10-1

Submitted by Catchafire on November 18th, 2018 at 9:03 AM

This is a hottake/emotional Sunday morning before The Game thread, but I am so proud of our team and their record.  

This time last year I was miserable the way the season went and after the ND game this season I just about gave up. Glad that we did what we did to be in this position.

Great job to the Michigan Team, coaches, and players.

 

We Support You!

Red is Blue

November 18th, 2018 at 9:19 AM ^

You said we "could" be 10-1, it is "doable".  A prediction would have said that is what will happen. 

What you said was not a prediction, but rather a statement of a possibility.  So, be careful not to hurt your shoulder patting yourself on the back.

freelion

November 18th, 2018 at 9:27 AM ^

Don't be so serious. There were a lot of people feeling very negative at the time. My point was the schedule set up perfectly for us to improve steadily until the OSU game and that's exactly what happened. I'm not claiming psychic abilities or anything. Just happy it worked out.

The Baughz

November 18th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^

The bye week came at a perfect time in the season. The only other perfect scenario would have been having the OSU at home.

But to beat OSU in Columbus to clinch a spot in the BTCG and possible playoff berth would be a dream come true.

mGrowOld

November 18th, 2018 at 9:52 AM ^

I sure didnt.  i had us at 9-3 with losses to ND (got one right anyways) and then two of the four of Wisconsin, PSU, MSU and OSU.  Thot 8-4 was a more realistic possibility than 10-2.

Didnt forsee the impact Shea would have on both the offense and the defense too now that they are getting rest between series.  Absolutely did not see the amazing impact Warriner has had with the offensive line.

What a wonderful thing to be wrong about.

Don

November 18th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^

MGrow, I suppose you've already seen this bit of news:

"Browns interested in interviewing Condoleezza Rice for head coaching job, source tells ESPN."

I still can't believe this isn't somebody massively trolling the Browns and Haslam, but these days who the fuck knows anymore.

Benoit Balls

November 18th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^

Well, im in Cleveland, I listen to both sports talk stations (prefer 92.3 though as KNR is rapidly declining), read the local fishwrap (well, their online offering) and follow all of the Browns illuminati (both major media and underground) on Twitter. Brian has made me amore informed football fan overall, and Ive carried that into my NFL fandom.  No one other than ESPN has reported that horsebleep.  ESPN is horsebleep

FlexUM

November 18th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^

Agree totally man. I want them to beat osu so bad but damn it feels good to have UM a top 5 team playing for all the marbles at the end of the year. 

JPC

November 18th, 2018 at 1:10 PM ^

Definitely. There are some "fans" who need to take a mental health break from CFB. Michigan didn't look amazing last night, but they were close to a huge blowout. Had a few of those catchable passes been pulled in, we'd be having a very different conversation.

The fact that it was so cold you could see everyone's breath on TV might have had something to do with it, but some just use it as an excuse to shit on someone (Harbaugh, Pep, Shea, the TEs, etc.). These are college kids playing a game. Michigan is damn good this year and I'm not sure why so many can't just enjoy it. 

AC1997

November 18th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^

We can't lose sight of how the narrative has (mostly) been flipped with just one big hurdle to go.  Before the season it was reasonable and rational to say 9-3.  After ND we were about as low as could be.  Now we are 10-1 and playing the Game for it all.

 

Yesterday was frustrating and there will be plenty of minuses to go around in UFR.  But I watched #10 OSU give up 51 points to Maryland.  I watched #7 OK give up 40 to Kansas.  #9 WVU lost.  #1 Bama was tied 10-10 at the half!  

OSU is going to be tough and we have shown some flaws lately....but we are right where we want to be.  

Ghost of Fritz…

November 18th, 2018 at 9:44 AM ^

Also...Georgia gave up 27 to UMASS (and no it was not all in garbage time).  Alabama was tied at the half with the Citadel.

Teams don't play their best game every week.  Michigan left about 20 points on the table yesterday settling for FGs when they failed to score TDs so often.

As long as M has a plan to deal with crossing routes, has a better set of goal-to-go plays than were used this week, and does not make a bunch of turnovers...M will win on Saturday. 

These are the keys to the game on Saturday.  And all of them are within Michigan's control. 

Especially on the coaching staff side, really smart offensive and defensive plans tailored for OSU gets M about 80% of the way to a win this year. 

OSU's D is mediocre.  They won't stop M from moving the ball.  Only questions are whether M will convert in the red zone, and whether M's D has a plan to slow down OSU's offense, given that they will be getting the ball out fast to minimize M's pressure on Haskins. 

Even more than most years, the M-OSU game this year will be a coaching chess match. 

M-Dog

November 18th, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^

Yes, it's noteworthy that in modern football, offenses are going to score a lot of points.  On everybody.  In every game.

