2014 Football Road Record

I think the concept of "road woes" is a myth for the most part ... Each year involves too many variables - new players, coaches, stadiums, fans, momentum. Two prime examples are ND (Denard had the worst performance of his career against them and we still had a chance) and Nebraska (Denard gets hurt). Things like that happen that skew the road record problem. Those same things can happen at home and losses ensue.



That being said, I think we correct some of our history this next year. I see us going 3-2 or 4-1. I think we beat ND and Sparty. But the loss is OSU is a definite maybe.

Wins at Rutgers and NW though if we lost at NW somehow I wouldn't be shocked.

It looks likr 2-3 is a safe bet. But who knows. So far road games have not been kind to Hoke and co.

OSU is a must win next year. You can't start off 0-3 against Urban Meyer, with your only OSU win against a 6-6 team

Well I predict a loss at Notre Dame as they will be better. MSU loses a lot and I expect to win this game because our defense will be better and likely stop their power attack. Ohio Predict Ohio loses Miller to NFL, Their OC hermann Leaves for new job. They have to replace 4 offensive lineman and carlos hyde, Jordan Hall, Kenny Guiton are all gone. Ohio will be 50/50 and we have a great shot to beat them.

I'm oddly optimistic about next season.  We replace starters Thomas Gordon and Jabril Black on defense with Dymonte Thomas (probably) and Ondre Pipkins while keeping in tact a really really good linebacker core of Ryan, Morgan, and Ross.  Depth will be in our favor with guys like Ojemudia, Poggi, Stribling, and Gedeon all progressing.  Not to mention the addition of Jabrill Peppers. 

If we can avoid crippling injuries on defense, and if our offense can figure out how to gain some consistancy (that's the big 'if") then I really think we could win 4 of those road games and compete for the B1G title.

I think there's a good chance we turn the corner next year. I'll predict we lose to ND, but win the rest. 

I knew that MSU was a road game two years in a row, but NW too?  I guess I wasn't paying good enough attention.  Not that it matters THAT much, they're more like home games anyway.  And upside, I live closer to there than AA and I can go again this year.

But the question still remains regarding scheduling.  Da faq?

Miller will be gone.. This is being reported but just not confirmed yet

It has been said that Braxton has hit the ceiling in terms of accomplishments and wins. He might as well go to the NFL and become Troy Smith. I thought I read somewhere Urban thought Braxton wasn't ready for the NFL. This would come from Urban since he would be lost without his QB and the team would most likely become Florida without Tebow.

I hope so hard that Miller goes to the NFL.

They will be beatable, as will all of the others. We have the talent on both sides of the ball if we don't shoot ourselves or cramp up in our play calling.

I think Notre Dame could be a loss but I think we get W's against Ohio and Sparty. So maybe a 4-1 or 3-2 road record. I think this team will be improved next year and if they can generate any kind of running game with the RB whatsoever they will be in good shape. I think they will be pretty determined next year and on a mission to wipe this season away.

About the ND game. In recent years it hasn't seemed like an overly tough road environment. In 2010 we pulled out the win and should have won in 2012. Not sure about who they lose/return, but my impression is that it will be your standard 8-4/9-3 type ND squad.

It remains to be seen how well MSU can recover drom losing almost everyone on D. If Narduzzi leaves it will put another huge dent in that D. I think we can pull out the win if our offense finds some identity (maybe a big if).

NW and Rutgers are gimmes. OSU will be undoubtedly tough but they will probably regress a little after losing their entire offensive line (after all, tjat happens to everyone, not just us, right? Right??) Either way it will be a close game.

I'm thinking 3-2 or 4-1 if things roll our way.

Seems like the Irish suffered a similar season we did this year and will be hoping a reset on their season will help out, as we all do about Michigan.  The only advantage I see them having right now is home field, which is strong in that stadium but not insurmountable.

that's finished with a winning record during the regular season. The only road games we've won in the regular season are against teams with 6-6 records or worse.

One of the hallmarks of conference champions is that they go into the stadiums of good opponents and beat them.

