Consider watching Western Michigan v Syracuse Friday Evening
I know plenty of football starved people may be planning on watching the MSU vs USU (-23.5) game at 7 p.m. tomorrow night on BTN. However, what might be more relevant for Michigan's end of year results, is watching the Western Michigan game at 6:00 p.m. on CBS. It also may be a much better game.
Western plays Syracuse, at home. Syracuse beat Clemson last year, and is favored over Western Michigan by only 5.5. However, this is the only other game Western is predicted to lose (other than when they play Michigan next weekend). So, consider rooting for a team that might end up 11-1 with their only loss to Michigan, or just watch to scout them for next week as Western might give Michigan a fight. An additional wild card regarding this matchup is that Western Michigan has recruited two transfers from Syracuse over the past two years, including CB Juan Dowels who grad transferred to Western this May after spring practice with Syracuse. And then there's Drake Harris- former Michigan WR, now Bronco.
At 9:00 p.m. people have the option of watching Western Kentucky face Wisconsin on ESPN (+36.5), or San Diego State vs Stanford (+14) on Fox Sports 1. While neither of these games should be close, Stanford may not use much of its playbook as they play USC at home next weekend, and may try to save some for their rival. Wisconsin, on the other hand, plays another cupcake the following week in New Mexico. As a result I'd predict the Stanford game will be much closer, but of course Wisconsin has more B1G relevance for us.
Have fun and Go Blue!
August 30th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^
Wasn't former UM commit Matt Falcon on WMU?
August 30th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
Yes but he retired.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^
he falcon quit..... to many falcon knee problems
August 30th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^
For a minute there, I thought you were having a seizure. Haha.....
August 30th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
From a Freep article in Oct 2015:
"Falcon, 6-feet-1 and 220 pounds, committed to Michigan on April 8 and is part of a loaded running backs class with Prattville, Ala.'s Kingston Davis, plus two other players who are backs in high school but classified in recruiting as "athletes": Indianapolis' Chris Evans and Winchester, Ind.'s Kiante Enis."
Enis ended up committing to Indiana. He has since been kicked off of the team (and out of the school) for having sex with a 13-year old.
Kingston Davis committed to Michigan, but left after the 2016 season. He now is on the roster of UAB.
Chris Evans, you know.
Kareem Walker was the other RB commit for the 2016 class.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^
Also, Purdue vs. Northwestern is on tonight at 8 PM EDT. That seems even more relevant and you get to watch Brohm's inevitable new bag of trick plays!
August 30th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
super early B10 matchup, this could be a good game. If Northwestern doesn't watch it they could be in trouble. Is this early conference match up due to the added 9th game?
August 30th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^
Even if they watch it, they will still be in trouble. I'm picking Purdue. Purdue does well this year, ND only wins 8 games and ND fires Kelly, then ND hires Brohm away from Purdue, and George Karlaftis decommits from Purdue and commits to Michigan.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^
S&P+ has Western as an underdog in 6 games. It is the MAC so they are still coinflips. But I would not expect much more than 7-5 from WMU.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^
I don’t disagree with 7-5. They have a TON of talent still, but the coaching staff is unproven. That said, 10-2 still wouldn’t shock me.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
No, they don’t. They went 6-6 last year with a more talented roster.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
I said they have a ton of talent still, not more talent. They went 6-6 because they were devastated with injuries. And I think there’s more talent in some areas, less in others.
August 30th, 2018 at 4:24 PM ^
I would be shocked by a 10-2 season. I wasn’t impressed by Tim Lester’s first season at the helm with NFL talent at CB, OT & LB + loaded backfield at RB. This season my Broncos are lean at CB & DT and break in a new LB corps. Strengths again are RB & OL. I expect at least 7 wins but not expecting more than 9. Should be a good game tomorrow at waldo.
August 30th, 2018 at 3:35 PM ^
Technically they aren't the underdog in 6 games, but because most of their games are projected to be very close (yep it's the MAC), overall they are projected to win 6.3 games according to S&P+. If you recall their methodology is that if you’ve got a 60 percent chance of winning a game, you’re given only 0.6 projected wins for that week.
That being said, at this early stage ESPN has them essentially tied (Miami-O) or leading with chance to win on any specific game other than Syracuse and Michigan, so yeah, 10-2 is totally possible.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:57 AM ^
Stanford lost to SDSU last year. Assuming that they're going to win, to the point that they can shut down their playbook, seems like a massive stretch to me.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:03 AM ^
I was going to say "thanks for the advice but I'll go ahead and watch a non-terrible game"...but this is probably going to be the best game on, so cheers to you.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^
Seconded! My son plays baseball and goes to school with the Westen DC’s kid. Great family!
August 30th, 2018 at 11:08 AM ^
Dino Babers is going to take Western to the woodshed.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^
best coach name in the game
August 30th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^
If I were a well-to-do guy heading to South Bend on Friday to catch the Michigan game, you’d better believe I’d make the 90-minute trip to catch Real Live College Football the night before.
One of my college football regrets came in the early 00s. I was stopping in Memphis on a Thursday night on my way to Baton Rouge to see LSU and Ole Miss. As I was boredly hanging out, I found myself watching a Thursday night game between Clemson and FSU in Tallahassee.
And I realized that I could have gone to that game as well and missed nothing in the rest of my trip. I should’ve been there.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^
If MSU does what they usually do in their first game, play lethargic while their players continue to pound their chests and talk trash while up 3 points when they should be up 21, you won't miss much.
I think WMU/Syracuse sounds more interesting.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
I’ll watch both just fine with the million minutes of commercials in each.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^
This is the time of year I get reintroduced to the insane amount of commercials during football games. It's quite the shock at first because I really only watch Netflix and a little Hulu. I'll try to spend the commercials grabbing more booze, I guess.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
We got problems if they “give us a fight”
August 30th, 2018 at 11:53 AM ^
Got it.
Thanks
August 30th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
WMU is a projected middle of the pack team. Terrible defense, a mediocre QB, and lost their outstanding CB/KR Darius Phillips.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
I forgot Syracuse beat #2 Clemson, and it was only Dino's second year.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
Go Broncos! (Except Sept 8)
August 30th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
I will consider it. I will probably not have the option of watching it, however, because I am likely to be driving to beautiful western Michigan during the game. Perhaps I will find it on the radio.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
Also, consider Arizona State
August 30th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
Sorry to break it to you but Ohio's first and finest is gonna win the MAC.
August 30th, 2018 at 1:30 PM ^
I was actually planning to watch Syracuse / WMU merely out of morbid curiosity, as it sounds like one of those games where there is bound to be some sort of "HAHAHAHA" moment.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:11 PM ^
I live in Kalamazoo so I am going to the Western game and then driving to south bend the next day to see the M game.
August 30th, 2018 at 3:28 PM ^
That makes for a great weekend! Go Blue! Go Broncos!
August 31st, 2018 at 2:37 AM ^
No, thank you.