Who would you like to see on the Non-Conference schedule in 2016

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Here is your 2016 schedule as of right now-

*Divisional Game

^Cross-Division Game

9/3 OPEN DATE
9/10 at Notre Dame
9/17 vs Colorado
9/24 OPEN DATE
10/1 vs State*
10/8 at Minnesota*
10/15 vs Northwestern*
10/22 Bye Week
10/29 at Wisconsin^
11/5 vs Illinois^
11/12 at Nebraska*
11/19 vs Iowa*
11/26 at Ohio^
12/3 B1G Championship Game

With a pretty tough schedule being on the road at notre dame wisconsin, nebraska and ohio, Michigan needs a lighter non-conference schedule this year I think. Colorado is already your respectable BCS conference opponent. I think Michigan should open up the year against EMU, because they are going 5 years without playing a school down the road. I also would like to see Michigan bring in Texas State. A school who is new to Division I-FBS this season, would be cool to see a new team come into The Big House.

However though, another team I want a shot at is Toledo. Bring them on.

 

RakeFight

July 9th, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^

Missouri. 

While I see your point about it already being a tough schedule, by 2016 our 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes will be reaching their stride, and a run at the National Championship is a realistic possibility.  We should take on someone who we would have a realistic chance of beating and who will not hurt our strength of schedule.  A solid, but not top tier SEC school would be nice to round out the schedule.  

Plus, then I would only have to drive a couple of hours to the game.

ND Sux

July 9th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

is due for a trip to TBH. 

 

OT...the lady and I have seriously thought about a road trip to Slippery Rock for a game.  It would be tremendous to get a group together some Saturday when M is on the road.  Stay Fri/Sat nights, tailgate, hit the pub after, etc. 

MGoShoe

July 9th, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^

...another round of the Appalachian State series.

For reals, a MAC team (preferably EMU, CMU or WMU to keep the guarantee money in state) and a team from 1) ACC, or 2) Big East or 3) MWC or 4) CUSA in descending order of interest.

ND Sux

July 9th, 2012 at 2:15 PM ^

teams like Boston College, Virginia, UConn, etc.  Games we SHOULD win, but not complete cupcakes either.  We used to play Wake Forest, but they were horrible back then IIRC.  San Diego State was a good example from last year. 

Would also like to get AZ and RR up to AA too.  (Not trying to start a shitstorm on this thread either.)

willywill9

July 9th, 2012 at 2:23 PM ^

Georgia in Athens, GA or Georgia Tech in Atlanta... gain some exposure to the Georgia recruits.  (Georgia Tech since the lady friend went there.)  

Gobgoblue

July 9th, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^

Schedule a cupcake or any other team.

If our projected team is as good as we think it will be (based on our recruiting classes) then going undefeated in the B1G or otherwise will be convincing enough for a National Championship bid.   How many other teams have gone undefeated in conference play and not been invited to the top?

denardogasm

July 9th, 2012 at 6:04 PM ^

This is an interesting point, especially given the new playoff format.  Even if there might by some chance have been 3 undefeated teams previously with one left out, now they all get to the national semi, so scheduling cupcakes isn't as big a deal beyond an aesthetic and recruiting standpoint.  There's no way an undefeated Big10 team won't be top 4.

WolvinLA2

July 9th, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^

Although I agree with you that if we go undefeated we'll almost certainly get a spot in the playoff, the reason teams schedule tough games is to set themsevles apart if they don't go undefeated.  Most years, there aren't more than a couple teams who go undefeated, and some years there aren't any. 

So, yes, if we have a cupcake schedule and go undefeated, we're probably good.  If we have a cupcake schedule and slip up once, we're probably screwed, which is why it's best to schedule tough (or at least tough-ish) games and win them.  If you think you have a National Championship shot, you better be able to beat a top-25 OOC team, or you don't deserve to go anyway.

markinmsp

July 9th, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^

 A home date against a service academy or MAC first.

