Fact or Fiction: Jim Harbaugh, Tom Herman, CFB Playoff field
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. Jim Harbaugh should be on the hot seat.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I know he’s an ex-player and alum and beloved by many but this isn’t working out. A loss to Mel Tucker and Michigan State in only Tucker’s second Big Ten game is an embarrassment. A loss to a team that just lost to Rutgers by double-digits is an embarrassment. And there’s no reason to think Michigan has any shot at Ohio State even after the Wolverines looked good against Minnesota because it’s clear the Gophers aren’t very good, either. It’s time for Harbaugh to go.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Saturday’s loss to Michigan State was an embarrassment and Harbaugh’s worst loss since arriving in Ann Arbor but he’s still 48-19 with the Wolverines, 33-13 in conference and he’s never even had close to a losing season there. His record in big games is frustratingly bad and every time it seems Michigan has taken a giant step forward, like hammering Minnesota in the season opener, it feels like the Wolverines take a step back but Harbaugh is still one of the best coaches in the game and he’s pointing Michigan in the right direction. If you’re on the side of wanting Harbaugh out, ask yourself who would possibly be a better coach for that program.
2. Tom Herman should be off the hot seat.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. A win over Oklahoma State certainly stopped any talk of an immediate Tom Herman firing but let’s not forget this is still an underachieving team and Quinn Ewers just decommitted this week as well as four-star Phaizon Wilson. Recruiting is a bit of a mess and Ewers sent a statement to the nation that he didn’t believe in Texas. That’s no good. Herman needs to win out and win the Big 12 to save his job.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. The week could almost have not gone worse for Texas which lost Ewers and Wilson from its 2022 recruiting class and is still coming off the loss of high four-star ATH Billy Bowman in its 2021 class. But it ended in excellent fashion with a thrilling win at Oklahoma State which puts the Longhorns at 4-2 and they can definitely win the rest of their games. The frustrating part about Texas is that it could also lose at West Virginia or Iowa State could still beat the Longhorns. Texas fans should be careful what they wish for: Everybody wants Herman out yet the Longhorns have one 10-win season over the last decade and it happened two years under his tutelage. Texas has four losing seasons during that stretch, none under Herman. He has not turned the program into a national player again but unless Texas can get Urban Meyer, why fire Herman?
3. This is the year a Group of Five team, Cincinnati, makes the playoff.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. It should be as the Bearcats are killing everyone and are ranked high enough to potentially join Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State in the playoff but it will never happen. Even with the Big 12 essentially eliminated with Oklahoma State’s loss and the Pac-12 undeserving with such a short schedule, you know a two-loss SEC team will get in. It’s all about money and I can’t disagree too strongly because a conference only schedule is rough for the Power Five this year even with the Bearcats beating some solid teams.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I’m going to say fact here not because it’s going to happen but there is definitely an excellent argument for it - especially this season. Let’s play out the scenario: Georgia plays Florida this weekend. That could eliminate one SEC East team. The other will play Alabama in the SEC championship and probably lose. That means one SEC team makes it along with the ACC champ (we’re still guessing Clemson) and the Big Ten champ (let’s say Ohio State). Who’s left? A two-loss Georgia? A two-loss Florida (losses to Texas A&M and arguably Georgia this weekend)? Cincinnati is obliterating good teams, dominating defensively against teams with outstanding passing games and the Bearcats could make an argument to get in. Will it happen? Probably not but maybe it should.