Saturday Football Thread (CFB bowl games/NFL)

Submitted by BlueHenBlue on December 22nd, 2018 at 4:30 PM

I don't have BTN, so I'm watching Army vs Houston.

 

Army is thrashing Houston. I'm scurred for next Fall. Thanks Warde.

The Fugitive

December 22nd, 2018 at 4:44 PM ^

Anyone a little nervous to play Army next year? They took OU to overtime and are looking to be an 11 win team.

Why do we schedule the Service Academies? 

 

*Edit, I should read the entire OP next time. 

JHumich

December 22nd, 2018 at 10:06 PM ^

Uh... except when we win. And grow as a team. And look good doing it. We do not need to be a team that shrinks from hard things. We need to attack and conquer hard things.

That's the Harbaugh way, and I'm buying in. Fantastic season for Army. Will be all the better when we beat them now.

clarkiefromcanada

December 22nd, 2018 at 5:39 PM ^

Jeebus. 

This Houston team is bad. They do not have one "quality" win against and their record is built on cupcakes and the weak of the American conference. Further, they have given up just a ton of points to any team with a pulse they have played.

There is no advantage to scheduling service academies but, no, not even nervous at all about the first game next year. Not one bit.

Red Sammy

December 22nd, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^

Look at Houston's *fancy* spread offense, the kind of crap a lot of folks would love to see Michigan run.  Getting destroyed by Army.  Just proves there are no guarantees in football.  Scheme, play calling, makes for good internet arguments, but in the end, the winning teams are the ones who play disciplined, mistake-free football, and who don't fold under pressure.  I maintain Harbaugh's biggest failure at Michigan is not scheme or play calls, but that in the big moment, his team folds.  

Red Sammy

December 22nd, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^

Go ahead and run it, but how does that help Zach Gentry catch a ball, or keep our defensive ends from playing as if they had lead in their shoes?  U-M didn't get out-schemed by OSU, they were out-performed. . .OSU had a chance to fold after that shocking fluke kickoff fumble got Michigan back in the game. ..but they didn't even blink, they just drove right back down the field. ..our defense couldn't stop wetting itself for even 40 seconds. . .and then the whole team fell all over itself in the 3rd Q.  

Yessir

December 22nd, 2018 at 5:26 PM ^

Running an offense that attacks every spot on the field could change the entire storyline of that game.  It's all hypothetical at this point to discuss how it might've changed things, but I'm ready for it. 

newtopos

December 22nd, 2018 at 5:11 PM ^

Disciplined, mistake-free, as in fewest penalties?  None of the four playoff teams this year are ranked in the top 30 teams with the fewest penalties.  Ohio State was ranked 125th -- only five teams had more penalties per game.  

One half of a bowl game, in which a terrible defense (Houston), made even more terrible by the lack of their starters, does not prove anything regarding the value of a modern, college offense (that uses tempo, etc.).  Watch the playoffs and see if any team huddles, goes for "body blows," and is completely unable to get a play off with any urgency, even if down by multiple scores in the second half.

RJWolvie

December 22nd, 2018 at 8:05 PM ^

Agree that we weren’t out-schemed but out-performed, like you say, but that’s complete BS that we folded in big moments: MSU gets gifted ball on our 7 after we’d dominated & suddenly looks like oh no again: no problem. NU comes out running cross to open daunting lead & looked like season headed to crapper: took over and ground out solid road win. MD gets big drive to end half and looks like a game: nope. And those were just the ones I remember off top of my head. You’ve bought the anti-Harbaugh spin that York drove him out of SF with. How’d that work out? Funny how every single team JH takes on, instantly reverses from awful & headed worse (SF, us) or never has been (Stanford) to headed in right direction and winning big games. (Wisky in 2016 for another example of big & tough play when mattered most to close out huge win.) Have a look at 247’s talent rankings by team for this 2018 season. Heck, have a look for last 16 seasons. We’re just not there. (Yet. Think we’re headed in right direction.)

UM Fan from Sydney

December 22nd, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^

I have watched barely any football since the ass whooping. I won’t watch any for longer than a few minutes until Saturday next week.

Arb lover

December 22nd, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^

It's about to be 56-7 Army. So Army is almost inevitably a 11-2 team, though yeah, schedule.

However... Between Offense, Defense, and Special Teams, they lose 2 starters next year (Center, and Fullback). TWO STARTERS.

Even with Army blood, I definitely want Michigan to win, and win big next  year, (went to Michigan rather than West Point), but Army needs to be respected next year like Northwestern had to be this year. Book it. 

NOLABlue

December 22nd, 2018 at 7:52 PM ^

Not even exaggerating, when I'm heading to West Texas for work, I schedule my trip to avoid spending too much time driving through BR.  No rush hour, no peak construction times. Seriously it's a shithole but man Tiger Stadium gets rowdy.

The Big House audience could learn a thing or two about crowd noise from them.

DoubleB

December 22nd, 2018 at 6:27 PM ^

Michigan will move the ball on Army. The issue with the service academies is always playing that flexbone offense. Too many FBS DCs don't seem to have a clue how to handle it schematically.

The other issue which is NOT Michigan's problem is that spread teams like Oklahoma and Houston have defenses that are about as physical as toilet paper. This offense requires to shed blocks, wrap up, and tackle. 

I agree with most commenters though that this isn't a game Michigan should schedule. There are less worrisome but still solid Group of 5 teams to put on the schedule.

True Blue 9

December 23rd, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^

I can only speak for myself but there are 10 of us U of M grads and fans in Atlanta that are going to the game but we got our tickets from StubHub. I wasn't trying to spend the kind of money on tickets through the school when I can pick my seats on the secondary market. I have a feeling it will be a good turn out, tons of U of M alumni in Atlanta, we shall see. But it does suck that the school is likely not going to sell their allotment. 

Unicycle Firefly

December 22nd, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^

Army loses their defensive coordinator next year, and that defense was the true secret sauce to that team's success. Make no mistake though, Jeff Monken is one of the best coaches in the country and will have them locked in when they visit the Big House. You're kidding yourself if you think it's not going to be a rough Saturday next fall against the Black Knights, especially if Michigan's defensive tackles are a weak spot again.