ESPN labels Michigan the "little five"

I truly believe that we need to play the best of the best....enough of this WMU, EMU, Rice and Delaware State Crap........There needs to be a decent SEC, Big 12 or ACC school on our non conference schedule every year, in addition to Notre Dame. I would really like to see us play Florida, FSU, Miami or TN in the non conference. I think it would really help our recruiting down there as RichRod has made it a point to go after FLA's recruits. I think this could wait until we start winning though.

So we have a team that we're rebuilding and most of our key players are underclassman; yes, smart idea to play a brutal schedule. Forget about building confidence for a young team and earning key wins to get a bowl game to maintain momentum. Let's start winning again, and then we can revisit the nonconference schedule issue. One thing at a time.

let's ask the question and explore this further. We all want the great schedules with two tough non-conference opponents. So, let's say we get Notre Dame at home every other year, and then bring in another tough team the year we play Notre Dame away. We're never going to get Florida. Can you recall Florida's last non-conference game outside of Florida? EDIT: The answer is SEPTEMBER 23, 1989 against MEMPHIS STATE. They always have Florida State, they regularly play Miami. Miami goes on the road but if I recall they're booked up for a number of years. And, you know, playing a good Notre Dame team and having a resurgent Minnesota, Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Illinois on the schedule every year is NOT an easy road to travel, no matter what ESPN may tell you. Just think back, the past two years. In 2007, we played Oregon and Notre Dame in the out of conference. Last year, Utah and Notre Dame. If Notre Dame were top 15 Notre Dame, you'd have nothing to argue about with our scheduling. This year, we've got an 8-10 win WMU team, and a probable 10 win Notre Dame team. Florida had two joke nonconference games last year, just like we do this year (EDIT: This year, Florida has three: Charleston Southern, Troy and Florida International). I think it worked out alright for Florida. All in all, you may think our non-conference scheduling is soft, but the evidence in the recent past, as well as the comparative evidence, by and large, contradicts you.

I was more offended by their insinuation that Indiana is playing a lousy schedule because it includes Virginia. WAIT A MINUTE. That needs to be the other way round.

John Beilen raised a pretty good point when he said he wants to have a strong schedule every year with one premier team (Kansas)ESPECIALLY this year with a team coming off of a first round NCAA tourney win and returning its main contributors. Like West Texas Blue posted above, our team is not currently ready for the huge marquis games (USC, Florida etc.) I think there is a lot of risk in playing a powerhouse before our team is ready simply because of the effects it would have on our team psyche-wise and negative recruiting-wise (and for everyone saying MICHIGAN IS A POWERHOUSE!! I'm sorry but we're not there right now). Now I, like everyone else really want to see us play against big teams however, I would rather wait a year or two until we have a solid chance. Again, I really like what the basketball team is doing, I just think we should wait until we have a solid team to avoid potential blow-outs. Note: Once we return to national prominence, we will be lucky if we get one marquis matchup every couple of years. As long as the college football format remains the way it is, with one or two losses being devastating to a season, I do not believe Bill Martin will schedule these marquis teams with much if any regularity. At that point I think we'll have a case for griping about the schedule (hopefully blowing out these low 1-A teams by 50) as opposed to right now when we barely squeak by some of the less prestigious teams in America.

At this stage in the assimilation of the new coaching regime, we are not obligated to fill our OOC schedule with behemoths. We are entitled to soft, creamy nougat for a few seasons. Besides, I can't be the only one thrilled with the prospect of seeing Delaware St.'s marching band on the field of Michigan Stadium, can I? That might be the highlight of the season.

Also, Michigan's scheduling of Directional Michigan is nothing new; I don't know if we've ever played two of them in the same year, but the OOC formula of MAC + Notre Dame is SOP for many years now. The I-AA opponent is a new, saggy wrinkle, but that didn't prevent Florida from winning the NC outright last year. Plus, we're 0-1 against them. Obviously, I'm not objective when it comes to my defense of Michigan's schedule. But I don't think it's a mockery of the competitive spirit as some might.

I want to play UCLA.

I'm still waiting for Florida State to get hammered for their absolutely bullshit scheduling of two I-AA teams - not only two I-AA teams, but the worst two they could find - so as not to worry about playing an actual opponent while their whole team was suspended last season. I find it hard to imagine there's anyone outside of Tallahassee with a shred of respect left for that shitty program.

I believe that the little five reference was due to the sked, nothing else.

I've long since given up on giving a rat's zit-riddled ass what ESPN thinks about anything.

Notice the whole article's purpose is to generate hits based on OMG SEC vs Big10. Just ignore that shit and it'll go away, just like your mom told you in middle school.

was saying we were no longer a good team! That was a punch in the stomach; I was thinking that would be the mother of all bulletin board material. Bulletin boards aren't made big enough to contain that. Alas, it was not. Financially our scheduling makes sense and that's what drives the scheduling for the most part. Someone wrote that we have to split our home game revenues with the rest of the league, is this true?

If we become as good with RR as I think we will, then nobody will want to schedule us either, thus destroying the possibilty of frequent high profile games then too.