OT Michigan vs Iowa (Big Ten Championship)8pm

[NYPiston]

Even though they are a bad call away from being undefeated, they are now going to screw Michigan out of the #1 ranking and give it to Bama... and Michigan will get the much tougher Georgia at the #3 see even though they deserve to play against the much weaker Cincy. We're about to get screwed because the committee won't want to put a Georgia/Bama game since they just played today.

How did Michigan get screwed? Michigan got the bump last week for beating Ohio State and Alabama struggling to beat Auburn so essentially we're comparing a beatdown of the #1 team in the country vs. a beatdown of Iowa so it's pretty obvious why Alabama jumped Michigan this week.

[flow]

Even though they are a bad call away from being undefeated, they are now going to screw Michigan out of the #1 ranking and give it to Bama... and Michigan will get the much tougher Georgia at the #3 see even though they deserve to play against the much weaker Cincy. We're about to get screwed because the committee won't want to put a Georgia/Bama game since they just played today.

How did Michigan get screwed? Michigan got the bump last week for beating Ohio State and Alabama struggling to beat Auburn so essentially we're comparing a beatdown of the #1 team in the country vs. a beatdown of Iowa so it's pretty obvious why Alabama jumped Michigan this week.

It's not so much that Michigan got screwed as it is Alabama doesn't deserve to be #1. After losing to an unranked team in October, they dropped only from #1 to #5. Then, within two weeks, they were put back up to #3. From there, they barely & unimpressively escaped with wins in each of their last three SEC schedule games. Two of which were at home. Yet they remained #3, unpunished by the pollsters. Style points are only important for some, apparently.

So when they beat Georgia, even though it was Georgia's first test of the season, a two place jump was probably deserved. But they shouldn't have been jumping from #3.

[NYPiston]

It's not so much that Michigan got screwed as it is Alabama doesn't deserve to be #1. After losing to an unranked team in October, they dropped only from #1 to #5. Then, within two weeks, they were put back up to #3. From there, they barely & unimpressively escaped with wins in each of their last three SEC schedule games. Two of which were at home. Yet they remained #3, unpunished by the pollsters. The only team in the country that would have been gifted such undeserved status. Style points are only important for some, apparently.

So when they beat Georgia, even though it was Georgia's first test of the season, a two place jump was probably deserved. But they shouldn't have been jumping from #3.

Fair point about them remaining at 3 despite the close calls but Michigan also had close calls with Rutgers and Nebraska earlier in the season and Alabama's two biggest wins are more impressive than Michigan's two biggest wins (Georgia and Ole Miss vs. Ohio State and Iowa).

I think it's a combination of multiple things. Alabama has the better wins with the latest being a domination of the #1 team, stronger SOS and the eye test, Alabama is the best team in the country when they're firing on all cylinders.

[Manocad]

It's not so much that Michigan got screwed as it is Alabama doesn't deserve to be #1. After losing to an unranked team in October, they dropped only from #1 to #5. Then, within two weeks, they were put back up to #3. From there, they barely & unimpressively escaped with wins in each of their last three SEC schedule games. Two of which were at home. Yet they remained #3, unpunished by the pollsters. The only team in the country that would have been gifted such undeserved status. Style points are only important for some, apparently.

So when they beat Georgia, even though it was Georgia's first test of the season, a two place jump was probably deserved. But they shouldn't have been jumping from #3.

Fair point about them remaining at 3 despite the close calls but Michigan also had close calls with Rutgers and Nebraska earlier in the season and Alabama's two biggest wins are more impressive than Michigan's two biggest wins (Georgia and Ole Miss vs. Ohio State and Iowa).

I think it's a combination of multiple things. Alabama has the better wins with the latest being a domination of the #1 team, stronger SOS and the eye test, Alabama is the best team in the country when they're firing on all cylinders.

Bama losing Metchie changes things moving forward. Not that I think that puts them at serious risk of a loss against Cincinnati but it sure as hell matters against either Georgia or Michigan. He was without a doubt the go-to guy in that offense.

[Pistonrings]

Bama beating Georgia at no 1 jumped them over us, but there is another possible reason, how about that Georgia was OVER RANKED and hadn't played anyone but Clemson which is what, like 16?

No way I believe the Bama offense is as good as the Ohio State offense. I watched that Bama team struggle against Auburn, and I watched them beat Georgia and kept thinking, damn, if Bama is doing this against Georgia, Ohio State would put up a 50 spot on this Georgia defense. In other words, I wasn't impressed with Bama's offense against Auburn, and wasn't impressed with Georgia's D at all and I think State's offense would have destroyed Georgia. But, I have to admit, I am a homer and look for any angle to support the blue. But it just kills me how the press praise Bama for beating the no 1 Bulldogs, as if there could be no other way of looking at it, and I'm saying, uh, yes there is, how about Georgia was OVER RANKED? How about that as an answer?.

