They Still Got It Wrong, But…
Last week at this time, I wrote an article about the College Football Playoff and how they got it screwed up.
Well, the College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee got it wrong again. They put Michigan 6th and MSU 7th in the most recent rankings, released on Tuesday night. This despite the 37-33 MSU victory on October 30th in Spartan Stadium.
To that I say "Huh??"
Look, you guys know by now that I'm a Michigan fan. But there is no good reason why the Wolverines are ahead of the Spartans, as long as they have the same record (which they do at 9-1).
CFP Committee Chairman Gary Barta (the athletic director at Iowa) tried to explain it away:
"With Michigan and Michigan State, the committee when we met a week ago, the committee talked about Michigan being a more complete team, since then, another game has been played. Michigan State looked good against Maryland; Michigan came from behind and won on the road at Penn State. Every week, 13 people recast their votes. And so when the votes were cast this week, that's the way it came out: Michigan ahead of Michigan State and Oregon ahead of Ohio State."
You know, my father has a saying about certain people who act or are being stupid: "Brock, that guy doesn't know his a-- from third base."
Folks, Gary Barta and the CFP Committee are being stupid! Even though I believe that U-M and MSU are pretty close to equal talentwise, you HAVE to put MSU ahead of Michigan in the poll. Just put MSU at 6, and U-M at 7 and we're good to go. No more problem. Why??? Because MSU beat Michigan on October 30th in East Lansing! I mean, it's just common sense.
BTW, if the reverse were true, if Michigan would've won the game and MSU was ranked higher, I would say the exact same thing about the committee.
BUT IT STILL MAY NOT MATTER
This is because both MSU and U-M play Ohio State over the next two weeks. If both teams lose to the Buckeyes, then the hullabaloo about this will go away. And the next controversy would be as to whether which teams go to the Rose Bowl (or any of the other New Year's Six Bowls). But we'll worry about that later.
WHAT IF MSU AND U-M WIN OUT AND TEAMS ABOVE THEM LOSE?
This would be hilarious. MSU would be 12-1 and U-M would be 11-1. Think about this scenario: What if Alabama loses to either Arkansas or Auburn (or Georgia in the SEC Championship)? And what if Cincinnati loses to either SMU (this week) or Houston (in the American Conference Championship Game)? And what if Oregon loses to either Utah (who they could play twice) or Oregon State?
Then it's possible that both MSU and U-M could both make the playoff. It's a bit farfetched, but not impossible. You could have 13-0 Georgia, 12-1 MSU, 11-1 Michigan, and 11-1 Notre Dame (assuming they win out) in the playoff. And what if Michigan State plays Michigan again in the National Semifinals in the Orange or Cotton Bowl?
Wouldn't that be something??!! That would surpass any previous MSU-UM game BY FAR!!!! We just now gotta wait and see what happens on the field