College Football Playoffs

[hoosierpipeguy]

It was a 7 point game in the 4th quarter. I'd have to say it was a lot closer than the score. I thought Washington was going to tie it up until the holding call took away a 30 yard passing play.

I was pulling for Michigan by the way.

If not for Michigan having their head up their asses in Q2, it would have been ended in the first half. Yes, 7 point game but Michigan was controlling the game. And the more it went along, the more Michigan dominated the game. Bottom line, Michigan won by 21 points. IMHO, they were never in danger of losing this game.

To give credit where it is due, Washington is extremely well coached. Very impressed. They played gritty, they had several guys really hurting who were out there giving their all. I don't remember the name but their best WR is an absolute stud. He and Penix will go high in the draft.

 

[krizzose]

I’m a Michigan alum (‘96 BA and ‘00 JD), and a 31 year season ticket holder.

I am floating in a cloud of pure euphoria right now.

UM tried to give it away by setting offensive downs on fire for 1.5 quarters, but their physicality throughout the game made itself felt and UW collapsed in the 4th quarter. The Michigan defense was magnificent the entire game.

That all being said, I have nothing but respect for UW’s players and coaches. Penix is a flat out warrior. That program will be a great addition to the B1G.

But so are Blake Corum, Zak Zinter, JJ McCarthy, Michael Bennett, et al. They all came back for this.

 

[alaskanpiper]

but their physicality throughout the game made itself felt

This. despite Michigan taking the second quarter off, it was obvious that they were going to wear UW down. It did take a bit for Michigan’s offense to get their head back in the game, but UW was spent by halftime. 3 points total in the second half.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I am floating in a cloud of pure euphoria right now.

Hahaha, I watched the game with a buddy if mine who is a Michigan Alum and his son. It was pandemonium

 

[jpmcwjr]

Rooting for Big Blue, the game didn't grab my attention as I had hoped. It was never in doubt, not withstanding UW bringing it closer at one point.

With twelve in next year, it means more games where the best players actually play for something, but at that level, any one team might beat any other in a single match.

There will still be bitching by teams 13-16....

 

[yanoJL]

I’m a Michigan alum (‘96 BA and ‘00 JD), and a 31 year season ticket holder.

I am floating in a cloud of pure euphoria right now.

Congratulations Wolverines!

 

[BCF]

Congratulations to Michigan!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Rooting for Big Blue, the game didn't grab my attention as I had hoped. It was never in doubt, not withstanding UW bringing it closer at one point.

With twelve in next year, it means more games where the best players actually play for something, but at that level, any one team might beat any other in a single match.

There will still be bitching by teams 13-16....

Early in the season, I agree. But by the end of the season, the size and athleticism of the athletes for the top 3 or 4 teams is so distinct it's near impossible for the teams at the next lower level to compete. That was not a great game by Michigan. Had they played like that against Alabama, they would have lost. But against Washington, their B game was more than sufficient to win going away.

 

[Elric]

Early in the season, I agree. But by the end of the season, the size and athleticism of the athletes for the top 3 or 4 teams is so distinct it's near impossible for the teams at the next lower level to compete. That was not a great game by Michigan. Had they played like that against Alabama, they would have lost. But against Washington, their B game was more than sufficient to win going away.

Agreed. Attrition plays a part as well. You have to be deep to survive the loss of a few starters and continue through the season as competition increases.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Agreed. Attrition plays a part as well. You have to be deep to survive the loss of a few starters and continue through the season as competition increases.

Agreed and great point. Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama just bring in another 4 star player of the bench if someone goes down. The non starters on those teams would probably rank in the top 20 if they played all year, perhaps higher.

 

[timt]

Thank goodness there's going to be a bigger playoff going forward and we can get a little further away from narratives that certain conferences are just better and deserve to be in it at the end.

That was not a great game by Michigan. Had they played like that against Alabama, they would have lost. But against Washington, their B game was more than sufficient to win going away.

I know you're an Alabama fan but... Washington spanked Texas who spanked Alabama, at Alabama. If it weren't for a lucky hail mary against Auburn, Alabama wouldn't have been considered for the playoffs.

What I hope to see with a bigger playoff is what we see in college basketball. The blue chips being ranked at the top all season, get the top seeds in the tournament, and then usually some form of chaos erupts. The top conference crap isn't much of a thing.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Thank goodness there's going to be a bigger playoff going forward and we can get a little further away from narratives that certain conferences are just better and deserve to be in it at the end.

I know you're an Alabama fan but... Washington spanked Texas who spanked Alabama, at Alabama. If it weren't for a lucky hail mary against Auburn, Alabama wouldn't have been considered for the playoffs.

