Michigan Gets Florida In The Peach Bowl
As it was written in the stars: Michigan and Florida will play in a semi-major bowl game after both fail to achieve their regular season goals. A baffling decision given how bored both fanbases must be of this matchup.
This edition of the Gators is in their first year under Dan Mullen and is in the awkward jerky phase when a very good coach takes over for a not so good one. Thus results like a 27-19 win over LSU and a 41-14 whooping of FSU coexist with a 38-17 loss to Mizzou and 27-16 loss to Kentucky.
S&P+'s spreadsheets are down for updating at the moment but the overall rankings are up at Football Outsiders. Florida ranks 14th, with the #27 offense and #26 defense. S&P+ makes Michigan a 6-point favorite on a neutral field.
You may remember some of their key players: Feleipe Franks has added 1.3 YPA this year and 15 TDs without increasing his INTs; Lamical Perine and Jordan Scarlett split RB carries down the middle and both average 5.9 YPA. Onetime Michigan target Van Jefferson is their leading receiver, although like Michigan this is a situation where there are a bunch of guys in about the same range in an offense that doesn't throw a ton.
Fuller analysis later.
December 3rd, 2018 at 6:48 AM ^
REV
ENGE
TOUR
December 2nd, 2018 at 8:19 PM ^
The only Groundhog Day thing is losing to OSU every year. Although we do seem to find a new, different way to lose every year.
December 2nd, 2018 at 9:43 PM ^
That's an incredibly unfortunate part of the narrative.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:46 PM ^
I’ll be in Atlanta for Christmas and haven’t considered for a moment extending the stay to take in this game. They would have to pay me to go to it and still not sure I would. That’s how disappointing this match up is.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
I’m with you. Playing Florida again does absolutely nothing for me. Almost wish we would’ve let NW play them and drop down just to see a different opponent. Almost feels like another conference game anymore
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
I’m with you. Playing Florida again does absolutely nothing for me. Almost wish we would’ve let NW play them and drop down just to see a different opponent. Almost feels like another conference game anymore
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
Isn't Florida in tbe Big 10 South? We play them more than any Big 10 West opponent other than Wisconsin.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:46 PM ^
I hate reruns. We are in a infinite do loop.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^
I've been happier. My concern being whether certain senior stalwarts will elect not to play in the bowl game. Hopefully that's unfounded.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^
you could recycle the previous previews and no one would notice!
Kinda like the TV ratings and ticket sales i am expecting
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:39 PM ^
never underestimate the desire of Michiganders to go to Fl in Jan.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^
I just hope the team is up for the game. If you’re going to play this game you have to win it and prove that most of this season wasn’t a mirage.
Take out the frustration the team must be feeling after 11/24’s debacle on Florida and secure the first of hopefully many 11+ win seasons.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^
Agreed, it's disappointing that we're stuck in this game again, but winning is critical.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
Why is winning this game "critical?"
December 2nd, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^
So people like you will shut the fuck up on here and Twitter.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^
The endless cycle of misery
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^
Going to break out the all maize uniforms again?
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:41 PM ^
all blue would be even snappier
December 2nd, 2018 at 8:41 PM ^
They are ugly, but the all-maize unis would freak the fuck out of Florida.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^
I’m excited for players like Nico Collins, Aubrey Solomon, and all of the players from that area that get to play on front of their families.
This is an important game in a place where we do a ton of recruiting.
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
What a poor game.
Just say NO
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:59 PM ^
Viewing this game ranks on par with my annual holiday ritual of watching Home Alone...
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:42 PM ^
while alone?
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:00 PM ^
Wow. The hits from The Game keep coming. Thanks Jim, for that garbage game plan! This about sums up Michigan Football over the past ten years : all the potential in the world just to crash and burn on the biggest stage and end the season an afterthought.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:34 PM ^
Barcos, it's been going on for more than ten years.
Did you enjoy the Appalachian State game in 2007? The Oregon game the week after? How about the Rose Bowl against USC the year before that? Lloyd going 1-6 against Tressel?
