CBS Sports projects Big Ten win totals
Michigan projected to be 3rd in the BIG 10 East.
Maryland
Over/under: 6 wins
CBS Pick: 3 wins
Rutgers
Over/under: 4 wins
CBS Pick: 4 wins
Michigan State
Over/under: 4.5 wins
CBS Pick: 5 wins
Nebraska
Over/under: 6 wins
CBS Pick: 6 wins
Indiana
Over/under: 7.5 wins
CBS Pick: 6 wins
Minnesota
Over/under: 7 wins
CBS Pick: 7 wins
Northwestern
Over/under: 6.5 wins
CBS Pick: 7 wins
Iowa
Over/under: 8.5 wins
CBS Pick: 8 wins
Michigan
Over/under: 7.5 wins
CBS Pick: 8 wins
Wisconsin
Over/under: 9.5 wins
CBS Pick: 10
Penn State
Over/under: 9 wins
CBS Pick: 10 wins
Ohio State
Over/under: 11 wins
CBS Pick: 12 wins
Provided these are regular season only projections, I like the under on Ohio State. You only lose if they win them all--they've only done that once in the last 6 full seasons. They are breaking in a new QB. They play Oregon in the non-conference.
It's hard to win all your regular season games.
They technically did it last year . I also dont see Oregon even being a challenge to them like some on this board thinks so.
Take the under for Michigan. You might even want to bet money on it
I'm going to start betting the Michigan spreads.
I feel like they NEVER, EVER cover the spread in their games.
The last three years we’re 1-5, 6-7, and 7-6 ATS. This season will show if 2020 was an aberration or the beginning of the end for the Harbaugh era. I’ll be watching with modest expectations for the team.
https://www.teamrankings.com/ncf/trends/ats_trends/?range=yearly_2018
Harbaugh’s teams went 7-6, 6-7, and 5-7-1 in his first 3 years. 31-33-1 in his first 5 years ATS.
Over bets: Rutger, NW, Indiana, Maryland
Under: MSU, us, OSU
Indiana is the wild card. Can UM beat Indiana? Will Penix be healthy? Can IU repeat their run from last year? They've done well in the transfer market and had a good recruiting class, but also lost a lot and Penix's health is questionable. They also have to play in AA and I'd be surprised if UM takes them for granted, particularly with Hart on staff. I think UM wins a close game at home, but that still assumes we have a functional QB and offense that can score some points. Lots of interesting story lines in this year's B1G race. I think it will be a down year for the conference as a whole.
CBS seems down on Indiana. I'm hoping you're right with Michigan pulling off the win. I know LBs will look better against Indiana than last year. Where were the LBs last year? There will be clearly better coaching there this year. That alone is giving me hope.
I think Indiana will look something like this:
They have a difficult schedule. I'd guess IU & UM are about equals going into the season. IU has Iowa, UM has Wiscy. Both are tough games that could go either way. Out of conference IU has Cincy, UM has Washington, same deal winable but tough games. Both get OSU and PSU which are likely loses for each. I like both teams to beat MSU. Both could slip up at Maryland. And, the push game is when they face each other. I give UM the advantage after losing last year and getting them at home. But, likely whomever wins their matchup will be #3 in the division and the other #4.
I'm not all that high on our LBs. Unfortunately I don't think Ross is all that great. Hopefully Barrett improves and Colson is the real deal, but young. Who knows how our new scheme will play out and what our edges look like. Part of the success of our LBs will also be in if Hinton & Mazi can become quality B1G players. We also have a big hole opposite Green at the other CB. I don't like Gray's ability to cover, but he can tackle. I am hoping Seldon can step up and fill that role. Neither team is great, but have strengths and weakness, it's just a matter of who will come out on top. I hope that's UM. I'd like to believe we have enough playmakers on defense to make life difficult on them with Hutch, Dax, and maybe developing one more like Hinton or a new pass rushing guy like Ojabo. And, I'd like to believe we can run the ball and McNamara can complete passes and keep the offense moving. Time will tell.
