Kirk Herbstreit breaks down path for Michigan-Ohio State loser back into College Football Playoff

After revealing the latest College Football Playoff rankings, the ESPN analysts broke down the loser’s path after Michigan versus Ohio State. According to Rece Davis, Joey Galloway, David Pollack and Kirk Herbstreit all believe the CFP could see both Big Ten teams in the top four this season — if a specific scenario comes true.

Michigan and Ohio State both in the playoff

This week’s showdown between Michigan and Ohio State is more than just the latest edition of “The Game” in their rivalry — the winner gets the inside track to this College Football Playoff this season. However, even with a loss bumping the losing team out of the top-four spots of the CFP rankings, the door may not be fully closed on both teams reaching the playoff.

“The loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game — who is the discussion with, with the potential loser of that game? You are looking at a potential of getting both Ohio State and Michigan in, if you get a couple losses there at five and six,” explained Herbstreit on Tuesday.

In the leadup to this week’s game to decide the Big Ten East, the main belief was that the loser of this game would be on the outside-looking-in at the playoff picture. With a shakeup in the rankings again and a two-loss LSU team sitting at No. 5 with a showdown with Georgia pending — it’s no longer a guarantee that the loser is out according to Herbstreit.

Despite this proposed scenario, Davis disagreed with his fellow analyst and drew attention to the fact that Clemson could be at one loss and an ACC title by the end of the year.

“Under what circumstances would you take the loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game over one loss ACC champion Clemson?”

Galloway and Pollack both chimed in with their stance on the thought of the Big Ten having two representatives in the final CFP bracket, indicating that the only way they see it coming true is if the Wolverines take down the Buckeyes.

“If it’s Ohio State [who loses], because they have the win against Notre Dame earlier in the season,” said Galloway. “Now Michigan, which we’ve discussed, because they didn’t play anybody before they got into the Big Ten, it’s a more difficult discussion to have to include Michigan. Ohio State, because of that win against No. 15 now in the rankings Notre Dame, they would at least have a discussion. So it opens the door.

“I don’t know that they would get in above an ACC champion-Clemson, especially if Clemson goes out and makes the kind of statement we’re talking about. But that is the discussion. I think that’s the only way you have that discussion is that if Ohio State is that team that doesn’t win this weekend.”

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“I know conference championships matter, that should be huge right? That should be as high of a priority when it comes to evaluating these teams as anything,” added Pollack.

“Ohio State loses at home, but it’s close — Ohio State still has two better wins against both Penn State at 11 and Notre Dame at 15 than anything right now on Clemson’s resume. So conference championship notwithstanding, right now, Ohio State would have a more impressive resume than being ACC conference champion. So I actually think if Michigan wins, the door for Ohio State is very much wide. But if Ohio State wins, because of Michigan’s non-conference hurt, I think it’s actually tougher for Michigan to make a case as a one-loss team having lost to just Ohio State.”