ESPN's Top 12 Games in 2024
ESPN's article entitled "College football 2024: 12 games with implications for a 12-team playoff" has Michigan in three of them:
1. Georgia at Texas, Oct. 19
2. Georgia at Alabama, Sept. 28
3. Ohio State at Oregon, Oct. 12
4. Texas at Michigan, Sept. 7
5. Florida State at Notre Dame, Nov. 9
6. Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 30
7. Oklahoma vs. Texas, Oct. 12
8. Ole Miss at LSU, Oct. 12
9. Michigan at Washington, Oct. 5
10. Arizona at Utah, TBA
11. Boise State at Oregon, Sept. 7
12. LSU vs. USC, Sept. 1 (Las Vegas)
I think it is interesting that only two of those games are in November. (Also, I assume Michigan gets ESPN's College Game Day on September 7th.)
What games are you most looking forward to?
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:00 PM ^
"Ohio State's best opportunities to impress the committee will be against Oregon, Iowa, Penn State and Michigan. If Ohio State loses to Oregon and Michigan and doesn't win the Big Ten, its résumé may not be strong enough in the new CFP to be included as a two-loss team that didn't win its conference."
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:05 PM ^
This feels premature, but I still enjoy the discussion of how a 2-loss OSU will miss the (12-team) playoffs.
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:18 PM ^
If that's their only two losses, I'm sure they go.
Let's be sure to give them those losses and find out, though!
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:32 PM ^
It does feel premature. I'm still basking in 34-13.
January 23rd, 2024 at 8:18 AM ^
34-13? I'm still basking in 42-27 (with a little 45-23 and 30-24 sprinkled on top for good measure). 34-13, that's just a (very important) cherry on top of a delicious three year sundae.
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:58 PM ^
My first reaction was "no way", but had the 12 team playoff been in place this year, and the committee produced the same rankings, 10-2 Oklahoma wouldn't have made it. (4 other 10-2 teams would have made it.)
https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings/_/week/15/year/2023/seasontype/2
But as long as we're assigning OSU losses, why don't we go with "An 0-12 Buckeye team will miss the (12-team) playoff".
January 23rd, 2024 at 10:50 AM ^
ESPN always does things premature - which is where the phrase "premature E-speculation" came from
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:14 PM ^
Arizona-Utah or Boise-Oregon is more compelling than Oregon at Michigan.
great list, ESPN
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:09 PM ^
The Utah that just lost to Northwestern and the U of A that just lost their coach? If its in Tucson the stadium will be half full, they wont even care. Yeesh.
January 23rd, 2024 at 6:13 AM ^
They will have Cam Rising back for 2024. But your point is still valid.
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:12 PM ^
The title did NOT say most compelling, the title said "12 games with implications for a 12-team playoff."
As regards who wins the Big XII and gets that automatic bid ....... Arizona @ Utah will matter a lot. Those 2 are front-runners in that conference.
As regards who gets the G5 automatic spot into the tournament ....... if Boise State wins in Eugene, they definitely become the front-runner fot that spot.
Net: the article's title isn't wrong (IMO), those games should have implications for the CFP.
January 23rd, 2024 at 6:47 AM ^
It's ESPN! No way in hell could they have Michigan in a THIRD of the top twelve. NO WAY!
January 23rd, 2024 at 7:43 AM ^
there are only 2 conferences now brother and Michigan just won the whole thing
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:18 PM ^
I'm not sure that Michigan-Washington game is going to carry the same significance if Jedd Fisch does not find a way to reload. It looks like he is getting the worst of the coaching musical chairs. Most of Washington's roster left for the draft or transferred with DeBoer. It looks like the new Arizona head coach is going to keep Fisch from poaching much of Arizona's roster. Fisch still has a couple weeks and the spring transfer window, but it looks like it will be a rough transition to the Big Ten for Washington.
I think that Oregon at Michigan and USC at Michigan games will carry more significance than at Washington.
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:30 PM ^
It's way too late to reload. That team is going to be bad. Even if DeBoer had stuck around, this was going to be a transition year.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:21 AM ^
Washington is getting wiped out - nowhere near the team it was this past year.
January 23rd, 2024 at 8:58 AM ^
Washington will be like TCU was this past season. They are gutted now.
There can't be a revenge game feel for them if they have an entire new team and coach, so that game is not as scary as it could have been.
January 23rd, 2024 at 9:03 AM ^
The fans will want revenge, and it's a hard and loud place to play.
January 23rd, 2024 at 9:53 AM ^
True, but psu and osu are loud as well.
January 23rd, 2024 at 10:06 AM ^
As of now Michigan doesn’t have a QB. Any road game will be a severe test with what UM has coming back at the position.
