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Thanks for all of your…

Thanks for all of your informative posts this season.

This cover is from September…

This cover is from September 1976. Michigan beat Wisconsin 40-27 in the opener and rolled to an 8-0 record before Purdue pulled the 16-14 upset in West Lafayette. The only other loss was to USC 14-6 in the Rose Bowl, and Michigan ended up ranked #3 in the final AP poll of that season. Michigan was ranked #1 for 8 weeks and never fell outside of the Top 4.

Nicely done. Thank you and…

Nicely done. Thank you and Go Blue! Forever.

Third in the BigTen but Top…

Penn State is third in the BigTen and Top 10ish nationally.

In the CFP era (2014-2023), the Top 10 teams based on CFP Poll appearances with weight given to higher rankings as well as Top 10 and Top 4 appearances are:

  1. Alabama
  2. Ohio State 
  3. Clemson
  4. Georgia 
  5. Oklahoma 
  6. Michigan 
  7. Notre Dame 
  8. Oregon 
  9. LSU
  10. Penn State 

Alabama and Ohio State have separated from the pack. Clemson thru Notre Dame are the second bunch. Oregon, LSU and Penn State make up the third group. All of these teams except LSU have 20 or more appearances in the Top 10 and all except Penn State have appeared in the Playoffs. 

Meaningless CFP Poll stats:

Meaningless CFP Poll stats:

This is the 40th time that Michigan has been ranked in the CFP Poll. This lags behind teams like LSU (42) and Utah (44) and is even with Oklahoma State. However, Michigan has been ranked in the Top 10 28 times, which is 7th most, and the Wolverines will overtake Notre Dame in this category in two weeks. Also, Michigan has been in the Top 4 17 times, which is 5th most behind Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia. Texas had never been in the Top 10 of any CFP Poll until this year.

Here are the 16 teams that…

Here are the 16 teams that are currently on a Sweet 16 streak.

  Gonzaga, 7 years - 2015..2022
  Michigan, 5 years - 2017..2022
  Houston, 3 years - 2019..2022
  Arkansas, 2 years - 2021..2022
  UCLA, 2 years - 2021..2022
  Villanova, 2 years - 2021..2022
  Arizona, 1 year  - 2022      
  Duke, 1 year  - 2022      
  Iowa State, 1 year  - 2022      
  Kansas, 1 year  - 2022      
  Miami (FL), 1 year  - 2022      
  North Carolina, 1 year  - 2022      
  Providence, 1 year  - 2022      
  Purdue, 1 year  - 2022      
  St. Peter's, 1 year  - 2022      
  Texas Tech, 1 year  - 2022

If Michigan makes it six, we can come back to this thread (and other previous threads as well) to remind ourselves that nothing is impossible.

We learned it at the MLB.

We learned it at the MLB.

After reading the caption…

After reading the caption under the photo, I've come to the conclusion that Nicholas Stoll is an alias that Warde Manuel uses when he wants to write scathing op ed pieces about the failures of his own athletic department. He was probably unaware that the editor was going to use his picture and blow his cover.

My memory is of Brad Cochran…

My memory is of Brad Cochran missing the last-drive interception. He was a great defensive back for Michigan, earning All-American honors in 1985. I could be wrong, or maybe Messner also missed one. In either case, both of them were great players and representatives of the University of Michigan.

A few CFP Poll tidbits.

USC…

A few CFP Poll tidbits.

USC has reached the Top 4 of the CFP Poll for the first time. Before this season, its highest CFP Poll ranking was #8 in 2017. The Trojans join Oregon and Washington as the only Pac 12 teams to be ranked in the Top 4 at any time during the CFP Poll era.

TCU has been ranked in the Top 4 six times in the history of the CFP Poll. It joins Oklahoma as the only other Big 12 team to ever be ranked in the CFP Top 4. Baylor was #5 in the final poll in 2014.

With Jim Harbaugh as its head coach, Michigan has now climbed into the second tier of powers in the CFP Poll Era. Based on Top 25, Top 10, Top 4 and Playoff appearances (and giving weight to higher rankings) Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson are in Tier 1. Georgia, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Michigan are in Tier 2. These tiers are not derived from the past two years. They encompass the entire CFP Era – 2014 to today – including Brady Hoke’s final year of empty rankings. The third tier of teams are: LSU, Oregon, Penn State, Wisconsin, Baylor, TCU, Florida, Michigan State, Utah, Auburn and Oklahoma State.

