Which comes first: Michigan national title or Lions Super Bowl?

If you look at historic odds for the last four years, you get some intriguing figures. For example, averaging the Super Bowl odds for the Lions in the last week where they were potentially eligible to make the playoffs, their odds of winning the Super Bowl sit around 1,571 to 1 on average. For Michigan football, it falls considerably - the average is about 87 to 1 over the last four years to get to the BCS championship game. For Michigan basketball, it falls further to about 51 to 1 on average over the last four years (obviously, it seems much better recently). So, if the current trends held, Michigan would experience some far more excellent years in a couple sports before the Lions would win the Super Bowl. 

I'm betting on a time coached by Brady Hoke over a team coached by Jim Schwartz.

Michigan NC (even though it seems an uphill battle, given we don't oversign, and current demographics).

The Lions last won a championship in 1957, before there was a Super Bowl.  They have one (1!) playoff win in over half a century of futility.  The best years I can remember were with Barry Sanders, where they'd generally alternate a playoff loss in a weak-schedule season with failing to make the playoffs in a strong-schedule season.

(OK, I wasn't going to look it up, but then I decided not to rely on memory.  In the Super Bowl Era, the Lions made consecutive playoffs in 82-83, and 93-95 .  It felt like alternating, because they otherwise skipped years at the beginning and end of the 90s:  91, 97, 99 [per Pro Football Reference].  Except for 91, it was one-and-done.)

People who talk about blind squirrels and nuts have a point - for other teams.  William Clay Ford is a blind squirrel which also doesn't have a sense of smell.  And maybe doesn't have paws.

There are ten blind squirrels (one Super Bowl appearance, * means win):  Jets*, Ravens*, Bucs*, Saints*, Chargers, Falcons, Titans, Panthers, Seahawks, Cardinals.  It's pretty pathetic when expansion teams get to the Super Bowl before you.  The Bucs started out 0-14 (only to be eventually outdone by the Lions), then 0-12 their 2nd season, before notching their 1st & 2nd wins, beating the formerly hapless Ain'ts, who fired their coach, then the Cards, who also fired their coach.

I expect the Browns, Jags and Texans to make the Super Bowl before the Lions while they are under the curse of William Clay Ford

Michigan is on pace to constantly be a top ten team, so they are in the conversation. There aren't that many NFL teams, but I dont think any rational person thinks Detroit is about to be a regular in the top 10 in the NFL.

Actually, I think the Lions will leave Detroit before they win a Super Bowl.

I was at the lions game yesterday and left at halftime.  That team is pathetic and plays for stats not victory...

Hoke will win a national title in the next ten years.  count on it.  probably 2015

jdon

But this subject made me feel really sad. Please God I just want to go to the Super Bowl once. I would spend 5,000 for two seats.

In a couple years Hoke should have the talent and depth back to normal Michigan standards. That means the team will starg winning B1G championships. Though it is difficult to run the table for an undefeated season.  If Bo had a few good bounces and a few plays here and there he could have won 3 to 4 NC. 

I hope Michigan does win a NC in the next ten years but I would be happy if they turn into a dominate 1 or 2 loss team again! As for the Lions! They look like a team that is totally out of phase, mainly due to poor draft selections and coaching. I don't see a real change until the Ford's sell the team. Junior ran the team after '99 and made a horrible mistake of hiring Matt Millen as the GM, and stuck with him way too long. I was more  hopeful about the current coaching staff a few years back  but after this season it looks kind of like a disaster heading forward.

So yes, Michigan has a much better chance of winning a NC then the Lion' do winning a Superbowl!

They will beat the Lions.

Impossible to say anyway.  The Lions will win only when Ford is gone and they hire a good coach and about 5 years have passed to get rid of all the dead wood players from the old regime.  Michigan could win one any time starting in about 3 years.  

I'll settle for Michigan winning a Rose Bowl. BTW, is anyone else suprised to learn that the last time that happened Barry Sanders had just played his last season in the NFL?

Haven't we already won 11 national titles in football?  

I'm remember when the Lions were the best team in the NFL. Then again, I also remember when Detroit was called, "The Paris of the Midwest."

That's how old I am...

The Lions will never go to the Super Bowl. Not ever, not as long as Ford owns the team. I don't know why.

Michigan will win a MNC within the next four years.