Let this be a lesson to Mr. Brandon.....
Please do not schedule any FCS teams.
The loss to App State was absolutely embarassing. Two losses to FCS schools, in 4 years none the less, would have been devastating to this program. The negatives far outweigh the opportunity for additional revenues.
Plus, my heart can't take it anymore.
That is all.
Edit: The entry three posts down wasn't up before I started my post. Feel free to delete.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:17 PM ^
There is no reason to schedule a good FCS team. Beating UMass, App State, Delaware, etc. only gets us as much street cred as beating DSU or any other terrible FCS team. And losing gets just as much negative attention. In the future, schedule baby seal U, not a competent FCS team.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
This is a wise, wise post.
Make like Alabama, who are playing Georgia State later this season - the FCS's newest member, in their first-ever season of football teamdom!
September 18th, 2010 at 4:45 PM ^
They better have a fresh supply of body bags ready for that one.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:16 PM ^
Yeah, seriously.
I'm sure the money will be a huge help to a fledgling program, so I can't judge Georgia State, but I hate the thought that Saban will smash this team to pieces.
September 18th, 2010 at 7:38 PM ^
It's like having an extra bye week to rest starters. Wouldn't it have been great to see Tate, Devin and the gang get some reps while the starters got some rest? No more of these FBS schools that execute like the fn Lombardi Packers, please. More Georgia States would be nice for a change. Sell it as a fun day for the family with no chance of a devastating upset that will leave kids scarred for life.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:46 PM ^
good lord. if you're afraid of playing fcs schools, then you shouldn't be coaching, playing or involved at UM. period.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:55 PM ^
I don't think anyone is afraid...we all know college football is big business: win big games, get better recruits, team gets better, get more wins, more recruits, etc. The point of the OP, and it is a good one, is that the potential costs of playing such games (i.e., losing) far outweigh the benefits of winning these worthless matchups. We are not going to convince a 5-star recruit to come to UM because we wiped the floor with UMASS, but we can sure as hell fall out of favor with a 5-star recruit when we lose to them.
September 18th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
you say no one is afraid, but you say if we lose we could lose out on recruits. sounds like fear to me.
September 18th, 2010 at 6:06 PM ^
Don't schedule a top 20 FCS team, when no one knows the difference. OP is completely right, though we shouldn't be losing to any FCS team, it is still possible (App St, James Madison this year) so why put that as an option even. Just schedule the bottom rung of FCS. There is no difference in winning that game, but a loss goes from 1-2% chance, to a 0.0005% chance.
September 18th, 2010 at 10:17 PM ^
Let's play a game of one-on-one basketball. If I lose I will give you $10. If you lose I cut off your hand. If you decide not to play, is it because you are afraid of my piss-poor basketball skills? Of course not. The severity of a bad outcome, no matter how unlikely, outweighs the very-likely but slight positive of winning.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:58 PM ^
Michigan fans justifying this shit under Rodriguez, yet still whining like bitches because Lloyd lost to Appy State.
Michigan should NEVER fucking be afraid of these schools. Saban can play 100 FBS schools and never have the outcome in doubt.
But Michigan, under Rodriguez, has become the whining, excuse-making capital of the world.
As if this fucking team would be better off if Brandon schedules better teams.
4-8. Rodriguez gone after this season. Book it.
September 18th, 2010 at 6:26 PM ^
These top FCS teams are like average/good MAC teams. BCS conference teams lose to these teams all the time. I would say an "average" UM team will lose 1 or 2 out of 100 against teams like this. Bring in a terrible FCS team and there is no chance of losing. On top of that, perception is reality. No one cares how good they are, just that they're FCS.
If I told you I would give you $5 for doing jack shit, or $5 for working hard for 3 hours, which would you take? Thats essentially the difference. Reward is the same for much lower risk.
