<p>Well we already lost a game like this against ND. Now we’re back to even on these types of games</p>
<p>Except our defense played much, much better now. MSU also played great defense. Overall it was an exciting game … the refs missed a couple roughing the passer calls though.</p>
<p>Our defense played well against Notre Dame too. The main difference here was Denard. He had a decent day (100 yards rushing, no fumbles and one interception thrown with seconds left in the first half) while vs Notre Dame, he had his worst game as a Wolverine. At any rate, unless we find a way to run the ball, we will not finish much better than 8-4. Road games at Nebraska and OSU and home games vs Northwestern and Iowa are daunting. Without a balanced offense, I fear we will lose 2 more games are very possible. Our Defense on’t be able tro save us all the time.</p>
<p>
It’s not a mediocre offense, it’s an inconsistent offense. Big difference. MSU is a mediocre/bad offense where you know they’re simply not going to light you up. We’ve shown the ability to put 40-50 on teams, it just doesn’t happen every week and Denard has trouble stringing together good games. I think he’ll have a good one in Lincoln this Saturday.</p>
<p>Also, I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s pretty ridiculous how much alexandre and goldenboy change their season predictions after every game. It’s like we’ve got a couple Mitt Romney’s out here. That’s not how it works, I’ve had us in the Rose bowl from the start and I’m sticking to it.</p>
<p>“It’s like we’ve got a couple Mitt Romney’s out here.”
Right, because Mitt Romney adapts to reality, and Obama is just a commie ideologue.</p>
<p>maizeandblue, I have stated from the start of the season that we would probably finish anywhere between 8-4 and 10-2. I stand by that. I am, however, disapointed in our offense, primarily as a result of our weak running game. Michigan has had little trouble with average defenses, but has struggled against good defenses.</p>
<p>^That’s not exactly sticking your leg out there at all. There’s been almost no way we finish outside of between 8-4 and 10-2 since the ND game. You seem to either say we’re a 10-2 rose bowl bound team or an 8-4 lesser (capital one) bowl bound team depending on how the game goes every week. That’s not a prediction, that’s a no brainer. A prediction is one record, one game. Mine is winning out (12-2), Rose Bowl champions. That’s actually still the record that I’ve had since the start of the year and I’m still sticking by it. It may be wrong but at least I’m not being a wishy washy fan with new complaints every week. What’s yours?</p>
<p>Btw before goldenboy comes in here and bashes my 12-2 mark, yes we’re better than ohio. The defense is tops in the big ten and still improving. JT Floyd played his best game as a wolverine last week and Desmond Morgan is actually starting to be productive and match Kenny Demons’ recent solid play. Kovacs continues to be solid and Mattison’s schemes have significantly improved since Air Force. Braxton Miller isn’t better than Denard and our receivers get better every week. Fitz showed last week that he can hit the holes when they’re opened for him. He only got 10 carries this week but averaged 5.2 ypc which is solid at the very least against MSU. Also obviously Dileo’s emergence is huge.</p>
<p>Dileo is a boss.
And Kovacs</p>
<p>Go white people!</p>
<p>I’m sorry but you are out of your mind if you think that Michigan will be Rose Bowl Champs by the end of the year. That would require Michigan beating OSU, Nebraska (@ Lincoln), Iowa, Northwestern, whoever emerges as the other Big 10 championship contender (Wisconsin if Michigan beats OSU?), and either Oregon or USC. </p>
<p>Have you seen how good Oregon looks? Michigan will most likely be down 4 touchdowns by halftime. Realistically, Michigan will definitely lose at least one game in the remaining Big 10 plate, most likely 2, and maybe 1. The Big Ten Championship game could go either way. Michigan will be at best 11-2 (most likely 10-3) going into the Rose Bowl (perhaps a lesser bowl though). Then, the Wolverines will be blown out, plain and simple.</p>
<p>Alexandre may be sipping the Maize and Blue koolaid but you seem to be out of touch with reality maizeandblue21.</p>
<p>^One, I’ve had the same prediction from the beginning of the year and you’re bashing me for sticking with it. Two, Oregon very well may play in the national championship game. All it would take is a Kansas State loss right now because Bama’s going to the ship and literally the last thing in the world the BCS would do would be put 2 SEC teams in the national championship game right now considering what happened last year, so Florida’s out.</p>
<p>Anyways, lets look at the rest of big ten play. We won by 28 against UNL last year and their defense could do absolutely nothing to stop Denard. Their defense is actually worse this year than they were last year, Denard’s gonna have a field day. After that we have @Minnesota (win), vs NU (we far outclass them in talent and Hoke is still undefeated in the big house, win) and vs Iowa (lost too many in a row against them and they suck this year, win). Then we go to the most overrated team in the conference, and I say we beat ohio. At that point a win over Wisconsin would be expected and if Oregon went to the BCS game we most likely wouldn’t play a Pac 12 team since it would become an at large bid. We would probably instead get something like Texas Tech, for example. A team the networks know would travel well and that will probably qualify for a BCS game, especially if they knock off K State this week. It’s really not unrealistic, even if we lost to ohio. You don’t really seem to think things through. Also… <a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