Unless and until Hoke and his staff demonstrate that they can manage to lead Michigan to victory on the road against a good team during the regular season, we will not be anything more than mediocre.

If everyone is healthy:
WLB: JR James Ross starting, SO Gideon will be a viable backup.
Mike: SR Morgan starting, Bolden backing up.
SLB: SR Ryan back to full form, with hopefully some able body to back him up.

I think our linebackers next year will be able to stop Miller when they need to.

my cats announced this morning that UM's 2019 season will be undefeated. Write it down.

Those three losses that so many people are chalking up are toss-ups, in my opinion. Notre Dame has not been particularly impressive this year (8-4, just one blowout win against Air Force), I'm hoping Narduzzi gets a head coaching job this year and the defense falls off, and Ohio State is in line for a drop-off offensively with Hyde gone and Miller possibly leaving.

I'm not saying we'll go 5-0 in those games, but 2-3 is kind of pessimistic.

undefeated next year... my mindset.

Jeez, I can't believe people are writing off these games as automatic losses. The season is nine months away. On multiple threads lately I've been seeing this. Michigan replacing two o-linemen next year will be a disaster, but MSU and OSU replacing three and four is but a speedbump for each of them? Come on now. I'm not necessarily saying Michigan is going to go into Columbus and East Lansing and just crack skulls, but I do sincerely believe that, personnel-wise, the two-deep is oh-so-close to that tipping point where what the coaches would like to do, and the tools to do it, finally meet. I think there needs to be at least a modicum of trust in people who are paid handsomely to evaluate progress (not just the coaches, but Brandon as well), to give them some benefit of the doubt that there is progress that simply isn't visible to us yet. At the very least I'm waiting until the bowl game before I start loading the lifeboats.

Given the schedule, that seems about right although I could see winning one of the tough 3.

On the flip side, we have a really good shot at winning all of our home games next year.  But I see a 9-3 season for 2014.

Then in 2015, we edge up to 10-2 (losing at Utah and PSU), but win the B1G East and the B1G.

Hey ! Let's get started being a downer and douche bag for next seasons projections too !  Hurray !

Really - your projections are based on your and the board's pitiful mob mentality this season.  Get over it.  You saw what the team can do Saturday.  Shit happens during seasons.  Borges is going to be OC'ing for his career and should be pretty close to what we saw Saturday.

Your analysis of teams is sophomoric.  

Worst case is at most 2 losses.  Realistic based on this team's roster and the opponents is 1 loss.

Braxton Miller sans Carlos Hyde is a loss next season if that's the case.  They guys on OSU behind Hyde are not in his category.  No Hyde Saturday and we would have won by 2 touchdowns.

2-3.  There is nothing yet in Hoke's resume at Michigan that should give us any sense of false security that we're going to turn things around and start winning road games against quality opponents. We have yet to win even one road game against a team with a better than 500 record.

Until I see it happen once I'm betting against it happening.  

fall off of a cliff next year.  They con't have the recruiting to remain consistant.  They are likely losing 7 from their defense and more importantly Narduzzi (hopefully).  State could easily be a 6-6 team next year. 

If our OL gels (i know, I know) we could be looking at a season like State is having this year.  We need to start winning on the road....i think that happens with maturity and we will start to see that next year.  ALSO- we just seem to have ND's number lately.  Devin will go for 450 yds on them and our D is going to make a mightly leap forward next year. 

How can ND allow Everett Golson back into school?  Wow!  The Pope would bounce his ass off campus!

I could see a loss @Rutgers. I am always weary of away games to stadiums no one on the team has ever seen before. This is why I thought we'd win our home game against Nebraska in 2011 and lose the road trip in 2012. I hope Rutgers is just really bad.

I don't think @NW is a real road game.

At this point, with this coaching staff, every road game is a tossup, from OSU to Purdue. Our road performances are so woeful that until proven otherwise, I have zero faith that this staff can win a road game against a good opponent.



Call me a pessimist, but given the results over the past three years, I also consider myself a realist.