September 18th, 2010 at 6:09 PM ^
+ 1. This is EXACTLY what I was saying as we left the stadium today. If you're going to schedule an FCS team, find a crap program and kick the dump out of them. Nobody knows which FCS teams are good and which aren't, so playing UMass as opposed to Northeastern Montana Tech is not smart at all. But we won, that's all that matters
September 19th, 2010 at 9:51 AM ^
Once colleges and universities began lowering their standards even more dramatically than previously, the ability to have a good team became more available. All of this was, of course, tied into TV money: a good team equals more exposure, which means more money. Now there is a trickle down effect to all this. The schools once relegated to a lower classification now have two avenues available that were previously non-existent. They can choose athletes from a much, much larger pool because of significantly lower admission standards for athletes and they can pick up the transfers from higher classification schools. UMass and UConn have both done this and benefited. Fifty years ago, this could not happen with the rules, standards, media control that were in place. Today we have a different ball game. UMass may be classified a as 1_AA (or that ever it is called) but they really are a team populated with hungry, previously 1-A players who are trying to show they can play at that level. The players know this, but apparently the fans don't see what has happened and freak out when one of these disguised 1_A's beats a designated 1-A team. This will continue until the admission standards remain lower for athletes and the media money continues to flow.
September 19th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
Is it that outrageous to ditch the gameday revenue for once and have a good old-fashioned bye week as opposed to a quasi bye week with nothing to gain but padded stats and potential injuries.
And clearly, playing a good FCS team is a horrible horrible idea
September 18th, 2010 at 4:17 PM ^
2009 at Kansas State L, 17-21
2008 at #10 Texas Tech L, 14-56
2007 at #12 Boston College L, 14-24
2006 at Navy L, 20-21
2005 at Army L, 27-34
Seriously, why are we playing these guys? there's literally NOTHING to be gained...
September 18th, 2010 at 4:17 PM ^
September 18th, 2010 at 4:19 PM ^
even if they don't want home and home's they usually want more money. Like ohio got 650,000 compared to Umass who got 500,000
September 18th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
That MAC schools will come to the Big House and not expect a return if the price is reasonable. This was about bringing in a team that only needed $500,000. Not worth it.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
Just go back to 3 MAC teams + ND.
Once we go to a 9 game BT schedule, it'll be 2 MAC teams + ND.
Works fine for me.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:48 PM ^
obviously don't shell out nearly $200 a game. i want and expect to play the best. it was fine in 1997 and it should be fine now.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
Please do not schedule any FCS teams.
This. Please pay fucking EMU more to come and lay down for an easy win.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^
Nothing wrong with a few victories over the Directional Michigan schools of your choice.
I wonder how much of this FCS nonsense was related to the addition of a 12th game? It was my impression that this was supposed to be a stopgap measure the first couple of years because we were all having a hard time finding someone in the FBS to come in and play when we had an opening.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:29 PM ^
One things is for sure there are definitely a lot of FBS team that are WAAAAY worse than these top tier FCS teams. Essentially, we need a better baby seal research staff.
September 19th, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^
Please schedule Duke (not in basketball, BTW).
September 18th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^
reaction to this game. Dude's a capable business man. I'm sure he'll evaluate what we've got, where were it's going, listen to alum and ex players and do what's in the best interest of the university.
September 18th, 2010 at 10:23 PM ^
I am pretty sure what that involves...
September 18th, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^
I could not take the first half. I was so pissed off at the beginning of the game and all I kept thinking about was: Can this please be the example of why to never, ever schedule these teams again. If we did not score at the end of the first half, I probably would have left the game due to fear of "the Horror II". Thankfully that nightmare was avoided.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^
They mark it down for like 2 years as the biggest game of their LIFE/CAREER/PROGRAM - and you get a real f'n fight from some of them. Especially if they have early success in the game.
With nothing to gain, I would rather just play Duke or Baylor.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:35 PM ^
You've all said it already - there is no reason to play an FCS school for Michigan. It is a lose/lose situation for a program like Michigan. There are a several BAD I-A teams I am sure we could find. Sportsline.com ranks all 120 FBS teams - why not pick off the bottom of this list, or #80 - 100.... Western Ky, Eastern Michigan, Tulane, San Jose State, New Mexico State...... at least those are I-A teams, how about Washington State? oh well. The most important thing today, was this was a W.
Go Blue!
