Spartans Playoff Ranking

[everyoneneedsasmil]

With the release of the first playoff rankings, MSU sits at a tidy 8th. Teams ahead include Miss State, Florida State, Auburn, Ole Miss, Alabama, Oregon, and TCU. The SEC obviously dominates these early rankings just as they do in the polls.

I think the road is still set up well for MSU to have a shot if they win out. For one, all of the 4 SEC teams ahead of us play 2 of the other 3 by the end of the year. 2 losses should drop any team out of the playoff, so we can hope that ends up being the case for 3 of those teams. That leaves at least one spot filled.

FSU is expected to win out. They just don't have anyone left on their schedule that should give them any trouble. That's one spot filled.

Oregon, TCU, and Kansas St. are the real competition right now. Oregon will be expected to win out, but they always struggle with Stanford, and we should hope they find another loss along the way. TCU and Kansas St play each other to knock one out. In an ideal world, TCU loses to WVU and then beats Kansas St so both get stuck with two losses. If either win out, they will have more wins over highly ranked opponents and a relatively equal loss to MSU. The only saving grace MSU might have if either wins out is that MSU will play a championship game right before the final playoff rankings while the Big 12 teams will not.

Win or go home, that's the season for every team in the top 10 right now.

Side note: OSU has to be a little upset. Being ranked 16th right now essentially eliminates them from the playoff picture. Even if they beat MSU at home, there are too many one-loss teams ahead of them. There's a good chance that even a 2-loss Ole Miss/Auburn/Alabama wouldn't slip all the way below OSU in the polls.

 

[SpartyNash]

No way at all TCU should be above us. We would expose them.

 

[jwlcosu]

Side note: OSU has to be a little upset. Being ranked 16th right now essentially eliminates them from the playoff picture. Even if they beat MSU at home, there are too many one-loss teams ahead of them. There's a good chance that even a 2-loss Ole Miss/Auburn/Alabama wouldn't slip all the way below OSU in the polls.

The OSU fans I know are not upset. A horrible loss to VA Tech at home, weak schedule and weak conference has us just about where we belong. Buckeyes would handle Nebraska, I think, but it is what it is. Fans are looking for the team to compete well against Spartans, beat Michigan's ass, close season with a New Years Day Bowl win, lock up another top ten recruiting class and go for it all in 2015/16. Losing 80% of last year's O-line and Braxton was too much to overcome. Not to mention the druggies (Spence and Rod Smith).

 

[tomdalton22]

No way at all TCU should be above us. We would expose them.

I think TCU would put up 40 on MSU

 

[johnny2x2x]

About where I expected, need some help, but if we win out I like our chances as long as a two loss SEC team isn't ahead if us.

 

[SpartyNash]

I think TCU would put up 40 on MSU

And MSU would put up 50. Their defense is an absolute joke.

 

[tomdalton22]

And MSU would put up 50. Their defense is an absolute joke.

giving up about the same points per game as MSU and have played better offenses. TCU is probably pretty equal to MSU but has a tougher schedule.

 

[Spartan23MSU]

no way at all tcu should be above us. We would expose them.

agree!!!

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

I actually think TCU is a top 4 team. It's hard for your defense to focus when your offense is constantly scoring and putting you on the field every 3 minutes.

I have a lot of beef with Ole Miss, I think they are overrated big time. Mississippi State is as well, Prescott is not a good thrower. He's braxton miller in my eyes. Alabama is still the team to beat in the SEC.

When it's all said and done, the four teams will be Alabama, Fsu(even though I hope they lose, Winston and his coach are morons), TCU, and MSU.

The pac 12 will all have 2 losses.

 

[Spartan23MSU]

I actually think TCU is a top 4 team. It's hard for your defense to focus when your offense is constantly scoring and putting you on the field every 3 minutes.

I have a lot of beef with Ole Miss, I think they are overrated big time. Mississippi State is as well, Prescott is not a good thrower. He's braxton miller in my eyes. Alabama is still the team to beat in the SEC.

When it's all said and done, the four teams will be Alabama, Fsu(even though I hope they lose, Winston and his coach are morons), TCU, and MSU.

The pac 12 will all have 2 losses.

A noble prediction. Ill get some popcorn out for the Oregon Vs Stanford game.

 

[Sbee]

I think the big ten title game would help our profile if we do make it. The big 12 doesn't have one and we'd have a prime time game against another potential top 10 team in Nebraska

 

[tomdalton22]

I actually think TCU is a top 4 team. It's hard for your defense to focus when your offense is constantly scoring and putting you on the field every 3 minutes.

I have a lot of beef with Ole Miss, I think they are overrated big time. Mississippi State is as well, Prescott is not a good thrower. He's braxton miller in my eyes. Alabama is still the team to beat in the SEC.

When it's all said and done, the four teams will be Alabama, Fsu(even though I hope they lose, Winston and his coach are morons), TCU, and MSU.

The pac 12 will all have 2 losses.

That could happen but I think it is more likely that 2 SEC teams get in

 

[Sbee]

Just keep winning and I'm sure things will work out for us, upsets will happen, hopefully not to MSU

 

[michiganalex]

agreed. I believe if MSU wins out they are in. the SEC teams will likely cancel each other out with the exception of the SEC CHampion. Also Georgia has GT at the end of the season. LSU, A&M, Kentucky, Florida need to help us out too.

Florida State has Louisville still as well as Miami and florida as well as the ACC championship game against likely Duke.

Notre Dame has USC, Louisville and Arizona State still as well. a loss could easily come at one of those 3.

Oregon has a tough road as well. the Bis 12 is a question though. TCU, Baylor being the main threats

 

[Sbee]

we have OSU, @ Maryland, Rutgers, and @ PSU and most likely nebraska. that is not an easy road either

 

[tomdalton22]

we have OSU, @ Maryland, Rutgers, and @ PSU and most likely nebraska. that is not an easy road either

OSU is the only good team in that group. Nebraska is OK

 

[Sbee]

OSU is the only good team in that group. Nebraska is OK

point is that they have two games against teams ranked in the top 16 in the playoff rankings.

they also have two road night games against teams that are just OK but capable of pulling the upset

 

[Sbee]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ayoff-projections-from-analytics-guru-ed-feng

 

[tomdalton22]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ayoff-projections-from-analytics-guru-ed-feng

That makes sense due to MSU's strength of schedule but if there are 2 SEC teams with one loss MSU is likely on the outside looking in....and they should be.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

Simply put, MSU is only making the playoff if the teams ahead of them accrue more than one loss. For the SEC teams, this all but assured for two of them, and we are hoping for 3. I don't think a 2-loss SEC team should beat a 1-loss MSU.

But there's just no way for MSU to jump Oregon/TCU/FSU/SEC teams without them losing. Even if we beat OSU, that becomes our best win and it's very easy to find a win for teams ahead of us that are just as good. It should keep us ahead of ND (who will may not have any notable wins) and possibly the non-TCU Big 12 teams (who won't have a championship and thus we would have comparable wins).