M ranked "2nd Most Likely" to end SEC's Reign

Submitted by SC Wolverine on

ESPN posted an article today on what programs have a chance of knocking the SEC from its throne.  M was listed second, after USC and right before Ohio.  Pretty nice write-up.  It is subscriber-only content, but one interesting point they made was how significant our opening game with Alabama will be as a bellweather for all of college football this year.  Sept. 1 can't come soon enough!

 

Link: http://insider.espn.go.com/college-football/blog/_/name/mcgee_ncf_ryan/id/8277184/ranking-five-programs-best-position-end-sec-reign-ncf

 

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turd ferguson

August 17th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^

To be clear, this is about which programs can end the SEC's reign in the near future, not just 2012.  I think we belong high on this list, but it'll take a few years before the super-elite Hoke classes occupy most of the roster.  We could lose a lot of contributing talent after this season (more than usual), though the schedule will be much softer next season.  From 2014 or 2015  through the foreseeable future, we should be rolling.

Joined: 12/09/2009

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y2mh

August 17th, 2012 at 1:37 PM ^

Actually, Stewart Mandal had something similar earlier this week, it dealt with this year, and it is not pay-walled:

link: Five teams capable of ending SEC's BCS championship winning streak

However, he discusses teams possessing a good chance this year. He doesn't really go into the programs, recruits, and future or long term, multiple championship runs. Just those, in his opinion, with the best chance at this year's BCS. He also discusses the SEC dominance, SEC team expectations this year, and then the 5 Best Non-SEC, and 5 runners-up.

It has Texas, Oregon, USC, MSU, and FSU with the 5 Best; and UM, Okla, WVU, Wisc, and Clemson are in the next group that “may reach the big game, but their blueprint suggests they'd suffer the same fate as those before them."

"Michigan: Brady Hoke likely needs another year's recruiting haul before the Wolverines can field an upper-echelon defensive front."

Joined: 07/25/2012

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French West Indian

August 17th, 2012 at 4:41 PM ^

...actually kind of Mandel's point; that the SEC dominance has been built via a rushing attack with game-manager (rather than superstar) quarterback on offense and a strong, disruptive d-line on the other side of the ball.

Schools like Alabama and LSU have had the success without great QBs and Mandel makes the point that it will probably a school using a similar approach that upends the SEC dominance.  Of the schools that fit that mold and that he believes have a chance to accomplish such a feat this year, Texas & MSU are considered candidates.

I'm not saying he's right...just trying to clarify his argument.

Joined: 12/28/2011

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BlueAggie

August 17th, 2012 at 7:04 PM ^

Well, sure. But "game-manager" is a significant step up from where Ash/McCoy were last year. Plus they are surprisingly thin on the OL. The problem they have isn't matching up with the SEC, it's winning enough games to be in that position (which they won't).

Joined: 11/17/2008

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turd ferguson

August 17th, 2012 at 6:07 PM ^

Mandel was trying to do something a little different with this article.  He's talking about which teams match up well with SEC powers, not which teams are most likely to unseat them this year.  Says he:

The following is not a prediction of which teams have the best chance to reach the national championship game. Some may not be cut out to win their own conference. Rather, it's an attempt to identify which teams, based on their returning personnel, anticipated areas of strength and coaching philosophies, are best suited to face the prototypical SEC representative in a one-game BCS championship matchup.

Joined: 12/09/2009

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EGD

August 17th, 2012 at 12:55 PM ^

ESPN's usual SEC fellatio is reaching truly epic proportions this season.  The cover of ESPN Magaizine's college football preview edition has a photo of SEC voodoo dolls with pins stuck in them.  (Which is why I smiled and laughed when I opened it up and saw the 8-page feature on Tyrann Mathieu, which was in the process of becoming totally irrelevant).

Joined: 09/16/2009

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Sten Carlson

August 17th, 2012 at 1:41 PM ^

I don't think that it's justified, as there is nothing "fair" about it.

