Yahoo's 25 Most Intriguing Games of 2015 - Michigan well represented.

Submitted by CLord on
Cool to see Michigan a part of 3 games out of Yahoo's Top 25 most intriguing upcoming games.  Of the Big Ten, the listings are: OSU 4, UM 3, MSU 3, PSU 1 and no one else.  Not bad for a 5-7 team and really goes to show our brand and this little thing called HARBAUGH.
 
Can't wait for the season.
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WolverineHistorian

August 24th, 2015 at 3:55 PM ^

Some of those games are a little out there. It doesn't matter that it was overtime at State College last year, the Buckeyes will crush Penn State. And I'm sorry but nobody is fired up to see Marshall at Western Kentucky.

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: 55466

MichiganTeacher

August 24th, 2015 at 8:33 PM ^

Completely agree. 

It bugs me when people say "We really won't know about this team until X" and X is a guy returning from injury in a month or a game in November or something. I think we'll know a lot after this first game. 

I mean yes, football only has a few data points, and you never know as much as you like about a team, but that's just the way the sport goes. We didn't know about OSU last year after the Va Tech game, but that was the exception. Most of the time, you know a lot about a team after the first time it plays a decent P5 team, I think.

Joined: 10/06/2011

MGoPoints: 9263

funkywolve

August 24th, 2015 at 9:16 PM ^

Yeah, it will tell us where the team is at the beginning of the year, but for the first time in a few years, I truly think the team we see on the field in November will be a much better team then the one we see on the field in early September.

I'm not going to get too concerned with how the team looks at Utah.  Obviously, if they look medicore it's going to be a disappointment but I don't think how they play in Utah will be indicative of what to expect for the next 11 games.   

Joined: 10/08/2008

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SF Wolverine

August 24th, 2015 at 4:18 PM ^

don't really know what it means.  I do like that people think that we have some games worth watching, although the Thursday night opener is sort of a gimme.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 24906

oriental andrew

August 24th, 2015 at 4:24 PM ^

I don't mind the word "brand" but it has become such a Brandon-ism that it now evokes strong negative emotions on the board. But seriously, it's just the name recognition, and the recognition that Michigan still matters in the context of the national college football picture, regardless of the recent struggles of the team. 

Where I think Brandon got it wrong was in equating Michigan to a pro sports franchise and assuming that it's the trademarks, licensing, logos, name, and sponsorships which matter above all else, including the loyalty of fans and family nature of the future, current, and former players and staff. He over-corporatized (if I can make up a word) the Michigan brand. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 56113

Tater

August 24th, 2015 at 4:27 PM ^

I really hope Sparty comes into Michigan Stadium undefeated before losing by a couple of TD's to the Wolverines.  It would make things so much more satisfying.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

oriental andrew

August 24th, 2015 at 5:32 PM ^

Agree, not many other compelling games that overlap with UM-Utah, although I also agree that access to FS1 may be the limiting factor. It seems that most services should give FS1 if you have ESPN, though. 

UNC-SCAR on ESPN @ 6pm ET

Michigan-Utah on FS1 @ 8:30pm ET

TCU-Minny on ESPN @ 9pm ET

Those are your Power 5 matchups. Otherwise, it's Power 5 vs. cupcakes, or non-Power 5 matchups. I'll probably flip over to TCU-Minny during breaks or halftime, but otherwise, nothing else is remotely as interesting (even if I weren't a Michigan fan). 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 56113

HateSparty

August 24th, 2015 at 4:54 PM ^

I don't get why all the pundits and experts or talking heads continuously dismiss Michigan as a viable threat to MSU.  I hear everytime that the threat is just OSU to the playoffs.  I expect the usual 5-7 record or they handed it to us the last few times answers.  But honestly, is it so foregone that they will walk into the Big House for th efirst time in three years with Harbaugh's first crack at them and it will be a walk away?  It befuddles me.  

Joined: 12/17/2014

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lilpenny1316

August 24th, 2015 at 5:55 PM ^

OSU won their last three games in neutral environments yet struggled to put us away.  I just don't understand all the talk about the rivalry coming back.  It hasn't gone anywhere despite our struggles the rest of the year.  The game two years ago might have been the best game of the regular season 

Joined: 11/19/2009

MGoPoints: 61836

Wolfman

August 24th, 2015 at 8:04 PM ^

without breaking the rules. From the day Tressel was hired, they were a program that was on par with the OU teams under Switzer, until the day he was let go. Not much to brag about as far as I'm concerned. If you recall, the AD that was dumb enough to actually brag about his team's dominance by proclaiming, "There is not a team in the country that wouldn't trade places with us," even though it was done with the attitude that there isn't a rule we won't break, was let go almost immediately and replaced by Pat Haden who has some problems of his own right now with his HC pulling a Gary Moeller. 

Joined: 07/23/2008

MGoPoints: 8259

LSAClassOf2000

August 24th, 2015 at 5:52 PM ^

The sport lucked into the perfect season lid-lifter. The Most Intriguing Coach in the country makes his Michigan coaching debut on Thursday night, on the road, against a quality opponent. And that quality opponent could reveal a stealth Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Devontae Booker.

I will be intrigued to see the ratings on this one - there's definitely been enough hype that even those who profess intense hatred of Michigan will probably sit down and watch this one. That is the Harbaugh Effect at its finest. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

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