Reflections on Hawaii-Cal game

Submitted by crg on

Just watched the replay of the game from last night and feeling even more confident about how UM will do next Saturday against Hawaii.  However, I was a bit impressed with their offense at times.  If it wasn't for a bad stretch at the end of the first half, that game could have gone down to the wire.  Obviously UM has a much better team on both sides of the ball, but if we had to play this game @ Hawaii, considering the travel effect on our team and them having time to prepare at home, I wouldn't be so sure of the outcome (probably still a win, but not a blowout).  Hard to say how good we actually are without seeing a game yet this season, but I'm glad to have a front loaded number of home games this year.

That being said, let's rejoice in the return of football season (and to watching NDSU tonight):

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Bambi

August 27th, 2016 at 3:57 PM ^

If this were a road game my only concern would be how realistic it would be for me to make a trip to Hawaii to watch Michigan football. The game would still be a blow out.

Cal has been trash on defense ever since Dykes got there, and are again this year. Hawaii is starting a QB with a career completion percentage under 50 and more picks than TDs in the MWC. They ran the ball decently but once again, Cal is trash defensively. Also, our DL.

 

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Durham Blue

August 27th, 2016 at 4:04 PM ^

I took Hawaii +20.5 mainly because it was at a neutral site.  I got it by 1/2 point.  If in Berkeley I think Cal would've won by at least four TDs.  As far as next week I don't think Hawaii will be able to handle our defensive line.  Woolsey will get sacked and pressured many times.  I think Michigan goes up by 35 points in the first half and starts playing subs in the third quarter.  The -42 line is tough to swallow even though I think Michigan can cover it if they played their starters until midway through the 4th quarter.  But I think Hawaii covers the spread very late in the game much to the chagrin of Michigan betting guy.  I'm staying away from Michigan -42.

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jakerblue

August 27th, 2016 at 4:03 PM ^

Last year it seemed Harbaugh was content to take the foot of the pedal when the games were out of hand. Does he do that again this year? I thinking with how weak our ooc games are we have to put up some serious style points. I think we have to win these games by 35+

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SalvatoreQuattro

August 27th, 2016 at 4:05 PM ^

UM would blow them out at Hawaii.Hawaii is not good. Little speed or talent at WR, mediocre QB, decent RB, bad defense and special teams. I honestly have no idea why you think they would keep a game close vs UM anywhere. Hawaii just does not have much in the way of talent.



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Mr. Yost

August 27th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^

We'd outnumber them in Hawaii...since when is that a tough place to play?

I suppose they could play at 10p local where it would be, what, 3a in Ann Arbor?

I kept thinking this was a joke...we should be worried about Hawaii? Our 2nd team could beat them handily. 

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Blau

August 27th, 2016 at 4:24 PM ^

but i'm not sure. He could've been referring to Queen Victoria but the context doesn't work really.

Does Cal have a football-playing Queen Victoria we've never heard about? No, no, no. None of this adds up at all.

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Erik_in_Dayton

August 27th, 2016 at 4:26 PM ^

Traveling from Sydney to AA in eight days to play a noon game is going to likely leave them totally gassed by the fourth quarter. They'll still be re-adjusting to the direction North American toilets flush as well.

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crg

August 27th, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^

This actual game will be a bloodbath if JH allows it.  Hawaii is not a great team to begin with, their travel schedule is brutal, the Big House is a very challenging place for opponents to play (normally), and UM has great talent and (what should be) a great team this year.

My comment was, hypothetically, if we had to begin @ Hawaii, if they had all their players elgible and healthy, time to prepare at home (without having to travel before playing us), and we didn't have much time between arriving and playing (maybe 1 day), and whatever else reasonable worth considering (weather differences, distractions, etc.) - this game would be more of a contest.  Probably still a win, but not a blowout.

The team didn't look very sharp least year at Utah, but after a few games they gelled and were dominant (until the injuries started in...).

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SalvatoreQuattro

August 27th, 2016 at 5:06 PM ^

They are not a good team. Even if everything occurred the game would still be a blowout. You are grossly overrating Hawaii. Nothing about this team says that they are capable of making the game anything less than a two score win under the best of circumstances. I wonder if you even watched the game last night.



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crg

August 27th, 2016 at 6:32 PM ^

I watched the game earlier today on replay, as I said in the OP.

Hawaii looked very slopy at times, no arguement there, but they also showed some nice $flashes in their offense (defense, not so much).  They had a lot of missed passes (and interceptions) that were just slightly off from being properly executed.  Their run game has significant potential, though their O-line wasn't entirely cohesive.  Their QB wasn't too bad and showed willingness to do more than just stay in the pocket (running upfield to provide a block was nice to see).  The score differential was the same at halftime as it was at the final, and the statistics for both teams were comparable.  Take out the turnovers Hawaii might have won.

Granted Cal is not a great team, but this game could have easily have passed for a Big 12 conference game (and better than Kansas or ISU).  As I said, even as a road game (with other factors mentioned) UM wins, but it would likely be closer than next week will be.

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LSAClassOf2000

August 27th, 2016 at 8:29 PM ^

The biggest advantage we really have is probably exactly that - the fact that Hawaii's travel schedule is so brutal in such a short space of time. Someone above said that the DL would eat the Hawaii OL for lunch, which is probably true, but as confused as they will be, the Rainbow Warriors will be expecting breakfast around the time we are eating said lunch. 

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LDNfan

August 27th, 2016 at 4:28 PM ^

What insane scheduling on Hawaii's part...Game in Australia one week followed by a game half way around the world in the other direction the next. The jet-lag alone has to be worth a couple of scores in UM's favour. As i can imagine them giving up pretty quickly if UM jumps on them hard and fast right out the gate. 

Don't those guys have to go to school at some point?

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ThatFatMan42

August 27th, 2016 at 4:30 PM ^

Hawai'i is worse.  I think this will be a good game for us to loosen up a bit and work out any silly issues like false starts that always seem to crop up first game. 

Did feel like their little RB wasn't terrible though and I could see him breaking off a decent run if he gets lost behind their OL a bit.  Like 10-15 yards decent.  Mostly I expect the DL won't give him time or room to run.

I also expect we will get a few takeaways including a pick six out of Peppers with that QB flinging the ball to our guys in an effort to save his own skin.  

Pretty much I expect it's going to be pretty lopsided, even if Hawai'i does show decent improvement week 1 to week 2.  

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leftwing19

August 27th, 2016 at 4:38 PM ^

Don't have points to start new post. Field hockey team just knocked off #1 North Carolina on penalty corner after time expired. Goal broke a 0-0 tie. Go blue!

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