Looking at the (Not So) Near Future - Out of Conference Futures
After 2017, we only have one season where our schedule is full, 2020 (@Washington, Ball State?, Virgina Tech).
According to fbschdules, we have:
2018: @Notre Dame, SMU
2019: Army, Notre Dame
2021: @Virgina Tech, Washington
I won't go much further than that when we start series with UCLA, Texas and Oklahoma.
Where do you think Warde Manuel and Jim Harbaugh turn to to fill out the schedule? Who do you guys want to see us play?
EDIT:
Typo! The Washington game in 2021 is a Home game!
January 4th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
EMU, Hawaii, etc. sound good - 2021 needs a cupcake
January 4th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
Absolutely no reason to play a tough OOC schedule - none. The bowl committee this year sent a pretty clear message that they focus on wins first, schedule someplace down the line. Look at the OOC schedule for the final four:
Alabama: USC (tough), Western Kenucky, Kent State, Chatanooga
Clemson: Auburn (tough), Troy, S. Carolina State,
Ohio State: Bowling Green, Tulsa, Oklahoma (tough)
Washington: Rutgers, Idaho, Portland State
One tough game for three - zero for Washington. Maybe schedule one tough game....maybe.
January 4th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 1:09 PM ^
there.
January 4th, 2017 at 2:06 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^
Depends on how you define a "tough" schedule. I think Bama, Clemson, and OSU all had quality OOC schedules despite only having one tough game on there. That, I think, is a good balance. Washington had a hard time staying above teams with two losses because their OOC schedule was pitiful.
I think a murderer's row is not desirable or helpful. College football teams vary in performance from week to week, and if you have three brutal OOC games on the schedule the chance that you lose one of them increases substantially.
Michigan has several years where there may be two quality games. I think it would be wise to make the third OOC game a body bag game against a MAC team or something to give the team a chance to rebound and iron out any issues that arise.
January 4th, 2017 at 3:14 PM ^
had two tough games in Tulsa and Oklahoma. Tulsa won 10 games and blew out CMU, a team who beat Oklahoma State at Oklahoma State.
Also, Bama had two tough games in USC and WKU. WKU also won 10 games and beat Memphis handily.
Bama's blowing out USC and OSU blowing out Oklahoma are two big reason why they were going to be in the playoff. It is true for OSU because a strength of Oklahoma win got them into the playoff.
January 4th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
2020 and 2021, in particular, are going to be a load to bear, assuming both schools still have their current staffs in place. To ask that much of a team before the conference, at least to me, seems to be self-defeating. It's one thing if you have a schedule like 2015's, where you had three mid to low P5 types (I'm counting BYU in that number) and a G5, but to go with three Top 25 type teams before the conference season seems like too much of a good thing. At some point it goes full Izzo.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
Wow, not a fan of the 2021 ooc schedule.
Guess that's what it takes to play other P5 schools.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
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January 4th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
Should do a Home and Home with Minnesota, play for the Jug!
January 4th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
I dare one of them comes north to Ann Arbor.
January 4th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
Why would we schedule that OOC in 2021...
January 4th, 2017 at 12:20 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
Somehow missed that. Totally agree. No idea why we scheduled both of them...
January 4th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^
in about 4 years. This is why I don't find the criticism of top non P5 schools OOC scheduling not valid because they are trying to schedule good OOC team (at the time). They had no control if they're going to suck in a few years.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
2021 - Washington is home not away.
Edit - Change has been made.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
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January 4th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
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January 4th, 2017 at 12:20 PM ^
2018: I'd like to see us Georgia or UCLA at home...in 2019 we can go to their place.
2021? I'm thinking Pioneer HS... In all seriousness, give that money to EMU and let them come get wacked. Plus it saves on travel so it shouldn't cost us as much.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^
We say this a lot more than it actually happens.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
To Hell with Notre Dame. - Bo
January 4th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:27 PM ^
January 4th, 2017 at 12:20 PM ^
Still pissed we have to play at their place a second straight time.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
Would be pretty cool if we scheduled a Home and Home with an SEC team for 2018 & 2019. Like Arkansas or something....
January 4th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
Still upset they couldn't figure out how to keep this series even with ND coming back.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^
Me too. ND is an important game for Michigan. But I've been to about 15 Michigan vs ND games. I was really looking forward to the change of pace for a few years.
January 4th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
I honestly can take or leave the ND series - it's nice for the tradition of playing them but I wasn't necessarily all that keen to resurrect this one, at least not as quickly. What kind of gets me, and to the point of some here, is that we rushed into this and, as a result, became subserviant to THEIR scheduling, hence the one October game, which is going to feel rather awkward in the midst of the conference slate.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
A home and home with an SEC school? That's crazy talk...
January 4th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
I agree, we should do what we can to play the SEC. But Arkansas isn't even in the top half of teams from that conference I would like to play home-and-home. My tiered list:
YES PLEASE
LSU - Death Valley, that is all
Florida - biased due to friends who are alums, but would be great matchups in historic venues
Georgia - have heard great things about Athens, recent 'crootin battles have added juice
Tennessee - similarly large stadium, famous fight song
Fun/Interesting
Texas A&M - big stadium, generally solid teams
Ole Miss - can't stand the Rebels, but The Grove is legendary and sounds worth a trip
Auburn - the War Eagle tradition is interesting, one of the better programs
Whatever
Arkansas - strong fanbase, but nothing too notable about the program
Missouri - battle of block Ms and a little more geographic rivalry makes this ok
South Carolina - outside of the peak Spurrier stretch an also-ran without much of interest
Vandy - beats the bottom crop because Nashville, otherwise who cares
NAH
Kentucky - basketball school
Mississippi State - BLAH, have heard Starkville isn't that much fun
Alabama - will move up to the top group when Saban is gone, but no thanks for now
January 4th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
I am willing to bet there are less than 10 people on this board that could identify the ACTUAL Tennessee fight song if given the chance.
January 4th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
I assume he is referring to Rocky Top which looks like it is not officially their fight song.
January 4th, 2017 at 2:03 PM ^
Yeah, I'll own that mistake. Rocky Top is pretty much all I know about Tennessee apart from their checkerboard endzones and whining about Peyton Manning not winning the Heisman.
January 4th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
My comment was meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek since we already had Arkansas on the schedule for 2018 and 2019. I pretty much agree with your tiers except I would put Ole Miss in tier one for the Grove.
January 4th, 2017 at 1:29 PM ^
Ole' Miss is #1 on that list.
January 4th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^
Grove would still be fun as hell for a tailgate.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
Knowing Harbough he will find some ramdom CC in Alabama and play them literally in Sabans backyard
January 4th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
Home in '18, away in '19. The tailgates would just be one big Mike DeBord roast session.
January 4th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
I looked at it a while back and couldn't figure out a mutually agreeable arrangement. They have the Penn State series and it doesn't mesh with our ND series. That would be a great road trip.
Since the SEC teams (except for the one we scheduled and then dumped, ha ha pig boy) are too wimpy to come north, home-and-homes with ACC teams will have to do. Va Tech is a good one. What about Miami or North Carolina?
January 4th, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^
I don't like them right now and I'd like us to show everyone that Kirby Smart is just selling hope
January 4th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^
Is there a reason you didnt include 2020? We play at Washington and home vs VA Tech?
January 4th, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^
It's included but not listed due to Ball State being included (as per fbschedules) and no Open dates.