Michigan in the bowl projections: Yikes
ESPN has Michigan as the consensus B1G representative in the Texas Bowl facing Texas Tech.
Meanwhile, Jerry Palm has Michigan in the Gator Bowl......against Auburn.
The thing that scares me is that the Gator Bowl took 6-6 teams in 2011. Whatever happens the rest of the season, they probably would still take Michigan.
Little Caesars Pizza never looked so good compared to a game against Auburn....
ESPN- http://espn.go.com/college-football/bowls/projections
CBS- http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/bowls/predictions
November 10th, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^
That lose in a rematch with Akron in
Detroit, wouldn't you?
November 10th, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^
Let play Auburn. Screw it. Who knows if they are any good or not
November 10th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
Umm...you do realize we cant stop teams that tempo us. Auburn would eat our lunch with their tempo.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:00 PM ^
You missed the sarcasm.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
Not if Al eats it first
November 11th, 2013 at 6:39 AM ^
we will be fine....
November 10th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
Our offensive fire power will be their biggest test yet
November 10th, 2013 at 2:00 PM ^
Firepower, innovation and general unpredictability...they won't see it coming. Almost as if Al is lying in the tall grass
November 10th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
Would have to be really tall grass in order to cover him
November 11th, 2013 at 1:32 AM ^
Is that the power to effect a firing?
November 10th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
Said it last night, I'd rather to Tempe and the BWW Bowl. Repeat bowls suck, so I don't want to go to the Outback Bowl, and Jacksonville is a shitty city, so I don't want to go to the Gator Bowl
And then I can watch the Wings on New Years without having to worry about UM
November 10th, 2013 at 1:58 PM ^
This is Michigan, fer... Oh Nevermind.
November 10th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^
No Redwings comments. I am still pissed that they lost in OT again last night.
November 10th, 2013 at 10:00 PM ^
Yes, Tempe would be great. For me. :)
November 10th, 2013 at 1:57 PM ^
Yesterday I commented that it would be great to find a team we could beat in a bowl. Today I'm wondering if there are any.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
Ball State in downtown Detroit.
Pizza Pizza.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
Screw it, let's play Oregon again!
November 10th, 2013 at 2:14 PM ^
Since I live in Texas, the Texas bowl v. TTech would be great.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
What's your opinion on Houston? I'm trying to decide if I want to go to the Bowl Game or not
November 10th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
Houston is alright, I definitely prefer Ft. Worth / Dallas or Austin. Houston is very spread out and the downtown area isn't as neat as other large cities. The area around Rice University is superb and some of the suburbs like The Woodlands are really nice. If you fly in, don't stay anywhere near Bush Intercontinental Airport, you will be far from all the fun areas.
Edit: I don't actually live in Houston but go there occasionally for work purposes.
November 10th, 2013 at 5:54 PM ^
You can have a good time down here - stay downtown or thereabouts as you can take the Metro rail to Reliant and don't have to worry about driving or parking.
Best areas for nightlife are Midtown/Montrose, Rice Village, and the Heights. The best thing to come out of this season would be a bowl game in Houston.
November 10th, 2013 at 6:02 PM ^
Assuming the bowl game is at Reliant Stadium, the best place to stay will be either Downtown, Midtown/Montrose, or Rice Village area. Midtown has some great restaurants, bars, and daytime activities - museums, parks, etc. Midtown and Rice Village are both south/southwest of downtown, and the stadium is just a little further SW than Rice Village.
I also recommend checking out some of the local breweries - St. Arnold's or Karbach are both pretty good.
Unfortunately, if Michigan goes to the Texas Bowl, I won't be in-state anymore. Would love to go though, I think Houston is a fun place - a whole lot better than I had heard before living there.
November 10th, 2013 at 8:12 PM ^
I lived in Austin for a couple years and I'm the only person in the world I think that actually thinks Austin sucks.
Dallas is ok, was there a few times and for the Bama game but I'd rather be in Houston than anywhere else in Texas.
I'd love to start going to bowl games, 98 Rose Bowl was my only one. Won't be going this year, I can't even make it to the LEAFS Wings game which is killing me this time around.
Maybe next year.
November 10th, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
There's a reason Houston in featured in just about every property law textbook in the US: it's the only city with a population > 500,000 in the US with essentially no zoning laws.
So if you really, really enjoy visiting strip malls, strip clubs, and have always wanted to experience the ultimate in zero walkability, you're going to love it.
I do recommend trying Goode Co. for excellent mesquite-grilled meaty fare.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:17 PM ^
when being mediocre is accepted, evidenced by Hoke and co. at the helm, what else do you expect?
November 11th, 2013 at 5:44 AM ^
i'm sure that everyone from hoke on down is "accepting mediocrity."
duh.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^
The last thing this program needs is to lose a bowl game to Rich Rod.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
Damn, that would be awesome.
