Michigan vs Central Michigan Prediction Thread

Submitted by jericho on

So, I've been waiting for this thread to appear. It hasn't.  So I'm officially starting my  second  thread ever.  I'm sure that tomorrow will be pretty busy with the CMU preview and all.

Your prediction should come in three forms.  First: What will the first offense offensive play for us be?  Second: Who scores the first  touchdown this year?  Third: What will the final score be?

I'll start us off:

1. I think Hoke wants to start MANBAWL off right and we see Fitz off right tackle for 4 yards.  I would love to see play  action deep to Chesson, but I doubt it.

2. The first touchdown will go to none other than D. Funch.  Of course, if we win the toss and defer, than Blake can have the honor of a pick 6 and I'll be just fine with that.

3. 42-3. Usually as we get closer to a game I get more pessimistic.  Oddly this year I feel that we should blow their doors off on both sides of the ball.

Grab your crystal ball and make it happen, people!

TakeTheField

August 29th, 2013 at 11:45 AM ^

First play a roll out pass from Gardner to Dileo. First TD on a run by Fitz.

And can we please not use the "we didn't want to show ND our whole play book" excuse for unimaginative play calling? That one's been very overused, and we frankly don't have a whole stash of secret, surprise plays. Get the offense cranked up and doing everything it can, and dare people to stop us.

Gary_B

August 29th, 2013 at 11:49 AM ^

Two TE, single back set. PA to Fitz, 4 verts, deep pass to Chesson who gets the first TD of his career and the second of the season because Norfleet busts his first punt return for a TD after a 3 and out by CMU on the first possession.

Score: 49-0

Allin4Blue

August 29th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^

First play will be Twins TEs even set, Funchess motions to right  FB lead, Power O to the right. ...Right behind THE Kalis.

1st TD, Garner roll out scramble inside the Redzone makes 3 guys whiff

Score 35-14

 

MadMonkey

August 29th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^

in-state MAC school, but he also doesn't want them to score on us.  They get a field goal off a turnover inside our 30.

Our ground game will dominate and eat up time without running up the score.  We will see Shane after the first series in the 3rd quarter and Cleary for half of the fourth quarter.

  1. First offensive play is Fitz power right.
  2. First touchdown is Kerridge.  Gardner rolls out like he is passing to Funchess and dinks one out to Kerridge.
  3. [above]

Fort Wayne Blue

August 29th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^

 

  1. power left, w/ Kalis pulling towards Williams and Lewan, followed by both backs hitting the hole hard. Fitz gets a first down, w/a gain of 12 yards.
  2. Fitz powers the ball in for the first TD
  3. 45-6

Blue Mike

August 29th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^

1.  Fitz on the left side for the first play

2. Fitz gets the first touchdown from a couple yards out after a long, grinding drive where they don't throw much, but don't need to.

3. Final Score - UM 38 CMU 10

MGoManBall

August 29th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^

Since Central has a good power back, I'd say we get a good idea of how much the defense has improved against the run. 

First play: Manbawl.

First Touchdown: Fitz up the middle

Score:42-20

GoBlueInNYC

August 29th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^

The defense will look soft early, particularly the defensive backfield. But they will tighten up quickly (after a series or two in which CMU scores 6, possibly 10). The defense will end up scoring a defensive TD at some point, most likely from a sack fumble forced by an unblocked WDE.

The running game will look solid, but not dominating, as the interior line will appear serviceable. The first TD will be through the air; either 20-ish yard pass to Gallon or redzone toss to Funchess in the back of the end zone.

Michigan wins easily after starting maybe a little slower than we'd like: 41 - 13.

lilpenny1316

August 29th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^

CMU is not a cupcake and we are replacing too many key pieces to put it together this quickly.  If this was October, I'd feel stronger about this game, but I can't buy into the offense yet until we have a proven #1 tailback.

One Inch Woody…

August 29th, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^

How is Fitz not a proven #1 tailback? He's won the running back competition for 2 and a half years now. He's clearly better than any other running back option. He can jump cut in a phonebooth. He can outrun all the purdue linebackers. He just had a problem running behind Omameh, who is an awesome human being and all, but managed to get in the way of Fitz EVERY SINGLE TIME HE WAS PULLING. 

 

lilpenny1316

August 29th, 2013 at 6:20 PM ^

So that means the last time he was in a real game was 9 months ago.  Once he's doing all that "jump cutting" and outrunning linebackers on a team on our actual schedule THIS year, then I'm reserving judgement.

And considering how underwhelming our other RBs have been the past couple of years, I'm not sure how daunting the competition really was those years.

ND Sux

August 29th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^

but many of you will recall the 1997 opener vs. Colorado, where we all watched and thought "Damn, this defense is awesome." 

I'm guessing the D play gets us pumped for ND and beyond.  Offense will move and score aplenty, but the D smothers.

alanmfrench

August 29th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^

to open the game. Norfleet goes the distance for the first TD of the year. If not, Fitz goes right up the gut for 6.

First play....Fitz right up the gut.

First receiving touchdown is Jeremy Jackson taking a bubble screen for 80 yards. It will go down as the slowest touchdown run/pass ever and will feature many bone crushing blocks by the wide receivers. ;>P

chatster

August 29th, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^

First Play/First Score:  "Transcontinental" -- Gardner to Gallon on the left flank; Gallon back to Gardner, with great blocks all along the line and with Kalis and Kerridge leading the convoy down the right sideline
 
Final Score: 7-0; Central Michigan finishes with negative yardage on offense; Michigan has more than 650 yards total offense, but every time the ball gets to the CMU one yard line, Michigan’s players “take a knee”
 
 

snoopblue

August 29th, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^

I don't think Dan Enos is anything special, but there are still a few Butch Jones players on that roster who can actually play. Either way, we'll win. 34-17. I feel like Hoke won't blow out the in-state directionals or maybe I'm just thinking about that underwhelming win against EMU and the huggy-smiley postgame handshake between Hoke and English.

I will say, I am a big Buffalo fan this week.