Michigan vs. Air Force Prediction Thread
It's the day before the home opener against Air Force, and other than some continued looking back at, uh, the Alabama <twitch> thing, it's crickets around here.
How do you think the game will go? Will the offense roll with Fitz's return? Will the defense get their technique back and be able to slow the triple option ground game?
How many TDs will Denard have? What freshman or former-QB-now-WR will shine? Who gets #47? Discuss.
(Not necessarily looking for score predictions, as THE_KNOWLEDGE has that covered in his/her Diary post, which appropriately soars in glory high above all other posted threads to the right of this page). Commence.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:52 PM ^
the offense will steam roll them. Defensively I think we'll struggle during the first half and probably give up 17 points. In the 2nd half I think they'll give up no more than 7. Go Blue!
September 7th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
I will make it through the first quarter without announcing "Time to start drinking."
September 7th, 2012 at 1:59 PM ^
But it's an afternoon game - why wait until after the game starts?
You can drink for good reasons too, you know.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:55 PM ^
45-17
September 7th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
There will be 1 or 2 groan-inducing plays where an Air Force RB goes streaking into the secondary when an assignment is missed.
We win 42-28 but everyone starts to feel worried (for real) about the D
September 7th, 2012 at 1:00 PM ^
45-20, I am worried that Air Force will make us dread what B1G offenses will do to our D-line.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:00 PM ^
Air Force will rack up a ton of yardage like they always do to every defense, and most will pronounce doom because our D-linemen will get cut by 250 pound dudes less than 6 feet tall at the line. None the less, they will not score a ton of points because it's a high varienence offense and a mistake or good play one time in a drive will crush it.
The offense will roll, but no one will care because it's "against Air Force". Everyone will still be doom and gloom, and we still won't know anything about this team after the game no matter what the score and yardage differentials are.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^
then start clicking. Denard gets four touchdowns total (two with his legs) for 300 yds of total offense. Devin gets a TD reception, and we see something actually happen with Amara Darboh. Bellomy has a good work-it-up-the-field set of possessions.
BWC looks great because he's not facing the functional equivalent of the Michigan 2016 OL.
Defense isn't overall perfect, because Air Force is Air Force, so they get a couple touchdowns.
Taylor Martinez's throwing motion unfixes itself for no apparent reason.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:50 PM ^
Do you mean Devin Smith or Devin Gardner?
/musburgered
September 7th, 2012 at 1:00 PM ^
Denard 15-22 180 yards 2 td
250 yards rushing for AF
PeeWee #47
Mighty Meeechigan 48
Air Force 20
September 7th, 2012 at 1:01 PM ^
45-14. The score will be 21-14 at half, but in the second half Mattison will make some changes and we will shut them down. Hopefully this home opener makes it all 4 quarters too!
September 7th, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
We will not be physically overmatched like against Bama. However, there will be some missed assignments, poor angles and technique problems. The key to the rest of the season is if DR can develop a comfort level in the passing game and a better feel of when to scramble.
On a side note, I live in South Carolina and need to know, what is the best way to pick up the game on radio? I am not familiar with sirius or other pay services.
Thanks and Go Blue,
September 7th, 2012 at 1:18 PM ^
Not sure about Sirius, but MGoBlue.com always has free radio stream of the game online. And if you need to be mobile, I believe they also have an iPhone/Android app that you can download and listen to the game with.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
Do they not have ABC/ESPN2 in SC?
September 7th, 2012 at 1:33 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
myself unable to shake the Bama game and feel as though this game means anything. I wish that I did not have that feeling because I wait year around for college football to start and feel like it is already over to some extent.
Michigan by 24, I am just not sure what it means.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:01 PM ^
Time heals all wounds. Oh, and winning, too. If we win the next 5 then beat the crap out of Sparty on 10/20, you'll have forgotten all about the 'bama game.
For me, all it will take is settling into my seat in Section 18, Carl Grapentine, M Fanfare, The Victors, and the entrance of team 133. Wait, who did we play last week?.....
September 7th, 2012 at 2:03 PM ^
Oh come on man. Losing to Alabama does not mean the season is over. Lots of football still to be played.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:07 PM ^
telling myself that. I think I was in denial until like Tuesday and now I am passing through the other four stages.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:16 PM ^
Here's what you should tell yourself - we probably weren't going to win the national championship this year. That does not make it a failure. Last year, Oregon got beat up pretty bad by LSU (who was not as good as Bama, but close) and they were able to finish up their year by winning the Rose Bowl.
Would you be happy with winning the Rose Bowl? Because that's still totally on the table. Season far from over.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:22 PM ^
I would take that.
OK, this is helping. Your not by chance licensed to prescribe anti-depressants are you?
September 7th, 2012 at 3:14 PM ^
Nope, sorry. Try weed, with a side of Cheez-its. That usually does it for me.
