<p>Regardless of the outcome final game vs OSU, Michigan football is back! It isn't merely about our record, it is also about the intensity in which we play. Our defense is playing like a Michigan defense and we have been competitive in every single game this season. </p>
<p>Michigan will probably finish the season 10-3 (including a bowl game), which is amazing considering how we ended last season. Next year will again likely be a 10-3 season. However, in 2013, I can see Michigan contending for the Big 10 championship and perhaps even more!</p>
<p>What sucks for UofM is that the top tier, blue chip football recruits want to play in the SEC. The SEC is obviously the best conference in football, and that’s why year-in and year-out you see LSU, Florida, Alabama in the top 10 preseason rankings. But, Penn State is the crapper right now, which should help UofM steal some of their top de-committed recruits. However, I don’t see them contending for the national championship within the next two years. Michigan’s biggest competition in the Big 10 will be: OSU, MSU, UNebraska, and UWisconsin.</p>
<p>The future of Michigan football started today. It was truly outstanding performance against a top caliber team.the Nebraska fans in attendance wre dumbstruck at what they saw. It just goes to show what happens when you have a coach who puts into the defense more than his two cents. I guarantee you there isn’t a team in the country that would have wanted to be Michigan’s opponent today.</p>
<p>Stanford, Michigan will be playing Alabama next Setpember, so we’ll have to wait and see. I am fairly certain that we will lose, but I am not so sure we will be “crushed”. Not that anybody on this forum has any false hopes. My own post above predicts 10-3 seasons for the next couple of years. </p>
<p>At any rate, we first need to take care of business next week. Who knows, with a win over OSU, Michigan may play Stanford in one of the BCS bowls! Now wouldn’t that be awesome.</p>
<p>Finally, regarding recruiting, I am not sure why it should matter whether Michigan will sign a five star recruit or not this year. With the exception of FSU and Texas, most top programs will sign either 1 or 0 five star players. What matters is the strength of the class overall, and Michigan has recruited over 10 four star players. Either way, Michigan will land a top class this year, whether it is top 5 or not will be determined in 2-3 years.</p>
<p>Michigan defense was great today (minus the flop play for Nebraska’s first TD). On other note, not sure why Nebraska couldn’t hold on to the ball today. With the exception of the first kick off return, those weren’t particularly hard hits…</p>
<p>I’m sure Alabama was much happier yesterday having Georgia Southern as its opponent in its friendly confines and would have had no interest to taking on Michigan on cold windy November day. I didn’t say who would win but Michigan would not have been crushed.</p>
<p>Can you describe what would need to happen for Umich to face Stanford in a BCS bowl? Because I don’t see it happening. Right now it seems it’s most likely Stanford vs. UHouston, Okie State, or Oklahoma in the Fiesta or Sugar bowls. if anything, Michigan and Stanford would be facing a conference champ in their respective BCS bowls, not each other.</p>
<p>The selection priority is complex and can be googled but the crux of it for the Sugar Bowl is that the SEC champion would go to the Sugar Bowl game if they are not in the NCG. But, of course everyone assumes the SEC Champ will go to the NCG game. Therefore, two other teams will be invited. A lot of projections has a Houston-Michigan matchup if they both win out. I’ve seen one projection of Stanford-Michigan. </p>
<p>The Big 12 conf. champ goes to the Fiesta Bowl. </p>
<p>For at large teams, the order of selection for the Jan 2012 BCS games is Fiesta, Sugar, Orange.</p>
Not to get technical, but the only reason USC is “unranked” is because they’re ineligible this year for a postseason bowl game. USC is 9-2 and atop the Pac-12 South. I’m impressed with the Trojans desire to win.</p>
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You obviously did not see the game. Baylor scored a game winning TD with seconds left… hardly classified as “handily”.</p>
<p>Wayne, with one caveat. With the Alabama-LSU national championship game becoming more and more likely, sugar bowl will most likely have the first pick at the at-large team because it loses it’s AQ team (due to the 2 per conference rule).
This is why most projections have Michigan going to the Sugar Bowl as opposed to Fiesta because even with 2 losses, it is the most attractive and $$$ drawing at-large team and that’s all that matters to the bowls (and rightfully so)</p>
<p>Nah. Kalis is a 5-star in the Scout ratings. He’s also the #22 recruit overall in Rivals’s rankings, ie, the highest 4-star and certainly will be a 5-star by February.</p>
<p>You don’t really have a strong point, considering the recruiting classes we’re looking at for 2012 and 2013.</p>
<p>Congrats, Blue! Always a good day when a Michigan team (ANY Michigan team) beats OSU. You guys, especially the seniors at U of M that haven’t had a win against MSU or OSU in their 4 years there, deserved this win. Very well done!</p>
<p>Michigan now has a good shot at an at-large BCS bowl bid. We were ranked #15 in last week’s BCS poll and should be ranked among the top 14 come December 5.</p>