ESPN: BIG needs UM (Video)
A lengthy video discussing UM's upcoming season and whether UM is hurting BIG because they have not been that good in the last few years. The talking heads think that UM will be much better team this year, but the record may not be a whole lot better because of the schedule.
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
Sure they're talking about Michigan and not Miami?
With ND and OSU having issues, we're about 9.5 wins on paper. I think the most likely outcome is 9, but 10 and 11 are coming into play.
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
So it will be better but not as much as some of us are hoping
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
"It will?"
Has ESPN gotten better at predictions than last year. Weird, I didn't think there had been a season to accurately predict since then.
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
ever put any "spin" on why they laid down and rolled over on allowing MSU and OSU to be scheduled in the same years home and away? Let alone giving MSU two home games in a row? I hope I'm not coming across as a Sparty-ish whiner ... I know Brian has also stated how this was a failure of the AD to throw at least some of their weight around with the conference.
This season's outlook schedule-wise would look so different with the MSU game at home, let alone ticket-holder happiness. And especially now with ND's suspensions and Braxton going down.
Along the lines of this topic (hey, at least ESPN is paying attention to us), there was a post yesterday about Cowherd's discussion with Ed Werder about Hoke and Harbaugh ... Colin capped that topic by saying that Michigan is the "last holdout" in a college landscape where all the national powers are "good at the same time" and that rarely happens. He didn't include Nebraska or Penn State, but rattled off FSU, Georgia, Texas, USC(?), Alabama, etc. Sort of a backhanded compliment I suppose, that he holds Michigan in that regard but also ... doesn't.
Cowherd is good at broad-strokes bloviation with no facts to back it up ... but damn I think he may have a point on this one. I can't remember a season when all the blue-bloods and high-second-teir teams were all good, all at once. Someone is always down or at least on probation.
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
Yes, Brandon said that a model was built with certain parameters, and all schools agreed to those parameters before the games were drawn. There was no approval or veto process after, and you just had to go with what you were given.
If we had the 2015 schedule this year, I don't think there would be much complaining, and instead we would be talking about what we need to do to make the playoff.
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
a bad thing.
The Spartans getting two home games in row sucks, but I'd gladly trade that for years of having both at home.
I'm sure people will disagree with me, but it's hardly Brandon rolling over. Nor do I know or care if that was his plan.
Having both at home sets us up for some legit runs.
Aside: it's time to win at their stadiums anyways.
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
August 22nd, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^
are concerned, I'd imagine.
I can see the competitive advantage in having it this way, though.
But again, and to reiterate despite you agreeing, it's time to get Ws at both.
August 22nd, 2014 at 4:57 PM ^
I don't think it's a good thing
- It devalues season tickets every other year. As a grad student at UM, I've been buying every other year anyway, but this is for sure a reason not to buy tickets this year.
- It means that there are big differences in "odds" of making the playoffs every year. Winning at home against MSU/OSU is a lot different than winning away, and it's not great to have to go through both away in the same year, or having detractors saying "yeah, but they were both at home"
While it's time to win away (and I want it so bad), it's too much of a swing from year to year.
August 22nd, 2014 at 7:52 PM ^
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:44 PM ^
Of course Cowherd said an 8-5 Texas team was a part of the cream of the crop.
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:43 PM ^
Wow are MSU fans ever butthurt in the comments section. It's pretty simple - OSU and M draw dollars to the B1G, that's the bottom line.
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
I was about to post the same thing. They are in a full-on meltdown over that. As much as I'd obviously rather Michigan return to dominance over them, which they will, it's almost been enjoyable watching them win the B1G and still seeing no one give a fuck.
August 22nd, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^
Yup. That's what a tradition of winning does for you. With it, you're relevant even when you lose. Without it, you're irrelevant even when you win. Fleeting v. sustained excellence. MSU only needs another 100 years or so of success to be taken as seriously as UM does even when it's in a down period.
August 22nd, 2014 at 3:49 PM ^
draino before you can even post.
I wouldn't read too much into it.
August 22nd, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^
I don't know how, because that should give more "accountability" but it's gone way downhill in the past year or so. But man, are they throwing shade in those comments.
August 22nd, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
Due to last year's less than sterling performance, Michigan is underrated coming into this year. They will have to earn everything they get. ESPN is right about Michigan and the Big Ten: it is better for the conference and for the game when Michigan is a strong team.
I'm sure they really liked hearing that in EL....
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
August 22nd, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
There was that ESPN article that gave UM a 22% chance of starting 7-0. That has to go up since the "scandal" at the Domers. I'd rather be unranked to start and get the hype train going rather than start at #5 and have a panic at the start of the season (I suppose this is both a reference to the Horror and the situation "South of the Wall" right now).
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
August 22nd, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
Yes tough is the wrong word. It is not a killer schedule - it avoids Neb, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
But what is difficult about it, is all 3 of the toughest games are on the road. If you flipped a few games like OSU at home and trade it with Indiana on the road or whatever, it actually becomes a very favorable schedule.
What happened was last year we had a very favorable schedule and crapped on it. We had ND, Neb, and OSU all at home. And went 1-2.
We will again have a very favorable schedule in 2015 - in fact the easiest we should see around these parts in a decade without any premier non conf and again no Wisc, Neb, Iowa. Then 2016 go forward the schedules get more difficult but your hope is UM begins to return to a perennial top 10 program by that point.
I agree with the viewpoint in the OP that the team could be significantly better but the record could not reflect that too much year over year. If the OL is "average" in the last 3rd of the season that could change of course to a more positive outcome.
August 22nd, 2014 at 5:04 PM ^
If you give away the away rivalry games, we go 9-3. After last season, that's a pretty good record.
However, I think we get at least 1, so 10-2. That's a lot better than 7-5 (7-6 with bowl game).
Realistically, I call 11-1. Not going to say which game we lose, but see you in Indy.
August 22nd, 2014 at 3:10 PM ^
August 22nd, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
Well, I think Michigan will be favored in virtually every game it plays. There are only two position groups in question on this team, one that is not ranked, which is a good thing from a developmental standpoint. We know this defense will be good. And with Gardner, there is chance this team could be outstanding.
And I can say honestly right now, that while every game is a concern, the only two that matter from an anticipation standpoint are against MSU and Ohio. At this point, I expect Michigan to beat the Irish in South Bend. Look adversity builds character and strength. You want to be a championship team, win on the road.
This team, if the running game works at all, is headed for at least 10 wins. And this is the beginning of the Brady era. Justt like it took Lloyd several 8-4 years before he had his breakthrough season, we are finally seeing what this staff and recruiting might be capable of. This team has the benefit of playing without great expectations for the winningest program in the game. Our fanbase knows what this team might do. Others don't. So, if they go out and prove it, we will be prouder than ever.
I don't give a damn what some recently promoted ESPN talking heads with SEC bias say on air. It means nothing. Win your games and everything else takes care of itself.