Revisiting Pre-Season Expectations
September 30th, 2015 at 10:54 PM ^
How about this? MSU is obviously worse than UTAH. I am tired off people propping up MSU because they outplayed us two years in a row. UTAH kicked Oregon's ass at Oregon. MSU played them soft and won in the last drive. So, UTAH is better than MSU as of right now. It can change if MSU shows improvement. But, as of now, UTAH is a better team.
September 30th, 2015 at 7:48 PM ^
I said 8-4 before the season and I'm sticking to it. I figured before the season we'd lose to BYU as well. I still don't think this team is good enough (as it stands right now, but who knows in two weeks) to hang with either MSU or OSU. And we lose an annual "shocker" to either to PSU or Minny. But whoever we get in a bowl game is gonna in for a butt whoopin.
September 30th, 2015 at 7:49 PM ^
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September 30th, 2015 at 7:51 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 7:50 PM ^
These are my pre-season expectations ... revisited.
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September 30th, 2015 at 7:52 PM ^
I said 8-4 before the season. 9-3 is what I'd say now.
Assuming no major injuries.
September 30th, 2015 at 7:52 PM ^
The ceiling is still pretty limited until the passing game improves significantly. I'll stand by 8-4 with losses to MSU, OSU, and one other team.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:25 PM ^
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September 30th, 2015 at 8:46 PM ^
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September 30th, 2015 at 9:10 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 7:58 PM ^
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September 30th, 2015 at 8:24 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:50 PM ^
the Dr Peppers College Football Playoff?
September 30th, 2015 at 7:59 PM ^
Before the season, I predicted 9-3, with the losses coming to BYU, MSU, and OSU. When we lost to Utah, I then figured 8-4. But we made that up by defeating BYU, so I am back to 9-3.
While my "expecations" haven't really changed, I will say that the team has shown it has a much higher ceiling than I anticipated. I didn't really think M would be a serious contender for a B1G title or playoff spot this season, and I figured that wins against MSU or OSU--though possible--would be major upsets if they occurred. Now, MSU looks like a 50/50 game and OSU would be a modest upset.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:05 PM ^
Still 8-4 with me.
But subject to change if last Saturday becomes SOP.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:01 PM ^
I'm expecting insane media predictions if we win the next two heading into the MSU game.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:05 PM ^
No one wants to bet against Harbaugh right now. No one. Seriously, would you? How uptight are all your OSU/MSU friends (or foes) right now? Too much improvement week to week in this football team. Of course the majority of us are pessimists after the last how many years? Obviously someone is willing to bet against Harbaugh/UM or Vegas odds would be different. Having said all this, 10-2 is most likely in my book. MSU is overrated and we all know it but don't want to say it. They sorely miss Narduzzi. OSU will improve as the year goes on however. It's going to be tough to lose just one more game but this coaching staff is elite and again, how many of us would bet against them?
September 30th, 2015 at 8:17 PM ^
Definitely wouldn't bet against this staff. We have a punchers chance, since we'll be ready for each game and have a great plan to win it week.. What people don't account for are chaos, such as key injuries (knock on wood, god-forbid, etc.) and crazy stuff happening like turnovers during games with other well coached and equally (or more) talented teams. Maybe the light goes on in Rudocks head and he Brian Grieses it the rest of the way, or maybe he has another off game or two throwing a couple int's and has a solid but not Playoff level year. In any case, I think 9-3 makes sense.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:06 PM ^
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September 30th, 2015 at 8:13 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:15 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:17 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:20 PM ^
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September 30th, 2015 at 8:22 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 9:05 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:22 PM ^
Oddly, I want to see this team crunch somebody, anybody, (yes even Maryland) on the road before I increment my thinking. I know that seems a little nuts, but while the staff is a clear and significant improvement, the group of players have never provided any stretches of consistent excellence and they have been, particularly, susceptible to clunkers in games that should have been road wins.
