mGrowOld

July 14th, 2016 at 4:28 PM ^

Michigan vs. Maryland: Michigan plays at Michigan State the week before. Whatever happens will be physical, emotional, and prime the Wolverines for a let down. They have a road trip to Iowa after, making it a possible sandwich. D.J. Durkin returns to Ann Arbor to face his former master Jim Harbaugh will kick the ever-loving shit out of Maryland. 

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mgoblue0970

July 15th, 2016 at 11:45 AM ^

The onus was absolutely on Durkin to not even ask the question during OSU week. Profrssionals kinda know how to navigate the unwritten rules of doing the right thing. Durkin fucked that up. It's a no win situation for JH. He denies it, the rumor mill comes across as JH not supporting his staff. Nothing was that pressing that MD couldn't have waited until Monday.

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TrueBlue2003

July 15th, 2016 at 1:46 AM ^

for making toast for breakfast. Of course he'll be up for it. But he doesn't play the game.  I could see the team being a little meh for that game but at home that should still be plenty.

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Steves_Wolverines

July 14th, 2016 at 4:41 PM ^

I've been saying this all offseason. MSU has a very very tough schedule, and it doesn't set up nicely for breaking in so many new players.

Weeks 2-7 for MSU are all pretty much 50/50 or MSU as the underdog. 

@ND, Wisconsin, @IU, BYU, NW, @ Maryland, Michigan.

That's brutal. Especially when you consider they are breaking in a new QB, only return 1 WR and their TE, 2 new OL, and no depth on the DL or secondary, plus replacing 2 of their 3 best players from last years D. 

I can honestly see them losing @ND, Wisconsin (they return an excellent OL and RB), @IU, BYU, and Michigan. They could start the season 3-5. With OSU and PSU closing out the end of their schedule, and they could realistically finish 5-7 or 6-6. I think 7-5 or 8-4 would be best case scenario. 

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Perkis-Size Me

July 14th, 2016 at 5:25 PM ^

I've underestimated MSU before and I won't make the mistake of doing it again.

I could see an 8-4 type of year, but then again they could go and win the conference again because why not? They've done it before.

My guess is they start off slow but pick up steam by season's end, finish with either 9-10 wins, including the bowl game.



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UMinSF

July 14th, 2016 at 6:25 PM ^

Don't think so.  

BYU lost their coach, I think they're gonna be garbage.  Being an independent is killing them; they're currently 86th in 247's recruiting rankings. Yeah, they get Hill back (I think), but he's really fragile. I think Mendenhall is a pretty good coach, and was great for them - that's a big loss.

MD is a wild card with Durkin.  Could be better, or could have a tough transition a la RichRod.

NW is NW. Don't think they'll be better or worse than usual.  MSU should be able to beat them up physically like we did last year.

I just don't see any of those games as really tough.

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Rick Grimes

July 14th, 2016 at 4:38 PM ^

I hardly see Maryland as a potential trap game outside of the connection with Durkin. No way Michigan loses that game. I do agree with the majority of the list, however.

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Goggles Paisano

July 15th, 2016 at 6:56 AM ^

It is the perfect definition of a trap game. A trap game is a game against a weaker opponent you would normally beat that is sandwiched between two strong opponents.  Playing MD in between games at Msu and at Iowa is absolutely a trap game. Whether or not Mich should win this game is irrelevant to the definition of a trap game.  

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Elwood

July 14th, 2016 at 4:44 PM ^

IU isn't a trap for MSU since Kevin Wilson is a good coach and IU is a chaotic team. That's like calling a Mike Leach coached team a trap game.

The OSU vs Tulsa game is a true trap game. Hopefully it'll be a fun first half.

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Michigan4Life

July 15th, 2016 at 6:01 AM ^

Tulsa won't lose to OSU by 40+ points. Tulsa offense is top 5 in the country and runs a very unconventional offense aka Baylor spread offense. 

They lost to Oklahoma at Oklahoma 52-38. Oklahoma defense got shredded to the tune of 663 yards which is the most they have given up all year long.  It is a trap game for OSU because it's before the big game against Oklahoma in Norman. Tulsa returns their starting QB and bunch of WRs. This will be a lot closer than most people think it would be. It will be Tulsa's 2nd year of running the system so if they're a top 5 offense in their FIRST year running the system, they'll have it humming this season.

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UMinSF

July 14th, 2016 at 5:33 PM ^

Army hasn't beaten ND since 1958. Not gonna happen.

Not really sure Texas A&M is much of an underdog at home against Tennessee. 

I'm glad we play Maryland at home; if it were at MD, I think it really could be a trap game.

 

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SpikeFan2016

July 14th, 2016 at 5:34 PM ^

They have our trap game wrong. 

 

The real trap for Michigan is Indiana. They have almost beaten us for 3 games in a row now; their spread matches as well as possible against our defense. And it's sandwiched the week before our #1 hardest game of the season and the week after either our #3 hardest game of the season (or potentially, #2 hardest, although I for one think MSU will be tougher). 

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LSAClassOf2000

July 14th, 2016 at 9:40 PM ^

Houston at Cincinnati: Houston has three Thursday night games after playing the previous Saturday. This may be the toughest of them on the road at Cincinnati.

This might only be a real trap game if you bought tickets on the earnest assumption that you would get to see some defensive stands and three and outs, but I do understand where they are coming from otherwise.  

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Megatron

July 15th, 2016 at 12:16 AM ^

Happen surprise that was even in trap games for 2016. Army is always blow .500 or just about .500 and can't beat Navy either. IU is IU will only be about .500 ball year in and year out never think of them as a trap game.

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maize-blue

July 15th, 2016 at 8:46 AM ^

I could see us getting off to a slow start @ Rutgers but I wouldn't call that a trap game and I think we would eventually blow the doors off them. A slow start in that game is more likely if the previous game against Wisconsin is tough. 

If Indiana is any resemblence of what they were last year then that could be one to keep an eye on being sandwiched in between Iowa and OSU. I think they'll probably score some, maybe be annoying, but probably not as close as last year and the game is at home.

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