game leading up to "The Game" and in the meantime also remember the young men wearing the Winged Helmets will have a say in the matter.
Me? I intend to be prepared to celebrate on the evening of November 27th. And I'm cautiously optimistic that we will.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^
This post was brought to you by the following Michigan fan philosophy - "...if Michigan has a big game, and wins, it is no longer a 'big game.' A game may only be considered a 'big game' if Michigan loses." Thank you for your participation!
November 1st, 2021 at 12:59 PM ^
OSU uses tempo. Will our staff actually take the time to prepare for it? They didn't against MSU despite the fact it was all over MSU's film. Not like it was a big game against a rival or anything.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:11 PM ^
They absolutely will. Throughout this year, they have changed their schemes and players as they learn more. This year and this coaching staff are different. I know Harbaugh is the hated name around here nowadays but he has done all he could this year to change things up. Would they successfully execute it? I don't know. But I am confident they will try.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:16 PM ^
The problem is they should have been prepared for it against MSU. They cost the team the game by not preparing for it at all. It was an egregious, bush league mistake.
I'd prefer to have a HC that preps for an undefeated rival and biggest game to date instead of waiting to make changes after the lack of prep causes a L.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:56 PM ^
Regarding tempo that probably a big factor in the key drive, I don't think that was done to us before this year. May be I missed it. It is easy to say that they should have worked on that. Agree. They also needed to work on tackling, CB issue, LB issue, screen game. This is a new defense and a new DC. Growing pains. There is only so much they can teach in the time they had. I expect them to attempt to fix it for next game as they address past mistakes.
November 1st, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
Nebraska did it to us earlier this year. Still unprepared for it against a team that uses it game in and game out. To think that is not a big deal is crazy to me. Shows a complete lack of attention to detail by the HC and his staff. The fact that it costs us two TDs, three penalties, and allowed multiple big gains for MSU? Inexcusable. It costs us the god damn game.
November 1st, 2021 at 2:52 PM ^
I think the tempo problems are overstated. Yes MSU had some success with tempo. They didn't tempo us the whole game though, and a lot of teams struggle with tempo on defense. One of the ways to stop it is to not let them get a chance to play with tempo. Of course more needs to be done to address the moments when tempo is getting to them. But it doesn't feel like the same sort of schematic issue we saw with crossing routes (for example) in 2018.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:31 PM ^
MSU game tape is all OSU needs to light it up.
MSU had 2 wideouts that safeties had to cover. Left the running game there for the taking and Walker took it.
MSU O-line is better than expected.
OSU wide-outs will pull our secondary deep all day long, and Henderson will run for 150+ with ease.
Throw in tempo and how do think that game ends.
Rewatch our secondary on every Walker touchdown. Got spread wide and deep and couldn't recover.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
Labatt their line is better at say HOLDING, without it getting called!!!!!!! Give me a $@:)@@! BREAK!!!
November 1st, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Of coyrse Michigan can still get in. But they have to be 11-1. Or no chance
November 1st, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
I'm glad, but this team is not going 11-1. If we can't contain Reed, Walker, & Thorne against a 3-star o-line from MSU what do you think Stroud, Henderson, Olave, & Wilson with an o-line of all elite recruits will do to us?
November 1st, 2021 at 11:23 AM ^
Reed finished with 80 yards receiving and no touchdowns. Thorne finished with 196 passing yards, no touchdowns, and 2 ints. In what world is that not “containing” them?
November 1st, 2021 at 11:25 AM ^
Now do Walker
November 1st, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
Yea, if he had said Walker, I would have agreed. But sliding the state quarterback and WR in just to try to make a point about how we have no chance of beating osu is trash.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:36 AM ^
sliding the state quarterback and WR in just to try to make a point about how we have no chance of beating osu is trash.
Really, trash? You know what is trash? Calling someone else's comment trash because you don't agree. Fuck off with that bullshit.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
Uhhh, my guy, relax. This is the internet - I can’t imagine what this place would look like if everyone got so upset about their comment being called “trash”.
I don’t agree that we won’t stop OSU because of how we played against state’s qb and wr and I don’t think many others do either. Does that mean I think we’ll shut down OSU ‘a passing game? Hell no. They’re on another level. But drawing that conclusion because of how Thorne and Reed played Saturday is trash.
Go have a protein shake and calm down.
November 3rd, 2021 at 8:36 AM ^
Uhhh, my guy, relax. This is the internet - I can’t imagine what this place would look like if everyone got so upset about their comment being called “trash”.
Ohh, so you get to be an asshole, but no one else can call you out on it? This is the problem with social media. You wouldn't talk to someone like that in person, but you think it's fine on social media. If it's rude in person, you shouldn't do it over the internet either.
Go have a protein shake and calm down.
Same nonsense. Sounds like you need to start working out more and maybe you'd be less of a social media jerk.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:44 AM ^
Oh, please. Your original post said ‘we didn’t contain reed/thorne’, which is 100% wrong and speaks to a failure to understand what happened during the game at a very basic level. ‘Trash’ might be overstating it a bit, but it’s pretty hard to imagine a more false/wrongheaded interpretation of what actually happened, except for maybe ‘seemed like an evenly-officiated game’.
A much better example of ‘trash’ would be telling someone to fuck off for being right about something on the internet.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:26 PM ^
Steroid, much?
November 1st, 2021 at 12:51 PM ^
Well, you made a really stupid comment. Michigan did keep the MSU passing attack contained. If that was our stat line for passing, the entire fan base would still be losing its ever-loving mind.
Kenneth Walker and Kenneth Walker alone killed us on Saturday.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:46 PM ^
No it wasn't a stupid comment, it is true we contained Reed, Nailor, Mosely.
What that resulted in was oh shit he's gone with Walker.
No one touched Walker after 5 yrd gains, our secondary was playing no long ball coverage and it worked.
OSU has far superior personnel and will outcoached the hell out of us.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
How about Nailor sitting out the second half injured?
November 1st, 2021 at 12:10 PM ^
In high achool when we had a bad tackling game, the followung week it was coaches yelling and yelling while we did tackling drills. My Blue had a really bad tackling day wirh Walker lll.
Man i hope the sane doesn't happen with Purdue on saturday.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:32 AM ^
Reed finished with 80 yards receiving and no touchdowns. Thorne finished with 196 passing yards, no touchdowns, and 2 ints. In what world is that not “containing” them?
For the first 2.5 quarters, totally. For the last 1.5 quarters...not so much. Thorne had a very strong finish. And, Reed not having a TD is a bit misleading as he did have a 2-point conversion score, it just happened to count for 2 instead of 7 points. He also had a few big third down conversions and drew PI calls.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^
It doesn't mean they weren't contained. Besides the one play they caught UM on short by yardage with PA, the 4th and 4 pass was the longest completion of the day. They absolutely contained MSU's receivers in terms of preventing the big plays. The secondary played well overall.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:46 AM ^
Your eyes and brain must work very differently than those of people who, you know, actually understand the game of football.
November 1st, 2021 at 11:55 AM ^
MGoStrength is the latest in a long line of posters (and people in general) to steadily unravel.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
The last year (or decade) has been especially tough for me as I was never ravelled to begin with.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
I am certain that if Michigan tackles Walker well Michigan would have won by 20 or more
November 1st, 2021 at 11:22 AM ^
Michigan is not going 11-1 so this is a moot point
November 1st, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
Harbaugh cannot win a big/meaningful game, so this is a moot point.
Not saying we can't go 11-1, but if we did, who here can show an advantage we have over Ohio State?