An early look at the 2013 schedule
For the sake of talking about something other than Al Borges, I've pasted the 2013 schedule below. It's an interesting one.
It's obviously too early to know how strong these teams will be, but you could make a case that the three toughest teams on our schedule (ND, OSU, and Nebraska) come to Ann Arbor, while we visit the next four toughest teams on the schedule (PSU, Northwestern, MSU, and Iowa). That could be a recipe for a whole lot of "toss-up" / "slight Michigan lean" games. If our 2013 team looks really good (because of who comes back, how we play early, etc.), it's conceivable that we could be favored in every game on the schedule. If our 2013 team isn't good, it's conceivable that we could be underdogs in half of them.
All things considered, I like this schedule much, much better than the 2012 schedule.
| 2 0 1 3 | |
| Date | Opponent |
| Aug. 31 | CENTRAL MICHIGAN |
| Sept. 7 | NOTRE DAME |
| Sept. 14 | AKRON |
| Sept. 21 | at Connecticut |
| Sept. 28 | Bye Week |
| Oct. 5 | MINNESOTA* (HC) |
| Oct. 12 | at Penn State* |
| Oct. 19 | INDIANA* |
| Oct. 26 | Bye Week |
| Nov. 2 | at Michigan State* |
| Nov. 9 | NEBRASKA* |
| Nov. 16 | at Northwestern* |
| Nov. 23 | at Iowa* |
| Nov. 30 | OHIO STATE* |
| Dec. 7 | Big Ten Championship Game |
EDIT: Also worth noting - two bye weeks, with one coming the week before MSU.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
Next year is the first time ever Michigan gets a double bye.
Follwoing a bye week- 14-4-0 record
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12/6/1986 at Hawaii W 27-10 |
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9/28/1991 vs #1 Florida State L 31-51 |
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9/25/1993 vs Houston W 42-21 |
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9/24/1994 vs #7 Colorado L 26-27 |
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9/30/1995 vs Miami U W 38-19 |
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10/21/1995 at Indiana W 34-17 |
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9/14/1996 at #5 Colorado W 20-13 |
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10/17/1998 at Northwestern W 12-6 |
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10/23/1999 vs Illinois L 29-35 |
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10/27/2001 at Iowa W 32-26 |
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10/12/2002 vs #15 Penn State W 27-24 OT |
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11/15/2003 at Northwestern W 41-10 |
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11/13/2004 vs Northwestern W 42-20 |
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11/12/2005 vs Indiana W 41-14 |
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9/27/2008 vs #9 Wisconsin W 27-25 |
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10/29/2011 vs Purdue W 36-14 |
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10/6/2012 at Purdue W 44-13 |
November 25th, 2012 at 6:54 PM ^
Penn State 2010 was a loss following a bye. I remember it in horrific, vivid detail.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:00 PM ^
Notice how I put the record as 14-4-0? I don't list the games penn state won against Michigan from 1998-2011 because according to the NCAA, they haven't won any.
The loss still counts against Michigan, but I refuse to list the series score.
EDIT: Looks like I made a mistake in the post. This will be Michigan's first double bye since 1995.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
I don't remember that game.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:42 PM ^
Are you just trying to rub in the bad memories. I have nightmares about that game. I can still see that hail mary pass from where I stood in the student section.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:57 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 9:45 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 6:47 PM ^
Who are we losing on Defense next year. Floyd, Campbell, Roh, Demens. Anyone else?
November 25th, 2012 at 6:48 PM ^
That list starts with Kovacs.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:26 PM ^
Kovacs will be a big loss for sure based on his intelligence and toughness, but it's hard to deny the fact that he is very limited athletically. I actually think the position could improve next year.
November 26th, 2012 at 6:39 AM ^
November 26th, 2012 at 7:20 AM ^
Kovacs will be a big loss for sure based on his intelligence and toughness, but it's hard to deny the fact that he is very limited athletically.
Are you a TV analyst by any chance? You've got all the code words down.
If Kovacs is limited athletically, when has it ever been a factor?
November 26th, 2012 at 8:01 AM ^
Hmmm...let's see...when he was trying to chase down that Indiana running back a few years ago, in pass coverage numerous times, and in the whole defensive scheme that puts him up near the line of scrimmage and rarely gives him deep coverage.
Mattison knows how to disguise his defense's weaknesses, which is why Kovacs was basically a fourth linebacker much of the time. If he can keep things in front of him, he's fine. If he has to move laterally or turn and run deep, then he's ineffective.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 6:50 PM ^
The bright side is the replacements. Countess is probably better than Floyd if healthy. Campbell is replaced by the winner of the Ash/Pipkins sweepstakes (with some young guys potentially in that mix as well). Morgan/Bolden/Ross should be able to fill the two ILB spots adequately. And Robinson/Furman/Wilson/Thomas will battle for the Kovacs spot. All those guys will also be surrounded by returning starters. Whoever sees the field will be a blue-chip athlete who beat out stiff competition to play.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 7:01 PM ^
He posted 9 TFL while splitting time this year as a true sophomore. Ryan/Gordon added 18 TFL from the SLB spot on the other side and both will be back as well.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
It's crazy to me that Blake Countess and Terry Richardson both will have sophomore eligibility next year. It feels like Countess has been around for a few years and we've hardly gotten to know Richardson. Hopefully that redshirt burning (Richardson's) doesn't come back to bite us.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:54 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 8:30 PM ^
Man, the Kool-Aid jar must be bone dry at this point. Teams that lose half of their starters typically have a hard time going undefeated. We were lucky this year to avoid going 6-6.