I agree. If I remember…

I agree. If I remember correctly, he led the team to a national runner up in 1976. Led team to No. 1 ranking heading into the 1977 tournament. He also had a nice NBA career.

What happens in case of the…

What happens in case of the following scenario?

  • Illinois loses to Michigan, wins at Northwestern.
  • Wisconsin wins at Nebraska, beats Minnesota at home.
  • Minnesota beats Iowa at home, loses at Wisconsin.
  • Iowa loses at Minnesota, beats Nebraska at home.
  • Purdue beats Northwestern at home, loses at Indiana.

This scenario results in a 5-way tie at 5-4.

I think Purdue wins it, but my interpretation of the Big Ten tiebreaker procedure is probably wrong.

The data is facinating.

The data from the website is fascinating.

Speaking of Huggy Bear,…

Speaking of Huggy Bear, hopefully Cade's injury is not as bad as the broken leg suffered by Justin Fargas.

Alabama lost to a team that…

Alabama lost to a team that lost to a team that beat Alabama. That's a statement victory.

Yes. Also, Georgia is at…

Yes. Also, Georgia is at home where a loss would be more damaging to its chances.

Up to now Michigan has…

Up to now Michigan has played 3 bad non-conference opponents.

Up to now Clemson has played 2 bad non-conference opponents.

The argument that up to now Clemson has played an equally weak non-conference schedule is flawed because 3 does not equal 2.

I do believe that Michigan should be ranked higher based its wins over teams with better metrics. But using the non-conference schedule comparison will not be a good argument up to now and will certainly not work later in the season. 

 

Part of me wants to root for…

Part of me wants to root for Clemson and TCU to prevent two or three SEC teams from making the playoff, because Michigan probably has to win out anyway.

But if we’re playing the what-if-the-Wolverines-lose-close-in-Columbus game…

Clemson at ND
ND. This knocks out Clemson.

Bama at LSU
LSU. A 2-loss West team may beat an undefeated East team in the SECCG and get in over a 1-loss Georgia if Oregon loses another game.

Tennessee at Georgia
Tennessee. The winner is in. The loser is probably in unless it’s Georgia and the above happens.

Wake Forest vs NC State
NC State. NC State could lose at Louisville and at North Carolina. I don’t see Wake losing at home against North Carolina and Syracuse. I’d root for NC State, if the goal is to have neither of them ranked in the final CFP poll.

Syracuse at Pitt
Pitt

Texas Tech at TCU
Tech

Oregon at Colorado
Colorado

Penn State at Indiana
Penn State

Forget it. If Michigan loses to OSU, I'd like to see #6 Michigan vs. #5 USC in the Rose Bowl with the winner having an argument for a National Championship over a 1-loss or 2-loss winner of the CFP/SEC Invitational.

Illinois and Oregon State…

Illinois and Oregon State are ranked for the first time in a CFP poll. Tennessee's previous highest ranking was 17.

Purdue took a 29-25 lead at Syracuse with 51 seconds left, but committed two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties after the go-ahead touchdown and had to kickoff from its own 10-yard line. This led to a 25-yard TD pass with 7 seconds left to seal the game for the Orange. This is why one of Clemson's opponents is still ranked and the Boilermakers are not.

Since the start of the…

Since the start of the College Football Playoff (8 seasons), these are the tiers.

Tier 1
Alabama

Tier 2
Ohio State, Clemson

Tier 3
Oklahoma, Georgia, Notre Dame

Tier 4
Michigan, LSU, Oregon

Tier 5
Wisconsin, Baylor, Florida, Michigan State, Auburn, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Utah

Tier 6
TCU, Florida State, Iowa, Mississippi State, Cincinnati, Washington, Mississippi, USC, Texas A&M

Tier 7
Miami, Stanford, Washington State, Central Florida, Northwestern, West Virginia, Iowa State, BYU, Kansas State, North Carolina, Louisville

Statistics for teams in Tiers 1-4.