What I hope to see with a bigger playoff is what we see in college basketball. The blue chips being ranked at the top all season, get the top seeds in the tournament, and then usually some form of chaos erupts. The top conference crap isn't much of a thing.

Texas beat a very young Alabama team first game of the season. Using your logic, Michigan took overtime to beat Alabama. Michigan pounded Washington who had beat Texas. Therefore, at this point in time, it's obvious Alabama is much better than both Washington and Texas. Which I believe is correct.

It's been 20 years since a PAC 12 team won a championship. There's a reason for that.

 

[Cloozoe]

No dog in the fight; kind of a snooze of a final after good semis. More teams? I dunno. The only team in the country that would have had a reasonable chance of winning that wasn't in was Georgia.

 

[Hutch Piper]

I don’t think that adding more teams will really make a difference. The top teams will always win. Just my $.02.

 

[timt]

Oh, I predict we'll see some top teams shit the bed from time to time, with unfavorable matchups and such.

 

[AroEnglish]

I don’t think that adding more teams will really make a difference. The top teams will always win. Just my $.02.

Even if that does happen what’s helpful in expanding the playoff is more teams will get it prove themselves and fewer will be at the mercy of voters.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, and it means also that more good teams won't throw in the towel when they're left out of the big four.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Being a Hawkeyes fan, guess I gotta cheer for the B10. Go Blue. (Can’t believe I typed that).

I still can’t believe I pulled for them last night but haven’t forgiven Washington for Hayden’s first Rose Bowl loss and Harbaugh did live in Iowa City as a kid for awhile - and was great at stealing signs in Little League.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I don’t think that adding more teams will really make a difference. The top teams will always win. Just my $.02.

I think it actually makes several differences. Even though there will still be whining, it will be difficult to argue a team that had any chance to win it all was left out. It also will hopefully encourage all the players to remain on the team rather than "opting out" which made many of the bowl games this year a complete joke.

With all the consolidation going on, there will be situations where multiple teams from the same conference(s) will get invited. However, therein lies where the controversy will come up again. A team like Liberty who was undefeated (I think it was Liberty) may still be left out while a team in the Big 10 or SEC with 2 or possibly even 3 losses may get in. I think most years moving forward will end up with the Final 4 looking like a Big 10 vs SEC challenge.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Well, my team took a big pile of crap Monday night. UW played their worst game all season. I still think if UW plays like they did against Texas and Oregon they win that game; however, they played like they did against Arizona State, and lost. Michigan had 5 big plays that got them that win. Outside the 1st quarter, and that INT with the big return, Michigan didn't do anything spectacular. Michigan played good, and UW played like crap! The game was a lot closer than the score shows.

The main problem was UW was one dimensional because Johnson was hurt. After the 1st quarter Michigan basically played prevent defense the entire game only rushing 4-5 guys and leaving 6-7 guys in the secondary to shut down our receivers. We still had some open looks but didn't capitalize on them.

-The Offensive Line had 5 pre-snap penalties that hurt them.
-Penix was pressing to hard all game and was over-throwing his targets.
-The receivers were not catching the balls they should have caught.
-The defense had to many missed tackles. Though they played well in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, the early mistakes cost them.
-UW holding penalties, while very ticky-tack were costly. Michigan not called for a single hold, and they had 4 very obvious ones in which the commentators during the game acknowledged, and they were acknowledged after the game, by game analysts.

As bad as UW played, they still had a chance to tie the game with 6 minutes in the 4th quarter. The problem is the refs made sure that didn't happen. I knew when the PI in the endzone was called back because of an offsetting holding, that wasn't a hold, the refs weren't going to let UW tie up the game, and were giving it to Michigan.

Michigan's second TD, #18 held our guy on the end and their guy ran past and scored. That TD should have been negated. Michigan's drive where they kicked a FG had an obvious jersey grab by the linemen, and got them a big play and a first down to keep the drive going. That's 10 points that might not happen if the refs make the obvious call. UW had a 36-yard completion which was negated by a phantom hold, which would have put us in FG range at least, and the last one where there was a PI in the endzone that was offset by another phantom hold. If UW scores there it's a tie game. Which would have made for an epic finish. NCAA really wanted Big Blue and Harbaugh to win, which I'm not sure why because it will only be vacated in 3 years due to the sign stealing scandal.

I'm not saying the refs won the game for MIchigan, because UW made way too many mistakes and played terrible, but the refs definitely helped MIchigan from not losing. If anyone watched the game you know that Washington didn't get blown out like the score indicates, and it should have been an all-time classic finish, but instead we got what we got.



Hey refs... this is what holding looks like.