For Reference: The 2021 Season Preview

Submitted by JamesBondHerpesMeds on November 21st, 2021 at 7:25 PM

I was curious to see where we had sized things up at the beginning of the season, so I dug back into the Season Preview. Some notables:

Best Case: I consider three of their games highly unlikely, but the rest are beatable. Tape the defense back together into something functional and weird, and there’s enough offensive firepower to go 10-2.

If Michigan enters November as one of those teams, it will be the usual end-of-a-coach horror show. If they get there with one loss Michigan will be back to their Carrbaughller normal. Outback or death. Let's ride!

I don't think Seth, nor any of us, would have seen a lackluster set of performances from Wisconsin and Indiana, nor a sudden Phoenix rising of Kenneth Walker III that turned Michigan State into a tossup (and really, a win in the eyes of the CFP, lol). 

It reminds me that, no matter what happens Saturday, we've been treated to a season that defied most of our expectations, and I'm grateful to Harbaugh and the team for letting us witness it. Let's Ride.

 

matt1114

November 21st, 2021 at 7:44 PM ^

According to the page, Wisconsin and Indiana as likely loss. Penn State was a lean to loss and of course OSU was set as expected loss.  He also mentions Washington as a tossup. So best case 10-2 probably was with Wisconsin and OSU loses.

 

Edit: Just read this over. What in the world happened to Indiana????

Joined: 01/08/2021

MGoPoints: 6873

matt1114

November 21st, 2021 at 7:41 PM ^

I think the majority of the commenters on here had us as 8-4 max with 6-6 being the majority. I'll take this season of exceeded expectations over the "Next Cam Newton" we had last season. 

Joined: 01/08/2021

MGoPoints: 6873

Mgotri

November 21st, 2021 at 8:09 PM ^

Interestingly it was not this prediction thread nor the preview thread. https://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/michigan-winloss-record-prediction-thread#comments
 

Also interesting: while searching for your comment, WichitanWolverine promised to eat a lemon out of mgrowolds ass if we went 10-3. So do we have to lose out for that to happen or do we get it even if we end with a better record. 

Joined: 03/04/2013

MGoPoints: 6985

Wolverine Blitzkrieg

November 21st, 2021 at 7:52 PM ^

BPONE was definitely in full effect coming into the season.  I felt like 11–1 was possible, as I’m an eternal optimist, just hard to project us beating the Death Star that resides down in Pooville until we prove we can do it!

Ran into a Buckeye as I was fueling up today (he was working at the gas station, go figure)…he told me they massacred the Spartans to send us Wolverines a message.  I tried to explain to him that we were the more intelligent half of the rivalry and that we were already aware…fully aware, dare I say!  We didn’t need a memo to know what we’re up against, we’ve been on this bandwagon to hell way too long!!  That being said, time to ride!

Joined: 06/21/2015

MGoPoints: 1399

Gree4

November 21st, 2021 at 7:57 PM ^

I just looked back at the 2021 season W/L thread and I picked UM to go 10-2 with a win over Ohio state

Ill change that to 11-1 and a win over Ohio state

looking back at that thread a Vast majority of the 200 comments had this team at 7 wins or less. No matter what happens Saturday, this season is a turning point for this team. People will piss and moan about Harbaugh, but he has us in the running for a Championship. 
 

Joined: 09/04/2020

MGoPoints: 13939

M-Dog

November 21st, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^

In other words if there’s blood in the water after a bad start (lose to Washington, crushed by Wisconsin again, struggle with Rutgers), the enemies will frenzy . . .

Who would have thought that part of that statement would indeed come true . . . and it would only be the struggle with Rutgers part?

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257515

jmblue

November 21st, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^

Wow, I don't remember reading this at the time . . .a home game against Indiana looked to be a "likely loss"?  Oof.

I thought we'd bounce back, as 2020 was just too weird with the facilities shut down for months, players opting out, injuries and all the rest.  I didn't believe that was the new normal.  Plus, Michigan teams historically have improved after down seasons.  But I figured that would be more like 8-4/9-3.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102833

NeverPunt

November 21st, 2021 at 8:13 PM ^

I can’t remember if I posted it on here but definitely thought 9 wins would have been a wild overachievement and 7 or 8 was more likely. Now we got Wisconsin before they remembered what running backs were and Washington and Indiana turned out to be laughable but still have to give credit where it’s due. I wanted Harbaugh gone. With the changes in the staff I think I have shifted perspective. I’ll eat crow for that too. Clinkscale, Bellamy, and Hart were particularly huge hires IMO. The offense seems to be clicking and regardless of Saturdays outcome the future is bright there. If we can recruit better on D, our scheme seems viable for the future. Appreciate this team and coaching staff and hope we can build on the momentum of this season and make next year even better

Joined: 03/26/2019

MGoPoints: 41220

UofM Die Hard …

November 21st, 2021 at 8:22 PM ^

Moral of the story ,  we shouldn’t have judged anyone/any team because of the Covid year. It was glorified practice all season long. 
 

I saw 8-4 at beginning of the year. To see this season come to life was special. A giant kudos to everyone apart of the program.  Soak it all in. Right now, enjoy this!! 
 

now let’s keep this party going on Saturday. 
 

hail 

Joined: 03/10/2011

MGoPoints: 18363

Vote_Crisler_1937

November 21st, 2021 at 8:50 PM ^

I’m very glad to be wrong. I had us at 6-6 and closer to 5-7 than 7-5. Other than Washington, and Indiana’s injuries, we can’t even say that teams were soft as Wisconsin pulled it together. 

It’s not accurate to say that it’s BPONE. There were real problems in the program. Systemic problems. So much credit to Harbaugh for being willing to change in key ways, while still recognizing what was working. Lots of credit to MacDonald and the defensive coaching staff for fixing a lot of those problems and not creating new ones by being a first time coordinator with a scheme none of the other coaches or players had run before. 
 

Michigan will likely lose big Saturday. The team still has things to improve. But it feels like those things could be improved; because so many other things have been  in a short amount of time since assembling this coaching staff. Beyond that, for the first time since Henne/Long/Hart etc. it looks like the team has a core group of young players that could be, as Carr always said, “special!” Let’s hope this staff can help them all hit their ceilings and play cohesively. 

Joined: 11/07/2011

MGoPoints: 15516

snarling wolverine

November 21st, 2021 at 9:05 PM ^

It’s not accurate to say that it’s BPONE

To be in the BPONE is to just expect bad outcomes from the team.  It's not necessarily irrational.  It describes a dark place in fandom where you can't imagine your team turning its fortunes around.

People get mad at Brian for using the term, but it's absolutely a real thing.  He just put a name to it.

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 98365

Vote_Crisler_1937

November 22nd, 2021 at 9:12 PM ^

I get that BPONE is a real thing. What I’m trying to say is to pretend like people were down on this year’s team “just because” is misrepresenting the amount of actual problems the program had. Most coaches with Harbaugh’s level of experience can’t, or are unwilling to change the way Harbaugh has. Thus it’s totally reasonable to expect those problems (or most of them) to remain and the program to continue to be limited as a result. 

Joined: 11/07/2011

MGoPoints: 15516

swalburn

November 21st, 2021 at 9:08 PM ^

I had 8-4 and I think I acknowledged that I like Kool-Aid.  This season has been a great ride.  Even if we get sadness Saturday, it is way better than apathy.

Joined: 11/24/2011

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