Alabama
CFP Poll: 48 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 46 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 39 / 48
Playoffs: 7 / 8
Championship Game: 6
Champion: 3

Ohio State
CFP Poll: 48 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 45 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 22 / 48
Playoffs: 4 / 8
Championship Game: 2
Champion: 1

Clemson
CFP Poll: 45 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 35 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 34 / 48
Playoffs: 6 / 8
Championship Game: 4
Champion: 2

Oklahoma
CFP Poll: 46 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 31 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 9 / 48
Playoffs: 4 / 8
Championship Game: 0
Champion: 0

Georgia
CFP Poll: 36 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 31 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 14 / 48
Playoffs: 2 / 8
Championship Game: 2
Champion: 1

Notre Dame
CFP Poll: 38 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 29 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 15 / 48
Playoffs: 2 / 8
Championship Game: 0
Champion: 0

Michigan
CFP Poll: 31 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 19 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 9 / 48
Playoffs: 1 / 8
Championship Game: 0
Champion: 0

LSU
CFP Poll: 33 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 13 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 8 / 48
Playoffs: 1 / 8
Championship Game: 1
Champion: 1

Oregon
CFP Poll: 26 / 48
CFP Poll Top 10: 15 / 48
CFP Poll Top 4: 9 / 48
Playoffs: 1 / 8
Championship Game: 1
Champion: 0
 

**Edit** After a deeper look at the numbers and putting more emphasis on playoff appearances and playoff wins I adjusted the tiers.

  • Moved Georgia and Notre Dame into Tier 3 with Oklahoma.
  • Added LSU and Oregon into Tier 4 with Michigan.
Nebraska can and will return…

Nebraska can and will return to being a national title contender, and Lance Leipold is the current coaching candidate to target if it wishes to get back in the game. Don't sleep on the Huskers. Once they get the right coaching fit, they will be back. This is just my opinion.

That Phillies team is part…

That Phillies team is part of a great memory for me. The 1980 Astros-Phillies playoff series is one of the greatest ever in my memory. Even though I was rooting for the Astros, I thought that series was magical. Thanks for reminding me of this and congrats to the 1980 Phillies for finally breaking through after being a perennial contender in the late 1970s. 

Thanks for the well-written…

Thanks for the well-written and informative article.

The addition of a 12-team playoff comes with the addition of more games. For this reason, I would like to see the CCG format change. I’d like to see all teams in each division face each other to determine a division champion. This would be followed by two weeks of crossover games. In the first week of crossovers, the first-place teams in each division face the second-place teams in the other division and the rest of the teams face a team from the other division as well. The second week of crossovers would feature the championship and consolation games with all the other teams crossing over against a different opponent.

The benefits of this format:

  • True division champions. No arguing about who played the tougher crossover games.
  • Strong second-place teams would have an opportunity to play for the championship and weak first-place teams would have to earn a spot in the championship.
  • All teams play the same amount of conference games. For a 14-team league there would be 6 division games followed by two playoff/crossover games. For a 16-team league there would be 7 division games followed by two playoff/crossover games. Also, a 16-team league could break into four pods with each pod combining with another pod to form an 8-team division over a two-year span with the pods rotating every two years.
     
In the seven-year history of…

In the seven-year history of the CFP, teams have failed to hold onto their playoff position in the last game six times -- Georgia in 2019 and 2018, Auburn and Wisconsin in 2017, Iowa in 2015 and TCU in 2014. 

2020
1 Alabama holds.
2 Notre Dame down to 4.
3 Clemson up to 2.
4 Ohio State up to 3.
5. Texas A&M holds.

2019
1 Ohio State down to 2.
2 LSU up to 1.
3 Clemson holds.
4 Georgia down to 5.
5 Utah down to 11.
6 Oklahoma up to 4.

2018
1 Alabama holds.
2 Clemson holds.
3 Notre Dame holds.
4 Georgia down to 5.
5 Oklahoma up to 4.

2017
1 Clemson holds.
2 Auburn down to 7.
3 Oklahoma up to 2.
4 Wisconsin down to 6.
5 Alabama up to 4.
6 Georgia up to 3.
7 Miami down to 10.
8 Ohio State up to 5.

2016
1 Alabama holds.
2 Ohio State down to 3.
3 Clemson up to 2.
4 Washington holds.
5 Michigan down to 6.
6 Wisconsin down to 8.
7 Penn State up to 5.

2015
1 Clemson holds.
2 Alabama holds.
3 Oklahoma down to 4.
4 Iowa down to 5.
5 Michigan State up to 3.

2014
1 Alabama holds.
2 Oregon holds.
3 TCU down to 6.
4 Florida State up to 3.
5 Ohio State up to 4.
6 Baylor up to 5.

