Ben Kercheval of CBS Sports Picks Michigan's Best Team.
Here's Ben's take. This would make a nice, big poster in the locker room:
Michigan
Michigan State: It's been clear-cut for several years now. Michigan State has owned its rivalry with Michigan lately, finished with a better record last season and would probably be favored against the Wolverines if the game were played today. Spartans coach Mark Dantonio played a lot of young guys during 2016's disappointing 3-9 season, but in the long run, it appears to be paying off. Sparty enjoyed a seven-game swing in the win column in 2017 and several of those players are juniors and seniors now.
August 15th, 2018 at 5:56 PM ^
Ok Crawford Kirland
August 15th, 2018 at 5:59 PM ^
I could not care less who picks us to lose, win, or whatever else people prognosticate. 2 weeks until the rubber meets the road and this team removes all doubt.
Get your forks ready fuckers, there will be be plenty of crow to go around.
August 15th, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
Inexplicably he didn’t pick the Detroit Lions.
August 15th, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^
?
Looking back at the last ten years, is he really wrong?
August 15th, 2018 at 6:39 PM ^
Probably not looking back... However, I think he's inferring this year in his analysis, which suggests either a bias or ignorance of the current rosters. I'm not totally objective, but I would think even a casual observer would have to say that our roster is a bit superior to Staee's.
August 15th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
or not actually having anything but last year's performance to project what this team may or may not be...
if Michigan fans are projecting improvement in their team, it doesn't seem beyond reason that other ppl could project the same with MSU... esp since the game is at MSU
August 15th, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^
Careful, your simple reason and common sense are showing.
August 15th, 2018 at 6:36 PM ^
lol. Ben got jokes
August 15th, 2018 at 6:59 PM ^
Just gloss over 2016 like it never happened
August 15th, 2018 at 9:09 PM ^
Well the other 9 years count too I think. I mean unless you want to discount the Hoke/Rodriguz years. Well of course you want to but those happened.
August 15th, 2018 at 7:07 PM ^
It’s fine to think MSU is better, but the writer’s rationale is baseless.
2016 MSU was experienced. 2017 MSU wasn’t—it was one of the youngest teams in the country. For instance, none of MSU’s top 4 receivers in 2016 were on the team last year. It makes no sense to say 2017 was the result of a 2016 youth movement
For some reason, evaluations that relate to U-M and its rivals are often based on contrived narratives like this.
August 15th, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
Who cares? Just win the game and don't lose with excuses about weather or targeting penalty ejections.
August 15th, 2018 at 9:16 PM ^
Lol. When isn't there an excuse? I sort of get Clockgate and the Barret play but the rain? You're blaming the rain when your team was ranked 130th (I didn't look it up, I think that's close though) in passing?
August 15th, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
Well, isn't that something?
August 15th, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
I am looking forward to so many games this season, MSU being number 1.
August 15th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
Let me guess, you guarantee a win like last year
August 15th, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
Just more talk. National guys never see the actual picture. Always focus on the wrong issues. Just my 2 pennies
August 15th, 2018 at 8:33 PM ^
Who?
August 15th, 2018 at 8:50 PM ^
With 3 seconds of googling he could find out that Michigan is favored.....on the road.
August 15th, 2018 at 9:10 PM ^
Pretty sure UM was favored last year too. But hey, September Natties and Heismans, amirite?
August 16th, 2018 at 12:18 AM ^
Sort of like MSU presidents and players guaranteeing basketball national championships before those first-weekend exits, amirite?
August 15th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
Hey cool, let's revisit this prediction after the MSU game, shall we?
August 15th, 2018 at 9:10 PM ^
This^^^
He will either look like a genius or a moron. I know where my money is on that one.....
August 15th, 2018 at 9:13 PM ^
Ain't skeered.
August 16th, 2018 at 4:19 AM ^
You shouldn’t be scared, now if you were SpartyJen then you would have to worry about getting molested and/or raped by the team Doc or the basketball team only to have the higher ups cover it up. As SpartyJon your worst fear is getting sucker punched by a hockey player, or jumped by the football team if you live in the engineering dorm (tough guys, that lot) or if you happen to be black having a football player call you a....., well you men of character, you Spartans, you know the rest of the word(s) to that song.
I really despise that dump of a school. Be proud of yourselves. Wish it were a friendly rivalry but truth be told I can’t fathom how anyone would openly associate themselves with all that, that shitty green S stands for. Pathetic really.