That would ensure total rock bottom. Absolutely nowhere to go but up. Nobody could even try to deny it.
The first step to a solution is recognizing you have a problem. That would be a big 'ole problem.
November 10th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
What I think might be a little more interesting is if we play the University of Texas.
Greg Robinson, Texas DC, versus Al Borges, Michigan OC.
Man, would the board on this blog light up for that one.
November 10th, 2013 at 11:11 PM ^
RichRod handing Michigan its azz in a bowl game MIGHT just be what needs to happen in order for balance to be restored in the universe. And by "balance" I mean whatever the hell awful karma has surrounded this team ever since Bo died can please go someplace else for awhile.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
I would welcome that matchup, and would feel confident about winnning. After all, there's nothing like a Rodriguez coached team to bring out the best in our offensive line and running game. If we can against anyone, we can run against Arizona!
November 10th, 2013 at 2:34 PM ^
I'm apathetic towards everything Michigan Football related. I am just here to give no insight like most posters these days, but the good thing is that nobody can downvote me so YAY FREE MGOPOINTS
November 10th, 2013 at 2:49 PM ^
Hmmmmm....
Brady Hoke takes over in 2003 after Bill Lynch goes 0-11, 5-6, 5-6, and 6-6 in his final four seasons at BS. It takes Hoke five seasons to achieve a season winning record, going 7-6 in 2007. He leaves BS for SDSU after his 12-2 season in 2008.
Stan Parrish, Hoke's OC in 2006-2008, takes over BS in 2009 and goes 2-10 and 4-8 in his two seasons. He's fired after the 2010 season, and current BS coach Pete Lembo goes 6-6, 9-4, and is now 8-1 in 2013.
Brady Hoke wants a matchup with Ball State like he wants a hole in the head.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:53 PM ^
Consider yourself downvoted.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
At this point, I think it'd be beneficial to not accept any bowl game invite. This team, from the coaches to the players, don't deserve a bowl game. And this is Michigan; we shouldn't want to play in a crappy bowl game.
November 10th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
That is the dumbest thing I've heard today. Granted, it's early still, but you are clearly the front runner for the worst post of the day award!
November 10th, 2013 at 3:06 PM ^
This comment is just plain stupid. The extra practices are very valuable.
November 10th, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^
Um extra practices ??
November 10th, 2013 at 8:19 PM ^
I don't know if you are kidding but yes, the team get's around 10 to 14 practices for the bowl game which you don't get if you don't make a bowl game or decline an invitation.
Those practices get the kids who didn't play much or redshirted or hell ALL of the youngsters a jump moving into the Spring.
Also can be used as a recruiting tool since visitors can see how practice is run and how the coaches interact with the players. Some prospects can't make it to Ann Arbor during their own season and this is a way a prospect can see how the program works.
November 10th, 2013 at 7:09 PM ^
I have to chime in on the stupidity here, we need those extra practices.
November 10th, 2013 at 3:01 PM ^
Using Massy's matchup simulator, Michigan would get a 38% win probability head-tohead against Texas Tech and a 12% predicted win probability playing Auburn. Between the two, I would probably go with Texas Tech myself. Actually, that's the highest predicted win probability we've had against a projected opponent in a couple weeks, I think.
November 10th, 2013 at 3:42 PM ^
I want them to play in tempe,az we got cheap direct flights into mesa..wanna see us play..gonna go to utah game in utah in a couple of years
November 10th, 2013 at 9:23 PM ^
OT: Yeah Montana!
November 10th, 2013 at 3:44 PM ^
Technically speaking, there is a real possibility Michigan could qualify for the Little Caesars Bowl if you look at the matchup
Mac (1) v. B1G (8)
For me, that would be as bad as not qualifying for a bowl at all. However, Northern Illinois will most likely win the MAC, and at this juncture, it would be an intriguing matchup. Is Michigan's 'rock bottom' so to speak, better or worse than MAC's #1 team?
November 10th, 2013 at 4:32 PM ^
Northern Illinois would obliterate Michigan. They would be fired up to play such a big-name opponent and likely feeling jilted at being left out of a BCS bowl and trying to make a statement. Once again, Michigan would have to re-define "rock bottom."
November 10th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^
Much rather lose to a BCS team then NIU anyhow
November 10th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^
It isn't a possibility because even if Michigan ends up 6-6, the motor city bowl picks last. Michigan would get picked by the Texas bowl or gator before them
November 10th, 2013 at 4:35 PM ^
I assume all this "rock bottom" talk is referring to Michigan under Hoke, right, or have we in our selective and very short-term memory already forgotten Rich Rod?
On the positive, I live downtown Detroit so I could see a 6-6 Michigan take on a MAC team quite easily.