Sage Advice From Brandstatter
"Michigan meets Iowa tonight for the Big Ten football Championship for 2023. The Wolverines are a huge favorite. Nobody is giving Iowa a chance. That worries me a lot."
"I have always found it very unnerving to have every press outlet and pundit just automatically declare you a winner well before the game has been played. It’s almost like giving the underdog, in this case the Hawkeyes, an added motivation to expand the chip on the shoulder. They are getting no respect, and it is not because Michigan is underestimating them--it is because everybody else is. That’s makes me nervous."
"Iowa has won 10 games. They are not terrible. Kirk Ferentz is one of the most respected coaches in America. He’s had his teams in big games, and they’ve won big games. Do not take this team lightly. Everybody has written them off. Everybody except the Iowa Hawkeyes themselves. That makes them dangerous."
"My old coach, Bo Schembechler, used to tell me that the genesis of a great upset starts in the mind of the favorite. The Michigan team must heed this warning. We know that Iowa will be emotionally charged. They will enter the game feeling disrespected. Michigan must match Iowa’s emotional level. They must not take them lightly. They must expect a game with the same kind of intensity as the Ohio State game. If they don’t, they will find this a tough game to win."
"Michigan must excel in all technical aspects of the game that upsets can be built upon. For instance, Michigan can’t turn the ball over – turnovers will encourage the underdog and lift them. Michigan must execute the fundamentals – they can’t miss tackles, they can’t make unforced penalties, they can’t miss assignments. No false starts, no lining up offsides, no late hits. The little things add up, and the Wolverines must pay attention to the little things to ensure their best chance to win."
"Most of all, it’s about attitude. I truly believe this Michigan team is special. They are veterans, who have a focus on goals they set more than a year ago. If they live in that moment. If they have their minds totally wrapped around Iowa and the Hawkeyes threat to their goals, the Wolverines will be fine."
"Go Blue!"
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
Disrespekt is a big deal
December 2nd, 2023 at 2:26 PM ^
Just ask Washington
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:36 AM ^
Very true.
But also... we ain't losing
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:37 AM ^
I agree... But all Iowa has is defense and disrespect...
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
punting. you forgot tremendous punting. punting is winning.
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
How can you forget punting?? That's a basic tenet of their offense.
December 2nd, 2023 at 6:57 PM ^
Yes, that punting attack…
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:37 AM ^
No disrespect from the team or coaches. No control over everyone else. Just win
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:37 AM ^
WIN THE GAME (and stay healthy doing so).
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:00 PM ^
The sage advice from Mitch McGary.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
This team is laser focused make no mistake… they are NOT looking ahead … they will be prepared
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
How could anyone question this team's focus and mental toughness? Or even consider it a worry?
I was worried if it would be an issue at the MSU game. Lol nope.
I wondered if it would be an issue for the Purdue game. Lol nope.
I was fairly concerned about it for the PSU game. Lol nope.
I wasn't too worried for it in the Maryland game...slight hiccup.
I was worried about it after Zak went down. Nope.
No chance, none, zero, that the team is not ready for tonight.
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:08 PM ^
It sounds like we play better when you're worried. GET WORRIED!
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
So basically he is saying “Don’t fuck it up, guys.”.
Lee Corso picked Iowa to win. Harbaugh is back. Need to win to make playoff. Defending crown. All plenty of motivation for UM to wipe the floor with Iowa.
Lucas Oil is the Colosseum. Iowa is the gladiator. Michigan is the lion.
Let’s go.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
Lee Corso is an idiot that has been crying about Michigan since 1979
December 2nd, 2023 at 9:35 PM ^
Stupid pick but you gotta blur lines in that role. Still, stupid pick
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
If Lee did, it proves he is fucking senile. Beano Cook 2.0
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:59 AM ^
Lee Corso = Beano Cook without the intellect and outrageous sex appeal.....
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:01 PM ^
We're better off when Lee picks us to lose.