 Then the second date I want away at San Jose State for mostly personnel reasons. (Hey, I live out there and it’s my birthday. So tickets to the game would make a very happy birthday present for me.  /s)

jg2112

July 9th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^

Don't schedule another service academy, ever, ever, ever. Who wants to boo the Air Force or Army? It leads to a vastly suboptimal stadium experience.

Bring in Youngstown State and beat up on the school that spawned Jim Tressel.

Then, bring in a random team like....Kansas, and beat up on Charlie White.

markinmsp

July 9th, 2012 at 2:50 PM ^

 Ok, good point. I retract my original service academy and raise you one lesser school like South/Central Florida, a lesser TX school, Rice, Houston, etc. as a first opponent at home to keep the TX and/or FL recruits “Blue Conscious”.

I still want to go to San Jose State for my birthday though.  /s

 

Section 1

July 9th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^

The Blue Hens hosting the Richmond Spiders.

Some other non-conference ideas; an ACC team.  I'm mostly thinking Duke.

Or, Wyoming, which has had a good program and done okay in the Mountain West.

Personally, I think the pinnacle of out-of-conference scheduling is, or will be, home-and-home series with SEC teams.  I want them to come to Ann Arbor; I want to show off our game-day experience to the people of the Southeast.  And, I want to go to some of those places for football.  (And golf, and cocktails...)

 

 

trueblue22

July 9th, 2012 at 2:35 PM ^

I say bring on a top notch school. Like some of the others have said, the recruits we are getting will be at their peak and we will likely be somewhere near the top. Even if we drop one or two games that year we could still have a chance at the play offs and we will only get better by playing better opponents.

UM Indy

July 9th, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^

one snack cake and one "name, but not too big a name."  Directional Michigan school for opener and Army, BC, Wake Forest, Vandy, Rutgers type for 9/24.

beevo

July 9th, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^

1) Pitt

2) NC State

3) Iowa St

4) Georgia Tech

5) Maryland

 

All have are Top 25 ish with significant following, would increase our national recruiting base and are respectable football names.  In addition, they are relatively close proximity.

NOLA Blue

July 9th, 2012 at 2:53 PM ^

I was under the impression that the goal was to have B1G teams playing 2 PAC opponents per season by 2017.  Since Michigan is Leading the way with 2 games set up in 2015, I would love for them to add a strong PAC team in 2016; the next home-and-home series.

USC has ND and Texas A&M on the schedule for 2016, and only Texas for 2017 (although I would have to assume that they are going to renew their series with Notre Dame.)  Such suggests that they need a home-and-home to start with a B1G opponent... would the PAC-12 really leave the B1G with the upper hand in the unofficial annual tourney by allowing their historical #1 to stay on the sidelines?  I think not.  USC will be jumping into this interconference brawl.  (And their "But, we always have to play ND as an OOC opponent" will hold no water against a UM offer.)

So, USC in 2016 at home (when M's schedule is already tilted to a difficult away-schedule) and USC away in 2017 (when M's schedule is tilted to a strong home slate.)

Add in a home game vs. Va Tech for 2016, and we get:

Va Tech to open - an always highly rated team (usually overrated,) with a strong chance to be the ACC champion (giving us added cache in what is sure to be a championship-caliber year,) with plenty of pre-game exposure in a fertile recruiting zone.

At Notre Dame - an always overrated team, with an unfortunate number of interested alumn across the country, meaning plenty of pre-game exposure in the national media.

Colorado - A middling PAC-12 opponent.  Hopefully strong opponent, but definitely beatable.

USC - A top-tier PAC-12 opponent, with a strong chance to be the PAC-12 champion (sanctions be damned, USC is going to remain strong) and plenty of pre-game exposure in the national media.

Daunting schedule?  Yup.  But we will have several units competing for national accolades by then:  OL, DL, LB, Secondary, Offensive backfield, WR...