<p>UMich will not beat Bama. It just won’t happen. I’m not sure if any team can.</p>
<p>As I had anticipated, we lost to Notre Dame. There were just too many factors stacked up against us. A Night game on the road at a university with a strong and proud tradition generally spells trouble. Add to that the fact that Michigan has beaten that program three straight years, and I had much reason for concern. Amazingly, even with 6 boneheaded turnoever, we were in a position to win the game. I actually felt better after the loss to Notre Dame than after the win against Air Force. Our Defense, much like last year, is improving at the right time. Barring another offensive meltdown, I think Michigan will finish its conference schedule no worse than 6-2, with potential losses to Nebraska and OSU. Purdue, Michigan State and Northwestern look good too, but Michigan should have its way against them. </p>
<p>For now, let us see what happens at Purdue this coming Saturday.</p>
<p>I’m sure Brady will not have them looking past Purdue because they simply can’t afford to. Michigan is slim 3 pt. favorite and you’ll hear many national scribes picking Purdue. This will be a low scoring slugfest. Good defenses on both sides (Purdue probably has the best d-line in the B1G). Make no mistake if Umich wins, this will be a good win.</p>
<p>I agree wayneandgarth. Purdue is 3-1, its sole loss being by 3 points vs Notre Dame. They are obviously good. I doubt Michigan is going to overlook any team. Besides, after a loss, two weeks ago, Michigan is unlikely to come out flat. The team has something to prove going forward.</p>
<p>Didn’t they lose their leading rusher and one of the two QBs?</p>
<p>I don’t think we’ll have much trouble with Purdue coming off the bye week. Realistically we’ll be able to destroy Illinois, Air Force would probably destroy Illinois. That leaves state next which is a must win for the program and we’re going to win that game, no doubt. I’m still skeptical about Nebraska’s chances of beating us after what we did to them last year, and given how much later in the season that will be I’d have to believe the team will show significant improvement by then. Then there’s three lower tier big ten games, if Brady can keep the players focused we shouldn’t have problems but you never know. ohio is probably a toss up on the road, will depend on whether Denard or Miller can be the better passer. I’ll say 7-1 in conference and a trip to Pasadena. Denard played the worst game of his life against ND as we lost by a touchdown at night on the road. We’re a very good team.</p>
<p>Alex, I have to disagree with you. MSU does not look good. We really just don’t. We have the talent but cannot get it together. Injuries and penalties are further knocking us while we’re down. Sigh.</p>
<p>Unfortunately (for Michigan), MSU seems to play its best us.</p>
<p>Wow, the boys looked quite good – a lot of defense and Denard. Looks for Rawls to split time with Fitz in the Illinois tune up game next week.</p>
<p>I must say Michigan is looking good. I actually had a good feeling about this team a couple of weeks ago. Denard played his worst game ever, and even in a night road game at Notre Dame, we managed to lose by just 7 points to a team we had beaten three straight times. Several things have happened since our first game:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>We had extremely inexperienced WRs in early September. Those WRs are starting to click and play well. The Devins are going to be a force to be reckoned with for the next couple of seasons.</p></li>
<li><p>The OL was inconsistent but is now starting to play well.</p></li>
<li><p>Most of all, our extremely young Defense is starting to play as a unit. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>If only our RBs could produce. If one of our RBs could emerge like Touissant did last year, this Michigan team could go undefeated for the rest of this season. As it stands, assuming our RBs do not improve, we will probably end the season11-3 or 10-4, with one loss in the Big 10 but a probable win in the Big 10 championship. Anything could happen in the Rose Bowl</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be bold enough to predict a Rose Bowl or any BCS Bowl for this Wolverine team yet. There will be likely losses to Ohio State and Nebraska on the road while anything could happen with the MSU game as well since that is a rivalry matchup. On top of that, Michigan will almost surely drop at least one game to either of these three opponents: Iowa, NW, and Minny. So realistically, you are looking at a 7-5 Michigan team overall but perhaps a 6-6 team or an 8-5 squad depending on how well or poorly UM plays.</p>
