Which will be the trap game(s) in 2012?
Which game or games are ones Michigan needs to guard against as trap games* in the 2012 schedule? Blazefire's post of a few days ago, "What games will have you pacing in 2012" got me thinking along these lines. Which game do you think will be the biggest trap game for Michigan this year?
We have a bye week after playing ND, so I don't think the Purdue game will be a problem (without the bye week, I would list that as our top trap game to look out for).
Strangely enough, I think the Minnesota game could be our trap game. It follows two tough games against rivals and/or teams expected to battle us for division championship, State, and Nebraska, and we just demolished them last year. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that somewhere in the back of many Michigan players' minds is the thought that they just have to show up, and the win is theirs. I still think Michigan wins this game, probably by two touchdowns, but Minnesota has the capability of keeping the game close for awhile if Michigan's play is lackadasical.
So, do you think Michigan will have a trap game this year? If so, which game will it be?
Link to Michigan's 2012 schedule: http://mgoblog.com/content/michigan-future-schedules
*A trap game is one your team is expected to win handily, but it might not play as well as expected becaurse it occurs right before or after a game with a top rival or difficult opponent.
Air Force
Air Force will be a tricky one, with their style of play and following all the intensity and hoopla that will go with the Alabama game.
We play airforce after alabama, and if we don't prepare adaqueately for their option offense, we'll be getting terrorized all game.
Good thing we have Mattison
Alabama
I think the Sparty game will be the most sapping for the team.
We will need to be at our best again next week ....that too ...away at Lincoln.
Yes. I think this is the game we lose but close. No shame as this happens to most teams in Lincoln.
Edit: Posted before reading OP * of 'Trap' so derp.
Minnesota?
True, but when I look at how Minnesota played USC and Iowa (instead of how they played us and whatever school in North Dakota they lost to), I realize they can be dangerous.
True, they had a lot of seniors play, but they also had a lot of younger players get significant playing time. Also, Marqueis Gray will be in his second year starting at QB under the same coach and should be improved in the passing game. I think Minnesota will be better than last year and while perhaps not having the same level of senior leadership, they have players that are now in their second year under Kill. On paper, this should be an easy win for Michigan, and that is one of the reasons Minnesota might be overlooked.
Air Force no question about it...
I thought so before they lost a couple of key players so I chose Nebraska but this is my close second.
You know at first I was thinking there is no way Nebraska fits the definition of a trap game. I still have my doubts because of their tradition and success through the years and the fact that almost every pudit lists this as a very close game and a struggle. Having said that, the way Michigan handled them last year, just dominated them, I can see a possiblitity of some players not giving Nebraska the credit it deserves and having a let down after our big win against MSU.
Two games have the potential, I believe:
On the OOC portion of the schedule, I agree that Air Force is the trap game (they lost quite a few starters, I think, but I don't see them as necessarily a pushover). I am confident Mattison has an answer to the option though, and he does a great job of changing course if things don't work right away.
Nebraska might be the trap game in the conference schedule - it's after the MSU game, which tends to be draining physically and emotionally, and it is in Lincoln, and I don't think anyone expects the Cornhuskers to be a slouch in Lincoln. Still, I think it is a winnable game.
I think the schedule is pretty straightforward this year, and I also think Hoke has everyone's attention too much for Michigan to consider any game as a trap game. My guess is that Brady Hoke teams will lose to teams with better personnel, and some with equal personnel, but I don't see Michigan losing to any inferior teams under Hoke for awhile.
That being said, this team could be better than last years, but lose more games.
I certainly agree with your last sentence. And I have no doubt Brady Hoke and his staff are not taking anyone on the schedule lightly. But the players can be a different story. They are, afterall, just 18-23 year olds, and can be influenced by the media and friends as well. Plus, it is difficult to go an entire season without at least one let down. The trick is to play through that and pull out the win, even if the game is closer than it should be.
/s
This is so dumb. What is a trap to you. A trap game is something you don't see coming, hence the word trap. Nobody walks right into a trap knowing they wont get out. We dont know the trap game yet. But under what you should be saying, which game could be a loss that Michigan should win, that game is Iowa.
Type in all the bolds!
But actually, I think there are a couple. Air Force I agree with. Iowa I agree with, we've lost 4 straight against them and it's the week before the OSU game. Illinois could be as well. It's homecoming so we might be too energized, and it's the week before the MSU game, so we have to be careful.
I was wondering when someone was going to mention Illinois. It's hard to tell with a new coach and all how they will fare this season, but you're right, coming right before MSU, they could be a team that gets overlooked. I would consider Iowa more of a trap if we beat them last year. I hope the fact that we lost to them is inspiration enough to not overlook them this year.
I agree.
Revenge games are seldom trap games, so Iowa isn't as likely to be the trap game as Illinois is.
a game that you don't want to be part of because anything can happen!
Iowa
Airforce, tripple-option death
Kovacs will have at least 15 tackles that game from taking the pitch back
Why are we typing in bold?
Any game we are favored to win may be a trap game. AL, ND, NE and OSU are all games we may be underdogs in? Hopefully we will win a few of these but I'm sure we will lose at least one trap game. I fear MSU, due to the pressure on the team to beat them at home. IA has me concerned since Ferentz seems to coach well against us.
By the end of the year we will be a much better team than last years team. The question is what will our record be? I could see us having a record ranging from 7-5 to possibly 12-0! I'm not going to get to down on this team if we finish 8-4 or 9-3. It is a tough schedule.
We'll be considered, far and away, the greatest team in the last century, so there may be a lot of pressure going into that game for us to look dominant. We should just stick to the gameplan and not press too much.
This answer is always Iowa.
Always Iowa.
Air Force too, this year. Either we'll be potentially overconfident and too relaxed after beating Alabama, or we'll be dejected after a loss.
But definitely Iowa. Minnesota is almost too obvious to be a trap game. It's on the road, it's after two huge games, it's like a giant JERRY KILL IS WAITING TO TRAP YOU sign is hanging there. Iowa game, on the other hand, follows a comfy home victory over NW and is a week before The Game. Easy to overlook. And the Hawkeyes specialize in traps.
The answer for 2013, btw, is also Iowa, of course. It's a road game a week before The Game, and it's the second road game in a row.
Not sure if Purdue counts as a trap game, since they are in the hunt for a division title in the leaders. If it does, then i would say Purdue for you guys.
Airforce is a trap game, right after Bama and they play a weird style of football.
Minnesotta is also a trap game, since you guys missed Marquise Gray last year. If you aren't focused, he could light you up. If you're focused it shouldnt be hard to win.