<p>To Alexandre. You say Michigan’s offense has struggled against good defenses… Which is true, but could you please point out the good defenses left on the schedule? Michigan has already played the best three defenses they will play this year(MSU, ND, and 'Bama), all of which are truly elite. You can’t really be serious when you say Iowa and NW are daunting games…</p>
<p>It’s not that Michigan’s offense is inconsistent, it’s that they don’t do well against great defenses. You can’t expect them to put up 40 points against the best defenses in the country. </p>
<p>Next week we have Nebraska, which has gotten LIT UP by mobile qbs this year(Braxton Miller and UCLA’s QB). Their defense is bad and I don’t expect that to change. Nebraska’s offense will be a good challenge for the defense. If our defense can hold Nebraska to under 30 points then I think we win. I don’t see how we don’t put up any less than 30 against Nebraska’s swiss cheese defense.</p>
<p>Edit: reading other comments(goldenboy). How can you guys say we will most likely lose 2 more regular season games? No way we lose to Iowa, NW, or Minn. Ohio State and Nebraska are more questionable, but I think both games are VERY winnable. I agree with whoever said Ohio State is the most overrated team in the conference(and country). They rely on a qb who will probably be injured by year’s end. They have a defense that is atrocious. They’ve barely scraped by Cal, Indiana, and Purdue.</p>
<p>we absolutely crushed purdue. Ohio State barely beat them. I think there is definitely the possibility that we could win out our season. Just look at Notre Dame, now a top 5 team. Frankly we lost that game because Denard played terribly, not because they were exceptional.</p>
<p>I think Alexandre and goldenboy have managed to spew the most predictions/random incorrect reactions without a single bit of analysis possible. Between the two of them I think all that’s been said is “Fitz can’t run” (false, it’s tough to rack up yards when you only get 10 carries cause Denard gets 20), “Michigan has a hard time scoring against good defenses, but does well against bad defenses” (don’t we all), and “Michigan will finish somewhere between 6-6 and 12-2” (no s**t). Alexandre, I know you’re great as far as giving academic advice on this board but idk whether an offer on the big ten network is coming your way anytime soon.</p>
<p>maizeandblue, when did I ever say we will finish 6-6? From the begining of the season, I said our worst case scenario was an 8 wins this season. I had my reasons too. Hoke is 12-0 at home and 1-1 in neutral sites, but he is 2-4 on the road. Nebraska and OSU are on the road, and they are not much worse than the 4 teams that beat us on the road under his tenure. No matter how poor Nebraska’s defense is, or how overrated OSU is, you can be sure those teams will bring their A game when we hit their stadium. I stand by my most likely scenario (9-3), with one game margin for error. I do not see how you can argue with my earlier predictions. </p>
<p>And maizeandblue, I never said Toussaint cannot run, I said he is not doing well this season. He is only averaging 10 (more like 12) carries per game for a reason; 3.5 yards per carry. Heck, if you do not include his 5-6 long runs, he is averaging under 3 yards per carry.</p>
<p>Well, shocker, having a healthy Denard is important.</p>
<p>At least Nebraska has some tough games from here on out.</p>
<p>How is the QB that will replace Denard next year? (Didn’t get to see him play, watched only updates on phone as my future MIL decided ND was a more important game…)</p>
<p>TBH, I was not at all expecting Michigan to lose today nor MSU to win. We’ll see how the next few weeks go. It is definitely going to be interesting. I feel for whoever goes to the Rose Bowl. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty. At all.</p>
<p>I do hope Denard’s OK.</p>
<p>I was concerned about today’s game, but now that the game is over, I have to say that Michigan would have won had DR been healthy throughout the game. Our defense is good and our offense was moving fine with DR. Assuming DR stays healthy, 9-3 is the likely final record for our regular season. As for DR’s replacement next year, I think we could have a true freshman called Shane Morris. He is one od the top 5 pro-style QBs of his class and is supposed to have the strongest arm among high school seniors. Of course, Bellomy could improve significantly between now and next September, but Morris will definitely push him.</p>
<p>I want Gardner to be able to develop at WR</p>
<p>Gardner is not returning to QB unless both Bellomy and Morris do not develop next Spring and Summer. We need him at WR as we do not have a viable option that is over 6’1".</p>
<p>I guess we will all be rooting for the Spartans this coming Saturday. ;)</p>
<p>Golden was right about Nebraska btw. He got that one right. And no, I don’t think you can put the loss squarely on losing Denard.</p>