Fresh Oranges Are Better For You, Anyway...

I know that sounds like sour grapes (and maybe it is) but the Orange Bowl is nothing to sneeze at.  Michigan knows it had every opportunity to be in the CFP and they didn’t capitalize when they needed to.

I will admit that I didn’t watch the selection show or any of the Sunday Hoopla on ESPN, but I was e-mailed and texted about the absolute BS that ESPN commentators were saying about Michigan.  Whatever.  I think Everyone knows that Michigan was 1 play away (in two different games) from being in the CFP. 

And that’s really all that matters.  One play away and they’re not in.

I still think, if you’re Washington, that you need to be worried that you’re about to get slammed by one of Satan’s best teams ever (at least on Defense) and you’re New Year’s is going to be over before it ever really gets going.

So – this was texted to me: 

Would 6 teams in made that big of a difference?  Meaning:  Michigan as the 6 seed would be playing the three seed for a shot at the 4-5 winner?

Great question.  And I sort of wondered the same thing.  I’m going to assume for a minute that the committee would have REVERSED the order of the 2-3 teams to NOT HAVE an immediate re-match of Michigan and the suckeyes as the 3 and 6 seed in the Horseshoe two weeks after the game of the century (number LXXVII).  So, Michigan, in my mind, would have been about a 10 point favorite over #3 seed Clemson on a neutral field.  But, assuming that the CFP will go to home field 1^st round games, Michigan would have been traveling to Clemson this weekend to play the Tigers.  As a slight road favorite (maybe 3 points).  And PSU would have to travel to Washington to play (and lose, most likely?) to the Huskies. 

In my mind, Michigan is replaying the suckeyes (again, assuming no re-seeding) on December 31st in the Fiesta Bowl and maybe – MAYBE getting into the final with Bama. 

So, to answer the question:  Yes, I think 6 teams would have made a difference this season, much like 6 teams would have made a difference last season.  But only in one case – that is Michigan beating Clemson in the first round. 

Michigan’s an early TD favorite against the Seminoles and I see that line dropping down under 7 in the following weeks as the talking heads yak up Jimbo Fisher’s team.  Unfortunately, FSU’s Bowl record isn’t great in recent history and the Seminoles might be looking at the Orange as a consolation prize more than Michigan.

It’ll be fun to watch all the footage of the last time Michigan was in the Orange and Touchdown Tommy made Alabama look silly with a passing game that convinced the world (if you were paying attention) that Tommy should have been the season long starter (and only player) in 1999 and Michigan would not have lost three games that season.  I’m looking forward to re-watching that game on BTN Classics at some point. 

Later this week I will post the MMQ’s Bowl Watching “Puke Factor Index” with Spread’s and Picks!

The Rest of the Mess

Bama vs. Gatorland:   Bama won by a kazillion and the SEC blows chunks with the exception of one team.  That team may itself lose a game yet this season…but Michigan had the best chance of unseating the Tide….

Clemson vs Va Tech:  Hats off to Va Tech making this a game.  I was pulling for them all the way, but the defense let the hokies down one too many times…

Washington vs Colorado:  I thought the Buffalos would play Washington a little closer than that and maybe, just maybe, Washington does have what it takes to beat Satan’s Warriors if they can catch them looking ahead. 

PSU vs Wiscy:  PSU comes back in an instant classic that has Herbstreit anointing them as the “Best Team in the B1G 10”.  Really?  What about that 49-10 blow-out in Ann Arbor, Kirk?  And Wiscy’s reward for losing the B1G Championship?  The Cotton Bowl against Western?  Really?  That seems like a long way to drop for Wiscy….

The 5 Stages of Slappy Fan Grief – Will Return Next Season!!!

Idle Thoughts from Saturday - Will Return Post Bowls!

THE MMQ’s “I DON’T NEED A COMMITTEE!”

Will return next Season!!!

The Hot Seat

It’s HERE!!!!

The 2016 Hot Seat Mascot Play-Off is HERE!

Some of you complained that we weren’t voting for the Hot Seat Mascot of the week, and I explained that it was much like the CFP coming out early and it isn’t fair to the Hot Seat Mascots that come in later in the season.  This is the most democratic way I could figure out and the voting is going to go quick. 

I selected 10 HSM’s out of the 14 available to be in the finals, because I’m my own committed.  They’ve been seeded in no particular order and the voting begins today on the play in games.  I will keep the polls for the play in games open until Wednesday, Midnight.  Then, the Elite 8 voting will be open from Thursday to Monday, the 12^th.  Final 4 voting will start Monday the 12^th and continue through Monday, the 19^th.  On the 19^th, the Championship Voting will begin and I will leave that open until the Championship game on January 10^th. 

ZAPPED List

We’ll keep track of who’s gone as the season progresses….

1. Miles and Cameron – LSU Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. 
2. VanGorder – Domer D-Coordinator. 
3. Ron Turner – FIU. 
4. Hazell – PURDUE!
5. Tim DeRuyter – Fresno State. 
6. Charlie STRONG- Texas. 
7. Helfrich – Oregon.  Saw it coming….
8. Kevin Wilson – Indiana.   Yes – this one surprised me but related to Player Safety and other issues.  I know, not on the Hot Seat List…..
    
   Electric Chair of Death Seat!

1. Kelly and $warbuck$ - Till Next Season!!!

The Hot Seat – Beginning Next Season!!!

1.  Rich Rod – Arizona. 
2. Todd Graham – ASU
3. Butch Jones – Cremesicles. 
4. Kirby Smart – Georgia.
5. ANTONIO, MARK – Sparty
6. Sumlin  Texas A&M. 
7. Muschamp – South Carolina 
8. Mike Riley – Nebraska
9. Malzhan – Auburn

Short List of Available or Desirable Head Coaches

1. Jimbo Fisher –SEC or Texas Job?  ….
2. Kiffin – Somebody will hire him.  Might as well go for broke…
3. PJ Fleck –Rowing the Boat….for Purdue?
4. Willie Taggart  - Oregon????
5. Les Miles – AVAILABLE FOR HIRE – Spent the Weekend in Michigan!!!
6. Mike Leach – The Pac 12 is taking notice!!!
7. Dan Holgersen – IS he available?
    
   And HIRED!!
    

1.  LSU – Ogeron!  Aleva figures as long as he’s paying Miles, he can’t afford another $5M Coach.  He’ll stumble along with Coach O, but if Coach O falters in 2 seasons, he’ll be out of a job!
2. Texas – HERMANN!  Did anyone not see this one coming?  Than you haven’t been reading the MMQ!

Side NFL NOTE:  Lions, with the victory over the Saints that NO ONE SAID THE LIONS COULD GET, are 8-4 and 30:1 per Las Vegas to win SB!!!    Can you believe it???