2010 Football Schedule
Alright this is just hypothetical and is a subject that will probably be beaten to death over the next 5 months, but lets take a look a Our football schedule and see which games are the most winnable, and the games that are a must win if RR is to keep his job.
We open up at home against UConn kicking off the new era of the Expanded Big House. Imo this may be the second most important game of the year, behind OSU. UConn is going to be a pretty good football team and we must win this game to avoid a meltdown of the universe. Notre Dame follows in what should be a transition year for the Irish. We know Kelly is a good coach and ND has talent but how much will the switch hurt this team? I'm going to guess enough to allow us to come out of South Bend with a win.
Next comes Bowling Green and UMass, if we don't win both of these games by a considerable margin the Universe is collapsing.
So we have a very good chance to start the year 4-0 going into the Big 10 season. Indiana is up first, and while they get almost everyone back, I think we should be able to score at will on the Hoosier defense. Then comes a very tough stretch for our Wolverines. We have MSU at home, a game imo that is a must win, Iowa at home, PSU in Happy Valley and Illinois at home. In this stretch we need to win at least two of these games.
The final 3 games feature Purdue on the road, Whisky at home and The Bucknuts in the 'shoe. Again I feel it is imperative that we win at least two of these games. We must beat Purdue.
I just wanted to throw this out there for discussion since we have 5 months until the season kicks off.
I just wanted to throw this out there for discussion since we have 5 months until the season kicks off.That's as good a reason as any to chill out for a bit and not spend all that time worrying about it til we know anything at all about how good the team really is.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:51 PM ^
...but those of us who choose to spend our offseason speculating and looking forward to the season are not "worrying," we're just caring. That's what fans do.
I look forward to a lot of discussion to keep us busy until football gets here.
So you have 5-0 start, then we have to win 2 of the next 4, and then 2 of the last 3. So you are saying we have to win 9 games?
Actually: 5-0 start, then a must win, then 2 of 3 and another 2 of 3. So we're actually up to a must win of 10 games.
I thought we were done with the "What RR needs to keep his job" posts.... No?
This isn't really about RR, it's a look at which games on our schedule are most likely winnable. While the outcomes are related, they are not mutually exclusive.
I feel that Michigan St., Illinois, and Purdue are the most important games of the season. These are all winnable and can make the difference between 9-3 and 6-6. Obviously, Ohio State, Penn St, ND are all games we badly want to win but losses to those schools wouldnt be the end of the world. MSU, Illinois, and Purdue are must wins.
Penn State is beatable. Wiscy and OSU will be tough.
I would reverse ND and MSU. A loss to MSU would be more understandable than a win to ND. I agree with Purdue and Illinois though.
"We have MSU at home, a game imo that is a must win"
So if we lose should Brandon fire him immediately after the game, wait till Monday, or wait until the end of the season? If feel it is only fair that if Rich Rod goes into the game knowing he will lose his job if he loses the game, that the AD (or you, I guess) should at least have the decency to tell him exactly WHEN he will be fired for doing so. Sooner the better I say so that we can get the new guy and his system in place as soon as possible.
In fact, now that I think about it, we should probably just fire Rich Rod now. We won't have to worry about a coaching transition in mid-season and it will also help with recruiting immediately as the recruits won't have to worry about their coach departing after their commitment.
Also, for the love of all that is good and holy, please, just stop.
So you're saying it is not imperative that we beat MSU at home? Also would you rather have threads about Tom Izzo, MSU basketball Notre Dame Basketball, Brian Kelly etc.
April 20th, 2010 at 10:07 AM ^
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. :)
I'm saying going 11-1 with the only loss being to Michigan State would be a incredibly ridiculous reason to fire Rich Rod.
and I want to talk about a 13-0 MNC season. Or at least dream about it five months out.
7-5. We need to be a little more realistic.
This. 7-5 at the low end, 9-3 at the miracle end.
Realism is bull right now. I cannot text a good argument right now, but I was a junior in 1997, so I know how to dream!
are "must wins" unless they are in the context of "must win this game to go to the NC/win the B10/make a bowl." The empty concept of "must win" just for winning's sake is so tired and overused and I wish it would just die already.
that were an Ohio State student's SAT score from a win: MSU, Purdue, Iowa.
By just HOLDING ON TO THE BALL we could have won all of these and been 8-4.
