The Four Toughest Games
22 days until kickoff. Thank you, Jebus.
I see a lot of predictions from national outlets dismissing Michigan's chances in the big four games this year (Florida, @PSU, @Wisky, OSU). Lots of "maybe they pick off one, but they're too young." Instead of redundant talk about how they're Harbaugh's guys and youth won't matter, why are these games being dismissed as Michigan losses so early?
Florida-inept offense for four years running. Never ranking above 70 in offensive S&P. Defense returning only a handful of starters, without the same talent replenishment from years past. 15th in recruiting two years ago, which followed a 23rd ranking. Including the 41-7 bowl loss two years ago, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, and FSU all racked up 30-plus points.
PSU-Obviously, 49-10 last year. Barkley may be elite, but he hasn't been for two years against M. Who has been able to pass the ball on Michigan in the last two years? CU, which is a quick passing spread. RB wheel routes? Connor Cook laser accuracy? It's been a tough nut to crack. Without a good PSU OL, this is a defensive slugfest. Which leads me to...
Nobody is talking about how mediocre their defense is. 42 points to Pitt. 49 against Michigan. 31 against depleted Indiana. 31 against pedestrian Wisky. 52 against USC. Why are they highly regarded?
Wisconsin-How are they going to move the ball? Defense will probably be solid, but they've lost tons of playmakers that set that defense apart (Cichy, Watt, Biegel, Shelton). The only way I see this falling apart is an Iowa-esque performance. Given our record in Big Ten West road games (Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa), that's certainly possible.
OSU-Don't talk about them until after a few games in. I have no idea what to think with the turnover and coaching changes. All I know is I don't like them.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:06 AM ^
I'm here in London covering the IAAF championships. Taking a break, and needed to rant.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:15 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^
Were amazing. The 100m heats and final were special. People here LOVE Bolt, and HATE Gatlin. Got to interview Christian Coleman, who got silver, and he's the next star in USATF.
Mo Farah is a celebrity, and the British press is pushing lots of athletes really hard to replace him as the next star. Fans are getting frustrated, bc GBR has really laid an egg so far.
The 400m women's final, where Allyson Felix got beat by a head nod, was racous.
The only complaint I would have is that the games are so spread out that some nights have only two must see events, and the rest is a really long field event (throws, vaults, etc. take 4 hours).
August 11th, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^
The thing that frustrates me about the Brits here is the hypocrisy of the Gatlin situation. Out of the 40 fastest 100m times, 31 are by accused dopers. The other nine are Usain Bolt's. Just look at him a year prior to his emergence and what he looked like in Beijing. It's a string bean turning into a beast in a year. I wouldn't definitively accuse him of doping without hard proof, but I'm suspicious.
The hypocrisy comes in when you hear nothing about how Dwain Chambers doped, and yet Gatlin is raked against the coals by the IAAF President (who allowed him to race?).
I think the press should be focusing on Coleman, who is now 2-0 against Bolt. But I'm not the one selling papers here, so what do I know?
August 11th, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:51 AM ^
didn't go well. Our guy got 9th. For women, Infeld got 6th.
Jenny Simpson got silver in the 1500m, and the 5k's are the next two nights. Same with the men's 1500m.
They're saving Mo for the last night to end the games on a high note for the Brits.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:06 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 9:10 AM ^
It seems like a base, easy answer to not analyze the situation further.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
That's national sports journalism.
Hashtag HOTTAKES
August 11th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^
As a journalist entering the field this year, I need moar hawt takes.
Harbaugh is leaving after this year. Fanbase is getting tired of him.
Can I get a radio show now?
August 11th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
Yes, you have the morning drive on WTRU in Muskegon, Michigan until your first set of ratings come out.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^
is better than any noise from 97.1.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:40 AM ^
Lol. Just spoke on the phone with a former TRU jock. He grew up to be the Ambassador to Russia. Who would have thunk it?
August 11th, 2017 at 10:40 AM ^
When I was a kid I would listen to WTRU endlessly with my Panasonic tape recorder next to the speaker in hopes of recording a groovy popular song.
I hadn't thought about WTRU in years until your comment. Thanks for that!
August 11th, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
No problem. Now go eat dinner at Bear Lake Tavern to commerate it.
August 11th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^
Remember last year when everyone was saying Michigan was "still a year away?"
August 11th, 2017 at 9:07 AM ^
You missed the "random thoughts" thread.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:21 AM ^
So he created one of his own.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
trying to be a jerk, but I think why people are talking about the 4 toughest games is because they are the four toughest game. We have two types of games on our schedule this year - 1) certain win unless something really crazy happens, and 2) 50/50 games against good teams, two of which are on the road and one at a nuetral site. People aren't talking about the Michigan v. Maryland game or the Michigan v. Purdue game because there is not much to talk about. Michigan is better and will win them. The talk is about the tough games because there is not much to say about the other ones.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:12 AM ^
I guess I'm baffled at the dismissal of Michigan's chances in those games.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^
2) Shaky road play last year against good competition, 3) SEC bias (as to the Florida game), 4) skepticism that a program can go from gone to "back" this fast, 5) Ohio State is really good.
