We will beat Utah because ____.
By now you've all read the Week 0 Opponent Watch, which was pretty flattering to Utah and rated them a "Fear Level: 8". Well, below are some reasons to be optimistic about our chances against Utah. Please feel free to add to the list.
- Utah is 1-3 at home in conference play in each of the past two seasons, which suggests their home field advantage may not be as big as some other programs'.
- Our defense held Utah to 2.2 ypc last year (81 yds), and we return a lot of starters from that side of the ball. We also held them to 172 non-garbage time passing yards. Where we shit the bed was turning the ball over 5 times. This staff will not permit such a travesty!
- Really for the first time since Henne, we will have a (probable) starting QB who is NOT turnover-prone. The value in that is immesurable (I mean, it IS measurable, but it's been so long since we've had one that I've forgotten how to measure it).
- The Opponent Watch column pointed out that Utah was 9-4 last year, with 3 of their 4 losses to then-top 15 teams. HOWEVER, they were also a mere 12 points from having a 5-7 record. They had some very narrow wins, including: UCLA (by 2), USC (by 3), Stanford (by 3), and Colorado (by 4). Wins are wins, but it wasn't a dominating 9-4 record they put together.
- Peppers. He wasn't active for this game last year. This year, he will return one to the house. The kid is just incredible and he's the best athlete we've had in this program since Charles (Denard included). Call me a homer if you want to (but watch his film again before you do). When the game is over, I'll be the homer braggin about having made this prediction!
- HARBAUGH is a natural born warrior and leader. The only profession for guys like him 1,000 years ago was waging war. Luckily for humanity, there are more constructive, less deadly jobs now for guys like him to focus their talents on:
August 28th, 2015 at 3:04 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 2:58 PM ^
This is Michigan...Finally.
August 28th, 2015 at 3:05 PM ^
We will beat Utah because we have a more talented team and a better coaching staff. Simple as that.
August 28th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
1) Utah was outgained in 9 of their 10 games last year versus teams from the power 5 conferences. The only team they outgained was lowly Colorado (0-9 in Pac-12 last yr) and the Utes had just 6 more yards overall in the game while running 9 more offensive plays.
2) Michigan has 23 senior's on the 2-deep depth chart in Phil Steele's magazine. This is easily tops in the country meaning Michigan has a ton of guys who have played meaningful minutes.
2) There's proof that recruiting rankings usually give you an idea of how good a team will be.............the last 5 years recruiting rankings: Michigan is #11 and Utah #45 (for comparison Maryland #43 and Rutgers #48)
3) Utah lost BOTH of their offensive and defensive coordinators from last season. They hired a 72 year-old to run their defense and he's been retired from football for the past 4 years, strange.
4) In last year's game Michigan had 11 offensive posessions against Utah (not counting final drive that started on own 3 with 1:10 left in game). The Wolverines offense crossed the 50 yard line in 8 of their 11 posessions yet somehow they managed to score just 3 points in the game.
5) Utah's S&P rating last season ranked them #41 and Michigan #45. Everyone here knows what a total disaster last season was for Michigan. Looks like the Utes weren't playing at much higher levels either despite their 9-4 season overall.
Here's the BIGGEST key I think to winning this game for Michigan:
Since Utah joined the Pac-12 they've lost the turnover battle in conference games 13 times and their record in those games is............0-13!!!!
Utah had a negative turnover margin in only 2 of their 12 FBS games last season (Michigan lost it in 9 games) and the Utes ended up getting hammered in both of those contests by scores of 51-27 and 42-10. They don't look like a team that beats decent programs at the line of scrimmge but instead they try to win the turnover battle and use their excellent special teams to make things easier on both their offense and defense.
This is probably the case in every single football game but seems to be even more important in this one IMO:
win the turnover battle (which includes not losing special teams also) and you beat Utah............GO BLUE!!!!
August 28th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^
Welp, I'm sold. We are going to win. could definitely see 31-13 good guys.