RR's job is hitched on significant improvement year-to-year.
7-5 or better will give RR more time.
Really, are you going to fire an expensive big-name coach when his 1st recruiting class is only sophomore?
No. You let his class get to senior and then if his people in his system can't show greatness - then you think about other solutions.
April 19th, 2010 at 11:46 PM ^
but one can also say UM was 2 late game comebacks away from being 3-9 for the second straight year.
April 20th, 2010 at 12:10 AM ^
2 late game comebacks against bad teams too
April 20th, 2010 at 12:55 AM ^
Yeah, but we lost close ones at the end to MSU, Iowa, and Purdue so we could just as easily have been 8-4.
We won some close ones, we lost some close ones, you are what your record says you are...nothing more, nothing less. People can argue "oh we were this close to being 7-5, oh we were this close to being 3-9", well guess whats in the middle of those two records...5-7 and thats what we were.
That will fly by as quick as an NBA season.
as he reads the schedule and has us starting 4-0 i suddenly start panicking..
...three, and counting.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:06 PM ^
... the better Denard is, the more likely RichRod stays, even with a 7 win, Meh-type bowl game season.
The reason: I think David Brandon will see that RichRod coaching Denard in his system, with the team we will have in 2011, isn't something to mess with. The Devin Gardner wildcard is icing on the cake; hopefully he can redshirt.
This is why I think Denard will start more games than Tate this year. Tate showed last year he can be serviceable. Denard shows almost every time he lines up as QB that he is special.
April 20th, 2010 at 12:24 AM ^
Tate's a little more than "serviceable." Not counting the ND game, WMU domination, and IU ridunkulousness, he was a bad bounce away from coming back against MSU, and a concussion/shoulder sprain away from taking down Iowa. Plus, like Brian mentioned today, statistically two of his best games were against Purdue and Wisconsin. I think his biggest enemy is injury and the occasional bout with Brett Favre syndrome and trying to do too much.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:14 PM ^
the schedule is not extremely tough nor that easy. I predict michigan will go 8-4 which is obviously a big improvement
Way to go out on a limb there, guru.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:20 PM ^
After the spring game is over, this feels like what I would imagine it feels like for a heroin addict to be told he gets no more junk until September. Damn.
April 19th, 2010 at 11:00 PM ^
damn I hate this time of year when these posts (no offense to the OP) are the only things that we have to get us through. Come on September.
Not for me - the DVR will be humming right along as I watch the spring game again every day.
April 19th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
played these scenarios out in my head soo many times it make me want to puke!!! With that said...... 8 wins!
April 20th, 2010 at 12:15 AM ^
Don't underestimate how important the UConn game is. If we can't beat UConn at home with all the emotion and intensity of opening day, how can we beat MSU, PSU, etc.? The first game sets a serious tone, especially with a young team. And for the dear love of God, we need to get a big road win, going to South Bend and winning would be huge, and I think it's very doable. Despite what SI/ESPN are saying, I don't think Dayne Crist is the second coming of Joe Montana.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say Michigan will never lose again. I've got it on good authority that this is going to happen. Stay tuned.
THE KNOWLEDGE?
If you got this from Raback it's cool.
that obviously needs help and no one seems to care?
I know no one wants to hear this, but it's possible Bowling Green won't be terrible.
is a toss up, regardless of how good or not good the Irish turn out to be. One consistent for Michigan since I have been alive, NEVER count a game in South Bend as win until you see the final score with 00s on the clock. With the exception of a miracle 30 second drive and field goal in 93 and the Manningham show in 06, there are not many good memories from South Bend.
UConn-win
Notre Dame-loss (don't hurt me, Notre Dame rallies around new coaches who always get the signature "Michigan win" leading to an ill-fated contract extension)
UMass-win big
Bowling Green-win big
Indiana-win close
MSU-win close
Iowa-lose close
PSU-lose clos'ish but not that close
Illinois-win huge(payback is a bitch)
Purdue-win really close
Wisconsin-win(bigger than you think)
OSU-the heartbreak continues for one more year, just one, can you take one more year, 2012 will be the year, and what a glorious day it will be.
Welcome to the 2011 Outback Bowl, the Michigan Wolverines v. nameless faceless SEC team, likely Auburn/Ole Miss.
Is OSU off the schedule in 2011?
that 2011. (Football season that officially ends in 2012-that trips me up at times.)
2010.