Guys, I'm pretty sure I'm having a Pepe Silvia moment. If you're not familiar with that, google it. You're welcome.
The thought just crept into my head and I started thinking about the B1G tiebreakers. I looked them up on the B1G website and this is what I found. Let us assume that PSU loses to OSU, and OSU loses to Michigan. And before anyone says it, yes, I understand the odds here. But once my mind started going I couldn't stop it. So hear me out.
PSU/OSU/UM end the season in a 3-way tie for first, each with a divisional record of 5-1. There are 8 steps to break a tie, and I'm pretty sure OSU is eliminated at step 5. Now it would require some lucky breaks for PSU, but here goes:
1. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
(a) Example: East 1 is 2-0 in games between the tied teams with wins over East 2 and 3 - East 1 would be the representative.
(a) Example: East 1 non-divisional opponents are 20-7, East 2 non-divisional opponents are 19-8, East 3 non-divisional opponents are 14-13 – East 1 would be the representative.
Some might say this exercise was a waste of time. Others might say this exercise was a tremendous waste of time. It can all be erased by beating OSU. But given the odds, it's a fun exercise (possibly in futility?) to think about a B1G East chaos scenario.
Now I just need someone to come in and show me where I screwed up.
The thought just crept into my head and I started thinking about the B1G tiebreakers. I looked them up on the B1G website and this is what I found. Let us assume that PSU loses to OSU, and OSU loses to Michigan. And before anyone says it, yes, I understand the odds here. But once my mind started going I couldn't stop it. So hear me out.
PSU/OSU/UM end the season in a 3-way tie for first, each with a divisional record of 5-1. There are 8 steps to break a tie, and I'm pretty sure OSU is eliminated at step 5. Now it would require some lucky breaks for PSU, but here goes:
1. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
(a) Example: East 1 is 2-0 in games between the tied teams with wins over East 2 and 3 - East 1 would be the representative.
- All three teams are 1-1 against the other tied teams. No conclusion.
- All three teams are 4-1 within their division. No conclusion.
- All three teams are 4-0 against MSU, Rutgers, Indiana, Maryland. No conclusion.
- The only common conference opponent is PSU and UM against Iowa. Both won. No conclusion. (Does this eliminate OSU since there's no common conference opponent? I don't know. For the sake of this discussion, I conclude it doesn't)
(a) Example: East 1 non-divisional opponents are 20-7, East 2 non-divisional opponents are 19-8, East 3 non-divisional opponents are 14-13 – East 1 would be the representative.
- PSU non-divisional opponents are 13-8. Michigan non-divisional opponents are 13-8. OSU non-divisional opponents are 7-14. All stats as of today.
- Iowa is a common opponent between PSU and UM, so they don’t matter. Illinois (UM), Purdue (PSU), Minnesota (PSU) and Wisconsin (UM) matter. At this point, wouldn't OSU be eliminated?
- Iowa beats Illinois.
- Wisconsin beats Purdue.
- Minnesota beats Northwestern.
- Minnesota beats Wisconsin.
- Purdue beats Indiana.
- Northwestern beats Illinois.
Some might say this exercise was a waste of time. Others might say this exercise was a tremendous waste of time. It can all be erased by beating OSU. But given the odds, it's a fun exercise (possibly in futility?) to think about a B1G East chaos scenario.
Now I just need someone to come in and show me where I screwed up.