August 16th, 2018 at 6:19 AM ^
Good post, but I think you showed too much restraint. Next time, let me know how you REALLY feel.
August 17th, 2018 at 4:51 AM ^
Eh, my bad. I tend to let my mouth run. Not intended as a personal attack, just not a fan of the goings on over there.
August 16th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
Spartans Will.
(Even if the girl says no!)
August 15th, 2018 at 9:09 PM ^
I think if every team in the East played to their potential, Michigan State would finish fourth.
August 15th, 2018 at 9:22 PM ^
I love this! We will shine brightest as the underdog, season is poised to be the perfect romance
August 15th, 2018 at 9:28 PM ^
Well, the commentary is wrong on almost every point but his conclusion is reasonable. The matchup is a toss up this year at this point, UM has high variability with Shea at a critical spot, and it’s in the trash bowl in EL. Picking MSU is a safe choice.
August 15th, 2018 at 10:02 PM ^
Well, yeah, they’ve beaten us 8 of 10 including last year and they’re ranked higher than us in the preseason polls, plus we are in the road vs then this year. Have to earn it on the field, I think our game with them this year is a toss up.
August 15th, 2018 at 10:39 PM ^
Can’t argue with the record. Just gotta beat them. Then we can talk all we want.
August 15th, 2018 at 11:41 PM ^
Until Michigan proves otherwise, he is correct
August 15th, 2018 at 11:58 PM ^
How has it been clear cut? They barely won in a rain storm with our 3rd string QB last year. We won the year before. And, we lost on a fluke the last play of the game in 2015. That's the past 3 years.
I'll give them 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014. They really took advantage of the late RR era and Hoke only beat them once with the last two losses as the worst. But, JH's teams have not been "owned". Oh well, time to prove it on the field. It should be a good game this year, but I like our chances.
August 15th, 2018 at 11:58 PM ^
Looking forward to a hard-earned win in EL this year. Should be a real street fight.
August 16th, 2018 at 12:36 AM ^
Looking forward to this game in EL! Our D will be better and our offense should be much better. Harbaugh is coming off of probably his worse Michigan season, so we'll see what happens.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:04 AM ^
My counter to Ben's take.
- Michigan's record since Jim Harbaugh took over is 28-11
- MSU in that same span is 25-14
- Michigan's bowl record is 1-2
- MSU's bowl record is 1-1
- MSU has a 2-1 advantage head-to-head with both wins being heavily influenced by sloppy ball control on Michigan's part as opposed to MSU strategic advantage
- MSU has one B1G title to Michigan's none
- Jim Harbaugh is still in a rebuilding phase to overcome the mismanagement left by the Hoke tenure
- Mark Dantonio, entering his 12th season, continues to be outrecruited by Michigan, OSU, and PSU and is barely keeping pace in the B1G East Division
MSU has been competitive, but I wouldn't necessarily call that clear cut, but what do I know? After all, MSU did win 2 more games than Michigan did last season, so they must be the superior team (roll eyes).
August 16th, 2018 at 5:36 PM ^
Is Dantonio really being outrecruited? The man has 3 B1G championships. So either Dantonio is the greatest coach in all of football (which means UM has a problem), or Dantonio knows how to evaluate talent better than the recruiting services (which means your point is invalid) or a combination of both (in which case UM has a problem, since UM tends to chase starrzzzz).
I can't wrap my head around the whole "Hoke left the cupboard bare" argument. His recruits were there whole reason UM even had a fighting chance at success in 2016.
"MSU is 1-1 in bowls". In bringing up the bowls, you attempt to make two points. One is that both teams only have 1 bowl win since Harbaugh took over. You didn't mention that the loss was to freaking Bama, which would have waxed the Wolverines as well. The hidden point is that MSU missed a bowl, which is duplicated in bringing up the 25-14 record. I did notice you were remiss to mention MSU is 1-0 in CCGs while UM hasn't even been able to finish 2nd in the East.
MSU did win 2 more games, doesn't have to contend with changing its offense for a one year free agent QB (who's less of a dual threat than Lewerke). Harbaugh has been unable to recruit one he wants on the field. MSU won the recent battle in the Big House.
MSU returns 19! starters from last year. Just as the UM returnees are getting better, one would reasonably posit so are the MSU starters.
Harbaugh's strategy has included having gunners on a punt where MSU had 11 guys in the box. Harbaugh's strategy included throwing the ball around with a QB who couldn't start in a G5 conference in a monsoon. It's safe to say that point is refuted.