December 2nd, 2023 at 2:34 PM ^
The Corso curse is real
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^
If Iowa wins, it's a fluke. That pick was a troll pick based on nothing concrete, and without common sense. I'm not saying Iowas has a zero percent chance of winning, but that's not a serious pick.
December 2nd, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
Michigan is the Spaniard.
December 2nd, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
Lol. So did McAfee.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:41 AM ^
The Players have all echoed 'be you', and 'be where your feet are' all year. If they do that we'll all be celebrating this evening. Well, all of us with the exception of Petittitititi.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
While all that is true, Ron English isn't walking through that door.
We are winning this game.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
This one made me laugh and depressed at the same time
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
Ron English isn't walking through that door.
Somewhere, Jim Stapleton just broke into tears.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
Michigan V Everybody!
3PEAT
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
The key is to get their punter rattled. Send lots of pressure at the punter.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
I hope not. Given our history, we almost always get a running into the kicker penalty
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^
I would be willing to take a roughing the punter penalty or 2 to get in Iowa’s punters head. Chances are he’s punting again 3 plays later.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
Right with ya, Brandy. Makes me nervous too. Good thing I ain’t playing the game, though. These 2023 Wolverines haven’t looked past anyone, and they’re not going to start now. Go Blue!
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:45 AM ^
Very true but check out some Deacon Hill tape and get back to me sir.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
How bad is he?
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^
Not mobile at all. Decent arm strength but accuracy is a major problem. Overthrows a lot of targets. He will give the defense plenty of opportunities for takeaways if you force him to dropback 30 times.
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
Every dog has his day. They probably only expect 2 or 3 good throws from him all game. They're planning to win this game with 14-17 points.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
Good advice. But Bo had his share of huge upsets. His teams didn't always heed his own advice on that one.
This team is different mentally. They have been put through the proverbial ringer and came out the other end shining brightly. "Any given Saturday" and all that, but something tells me Michigan is not taking Iowa lightly and will show up.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:51 AM ^
Yeah they broke my heart in the 1978 Rose Bowl against Washington, 1976 against Purdue , 1977 against Minnesota …
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
Not to mention 1981 Wisconsin and 1986 Minnesota.....
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
They pissed me off against Stanford on 1-1-72.
Michigan's 4-11 bowl history against the PAC 8/10/12 since 1-1-70 has been faceplant after pratfall after horrible bad luck, with the very occasional victory sprinkled in.
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
Fricken Don Bunce.
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:28 PM ^
Not to mention the occasional putrid call. Looking at you, Charles White.
December 2nd, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
This trend would continue until about 2008. (In case no one remembers, UM football dropped to a lower tier around then and mostly stayed there for several years.) Ball State in 2006 (a win, at least) is one of the good examples.
December 2nd, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
With one notable exception that will go unnamed, we didn't lose too many games to big underdogs under Carr, although we often played them uncomfortably close.
Toledo in 2008 was rough. They weren't just a MAC team, but one of the worst teams in the MAC. Even in our terrible state, we never should have lost that one. That might be the worst team to have ever beaten Michigan.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
Michigan needs to break that defense's spirit early.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
"This team in front of me is a threat to my goals. For my brothers and myself, I must eliminate the threat."
There's the mindset. Go Blue. Michigan vs Everybody. Today, Iowa is Everybody!
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:48 AM ^
The genesis of a great upset starts in the mind of the favorite.
I've always said that the favorite is vulnerable when there is a little voice in the back of their minds that is telling them they can't lose. I get concerned when I hear a team say, "If we play our game we'll win." It sounds like they just need to show up.
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
The thing is, the pundits and fans won't be playing tonight. If this team was concerned with all the outside noise - positive or negative - they wouldn't have made it to tonight.
I can't wait to be there tonight!
December 2nd, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
Agree with Brandstatter. However, since week 6 Michigan has been disrespected with cheating allegations. Harbs back at the helm, I think there will be enough emotion on the Michigan side of things. UM players have enough disrespect and emotions to pulverize Iowa. Harbs has his guys ready mentally so I don’t think they will not take them seriously