Brandstatter on Huge: "I like Michigan's chances against Utah."
Great to hear Brandstatter's breakdown on Huge Show right now. Very solid observations. Like most of us, he sees Peppers as the #1 breakout player. He hedges on concrete predictions, pointing out a tough schedule - "they'll probably be underdogs in five of their games."
Absolutely no predictions on the Lions, tho...
August 26th, 2015 at 4:22 PM ^
I think Brandstatter is pretty on point with this observation.
August 26th, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^
After last year staying competitive in every game is going to be a step in the right direction honestly.
We beat Utah and who knows I could see us being in that 10-2 category.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:47 PM ^
Of course Brandstatter thinks Michigan has a chance to win. He played for Bo. Nobody thought Michigan had a chance to beat Ohio State in Brandstatter's sophomore year, 1969. We all know how that turned out.
Michigan has a chance to win every game they play this year. I think they are going to win more than a lot of people think. Thanks to the element of surprise against Utah, I am more afraid of BYU in their offseason schedule.
August 26th, 2015 at 9:08 PM ^
Anytime 1969 is mentioned I smile...
August 26th, 2015 at 4:32 PM ^
I liked the Titanic's chances against that ice berg...
August 26th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
You clearly didn't see that iceberg's pad level.
August 26th, 2015 at 10:10 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 4:37 PM ^
I would have too with a better captain. We have the best captain there is, so yeah. He won't be steering us into any ice.
August 26th, 2015 at 4:44 PM ^
Sigurd J. Hansen.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:18 PM ^
It is hard to win when you have a staff and department that seem to have an attitude like this:
August 26th, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^
That was no iceberg, that was Charlie Weis.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:08 PM ^
All of Weis' edges are rounded off, no way he causes that sort of damage.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:27 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 5:21 PM ^
You're comparing Utah to an iceberg? And why would you like any ships chances against an iceberg? (the smallest weigh about 200,000 tons; the Titanic was 52,000 tons). Great analogy bro.
August 26th, 2015 at 9:04 PM ^
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August 26th, 2015 at 10:06 PM ^
They told me it was unsinkable. Pfft. Engineers. What do they know?
August 26th, 2015 at 7:57 PM ^
Man, you're old. Congrats on surviving the sinking though. Not many in steerage did...
August 26th, 2015 at 9:01 PM ^
You liked the Irish's chances against Alabama in the title game a couple years ago, too.
August 26th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
I like our chances as well. Everything points to the team being better in every regard, including the incredible coaching staff.
There is a lot of talent on this team and I am confident that Harbaugh and his team of coaches will bring out the best in all of the guys.
August 26th, 2015 at 4:45 PM ^
I think we definitely have a shot. Utah didn't do a lot offensively against us last year. They scored one TD on a punt return and kicked a bunch of long field goals. Our turnovers (we had four) were the big difference in the game.
August 26th, 2015 at 4:48 PM ^
Being a Michigan fan means being incredibly pessimistic it seems for some. Jim turned around SF in one year and we're not in as big of a hole as Stanford was in. We'll be much better this year.
August 26th, 2015 at 6:42 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 5:11 PM ^
ZOMG bulletin board material! This is deeply disrespectful.
To MSU. Somehow, I'm sure.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:15 PM ^
centers around those 5 games where Michigan will be the underdog. Most think M will lose the obvious 2 then maybe one or two of the other 3 and end up 9-3 or 8-4. Then there are the nonbelievers like BTNs Glenn Mason (a former buckeye player and former coach of Minnesota) who stated "you can't win games with mystic" when queried whether Michigan might be a dark horse to win the bgtn East. He seems to think Michigan is not capable of winning any of those games.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:16 PM ^
UM by at least 7.
Book it.
August 26th, 2015 at 5:29 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 5:37 PM ^
Surprised? I doubt it. They are well coached and it is not like Harbaugh is a mystery.
I am sure they are preparing like it is a whole new team. Whether that preperation will be successful is a whole other story.
I bet they dont spend much time looking at last years film of this game
August 26th, 2015 at 6:01 PM ^
I have nothing to base this on other than my blatant homerisms and the Jack Daniels I'm "sipping" but, gotdammit, Michigan is going to win.
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August 26th, 2015 at 6:47 PM ^
I couldn't say it better. My thoughts exactly!
August 26th, 2015 at 6:38 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 6:41 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 6:42 PM ^
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August 26th, 2015 at 6:50 PM ^
No one really knows how good UM will be. As good as Harbaugh is it is possible that Michigan struggles. Alabama did in Saban's first season.(6-6 and included a loss to Louisiana-Monroe.)
The Michigan football program has to earn back the national respect it once had. Utah is the first step.
August 26th, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
August 27th, 2015 at 8:55 AM ^
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August 26th, 2015 at 7:17 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 9:37 PM ^
And we lost Mone. I have not heard anything about our D-Line play. So if Utah has an advantage in the running game, I think that will make things difficult for us. I don't think it's a likely loss, but I am concerned about our D-Line.
August 26th, 2015 at 10:32 PM ^
August 26th, 2015 at 6:43 PM ^
We'll get a measuring stick, real quick.
My only fear is we had years where we'd beat a touted ND team early and then shit the bed.
Nonetheless, I see this team improving week to week, so a win over Utah would be huge. Regardless, I've said this a million times...I expect the team we put on the field versus OSU to beat the team we put on the field against Utah by more than 2 touchdowns.
I expect a Beilein level of improvement throughout the season.
I remember in the 90's and early 2000's, the only thing I hated about the OSU game being last was that they always got better throughout the year and the games where they struggled early, they'd get the kinks out and be a completely different team in November.
I think that's us this year. I'll take any kind of win versus Utah. 3-0, I don't give a damn. I just want to win it because I think by the time we get to November...lookout, we're going to be that team people are afraid to play.
August 26th, 2015 at 7:07 PM ^
Frankly, I don't know what to think other than Utah is a team that is capable of winning this game.
Beyond that, there is a gigantic question mark until we see Michigan take the field.
This could be a great game that goes back and forth, or it could be a 40 point blowout either way.
I tend to believe that we'll see some growing pains, but this is a game that could be winnable. And a win right out the gate on the road against a solid opponent that beat these guys at home last year would be friggin' huge.
I just wouldn't put money on this either way.
August 26th, 2015 at 7:35 PM ^
I think that Michigan likely loses this one close (too many things need to go right) but that we beat the Buckeyes in November. The improvement in the team from September to November will get Harbaugh the kudos he deserves.
August 26th, 2015 at 7:48 PM ^
if Harbaugh can take potential talent and turn it into true on the field talent. I'm not sure what years of poor to average coaching has done to many of our top recruits over the past 3 or 4 years. For some reason I think it will take half of a season before our offense becomes good! Though if our D is great we could win this game and many of our first games this season. I could see a 10 point win over UT, a close win or loss by less than 3 points or an easy UT win by over 20 points. Even if we lose I think Harbaugh will have a good first season.
August 27th, 2015 at 8:33 AM ^
Matter of fact, I've put a sizable bet on that game. And I didn't take Utah. :)
August 27th, 2015 at 9:37 AM ^
I like Michigan's chances in all their games this year. Is that really so wrong? I expect the team to play hard for four quarters every game and I don't see any blowouts on the schedule, especially given how this team played ohio state the last two years (7 out of 8 quarters at least) without Harbaugh.
I won't predict a win/loss, but I will predict no double digit losses. Harbaugh will have this team in every game!