2016 orange bowl

Michigan Gets Orange Bowl Bid, Will Face Florida State Comment Count

Brian

Florida Florida St Football (14)

Zero surprise here once the championship games fell the way they did. Game is on the 30th, not the 1st, since the 1st is a Sunday this year; it's at 8 PM at whatever they're calling the place the Dolphins and Hurricanes play this week.

FSU is 9-3, 5-3 in the ACC, with wins over Ole Miss (which had a terrible record but was still top 20 to advanced metrics, USF (10-2), Florida, and Miami. They lost to Clemson and UNC narrowly, and Louisville somewhat less narrowly.

S&P+ has them 9th in the country, with the #6 offense and #18 D. An adjusted sack rate of 85th projects to be a problem for the FSU offense against Michigan. On the other hand, monster DE DeMarcus Walker and his 15 sacks rather loom on the other side of the ball. S&P+ has Michigan a 12-point favorite on a neutral field; dunno how neutral the Orange Bowl is given this context. 

Comments

Nickel

December 4th, 2016 at 3:22 PM ^

Does anyone know which side is going to be the Michigan side?  Trying to get tickets and I can't get them through mgoblue.com yet but they're available on ticketmaster.

Thanks in advance!

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 2802

aiglick

December 4th, 2016 at 3:32 PM ^

I just hope the team is ready to play. No doubt they will be disappointed to have missed the playoffs. Hoping we don't have a letdown like in 06.

Joined: 11/27/2010

MGoPoints: 21568

M-Dog

December 5th, 2016 at 12:22 AM ^

One of the most frustrating Michigan games to watch ever.  One of the worst coaching games ever.

In the first half both teams wanted to run, but neither could and the score was 3 - 3.  

Then in the second half, USC adjusted and went to the air.  Michigan kept trying to pound the ball into a wall despite the fact that we were more than capable of airing it out.

Game over.  We got blown out.

People are fond of revisionist history about Rich Rod, but the fact is we were damn excited when he showed up with his dynamic offense.  It was games like the 2006 season Rose Bowl against USC that made us so hungry for a dynamic offense.

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

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bhinrichs

December 5th, 2016 at 7:14 AM ^

They didn't just go to the air, they stayed there, about permanently.  ^_^

In the second half they literally attempted something like 26 straight passes (possibly 28, with USC QB John David Booty doing two scrambles after the 12th and 20th straight pass attempts).

I don't think I noticed that live, just how badly they took to destroying UM's D.   ;(

Joined: 01/17/2016

MGoPoints: 369

Chunks the Hobo

December 4th, 2016 at 3:51 PM ^

Oh boy, another Florida bowl against a Florida team. Can't we do anything else in the postseason but play a glorified home game for some Florida team?

That said, I remember that 1991 game. Beat these fuckers!

Joined: 07/22/2008

MGoPoints: 4073

Toasted Yosties

December 4th, 2016 at 3:54 PM ^

After so many years in the wilderness, I can't not be excited about playing in the Orange Bowl and against a great team like FSU. Cant wait to savor this one before the long off-season.

Joined: 06/05/2013

MGoPoints: 9261

Novak-blood

December 4th, 2016 at 4:04 PM ^

It is what it is. We just need to take care of our business - something we did not do in Iowa City, which cost us one of the four spots. If we do so, it's like someone stated on the board last evening...it's shaping up to be a bitter January for osu (after getting b-slapped by Bama) and PSU (after getting b-slapped by the Trojans). Sparty & the Irish are already missing bowl games altogether (as well as those ever-important extra practices).

Win the game. And take some momentum into signing day. I for one will enjoy catching the Orange Bowl out on the town on a Friday evening. Important games on NYE are ridiculously absurd (I'm looking at you, Mark Emmert). The tv ratings bear that out.

Go Blue. Beat FSU.

Joined: 02/18/2015

MGoPoints: 400

DoubleB

December 5th, 2016 at 12:54 AM ^

are vastly underrating where Penn State is right now. They've looked as good as anyone in the country not named Alabama since their bye week.

On the other hand, not a big believer in where Ohio State is right now. They can't protect the QB and Clemson can get after it upfront.

Joined: 11/19/2008

MGoPoints: 7470

Glennsta

December 5th, 2016 at 11:24 AM ^

The OSU OL hasn't opened the type of holes that we have seen in the past and, you're right, they don't pass block terrifically.  If you stay in your lanes and don't let Barrett out of the pocket (a big if) he won't beat you with his arm.

I'm still not a believer in PSU.  Even though they came back, they still managed to fall behind UW.  They ain't coming back on USC.  That should be a fun game to watch though.

Joined: 01/28/2011

MGoPoints: 4888

UMProud

December 4th, 2016 at 4:35 PM ^

We need an outdoor bowl game in Michigan, Wisconsin or Minnesota in January.  Call it the Molson Ice Bowl...oh how I would love to see Pac12, ACC & SEC teams play in our weather.

Joined: 12/18/2014

MGoPoints: 2705

Glennsta

December 5th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^

But I'd think it would be hard to sell tickets year after year, unless you could lock up very good teams from good conferences.  If i live in Mississippi, let's say, I'm not spending my money to come up to freeze my rear off (partly because I don't even own cold-weather clothes) and sit through outdoor lead-up activities and then an outdoor game.

They have had that Quiick Lane bowl inddors at Ford Field and it isn't close to selling out.  I doubt that an outdoor game would sell better.

Joined: 01/28/2011

MGoPoints: 4888

bronxblue

December 4th, 2016 at 5:10 PM ^

Going to be a tough game, but I like the defensive line against FSU's really weak offensive line.  And Francois, for as good as he is, hasn't played a secondary like UM's.  FSU led the nation in sacks but also racked up 14 of them against Florida and Syracuse to end the year, which is obviously impressive but might be opponent-dependent.  UM isn't nearly as bad in pass protection as FSU, and I think they'll keep Speight clean enough.

I'm actually excited about this game, especially since it's one of the "sexier" matchups you could have asked for.  Better than, say, OU vs. Auburn.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172158

BlueHills

December 4th, 2016 at 5:12 PM ^

I'm looking forward to the Orange Bowl. Granted, it's not the playoff, but making a New Years Six bowl is a significant accomplishment. Florida State always fields a competitive team, and we have some history with them. Should be exciting.

I'm not buying the "this was our best shot for the next couple of years" mantra. Harbaugh brought a group of guys from 5-7 to 10-3 last year, and this year they have a shot at 11-2.

That's a big deal.

I think this team will continue to improve; there's some serious talent coming up, and thinking about the younger players who got game experience, I believe that 2017 will be more of a reloading than a rebuilding year, similar to what happened with OSU this year. And Speight has a chance at a great season next year, with a year as a starter under his belt.

So there's a lot to look forward to. The Orange Bowl is a beginning, not a culmination.

 

 

 

 

Joined: 10/31/2010

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bronxblue

December 4th, 2016 at 6:23 PM ^

I hate this argument. UM played a resurgent Iowa and the #3 team in the country, both on the road, and lost be a total of 4 points. This is the one reason I wouldn't mind UM playing OSU earlier; it would mean the season basically doesn't turn on a final game. All PSU did was win a game against the best team in the far worse division, a team UM beat just as handily, and did so after playing like shit for a half. They don't deserve extra credit for that.

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