Michigan stays at #2 in AP Top 25
Ohio State inexplicably moves to #3 because Ohio against the World! Hilarious stat to know: Ohio State's 62 rushing yards were its fewest in a win since when it had 44 against NC State in 2003. And yet, they moved up.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38547385/ap-poll-reaction-next-top-25-team
October 8th, 2023 at 5:46 PM ^
TBH, I'm pleased with OSU's OL play again this season, just like the last two.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:47 PM ^
OSU’s online has been remarkably disappointing.
The O-line hasn't been disappointing; it's been as bad as I expected it would be in August.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
Why haven’t they been able to fix it? I ask this in the best natured way possible, as I know you’re knowledgable and a good dude.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:58 PM ^
When you scheme and recruit to set up for good pass blocking, you hope the run blocking is good enough to fall back on.
Teams that focus on and recruit toward run blocking will hope the pass blocking will be good enough to get by.
Rarely does an O-line excel at both, and in those cases that's what makes those teams a strong national championship contender.
EDIT: and the talent level on OSU's O-line is far below prior years.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:40 PM ^
Thanks; appreciated! That is incredibly insightful. Thank you!
October 8th, 2023 at 6:55 PM ^
OSU's online has kept their football program afloat for years during the winter semester. They take golf in the spring, and in person.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:30 PM ^
Their defense has been pretty solid.
October 9th, 2023 at 2:58 AM ^
Jack Sawyer was the #1 recruit in the country a few years back. He MAY be 2nd string here. And JT T. Had 1 standout game in 3 years. Both are obviously talented, but they've, at best, plateaued under Larry Johnson.
October 8th, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
I just assumed they would move back at least 5 spots since you know it is Ohio vs The World. Oh wait, that has never been the case. It is just a tough guy talking point.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:22 PM ^
I don’t know about you, but every time Ohio State ran for 1.9 yards I marveled at their toughness. The previous season best for Maryland’s defense was 3.0 yds/carry (against Virginia), and so it really impressed me that Ohio mustered that. Seriously, Ohio State averaged 1.9 yards per carry on over 30 carries!
October 8th, 2023 at 6:36 PM ^
Well and truly said. Those of us who have watched a little know that OSU has not played great. But they have great players, and a while to get it right. In the end, Michigan will have to beat them. Beating them as a highly ranked team would bring its dividends.
October 8th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
THREE PEAT is coming! Just keep winning!
October 8th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
Especially suspect after seeing ND get beat soundly against an above average Louisville. I think from watching both ND and OSU play against each other and others it is clear that both are not top 10. Can’t wait til PSU puts it on them. I’d like to know who the other coach is that ranked them 1.
October 8th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
And everyone loved Texas because they beat Alabama. Yet Alabama has struggled and now Texas lost. Yet the coaches have one loss Alabama at #10 ahead of one loss Texas.
October 8th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
Yeah, but that Texas v Alabama game was played in Tuscaloosa. That’s Texas’ home field.. isn’t it?
Head to head means.. hmmm.. nothing. Bama love conquers all…
October 8th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^
I’m hoping it was Harbaugh. I can just see him chuckling as he fills out his ballot.
October 8th, 2023 at 4:39 PM ^
I am not seeing how Penn State is going to beat OSU. OSU is definitely not the caliber team we have seen on the field the last several years but they still have talent galore and I would take Ryan Day over Franklin any day. This one will be closer than it probably should be because OSU can’t run the football and their best offense has been just chucking it up to Harrison, but I just can’t see OSU losing.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
Especially since that game is in Columbus.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^
PSU has 3 weeks to prepare for OSU.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:32 PM ^
Had to look at PSU’s schedule to see what you meant by 3 weeks to prepare. You definitely weren’t exaggerating.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:47 PM ^
Who does PSU have to cover Harrison, does anyone know? Will matter. Who does it for us will matter, too.
October 8th, 2023 at 8:37 PM ^
Penn State has a huge wealth of talent too, and their young rising QB is a sophomore. ohio cant run the ball, you're not beating good teams like that, and no notre dame is not a good team, they can't even put 11 players on the field at all times.
October 8th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
Miami and Notre Dame have no business still being ranked.
October 8th, 2023 at 3:58 PM ^
Fuck ohio.......Seriously FUCK ohio!!
October 8th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
Watch OSU jump us if they beat PSU, which could happen because Frames.
October 8th, 2023 at 4:44 PM ^
I’m fine with OSU being ahead of Michigan… in fact, I hope some pollsters drop Michigan out of th3 Top 25 altogether. Just add fuel to the fire…
October 8th, 2023 at 5:11 PM ^
I think OSU will be undefeated and ranked no lower than #3 when they come to A2. If we have some closer-than-expected victories by then, I can easily see OSU at #2 even if we’re undefeated too.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:55 PM ^
Which would mean they could once again miss out on the B1G championship game and still stumble into the playoffs. The problem with being born on third base is that it's still close to where you want to get.
