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 6:39 PM ^
The non-conference schedule is pretty easy outside of Notre Dame, but Penn State, Nebraska, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Ohio State will all be dangerous. I think Michigan's record will improve if only because Alabama will be off the schedule, but we're still probably looking at 2-3 losses.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:44 PM ^
They are going to start to get clobbered by the sanctions and will probably be starting a RS freshman QB whose next best scholarship offer was from Rice.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
True, but we thought they were going to suck this year, too. Bill O'Brien has done a great job there. McGloin threw for over 3,000 yards, Zack Zwinak ran for 1,000, they went 8-4. And that was without their best offensive player in Silas Redd, they beat Wisconsin without Mauti, etc. They had some impressive accomplishments this season.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:02 PM ^
This year was the last hurrah of the Tom Bradley/Joe Paterno defense. All the seniors like Mauti are gone, more will leave with a full offseason to transfer without penalty, and Ted Roof is just all around not a good defensive coordinator.. They are going to be much, much worst next year than this year. I personally don't see them winning more that 6 games again for the next decade.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:21 PM ^
It is not a guarantee O'Brien is there next year either. NFL teams are looking at him.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:30 PM ^
That team or BOB himself will have to pay to buyout his contact. I think it is iffy that he leaves, not because he actually wants to stay, bu because of his buyout.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:34 PM ^
I think Penn St. would have a hard time enforcing that buyout. I believe when they hired they told him they wouldn't be hit with sanctions. Wouldn't be shocked if there is language in his contract to that effect.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:38 PM ^
True, but that bridge has yet to be crossed. Personally, I think he'll stay.
November 25th, 2012 at 10:13 PM ^
In all honesty, I would like to see O'Brien win COY, but something tells me that Kelly's going to get that. Especially if they win the MNC.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:30 PM ^
Worry not, as Alabama will defeat them in the title game.
I can't believe I will be forced to root for Alabama in a title game, but they are the lesser of two evils.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:45 PM ^
They will be breaking in a new QB as well as several new starters on defense.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 7:44 PM ^
it will be another 4-5 loss season and a huge disappointment.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:04 AM ^
Next year will not be a "down" year for the Big 10, as there are really only two or three major coaching changes potentially happening.
- Notre Dame loses some of its best players but still many stars remain, such as Shembo, Nix, Golson, Riddick, and TJ Jones.
- Nebraska with an improved Martinez and a deep and strong WR corps and clutch secondary will be tough, but they lose their best D-linemen (Meredith and Steinkuhler).
- Michigan State's WRs will probably start to catch passes, legitimizing Maxwell, but Nick Hill is a definite downgrade from Bell; Gholston will probably come out of his "sophomore slump" and White will play up to his level. Denicos Allen and their secondary will stay strong.
- Northwestern will have an improved Colter+Mark, returning stars in the secondary (VanHoose and Campbell) and basically all their linebacker production returning. Not to mention Prater probably doing things.
- Finally, Ohio State will reload as they always do... Their secondary will remain vulnerable but an improved LB corps would do them wonders and their sophomore D-line will terrorize. They do lose some of their offensive line + Hyde, so we'll see what happens.
Not to mention that Minnesota will probably make a quantum leap in terms of quality - I was very impressed with their intensity and discipline in our game against them this year.
Still, we should welcome these challenges... our team will be as talented as it has been for 4 years next year. Gardner at QB, Touissant at RB, Kalis and Magnuson joining the line, Gallon coming back too. Not to mention our defense improving as more talent comes in.
2013 will be a great year for the Big 10!
November 26th, 2012 at 8:24 AM ^
This team will go undefeated next year. It'll be ugly like ND and OSU this year. But they'll do it.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:42 PM ^
I can see them going undefeated or having 5 losses so hopefully its closer to the former
November 25th, 2012 at 6:43 PM ^
ND is getting gutted by graduation, PSU loses a ton, and the rest are teams significantly less talented than UM.
But then things get interesting: @MSU, Nebraska, @Northwestern, @Iowa, and Ohio at home. That 5 week stretch will determine the success of UM's season.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
They don't list RS's, but they have 28 seniors or graduate students listed on their official roster, which is ridiculous.
That, and they lose Te'o, which is probably enough to bring their defense back down to Earth.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:05 PM ^
ND doesn't allow redshirts, so they won't be listed on their roster. They require all players to graduate in four years, or at least attempt to. The only time players will get a fifth year is if they enter grad school and happen to have a year of eligibilty left.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:12 PM ^
Wow, I've never heard that. Assuming it's true, that's crazy, interesting, and probably a real disadvantage for them.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:27 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 7:51 PM ^
From that article, it sounds like it's not too hard to get the 5th year.
