Who now for the title game?

[ulukinatme]

I think the only way we'll get a Michigan/OSU rematch is if you guys go into overtime, or the difference is just a couple points, maybe even a controversial call costing one team the game.
The way I see it, USC or Florida have the best chance of going to the big game, but both have big games left to play. If Florida wins and USC loses, Florida is in. If Florida loses and USC wins out, USC is in. If Florida loses and USC loses, ND sneaks in.

 

[Steve19]

I don't see Notre Dame jumping Michigan, period. Despite the media's love affair with them, our blowout was sufficiently high profile to keep us above them in the polls, and they can't jump us in the computers. Their only shot is if OSU loses in a blowout.

As for Rutgers, they've got almost no chance. I don't think they can jump a 1 loss Michigan/OSU in the computers. They'd need a #2 ranking in the polls to overcome this, and I expect the pollsters would be sufficiently divided to vote them only 4th at best.

My take on everyone's chances:

1 loss Florida/Arkansas
1 loss USC
1 loss Michigan
1 loss OSU/Notre Dame

Florida, Arkansas, and USC all have 2 games left that they could easily lose.

Why I'm rooting for a championship game rematch?

1. It guarantees a national championship for the Big 10.
2. Such hugely high profile games would help recruiting.
3. If there was ever a year that a OSU-Michigan game needed to be played on a neutral field, it's this one.

http://www.macriot.com/images/articles/20060614220239310_1.jpg

Please stop whining. You had home field advantage last year and it didn't do you any good. A neutral field won't do anymore for you this year.

 

[tedginn05]

If a rematch does happen between OSU-scUM in the NC game...........does that mean that the Big Ten would get double the normal NC game bowl payout?

If so, theres another reason why I would like to see a rematch, it gets the Big Ten more money!

 

[TheMile]

Please stop whining. You had home field advantage last year and it didn't do you any good. A neutral field won't do anymore for you this year.

*sigh* A throwaway comment at the end is all you seize on? While I do see now how that can be perceived as whining, it was not intended as such. Please focus on the remainder of my post; I'd rather discuss the probabilities of various championship matchups, not pointless flaming.

 

[Steve19]

*sigh* A throwaway comment at the end is all you seize on? Please focus on the remainder of my post, I'd rather discuss the probabilities of various championship matchups; not pointless flaming.

Then don't whine in your posts or include silly comments like Ohio State losing this game in a blow out.

I think the NC game will come down to USC, who will beat Notre Dame, and Florida against the winner of the Ohio State - TSUN game. I think the loser of The Game will play in the Rose Bowl and beat whomever it is up against, who I dearly hope would be Notre Dame but since you guys already blew them out at Notre Dame, I think that is not likely.

I think that TSUN has an excellent defense but that your offense just doesn't have enough guns for Ohio State's defense. The computer models all have Ohio State winning by about 8-14 points and I think that's about right.

 

[TheMile]

Then don't whine in your posts

Again, that was not the intent, although I understand why you saw it that way.

or include silly comments like Ohio State losing this game in a blow out.

That was not silly at all - I was illustrating how unlikely it is that Notre Dame makes the national championship game. Please point me to where I said that I expected that to happen.

I think the NC game will come down to USC, who will beat Notre Dame, and Florida against the winner of the Ohio State - TSUN game.

So you agree with me. That's probably what'll happen, but it should be noted that Florida has yet to play Florida State (who suck, but it's still a rivalry) and Arkansas, and USC both Cal and Notre Dame.

I think that TSUN has an excellent defense but that your offense just doesn't have enough guns for Ohio State's defense. The computer models all have Ohio State winning by about 8-14 points and I think that's about right.

Out of curiousty, could you give my a link to these models?

 

[BB73]

I didn't think The Mile was whining, and I understood the blowout comment to be simply an illustration of the only possibility for another team's chances.

My mind did react instantly as I read the 'neutral field' comment, however. While I don't think it's whining, the game alternates, and that's life. tOSU had to play at TSUN the last time The Game had almost this much meaning, in 1973. The 10-10 tie on the road cost that team the NC. (It also cost TSUN their shot at it, but they were at home).

TSUN also got to play at home in 1997, the last time they had a shot at the NC.

So obviously tOSU fans aren't going to feel a need to consider it fortunate that it's in C-Bus this year. Over time, that stuff evens out.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

Why I'm rooting for a championship game rematch?

1. It guarantees a national championship for the Big 10.
2. Such hugely high profile games would help recruiting.
3. If there was ever a year that a OSU-Michigan game needed to be played on a neutral field, it's this one.

Wrong. You are rooting for a rematch because you are not confident that um will win this game and thus want another undeserving shot at the national title. Nice try, but any suggestion of rendering the game on Nov. 18th at the Shoe meaningless is flat out cowardly.

 

[Steve19]

Again, that was not the intent, although I understand why you saw it that way.

That was not silly at all - I was illustrating how unlikely it is that Notre Dame makes the national championship game. Please point me to where I said that I expected that to happen.

So you agree with me. That's probably what'll happen, but it should be noted that Florida has yet to play Florida State (who suck, but it's still a rivalry) and Arkansas, and USC both Cal and Notre Dame.

Out of curiousty, could you give my a link to these models?

I have gone back and reread your post. I can see the other meaning to your words. I also know that you have been around here a long time and represent probably the most acceptable form of the enemy. So, yes, I think we agree.

Here's a link to 105 computer ratings: http://www.mratings.com/cf/compare.htm

Sagarin has Ohio State by ten.
Marsee has Ohio State by twelve.
Greenfield has Ohio State by eight.

 

[HabaneroBuck]

My bold (if somewhat disingenuous) predictions:

USC loses to Cal, but beats ND.

Florida loses to Arkansas, who has previously lost to LSU.

Rutgers loses to WV.

Buckeyes beat Michigan so bad that nobody in their right mind wants to see a rematch.

And..........

Wake Forest wins the ACC and plays in the national championship as the only deserving one-loss team in the country. Wake Forest fans invade Ohio State message boards and proclaim that they will beat us at football because we are invading their "turf" by becoming a basketball power.

 

[Saw31]

Wake Forest is a basketball power?

:p

 

[exhawg]

Just postpone THE GAME till January. :p

 

[Mike80]

My bold (if somewhat disingenuous) predictions:

USC loses to Cal, but beats ND.

Florida loses to Arkansas, who has previously lost to LSU.

Rutgers loses to WV.

Buckeyes beat Michigan so bad that nobody in their right mind wants to see a rematch.

And..........

Wake Forest wins the ACC and plays in the national championship as the only deserving one-loss team in the country. Wake Forest fans invade Ohio State message boards and proclaim that they will beat us at football because we are invading their "turf" by becoming a basketball power.

IF Rutgers loses to WVU, and I consider that a big IF, wouldn't WVU STILL be ahead of Wake Forest?

 

[scarletngray]

If WV beats Rutgers, ranked #7, then they would probably get the nod over Wake.

 

[Mike80]

If WV beats Rutgers, ranked #7, then they would probably get the nod over Wake.

I know, I was posing the question to Habanero