Next Year's Schedule . . .
Next year, a lot of senior B10 talent moves on, and most of our tough games get played at home. Our losses this year the defense (and the year before on offense) took on a men vs boys character, something that will finally begin to move in our favor in 2011. At the very least, we will not have to start true freshmen. Huge physical difference between a 19 year old and a 22 year old.
The offense s/b stronger at every level.
On defense, we should get back some experience and depth in the backfield, so that level will be improved. The D-Line will be better, especially with the continued development of Black and QWash. Can't say about the linebackers, but they were not effective this year and would expect improvement since the other units will be better at their responsibilities.
We will be better.
| 2 0 1 1 | |
| Date | Opponent |
| Sept. 3 | WESTERN MICHIGAN |
| Sept. 10 | NOTRE DAME |
| Sept. 17 | EASTERN MICHIGAN |
| Sept. 24 | SAN DIEGO STATE |
| Oct. 1 | MINNESOTA* |
| Oct. 8 | at Northwestern* |
| Oct. 15 | at Michigan State* |
| Oct. 22 | Bye Week |
| Oct. 29 | PURDUE* (HC) |
| Nov. 5 | at Iowa* |
| Nov. 12 | at Illinois* |
| Nov. 19 | NEBRASKA* |
| Nov. 26 | OHIO STATE* |
November 29th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
Yet again we play nobody in the preseason. We could make it til November before playing a tough football team, depending on how Michigan State handles their sucess this year.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
I don't know about no tough games before November. NW has been making some big strides the last few years. I personnaly was glad we didn't play them this year.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
Oh I don't doubt that we could come out flat for a game before December and make it a tough game (Granted that even half of the things we say will happen over the next year do happen for us), but there aren't any tough teams on there that i see besides possibly MSU. Getting bombed for 70+ in regulation is a deal breaker for me in that department. Iowa won't be a tough team assuming the expected drop off from their loses, but ofcourse we can't know til the field next year's team. Nothing on paper suggests any of those teams will be really good (except for possibly MSU, but they've had their battles with paper predictions in the past).
November 29th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
Untill I see real improvement in the defense and turnovers all games can be toss ups in my opinion. Is our offense great yah. But they are allso great at stopping themselves. Just look at the U Mass game this year. I guess I am in the wait and see camp on the huge improvement this team is supposed to make next year. Should this team make big strides next year yes. I am just not counting on it till I see it on the field.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:02 PM ^
Nobody respects NW, but they continue winning 7-8 games over the past few years...
November 29th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
7 wins at Michigan is UNACCEPTABLE.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^
It worries me that this is our first road game after 5 home games.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:38 PM ^
If Persa comes back healthy, that Northwestern game is a bitch. That one comes down to the improved defense.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^
"Improved Defense" lol
November 29th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^
Honestly, I'm not so sure. San Diego State is a pretty solid team, and if Brady Hoke stays there they look pretty challenging. At least on par with UCONN from this year.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
Agree with you on S.D. State, they will be competitive and capable of following up their 2010 campaign with a 9 win season in 2011.
I think ND showed in the last three games that, even with a freshman QB, they are capable of winning games. Saying they are "nobody" is highly overstated.
Either way, losing either of these games at home would be a disaster. But, winning these games by 7 points or less should not come as a surprise.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
We have an uncanny ability to schedule cupcakes in year's where they are not cupcakes.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
we beat SDSU more handily than the narrow 24-21 win we had in 2004.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^
That is a big IF on Hoke, though. If he moves on, which I think he will, they could be in transition.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
... if Michigan State is next year's Iowa. MSU was very lucky this year, like Iowa was last year, and look at Iowa's record now.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^
Iowa's record doesn't really speak to the kind of team they have. Stanzi's performance (and improvement) has been short of spectacular. They've lost virtually all their games in the 4th Quarter on last minute drives (with the exception of the Minn game). It may sound funny, but Iowa is the most dangerous 5-loss team in the country.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^
ND got much better in the 2nd half of the season (imagine that a team actually improving over the course of a season). Their defense was vastly improved in the last few games. Finally, ND-UM games are almost always close games.
N'Western will be a pretty tough challenge for UM in Evanston.
MSU will likely still be better than UM next season and with the game in EL, I expect the Spartans will be favored. I think this is a borderline toss-up/likely loss for UM.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^
depending on how Michigan State handles their sucess this year
MSU has a tough schedule next year. On the road at Notre Dame, plus their first four Big 10 games are: at OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, at Nebraska.
Ouch.
Considering how close MSU played so many of their games this season, they could easily lose 3-5 games next year with the schedule they've got.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^
ND will be a good game. Night game, rivalry game. Have played each other tough no matter records last few years. Last I checked San Diego State wasn't a joke either, almost beating TCU at home.
November 29th, 2010 at 4:10 PM ^
San Diego State isn't a joke, but they aren't that good either. 8-4 in a mid-major conference isn't incredible, and they didn't beat anyone of note. Lost to the good teams in the conference, beat the bad ones.
They are a passing team who is losing their top 3 receivers to graduation, as well as a good RB. Not to mention their coach will likely be gone.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
guaranteed. October 22nd, we cannot lose.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
that I read somewhere that all of these games were to be played on September 3rd?
November 29th, 2010 at 11:55 AM ^
beat me to it. that's gonna be a busy day.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^
was probably concerned about tailgating for 24+ hours. Alcohol poisoning, riots, urinal overflows, etc. Sissies.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:59 PM ^
+1 to you both for my well-deserved ribbing.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
Likely wins: WMU, EMU, SDSU, Minny, Purdue
Likely losses: Nebraska, OSU
Tossups: ND, @NW, @MSU, @Iowa, @Illinois
7-5 or 8-4 most likely for 2011.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
On your tossups:
ND: Really? A team we've beaten the past two seasons, coming to Michigan Stadium for its first ever night game? We will be better than last year, ND might too, but not at our level. This is a "win".