Oh-fer

Okay maybe over Rutgers.

also loses 4 starting OL and their D will be equal to what it is now if not worse. not sure what ND will have for returning starters on both sides of the ball

Not sure why we'd be worried about Gholson. He was never that amazing and now hasn't played for a year and we get him early. My feelings on Sparty depend on Narduzzi's status. Northwestern is what they are and have ways been. Miller didn't beat us this year, Hyde did, and I hope the loss of him will be more of a loss than the gain of home field advantage. These are my thoughts but after this year I offer no predictions.

ND - Going out on a limb and saying we win. Golson is back, but he wasn't great by any stretch last year, so I'm not convinced he's the solution. Plus they lose Tuitt and Nix with no apparent replacement.

Rutgers - This should be a win. They were a mediocre AAC team, so they should be a mediocre-at-best B1G team.

MSU - Sadly, we contine this awful stretch of losing. It's no longer a "let's spend 364 days gameplanning for this," it's just a team with a great defense and generally effective-enough offense. As long as Dantonio is there, winning in East Lansing isn't going to be easy.

Northwestern - Win. No more Kain Colter, and Siemian isn't the Unstoppable Throw God he was last year. Venric Mark returning is scary, but without a truly mobile QB he's not the same threat from the RB spot.

OSU - Loss. No more Hyde, but they're not exactly hurting for offensive playmakers, as it would be incredibly surprising to see Miller go to the NFL when he doesn't have a viable position. 11 games to get a new OL to gel, plus returning all that DL talent, and it's going to be tough to win in Columbus.

@ND - I think their defense will take a step back. I don't think Gholston is a game changer, and I think our defense takes a big step forward. It'll be a challenge. But I think we win



@RU - Win

@NW - Win

@MSU - Their defense also loses a ton. Their offense might take a step forward, but I don't think they'll ever be anything much more than effective and efficient (i.e not scary, explosive). Win, we need it.

@OSU - I think they'll be better. But I also believe we'll be much better. I think we'll be good enough to beat a great team on the road. Loss, but it's a push.



I have a reputation for being an optimist. I think our program takes a permanent step forward next year. 10 wins, even with the schedule. At least 2-1 versus rivals. And don't underestimate a team that has been beaten up verbally and physically as underclassmen. Just like 2011, I think we'll have a chip on our shoulder - except we'll also be a better team across the board.

My son and I have met in AA for a football weekend every season since 2002.  With the crappy home slate for 2014, we are thinking its time for a road trip to an away game.  Targeting ND for  the series finale or the first-ever visit to Rutgers.  Thoughts, anyone?

GO BLUE!

I predict Michigan wins some road games, loses others.

No one is concerned that Hoke has not won a game on the road against a team that finished above .500, in THREE years?

We'll be on the road against our two Rivals who combined have one loss in 2013. MSU has eaten Borges's lunch three years straight and OSU may still be undefeated under Meyer and the reigning national champs...

Not trying to be a negative Nancy, but when your OC has had like, 10 games under 300 yards and like, 5 games without TDs... and the head coach is HAPPY with the job the guy is doing... well, what can you expect really.

My prediction is that the line still sucks, and Space Coyote will have to explain to everyone how you have to wait for that magical year when all 5 of your offensive linemen are 5* RS Seniors with three years starting experience in order to average above 3 yards/attempt. It would not shock me if we lost all of our road games, though I will probably still go to at least 3 of them.

I'm not worried about Golson personally. I don't really think he is that good to be honest. I think we beat notre dame

at this point, i'd be much more concerned about the Minn game at home than @NW

If they lose 3 out of 5 of those there should be wholesale changes to the staff and a complete re-evalatuion of the direction of the program.

Well, if you used the Sagarin numbers right now to predict 2014 - which is a not the best thing to do because of the lack of 2014 data, so take the conclusion for what it is worth - we could likely be 2-3. We would be favored against Rutgers and Northwestern, a slight underdog against ND and a sizeable underdog against MSU and Ohio State. Again, that's based on present data, which may or may not mean as much in 2014. There's still much we don't know.