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:24 PM ^
Am pretty sure Texas game is a fox game per the deal when Texas and oklahomas left for SEC. Also all the hotels in Ann Arbor sold out. Texas fans coming in size. Told the Sheraton all Texas and the graduate 2600 a night. Good lord
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:49 PM ^
Didn't know that; thanks. Also, didn't know that this: "Per Pete Thamel, the game flip was a key driver for Fox agreeing to terms with the Sooners and Longhorns leaving a year early. Starting in 2024, ESPN will own the rights to SEC games while Fox, along with NBC and CBS, will carry games from the Big Ten."
https://www.si.com/college/texas/football/texas-longhorns-big-12-sec-michigan-wolverines-series-2024
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:33 PM ^
No respect for PSU
January 22nd, 2024 at 10:54 PM ^
Folks need to remember that as soft as OSU is, they don't really lose to anyone but us. Have to hope someone new to the big ten can get it done
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:13 PM ^
That is true. That loss to Georgia was their second biggest win since Covid. Only beating a 5 loss Notre Dame team (they probably loss less than 5 but I dont care) was bigger.
January 23rd, 2024 at 9:52 AM ^
Also significant that Notre Dame only involved in ONLY ONE of these games.
I can't believe they are happy with their current situation, being an after thought and standing pat in a "second-tier" conference. I think this has them re-look to get in B1G or SEC
January 23rd, 2024 at 6:17 AM ^
They lose to Missouri also - lol
January 23rd, 2024 at 8:30 AM ^
Fear the M
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:17 PM ^
“in November”.. Are you surprised that Mercer at Bama didn’t make the list?
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:43 PM ^
It's funny how everyone always annoints Ryan Day teams as national championship favorites every year and then they never win it. I remember 2022 when they were the favorite to win it all.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:43 AM ^
Dylan
Dylan
And Dylan
I think that brings us about up to date on Bob.
January 23rd, 2024 at 12:43 AM ^
Michigan at Washington? Ehhhhhhhhhh.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:06 AM ^
What about Michigan Oregon?
January 23rd, 2024 at 8:17 AM ^
That's only a Top 6 matchup - according to the pre-season polls. And, of course - there's USC's visit to Ann Arbor.
One thing I noticed is - there aren't too many OOC games of note. And, the SEC "presence" in those 12 games is slightly greater than the B1G's.
January 23rd, 2024 at 6:40 AM ^
We can always rely on buckeyes to sandbag our ratings.
s/
January 23rd, 2024 at 9:53 AM ^
I have already secured USC vs Michigan in AA -2024. No offense to Texas as I am sure it will be a great atmosphere and game but I want to see those USC helmets and that once former traditional PAC12 vs B1G matchup.
I also want to watch USC fans eat their shit sandwich as James Earl Jones announces, "Michigan as "The Greatest University In The World and 2023 National Football Champions."
January 23rd, 2024 at 10:13 AM ^
God, I hope they add that last part!
January 23rd, 2024 at 9:56 AM ^
I doubt very much Washington will be in the playoffs next year.
January 23rd, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
Georgia actually has a monster schedule next year.
Clemson, in atlanta
@alabama, auburn, miss st, @texas, bye florida in jacksonville, @ole miss, tennessee..
that is from the end of september on after opening with clemson. That is a bigtime schedule. Undoubtedly we will see the depth of Georgia through the first games into november.
Alabama
@wisconsin, bye, georgia, @vandy, south carolina, @tennessee, missouri, bye, @lsu, mercer, @oklahoma, auburn.. Not quite the devastating schedule georgia has, but still a dang tough schedule. And without Saban.. wondering who else leaves bama after spring ball when the portal opens again.
Osu
The big ten protecting osu's schedules strikes again!!! They said our ooc was weak last year.. lol, Akron, western mich, bye week and Marshall... b10 @msu, Iowa, @oregon, bye week, nebraska, @penn st, purdue, @nw, indiana, Michigan!!!
Michigan
Fresno, Texas, ark st, USC, Minnesota, @Washington, bye week october12th, @Illinois, msu, Oregon, @indiana, bye week, nw, @osu
Michigan and georgia will have the top schedules of 2024. Rather or not all these teams are where they were ranked the fact that these schedules were put together vs a few others is insane by the conferences.
January 23rd, 2024 at 10:23 AM ^
No doubt that Michigan and Georgia have the most demanding schedules in CFB this season - and, as a Michigan season ticket holder - the schedule is definitely something I'm looking forward to.
I have no idea what the record will be on December 1st - but, I am looking forward to the visits to the Big House - as well as the road trip that's already on the schedule. Since I live in Illinois - and, have many friends that are Illini fans / alum - that's the road trip that's already on the calendar.
IF Michigan finishes conference play with a 10-2 record, I can't see how they'd be left out of the 12 team playoff. Of course - I'm hoping for a 16-0 record this season.
Go Blue!
January 23rd, 2024 at 10:50 AM ^
The lobbying for a 3 loss SEC outfit to be in the playoffs will be nauseating.
I can't believe they left Texas at Texas A&M off that list, first game since TAM bolted for the SEC and could be very meaningful.
January 23rd, 2024 at 4:48 PM ^
Yep, I will say I thoroughly enjoyed the sec rhetoric completely shut up after the Rosebowl. In fact all the bs cheating talk started going away after beating osu. But not completely.. The sec mantra was full on and during the bowl week with Georgia, Miss and mizzou it was getting loud again. So to shut them up and shut them down was a thing of beauty. That was icing on that Rosebowl cake!
It will start again in August, but till then, nothing to say, we just celebrate!
January 23rd, 2024 at 12:11 PM ^
It would seem Oregon at Michigan is absent from this list.