ESPN: Michigan silent Big Ten favorite
I love this, I mean who wasnt thinking the same thing.....
It turns out that may have been an understatement. A review of the Wolverines' playcalling against Northwestern shows that the Michigan offense is so diverse and dangerous that this team should actually be considered the favorite to win the Big Ten.
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-football/story?id=7095162&_slug_=michigan-wolverines-quiet-big-ten-favorites-cfb&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fcollege-football%2fstory%3fid%3d7095162%26_slug_%3dmichigan-wolverines-quiet-big-ten-favorites-cfb
October 13th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
This is not me saying they don't have a good team, but they haven't done anything to prove it. They beat a vastly overrated Nebraska team at home. The rest of their schedule has been absolute trash. Hell, I'd take our resume over theirs right now. Lets let them actually play more than one decent team before we crown them as "unbeatable".
October 13th, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
I think we would have a good game against Wisconsin.
I think the hype about their QB is legit. I've watched him scramble and watched the diverse array of pretty throws he's put together. He's got the complete package.
October 13th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
I am reminded again why we actually play the games.
No one can write off any team on our schedule as an automatic win...yeah Purdue.
And no one can write off any team that will clearly beat us...yeah Wisconsin.
Need I remind us of 2008 Wisconsin? We fielded one of the worst teams in Michigan history that year and stunned Wiscy.
Anything can happen. Russel Wilson could go down with injury, they could get beat @Illinois or @OSU and not even make it to the BIG championship game.
Anything can happen my friend.
October 13th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
Let us get to the championship game first...then I will worry about Wisky.
October 13th, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Let's beat Sparty before we can even think about going to the B1G championship game. This season has played out exactly like last season minus are defense didn't shit the bed vs the terrible teams we played. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
October 13th, 2011 at 11:45 AM ^
Who, exactly, has Wisconsin beat other than a Nebraska team at Wisconsin that almost lost at home to an OSU squad with 2 losses?
| Big Ten Conference Record: 1-0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 09/01/2011 | UNLV * | 51 - 17 | W | |
| Sat 09/10/2011 | OREGON ST. | 35 - 0 | W | |
| Sat 09/17/2011 | @ Northern Ill. ^ | 49 - 7 | W | |
| Sat 09/24/2011 | SOUTH DAKOTA | 59 - 10 | W | |
| Sat 10/01/2011 | NEBRASKA * | 48 - 17 | W | |
If we need to wait and see how Michigan does against MSU and others, we also need to wait and see how Wisconsin does against ...... (left Indiana, Purdue and Minnestoa out, for obvious reasons)
| Sat 10/22/2011 | @ Michigan St. * | |||
| Sat 10/29/2011 | @ Ohio St. * | |||
| Sat 11/19/2011 | @ Illinois | |||
| Sat 11/26/2011 | PENN ST. |
October 13th, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
It's totally selfish of me, but right now but all I really care about is that Michigan beats MSU and OSU ... because I can't stand them, and because I'm going to those games for the first time ever. My dad and brothers and I will be in the endzones from both - coming up from Memphis, braving the cold - and we just have to win!
On a more rational point, I honestly do think that Michigan CAN win all of its games, I think the defense is much improved, the adjustments are great, the diverse play-calling is great. It just has to be the perfect storm. Michigan has to play better than it has to beat MSU, Nebraska, and OSU, but they can afford a few mistakes - simply because those teams' offenses aren't amazing. With Wisconsin, Michigan would have to be perfect. in theory, Michigan could have its act together more by then, but we're talking about a perfect performance.
It's crazy for us to even be talking about it. I live in SEC country, where nutso fans start talking national championship the first game of the season - so, I'm resisting the urge to even start dreaming about an undefeated season. Just beat MSU and OSU, and anything else would be amazing.
October 13th, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^
Would it kill these gus to wait just 1 more week on this stuff? If we beat MSU then I think anything is possible but this game is going to be MUCH closer and MUCH tougher than anyone is expecting.
We win by a slim margin is my guess - another ND.
October 13th, 2011 at 12:30 PM ^
I don't really see a dominate team in our conference. WI is a good solid team but they have an easy path to their championship. PSU, MSU and IL may give them a bit of a game but I think they will roll over these teams.
If Michigan defeats MSU they will have the best chance to win the Legends Division. I'm thinking we will be able to take both NE and OSU at home. This game against MSU may be the divisional championship game...though Sparty could lose to WI and NE! Even if we lose to sparty, this team will bounce back. I don't see a collapse!
October 13th, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
I think Wisconsin is a dominant team. Going back three years, they're 26-5, and this looks like their best team during that stretch. I haven't seen a lot of Stanford, but Wisconsin looks like the only team that could compete with Oklahoma and the winner of LSU/Alabama.
October 13th, 2011 at 12:36 PM ^
People here need to relax a little. Everyone's falling over each other in a race to spout off as many coachspeak clichés as possible. We're 6-0. It may or may not continue, but we should enjoy it while it does.