August 28th, 2015 at 3:31 PM ^
Our good defense will have improved and we won't turn the ball over. Grind it out, run down the clock, one touchdown each from rushing, receiving, and interception return (Peppers!).
August 28th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
There are others, but here's the difference makers that weren't a part of the 2014 edition:
- A healthy Butt
- A focused Rudock
- A fired up Peppers
+ Harbaugh
-------------------------------------------
= WIN
Chalk it up.
August 28th, 2015 at 4:01 PM ^
Jesus.
August 28th, 2015 at 4:10 PM ^
Utah had a lot of turmoil in the offseason and lost a lot of coaching acumen that they did not necessarily replace.
The strength of Utah's offense, the running game, plays right into the strength of Michigan's defense.
Their D-Line is still scary but I have a feeling Rudock's ability to be efficient and checkdown may cause them to back off in a way they didn't have to last year.
August 28th, 2015 at 4:14 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 4:21 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 4:28 PM ^
because of outstanding preparation and coaching. In short, Harbaugh makes the difference at qb and the OL is better than expected and wil deliver the blocking necessary for the running game to emerge from prolific hibernation.
This team will play to its defense but will get contributions from both special teams and the offense that we just haven't seen in recent years.
That's my hope, and I'm sticking to it. With Harbaugh we win in Trust.
August 28th, 2015 at 4:28 PM ^
Next question.
August 28th, 2015 at 4:35 PM ^
24-21
August 28th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 4:42 PM ^
Because we've worked harder than them to prepare for the game and we will play harder than them between the white lines next Thursday night.
August 28th, 2015 at 5:02 PM ^
The strength of their offense plays to the strength ofour defense, the run game! Adding peppers this year makes our run defense even better and I think we can shut this offense down! Their defense lost alot of players in a below average secondary and their best defender from last year (Orchard) is gone!
August 28th, 2015 at 5:17 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
August 28th, 2015 at 5:20 PM ^
. . . With Frosting On Top.
August 28th, 2015 at 5:43 PM ^
We will be Utah because Schembechler.
August 28th, 2015 at 5:56 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 6:09 PM ^
Utah doesn't have any material from which to scout the offense. There are going to be a lot of surprises in terms of personel packages and constraint plays.
August 28th, 2015 at 6:37 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 6:45 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 6:45 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 7:04 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 7:43 PM ^
Yet, they ultimately realize that Michigan players, along with having elite athleticism and elite coaching, also have elite hemoglobin.
Hence, the plan backfires. Utes are completely gassed by the 4th qtr, at which point Joe Kerridge blazes past their entire defense en route to a 40-yd TD.
August 28th, 2015 at 8:10 PM ^
We will beat Utah because we're Michigan.
I'm really not a fan of the arrogance some of our fans have kept despite not winning, but I get it. I truely want the above statement to be true again.
I'm really banking on Harbaugh bringing back the old winning ways of Michigan. In the 80's and 90's we could sit back, drink some beers, casually watch the game, and just know that Michigan was going to win a large percentage of their games.
Year after year we could just reguritate the same facts. Our defense is better, our O line and run game will wear them down, we simply have more talent, etc. etc.
We need to get back to being Michigan. We will out recruit almost every single team we will face. We just need to optimize all the advantages that Michigan brings to the football team. Michigan should br bringing in top 10ish recruiting classes, have a top coaching staff, state of the art facilities, and one of the largest most fanatically supportive fans/alumni in the nation.
When we can start firing on all cylinders of player developement, recruiting, top coaching, and making solid game plans verse each team we face then the answer is clear. We will win because we are Michigan.
Harbaugh can get us there. The fun will be watching the games and seeing if he will.
Spoiler: I think he will.
August 28th, 2015 at 8:13 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
August 28th, 2015 at 8:59 PM ^
Utah.
August 28th, 2015 at 9:02 PM ^
