Angelique predicts Michigan to finish 10-2 (7-2)
Losses to PSU and OSU.
i think she only got one game wrong.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
OSU's defense "should be outstanding." ...what?
This looks like an article she conceived of and wrote all within about 10 minutes.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:25 PM ^
She's probably one game off.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
A loss to ND instead of PSU?
August 25th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Or 2.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:21 PM ^
One game off as in 11-1 or one game off as in 9-3?
August 25th, 2019 at 9:29 PM ^
That's my question as well. If umbig11 is calling for us to go 11-1... well, that's a thing. I don't recall him ever being that optimistic.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:59 PM ^
I'm hoping it's 11-1. The lack of tackles that Brian keeps speaking of, plus transition costs moving to a new offense and the possible risk of Gattis maybe not being good at playcalling has me worried.
That said, I just want to kick back and have some fun. I am tired of all the negativity, honestly. Every year I get my hype meter to 11 and get disappointed with some aspect or other I wasn't anticipating, or that I was irrationally exuberant about, then I get down. And I think it happens with some other folks.
I've had a lady I know howling for Harbaugh's head for a year now, like we just need to go to the 'championship coach store' and pick one up.
This year, I'm just going to try to enjoy the ride and enjoy the wins. We're way better off than under RR or Hoke and similar to what we were when I was on campus. So my goal this season is to enjoy it like I did those seasons.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:26 PM ^
Perhaps she means compared to the Michigan defense?
Given how much was lost from 2018, until they show otherwise, I'll be whistling past the graveyard.
August 25th, 2019 at 8:03 PM ^
I think Michigan fans are underestimating OSU's defense. They have athletes everywhere and just need a coordinator who can put them in a spot to succeed. They weren't abysmal last year, 26th in S&P+, and only lost Dremont Jones(Bosa barely played) to the draft. With about 15 top 100 prospects as 2nd and 3rd year players, a simpler bend but don't break defense that trusts their players to make 1 on 1 plays should be exactly what OSU needs to succeed after last season.
Is it enough to win when talent levels are equal? No, but that doesn't matter against all but a couple B1G teams. However, preventing big plays and making teams like Purdue and Maryland drive full fields should cut down on shootouts and push them into a top 10 defensive rank.
August 25th, 2019 at 8:42 PM ^
Well, we all know gmatt isn't the guy that's going do that! Im glad he went to OSU. I hope Michigan shoves it down his throat
August 25th, 2019 at 10:00 PM ^
Their defense will be fine, if slightly under motivated.
It's their offense that will slurp cooler.
August 25th, 2019 at 8:07 PM ^
Well, it should be. They have 2 projected first round draft picks in Young and Okudah. There's boatloads of talent on the defense. There really is no reason it shouldn't be a top 10 defense.
August 26th, 2019 at 12:06 AM ^
It is not like they didn't have talent last year yet they were not a top 10 defense. Let us what Mattison can do but I am not sold on him. We had good but not great defenses under him
August 25th, 2019 at 8:09 PM ^
The only week spot might br LB, and Tuf Borland and Malik Harrison are back with 5 star Baron Browning ready to step in. They might be outstanding.
August 25th, 2019 at 8:13 PM ^
If you don't think the osu defense will be really good, you don't know much about football
August 25th, 2019 at 8:26 PM ^
I know Greg Mattison is a great coach. But Ohio Sts defense was ranked #68 last year. They were blown away by Purdue, gave up 31 to Nebraska, and 51 to Maryland. Sure you need to respect them. But are they going to be 'really' good?
August 25th, 2019 at 9:08 PM ^
That same defense made Michigan look like amateur hour.
So until Michigan proves otherwise, count me in the probably "L" to OSU crowd.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:34 PM ^
We scored 39 points on them last year. How did their defense make Michigan look like amateur hour? Am I misunderstanding you?
August 25th, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
We scored 19 when it mattered. And one of those TD was gift wrapped.
OSU took a knee on our 5 yard line to end the game.
The Game version of OSU is only one that matters. They are gonna be tough as shit.
August 26th, 2019 at 7:26 PM ^
In that case, UofM's defense held OSU to only a one score lead all the way until inside of 5:00 in the 3Q, when OSU was gift wrapped a TD; unfortunately, without an offense dynamic enough to come from behind plus a Dline coach distracted by new listings on Zillow, UofM got shellac'd for the last 20 minutes.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:01 PM ^
Angelique does not write for people with any access to insider knowledge (i.e. readers of mgoblog). After being on here for a few years and then reading a few of her articles I realized she's just like every other national writer that talks about Michigan. Goes to press conferences and extracts what she wants to support a predetermined narrative. Not much insider access, at least not that she knows how to use.
August 25th, 2019 at 11:05 PM ^
She definitely had insider access under Lloyd Carr. Those 2 got along: Carr wrote the forward to her book back in 2009.
But the last 11+ years - eh.