November 25th, 2012 at 11:20 PM ^
is certainly a possibility. Im predicting 1 loss and a trip to the Rose Bowl.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:47 PM ^
Still seams pretty tough, but were Michigan! We should play tough schedules. The Nebraska game looks the toughest following an away game at MSU. Hopefully we beat ND and start the season with 6-7 wins
November 25th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 6:52 PM ^
Simulate off season is the best invention in dynasty ever.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 7:01 PM ^
8 homes games. The road games are UCONN, MSU, Northwestern, Iowa, and PSU. All of those games are immiently winnable games. The toughest game is the final game and it is at home.
I would like you to explain how UM loses 4 games with that schedule?(assuming no catastrophic injuries)
November 25th, 2012 at 7:10 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 9:51 PM ^
November 26th, 2012 at 11:36 AM ^
Good lord.
Look at our 1987, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2005, and 2007 teams. Those squads had 7 All-Americans and 26 All Big Ten players, and included names like Morris, Alexander, Messner, Wheatley, Law, Collins, Toomer, Runyan, Pryce, Irons, Woodson, Biakabatuka, Tuman, Jansen, Griese, Bowens, Ray, Goodwin, Baas, Walker, Navarre, Perry, Joppru, Jackson, Foote, Breaston, Manningham, Kraus, Avant, Henne, Hart, Branch, Watson, Woodley, Woods, Burgess, Graham, Hall, Arrington, Hemingway, Long, Crable, and Warren.
I doubt that a single one of those teams went into the season with as little experienced quality depth on the OL as we'll have next season. There was also no wrenching coaching transition for those teams to deal with—going from Bo to Mo to LC was not anything like going from Carr to RR to Hoke.
Yet each one of those teams, with all that talent, lost 4 games; the 2007 team lost 5. Somehow people are still gobsmacked at the idea that the 2013 team could also lose 4 games. Given how many times during the last 60 years that Michigan has gone through the regular season without a blemish—exactly twice, in '71 and '97—it's interesting how many are so confident we're going undefeated.
November 26th, 2012 at 11:04 PM ^
App
Oregon
Wisconsin
Ohia
November 25th, 2012 at 6:54 PM ^
Very reminicent of OSU's schedule this year.
A couple of breaks go our way and we are looking at 10-2, 11-1, or 12-0.
Hopefully that UCONN game stays in Connecticut (Easier to acquire tickets if it is not at a neutral site.)
November 25th, 2012 at 6:54 PM ^
Scary thought- If Michigan had the #1 pass defense in the country, imagine what it would've been like this year with Countess?
November 25th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
The #-1 pass defense?
November 25th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
If we get past Notre Dame we should definitely be undefeated headed into MSU. Penn State will start to feel the sanctions and depth issues and the rest are just poor teams. MSU will play us tough on the road but I think we will be better than them. Iowa is the only one that looks reasonably easy in that stretch. However we tend to not play well at Iowa. Northwestern can be tricky on the road and Ohio will be a tough one as always.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:01 PM ^
I think it's too early to know what MSU will be. We need to see what happens with their early NFL possibilities. An MSU team without LeVeon Bell, Dion Sims, and Tom Gholston is very different from one with those guys.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 7:05 PM ^
Two of the most overrated players I have ever seen. Especially Gholston. MSU is simply lost without Kirk Cousin's smart, consistent play.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:15 PM ^
I disagree about Bell. I think he's a very good college back running behind a very mediocre line. They ask a lot of that guy, and it'll be hard for them to cover all of those carries next season without Bell.
As for Gholston, well, I disagree with you about Bell.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^
But Bell has simply disapperaed against their quality opponents (Michigan, OSU, ND)
November 25th, 2012 at 7:26 PM ^
If LeVeon is smart he will leave he is a work horse RB and they don't have long careers. I'm not sure about SIms and Gholston was not a huge factor this year. He really missed Worthy taking the double teams for him. I think their season rides on if Maxwell can progress at all in the offseason and give them something at QB. Who knows at this point though.
November 25th, 2012 at 9:01 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 9:52 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 8:43 PM ^
Bell is probably gone, Gholston and Sims are probably back.
November 25th, 2012 at 9:10 PM ^
November 26th, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^
I think Sims stays because of his injury this year which had him out for a few games. he hasn't proved that he can stay healthy through a season which will hurt his draft stock. Then again, that could be even more of a reason to leave.
November 26th, 2012 at 10:19 AM ^
Bell would be crazy not to be gone. If your a RB who will go in the first couple of rounds you go. Quite frankly with the days of the huge high 1st round draft picks gone anyone who comes back when they are projected to go in the first or second round is taking a risk.
November 26th, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^
Bell lacks the speed to be a 1st or 2nd round pick, I see defensive ends and linebackers catching up with him after he breaks off a 30-40 yard run, but i still think he should leave if he's a 3rd or 4th rounder. He's not going to get faster by staying.
Reports are that he's leaning towards leaving, but its not because of his workload, its because of the bland play-calling.
November 26th, 2012 at 10:19 AM ^
Bell would be crazy not to be gone. If your a RB who will go in the first couple of rounds you go. Quite frankly with the days of the huge high 1st round draft picks gone anyone who comes back when they are projected to go in the first or second round is taking a risk.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:57 PM ^