November 26th, 2012 at 9:41 AM ^
While its not, there aren't many who get it. Balancing between new recruits and graduating players is difficult.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:35 PM ^
Don't they all get sick of whoever the current coach is and quit after an average of 2.78 years anyway?
November 25th, 2012 at 7:08 PM ^
And Motta, their best player in the secondary. And Riddick also graduates, and unless they're RS, almost all of the OL is gone.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 8:16 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 8:35 PM ^
You have to assume that Nix is gone, even more so than Lewan is for us. His value will never be higher then it is right now.
November 25th, 2012 at 9:23 PM ^
November 26th, 2012 at 10:16 AM ^
With top picks no longer getting huge contracts the incentive to stay isn't what it once way. 2014 draft also looks alot better then 2013 in my opinion. You have guys like Manziel and Boyd, Brigdgewater, Marquise Lee, Sammy Watkins, Steadmen Bailey, Bjorin Warner, Clowney, Trent Murphy, right off the top. If you are a first round pick and come back it often back fires. Barkley and Landry Jones are two guys who should have went last year and stayed and will fall in the draft because of that. He'd be coming back to a worse team next year. His value right now is probably as high as its going to be. You come back you risk having a bad year, scouts tend to start to pick at the things you can't do well, or other guys simply passing you. Last year 5 of the 9 D-lineman picked in the first round were early entrants. The year before 7 of 12. I think Lewan will declare for the draft and I suspect Nix will do the same.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^
Yeah, without the big contracts, moving up 5 or 10 spots doesn't mean so much. But PLEASE, "should have went"???? "Should have gone." Gone is the past participle of go. That mistake is too egregious to ignore.
November 25th, 2012 at 9:26 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 10:49 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
Didn't Wood's mom say he's leaning heavily torwards the draft?
November 25th, 2012 at 9:20 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 9:22 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 9:21 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 6:47 PM ^
I'll be interested to see if Kirk is back next year at Iowa but I'd sure love to snap our losing streak at Kinnick! I'm actually going on a limb and saying that Northwestern might be our toughest road test. Should be a great season for both teams
November 25th, 2012 at 7:09 PM ^
According to Iowa fans, his buyout is ridiculously high.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:03 PM ^
November 25th, 2012 at 8:11 PM ^
What dumbass approved this contract? I understand he has been successful, but no one is worth that kind of guaranteed money.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:39 PM ^
Wow...Iowa has a fine law school. I see nobody in the AD consulted anybody who knows anything about contract law before they signed that deal, though.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:09 PM ^
I definitely think he'll be back next year. He's had some ups and downs, but he's always recovered before. And they had injuries galore this year, which isn't new...but sometime he's going to have a fairly healthy team...right?
November 25th, 2012 at 8:22 PM ^
I think losing his long time coordinators hurt big time. And Greg Davis is awful.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:45 PM ^
My worry next year is how the interior line will do yet again. Next year is critical if Michigan is going to have prolonged success. I'm with Magnus, but if the interior line is worse it could be 4-5 losses. If the young freshmen turn out to be stellar (who knows), the sky's the limit.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:47 PM ^
Freshman. Line. Stellar. Not three words that are usually used in conjunction....
November 26th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^
but Justin Boren played as a true freshman. These guys we have coming up next year will all be redshirts, and the majority were at least as well regarded as Boren coming out of high school. I agree the OL is a concern, and it would be nice of Lewan returned and Bryant developed into a player, but even without those two it could be all right. The neglect paid to OL recruiting in years past remains hard to fathom.
November 25th, 2012 at 7:09 PM ^
Not only will the OL be RS freshman aplenty, but only true freshman and walk-ons behind them. The depth situation was pretty dire this year and we mostly lucked out. Next year an injury or two could be ruinous. Take Jack Miller at center. He has potential to be an upgrade, but regardless, who takes over if he gets hurt?
November 25th, 2012 at 7:47 PM ^
The young line should be at least a push over our current interior. It's possible for them to be an upgrade at some point in the year because their ceiling is so much higher. If Lewan stays then it's even likelier. All of that should hopefully help our running game Post Denard. Saw what a huge downgrade poor/nonexistant blocking was in Fitz's production this year. Only half the yards he put up in 2012, mind he also had around 1/3 fewer carries, too. He, and Rawls, and Hayes have a lot of slack to pick up. I hope Kalis and co. can help them out in that, somewhat.
November 25th, 2012 at 8:42 PM ^