Yay ... my favorite college football team won!

[MU82]

This week, that was Miami.

A second loss, with no possibility of a conference title, should keep us from having to hear about the Gipper and Touchdown Jesus while watching the only bowls that matter.

Any ND loss in any sport is a reason to celebrate!!

[wadesworld]

Mine was Iowa. Damnit. Well, now it’s Michigan. Go Big Blue.

[jesmu84]

Looks like bama, Clemson, Georgia, Miami this week

[wadesworld]

Looks like bama, Clemson, Georgia, Miami this week

For what? I can’t imagine Georgia stays in it or even above Auburn if you’re saying top 4. Oklahoma will be in there.

[B. McBannerson]

Watching an undefeated Wisconsin not get to play for in the playoffs is a joy.  The Big Ten western division is a fraud.  What a gift to Wisconsin each and every year.

[jesmu84]

For what? I can’t imagine Georgia stays in it or even above Auburn if you’re saying top 4. Oklahoma will be in there.

So you're saying bama, Clemson, Miami, Oklahoma?

[real chili 83]

 ND sucks

[Jockey]

If UW wins out - I don't think they will - they will be in the playoffs.

[Hards Alumni]

Watching an undefeated Wisconsin not get to play for in the playoffs is a joy.  The Big Ten western division is a fraud.  What a gift to Wisconsin each and every year.

More of a curse than a gift, if we're being honest.

[MU82]

If UW wins out - I don't think they will - they will be in the playoffs.

I wouldn't doubt that, brand. Either Miami or Clemson will lose one more game because they will have to face each other for the ACC title. A second loss would definitely knock out Clemson, and it's hard to imagine a 1-loss Miami team getting in over undefeated Bucky. Here's hoping Bucky goes down like a cheap hooker before then!

[Hards Alumni]

If UW wins out - I don't think they will - they will be in the playoffs.

Depends what happens above them.  But if everyone above them wins out, no chance they make it in.

3 top 25 wins won't be enough.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Depends what happens above them.  But if everyone above them wins out, no chance they make it in.

3 top 25 wins won't be enough.

Four with Northwestern. Wisconsin could easily lay an egg against Michigan next week and the point is moot.

That being said, I don't expect them to beat Ohio St. in the B1G championship game.

[B. McBannerson]

If UW wins out - I don't think they will - they will be in the playoffs.

Nope.  Others have to do things to help them.  Winning out will not be enough.  Soft soft soft schedule. No road wins against top 25.  Currently only one top 25 win at all.  Out of conference schedule that is an embarrassment, and an in conference cupcake each and every year because they are in the west. 

[GGGG]

Wisconsin will likely get plenty of help.  First of all, the Pac 12 is out.  Every school in the conference has at least two losses.

I think the only way Wisconsin is out as an undefeated is if Alabama somehow loses either to Auburn or in the SEC championship game to Georgia (which means two SEC teams are in) and the ACC champion and Oklahoma don't lose the rest of the year. 

Otherwise it will likely be UW, Alabama as SEC champion, ACC champion, and Oklahoma if they win the B12 championship game.

EDIT:  I fully expect Wisconsin to lose to Ohio State in the championship game.  I think you will see either two SEC teams or two ACC teams in the playoffs.

[Pakuni]

Depends what happens above them.  But if everyone above them wins out, no chance they make it in.

3 top 25 wins won't be enough.

Assuming their beatdowns this weekend cause Georgia, Notre Dame and TCU to drop below Wisconsin, that puts
Becky at #5 behind Bama, Clemson, Miami and Oklahoma.
Given that Clemson and Miami will play in the ACC Championship game, it's not possible for everyone above them to win out.

[tower912]

I detest Wisconsin.  If they win out, they are probably in.  Unlikely that those in front of them all win out.

[B. McBannerson]

More of a curse than a gift, if we're being honest.