October 8th, 2023 at 4:29 PM ^
Feels like USC should have dropped more. Even it these dudes didn't stay awake for the end, you'd think they'd have stayed awake long enough to see them go down 17-0.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
I took a live bet of Arizona to win after Arizona went up 7-0. It had the look of a competitive game. It would've paid 6 to 1 if Arizona could've pulled it off. And they damn near did. But I did win Arizona +11 in another live bet so I broke even.
USC is not sniffing the playoffs this season. Oregon will likely end any and all speculation.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
Question for the Mgoborg mind meld. We still think a 1 loss Texas is going to jump 8 spots to pass a one loss Michigan? Trying to wrap my brain around how 5 days ago it was a common agreement UM would slide behind Texas if they both had a loss?
October 8th, 2023 at 5:45 PM ^
Depends on how and to whom Michigan loses. If Michigan lost 42-17 to Penn state, that looks pretty bad compared to a 4 pt loss to OK.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:30 PM ^
Except, the way polls work (given voter psychology and behavior), we'd actually rank higher at seasons end of we lost to PSU but then beat UMd and tOSU than if we had a season-ending single loss.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:36 PM ^
if a 42-17 loss is part of your argument I think its in bad faith. The Mgoblog crew stated we dont have the OOC schedule to make the playoff as a one loss team over a 1 loss Texas. Im not sure how that could actually happen but it was a done deal for some reason?
October 8th, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
The winner of the Washington v Oregon game should jump into the top 4
October 8th, 2023 at 5:05 PM ^
And in the Coach's poll, we lost the 1 first place vote we had last week... Unreal.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:07 PM ^
But they are fluff. Dagnabbit!
October 8th, 2023 at 5:13 PM ^
In how many games over the years has Michigan started slow and let a Maryland or Indiana or Rutgers team hang around until halftime before easily pulling away in the second half?
That's why they play 60 minutes.
FWIW, I enjoy when both Michigan and Ohio State are ranked highly. That's what makes our games against them matter so much to people from other states. Plus, beating them when people think they're really good makes us look better ... and makes it more fun.
I don't cheer for them to win, of course, because obviously, but having them ranked highly when they do win doesn't bother me at all. Makes the Big Ten look better. Put them at number one, if you want. We'll have to beat them either way.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:41 PM ^
I agree with all of this. The (only) issue I have is they just are not the third best team in the country right now.
October 8th, 2023 at 8:40 PM ^
They didn't play better in the second half though, they just gave up running the ball and chucked it at MHJ. That's not a recipe for success against great teams.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:41 PM ^
Michigan moves to #1 on the Sagarin ratings. I don’t know if that’s ever happened before. Even in ‘97 we finished 4th (not helped by Buckeye and Nittany Lion late-season failures).
October 8th, 2023 at 6:21 PM ^
I'm pretty sure we've been #1 in Sagarin many times in the past. Computer ratings all have their own quirks... though none are quite as quirky as the Coaches' poll. And yet, according to this site, the "consensus" of various rankings is OSU, UM and PSU 1-2-3...in that order. As if.
October 11th, 2023 at 1:46 PM ^
I bet it’s been extremely rare if it has indeed ever happened. Sagarin’s ratings are not that old, and most of even the best modern era Michigan teams did not run up the score very often. And for Sagarin, score differential carries a lot of weight.
Massey BCS is the opposite I believe. Does not include scores at all, only wins and losses based on competition strength. Hence Michigan 14th.
October 8th, 2023 at 5:44 PM ^
If Oklahoma or FSU played Ohio state, I’d bet my house on the money line for those teams against osu
October 8th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
I saw a commercial that said 4 out of 5 dentists agreed but I talked to 5 dentists and only 3 agreed.*
*This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^
Always always always root against OSU. I don't understand Michigan fans that want them to win.
October 8th, 2023 at 6:44 PM ^
Too bad that Maryland cannot play any more than 30 min of good football. Likewise, ND couldn't close that game out and play a full 60 min of football.
That does not mean that OSU is tough, it just means these past two wins were against much softer teams.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:46 PM ^
Maryland played a reverse of their prior games this year. Several times they've fallen behind ~14 points and then went on a run to win comfortably. On Saturday they were the team that jumped up by two scores and then got rolled 37-7 afterwards.
October 8th, 2023 at 7:48 PM ^
What cracked me up was the fear of ND winning and taking a playoff spot. I mean seriously?
October 9th, 2023 at 7:35 AM ^
It's more satisfying to beat a good team than a shitty one. Unless it's MSU, cuz fuck those guys.
'95 and '96 Michigan teams weren't very good (8/9 wins each) but they both beat OSU and ruined their shot at a national championship. THAT is very satisfying. Beating a 9-win OSU team is still satisfying, but not nearly as much as beating an undefeated team and having Michigan be their only (regular season) loss is music to my ears.
That said, with the new 12-team playoff (and even last year's nonsense) beating OSU doesn't simply knock them out of title contention. Sadly.