4 losses...
to teams that have combined for 3 losses on the year, including the #1, 2, and 4 teams in the country. All 4 losses came on the road or at a neutral site. Just a brutal schedule this year.
Still one game to be played to see how we remember Team 133, but I, for one, am damn proud of how they played the schedule they were give, never made excuses, and never gave up. Let's send these seniors out with a bowl win.
November 24th, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
Anyone who thinks OSU is legitimately the #4 team in the country is out of his damn mind.
November 24th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:24 PM ^
The problem with the ranking system is the primary sort is on number of losses with secondary sort on the eyeball test. A team that played 10 games against top 10 teams and goes 9-3 would be behind someone who played beat no one good and went 12-1 with the 1 loss being to the 9-3 team.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:18 PM ^
Well where would you rank them? They went 12-0, something no other team has done so far (and only one other school has a chance to match).
November 24th, 2012 at 7:24 PM ^
OSU wouldn't beat anyone else in the top 10. They're shielded by an awful big ten.
November 24th, 2012 at 8:06 PM ^
Cal SHOULD have beat them, the same Cal that got absolutely trounced in the Pac12
November 24th, 2012 at 8:50 PM ^
At some point, the "they should have lost" stuff becomes irrelevant. To win 12 out of 12 is hard for anyone to do.
November 24th, 2012 at 10:01 PM ^
They gave up 49 to Indiana, dude. Come on!!
November 24th, 2012 at 9:54 PM ^
We should have beat Notre Dame and Nebraska....We didn't
November 24th, 2012 at 9:11 PM ^
Remember when Sparty fans said this was their year with a legitimate shot at a National Championship?
November 26th, 2012 at 9:34 PM ^
I thought that was next year, with our crappy schedule?
November 24th, 2012 at 7:20 PM ^
Derp.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:51 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:58 PM ^
Does anyone really think ND is the best team in the country, for that matter?
November 24th, 2012 at 9:09 PM ^
Sort of a dig at yourself.
November 24th, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^
Back from under your rock Jon?
I'd expect you to stop by today.
Didn't see much of you after last year's game.
Enjoy your bowl game.
November 24th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
lets not forget that the BigTen has been mediocre at best the last 2 years
November 24th, 2012 at 6:50 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^
I think we could beat LSU, Florida, or South Carolina. I do think we would have trouble with Texas A&M
November 24th, 2012 at 9:45 PM ^
I appreciate your optimism, but the Big Ten would be fortunate to make it through bowl season above 25% wins. No Big Ten teams would beat any of the teams you listed.
November 24th, 2012 at 10:09 PM ^
Slow down there Thaddeus. Personally, I'm not in a big hurry to get brutalized in front of the entire country again by a Florida, or an LSU. I'm hoping for So. Carolina. Better yet, I just hope to look better than Auburn, Tennessee, and Oklahoma for the sake of a few big recruits that are borderline prospects.
November 24th, 2012 at 6:54 PM ^
if 4 losses is not a bad season for a michigan fan then you have really low expectations. they lost all their big games and their best win was over a Northwestern team. We probably have the talent to compete with ND, Nebraska, and OSU, but do to lousy play we lost all 3 games. Plus the Big Ten was awful this year and its another year with out a conference title. 2003 people 2003
November 24th, 2012 at 6:54 PM ^
Its this kind of thinking that keeps this team from being better.
Isn't the goal here to beat those teams and bring home a rather large crystal football?
November 24th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
yeah because fan talk on a message board directly affects actual player, team, and program performance and decisions
November 24th, 2012 at 7:02 PM ^
Don't ever think that you are more disappointed than the players and coaches. You aren't. I can guarantee you that the people on that bus heading back north are much angrier and disappointed then anyone here.
Fans need to get head out of their ass. No one here has a fraction of the emotional or physical investment that the players and coaches do. No one.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:04 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 8:36 PM ^
I logged in just to neg you dumbasses.
Gotta win the conference before you can win the national championship. Truth be told, if this staff continues the mojo it has shown the past two years, Michigan will be a viable national contender in the coming years. But you have to be delusional to not incrementally raise your expectations. Last year was an anomaly. We are two years removed from a 7-6 year. Four years removed from 2008.