September 7th, 2012 at 4:06 PM ^
Literally LOL
September 7th, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
M front 7 initially has all kinds of trouble with AF's option and allows 3 long drives in the first half, but 2 of them end in field goals as AF does not have the horses to break big plays. They start to figure it out in the second half. Kovacs ends up with 15 tackles and T Gordon 10.
M offense pretty much has its own way with grossly undersized AF defense but stops itself a few times with penalties and other unforced errors.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:04 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 1:04 PM ^
37-20 as there are too many ankle diving tackle attempts on the edge, and we miss Blake Countess....a lot.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:09 PM ^
I agree Countess is good and the loss of him sucks but why do a lot of people have no faith in Avery, he will be fine.
Remember when he sealed the game for us against Ohio last year, that was awesome.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^
We are going to miss Countess a lot against a team that doesn't even throw the ball? Get over it... He has shown he has good coverage skills, but other than that he is no different than avery..
Avery is also faster from what ive seen. We will probably need that more in making tackles on the edge
September 7th, 2012 at 1:05 PM ^
is awesome with the 2nd half changes, look at the Bama game, did well against them in the 2nd half.
So what happens if the D just dominates them, what will people say then?
September 7th, 2012 at 1:13 PM ^
same thing they are saying right now.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:05 PM ^
I can tell you for certain that at least 5 people will complain about the mods on the liveblog.
(I'm not a liveblog mod)
September 7th, 2012 at 1:15 PM ^
Damned mods won't post my insightful thoughts on how Borges should run Denard more!
September 7th, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^
I know my prediction is true because I've complained in the past myself. Of course, all they do is post my comment that complained about them not posting any of my comments. Those rascals!
September 7th, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^
They won't run as well without their starting center and I think we'll shred their D. M wins big.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:13 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 1:17 PM ^
Many of you are in "OH NOES!!!" mode after Bama, but Bama is a different animal. This is a small team and we have a very well coahed defense. We're going to crush them, no doubt, something like 30-something to 9.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:18 PM ^
The average OL at Air Force is 250 pounds, and their starting center ("one of the best centers Air Force has ever had") is out. That does not bode well for them.
41-14 Michigan, in a total role reversal of last week.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^
I am not worried about the D very much, save the lack of Countess. 38-16 Michigan
September 7th, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^
31-17. We will run the football alot in this game and it will go fast. I predict that the game is over before 6:35 PM EST.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^
49-20.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^
Feels like a good M win, with some defensive failings that make people cringe. 34-17.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:27 PM ^
Can't believe no one has said... Norfleet gets his first TD on a kickoff return.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:28 PM ^
7-point game at the half, safeties bail us out of many missed tackles, freshmen get a lot of playing time on both sides of the ball and two bubble screens are ignored by Borges in the postgame presser.
38-24
September 7th, 2012 at 1:31 PM ^
Michigan 38
Air Force- 21
September 7th, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^
Lloyd Brady gets a front row ticket from the Alumni office.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^
With depth concerns and AF as our opponent, one that Coach Hoke and his staff has loads of respect for, I don't see this staff running the score up on AF. I think we jump out early and end up getting second stringers out on the field. Because of this, the final score wont accurately reflect our teams performance.
35-17
September 7th, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^
- The fly overs will be sweet. Obviously...
- M won't let Alabama beat them twice and will play well or above average
- I think the offense starts off slow, but moves the ball in little chunks and scores on the first drive
- I think the defense starts slow, but gets a stop on the 2nd set of downs (AF won't score first)
- #47 goes to a freshman. Not sure who that will be.
- We will see a lot of power runs to bully AF's line and exploit the size advantage
- Denard will have a solid performance in the passing game. I expect him to throw for 65% or higher with a great downfield success rate
- Norfleet returns a kickoff passed the 50 yard line
- M wins 48-20
September 7th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^
I'm kind of surprised no one is predicting us to break 50 points in this game. If we score on every offensive possesion we should be able to break 50. I guess it all depends on how early we are able to pull the starters. Assuming the D holds and we're blowing them out at the half like 35-10, I can see us not breaking 50 if the 2nd team struggles in the 2nd half. But if the D is missing assignments all day long and this turns in to a shootout, I can see a game that looks a lot like MACtion or the 2010 U of IL game in terms of final score if we have to keep in Denard through 3+ quarters. I think the D will hold though, so I'm predicting 52-21.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:49 PM ^
Only someone who hasn't watched DRob for 3+ years would think we are going to score on every possession. He'll throw at least one pick or fumble. I love the guy, but that's the reality. Also, AF runs the ball almost exclusively, meaning the clock is going to keep running which results in less possessions. AND, Hoke won't run it up even if he has the opportunity; too much respect for the academies. Only way we break 50 is if there are some defensive TDs.