NW: This is a borderline call. However, since all of our other away Big Twelve games are toss-ups, I'd move this one into the "win" category".
MSU/Illinois: One of these teams returns to earth next year and we beat them. Probably Illinois, but losing to MSU for four straight years would be the death knell.
Iowa: Pink locker rooms vs. losing just about every starter. This will be like PSU this year (the expectations, at least). Unless they unleash their own Opie Taylor on us, I think it is a W.
So, in my rose colored glasses, I see 9-3 or 10-2. Under the 9-3 version we lose either Illinois/MSU and Nebraska/OSU. In the 10-2 version, we win one of those three games (yes, it could be possible to beat Neb or OSU at home - just dream).
November 29th, 2010 at 2:20 PM ^
The ND game is somewhere between a toss up and a win. If Crist had been healthy the entire game, we probably would have lost.
November 29th, 2010 at 3:07 PM ^
easily lost both of those Notre Dame wins. In fact it kind of sucks those two games were even close.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^
Toss-up = 50% win probability
5 toss-up games
Ergo, 2.5 wins.
Your prediction seems a little simplified to me.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^
If RR is our coach year, 9 wins has to be the minimum expectation.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
I more or less agree, with a fuzzy 8-4 as a possibility depending on circumstances.
But I look at that schedule, and if we make the improvement I expect and that would be needed to save RR's job, we have to be 8-0 going into November.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
2008: 3-9
2009: 5-7
2010: 7-5
(begining to see a pattern)
2011: 9-3 (losses to NW, Iowa, Nebraska, perhaps?)
2012: 11-1 (If we were to win our division, we'd be going 12-1 or 11-2, so I guess we lose at tOSU, but beat 'Bama)
2013: 13-0 (Hart/Gardner share Heisman; In act of atonement, Freep pitches in for a 30-foot bronze Rodriguez statue to perch atop the new digital scoreboard above the south endzone)
November 29th, 2010 at 2:15 PM ^
2014: 15 - (-2)
November 29th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
...as long as he is following this trend :)
Which of course means he's doomed in 2014.
November 29th, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^
2012 and 2013 we would hopefully be in the Big 10 Championship game, giving us a 14 game season.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:11 PM ^
First we are basing wins/losses on this year's team. Who could have expected Denard's performance this year? Who knows what might happen next year. Ray Vinopal and Kovacs might end up being Big Ten defensive players of the year or we might experience more blood letting of attrition and failed recruits. To predict a 12 game season is almost impossible with all these variables. With that said, my very fluid prediction:
Wins: WMU, EMU, Lolophers, Purdont, Iowa
Toss ups: everyone else
Why ND as a toss up? Basing it off Kelly's performance history of turning teams around quick. (i.e.: Cincy)
The only thing to make me and probably a lot of others happy: at least nine wins including over MSU and osu.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:39 PM ^
If DB holds your view, then he should fire RR right now. I do not hold your view. We have greatly underestimated the impact of an underclass-laden starting lineup. The year's development will make us a significantly better team next year, especially on defense. We may lose to one or some of ND, NW, and ILL,but we should not consider them toss-ups before hand.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
I think the schedule sets up nicely for us until the end of the year. You look at the first 6 games, and all should be lock wins or very close.
I see no reason that we shouldn't win at least 9 games next year, with 8 sure wins and hopefully at least one of the 4 toss-ups. Let's just hope that our defense is able to put its year of experience to use.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
I'm actually worried about ND. Kelly knows how to coach unlike Chucky. They should be leagues better next year than they were this year.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
I think you are greatly underestimating the 7 PM start. INight game against ND in the second game of the season = the loudest Michigan Stadium has ever been for an entire game. Book it.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^
While it may inject some energy, something tells me the teams on the field will have more of a say in it than the loud stadium. ND will be better next year. This will be a tough game.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
Watching ND play the other night against USC showed the ND Defense has developed a little moxie since we played them. Hope our new DC brings some injections of Testosterone with him to elevate our defensive intensity to abate the cuddly defense supervised by GERG.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:49 AM ^
Notre Dame is going to continue to improve, but otherwise, you're right about everything prior to MSU. Afterwards, Illinois is probably the best team before Nebraska as Scheelhause has gotten a lot better.
MSU is losing a lot of talent, but Cousins will still be around and everyone else figures to be down. 8-4 is almost the minimum based on Michigan's returning talent and the significant departures almost everyone else will have.
I still would really like to get under the 300 points allowed barrier and be competitive with OSU, MSU, and Nebraska.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
How do you know Cousins is going to stay around? He would be a 5th year senior if he stays but may be wanting to go the NFL route (if there is an NFL next year). Either way, it's not a given that he returns.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^
Are they even having an NFL season next year?
November 29th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
Cousins is a solid CFB QB, but I doubt he will get much/any consideration from NFL squads.
November 29th, 2010 at 4:15 PM ^
Cousins is staying. If he were to go, he'd be undrafted. After his senior year, he'll be a 5th or 6th round pick.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^
It's hard to judge ND, but they did just beat USC with their backup QB, and key offensive (senior) players (or basically, with their next year's lineup). I think ND will wind up being better than most will give them credit for. Illinois is a good team, but I something about ND makes me more cautious about them. Perhaps I'm just surrounded by more ND fans.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:04 PM ^
I wonder if USC fans are melting down about losing to ND's backup QB the way M fans melted down about losing to PSU's backup QB.