All of the games are winnable. Penn State and Florida very much so. The back to back Wisky and OSU is not a good draw.
August 12th, 2017 at 11:36 PM ^
I am baffled that people think that Michigans chances in those games are dismissed. Pretty near every pundit I have read gives Michigan a probable two of those four, and one loss somewhere else.
August 11th, 2017 at 11:23 AM ^
Agreed. A loss to a non OSU, @PSU, @Wisconsin, or vsFlorida this year will be a major let down.
Outside of those four games what is the fifth toughest game on the schedule? @Maryland in November but it is way below the others.
August 11th, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^
Other options for fifth toughest: Wisconsin in Indy, USC in the Rose Bowl, Bama in the NC.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^
but what would you "give up" for an OSU win?
August 11th, 2017 at 9:27 AM ^
The donut I received for selling my soul.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:31 AM ^
forbidden donut
arrgghhhhhhhhhhh
August 11th, 2017 at 9:28 AM ^
Losing to Florida, Wisconsin, and Penn State. I might throw MSU in there....MIGHT.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:38 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 9:58 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^
Crystal Gravy
August 11th, 2017 at 1:45 PM ^
Country gravy. Always.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:42 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 1:07 PM ^
Sure, but which year? A year off the end of your life? That's future WeimyWoodson's problem. What if the second the clock hit zeros in a UM win this season, you woke up in the hospital just as the 2018 UM-OSU game finished; worth it then?
August 11th, 2017 at 10:00 AM ^
In the form of the football season? I'd be happy to go to some podunk bowl in the middle of nowhere if it meant that in exchange we beat OSU and ruined their shot at a conference title or playoff spot at the very least. I'd happily lose to Florida, PSU, Wisconsin, and would even flirt with losing to MSU too.
In terms of my personal life, that depends, but not much. At the end of the day its just a game and I'm not going to sacrifice things that really matter. But as for stuff I would sacrifice, I'd sacrifice any kind of alcohol for the entire football season. Would happily go stone cold sober from Labor Day weekend to Thanksgiving weekend to guarantee that win.
August 11th, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 9:38 AM ^
The four toughest games are the next four!
-generic coach answer
August 11th, 2017 at 9:52 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
Man, remember when some video games were just too difficult to beat? Like, you couldn't just beat them thru attrition? I never beat Battletoads. Son of a bitch.
I did, however, beat both Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden II, which mos def involved a ton of rage quits and a heroic amount of profanity from teenage Sleepy.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:23 AM ^
beating a game was a badge of honor instead of a foregone conclusion
I never got past 6-2 in Ninja Gaiden and the sword chucker guy that kept respawning. The trick to despawn him was not well known.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^
We will have a handful of tough games. Most road games present a challenge at the college level. Rivalry games the same. Only thing that matters this year, just win. And beat ohio.
GO BLUE!!
August 11th, 2017 at 9:49 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:23 AM ^
The dude is a pretty good announcer and analyst in my book.
On a par with Hirk Kerbstreit IMO.
August 11th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
Seems like Huard did a gob load of our games last season. I didn't hate him. Totally serious. Herbstreeet regressed to mute button territory.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
In order:
#4 - Florida - their offense does not scare me until proven otherwise, but their defense is going to be a very tough challenge for a very inexperienced offense. Neutral site game so not worried about it being "a tough environment," but a lot of guys stepping in with minimal experience.
#3 - Wisconsin - went back and forth a little bit on this with PSU, but considering the team will be about as seasoned as it can be by the time Wisconsin rolls around, it makes me slightly less concerned. Plus, their offense plays to our defense's strengths, and this will almost certainly be a day game. Would dread playing in Camp Randall at night.
#2 - PSU - white out night game in Happy Valley. Against a team with a stud RB and a QB who will want to arm punt....err....I mean air it out against a very inexperienced secondary. PSU will be out for blood after getting beaten to a bloody pulp by Michigan last season. This is a winnable game, but Michigan will have to play at its best. Even if PSU is not all they're cracked up to be this season, winning in Happy Valley at night is a tall order for anyone. As OSU saw last season.
#1 - OSU - there was never another option. Michigan will be fully grown by this game, but so will OSU. If Kevin Wilson proves to be OSU's answer on offense, we'll need to play a near perfect game to win and force a turnover or two. Thank god its at home, but I pray our OL is up to the challenge. Unless everyone on that line turns into Jake Long by November, Speight will need to get the ball out of his hands pretty quickly. I hope that the DL is still fully healthy by this game and the backups have plenty of reps. Barrett and Weber are going to try and run it right down our throats, and the last thing I want to see is a repeat of 2015 where the DL was gassed by the third quarter and OSU just ran the ball at will.