The idea that three of the four best teams in the conference could be in the same division and that two of them would not qualify to play for a championship probably was dismissed as unlikely to happen when the Big Ten championship game was created.
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“This is a big deal that we’re here, ” Chryst said Friday.
All of which to say is the Wolverines, with a Washington loss, have a real shot at making this playoff.
University of Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, the conference announced on Tuesday.
Barkley leads the Big Ten and is 13th in the country with 17 total touchdowns.
It hasn’t always been easy, though, for the three-time academic all-Big Ten selection.
“But again, I’m going to emphasize that our protocol is to select the four very best teams in college football”.
And so it begins. The final poll will be revealed live on ESPN at 9 a.m. Sunday.
The reigning national champs are in.
FILE – In this November 25, 2016, file photo, Washington quarterback Jake Browning warms up before an NCAA college football game against Washington State, in Pullman, Wash. Key wins for the Buckeyes this year include at #8 Oklahoma, at #6 Wisconsin, vs #16 Nebraska and vs #3 MI.
Wisconsin senior running back Corey Clement is second in the Big Ten and 29th in the nation, averaging 103.6 rushing yards per game.
I, for IN, a state where Penn State will be playing for a third time this season after already winning at Purdue (62-24) and at IN (45-31). Jerod Evans and the Hokies are playing to become conference champions.
No. 14 Auburn is that SEC team right now.
Clemson (11-1, 7-1 ACC): Win, and Clemson is in.
At the very least the game against No. 6 Wisconsin (10-2, No. 6 CFP) will determine which team goes to the Rose Bowl.
So sure, maybe the victor of Saturday’s game misses out on the playoffs, but in the eyes of both teams, that doesn’t mean the season was a waste. He also was a unanimous first team all-conference selection. “We’ve said there is a lot to like about Washington over the course of this year, but the strength of schedule has been a concern and continues to be a concern for us”.
“It is a very small margin of separation in the committee’s eyes between No. 4 Washington and No. 5 MI”.
But suddenly the joy is back in Happy Valley with the Nittany Lions reveling in their best season since 2009.
He’d been asked why the Wolverines fell only one spot despite losing, and why the separation was so close to Washington’s, even though the Huskies’ have one less loss. I also think that the Penn State offense may find points at a premium against a stout Wisconsin front. But heck, if Washington or Clemson lose this weekend and a spot opens for another Big Ten team, it might go to fifth-ranked MI. Big Ten championships are hard to get.
While the committee won’t talk about the importance of a league title, Franklin was quick to give his opinion.
“And he looks great, ” Franklin said. It’s one thing to make predictions and to do rankings based on a lot of factors. (He missed from 39 and 30.) And don’t forget that Penn State flipped the Ohio State game by blocking a field goal.
If there’s a player who has come to epitomize Wisconsin’s approach, it’s Biegel, the Wisconsin Rapids native who turned down scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State and Stanford to live out his dream of being a Badger.
The folks in Stillwater are still seething about that Central Michigan loss and if the Cowboys do win this game, expect that to elevate to full-on screaming.
That said, make no mistake, the team that took the Buckeyes into overtime would be no small task in the playoffs. Barkley will need to if Penn State wants to win. And that’s before the impact of winning the conference.
Playoff Implications: You know the rules- two loss teams just do not go to the playoff. I think he’s already told people he feels great.
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If the Huskies can get past Colorado, they have a strong chance to hold back any late rallies from Penn State, Wisconsin, or MI out of the Big Ten.
