UM Picked to Win Big10 in Pennsylvania newspaper
Take it for what it's worth-- which is absolutely nothing-- but today's Harrisburg Patriot-News Football Preview featured this prediction:
Michigan (9-4) defeats Illinois in the first Big Ten Conference Championship.
Also had the Wolverines listed as #17 in their poll. Somebody likes what they see, obviously, but the Illinois pick only makes the whole thing more suspect, in my opinion. No link, sorry.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:03 AM ^
it says the author is Benjamin Keith Finest
August 28th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
get it BKFinest, anyone.....ugh.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^
hence the five score you got. Pretty good one actually.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^
mgoandriodapp doesn't let me see if people enjoyed the comment.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:04 AM ^
True dat. Illinois??? Sounds like the guy wanted to spark some controversy/get some publicity.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^
Illinois? What, was Indiana too controversial?
August 28th, 2011 at 12:20 PM ^
i think I saw High Tmes Magazine pick Indiana.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:18 AM ^
Michigan vs. Illinois in B1G championship game? This was a gag, correct?
August 28th, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
August 28th, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^
Illinois lost their top RB and two of their top defenders. Not to mention Michigan is a bit of a stretch, given that we're learning new systems on both sides and coming off our worst defensive year eva.
August 28th, 2011 at 6:15 PM ^
Michigan also has virtually everyone returning from a team that won seven games despite that "worst defense ever." Michigan should win 8 games this year, nine is not a stretch. The stretch I see in this article is that one of the championship teams is going to be 9-4. That I don't see happening. Nebraska is going to lose 3 or 4 games in the Big Ten? Michigan should lose at most 1 game in non conference (maybe ND). So at least 3 of Michigan's losses would be in the Big Ten.
August 28th, 2011 at 8:05 PM ^
Yeah you would think so that this would be a gag. Id love to see it happen, but any sportswriter who actually went out on a limb and published this has got to be nuts given that were essentially in another transition year.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:23 AM ^
Here's their preview of the Leaders Division:
http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2011/08/big_ten_leaders_division_previ.html
I'll go with bronxblue here - I think the Indiana pick might have been too controversial....
August 28th, 2011 at 9:31 AM ^
The most outrageous part of this prediction hasn't even been mentioned yet. The winner of the Big Ten will be 9-4?!
August 28th, 2011 at 9:34 AM ^
I think we all had a thought on that, but how to express it without employing the question, "How much will this conference stink in their view?"......
August 28th, 2011 at 10:25 AM ^
Tough call... he also has Illinois at 10 wins.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:36 AM ^
Somehow I don't think 9-4 is going to win the conference.
August 28th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
Eh... it's possible. 7-2 in conference is probably a safe bet for the teams that wins the conference, so (depending on the team) the conference winner is very likely to be somewhere in the 3 to 4 loss range this year. While I think it's more likely to be 3 losses than 4 losses, I don't think it's that much of a stretch.
August 28th, 2011 at 10:19 AM ^
speaking of predictions of little worth....drew sharp says we will be 6-6, state will be 9-3, and osu will win the B1G championship, which is fortunate for us because fickell will be hired full time. comments on michigan having no depth on a suspect offensive line....
August 28th, 2011 at 10:25 AM ^
Of course he would comment on probably the one unit thats not suspect.
August 28th, 2011 at 10:36 AM ^
lol right? and not comment on msu's offensive line. he put msu's pressure more on captain kirk...not much he can do if he is getting pummeled.
August 28th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
How do they have us losing two games out of conference?
August 28th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
The Harrisburg Patriot-News has been removed from my enemies list - for now
August 28th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
Unless our coaching staff is lying, I just can't see us winning our division with our D. Lots of games we could win or lose - almost no conference games are easy and ND and even SDSU could be tough. Anything above 7-5 or 8-4 would be a most welcome surprise.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
It had to be a struggle between M vs ILL and the national favorites Minnesota vs Indiana.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
Does this guy watch football? Or did he mean basketball?
August 28th, 2011 at 12:10 PM ^
The guy defends his picks at least. And I hope he's right!
August 28th, 2011 at 12:18 PM ^
"Biggest issue has been addressed with the removal of Rodriguez. Though an accomplished offensive mind, he was pure hayseed, and urbane Ann Arbor types could never warm to him. "
I don't necessarily agree, but this kind of comment is so commonplace, perception has become reality it seems.
August 28th, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^
David Jones is an idiot, and an Ohio alumn (redundent, I know). Here is his Top25 if anyone cares:
- Bama
- VT
- Oregon
- Arkansas
- OK
- TCU
- LSU
- FSU
- Boise ST
- Mississippi St
- Wisconsin
- OKST
- Mizzou
- ND
- NIU
- Illini
- UM
- Nebraska
- Stanford
- USC (South Carolina)
- Pitt
- USC
- A&M
- Tulsa
- ASU
August 28th, 2011 at 1:07 PM ^
If this actually happens I'll shit
August 28th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^
Please don't stop shitting.
August 28th, 2011 at 1:57 PM ^
you're gonna have to, man... so do you mind waiting until Dec. 3rd to help out our cause??
August 28th, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^
You should try Raisin Bran
August 28th, 2011 at 1:34 PM ^
That would be cool.
August 28th, 2011 at 2:30 PM ^
As outrageous as this prediction seems, this article still has more objectivity and accuracy then any FREEP article about the BIG TEN.
August 28th, 2011 at 6:40 PM ^
...if they're correct, then all will be well with the world. And the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012 won't matter!
August 30th, 2011 at 5:16 PM ^
I of course hope that they are correct, but I would be very surprised if Hoke is able to get us to contend for a big ten title in his first year.