I think Brian Jean-Mary was not a good coach. LBs had been playing at a high level before him. And LB play dropped off the map with him. I think last year was more about the coaching than the players. I'm expecting the biggest area of improvement on the team to be at LB. DEs/EDGE next, as they are being coached by Ryan Osborn who coached Montez Sweat. Shaun Nua has been moved to interior D Line coaching. I'm thinking improvement on defense will be evident right away in the first game.
I think I'm a bigger believer/fan of Cade McNamara than most. I was relieved when he came in against Rutgers, and the game immediately turned around. Too many complain about the Penn St. game, that he didn't play good. But it was obvious he was playing with an injured throwing arm, which some didn't notice I guess.
Agree totally on BJM. LBs went from a strength in 2019 to a complete liability in 2020. Many times, they looked completely lost. I have to think that's on coaching.
Ill take the over. I think Cade takes the offense to the next level. Its been so long since a UM QB could hit a WR in route or deep.
Defense will be a question mark, but I think we have some really good coaches on staff.
CBS is sleeping on some Big Ten teams.
Cade will do his thing and he will be a great field general but I'm not sure where you see him taking them to the next level at .
I agree if he means a level better than we've seen that past few years, and showing consistency. I think Cade McNamara is the smartest QB Jim Harbaugh has had since he's been here, with JJ McCarthy to follow.
Okay cade I understand but we don't know about jj until he takes the field
He's played 4 games, 2 of which he logged starter's minutes. There's absolutely no way you can make this claim without a lot more evidence.
Cade will do this thing. Eventually the Michigan version of Harbaugh will get inside his head and start to #$@& things up.
I just want a quarterback that can make a good read pre snap and make an intelligent decision with the ball. Shea and Joe were such ass at anything that required thinking about the defense. He doesn't have to be Joe Burrow with an amazing arm talent I just want smart decisions
Positive news is cade has shown some ability to do that.
Getting thumbs down for being optimistic. This fanbase is toxic.
also to answer above, like I said UM has not had a QB who could hit a WR in stride or deep. If Cade can, thats next level. Im not saying all world, just better than they have been.
What does that mean, toxic?
You mean, being critical? Not just slurping the blue kool aid??
Toxic as in “I’m optimistic about our QB play taking us to the next level.” “That’s absolutely ridiculous because I don’t share that same sentiment, therefore you shouldn’t be optimistic.” Half this board isn’t just being critical, they shit on any opinion they isn’t “fire Harbaugh becasue it’s impossible for the team to get better.”
I get frustrated with people being OK and rationalizing 7-5, 8-4 records because this team is young and we are setting up a new system as an excuse.
That's inexcusable for me at this point.
If the team goes 7-5, 8-4, squeaks by MSU and gets blown out by OSU again, what are we doing? What's the point?
You can be "optimistic about QB X taking us to the next level" all you want. You're entitled to that opinion.
Except when it's pointed out that media, fans, and coaches have been saying the same exact thing about every starting QB since Brandon Peters and that "next level" never comes, it's not being toxic or negative, that's just reality.
Our offensive coaching is broken. Those first two years I just loved watching us on offense win or lose. I remember thinking if Smith is doing this wait until we get the next level back, if Jake is doing this wait until we get that next level QB. They came and we ruined them along with top flight WRs. Its not a nagging injury to the Qb its our coaches. Harbaugh is assistant dependent. He isnt Meyer or Saban. Harbaughs first year had 1/3 the talent we had two seasons ago and did much much more.
6 years of meh results with no win over OSU, not playing in any playoffs, 3-3 against staee, no significant road wins and all this for a coach who was the 3rd or 4th highest paid, yeah fanbase is critical!