Cincinnati has cracked the…

Random CFP Poll Data

Cincinnati has cracked the Top 4 for the first time. The Bearcats are the first AAC and non-P5 team to be ranked in a playoff position. USC, Texas and Nebraska have never been in the Top 4.

At 23, Clemson is back in the CFP Poll and is one of four teams (Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma) to be in at least 43 of the 46 polls.

In the CFP era, this is the fifth time that Ohio State and Michigan have met while ranked in the Top 15, the fourth game with both teams in the Top 10 and the 2nd Top 5 matchup.

  • 2015: #8 Ohio State at #10 Michigan
  • 2016: #3 Michigan at #2 Ohio State
  • 2018 #4 Michigan at #10 Ohio State
  • 2019: #1 Ohio State at #13 Michigan
  • 2021: #2 Ohio State at #5 Michigan
You did a great job of…

You did a great job of summing up why a large number of people love to criticize James Franklin. 

Other CFP Poll observations:…

Other CFP Poll observations:

  • Purdue and UTSA enter the CFP Poll for the first time since the poll’s inception in 2014. Purdue is the 11th B1G team to be ranked in the poll. Illinois, Maryland and Rutgers have yet to crack the poll.
  • Ohio State moved into the Top 4 and has been there for 12 of the last 13 polls.
  • Penn State’s 6-3 record includes victories over #17 Auburn and #18 Wisconsin. Those teams along with Purdue, Utah and Arkansas make it five 6-3 teams in the CFP Poll that aren’t Penn State.
  • Michigan has been ranked sixth in the poll one other time -- the final poll of 2016.
My guess is that Purdue’s…

My guess is that Purdue’s win will cause the committee to move Oklahoma and Notre Dame ahead of Michigan State and Michigan. My guess is that Michigan will be #9 — one spot behind MSU. 

CFP Poll Stats

This is the…

CFP Poll Observations

  • This is the first time that Clemson has been omitted from the CFP Top 25. This leaves Alabama and Ohio State as the only teams to be in every CFP Poll.
  • Michigan State matched its highest ranking in the poll. The Spartans were No. 3 in the final poll of 2015. MSU is one of 21 teams to ever occupy a spot in the Top 4.
  • Michigan is ranked in the Top 10 of the CFP Poll for the 14th time. This ties the Wolverines with Wisconsin for the 8th most appearances in the Top 10.
  • Michigan’s CFP Poll history under Harbaugh is slightly worse than Georgia and Notre Dame and comparable to Penn State, Wisconsin, LSU and Florida.
  • Since 2015 Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State have dominated the poll. The next tier is Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Georgia, Michigan, Florida, LSU, Penn State and Wisconsin. This is the number of times each of these 11 teams have played each other in regular season and conference championship games. Alabama (14), Clemson (4), Ohio State (18), Oklahoma (2), Notre Dame (8), Georgia (15), Michigan (20), Florida (19), LSU (15), Penn St (16), Wisconsin (14).
Michigan defeated the 49ers…

Michigan defeated the 49ers 49-0 on that sunny September day in 1987, but lost senior linebacker Andree McIntyre for the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon. This along with other injuries on defense led to a disappointing season. 

Now that's a great way for a…

Now that's a great way for a youngster to receive a game ball. Those officers really came through in the clutch.

CWebb said we destroyed…

CWebb said we destroyed Candace, in reference to Tennessee.

I watched the game as a…

I watched the game as a young lad at my grandmother’s house with family around. I saw it happen and thought it was glorious. A brawl between both teams ensued. I gathered others in the house who would be interested in seeing it, and we waited for a replay. They only showed one replay and didn’t show the punch. Keith Jackson and Ara Parsegian, who was the Al Kaline of football color broadcasting, didn’t see it or comment on it. So I had to convince everyone to keep watching the postgame highlights so they could see it happen.

He was a Ronnie Lester…

He was a Ronnie Lester injury away from being a two-time National Champion coach.

Here are some that stand out…

Here are some that stand out for me.

1976: Michigan 22, Ohio State 0 at Columbus. It was the first win over the Buckeyes since 1971. The four-year drought included The Tie and three heart-breaking losses, making it four straight Rose Bowl trips for OSU.

1981 Rose Bowl: Michigan 23, Washington 6. Bo finally wins. Nice season with only blemishes at ND on Harry Oliver’s 50 yard-field goal and the following week at home 17-14 against Heisman winner George Rogers and South Carolina.