[Manocad]

Bama beating Georgia at no 1 jumped them over us, but there is another possible reason, how about that Georgia was OVER RANKED and hadn't played anyone but Clemson which is what, like 16?

No way I believe the Bama offense is as good as the Ohio State offense. I watched that Bama team struggle against Auburn, and I watched them beat Georgia and kept thinking, damn, if Bama is doing this against Georgia, Ohio State would put up a 50 spot on this Georgia defense. In other words, I wasn't impressed with Bama's offense against Auburn, and wasn't impressed with Georgia's D at all and I think State's offense would have destroyed Georgia. But, I have to admit, I am a homer and look for any angle to support the blue. But it just kills me how the press praise Bama for beating the no 1 Bulldogs, as if there could be no other way of looking at it, and I'm saying, uh, yes there is, how about Georgia was OVER RANKED? How about that as an answer?.

I try to look at it this way...would Michigan have a better chance at a national championship if they played Cincy first? Sure. But either way they have to win two games with one of them being either Georgia or Bama. And potentially beating BOTH Georgia and Bama would just make that national championship taste sweet as hell. Because man, there are still a LOT of SEC fans out there who believe that both Bama and Georgia are head and shoulders above any other team.

[NYPiston]

Bama beating Georgia at no 1 jumped them over us, but there is another possible reason, how about that Georgia was OVER RANKED and hadn't played anyone but Clemson which is what, like 16?

No way I believe the Bama offense is as good as the Ohio State offense. I watched that Bama team struggle against Auburn, and I watched them beat Georgia and kept thinking, damn, if Bama is doing this against Georgia, Ohio State would put up a 50 spot on this Georgia defense. In other words, I wasn't impressed with Bama's offense against Auburn, and wasn't impressed with Georgia's D at all and I think State's offense would have destroyed Georgia. But, I have to admit, I am a homer and look for any angle to support the blue. But it just kills me how the press praise Bama for beating the no 1 Bulldogs, as if there could be no other way of looking at it, and I'm saying, uh, yes there is, how about Georgia was OVER RANKED? How about that as an answer?.

I agree that Georgia's schedule was weak (Clemson not being nearly as good as expected weakened it and they played none of the powers from the SEC west) but they destroyed their competition, letting up less than 7!!!! points a game which is absurd no matter the competition and was an undefeated SEC team so they were the deserved #1.

In any event, none of this matters now. The beauty of a playoff (although 4 is still not enough teams) is that this will be decided on the field.

[Pistonrings]

Bama beating Georgia at no 1 jumped them over us, but there is another possible reason, how about that Georgia was OVER RANKED and hadn't played anyone but Clemson which is what, like 16?

No way I believe the Bama offense is as good as the Ohio State offense. I watched that Bama team struggle against Auburn, and I watched them beat Georgia and kept thinking, damn, if Bama is doing this against Georgia, Ohio State would put up a 50 spot on this Georgia defense. In other words, I wasn't impressed with Bama's offense against Auburn, and wasn't impressed with Georgia's D at all and I think State's offense would have destroyed Georgia. But, I have to admit, I am a homer and look for any angle to support the blue. But it just kills me how the press praise Bama for beating the no 1 Bulldogs, as if there could be no other way of looking at it, and I'm saying, uh, yes there is, how about Georgia was OVER RANKED? How about that as an answer?.

I agree that Georgia's schedule was weak (Clemson not being nearly as good as expected weakened it and they played none of the powers from the SEC west) but they destroyed their competition, letting up less than 7!!!! points a game which is absurd no matter the competition and was an undefeated SEC team so they were the deserved #1.

In any event, none of this matters now. The beauty of a playoff (although 4 is still not enough teams) is that this will be decided on the field.

Al true, but I still don't think Bama's offense is even close to as good as State's. The Buckeyes offense would have probably done ugly things to that Georgia defense. It's just that the ranking board acts as if they are infallible. Like, Georgia has the best D ever, and if Bama smoked that D, yet struggled against Auburn, it still means Bama is just awesome because of what they did to Georgia, as if it's impossible to have any other answer for what we saw. Lol, I was screaming at the TV during the ranking show, "Uh, hello, I have another possible answer for what we saw, how about you had Georgia over ranked, how about that as a possibility"?

Ohio State's offense is better than Bama's offense. I believe Ohio State would have done even worse to them. They put up 59 on a top ten Michigan State team. Bama is good, but I don't believe for a second they would put up 59 on Michigan States D.

So for me, I think Georgia was just over ranked. Obviously still good though. But yeah, as both of you say, it will all be settled on the field even though it seems unfair that Bama gets Cincinnati and will get to the title game after it. Who knows, maybe Cincinnati will surprise everyone.