Desmond pick M to win NC
College Gameday had their season preview this morning at 11, and in the predictions section Desmond Howard picked M to beat Wisconsin in the B1G Championship game, then beating Alabama in the NC game. While "from Desmond's lips to God's ears" comes to mind, and I love the prediction, I'm not ready to go there myself.
In less notable news, Herbie picked Bama over Clemson in the title game, but also as stated yesterday is "very high" on M this year.
How about you, are you with Desmond?
August 25th, 2018 at 1:42 PM ^
We’re pretty good fans. We deserve this. Happen, please!
August 25th, 2018 at 1:55 PM ^
no more mediococracy. . .
August 25th, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^
can't go there without seeing the team play at least a few games...
i love the talk of upgrades to the OLine, QB, WRs...but there's no evidence to suggest they are 'that' much better from last year.
now, i hope they can overachieve, and there's zero question that the Defense will be elite.
if the Offense is reasonably productive (in the 40s of total offense) and they limit TO's then there's definitely an outside chance that they 'could' be in that conversation...
but its August... often fans over estimate how good their team really is - and in this case, doubly so because no one (until tomorrow) has see anything except for a few clips on BTN.
in the immortal words of Mike Tyson: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth".
we'll see how they look on the road vs ND at night
August 25th, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^
This is our year.
Book it.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:05 PM ^
Michigan has a chance to win it if we gets some bounces. Teams like Bama, Clemson and Georgia have a chance to win it even if they get some bad bounces.
August 26th, 2018 at 12:03 AM ^
And OSU. I noticed you left them off your elite list but that won't magically make them an average team. As a matter of fact, I'd say the top three programs in CFB are Alabama, OSU and then Clemson... Georgia would be lucky to be top 10.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:07 PM ^
He is a true competitor. I imagine this was his attitude every game at Michigan. Love it.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
Is it september 1st yet
August 25th, 2018 at 2:09 PM ^
Love him, but Des is more of a homer than Herbie. I'm happy to be pleasantly surprised, though.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:09 PM ^
Not trying to put the cart before the horse but if this team can reach the playoff, they are good enough to win it, full stop. Reaching the playoff means winning 5 of the following 6 games. @ND, @MSU, @OSU, Wisconsin (x2), and Penn State.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:15 PM ^
Michigan's road to the National Championship seems like it would be rough and long, but if key moments go our way, certainly not impossible. That said, I could see winning our division and conference as comparatively more likely, if we're going to make this the bold prediction thread.
NOTE: I am not actually predicting anything. I want to try and enjoy a season week-to-week for the first time in a while.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:20 PM ^
I usually predict this every year so yeah.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:27 PM ^
I just want to see M beat MSU & OSU. Go to a championship game? Go to College playoff? It would be awesome but for now I just want to beat these two teams.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:32 PM ^
Nice Pick, 21.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:34 PM ^
Sure. I’m in
August 25th, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^
If Michigan makes it into the playoff with this schedule, they'd have to be the favorite to win. They will have run through great defenses and great offenses and also Rutgers. Even with one close loss during the season, I'd say Desmond gets bragging rights for next year.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:42 PM ^
The X factor Is always injuries, and when you have a patsy schedule like Wisconsin and Ohio State, you rest your best players a lot more, and that snowballs into better likely performance at the end of the season. The converse is true for us, given our brutal schedule. If we miraculously stay healthy somehow, we are totally in it and I can see where Desmond is coming from .
August 25th, 2018 at 2:55 PM ^
Im ready to go there. The Oline was the only iffy part pre-spring but as time has gone by Ive become certain it will be, if not a strength, at least not a detriment. Everything else is already at championship level. Tangibly and intangibly, this team is primed to win it all.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:59 PM ^
My fear is that since we consume ourselves with UM info - we tend to develop expectations which are not balanced. Most everyone we play will be better than last year. Is it possible that we are "double-better"? I hope so....
August 25th, 2018 at 4:32 PM ^
I agree that many of us may develop expectations which aren't balanced, but look at the pre-season All American lists to back up our optimism. Pending injuries of course, I'd have a hard time finding a better team on paper / past few years than ours within the scope of Michigan football. It's been well documented that really the only negative for our team the last few years has been the offense. You bring in a 5 star transfer in Patterson who did well in the SEC with being a young QB, you have 2 dynamic RB's, great tight ends, a young WR group who flashed potential last year that masks their 4 and 5 star rankings, and an O-Line with a ton of talent / potential that now has a very respected O-Line coach who's simplified things for them. That's why I don't think it's a stretch to think we have a legitimate shot at the national title. I mentioned in an earlier thread about the comparisons to the 2006 team, and if it wasn't for a late hit call in Columbus (sounds very familiar given the 2016 ending) we win that game and have a shot at the national title. No reason to believe this team can't do it.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:02 PM ^
Yes.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:08 PM ^
Des is dead to me until he bitch slaps Herbie for his take on urban. Do the right thing Desmond.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:59 PM ^
For his completely rational take on urban? Ok.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:17 PM ^
God Bless you Desmond Howard!
