US LBM Coaches Ballot: How damaging was Ohio State’s loss to Michigan?
The newest US LBM Coaches Ballot is right here and Paul Myerberg explains the impression Ohio States surprising loss to rival Michigan.
Sports activities Pulse
- Did South Carolina do sufficient in win over Clemson to win over CFP choice committee? Possibly, in the event that they neglect about losses to Alabama and Ole Miss.
- Miami’s loss stored Clemson alive and threw open the door to dialogue a few three-loss SEC staff coming into the sector.
- Ryan Day’s newest loss to Michigan forged a pall over Ohio State, however perhaps a ray of hope nonetheless exists.
Let’s play a sport of sure, no, perhaps so.
On this little train, we’ll assess groups’ playoff inventory.
Technically, no bids have been awarded, however we don’t want a committee to inform us No. 1 Oregon has earned a spot no matter what occurs within the Massive Ten championship sport.
The Ducks are extra exception than rule, although, by avoiding pitfalls that different contenders stored getting sucked into.
I received’t inform you everybody on this record has earned a playoff spot, within the typical sense, however playoff growth mixed with a wacky season filled with upsets forces us to rewire what a playoff staff seems like.
Sure, these groups are playoff certain
Oregon: The one query for the Geese is whether or not they’ll be seeded No. 1 or No. 5. A sport in opposition to Penn State will decide that.
Notre Dame: The Irish used their convention independence to perfection. They took benefit of their smooth schedule and can rolll into the playoff crimson sizzling after recovering from a Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. Whereas different playoff groups beat up on one another in convention championship video games, Notre Dame enjoys weekend off earlier than a house playoff sport.
Texas: Pair Texas profitable the SEC with Penn State capturing the Massive Ten, and also you’d most likely get the Longhorns snagging the No. 1 seed. Lose the SEC to Georgia, and the Longhorns would stay a powerful candidate to host a first-round playoff sport.
Tennessee: Beating Vanderbilt secured a spot for the Vols, and now the one query is whether or not they’ll be seeded excessive sufficient to play a first-round sport at house (the place they’re fairly good) or the street (the place they’re weak).
Penn State: Ohio State’s dud in opposition to Michigan pressured Penn State into the Massive Ten championship sport, the place the Nittany Lions will threat their seed, however not their bid.
Georgia: The Bulldogs almost misplaced to Georgia Tech. If that they had, this sport in opposition to Texas would have had the ability to eradicate Georgia. As it’s, the Bulldogs are protected, no matter end result. Uncomfortable with a three-loss SEC runner-up within the playoff? Then shrink the playoff.
Ohio State: It takes a real sufferer of the second to assume the Buckeyes jeopardized their bid by shedding to Michigan, however they broken their seeding. They’ll most likely hover across the No. 8 or No. 9 seed line, which is the distinction between internet hosting in Spherical 1 versus happening the street.
Indiana: The Hoosiers’ blowout win of Purdue, mixed by losses from Miami and Clemson, solidified Indiana’s playoff footing. The No. 10 seed initiatives because the likeliest touchdown spot.
Possibly, they’ll be within the CFP bracket
SMU: The committee has been sluggish to acknowledge the Mustangs, winners of 9 straight, however they’ll zoom to the No. 3 seed by profitable the ACC crown. They nonetheless would possibly qualify in the event that they lose to Clemson, however that would rely on how the loss presents. SMU’s finest win got here in opposition to Louisville, casting a little bit of doubt on its at-large résumé.
Clemson: The Tigers misplaced to South Carolina however managed to maintain their playoff hopes afloat because of Miami’s loss to Syracuse that elevated Clemson into the ACC title sport. A loss to SMU would eradicate Clemson. A win would unlock a bid, however doubtless not a bye.
Arizona State: Win the Massive 12 championship, and the Sun Devils are within the playoff and vying for a bye. Lose the Massive 12 championship, and it’s off to an also-ran bowl, regardless of a powerful turnaround season.
Iowa State: See above description for Arizona State. The identical applies to the Cyclones.
Boise State: The stakes for Boise State couldn’t be increased. Beating UNLV wouldn’t solely button up a playoff spot, it might thrust the Broncos into dialog for a bye, whereas a loss fairly doubtless eliminates them.
UNLV: Upset the Broncos, and UNLV most likely heads to the 12-seed. Lose, and that’s that.
Miami: Miami’s utter lack of a protection caught up with it in a loss to Syracuse. With a résumé pinned to victories over Louisville and Duke and losses in two of its final three video games, Miami maybe threw away its playoff bid. That most likely is determined by how the committee views a 10-2 ACC staff in comparison with a three-loss SEC staff.
South Carolina: Unranked within the preliminary CFP rankings, the Gamecocks stormed to the end line with a lights-out protection and an bettering freshman quarterback, LaNorris Sellers. Beating Clemson gave South Carolina extra momentum than both Alabama or Ole Miss, however a bid for the Gamecocks would require the committee to miss losses to Alabama and Ole Miss.
Alabama: Arduous to think about a three-loss staff that misplaced to Vanderbilt and bought trounced by Oklahoma would stay within the combine, however right here we’re. If power of schedule and model bias tip the scales, then Alabama will snag that closing spot. Wins in opposition to Georgia and South Carolina bedrock Alabama’s case.
Ole Miss: The Rebels’ case almost parallels that of Alabama: Wins in opposition to Georgia and South Carolina are combined round perplexing losses. The difficulty is, the committee valued Alabama forward of Ole Miss final week, so the Tide appear to have Ole Miss blocked.
No, they’re not making the playoff
All people else: The 18 groups listed above account for the remaining playoff contenders. If Tulane hadn’t misplaced to Memphis on Thursday, you might have made an argument for 2 Group of 5 qualifiers if three-loss Clemson received the ACC, however that avenue closed with Tulane shedding on Thanksgiving.
Some closing ideas on this “Topp Rope” view of school soccer:
1. The clouds have not parted but in Columbus, Ohio, but when the Buckeyes want a ray of hope, here is one: Two years in the past, Michigan clubbed Ohio State on the Horseshoe. The subsequent we noticed of the Buckeyes, they have been a area purpose away from upsetting Georgia within the CFP semifinals.
Level being, Ryan Day wilts in opposition to Michigan, however he is fairly good in opposition to most everybody else. In fact, that 2022 Michigan staff I am referencing was a lot better than the squad that beat the Buckeyes on Saturday. Nonetheless, there’s just one staff on this area that beat OSU, and that loss got here by a single level. The Buckeyes are down, however not out.
2. I predict the highest 13 of Tuesday’s CFP rankings: 1. Oregon, 2. Texas, 3. Penn State, 4. Notre Dame, 5. Georgia, 6. Ohio State, 7. Tennessee, 8. SMU, 9. Indiana, 10. Boise State, 11. Alabama, 12. South Carolina, 13. Arizona State. First staff out: South Carolina, as a result of the Massive 12 would declare an auto bid.
3. My newest “Topp Rope” playoff projection: Oregon (Massive Ten), Texas (SEC), SMU (ACC), Arizona State (Massive 12), Boise State (Group of 5), plus at-large alternatives Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama. Subsequent up: South Carolina.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Community’s nationwide faculty soccer columnist. E-mail him at [email protected] and observe him on X @btoppmeyer. The “Topp Rope” is his soccer column printed all through the USA TODAY Networok. Subscribe to learn all of his columns.