Toxic as in people want this team to fail. Look at the commitment posts on social media. “fans” talking shit about the commits stars, shitting in Harbaugh and the University IN THEIR POSTS. The thought of having a great year doesnt fit their or your narrative Im sure. Hate away, Ill eat crow…but I fully expect a different team in 2021.
Keep shitting on the coaches and the team. A vast majority of you fans have nothing better to do besides complain
Yes. That's why I get fired up about this conversation, because I want Michigan football to fail.
Give me a flipping break.
Yep. I will keep shitting on the coaches until they prove me wrong.
So the people who complain have "nothing better to do" than the people who spend the same amount of time on the same message board being overly optimistic? Hmm.
I will always say that the passion and involvement of Michigan fans is part of what makes it a top tier job. My brother went to UVA and while all of their fans want them to win, they really don't give a shit if they do not. Being pessimistic or optimistic is what makes messages boards entertaining.
My whole perspective on this years team is they are not a championship level team. While I hope to be pleasantly surprised I see 4 to 5 loses with this schedule and roster. To me it does not matter if it is year 1 or year 7. This team is this team. We all think it should be further along. I don't think that is making excuse, but being more of a realist. We can debate whether or not recruiting should be better or scheme or if there should be more continuity with the coaching staff. The reality is these are the young men that will play this fall and these are the coaches that will lead them.
My point is once you bring Harbaugh back it is a two year deal unless it is a total failure. I am not saying brining him back was the right call, and I think there is a ton of reasons to have cut ties. However, once the decision was made you would have to be delusional to think that he has to win the division this year or he is out. If that is the mind set there was zero reason to extend him. If that is the plan that really makes me question Warde's decision making process.
I will continue to be excited about the season and the games like I have been for the past 40+ years. I will say I am glad I was not on a message board when I was younger, I was much more emotional about all of it then. The team always lost a game or two a season they had no business losing. Drove me nuts, and I was not as rational about it at the time. Anyway keep up the spirited debate.
Brother, I am glad you are optimstic- I wish I could share that optimism.
The reason these guys make me so very frustrated is because I grew up worshipping the program as a kid. And I've been continued to be let down, season after season.
I really, really hate to say it, but they have gone the way of the Lions with my emotional investment. I give the basketball program 99.9 percent of my love now. I will be back on board emotionally once they prove they care about winning and show me they know how.
“fans” talking shit about the commits stars, shitting in Harbaugh
Oh no! Poor Harbaugh. I wonder how he $leep$ at night with all of those people on social media! Jerks!
Stupid take.
I've been a fan for 40 years and around this blog since RichRod. I do not talk shit about players. I will talk shit about coaches -- they get paid millions of dollars to perform, not to squeak by fucking Army and fucking Rutgers due to missed field goals. Wanting the team to fail? Give me a fucking break. I've written tens of thousands of words on this message board -- not all well-received of course -- because I am a huge fan of Michigan. That's why it's so frustrating to see Harbaugh teams struggle with MSU, PSU, and Wisconsin, to say nothing of Ohio State. It's frustrating to see good-to-excellent recruiting pissed away by awful player development. It's frustrating to see archaic scheming and in-game coaching rather than positioning the team to succeed.
If you don't understand that, it's your issue.
With full spring practice and fall camp, Harbaugh will plant himself firmly into Cade's head, and we will see similar reluctance, doubt, and perhaps confusion in his game that we've seen from other Harbaugh QBs during his tenure. Harbaugh's "QB whispering" at Michigan has demonstrably taken the form of installing mistake-aversion as Job 1, rather than using the offense as a weapon to score points and take over games.
Change my mind, Michigan offense, change my mind. Please.
I agree with this. My perception is the quarterbacks cannot take any risks because they cannot make a mistake. Obviously, but don’t beat it into them so hard they are scared of anything other than wide open or “overthrow it deep. Worst case is an incompletion.”
One consistent of the Harbaugh era is that the next QB will turn things around. Lest we forget the Joe Milton to Cam Newton/Vince Young comparisons. Or that Shae was the missing piece. Or that JOK was tearing it up on the practice squad. Nothing against Cade but I'll believe it when I see it.
