2012 Non Conference Schedule
I don't remember where I saw this, but it was to the fact that UM was working on still another big time opponent to fill one of the empty slots in the non-conference schedule for 2012 at home. Does anyone remember seeing this or have any further insight?
November 19th, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^
UM has one 1 title in the last 50 years. Lets not act like NOT winning the title or being in the hunt makes your program a failure. If we have a couple seasons with multiple losses then so be it.
I'd rather see UM play a great OOC every year then play all cupcakes and roll the dice in Big Ten play and a shot at a MNC. Then you are no better than Wisc. How many of us ridicule their joke OOC year in year out. And b/c of this WISC MUST go undefeated to play in the title. A one loss Wisc will never play in the title. And don't think that can't happen to UM (see 2006).
UM should set the standard for others. Kids want to play in BIG GAMES. not just national title games. You tell a kid we have Bama ,USC, UF, OU lined up over the next 10 years they will want some of that. You win some you lose some. If you win you spring board a big year. You lose you know what to work on and move on.
Losing 1 OOC to a legit power will not be looked down upon in the polls. If anything it will help when you are later piling up wins and that team you loss to is cruising along too.
I say 1 super power. ND. 1 mid tier BCS squad(historical 7win team). 1 cupcake every season. If we can't beat ND or a mid tier BCS team(maryland,texas tech, ASU, Pitt, s carolina) then we don't deserve a shot at the title anyways. UM could still lose to teh superpower and still play in the MNC anyways.
and since most superpowers won't sign up for home and homes I say we do neutral site games. The pay day can be generous at the right venue and the right team. most importantly like DB said its like an early season bowl game.
November 19th, 2010 at 3:05 PM ^
Most of the superpowers will do home & homes. Ohio State had home & home with USC in 2008–09. Alabama has Penn State in 2010–2011. Oklahoma has Tennessee in 2014–15. Miami (YTM) has Nebraska in 2014–15. Texas has Notre Dame in 2015–16.
I don’t think Brandon is planning on making a habit of neutral-site games. Jerry Jones offered him an extravagant sum to play Alabama in Arlington, but it also means Michigan will have only six home games that year. Rich folks and big corporations didn’t buy the luxury suites at Michigan Stadium so that they could watch the Wolverines play Alabama on TV.
In general, Brandon will want a minimum of seven home games, and unless the Big Ten goes to nine-game conference schedule, he’ll want to have eight at home some years (as they did in 2009, and will again in 2011).
November 19th, 2010 at 2:54 PM ^
With road games at ND, OSU, and Nebraska, plus Alabama as a de facto road game, I don’t think Brandon will be looking to make the schedule any more challenging in 2012. There are plenty of teams these days that schedule four cupcakes out-of-conference. Nobody will criticize Michigan for scheduling two.
Brandon did say that he is looking for more marquee opponents in the out-years, but not in 2012.
November 19th, 2010 at 3:44 PM ^
Don't forget this will be Denards senior year and we will finally finally finally be a veteran group!
Why schedule 2 (Maybe 3 if ND improves by then) OOC games??? The big ten slate is hard enough. We will be playing AT LEAST 5 top 25 teams, @Nebraska, @ OSU, @ ND, MSU, IOWA, neutral ALABAMA, B10 championship. 3 of those teams will likely be in the top 10 (NEB, OSU, Bama). Even with a veteran group it's highly unlikely that any team could get through that schedule unscathed. Why add another and make it virtually impossible? Not to mention the injury situation. Healthy teams are a must if you are going to win in the big ten, and scheduling 2 or 3 top 25 OOC teams is a great way to get players hurt and give them no time to rest before the long haul of the b10 slate.
November 19th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
Lets do UCF home and home, this way future Dr. Phillips or Pahokee or whatever other pipeline in Florida can see us slaughter them without having to travel far.
November 19th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
Does no one think that playing @ND, @OSU, @Nebraska, neutral Alabama, MSU, IOWA, B10 Championship is hard enough? That's going to result in a lot of injuries. Schedule some patty cakes so guys have a chance to heal before big games. Trust me that schedule right there with 2 cupcakes is a top 10 Strength of schedule. Why add another top 25 team and make it No. 1 SOS. Does no one want to play for a national title when denard is a senior and we have a veteran group?
November 19th, 2010 at 4:11 PM ^
I think cupcakes are under-rated. I like cupcakes and usually want more of them. Yumm!
November 19th, 2010 at 6:48 PM ^
I normally love tough schedules...after all, this is Michigan & we shouldn't be afraid to play ANYBODY...but 2012 is already a "killer schedule" with games v Alabama @ Dallas, @ ND, @ Nebraska & @ OSU!!
While I'm not a fan of scheduling a "cupcake" at any time, I think our 2012 schedule is already one of the toughest & we should schedule a "weaker" opponent at home. No App. St. or UMass but a MAC school would be fine with me.
I, for one, can't wait for 2012...going to do my best to get to Dallas for the 'Bama game!! GO, BLUE!!