There should be no expectation that your defense is going to just shut down the opposition completely.  Nor should your own offense play with that same expectation that they can just play vanilla because the D will keep the other side off the board.

You need to rack up points on offense every time you can.

Don Brown's defense is designed to keep teams that normally score 40 points down to 20 points.  It's not designed to win games 17-10, in 1970's Big Ten style.  It will give up some scores because it is aggressive and it takes risks.

You give Don Brown 21 points on offense and he'll give you wins.  But you've got to give him those points.

Perkis-Size Me

November 18th, 2018 at 9:40 AM ^

Yep. Happy to be back in the conversation, but now it’s time to make a real statement. You want Michigan to be given the national respect we all think it deserves? Fine. Beat Urban Meyer. Beat OSU. Beat them in their own house. This team finally has all the pieces it needs, but will need to play it’s best game of the year to get out of Columbus with a W. 

Don’t just demand respect. TAKE IT. 

BallsoHarb

November 18th, 2018 at 9:42 AM ^

When we see a redzone touchdown out of the Train on our first drive Saturday, then I will be happy.

JK, awesome to see the team be relevant at the end of the year. Probably the 3rd time in my life since I started watching Michigan football. Also, special shout-out to JBB and Runyan for blocking out the noise and continuing to improve each week.

The Dubliner

November 18th, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^

We’ve been in the national conversation going into OSU week in three of the four seasons Harbaugh has been coaching here.  And it’s pretty easy in hindsight to look back at last year’s team and understand why they lost five games.  Harbaugh going 8-4 in the regular season with that team is actually quite an accomplishment.  He knows what he’s doing.

WolverineMac

November 18th, 2018 at 10:02 AM ^

Yeah, just an amazing amount of excitement, anticipation, and nervousness interrupted by an amazing gathering of family before launching again into unholy excitement.  Reminds me of being a kid again; the upsets, 313, 1997, etc.  Go Blue!

M-Dog

November 18th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^

Last year we said that with our historically good defense coupled with just average QB and OL play, we would have won every game we lost, with the possible exception of Penn State.

Turns out we were right.

This year we got well above average QB and OL play and yet another historically good defense, and we won all those games we lost last year, including Penn State.

But there's still one game to go . . . 

BayWolves

November 18th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^

Congratulations to the team, the coaches and to all of us who pull for this incredible team every day of the year. Also, Harbaugh is the perfect man for this perfect job. Glad we hired him. We beat OSU 35-17. That’s my prediction.

The Man Down T…

November 18th, 2018 at 10:06 AM ^

After Notre Dame, if you had bet me that Michigan would be 10-1 and playing for the B1G East next Saturday while being in position for the CFP, you would have taken my house. 8 wins was my ceiling.  It's been a hell of a ride this season.  No excuses next week.  Beat OSU.  Beat them bad.  Beat them so badly they decide that football isn't their thing anymore.

Martinsir

November 18th, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^

The best part of the win yesterday to me was that our floor is a New Years 6 bowl and the ceiling is the playoffs. Did not seem very possible after ND but what a turnaround. We are due to win in Columbus and I think this is the year but regardless Michigan is back!

Dunder

November 18th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

Sure, 10 - 1 against UM's slate might impress some, but keep perspective, Kentucky beat  Middle TN by 11 and there there are two ACC teams with seven wins. UM will be lucky to stay in the top ten this week!!!

NateVolk

November 18th, 2018 at 11:13 AM ^

Quarterback play and health of your main quarterback is everything these days.  Didn't have either last year. Michigan might be fortunate enough to have 2 quality guys (one currently hurt though). Most programs don't for a variety of reasons and realities of modern college football.

The Fan in Fargo

November 18th, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^

It's a great accomplishment thus far. This next game is the season though. It's all that matters. Maryland puts up 50 points on the buc's defense. Sharty holds them to 26 points. The Wolverine's defense is the best they will have seen to this point. They will get some plays off on offense because they are lucky fuckers but as long as the defense can accept if that happens and bends but doesn't break, then this game is had. The Wolverine's offense is better than Maryland's and there is no reason they cant gash the buc's defense like they did. Maryland's QB sucks BIG TIME and they still put up 50. Michigan cruises. 44-26

DeepBlueC

November 18th, 2018 at 11:31 AM ^

OSU is what matters.  10-1 is nice, but 10-2 with a loss to OSU, no division title, no conference title and no playoff is just another good season from Harbaugh.  We already know he can go 9-3 +/-.  Now he need to show he can win the big games with something on the line.  And he's not going to run up against a softer Urban Meyer team than this one.  If he can't beat him this year, I don't know when he's ever going to.