October 13th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
Hey if enough people believe something, it becomes real. Perception is reality... .uh... right? I'm in...
October 13th, 2011 at 12:52 PM ^
We must beat MSU for two reasons: It will give us a nice lead in-division, and it will boost the team's confidence, because they're coming in as underdogs.
We will prevail in this contest.
October 13th, 2011 at 12:54 PM ^
For the senior class.
October 13th, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^
Is the single biggest reason (other than being an obsessive fanboi) I'm pulling so hard for this team. The seniors deserve to win, they've been through hell, and we have so many high character guys on our team it's crazy.
October 13th, 2011 at 2:17 PM ^
I cant even believe were underdogs...MSU isnt that good they were able to cushion thier numbers in that ohio...I mean come on really 9 sacks....ohio sucks
October 13th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
I love the wisconsin chart...and as far as all the people saying we did this last 2 years ....ru kidding me other than having the same names this team is complete opposite than them...Thier attitudes, the defense, and the coaching staff...come on I hate when people comparre to last year
October 13th, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^
I agree we should take it one game at a time, but it will be really great if Brady Hoke is able to win the Big Ten with what will probably be his worst team.
October 13th, 2011 at 1:11 PM ^
A lot of fire under their belly and a will to win. They are not quitters, they stay because they beleive that they can win. A defense can stop opponents at least 50% of times will give this offense a chance to win games.
October 13th, 2011 at 1:16 PM ^
Let's not be Notre Dame where we start talking about National Championships and Returns to Glory the moment we win three games in a row.
October 13th, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^
I think that the only thing that will expunge last year from the collective consciousness of the media is a win against Michigan State. Michigan State has been the game where it all falls apart the last two years. After Michigan State the past two years, there has not been a single game where we looked good. It's painful that Michigan State has taken on so much importance for us (they should not be nearly as important, just another big ten opponent to whup), but they are now. Win this game and the media narrative of "Michigan starts fast over inferior teams, but crashes and burns against the Big 10" will be expunged.
October 13th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^
1st, I haven't seen this anywhere yet, so, I'm sharing here:
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/6423/college-footb…
Michigan, in a masterful backhanded compliment is compared to a junker with 300,000 miles on it that strangely keeps running.
-------
I agree with those that are doing the coach-speak one game at a time thing.
To me, every game (OK, not every game *cough* EMU *cough*) has been a hurdle to overcome and the State game is no different.
WMU - What would the team look like?
ND - 1st Big Stage Game
SDSU - Somewhat unknown quantity from the West Coast (trap game?)
Minn - 1st B1G game
NW - 1st Road game
MSU is now a "real" road game against a school that has had our number the last 3 years. So, again, its just a hurdle and if we stumble, it doesn't mean we're out and if we win, it doesn't gaurantee anything except a better bowl game and a better shot at a B1G championship game.
The media hyper-inflates everything pertaining to big market teams. Our wins against ND are a classic example of that, with us getting pumped up rankings for no apparent reason only to watch the wheels fall off.
Now, we're 6-0 and looking at a weaker schedule then originally thought and so the media is salivating and hyper-inflating it, because if we win-out they can claim they called it first and if we lose it will be "Look how far the mighty have fallen & stumbled".
Savor each week for the stepping stone that it is.
October 13th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^
I think a win does a whole lot more than you seem to believe. With a bye week and Purdue at home, we have two weeks to get another win, a guranteed loss for MSU or Nebraska, rest Denard and the rest of the team, get more reps for the backups and young guys, and do more team-specific gameplanning.
An 8-0 start and 4-0 in the B1G would be HUGE. Head-to-head wins over MSU and Nebraska, in addition to our 2 wins so far and a near-definite win over Purdue would put us in excellent shape. The head-to-head tiebraker means that if we are able to beat one out of Iowa/Illinois/OSU that 6-2 will get us in the 'ship if MSU loses one more game (Wisky next week).
This game is VERY important for us. A win puts us in the driver's seat in the "Legends" with essentially a two-game lead over MSU and a 1-game lead over Nebraska/Iowa (plus keep in mind these teams still have head-to-head games so there are guranteed losses left), Sparty is shut up for a year, we become media darlings FWIW, Denard's heisman campaign gets real, in-state recruiting dominance solidified, and we have a pleasant week off to think about it. A loss leads to another year of listening to Sparty crap, national media doubt and comparisons to last two years, uphill climb in division, Hoke falls to 1-1 in rivalry games, and we have a sad week without football to think about it.
October 13th, 2011 at 2:38 PM ^
I like the way you think.
October 13th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^
I get what you're saying. It's just after the last couple years of having the rug pulled out from underneath me so violently, I'm trying not to get too amped up one way or the other. So, I guess I'm overly curtailing my emotions?
October 13th, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
Mistakenly down voted this.
Apologies.
October 13th, 2011 at 2:08 PM ^
Too soon
October 13th, 2011 at 4:04 PM ^
Too early to tell how good this team is