Quote:
Originally Posted by Solon
This kind of smack is emblematic of the problems inherent in college football and the silliness of rankings. The way the system is set up, nobody accounts for the fact that some teams improve over the course of the season, and other teams get worse.
Sometimes - get this - a loss can discourage a team and contribute to its overall season-long decline. These are 18-22 year old kids out there, highly motivated by emotion and given to wild swings of ability as their confidence ebbs and flows.
Isn't it possible that Utah beating Michigan at their place made Michigan a worse team and made Toledo's job easier? Conversely, maybe Utah's close win gave the team the confidence it needed to beat its next 6 opponents. To claim that Toledo's win over UM somehow denigrates the importance of Utah's win at the time is a waste of time.
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This is the argument I use for Pittsburgh 1984.