Why Michigan could stop Alabama-Clemson

[KingKoolKat75]

All season long, a third Alabama-Clemson title game has felt inevitable.

The Crimson Tide and Tigers were the two top-ranked teams in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, and rightly so. Both teams have been completely dominant, Alabama especially.

But there’s one team that could halt the Alabama-Clemson trilogy: Michigan.

Since its season-opening loss to Notre Dame in South Bend, Michigan has slowly developed into a juggernaut, taking out Big Ten rivals along the way. The latest was No. 14 Penn State on Saturday in Ann Arbor.

Penn State embarrassed Michigan last year in Happy Valley, and the Wolverines did not forget. In the latest chapter in its revenge novel, Michigan thrashed Trace McSorley and and the Nittany Lions to the tune of 42-7 at Michigan Stadium.

It was complete domination from start to finish. And it followed the formula Jim Harbaugh has employed all season long. Michigan is known for its top-ranked defense, but Harbaugh’s offense bulldozed the PSU defense with a power running game, mixing in zone-read runs and play-action passes from Shea Patterson along the way. The Wolverines rushed for 259 yards while Patterson was an efficient 11-of-17 for 144 yards and two scores.

Michigan’s lead was only 14-0 at halftime, but it completely controlled the clock through two quarters. That paid off in a big way in the third and fourth quarters. By the time the second half rolled around, a bruising seven-minute scoring drive in the third quarter completely exhausted the Penn State defense.

On the other side, the top-ranked Michigan defense completely smothered PSU’s offense, allowing just 186 yards on the afternoon. Don Brown’s unit, which saw the return of Rashan Gary on Saturday, is completely stacked — especially in the front seven.

That recipe — a power, ball-control offense and a nasty defense — looks like it has the potential to translate to success in the postseason. That would especially be true against Clemson, a team that has not faced a team anywhere near as physical as Michigan this season. Give Don Brown a month to prepare for an offense with a true freshman quarterback and Michigan would have a heck of a chance against the Tigers.

But there are a few caveats. With Alabama demolishing No. 3 LSU in Baton Rouge, there is an opening in the top four. Michigan, No. 5 in last week’s rankings, is the obvious candidate to slide up a spot. But in order to avoid Alabama and face No. 2 Clemson, which improved to 9-0 by demolishing Louisville 77-16, the Wolverines would need to leapfrog undefeated Notre Dame to No. 3.

Notre Dame beat Michigan in Week 1 in South Bend. Both teams are much better than they were on Sept. 1, but there’s no way the committee would move Michigan ahead of the Irish if they both win out, right?

Perhaps one of the remaining teams on Notre Dame’s schedule — Florida State, No. 19 Syracuse and USC — can do the Wolverines a favor.

Let’s get to this week’s winners and losers.

Winners and Losers Week 10: Why Michigan could stop Alabama-Clemson III

 

[KingKoolKat75]

Michigan fans already looking past Ohio Sate and putting them in the playoffs.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Michigan fans already looking past Ohio Sate and putting them in the playoffs.

No man. I’m rooting so fucking hard for MSU to take OSU out this weekend because I have no confidence we can win in Columbus — which might have to do with the fact we haven’t won there since the twin towers were standing.

All I have in my fan memory is watching Michigan teams lose there. I mean, it has to end at some point but I’m certainly not going to expect it until I see it happen.

 

[RobBase]

Michigan fans already looking past Ohio Sate and putting them in the playoffs.

Its Yahoo "news" some Blackeye fan read and decided to start a thread on. Not MI fans.

 

[Lions=TeHsUcKs]

OP should be wondering why Uncle CUMstain has early dementia.

 

[Ron G]

Even if ND were to lose to Syracuse , there is no way Michigan can jump ND at least not in a rational world. Number of losses being the same, head to head is the only fair tie breaker.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Even if ND were to lose to Syracuse , there is no way Michigan can jump ND at least not in a rational world. Number of losses being the same, head to head is the only fair tie breaker.

Gotta look at the whole resume.

Up until last week, Florida and Kentucky had the same record, and Kentucky beat Florida by 11 in Gainesville, but Florida was the higher ranked team, and LSU was ranked higher than Florida despite having the same record and losing head to head to Florida.

 

[corn train]

Oh shit playoff time already ?

 

[phantomfoul88]

OSU defense blows, UM should take care of business

 

[KingKoolKat75]

OP should be wondering why Uncle CUMstain has early dementia.

 

[KingKoolKat75]

 

[Voltaire26]

Michigan fans already looking past Ohio Sate and putting them in the playoffs.

We shouldn’t be looking past Rutgers. Once any team loses focus, someone’s gonna knock them on their ass.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Michigan fans already looking past Ohio Sate and putting them in the playoffs.

Did you just post a yahoo news article (I didn’t even know yahoo still put out news articles) and then say UM fans are looking past OSU?!?

If you want to use that GIF — go back and watch the OSU/Nebraska game. It’d be fitting to use in that instance.

 

[navamind]

shit thread by a shit poster

 

[KingKoolKat75]

shit thread by a shit poster

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Even if ND were to lose to Syracuse , there is no way Michigan can jump ND at least not in a rational world. Number of losses being the same, head to head is the only fair tie breaker.

I don't know man. First of all -- join a conference. Secondly, (I'm saying this hypothetically because I still can't imagine a world in which we actually beat Ohio State in Columbus) if Michigan does win the B10 and ND loses another game, that's not only a loss for ND but Michigan plays another game, which historically helps in these scenarios if we were to win it while ND sat.

What we know about CFB is that it's not always about who you lose to, but when you lost. A 1 TD loss to ND in the first game of the year, when Michigan has shown massive improvements as the season has progressed, simply won't hurt us as much as losing to Syracuse this late in the season would hurt ND; especially with other programs creeping around the playoff picture, like Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, WVU and OSU.

 

[elguapo]

Even if ND were to lose to Syracuse , there is no way Michigan can jump ND at least not in a rational world. Number of losses being the same, head to head is the only fair tie breaker.

What in this says ND not in? There are 4 playoff teams. If those 4 win out, they are all in. We do not need ND to lose to be in the CFP. The writer of the article obviously does not understand how the thing works, 1 plays f4 and 2 plays 3. Still sets up for his theory to be accurate even if he is an idiot

 

[theboardref]

But Michigan ALMOST beat Notre Dame. Quit hating.

 

[jjc2009]

We shouldn’t be looking past Rutgers. Once any team loses focus, someone’s gonna knock them on their ass.

True, but in Rutgers case it’s not that big of a concern.

 

[jjc2009]

But Michigan ALMOST beat Notre Dame. Quit hating.

Only reason that game was close is we gave up a KO return because our special teams perennially blow, and there was a late TD.