I still think Jim Harbaugh had the team going in a good direction in his first 2 years with the coaching staff he had. There were those huge blow out wins in 2016. Losing Jedd Fisch after 2016 was the biggest reason (not the only reason) the team has not looked on track since. Maybe Matt Weiss will be the one to get things back on track on offense, Mike Macdonald and Steve Clinkscale on defense.
I don't think there will be an embarrassing loss to Michigan St this year.
This seems a lot more reasonable than a lot of the gloomier predictions for Michigan. This program still has a lot of talent, as proven by how many guys we get drafted. And this year, on offense at least, there’s a good amount of experience. Entirely possible Michigan has another disastrous year, but I think 7-9 wins is the likely range
I'd take 8-4. That's a pretty normal Michigan year with what looks to be an underwhelming amount of talent on the roster.
8 wins and harbaugh needs to be canned. If warde doesnt fire him then can warde too. Heres hoping JJ is jesus in disguise and we go 12-0. I can hope cant I
Let’s hope JJ is the real deal right away. The development of talent at the QB position thus far is less than stellar.
Barring injury to Cade and Bowman, JJ does not see the field for meaningful snaps this year.
Unless Cade or Bowman are world beaters which i dont think they are JJ must see meaningful snaps. His recruitment is the only reason many of the remaining lemmings havent turned on him yet. Harbaugh would have to be a complete moron not to put in JJ in meaningful minutes. JJ is the only thing that can give fans (including myself) hope again. Cade showed us his skills last year and he looked amazing when compared to Milton but the reality is that he was average at best. Bowman is another transfer QB and i dont think anyone wants to see another transfer QB ever start for U of M again. Its JJ or bust!
I agree with essentially all of this, yet I think Jim is waaaaay too stubborn to play a true freshman.
I don't even really care who's right -- I want the best QB to play, and if it's close, I want the QB with the most potential (JJ, for sure) to play. There is absolutely no reason that Michigan shouldn't have the best (or second-best) QB play in the conference.
HA. That’s the understatement of the last 20 years.
Whatever it takes to get Harbaugh out of town. The guy is a shell of himself and needs to retire or move down to a directional school where he can do whatever.
I don’t see this team beating anyone decent and could easily lose out in its final 5-6 games. This season will be reminiscent of 2008-09 I think. Outside of Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, and maybe Nebraska, I see no clear-cut wins. Harbaugh torpedoed the program after helping build it up in his first 2 years.
But knowing the weird Harbaugh love the school has, he’ll be back in 2022 if he even goes 6-6.
That washington game will tell us exactly what kinda team we will have. Washington isn't a world beater and maybe average at best and the game is at the big house. But if we can consistently move the ball and put up 30+ points and win the game by 2 scores then it would give me some confidence going in to the big ten season. A loss to washington and i would fire harbaugh sunday morning. Anyone delusional enough to think harbaugh can turn the season around (considering his history of doing that) should be fired from whatever job they have as well.
Be careful. We all fell for the trap that was Minnesota last year. Cloud 9 to the pits of hell in a week.
Outside of Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, and maybe Nebraska, I see no clear-cut wins.
This person gets it.
Though I would add Rutgers to your list.
We have Rutgers at home, so I gave that a W. Nebraska on the road with Frost trying to save his own job does make me uneasy though.
Out of our first 7, I say we realistically win 5. The last 5 scare me though. MSU on the road, PSU, IU, OSU, Maryland. We beat Maryland and might escape with one more W in there. That puts us at 7 which seems like anything but a sure thing. 2022 is our year!
I can't believe I am saying this, but I'm not so sure about Rutgers.
Greg Schiano can coach college football. He's going to have those guys fired up.
Absolutely yes, Schiano can coach and will set up the game as "beating Michigan is our season" as so many teams seem to do.