Starting rumors: Boise St for the 2011 Opener?
http://www.obnug.com/2010/4/12/1416822/what-big-name-team-could-complet…
Summarized: The Boise State AD is looking for a big-name, big-money non-conference game for their remaining open date in 2011 (Sept 3). In a fan poll on this blog, Michigan is current leader, ahead of teams like Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. I realize fan polls mean little (read: nothing), but still.
Totally crazy? Maybe. The AD's willingness to schedule UConn this year may signal that we could take on a second non-creampuff in the future. I'm confidant (...ok, hoping) we'll contend for the Big Ten Title in 2011, so it probably wouldn't be a mismatch.
Should it happen we would open the season with Boise State, following it up with ND at night a week later. Yes, please.
If this sounds awful, who would you like to see instead?
Once we get our mojo and depth back, bring em on....
...that's the point. Mojo should be back in 2011.
I'd still like to get through this season before scheduling any big games in the near future. Don't forget, although the news from this weekend was great, we're not in the clear yet.
the current AD did not schedule UConn. i think UM learned their lesson a while back that there is more to be lost playing a school with "david" standing than there is to be gained. given recent history, i think UM would be more david to BSU's goliath, but you get the point.
2011 will be a really exciting home schedule ND at night, osu the saturday after thanksgiving.
blue hair 'splosions!!!
Boise plays a spread, right? Having the 335 with some game experience would come in handy for that game. Having an early season headliner would be good for the program too. I can't really believe people are afraid of playing these guys.
April 13th, 2010 at 12:31 AM ^
they play a lot of TE/I-Form power stuff.
That would be a game I would love to see! Can you say Maize turf? (Sarcasm, people).
would be better than this year. They lost one starter from last years winner of the BCS JV game. They will lose a few more for next year and probably one of them will be Kellen Moore to the NFL.
Eff Boise State. They want a big name and say it's because "We want to play in the Big House!" when in fact their #1 choice is a big time program (ours) when it's at it's lowest point in decades. Real brave of you Boise State... How about you line up Florida or Ohio State? No, pick on the down teams... Another reason why Boise State doesn't deserve a real BCS title game shot.
For us, this is lose/lose. We beat them, whoopee it's BSU, who cares. We lose, that sucks.
1. Dude it's an internet poll.
2. Your superiority complex is blocking my driveway; could you move forward a little bit?
3. Do you think they were picking on down teams when they scheduled Oregon for a home-and-home in 2008 and 2009, or VPISU in 2010?
For VPISU
Those who know, know.
My question is - how did it get to be both an institute AND a university? Never heard of such anywhere else.
We'll be stacked in 2011...Boise St. will lose a ton of guys so they'll be retooling....the game will get plenty of hype and we can pound them. To the average idiot we'll get a big boost in our profile. Book it.
...that would be a great way to start 2011. ESPN hype machine will be going crazy. Replays of The Horror, Boise State - OU statue of liberty play. Sometimes you have to stick out your chin and have the confidence you know how to counter when your opponent takes the bait.
I think this is more the scenario. Boise has been on the top of the rankings for a little while, and they are really hyped for this fall too. If they are coming off back-to-back undefeated seasons, public opinion on them will be really high. Either way, by Sept 2011 people will see Boise St. as a big time non-conference game, and we're set up to be stacked in 2011. We would be the team to break their 2+ season win streak.
A good statement win to begin our national championship season.
But the chances aren't any better than expecting LSU or USC. It'll be some MAC opponent—how about some revenge on Toledo—or a Sun Belt team.
There is no upside here for us. If we win, Boise State (having lost its opener), will go unranked or lowly ranked for the rest of the season, so we won't get all that much of a bump up for it, and if we lose, then unless Boise State goes to a BCS Bowl, we lost to a non-major. Not sure why we would do this. Plus, with Boise State's insane offense, they can beat anyone on any given Saturday. (Note, not saying that we should be afraid to take on teams that can beat us, but playing a wild card team such as this on the open, with such a limited upside just doesn't make sense, in my opinion).
April 12th, 2010 at 10:01 PM ^
Boise will probably be ranked pretty high to start 2011--losing starters or no, people will rank them at least in the top-20 if they have another good year this year. Beating them to start the season would make UM jump up significantly, irrespective of how either team does from there on out. It might impact the BCS rankings, but I'm a pessimist and don't expect UM to be in the MNC hunt in 2011, so it's kind of a moot point.
I would rather beat up on a scrub low tier team 63-6 then beat ND at night the next week
Glad to see that the Michigan superiority complex has survived 8-16. No snark.
Dude, did you see the scrimmage last weekend? We're BACK.
An opener against Boise State would kick ass. It's reasonable to play two somewhat tough games back-to-back to open the season. A back-to-back pair like BSU/ND wouldn't be tougher than in-conference pairs that we face on a yearly basis. And we don't know if the games will be that tough. Boise State basically has one decent road victory this decade -- at Oregon. I haven't looked at Boise State's depth chart, but I expect them to lose lots of seniors since this year and last they had so many guys returning. With four non-conference games, there's no excuse for not having at least two decent games.
The Boise doubt and disrepect never gets old.