August 25th, 2018 at 3:48 PM ^
Harbaugh is an excellent coach despite some of the fanbase being morons and some of the media bashing him. He knows what happened last year. Michigan should have lost 3-4 last year with the players they lost from the previous year. Harbaugh's coaching staff had major issues as well on the offensive side. This was from allowing to many hands in the pot along with their bestowed titles. Personally, I thought Michigan was way too predictable on offense with Drevno at the helm calling a majority of the shots and this is probably why Jed and Wheatley left to begin with. Harbaugh's offense in his second year was way to vanilla to go the playoffs and despite mediocre QB play from Speight, they almost made it. This is why he changed his entire offensive staff and recruited Shea Patterson to UM. He will be the OC this year period AND he finally has a QB that can take Michigan to the next level. Peters is a MAC level QB and if he OR McCaffrey were that good then they would be playing. Milton will take over after Patterson leaves.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:00 PM ^
C'mon, Desmond. You gotta know your reputation as a homer. Your leaning into it pretty hard.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:11 PM ^
Ive said it since last year fall camp. This is going to be the best season in the history of Michigan football. 2019 is the reckoning. College football is about to get violently shook up. National champions this year and a top 5 class. Game. On.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
I think Desmond is taking advantage of a year when it's quite practical for Michigan to be in contention. Let's face it, this D is going to be nasty, real nasty. Add in a competent QB to some solid skill players, and it's not that far fetched. Don't be surprised if we beat ND the fuck down. I expect it.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^
Agree, I can see a curb stomp in ND. They do not have the offense to deal with our defense and I think Brown will have some special packages dealt up for them. I also like the confidence I've heard from Patterson in recent interviews. Sounds like he's very aware of the expectations and it doesn't faze him at all, he embraces it. Some QB's you could think it's just talk, but he's a young QB who had success in the SEC, so I don't think it's lip service from him.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:57 PM ^
Yeah, he had some success against the weaker SEC teams. Let's not forget that the B1G east is the toughest division in college football now.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
Didn't Desmond do something like this last year?
He's starting to get a little Holtz-y.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:56 PM ^
He's getting to the point where nobody takes him seriously anymore. He needs to take some lessons from Herbie
August 25th, 2018 at 4:41 PM ^
It may be possible but I would be happy beating MSU and OSU in the same season. May be a B1G championship and on to the playoffs.
August 25th, 2018 at 5:40 PM ^
We should have the best all around defense in the country with a handful of game changers on that side of the ball (Gary, Winovich, Hudson, Bush, Hill, Long)
If Patterson is as advertised, and we get creative with the offense, this team has the talent. Loaded at receiver, thunder and lightning at RB.
Tackles hold up please.
August 25th, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
Harbaugh is an excellent coach despite some of the fanbase being morons and some of the media bashing him. He knows what happened last year. Michigan should have lost 3-4 last year with the players they lost from the previous year. Harbaugh's coaching staff had major issues as well on the offensive side. This was from allowing to many hands in the pot along with their bestowed titles. Personally, I thought Michigan was way too predictable on offense with Drevno at the helm calling a majority of the shots and this is probably why Jed and Wheatley left to begin with. Harbaugh's offense in his second year was way to vanilla to go the playoffs and despite mediocre QB play from Speight, they almost made it. This is why he changed his entire offensive staff and recruited Shea Patterson to UM. He will be the OC this year period AND he finally has a QB that can take Michigan to the next level. Peters is a MAC level QB and if he OR McCaffrey were that good then they would be playing. Milton will take over after Patterson leaves.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:02 PM ^
To be completely fair, I called Desmond Howard a homer, and wasn't all that surprised when he picked Michigan to win it all.
However, I must point out that Gary Danielson, CBS' SEC announcer, picked Michigan to make the playoff as well.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:53 PM ^
Feels like those picks were influenced by the urban meyer situation... Can't say that imI very optimistic that it will have any impact on their on field performance this season. I haven't checked the Vegas odds but I'd be willing to guess that the Urban drama hasn't dragged down OSU's title odds much.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:55 PM ^
Love Desmond. Love the pick. Then again, I've loved Meeeechigan to win every game for over 40 years. Bring on the Irish!!
GO BLUE!!
August 25th, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
Have to say I'm digging the pick but that's only if I look at it purely subjectively. I like Des but he's looking to be as big a homer for Michigan as Lou Holtz is for ND. Lou would have the Irish beating the 1972 Dolphins if he were asked.
If Shea performs like he's capable of, and if the O line can protect him, and if the team doesn't suffer big injuries like they did last year, and if the D performs like we all expect it to, then yeah the team will compete with the best in the land and challenge for the title. At this point my optimistic view has UM making the CFP. The less optimistic view has the team in a NY6 bowl.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:49 PM ^
Dez is such a homer. We rip on Herbie for being too pro-osu but in all honesty Dez is even worse.
August 26th, 2018 at 12:05 AM ^
Ahhh yeah! Nothing like a good ole August national title followed by a September Heisman!
August 26th, 2018 at 1:05 AM ^
Let's go get it.
August 26th, 2018 at 3:03 AM ^
If we do win nobody can ever challenge Desmond again on that shitty set.
August 26th, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
In roughly 25 years of watching UM football, of all those years, I feel best about this particular team (‘97 was a happy surprise). I’m not saying UM will win out but this team is as capable as any in UMs history.