A Sparty Win in the Meteor Bowl and House Money

Submitted by Moonlight Graham on

The Meteor Bowl is well into the second half and MSU seems to have a bit more momentum even with backup QB's. We have discussed ad nauseum how we need OSU to win in order set up an East division title showdown next week, but ALL is not lost if Sparty wins. 

Win or lose, we still need to beat OSU next week. And the way they're looking today, that seems like an even stronger possiblity than ever. So let's make that a given...

Some scenarios:

If MSU wins today, there's a great chance they lose to Iowa in Indy. That happens, an undefeated Iowa goes to the playoff and I believe the committee would put Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Either MSU or OSU might get an NY6 bowl but one will surely get shut out, and neither will get the coveted Rose Bowl. 

If MSU wins AND beats Iowa, we'd want to root hard for ND to beat Stanford. I know that's a game we needed Stanford to win, but if MSU wins today and ND wins next week, I believe the committee will put ND in the playoff over Sparty, with the other three being Alabama, Clemson and a 1-loss B12 champ. Why? I think the committee will consider both MSU's Nebraska loss vs. ND's Clemson loss AND the "half-of-a-loss" to Michigan. 

If we beat OSU and MSU wins out, we probably knock OSU out of the NY6 ... they would still probably take Iowa and us. They're not going to put four Big Ten teams in the NY6. 

So a win in The Game will still give us a great chance to spoiler MSU and/or OSU out of the playoff or NY6 bowls.

Now, if we lose next week, no matter which team wins the Meteor Bowl today, we're going to an New Year's Day bowl against a good SEC team and the season will be considered a great turnaround in Harbaugh's Year One. Depending on how the next couple weeks play out we might still sneak into a NY6 even with a loss in The Game. 

The win today was SO important. It's all House Money from here everyone. 

It Happened!!!

 

EDIT: Point taken in the discussion that if we're not in the B1GCG we're probably not making the Rose Bowl. If Sparty wins today the Rose Bowl will take the CG loser, either MSU or Iowa. 

Still house money tho. 

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schreibee

November 21st, 2015 at 7:10 PM ^

O-H-Oh Oh........See what rooting for bucknutz gets ya!?

They screw that up too! ;-D

Well I guess we gotta root like Hell for overrated Franklin & under siege Hackenburg next week...you know, in Moo U's "rivalry" game!!!!

Do you just have this crazy feeling Urbz brings a better game plan up to A2 next week - well, that + a good strong officiating crew in his pocket! osu had well under 200 yds total offense today...

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FauxMo

November 21st, 2015 at 5:52 PM ^

I am so glad OSU scored just as you wrote this, because I don't even want to think of a universe where next weekend is NOT a play-in game for the B1G championship. Though I do agree that OSU looks reaaaaalllllyyyyy beatable today...

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543Church

November 21st, 2015 at 5:53 PM ^

Nothing has happened yet and where is the house money?  We still don't control our own destiny as of 5:52pm today.  If Sparty wins nothing short of a Spartan loss next week to PSU and a UM win over OSU would result in a season with any kind of championship.  Backing into the Rose Bowl would be weak.

 

 

 

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Moonlight Graham

November 21st, 2015 at 5:56 PM ^

now and nothing can really change that the rest of the way???

The concept of 'house money' means you could still "lose" a little but still stay "ahead." I'd say at this point we're guaranteed to anoint this at minimum a successful first season with Harbaugh and the rest is "profit." House Money does not mean Big Ten Title or Bust. 

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schreibee

November 21st, 2015 at 7:29 PM ^

I very much agree with this premise Moonlight. Obsessing over that fumbled punt snap to the point you can't appreciate our present & our future is sorta sad, really.

WE know, THEY know, EVERYONE knows we beat msu that day if O'Neill does literally ANYTHING other than exactly what he did. This season really revolves around 2 plays - the pick 6 in SLC & the disastrous punt snap fumble. Take away those 2 plays we're very possibly undefeated.

On the other hand - inexplicable Minny brain fart from the 2 yd line. Torched for 200+ yds rushing by Indiana & forced to 2OT.... we COULD have 4 losses just as easily.

So, yeah...we DON'T control our destiny next week. We COULD definitely end up missing out on the CFP, the B1G title, the Rose or any NY6 game. Still I'll recall this season as a Godsend after our play in all but 1 year out of the last 7!

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HarbaughToKolesar85

November 21st, 2015 at 6:02 PM ^

It's house money because most Michigan fans thought we would win somewhere between 7 and 9 games total this year. Now we are 1/4 of a football game away from playing OSU for the division in year 1. Harbaugh!

Edit: I saw Moonlight Graham's house money comment after I hit save.

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ppToilet

November 21st, 2015 at 6:00 PM ^

While I root for both teams to lose, I just would love OSU to lose. MSU can lose next week at home against Penn State. We'll still drink delicious Buckeye tears. It's the classic Win-Win-Lose-Win-Lose-Lose scenario. Or, if OSU holds up their end of the bargain then we'll just beat them next week and the world will be right again.

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ppToilet

November 21st, 2015 at 7:02 PM ^

But I've only got a huge smile if OSU loses. I know the theory of it all, but in practice I'm cheering against OSU every play. In fact, I'd like to see Bosa and Washington get simultaneous targetting calls.

And who knows, maybe PSU can pull off an upset without Cook in there...

EDIT:  Ordering me up some Sad Urbz pizza!  Go Blue!  Go PSU!

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Don

November 21st, 2015 at 6:09 PM ^

that Sparty's OL is generally considered to be held together by chewing gum, duct tape, and bailing wire, and regardless they manage to hold their own against good competition.

Dammit.

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LSAClassOf2000

November 21st, 2015 at 6:12 PM ^

They've spent rather a lot of airtime in the last 15 minutes of so of regulation talking about how costly errors have been in this game for MSU (turnovers responsible for both OSU TDs), but one thing that is more on display rather than explicitly being discussed is Ohio State's somewhat vulnerable rush defense - 39 carries, 149 yards, which is 3.82 yards per carry, but several were for 10+ yards. 

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SAMgO

November 21st, 2015 at 6:23 PM ^

This whole game is both encouraging and nerve wracking at the same time. Encouraging in that OSU looks totally beatable, and nerve wracking in that OSU looks totally beatable right now.



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