Michigan’s problem is that this year’s team is extremely senior-laden, while Ohio State’s team is the opposite.
They choked the game away, and this was probably their best opportunity in years.
Got an email from the UT president and AD saying Herman has been hired. That was quick. I hope Strong lands on his feet, although the buyout will be substantial, I have no doubt.
As a Texas Tech guy, I’ld like to see Strong there maybe. Won’t happen, but maybe (Kingsbury is loved but pretty awful as a head coach at this point). Strong did good things at Louisville before going to UT and Louisville is more mid-tier like TT than the top tier program UT should be.
Cripes, if TT can give up say 25% of their offense for doubling their defensive strength thru Strong’s strength (ratios pulled right out of my ass) they could contend for the Big12 with some consistency.
haha, reading what I just wrote…just…hahahaha. Never happen.
I don’t think Strong will get a P5 HC job. I think he will either sit out for a year or take a DC job somewhere. As a Texas fan I am excited about the Herman hire.
The Michigan-OSU game was great. I felt like the best team lost though. Michigan turnovers were the difference in the game but man the officiating was very one sided and pro OSU.
I hope we get Washington winning the Pac-12 and Penn State beating Wisconsin (I don’t think that is likely though). That puts the playoff committee in a very tough spot and I think it accelerates the move to an 8 team playoff. 4 team playoff with 5 big conferences feeding it was stupid out of the gate.
Reported to be $11 million for Strong and $7 million for the assistants. Time for those fat cat donors that wanted Strong gone can open up their wallets.
Yeah. Michigan really seemed to out play them for most of the game and, if not for the turnovers, could have probably put them away quite comfortably. However, that is part of football and OSU caused the turnovers due to pressure and good defense. Once Michigan gave them those points off turnovers and the way OSU was moving the ball, I figured it was just a matter of time before they won in the end.
I really did feel a few critical calls didn’t go Michigan’s way, but didn’t watch every play to have an opinion on officiating for the whole game. I wish there was a better replay on that last 4th down play for OSU, though, as he really seemed to be short to me since he had the ball close to his gut and never did lean forward with his body nor the ball itself, it seemed. Also, since the ball is manually placed to start the OT drives on an exact spot, the people calling for the chain gang to come out to measure didn’t really have much to complain about.
Because of the indisputable proof rule, there not much that could have been done regarding that OSU 4th down play. They just didnt have the right angle to really tell if he made it. This game had major playoff implications and I really hate that a call like that decided the outcome, but upholding the call on the filed was, by the rules, the right call. The officiating overall seemed biased in OSU’s favor but in the end, it was Michigan’s mistakes that put them in the position where the refs could affect the outcome. Good game, marred by bad officiating. Or as we like to call it, just another Saturday in college football.
Since the MAC championship is being played in my backyard, at Ford Field, I grabbed tickets for the game Friday. I ended up with seats near the goal line but the are front row. Cant wait!
Yeah for sure Michigan’s turnovers were the ultimate difference in the game. I still felt like Michigan got jobbed by the refs. The DPI non call on OSU in OT and the questionable spot looming large because they occurred so late in the game. I am biased though in that I love Harbaugh and don’t like Meyer.
I am really hoping Penn State wins the Big 10, Washington wins the Pac 12 and the committee is faced with a nightmare scenario. Based on what they have said the previous two years and up to this point, conference titles matter, head to head matters…so I’d like to see OSU left out which I think gets us to 8 real quick.
Having looked at it from multiple angles now, I have to disagree. Going by his forward progress, when he was in the air or on top of another player before he got knocked back, the ball appeared to be right over the first down stripe.
I will never understand why a coach on the road scoring second in an overtime or at the end of regulation is willing to settle for a tie rather than take the chance of winning it all on one play from the three yard line. Harbaugh’s cowardice cost that them that game at the end. They should have gone for two and the win.
I would rather Wisconsin beat Penn State and the committee take them and Washington over OSU. Especially if it gets the playoffs to 8 teams.
I’m admittedly biased, but OSU has 3 top 10 wins and their only loss is to a top 10 team. Hard to see them being left out. I think it will be easier for the committee to make a case for leaving out a two loss conference champ. Regardless of the outcome I hope this opens up talks on an early push to eight.
My take is that MSU did OSU a big favor by losing to PSU. I think the only thing that would have kept OSU out of the playoff would have been for them to have made it into, but then lose, the Big 10 championship game.
I don’t think it was cowardice at all. I think that Michigan had outplayed OSU just about all game and that Harbaugh thought he had a better team, road game or not. In that type of situation (with the better playing team), more plays generally means you have the advantage.
I know conventional wisdom says you play for a tie. I also know that OSU in it’s last two drives had driven the ball well (135 yards) and had their kicker been on track they would have had the lead already.
I just think that given 1 play, from the 3 yard line to win the game, especially as the road team, you go for it.
As on OSU alum, I obviously don’t want to see them left out, but I agree that nothing would get us to 8 teams faster, since Ohio State’s fan base is so large and vocal.
I would think that Penn State winning the Big Ten would be more likely to leave OSU out seeing as the committee has stated that winning the conference and head to head matchups weight heavily. Since PSU would have to beat a very good Wisconsin team to win the Big Ten and they would have the advantage of both winning the Big Ten and beating OSU head to head, that hurts OSU’s chances more. No matter how this plays out the committee has a real mess on their hands as their options are take the BIg Ten champ and leave out OSU, take OSU and leave out the BIg Ten champ or take both the Big Ten champ and OSU leaving out either the ACC or PAC 12 champs ( sorry Big 12 I think youre screwed in this scenario ). All of those scenarios are going to bring the committee grief.
Yeah, I’ve thought that for a while.
Funny thing is, if Alabama hadn’t been so dominant this year, it’s possible the SEC would have been left completely out. Every other team has at least 4 losses. It has me wondering if the Sugar Bowl may pass on an SEC team this year (can they?).
I’m really hoping the Pac-12 Champ makes the playoff. More so that we get Michigan-USC in the Rose Bowl - Harbaugh vs USC? Must-see TV for me! “What’s your deal?” :)
Word up here is Orange Bowl for Michigan. Dunno why.