Hype Train: SI picks UM for Playoff and puts Peppers on regional cover

Submitted by PeterKlima on

http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/08/09/sports-illustrated-cover-michigan-clemson-ucla-houston

"Michigan, UCLA, Clemson and Houston each have their own cover, with SI’s experts projecting two of those programs to reach the College Football Playoff. 

The Michigan cover, featuring Jabrill Peppers—who is profiled by Andy Staples in the magazine—will be sent to in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska and Eastern Missouri."

 

LKLIII

August 9th, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^

One one hand, don't love the SI cover story curse & the over-hype risks.  On the other hand, this can't hurt at all for recruiting, plus I figure almost every team that ends up getting into the playoffs have to play through the hype machine/expectations game anyway.

I suppose this falls under the category of "high class problems."

lilpenny1316

August 9th, 2016 at 11:36 AM ^

Not sure I understand how his likeness is cool on SI, but not on the cover of video games or even his number and I guess skin color and home state being inside a video game.

Sorry for unneccessary rant.  I'm just having a moment as I look at my copy of NCAA '14.

MGoDillon

August 9th, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^

My guess.. and it's a complete guess... is that SI asked him to be on the cover, but they obviously couldn't pay him, and he accepted that he was going to be on there without being compensated. So no, he isn't making money from it, but he's gaining fame, attention, and it's just an overall awesome thing.




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gwkrlghl

August 9th, 2016 at 12:03 PM ^

I'm negging away because you brought up the mentality that just because Michigan was highly ranked in 2007 that we will lose to an App State equivalent again. The only reason that evens crosses peoples mind is because of how terrible we've been for the last decade (hence no other top 10 starts to really compare to)

mgobaran

August 9th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^

I'm just sick of everyone in the "There are" threads going on and on about "Whooping Hawaii", "63-0, by halftime". I mean have some humility. The team gave OSU a first half (first 3/4?) scare last year. THEY ARE A D1 OPPONENT. They have an extra week of prep, will have played a first game, thus not have the jitters, mental mistakes/rust that most teams enter that weekend with. 

I hope you guys are right! But I've been through the App States, the Akrons, and UConns. Seen OSU almost lose to Northern Illinois. Watched MSU get taken to the brink by WMU. 

I also was just pointing out that SI curses suck. It has nothing to do with being highly rated and owning a large point spread heading into the game. Last two times we were on a college preview cover, Alabama spanked us and App State happened. Maybe we can tone down the crazy for a minute and respect that 1 out of 100 chance Hawaii could do the same thing.

1VaBlue1

August 9th, 2016 at 1:32 PM ^

I will grant you that 'any given Saturday'...  But not really.  App St was the most trap game a trap game could be, and none of us saw it until afterwards.  Including the entire coaching staff!  (That App St team would roll this Hawaii team without even breaking a sweat...)  The rest you can chalk up to Rich Rod/Hoke...  This coaching staff is not that, and there is zero chance Akron ever happens again while Harbaugh is on the sidelines.

I kinda want to agree with you, but I just can't.  Hawaii is going to get rolled.

Big Boutros

August 9th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^

Appalachian State was the three-time defending FCS champion at the time and they won again in 2007. They were easily an FBS bowl team.

Hawaii has gone 10-40 since 2012 and we're kicking off against them at 3 am their time. Five days prior to our game, they'll play Cal in Australia. They will be small and slow and exhausted.

If it has ever been safe to assume that Michigan is the windshield and the opponent is the bug, it's this game.

Ali G Bomaye

August 9th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^

I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan doesn't cover the spread (currently -41) because I could see Harbaugh subbing the starters out early and running power with walk-ons all second half, resulting in something like 38-7. That's what he did in the UNLV game last year. But I agree that there's very little chance of being in danger of losing this game.