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Great insight.</p>
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Hahahaha. First off Nebraska has one of the worst defenses in the big ten and we beat them by four touchdowns last year. Denard is still here, we’re not going to lose that game. To call it a “likely loss” just shows how much you hate Michigan. Iowa, NU, and Minnesota are simply inferior to Michigan (Although I could certainly see Andrew Maxwell dropping a game to one of them). And no, we’re not going to lose to State. ohio on the road will be a tough game but it’s a toss up.</p>
<p>Goldenboy, you obviously did not watch the Notre Dame and Purdue games. Michigan controlled the Notre Dame game. It took the worst game of DR’s entire college career for Notre Dame to win by 7 points. If Denard had an average game, Michigan would have won by 2 TDs. Purdue is a solid team and Michigan dominated the game in West Lafayette. Although a 6 or 5 loss season is certainly possible, it would truly require a chain of very unfortunate events (similar to the Notre Dame game) for that to happen. The likely worst case scenario is an 8-4 season. </p>
<p>6-6 or 7-5 seems more like your fantasy than a rational evaluation of the Michigan season based on what we have seen so far. 10-2 with wins in the Big 10 championship and the Rose Bowl is more liikely to happen than a 6-loss season, although realistically, I expect one more loss in the regular season and another loss in the Ross Bowl.</p>
<p>Alexandre, NCSU lost to FSU over the weekend and South Carolina simply obliterated Georgia. College Football has become very unpredictable recently and given Michigan’s recent history of collapsing down the stretch, it seems unlikely that Denard and the Wolverines will string 7 wins in a row to close out the season without having mental breakdowns and throwing at least a couple of games away due to lack of focus.</p>
<p>I don’t think that Denard has the mental fortitude or discipline that vintage Michigan quarterbacks of the past like Chad Henne or John Navarre had. I would see be optimistic about an 8-4 season; the only guarantee here is that Michigan will make a bowl game this year.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that Denard has the mental fortitude or discipline that vintage Michigan quarterbacks of the past like Chad Henne or John Navarre had.”</p>
<p>You are confusing passing ability with mental fortitude. DR is sturdy, but while other QBs at Michigan were better suited for a pro-style office, DR is better suited for the option. </p>
<p>8-4 is at least within the realms of reality (6-6 is not). This team is unlikely to lose at home. In fact, Hoke’s Michigan teams have yet to lose at home. Our only losses under Hoke so far were away games (at a top 10 MSU team and at a solid Iowa team in 2011 and in Dallas against the best team in the land and at a decent Notre Dame team in 2012). In fact, with the exception of OSU last year, Michigan has won every home game with a great deal of ease. The only home game against tough teams remaining this year are the MSU and Northwestern games. MSU will probably not be able to handle Michigan’s desire to stop the 4-game losing streak. I see Michigan dominating this game. Northwestern is tricky, but like Purdue, easily winnable. The likely losses will come on the road. Our remaining 3 road games at at Minnesota, at Nebraska and at OSU. The first two are winnable while the third is hard to predict. In all, 8-4 is the worst case scenario, unless something really strange (or tragic) happens. I think 9-3 is more likely, with Michigan playing Wisconsin for the Big 10 championship, a game Michigan should be able to win. Like I said, the Rose Bowl is a very realistic destination for this team. Unfortunately, unless our running game can improve dramatically, I see us losing in the Rose Bowl. Final record for the season? Probably 10-4.</p>
<p>“NCSU lost to FSU over the weekend and South Carolina simply obliterated Georgia. College Football has become very unpredictable recently…”</p>
<p>Those kind of excuses sound a lot like the ones I was using back during the Rich Rod days for why we were going to finally beat OSU. I think I always brought up Stanford upsetting USC that one year for why anything could happen. Of course that’s what I said when I really had no good reason for why those terrible Michigan teams even had a chance against OSU.</p>
<p>Overall one of the top 10 programs ever…this year, they suck.</p>
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<p>I must have watched a different cable channel – I game I watched was 17-16 Wolfpack</p>
<p>quit responding to Goldenboy’s dribble.</p>