If we're being honest Wisconsin starts each year with 5 Big Ten wins before they take the field, plus their annual awful non conference schedule, they have 8 wins before doing a thing.  How many major conferences have a school that has such a built in advantage because the divisions are so poorly structured?

There isn't a one.  The ACC is balanced. SEC balanced. Pac 12 balanced.  Big 12 doesn't have divisions.  Wisconsin has an amazing gift each year. All they have to do is somehow get by basically two teams a year and often those are at home.  No other major conference gifts any school like Wisconsin is gifted. Not one.

[GGGG]

The thought was Nebraska would actually resemble its past. And people didn’t like the divisions that weren’t geographically based.

Also Wisconsin does usually play at least one non conference game that’s difficult. This year was more of an outlier. And at BYU is usually more tough than it was this year.

[wadesworld]

If we're being honest Wisconsin starts each year with 5 Big Ten wins before they take the field, plus their annual awful non conference schedule, they have 8 wins before doing a thing.  How many major conferences have a school that has such a built in advantage because the divisions are so poorly structured?

There isn't a one.  The ACC is balanced. SEC balanced. Pac 12 balanced.  Big 12 doesn't have divisions.  Wisconsin has an amazing gift each year. All they have to do is somehow get by basically two teams a year and often those are at home.  No other major conference gifts any school like Wisconsin is gifted. Not one.

You might be th only person in the world that thinks the SEC divisions are balanced.

And just a few posts ago you were claiming that if UW goes undefeated they still need help to get into the CFP. So I’m not sure how that post can be anything but a contradiction to this post where you claim it’s a gift they get such an easy draw.

[B. McBannerson]

The thought was Nebraska would actually resemble its past. And people didn’t like the divisions that weren’t geographically based.

Also Wisconsin does usually play at least one non conference game that’s difficult. This year was more of an outlier. And at BYU is usually more tough than it was this year.

One division has Penn State, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State.

The West has a ghost in Nebraska that hasn't truly been good since Osborne (Solich took Osborne's players deep one year). The rest are mediocre programs with Northwestern and Iowa leading the pack.

If geography were truly important, how are Indiana and Purdue not in the same division?

In the last 10 years, Wisconsin's schedule has been ranked 49th or worse in eight of those years.  There are only 128 DI teams.  This includes the bowl games in that calculation, which helps Wisconsin's schedule.  An annual gift.

[GGGG]

You have to draw the geography line somewhere. Purdue and Indiana are where they should be. They have protected that rivalry too.

Look no one liked the previous line up but everyone wanted the geographic one. Including Michigan and Ohio State.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

If we're being honest Wisconsin starts each year with 5 Big Ten wins before they take the field, plus their annual awful non conference schedule, they have 8 wins before doing a thing.  How many major conferences have a school that has such a built in advantage because the divisions are so poorly structured?

There isn't a one.  The ACC is balanced. SEC balanced. Pac 12 balanced.  Big 12 doesn't have divisions.  Wisconsin has an amazing gift each year. All they have to do is somehow get by basically two teams a year and often those are at home.  No other major conference gifts any school like Wisconsin is gifted. Not one.

Except they still lose to Northwestern on a regular basis...Nebraska won't suck forever, and it wasn't too long ago where both Penn St and Michigan were awful in the east. Plus ya know, Rutgers, Indiana and Maryland.

Not trying to defend Wisconsin but Actually top to bottom, I'd argue that the West division is tougher.

College football has its ebs and flow just like any other sport.

[real chili 83]

ND sucks

[GooooMarquette]

ND sucks

I agree with this analysis.

[Jockey]

Assuming their beatdowns this weekend cause Georgia, Notre Dame and TCU to drop below Wisconsin, that puts
Becky at #5 behind Bama, Clemson, Miami and Oklahoma.
Given that Clemson and Miami will play in the ACC Championship game, it's not possible for everyone above them to win out.

Well said. That was why I said they were in if they win out.