Why another wild Saturday was good for the Big Ten
Michigan football and others stood by and watched another wild Saturday of upsets. Here’s what it all means for the Big Ten and everyone else.
In just 13 days, we will be watching the first Michigan football game of the season and two Sunday’s from now, we will finally have something real to talk about.
Not that recruiting and practice rumors aren’t real. But by then, Michigan football fans will have an actual result. We will have seen Joe Milton and the rest of the Wolverines and we will have finally have some idea for what’s in store for 2020.
For the record, I’ve been very high on this team and I wouldn’t say delusional. Michigan football beating Ohio State and winning the Big Ten would be a huge surprise to me. But I think the Wolverines will head to Columbus playing for the Big Ten East title for the third year in a row.
But since we are still two weeks away, Saturday’s have mostly been about monitoring the ACC, SEC and Big 12, as well the other leagues playing and so far, it’s been exciting. Here’s what we learned from this past week.
Big Ten, Michigan could benefit from craziness
Yesterday was another wild day as third-ranked Florida went down on the road to Texas A&M, the No. 21 team on the road, which actually does hurt the SEC’s chances of getting two teams in the postseason.
LSU also went down to Missouri, which means the Tigers are effectively out of the College Football Playoff hunt. Auburn still has hope with one loss, but the Tigers would need to win out and beat Alabama.
And what really hurts the SEC’s chances of getting two teams this year is that Georgia and Alabama playing during the regular season.
If Alabama wins the regular season matchup but loses the title game to a one-loss Georgia team, both of those teams would probably get in. But that’s one of the only scenarios.
Florida running the table would also work, although their win over Georgia wouldn’t be as impressive if the Bulldogs had already lost to Alabama, but that’s the other path.
There could be a scenario where Bama lost to Auburn and the Tigers went to the SEC title game, then a one loss Crimson Tide squad was waiting to get picked.
But, even in that situation, a one-loss Big Ten champion would have a strong argument to make, especially if that team was Ohio State or Michigan or even Penn State.
Teams in the Big Ten East will have a fairly tough schedule, especially the Wolverines and if they managed to somehow go 8-1 and win the Big Ten, they would likely have done that against a schedule that features Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and probably a second game against Minnesota, Wisconsin or maybe Iowa.
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The fact that the Big 12 looks less and less likely to get a team into the playoff is also a good thing for the Big Ten.
Oklahoma State is still undefeated, but it’s hard to see the Cowboys running the table. If they were a one-loss champion, they would have a good chance, but even then, it’s hard to see that team getting the nod over any one loss team in the Big Ten.
And to be honest, the Big 12 just looks like pure chaos and with Texas and Oklahoma both essentially out, without the benefit of a ton of upsets down the road, the league could be on the outside looking in.
Don’t look now but the ACC could be the biggest benefactor. At least it looks that way with Clemson, Notre Dame and North Carolina all unbeaten and in the top 10.
However, Clemson and Notre Dame will play each other, as will North Carolina, so only one of those teams will be undefeated and while there could be a rematch, the most likely outcome is Clemson winning out and the next-best team in the ACC having two losses.
So if you had to handicap the playoff race after a few weeks, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma State, plus Oregon or Pac-12 champion are all in the best position.
With no real non-conference games between Power-5 conferences, it will be harder than most years to give two bids to one league, although the “eye test” is always a good excuse to do so.
The good news at least for Michigan football and the rest of the Big Ten though, is after all of this wackiness, the league’s champion, as long as its undefeated or has one loss, should make it.
Next. Charles Woodson's top 5 plays at Michigan. dark
And that goes for teams not named Ohio State too.