Get real. 8-4 was a solid mark this season. Considering the transition this team still is going through. How much the team lost from 2011. 8-4 is a respectable season. Is it disappointing they aren't playing for the Big Ten title? Yes. But like the OP said. All of the losses were to good/great teams. All of the losses were on the road.
November 24th, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
No, for you guys its to win the BIG and go to the Rose Bowl.
November 24th, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
I think I'd rather have wins against those teams instead of celebrating losses. What a joke. This is Michigan. The all time winningest team in college football and we have fans happy that we only lost games to good teams.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:00 PM ^
No, the point is our team isn't loaded with talent yet and we should be proud of these guys for having a good season. What did you expect this year? To go 12-0 or 11-1?
November 24th, 2012 at 7:24 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^
Not happy at all with a 4 loss season. Just pointing out that we may have played the toughest schedule in America this year. We lost to 4 really good teams and we didn't face a single one of them at home.
Furthermore, this year, and possibly next year, is Michigan's floor talent-wise moving forward. Will be fun to see how we develop our young offensive line recruits, and we have already begun to see how our freshmen and sophomores are picking up Mattison's system as well.
November 24th, 2012 at 6:57 PM ^
to send the seniors out with a bowl win.
Not too sure how well that's gonna work out, however
November 24th, 2012 at 6:59 PM ^
This team has shown a lot this season. Although they're not the most talented or even the most cohesive team, they were never outclassed. I think next season, with even some more time to get this team prepped on Hoke's philosophy, and barring any significant injuries, should be able to make a real run. The team only lost to some of the top teams in the nation, and played one bad game against Nebraska, but they always played with pride, swag, and purpose. I'm proud of this team; don't let the haters get us down!
November 24th, 2012 at 7:13 PM ^
They were majorly outclassed by Alabama.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:01 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:05 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:08 PM ^
Weak sauce.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:09 PM ^
Am I the only person that thinks we had enough talent to go 11-1? Besides the Alabama game I believe we should have won every game. The people who keep bringing up the talent obviously don't think much of the players on the team. Al Borges had a big part in all 3 of the losses. (not including Bama)
November 24th, 2012 at 7:36 PM ^
November 24th, 2012 at 7:59 PM ^
It may seem as though we took steps back, but realistically we are just uunder most folks expecations. Of course I am not pleased at 8-4, but at the begginning of the season we all knew that four of these games would be tough. I would have hoped that we could have at least split these four games, but I also realize they were all on the road (yes counting neutral site) and with the exception of Bama, they were all close games. Like most folks I also did not like the playcalling of Borges at times throughout the year. The harsh truth is that we lack depth in critical areas and it was obvious at ties when key individuals went down this season. The sky is not falling, however, I do think there needs to be some subtle changes in coaching strategy and style in the off-season. The coaches know their team and players far better than any of us, but maybe strategically we can be more in sync. I hate to bring fester with old wounds yet the RR hangover is still noticable at times, especially in our depth. In the long run we are heading in the right direction.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:11 PM ^
4 losses to what "appear" to be the #1,2, and 4 teams in the country. Alabama I can deal with. But Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio were all winnable games.
Minus
6 turnovers, we beat ND.
QB debacle, we beat Nebraska.
Al Borges, we beat Ohio.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:44 PM ^
Clarify: No 3 TO and we beat Ohio.
November 24th, 2012 at 8:32 PM ^
Eh. What makes you think we were moving the ball even if those three plays didn't result in turnovers? Two of them were on third down anyway. The Denard fumble is the only one where we were actually somewhat doing something. The ND game we can blame on turnovers because we were moving the ball at will almost but gave it away when we had a chance to score. The turnovers in this game didn't help, but they wouldn't have changed the course of the game, either.
November 24th, 2012 at 9:10 PM ^
So in your 3 biggest games, you had a lot of turn overs? Sounds like a pattern to me.
November 24th, 2012 at 7:28 PM ^
The nice thing is what you state. Great losses. But if you look at our wins, we didn't beat any formidable opponents, unless you count Northwestern. No real wins to hang our hats on this year unfortunately