September 19th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
Apart from the economic issues in scheduling FBS teams as mentioned above, you also have to keep in mind that these games are usually sceduled at least a couple years ahead of time, and in today's college football a team can go from bad-to-good pretty quickly. In recent seasons we have seen teams like UTEP, South Florida, Cincinnati, Louisville, Miami, OH, Florida International, and others make a meteoric 1 or 2-year rise into the Top 25, then fall back to the cellar after the seniors graduate or the one or two major stars turn pro or the coach leaves for a better job.
Still, probably better to schedule a lousy FBS team and risk them turning into studs overnight than playing another quality FCS opponent.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:38 PM ^
A win is a win. They can't all be pretty. This is still a young team and they're learning.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:11 PM ^
An insightful contribution to the dialogue surrounding whether it is wise or unwise to schedule FCS opponents.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:39 PM ^
teams like UMass. What's to be gained? It should allow us to adjust after a few weeks of tough work, let some untested players get some game action, and make a few dollars for the athletic department. We are not where we need to be if we are truly worried about losing to an FCS team.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^
Yeah, but as others have said, even if you house an FCS team, you get no love for it. And if you lose, the repercussions are huge.
September 18th, 2010 at 10:26 PM ^
we are not where we need to be...accordingly we do have to worry about losing to an FCS team.
This does not mean we'll never get "where we want to be" but we're not there now.
In the first half I was a bit worried. In the second half I was just irritable when that INT was fumbled.
September 19th, 2010 at 2:55 AM ^
We are not where we need to be if we are truly worried about losing to an FCS team.
In 2007 we were the preseason #5 team in the country and lost to an FCS team. We need to let go of the idea that all FCS teams are terrible. Most are, I'm sure. But the championship-caliber FCS programs (UMass was App State's opponent in the title game a couple years ago) can give us a game.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:43 PM ^
I immediately thought the "lesson" for Mr. Brnadon was to wait until the season is over before signing RR to an extension.
September 18th, 2010 at 6:05 PM ^
Three Mill per year for this shit? And why guarantee him another five at the same price? Oh, I know, only two or three more years till RichRod gets HIS players for HIS systemzz.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:47 PM ^
Especially starting next year, ND plus the BT schedule is tough enough. Do the "Michigan Tournament" schedule of WMU, CMU, and EMU every year. Then, some year soon, Michigan can say they are the undisputed State, Big Ten, and National Champions.
September 18th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
would need to work us in around their rivalry game with Michigan State.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:28 PM ^
FCS schools aren't the cupcakes they used to be. The players in particular need to keep that in mind. Like was stated, the value of scheduling these teams is questionable, seeing what we have to lose, but if the team is prepared for the fight, it still is a good challenge and would do the team well versus scheduling some team we would simply roll through to victory.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:29 PM ^
The AD can't give up 37 points to a 1AA team, and it can't avoid the team having a letdown after an emotionally draining start to the season. Who are we supposed to schedule if we fear the FCS? Rich Rod's job is to win games, Brandon's job is to make the AD money and keep it. They (barely) accomplished both today
It is the responsibility of the entire program to uphold the image of M football. The AD did what it could scheduling a lower division team, and our team's letdown was so great that we are here complaining that an even weaker team should have been brought in? Come on.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^
I believe the AD's looking at the product to determine if it needs retooling.
September 18th, 2010 at 6:25 PM ^
can you imagine RR going to Brandon "i don't think we should play UMass. they are a good fcs school and we could lose".
Brandon (in his D Trump voice) "you're fired!"
September 18th, 2010 at 10:05 PM ^
This isn't about fear. When Michigan played App State in 2007, App State was the very best FCS opponent out there. Did that take the sting out of losing to them? Did beating UMass feel any more satisfying than beating Eastern Michigan?
You play an FCS opponent and no one cares if you win. But if you lose, it will never be forgotten.
September 18th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^
I think it's nothing more than Michigan not being able to get up against these unknown division 2 teams. And while Michigan is unknown to them, these teams are super pumped to make a name for themselves and have nothing to lose.
So yes I think it would be wise and give more credibility to schedule lower tier teams in division 1, preferably teams that Michigan is familiar with such as Eastern and Western Michigan. It has more to do with getting emotionally pumped up for the game than it does with fear.
September 19th, 2010 at 8:43 AM ^
They schedule these games two years in advance there would be no way that they would have known that UMASS was good