Yes, everything about the last few weeks suggests they should crunch Maryland, grind out a win against Northwestern and face MSU at 5 - 1. But everything about the last eight years says anything more than 7 - 5 this season is gravy.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:27 PM ^
I'm always a big homer, and I picked 10-2 before the year. Now? I stand by it.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:30 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:30 PM ^
I'm a major homer and predicted 1 loss. I put money on Michigan to win it all at 60-1. Embarassed to say how much considering I'm very middle class and have never bet or gambled before in my life. Beers on me if we win, I guess.
October 1st, 2015 at 1:38 AM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:36 PM ^
I predicted 10-3 (after bowl game) because I didn't expect Harbaugh to disappoint (figuring 9-4 would still be somewhat disappointing given our talent level). Since Harbaugh has this team performing even better than I anticipated, I'll bump it up to 11-2 now. We look good enough, particularly because of our defense, to beat anyone, but it's still always difficult for a team to perform up to it's capabilities every single week, and we still need to show we can beat a good team on the road. Can't say which game I think it would be, but I think we'll end up having one bad day where we get burned by turnovers.
Although I guess 11-2 would imply that the second loss would prevent us from making the B1G title game. Since I don't have a specific game in mind for a second loss, I'll just say 11 or 12 wins and 2 losses.
I'm looking forward to line between 2 and 3 losses being a general threshold for defining whether a season was successful.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:33 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:39 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:33 PM ^
but revising now to 15-0.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:36 PM ^
I predicted 9-3 (pre-bowl game) with splits of Utah/BYU, Minnesota/PSU and MSU/OSU. I'm sticking with it.....but the Minnesota/PSU sweep looks for likely.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:43 PM ^
1-1 in the MSU/OSU rivalries (likely scenario there was a loss to MSU and a win over OSU.
I'm between 8-4 and 9-3 now...a bit on the 9-3 side with a WTF! loss in here maybe to Indiana.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:49 PM ^
Let's chill the heck out. I want to be a big underdog to "unassailable" MSU and then kick them in the gut. Let's embrace the underdog mentality for once.
September 30th, 2015 at 8:49 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:52 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 9:51 PM ^
Blaspheming heretic!
September 30th, 2015 at 8:52 PM ^
But if the trend in the first 1/3 of the season continues all year, and future seasons, in terms of competent play, decent fundamentals and quality coaching, I see 9-3 with 10-2 likely. The future is bright
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September 30th, 2015 at 8:53 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:55 PM ^
September 30th, 2015 at 8:56 PM ^
Said 8-4 in the preseason. Still saying 8-4.
We will fight to the bitter end vs the rivals but it's hard to see us beating teams that have been built for years compared to a first year Harbaugh cleaning up the Hoke mess.
Also i feel like we will trip up to either minney, psu, or northwestern. We're better than all of them on paper, but two are on the road at night (and we seem to be cursed in those games).
That said, the team looks better than anticipated especially the defense. But you have to remember, Utah moved the ball on us pretty well. I will hold off on calling them a great defense till they continue to shut down bad offenses, hold sparty under 20, and force more turovers.
September 30th, 2015 at 9:45 PM ^
October 1st, 2015 at 12:20 AM ^
that well on us now. We shutdown their running game, except for the QB! Also, I think it was the secondary's first game and may not have been playing UT receivers that close. Now the secondary is doing well with man to man coverage. I think we would beat UT if we played them next week!
September 30th, 2015 at 9:00 PM ^
Opponent | Win Likelihood |
@Utah | 0% |
Oregon St | 100% |
UNLV | 100% |
BYU | 100% |
@Maryland | 90% |
Northwestern | 66% |
MSU | 45% |
@Minnesota | 83% |
Rutgers | 95% |
@Indiana | 90% |
@Penn State | 83% |
OSU | 27% |
Expected Wins | 8.8 |
September 30th, 2015 at 9:01 PM ^
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