Interesting that nobody took up my offer up a year ago. I'll offer the same in the Va Tech game. Maybe some of the people out there who are so convinvced that Boise doesnt belong on the stage will put their money where their mouth is. For once.
http://mgoblog.com/content/rittenberg-suggests-boise-state-2010-opener?…
I kind of like it because it would be a big name team and with a win over them and ND, we could be in the top 10 (if ND is any good). But I wouldn't like to be 1-1 or 0-2 in a year where we could have a shot at the Capital One Bowl or even Rose Bowl (probably not but I can dream). If we lose to Boise St. then the game against ND at night will put a TON of pressure on Michigan to win. It'd be like the App St/Oregon where we started out 0-2 and just wanted to give up on life.
Bring em on. ND and Boise on the same day. Day night doubleheader. Tate Starts the opener and bring in Denard for the nightcap.
this idea has legs
They need to be knocked down a peg or two, and a good old fashioned Big Ten ass whooping in the Big House may be just what the doctor ordered. I say bring em' on.
App State for revenge. No mercy.
The 1999 game was Va Tech against FSU. The 2000 NC game pitted OK against FSU.
http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/champions_national.html
I'd love to Michigan play Va Tech, although I doubt it would happen unless it's during a year ND is off the schedule.
I don't know why people here are dumping on Boise State fans, either. If I were a BSU fan, I'd love to play Michigan, along with a host of other big-time names. And as aamichfan points out, the Big House is a pretty noteworthy stadium.
I forgot they lost to Miami (#3) late in that season when they were ranked #2. Still point was that Va Tech gets plenty of love when they deserve it.
Boise St. would be a nice win against a ranked opponent but a week before the ND game I would like a slightly easier opponent. I would love to open with WVU and whip the shit out of them. It is the perfect match up, their not too good anymore and you can guarantee we won't have trouble getting up to play them.
The reason Michigan is at the top is probably because they think Michigan will continue to struggle, thus being a beatable team with a big name. I think it might be really funny if Michigan reminded them of the two teams' relative positions on college football's food chain.
There is no way BSU beats UM in 2011.
Bring in App. State for a rematch.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^
Day late, buck short.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:11 PM ^
Maybe this has been covered already, but I wonder if Michigan will be more likely to schedule home-and-away games against tough opponents now that David Brandon has replaced Bill Martin, who was adamantly against scheduling such games.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:14 PM ^
Notre Dame for 15 years or w/e.
Oregon
Washington
UCLA
April 12th, 2010 at 11:21 PM ^
I am all for scheduling tougher out of conference teams. I hate playing bottom level MAC teams and Division I-FCS powerhouses. The argument that we are too good of a program to schedule good teams OOC is ridiculous. I would obviously love to win a National Championship! However, I would struggle to say a Rose Bowl birth/victory is a failed season. So what if we drop a couple OOC games in the process (granted I will hate them at the time...), but these games mean nothing to the team's number one goal year in and year out, and that is a Big Ten Championship. We should definitely schedule nationally respected opponents. I am not saying bring in USC, Florida, Texas, and the like every season (once in a while would be great!), but why not a Boise St. or a mid-level SEC, Big XII, or Pac 10 team or two each year. There is something to be gained from playing quality competition, and I think Michigan should now more than ever, get down off its high horse, and schedule some meaningful OOC games.
I hate to say it, but that game would scare the crap out of me. I expect us to have a strong team in 2011 but to play that game right out of the gate, I don't know. We act now like it wouldn't be a big deal if we were to lose, but if it actually happened...
After sleeping on this for a night, I like the idea even more. The positive buzz around the Michigan program going into 2011 with this game would be enormous. Boise State to open, ND at night the following week. The first weekend of the year is usually full of "BCS team vs tomato can" contests, so a Boise-Michigan contest would get extra attention. We need to be in the limelight in a good way for a change and this would help. RichRod could use all of that buzz as a recruiting tool.
History would prove that playing the Baby Seal's of the world is way more lose/lose than it would be playing Boise. What's worse, losing to Boise or App or Toledo or Purdue? I would much rather play Boise and win/lose than play another cream puff team and win/lose. I guess my point is, there is no sure thing and I would much rather have the team that I love and root for play games that mean something. Sure, its pretty fun to watch the youngsters get in on a 789 point win, but where's the real value there if it comes against a d2 team?.With the way this offense puts up points when it's humming, I think we'll be able to do that against the lower B10 competition. That would probably be much better talent and provide more value for our mop up players.Even though we lost a couple of them, it was much more fun to watch when we played Oregon, Utah and some other team from the 90's that I will not say. It's not like our OOC schedule has to be full of powerhouses, just maybe 2 recognizable teams and then one of our directional schools. This is a rambling post, sorry about that.
N0: scheming effort put into BSU = less scheming effort for ND at night
Can you all imagine the amount of scheming one has to conduct for Boise State? There would be little left (perhaps just the week before) for the night game with ND. The coaching staff should have months to put into beating ND at night in the Big House. Having to scheme for BSU would detract too much from this. Having the night game with ND is great; losing that game, when every college football fan on earth is watching, not so much. Save the BSU opener/game for another year.