A look ahead to 2016 (schedule)

I said 9-3 before this season and say that we'll go 11-1 next year.

How about some bowl game hype and prognostication right now?

Also - here's a song that is great anytime, including after a good old-fashioned and unfortunate butt whuppin':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgpp9FEAhsA

The Yellow and Blue

- C. M. Gayley, M. W. Balfe

Sing to the colors that float in the light;

Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

Yellow the stars as they ride through the night

And reel in a rollicking crew;

Yellow the field where ripens the grain

And yellow the moon on the harvest wain;

HAIL!

Hail to the colors that float in the light

Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

Blue are the billows that bow to the sun

When yellow-robed morning is due.

Blue are the curtains that evening has spun

The slumbers of Phoebus to woo;

Blue are the blossoms to memory dear

And blue is the sapphire and gleams like a tear;

HAIL!

Hail to the ribbons that nature has spun;

Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

Here's to the college whose colors we wear,

Here's to the hearts that are true!

Here's to the maid of the golden hair,

And eyes that are brimming with blue!

Garlands of bluebells and maize intertwine,

And hearts that are true and voices combine;

HAIL!

Hail to the college whose colors we wear;

Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

THOSE WHO STAY WILL BE CHAMPIONS!

If Iowa plays according to the pattern they have established over the tenure of Ferentz, this year will be an aberration.  Iowa is always tough at home, but UM should be favored in that game.  Assuming UM doesn't suffer through a rash of injuries, next year should be 9-3 at worst, and possibly much better.  

what Iowa loses so don't know how they'll be next year.  Cook should be a pretty big loss for MSU as well as a couple of their oline.  MSU will still be good and it's always a tough game in East Lansing, but I'm not terrified of that game.  I'd say that's a toss up right now.

Tell me we will have good fast LB's and I might show a little excitement, until then I dont think anything will be accomplished.

Either the 2013 heisman contender in Taysom or O Korn would do very well under Harbaugh. The OL and RBs need to step up along with LBs. Our defense will probably be better if we get Gary and everybody stays healthy unlike this year.

Home schedule is much easier. 

We're better than both Wisconsin and Penn State this year and I think we'll improve at a faster rate than either of them. 

Honestly, anything less than 8-0 in the Big House would be bad in year 2 of Harbaugh.

As for the road, our first one is at Rutgers (easy win). Michigan only leaves the state once before mid-November and that's to a small Rutgers stadium that should be 40% M fans. 

The last three are difficult (@MSU, @Iowa, @OSU), but I like our chances to improve relative to all of those teams next year. 

A lot is going to depend on what turns up at QB and RB.  I think we can fairly well guess how most of the rest of the team is going to perform vs most opponents.  For better or worse, we pretty much know what the O line, receivers, and defense will look like (unless LB is a total black hole -- can we get a grad transfer LB?  Please?)  QB is a wildcard, RB stays about the same unless Walker or some other freshman turns out to be the game breaker we need.

With a good passer and a RB that doesn't require massive holes to pick up yards, we can beat any non-OSU team we'll play.  Without those things, a 9-3ish season is probably in store once again.

MSU is a toss up, OSU is an L, and Iowa will be a toss up as well.   UM will not be a serious playoff team if Harbaugh doesn't get some LBs to transfer in. 

With our linebacker situation, it is my opinion that next year's ceiling is 9-3. We will also be breaking in a new quarterback. Could have better overall team talent and still lose 4.

That said, I will be cheering them on an praying Harbaugh can work his magic.

Schedule sets up nice with 6 out of the first 7 at home with a trip to Piscataway as the only road game. It should allow the new QB to get into a nice groove. I'll be shocked if this team isn't 7-0 when they head to East Lansing.

We only have 4 road games next year.

We leave Ann Arbor once until Oct 29.  And that's to New Jersey.

The non conf is a joke

PSU is coached by a thinner, tanner Brady Hoke who loses Zettel and Nassib.   We are already better than PSU today in year 1 of a reclamation project - next year we'll have a wider gap. We have that at home.

Wisconsin is not all that right now.  They lost to Northwestern at home.  We have that at home.

Both MSU and OSU lose a ton of talent, esp their OL and DL.

UM returns most of their lines.  Our issues are what the QB situation is, and the LBs and the run game.

I don't expect either MSU or OSU to "suck" but both lose significant front line talent.  They have good staffs but will have a lot of youth in a lot of spots.

I think UM needs to make in 2016 because 2017 will be a very young team.  Not one player not named Maurice Hurst who played in today's D in the 2 deep will be here in 2017.   (mone was not in 2 deep but will be here for 2017 but that's 2 players in the 2 deep if we had everyone healthy)

The season will be determined by @Iowa, @MSU, @OSU.  We'll be favored in every other game and most by double digits IMO.

Is there any hope of the Big Ten swapping OSU/MSU back to the off/on scheduling? I fucking haaaaate that we play both at home or on the road in the same season now.