Before the oversigning was curtailed, SEC teams would get an extra entire recruiting class every four yours, and ESPN's lovefest never seemed to be too interested in discussing that advantage. 

The analogy would be if one NFL Division had a siginificantly higher salary cap than the rest of the divisions, and the media conveniently neglected to mention that as a reason why eventual Super Bowl winner came from that Division every year.   Add to the that the rumors that SEC teams are, and have been, out right paying players, and you have a very unbalanced system.  The SEC has great players, no doubt.  But, they're basically able to stockpile them, and, if the rumors are true, nobody else has a chance to get them to come to their school if they're not going to pay.

Joined: 11/16/2009

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Mlaw2010

August 17th, 2012 at 1:04 PM ^

Funny to see the B1G occupy 5 of the 10 spots on the list. I would agree with UM and Ohio, but I'm not sure I see MSU, Wisky, or Neb winning a national title anytime soon. I think USC is probably the only team that can end the streak this year (unless UM beats Alabama) but within 3 years this program will be something to behold.

Joined: 11/10/2008

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Harperbole

August 17th, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^

Things will be much different for the SEC in a couple years when the playoff system starts. I also think it's likely that we could see the NCAA consider some form of stipend for players in the not so distant future, which will further level the playing field. Since, ya know, there are rumors that maybe some SEC schools are compensating players already. As far as individual schools go USC is obvious and Michigan should be a top 5 favorite to make the MNC game next year with how easy their schedule looks and the further development of players on both sides in the respective coaching schemes. we'll lose some pieces but we also have some serious talent that's come in recently to fill the holes.

Joined: 06/22/2012

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Sideline

August 17th, 2012 at 2:37 PM ^

"Michigan should be a top 5 favorite to make the MNC game next year with how easy their schedule looks and the further development of players on both sides in the respective coaching schemes."

Is this assuming Gardner goes back to QB next year?? This may be 'common knowledge', but I am very confused as to whether he plays WR this year and sticks at WR or if he is just a WR this year, and back to QB next year... I'd love to see Shane Morris redshirt (which is the plan, right?) and be eligible for 3-4 years instead of only 2-3 years... I feel like that class, when it matures, is going to be battling USC, and Alabama in the playoff systems come 2014/2015

Joined: 12/09/2009

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Section 1

August 17th, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^

... I'd love to see Shane Morris redshirt (which is the plan, right?) 

I don't care who the HC is.  Michigan is going to play the best players it needs to win games.  Now, this year, this week.  I remember when Rick Leach started; it was a shock, because I had thought that Mark Elzinga was a pretty good operator of Bo Schembechler's modified-wing offense.  Nobody (except Bo?) knew then how good Leach would be.

If Shane Morris is at least the second-best QB on Michigan's 2013 team (I am never going to get used to Team Numbers), I expect that he will be playing.

This is not a 401(k) plan.  We aren't investing.  We are trying to win games.  It is ridiculously early to speculate about such things; and since the one thing that we really do know about Shane Morris is that he will not be an early enrollee at Michigan, there is additional doubt about his first year.  But I expect that Shane Morris will play as a freshman, and that he might end up as a 2013 starter at some point.  Russell Bellomy might have more to do with that outcome, more than Devin Gardner or Shane.

Joined: 06/29/2009

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Harperbole

August 17th, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^

I base this off of what I've heard from Borges and the fact that it's in Gardner's best interest regarding his pro prospects to make the move to WR. I get the impression that Borges is pleased with the progress that Bellomy has made, and while he isn't the greatest athlete necessarily, he should be capable of running the offense well especially if we have emerging talent at WR. With a pro style qb our offense should be very well balanced and the defense will still be solid.

Joined: 06/22/2012

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Seth

August 17th, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^

bellwether

A wether is a castrated ram. A wether is very docile and will go wherever the flock goes. You put a bell on a wether and then wherever you hear the bell you know the flock is there because the bellwether is sure to be with them.

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