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^
in fairness Lloyd was going up against the OSU payout / recruiting machine and still played incredibly close games prior to the scandal
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
he also beat Urbs
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:02 PM ^
Florida has never beaten Michigan (4-0).
December 2nd, 2018 at 8:43 PM ^
And yet that still somehow feels less futile than our record against Ohio State.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
Feels like college football is stuck in a rut. This playoff needs to be expanded. The conference title games suck and mean virtually nothing. Bowl games are just exhibition games even now more than ever.
Nothing against Atlanta but that destination for a bowl game is not attractive. Our opponent is a good team but shoot, just another boring matchup and not on Jan 1. Being on Dec 29 feels like we are the warm-up band to the main attraction (the semifinals). Not a fan of this result. Hope our NFL bound guys don’t bail on this result.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:31 PM ^
I agree, Clemson and Oklahoma play no one.
It's been the same top 4 teams for almost a decade.
Make the top 8 play each other for a National Championship.
It would be Bama vs UCF, Clemson vs Michigan, ND vs OSU, OK & Georgia.
Those would be good games!
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:46 PM ^
Oklahoma doesn't play anyone?! How is that? Big12 is known for not having great defenses (or is it a matter of really good offenses) but there are good teams in the Big12. Clemson on the other hand plays in a really watered down ACC and with Florida State down it's a pretty shoddy conference and easy for Clemson to cruise to the playoffs (not that they've not been a very good program going on 3-4+ years).
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:38 PM ^
Agreed. It is also a huge problem when you can pretty accurately guess which schools make the playoffs before the season even starts. ND is a new one but that is more a product of their schedule turning out to be extremely weak.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:49 PM ^
This is what happens when you implement a playoffs. Look at Div2 . Always the same teams.
December 2nd, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
Agreed. How can anyone recruit ahead of this 4 team playoff? This competitive structure is just guaranting lopsided recruiting. Expand to 16 or at least 8 to expand recruiting success beyond the obvious top 4 teams. College football sucks and needs an overhaul.
Thank God college basketball season can now take over.
December 2nd, 2018 at 6:47 PM ^
Doesn't seem to be a problem for March Madness.
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:46 PM ^
I hadn't thought of this angle before but you may be right
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
You just know Ubrz will be sending his game plan to Mullen.
I don't like this match-up, seriously. I don't think this is where our program nor fanbase wants to be while the Gators will be fired up to springboard the Mullen era.
December 3rd, 2018 at 5:58 AM ^
Florida however doesn't have the jimmies and joes to execute the gameplan like osu did.
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
That's an amazing statement when you think about it.
Florida from the SEC in the sunbelt, does not have the athletes to keep up with Big Ten rust belt Ohio State.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
Man, this board is full of broken, sad, jaded people.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:37 PM ^
Because we don't eat all things Michigan with a smile on our faces? Lame things are lame, even if they have a block M on them.
December 2nd, 2018 at 8:09 PM ^
Calling it lame is fine. The majority of responses in this thread go much further than that.
Most of these reactions to a 10-2 Michigan team playing another top 10 team in a NY6 bowl are embarrassing.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^
We'll see if the players show up. I was frustrated by the 1st half snooze vs. FSU and then, after taking the lead, giving up a huge KO return and lose late.
Last year...burn the tape. Losing a 19-3 lead was horrid.
I'll be ticked if we don't make amends for the crappy showing in The Game.
This is about leadership - I hope Higdon and team are focused and take care of business.
2019 could be a great year with the home schedule.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
Curiously more interested in the ad for the Rosegal Hoodie that transforms me into a knight from King Arthur's court
December 2nd, 2018 at 7:48 PM ^
off with the hood
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^
Embrace it, we had our chance at the playoff/Rose Bowl, we didn’t get it done. It’s a NY6 bowl against a top 10 team. Support the guys and beat Florida (again).
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
They're top ten in the same way that Kentucky is top 15: only in the imaginations of the people who think the SEC consists of any team worth a damn besides Bama and Georgia
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:27 PM ^
Florida beat Georgia. That’s gotta count for something.
December 2nd, 2018 at 5:44 PM ^
Huh? Georgia blew them out.
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