1993 National Semifinal: Michigan 81, Kentucky 78 OT at the Superdome in New Orleans. A great win at the time. Both teams were one-seeds and the winner would face North Carolina, another one-seed.

Well-written story…

Well-written story. Definitely worth reading at least once a year every year.

Since its inception,…

Since its inception, Michigan has been in 22 of the 34 CFP Polls (22 of 27 under Harbaugh). This ties the Wolverines with Mississippi State and Georgia for the 10th most appearances.

Michigan and Penn State have appeared in the Top Ten 13 times. Only six other teams have appeared more — Alabama (34), Ohio State (31), Clemson (27), Oklahoma (22), Notre Dame (18) and Georgia (17).

Michigan has appeared in the Top 4 seven times. Only Alabama (28), Clemson (26), Ohio State (11), Notre Dame (10) and Oklahoma (8) have appeared more.

I believe that Magic is the…

I believe that Magic is the best high school player in US history. He’s certainly Top 5. I’d put Webber in the Top 30 nationally, second to Magic in Michigan. 

It is because an MLB team…

It is because an MLB team owner would want to take into consideration the population of a city and its surrounding area. San Antonio is as large as you said and has grown fast, but it has only recently moved into the Top 30 metro areas. It's around the 25th largest right now. All that said, I agree with your main point and think that San Antonio, which can also draw from nearby Austin, is a strong candidate for a team.

I had to change a flat tire…

I had to change a flat tire on I-70 about an hour outside of St Louis, heading toward Kansas City. The tire was on the highway side of the car. I cleared my mind and went to work, despite cars and semis racing by. Within a few minutes a State Trooper pulled up and angled his car toward the highway, flashers blazing. I’ll never forget it. To this day, I am so thankful for the Show-Me State troopers.

Guard the in-bounder. Rush…

Guard the in-bounder. Rush more than three.

After some down years,…

After some down years, Michigan won the NIT in 1984 and the following year rode a 16-game winning streak to a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament. The fifth win of that streak marked Michigan’s re-emergence. On Sunday, January 27, 1985, Michigan hosted Kansas in front of a national television audience. Despite their #18 ranking, the Wolverines were 0-2 against ranked opponents and not many expected them to beat the 15th-ranked Jayhawks. Kansas was coached by Larry Brown and had its usual talent-laden roster including freshman Danny Manning. Current Maryland coach Mark Turgeon was a sophomore on that team. Michigan thrashed Kansas 96-77, putting on a fantastic show for the raucous home crowd. Both teams featured three future NBA players, and both went on to upset losses in the second-round of the tournament.

• Realign yearly for…

• Realign yearly for competitive balance. Schedules should be set two years in advance for planning.

• Only play games that count toward conference record against teams in your division.

• Before conference season starts, each team plays one team from opposite division that does not count against conference record. This may be a rivalry game, if rivals are not in same division that season.

• On Conference Championship Saturday, all teams play. 1 vs 1 for championship, 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3,  etc. Except for championship game, adjust pairings to avoid rematches of pre-season crossover games.

• A formula based on final division standings or rankings can be used to move teams from one division to the other.

• This plan will enable conferences to expand to 16 teams or more.

 

The 1987 game would have…

The 1987 game would have been in Ann Arbor. It was Earle Bruce's final game.

From the book Rutgers…

From the book Rutgers Football A Gridiron Tradition in Scarlet [p. 41]: In 1940, halfback Tom Harmon of Michigan won his second straight scoring title. Harmon topped all college players by totaling 102 points in 1939 and 117 points in 1940. Harmon also won the Heisman Trophy in 1940. (Many years later, Tom Harmon’s daughter, Kristen, would wed singer Rick Nelson, the son of former Rutgers quarterback Ozzie Nelson.)

Your big draw, big name, big…

Your big draw, big name, big school argument had me convinced until you listed rooting interests. 

Game was in Landover.

Game was in Landover.

Nothing to fix. M football…

Nothing to fix. M football was an inch away from playing in the CFP in 2016 and is considered a playoff contender this year. Total team defense has been ranked #6, #2 and #13 over the past three years. The offense will come around once Michigan gets its OL pipeline flowing.

If he's related to Slick, I…

If he's related to Slick, I'm on board.

Villanova is a blue blood?

Villanova is a blue blood?