If we are able to beat MSU this week, and look pretty good doing it, we’ve got a chance to jump Cincinnati and take the #7 slot next week, or even higher if one of the top 6 gets upset. Cincy plays Temple, one of the worst teams in CFB — #110 according to the Athletic — while MSU is #67. Just win, baby.
1-0 this week, #7 next week
- Thread starter ParisCat_rivals
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I really wouldn't worry about each week's ranking from here. As long as we keep winning, we'll be in the hunt and then the game against Ohio State will be a play in game for the playoff.
The # in front of our name doesn't matter now; just win out to the conference championship game and let the chips fall where they may.
The # in front of our name doesn't matter now; just win out to the conference championship game and let the chips fall where they may.
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I agree with this assessment, but the number in front of the name matters quite a bit - or at least that there is one and it's pretty good! For the rest of the year, the networks will use the CFP ranking when referring to teams, and games with highly-ranked teams will get talked about more. So I'd like that number to stay in the single digits the rest of the way please.
It will, and yeah that's what I meant.
I just mean as long as we're right outside the top 4 (and #8 is very much there), we're right there controlling our destiny. Whether Cincy is ahead of us, it doesn't matter because they don't have anything like a game against Ohio State potentially ahead of them.
We will jump Texas A&M/Cincy and whoever else is there if we win out and are sitting as an undefeated Big Ten champion. That's all that matters right now. That's what the #8 ranking means for us now.
I was a bit concerned that we might be 10-12 due to a lack of games played or whatnot, but the committee gave us the spot we needed to be in the thick of the playoff hunt.
There's potential for chaos of course, but as long as we keep winning, the committee isn't going to drop us out of the playoff hunt; it's really all going to be up to us and Ohio State.
I just mean fans don't need to be concerned about our positioning relative to some others ahead of us (A&M/Cincy in particular), I don't worry about those two at all.
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We need to be rooting for a Northwestern-Notre Dame playoff matchup - because that's a game we can win, and I don't see them letting in a 1 loss Northwestern anyway.
From the correlation is not necessarily causation dept:
Bennett Skowronek left our team, and we are greatly improved this season.
Bennett Skowronek left our team, and we are greatly improved this season.
The Cincinnati v Temple game has become a no contest due to COVID issues facing both teams. That may impact Cincy's likelihood of playing Tulsa ahead as well. Not sure they will hold onto #7 under just those circumstances.
Road ahead for Cincinnati
Nothing but good things to say about Big Ben. He put life and limb on the line for us for several years. He will always be a Wildcat in my heart
Also he had little to do with last year's debacle.
I wonder how his former teammates feel. It's not common for your team captain to transfer to a perceived rival.
Pretty soon the "Cinderella" story line is going to kick in. Hopefully for the last time.
I like your thinking, DaCat, but that leap sounds a bit optimistic. No question, NC could beat ND. But even if we hammer Sparty, it's hard to imagine them bumping us past ND. And unsurprisingly, some of that is more due to brand perception than on-field performance, even if only subconsciously. You'd think we've done enough over the
past couple of decades+ to erase that, but . . . . .
Northwestern is definitely a program on the rise. They've been winning more games lately, made huge strides in facilities, have great coaches, recruiting is getting better, it definitely seems like Northwestern is in good shape.I like your thinking, DaCat, but that leap sounds a bit optimistic. No question, NC could beat ND. But even if we hammer Sparty, it's hard to imagine them bumping us past ND. And unsurprisingly, some of that is more due to brand perception than on-field performance, even if only subconsciously. You'd think we've done enough over the
past couple of decades+ to erase that, but . . . . .
But as far as being seen as a football power, they have a ways to go. They're on the cusp of winning their second division title in 3 years. They've won two overall. Here's how many division titles some other non-traditional powers have won in the last 15 years:
Arizona: 1
Iowa: 1
Minnesota: 1
Missouri: 5
Stanford: 5
Arizona State: 1
Oregon: 5
Michigan State: 3
Arkansas: 1
Wisconsin: 5
Washington: 3
Northwestern: 2 (almost)
Right now they're catching up to programs like Iowa. If they can keep this rolling for a few more years they can catch up to programs like Michigan State and Washington, then a few more years and they can catch programs like Stanford and Oregon. A few years longer and they can become the new Wisconsin of the B1G west. Basically if we see the success of the past few years extend for a decade then Northwestern will become a fixture in college football. Coach Fitz is still pretty young. The facilities are spectacular. It seems very possible. We're still pretty early in the process.
Someone needs to link that chart showing the records since 2015
Your general concept is not bad until you talk about "catching" MSU (especially) and Iowa. Use any time period you want after 1995 when we became relevant. Other than a peak period 2010 to 2015 , MSU has been largely irrelevant since the 60s
Iowa muddles around in a 7-9 win range.
Pretty sure we have winning records against them both since 95. In fact against everyone else except the three biggies in the East
Your general concept is not bad until you talk about "catching" MSU (especially) and Iowa. Use any time period you want after 1995 when we became relevant. Other than a peak period 2010 to 2015 , MSU has been largely irrelevant since the 60s
Iowa muddles around in a 7-9 win range.
Pretty sure we have winning records against them both since 95. In fact against everyone else except the three biggies in the East
Sure, but nationally they have some more notoriety because they’ve won the division three times lately, went to a Rose Bowl and some other high profile bowls. Northwestern is close to catching them though, especially if they go to a top 6 bowl this year.
I see our ceiling as being higher than that, but there ARE worse ranges in which to muddle.
I don't think it's unreasonable to, over the long term, have something like 9-3 as kind of our typical, "standard" season. As someone who came on board in the early Dark Ages, the weight of that statement isn't lost on me.As long as Fitz sticks around I think 8-10 wins most years is fairly likely.I see our ceiling as being higher than that, but there ARE worse ranges in which to muddle.
I would say NU has caught and passed all of these programs except Oregon, Wisconsin and Washington.
Minnesota hasn't won anything in the Big Ten since the 60s. They definitely have NOT won a division.
MSU has had a share of influential football seasons over the years. Not characterizing MSU or Wisconsin as football powers is misleading
Not sure how you’d justify that, unless you’re counting things that haven’t happened yet. In 15 years Northwestern has finished in the top 25 4 times. They’ve been to one Big Ten title game, where they were blown out. They’ve been to three New Years bowls. They haven’t done a ton yet, but, importantly, they seem to be headed in a very good direction. I expect to see a lot more top 20 finishes in the coming years.
I never said Northwestern was behind Minnesota. I just pointed out that lots of programs have won some division titles. Northwestern will have to win several to stand out. Look at Missouri for instance. They’ve won 5 and they aren’t thought of as a power. But if Northwestern keeps winning they’ll get there.
MSU is a land-grant version of Stanford. They were good, indeed, very good, from like 2010-2015, and mediocre other than that since Duffy Daugherty. It's called recency error, although very recently they are back in the doldrums
I know woulda/coulda -but imagine if the O had Skow and Slater.
Maybe not quite an explosive O, but a more consistent run game, and a bigger receiving threat opposite of RCB.
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