August 26th, 2019 at 1:10 AM ^
I agree their defense won’t be dominant with turn coat Matty G but I still don’t think she’s wrong for picking OSU to beat us with the results we’ve seen under harbaugh. After last year’s finish, this program could certainly use a dose of humility. Knowing that our players and coaches read this site and what’s said about them on social media, it would probably help the program if we all just let things play out and allow the team to lay low and just grind.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:26 PM ^
A loss to OSU would be a bummer. A loss to Franklin would be an indictment of the current coaching staff.
August 25th, 2019 at 7:55 PM ^
People shouldn't dismiss PSU so flippantly. Franklin isn't the brightest bulb, but they still have a fairly stacked roster and it's going to be at Happy Valley and I assume we're gonna get the white out / night game treatment. It's not gonna be an easy out
August 25th, 2019 at 7:58 PM ^
Franklin sucks ass. If he manages to beat Michigan without Moorhead pulling the strings, then people need to reevaluate the ceiling of this program under Harbaugh.
Gattis knows Franklin well, and our offense is loaded. We should eviscerate them.
August 25th, 2019 at 8:42 PM ^
It’s a road game in an incredibly hostile environment against a team that will likely have a top 10 defense and athletes all over the field on offense. It only takes one missed tackle on kj hamler to score a touchdown. Could easily be a game we lose 24-20
August 25th, 2019 at 9:16 PM ^
No doubt he will be doodling a lot....
August 25th, 2019 at 9:26 PM ^
If Michigan is going to lose to every good team we ever play outside of the Big House, then Harbaugh needs to get fired. Teams beat good teams on the road. Michigan should too. If they can't beat a good Penn State team coached by Franklin, then we should all get used to 10-3 with a shitty loss in the bowl game.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
In all fairness, the media picking us to lose to Ohio state is probably good for the overall health of our program. Unfortunately our players have been notorious for reading this site, Twitter, and the press clippings about the team and it’s in our best interest if they know that no one is going to pick them to beat osu until they actually go out there and beat them on the field. They need to stay focused and stay humble.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
Are we supposed to be afraid of Penn St??
There are some teams I'm concerned about but PSU is a ways down the list
August 25th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Penn State has the potential to have an elite defense, but their offense will probably stink. We have them in Happy Valley, so it's at least a little concerning.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:24 PM ^
That sounds like MSU.
August 26th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
But unlike MSU, PSU actually has elite athletes that can do real damage. MSU doesn’t have a KJ Hamler type threat.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:34 PM ^
August 25th, 2019 at 6:37 PM ^
It would be so nice to have a Michigan team who went on the road at night against a solid team and just “handled business.” Seriously, when was the last night that exact thing happened? 2006 at Penn State? I think that’s it. Iowa 2016 was set to be that and then the second quarter started.
August 25th, 2019 at 7:15 PM ^
There's rumblings that it won't be a night game.
August 25th, 2019 at 7:21 PM ^
That would be welcomed. Fox a lot of their Big Ten games at noon. Wonder who has the game. That game becomes a lot more manageable in the day light. That place is seriously bonkers under the lights.
August 25th, 2019 at 8:11 PM ^
For college football fans within the Big Ten and Big 12, you may want to look away.
FOX, which has first television dibs on all Big Ten games and several Big 12 contests this fall, plans to place its top matchup every Saturday in the noon timeslot, according to New York Postreporter Andrew Marchand.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
I LOVE night games. Love being able to watch Michigan with a beer when the day is done....
But I'd take a noon start at PSU any day over a night game white out.
August 25th, 2019 at 7:52 PM ^
I am hoping Fox picks it up as their “game of the week.” Noon start. I have heard those rumblings too.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:44 PM ^
Looking at the schedule that week, I'd be pretty surprised if they didn't tab our game. The only games even close to consideration would be Baylor/Ok State, TCU/K State, and Purdue/Iowa. All of those options would need some help to be as attractive as UofM/PSU. Fingers crossed for a day game!
August 25th, 2019 at 6:32 PM ^
who cares
August 25th, 2019 at 6:35 PM ^
August 25th, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^
I read the headline putz, nothing else.
Get your game ready, clearly you have no game.
August 25th, 2019 at 7:17 PM ^
And yet, you're still here.
August 26th, 2019 at 5:47 PM ^
you made me laugh +1 from me
August 25th, 2019 at 6:36 PM ^
I understand the "Whiteout" environment will be challenging, but there is only one year in the Harbaugh era where Penn State's offense proved to be effective enough to win the game. And, Saquon Barkley will not be in that backfield this year. The key to winning that game will be to jump on them with an early score and take the crowd out of the game. If Michigan can hang 10+ points on them in the first quarter, our defense should be able to contain them while we keep scoring. That crowd will be silent in the 2nd half. Early score and hellacious defense will win that game for the Wolverines.
As far as OSU - Day ain't Meyer, and Fields ain't Haskins! New year, new team... new result!
August 25th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
The issue is not really Penn State, the issue is night and on the road. See my post above. It has been 13 years since we have won a game like that one appears to be. It has been 3 coaches including this one. I have come to simply expect a bed-shitting.
August 25th, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^
I simply don't believe in that kind of carryover. I base my analysis in real time. Further, what was the Northwestern game last year? It was on the road against the West champions, and finished at night under the lights.
It's like we only count losses around here and never wins.